Click here to see the sermon discussion questions or see them listed below. We highly encourage you to listen, think, and talk about the sermon. These are questions you can reflect on by yourself, with your family, or with your small group.

Sermon Discussion Questions:

1. Because of his courage and conviction, the apostle Paul might be perceived as a masculine heroic man full of bravado and machismo. Do you agree with this perception?  Do you think it is odd for a man of great strength to also be a man of great humility, willing to submit himself to others?  Explain.

2. When Paul reaches Jerusalem, he stays in the home of Mnason, an early convert to Christianity.  Assuming Mnason became a Christian through Jesus’ ministry, is it reasonable to assume that he is a humble man of God?  Should increasing humility be the norm for a true believer the longer he/she is alive, especially when facing persecution and hardship?  Explain.

3. Is pride, self promotion, and arrogance hard to find in the church?  Why or why not?  Of all the disciples, Paul probably had the most to boast about.  What do you think kept Paul so humble and what should elders of the church learn from Paul when it comes to humility?

4. Although James’ request to Paul was wrong (see Acts 21:23-24), we can rightly assume that Paul would never compromise the gospel for any reason (see Galatians 1:6-11). Why then do you think Paul agreed with such a questionable request?  And what does this tell us about Paul’s commitment to follow Christ’s example "not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45)

5. Similar to the sinful woman in Luke 7:36-38 who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and hair, why do you think drug addicts and prostitutes, when they become believers, are filled with a special zeal to love and follow Jesus?  

6. What can we learn from the sinful woman in Luke 7 as well as the converted drug addicts and prostitutes and how should this help us to live out Philippians 2:3-11