1. 1 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Scripture Focus Acts 16:16-40

2. 2 SILAS: A Joyful Witness The Word to Live By Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved. --Acts 16:31

3. 3 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Session Truth The gospel has always encountered resistance wherever it has been proclaimed, but the power of God has always been at work in ways to overcome that resistance through grace and the faithful witness of the people of God.

4. 4 SILAS: A Joyful Witness What does it take for the gospel to be heard in a culture that has embraced the worship of false gods and the exploitation of people?

5. 5 SILAS: A Joyful Witness How does the Holy Spirit guide believers in their attempts to establish the church in such an environment?

6. 6 SILAS: A Joyful Witness What was the slave girl saying about Paul and Silas?

7. 7 SILAS: A Joyful Witness What was the problem with the girl's pronouncements? Was the gospel message damaged by the girl? Why or why not?

8. 8 SILAS: A Joyful Witness The Scripture Focus says Paul was “annoyed.“ Did Paul let his feelings get the best of him? Did he act rashly?

9. 9 SILAS: A Joyful Witness What does Paul’s example say to us about dealing with annoyances?

10. 10 SILAS: A Joyful Witness How can the church bring the light of Christ into a community’s spiritual darkness?

11. 11 SILAS: A Joyful Witness The charges mentioned that Paul and Silas were Jews. How was this ethnic term used by the accusers to gain favor with the authorities and crowd?

12. 12 SILAS: A Joyful Witness What physical condition do you imagine Paul and Silas were in by the time they had been punished and thrown into prison?

13. 13 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Have you ever been on the receiving end of injustice, especially related to your faith? How did you respond?

14. 14 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Why is it so easy to trump up fear in people toward an ethnic group that is different from their own? If this occurs in your community, how should the church respond?

15. 15 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Why did Paul and Silas respond in such an unusual way to mistreatment?

16. 16 SILAS: A Joyful Witness We are told that “the other prisoners were listening.” What does that say to us?

17. 17 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Why did Paul and Silas pass up the opportunity to walk out of the damaged jail after the earthquake?

18. 18 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Why did the jailer turn to God? Whom did his “household” include? How is it that they were included in salvation? What immediate difference was evidenced in the jailer?

19. 19 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Have you experienced the Holy Spirit holding you steady in the midst of a difficult life challenge?

20. 20 SILAS: A Joyful Witness Should Paul and Silas have “turned the other cheek” with regard to the magistrates? What did Paul and Silas do on their release?

21. 21 SILAS: A Joyful Witness What can we learn from the example of Paul and Silas? What enabled these men to offer encouragement to other believers?

22. 22 SILAS: A Joyful Witness My Faith Response Is there a place where you need to take a personal stand this week?

23. 23 SILAS: A Joyful Witness My Faith Response To whom can you be an encouragement this week?

24. 24 SILAS: A Joyful Witness My Faith Response What expressions of praise should you offer today?