The Bridge Church
Summer Road Trip - Week 8 - Turning the World Upside Down
July 20, 2025
Locations & Times
Bridge Church
2410 N River Rd, Venice, FL 34292, USA
Sunday 7:45 AM
Sunday 9:30 AM
Sunday 11:15 AM
As God's Kingdom Advances, Expect Conflict
God's Kingdom Advances through the Church's Witness
The Church's Witness Needs a Love for God's Word
Bridge Church Value - We Build Healthy Families
As God's Kingdom Advances, Expect Conflict:
1. Be Ready for Conflict
2. Know and Love the Word of God
3. Be Broken Over the Lost
1. Be Ready for Conflict
2. Know and Love the Word of God
3. Be Broken Over the Lost
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
https://thebridgevenice.churchcenter.com/people/forms/500390
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
Dig Deeper:
1. As we’ve gone through Paul’s journeys this summer, what has stood out to you most? Why?
2. What has God been revealing to you through this sermon series?
3. Read Acts 17:1-3. Why did Paul go to the synagogue? Discuss Paul’s background in relation to him speaking to this particular audience.
4. Where has God gifted you with insight and experience to leverage for the kingdom? What experiences have you had in life that can be used to reach others?
5. What did Paul use to “reason with them”? What was he “explaining and proving”? Why would this have been important to this audience to hear?
6. What scripture do you think Paul used to explain and prove that it was “necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead.”
7. What could Paul have used instead of scriptures? Why wouldn’t it have been as effective in this situation?
8. Read Acts 17:4. Discuss who specifically were persuaded, and joined, Paul and Silas. Why are these people mentioned?
9. Read Acts 17:5-7. Why did some Jewish people oppose the gospel? What was their focus on? What was their focus not on?
10. Discuss the events that take place in Acts 17:5-7. What do the wicked men do throughout this passage? Who are they trying to find? Who is doing the work that they are jealous of?
11. What do you think they mean when they say that these men “have turned the world upside down”?
12. Read Ephesians 2:1-2. Wickedness will always oppose the gospel. Describe a time in your life where you have witnessed this personally.
13. How is Christianity disrupting? Discuss how you’ve experience disruption because of your faith in Jesus. Discuss the many reasons why it is worth the disruption.
14. Read Acts 17:8-9. Did the disruption caused by the men work? How?
15. Despite the opposition, what took place when Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica?
16. Read John 15:19-21. How does this passage convict you? How does it encourage you?
17. Read Acts 17:10-11. Locate Thessalonica and Berea on an ancient map. What were the people in Berea doing that some of those in Thessalonica were not?
18. Do you consider yourself having an eagerness to examine the Scriptures daily like the Bereans? Why or why not?
19. Read Acts 17:12-13. Thinking back on the location of Thessalonica to Berea, it was approximately 45 miles between these two towns. Do you think it was easy for the people to come to Berea from Thessalonica to agitate and upset the crowds? Again, why are they so adamantly against what is happening?
20. Read Acts 17:14-15. Is Paul stopped on his journey? Why not?
21. Read Philippians 3:17-21. What does it mean that a Christian's “citizenship is in heaven”? As a Christian, how does that shape how your life today?
Live It Out:
God’s Kingdom advances through the Church’s witness. Paul, Silas, and their company went in the power of God to go make disciples in Thessalonica, and saw God draw new believers to Himself and build a church there. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If God’s people don’t go and share about Him, who will?
Consider people in your life who don’t know Jesus. List their names on a sheet of paper. Then, for each particular person, write down opportunities or possible conversation starters where you can share about Jesus. Pray to God, asking Him for boldness and opportunities in the weeks and months ahead to share with each person. Then, when the time presents itself, unashamedly share the powerful story of Jesus and how He has changed your life.
If you don’t know Jesus, today can be the day when you begin a relationship with Him. Pray to Him, in your own words: Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for me. I admit that I sin against you and behave as a citizen of earth. I recognize that I cannot clean myself up enough, be good enough, or do anything in my own power to live a perfect life; only you can do that. I believe that you died on a cross for my sins, and I thank you for loving me enough to do so. I want to live my life following you and growing closer to you. Amen.
1. As we’ve gone through Paul’s journeys this summer, what has stood out to you most? Why?
2. What has God been revealing to you through this sermon series?
3. Read Acts 17:1-3. Why did Paul go to the synagogue? Discuss Paul’s background in relation to him speaking to this particular audience.
4. Where has God gifted you with insight and experience to leverage for the kingdom? What experiences have you had in life that can be used to reach others?
5. What did Paul use to “reason with them”? What was he “explaining and proving”? Why would this have been important to this audience to hear?
6. What scripture do you think Paul used to explain and prove that it was “necessary for the Messiah to suffer and rise from the dead.”
7. What could Paul have used instead of scriptures? Why wouldn’t it have been as effective in this situation?
8. Read Acts 17:4. Discuss who specifically were persuaded, and joined, Paul and Silas. Why are these people mentioned?
9. Read Acts 17:5-7. Why did some Jewish people oppose the gospel? What was their focus on? What was their focus not on?
10. Discuss the events that take place in Acts 17:5-7. What do the wicked men do throughout this passage? Who are they trying to find? Who is doing the work that they are jealous of?
11. What do you think they mean when they say that these men “have turned the world upside down”?
12. Read Ephesians 2:1-2. Wickedness will always oppose the gospel. Describe a time in your life where you have witnessed this personally.
13. How is Christianity disrupting? Discuss how you’ve experience disruption because of your faith in Jesus. Discuss the many reasons why it is worth the disruption.
14. Read Acts 17:8-9. Did the disruption caused by the men work? How?
15. Despite the opposition, what took place when Paul and Silas were in Thessalonica?
16. Read John 15:19-21. How does this passage convict you? How does it encourage you?
17. Read Acts 17:10-11. Locate Thessalonica and Berea on an ancient map. What were the people in Berea doing that some of those in Thessalonica were not?
18. Do you consider yourself having an eagerness to examine the Scriptures daily like the Bereans? Why or why not?
19. Read Acts 17:12-13. Thinking back on the location of Thessalonica to Berea, it was approximately 45 miles between these two towns. Do you think it was easy for the people to come to Berea from Thessalonica to agitate and upset the crowds? Again, why are they so adamantly against what is happening?
20. Read Acts 17:14-15. Is Paul stopped on his journey? Why not?
21. Read Philippians 3:17-21. What does it mean that a Christian's “citizenship is in heaven”? As a Christian, how does that shape how your life today?
Live It Out:
God’s Kingdom advances through the Church’s witness. Paul, Silas, and their company went in the power of God to go make disciples in Thessalonica, and saw God draw new believers to Himself and build a church there. Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If God’s people don’t go and share about Him, who will?
Consider people in your life who don’t know Jesus. List their names on a sheet of paper. Then, for each particular person, write down opportunities or possible conversation starters where you can share about Jesus. Pray to God, asking Him for boldness and opportunities in the weeks and months ahead to share with each person. Then, when the time presents itself, unashamedly share the powerful story of Jesus and how He has changed your life.
If you don’t know Jesus, today can be the day when you begin a relationship with Him. Pray to Him, in your own words: Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for me. I admit that I sin against you and behave as a citizen of earth. I recognize that I cannot clean myself up enough, be good enough, or do anything in my own power to live a perfect life; only you can do that. I believe that you died on a cross for my sins, and I thank you for loving me enough to do so. I want to live my life following you and growing closer to you. Amen.
Reading Plan:
Monday: Acts 17:1-3
Tuesday: Acts 17:4-7
Wednesday: Ephesians 2:1-2
Thursday: Acts 17:8-9, John 15:19-21
Friday: Acts 17:10-15
Saturday: Philippians 3:17-21
Monday: Acts 17:1-3
Tuesday: Acts 17:4-7
Wednesday: Ephesians 2:1-2
Thursday: Acts 17:8-9, John 15:19-21
Friday: Acts 17:10-15
Saturday: Philippians 3:17-21