“Out of the frying pan, into the fire” is a phrase we sometimes use to talk about situations that seem to go from bad to worse. In the Book of Acts 27-28, the phrase would be something more like “out of the shipwreck, into an island full of snakes and sickness.”

But whether we are talking about frying pans or shipwrecks, our current global crisis from COVID-19 raises all sorts of questions. Will it get worse? How much worse? And what is God doing through all of it?

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Family Talk Discussion Questions

Title: What to Do When Things Get Real // Acts 28:1-11

Quick Review:
Paul heard a promise from God in the middle of his storm. (“Don’t fear. You will speak to Caesar in Rome.”)
And he believed it. He clung to that promise, so he didn’t worry when his situation seemed wildly out of control.
In dire times, people are often more open to hearing a message of faith. In Acts 27, the desperate passengers
aboard Paul’s ill-fated voyage were eager to grasp Paul’s message of hope. Just as God promised, the raging sea
didn’t claim their lives. But now they found themselves on an inhabited island, rife with sickness and danger.
But Paul remained steadfast, and it changed the lives of everyone he met.

As a family, take time to discuss these questions and possible action steps you can take.

How has this disruption become “real” to you?
A few weeks ago this was just a story on TV. How has it become personal?
What are the biggest changes in your daily life?
How do the changes make you feel?

How are you responding?
When are you taking time to listen to God’s voice?
What Bible verses are an anchor for you in this storm?
How do they change your mindset or your actions?
How do you see other people responding?
How can you share your faith with someone else?
How will people see that you have an unexpected response?
What is one thing you can do this week to encourage (give courage to) a neighbor, friend, or family member?
How could your hope change someone else?