Acts (The Way Forward): When Kindness Comes from Strangers

Robyn Elliott - September 14, 2025

In this week’s message from Robyn Elliott, we witness the surprising power of humility and kindness through an unexpected group of people in Acts 28 – foreigners who welcome Paul in his time of need. As we unpack this moment of vulnerability, we’re reminded that God is already at work ahead of us, even in unfamiliar places and faces. When we embrace our weakness, we make space for Jesus to show up through us.

Discussion Questions

Have you ever experienced kindness from someone unexpected? How did that moment shift your perspective about people, power, or God? How did that moment shape your view of humility? And what stereotypes or assumptions about people might God be trying to dismantle in you through that act of unexpected generosity?
Do you struggle more with receiving help or giving it? Why do you think one feels harder than the other?
In what ways do you find yourself trying to serve from a place of strength instead of weakness? What might change if you embraced vulnerability instead?
Paul was on a journey marked by uncertainty and suffering. How do you respond when your own journey feels directionless or out of control?
“God is already there.” What does this truth mean for you in your current life situation? Where might God already be at work ahead of you?
How does it challenge you to think of yourself not as a “saviour,” but as part of the shared human story of need, grace, and community?
What would it look like for you to embody “unusual kindness” in your daily life, especially toward people different from you?
Paul met all kinds of people on his journey – some helped him, some hurt him, and some surprised him with kindness. Who do you see yourself in right now? Are you carrying burdens like Paul, resisting others like his persecutors, or offering hospitality like the barbarians on the shore?