Reading the Acts of the Apostles - Chapters 8-9

Acts 8-9
God on the Go
April 22-28, 2013

I highly recommend that you read or listen to Dr. Jack Levison's commentary by following this link:
http://blog.spu.edu/lectio

Be sure to spend some time with the Questions for Further Reflection at the bottom of the commentary.  You'll find new questions there each week.

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Introducing...Saul the Persecutor

8:1-3
After Stephen is killed, we hear that there was a man who approved of the killing.  His name was Saul.  He led a violent persecution of the early Christians.  Remember that at this point they were all Jews, but the followers of Jesus believed that he was God's Messiah.  Saul was a religious law-and-order storm-trooper, purifying the faith of this offshoot belief with severe actions that ravaged the young church.  Paul enters homes and drags believers off to prison.  Jesus was right...there is a cost that comes with a life of discipleship.  Spoiler alert! We will find out that this Saul is the very same Apostle Paul who soon will become the leading figure of this church he is persecuting. 

• Do you think the imprisoned believers prayed for God to change Saul's heart? 
• What experience do you have praying hopeful prayers for God to reach "evil" people?
• What do you find most difficult about believing that God can transform even the worst perpetrators?

The First Missionary: Philip Preaches in Samaria (Remember Acts 1:8?)

8:4-25

The persecution in Jerusalem causes Christians to split the scene, inadvertently encouraging the believers to take the message of Jesus into the surrounding regions.  Philip heads to Samaria, fulfilling Jesus command/prophecy in Acts 1:8 ("You will be my witnesses in ....Samaria").  Philip preaches and performs miracles.  Simon, a sorcerer (magician), wanted to buy this miracle magic from the apostles.  We learn that it is not for sale.  Simon is given the opportunity to repent.

• In what ways would it be easier if we could buy things from God? 
• What would you buy, and how much would you spend on it? 
• Knowing that God and His power are not for sale, how do you obtain the benefits of these things that you desire from God?

 

Philip the Cross-cultural Evangelist & the beginning of African Christianity

8:26-40

Philip responds to an angel who directs him to go to a road in the middle of nowhere on the way from Jerusalem to Egypt.  He meets up with an Ethiopian court official who had just been to Jerusalem to worship.  Philip responds to the prompting of the Holy Spirit by helping him understand how Isaiah's prophecies spoke of Jesus. Right then and there the Ethiopian believed and asked to be baptized. Philip baptized him and then was magically transported to another region.  Philip evangelized by helping a "not-yet-believer" understand scripture.

• Have you ever considered inviting someone like this to join you in reading the Lectio readings?  Who would it be?
• What would be a good benefit of this? 
• What would make it difficult for you? 
• Spend some time praying about this, then listen to what the Holy Spirit tells you.

Saul the Persecutor has a life-changing encounter with Jesus

9:1-19

We meet Saul again, "still breathing threats and murder against the disciples" - yikes!  the church has expanded into the Jewish community in Damascus, Syria.  Saul gets permission to clean house there and bring believers to justice in Jerusalem.  Then - wham! - his life is changed.  Jesus speaks to him from heaven (If you have a red letter version Bible you can see it clearly...Jesus still speaks in Acts!). The Lord taps Ananias on the shoulder and calls him to welcome this former enemy into the family.

• What was your first encounter with Jesus like? 
• Does it have anything in common with Paul's? 
• What might have been difficult about Jesus' assignment for Ananias? 
• If you can, share an experience in which God led you to welcome someone who used to be an enemy of sorts.

Saul’s Audition - Preaching in Damascus, then Jerusalem

9:20-31

The former enemy of the believers is now one of them; now his former friends are enemies who try to kill him. Saul becomes a powerful preacher of the message about Jesus, but not overnight...it developed over time ("increasingly" v. 22..."After some time had passed" v. 23).  Saul goes to Jerusalem, for the first time as a believer...the disciples were understandably afraid.  Barnabus, ever the encourager, vouches for him.  Saul speaks boldly, so much so that the believers send him to the town of Tarshish to protect him from attempts to kill him.  Verse 31 is an update on the progress of the Acts 1:8 mission.  Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria...check!  Now on to the "ends of the earth," and both Peter and Saul will be instrumental.

• What has Jesus transformed or changed in your life? 
• In what ways might you have experienced rejection from others you were close to in your former way of life? 
• Have you ever been called by the Lord to stand up for another believer?  Has someone had to stand up for you? 
• Share the details of your experience of Christian encouragement, Barnabas-style

Peter’s journey begins…and barriers begin to be broken down

9:32-43

Peter is back in the spotlight. We see him acting like a bishop, traveling around the region to be among the smaller communities of believers.  His healing of Aeneas leads the residents of the community to turn to the Lord.  This same result came from the raising of Tabitha (a.k.a. Dorcas), who had died.  Her situation is unique because she is the only woman in Acts called a disciple, and because it seems that God restores her so she can continue to serve the Lord through her acts of charity, which included making clothing.

• What do you think of the idea that God still does miracles today in places where unbelieving populations might witness God's power and turn to him? 
• What do you think of the idea that God might miraculously  revive and sustain those who are serving him? 
• Have you seen  or experienced healing and reviving power like what you see Peter involved with in Acts 9?

Together in Christ,

Pastor Kurt

Reading the Acts of the Apostles - Chapters 5-7

Acts 5-7

Witness Turns Uglier

Trouble in Paradise
April 15-21, 2013

 

I highly recommend that you read or listen to Dr. Jack Levison's commentary by following this link:
http://blog.spu.edu/lectio

Be sure to spend some time with the Questions for Further Reflection at the bottom of the commentary.  You'll find new questions there each week.

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Serious business…The tragedy of Ananias and Sapphira

5:1-11
Up to this point, the new church seems to be an ideal place.  As it turns out, not everyone thought it was a good idea to give to the church all the proceeds from their sale of property.  Ananias and Sapphira pay a steep price for this choice – their very lives – for “lying to the Holy Spirit.”  Read carefully and you’ll notice this episode has a lot to do with Peter’s authority as the leader of the church.  It also shows that God delivers the judgment.

• This is not an easy scripture passage – what, if anything, in this episode do you find troubling?  What questions does it bring up? 
• In what ways might we “lie to the Holy Spirit?” 
• What do you think about having consequences for not meeting the obligations you commit to when you join the church?

Signs and wonders - healings

5:12-16
Many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles.  People were healed, and great numbers of people became believers in Jesus.

• Verse 16 refers to those healed as “the sick” and “those tormented by unclean spirits” – how would you describe the difference? 
• Do you think God still miraculously heals the sick and the tormented?
• In Acts, God did it “through the Apostles.” Who might God work through today?

The apostles are persecuted…and keep on preaching

5:17-42
Remember Jesus’ radical words in Luke 4?  (Those of us following the lectio readings read Luke a few months ago).  Take a look at Luke 4:16-21, when Jesus read from the Isaiah scroll to launch his public ministry, especially the phrases “release to the captives” and “let the oppressed go free.”  In the early church we see Jesus do this literally - miraculous freeing of imprisoned apostles.  Here, the apostles are arrested, but during the night an angel opens up the prison doors, allowing them to go right back to work at the temple first thing in the morning.  [Note what is often called the “Gamaliel Principle” in 5:38-39]

• Why do you think God released the apostles from prison? 
• After the lawful authorities ordered them to stop teaching in Jesus’ name, why didn’t they obey? 
• Does God always want his people to be law-abiding citizens? Explain.

Controversy arises…and servants are equipped to respond

6:1-7
Remember Jesus’ ministry to the marginalized in Luke?  It continues in the church in providing for the needs of widows (the movement didn’t leave vulnerable people behind…they cared for their needs).  Because of ethnic differences, some widows weren’t getting what they needed.  The apostles felt they were called by God to preach the gospel…who would help the widows?  Seven were appointed to the task…often considered the first Deacons.  One of them was a man named Stephen.

• How does the church meet the needs of vulnerable people in the church today? 
• How do the Deacons participate in this? 
• How does this involve mission work? 
• How does it involve you?

Introducing Stephen

6:8-15
Look closely at the text and come up with a description of Stephen and the characteristics of his faith. 

• Have you ever met someone like this? 
• How, and for what purpose, might God develop in you what God developed in Stephen?

Stephen’s speech – the Old Testament roots of the Jesus movement

7:1-53
Stephen gives a long speech about Jesus, covering the Old Testament in detail. 

• Are you familiar with the biblical history Stephen is referring to?
• Many of us learn Old Testament Bible stories in childhood and then don’t read much of them for the rest our lives.  How does Stephen’s telling of the story affirm what you learned in Sunday School?  What new ideas does it present?

Stephen is killed

7:54-60
People respond to Stephen's preaching with violent intentions, and Stephen becomes the first Christian martyr (a person killed because of their Christian identity, beliefs, or witness).

• Why do you think the people responded with such violence to what Stephen said? 
• Do you think Stephen could have said what he said in a gentler way, or did he have to say it the way he said it? 
• What teachings in the Bible have the potential to make people mad?  Anything make you mad?  How do you handle that?
• What stories have you heard about people who are killed because of their Christian faith?  Does this still happen in the world today?

Then, as now, the church encounters troubles and hardship.  But the Holy Spirit remains strongly present, and the Lord Jesus Christ continues to grow the church.


Together in Christ,

Pastor Kurt

Reading the Acts of the Apostles - Chapters 3 & 4

Acts 3-4
April 8-14
Witness Turns Ugly
Caught in the Act(s)

I highly recommend that you read or listen to Dr. Jack Levison's commentary by following this link:

http://blog.spu.edu/lectio/introduction-on-the-journey/

Be sure to spend some time with the Questions for Further Reflection at the bottom of the commentary.  You'll find new questions there each week.

________________________

 

Highlights...by Pastor Kurt

 

Peter Heals a Crippled Beggar

3:1-10  “But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.’” (v. 6)

They were just going to the temple to pray.  But the temple was also the place they encountered human need - a man lame from birth asked them for money.   They offered what they had – the powerful name of Jesus.  The once-lame man jumped up and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.  Everyone who saw it was filled with wonder and amazement.  There’s something going on here!

What are your reasons for going to church?  In your involvement in church, has God ever diverted your attention from prayer to helping the needy?  What do you think is the relationship between prayer and service/mission in the Christian life?

 

Or Did He? Peter Preaches about Jesus in Solomon’s Portico

3:11-26  “When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, ‘You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?... By faith in his (Jesus’) name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.’” (v. 12, 16)

Peter makes it clear that he didn’t heal this man at all.  It was Jesus who did it. Peter takes this opportunity to preach a sermon about Jesus the Savior.  Notice that while Peter’s version of the story implicates the Israelites in rejecting and killing Jesus, he says they acted in ignorance and that through their ignorance God fulfilled a prophecy.  If they repent and turn to God their sins will be wiped out and they will be refreshed.

What good things have happened in your life?  Your family?  Your church?  Have you had a hand in helping a needy person?  In all of this, how much credit do you give to God?  What are some ways of giving credit where credit is due?

 

Arrested…and even then Peter just can’t stop talking about Jesus

4:1-22  “Let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead…There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.” (v. 10, 12)

Not everyone enjoyed Peter’s preaching.   Many of the religious leaders were annoyed, and tried to stop this nonsense before it got out of hand.  After arresting Peter and John, they weren’t quite prepared for such a bold witness.   The city was celebrating a healing miracle, so they couldn’t come down hard on the apostles.  They decided to try to quiet them down by ordering them not to talk about Jesus.  Peter and John were respectful, but honest – “we can’t keep from speaking about what we’ve seen and heard.”

Are there settings in which you feel pressure not to say anything about Jesus or what you know about faith and life in him?  How can you be respectful of others while also being true to God and honest about your own experience of Jesus?

 

Of one heart & soul…the believers put their money where their mouths are

4:32-37  “No one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common…there was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold…and it was distributed to each as any had need.” (v. 32, 34)

Simply put, these verses are often ignored in the church because they are seen as either utterly scandalous or unreasonably idealistic.  But there it is…plain as day.  People gave up private ownership so that the church would have resources to meet everyone’s needs.

What does the name “Barnabas” mean?  How might a Christian encourage others by giving their possessions or money to the church to help those in need?  Do you have any experience with what the early Christians are doing here?  Why is it difficult for people in our society to give up private ownership?  Why might it be difficult for you?

 

 

Together in Christ,

 

Pastor Kurt

Reading the Acts of the Apostles - Chapter 2

Acts 2
April 1-7
Witness Begins
Pentecost and Peter’s Preaching

I highly recommend that you read or listen to Dr. Jack Levison's commentary by following this link:

http://blog.spu.edu/lectio/introduction-on-the-journey/

Be sure to spend some time with the Questions for Further Reflection at the bottom of the commentary.  You'll find new questions there each week.

________________________

 

Highlights...by Pastor Kurt

The Day of Pentecost & the Giving of the Holy Spirit

2:1-13 “When the day of Pentecost came…suddenly from heaven there came a sound…tongues as of fire appeared among them…all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” (v. 2-4)

What the apostles were waiting for came suddenly, according to God’s timing.  It just so happened that Jews from all over the known world were there to witness it.  Seeds of expansion are planted from the very beginning.

What is your experience of the Holy Spirit?  How do you interpret the concept of “speaking in tongues,” both historically and currently?  Most of us know what it’s like to wait for God to do something: Does the giving of the Holy Spirit have any lessons to teach us on waiting for God to act on his promises?

The First Sermon in the History of the Church

2:14-36 “Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, ‘Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you…’” (v. 14)

Notice how Peter explains what is happening by quoting Old Testament prophecy.  It reminds me of Handel’s Messiah, which tells the story of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus mostly using Old Testament texts.

• Giving of the Holy Spirit – Joel 2:28-32 [Pay special attention to Dr. Levison’s commentary on this point]
• Jesus of Nazareth Crucified – Psalm 16:8-11
• Jesus Resurrected and Ascended – Psalm 16:10 & Psalm 110:1

How important is it to know scripture well – For personal faith?  For evangelistic outreach?  Have you ever been called upon to publicly witness to God’s work by sharing words from the Bible?  What was that experience like for you?

The First Converts & Their Life Together with the Apostles

2:37-47 “So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers…” (v. 41-42)

Peter’s answer to the question “What should we do?” that people asked in response to the preaching of Jesus crucified and risen has provided the church with the basic action required for a person to become a Christian: “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Not a lot has changed since then!  The description of their life together continues themes that we saw in Luke’s gospel, especially the importance of table fellowship and sharing material possessions to meet one another’s needs. 

 

Recall your story of repenting and being baptized.  If you have this story, rejoice in it!  If not, consider your response to the points Peter is preaching…might this be the time to repent and be baptized?  How is your experience of Christian community similar to this description in verses 42-47?  How is it different?

 

 

In the Spirit,

 

Pastor Kurt