“Father, we pause from our busy day to cast all of our attention onto You.  Speak to us through Your Word.  Let it shape our minds in how we think, our hearts in what we love, and ultimately, our hands in what we do.  Amen.”

 

12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

With the growing opposition from the religious leaders, the people are intrigued by the church but still remain standoffish.  They want to see the things that are coming out of the life of the church.  They want to see the wonders, but they don’t want to get too close if things take a turn for the worse.  

Notice here who does dare to draw closer to the church.  Who is it?  It’s the sick and the broken.  They are brought to the apostles so that they might be healed.  

There is something wonderful about the picture of the sick and broken being carried to the church to be made whole.  So often those who are broken and lost feel the church is the last place they want to go.  Some of that might be their own misconceptions of the church.  Perhaps, they were hurt by the church.  What if the church was not a place they might go but the place they want to go?

I don’t think anyone in our church would claim the power to heal, especially by just their shadow, but at the least, we have resources that can bless those who are sick, alone, and hurting.  We can minister to needs and be vessels through which Jesus’ love becomes tangible.  In this way, the church can be a faithful witness for Christ in the world.  

Jesus met people’s needs.  We must continue to be diligent in seeking to do the same.  We must pray for and strive to make the church a space where the broken are both welcomed and drawn to our life.  The love and Good News of Christ can bring healing to humanity’s worst ills.     

Praying Together:

“Jesus, it is a privilege to be a church that seeks to minister to the needs of people.  Work through us that the sick and broken who come to us might find healing in the ways they need it most.  Most importantly, may You find them in the midst of their searching.  You are the greatest gift.  Amen.”

 

 

“Son of the Living God, with all of our being, we praise You.  We do not forget that You are the One who forgives, heals, redeems, and satisfies.  Meet with us as we draw into Your presence.  Amen.”  

 

17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

The opposition of the religious leaders against the church is growing rapidly.  They are concerned about the momentum of the Jesus movement.  After finding them in the Temple preaching Jesus again, they have the apostles arrested.  

In the night, an angel of the Lord throws open the doors of the jail and releases the apostles to go preach Jesus in the Temple.  This is an extraordinary event.  God intervenes to see to it that the movement is able to expand rather than be thwarted.  

This passage is a reminder that the Lord is our help in fulfilling our call to be His witnesses.  We are not on our own.  He is at work through us and beyond us.  Luke is very clear that Jesus is alive and at the right hand of the Father.  He is sitting, right here and now, in the place of ultimate authority and power.  He has invited His disciples to call upon Him to act on behalf of the Kingdom and to be bold in what they ask.  

If we want to be a church, or even an individual Christ follower who wants to reach others for Christ, we must call on the Lord to work in such ways.  We must up the ante in our praying and expecting Jesus to act.  We must remember that Jesus wants to do more than we can ask or imagine.  He wants to see hearts and lives transformed more than we do.  With that in mind, let us be bold.  Let us ask with confidence, trusting that Jesus is at work.  Let us partner with Him that we may see our Kingdom prayers come to fruition.    

Praying Together:

“Lord, You invited us to call upon Your name to do great things for the Kingdom.  We know that You are alive and that You moving in the world.  We invite You to do wonderful and amazing things in the hearts and lives of the people who are on our heart.  May You touch them with Your grace and open their eyes to who You are. Amen.”

 

 

“God, You are compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love.  We long to experience more of You.  Be near to us as we seek You now.  Amen.”  (adapted from Psalm 103:8)

 

 21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.

 

25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.

The Sanhedrin, the group responsible for governing Jewish life, gathered early in the morning to figure out what to do with these pesky apostles.  They were in for quite a surprise when they sent for them only to find the jail to be empty.   As they stood there confused, a report comes in that the apostles are back at the Temple sharing Jesus with the people.  The Sanhedrin then has them seized and brought to them.  

The way Luke words part of this passage sends us back to his gospel.  When they went to the jail to fetch the apostles, they “found no one inside”.  What does that remind you of?  The empty tomb!  

When the disciples and the women who loved Jesus went to His tomb, they “did not find the body of the Lord Jesus”.  There is a parallel that Luke doesn’t want us to miss.  

For the apostles, the resurrection was the event that reshaped the world as they knew it.  Just think back over the sermons Peter has preached so far; every one of them has at its center the resurrection of Jesus.  Paul will do the same later in Acts.  

The resurrection is the sure sign that Jesus is who He claimed to be.  It shows His power and authority over humanity’s greatest enemy, including the penalty for our sin against God.  We continue to look to the resurrection as our reason for hope and source of encouragement.  Jesus lives, as we shout on Easter Sunday.  And just like the great hymn says, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.”

Praying Together:

“Lord, what joy it brings us to know that You live.  We celebrate Your victory over death.  We hold the reality of the resurrection at the center of our lives for You are our reason for hope.  You are the reason we can face today and tomorrow.  Amen.”

 

 

“Jesus, on this day, open our ears that we may hear You.  Open our hearts that we may believe You and follow You.  Amen.”  

 

27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

 

29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Standing before the very group that would determine the apostles’ fate, Peter lets them have it.  He doesn’t mince words.  He answers the question he last posed to them about whether they must obey God or the Sanhedrin.  For Peter and the apostles, obedience to the Lord is not optional.  They are witnesses to what the Lord has done.  The events of the cross, resurrection. and ascension are proof that Jesus is indeed who He claimed to be in the unique Son of God who has come to reconcile the world to the Father.  

For Peter, being a witness to this means that he has been entrusted with a message that must be shared with others.  The world needs to know that the hope and life they are seeking is found in Christ.  He will continue to bear witness, telling people what he saw and heard in regard to Jesus.  

Luke continues to hammer home the point of what it means to be a witness.  A witness is someone who shares what they have seen, heard, and experienced of Jesus.  You may not have been an eyewitness to the resurrection, but you have likely experienced the power of Jesus’ love.  You’ve heard His teachings and hopefully come to find how His wisdom can lead into abundant life.  You have seen, heard, and experienced Jesus.  That means you have a story to tell.  It means you, like Peter, have a message to share.  

One of my hopes in this series is to demystify what it means to be a witness.  Most images we have of being a witness are negative.  Luke’s vision of a witness is quite positive.  It’s compelling and inviting.  We need not fear being a witness who shares what we’ve seen, heard, and experienced in Jesus.  People may dismiss or welcome our message.  That part is up to them.  Our part is to be open and ready to share with the opportunities we have.   

Praying Together:

“Holy Spirit, we hear and heed the call of Christ to be a witness for Him.  Be our help.  Give us words.  Give us Your love to share.  Provide courage when and where it is needed.  May You take what we have to offer and use it to help reveal Jesus to them.  We trust that You can do much with our witness.  Amen.”

 

 

 

 

“Lord, we entrust ourselves to You this day.  All that we are is Yours.  Use the Word today to shape my heart and mind that I may live like You.  Amen.”  

 

33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

Up to this point, the Sanhedrin has been so busy trying to cover and protect its own backside that they haven’t employed much wisdom.  For the first time since we were introduced to them in Luke’s gospel, we hear words of wisdom come from their counsel.  

The wisdom belongs to a man named Gamaliel.  It is clear why he was respected by the people.  He is measured and prudent in his reply.  In his estimation, the apostles didn’t need to be made martyrs; they needed to be left alone.  Movements popped up from time to time.  They always fell apart because they were built on false claims.  If this one were built on the same, it would suffer the same fate.  However, if what the apostles claimed to be true was indeed true, then this movement would be different.  It would be from the Lord and impossible for even the most powerful Jewish body to stop.  Wisdom prevails, and the Sanhedrin has the apostles flogged rather than crucified.   They also order them to no longer speak in Jesus’ name again.  It’s clear at this point that further offenses will incur greater punishments.  

Let’s continue with Gamaliel’s argument for a moment.  He says if something is of God, then resisting it will mean that you are fighting against Him.  He implies that the proper response is to come alongside God’s movements rather than against.   

That is the picture of faithfulness.  We are to be praying for God to reveal His will, for Him to show us what He is doing, and for us to join Him.  The word Paul used in the book of Philemon was partnership.  What we do for the Kingdom is most fruitful when it is done in partnership with the Lord.  

How can we partner with God in what He is doing?  It begins with prayer.  We call upon the Lord to show us what He is doing and how we can come alongside Him.  My advice to you is to pray for the long haul.  Sometimes it takes some time for us to discern what the Lord is calling us to do.  Sometimes we will find He leads us there before we even realize it.  

Praying Together:

“God, we want You will.  We want to be the ones who come alongside You in what You are doing in the world.  Reveal Your will to us.  Lead us in Your ways that we may bless You.  Amen.”

 

 

 

 

“Father, we set aside our worries and the concerns of the day to be with You.  Fill us once again with Your life and presence.  We long to know You more deeply.  Amen.”

 

41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

What a wonderfully defiant two verses.  After being flogged, the apostles rejoice.  They rejoice because they had experienced some of the same punishment that Jesus had.  Just before He was crucified, Jesus had been severely flogged.  It isn’t likely the disciples experienced the full brunt of what Jesus did, as Jesus was significantly weakened from it.  Nevertheless, being strapped to a post and beaten on your exposed back was no picnic.  

One takeaway from this was how much the apostles wanted to be like Jesus.  They wanted to be like Jesus in every way.  We see them speaking like Jesus by using His own words.  We see them act like Jesus in the face of opposition.  Here, we see them be like Jesus by suffering as He did.  

This makes me consider how much I desire to be like Jesus.  Do I want to be like Jesus so much that by my words I sound like Jesus?  Are my actions a reflection of Jesus?  

These are good questions for us to ask ourselves.  The world needs more people who look and sound like Jesus.  This can only happen by God’s grace working in us; however, it begins with our desire.  When we want to be like Jesus and begin praying and studying His words with the intent to be shaped by them, then we can expect to grow in likeness to Him.  

Praying Together:

“Jesus, we want to be like You.  We’re in awe of the apostles’ desire to be like You.  Help us to sound like You in how we speak to others.  Help us look like You in the way that we love others.  May Your grace continue to shape us that we may look like You in all things.  Amen.”

 

 

 

“Lord, we shout out in joy to You.  We come into Your presence with gladness for we belong to You.  We come before You with thanksgiving and praise for You are good and Your faithful love endures forever.  Amen.”  (adapted from Psalm 100)

 

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

 

5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

 

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

Growing pains.  As the church rapidly expanded, they were presented with new challenges.  That happens when things grow.  As a church, we can expect to experience the same.  As I like to say, growing pains are always better than dying pains.  

One of the challenges that arose was in the distribution of resources.  It seems a group of widows was being overlooked.  In this glimpse into the church, we see that things weren’t always sunshine and roses.  Challenges arose in community.  It’s the nature of being in community, and all communities experience it.  The main thing to consider is how you deal with them.  I bring this up because as we grow, we should expect similar challenges.  As a covenant community, we must always seek to work them out in Christlike love together.

The apostles realize they are no longer able to oversee the ministry within the life of the church and keep up the sharing Jesus both inside and outside the church community.  They appoint godly people to supervise these efforts.  For the apostles, both the ministry within the church and the ministry outside the church were vital.  Tending faithfully to only one wouldn’t work.  They must seek a way to be faithful with each.  

I appreciate the way they work through the challenges that come with a growing community.  As I said, challenges in community are inevitable.  This is true whether the community is growing or dying.  How we work through the challenges says a lot about us.  May we continue to love one another as we grow.  May His grace abound in us even when we face challenges. 

Praying Together:

“Jesus, You are the Head of the church, including our church.  Be a help to us as we encounter our own challenges.  Help us be accountable to loving one another as You love us.  Help us find the best solutions that are in alignment with Your will.  Amen.”