Week 9 — Faith Under Pressure

Weekly Prayer:

Father, steady our hearts when obedience brings resistance. Guard us from fear and give us courage to stand firm in truth. Teach us to respond with wisdom and faith when pressure comes. Amen.

Day 1 — Interrupted Obedience
Read: Acts 4:1–4 | Also Read: John 15:18–20; 2 Timothy 3:12

Open-Ended Reflection: Why does faithful proclamation often lead to opposition?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages teach about the cost of following Christ?
Journal Prompt: How do you typically respond when obedience becomes uncomfortable?

Day 2 — Filled Again
Read: Acts 4:5–8 | Also Read: Luke 12:11–12; Ephesians 5:18

Open-Ended Reflection: Why is Peter described as filled with the Spirit again?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about ongoing dependence on the Spirit?
Journal Prompt: Where do you need renewed courage today?

Day 3 — No Other Name
Read: Acts 4:9–12 | Also Read: John 14:6; Philippians 2:9–11

Open-Ended Reflection: Why is exclusivity such a central part of Peter’s message?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages teach about the uniqueness of Christ?
Journal Prompt: How confidently do you hold to the truth that salvation is found in Jesus alone?

Day 4 — Recognized as Having Been with Jesus
Read: Acts 4:13–18 | Also Read: Matthew 5:16; 2 Corinthians 3:2–3

Open-Ended Reflection: What does it mean that they “recognized that they had been with Jesus”?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages describe visible evidence of spiritual transformation?
Journal Prompt: What evidence in your life points others toward Christ?

Day 5 — We Cannot Keep Silent
Read: Acts 4:19–22 | Also Read: Jeremiah 20:9; Romans 1:16

Open-Ended Reflection: What gives believers courage to speak despite consequences?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about conviction that outweighs fear?
Journal Prompt: Where might silence be easier than obedience for you right now?

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them:’ Rulers and elders of the people!  If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth , whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.  Jesus is  “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.”  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”        Acts 4:8-12


Cancel culture is not new.  Peter and John experienced this firsthand.  But it wasn’t coming from the secular authorities; it was coming from the religious community.

 The Sadducees in particular, were prominent in the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish legislative and judicial council in ancient Israel.  They considered themselves the protecters of the Jewish faith.  It was this body that “protected” the people from their Messiah.  They had buried that “problem” in a tomb—or so they thought! Now these fishermen from Galilee bring before us the name of Jesus again, in association with a miraculous healing of a man who was lame from birth.  Will it never end?

Jesus had something to say to them as well as to the Pharisees: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you  think that in them you have eternal life.  These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”
(John 5:39-40)
Yet here were Peter and John boldly teaching the people , proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.  We can’t have that! They arrested them and interrupted their testimony to silence them.

They were asked “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”  Peter remembered the words of Jesus: “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about  how or what you are to speak in your defense, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Luke 12:11-12

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit…”  said in effect: what is your real problem? Is it really with this man who has been made whole by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth?  Or is it something else?  Is it because He is the stone which was rejected by you, “the builders; the leaders of our people—but which has become the chief cornerstone?  This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.”(Psalm 118:22)

Peter, the accused ,was accusing the Sanhedrin of dereliction of duty!  Protecters of the faith?!  In the words of Jesus:” Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”   Matthew 21: 43-44

  These untrained, uneducated fishermen who spoke so confidently, that their accusers were amazed— and “began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.” (4:13)

The Sanhedrin decided to muzzle them—they commanded them not to speak or teach at all  in the of the name of Jesus.  First century cancel culture—not unlike twenty-first cancel culture.

But Peter and John answered them: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”                                    
When they had threatened them further, they let them go….                                        (4:19-21)

“And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your servant Jesus.”  And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken. (4:29-30) “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”  Jesus.

Questions To Think About:

1. In what areas of your life do you feel the most pressure to “mute” your faith to keep the peace or stay “canceled” from certain social circles?
2. The religious leaders rejected the very thing they were supposed to be building upon.  Is there a part of Jesus’ teaching (e.g., loving enemies, radical generosity, total surrender) that you find yourself “rejecting” or ignoring because it’s inconvenient?
3. Salvation is found in no one else except Jesus. In a world that offers many “saviors” (career, relationships, politics, or self-help), what makes the Name of Jesus the only firm foundation for your life?
4. Peter and John said they “cannot stop speaking” about what they had seen and heard.  What has God done in your life recently that is so “marvelous in your eyes” that you find it hard to keep to yourself?
5. The Sanhedrin recognized that the apostles “had been with Jesus”. If someone spent a day observing your life, what specific “evidence” would they find that you hav

Week 8 — Redirecting the Glory

Weekly Prayer:

Lord, guard our hearts from seeking our own glory. Teach us to point others to Christ in word and action. Give us courage to proclaim truth with humility and clarity. Amen.

Day 1 — Don’t Look at Us
Read: Acts 3:12 | Also Read: Jeremiah 9:23–24; 1 Corinthians 1:31

Open-Ended Reflection: Why does Peter immediately redirect attention away from himself?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages teach about where true glory belongs?
Journal Prompt: Where might you subtly seek recognition instead of redirecting praise to God?

Day 2 — The God of Our Fathers
Read: Acts 3:13–16 | Also Read: Exodus 3:6; Philippians 2:9–11

Open-Ended Reflection: Why does Peter anchor his message in Israel’s history?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages connect God’s covenant faithfulness to Christ’s authority?
Journal Prompt: How does remembering God’s past faithfulness strengthen present confidence?

Day 3 — Confronting Sin Honestly
Read: Acts 3:17–18 | Also Read: Isaiah 53:10–12; Acts 2:23

Open-Ended Reflection: How does Peter balance accountability with hope?
Learn from Scripture: What do these verses reveal about God’s sovereignty even through human wrongdoing?
Journal Prompt: Where do you struggle to hold both truth and grace together?

Day 4 — Repent and Turn
Read: Acts 3:19–21 | Also Read: Psalm 51:10–12; 2 Peter 3:9

Open-Ended Reflection: What does true repentance look like beyond regret?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages define spiritual refreshing and restoration?
Journal Prompt: What might repentance open up in your life that avoidance cannot?

Day 5 — A Promised Prophet
Read: Acts 3:22–26 | Also Read: Deuteronomy 18:15; Luke 24:27

Open-Ended Reflection: Why does Peter point to Moses in describing Jesus?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages show continuity between promise and fulfillment?
Journal Prompt: How does seeing Christ throughout Scripture deepen your trust in God’s plan?

Week 7 — A Visible Miracle

Weekly Prayer

Jesus, open our eyes to see the needs around us and give us courage to respond in Your name. Guard us from indifference and awaken compassion that leads to action. Use our obedience to point others to You. Amen.

Day 1 — Noticing the Need
Read: Acts 3:1–3 | Also Read: Proverbs 3:27; Matthew 25:35–40

Open-Ended Reflection: What might have been different if Peter and John had simply walked past?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages define responsibility toward those in need?
Journal Prompt: Where might you be tempted to overlook what God wants you to notice?

Day 2 — What We Actually Have
Read: Acts 3:4–6 | Also Read: 2 Corinthians 12:9; James 2:14–17

Open-Ended Reflection: Why does Peter give what he has instead of what he does not?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about reliance on God rather than material resources?
Journal Prompt: What has God given you that could bless someone else this week?

Day 3 — Power in the Name
Read: Acts 3:6–8 | Also Read: Philippians 2:9–11; John 14:13

Open-Ended Reflection: What does it mean that the healing happens in the name of Jesus?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages describe the authority carried in Christ’s name?
Journal Prompt: How often do you consciously depend on the authority of Christ rather than your own ability?

Day 4 — Public Witness
Read: Acts 3:9–10 | Also Read: Matthew 5:14–16; Psalm 40:3

Open-Ended Reflection: Why does God allow the miracle to be public rather than private?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about the purpose of visible transformation?
Journal Prompt: Where has God’s work in your life become visible to others?

Day 5 — Redirecting Attention
Read: Acts 3:11 | Also Read: John 3:30; 1 Corinthians 1:31

Open-Ended Reflection: Why is it important that attention moves from the miracle to Christ?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages guard against self-exaltation?
Journal Prompt: Where might you be tempted to take credit for what God has done?

“While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.  When Peter saw this, he said to them:  ‘Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you?  Why  do you stare at us as if by our power or godliness we had made this man walk?  The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob , the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.  You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.  You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.  You killed the author of life,  but God raised him from the dead.  We are witnesses of this.  By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong.  It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.
   Now, fellow Israelites , I know that you acted in ignorance….Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing  may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah,  who has been appointed for you—even Jesus….He said to Abraham, through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.  When God raised  up his servant, he sent him to bless you by turning  each of you from your wicked ways.”    Acts 3:11-17, 19-20, 25-26 (NIV)

Peter thought the place was familiar; Solomon’s Colonnade.  In his mind He could still hear the Master teaching from this very place. “If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered  “I and the Father are one and the same.” They tried to stone Him then. (John 10:22-32)  When would they  ever learn?

“Why do you stare at us?…..This man is walking before you now because , and only because, of the name of Jesus. Remember Him? You tried to stone Him when all He tried to teach you was the Truth.  The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.”

The word “servant” is applied to Jesus only four times in the New Testament. (Here , and v.26 and twice in chapter 4:vv 27, 30).  This is an allusion to Isaiah 52:13: “See, my servant will act wisely, he will be raised and lifted up  and highly exalted.” Jesus said of Himself He was that servant ,”And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32)  Isaiah was speaking  prophetically, but Peter was saying this prophecy has been already fulfilled in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.  Peter then made his case like a wise prosecuting attorney:

“You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, although he had decided to let Him go.  You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that the murderer be released to you. You killed the author of Life, but God raised him from the dead.”

No doubt there were some present who remembered, or may have themselves contributed to the shouts of “Give us Barabbas!  Give us Barabbas!  “ in place of the carpenter from Nazareth  who “was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” (Isa.53:7)
You mean to say we condemned the man in whose Name this man is healed today?!  The unmitigated shame,… oh how foolish we were and we’ve ruined our lives and charged God foolishly for our folly!  (Proverbs 19:3 AB)  We killed the Source—the very author of life!…..what are we to do?

“Now fellow Israelites I know that you in acted ignorance;….” We can hear Jesus from the cross saying “ Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do…” (Luke 23:34)  Peter, like  a treating physician, gives the prescription: “Repent then, and turn to God , so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord…When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand, (4:4)   And they could be heard singing “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord….”  Lam.3:40-41 “It is of the Lord’s mercies we are are not consumed, and because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”  (Lam.3:22-24)

Questions To Think About:

1. In what areas of your life are people  “staring at you” (noticing your talents or goodness)?  How can you use those moments to testify about Jesus’ power instead of your own “godliness “?
2. Are there areas in your life where you have chosen something “deadly” or “destructive” over the Author of Life?
3. How does viewing Jesus as the “Servant” (the one who was “lifted up”) change the way you approach Him in prayer ?
4. Do you often view repentance as a heavy punishment, or as the gateway to “refreshing” and “mercy”?

Week 6 — Devoted Community


Weekly Prayer:

Lord, shape us into a people who are devoted to Your Word, to one another, and to prayer. Guard us from shallow faith and form in us a community that reflects Your heart. Teach us to live faithfully together. Amen.

Day 1 — Devoted to the Word
Read: Acts 2:42 | Also Read: Psalm 1:1–3; 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Open-Ended Reflection: What does true devotion to teaching look like beyond simply listening?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages describe the transforming effect of God’s Word?
Journal Prompt: How consistent is your devotion to learning from Scripture, and what shapes that consistency?

Day 2 — Devoted to Fellowship
Read: Acts 2:42 | Also Read: Hebrews 10:24–25; John 13:34–35

Open-Ended Reflection: Why might fellowship be listed alongside teaching and prayer as essential?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about the visible mark of Christian community?
Journal Prompt: Where is God inviting you to move from attendance to genuine fellowship?

Day 3 — Devoted to Prayer
Read: Acts 2:42 | Also Read: Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6–7

Open-Ended Reflection: What does consistent prayer reveal about a community’s dependence on God?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages describe the posture and outcome of faithful prayer?
Journal Prompt: What does your prayer life reveal about what you trust most?

Day 4 — Generosity and Awe
Read: Acts 2:43–45 | Also Read: Deuteronomy 15:7–11; 2 Corinthians 9:6–8

Open-Ended Reflection: What connection do you see between awe of God and generosity toward others?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages frame generosity as a spiritual act rather than a financial one?
Journal Prompt: Where might God be inviting you to reflect His generosity more tangibly?

Day 5 — A Witnessing Community
Read: Acts 2:46–47 | Also Read: Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:9–12

Open-Ended Reflection: Why do you think the Lord added to their number daily?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages suggest about the relationship between visible faith and gospel impact?
Journal Prompt: How does your daily life either clarify or confuse the message of Christ?

“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful , where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts .  When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John.  Then Peter said, ‘Look at us!’  So the man gave them his attention , expecting to get something from them.
   Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,—walk!’  Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.  He jumped to his feet and began to walk.  Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.  When all the people saw him walking and praising God,  they recognized him as the same man that used to sit begging  at the temple gate called  Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”                                                   Acts 3: 1-10

It was the hour of prayer.  So many people crowded into the temple with so many needs for prayer; personal, financial , medical, etc., so preoccupied with their problems in their own little world, their own urgencies eclipsing all others, Lord knows!  Their heads were so full of personal concerns  as they came and left, that it escaped their notice that  there was a man seated at the entrance to the sanctuary.  

He was a man that was crippled in his legs from birth.  Luke, the physician and author of the book of Acts (superintended by the Holy Spirit), would have noticed the muscular atrophy and contracture of his lower extremities, that bore witness to his chronic condition of about 40 years. (Acts 4:22)  He was daily dependent on his friends to carry him to the entrance of the sanctuary for he was a cripple, and he had to beg for his living.  He appearance was so regular at the beautiful gate that it seemed as though he was a piece of furniture.  An occasional person would see him out of the corner of their eye, and drop alms into his waiting basket.  Interesting that Luke does not record his name; a name that we must assume is known only to God, whose thoughts about him “outnumber the grains of sands.” (Psalm 139:17-18)

This man had prayers too.  First it was for his daily bread. But his prayers went far deeper than this. Like the psalmist, “ This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his trouble.  The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.”  Psalm 34:6-7


It was then that Peter and John saw him.  He began asking them for alms, as was his routine.  But Peter and John fixed their gaze on the man and said “Look at us!” He was used to looking down because even those who gave did so without even a backward glance.  Surprised, he lifted his eyes to them full face.  Peter said something to him that he would remember all his days: “Silver and gold have I none, but what I do have I give to you; In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—Walk!”  

What happened then was a restoration miracle!   Peter helped him to his feet; that was all it took, as muscle fibers regained their tone and tendons and ligaments snapped into position.  He began to walk and went with Peter and John into the temple courts, walking and jumping and praising God.  He sang the song of the redeemed; what God can do for us when we can’t do for ourselves.
“Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.  Then will the eyes of the blind be open and the ears of the deaf unstopped.  Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy, water will gush in the wilderness and streams in the desert.” Isaiah 35:3-6

Our lives are like a desert— unfruitful, barren, and desolate until the Messiah comes, who restores all things.  Our friend at the beautiful gate “leapt like a deer” in demonstrable, immutable testimony that He had come.

Questions To Think About:

1. The man had become like a “piece of furniture “ to those entering the temple.  Are there people in your daily routine —at work, at church, or in your neighborhood—that you have truly stopped seeing?
2. When you go to God in prayer, do you find yourself expecting to get something specific (like silver or gold),  or are you open to Him providing a greater restoration you haven’t even imagined?
3. Peter focused more on what he did  have (the name of the Jesus).  Do you often focus more on your limitations than on the spiritual authority God has given you?
4. Is there a “desert” area in your life right now (something barren or unfruitful) where you need to invite the Messiah to bring restoration ?
5. The crowds were so “preoccupied with their problems “ that they missed the miracle at the gate.  How can you guard your heart against becoming so busy  with “religious duties” that you miss the move of God right in front of you?

Week 5 — A Devoted Community


Weekly Prayer:

Lord, shape us into a people who are devoted to Your Word, to one another, and to prayer. Guard us from shallow faith and form in us a community that reflects Your heart. Teach us to live faithfully together. Amen.

Day 1 — Devoted to the Word
Read: Acts 2:42 | Also Read: Psalm 1:1–3; 2 Timothy 3:16–17

Open-Ended Reflection: What does true devotion to teaching look like beyond simply listening?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages describe the transforming effect of God’s Word?
Journal Prompt: How consistent is your devotion to learning from Scripture, and what shapes that consistency?

Day 2 — Devoted to Fellowship
Read: Acts 2:42 | Also Read: Hebrews 10:24–25; John 13:34–35

Open-Ended Reflection: Why might fellowship be listed alongside teaching and prayer as essential?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about the visible mark of Christian community?
Journal Prompt: Where is God inviting you to move from attendance to genuine fellowship?

Day 3 — Devoted to Prayer
Read: Acts 2:42 | Also Read: Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6–7

Open-Ended Reflection: What does consistent prayer reveal about a community’s dependence on God?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages describe the posture and outcome of faithful prayer?
Journal Prompt: What does your prayer life reveal about what you trust most?

Day 4 — Generosity and Awe
Read: Acts 2:43–45 | Also Read: Deuteronomy 15:7–11; 2 Corinthians 9:6–8

Open-Ended Reflection: What connection do you see between awe of God and generosity toward others?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages frame generosity as a spiritual act rather than a financial one?
Journal Prompt: Where might God be inviting you to reflect His generosity more tangibly?

Day 5 — A Witnessing Community
Read: Acts 2:46–47 | Also Read: Matthew 5:16; 1 Peter 2:9–12

Open-Ended Reflection: Why do you think the Lord added to their number daily?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages suggest about the relationship between visible faith and gospel impact?
Journal Prompt: How does your daily life either clarify or confuse the message of Christ?

“…Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people.  And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”   Acts 2:46-47 (NABS)

Day by day, Day by day 
O dear Lord three things I pray:
To see thee more clearly, 
Love thee more dearly,
Follow thee more nearly, day by day.
       Stephen L. Schwartz

The musical Godspell was written in 1970 to a generation that was fragmented and was at odds with itself, desperate for the unity that Jesus’ teaching promised.  Vietnam, Watergate, civil unrest and rioting, assassinations of heroes like Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy all caused us to withdraw from each other.

In many ways it’s like the generation of today which has lost its sense of direction and purpose. In addition to the 9-11 attacks and the subsequent war on terror, the internet and cell phones that isolate us from one another, we have the threat of  objective Truth that has been hijacked by destructive ideologies  and the death knell over the culture of reason.

Revealed by the Holy Spirit, the heart of man knows that this life is about more than himself. The Westminster Shorter Catechism  captures the essence of man’s purpose: “the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”  These believers in Acts chapter 2 discovered the joy of living in community which is inextricably linked to enjoying God, in whose image they are made.

Jesus, as the last Adam came to show how man was intended to live, in total dependence on His Father.  Says Jesus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.  For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing;…” John 5:19-20 (NASB)

We were designed to live in dependence  on God, as Jesus modeled for us with His life with His total dependence on the Father.  The problem comes when we think we can go it alone; that we don’t need anyone.   “It’s un-American”; says the rugged individualist.  But it is a lie, which has it roots in the serpent”s deception in the garden : “your eyes will be opened and you will be like God…” (Gen.3:5).  And” there’s the rub!”, as Hamlet would say.

With the Holy Spirit came the liberating Truth that we, the redeemed of the Lord, are                                               not alone in this work!  We link arms with our brothers and sisters,  enjoying the fellowship with our Father.  “And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”  Day by Day.

Questions To Think About:

1. How has “rugged individualism “ affected your spiritual life, and where do you feel the specific “rub” of loneliness or self-sufficiency?
2. With respect to glorifying and enjoying God and the  joy of community , how does your relationship with other believers help you see God more clearly, and love God more dearly?
3. Do you view your witness for Christ as a series of grand gestures, or as a natural byproduct of living a consistent, “day by day” life with others?

Week 4 — A Bold Proclamation

Weekly Prayer:

Lord, give us courage to speak what is true and clarity to understand Your Word. Guard us from shrinking back in fear, and form in us a boldness rooted in humility and dependence on You. Amen.

Day 1 — Standing Up to Speak
Read: Acts 2:14–16 | Also Read: Joel 2:28–32; Romans 10:14–15

Open-Ended Reflection: Why do you think Peter stands publicly after previously denying Jesus?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about how God restores and uses imperfect people?
Journal Prompt: Where might God be inviting you to step forward instead of staying silent?

Day 2 — Interpreting the Moment Biblically
Read: Acts 2:17–21 | Also Read: Isaiah 44:3–5; Hebrews 1:1–2

Open-Ended Reflection: Why does Peter explain the present event through prophecy?
Learn from Scripture: What does this teach about understanding current events through God’s revealed Word?
Journal Prompt: How do you interpret what is happening around you — through culture or Scripture?

Day 3 — Centering Everything on Christ
Read: Acts 2:22–24 | Also Read: Isaiah 53:4–6; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4

Open-Ended Reflection: Why is the resurrection central to Peter’s message?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages teach about God’s redemptive plan through Christ?
Journal Prompt: How central is the resurrection to your understanding of faith?

Day 4 — Conviction and Response
Read: Acts 2:36–38 | Also Read: Psalm 51:10–12; 2 Corinthians 7:10

Open-Ended Reflection: What does genuine conviction produce in a person?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages distinguish between regret and repentance?
Journal Prompt: Where might God be prompting deeper repentance in your life?

Day 5 — A Transformed Community
Read: Acts 2:39–41 | Also Read: Ezekiel 36:26–27; Colossians 2:12–14

Open-Ended Reflection: What changes when people truly respond to the gospel?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about inward transformation and outward identity?
Journal Prompt: How has the gospel reshaped your identity and daily living?

“Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd:….
This Man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge;   and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing him to the cross.  But God raised him from the  dead ….Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah….when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’  Peter replied,’ Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Acts 2:14, 23, 36-39


Peter stood with the Eleven as he faced the crowd.  The crowd was amazed and perplexed. Those who were speaking in an unknown tongue were obviously Galileans, but the onlooking crowd heard them declaring the wonders of God in their own tongues.   Some, however, thought they had too much wine.

Peter was unafraid of the crowd this time.
This was a dramatic change from the Peter who three times denied ever knowing the Lord! (Matthew 26:69–75; Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:54–62; and John 18:15–27). In fact, the Eleven all found themselves with a new bolder posture, and they too were, strangely, unafraid.

Peter remembered the question that Jesus had asked him: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?…. Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15)  And so Peter raised his voice and addressed the crowd;

  “Fellow Jews…Let me explain this to you…These people are not drunk, as you suppose. … No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall be in the Last Days, God says, That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
And your sons and daughters shall prophesy,….’
David would agree with the prophet Joel:
“The Lord gives the command;
The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host… Psalm 68:11

The ancient Near Eastern culture would have been shocked by this prophecy, which clearly indicates that God would use women to prophecy!  In Greek, the word is propheteuo: to speak an inspired message, to preach.  Talk about your culture shock. In the ancient Near East, where women were second-class citizens and not counted in the census, this was not done!
But God said…your sons and your daughters shall prophesy!  Those who have turned the world upside down have come here!

Peter was just getting started.  “Men of Israel, listen to these words.  Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.  But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power…..God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!” (Acts 2:22-24, 36)

The crowd of people was cut to the heart, and they were brought to their knees in desperation: “Brothers, what shall we do?!”

We are just as guilty as they were!  We were the wicked men and women who helped put Jesus to death on the cross. Our hearts condemn us; we are critically ill, moribund, terminal. We need a heart transplant.

But God…is the Only Cardiac Surgeon who has the credentials to operate on the heart of the spirit of man!  God has promised  that He will give us  a new heart “and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit in you…” (Ezekiel 36:26-27)  

“The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”  Amen!

Questions to Think About

1. Where in your life are you currently operating out of “fear” or “denial,” and how could a “But God” moment transform that fear into boldness?

2. God uses the “Galileans” and the “daughters” to turn the world upside down.  Who is someone you might be dismissing or overlooking that God might be using to speak an inspired message to you?

3 The promise of the Spirit is for you, your children, and those “far off”.  How does knowing that your spiritual “heart transplant”affect your children and future generations change the way you view your current walk with God?

Week 3 — When the Spirit Comes

Weekly Prayer:

Holy Spirit, awaken our hearts to Your presence. Remove complacency and renew our dependence on You. Teach us to seek Your power not for comfort, but for faithful witness. Amen.

Day 1 — Together in One Place
Read: Acts 2:1 | Also Read: John 17:20–23; Psalm 133

Open-Ended Reflection: Why might unity precede spiritual breakthrough?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about oneness among believers?
Journal Prompt: Where might division or distraction be limiting spiritual growth?

Day 2 — The Sound of God’s Movement
Read: Acts 2:2 | Also Read: Exodus 19:16–19; Ezekiel 37:9–10

Open-Ended Reflection: What do wind and fire symbolize in Scripture?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages connect God’s presence with transformation?
Journal Prompt: What areas of your life need the Spirit’s renewing breath?

Day 3 — Filled and Sent
Read: Acts 2:3–4 | Also Read: Joel 2:28–29; Ephesians 5:18

Open-Ended Reflection: Why does being filled with the Spirit result in speech rather than silence?
Learn from Scripture: What do these verses teach about the Spirit’s purpose in believers?
Journal Prompt: How does dependence on the Spirit shape your daily interactions?

Day 4 — A Message for Every Nation
Read: Acts 2:5–11 | Also Read: Genesis 11:1–9; Revelation 7:9

Open-Ended Reflection: How does Pentecost reverse what happened at Babel?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about God’s heart for all nations?
Journal Prompt: How might God use you to bridge cultural or relational divides?

Day 5 — Awe and Resistance
Read: Acts 2:12–13 | Also Read: 1 Corinthians 2:14; John 7:37–39

Open-Ended Reflection: Why do some respond to God’s work with curiosity and others with dismissal?
Learn from Scripture: What do these verses teach about spiritual perception?
Journal Prompt: How do you respond when God moves in ways you do not fully understand?

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enables them….”
 Acts 2:1-4

“…Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another , ‘What does this mean?’ “ Acts 2:12

A mother in labor groans with anguish, impatient for the ordeal to be over, and then, suddenly, a baby is born.  And in that moment of birth, all the pains of labor shrink to insignificance by comparison.

And so it was, “suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind from heaven,” that the Church was born. Empowered by the Holy Spirit to do the works of Christ, but now in multiplied fashion!  As G. Campbell Morgan succinctly puts it, “It is the story of all He began to do after He was received up. He has never ceased the doing until now. The work is going forward.  He is still doing. He is still teaching.  The risen ascended Lord is the living center of His Church.”

In all their imaginings, none of the disciples could  have anticipated the Holy Spirit baptism in so dramatic a fashion!  Right on schedule during the feast of Pentecost, when the Jews from Galilee, Egypt, Libya, Rome and all surrounding  areas came to Jerusalem to celebrate the harvest.

 But God was more interested in the harvest of humanity!

The prophet Joel had the vision some 800 years ago :  
“The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
the vats will overflow with new wine and oil…
“And afterwards, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days and they will prophecy,”
 Joel 2:24, 28-29

The disciples thought; It’s happening right now just as the prophets and the Lord had said it would!  But what does this mean?

The words of Jesus echoed in their hearing:
“Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.  When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin, and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in Me; about righteousness because I am going to  the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgement, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.”                    John 16: 7-11

Suddenly , the redemptive plan of God had entered a new and final phase.  The Holy Spirit will prove the world  to be in the wrong about sin, because the people don’t believe that is there only one way for redemption .  Jesus said : “I am the way, and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14: 6)

Having completed forever the Father’s redemptive  plan, Jesus is now seated at the right hand of the Father where He will judge the world. “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has  appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”
(Acts 17:31)

The enemy of our souls, the Adversary, thought he was rid of Christ at the cross. Little did he realize he would have to deal with multiplied thousands world-wide of reflections of the Christ.
“These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”  ( Acts 17:6)
Suddenly…!

Questions to Think About:

1 How does the promise of the Holy Spirit sustain you during those  “labor pains” when you are waiting for God?
2 What “upside down” qualities do people see in you?

Week 2 — Choosing Faithful Obedience

Weekly Prayer
Jesus, teach us to seek Your will with humility and unity. Guard us from acting out of impulse or fear, and shape us into people who trust Your sovereignty in every decision. Lead us to walk faithfully where You place us. Amen.

Day 1 — Returning to Jerusalem
Read: Acts 1:12–14 | Also Read: Luke 24:52–53; Psalm 133

Open-Ended Reflection: Why do you think obedience in small, unseen steps matters before public mission begins?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages reveal about unity and prayer in times of transition?
Journal Prompt: Where is God asking you to remain faithful in something that feels small or hidden?

Day 2 — Scripture Interprets the Moment
Read: Acts 1:15–20 | Also Read: Psalm 69:25; Psalm 109:8

Open-Ended Reflection: Why is Peter grounding this difficult moment in Scripture rather than emotion?
Learn from Scripture: What does this teach about how believers interpret painful or confusing events?
Journal Prompt: When facing uncertainty, do you instinctively turn to opinion or to God’s Word?

Day 3 — The Character of a Witness
Read: Acts 1:21–22 | Also Read: Luke 8:1–3; 1 Corinthians 4:2

Open-Ended Reflection: What qualifications stand out in the choosing of a new apostle?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages suggest about faithfulness versus visibility?
Journal Prompt: Where has God been shaping your character quietly over time?

Day 4 — Trusting God’s Sovereignty
Read: Acts 1:23–26 | Also Read: Proverbs 16:33; Psalm 37:5

Open-Ended Reflection: Why do you think the early believers prayed before making their decision?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages teach about human responsibility and divine sovereignty?
Journal Prompt: What decision in your life needs to be fully entrusted to God?

Day 5 — Preparing for What Comes Next
Read: Acts 1:12–26 | Also Read: Hebrews 10:23–25; Galatians 6:9

Open-Ended Reflection: What does this passage teach about preparation before movement?
Learn from Scripture: How do these verses encourage perseverance and readiness?
Journal Prompt: How is God preparing you now for something you cannot yet see?

“Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas,  who became a
guide to those who arrested Jesus; ‘for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry….For it is written in the book of Psalms:

‘Let his habitation be desolate,
And let no one live in it’ (Ps.69:25) and

‘Let another take his office.’ (Ps.109:8)

“Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John  to  that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection,…
And they prayed and said,
‘You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his place.’ And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias.”
Acts 1: 16-26

Peter’s head was swimming.  All along the half-mile journey  to Jerusalem  from the mount called Olivet, they had just seen with their very eyes, the Lord taken up to heaven , until a cloud received Him out of their sight.

And in that upper room in Jerusalem, the disciples prayed and laid their burdens before the Lord. One of the burdens laying heavy on their hearts was the betrayal of Judas.  How could it be? He had been one of them.  He had eaten with them, heard the Lord’s intimate teachings which were for the disciples alone, had the responsibility of the treasury, and  even ministered the good news with the Master.

Peter stood up and  addressed these misgivings regarding Judas.  First, that the Lord would be betrayed was prophesied in the Scriptures.  As in the case of Joseph who was betrayed by his brothers, what they intended for evil, God intended for good to save many people alive.  And in the same way, Jesus was betrayed by his “friend” for God’s ultimate purpose of bringing redemption and eternal life for the whole world.
“Even my familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”  (Ps.41:9).

In other words,  can God use a crooked stick to draw a straight line? In a word : Yes. If you put a ruler in a glass of water, the straight lines of the ruler appear crooked to our natural sight due to refraction of light when it passes through the water. “Now we see through a glass darkly…”.  But when we pull the ruler out of the water,  the lines are straight as a arrow!  “…but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am known.”  1 Corinthian 3:12

The sovereignrule and purposes of God prevail, always!  After inquiring of God, the lot fell to Matthias.  Matthias had been with them since the beginning; from the baptism of John until the resurrection and the ascension  of the Lord that they had experienced just that day. Thus the office of Judas was taken by another, to fulfill the prophecy

After his appointment , Matthias is not mentioned by name again in the New Testament . But neither are most of the original twelve  disciples.  Tradition holds that the ministry took him to Sebastopol, on the northern side of the Black Sea (Russia ).  Eventually Matthias made his way back to Jerusalem, where he was stoned to death.

But the bottom line is the sovereignty of God is paramount. 
“ I am the Lord, and there is no other;
 I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity; 
I, the Lord, do all these things.” Isaiah 45:7

“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” NKJB

Questions To Think About

1. Reflect on a time when someone’s hurtful actions toward you eventually led to a straight line of growth or opportunity . How did God use that difficult situation for a greater purpose ?
2. What is one area right now that feels like a riddle? How can you trust  God with the parts you cannot see clearly?

Week 1 — Faithful in the Waiting

Weekly Prayer
Jesus, teach us to trust You in the waiting. Form in us a faith that listens before acting, believes You are still at work when we cannot see it, and walks in obedience as we learn from Your Word. Prepare us to be faithful witnesses right where You have placed us. Amen.
 
Day 1 — Waiting Is Not Wasted
Read: Acts 1:1–5 | Also Read: Luke 24:44–49; Isaiah 40:31

Open-Ended Reflection: What instructions does Jesus give before the disciples are sent out, and why do you think those instructions matter at this moment in the story?
Learn from Scripture: What do these passages show about what God provides during waiting, not just after it?
Journal Prompt: Based on these verses, what might waiting produce in a believer that immediate action cannot?
 
Day 2 — When Expectations Don’t Match God’s Plan
Read: Acts 1:6–7 | Also Read: Isaiah 55:8–9; John 18:36

Open-Ended Reflection: What does the disciples’ question reveal about their understanding of God’s kingdom?
Learn from Scripture: How do the additional passages clarify the difference between God’s purposes and human expectations?
Journal Prompt: What expectations do you see shaping the disciples’ thinking, and where might similar expectations shape yours?
 
Day 3 — Power With a Purpose
Read: Acts 1:8 | Also Read: Zechariah 4:6; Matthew 5:14–16

Open-Ended Reflection: According to Jesus’ words, what is the specific result of receiving the Holy Spirit’s power?
Learn from Scripture: How do these passages define God’s power differently than strength, influence, or success?
Journal Prompt: How does Scripture’s description of spiritual power challenge or correct common assumptions?
 
Day 4 — Don’t Stay Looking Up
Read: Acts 1:9–11 | Also Read: Colossians 3:1–4; Hebrews 10:12–13

Open-Ended Reflection: Why do you think the disciples needed to be redirected after watching Jesus ascend?
Learn from Scripture: What do these verses reveal about where Christ is now and what His followers are called to do?
Journal Prompt: Where might you be lingering in observation instead of moving toward obedience?
 
Day 5 — Living in the In-Between
Read: Acts 1:1–11 | Also Read: Titus 2:11–14; Matthew 24:42–46

Open-Ended Reflection: What kind of life do these passages describe for believers who are waiting for Christ’s return?
Learn from Scripture: How do these texts define faithfulness during seasons of anticipation?
Journal Prompt: What does your life currently communicate about what you believe Jesus is doing right now?

“…’Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized  with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…  
Then they gathered around and asked Him,’ Lord, are you at  this time going to restore the kingdom  to Israel?   He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria , and to the ends of the earth.’

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”
Acts 1: 4-9

Anyone who has pulled military guard duty is familiar  with the Four General Orders governing a sentry’s duties.  The fourth order is “to quit my post only when properly relieved.”  Until then, that sentry is to follow the last order given; the last command.

In like manner, as Christians we have been given a last command ; “you will be My witnesses.” This is a standing order.

These orders are not mere suggestions, to be followed only if  “you feel like it” or only “if you’re in the mood”.  Why?  Because , like it or not, we have been entrusted with a sacred duty.

Moreover, this goes beyond mere duty, Jesus said,
”Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me,  The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them,”  (John 14:21)

Jesus had told his disciples  that he was going away.  And it was to their advantage  that he went away; “Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16: 7)

Wait a minute!  Hold the phone!  What are you saying?!  You are going away?! Peter holds his hands over his ears, and thinks back to the exchange that he and the other disciples had with Jesus at Caesarea Philippi.  “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” And Jesus levels his gaze on Peter:
“But what about you?”  He asked. “Who do you say I am?”  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matt.16:15-16)
And when many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him, Jesus asked the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?’ It was Peter who answered , “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and to know that  you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6: 68-69)

And  as this memory was ringing in Peter’s ears, “He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight”.  An angelic messenger exhorted them, “Men of  Galilee, …why do you stand here looking into the sky?  This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)  In other words, we have our orders!  Let us get on with it!

Our vows of love mean nothing if we don’t keep His commands. Our orders have not changed since the the Lord gave His last command.  In the words of John Piper, “ That God is love impels us to be sure that the Truth gets to all people ; and that God is God impels us to be sure that what gets to all people is the Truth.”  

Until the Lord returns , we have our standing orders; “you will be my witnesses  in Jerusalem , and in all Judea and Samaria , and to the ends of the earth. “  We have the blessed Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us in all Truth.  The mission continues and we will quit our post only when properly relieved.

Questions to Think About

1  In your current service to God, are you relying on your personality and skills, or are you actively seeking the “Advocate” promised in John 14?  What does “relyingon the Spirit” actually look like in your daily routine?

“After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.”
Mat.2:9-10

A new star in the heavens is a quite remarkable event.  Of course what is “new” to us on earth is relative.  The star that the wise men saw was in the plan of God and had its origin long before any of the wise men were born.

When you look at the night sky you are looking at history.  The light we behold at present left its star of origin many light-years  before it reached our galaxy. Many of them have run their course and died before we even see their light on earth.

It makes me fall on my knees before this God who wonderfully provides for our salvation, even before our ancestor, Adam, sinned. He knew that we would need a savior.  These wise men from the east, who were not of Israel, saw “His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”

“His star in the east…” These were the magi, a caste of men specializing in astronomy, astrology, and natural science. It is likely they were Medes, Persian, or Babylonians and were adept at the secret learning which had its seat in Egypt.

They were, among other things, students of nature. A wise man can learn from nature.  “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hand.”  Psalm 19:1
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made , so that they are with excuse …”. Rom.1: 20

But the general revelation of God can only do so much.   It begs the question:  “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw  His star in the east and have come to worship.”

The inquisitive mind, the hungry heart, the thirsty soul will find what its looking for in the Word of God, the special revelation of Jesus Christ.

Their searching brought them all the way to Jerusalem.  The logical person to ask was King of Judea, right ? Wrong!  He doesn’t know, so he refers them to the chief priests and scribes and they know what the Word says in Micah 5; The Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.  You would think that chief priests and the scribes would’ve been excited to hear the news. I can hear Jesus in the future telling them; “ You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; It is these that testify about Me;  And You are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life ,” (John 5:39)

The star, which the magi had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

The universe was ready to play its part. It was a unique event indeed, when a star arrested its course to rest on a pre-selected target.  When that star was born, it was for  this purpose.  The light from that star  traveled an uncertain number of light-years to get to its predetermined destiny, until it came to rest on the Messiah, in Bethlehem, Immanuel; God with us.

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son…. Gal.4:4

The wise men would never be the same. The world would never be the same, either .  

So the next time you look at the night sky, praise Him for He knows your end from the beginning. Like the stars, may our light travel onward when we have finished our course.

Questions To Think About:

1. How does trusting in God’s perfect timing help you navigate seasons of waiting or uncertainty in your life?
2. Like the star, what kind of light are you hoping to leave behind in the world?

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your  works are wonderful,
I know that full well.”   Ps.139:14

“What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?”
Ps. 8:4

I love this time of year.  The music changes and echoes what I suppose are the eternal refrains between heaven and earth.
I love Christmastime  because it forces mankind, whether wittingly or unwittingly,  to consider what the birth of the babe in Bethlehem has to do with each one of us.  Jesus stands at the end of the road for all mankind.

It is significant the Lord visited us as a man. Not as a superhero, or an other worldly creature like Zeus or Jupiter.  Jesus’s favored self-reference was  “the  Son of Man” and he used it no less than eighty times .  He is man as man was supposed to be.

 Man was the Lord’s crowning creation.  Even in his fallen state, secular writers like Shakespeare could appreciate the unique status held by man: “What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty!…” (Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2)

Augustine marveled that “Men go abroad to wonder at the height of mountains , at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without even wondering.”

Adam, our forefather, fell victim to the Adversary and as a consequence he lost our first estate.  Among the execration that followed, there was still a promise of redemption.  The Lord says to the serpent: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head , and you will strike his heel.” (Gen.3:15)  Then the story of God’s meta-narrative unfolds over the centuries through the lives of Abraham and His people Israel.

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.” (Gal.4:4-5)  The seed of woman, who would crush the head of the Adversary, as prophesied in Gen.3:15, was fulfilled in Bethlehem; “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” (Isa.7:14)

It was high noon.  The Son of Man was on the scene; man as man was supposed to be. Everything Jesus did during His ministry on earth He did as a man; as one who knew who His Father was.  Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and it will be enough for us. Jesus answered : ‘Don’t you know me, Philip…Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?….Very, truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing and will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:8-10)

“For he must reign until he had put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death….The first man Adam became a living being;  the last Adam, a life-giving spirit……The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to “God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (1 Cor.15: 25,45,56-57)

“What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?”  As we come to the communion table during this Christmas season we can be glad for the babe in Bethlehem, for a God that keeps His promises, and for the life-giving spirit of the last Adam.

Questions to Think About

1. Do you find it easier to see “wonderful works” in nature than in your own mirror?
2. Beyond the tradition and music of Christmas , what is the personal significance  of Christ’s birth to you this year?

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold My chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
And He will bring justice to the nations.
He will not boast or cry out
Or raise his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break
And a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
He will not falter or be discouraged Til he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope."
Isaiah 42: 1-4

We live in an age of rage. All seemingly feel justified in their fury, with terms like "social justice", "anti-semitism", "anti-fascism "and the like, all being carelessly bandied about irresponsibly, with freedom of speech as the first victim.
As law professor Jonathan Turley points out in his book, "The Indispensable Right",
"We have become a nation of rage addicts; flailing against anyone or anything that stands in opposition to our own truths. Like all addictions, there is not only a dependency on rage but an intolerance for opposing views....Our Constitution was written not only for times like these, but in a time like this. Yet there are few historical periods that match the current level of violent and hateful speech from both the left and the right....It is a sign of citizens becoming untethered from the values that have defined them and their professions; it is a crisis of faith that reaches every corner of our society."

What a contrast between the self-righteous zealots of our day and the Servant of the Lord. He was faced with social injustice, religious persecution, racism, and cancel culture (assassinations attempts). Isaiah prophetically describes the time:

So justice is driven back,
And righteousness stands at a distance;
Truth has stumbled in the streets,
Honesty cannot enter.
Truth is nowhere to be found,
And whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.
The lord looked and was displeased
That there was no justice.
He saw that there was no one,
He was appalled that there was no one to intervene;
So his own arm achieved salvation for him,
And his own righteousness sustained him.
Isaiah 59:15-16

I was seduced by the siren song of "social justice" during my senior year in college. The minority students at my college (black, Hispanic, and Native American Indian) selected me, among 4 other student representatives, to negotiate with the administration after we had taken over the administration building. The issue was financial aid cut-backs without the administration even discussing the cuts with the program directors . During the two weeks of the occupation, personality conflicts between the administration and us required an outside arbitrator from Equal Employment Opportunity. There was ultimately victory for the students -  the financial cuts were restored.
But I left college a very angry young man, almost convinced my enemy was another race of people.

I was looking for such a one as the Scripture describes:" one who did not boast or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets". He did not have to. I was a broken reed, a smoldering wick, looking for mercy and afraid of justice. I discovered the true source of my rage-it was with God. Having surrendered my life to Him, my war with God was over. I found everything I was looking for in Jesus Christ.

We are a nation of rage addicts, in search of One Who wants them to know that war between them and God is over. "We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."      2 Cor.5:20-21
Be reconciled to God.

Questions to Think About

1. In a culture that often rewards the loudest, angriest voices, how does the quiet strength of the Lord's Servant challenge your understanding of true power and effective action?
2. Could any of your outward frustrations (politics, people, circumstances) be masking an inward struggle or a war with God?

“Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry?  Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:6-7

When I read this Scripture,  I am reminded of a patient who was referred to me for breast cancer.  I can never forget her. She was a professor at the local university, mid-fifties,  articulate, but strangely aloof, and alone.  It was unusual for cancer patients to have no one with them.  I inquired if the patient knew why her physician referred her for a surgical consultation.  “I have a sore on my breast.”, she replied dryly. When I asked which side, she only gestured to the left while turning her face away to the right.  No prior mammogram.  No family history.  Was there any pain? “No pain. Just this foul-smelling drainage that I have had to use deodorant pads to overcome the stench.”  My nurse prepared her for examination. 

On exam, she consistently ignored the left side of her body.  Her breast exam on the left revealed an open ulcerated cancer, that was also associated with  with a deeper underlying mass.  Her axillary lymph nodes were also clinically enlarged.

Needless to say, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy for this advanced breast cancer was required , before any surgery could be performed on this patient.   It did not have to be.  A screening mammogram ten years ago could have saved this patient a whole heap of trouble .

Sin is like cancer.   It begins at the microscopic level,  with a renegade cell that lives as if the rules of cellular border integrity do not apply to it. It is as if the brakes regulating new growth are non-functional and we have a runaway cell on our hands, invading,  disrupting with the resultant chaos of bodily function .  Pretending that we are not vulnerable, like our patient, is hazardous to our health, and can lead to our death.

As a surgeon, I viewed cancer as the enemy, and I allied with my patients to fight it to the end.  In over 40 years of practicing medicine and surgery, I have never had a patient say to me, “Can’t you just leave a little piece of the cancer behind as  a souvenir, for old times sake?”  On the contrary, they want it gone! They want it out of there!

Sin behaves the same way.  It starts out benignly enough. “ Crouching at your door…”.  Writes Dr. Anna Lembke in her book, Dopamine Nation; “The smartphone is the modern-day  hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation.”  From gambling to gaming to texting to sexting …”…It desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”  

The problem will not go away by trying to ignore it, like our patient attempted to do.  It will only get larger , and break through to the surface where it will be impossible to hide the ugly effect and leave a stench on our character and soul.  When you have had enough of home-remedies like the  endless books on Self-Help, at long last you will finally seek out The Great Physician for definitive treatment. 

“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
Call on Him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake their ways
And the unrighteous their thoughts,
Let them turn to the Lord, and He will
Have mercy on them,
And to our God, for He will freely pardon.”
Isaiah 55:7

And as we grow in love with this great God, we will to grow love the things He loves and hate the things He hates.  As the Scripture says in Jude; “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire;  to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”  Jude 22-23

As we come to the Communion table, remembering the bread (His Body) and the wine (His Blood) that our Great Physician has provided for our redemption and healing, let us ally ourselves with Him “til He shall put all enemies under His feet.”  1Cor.15:25

Questions to Think About

1. Do you want sin “gone completely”, or are you holding on to certain areas out of comfort or fear?
2. How important is it to be in community and allow others to help you address spiritual issues rather than trying to handle them in isolation?

Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from father's house,
To the land which I will show you; And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth Will be blessed.   Genesis 12:1-4

I love Israel. Israel is a testimony to the faithfulness of God! Just think on it! Of the 8 billion people on the planet only 0.2
% are Jewish (15.5 million). But the Jews are heard of totally out of proportion to their small numbers.
The late historian, Max Dimont, makes the point in his book "Jews, God and History " the Jewish contribution to the world's list of great names in religion, science, literature, music, finance and philosophy is staggering." Statistically, they should hardly be heard of, like the Ainu people of Asia. It is not the size of the people but the size of their God! "The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath He swore to your ancestors ... " (Deu.7:7)
Dimont continues, "Great nations of the pagan era which appeared at the same time as the Jews have totally disappeared. "The Babylonians, the Persians, the Phoenicians, the Hittites, the Philistines- all have vanished from the face of the earth." Even though the Roman Empire sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple of Herod in 70 A.O., sending the nation into exile for two thousand years, the people still survived. Even when antisemitism supposedly reached its apogee with the Nazi ideology and its evil fruit of the holocaust, the Jewish people have emerged a people still standing due to the faithfulness God and his keeping covenant with Abraham.
 
I am reminded of a college classmate of mine; a Jewish fellow who I will call Joel. He was bright, not athletically inclined, bookish and wore his yarmulke proudly. We had nothing in common except the pre-med classes we took together, and we would meet in the library occasionally to study.
When the Yorn Kippur War broke out in October of 1973, we were studying together. Without hesitation Joel volunteered to fight and put everything on hold. I remember being impressed by the statement he made to me; "Never again!" He was referring to the Holocaust.
I never saw him again. I don't know if he was among 2,800 soldiers that lost their lives in that conflict, or if he returned to finish his studies.
I wasn't a Christian in college; far from it. Agnostic would be a better description. But Joel's allegiance to his God and to his people , Israel, and the land God has promised them, made me stand up and notice, and was instrumental in my coming to faith in Christ while in medical school in 1976. I had met the awaited Messiah that Joel was still waiting to meet. It says in Zechariah 2:8
"For thus says the lord of hosts, 'After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye."

Questions to Think About
  

1. How does Israel's story reinforce your faith in God's faithfulness to keep His promises, even over thousands of years?
2. Can you recall a time when the faithful actions or conviction of another person influenced your journey or challenged your own beliefs?
3. How does the belief that Jesus is the Messiah build on and fulfill the promises made to Abraham and the people of Israel?
4. How can a greater understanding of God's faithfulness to Israel deepen our own love and appreciation for God?

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me?
So far from my cries of anguish?
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
By night, but I find no rest.
Psalm 22:1-2

There are times when God seems silent.
When we didn't get that promotion that we prayed for, or that loved one's healing didn't take place like we wanted, or that prodigal daughter seems to have hardened her heart to all counsel and is hell bent on ruining her life. Before we conclude that the heavens are shut up to us, we need to take a look at history and see how the Lord works His purposes, unbeknownst to all concerned.

The 400 "silent" years between the book of Malachi and the New Testament are so named because there was no prophet in Israel in those days. This does not mean the Lord wasn't at work in continuing His unfolding plan of redemption. Alexander the Great reigned and conquered the known world during this time. For the first time since the confusion of the languages at theTower of Babel, due to Alexander's Hellenization of the world, the nations once again had a common language. Greek was the lingua franca of the day and the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek, known as the Septuagint. The Roman Empire also arose during the "silent years", and the extensive system of Roman roads was unwittingly laid down to pave the way for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the known world, in a common language that they all could understand.

But you say, this was a psalm of David, a "man after God's own heart." And One greater than David cried out from the cross using the exact same words of despair. This is the one time when Jesus cried out, abandoning the familiar terms of endearment He was used to using for His father, "Abba, Father". Instead, He cried out in Aramaic, "Eloi, Eloi lama sabachthani?" (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?) Why did Jesus speak in Aramaic? Why not in Hebrew, like he spoke in the synagogue? Could it be it was because the masses were illiterate to Hebrew, but Aramaic was accessible to both the Jew and Arab; both of the sons of Abraham-Ishmael and Isaac? Could it be that the message was that His sacrifice was for all people?

He experienced the distant void when His Father God had to turn His Face away; when "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him". (2 Cor. 5: 21) He went though that midnight of the soul so we didn't have to.

God's heart has not changed toward us. As it says in Isaiah, "But Zion said, 'The Lorcl has forsaken me, the Lorcl has forgotten me.Can a mother forget the baby at her breast And have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you. See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before me." (lsa.49:14-16)

As we share in Communion this month, let us remember that our place at this table came at great personal expense from God the Father and God the Son. And if we should be tempted to think God could ever forget us, just remember our names are engraved on the palms of His hands.

Questions to Think About 

1. Have you ever felt that God seemed silent?
2. What qualities of God were able to correct your perspective ?
3. Why is it a comfort, rather than for fear, that God is sovereign over our suffering?
4. How can we distinguish between God being silent and our impatience or inability to recognize His work?

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.  For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.  But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.  Furthermore, if two lie down together, they keep warm, but how can they be warm alone?  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him.  A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."  Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

As the age of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) encroaches upon us, we are at risk more than ever before to be seduced by the illusion of companionship.  In our world , due to the high-tech effect of the internet, cell phones and chatGPT which progressively isolate us from one another, the one enduring bastion of real face-to-face conversation and human touch is the Church. Or it should be. 

I fear we are missing all the lonely people that the Lord is bringing to our doors. Preoccupied with cell phone screens, we have played the fool in accepting counterfeit “relationships” in exchange for the real deal.    An anonymous poet wrote a cautionary word to all of us entitled “Lonely In A Crowd”:
    “I sit in a pew next to a warm body,
         But I feel no heat.
            I’m in the faith,
     But I draw no act of love.
            I sing the hymns with those next to me,
    But I hear only my own voice.
    When the service is finished, 
        I leave just as I came in;
         Hungry for the touch of someone,
                                                                     Someone to tell me
        That I’m a person worth something 
       To Somebody.
         Just a smile would do it.
         Perhaps some gesture, some sign
        That I am not a stranger.”

The most stalwart of us needs a Barnabus to encourage us with a hand on our shoulder.  As the song sung by Twila Paris aptly notes, “deep inside this armor, the warrior is a child”.  Two human beings are better than one.  There are some things that A.I. just can’t do.

Man was made for God.  Only God knows the cry of the human heart.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts,  And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.” Ps.139:23
Only God knows the estrangement that sin and pride bring to our lives.  Only God can do something about it.  And He has.

We are in danger of conflating God’s voice with a “message”from ChatGPT.  After walking in the garden in the cool of the day, communing with the Living God, and after being so easily duped, God must ask us, just as He asked Adam,  “Where are you?”

God is not a machine.  Neither is man.  The quest for “ intelligence “ seems to have eclipsed the pursuit  of the human qualities of love and compassion . “The God who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of Heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples (or computers*) made with hands…”. (Acts 17: 24) * This word I added for teaching purposes and it is not in the original text.

In his book, 2084 and the AI Revolution, scientist and Bible teacher John Lennox astutely observes: “The ultra-speculative transhuman quest to elevate humans to godlike status pales into insignificance with this true narrative….Not that man becomes a god, but God has become man in Jesus Christ.  God did not become a machine!  A human super intelligence already exists. “

When we come to the communion table, remember what the Lord said would mark us as His disciples; not how intelligent or clever we are, but “ By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for another.” John 13: 34-35
    
Including those that are “Lonely In A Crowd”. Especially those.

Questions To Think About

1. How much time would it take to get to know your brother (or sister) over a cup of coffee, during the week, apart from church?
2. How did Barnabus make a difference in John Mark’s life?  (See Acts 15: 36-40)
3. If we are no more sensitive to the cry of the human heart than “Lonely in a Crowd”, how are we different from a robot?

“Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.  Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.  So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years.  Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.”
Genesis 5:21-24

It is easy to overlook the one line of Scripture that describes the life of Enoch, that “he walked with God”.  The book of Hebrews mentions him in the “Hall of Faith: “It was by faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to God.” (Heb.11:5) 

How can this be?  What does this life look like?
Could it be like his famous ancestor, Adam, who walked in the garden in the cool of day with the Lord, that Enoch, in his heart of hearts, hungered to return to the garden?  Like the scriptures in Romans 2 tells us:” For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,  in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them…”

With no Bible, no church or fellowship with other believers, with no indwelling of the Holy Spirit, it is possible that with prayer alone, Enoch found a portal to that “other country “with a face-to-face encounter with the Living God.  “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made…”. (Rom.1:20)  And so Enoch worshipped God.

The Scriptures tell us Enoch was a father, not only to the oldest living man in history (969 years old), but he had other sons and daughters as well.  So Enoch was not a monk living the life of a cloistered recluse.   He was a father, with all that entails.  I have often said to myself,” If any man think himself to be spiritual,  let him have children!” You can love your kids, as I’m sure Enoch loved his.  You can try your best, yet still they can break your heart.  But Enoch nonetheless walked with God.

Enoch was the great-grandfather of Noah, of the generation to which the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever …that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually “. (Gen.6:3,5)  So the prevalent society did not offer any reinforcement to Enoch’s lifestyle.  There was no “Moral Majority” for encouragement.   Hundreds of years before the patriarchs appeared, and before Moses walked down from Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments written on tablets of stone to instruct His people saying “Thou shall not…”, he had this testimony that Enoch walked with God.

We are at a decided advantage today.  We have the written Word of God, we have the Risen Christ,  His Body the Church, and the indwelling Holy Spirit “to lead us and guide us in all Truth”.  We have this, and so much more, as Hebrews 12 tells us: “ But you have come to Mount Zion and the city  of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in Heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to spirits of the righteous made; perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of anew covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” (Heb.12:22-24)

And one day, for those who have ears to hear, God will  say to us, “Come up here!” as He did to Enoch:
“ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.   Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thes.4:15-17)

The world we live in is no friend to faith.  Neither was it to Enoch.  But we have Jesus who has prayed for us in John 17, “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am…”.  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, it will be so.  Enoch knows.