Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+17.22-34

Scripture

“In the past, God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”

Observation

Paul is in Athens where he has a dispute with some of the city’s philosophers. They take him to the Areopagus to present and argue for the Gospel.

Paul notes that the city is very religious, even having an altar dedicated to an unknown god. Paul says that this is the true God who created all things and all people. He did this so that people would turn to Him and find Him.

In the past, God overlooked the ignorance of paganism. But now He calls all people to repent, for He has set a day of judgement by Christ whom He raised from the dead.

Some sneer at this talk of resurrection, but others believe Paul and his message.

Application

Since Christ came into the world, the gospel has left us with a stark choice- we can accept it or reject it.

The commandment given to all people now is “repent.” The Kingdom of God has arrived, and we must turn from our sins and follow Jesus.

There once was no kingdom, but now the King has come and established His Kingdom. Once we could live as we pleased, whether it was to worship idols or to worship our bodies.

Now King Jesus tells us to worship only Him. There is a grace period but a day of judgement will come.

Jesus is justified in judging those who reject Him. He died to pay for our sin. Now we must honour Him with our lives or pay the price for rejecting His grace.

This is not religion by obeying rules. This is freedom to live the lives we were created for. I once was lost in sin, but now I am found in Him.

Repenting does not just mean turning from sinful actions. It is letting go of all our false loves to embrace the true lover of our souls.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for delivering me from sin. Help me to honour you in every part of my life. Amen

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+7.55-60

Scripture

And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honour at God’s right hand!”

Observation

Stephen is testifying before the Sanhedrin. As the leaders become increasingly enraged by his assertion that Jesus is the Messiah, Stephen sees the glory of God with Jesus standing at God’s right hand.

The elders drag him out of the city to stone him, laying their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Stephen calls out to the Lord, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit” and then “Lord don’t charge this against them.” Then he dies.

Application

It is quite awesome to have a vision of heaven, to see what is happening in God’s throne room. There are times when, if we ask, God will grant us this kind of vision. It gives us a greater insight into what God is doing and where we fit into His plans.

The important thing in Stephen’s revelation is that he sees God the Father on the throne with Jesus standing at His right hand.

Jesus is not just a historical figure. He is alive now, interceding for us and representing us before the Father.

Jesus is in the place of authority and power in God’s kingdom. In fact, He is the way we get into the Kingdom. Through Jesus we have total access to the Father, all the time.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, you are my saviour and my Lord. Thank you for the knowledge that you have opened the way for me and all who trust in you. Amen.

 

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2.42-47

Scripture

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

Observation

The earliest believers recognised that they needed one another. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship and worship. The apostles performed many signs and wonders.

The believers shared their possessions and gave to those in need. They met daily in the temple and in their homes. And the Lord added to their number daily.

Application

This scripture passage is one of the key passages for the cell church movement. We see here that in the early days the church met, as the church, in big gatherings and in smaller gatherings in homes.

There was a strong sense of community, of belonging to one another that is often missing in many churches. They could see the Holy Spirit at work as signs and wonders were happening, as they loved on another, and as people were being saved.

It is easy to get caught in the christian “bubble” in which all of our relationships are with other christians. Somehow, in all of their exciting meetings, the first believers were maintaining friendships with non-believers in such a way that they were getting saved.

This community was not a closed cult. It was a very open group.

I get very excited when I meditate on this passage. It tells us what the church can be and should be. We just have to change our orientation from institution to God-centred community.

Prayer

Lord let my part of your church become the real church. May we develop a community of such intimacy with you and with each other that people are desperate to find you. Amen.

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2.32-41

Scripture
Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Observation
Peter finishes his Pentecost address to the gathered crowd by declaring that Jesus is Lord and Messiah.

The people are cut to the heart by his message. They ask, “What should we do?” Peter tells them they must repent and be baptised for the forgiveness of their sins. Then they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So Peter continues to exhort them, and three thousand people receive the message and are baptised.

Application
God calls on us simply to repent and be baptised.

All we have to do is turn from our sins in response to the gospel. Baptism is the outward sign that we have died to our old nature and risen to new life in Him.

A simple step of faith accepting that He is Lord of all.

As we take this step of repentance, He meets us with forgiveness and the Holy Spirit,

All my sins are gone, washed away by the blood of Christ, deleted from the record, all because of God’s grace given to me in Christ.

Because I am so weak and unable to live God’s way in my own human strength, He places His Spirit in me.

My decision to follow Jesus activates a whole new life, a gift from God.

This is awesome!

And it’s not just for those who were immediately hearing Peter’s message that day so long ago. It is for everyone, for those who are near and for those who are far away- in space and time.

The power of God to change lives is not restricted in any way. Nobody is too old or too young, too sinful or too good, too rich or too poor,

Everyone who call son the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved.

Prayer
Thank you Lord for reaching down to me. I was lost in my sin, but you brought me home to you. Thank you Lord that your grace is even bigger than my sin. Amen.

Passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+10.34-43

Scripture

“All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Observation

After a series of events, Peter finds himself in the house of a Gentile named Cornelius.

Peter testifies to the household of Cornelius that he now understands that God does not have favourites based on race, but He loves everyone who seeks Him and does what is right.

The message about Jesus started in Galilee but is spreading everywhere. God anointed Jesus with the power of the Holy Spirit and Jesus healed all who were oppressed by the devil. Jesus was crucified, but God raised Him. Now those who witnessed these things are testifying about salvation through Christ.

Application

The message of the gospel is very simple- everyone who believes in Christ receives forgiveness through Him.

We all sin- everyone falls short of God’s perfect standard of holiness. Even on our best days we can all be proud, angry or fail to love others in some way.

All have sinned.

All may be forgiven.

You don’t have to keep the Jewish Law or be born Jewish. Forgiveness is available to everyone in Christ,

It is the death of Jesus that paid the price for our sin. Trust in Him and you will be forgiven.

No sin is too big, no life too depraved. When we turn to Jesus and trust in His salvation then forgiveness comes.

This is not a magic formula or a religious incantation. It is about honesty before God. As we learn to walk in this freedom, we also learn to place all of our cares and fears in His hands- a relationship of trust and love grows.

Prayer

Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for your offer of forgiveness. Help me to confess my sins to you and to trust you for forgiveness of sins in your name. Amen.

Read passage: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+16.16-34

Scripture

They said to him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Observation

A demonised slave girl follows Paul and his team, calling out a testimony that Paul has a message of salvation. Paul grows tired of this and commands the demon to come out of her.

With the spirit of divination gone, the slave now has lost her earning potential. Her owners have Paul and Silas dragged before the magistrates, who have them flogged and thrown into prison.

About midnight, Paul and Silas are praising God. Suddenly there is an earthquake and the prison doors are opened. Expecting the prisoners to have escaped, the gaoler is about to kill himself, but Paul tells him that they are all still in there. Paul then tells him the gospel, and his entire family is baptised.

Application

When the power of the Holy Spirit is revealed, people are forced to react one way or another. Those who are in bondage to the things of the world will react with violence, but those who are looking for salvation will eagerly receive the gospel.

It is no good preaching the Good News without prayer and without the presence of the Holy Spirit. The message is just heard as a jumble of words unless the Holy Spirit is working in the hearts of the listeners. Then their whole world is shaken and put right.

Prayer

Lord let me be a Paul, led by your Spirit, directed in all my paths and testifying powerfully to your salvation. Amen

Read passage: Acts 16.9-15

Scripture
When he had seen the vision, we immediately turned to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.

Observation
Paul and his apostolic band are travelling, but, as they attempt to go to various places, the Holy Spirit blocks them. Then Paul has a vision in the night, seeing a Macedonian man pleading with him to come to them.

The group travels to Macedonia, ending up in Philippi, a leading city in the region. On the Sabbath they go to the river bank expecting to find a gathering place for the Jews. There they find some women meeting for prayers. They share the good news with them and at least one of them, Lydia, is saved. She and her household are baptised.

Application
It is clear from the text that the Holy Spirit was determined that Paul travels to Philippi, resisting other plans that Paul has. When he goes to the place directed by the Spirit, the ministry there is fruitful.

There are many times when God allows us to make decisions based on our own wisdom and thinking. There are other times when the Lord narrows down our options until we pick the way he wants us to go.

All of our planning and deciding needs to be done in sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. The bigger the decision, the more we need to pray and listen for the still small voice.

Prayer
Help me Lord to grow in sensitivity to your voice. Amen