Day Fifteen

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 3:24-26

24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

As already highlighted on Day Four, Jesus’ commission that his disciples bear witness to him in Jerusalem AND BEYOND was not the first time God had revealed his desire to reach out to all people! Rather, right at the start of Israel’s history – back with a guy called Abraham – God promised that one day he would bless all peoples on the earth through Abraham’s offspring. At the time, Abraham probably thought that meant his offspring in general but now it is clear that it is through one man – Jesus – that this promise has been fulfilled. Led by the Spirit, it is now the disciples’ responsibility to spread this great news. At the moment they’re still just in Jerusalem but even here – as Peter indicates in his speech above – they have the bigger picture in mind.

• So, HOW BIG IS YOUR COMMUNITY? In other words, even if God has called you to Loughborough for now, do you – like Peter – try to keep this bigger perspective in mind? If so, in what ways does this impact your life in Loughborough? (e.g. Do you regularly pray for people of different nationalities and cultures to your own? Do you pray for people who are facing hardship in different countries to our own? How often do you remember the plight of Christians facing persecution in the places they live and pray or act on their behalf? Are you open for God to call you to a different country and serve him there? Do you regularly pray for people from OH who have done just this?) If not, maybe ask God to reveal to you more of his heart for the nations and ask him to show you what you could do in response to this.

If you have a bit longer :-)

All through his speech, Peter makes reference to various Old Testament people and themes to demonstrate that Jesus is the pinnacle of all of this and fulfills these various OT strands!

• On a scale of one to ten (it’s still scale week!), how familiar are you with the OT? How clearly do you understand the ways in which Jesus is the fulfillment of it? Would you benefit from looking into all of this a bit more? If so do you think you’d find it helpful to attend Open Heaven’s Bible Overview Course at some point?!?! (Shameless plug!!!)

Day Fourteen

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 3:17-23

17 “Now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’

Peter acknowledges the crowd’s ignorance and uses this to introduce his argument that, far from being a failure, Jesus’ death actually fulfilled God’s plan! However, their ignorance doesn’t mean they don’t need forgiveness rather Peter follows this up with an urgent plea that they repent.

Here, as in a number of other places, the Bible assumes a significant parodox; that on the one hand people are free and their actions and choices have consequences, which are often bad and need forgiving. However, on the other hand, God is somehow ultimately still in charge and manages to weave his will through these free and fallen decisions such that his purposes are outworked!

• How do you feel about this paradox? Is it something you take comfort from or something that frustrates and confuses you?
• Although the Bible seems to hold the two sides in equal tension – and practically it’s important that we try to follow suit – in reality this can be hard to do and so we tend to migrate to one side more than the other. What is your bias in this regard? i.e. Are you more likely to become overly fatalistic and feel like everything that happens is completely down to God (which can lead us to be very mistrustful of God as lots of bad things happen in life as well as good). Or are your more likely to become overly burdened, feeling like it’s all down to you and one small mistake will scupper everything? Or – like me – do you sometimes flit between the two?!
• If you find this all a bit headwrecking (and/or interesting!) and want to read more about it, I recommend a talk my Dad wrote entitled, “Free and Chosen?” 

If you have a bit longer :-)

Read Acts 17:29-34

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 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.” 32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.

Within his speech in Acts 3, Peter tries to persuade the crowds to turn to Jesus, giving them four incentives:

1. So that your sins may be wiped out (like a whiteboard being wiped clean)
2. So that times of refreshing may come from the Lord (the postive counterpart to forgiveness)
3. So God may send Christ, the appointed one, when it is time for God to restore everything
4. Because if you don’t you’ll be cut off from the people (the negative consequence of not turning to Christ)

• In terms of evangelism today, do you think Christians are similarly confident in sharing all four aspects? If not, are there one or two we tend to highlight more than the others and why do you think this is?

Now, as I mentioned in Day Eight, we do have to remember that Peter is speaking to a crowd who were familiar with all of these concepts – albeit they wouldn’t previously have connected Jesus with it all.

• Therefore, looking at Paul’s speech in Athens in Acts 17 (where the listeners weren’t Jewish), what similarities and differences are there when compared with Peter’s? (Obviously, within all of this we have to remember that both speeches are actually Luke’s summaries, in reality the speeches would have probably been much longer. However, I think it is fairly likely that Luke has not only picked out the main points within these particular speeches but that also what he includes are, in fact, hallmarks of their speeches in general).

Day Thirteen

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 3:11-16

11 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. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “People of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 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. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 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.

Peter’s speech here shares a similar pattern with that he delivered at Pentecost. Again, it is a speech given spontaneously in response to the powerful workings of the Holy Spirit. Further, as at Pentecost, Peter’s tact is to demonstrate to the crowds that – rather than a failed Messiah – this Jesus they had crucified has, in fact, been vindicated by God and this demands a response!

The urgency with which Peter directs the awestruck crowd’s attention to Jesus is starkly contrasted later on in Acts when, in chapter 8, a magician called Simon sees the Holy Spirit’s power as an opportunity to further his own fame and popularity.

• Are there times when we’re tempted to use the gifts God has given us to further ourselves rather than point to Christ? If we’re really honest, perhaps none of us has totally pure motives in this regard so how can we increasingly grow in this area? For example, recently I have felt challenged to try and worry less about how people might respond to things I think God is calling me to say or do than I currently do. For the key players in Acts, they simply accepted that what they did and said would have a mixed response but did and said it anyway!

If you have a bit longer :-)

Be wise in your dealings with outsiders, but use your opportunities to the full. (Col. 4:5)

Who is going to do you harm if you are devoted to what is good? Yet if you should suffer for doing right you may count yourselves happy. Have no fear of other people: do not be perturbed, but hold Christ in your hearts in reverence as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence when anyone challenges you to justify the hope which is in you. But do so with courtesy and respect. (1 Peter 3:13-15)

Again, as at Pentecost, Peter seizes the opportunity that suddenly presents itself in order to tell the crowds about Jesus.

• On the scale below – it’s scale week this week! – where would you place yourself? Where do you think Peter would be?

• Thinking back over the last week, are there times when you now recognise you could have said something about your faith in Jesus but didn’t? How do you feel about this?
• Are there ever times when it’s wise to deliberatly not say anything about Jesus or your faith in him?

And if you’re really keen!...

Peter pulls no punches in telling the crowds what they’ve done wrong: handed Jesus over to be killed; disowned him before Pilate, though Pilate had decided to let him go; disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released instead; killed the author of life!

• How well do you think such forceful rhetoric would go down in our contemporary culture?
• Does the fact that it would probably be unpopular mean Christians shouldn’t ever be so blunt?
• Currently “insulting” conduct is outlawed in the UK. Some MPs want this clause to be scrapped saying it restricts freedom of speech and has led, for example, to a street preacher being arrested because passerbys found him offensive.[1] What do you think? Should we as Christians concern ourselves with such matters? If so, what do you think the Government should prioritise: freedom of speech or the freedom for people to live their lives without being insulted? Whatever you think, maybe just spend a few minutes praying for the Government and asking that God would help them find a good and healthy balance between protecting people from slander and abuse while allowing people to express their beliefs without fear of recrimination.

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[1] For more info see http://www.christian.org.uk/wp-content/downloads/freespeech_June11.pdf and/or http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15205553

Day Twelve

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 3:6-10 & 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

6 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.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

In the Old Testament you had a few special people like judges or kings or prophets. In the New Testament God said, ‘I will pour my Spirit out on all flesh.’ So, the more you put one person on a pedestal, the more people think there’s a special anointing or something, which is not true, and it actually makes the Church go backwards and not forwards. We’re not going to reach the ends of the earth if we’re relying on a few specially anointed or gifted people. The good news is that the job was given to every ordinary, weak kind of person. Now, why he did it that way, I don’t know. It seems an awful risk, but that’s the way he chose. (Jackie Pullinger)

The first thing that strikes me about this passage is the confidence of Peter’s faith. He doesn’t even pray; he just speaks. Now it does appear that Peter was uniquely gifted, even amongst the apostles, as in 5:15 we’re told that people were healed when just his shadow passed over them! However, his faith is still a challenge for us and since then there have been a number of people in history who have been anointed with a similarly amazing gift of healing; Jackie Pullinger is one although, challengingly, her main message is that we should all be involved in bringing God’s love to those who are sick, lost and broken.[1]

• On a scale of one to ten, how confident do you feel that God can heal people today?
• Do you know anyone who has been miraculously healed? Has this impacted your faith in any way? In what ways did it impact them and the people around them?
• Do you think that the Holy Spirit has given you the gift of healing? If so, how might you step out more in this area?
• What would you identify as your primary gifts? Again on a scale of one to ten, with how much confidence and faith do you think you outwork these gifts? How can we spur one another on in exercising our gifts in this way (i.e. with confidence and faith!)?

If you have a bit longer :-)

I once heard a Tim Keller sermon in which he made the point that in our lives God is either the end (i.e. the goal) or he is a means to another end (maybe peace, freedom from guilt, good health, assurance of heaven, a spouse…). We generally, he argued, come to God for the latter reason – i.e. because we recognize in ourselves some need that only God can fulfill. The challenge for the remainder of our Christian lives, therefore, is how do we move closer and closer to the first; i.e. how do we love God primarily for who he is (regardless of our circumstances) rather than just for what we can get from him (which, incidentally, it could be argued is also the primary theme in the book of Job!).

Here, it is clear that as amazing as the man’s healing is, its main fruit is the praise of God that it induces. It is for this reason that miracles within the Bible are generally referred to as signs; they are not ends in themselves (although they’re great!), rather they point to a greater end – God!

• Why did you initially decide to become a Christian? Was it purely because of love for God or was it because you had identified a need that only God could fill? If the latter, what was this need? Or – like me – are you not really sure why you became a Christian you just felt, at the time, an overwhelming conviction that this was something you had to do?!
• Are there any areas in your life now where you recognize that God is the means to an end rather than the end in and of himself? What areas are these?
• Accountability with one or more Christians whom we trust is an important part of growing in our faith and therefore becoming people who love God more and more for who he is rather than just for what we can get from him. Do you have people you can speak to in this way? If yes, maybe you could share with them your answers to the question above. If not, maybe this is something it’d be good to pray about and ask God to show you people with whom you can start sharing your life with more openly.

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[1] See http://www.christianitymagazine.co.uk/features/Jackiepullinger.aspx

Day Eleven

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 3:1-5

1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 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. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Contemporary Christianity now looks so different from Judaism that it’s easy to forget that the first Christians saw Christianity not as a new or separate religion but as Judaism in its most fulfilled form! Peter and John have not, therefore, abandoned the temple or Jewish forms of worship – as evidenced here in 3:1. However their worship does now has a new expression too (see 2:46, which describes believers meeting together both in the temple and in homes; on the combo of which, John Stott notes, “There is no need to polarize between the structured and the unstructured, the traditional and the spontaneous. The church needs both.”[1]).

• The whole issue of continuity versus discontinuity between the Old and New Testaments is a matter of much theological debate! Where would you place yourself on the scale below?

• Does it make any practical difference where we place ourselves on this scale? If so, can you think of any examples?

About these verses, Tom Wright notes:

…Luke emphasizes that Peter and John looked hard at the man. They stared intently at him. What were they looking for? A sincere spirit, ready to receive more than he’d asked for? A heart full of pain and sorrow, ready to be touched by God’s healing love? Somehow there is something important about that deep, face-to-face contact: not only did Peter and John stare at him, but they told him to look hard at them, too. No good turning your face away in embarrassment, as often happens with beggars who are ashamed to catch your eye, and of passers-by who are equally ashamed to look at beggars. What is about to happen involves a deep human contact as well as a deep work of God.[2]

• This partnership between God and people in displaying God’s power and bringing about his purposes is one of the deepest mysteries of the Christian faith as well as one of the greatest privileges. In what ways can you partner with God today to see other people’s lives touched by his love and grace?

If you have a bit longer :-)

From what follows (i.e. the man being healed!), it is clear that the man’s expectations of what he needs, and can receive, are incomplete!!! He asks for money but needs, and receives, a new life.

• Have you been in situations where you’ve expected one thing from God but received something quite different? How did this feel?
• Maybe it’s worth asking God if there are currently any areas in your life, or situations that you face, where your expectations are similarly incomplete? Ask God to shape your expectations so they’re more inline with his!

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[1] John Stott, “Acts,” pg. 85.

[2] Tom Wright, “Acts,” pg. 50.

Day Ten

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 2:42-47

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 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, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

On these verses Tom Wright comments:

Luke is careful to point out the landmarks. In fact, Acts 2:42 is often regarded as laying down “the four marks of the church.” The apostle’s teaching; the common life of those who believed; the breaking of bread; and the prayers. These four go together. You can’t separate them, or leave one out, without damage to the whole thing. Where no attention is given to teaching, and to constant, lifelong Christian learning, people quickly revert to the worldview or mindset of the surrounding culture, and end up with their minds shaped by whichever social pressures are most persuasive, with Jesus somewhere around as a pale influence or memory. Where people ignore the common life of the Christian family (the technical term often used is “fellowship,” which is more than friendship but not less), they become isolated, and often find it difficult to sustain a living faith. Where people no longer share regularly in “the breaking of bread”…they are failing to raise the flag which says “Jesus’ death and resurrection are the centre of everything” (see 1 Corinthians 11:26). And whenever people do all these things but neglect prayer, they are quite simply forgetting that Christians are supposed to be heaven-and-earth people.[1]

➡      Of these “four marks” – teaching/learning, community, remembering Jesus’ death and resurrection and prayer – are there one or two you focus on more than the rest? What could you do to create a better balance?

➡      Challengingly, the believers hold their things in common. What examples within OH can you think of where people act inline with this? Are there ways that we could develop further in this? What about if we see the whole Christian community as part of our family – some of whom have hardly anything, materially speaking. What does it look like to share internationally as well as locally?

If you have a bit longer :-)

➡      “Everyone was filled with awe at the many signs and wonders performed by the apostles.” Is it just leaders who are able to perform signs? If not, is everyone equally gifted in this area?

➡      “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” There is something contagious – as well as awe-inspiring – about this early Christian community. The great relationship that OH has with the students’ union through Club Mission is, I think, in a similar vein. In what other ways does OH have a positive and attractive relationship with our local community? What as-yet-untapped potential is there for this?

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[1] Tom Wright, “Acts,” pgs. 44-45.

Day Nine

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 2:22-40

22 “People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 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. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: “I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 
26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 
27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. 
28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.”  29 “Brothers and sisters, we all know that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 
35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 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. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Peter moves on from his confident assertions that today is a day of hope fulfilled to explain how this has all come about: through Jesus; the seemingly failed Messiah who, Peter argues, God has vindicated and raised up to be “the rightful king of Israel.”[1] In doing so, he brings two strands of OT prophecy together: the hope of God’s kingdom coming more fully and the slightly mysterious prophecies about a suffering servant; the one pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed (see Isaiah 53). It is, Peter argues, through Jesus’ suffering and death – not despite it – that God’s presence can now be experienced so profoundly.

If you have a bit longer :-)

➡      How often do you reflect on Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection? Maybe we could all try to start each day thanking God for what he has done for us in Christ.

➡      Does Jesus’ suffering (and then restoration and vindication) encourage you in any way when you’re facing times of difficulties?

➡      “With many other words Peter warned them and pleaded with them…” Do we have this same passion and urgency when we’re engaging with those who don’t yet know Christ? How can we spur one another on in this?

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[1] Tom Wright, “Acts,” pg. 36.

Day Eight

If you have 5 minutes!

Read the extract from Martin Luther King’s speech below 

& Acts 2:14-21

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!
(NB. It is well worth checking out the full speech on YouTube!)

14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “In the last days,” God says, 
 “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. 
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, 
your old men will dream dreams. 
18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, 
and they will prophesy. 
19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 
20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 
21 And everyone who calls 
on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Particularly in times of great hardship, certain speeches or texts stand out as exemplars of hope. Martin Luther King’s speech, at a time of great racial oppression, is one of the finest examples of this. Similarly, within the Jewish tradition, there were certain texts that embodied Jewish hopes for the future: hope that God’s people would be set free from oppression, hope that God’s kingdom would come more fully on the earth, hope that there would be renewed intimacy with God and empowerment to live in ways that please him, hope that God’s power would be experienced more completely, hope that the nations would finally be blessed through Israel and so on. Joel 3:1-5 – which Peter quotes here, albeit with some interesting changes – was one of these texts. By starting with it, Peter is making one thing very clear: this time you’ve all been waiting for is now here! There are, however, now and not-yet elements to this[1] and so, for Luke, the giving of the Holy Spirit is not only a blessing for now but also a guarantee that “the great and glorious day of the Lord” – when everything will be as God always wanted it to be – will indeed come![2]

➡      Are there times in your life when you’ve struggled to have hope? How has this felt?

➡      Hope isn’t just something for the future rather, as we see in Acts – and actually with Martin Luther King as well – hope has a powerful impact on the present. What in your life might be different if you had more hope?

➡      How can we encourage one another to be people of hope? How can we best spread hope amongst are neighbours, work colleagues, family, friends…?

If you have a bit longer :-)

On verses 17 & 18, Tom Wright writes:

This work of God is wonderfully inclusive, because there is no category of people which is left out: both genders, all ages, all social classes. But it is wonderfully focused, because it happens to all “who call on the name of the Lord” (verse 21). Here, once more, “the Lord,” which in Joel meant Israel’s God, YHWH, now seems to mean Jesus himself. And with this Luke introduces a vital and complex theme in his work: “salvation.” All who call on the Lord’s name will be saved.” “Being saved” doesn’t just mean, as it does for many today, “going to heaven when they die.” It means “knowing God’s rescuing power, the power revealed in Jesus, which anticipates, in the present, God’s final act of deliverance.” Peter will now go on to encourage his hearers to “call on the Lord’s name,” and so to know that “salvation,” that rescue, as a present reality as well as a future hope.[3]

➡      What could you do today to outwork your “salvation” in the present and bring God’s kingdom closer to earth?

It is pertinent that Peter starts his speech (well Luke’s summary of it anyway!) with a quotation from Scripture and we may want to conclude that all evangelistic talks should begin in this way. It is important, however, to remember that Peter was speaking to those within the Jewish faith who would have been familiar with these texts. Interestingly, later on in Acts (17:16-33) when Paul is chatting to non-Jews in Athens, he starts by reading an inscription from one of their idols (albeit to prove to them their own ignorance!) and then quotes one of their own poets.

➡      Within our evangelism, how can we, like the Christians in Acts, maintain faithfulness to the truth of Scripture whilst communicating these truths in culturally appropriate and penetrating ways?

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[1] See Acts notes from last week (“Day Four”) and Tom Wright, “Acts,” pgs. 32-33.

[2] Beverly Gaventa, “Acts,” pg. 77.

[3] Tom Wright, “Acts,” pg. 34.

Day Seven

If you have 5 minutes!

Re-read Acts 1:8 & Read Acts 2:5-13

“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.” 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

In taking the opportunity to speak about Jesus to the international community present in Jerusalem at that time, the disciples started to fulfill the different parts of Jesus’ commission (Jerusalem…ends of the earth) all in one go! Although they are only engaging with those within Judaism at this stage. There are potentially some interesting connections between the outpouring of the Spirit and the fact that, at the time, people were celebrating Pentecost (a harvest festival that took place 50 days after Passover and which, later on, became an anniversary of the giving of the Law at Sinai – thought to have taken place 50 days after the Exodus).[1] However, it could also be that Luke simply includes this detail to explain why so many people from so many different places were all in Jerusalem at the same time![2]

➡      There are currently people of many different nationalities living in Loughborough. How proactive are we in seeking to reach those whose culture and nationality is different from our own? Is there anything you could do differently in this regard? (For some ideas on this, check out “Claire’s 24-hour Mission Trip!”)

If you have a bit longer :-)

As Beverly Gaventa observes, the outpouring of the Spirit was “no private event,” rather the disciples were immediately cast into the public arena.[3] Moreover, not all those present received them well! Rather, as Tom Wright challengingly notes, then – as “again and again in Acts” – there is “opposition, incredulity, scoffing and sneering at what the apostles say and do, at the same time as great success and conviction.”[4] In this regard, I am pretty certain that I’d experience more of the latter if I were more willing to risk the former.

➡      Looking back over the past week, have there been times when you’ve not said or done something that would have helped people see more of Christ through you because you were worried what they might think? How do you feel about this?

➡      Maybe we could all try to do or say at least one thing this week that helps someone who doesn’t know Christ find out more about him, even if there’s a risk they might think we’re a bit odd?!

➡     Are there any public Christian figures that are on your heart for you to pray for? If not, maybe ask God if there’s anyone you could be supporting in this way. Those I can think of would include: the Archbishop of Canterbury, Steve Chalke, the Pope, the Bishop of London, Alister McGrath (a theologian)… (you probably know of others!)

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[1] See John Stott, “Acts,” pg. 62.

[2] Beverly Gaventa, “Acts,” pg. 74.

[3] Beverly Gaventa, “Acts,” pg. 74.

[4] Tom Wright, “Acts,” pg. 29.

Day Five

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 1:12-26 “Matthias is Chosen”

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” 18 (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’ 21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” 23 So they proposed the names of two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. (TNIV)

Beverly Gaventa notes that despite the prominence with which Matthias is introduced here, he does not appear in the rest of Acts.[1] Nor, in fact, do a number of other apostles and, in fact, only Peter appears prominently.

➡      Why, then, is Acts traditionally known as “the Acts of the Apostles”? Can you think of a better title?!

In reponse to Jesus’ instructions, his followers waited in Jerusalem meeting and praying together, presumably very unsure as to what would happen next!

➡      Are there times in your life when you have felt like you’re stuck in one place waiting for what God will do next? How has this felt? Do you find any encouragement from Acts in this regard and/or any tips?!

If you have a bit longer :-)

In both Psalm 69:25 and 109:8, which Peter quotes in v. 20, the psalmist is calling down a curse on his persecutors. He clearly does not have Judas in mind!

➡      Why, then, does Peter see these verses as fulfilled by Judas’ betrayal? Why does he think it is important to do so?

Thinking back over the whole of Acts 1, have a think about 1 or more of the following questions (depending on which you most resonate with!).

➡      What stands out to you the most from this chapter?

➡      What is the biggest challenge in this chapter?

➡      Do you have any unresolved questions about it?

➡      Has God spoken to you through this chapter? If so, what has he said?

➡      What have you learned about God through it?

➡      What have you learned about Jesus’ followers?

➡      Have you learned anything about the Bible?

➡      Is there anything you think you should do/change/pray in response to reading this chapter?

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[1] See her commentary.