Hello,
Read Acts 4.1-22
John and Peter have just healed this man who was crippled and now they must face the questions of the religious leaders in Jerusalem, the very people who just crucified Jesus not too long ago. The big question Peter and John are asked is, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” (4.7).
Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit and begins to make his defense about how the name of Jesus is why the man was healed (4.10), that there is no other name under heaven by which to be saved (4.12). The religious leaders have no idea what to do. They can’t refute something remarkable has happened, the once crippled man is standing there whole and well before them. So they order Peter and John to not speak or teach in the name of Jesus (4.18).
Peter and John give an incredible response to the leaders, “Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen heard” (4.19-20).
What do you make of all this? There are two connections I want to mention for you to reflect on more: 1. Look at Philippians 2.9-11 and the early Christian hymn about Jesus emptying himself and then God exalting him and giving him the name that is above every name. 2. The words of Peter and John sound an awful lot like what Jesus told John the Baptist’s disciples in Luke 7.22 in terms of talking about what they have seen and heard.
We are called to be witnesses of what God is doing in our lives. Noticing these things, the ways that God’s Spirit is active in our midst. Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus, defending our faith is often as simple as naming what we have seen and heard God doing in our lives. How can you pay more attention to God’s activity in your life this week? Observe and notice the nudges of the Spirit, and attribute to God what God is doing. Try giving at least one God + verb statement a day as you notice God at work. God acted…God reminded…God showed…God cared…
What are you seeing and hearing God doing?
Grace and Peace,
Matt
P.S. Let me know if you would like to have the Zoom link sent to you for tonight’s Bible Study at 6:30. I’m looking forward to the ways God is speaking to us through Acts.
Inductive Questions: (These will be included each day and your work on them will be the foundation we build upon at our Wednesday evening in-person and Zoom Bible Study as we explore the church, mission, and Holy Spirit in Acts.)
Pick at least one of these to be a focus for all of Acts, but answer as many of them as you want.
- What does the church look like in Acts? Who is a part of it? What do they do? How is it formed? How does it relate to mission and the Spirit? In other words (fancy, technical terms) What is the ecclesiology of Acts?
- What does mission look like in Acts? Who does it? What do they do? How does it happen? How does it relate to the church and the Spirit? In other words (fancy, technical terms) What is the missiology of Acts?
- What does the Holy Spirit look like in Acts? What does the Spirit do? How is the Spirit active? How does it relate to church and mission? In other words (fancy, technical terms) What is the pneumatology of Acts?
Answer the question with the language of Acts as much as possible and cite the chapter and verse reference in your notes.