5/7-5/13 Overview

As we continue reading and studying The Acts of the Apostles, in the chapters for this week the apostles’ prayer from Acts 4:29-30 is being fulfilled, the apostles endure greater persecution, new leaders are chosen from among the believers as part of leadership delegation, and Stephen becomes the first martyr.

 

If you have not watched it yet, you are encouraged to WATCH the first of two Bible Project video summaries of the book of Acts to understand it more clearly before reading the verses on Monday. The video is available on YouTube:

Book of Acts Summary (Part 1) by the Bible Project:

 

Below are some suggestions and questions to help you as you read scripture this week:

1. Approach scripture with humility. Seek to receive what the Bible reveals without trying to make it say what you want it to say.

2. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak a message to you through the verses you read.

3. What do these verses reveal about God?

4. What do these verses reveal about humanity?

5. What do these verses teach me about myself?

6. How do you see yourself in the story when reading biblical narratives?

Which of these characters would I be?

In what ways is their story similar to my story?

7. Read, study, and discuss scripture with a small group or another person.

8. Are you using a Study Bible?

A Study Bible is a very helpful tool for understanding each book of the Bible. They include information shared by scholars about historical and cultural realities during the time depicted or the era of the document, the author, when the book might have been written, the intended audience of the document, themes and messages within a book or letter, and more. The NIV, NRSV, ESV, and NLT Study Bibles are worth considering if you do not own one. There are a few available from the AUMC Library in the back of the Chapel. You can also purchase a Study Bible from ChristianBook.com, Cokesbury.com, or Amazon.com.

 

*If you do not have a Bible, consider downloading the YouVersion Bible App for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone or tablet. You can also use www.BibleGateway.com to look up and read various translations of Bible verses online for free.

 

 

Sunday (5/7)

READ Psalm 108:1-5. Focus on receiving God’s love today and throughout this week as you continue living your faith through prayer, presence, gifts, service, and using your words as a witness and blessing to others:

 

Prayer – time with God receiving the gift of communion with the Lord

Presence – being mentally and physically present with God and people

Gifts – receiving and recognizing the talents, opportunities, resources and

spiritual gifts you have been given as you use them for God’s glory

Service – following Jesus’ example by humbly serving others

Witness – using your words to bless, encourage, and guide others by sharing what you have seen, heard, and experienced in regards to God working within your life and in the world in the past and now

 

PRAY today using Psalm 108:1-5 as a guide.

 

 

Monday (5/8)

READ Psalm 108:4 to prepare yourself for time with the Lord:

 

For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.

Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. – Psalm 108:4 NLT

 

READ Acts 5:12-16, which is a fulfillment of the prayer the disciples prayed in Acts 4:29-30. If you did not read Acts 1:1-5:11, then read those chapters and verses before reading the verses for today. What healing do you or others you know need to experience from the Lord?

 

PRAY – Pray to God lifting up praises to the source of life, wholeness, and healing, as well as lifting your petitions for help and healing. Ask the Lord to help you and others to receive his love, his presence, and all that he is offering to us today.

 

 

Tuesday (5/9)

READ Psalm 108:4 as a reminder.

 

BE SILENT for a few minutes to turn your heart and mind towards the Lord as you seek to be present with Him as much as you are able. You may find it helpful to sit, lay down with your face towards the ground, kneel, or walk during this time of being intentionally present with God. Listen for the internal whisper of the Holy Spirit as a word, phrase, idea, or message that comes to mind.

 

READ Acts 5:17-42. If you are using a Study Bible, you may find it helpful to read the study notes for these verses.

 

Did you notice what Peter and the other apostles said in verse 29? Sometimes our obedience to God will require that we disobey the requests or orders of people. How does that make you feel?

 

Did you notice what Gamaliel, the Pharisee, said about the Jesus movement in Jerusalem in verse 38-39? His message is a reminder for us that when what we are doing “is from God” nothing will be able to stop it. The Lord will accomplish his will and plans.

 

PRESENCE – What are some ways that you can intentionally be present with the Lord and others today to receive the gift of being with God and those who are made in his likeness? Seek to notice how the created world and the people made in God’s image reveal things about our Creator.

 

Pray through your day, including offering thanks for God’s presence with you throughout the day, as well as for the people you will be with or have

been with.

 

 

Wednesday (5/10)

READ Psalm 108:4 to prepare yourself for time with our God, the faithful source of love.

 

GIFTS – Write a list of your known talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts. Then make a separate list of financial resources you have that includes money in bank accounts, investments, cars, your home, etc. Both of these lists are some of the many gifts God has given you. How are you using these gifts for God’s glory? How are you using these gifts to bless others who are made in the Lord’s image.

 

READ Acts 6:1-7. What do these verses reveal about how the earliest disciples in Jerusalem overcame a problem within the church?

 

PRAY in the Spirit for:

• Disciples of Christ throughout the world
• Divisions within the United Methodist denomination
• Sister churches in Greater Hendricks County
• the people & ministries of Avon UMC
• widows & widowers

 

 

Thursday (5/11)

READ Psalm 108:4 to focus your heart and mind on the Lord.

 

BE SILENT for a few minutes to turn your heart and mind towards the Lord as you seek to be present with Him as much as you are able. You may find it helpful to sit, lay down with your face towards the ground, kneel, or walk during this time of being intentionally present with God. Listen for the internal whisper of the Holy Spirit as a word, phrase, idea, or message that comes to mind.

 

READ Acts 6:8-15. You may find it helpful to use the suggestions and questions from the Overview section of this devotional.

 

SERVICE – Who are the people God has placed in your life who reveal Christ-like love by the way they serve you and others? How will you, or how did you, serve the Lord today?

 

PRAY in response to God using the ACTS acronym as a guide:

Adoration (praise the Lord)

Confession

Thanksgiving (thank God for those who serve you & others)

Supplication (share your needs & the needs of others, including persecuted Christians)

 

 

Friday (5/12)

READ Psalm 108:4 to seek to center yourself in God.

 

LISTEN to Acts 7:1-53, the entire chapter, using a translation of the Bible that includes the audio version on the YouVersion Bible App or via BibleGateway.com. The link for the Bible Gateway audio Bible is listed below. Use the drop down menus to select “Acts” and “chapter 7”:

 

Be silent for a few minutes after listening to Stephen’s speech. Did you notice that Stephen’s final words were similar to some of Jesus’ final words from the cross from Luke 23:46 and 23:34? Which words, phrases, or other parts of the message stand out to you?

 

PRAY, following Stephen’s example, asking God for forgiveness for yourself and for those who have sinned against you. PRAY that the Lord helps you and our congregation to live the AUMC virtues revealed in Jesus:

Humility, Compassion, Forgiveness, Love

 

WITNESS – Today you can use your words to bless, encourage, and guide others. You can share Christ and be his witness through your words and deeds. Look for opportunities to tell others what you have seen, heard, and experienced in regards to God working within your life and in the world in the past and now. Remember that the Holy Spirit will provide the words you need at the right time, so boldly share them as you trust God with the outcome (Luke 12:11-12).

 

 

Saturday (5/13)

How are you going to remember and observe the Sabbath this weekend? You may need to incrementally observe the Sabbath by setting aside an increasing portion of a day each week beginning with an hour, then increasing it to multiple hours or part of a day the next weekend, and eventually designating an entire day for remembering and observing the Sabbath.

 

You may find it helpful to LIGHT a candle and LISTEN to a worship song or hymn before reading the verses for today as a way to prepare your heart, mind, body, and soul for observing the Sabbath.

 

During the morning READ Exodus 16, giving special attention to what the verses reveal about the Sabbath and rest. Notice that the Israelites “gathered twice as much food” the day before the Sabbath (Exodus 16:22 NRSV). To observe a day of rest you will probably need to plan ahead and use the day or days before it as preparation. “REST” is the Sabbath theme for this weekend. What is God’s message to you from this biblical text?

 

What is your body revealing to you about what you need? Do you need a nap?

Do you need more sleep each night during the other days of the week?

 

Are you willing to trust God to enable you to do whatever needs to be done during the other six days of the week so that you can rest in the Lord an entire day?

 

Do you need to take things off of your to-do-list and set a more sustainable pace so that you are prioritizing resting?

 

Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend ten, twenty, or thirty minutes alone with God seeking to rest in the peace that can only be found in and from the Lord. If you struggle to stop and rest, consider laying down, kneeling, or sitting on a very comfortable chair or seat. If you need a nap, then sleep so that your mind and body receive the rest that you need.

 

PRAY and live in response to our God. You may find it helpful to use the words from the verses you read from Exodus 16 as a guide for your prayer.

 

 

During the afternoon or evening, READ Leviticus 23:3 about the Sabbath and rest. Seek to do what the Lord commands in this verse, including stopping, resting, dedicating an entire day to God, and assembling with others to worship our Creator and Sustainer of life.

 

PRAY and seek to live in response to God’s commandment in Leviticus 23:3.