Category: Acts

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Peter and James accepted the Apostle Paul as an equal and defended both him and his apostleship to the Gentiles. They supported him by letter and by representatives.

SJA Notes

* Dear God, thank You for Your living word, given to us that we might know You better.

“And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.”

Sometimes we can let our scepticism override our belief and trust.

We need a healthy scepticism of human nature, God’s word is clear on that.

But that should never trump our believe in God’s love, His grace and mercy, His ability to effect real and lasting transformative change in people’s lives.

The church in Antioch received a letter from the leadership at the time, delivered by Paul and Barnabas and others.

This is the outworking of the previous chapters, where the church leadership clearly rebuked the false doctrine of adding more to God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ alone.

This was a freeing thing, and encouragement to this burgeoning group of God’s people in a far-off city.

The letter also gave direction on what to abstain from. Don’t do these things.

And see the response.

This too was an encouragement to them!

Being told what to do brings about either real humility or angry pride.

God’s people at Antioch chose humility and they were encouraged!

Is this how we respond today?

* Mighty God,

Please help us trust in You and walk in obedience under Your will for us.

For You are our God, You and You alone. Creator. Sustainer. Life-Giver.

There is none like You!

Please humble us Lord, so that You would be magnified and lifted-up.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

This chapter shows that an Assembly of elders governed the church. An Apostle chaired the meeting and another, Peter, was the influential speaker, who set the scene for James to propose the way forward for the inclusion of Gentiles into the Church. Think about the four Apostolic requests made of Gentiles.

SJA Notes

* Merciful God, thank You for Your faithfulness which we read of in Your word and experience in our lives.

“And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.”

Faith is a gift from God.

Faith cleanses our hearts.

What then is faith?

Hebrews 11 tells us,

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Regardless of what the world tells us, this is what God says faith is. And He gave it to us as a gift!

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2,

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

From all nations God calls His people. And He gifts us faith. And this is a wonderful thing, a thing that outworks into the hope of glory!

* Father God,

Thank You for the hope we have in You.

Thank You that we can have a life now that is marked by Your saving grace, gifting us with faith.

And thank You that we look forward to glory, a conviction of things not seen, the substance of things hoped for.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Some of the greatest opponents of Christ’s Gospel in Australia come from inside the Christian Church. They are people who have refused to believe, and who have an irrational hatred for those who do believe. How does Paul’s example encourage you?

SJA Notes

* Faithful God, thank You for the encouragement we find in Your word.

“… strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Is this a foreign word to us or does it resonate?

Because it should be true.

That we should be hearing this from our pulpits, that we would be preaching this ourselves, all of us God’s people, in word and thought and deed within the congregations (groupings) we are placed in.

To encourage one another in the faith.

To remind one another of the tribulations that will come upon us as people of God’s kingdom.

This is an important word. May we be exhorted today to take up this charge, today and onwards.

* Gracious Father,

Thank You for the example of Paul and Barnabas, who through You strengthened the souls of the disciples throughout their travels.

Please help us to do the same.

Help us to point people to Jesus.

Amen.