Acts - Week 13

Week 13 Acts 4 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 4:27-28 

27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. 

Believers continued to pray and remind God how He spoke through David about rulers opposing Him. Then they made it specific to their time. They saw that the real focus of the enemies of the gospel was really against the Lord Jesus Christ. They rested in their confidence, however, that all the opposition did was “determined beforehand.” Not only that but also that it was “according to your will.” It is admirable the confidence these believers had in God at this crucial time. 

REFLECT 

How about you? When difficult times come for you, Do you realize God knew about it ahead of time? 

RESPOND 

With your disciple, read Ephesians 1:3-8 to see what God has determined beforehand. Let this be of encouragement to you when tough times come. 

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 4:29-30 

29 And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 

The believers became even more specific in their prayers as they asked the Lord’s protection against their enemies. They wanted God to hear their threats and to give them boldness in preaching. They also wanted signs, wonders and miracles to be done through the power of Jesus.  

In their time, they had only the apostles’ teaching to proclaim, as seen by Acts 2:42. Today the entire Bible is available to believers to read and teach.  

REFLECT 

You have so much more revelation of God available to you now. How are you doing in reading and telling others about it? 

RESPOND 

Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17 to see what the apostle Paul told Timothy about the importance of the Scriptures and what their use is to be.  

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 4:31 

31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. 

After you have a prayer meeting, the facility where you are praying likely will not shake, but believers can still be controlled, or filled, by the Holy Spirit even as these early Church believers were. When believers are full of the Spirit, He empowers them to preach the Word of God with boldness. So also believers today can be empowered by the Spirit to preach and teach the Bible with boldness.  

REFLECT 

When you have no unconfessed sin controlling you, the Holy Spirit takes over control. He will give you boldness in telling others about Jesus. 

RESPOND 

Read Ephesians 5:15-33 to see how being filled with the Holy Spirit affects one’s life—even the marital relationship of believers.  

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 4:32-33 

32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. 

Observe the spiritual unity experienced by believers who were filled with the Holy Spirit. It changed their attitude toward others. They shared “everything” they had, not because of any political or governmental demand, but because they loved others. With such an attitude, they also powerfully told others about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus—the very truth for which the religious leaders were opposing them. Because of all of this, “God’s great blessing was upon them all.” 

REFLECT 

Does your church group help others in need? Do you personally help others as much as you can? Even others preaching the gospel need help with living expenses.  

RESPOND 

Read some verses that have to do with sharing with others. See Romans 13:8; Galatians 6:6; Ephesians 4:28; Philippians 4:14-15. What would God have you share?  

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 4:34-35 

34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. 

Think of it! “There were no needy people among them.” Those who had lands and houses sold them and brought the money to the apostles to be distributed. They realized because of likely coming persecution, they were all in this together and they supported each other. Note that it was not a government at a distance to whom they were giving their money. The Roman government was opposed to Christianity. They willingly gave it the apostles, in whom they had confidence to know those in true need. 

REFLECT 

Does this impress you with how practical the biblical account is? It reveals how tender hearts were to those in need and how practical they were in their giving. 

RESPOND 

Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 that serves as a significant passage about giving. Some think they would give much more if they had more. This is not always the case. Verse 12 in this passage says to “give according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have.”