Acts - Week 23

Week 23 Acts 7 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 7:39-40 

39 “But our ancestors refused to listen to Moses. They rejected him and wanted to return to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, ‘Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don’t know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.’” 

Stephen continues telling the highest court about their Jewish ancestors. God had sent them human saviors in both Joseph and Moses and they had rejected them. In fact, while Moses was on the mountaintop receiving the Ten Commandments they asked the priest Aaron to make them gods they could worship. They even wanted to return to their slavery in Egypt. They were now turning from Jehovah God to worshipping idols.  

REFLECT 

In times of discouragement, think how easy it is to forget what God has done for you in the past. Begin enumerating some of these things for your encouragement. 

RESPOND 

Visit with your disciple about some of the things God has done for him or her in the past. Urge those to be remembered when hard times come in the future.  

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 7:41-42 

41 “So they made an idol shaped like a calf, and they sacrificed to it and celebrated over this thing they had made. 42 Then God turned away from them and abandoned them to serve the stars of heaven as their gods! In the book of the prophets it is written, ‘Was it to me you were bringing sacrifices and offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, Israel?” 

Imagine how far from grace the Israelites had fallen by worshipping a golden calf. Because they turned from God, He turned from them and gave them over to worshipping heavenly bodies. Notice the free will of man; when choosing to turn from God he is turned over to worship whatever he pleases. Then Stephen begins quoting from the prophet Amos. They were claiming to be sacrificing to God while actually worshipping other gods.  

REFLECT 

Does this remind you how serious it is to turn away from God? Thank Him that He loves you and gave His only Son to die on the cross for you. 

RESPOND 

Read Exodus 32:1-3 about the beginning of the golden calf worship. Then read Romans 1:18-24 about happens when people reject God.  

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 7:43 

43 “No, you carried your pagan gods—the shrine of Molech, the star of your god Rephan, and the images you made to worship them. So I will send you into exile 

as far away as Babylon.’” 

Stephen continues telling what the prophet Amos said. While claiming to bring sacrifices to God they were actually worshipping other gods. God had clearly told them in the first of the Ten Commandments that they should not have any other god before Him (see Exodus 20:3). Actions have consequences; now God would send them to the Gentile nation of the Babylonians for discipline.  

REFLECT 

Israel was a chosen nation of God, but He disciplined it when it disobeyed and did not honor Him.  

RESPOND 

With your disciple, Read Hebrews 12:5-11 to see that it relates to God’s own children. Talk with your disciple about the seriousness of this. 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 7:44-45 

44 “Our ancestors carried the Tabernacle with them through the wilderness. It was constructed according to the plan God had shown to Moses. 45 Years later, when Joshua led our ancestors in battle against the nations that God drove out of this land, the Tabernacle was taken with them into their new territory. And it stayed there until the time of King David.” 

Referring to the holiness of God, Stephen now reminds the high court authorities about the Israelites carrying the Tabernacle with them. The Tabernacle was a symbol of God’s presence with them. The word translated “dwell” in Exodus 25:8 is the one from which the word Shekinah comes. It is the Shekinah glory of God dwelling in their presence. In this age, the temple in which the Lord dwells is the believer’s body.  

REFLECT 

Think how special it is for the believer to actually have the Shekinah glory of God living on the inside. 

RESPOND 

 Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and talk with your disciple about the importance of realizing the believer’s body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.  

Day 5 

READ 

Acts 7:46-50 

46 “David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who actually built it. 48 However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says, 49 ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that?’ asks the Lord. ‘Could you build me such a resting place? 50 Didn’t my hands make both heaven and earth?’” 

Stephen now tells of the switch from the Tabernacle to the Temple of God. David wanted to build a house for God, but was prohibited for doing so because he had been a person of warfare (see 1 Chronicles 22:6-10). David was also reminded in that day that God had made heaven and earth and did not need a temple built by man. The Tabernacle was located in the land at Shiloh (see Joshua 18:1). David’s son, Solomon, built the temple in Jerusalem, the city of David known as Zion (see I Kings 8:1).   

REFLECT 

Think of how great it is that although God told David He did not need a house to dwell in, He has now chosen to dwell in believers. 

RESPONSE 

Remind your disciple that because the Holy Spirit lives in believers, they need to reveal the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. Read Galatians 5:22-23 to be reminded of this fruit and talk about whether that is being seen in your lives.