Acts - Week 44

Week 44 Acts 13 

Day 1 

READ 

Acts 13:32-33 

32 “And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, 33 and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ 

Paul had told of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus plus His appearances to others. Now he tells the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles that he has Good News for them. He reemphasizes the resurrection of Jesus. In quoting Psalm 2:7 Peter was not saying the birth of Jesus was the origin of Jesus because as God He has always existed. It was, however, the beginning of His life on earth. This is called His “incarnation”; when He took on human flesh. 

REFLECT 

Be impressed with the way the apostle Paul used the Old Testament to give background and then presented the resurrected Jesus as Savior. Learn all you can about the Old Testament so in time you may be able to do this. 

RESPOND 

With your disciple read Isaiah 9:6-7. Notice the passage says “a child is born” (His humanity) and goes on to call Him “Mighty God” (His deity). Talk with your disciple about always making this distinction. 

Day 2 

READ 

Acts 13:34-35 

34 “For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.’ 35 Another psalm explains it more fully: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’ 

Paul continues to show how the promises of the Old Testament relate to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus spent only three days in the grave and then was raised to life. The heavenly Father did not allow Him to remain in the grave. In 1 Corinthians 15:17, Paul wrote that if Christ had not been raised from the dead, then one’s faith is useless and you are still in your sins. Christianity hinges on the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 

REFLECT 

Is it being impressed on you that the resurrection of Jesus is the crucial foundation to the Christian faith? Other religious leaders are still in the grave; the tomb of Jesus is empty. 

RESPOND 

Even though you and your disciple have looked at 1 Corinthians 15 before, look at it again. It tells so clearly the importance of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Day 3 

READ 

Acts 13:36-37 

36 “This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed. 37 No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay. 

Paul wanted his listeners to know that the reference to Psalm 16:10, written by David, could not have applied to him. Long ago he died and was buried with his ancestors. The verse had to apply to someone else whose body was not allowed to decay in the grave. That could only be the Lord Jesus Christ. This is an example of how Old Testament statements were applied to New Testament incidents and had their complete fulfillment in them. 

REFLECT 

Do you marvel at the way the Bible has been designed by God Himself? It is in complete harmony because it originates with the same author.  

RESPOND 

The Bible is in such harmony with itself because it was inspired by the same author—God. See 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:2-21 that reveal the divine author was God as He communicated to human authors what to write. 

Day 4 

READ 

Acts 13:38-39 

38 “Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. 39 Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do. 

A question people have had throughout time has been, “How do I become right with God?” Many were attempting to do it by keeping the Old Testament law. Paul makes it clear the law could never make one right with God. This would also apply to those today who think they can become right with God by good works. That would be the same as trying to keep the law. 

Throughout the Bible, people have been saved only by grace through faith in God. 

REFLECT 

Do you meet some who think if they can make their good works outweigh their bad ones that they will make it into heaven? You need to be ready to answer why this will not make them right with God. 

RESPOND 

According to common Jewish count there were 613 commandments in the Old Testament law. Read Romans 3:19-20 and James 2:10 to see it is impossible to keep the entire law, and even if you could it would not save you. This is a message you can point out to others. 

"Day 5 

READ 

Acts 13:40-43 

40 “Be careful! Don’t let the prophets’ words apply to you. For they said, 41 ‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day,     something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.’”  

42 As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue that day, the people begged them to speak about these things again the next week. 43 Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God. 

Paul concluded his message by telling them not to be guilty of what Habakkuk had told the people of his day (see 1:5). These final words of Paul left the burden on the people about what they would do with his message. The human author of Acts, Luke, comments some wanted Paul and Barnabas to come back the following week. As they left, Paul and Barnabas encouraged the people to rely on the “grace of God.” This was the opposite of relying on the law or good works to become right with God.  

REFLECT 

Have you had some encourage you to continue on in the “grace of God”? Have you encouraged others to do so? It is a short, great message to remind people of God’s grace. 

RESPOND 

You can urge others to continue to rely on the grace of God by reminding them of something Paul wrote in Colossians 4:5-6. May you and your disciple live like this also.