Romans 4:13-5:5

The Bible is filled with God’s promises. In Romans 4 Paul zeroes in on one specific promise, God’s promise to Abraham. One of the promises which God made to Abraham is he would have children like the sand in the desert and the stars in the sky. Yet when he was 99, he still had zero children of promise. Abraham’s response to this seemingly absurd situation was faith. He continued to trust God even when it seemed impossible for him to come true. Abraham could do nothing to bring about the fulfillment, but God could. So, Abraham simply trusted God, and as always, God came through.

This promise given roughly 4000 years ago continues to impact us today since Jesus is the ultimate child of promise. God was faithful to Abraham, and he is faithful to us. We need to simply cling to our faithful God. Sometimes circumstances can make faith difficult. When we go through suffering and need perseverance, it can be hard to cling to God as Romans 5 describes. We want comfort, happiness, and ease, but God has a greater purpose for us. This ultimate purpose is for us to dwell with God forever, a promise we are still waiting for its fulfillment, but one that will certainly come true. So, let us remember how God has been faithful, how he is presently faithful, and embrace the hope that comes from knowing he will be faithful into the future.

Father God, thank you for your faithfulness. Help me to trust you regardless of my circumstances and live fueled by hope. Amen. 

What makes it hard for you to trust God? What would help to increase your faith?

Romans 4:1-12

If you grew up going to Sunday School you probably remember the song “Father Abraham”. A cute song which comes right out of Romans 4. On the surface it may seem slightly cryptic, but it helps us to understand that Abraham is the paradigm and “father” of faith in the Bible. Abraham believed God when he was told to leave his land and family for the Promised Land. He did this when he knew very little about God and before he entered a covenant with God where circumcision was the sign. This faith then becomes an example for everyone who is not circumcised (all Gentile people). Just like Abraham they can have righteousness credited to their account through belief. Paul then goes on to argue that Abraham is also the father for Jewish believers as well. Salvation/righteousness comes to every single person simply by faith.

If Abraham is not enough of an authority, Paul quotes David to show that righteousness has always been received by faith and not through works. Every generation struggles to embrace the truth of salvation by grace through faith, but when we come back to the Bible, we rediscover that grace has always been God's method of saving people. So let us embrace God's grace and ensure that those around us are placing their confidence in Christ's finished work; not in their own ability to perform enough works.

Father God, help me to walk by faith and share what Christ has done with all you have placed in my life. Amen. 

Why do we struggle with embracing salvation by grace through faith rather than works? Why is this essential for us to know and communicate?

Romans 3:9-31

What are the essentials of the gospel you would want to share with someone? This is one of the most important things to think through in the process of making disciples. Thankfully, we do not have to make it up, the Bible tells us what the important things are to share. Romans 3:23-24 provides us with a great summary of the gospel. These verses give us the key truths that we need to communicate. First, we all need righteousness. Since everyone has sinned, we cannot earn our own salvation. We need forgiveness, grace, and mercy, and therefore cannot work our way to eternal life. Second, righteousness can only be received through faith. We receive grace as a gift from God through faith. It is not about our morality or religious activity, but simple faith. Third, the object of our faith must be Jesus. Jesus alone offers us grace through his death on the cross. A vague belief in God is not what provides righteousness, instead it is faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. So, the next time you strike up a conversation with someone who is far from Christ. See, if you can help them to understand our sinfulness, our need for grace, and the sacrifice of Christ.

Father God, thank you for the gift of salvation. Thank you for redeeming me. Help me to proclaim what Christ has done for others. Amen. 

Which one of the three truths in Romans 3 do you find hardest to communicate? How can you more effectively communicate this truth to our world?

Romans 2:25-3:8

If salvation is by grace through faith, why do anything at all? Why not just sit back, sin a bunch, or be apathetic toward God when you have placed your trust in Jesus? If you have ever thought these things, then Romans 2-3 is for you.

As Paul points the church in Rome toward the truth that they are saved by grace through faith, he addresses the purpose of religious activities Paul uses the test case of circumcision to make his point. This is not an issue we are concerned with today, but it was an essential issue for the Jewish people Paul was writing. As we work our way through his argument, it may be helpful to substitute Bible reading, prayer, church attendance, obedience, etc. Paul makes the point that external activities only have value when they are connected to the heart.

When we have life in Christ, this life should be revealed through our behavior. For Old Testament Jews physical circumcision had no value by itself, but it had value as an act of obedience in response to salvation. If we do things to earn God's love or our salvation, then they are empty and vain, while anything we do as an act of love and obedience to God has value. So, let us walk in transformed lives flowing out of new hearts instead of just dry external deeds.

Father God, help me to follow you with all that I do. May all I do be a response to the grace and love I have received from you. Amen.

Why do we often think that we must earn God's love and thus live never knowing if we are good enough?

Romans 2:1-24

We cannot live without making judgments. We daily make moral judgments about what is right and wrong, and we constantly make judgments about how to spend our lives. Further, we constantly evaluate others based on our understanding of truth. Romans 2 points out that all these judgments may be incorrect and even when they are accurate, we may be guilty of the very judgments we make of others. There is only one accurate, perfect judge, God.

Since God is the ultimate judge of all things, we need to ensure we will receive the verdict of innocence rather than guilt. For, there are only two possible outcomes in eternity. All people will receive either eternal life or wrath and anger. If we only had Romans 2:5-10 and not the rest of the Bible, we might think that eternal life is dependent on our morality, but it is clearly not. Those who live by faith will reveal it in the way we live, but ultimately, we are saved by grace through faith. Faith is what saves, but true faith is never without works. Paul and James remind us of this reality. So let us share Christ with those who are currently headed to wrath, let us live in a way that reflects our salvation, let us walk in humility that comes from knowing that we did not earn or deserve eternal life, and let us live with assurance that comes from knowing God’s judgment over us is that of vindication and eternity.

Father God, thank you for the gift of salvation and that I can know that I have eternal life and do not have to fear final judgment. Amen. 

Why do people ignore the fact that people go to heaven or hell based on what they do with Jesus?

Romans 1:18-32

God is a God of grace and justice. He has done all that is necessary for eternal life and calls people to a relationship with him, while at the same time standing against sin and wickedness. As we consider God and draw near to him, we need to keep both attributes in mind. God’s grace is evident in that “what may be known about God is plain.” God has generously revealed himself to the whole world. Romans 1 highlights how he has revealed himself through creation, but he has also revealed himself through specific revelation like his prophets, Scripture, and Jesus. He longs for everyone to respond to him in faith, but sadly most do not. Their rejection demands God to respond in wrath. The most repeated version of God’s judgment is that “he gave them over…” God allows people to freely choose death rather than life, to choose the things of this world over him, and to choose bondage over freedom. All these decisions lead people further from God and ultimately into eternal death.

As we consider God’s character it should cause us to respond with faith. To turn from him is to run from everything that is beautiful, significant, and glorious, and to wander into darkness and death. So, let us experience the grace of God and to choose him over anything else.

Father God, thank you for your grace. Help me to live in response to who you are. Amen.

How can you rightly respond to the character of God this week?

Romans 1:1-17

Where have you seen God’s work in your life in the past and where do you see it today? Most of the Bible is looking back to what God has done. Whether we are reading of creation, the Exodus, entering the Promised Land, or Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, Scripture looks back to what God did in the past. These stories are meant to transform our present. We need to dust off their cobwebs and allow them to change the way we live today. This is the paradigm that Paul begins his letter to Rome.

Romans 1:1-6 recounts Paul’s calling as an apostle. He remembers Jesus’ appearance on the road to Damascus and his grace in setting him apart for his work. He also looks back to the prophecies of Jesus, his life, and resurrection. What God has previously done becomes the foundation and the impetus toward present living. In verse 8 Paul moves from the past to the present. All Jesus has done is meant to bring about a present, living faith in our lives. He longs to see the church so that he can encourage their faith and spur them on to continued devotion to Christ. Christ died to transform our lives. Christ lives so that his life might be revealed through us. Everything God has done should call us today to live according to the salvation we have received. All that God has done should compel us to live for him today.

Father God, thank you for all you have done for your people throughout. Help me to live out of your life and for your glory. Amen. 

How can you live today in a way that reflects all that God has done for you?

Acts 28:1-31

What is the last book you read or movie you watched with a surprise ending? A story where there was a twist, unanswered question, or a lack of resolution at the end? The book of Acts is like this. It ends with Paul in prison in Rome and we are left to wonder, what happened next?

We may not be satisfied with the ending, but it is perfect. The final verse reads, “Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.” This ending leaves us with a picture of the message of Jesus going out into the world. Now we are the continuation of Acts. When we “boldly and without hindrance” proclaim the message of Christ, we are essentially writing Acts 29. We are picking up where the book ended and where Paul’s work stopped. Church history tells us Paul was killed for his faith in Rome, but nothing can stop the message of Jesus. No matter how many people are martyred and no matter how hostile people might be, the kingdom of God will continue to advance and we can be a part of this. So, what does Acts 29 look like in your life? Have you faithfully taken up the calling of God and the model of Paul to boldly proclaim Jesus to those in your life? Let us faithfully live out our mission of being disciples who make disciples where God has placed us.

Father God, thank you that your victorious church has been moving forward since the time of Paul. Help me to be a part of this work today and to boldly proclaim Christ to those in my life. Amen. 

If Acts 29 was written about your life and ministry, what elements would it contain?

Acts 27:21-44

When things go wrong in my life I am tempted to panic. At times I do panic, and it is probably fair to assume that some of you are in the same boat (or should I say wrecked ship!!!). If everything is going well in our lives, it is relatively easy to trust in the Lord. Unfortunately, there are times when we encounter major obstacles to our faith.

Paul faced all the challenges we face, probably more, including one of his three shipwrecks in Acts 27. Through it all, Paul kept trusting in the Lord, telling those on board to “have faith in God,” that God was still in control, and that he had promised to rescue them. What a great example of leadership. Paul was a prisoner, yet he was able to lead because of his trust in Christ. The best leaders can lead in every circumstance and even when they do not have positional authority. Paul rose up to lead and proclaim Christ even though he must have been starving, cold, sore, and exhausted. We are called to be leaders like this as well. Whether the seas of our life are calm or tumultuous we are to live for God, lead others to him, and trust him in every situation.

Lord, thank you for protecting me even when disaster strikes. When things go wrong, help me not to be afraid but rather to keep up my courage and to have faith in you. Amen. 

How can you react differently when things go sideways? How can you point to Christ in all circumstances?

Acts 27:1-20

What are the consequences of not being a good listener? After Paul’s travel adventure put him on an Alexandrian ship for Italy, God revealed to him that disaster was going to occur. They were sailing too late in the season and needed to stop. After Paul communicated this to the centurion, we are told that “instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.” Paul spoke clearly, but the centurion was a bad listener. Rather than heeding the words of God through Paul, he ignored them and off they sailed, right into hurricane force winds. Failing to respond rightly to the words of Paul nearly cost everyone their lives.

In the same way, when we fail to listen to God’s commands and simply go our own ways, there will always be a cost to pay. We may not face physical winds, but we will always find ourselves pushing against God, which is never a winning strategy. We will distance ourselves from intimacy with God, experiencing his peace, and walking in his joy. Therefore, we need to make sure we have our ears open to what God is teaching us and walk in his ways.

Father God, help me to hear from you and do what you say. Amen. 

What have been the consequences in your own life for failing to hear and obey God? How can you avoid this in the future?

Acts 26:1-32

How strong is your hope? Is your hope able to fill you with joy and an eternal perspective regardless of your present circumstances? Does your hope provide confident assurance that God's future is better than today's best?

As Paul recounted the reason for his imprisonment for Agrippa, Felix, and Bernice, he stated, "It is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today." Hope is the reason why Paul is in prison. He had hope that Jesus was the Messiah, the one who rose from the dead, and the one who is the culmination of God’s work. Hope, a belief in a better tomorrow and eternity, was the reason why he was stuck in a terrible predicament. Hope was also the reason he was able to endure his imprisonment well. No matter how terrible his present suffering was, he could look beyond it to his eternal, secure future.

Are you able to have this vision? Can you look beyond today and see what God will do in the future? This is a critical skill for believers to refine, because without it, we can easily give in to despair, anger, or apathy. Hope keeps us filled with joy, a proper perspective, and peace. So, let us embrace hope with all our hearts.

Father God, thank you for the gift of hope. Thank you that Christ will come back and make all things right. So, help me look beyond the present to see the future which awaits me. Amen. 

How well are you filled with hope? How should this affect the way you view the difficulties of life and our world?

Acts 25:1-27

We live with our feet in two worlds. We live in America, but we also live in God's kingdom. How should we balance these two things? St. Augustine wrote a classic book on this very topic called the City of God roughly 1500 years ago. He described the reality of living with dual citizenship. Paul found himself wrestling with this very same idea in Acts 25. Paul knew that God was his ultimate judge, but he found himself over a period of years standing before earthly judges in Felix and Festus. After a long delay of justice, he finally demanded to be seen by Caesar. He knew that earthly justice is always impartial and tainted but was also thankful he lived at a time where justice could potentially be pursued.

We similarly find ourselves under the authority of God and earthly governments. Our world largely ignores God's authority, while as Christians we can sometimes feel that nothing on earth is significant. Yet we are called to glorify God where we are now and to do so considering eternity and God's kingdom. We need to live in the world, but not of the world, submitting to earthly authorities, and ultimately submitting to God. We are to glorify God where he has placed us and pursue justice. We may never get justice on earth, but thankfully, Christ will bring it fully about at his return.

Father God, as I serve you, help me to represent you well to the earthly authorities which you have placed over me. Help me to be a good citizen of America and a great citizen of your kingdom. Amen. 

Where do you see your earthly citizenship crowding out your identity as a child of God?

Acts 24:1-27

How much do you value truth? Are you willing to speak it, stand up for it, and suffer for it? Paul consistently did all three of these things during his lifetime. Paul found himself imprisoned for two years in Caesarea. The reason for this lengthy prison stay was largely Paul’s unwillingness to back down from the truth. Paul’s first appearance before Felix is summarized for us. We see Paul declaring the purpose of his visit to Jerusalem, the lies that the religious leaders were spouting, and ultimately the truth that he was a follower of Jesus. His immediate escape hatch from his bondage would have been to bribe Felix. Yet he refused to give in to corruption. He stood for the truth, resolutely preached Jesus every chance he had and refused to back down. If Paul had caved on his convictions, he could have been released from prison, gained freedom, and received innumerable comforts, but he would not pay. He was unwilling to participate in unjust practices, even when it would have benefited him.

Similarly, we are called to obedience to the truth, even, and especially, when it makes our lives more difficult. Giving in to temptation may seem to make things easier in the moment, but it will always lead to disastrous consequences in the end. Therefore, we need to stay focused on God, allow him to lead every aspect of our lives, and to choose the truth over anything this world offers.

Father God, help me to follow you regardless of the cost. Help me to walk in your truth and in your ways. Amen. 

Where are you tempted to bend the truth to make your life easier?

Acts 23:11-35

What brings you courage? Courage is defined as "the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear." Can you face the most difficult/painful of circumstances and say that you are able to do it without fear? This is what God tells Paul to do in the face of his imprisonment and death threats. He tells him to "take courage" and not to be afraid (v. 11). If courage is part of the antidote to fear, how can we embrace this mentality?

Media tries to make us afraid. Satan wants us to live with trembling, but God tells us to not be afraid. How can we overcome fear with courage? Ultimately the only solution is to recognize that God is greater than whatever we are fearing. He is the one who is coming to make all things right, he is the one who has victory over sin, death, and the grave, and he is the one who is the sovereign king over the universe. So let us grab hold of God and embrace the courage that he wants to implant in our hearts. No matter what you are afraid of, God’s power is greater.

Father God, make me courageous. Help me to trust you, experience your Spirit’s power, and walk without fear today. Amen. 

How is God greater than your current fears?

Acts 22:17-23:10

Do you ever feel like your past keeps you from serving God in the present? Do you ever feel like you have committed too many sins to be used by God? The life of Paul is a powerful reminder that your past never disqualifies you from living for Jesus in the present. In recounting how Jesus transformed his life, Paul does not whitewash any of his past. He told the crowd of how he had previously imprisoned, beaten, and approved of the murder of Christians prior to coming to faith in Christ. Rather than feeling like he was not good enough to share the gospel, he made it part of his story. He was open and honest about his past from which God had saved him. His past sin became a declaration of God's grace and the power of forgiveness. His sin was only used to highlight the greater power of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Is there something similar in your background that you could use to highlight the nature of God's forgiveness? Is there a way you can share your story so people can see God's ability to forgive everyone of anything? The gospel is about God's grace and not our goodness, so let us use every opportunity to spotlight the grace and love of Jesus. Whether the sin was years ago or yesterday, we should always rest in and recount the grace and forgiveness of God.

Father God, thank you that I am saved by grace through faith. Help me to always remember, rest in, and share your grace and forgiveness with others. Amen. 

How can you share stories of God's grace in your own life to better make him known?

Acts 21:37-22:16

Every moment is an opportunity to share Jesus with someone. Whether you are in line at the grocery store, sitting on your lanai, on a walk with friends, or for Paul even immediately after being arrested, it is never a bad time to talk about Jesus. So, how often are you talking about him?

We have seen people use a number of different methods to share Jesus throughout Acts. Stephen recounted the history of Israel to get to Jesus, Paul had previously started with the religious climate of Athens to connect to Jesus, and now Paul simply tells his own story. He does not go back to the Old Testament or share a bunch of Scripture, he simply shares the story of what Jesus had done for him.

No matter how little we may feel like we know about the Bible we can always share our story. We might not know much, but if we know Jesus, we can share him. In Acts 21- 22, Paul leveraged a crazy situation to communicate about Jesus. So how are you doing at taking normal, serene moments to tell people about Christ? Are you seeking to steer conversations and opportunities toward him, or keeping him to ourselves? Let us be people who share our story of Jesus with everyone we can.

Father God, help me to share you with all people, in all places. Help me to share how you have transformed my life with others. Amen. 

Who can you share the story of what Jesus has done in your life this week?

Acts 21:18-36

When a friend shares good news with you, what is your response? Do you celebrate with them, give them a hug or high five, or to be honest, maybe you just kind of shrug your shoulders? When Paul came to the church in Jerusalem, he shared what God had done among the Gentiles and their response was to praise God.

When the church heard good news, they praised God. They recognized that every single good and beautiful thing is a gift from God. Therefore the perfect, proper response is to praise God. We often say things like congratulations, that’s amazing, how wonderful, but do we ever say “praise God” when good news is celebrated with us? This is always the most appropriate reaction to anything positive that is shared with us. Then after praising God, we should be seeking to join God in what he is doing. For Paul this meant voluntarily undergoing purification rites in order to love the Jewish people in Jerusalem well. He did not need to perform these costly rituals for any purpose of his own, but did it to love others. He sacrificed time, money, and freedom to love others, so that they might know the love of Jesus. This life of praise and action should be ours as well. Let us continually worship God and then love others as an overflow of what God is doing in our lives.

Father God, help me to continually worship you for your goodness and greatness. Help me to acknowledge your glory and serve others. Amen. 

How would a life of committed praise help you to love others more effectively?

Acts 21:1-17

How do you discern God’s will? When you do not know what to do, what is your decision-making process? We often equate God's will with the path of least resistance. If it seems easy, then this must be what God has for me. Though this may sometimes be true, we see in the life of Paul and the early disciples that this is often a lie. Paul was told that traveling to Jerusalem would lead to his arrest, imprisonment, and suffering, but he knew that God's will was for him to walk down this path. So, he did it. He did not allow the pursuit of comfort or ease to determine his path, rather obedience to God's will. Even when everyone was telling him not to go, he would not be dissuaded from following wherever God led. He was able to block out the sounds of the world to hear clearly from God.

In a culture that values short term happiness above all else, it is critical that we elevate God's truth above our feelings. It is also essential that we learn to follow God even if it leads to difficulty, suffering, hardship, or friction with others. Following Jesus is not easy; it is equated to carrying a cross, an instrument of death. However, regardless of the short-term pain it is the path of life, joy, love, and peace, so we need to walk in it no matter where it might take us.

Father God, help me to follow you and do your will. Help me to love you more than anything else. Amen. 

How does our culture's value of pursuing comfort above everything affect your ability to obey God?

Acts 20:1-38

Where are you intentionally serving? Where are you using your gifts to advance God’s kingdom and with whom are you serving? When we look at the pattern of ministry in Acts, it is normally a community of people serving God together. Do you have that in your life? Acts 20 describes Paul traveling with Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus. Luke is not mentioned but is certainly included because of the use of “we” throughout this passage. This large contingent traveled together to do God’s work. Paul understood that despite his calling that he was to serve. He served alongside others to more effectively do God’s work.

This has always been God’s design from the beginning of creation. He calls us to serve but to do so with other people. This design allows for truly effective ministry since we can use our gifts while others can use their distinct talents to fill in our weaknesses. Service and community are two essentials in a life of following Christ. So, where are you using your gifts and who are you doing it with? If you do not have a place of intentional service, consider where you can start and who you can recruit to do it with you.

Father God, thank you that I have a relationship with you and through your church, a relationship with so many people. Help me to intentionally serve you and do it with others. Amen. 

How can you begin (or continue) to serve intentionally with others?

Acts 19:13-41

Do your ever trivialize God? Do you ever forget his true power, greatness, and glory? Many in our culture minimize God by using his name in vain or thinking of him as simply some distant, unconcerned deity, if he even exists. It is critical that we always remember God’s power and that he is not to be used for our own purposes.

The seven sons of Sceva loved to impersonate the apostles by running around and throwing out the name of Jesus. They were essentially playacting as apostles when they did not even know Jesus personally. One day their acting took a drastic turn. The demons they were trying to cast out suddenly beat them up and sent them home bloodied and naked. They realized that day, that Jesus was not to be underestimated. Instead, he is to be respected, loved, worshiped, and even feared.

We must retain these responses as well. We are blessed to have a personal relationship with Christ but must always remember that he is the all-powerful God of the universe. Therefore, he is to be glorified and served with every opportunity we have.

Father God, help me always remember who you are. Thank you that through Christ and your Spirit I can draw near to you, but enable me to always remember your power and glory. Amen.

How should remembering the power and glory of God affect the way you live?

Acts 18:23-19:12

The examples of Peter, Paul, Silas, Barnabas, Phoebe, and others in the book of Acts are people who are ecstatic about Jesus and sharing him with others. So, how excited are you to do this? Acts 18 introduces us to Apollos. He is a man identified by two important characteristics. First, he had a heart for truth. He is described as having a “thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.” He not only knew the truth but communicated it to others. Is this heart for truth true of you? Do you know the Scriptures and share them with others? The second description of Apollos is that he was passionate about the truth. We have all probably had teachers, professors, or maybe even pastors, who communicated truth but did not seem to have their heart in it. They were speaking truth, but there was no passion, fervor, or enthusiasm behind it. On the other hand, Apollos spoke with a fervor and zeal. People instantly knew that he believed what he shared, and I am sure his passion was contagious.

Is this passion true of you? Do you have a fervor for Jesus and to make him known? If not, what is keeping your heart disconnected from the heart of God? Let us be like Apollos and speak with truth and zeal. Let us share our beautiful savior with everyone we can because we are so passionate about him we cannot keep the message to ourselves.

Father God, give me a passion for you, your Scriptures, and to make you known. Amen. 

How can you grow in your heart for truth and your zeal for God to make him known?

Acts 18:1-22

What causes you to be quiet when you have an opportunity to share Jesus? Are you worried about what people might think, feel like you do not have all the answers, or something else? We need to get to a place where we see every conversation, every relationship, and every moment as a great opportunity to share Christ. Paul’s mentality is described in Acts 18:5. “Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.” Paul was committed to sharing Jesus everywhere he went. He would share in synagogues and homes, he would share indoors and outdoors, and he would share with groups and individuals. He would preach to Jews and Gentiles. He seemed to cast the seeds of the gospel everywhere to see which might bear fruit.

As we go about our days we need to have this same mentality. We need to make sure we are intentionally planting seeds wherever we go. At home, we should be proclaiming Jesus, at work sharing what Christ has done, in our friendships excitedly speaking of God, and to strangers mentioning the love of God. There is nowhere we go that Jesus should not be right at the center of our thoughts, actions, and speech. So let us be like Paul, and proclaim what Christ has done. As we do this, we can know that we do not have to be quiet or afraid because God is with us (see Acts 18:9-10).

Father, help me to get over my feeling of awkwardness when I talk about you and joyfully share what you have done with others. Amen. 

How can you get over any obstacles that keep you from sharing Christ with others?

Acts 17:1-34

Twice in Acts 17 we are told that Paul “reasoned” with people and particularly his statements in Athens provide two helpful pointers for us as we share our faith. Paul began his conversation in Athens by finding common ground with his audience. They were religious, acknowledged the existence of gods and recognized their need to worship something greater than themselves. After starting with commonality Paul built an argument for why Jesus is the one they need. Unlike their idols, God is not something they created with their hands; instead, he is the one who created all things. We are dependent upon him, and he is not in any way dependent upon us. Finally, he is not only the creator but the judge of all people. Our response to God is not merely appropriate but necessary for eternal life.

Paul began with a point of agreement but did not end there, because their current rejection of Jesus as king would lead to an eternity in hell. In the same way, as we communicate with people, there is wisdom in finding points of agreement, but it is necessary for us to present Jesus' uniqueness, sufficiency, and lordship. No matter how "religious", moral, or loving people might be, without Jesus the only thing that awaits them is judgment if they remain outside of Christ.

Father God, give me wisdom to share Jesus with people well. Help me to steer the conversation to the work of Jesus. Amen. 

How can you intentionally find common ground with unbelievers and then point them to Christ?

Acts 16:16-40

How do you respond to hardship? Do you see it as an opportunity to serve God and mature, or something to flee? Paul and Silas continued their ministry in Phillippi, where they were identified as God’s servants by a demonpossessed slave woman. After driving out the spirit, they were thrown in prison after false accusations from the woman’s masters. Savagely beaten, tightly bound, and under heavy guard, the gut instinct of most would be anger or despair. Difficulty, hardship, and injustice can often bring out the worst in us, but Paul and Silas responded with praise and hymns to the Lord.

When an earthquake miraculously threw open the gates, Paul and Silas seized the opportunity, not to flee, but rather to witness to the confused and distraught jailor. Through this circumstance, the entire household of the prison warden is brought to faith. The next day, Paul and Silas were set free by the local magistrates and left Phillippi. They turned their difficult circumstances into transformed eternities for some and a testimony to all. We can be used in this same way. Through a brief word, a kind gesture, or pointing towards Christ, we can find opportunities to serve the Lord in every circumstance.

Lord, thank you that you are faithful and worthy of praise in the struggles of life. You are amazing to work in every circumstance. Amen. 

When faced with hardship or injustice, what is your first reaction, and how can you make it a Godward reaction?

Acts 15:36-16:15

Much of Acts describes Peter and Paul evangelizing the Middle East. Yet Acts 15-16 reminds us that their goal was not simply to make believers but to make disciples. They were seeking to make fully committed followers of Christ in every city they visited. This is the same mission which God has given every believer. To be disciples who make disciples. This is our calling and our purpose.

As we follow Paul, Silas, and Timothy, we see them going back to churches which they had previously established and encouraging their faith. We all need people to come alongside us to encourage our faith and we also need to do this for others. Do you have this type of Christ centered relationships in your life? Do you have a connection group that helps sharpen your faith? We were reminded yesterday that all we need for salvation is Jesus, but we need community to help us mature. We never reach a point in our walk with God where we stop needing the church. We need others to help us grow, and we need to be helping others grow. Is there an area God has placed you where you can help believers mature? We need to be sharing our faith with those who do not yet know Christ, but also are called to help people grow who are already believers. So, let us live up to our mission.

Father God, use me to make disciples. Help me to make you known everywhere I go. Amen. 

How well are you living out your mission of being a disciple who makes disciples? Do you find yourself building up believers and sharing Christ with those who do not yet believe?