S – So in the present case, I tell you, stay away from these men and leave them alone. For if this plan or this work is of human origin, it will fail; ³⁹ but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God.” They were persuaded by him

Acts 5:38–39 CSB

O – This is wisdom and practical application at a high level.  It isn’t so simple to discern God’s role in things.  Two strong concepts – if it is human origin, it will fail.  If it is God, you can’t beat it.

A – The Holy Spirit and discernment are important as you navigate certain people, events or circumstances.  God uses all of these to share his love with you and those who don’t know Him.  The enemy uses the same to manipulate or alter the truth to confuse us.  It is important for you to know and listen to God in these situations.

R – Lord, I submit to your leading.  When facing people, events or circumstances that bring confusion, let me hear your voice and be led by you.  I don’t want to condemn something that is part of your will.  I don’t want to be misled by something that isn’t part of your will.  Help me to hear your voice and direction clearly in these moments.

S – When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus

Acts 4:13 CSB

O – What leaders thought was a weakness, turned out to be a strength of Peter and John.  They were not “book trained” and “culture approved.”  But it was recognized they had been with Jesus.

A – Being with Jesus equips you to do the things God has called you to do.  I accepted Christ forty-four years ago and I have been a minister for thirty-three years.  I still need to “be with Jesus” through His Word, prayer, worship and silence.  I still need the Holy Spirit to be in my day to lead, guide, and bring an understanding of situations.  “Being with Jesus” is the training I need each day to do God’s will and build my relationship with Him.

R – Lord, thank you for the time I get to spend with you.  I love that you desire a relationship with me.  I continue to submit to your leadership and training to be your disciple.  Help me to grow so that I can share the love of God with others.

S – By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. So the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health in front of all of you. 

 Acts 3:16 CSB

O – Peter is saying that faith in His name has the power to heal.  A person’s name represented the person and their characteristics.  A great example for us who cannot see or walk with Jesus.

A – How do we build our faith 2,000 years after Jesus was on the earth?  We get into the Word and learn of who he is and what is his character.  If we did the same with any other “person of history,” we would be a student learning of the past.  There is life-changing power in the name of Jesus and who he is.  He truly is the Son of God and changes lives.

R – Lord, thank you for the opportunity to know you better each day.  As you continue to unfold your character and love, help it to change me to be more like you.

S – So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 

Acts 2:41–42 CSB

O – This gives a simple breakdown of what early believers did.

A – Here is what they did and how it applies to the early church that was forming.  Understand, this is all new to the Jewish culture who relied on the Torah as their Word of God.  There was no savior or church.  This was introduced to “the world” through the disciples.

1.  Accepted the message of Jesus as their savior.

2. Baptized.

3. Devoted to apostle’s teaching – There was no Bible,  greater understanding of the Torah (OT) and how it Jesus was the fulfillment of those promises.  

4.  To Fellowship – Speaks to intimacy and trust.  Important if the message and ministry were to continue – you would need different gifts and expressions to reach all people.  They had to be in unity as a whole even though they retained their uniqueness.

5.  Breaking Bread – speaks to communion – gratitude for what Christ has done and relationship.  It also speaks to a common meal that is shared.  A relationship is what God wants for us (Love God, love others.)

6.  Prayer – You can speak to God directly.  You need to do this often to build that relationship with God.

R – Lord, thank you for those in the early church who modeled what you want for us today.  You want an individual relationship with you.  You also want us to be grafted into a body that brings their gifts and talents together to share your love with those who don’t know you.  You want us to be in a relationship with You and others.

S – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 

 Acts 1:8–9 CSB

O – The disciples are not told when Jesus was returning but how, what and where they should share the Gospel.  The key is waiting for the Holy Spirit.  Jesus gives specific areas to share and open-ended opportunities as well.

A – A couple of principles to apply today:

• Don’t do this in your own strength.  Wait for and rely on God’s Spirit.
• With God’s Spirit, comes power that will lead and guide you.
• You are a “witness” who testifies (shares) about Christ.
• Be authentic, genuine and truthful in my “witness” of Christ.
• Be prepared to go to my daily circle, familiar circles, people I don’t like and people I have never met before.

R – Lord, I surrender today to you and invite your Holy Spirit to lead me today.  I don’t want to do this in my own strength or get ahead of you.  I want to be a witness to your love and life-changing power.  Help me to discern h0w and when to do this today to share your love in any circumstance you lead.

S – Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.

Luke 24:39 CSB

O – Standing in front of the disciples after the crucifixion, he still had to prove himself.  The word “touch” means psēlaphaō, to manipulate,  verify by contact; fig. to search for:— feel after, handle, touch. The disciples still needed to verify by their most basic tools – their senses…what they saw and felt.

A – We don’t have Jesus standing in front of us.  The challenge is we cannot “see” or “feel” God in our presence.  Or can we?  I just climbed a mountain this month and saw all of his creation unfold in front of me.  I hugged some of my grandchildren and felt the love of a father this week.  Was God in it?  The big question is that am I doing things to verify God’s presence or affirm it?

R – Lord, help me to walk in affirmation of who you are and all that you possess.  Let the light of our relationship help others take a step closer to you

S – So Pilate decided to grant their demand ²⁵ and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.

Luke 23:24–25 CSB

O – “But he handed Jesus over to their will.”  Not the people, not the Romans, not the leaders – to their will.  A couple of observations on this:

• The battle between God’s will and our will goes back to God with Adam and Eve. (They had a choice.)
• Our human nature strives for our own will to be accomplished.
• Our human nature (will) is sinful.
• Satan played the “wills” of the people, just like he did Adam and Eve to choose themselves over God.

A – I must continue to evaluate my will so that it aligns and honors God’s will first.

R – Lord, the enemy desires to manipulate me to follow my will over God’s will.  Help me to walk with wisdom and humility to discern your will and align with it.  Give me strength and courage to do this each day.

 S – And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 

²⁰ In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you

Luke 22:19–20 CSB

O – Lots of commentary on these two scriptures.  One simple principle – Jesus establishes his determination to go to the cross.  “Is given” and “Is poured out” both are present tense verbs.  He is going to give up his body as a sacrifice and he is willingly going to allow his blood to be shed.  He made his choice.

A – Communion is something that I hold with esteem.  When Jesus tells us to remember, I am humbled and grateful for the cross.  Jesus did it for me and you.  I know all the things God redeemed me from in my life.  I have much to be grateful for in his crucifixion and resurrection.

R – Lord, thank you for giving your body as my sacrifice so that I may be in a relationship with you.  Thank you for shedding your blood as my sacrifice so I may be forgiven for my sins.  You are my savior and my Lord. Thank you.

S – You will even be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will kill some of you. ¹⁷ You will be hated by everyone because of my name, ¹⁸ but not a hair of your head will be lost. ¹⁹ By your endurance, gain your lives

Luke 21:16–19 CSB

O – Jesus is preparing his disciples for what is to come.  Difficult things will happen in the world.  Then, he brings it closer to them by talking about their circle of relationships.  Finally, he brings it to physical and relational death.  He ends it on two spiritual statements.  You will have eternal life.  Your consistency in holding true to his teachings will gain your eternity with Him.

A – I was in a conversation this week where it was asserted that every generation since Jesus has felt like the end times were coming.  Looking at this list of challenges, they could be correct.  Every generation has leaders seeking power and wealth.  Each has broken people. There are natural and cultural catastrophes.  The one thing Jesus tells us to do is to endure all of this in our relationship with Him.

R – Lord, you hold today.  Please give me the strength, courage and humility to hold fast to my relationship with you.  I pray for consistency in my walk with you and that others will be drawn closer to you because of it.

S – Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” ²³ But detecting their craftiness, he said to them, ²⁴ “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” “Caesar’s,” they said. 

²⁵ “Well then,” he told them, “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

 Luke 20:22–25 CSB

O – Commentary:  Jesus, pointing to the portrait and inscription of Caesar on a denarius coin (cf. 7:41; 10:35), answered in the affirmative: Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But He also used the occasion to teach that one should give to God the thing that bears His image—oneself (and to God what is God’s).

 “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures

A – This answer is the perfect answer – Jesus, full of and led by the Holy Spirit, gives an answer that affirms both Romans and Jews.  I find as I get older, I face more “right and right” questions – both answers are correct, but which is the better of the two?  I am asking the Holy Spirit to lead me to do what is best, not just what is right.

R – Lord, there are challenging situations each day.  Give me the ability to see all perspectives and follow the answer you provide.  It is not just being right.  It is seeing and doing it in a way that it resembles You.