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Questions in this GPS marked with Ø are particularly recommended for group discussion. Group leaders may add other discussion questions, or substitute other questions for the marked ones, at their discretion.
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"Peter boldly confronted those who tried to stop his preaching"
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
Acts 4:1 Kefa and Yochanan were still speaking to the people when the cohanim, the captain in charge of the Temple police, and the Tz’dukim came upon them, 2 very annoyed that they were teaching the people the doctrine of resurrection from the dead and offering Yeshua as proof. 3 The Temple police arrested them; and since it was already evening, they put them in custody overnight. 4 However, many of those who heard the message trusted; the number of men alone was about five thousand.
5 The next day, the people’s rulers, elders and Torah-teachers assembled in Yerushalayim, 6 along with ‘Anan the cohen hagadol, Kayafa, Yochanan, Alexander and the other men from the family of the cohen hagadol. 7 They had the emissaries stand before them and asked, “By what power or in what name did you do this?”
8 Then Kefa, filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done for a disabled person, if you want to know how he was restored to health, 10 then let it be known to you and to all the people of Isra’el that it is in the name of the Messiah, Yeshua from Natzeret, whom you had executed on a stake as a criminal but whom God has raised from the dead, that this man stands before you perfectly healed.
11 “This Yeshua is the stone rejected by you builders which has become the cornerstone.[Acts 4:11 Psalm 118:22] 12 There is salvation in no one else! For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved!”
13 When they saw how bold Kefa and Yochanan were, even though they were untrained ‘am-ha’aretz, they were amazed; also they recognized them as having been with Yeshua. 14 Moreover, since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there beside them, there was nothing they could say to discredit the healing., 12:1 It was around this time that King Herod began arresting and persecuting certain members of the Messianic community; 2 and he had Ya‘akov, Yochanan’s brother, put to death by the sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Judeans, he went on to arrest Kefa as well. It was during the Days of Matzah, 4 so when Herod seized him, he threw him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each, with the intention of bringing him to public trial after Pesach. 5 So Kefa was being held under watch in prison, but intense prayer was being made to God on his behalf by the Messianic community.
6 The night before Herod was going to bring him to trial, Kefa was sleeping between two soldiers. He was bound with two chains; and guards were at the door, keeping watch over the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of Adonai stood there, and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Kefa’s side and woke him. “Hurry! Get up!” he said; and the chains fell off his hands. 8 The angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals,” and he did. “Throw on your robe,” he said, “and follow me!” 9 Going out, Kefa followed him but did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real — he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 Having passed a first guard and a second, they arrived at the iron gate leading to the city. This opened to them by itself, and they made their exit. They went down the length of one street, and suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Kefa came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord sent his angel to rescue me from Herod’s power and from everything the Judean people were hoping for.”
12 Realizing what had happened, he went to the house of Miryam the mother of Yochanan (surnamed Mark), where many people had gathered to pray. 13 He knocked at the outside door, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14 She recognized Kefa’s voice and was so happy that she ran back in without opening the door, and announced that Kefa was standing outside. 15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said to her. But she insisted it was true. So they said, “It is his angel.” 16 Meanwhile, Kefa kept knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. 17 Motioning to them with his hand to be quiet, he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison and said, “Tell all this to Ya‘akov and the brothers.” Then he left and went elsewhere.
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Peter kept on preaching—and performing signs in Jesus’ name, too. Now the very same people who asked Pilate to execute Jesus imprisoned Peter and John and ordered them to stop preaching. But Peter was a wholly different man. Jesus’ resurrection and grace replaced his fear with an earth-shaking boldness. (If you can, read Acts 5:12-41, which continued the story of the apostles’ fearless refusal to back down.) God did not block all suffering or pain (e.g. Acts 12:2), but did at times intervene miraculously to protect his faithful witnesses.
• This episode started in the scene we read yesterday—Peter and John healed a lame man in Jesus’ name (Acts 3:6-10). The religious leaders had hoped Jesus’ death would stop that kind of thing. Imagine their fear and frustration. And note the pointed irony in Peter’s question: “Are we being examined today because something good was done for a sick person?” Have you ever resisted God in your life, hoping an inner conviction or calling would go away?
Ø The religious leaders didn’t think having been followers of Jesus was a compliment. But, across the centuries, the effect of that on the apostles can inspire and challenge us. What was it about Peter and John’s actions and attitude that reminded Annas and Caiaphas of Jesus? In what ways can you be a follower of Jesus, so that you can experience the power Peter and John drew on?
Prayer: Lord of all, sometimes your power opens prison doors. But always your power works in human hearts, transforming trembling fishermen into bold proclaimers of your saving power. Work in my heart today. Amen.
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Brandon Gregory
Brandon Gregory is a volunteer for the worship and missions teams at Church of the Resurrection. He helps lead worship at Vibe, West and Downtown services, and is involved with the Malawi missions team at home.I make a point of not only knowing but also making peace with people from all different religions, and as they say, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they receive flak from both sides.” I’ve been through a lot of religious arguments--some where I’m defending Christians and some where I’m defending others from Christians. People get so worked up about these issues that some of the arguments get ugly, with people insulting each other and trying to prove that the other side is morally bankrupt and devoid of goodness.
I don’t like these arguments. I used to take part in them. It took me a while to realize that the root of all of them was that each of us wanted to be good, and to have access to deeper levels of goodness than others do. We all want to be good. And, without anything to keep us in check, we can go on to believe that our personal beliefs make us better than others. We all want to have a monopoly on goodness and the truth. And when we point this out to others, all they see is the selfish motivation to be better than someone else. There is no monopoly--we’re all just trying to be good and we all have at least some claim to truth.
The pharisees in Jesus’ time actually did have a bit of a monopoly on truth and goodness, and the let everyone know that. That’s why Jesus was so threatening to them--he exposed their inadequacies and put them on the same level as the common people. So when the pharisees succeeded in putting Jesus to death, they thought they had rightfully reclaimed their spot as the sole truth dealers in ancient Israel.
Peter’s boldness in the face of their legal accusations showed that the pharisees were fighting a losing battle. Jesus’ ministry revealed that everyone had access to truth, and everyone had the same capacity for goodness--they just had to want to seek it. It was this realization that emboldened Peter and John to the point that they were willing to risk death to carry on the good fight.
We often think of Christians struggling against evil people and systems, but we can also struggle against the people who claim truth and goodness as solely theirs. There are times we will see others, perhaps even other Christians, saying that others are incapable of the same good that they’re capable of. But Jesus’ ministry showed us that anyone who seeks it is capable of the same goodness and truth--we’re all on equal footing with God. If you find yourself facing someone who claims that your good will never be as good as their good--or if you see someone doing this to someone else--that’s in direct opposition to Jesus’ ministry. Jesus’ death and resurrection gave us all a shot at goodness and redemption, and anyone who claims otherwise is speaking in direct opposition to this, just like the pharisees.
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"God directed Peter and Cornelius to connect"
Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Acts 10:1 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a Roman army officer in what was called the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout man, a “God-fearer,” as was his whole household; he gave generously to help the Jewish poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon around three o’clock he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at the angel, terrified. “What is it, sir?” he asked. “Your prayers,” replied the angel, “and your acts of charity have gone up into God’s presence, so that he has you on his mind. 5 Now send some men to Yafo to bring back a man named Shim‘on, also called Kefa. 6 He’s staying with Shim‘on the leather-tanner, who has a house by the sea.” 7 As the angel that had spoken to him went away, Cornelius called two of his household slaves and one of his military aides, who was a godly man; 8 he explained everything to them and sent them to Yafo.
9 The next day about noon, while they were still on their way and approaching the city, Kefa went up onto the roof of the house to pray. 10 He began to feel hungry and wanted something to eat; but while they were preparing the meal, he fell into a trance 11 in which he saw heaven opened, and something that looked like a large sheet being lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals, crawling creatures and wild birds. 13 Then a voice came to him, “Get up, Kefa, slaughter and eat!” 14 But Kefa said, “No, sir! Absolutely not! I have never eaten food that was unclean or treif.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time: “Stop treating as unclean what God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and then the sheet was immediately taken back up into heaven.
17 Kefa was still puzzling over the meaning of the vision he had seen, when the men Cornelius had sent, having inquired for Shim‘on’s house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask if the Shim‘on known as Kefa was staying there. 19 While Kefa’s mind was still on the vision, the Spirit said, “Three men are looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and have no misgivings about going with them, because I myself have sent them.”
21 So Kefa went down and said to the men, “You were looking for me? Here I am. What brings you here?” 22 They answered, “Cornelius. He’s a Roman army officer, an upright man and a God-fearer, a man highly regarded by the whole Jewish nation; and he was told by a holy angel to have you come to his house and listen to what you have to say.” 23 So Kefa invited them to be his guests.
The next day, he got up and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Yafo; 24 and he arrived at Caesarea the day after that. Cornelius was expecting them — he had already called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Kefa entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell prostrate at his feet. 26 But Kefa pulled him to his feet and said, “Stand up! I myself am just a man.”
27 As he talked with him, Kefa went inside and found many people gathered. 28 He said to them, “You are well aware that for a man who is a Jew to have close association with someone who belongs to another people, or to come and visit him, is something that just isn’t done. But God has shown me not to call any person common or unclean; 29 so when I was summoned, I came without raising any questions. Tell me, then, why did you send for me?”
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Even after watching Jesus minister to Samaritans (e.g. Luke 17:11-16) and Romans (e.g. Matthew 8:5-10), even after the events of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:7-11), Peter still felt a devout Jew’s lifelong reluctance about mixing closely with Gentiles, especially Romans. God had to use a startling vision and a personal invitation from a pious centurion to propel Peter to break down some of those inner barriers.
• Peter reacted so strongly to his vision because, like all devout Jews, he carefully followed the laws (from Leviticus 11:1-47 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21) which forbade eating “unclean” meat. Those laws weren’t about kitchen hygiene, but about ritual “cleanness” before God. Even entering a Gentile dwelling could bring ritual impurity (cf. John 18:28). What made Peter’s mission “clean”? Are there any places or people you avoid because you fear they might make you, in some sense, “unclean”?
Ø Even after his vision (repeated three times) and the Spirit’s direction to go with his visitors, Peter still seemed unsure. Verses 27-28 of the story suggest that meeting a large group of Gentiles eager to hear the gospel was his “aha!” moment. Have you ever had a contact or experience that broke through some prejudice of yours, and opened your eyes to God’s inclusive mission in the world?
Prayer: Loving Lord, my instinct is to divide the human family into “us” and “them.” Teach me what you taught Peter—that in your eyes, there is only “us.” Amen.
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"Peter preached Jesus (not Caesar) as Lord of all"
Thursday, 28 September 2017
Acts 10:34 Then Kefa addressed them: “I now understand that God does not play favorites, 35 but that whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to.
36 “Here is the message that he sent to the sons of Isra’el announcing shalom through Yeshua the Messiah, who is Lord of everything. 37 You know what has been going on throughout Y’hudah, starting from the Galil after the immersion that Yochanan proclaimed; 38 how God anointed Yeshua from Natzeret with the Ruach HaKodesh and with power; how Yeshua went about doing good and healing all the people oppressed by the Adversary, because God was with him.
39 “As for us, we are witnesses of everything he did, both in the Judean countryside and in Yerushalayim. They did away with him by hanging him on a stake;[Acts 10:39 Deuteronomy 21:23] 40 but God raised him up on the third day and let him be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by witnesses God had previously chosen, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen again from the dead.
42 “Then he commanded us to proclaim and attest to the Jewish people that this man has been appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets bear witness to him, that everyone who puts his trust in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 Kefa was still saying these things when the Ruach HaKodesh fell on all who were hearing the message. 45 All the believers from the Circumcision faction who had accompanied Kefa were amazed that the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh was also being poured out 46 on the Goyim, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Kefa’s response was, 47 “Is anyone prepared to prohibit these people from being immersed in water? After all, they have received the Ruach HaKodesh, just as we did.” 48 And he ordered that they be immersed in the name of Yeshua the Messiah. Then they asked Kefa to stay on with them for a few days.
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By this time, Roman emperors claimed to be divine, and used the title “Lord” to assert their supreme rulership. Peter’s claim that he was preaching “the good news through Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all!” to an audience of Roman military personnel challenged the emperor’s supremacy. There could only be one “Lord” at a time. But pious Cornelius and his household were ready to accept that message.
• A note of surprise runs through this story—but not among the Romans. We can almost hear the wonder in Peter’s voice as he began: “I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another.” Then “the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” When has some aspect of God’s kingdom, big or small, astonished you and expanded your mental horizons?
• This successful evangelistic trip at first earned Peter some criticism (cf. Acts 11:1-3). God’s mission was to all people from the beginning (cf. Genesis 12:1-3), but over time many of God’s people had come to believe it was about them, not everyone. How ready are you to rejoice when you hear about great success for some congregation, ministry or denomination other than your own?
Prayer: Loving God, your dream for our world, and the reach of your kingdom, are so much bigger than even my biggest imagination. Keep me ready for surprises, and to respond to your surprises with joy. Amen.
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"Paul challenged Peter’s surrender to peer pressure"
Friday, 29 September 2017
Galatians 2:6 Moreover, those who were the acknowledged leaders — what they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by outward appearances — these leaders added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the Uncircumcised, just as Kefa had been for the Circumcised; 8 since the One working in Kefa to make him an emissary to the Circumcised had worked in me to make me an emissary to the Gentiles. 9 So, having perceived what grace had been given to me, Ya‘akov, Kefa and Yochanan, the acknowledged pillars of the community, extended to me and Bar-Nabba the right hand of fellowship; so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the Circumcised. 10 Their only request was that we should remember the poor — which very thing I have spared no pains to do.
11 Furthermore, when Kefa came to Antioch, I opposed him publicly, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 For prior to the arrival of certain people from [the community headed by] Ya‘akov, he had been eating with the Gentile believers; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of the faction who favored circumcising Gentile believers. 13 And the other Jewish believers became hypocrites along with him, so that even Bar-Nabba was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not walking a straight path, keeping in line with the truth of the Good News, I said to Kefa, right in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Goy and not like a Jew, why are you forcing the Goyim to live like Jews? 15 We are Jews by birth, not so-called ‘Goyishe sinners’; 16 even so, we have come to realize that a person is not declared righteous by God on the ground of his legalistic observance of Torah commands, but through the Messiah Yeshua’s trusting faithfulness. Therefore, we too have put our trust in Messiah Yeshua and become faithful to him, in order that we might be declared righteous on the ground of the Messiah’s trusting faithfulness and not on the ground of our legalistic observance of Torah commands. For on the ground of legalistic observance of Torah commands, no one will be declared righteous.[Galatians 2:16 Psalm 143:2]
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Peter never became a superhuman figure. He was not immune to peer pressure. The episode about which Paul wrote in this letter likely happened after Peter met Cornelius. Yet, under pressure from more conservative Jewish Christians, he pulled back from eating with Gentile Christians. That deeply upset Paul. All Christians were Christians due to Christ’s grace; there was no room for treating any Christian as a second-class citizen in Christ’s kingdom.
• Paul wrote that Peter “began to back out and separate himself, because he was afraid of the people who promoted circumcision.” Peter was willing to hurt Gentile believers to avoid censure from the stricter Jerusalem believers. Have you ever faced disapproval from some Christians because you wished to support and befriend other, different Christians? Did you have more courage than Peter, or not? Would you today?
Ø Paul believed Jesus had given him a life mission to lead Gentiles to faith in Jesus. If “first class” Jewish Christians avoided “second-class” Gentile Christians, then Gentiles weren’t really welcome in God’s family at all. Paul said that couldn’t be right because “no one will be made righteous by the works of the Law,” by externals. Which good behaviors are you or other Christians you know tempted to trust in? What helps you avoid rank ordering other Christians from “excellent” to “not so good”?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, “righteous” people criticized you a lot. You loved them, but you never let them force you to shut out people they thought unworthy. Give me that kind of warm-hearted determination, too. Amen.
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"Peter’s testimony: a key to fully accepting Gentiles"
Saturday, 30 September 2017
Acts 15:1 But some men came down from Y’hudah to Antioch and began teaching the brothers, “You can’t be saved unless you undergo b’rit-milah in the manner prescribed by Moshe.” 2 This brought them into no small measure of discord and dispute with Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba. So the congregation assigned Sha’ul, Bar-Nabba and some of themselves to go and put this sh’eilah before the emissaries and the elders up in Yerushalayim., 5 But some of those who had come to trust were from the party of the P’rushim; and they stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Torah of Moshe.”
6 The emissaries and the elders met to look into this matter. 7 After lengthy debate, Kefa got up and said to them, “Brothers, you yourselves know that a good while back, God chose me from among you to be the one by whose mouth the Goyim should hear the message of the Good News and come to trust. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness by giving the Ruach HaKodesh to them, just as he did to us; 9 that is, he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their heart by trust. 10 So why are you putting God to the test now by placing a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we have had the strength to bear? 11 No, it is through the love and kindness of the Lord Yeshua that we trust and are delivered — and it’s the same with them.”
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Was circumcision required for Gentile men to be truly Christian? That issue kept causing conflict in the early Christian community. When church leaders met in Jerusalem, Peter was a strong voice. He drew on his experience of preaching to Romans to point out that God “made no distinction between us and them.” His testimony was a major factor in the decision James made to welcome Gentiles without heavy behavioral requirements (cf. Acts 15:13-14). This was Peter’s last appearance in the historical narrative in Acts. Christian tradition says he eventually died as martyr for Christ. In a letter he wrote, we find the spirit in which he ministered, and probably faced the end of his life (cf. 1 Peter 5:6-11).
• The big issue at the Jerusalem Council is not a big issue among Christians today. (No one demands enforcing circumcision as a condition of being a Christian!) As we face our issues, we can learn from the fact that the Council chose to respect the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s activity, and not the concrete demand that all Christians follow Genesis 17:10-14. And we can learn from the example of Peter, Paul and “believers from among the Pharisees” who met at the Jerusalem Council. They disagreed about circumcision, but agreed on more central truths. They were all committed to following Jesus, and to trusting him as their Savior. What can you learn from Peter’s deep trust in Jesus’ grace, and his determination to share it with anyone who would listen to him?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that, like Peter, I get to stretch my soul in the spacious atmosphere of your grace. Thank you for the widely varied family of which that makes me a part. Amen.
Family Activity: No one is perfect, but we can all use our God-given gifts and abilities to serve those within and outside of the home. Use construction paper and crayons to draw pictures of your home, your neighborhood and the world. On the pictures, write or draw the gifts of each person in the places where they might be best put to work. Also, write or draw about ways each person’s gifts can be used to serve others in those places. Display your family’s pictures as reminder to serve and care for those who are in your home, neighborhood and world. Thank God for giving these gifts to you and pray that despite your imperfections, God will use you and your family to share His love with the world.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• Joy Hilliard Donoho and family on the death of her dear friend Neil Parrett, 9/18
•Angela Nelson and family on the death of her mother Erma Milton, 9/17
•Crystal Sixbury and family on the death of her father William Ray “Bill” Trueblood, 9/17
•Randy Wood and family on the death of his father John Wood, 9/17
•Doug and Dee Dickey and family on the death of their sister-in-law Ann Forest Dickey, 9/13
•Steve and Donna Leeder and family on the death of their daughter Laura Leeder Uriell, 9/12
•Katie Finkle and family on the death of her father Rex M. Whitton, Jr., 9/6
•Samantha Birdsong and Adam Hotujac and family on the death of their infant son Jaxton Hotujac, 8/25
• Marienne Brown and family on the death of her mother Jeanne Galamba, 8/7
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"Peter boldly confronted those who tried to stop his preaching"
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
Acts 4:1 Kefa and Yochanan were still speaking to the people when the cohanim, the captain in charge of the Temple police, and the Tz’dukim came upon them, 2 very annoyed that they were teaching the people the doctrine of resurrection from the dead and offering Yeshua as proof. 3 The Temple police arrested them; and since it was already evening, they put them in custody overnight. 4 However, many of those who heard the message trusted; the number of men alone was about five thousand.
5 The next day, the people’s rulers, elders and Torah-teachers assembled in Yerushalayim, 6 along with ‘Anan the cohen hagadol, Kayafa, Yochanan, Alexander and the other men from the family of the cohen hagadol. 7 They had the emissaries stand before them and asked, “By what power or in what name did you do this?”
8 Then Kefa, filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, said to them, “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done for a disabled person, if you want to know how he was restored to health, 10 then let it be known to you and to all the people of Isra’el that it is in the name of the Messiah, Yeshua from Natzeret, whom you had executed on a stake as a criminal but whom God has raised from the dead, that this man stands before you perfectly healed.
11 “This Yeshua is the stone rejected by you builders which has become the cornerstone.[Acts 4:11 Psalm 118:22] 12 There is salvation in no one else! For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved!”
13 When they saw how bold Kefa and Yochanan were, even though they were untrained ‘am-ha’aretz, they were amazed; also they recognized them as having been with Yeshua. 14 Moreover, since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there beside them, there was nothing they could say to discredit the healing., 12:1 It was around this time that King Herod began arresting and persecuting certain members of the Messianic community; 2 and he had Ya‘akov, Yochanan’s brother, put to death by the sword. 3 When Herod saw how much this pleased the Judeans, he went on to arrest Kefa as well. It was during the Days of Matzah, 4 so when Herod seized him, he threw him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each, with the intention of bringing him to public trial after Pesach. 5 So Kefa was being held under watch in prison, but intense prayer was being made to God on his behalf by the Messianic community.
6 The night before Herod was going to bring him to trial, Kefa was sleeping between two soldiers. He was bound with two chains; and guards were at the door, keeping watch over the prison. 7 Suddenly an angel of Adonai stood there, and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Kefa’s side and woke him. “Hurry! Get up!” he said; and the chains fell off his hands. 8 The angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals,” and he did. “Throw on your robe,” he said, “and follow me!” 9 Going out, Kefa followed him but did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real — he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 Having passed a first guard and a second, they arrived at the iron gate leading to the city. This opened to them by itself, and they made their exit. They went down the length of one street, and suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Kefa came to himself and said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord sent his angel to rescue me from Herod’s power and from everything the Judean people were hoping for.”
12 Realizing what had happened, he went to the house of Miryam the mother of Yochanan (surnamed Mark), where many people had gathered to pray. 13 He knocked at the outside door, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer. 14 She recognized Kefa’s voice and was so happy that she ran back in without opening the door, and announced that Kefa was standing outside. 15 “You’re out of your mind!” they said to her. But she insisted it was true. So they said, “It is his angel.” 16 Meanwhile, Kefa kept knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were amazed. 17 Motioning to them with his hand to be quiet, he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison and said, “Tell all this to Ya‘akov and the brothers.” Then he left and went elsewhere.
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Peter kept on preaching—and performing signs in Jesus’ name, too. Now the very same people who asked Pilate to execute Jesus imprisoned Peter and John and ordered them to stop preaching. But Peter was a wholly different man. Jesus’ resurrection and grace replaced his fear with an earth-shaking boldness. (If you can, read Acts 5:12-41, which continued the story of the apostles’ fearless refusal to back down.) God did not block all suffering or pain (e.g. Acts 12:2), but did at times intervene miraculously to protect his faithful witnesses.
• This episode started in the scene we read yesterday—Peter and John healed a lame man in Jesus’ name (Acts 3:6-10). The religious leaders had hoped Jesus’ death would stop that kind of thing. Imagine their fear and frustration. And note the pointed irony in Peter’s question: “Are we being examined today because something good was done for a sick person?” Have you ever resisted God in your life, hoping an inner conviction or calling would go away?
Ø The religious leaders didn’t think having been followers of Jesus was a compliment. But, across the centuries, the effect of that on the apostles can inspire and challenge us. What was it about Peter and John’s actions and attitude that reminded Annas and Caiaphas of Jesus? In what ways can you be a follower of Jesus, so that you can experience the power Peter and John drew on?
Prayer: Lord of all, sometimes your power opens prison doors. But always your power works in human hearts, transforming trembling fishermen into bold proclaimers of your saving power. Work in my heart today. Amen.
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Brandon GregoryBrandon Gregory is a volunteer for the worship and missions teams at Church of the Resurrection. He helps lead worship at Vibe, West and Downtown services, and is involved with the Malawi missions team at home.I make a point of not only knowing but also making peace with people from all different religions, and as they say, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they receive flak from both sides.” I’ve been through a lot of religious arguments--some where I’m defending Christians and some where I’m defending others from Christians. People get so worked up about these issues that some of the arguments get ugly, with people insulting each other and trying to prove that the other side is morally bankrupt and devoid of goodness.
I don’t like these arguments. I used to take part in them. It took me a while to realize that the root of all of them was that each of us wanted to be good, and to have access to deeper levels of goodness than others do. We all want to be good. And, without anything to keep us in check, we can go on to believe that our personal beliefs make us better than others. We all want to have a monopoly on goodness and the truth. And when we point this out to others, all they see is the selfish motivation to be better than someone else. There is no monopoly--we’re all just trying to be good and we all have at least some claim to truth.
The pharisees in Jesus’ time actually did have a bit of a monopoly on truth and goodness, and the let everyone know that. That’s why Jesus was so threatening to them--he exposed their inadequacies and put them on the same level as the common people. So when the pharisees succeeded in putting Jesus to death, they thought they had rightfully reclaimed their spot as the sole truth dealers in ancient Israel.
Peter’s boldness in the face of their legal accusations showed that the pharisees were fighting a losing battle. Jesus’ ministry revealed that everyone had access to truth, and everyone had the same capacity for goodness--they just had to want to seek it. It was this realization that emboldened Peter and John to the point that they were willing to risk death to carry on the good fight.
We often think of Christians struggling against evil people and systems, but we can also struggle against the people who claim truth and goodness as solely theirs. There are times we will see others, perhaps even other Christians, saying that others are incapable of the same good that they’re capable of. But Jesus’ ministry showed us that anyone who seeks it is capable of the same goodness and truth--we’re all on equal footing with God. If you find yourself facing someone who claims that your good will never be as good as their good--or if you see someone doing this to someone else--that’s in direct opposition to Jesus’ ministry. Jesus’ death and resurrection gave us all a shot at goodness and redemption, and anyone who claims otherwise is speaking in direct opposition to this, just like the pharisees.
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"God directed Peter and Cornelius to connect"
Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Acts 10:1 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a Roman army officer in what was called the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout man, a “God-fearer,” as was his whole household; he gave generously to help the Jewish poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon around three o’clock he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at the angel, terrified. “What is it, sir?” he asked. “Your prayers,” replied the angel, “and your acts of charity have gone up into God’s presence, so that he has you on his mind. 5 Now send some men to Yafo to bring back a man named Shim‘on, also called Kefa. 6 He’s staying with Shim‘on the leather-tanner, who has a house by the sea.” 7 As the angel that had spoken to him went away, Cornelius called two of his household slaves and one of his military aides, who was a godly man; 8 he explained everything to them and sent them to Yafo.
9 The next day about noon, while they were still on their way and approaching the city, Kefa went up onto the roof of the house to pray. 10 He began to feel hungry and wanted something to eat; but while they were preparing the meal, he fell into a trance 11 in which he saw heaven opened, and something that looked like a large sheet being lowered to the ground by its four corners. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals, crawling creatures and wild birds. 13 Then a voice came to him, “Get up, Kefa, slaughter and eat!” 14 But Kefa said, “No, sir! Absolutely not! I have never eaten food that was unclean or treif.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time: “Stop treating as unclean what God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and then the sheet was immediately taken back up into heaven.
17 Kefa was still puzzling over the meaning of the vision he had seen, when the men Cornelius had sent, having inquired for Shim‘on’s house, stood at the gate 18 and called out to ask if the Shim‘on known as Kefa was staying there. 19 While Kefa’s mind was still on the vision, the Spirit said, “Three men are looking for you. 20 Get up, go downstairs, and have no misgivings about going with them, because I myself have sent them.”
21 So Kefa went down and said to the men, “You were looking for me? Here I am. What brings you here?” 22 They answered, “Cornelius. He’s a Roman army officer, an upright man and a God-fearer, a man highly regarded by the whole Jewish nation; and he was told by a holy angel to have you come to his house and listen to what you have to say.” 23 So Kefa invited them to be his guests.
The next day, he got up and went with them, accompanied by some of the brothers from Yafo; 24 and he arrived at Caesarea the day after that. Cornelius was expecting them — he had already called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Kefa entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell prostrate at his feet. 26 But Kefa pulled him to his feet and said, “Stand up! I myself am just a man.”
27 As he talked with him, Kefa went inside and found many people gathered. 28 He said to them, “You are well aware that for a man who is a Jew to have close association with someone who belongs to another people, or to come and visit him, is something that just isn’t done. But God has shown me not to call any person common or unclean; 29 so when I was summoned, I came without raising any questions. Tell me, then, why did you send for me?”
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Even after watching Jesus minister to Samaritans (e.g. Luke 17:11-16) and Romans (e.g. Matthew 8:5-10), even after the events of Pentecost (cf. Acts 2:7-11), Peter still felt a devout Jew’s lifelong reluctance about mixing closely with Gentiles, especially Romans. God had to use a startling vision and a personal invitation from a pious centurion to propel Peter to break down some of those inner barriers.
• Peter reacted so strongly to his vision because, like all devout Jews, he carefully followed the laws (from Leviticus 11:1-47 and Deuteronomy 14:3-21) which forbade eating “unclean” meat. Those laws weren’t about kitchen hygiene, but about ritual “cleanness” before God. Even entering a Gentile dwelling could bring ritual impurity (cf. John 18:28). What made Peter’s mission “clean”? Are there any places or people you avoid because you fear they might make you, in some sense, “unclean”?
Ø Even after his vision (repeated three times) and the Spirit’s direction to go with his visitors, Peter still seemed unsure. Verses 27-28 of the story suggest that meeting a large group of Gentiles eager to hear the gospel was his “aha!” moment. Have you ever had a contact or experience that broke through some prejudice of yours, and opened your eyes to God’s inclusive mission in the world?
Prayer: Loving Lord, my instinct is to divide the human family into “us” and “them.” Teach me what you taught Peter—that in your eyes, there is only “us.” Amen.
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"Peter preached Jesus (not Caesar) as Lord of all"
Thursday, 28 September 2017
Acts 10:34 Then Kefa addressed them: “I now understand that God does not play favorites, 35 but that whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to.
36 “Here is the message that he sent to the sons of Isra’el announcing shalom through Yeshua the Messiah, who is Lord of everything. 37 You know what has been going on throughout Y’hudah, starting from the Galil after the immersion that Yochanan proclaimed; 38 how God anointed Yeshua from Natzeret with the Ruach HaKodesh and with power; how Yeshua went about doing good and healing all the people oppressed by the Adversary, because God was with him.
39 “As for us, we are witnesses of everything he did, both in the Judean countryside and in Yerushalayim. They did away with him by hanging him on a stake;[Acts 10:39 Deuteronomy 21:23] 40 but God raised him up on the third day and let him be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by witnesses God had previously chosen, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen again from the dead.
42 “Then he commanded us to proclaim and attest to the Jewish people that this man has been appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets bear witness to him, that everyone who puts his trust in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44 Kefa was still saying these things when the Ruach HaKodesh fell on all who were hearing the message. 45 All the believers from the Circumcision faction who had accompanied Kefa were amazed that the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh was also being poured out 46 on the Goyim, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Kefa’s response was, 47 “Is anyone prepared to prohibit these people from being immersed in water? After all, they have received the Ruach HaKodesh, just as we did.” 48 And he ordered that they be immersed in the name of Yeshua the Messiah. Then they asked Kefa to stay on with them for a few days.
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By this time, Roman emperors claimed to be divine, and used the title “Lord” to assert their supreme rulership. Peter’s claim that he was preaching “the good news through Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all!” to an audience of Roman military personnel challenged the emperor’s supremacy. There could only be one “Lord” at a time. But pious Cornelius and his household were ready to accept that message.
• A note of surprise runs through this story—but not among the Romans. We can almost hear the wonder in Peter’s voice as he began: “I really am learning that God doesn’t show partiality to one group of people over another.” Then “the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.” When has some aspect of God’s kingdom, big or small, astonished you and expanded your mental horizons?
• This successful evangelistic trip at first earned Peter some criticism (cf. Acts 11:1-3). God’s mission was to all people from the beginning (cf. Genesis 12:1-3), but over time many of God’s people had come to believe it was about them, not everyone. How ready are you to rejoice when you hear about great success for some congregation, ministry or denomination other than your own?
Prayer: Loving God, your dream for our world, and the reach of your kingdom, are so much bigger than even my biggest imagination. Keep me ready for surprises, and to respond to your surprises with joy. Amen.
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"Paul challenged Peter’s surrender to peer pressure"
Friday, 29 September 2017
Galatians 2:6 Moreover, those who were the acknowledged leaders — what they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by outward appearances — these leaders added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the Uncircumcised, just as Kefa had been for the Circumcised; 8 since the One working in Kefa to make him an emissary to the Circumcised had worked in me to make me an emissary to the Gentiles. 9 So, having perceived what grace had been given to me, Ya‘akov, Kefa and Yochanan, the acknowledged pillars of the community, extended to me and Bar-Nabba the right hand of fellowship; so that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the Circumcised. 10 Their only request was that we should remember the poor — which very thing I have spared no pains to do.
11 Furthermore, when Kefa came to Antioch, I opposed him publicly, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12 For prior to the arrival of certain people from [the community headed by] Ya‘akov, he had been eating with the Gentile believers; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, because he was afraid of the faction who favored circumcising Gentile believers. 13 And the other Jewish believers became hypocrites along with him, so that even Bar-Nabba was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that they were not walking a straight path, keeping in line with the truth of the Good News, I said to Kefa, right in front of everyone, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Goy and not like a Jew, why are you forcing the Goyim to live like Jews? 15 We are Jews by birth, not so-called ‘Goyishe sinners’; 16 even so, we have come to realize that a person is not declared righteous by God on the ground of his legalistic observance of Torah commands, but through the Messiah Yeshua’s trusting faithfulness. Therefore, we too have put our trust in Messiah Yeshua and become faithful to him, in order that we might be declared righteous on the ground of the Messiah’s trusting faithfulness and not on the ground of our legalistic observance of Torah commands. For on the ground of legalistic observance of Torah commands, no one will be declared righteous.[Galatians 2:16 Psalm 143:2]
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Peter never became a superhuman figure. He was not immune to peer pressure. The episode about which Paul wrote in this letter likely happened after Peter met Cornelius. Yet, under pressure from more conservative Jewish Christians, he pulled back from eating with Gentile Christians. That deeply upset Paul. All Christians were Christians due to Christ’s grace; there was no room for treating any Christian as a second-class citizen in Christ’s kingdom.
• Paul wrote that Peter “began to back out and separate himself, because he was afraid of the people who promoted circumcision.” Peter was willing to hurt Gentile believers to avoid censure from the stricter Jerusalem believers. Have you ever faced disapproval from some Christians because you wished to support and befriend other, different Christians? Did you have more courage than Peter, or not? Would you today?
Ø Paul believed Jesus had given him a life mission to lead Gentiles to faith in Jesus. If “first class” Jewish Christians avoided “second-class” Gentile Christians, then Gentiles weren’t really welcome in God’s family at all. Paul said that couldn’t be right because “no one will be made righteous by the works of the Law,” by externals. Which good behaviors are you or other Christians you know tempted to trust in? What helps you avoid rank ordering other Christians from “excellent” to “not so good”?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, “righteous” people criticized you a lot. You loved them, but you never let them force you to shut out people they thought unworthy. Give me that kind of warm-hearted determination, too. Amen.
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"Peter’s testimony: a key to fully accepting Gentiles"
Saturday, 30 September 2017
Acts 15:1 But some men came down from Y’hudah to Antioch and began teaching the brothers, “You can’t be saved unless you undergo b’rit-milah in the manner prescribed by Moshe.” 2 This brought them into no small measure of discord and dispute with Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba. So the congregation assigned Sha’ul, Bar-Nabba and some of themselves to go and put this sh’eilah before the emissaries and the elders up in Yerushalayim., 5 But some of those who had come to trust were from the party of the P’rushim; and they stood up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Torah of Moshe.”
6 The emissaries and the elders met to look into this matter. 7 After lengthy debate, Kefa got up and said to them, “Brothers, you yourselves know that a good while back, God chose me from among you to be the one by whose mouth the Goyim should hear the message of the Good News and come to trust. 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore them witness by giving the Ruach HaKodesh to them, just as he did to us; 9 that is, he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their heart by trust. 10 So why are you putting God to the test now by placing a yoke on the neck of the talmidim which neither our fathers nor we have had the strength to bear? 11 No, it is through the love and kindness of the Lord Yeshua that we trust and are delivered — and it’s the same with them.”
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Was circumcision required for Gentile men to be truly Christian? That issue kept causing conflict in the early Christian community. When church leaders met in Jerusalem, Peter was a strong voice. He drew on his experience of preaching to Romans to point out that God “made no distinction between us and them.” His testimony was a major factor in the decision James made to welcome Gentiles without heavy behavioral requirements (cf. Acts 15:13-14). This was Peter’s last appearance in the historical narrative in Acts. Christian tradition says he eventually died as martyr for Christ. In a letter he wrote, we find the spirit in which he ministered, and probably faced the end of his life (cf. 1 Peter 5:6-11).
• The big issue at the Jerusalem Council is not a big issue among Christians today. (No one demands enforcing circumcision as a condition of being a Christian!) As we face our issues, we can learn from the fact that the Council chose to respect the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s activity, and not the concrete demand that all Christians follow Genesis 17:10-14. And we can learn from the example of Peter, Paul and “believers from among the Pharisees” who met at the Jerusalem Council. They disagreed about circumcision, but agreed on more central truths. They were all committed to following Jesus, and to trusting him as their Savior. What can you learn from Peter’s deep trust in Jesus’ grace, and his determination to share it with anyone who would listen to him?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that, like Peter, I get to stretch my soul in the spacious atmosphere of your grace. Thank you for the widely varied family of which that makes me a part. Amen.
Family Activity: No one is perfect, but we can all use our God-given gifts and abilities to serve those within and outside of the home. Use construction paper and crayons to draw pictures of your home, your neighborhood and the world. On the pictures, write or draw the gifts of each person in the places where they might be best put to work. Also, write or draw about ways each person’s gifts can be used to serve others in those places. Display your family’s pictures as reminder to serve and care for those who are in your home, neighborhood and world. Thank God for giving these gifts to you and pray that despite your imperfections, God will use you and your family to share His love with the world.
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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:
• Joy Hilliard Donoho and family on the death of her dear friend Neil Parrett, 9/18
•Angela Nelson and family on the death of her mother Erma Milton, 9/17
•Crystal Sixbury and family on the death of her father William Ray “Bill” Trueblood, 9/17
•Randy Wood and family on the death of his father John Wood, 9/17
•Doug and Dee Dickey and family on the death of their sister-in-law Ann Forest Dickey, 9/13
•Steve and Donna Leeder and family on the death of their daughter Laura Leeder Uriell, 9/12
•Katie Finkle and family on the death of her father Rex M. Whitton, Jr., 9/6
•Samantha Birdsong and Adam Hotujac and family on the death of their infant son Jaxton Hotujac, 8/25
• Marienne Brown and family on the death of her mother Jeanne Galamba, 8/7
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©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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©2017 Church of the Resurrection. All Rights Reserved.
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
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