November’s memory verse:

“And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” — Acts 10:42–43

Acts Chapter 9

Acts nine opens up with "But Saul..." but it ends with "BUT GOD...." You will not be able to stop reading this week, as we see the miraculous conversion of one of history’s most unlikely converts to Christianity—it is an incredible testimony of scales falling away and the Holy Spirit giving eyes to see! As Saul proclaims with boldness that Jesus is the Christ he confounds many. Then, as we return to the narrative of Peter and read about the Holy Spirit’s power and even more miracles that lead people to believe in the Lord, we understand how the ending of chapter nine leads us to declare, BUT GOD.

Here are a few application questions to ponder this week:

• Paul’s radical conversion transformed his actions, motives and thoughts. In your own transformation, what was it that caught your attention and opened your eyes to your sin and the need to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Will you take the challenge this week and share your story, your testimony of transformed life, with someone?

• Do you think anyone is beyond salvation? Would the early church have thought that Saul was beyond the salvation that Jesus died for? If you have someone in mind, consider how God plans to use this person to further His Kingdom? Will you commit to praying for them to experience Jesus in a radical way?

Summary of chapter 8:

• Saul continues to ravage the church and persecute those who confess and preach Jesus as Savior and King.

• Because of persecution, the church is scattered outside of Jerusalem moving north into Judea and Samaria.

• Philip proclaims the gospel and many signs and wonders were done through him. Many in Samaria were amazed and there was much joy in the city.

• Hearing that the Word of God has been received in Samaria, Peter and John come and pray for many to receive the Holy Spirit. Through this, the wicked heart of Simon the Magician truly confesses and repents.

• Philip responds with obedience when the Angel of the Lord tells him to '“rise and go” to the south. Through his obedience, the Ethiopian eunuch receives the good news and is baptized. Philip is “teleported” to his next assignment and continues to preach the gospel!

November’s memory verse:

“And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” — Acts 10:42–43

Acts Chapter 8

As chapter 8 opens up, we see something occurring that has not happened before. For the past seven chapters, the witness has stayed within Jerusalem and Judea. However, now that persecution against the church has picked up, there is a definite scattering. At the beginning, we briefly meet Saul, who approved the execution of Stephen and ravages the church. But not all is bad—God is sovereign and in control. In the midst of (and as a result of) this persecution, the gospel is going forth, fulfilling the great commission. For example, in chapter 8, Philip goes down to a city of Samaria, where the Holy Spirit does signs and wonders through him. Verse 8 tells us that there was much joy in the city. Then we meet Simon and the Ethiopian Eunuch and can learn a lot about our own faith as we see the way they respond to the Holy Spirit.

If you need a quick review of last week, scroll down for chapter seven.

Here are a few application questions to ponder this week:

• Because of persecution, the believers were forced out of their homes in Jerusalem. This enabled them to share the gospel in Judea and Samaria. When have you ever been forced out of your comfort zone because of external circumstances beyond your control? Looking back, can you see God’s purpose in this time of discomfort? What were the fruits that came out of this season in your life?

• Philip had a sensitivity to the prompting and direction of the Holy Spirit. In what circumstances have you been prompted by the Holy Spirit to do or say something that you would not have done on your own? Did you obey? What were the results?

Summary of chapter 7:

• Stephen addresses the council and the high priest in regards to the blasphemous charge brought against him in reference to Moses, God, the law and the temple.

• Stephen carefully retells the history of the Jewish people and their unfaithfulness to God who is faithful. He points to the many ways they have rejected the prophets that God has sent them. (see verse 52)

• As he becomes more passionate about declaring the word, the council and the people around are cut to the heart by the truth. Instead of repentance they gnashed their teeth in anger and stop their ears.

• In the height of the furry, Stephen sees God’s glory and Jesus standing at His right hand. When he testifies to these things, the crowd throws him out of the city to be stoned.

• Just like Jesus did while he was on the cross, Stephen prays for those who have persecuted him and asks the Father to not hold this sin against them.

October’s memory verse:

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4-11-12

Acts Chapter 7:

In chapter 7 of Acts we meet Stephen, who is accused of breaking the law and disrespecting the temple. He is brought before the council and his speech is a significant turning point in the book of Acts. Using scripture and the history of the Jewish people, he takes the very things he is accused of and turns it back on the Sanhedrin. First, Stephen lays out the failure of the Jewish people’s faithfulness to the leaders who God has raised up. Second, he points out their defying of the temple, thereby resisting the Holy Spirit. Using their own history, through the scriptures, Stephen is making a comparison between Moses and Jesus and it appears that he is passionate about sharing the Gospel. Can you hear the passion at the end of his speech as he urges them to confess?

If you need a quick review of last week, scroll down for chapter six.

Summary of chapter 6:

• The disciples are increasing in numbers! The church is growing!

• A complaint has been raised in regard to meeting the needs of everyone. The church is in need of those who can minister to one another.

• The original twelve, in order to keep the witness pure, because they were with Jesus, continue to preach the word.

• Seven men of good repute and wisdom who are full of the Spirit are chosen to serve the church.

• One of these men, Stephen, continued to do signs and wonders in the name of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit in him could not be withstood. Many rose up and disputed against Stephen and the message that he proclaimed - that this Jesus will destroy the temple at Jerusalem and change the customs given by Moses, the law.

October’s memory verse:

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4-11-12

Acts Chapter 6:

In chapter 6, as the disciples are increasing and the church is growing, we see that not everything is perfect and easy. There is persecution from the outside and dishonesty on the inside of the early church. There is tension among this community that must be worked out. Watch as we see the care and structure that is set in place to minister to others. And notice that the witness is not dependent on the twelve, but everyone, in order to get the gospel message out of Jerusalem.

Summary of chapter 4:

• The tension is escalating quickly among Peter, John and the Jerusalem council.

• With boldness, Peter and John proclaim to the council that they crucified Jesus of Nazareth and that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

• The council is greatly annoyed and Peter and John are placed in custody and charged to not teach in the name of Jesus anymore. Peter and John reply with a big fat, “NO!” and while the crowd of people are praising God for the healing of the lame man, they are released.

• The believers pray for the word to be spoken with boldness while the Lord does signs, wonders and miracles through them.

• The fellowship of believers are united as one heart and shared everything despite persecution.

Summary of chapter 5:

• One couple , Ananias and Sapphira discover that when the love of money and posessions take hold, evil is close at hand. Satan fills their heart and they lie to the Holy Spirit.

• Great fear falls upon the church and many signs and wonders continue to be done among the people by the apostles.

• The stong jealousy of the Saduccees and the high priest escalates even more, the apostles are arrested and put in prison.

• During the night an angel appears and brought then out, telling the apostles to, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

• The council, enraged, ‘disciplines’ them saying, “We told you not to teach in Jesus name!” But the apostles reply, “We must obey God rather than men.”

• They were beat and released, and continued rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. Everyday they continued from house to house preaching and teaching Jesus.

  Interactive Reflection Questions

October’s memory verse:

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4-11-12

Summary of chapters 3:

And together they went up to the temple to pray. Peter and John went to pray…as we began to read Acts 3, were any of you singing the old “Kids Sunday School” song? I certainly was. If you don’t know what I am talking about, look it up it is a fun one called Silver and Gold I Have None.

As they approach the Beautiful Gate, they encounter a lame man sitting at the gate. The lame man holds out his hand and asks for alms. With his eyes fixed in expectation on Peter and John, Peter reaches down and heals the man, in the name of Jesus Christ. This lame man begins leaping and praising God for he has received far more than the alms he asked for. He has been given eternal life and the ability to be a witness for Christ because all the people who recognized him were filled with amazement and wonder!

Peter is quick to explain that the power that healed the man was from Jesus of Nazareth, the man the leaders and people of Jerusalem had crucified. He explains to the Jewish audience, that Jesus is, in fact, the prophet that Moses promised would follow him, as well as the blessing to the nations God promised Abraham. In verse 19 Peter urges them to “repent and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” He tells them that they are the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant that God made with their forefathers. It is a clear warning: they, who denied the Holy and Righteous One and killed the Author of Life, must repent and turn from their wickedness to receive the blessing.

Looking ahead at Chapter 4:

The spread of the gospel in Jerusalem is increasing as more people who have heard the word believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. However, not everyone is receiving the message with joy. In chapter 4 verse 2, we note that the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees are greatly annoyed and desire that they speak no more ‘in the name of Jesus’. This is the first incident of persecution that the early church encounters. Pay close attention to the specific reason for the persecution and the reasons behind the ‘annoyance’ at the message that is being spoken. How do Peter and John respond to the question, “By what power and what name did you heal this man?”

Last week, chapter 3 gave us our first glimpse into the signs and wonders of the Holy Spirit. This week, chapter 4 gives us our first glimpses into persecution. By the end of chapter four, we see the believer’s response to this persecution, their unity, boldness, and faith. God doesn't promise to keep the Church from harm, in fact, we can expect persecution, but just like the early believers and the Apostles, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can press on with boldness and continue to bear witness to Jesus.

Interactive Reflection Questions

September’s memory verse:

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42

Summary of chapters 1-2:

When we open up the book of Acts, we find ourselves in the middle of a story. After Luke wrote his gospel account (Luke) about all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day when he was taken up, he provides us with part two, the rest of the story. This is the book of Acts.

Jesus, after having risen from the dead, comes back to the disciples and presents Himself to them with many proofs for forty days! As they inquire about when He will restore the kingdom of God, He tells them it is not for them to know when. However, He does promise them that they will receive power and be equipped to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. While the eleven disciples wait patiently, they are devoted to prayer. To fulfill the scriptures, and to replace Judas, they cast lots and Matthias joined them as an apostle, one who had witnessed the resurrection and spent time with Jesus. In Chapter two, the day of Pentecost has arrived and when they were gathered in one place, the Holy Spirit rests upon and fills each of them with power from on high. It is with this power that Peter stands up and addresses the Jews and all who lived in Jerusalem to give witness to Jesus and exhort the crowds. Those who received his word were baptized and 3,000 souls were saved. As Chapter two ends, the fellowship of believers is quite devoted to prayer, the apostles teaching, and the breaking of bread. They give generously, both of their earthly belongings and of their praise to God. They found favor with the people and every day more and more were added to their number. From Acts 1:8, Jesus has given them the purpose: to be His witnesses, and the plan: starting in Jerusalem, then Judea, Samaria and finally to the ends of the earth. This is where we find ourselves today. It is the same for us. This same Holy Spirit has given us the same purpose and the same plan. By the power of the Holy Spirit in us, the witness continues today to the ends of the earth.

Looking ahead at Chapter 3:

Chapter three gives us our first glimpse and an awe into one of the many signs and wonders that were done through the apostles. As you read about Peter and John and the lame beggar, take special note at the message that Peter delivers in explanation for the miracle.

Interactive Reflection Questions