The Apostles Persecuted
Acts 5:17-42
What has been your experience on either side of jail? What sights, sounds and feelings do you associate with jail?
When you leave home or your car unattended do you always lock it? Why or why not?
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- How do you account for the jealousy of the Sadducees?
- As an apostle, how would you feel during the events of verses 18-21? What would you expect to happen next?
- What do they accuse the apostles in Acts 5:28? How is this different from what bothered them in 4:2?
- What assertions in Peter’s response (w. 29-32) would arouse their fury? Why is Peter being so direct (see 4:1-12; 5:19-20)?
- Prior to Jesus, there were many Jewish zealots who led rebellions against Rome. What is Gamaliel's point in recalling two such leaders in Acts 5:36-37? Do you think he might be one of the secret believers mentioned in John 12:42? Or a political opportunist not wanting to arouse the public? Why? How do you think Peter's statement in Acts 5:29 (and 4:19) may have influenced Gamaliel?
- Flogging sometimes resulted in death. Why do you think the disciples considered it worth rejoicing that they suffered in Jesus' name?
- How might proclaiming Jesus as risen Prince and Savior in Jerusalem immediately after his crucifixion be different than proclaiming Jesus as risen Prince and Savior over 6000 miles away 2000 years later?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- How do you think you would feel if you were sent to jail for what you believe? How would your family feel? What would this do for your faith?
- In what way has God set you free to honor him more fully?
- How do you explain why God sometimes delivers you out of hardships, but at other times he allows you to go through them?
- Describe a recent event when you had to choose between God and man (Acts 5:29).
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
Footnotes:
high priest The most important Jewish priest and leader.
Sadducees A leading Jewish religious group. They accepted only the first five books of the Old Testament. They believed that people don't live again after death.
apostles The men Jesus chose to be his special helpers.
temple The special building in Jerusalem for Jewish worship.
father(s) Important ancestors of the Jews; the leaders of the twelve Jewish family groups.
Spirit, Holy Spirit Also called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, and the Comforter. Joined with God and Christ, he does God's work among people in the world.
Pharisees The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group that claimed to follow carefully all Jewish laws and customs.
registration A census or counting of all the people and the things they own.
Christ The "anointed one" (Messiah) or chosen one of God.
=======
Day By Day
-- Douglas F. Parsons
Habits are like comfortable beds: easy to get into, but hard to get out of. Habits are like a cable. Each day we do something in a pattern we intertwine one thread with another. As the threads are woven together, a cable is formed. On any particular day, the thread we added was too small to be noticed. But, after many threads have been woven in, we find that together they have become a practically unbreakable cable.
So it is with habits. Daily practices over time become habits that are practically unbreakable - so be careful what you weave. Here are some suggestions of things to incorporate into your life day by day…
Daily Bible Reading - "Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God." Nehemiah 8:18.
Daily Bible Study - "These were more noble… in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Acts 17:11.
Daily Prayer - "I call to you, O Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you." Psalm 88:9.
Daily Cross Bearing - "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23.
Daily Meditation - "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law does he meditate day and night." Psalm 1:2.
Daily Encouragement - "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:13.
Daily Teaching - "And daily in the temple, and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." Acts 5:42.
Daily Growth - "So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers." Acts 16:5
Do you want to become more like Jesus Christ? Do you desire to reach new heights for God? Then look closely at your daily activities and begin good habits.
=========
===============
=======
Day By Day
-- Douglas F. Parsons
Habits are like comfortable beds: easy to get into, but hard to get out of. Habits are like a cable. Each day we do something in a pattern we intertwine one thread with another. As the threads are woven together, a cable is formed. On any particular day, the thread we added was too small to be noticed. But, after many threads have been woven in, we find that together they have become a practically unbreakable cable.
So it is with habits. Daily practices over time become habits that are practically unbreakable - so be careful what you weave. Here are some suggestions of things to incorporate into your life day by day…
Daily Bible Reading - "Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God." Nehemiah 8:18.
Daily Bible Study - "These were more noble… in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Acts 17:11.
Daily Prayer - "I call to you, O Lord, every day; I spread out my hands to you." Psalm 88:9.
Daily Cross Bearing - "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23.
Daily Meditation - "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law does he meditate day and night." Psalm 1:2.
Daily Encouragement - "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." Hebrews 3:13.
Daily Teaching - "And daily in the temple, and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." Acts 5:42.
Daily Growth - "So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers." Acts 16:5
Do you want to become more like Jesus Christ? Do you desire to reach new heights for God? Then look closely at your daily activities and begin good habits.
=========
##Gamaliel
1. Grandson of Hillel
2. Eminent doctor of law
3. First of seven rabbi’s to receive the honored title of Rabban
4. Paul was one of his pupils (Acts 22:3)
5. He convinced the Sanhedrin to let the Apostles go rather than kill them (Acts 5:34–39)
6. One tradition says than he later became a Christian, but that seems incongruous with the high esteem accorded him in the Talmud: ―Since Rabban
Gamaliel died, the glory of the Law has ceased.‖
7. His grandson (Rabban Gamaliel II) added to the 18 benedictions
===============
No comments:
Post a Comment