4/30-5/6 Overview

The Acts of the Apostles began with Jesus’ final message to the disciples and his ascension, quickly transitioned to the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and as we continue reading it will share decades of stories of the ongoing work of the Spirit within the apostles and disciples as they fulfilled Jesus’ commission to be his “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NIV). As we read throughout the coming days, weeks, and months, trust the Holy Spirit to guide you and the people of Avon UMC to continue being Jesus’ representatives and witnesses in our local community, throughout Greater Hendricks County and Indianapolis, among people we do not normally associate with, and further and further across the globe. Our journey through the book of Acts this week shares how the earliest Christians lived into a fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer from John 17.

 

If you have not watched it yet, you are encouraged to WATCH the first of two Bible Project video summaries of the book of Acts to understand it more clearly before reading the verses on Monday. The video is available on YouTube: Book of Acts Summary (Part 1) by the Bible Project:

 

Below are some suggestions and questions to help you as you read scripture this week:

1. Approach scripture with humility. Seek to receive what the Bible reveals without trying to make it say what you want it to say.

2. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak a message to you through the verses you read.

3. What do these verses reveal about God?

4. What do these verses reveal about humanity?

5. What do these verses teach me about myself?

6. How do you see yourself in the story when reading biblical narratives?

Which of these characters would I be?

In what ways is their story similar to my story?

7. Read, study, and discuss scripture with a small group or another person.

8. Are you using a Study Bible?

A Study Bible is a very helpful tool for understanding each book of the Bible. They include information shared by scholars about historical and cultural realities during the time depicted or the era of the document, the author, when the book might have been written, the intended audience of the document, themes and messages within a book or letter, and more. The NIV, NRSV, ESV, and NLT Study Bibles are worth considering if you do not own one. There are a few available from the AUMC Library in the back of the Chapel. You can also purchase a Study Bible from ChristianBook.com, Cokesbury.com, or Amazon.com.

 

*If you do not have a Bible, consider downloading the YouVersion Bible App for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone or tablet. You can also use www.BibleGateway.com to look up and read various translations of Bible verses online for free.

 

Sunday (4/30)

READ Psalm 23:1 to prepare yourself for time with the Lord:

 

Because the Lord is my Shepherd,

I have everything I need! – Psalm 23:1 TLB

 

READ Mark 12:28-34, the most important commandments. Let these two commandments guide your life today and throughout this week using prayer, presence, gifts, service, and witness to express love to God and people:

 

Prayer – prioritizing time with God, offering thanksgiving, as well as lifting

petitions for others

Presence – using your physical presence to be with God and people

Gifts – using your talents and resources to bless others

Service – humbly serving others like Christ did

Witness – sharing the good news about Jesus and God’s kingdom as well as how you have seen, heard, and experienced God working within your life and the lives of others

 

PRAY today using Psalm 23:1 and Mark 12:29-31 as a guide.

 

 

Monday (5/1)

READ Psalm 23:1 to begin your time with the Lord:

 

Because the Lord is my Shepherd,

I have everything I need! – Psalm 23:1 TLB

 

READ Acts 3:11-26. If you did not read Acts 1:1-3:10 last week, then read it

now before reading the verses for today. Notice the message in 3:19-20. The Greek word translated as “repent” means to “change your mind,” which leads to a change in direction. Do you need to repent and turn to God today? Peter’s message reminds us that forgiveness and “times of refreshing” come as a result of repentance and turning to the Lord.

 

Whatever hardships you are facing or are taking place in the lives of those you know and for people of the world, let the message of verse 21 comfort you. One day God will “restore everything.”

 

PRAY – Pray through your day, including offering thanks for God’s presence with you throughout the day, as well as for the people you will be with or have been with. Prayer is a communion with God sharing your deepest thoughts and feelings, as well as a way to love others.

 

 

Tuesday (5/2)

READ Psalm 23:1 as a reminder.

 

BE SILENT for a few minutes to turn your heart and mind towards the Lord as you seek to be present with Him as much as you are able. You may find it helpful to sit, lay down with your face towards the ground, kneel, or walk during this time of being intentionally present with God. Listen for the internal whisper of the Holy Spirit as a word, phrase, idea, or message that comes to mind.

 

READ Luke 5:27-6:11 and Acts 4:1-22 to see parallels the gospel writer shares in regards to Jesus in Luke’s Gospel and the disciples in Acts. The verses in Luke share times when religious leaders verbally attacked Jesus, and the verses in Acts are about a time when some of those same leaders confronted Peter and John. Acts 4:4 notes that the Holy Spirit empowered movement continued growing in spite of the opposition. If you are using a Study Bible, you may find it helpful to read the study notes for these verses.

 

PRESENCE – What are some ways that you can intentionally be present with the Lord and with others today? Use your time and presence with them as an expression of loving them, knowing that the presence of the Holy Spirit is with you and in you.

 

 

Wednesday (5/3)

READ Psalm 23:1 to prepare yourself for time with our God.

 

READ Acts 4:23-31. What is the specific prayer of the disciples in verses 29-30? Do you pray for these things? Does your family, the small group or Sunday school class you are a member of, or our church pray for these things? If not, allow the Spirit-guided prayer of the disciples to guide your prayer today.

 

PRAY in the Spirit for:

• Christians, including you, to have a boldness in speaking God’s words and sharing the Gospel message
• God to stretch out his hand to heal in Jesus’ name
• God to perform miraculous signs and wonders in Jesus’ name through the people of Christ’s Church

 

GIFTS – Today, how can you use the talents and abundance of resources God has given you to express your love for the Lord and love for people who are made in our Creator’s image?

 

 

Thursday (5/4)

READ Psalm 23:1 to focus your heart and mind on the Lord.

 

BE SILENT for a few minutes to turn your heart and mind towards the Lord as you seek to be present with Him as much as you are able. You may find it helpful to sit, lay down with your face towards the ground, kneel, or walk during this time of being intentionally present with God. Listen for the internal whisper of the Holy Spirit as a word, phrase, idea, or message that comes to mind.

 

READ Acts 4:32-37 and part of Jesus’ prayer from John 17:9-21. The believers described in the verses from Acts were a fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer. How is Jesus’ prayer from John 17 being fulfilled in and through believers today?

 

PRAY in response to God using the ACTS acronym as a guide:

Adoration (praise the Lord)

Confession

Thanksgiving

Supplication (share your needs & the needs of others)

 

SERVICE – What is a way you will serve God instead of money today (Matthew 6:24)? As an expression of love, use your time and effort to serve others today at home, in your neighborhood or community, at work, or elsewhere.

 

 

Friday (5/5)

READ Psalm 23:1 to seek to center yourself in God.

 

READ Acts 5:1-11. You may find it helpful to use the study notes from a Study Bible as well as the questions and suggestions from the Overview portion of this devotional.

 

PRAY that the Lord helps you and our congregation to faithfully follow the Spirit of the Lord wherever He guides us as we seek to live the AUMC virtues revealed in Jesus: Humility, Compassion, Forgiveness, Love

 

WITNESS – Today you can share Christ and be his witness through your words and deeds. Let others experience the humility, compassion, forgiveness, and love of Jesus in and through you. Trust the Holy Spirit to provide the words you need at the right time and boldly share them (Luke 12:11-12).

 

 

Saturday (5/6)

How are you going to remember and observe the Sabbath this weekend? The Sabbath is a day each week that is set apart from the others to stop, rest, worship, and delight in the Lord and what he has given us. If your life and schedule are too busy to observe an entire Sabbath day, try incrementally observing the Sabbath by setting aside an increasing portion of a day each week beginning with an hour, then increasing it to multiple hours or part of a day, and eventually designating an entire day for remembering and observing the Sabbath.

 

During the morning READ Psalm 46:10 and Psalm 37:7. These verses are a reminder to stop and “be still” in God’s presence. Our Sabbath theme for this weekend is “STOP.”

 

• How does stopping and “being still” help you to remember that God is in control?

 

• What are the things you need to stop worrying about today and during this season that you can offer to God in prayer?

 

• What work do you need to set aside for another day so that you can stop and focus on the Lord as you observe the Sabbath?

 

• How are you going to help others to stop working for at least a few hours this weekend?

 

Solitude and Silence. You are encouraged to spend ten, twenty, or thirty minutes alone with God seeking to rest in the peace that can only be found in and from the Lord. If you struggle to stop and rest, consider laying down, kneeling, or sitting on a very comfortable chair or seat. If you need a nap, then sleep so that your mind and body receive the rest that you need.

 

PRAY in response to God’s work within your life this past week and in response to the messages from the Lord in the verses in the psalms that you read.

 

 

During the afternoon or evening READ Genesis 1:1-2:3. Notice what God did on the seventh day of creation. God set an example for us and established a rhythm for life by working six days then stopping on the seventh day. If you are not finished with the work you have been doing during the past week perhaps the verses from Genesis are your reminded that you are not God. Your limitations are part of your humanity and reveal our dependency upon God.

 

• How are you going to set the Sabbath apart this weekend as you follow God’s example?

 

If the weather cooperates and you are physically able, go for a PRAYER WALK outside. You may find it helpful to go to a local park or nature preserve to observe God’s creation and spend time with our Creator.

• What does the created world, including the sun, moon, stars, bodies of water, sky, land, plants, animals, and people, reveal about God?

 

• Thank our Creator for the things you see and hear that were not created by human hands.