"WASH YOUR HANDS!" A Discussion of Sin and Grace

HOW TO USE: This blog is written to serve as the basis for discussion. Find a partner or group to read through it together! Take turns answering the questions and listening to each other’s answers. Comment, email, or share your insights from your discussion with us! Here we are! This is our last Bible study post on the book of Acts. Luke finishes his account of the life of the early Christian church in the same way it began, by showing us how God’s gospel conquers all challenges and obstacles. These last two chapters are an insightful portrait of the Apostle Paul. As you read Acts 27 and 28, see what you catch about Paul’s character, his faith, his leadership, and his commitment to gospel outreach. More importantly, see what you catch about the commitment of Jesus himself to bring the message of salvation across borders, for the salvation of souls. Read Acts 27 Take a closer look at verses 25 and 26. How does Paul demonstrate his faith that God controls the outcome? The entire experience must have been absolutely harrowing for the 276 passengers on board. Yet, when it was all over, how would they think of Paul now? Jesus does not promise to block every disaster from harming us like he uniquely did to Paul and his travel companions. However, what opportunities might you have to testify to what you believe by showing calm confidence in the Lord through troubling times? Recall Acts 23:11. What was the purpose for preserving Paul’s life through this dangerous storm? Read Acts 28:1-16 Compare the snake bite incident with Acts 14:11-19, when the Lycaonians mistook Paul and Barnabas for Zeus and Hermes. What do you make of the frequent encounters between the gospel and local superstitions? How have you seen that conflict play out in modern times? Paul and his companions must have been relieved to set foot on dry ground after their terrifying journey! Yet the work of the gospel ministry continues. What themes from Acts are repeated here in Luke’s telling of Paul’s activity in this new area? Read Acts 28:17-31 Paul wants to keep his modus operandi of speaking first with the Jewish leaders in the community. However, dude to the strict terms of his arrest, he is unable to visit the local synagogues. How does Paul demonstrate his flexibility and commitment to get the gospel message out there? How does Paul show kindness to his opponents in the way he recounts his previous conflicts? Paul reasons with his fellow Jews that “Moses and the Prophets” point to Jesus. This is another way of referring to what we call the “Old Testament.” How have you seen it emphasized that the Old Testament also centers on Christ at church (in worship, study, art, etc.)? Paul is no longer able to be the street evangelist he once was. Instead, he adopts an approach that we might call “hospitality ministry.” Which method of sharing the gospel best fits your personality: going out and witnessing to new people, or welcoming them into your home? What are the benefits of both? What does it mean to you to “proclaim the kingdom of God … with all boldness and without hindrance”? Congratulations! You’ve studied the entire book of Acts with us! Please send us your takeaways from this wonderful account of the life of the early Chirstian church. What do you think the most important key theme is from this book that any modern Christian church must know? God bless your meditation and discussion! Pastor Mike Cherney

HOW TO USE: This blog is written to serve as the basis for discussion. Find a partner or group to read through it together! Take turns answering the questions and listening to each other’s answers. Comment, email, or share your insights from your discussion with us! We are nearing the end of our time together in the book of Acts. Throughout this exciting account of the early life of the church, we’ve witnessed the rapid growth of the Christian community. We’ve seen how leaders adapt to change and address growing pains. We’ve witnessed important people like Peter and Paul assert the importance of believing the message about Jesus and living accordingly. Now, as you read Acts 26, you’ll notice that all along, we were never far from the essential building blocks of the faith. As you read Paul’s testimony before King Agrippa, you’ll see that the essential message of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection was always the driving force behind everything the Apostles accomplished. This is an especially timely reminder right now, as we get ready to celebrate Christmas! May this devotion study motivate you to take what you hear in church on Christmas to heart as the theme of your whole life: that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners such as you and me (1 Timothy 1:15). And may God prepare you like he did Paul to testify to that truth before many people! Read Acts 26 Once again, Paul asserts that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was a real, historical fact, and as such is the foundation of all gospel preaching. (For more beautiful explanation of this important fact, see 1 Corinthians 15:12-58.) Paul’s personal testimony include a few details that were left out of previous accounts of his conversion. What does Paul mention about his past life that highlight the amazing quality of his story? How does a Christian stay mindful of her/his story “before Christ” without recycling guilt over past sins? When Paul asserted Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, it got him into trouble. How does Paul show that there is no room for differences of opinion about this central fact? Since King Agrippa was familiar with Old Testament doctrine (to some degree), Paul begins to make it more personal to him in verse 27. How does this show Paul’s fearlessness in sharing the gospel? When Paul does this, King Agrippa immediately resists (verse 28). Why do you think he reacted this way to Paul’s witness? Take a look at the following passages. What echoes do you see repeated from Paul’s personal testimony in Acts 26? Colossians 1:12-14 Ephesians 2:19-20 Ephesians 3:1-10 Galatians 1:15-16 Imagine a friend asks you to basically summarize what you believe the Bible to be about. Using what you read in this study (and/or your study of Acts thus far), what 3-5 points would you bring up to summarize the truth of the gospel? At the time of this devotion’s being written, we are very close to our celebration of Christmas. How does Paul’s testimony about the gospel prepare you to celebrate the reason Christ was born? God bless your meditation and discussion! Pastor Mike Cherney

HOW TO USE: This blog is written to serve as the basis for discussion. Find a partner or group to read through it together! Take turns answering the questions and listening to each other’s answers. Comment, email, or share your insights from your discussion with us! I believe that public speaking is not a skill that occurs naturally to anyone. You may see a niece or nephew parade around the house with a microphone and think, “They are going to be a star someday!” I have pastor friends who have caught their kids performing the service to an audience of stuffed animals. The desire to perform or speak in front of a crowd seems to come naturally to many, but the skills to do this well only come with practice and training. That’s my opinion, anyway. In these next two chapters of Acts, we’ll follow Paul into a public speaking situation that would make any of us incredibly nervous. He has to plead his own case before the most powerful people in the known world. When you read, observe Paul’s cool and collected attitude, and think about how God has been preparing him for this moment through years of practice and training. Think about what gave Paul the confidence to stand before these powerful people and assert his innocence, and catch that same confidence for yourself – because the same God that prepared Paul for this moment is at work in your heart through the gospel! Read Acts 24 · Since Roman rulers would not care about matters of interpretation of the Bible, Paul’s accusers have to paint him an enemy of the state and a dangerous man to the Roman empire. They carefully choose their words in order to deceive Felix into thinking they are the good guys and Paul and his followers are the bad guys. How do you observe this deception at work? · Paul’s accusers never gave him the courtesy to hear him out, but instantly decided he was a threat and needed to be extinguished. Where do we see this type of “Us versus you” thinking still at play today? How can Christians fight this mentality when trying to reach the non-Christian community around them with the gospel? · In what verses do you see Paul doing his best to bridge the gap and do away with the “me versus you” mentality? · Paul declares that his goal is to keep a clear conscience before God and man (Acts 24:16). What is his motivation for doing so? · While Paul clearly believed and taught that we are saved by God’s grace alone and not our own works (Ephesians 2:8-9), he refuses to take God’s grace as a license for acting poorly. How does Philippians 3:12-14 explain Paul’s perspective on the kind of character a saved-by-grace Christian will have? · Paul had the opportunity to share this perspective with Felix and his wife Drusilla, but apparently hearing about living a life of good character while waiting for the resurrection was scary to them! What do you think they found so intimidating about this teaching? Read Acts 25 Things were looking good under Felix. Paul probably thought that his case would be eventually dismissed and he could go on with his life. However, Felix procrastinated the case so long that it was transferred to Festus, who had a different attitude and demeanor. · At first glance, it would appear that Paul is a hot potato passed between different rulers. None of them want to hang onto him for very long, because his case is so confusing to them. However, what might God have in mind for allowing this convoluted judicial process to continue this way? What comfort or encouragement might that give to those of us who wait for justice? God bless your meditation and discussion! - Pastor Mike Cherney

HOW TO USE: This blog is written to serve as the basis for discussion. Find a partner or group to read through it together! Take turns answering the questions and listening to each other’s answers. Comment, email, or share your insights from your discussion with us! Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” This verse slays me! To keep control of my temper can feel like it requires super-human strength. When other people fail or mistreat us, it feels far easier to dig back at them, doesn’t it? A passive-aggressive comment comes out of our mouths before we can even think. A critical or irritated expression covers our face, so that anyone paying attention can tell how frustrated we are. Sometimes, we’re ashamed to admit, we even think about violence as the right response to what has been done to us. God, forbid us from carrying that out! Jesus doesn’t have a short temper (Isaiah 53:7). He came as our gentle Savior (Isaiah 53:9). Rather than respond to our anger with anger, he forgives us by his own willing sacrifice (Ephesians 2:13).That means that every time we act gently toward others, even our enemies, we are imitating our Savior (Ephesians 4:32). As you read these two chapters from Acts, keep your eyes open for how Paul shows his faith in Christ by responding gently to his enemies’ aggression. Think about how you will want to imitate Paul’s example, who was imitating Christ’s example, this week. Read Acts 22 This retelling of Paul’s conversion and call (Acts 22:1-21) neatly summarizes important truths we’ve been tracking in the book of Acts. · How does Paul’s speech summarize not only his personal story, but the entire purpose of the gospel ministry? Remember that the crowd was fired up at Paul because of his association with Gentiles (see Acts 21:28). When Paul finishes his speech, they come after him even more enraged (Acts 22:22-24). · Even when people disagree on religious issues, violence is never an appropriate response. What do you think possessed these people to abuse Paul in this way? What do we have to guard our own hearts against so that we don’t fall to the same trap (Proverbs 4:23)? It was illegal to flog a Roman citizen with the scourge (or “flagellum”), which was undoubtedly what they were going to do. The Jewish leaders had already crossed the line; if they went any further they’d be in danger of punishment from their Roman superiors. Paul’s would-be flogger had to bribe his way to get his citizenship, but Paul likely got his from his father’s side. Paul had to be taken before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council) to at least get a formal conviction before any more violence could occur. · What strikes you about the way Paul handles this situation? How can we imitate Paul’s qualities when we feel mistreated? Read Acts 23 The scene in Acts 23:1-11 is full of tension, not just between Paul and his accusers, but between the members of the ruling council themselves! Some believed in the resurrection from the dead (the Pharisees) and some strongly denied it (the Sadducees). · What do you notice about the way Paul conducts himself? How does he show his humanity? How does he show his faith? · Explain why Paul wasn’t just stirring conflict when he brought up the resurrection of the dead. Use 1 Corinthians 15:12 and 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 to help explain why this was worth mentioning at this time. The tension builds in Acts 23:12-35, and will continue to build through the rest of Acts. · FOR FURTHER READING: Compare what you’ve read from Acts 23 with Luke 22:47 to Luke 23:49. What are the similarities between what happens to Paul and Jesus? What are the major differences? · Even though God’s name and activity are not directly mentioned here very often, how can we see the protective hand of God over the Apostle Paul throughout these events? · For what purpose was God protecting Paul? · Through what means did God protect Paul? In summary, · What did this lesson show you about how the Christian should respond to injustice and mistreatment? (See 1 Peter 3:8-12) · What did this lesson show you about keeping a clear conscience before our abusers, yet remembering where our cleansing of conscience come from? (See Philippians 3:7-14) · What comfort or encouragement would you give to someone who is currently suffering injustice or mistreatment?

HOW TO USE: This blog is written to serve as the basis for discussion. Find a partner or group to read through it together! Take turns answering the questions and listening to each other’s answers. Comment, email, or share your insights from your discussion with us! For starters, take a moment to think or talk about your favorite team of heroes. From the Ninja Turtles to Sailor Moon, or the Magnificent Seven, teams of heroes get things done. You likely serve or have served on some sort of team yourself, at work or in your family. So, you’ve noticed that real-world teamwork is a lot more complicated than just using your weapon-of-choice to join in on a big brawl against the enemy. Real teamwork requires communication, forgiveness, and understanding. Real teamwork involves real human beings. As you read Acts 21, notice how far Paul is willing to go to show that he’s a “team player.” Contrast that with what other teams ask of you, how some teams demand your allegiance yet are unworthy of it, and how other teams fail to properly trust its members and therefore are unsuccessful. When you read Acts 21, you’ll begin to track a series of events through the rest of Acts that prove that teamwork in the Gospel is always effective, and is always worth being a “team player.” Read Acts 21:1-16. Notice how hard it was for the believers to say goodbye to the Apostle Paul. How does this testify to the strength of the relationship Paul had with the people he served? Notice that none of the prophets were trying to dissuade Paul from his journey. They were simply illuminating what would happen when he got to Jerusalem. When Paul’s horrified friends realize that there’s no convincing him to stay, they simply pray, “The Lord’s will be done.” It’s one thing to entrust our selves to the Lord’s will with whatever suffering he may have in store for us. It can be even harder to pray “Thy will be done” when it comes to what our loved ones have to go through. What encouragement does this section give you to keep on praying “Thy will be done” no matter the circumstances? How does this sections prove that praying for our brothers and sisters’ wellbeing is never separate from taking care of their physical and emotional needs? Read Acts 21:17-26 The controversial intermingling of Jewish and Gentile Christians was still a hot topic, and Paul found himself in the crosshairs. The Jerusalem Christians were doing their best to manage this controversy, and Paul had the opportunity to help them out. If he could be seen assisting these four men fulfill their purification rites (not for theological reasons, but for reasons of practice and sensitivity) then any accusation that Paul no longer cared for Jewish traditions and culture would be squashed wholesale. What reasons could Paul have to refuse performing this act of service? Why do you think he was so willing to go through with it? How does Paul continue to show his gospel attitude in his willingness to be a team player? In what way was this a “team” worth “playing” for? What guidance does this account give for the kinds of demands a church should make on its members? What kind of “team playing” should a modern church expect of its members? Of its leaders? Read Acts 21:27-40 It was a public offense to bring Gentiles into the innermost court of Herod’s temple, but an offense Paul had not committed. This was all a misunderstanding made worse because of the heightened tension between Jews and Gentiles, and the slander against Paul that was already common. You can tell that this was an emotionally-charged environment by how quick some are to rush to this riot, and how accustomed they are to uprisings and revolutions (see verse 38). The prophecy about what Paul would go through had come true. How can you tell that even if Paul knew this would happen, he would not have done anything differently? Even when we do our level best to be team players for the gospel, what do we need to be prepared for? Notice how calm and polite Paul’s speech seems to be, even as he is likely bruised and bleeding as he speaks. What encouragements should we take from this? God bless your meditation and discussion! Pastor Mike Cherney