Bible Reading Challenge Week 11 Day 1

Our reading challenge for the day is Acts 11-15. I’ll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?

Acts 11 - Peter, surprised by seeing God’s grace come to the Gentiles, defends his actions before others who don’t think the Gentiles can receive Christ. What people do we think can’t believe and be saved from sin? Do we pray for them?

Acts 12 - Even as the Word of God is increasing, Christians are enduring hardship. See the irony of the prayer meeting, begging the Lord to deliver Peter from prison. When Peter is released from prison by the angel he interrupts the praying people, who don’t believe their prayers were answered. Yet God’s works in our midst should remain startling to us. He is never commonplace.

Acts 13 - Sometimes we want to look for miraculous signs. Yet see how in this chapter the greatest miracle is shown as the Lord calls people to himself in faith. Occasionally God uses a person to do a striking miracle but usually he quietly works repentance and faith in their hearts, the most incredible miracle we ever see, as it undoes the sin of our father Adam.

Acts 14 - Often we think of persecutions in the church coming from the pagan government. Here we are reminded that it was the Jews who persecuted Christians. The pagans had a tendency to accept the claims of Jesus. See how Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in the churches - the elders seem to have a pastoral role but we know very little about how they were prepared, only that they served by appointment.

Acts 15 - I’m struck by how many different people are involved in leadership at this point - many who are not among the Twelve. The message remains the same - salvation by grace through faith. It is not through circumcision or culturally becoming Jewish. See how Paul and Barnabas both seem to be considered apostles and how they receive and follow directives made by others, including possibly some who are not among the Twelve. The structure of the early Church was quite interesting.