Bible Commentary & Daily Devotional

  Acts 3:1          Notice here that Peter and John were together. That’s a mark of the Jesus way, together. We don’t see lone wolf preaching sensations, televangelists, or missionaries. Jesus sent out in teams of two. At least two. This teamwork principle was drilled into his men during his ministry. So often now we are alone in our work. This modern-day practice must stop. Man was not made to live, work, or minister alone. We are part of a body – and we must act like it. That means going together, serving, leading, celebrating, mourning, and following Jesus together. We are each unique. And we have special roles and functions. But when you see a one-man band playing, no matter how he looks or sounds, know that God’s alarm bells are ringing and dysfunction is close at hand.          Notice, too, that Peter and John were attending an afternoon prayer service. When was the last time we did that with our brothers in Christ? To unlock the power of the Holy Spirit in our

  Acts 2:42-47 The Acts church is the real church. The exciting church. The joyous church. The Acts church is characterized by unity of purpose. Not uniformity – we don't all look the same way, come from the same backgrounds, have the same tastes, or have the same abilities. We are unified in declaring the goodness of God and His plan revealed in Jesus Christ. It's tempting to become a club, but the church is much more, and it's much more than a group of so-called good people superior to the local sinners. The Acts church is known for its love, generosity, humility, and kindness. Is that how our neighbors see us? I hope so! The first church saw believers devoted to the apostles' teaching. That's what Christians do.   We listen and understand and hold fast to the teaching of Jesus and His apostles. We are God's people – we should be unique in this way: the whole community is focused on the apostles' teachings. Yet somehow, much of the modern church

  Acts 2:14-41            Everything of lasting value is built on a firm foundation. The solid foundation of God’s people is Jesus Christ. He was a carpenter’s son. Yet He is the Master Builder. A master builder gets excellent materials and uses them to their full potential. No one else sees the value of the raw materials until the product is finished. That’s how it was with the early Church. The world saw backwater hicks; they were simple, poor Galileans. God saw Peter the Rock, the mighty Apostles, godly solid women, Jesus’ beloved mom, and Jesus’ loyal brothers. A small group of about 120 believers. From this, Jesus built his Church. And He will continue to grow it until the great and glorious Day of the Lord’s return (2 Peter 3). From day one, God’s people talked about the wonderful things God has done. Let’s continue that example today! God’s promise is this: if we repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

  Acts 2:1-13            Jesus told his disciples that it would be better for them if He went to the Father. He promised the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. In John 20:22, Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on his disciples. They had His anointing authority breathed on them.          And yet He, the Giver of all good things, promised to baptize (i.e., drench) them with the Holy Spirit. And they didn’t have to wait long. Just ten days after Jesus was taken up into a cloud was the day of Pentecost, the baptizing in the Holy Spirit.          Oh God, drench us today in you. Thank you for the unique gifts you give the saints. Show your power, Lord Jesus. Show us that we are your very own people. And remind us of our responsibility to teach and encourage believers that your grace has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people (whether Canadians, Egyptians, Libyans, Italians, Cretans, or Arabs).                     Let us not just speak in other languages, but Lord God, please let

  Acts 1:24-26          The responsibility for Judas’ actions was on Judas. He had a privileged position as an apostle of Jesus Christ. My guess is he was incredibly talented, committed, and capable. Yet he had a fatal flaw. He lacked faith in Jesus Christ. He had no patience. He could not wait on God’s timing and God’s justice. And he threw his life away. And Matthias received the blessing of being an apostle and living a life filled with light and joy. Here are a couple of thoughts on this. First, while God knew what deceit would come into Judas’ heart, he did not cause it, nor was God responsible for Judas’ sin. It was Judas who deserted his Master and his brothers in Christ. Peter confirms that Judas has gone where he belongs. Presumably, hell. Sad, tragic, but true. And just. Let that be a lesson to each of us. Do not drift away. Do not shipwreck your faith. Each of us is accountable to Jesus Christ on the Day of judgment. Thank God for His mercy and grace. B

  Acts 1:12 - 22          Remarkably, all of the apostles stuck together. They were all witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. And they all saw him ascend into heaven.          God used two angels to confirm to the apostles that someday Jesus would return from heaven. That is Jesus’ style. He always does things creatively and in a way that shows His love for us. And that’s what we see here. Even though the apostles had not yet received the Holy Spirit, promised by the Father, Jesus sent these two white-robed men to say, “Stop staring at heaven. Jesus is gone. He will return.” God has a similar message throughout Scripture. It is the responsibility of believers to work hard, get moving, and be useful. This small band of 11 brothers (soon to be 12 again), the motley men of Galilee, would soon multiply greatly on the Day of Pentecost. God’s church never stops growing; it will continue to grow until the Day of Jesus’ return.          From the start, the apostles show us unity in prayer. T

  Acts 1          God does work in mysterious ways.  He gives us insight and instructions, but rarely do we have the full picture.  That is what we hear in this introductory chapter of Acts.  For forty days after Jesus died on the cross, He appeared to the apostles from time to time and proved to them in many ways that he was alive. And yet, he left them with many questions.  That, my friends, is how it is in this life.  God’s mysterious.  And yet He gives us everything we need to live a godly life.  And, like it was from day one of the early Church, He teaches us and gives us instructions through the Holy Spirit. But God leaves it to us to live this one life he’s given us. He’s not a doting parent or a micromanager. He wants us to know he’s alive, that our victory is through His victory on the cross, and that the Kingdom of God is our home.  Yet he gives us the fantastic job of building His church.  Until the Day of Jesus’ return that responsibility lies with us, His children - thos