Context: The Ethiopian eunuch is reading Isaiah. Philip approaches him, asks him if he understands what he is reading, and the eunuch replies, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?”

Acts 8:35 – “Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.”

Observations:  The Spirit of God uses the Word of God through a man of God to bring salvation to a human heart (cf. 1 Pet. 1:23-25).

Application Prayer:  “Lord, empower the Holy Spirit to help me open the Word and explain the good news about Jesus.”

Context: Peter and the other apostles have been charged by the Sanhedrin (religious leaders who had the power to press criminal charges) to stop preaching in the name of Jesus.  The apostles reply, “We must obey God rather than men!”  A Pharisee named Gamaliel convinces the Sanhedrin to flog and release them, “for if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

Acts 5:41 – “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”

Observations:

• Rejoicing BECAUSE they had been counted worthy of suffering
• Suffering disgrace for the Name
• The story continues: “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”

Application:  I must be ready to stand up for the Name of Jesus at all times.  When I present the gospel in the midst of adversity – I want to see it as a joy.

Prayer: Lord, give me the mindset of the apostles as I seek to boldly make Your name known in the face of suffering.

Context: Peter and John have met a lame beggar outside the temple gate called Beautiful.

The Beautiful Gate on the Eastern wall of the temple mount. The Muslims have bricked it closed because of the prophecies of the Messiah's return through this gate.

Acts 3:6 – Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you.  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

Observations:

• Peter and John said they did not have silver or gold
• They gave the beggar healing through Jesus’ name.

Application: I need to be ready to give to others what God has given to me (and I have silver and gold).  I also must remember that the world needs healing through Jesus more than it needs social justice.

Prayer: Guide me to the needs that You have gifted me to meet.  Give me the power to work through Your Holy Spirit in people’s lives.

Context: The Holy Spirit has come, and Peter has preached to the Jews in Jerusalem. “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” – (v36)

Acts 2:37 – “ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter’s Answer: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” – (v38-39)

Observations:

• Hearing prompted a “cut to the heart”
• What shall we do?
  • Repent
  • Be baptized
    • And you will receive the Holy Spirit

Application: I must preach the gospel like Peter.  I need to pray that the Holy Spirit would pierce hearts and lead others to ask: “What shall we do?”

Prayer: Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, pierce the hearts of those around me with the gospel.  Make their hearts ready to respond with: “What shall we do?”  Give me the words to show them a response based on faith and not works.

Context: Peter has denied Jesus three times, and Jesus asks him three times to reaffirm his love and recommissions him.

John 21:17 – (Jesus) said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”  Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Observations:

• Peter was grieved that Jesus would question his love for Him.
• We show our love for Jesus in how we love His sheep.  Yesterday I taught the same truth out of John 15:9-17.

Application: I fear the performance factor in my ministry role.  I am grieved to think that I have gone through seasons of looking for others’ approval above seeking to love and feed them God’s Word.  I want to spend time this week meditating on Jesus’ basic command “Feed my sheep.”

Prayer: Lord, I love You!  Remove every other motivation and give me the ability to feed Your sheep.

Context: Jesus is praying for His disciples to have His joy fulfilled in them, and that they would be protected from the evil one.

John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” – Jesus in prayer

Observations:

• Sanctify them – lifelong process of separation from evil and growth in holiness
• In the truth – believe, think and live in accordance to the truth
• Your word is truth – Greek word is a noun not an adjective (not your word is true).  The Bible is itself the truth.

Application: I must be in (not just reading it, but changed by it) the Word of God (in the truth) to be sanctified.

Prayer: Lord, sanctify me by the Truth- Your Word is truth.  Guide me through Your Word daily and give me eyes to see how my life needs to be sanctified in it.

Context: Jesus tells His disciples that they will grieve when He leaves, but He will send a counselor to be with them always.

John 16:22 – “So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” – Jesus

Observations:

• Now is the disciples’ time of grief
• Jesus will see them again (a promise)
• They will rejoice
• No one will take away their joy
• Several verses later we read: “Ask (in My name) and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

Apply: My family has gone through a season of grief.  Though Jesus is speaking in a different context here, His heart to bring us joy is evident.  I need to ask for joy in Jesus’ name.

Prayer: Lord, in Jesus’ name, I ask for You to bring fullness of joy into my family.  Thank you for loving us through a season of grief.

Context: Jesus is talking about the abiding closeness of the relationship He desires to have with His disciples – so that their joy may be full.

John 15:12 – “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” – Jesus

Observations:

• Command not a suggestion or a request.
• Love one another.
• As I have loved you – sacrificial.  The next verse – “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Application: I want to look for opportunities to love others (including members of my family) like Jesus loves me.

Prayer: Lord, through Your Spirit’s power, give me the ability to selflessly and sacrificially love.  Show me where I do not love and opportunities you give me to love.

Context: In the upper room discourse, Jesus has spoken of the future – heaven and the sending of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:18-19 – “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me.  Because I live, you also will live.” – Jesus

Observations:

• Jesus will not leave the disciples as orphans.
• Jesus will come to the disciples (offsetting their position as an orphans).
• The world does not see Jesus.
• The disciples were to see Jesus when the world did not.
• Because Jesus lives, the disciples were also to live.

Application:

I want to commit to memory: “Because I live, you also will live.”  I want to spend time meditating on His presence (not an orphan) and where I see Him.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for giving me life!

S – John 12:43 – “(F)or they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”

O – In the preceding verses, John recorded that many authorities believed in Jesus, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it.  In my own words, this verse tells me that the desire to receive praise from people can push me away from professing Christ.

A – I want to watch my life closely today.  I know that I want to receive glory from man.  I must not let that drive anything that I do.  I must work for God’s glory alone.

P – “Lord, I confess my selfish and sinful desire to receive praise from man.  Show me anything that I am doing or not doing that is motivated by that desire.  Grow my desire for Your glory alone.  May Your glory be what dictates my every move.”