TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 1:18-25
They will call him Immanuel--which means, ""God with us."" - Matthew 1:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
The great Dutch artist Rembrandt has painted a nativity scene that focuses entirely on the Child in the manger. Rembrandt achieved this effect by painting a shaft of light so that it fell on the infant Jesus in the manger. Other figures are included in the painting, but Rembrandt put them in the shadows so that Jesus alone would be the center of attention and adoration at the Christmas season.

This is God the Father’s desire--not just at Christmas, but every day of the year. The people who would soon surround the newborn Baby in Bethlehem would be looking into the face of the only Person who can claim the title ""God with us."" The fact that the God of creation would humble Himself to be born as a human being is part of the ""mystery of godliness"" (1 Tim. 3:16) that sets our faith apart.

Matthew is the only Gospel writer who gives us much detail about Joseph and his crucial role in the story of Christmas. It’s obvious that Mary’s godly character is mirrored in her husband, whom Matthew calls a ""righteous man"" (Matt. 1:19). Joseph’s main concern, like Mary’s, was the honor and glory of God.

Because of this, God led Joseph every step of the way through the incredible events he was about to experience. Joseph was not only the benefactor of a heavenly visit before Jesus was born (vv. 20-21). Three times after the birth of Jesus, Joseph was also guided by heavenly messengers (vv. 2:13, 19, 22).

Joseph sometimes gets overlooked in the Christmas story, since he basically dropped out of the biblical narrative after the events of Christmas and the family’s flight to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod. But we are reminded that Joseph was a ""son of David"" (v. 20), a member of Messiah’s royal line. And his immediate obedience to the angel’s command was key to the unfolding of the events that gave us our Savior.

When the time came for the birth of God’s son, Joseph was content to take his place in the shadows. He had an eternal perspective that allowed him to be faithful in what God called him to do. It was from the shadows that Joseph looked into the face of God in the flesh.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
As you prepare to celebrate the birth of ""God with us,"" there are several things you can do to help make your Christmas Eve memorable.

First, plan to attend any special services your church may hold. Second, choose a favorite Christmas song to play in your home today. And don’t forget to read the story of Jesus’ birth. Be sure to make Christmas Eve a spiritual highlight in your home.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 2:1-20
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. - Luke 2:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
We hope you are having a joy-filled and blessed Christmas Day. It’s also our hope and prayer that you have found God’s Word to be as fresh and exciting this Christmas Day as it has been for generations of His people. Because of Jesus, the wonder of Christmas will never fade.

The great British Bible teacher F. B. Meyer said, ""God comes to people in the spheres with which they are most familiar: to the shepherds in the fields, to the wise men by a sign in the heavens. God knows just where to find us, and in turn provides all we need to find and worship Him.""

One of the amazing things about the Christmas story is how God used the familiar and the humble to announce the supernatural birth of Jesus. Consider the scenes in Luke 2 that are so familiar to us. It doesn’t get any more humble than a poor young couple going to a small village and having to stay in a stable because of their poverty and the overcrowding in Bethlehem.

But it was in that dark stall that the light of the world was born.

And what about the shepherds outside Bethlehem? They were the epitome of humility--common men doing a menial job. It was in their world of sheep in open fields that God found them and sent His angels with the good news.

The startled shepherds could hardly believe what they were hearing. Israel’s long-awaited Messiah had come, and they were being told exactly where they could find Him.

Once they recovered from their astonishment, this news was enough to send the shepherds to Bethlehem in joyful anticipation. This is the third scene in today’s text. The shepherds bowed before the newborn King, then went out to tell others what they had seen and heard.

The ""glory of the Lord"" that shined on the shepherds that night is gone. But if Jesus Christ is the light of your Christmas today, nothing can dim the joy of knowing your Savior who was born in Bethlehem.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Since Christmas is a day for giving and receiving gifts, let’s take a few minutes to thank God for the great gift of His Son, and for the blessings that belong to us through our identification with Christ.

These blessings include our deliverance from Satan’s domain (Col. 1:13-14), the payment of our sin in full (Col. 2:13-14), peace with God (Rom. 5:1), and a home in heaven (Jn. 14:1-3). Praise God for His gifts today!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 2:1-12
They saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. - Matthew 2:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Franz Gruber was distraught. It was Christmas Eve, 1818, when Gruber, the church organist in the little town of Oberndorf, Bavaria, discovered that his organ was broken. The town was snowbound, and no one in Oberndorf could fix the organ.

So Gruber asked church vicar Joseph Mohr to compose a song the congregation could sing without the organ. Early on Christmas Day, Mohr handed his new poem to Gruber, who quickly composed a melody. The people sang the song, and loved it. What Mohr gave Gruber, and what the two of them gave the world, has become a treasured Christmas gift around the world: Silent Night.

The Magi traveled a rigorous journey to give treasured gifts to Jesus when they arrived in Bethlehem sometime after His birth. These were lavish gifts, given as an act of worship by these prominent visitors from the east. The Magi’s gifts gave testimony to their understanding of Christ’s uniqueness.

These men stepped into the Christmas narrative for a short time and then disappeared. We don’t really know how many Magi there were or where they came from. Someone has suggested that it would take more than three men to stir up all of Jerusalem. Whatever the case, they were looking for a coming King. When they saw the star of Bethlehem, they knew their expectation had been fulfilled.

The star of God ""went ahead of them"" to guide the Magi (v. 9)--like the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites--until it had led them to Jesus. The irony of Matthew 2 is that foreigners announced to the leaders of Israel that their own King had been born.

The indifference of the nation is stunning. The chief priests and teachers of the law knew exactly what the Magi were talking about, but apparently made no effort to search out the truth for themselves. Even the wicked King Herod was more curious than those who should have been at the head of the line in Bethlehem, worshiping their Messiah.

But the Magi got to share in the birth of the Savior. They were the first to offer Jesus gifts that represented the best they had--the same gift He wants from us today!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The day after Christmas is a good time to talk about the importance of maintaining an eternal perspective.

We’ve talked a lot about next year, mostly in the context of the millennium bug and the problems it might bring. But God’s purpose for His people in 2000 is far bigger than that. Is there an area of your Christian life or witness that God may want you to strengthen in the year ahead? Pray for insight on how to be the best you can be for His sake.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 11:28-30
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me . . . and you will find rest for your souls. - Matthew 11:29
TODAY IN THE WORD
One day a father was watching his young son try to move a rock they found in a field. The little guy strained with every muscle he had, but he couldn’t budge the rock. At one point his father said to him, ""Son, you’re not using all the strength you have to move that rock.""

""Yes, I am, daddy,"" the boy said. Dad watched for a few more minutes as his son wrestled with the rock. Then he said, ""Son, you’re not using all the strength you have to move that rock."" Once again the frustrated boy protested that he was using all his strength. ""No, son, you aren’t, because you haven’t asked me to help you.""

That’s what we often do in our relationship with God. Jesus’ invitation is for those struggling with the burdens of sin to exchange those tiring loads for His yoke of salvation and discipleship. But His words have an important application for us as the year winds down.

Let’s not make the mistake of thinking that Jesus is talking about a fifty-fifty deal in which He does His part and we do ours. That’s not the Christian life. God supplies all the strength and the resources necessary to live for Him. All we provide are willing hands and hearts.

But it’s clear that following Jesus does involve a partnership in which we are yoked together with Him, like the oxen of biblical times.

To stay with the analogy, it doesn’t make sense for us to try and pull the load by ourselves when we are joined with the Son of God who offers to take our load. It’s foolish, in fact, because we’ll wind up overburdened and worn out.

There’s another reason we need to learn how to accept Jesus’ invitation. The burdens we wind up carrying on our own are not always the ones God wants us to have. Jesus used the same basic word for burden in verses 28 and 30, inviting us to exchange our own wearisome burden for His, which is ""light"" by comparison. Christ’s burden is the challenge of being His disciple (the word ""learn"" in v. 29 is the verb form of the word for disciple).

What an invitation for the new year! Let’s put aside the burdens that weigh us down, and partner with Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Wouldn’t it be great to use all the spiritual strength available to us as we head into the new millennium?

To do that, we have to quit trying to carry around a load of burdens on our own. For most of us, the hardest place to trust God is the area in which we think we are the strongest and most capable of doing the job ourselves. What is that area for you? Are you willing to give up control and learn what Christ wants you to do? Talk to Him about it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 14:1-14
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. - Exodus 14:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
A commercial for a major airline featured the head of a company telling his staff they had lost so much personal contact with their clients that one of the company’s oldest and best customers had just fired them. The solution was to travel to each client. Airline tickets were handed out, and there was even one for the boss. When asked where he was going, he said, ""I’m going to see that old friend who fired us.""

There are some things too important to be left to anyone but the person in charge. That was the situation at the edge of the Red Sea as Moses and the recently liberated Israelites found themselves trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s approaching army. God Himself took charge of this operation.

God had stirred up the Pharaoh to change his mind and go after his former slaves for a reason. God would be glorified through the Egyptians’ defeat (v. 4). When the Pharaoh heard that the Israelites were pinned against the Red Sea, he gathered his great army and headed toward his judgment as God performed an astounding miracle.

The people saw the Egyptians coming and reacted in terror. They turned to Moses with a fearful complaint (vv. 10-12), but Moses had the right reaction. It was time for the Israelites to quit being afraid and quit complaining and look to God for the deliverance they needed.

The rest of Exodus 14 records what God did while His people stood watching in silent awe. You know the story of the Red Sea parting for Israel and then closing over the Egyptians. Many Bible critics have tried to deny and dismiss this miracle, but God’s Word speaks clearly.

When the people of Israel saw the dead bodies of the enemy’s troops and began to comprehend what God had done, they responded with reverence and trust toward God and trust in Moses (v. 31). Unfortunately, they didn’t maintain this eternal perspective for the rest of the wilderness journey. But at least at this point, they had an undeniable witness to God’s power.

Many of us can relate to the situation the people of Israel faced at the Red Sea. But the real issue isn’t the potential problem. We need to stand still and see what God will to do.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
No matter what happens to the world around us, God’s people can find many opportunities to be a witness of His incredible power in their lives.

This is not some special spiritual power we know nothing about. It’s God working in our lives. Christians are supposed to have an unexplainable aspect to their lives (1 Cor. 2:15). So a good year-end question to ask yourself today is whether you can point to something in your life that can be accounted for only by the power of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:13
The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God. - 1 Thessalonians 4:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
For many people, it’s the uncertainty of what the future will bring that makes them lose hope and become fearful. The Christians in Thessalonica were also facing uncertainty, and they evidently asked Paul for help. His answer to their need is our hope for the future in any and every year.

These early believers were worried about their fellow Christians who had died. Paul visited the city of Thessalonica during his second missionary journey and taught for three Sabbaths in the synagogue (Acts 17:2). Since he was forced to leave town soon after that, the new Christians had time only for basic teaching in the faith.

So when it came to death, the Thessalonians were afraid their friends and loved ones might be gone forever, never to see the return of Christ. Paul had a wonderful revelation for them, the teaching of the return of Christ for His own.

The apostle was specific about the order of events, with the dead rising first to meet the Lord in the air. It is in comparing this event with the second coming of Christ in Revelation that careful Bible students can see many differences. The rapture is, as we said, the coming of Christ for His own. In Revelation 19:11-16, He comes with His own to execute judgment on the earth. No judgment is involved in the rapture.

There is comfort here. Christ’s promise to keep His faithful followers from the period of terrible judgment will be fulfilled (Rev. 3:10).

Talk about maintaining an eternal perspective. If you’re looking expectantly for Christ to come and take you to be with Him forever, temporary problems down here won’t really shake your world.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God’s peace and comfort is available for us and our families. We can celebrate it with the coming of the New Year.

Why not plan to finish this day with a time of Scripture reading, singing, and prayer together? For a Bible reading, you may want to go back through this devotional and find a passage that spoke to you in a special way. Invite others to join you in a time of worship and praise.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Titus 2:11-15
We wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. - Titus 2:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
After President Harry Truman announced he would not be a candidate for re-election in 1952, Illinois governor Adlai Stevenson became the Democrats’ first choice. But Stevenson tried hard to say no to the nomination, stating, ""I just don’t want to be nominated for the presidency. I have no ambition to be President. I have no desire for the office, mentally, temperamentally, or physically."" But at the Democratic convention in Chicago that summer, Stevenson was drafted by his party and eventually lost the election to Dwight Eisenhower.

One reason Adlai Stevenson didn’t want the 1952 Democratic presidential nomination was that he was already concentrating on his bid for re-election as Illinois governor. Stevenson knew he would have to say no to a lot of other things if he wanted to reach his goal.

As Christians we have to say no to a lot of things if we want to reach the goal of Christ’s approval and rewards in heaven. Saying no is often hard. But when it comes to ""ungodliness and worldly passions"" (v. 12), God has already given us the answer. It’s always no to sin.

We say no to the world so we can live the kind of lives on earth that please God. And as we live to please Him, Paul tells us we do so in the hope that Christ who saved us will return for us someday.

This is the ""blessed hope"" for which Paul waited so eagerly. Based on his teaching in 1 Thessalonians 4, which we studied yesterday, we may conclude that Paul was speaking of the rapture, the next event on God’s prophetic calendar and the moment when we will first see Jesus.

It takes a firm hope like this to give us the eternal perspective we need.

How should we be conducting ourselves as the year 2000 arrives? We believe God’s Word teaches us to keep doing His will and saying no to the world. Let’s stay on guard spiritually and be ""eager to do what is good"" (v. 14) in these final hours of 1999.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Did you find a 3 x 5 card or piece of paper at the end of this month’s copy of Today in the Word?

On December 1 we encouraged you to write down one specific thing you wanted God to do in your life this month. If you did so, we hope today reveals the ways in which God has been faithful to answer your prayer. And even if you didn’t give it a try, it’s still a good spiritual challenge. Maybe you’ll want to write down a goal for the first month of the new year.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 19:28-20:19
See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey. - Zechariah 9:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Reading about the Triumphal Entry without an Old Testament is like treasure hunting without a map. Unless you have an extraordinary scholar's knowledge of the Psalms and the Prophets, you're sure to miss a wealth of helpful information.

Thankfully, God has preserved His Word so that we can examine the culmination of prophecy unfolding in today's reading. The person with the greatest understanding of what was happening was Jesus Himself, who clearly had read this story before. When the disciples followed His instructions, everything was exactly as He described, impossible to be a coincidence.

Luke had set up this moment with several references to the journey toward Jerusalem. And as He descended the Mount of Olives, the crowds lauded Him with praise literally fit for a King, citing the messianic Psalm 118. Ironically, Jesus later quoted this same psalm to rebuke the Pharisees for their rejection (20:17). As triumphal as the entry to the city was, it was not a happy occasion. Jesus knew the rejection and the suffering that awaited Him (19:41; 20:14-15). But it was the spiritual condition of Jerusalem that drew Jesus' attention.

When Jesus cleared the merchants from the temple, He alluded to two prophecies that harshly judged the prevailing attitude of the Jews. Isaiah 56 calls the Lord's Temple “a house of prayer” (Isa. 56:7) and says that when justice and purity filled the temple, God would open His house to foreigners from all nations—an atmosphere of welcoming hope that Israel's religious leaders had neglected. The “den of robbers” label comes from Jeremiah 7:11, a chapter warning of potential destruction and accusing Israel of filling the temple with deceptive faith in the wrong things.

It wasn't just Jesus who fulfilled prophecy—Israel, by their rejection of Jesus, fulfilled ominous prophecy as well.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Reserve some time to read through the Old Testament passages quoted in today's verses: Psalm 118, Isaiah 56, Jeremiah 7, and Zechariah 9. That Scripture creates the context for Christ's arrival in Jerusalem, and it illustrates a key aspect of God's plan for the world. He has always planned to use His chosen people to bring all nations to Him. Faith is meant to be shared, not selfishly hoarded. Ask God for a heart of compassion today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 1:1-14
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses. - Acts 1:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
An American student going to Britain’s Oxford University for graduate study went to see the poet T. S. Eliot. As his visitor was about to leave, Eliot said, “Forty years ago I went to Oxford. Now, what advice can I give you?” The student waited breathlessly for a profound insight from the great poet, only to hear, “Have you any long underwear?”

You may have heard a lot of practical advice concerning the new year. But for profound insights on how to live, we must dig into the timeless wisdom of God’s Word.

That’s the best way to begin this new era, which we hope will also be a time of some new beginnings for you in your Christian life. We want to talk about new beginnings this month by studying the book of Acts and the founding of the church. This is really the beginning of our story, because the history of Christ’s body is still being written today.

The book of Acts is actually volume two of Luke’s biblical writings (v. 1; cf. Luke 1:1-4), since he saw the events of Acts as a continuation of Jesus’ ministry. Biblical research and archaeology have confirmed that Luke was a very accurate historian.

We will approach this study topically, rather than try to cover every verse in the book. Our purpose is to deal with only those events that helped establish and expand the church.

Jesus’ ascension set the stage for the church’s birth. It was forty days after His resurrection (v. 3), and now that the Lord was alive the disciples were hoping for a kingdom (v. 6).

But they received a commission instead. Today’s verse is not only a great principle of ministry. It is also a concise outline of the events in Acts, tracking the growth of the church.

The disciples may not have felt ready for a ministry “to the ends of the earth,” but they soon would be. As Jesus was taken from them, they heard the angels’ promise of His return in the clouds. With that assurance, the apostles and the other believers went back to Jerusalem to pray and wait.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The very name “Acts” suggests doing something, yet this book of action begins with Jesus’ command to wait (v. 4).

The world has been waiting for this first day of the new millennium for several years, but the kind of waiting Jesus was talking about is very different. It’s the waiting of an obedient disciple listening for the Lord’s direction. Maybe it would be good for us to begin this year by asking the Lord to show us what He wants us to learn. Then we have to wait for the answer.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 2:1-13
I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? - Jeremiah 32:27
TODAY IN THE WORD
The word unique is badly overused, but it’s the right word to describe the events that unfolded on the day of Pentecost. Since unique means “one of a kind,” it applies only to persons, things, or events that have no equal. The perfect example is Jesus Christ in the flesh, God’s “one and only Son” (Jn. 3:16).

Pentecost was also unique as the birthday of the church. The church’s “birthday gift” was the coming of the Holy Spirit in a dramatic display of power to live inside believers, in fulfillment of Jesus’ promise (Jn. 14:15-17). Also in fulfillment of this promise, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell a person at the moment of salvation (1 Cor. 12:13). Paul’s statement also shows that the Spirit’s baptism unites Christians together in the body of Christ.

The miraculous events of Pentecost capture all the attention--and it was a miraculous day. God provided a witness to the new work He was doing.

The first witness to Pentecost was not in words, but in wind and fire. The words for wind and spirit are closely related in the Greek language. The blowing wind speaks of the Holy Spirit’s coming in power; fire in the Bible often signifies the presence of God.

It was also miraculous that the believers could praise God in languages they had not learned. The fact that the gift of tongues in Acts 2 was known human languages is confirmed by the word “language” (vv. 6, .

We are not denying God’s power or sovereignty when we say Pentecost is unique. Could God reproduce the miracle of Pentecost? Of course; He’s God! But the purpose of Pentecost has been fulfilled. Our calling today is to seek the Spirit’s power and filling (Eph. 5:18).

Acts 2 is an example of a principle we need to keep in mind this month. Acts is a transitional book, bridging the old and new covenants, showing how the focus of God’s program moved from Israel to the church.

Many of the events we will read about in Acts are unique to that transitional period of time. Grasping this principle will help avoid a lot of confusion as we go along.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The curiosity and confusion of the crowd at Pentecost reminds us of people’s confusion about spiritual things today.

Spirituality is popular. But the world offers a confusing mix of ideas, and interest in spirituality doesn’t necessarily mean people are turning to Christ and the truth of Scripture for answers. Are there people in your world who are searching for spiritual reality? Ask God to help you be a good listener, and be ready to offer a word for Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 2:14-36
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. - Acts 2:32
TODAY IN THE WORD
A young Jewish student startled the evangelist Alfred Ackley when he asked bluntly, “Why should I worship a dead Jew?” Ackley could see the young man was wrestling with the truth about Jesus Christ, so Ackley prepared an answer. He opened to the story of Jesus’ resurrection and read again the witness of Scripture. Suddenly, the familiar words came alive. The only right conclusion to the evidence is that Jesus Christ is alive! Ackley led that Jewish student to Christ, and later sat down at his piano and expressed his joy in the hymn, “He Lives.”

Ackley’s hymn title states in the simplest words the theme of Peter’s mighty Pentecost sermon. Like all great sermons, Peter’s message went to the heart of the issue and drew a response from the hearers.

The apostle began by defending the miraculous events that were occurring. The scoffers were dead wrong about the apostles being drunk. This was the work of God, not wine. Joel’s prophecy refers to the last days, which would have shocked Peter’s hearers.

Since the signs described in Acts 2:19-20 did not happen at Pentecost, Peter may have been saying that if Israel would repent and believe in Messiah, this fulfillment would come. Or he may have used this prophecy about the Messianic age to prepare people for the heart of his sermon: the One Israel’s leaders crucified is both “Lord and Christ” (v. 36).

In either case, the point of the message is clear. Jesus of Nazareth was Israel’s promised Redeemer, the Messiah. We need to remember that Peter’s audience was Jewish. These people needed to understand that the miracles of Jesus verified His claims, and that His crucifixion at the hands of Jews and Gentiles (“wicked men,” v. 23) was part of God’s plan. But Jesus was no longer dead (v. 24)!

Peter then gave strong proofs of Jesus’ resurrection (vv. 25-35), drawing on the Psalms, the witnesses, and the events of Pentecost to prove that Jesus was alive. Peter’s conclusion (v. 36) was the only one that made sense from the evidence. We’ll see tomorrow that when the people realized who Jesus was and what they had done, thousands cried out for forgiveness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Peter’s statement that Jesus’ death was in God’s plan suggests an important principle for us today.

Jesus’ crucifixion was no accident or mistake, and God wasn’t caught by surprise. That says a lot about the events of our lives. There are no accidents or mistakes with God. Do you believe that? If so, approach your hardest circumstance with the confidence that, even though it may hurt, this has passed through His caring hands and He has a good purpose in it for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 2:37-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. - Acts 2:42
TODAY IN THE WORD
The great reformer Martin Luther struggled for years with his sense of guilt before God. His searching reached a crisis when he began wrestling with the truth of Romans. Luther said of his struggle and breakthrough, “I greatly longed to understand Paul’s letter to the Romans. Nothing stood in the way but that one expression 'the righteousness of God’ [Rom. 3:21]. . . . Night and day I pondered until I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through sheer grace and mercy, He justifies us by faith. This passage became to me a gateway into heaven.”

Those who heard Peter’s Pentecost sermon experienced a spiritual breakthrough as dramatic as Luther’s. They were agonized by the charge Peter made, that Israel had crucified its Messiah. The reality of this was driven home so deeply by the Holy Spirit that people cried out to Peter and the other apostles, “What shall we do?” Peter commanded them to repent in the name of Christ and receive the forgiveness of sins (v. 38).

We need to make an important observation about Peter’s statement. Some have taken the verse to mean that baptism, as well as repentance, is necessary for salvation. But that teaching is contradicted by many clear verses elsewhere in Scripture (Acts 3:19; 10:43 are two examples).

Also, the words “repent” and “your” in the phrase “your sins” are plural, while “be baptized” is singular. The phrase referring to baptism can be understood as a parenthetical comment, since baptism is important as an outward witness to the inward reality of salvation. In fact, the 3ꯠ who were saved that day were immediately baptized (v. 41). But faith in Christ saves, not faith plus baptism (Rom. 3:21-24).

The result of this great message was stunning. On its birthday the church became a large body of people. Luke describes the purpose of the church in a capsule: teaching of doctrine, worship, fellowship, the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and evangelism, as more were won to Christ every day (Acts 2:42-47). We don’t need to improve on the early church’s program, just execute it.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Imagine seeing people come to Christ every day through the power of the church’s ministry and the witness of believers.

God hasn’t changed His desire to see lost people saved. We can help lead unsaved people to the best new beginning of all, new life in Jesus Christ, because the same power that moved the church of Acts 2 is available to us. Why not make a list of three people you know who need the Lord, and start praying for them regularly this month? Pray also for opportunities to share the gospel with them.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 3:1-26
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...has glorified his servant Jesus. - Acts 3:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Evangelist Mike Silva points out that unbelievers don’t have to do anything special to qualify for salvation. All they have to do is be in need of Jesus Christ. “If your house is on fire,” Silva says, “you qualify for the fire department!”

The crippled man who encountered Peter and John at the temple gate certainly didn’t do anything special to qualify for the miracle he received that day. He wasn’t even expecting much, just a coin or two. Instead, he was completely healed (v. 16) and could walk for the first time in his life. Since the beggar was a familiar sight around the temple, and since he was jumping around so excitedly, the healing created quite a scene.

The book of Acts records many miracles performed by the apostles in continuation of the ministry of Jesus. And each miracle had specific purposes of verifying the words of the apostolic messengers and showing compassion to those in need. For instance, Jesus’ miracles were performed to validate His claims to be Israel’s Messiah. The miracles in Acts were also signs to validate God’s power through the apostles and their close associates, and to establish God’s new work in the church.

It’s obvious from what happened in Acts 3 that Peter did not initiate a healing ministry. When a crowd gathered, he immediately resumed the message he had delivered at Pentecost. Jesus of Nazareth, rejected and condemned by Israel, is “the Christ” (v. 20), and forgiveness of sins is found in Him alone.

Imagine yourself as a Jew hearing Peter make pointed references to Jesus as your Messiah, and your need to call on Him in repentance. Whatever else you might think about the recent commotion in Jerusalem, you have to come to terms with this miraculous healing--and you have to decide something about Jesus.

According to Acts 4:4, many people in the crowd believed in Jesus. Peter’s sermon pricked hearts again, and the body of Christ grew to about five thousand. But Peter’s message also drew the attention of the religious authorities in Jerusalem, and persecution--the church’s trademark for most of its 2ꯠ years--was about to begin.
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From time to time we’ve focused on the need to pray for our persecuted fellow Christians around the world. They need our prayers now as much as ever.

Today, let’s pray for believers in the troubled and violent Russian region of Chechnya. Chechen Christians are undergoing a horrible “evangelical cleansing”--kidnapping and murder--by radical Muslim gangs. Remember the persecuted church in Chechnya as it struggles for survival.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 4:1-22
We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard. - Acts 4:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
When President Andrew Johnson was facing an impeachment trial in the Senate in 1868, friends suggested he use political favors to persuade some senators to vote his way. But Johnson said, “How would I feel after acquittal if I had bought it? How would I feel if my conscience told me that I owed my acquittal to bribery? I will not seek to use any unfair means for my vindication.” The attempt to remove Johnson from office, instigated by his enemies, failed by one vote.

Andrew Johnson refused to take the easy way out of his trial. So did the apostles of Jesus Christ. They had done nothing wrong, but were arrested by the enemies of the gospel because their message was finding a huge reception among the Jews. All Peter and John had to do to get off the hot seat was stop preaching in Jesus’ name.

But they couldn’t do that. They were faithful to their Savior and Lord. Acts 4 begins the church’s 2ꯠ-year record of faithfulness to Christ in the face of threats and persecution. We also learn the real motives of those who seek to stamp out the church’s witness.

In this case, for example, the Jewish authorities were angry because they had condemned Jesus to death (v. 10) and didn’t want anybody to mention His name again. They hoped the message of the cross and the claims of Jesus’ resurrection would go away. They were afraid to face the fact that they could have made a terrible mistake and crucified the Messiah.

Besides attempts to deny their guilt in the crucifixion, to accomplish their purpose the authorities were also prepared to ignore evident truth. The next day, when the Sanhedrin--the Jewish ruling council--called for Peter and John to appear, the healed beggar was standing right there with them. Privately, the council admitted that an “outstanding miracle” had been performed (v. 16).

But publicly, they pretended not to notice something miraculous had occurred. Instead of rejoicing that one of their fellow Jews had been made whole and that the people were praising God, their only interest was in stopping this “Jesus” business before it got out of hand.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
This kind of determined opposition to Christ tells us that someone else is at work behind the scenes.

Satan is ultimately behind any attack against members of the body of Christ, whether against a group of Christians or individuals. Bible teacher Chuck Swindoll reminds us we should never be surprised by Satan’s attacks, but should instead “expect, detect, and deflect” them. You may want to write down and memorize this helpful outline.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 4:23-37
Now, Lord...enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. - Acts 4:29
TODAY IN THE WORD
In her book Exile to Sweet Dixie, Eileen Conklin tells the story of Euthemia Goldsborough, who was active in the Confederate underground in Baltimore during the Civil War and helped nurse Confederate POWs. Goldsborough was arrested for smuggling mail, medicine, and clothing to the South, and was exiled to the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia.

Every war produces stories of people who operate in enemy territory. In the developing spiritual warfare described in the book of Acts, the apostles boldly carried on their ministry in enemy territory in defiance of the prohibitions of the rulers and the danger to their own lives. They bravely stood up in the center of Jerusalem and proclaimed Jesus as Israel’s Savior and Messiah.

After their arrest and release, Peter and John went back to the believers and reported everything that had happened to them. These Christians probably felt anxiety-–even fear--as they waited for the Jewish council to decide the fate of Peter and John.

But the church didn’t hide or quit its mission. These believers prayed instead--with tremendous focus and power. They praised God for His sovereign authority as Creator and acknowledged that the opposition they faced was simply an extension of the hostility Jesus Himself encountered. Then they asked for courage in ministering the Word and prayed that God would display His power through “signs and wonders.”

God answered this prayer with a demonstration of His power and presence. By God’s sovereign action, the Holy Spirit filled those who were gathered together.

Then Luke, the author of Acts, turns immediately to present evidence that the church was unified in its purpose. This sharing of property and goods to meet needs is often erroneously called “Christian socialism.” But this was voluntary action, not government policy. And the sharing wasn’t equal among all; goods were given to those with needs.

Luke uses this facet of church life to introduce Barnabas, a key figure in the book. Barnabas’s generosity contrasted sharply with the actions of Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11). Barnabas demonstrated the gracious gift of the Spirit through his generous lifestyle.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The apostles were able to proclaim the gospel with effectiveness because of their God-centered perspective. They believed that God, not governments or powerful people, was in control of all things (23, 28). This focus enabled them to minister courageously.

You too can pray with the same confidence that these men had. The God of Peter and John is our God as well. We can trust Him to go before us in every situation of life. And with the apostles of old we need to pray that God will enable us to speak and minister with confidence.