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The book of Acts is the perfect place to start our journey, because it tells the story of how the first Christians, both individuals and small groups, struggled to answer the question, how can we make a difference for God?
A second question—and the one we’ll wrestle with—was, “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). Lying in the dust on the Damascus road, Paul articulated the question every believer must answer; it is the essential question.
We must never forget that meeting the practical and spiritual needs of the people around us is an enormously valuable and often overlooked mission. And we can do that no matter what “day job” we may have.
As you read scripture, ask yourself: What do I think is the main point of this passage? And what is God saying to me about the work he has called me to do?
Part One – The Essential Community
The Church Is Born
The Essential Truth
Acts 1:1-11
How have you made a difference for God with your life so far?
The first step to making a difference for God is being sure of the “many convincing proofs that he [Jesus] was alive” (Acts 1:3). This passage reminds us that the essential truth of the Christian faith is this: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
So, Now What?
Acts 1:12-26
Spend some time praising God, either in silent prayer or aloud, or perhaps by humming or singing a favorite praise song with your eyes closed.
What do you think when you lose your job, when a relationship ends, when your life takes an unexpected turn? The early believers didn’t have all the answers as they returned to Jerusalem, but they instinctively knew the best response to uncertainty: they got together for prayer and praise (Acts 1:14; Luke 24:52-53). Often God gives clarity to our minds as we worship him from our hearts.
Notice that they were guided by Scripture (Acts 1:20), used common sense (1:21-22) and spent time in prayer (1:24-25). When all three of these elements point in the same direction, we can trust that God is leading us.
The Real, Real World
Acts 2:1-13
What do you believe about the Holy Spirit? How have you experienced the Holy Spirit?
What if the way we typically understand this Day of Pentecost is a little backward? Of course, it’s natural for us to think God intervened in our world by pouring out his Spirit, and there’s a sense in which that’s true. But maybe a better perspective is to see this event as a glimpse into God’s world, the world where God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are eternally present. That’s the real, real world, which Jesus has opened to his followers forever.
What Just Happened?
Acts 2:14-36
Spend a few moments thanking God for your church, its leaders, ministry and congregation. Ask God to increase its impact in the area where you live.
Luke mentions four defining activities: teaching, fellowship, eating and prayer.
- Priority: There was no question that Jesus was the church’s main focus (2:36-39).
- Power: The spectacular growth of the church (2:41, 47) wasn’t a human phenomenon. God was at work in very clear and powerful ways (2:43). We must be careful not to package or sensationalize the work of the Holy Spirit today.
- Community: Luke highlights the togetherness of these believers, a theme he mentions three times in six verses (2:42-47).
4. Responsiveness: When the people heard the good news preached, they gave a response that evangelists today dream about: they asked, “What shall we do?” (2:37). A healthy church is one where people know they need forgiveness and are quick to repent (2:38). That opens the way for even greater blessing and effectiveness.
The Church Begins to Grow
As we approach the high point for the church in the book of Acts, God is blessing them, their numbers are growing and they aren’t experiencing much opposition. But a good question to ask is, what is success? Is it growth in numbers and giving? Is it high visibility in the community? Is it the absence of opposition?
“Just Do It” Faith
Acts 3:1-10
Spend some time thanking God for healings you’re aware of and asking him for healings that are still needed.
The Hard Sayings of Peter
Acts 3:11-26
Pray for some people you know who are resistant to the good news about Jesus Christ.
Abraham, Moses and “all the prophets” (3:18) have been telling the same story for generations: God has a plan of salvation that culminates in the birth, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. Knowing that big story of the Bible is how you too can become an effective spokesperson for Christ.
The Offense of Christianity
Acts 4:1-22
Spend some time thanking God for the things you know are true about him.
How do we know it’s true that Jesus is the only way to God? The answer has several parts.
- There are Jesus’ own words: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
- The miracles of Jesus, and as we begin to see in Acts, those of his followers (Acts 4:14), are confirmation of the truth.
- The resurrection of Jesus, a fact attested to by many eyewitnesses, is a powerful validation (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).
- There is the evidence of changed lives (Acts 4:13).
- There is the death-defying courage and conviction of Jesus’ followers (4:8-12, 19-20).
- Ultimately, however, the most convincing proof is the unvarnished testimony of Christians through the centuries, people who have been willing to share their experience of Jesus with others no matter what the cost.
Fearless Prayer
Acts 4:23-31
If you can, go to a window, look at the sky and pray, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth” (Psalm 108:5).
The majority of this passage records how these believers prayed in response to opposition. Let’s take a closer look, because it gives us insight into the mind and heart of this essential church.
Notice they started by focusing on God, not their problems (4:24). Kuniholm reflects, “Often when I pray, I go straight to what’s bothering me, and there’s nothing wrong with that (see Psalm 68:19). But if I’m not careful, my prayer becomes more like obsessing on my worries than talking to God. That’s why it helps me to look into the sky sometimes as I pray. I’m reminded that God is bigger than my problems.”
The most interesting thing about this prayer is what the church didn’t ask God for: safety.
There’s not even a hint of fear in this prayer. In fact, what they ask for is spiritual boldness (4:29)—and this request isn’t out of spiritual bravado, either. That’s because their primary concern wasn’t for protection or even for their rights. Rather, it was for greater effectiveness in sharing the good news.
The Perfect Church
Acts 4:32-37
Have you ever been part of a church that seemed successful? If so, what made it that way? What is a “successful” church? What are you looking for in a church?
The first thing we notice is they were unified, “one in heart and mind” (4:32). The church worshiped and prayed together; they made following Jesus their top priority; they relied on God’s power, not their own. That’s a pretty good foundation for any church.
The Church Is Persecuted
The early church was far more than negative public relations. It was the first outpouring of what has become more than two thousand years of persecution.
As the apostle Paul said in his letter to the church in Ephesus, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
Lying to God
Acts 5:1-16
Spend a few minutes thanking God for the ways he’s blessed you in your life. What things are you most grateful for?
Over the years, Kuniholm has been asked to make “the pitch” at fundraising banquets. He usually begins by saying, “Well, we’ve had a great evening so far, but now it’s time for the Sermon on the Amount.” It always gets a chuckle and lightens the mood for my request. That’s not what happened in this passage. After the news about Ananias and Sapphira spread, no one was laughing (5:11)
Unfortunately, Ananias and Sapphira cared more about image than reality. Ananias was trying to act like he was making an all-out sacrificial gift when in fact he was protecting his own bank account. Ananias and Sapphira loved money and possessions.
The discipline of sacrificial giving helps protect us from the love of money and keeps our hearts free and open for God’s leading.
We’re in the Jailhouse Now
Acts 5:17-42
Reflect on some times in your life when you’ve experienced criticism or even ridicule for being a Christian. What did you learn from those experiences, and how did they affect your faith?
Trouble in River City
Acts 6:1-15
Spend a few minutes thanking God for the ministry opportunities he’s given you in the past. Then spend time asking him to show you new ways you can serve him in the future.
Like it or not, resolving conflict is part of doing ministry.
Notice that the apostles’ first response was to gather everyone together (6:2). Instead of allowing factions and gossip to take over, the Twelve dealt with the problem straight on with the whole group, just as they had seen Jesus do (see Matthew 20:24-28).
Good News for a Hostile World
Acts 7:1-19
Take some time to reflect on your faith journey. What have been the high points in your relationship with God?
Courageous Evangelism
Acts 7:20–8:1a
Spend some time thanking God for the people you know, either personally or from history, who have sacrificed to enable you to know the good news about Jesus.
Part Two: The Essential Message
The Good News Changes Lives
In the end, what Peter, Saul and Philip had in common is that they all had encounters with Jesus, and that’s what changed their lives. Meeting Jesus still transforms people today. At some point, every person must answer the question Jesus himself asked: “Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15-16).
The B-List Apostle
Acts 8:1b-25
Think of a time when you faced difficulties or disasters in your life. What did you learn about God from the experience?
What the apostles couldn’t fully see is that God’s plan wasn’t to make one local church; instead he was building one universal church. Persecution was his way of turbocharging the spread of the good news to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Sometimes serving God requires us to let go of a good thing we have in order to receive a better thing he has.
Effective Evangelism
Acts 8:26-40
What words come to your mind when you think of sharing your faith with others? Who first talked with you about Jesus? How did you feel about the conversation at the time? How do you feel about it now?
First, notice that God created the opportunity for this spiritual conversation. Philip was just minding his own business when an angel and then the Spirit instructed him to meet and approach the Ethiopian official (8:26, 29). Our opportunities for faith sharing may not come from such dramatic interventions today, but if we learn to recognize the many ways God prompts us, we’ll have more and more opportunities to naturally talk about spiritual things with others.
Second, notice the role of questions in this encounter. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading” (8:30)? Brilliant! Simply asking questions and thoughtfully listening is an excellent, nonthreatening way to start a spiritual conversation.
Finally, notice the importance of the Scriptures. The Ethiopian was intrigued by a passage from Isaiah (8:32-34). Obviously Philip was familiar with the passage, which no doubt means he had developed the practice of regularly reading God’s Word himself. But the key wasn’t his expertise in the prophetic writings. Rather it was his clear understanding of the Bible’s greatest story, the story of Jesus (8:35). You may not know everything about the Bible; few people do. But being able to guide others through the biblical storyline of salvation is an essential ministry skill.
Seeing the Light
Acts 9:1-9
What convinces you that Jesus is alive and that he wants to know you?
Through Saul’s unlikely conversion, God communicated some essential truths about the nature of his good news, truths he went to great lengths to ensure that his church, and the world, would never forget. Apply: In what way are you “a living definition of grace”?
I Want You!
Acts 9:10-19a
Have you ever sensed God nudging you to do something that seemed odd, embarrassing or even a little risky? How did you respond, and what was the result?
How does God call people today? Sometimes it can be the result of a dramatic experience, like Ananias had. But other times it can come from reading Scripture, praying or receiving wise counsel from other Christians, all of which are ways we can hear the “still small voice” of God’s guidance (1 Kings 19:12).
Spiritual Mentor
Acts 9:19b-31
Who are your spiritual heroes from history and the present? What do you admire about these people? Are you a spiritual hero to someone?
In 1938, a British schoolboy named John Stott accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior because of a talk given by a Scripture Union staff worker named Eric Nash (AKA, “Bash”). Stott went on to become one of the most influential biblical scholars, authors and evangelical leaders in the world until his death in 2011. But what many don’t know is that for the five years following his conversion, Stott received a weekly letter from Bash, who took the time to help the new believer understand and grow in the faith.
That’s what Barnabas did for Saul: he befriended and defended him (9:27-28).
The Good News Is for Everyone
The main event in this section is a simple meeting between Peter and a man named Cornelius.
Peter was a Jewish Christian while Cornelius was a Gentile, that is, a non-Israelite.
The Jew-Gentile tension had become so deeply embedded by the first century that it took several dramatic interventions by God to overcome it. By the end of the meeting between Peter and Cornelius, God had emphatically answered the big question of the day: Yes, God wanted to save the Gentiles too. Actually, this all-inclusive vision had been God’s intent from the very beginning (Genesis 12:1-3); it’s just that his people had somehow missed the point. So the historic meeting of Peter and Cornelius was God’s course correction for those who had drifted from his will.
Bold Humility
Acts 9:32-43
Begin your quiet time with some breathing prayer. Breathe out worries and cares. Breathe in thanks and praise. Repeat.
The Divine Choreographer
Acts 10:1-48
Reflect on the ways that God has intervened in your life. How have you responded to him?
At first glance it might seem as though Cornelius’s angelic vision came out of the blue, but the fact is, he had been seeking God for a long time. Luke tells us that Cornelius was God fearing, generous and prayerful (Acts 10:2); in other words, even as a Gentile he was living what author Leighton Ford calls “the attentive life,” and that’s what prepared him for this encounter with God. How encouraging to know that God is aware of our prayers and acts of service (Acts 10:4), and that “he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Holy Legalism
Acts 11:1-18
Think about your early experience with the church. Did you find the church restrictive, affirming or what else? How has that affected you today?
The Church Goes Viral
Acts 11:19-30
“Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). How has God been good to you this week?
You get the feeling at the beginning of this passage that the church is about to “go viral.” A plan of salvation that included everyone, combined with persecution, produced explosive growth and made the church a grassroots phenomenon (11:19-21).
The Unstoppable Force
Acts 12:1-25
Pray this psalm: “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken” (Psalm 62:1-2).
And near the end of the chapter: “but the word of God continued to increase and spread” (12:24). Luke’s point is that in spite of all the power, intrigue and evils of Rome, God’s purposes could not be stopped. The same is true today. You may feel at the mercy of “the powers that be” (Romans 13:1) in your efforts to serve God, but the bigger truth is, “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). That’s the source of our confidence.
The particulars of Peter’s escape may seem like something out of an Indiana Jones movie—iron gates open by themselves, sixteen guards all sleep while the hero tiptoes past, with an angel leading the way. Peter even adds the comic relief: “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me” (12:11).
The most important part of the story is what was happening off stage: the church was praying for Peter (12:12). It’s easy to overlook this aspect of ministry, especially when we are barely keeping up with all our urgent priorities. But skipping prayer disconnects us from the true source of our effectiveness and weakens our efforts to serve God. Over the centuries, the church has prevailed against the Herods of this world not by being strong and political, but rather by being weak and prayerful. That’s what makes the good news an unstoppable force.
Part Three: The Essential Mission
The First Mission Trip
The starting point is a unique church in Antioch, the place where the disciples of Jesus were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).
A Mission from God
Acts 13:1-12
The church in Antioch developed their sense of vision through worship, prayer and fasting (Acts 13:1-3).
What do you like and dislike about traveling? What’s the longest or most difficult journey you’ve ever taken? Have you ever taken a mission trip? What was that like for you?
How do we know the difference between a genuine mission from God and a self-deluded claim of divine guidance? Acts 13 offers several principles that can help us with that question today.
- Barnabas and Paul (Luke no longer uses the Jewish name Saul; 13:9) prepared themselves by waiting, worshiping and fasting (13:2).
- The worshiping community, not just one person, sensed the direction of the Holy Spirit (13:1).
- Finally, Barnabas and Paul were commissioned by the church (13:3).
Prayer, fasting and a worshiping community were the ingredients that enabled them to discern this genuine mission from God.
Pioneering Ministry
Acts 13:13-52
Spend a few minutes asking God to speak to you from his Word today. Begin your prayer by saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9).
Kuniholm recalled, “The most effective sermon I ever heard was also the shortest. It was at a mission conference and the preacher was Eric Frykenberg, a distant relative of mine. The speaker before him had gone way over time, so when Eric took the pulpit, he held up his notes and said, ‘There’s not time for this now.’ Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. ‘But there’s one thing I want to say,’ he continued. ‘The worst thing that’s happened in my missionary career is when this old heart has gotten calloused. Don’t let that happen to you.’ With that he bowed his head, overcome by emotion, and closed in prayer.”
Our passage ends with a change in strategic plan; Paul turned his attention to the Gentiles, who proved to be a much more receptive audience (13:46-48).
It was an example of what contemporary Christian author Henry Blackaby wrote, “When God reveals to you what He is doing around you, that is your invitation to join Him.”
Successful Ministry
Acts 14:1-28
What’s the most successful ministry experience you’ve ever had? What’s the most challenging ministry experience you’ve ever had? What did you learn from each?
Jesus challenged his followers to stay focused on the main thing: “go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16). That’s the real definition of success.
Ministry Disagreements
Acts 15:1-21
Jesus prayed “for those who will believe in me…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:20-21). How could you be part of the answer to Jesus’ prayer?
How should we resolve disagreements that inevitably emerge in the course of doing ministry? That’s the big question underlying Acts 15.
Notice that the church’s first move was to get all the players together to talk (15:2).
Second, the apostles and elders allowed everyone to express their views (15:4-7). Genuine listening by all sides is an essential ingredient in any solution. Third, the church evaluated the evidence presented by those directly involved, in this case Peter, Paul and Barnabas (15:6-12). Fourth, they looked to the Scriptures for guidance (15:15-18). That’s our plumb line in any disagreement or decision. And finally, they accepted the decision of the leader (15:19-21).
Personal Disagreements
Acts 15:22-41
Prepare your heart to hear God’s word by saying the Lord’s Prayer out loud, slowly and reflectively. “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…”
That’s the basic storyline of this passage. The church leaders have “retreated” in Jerusalem, come to a compromise and are now sending a letter summarizing their agreement. Perhaps the key phrase is this: “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (15:28). That captures the essence of their decision-making process and offers us a model for navigating difficult decisions today. Our first move must be to seek divine guidance through God’s Word, prayer and fasting, but we must also use our God-given wisdom and common sense. Both approaches must come together to resolve disputes in a way that honors God and advances his purposes.
As a famous statement on Christian unity puts it, “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”
More Mission Trips
After all, “if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). The bottom line is that openness and opposition are part of real ministry. A reality of Paul’s mission team experience is that it included men and women serving God together.
Another reality is that Paul and his companions were a team, not a family. Well meaning though it may seem, expecting a mission group to be “our family” sets us up for disappointment. Families don’t change; teams do, as we’ll see in these readings. The fact is, a mission team can never take the place of a true family.
Jailhouse Rock
Acts 16:1-40
What have been some turning points in your life? Spend a few moments reflecting on the ways God has led you at the major crossroads in your journey.
This passage demonstrates an important, yet often overlooked, principle about finding God’s will. Did you notice that Paul and his companions encountered three red lights—on the edges of Asia, Mysia and Bithynia—before they got a green light to enter Macedonia? That should give us a new perspective on ministry roadblocks. The significance of God’s negative leading here is that he was leaving Paul no option other than to cross the northern Aegean Sea. From the perspective of history we now know that this was a turning point in the growth of the church. It was at this juncture that the gospel spread from the Middle East to Europe; Macedonia is the gateway between the two continents. From Europe the good news spread to the rest of the world, and eventually to you and me.
Flexible Ministry
Acts 17:1-34
Hum or sing as many verses of “Amazing Grace” as you can remember before beginning your time in God’s Word today.
By this time in his mission career, the apostle Paul had mastered the art of ministry flexibility, which is why he was such an effective evangelist and church planter. It’s obvious he came to town with a plan: go to the synagogue and make the case for Christ using the Scriptures (17:2-3, 10, 17).
It was in Athens that Paul tried something really new: he stepped out of the synagogue and into the Areopagus, a place where city leaders heard lectures on religion, morals and education.
The first thing we notice is he was respectful; mocking nonbelievers is not an effective way to gain a hearing. Second, Paul affirmed that his listeners were on a spiritual journey (17:22-23), even though he knew they were headed in the wrong direction. Third, he avoided Christian jargon and tried to communicate using ideas they already accepted, including nature (17:24-25), the universal search for God (17:26-27) and even their own literature (17:28). But finally, after earning the right to be heard, he preached “the good news about Jesus and the resurrection” (17:18, 29-31). Being clear about the gospel, while being able to improvise in how one explains it—that was Paul’s approach to helping people understand the good news.
The Mission Team Experience
Acts 18:1-28
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:2). Ask God to meet you in his Word today.
Paul was experiencing his challenges and breakthroughs, things were happening elsewhere; in this case, Apollos was beginning what became a significant preaching ministry (18:27-28). It reminds us that the mission doesn’t depend on me. We all have a part to play, but God is the mission director.
The Real Problem
Acts 19:1-41
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). How might this verse apply to you today?
Throughout history, commercial interests have been the justification for all kinds of evil—for example, slavery. And while it’s true that a growing economy is part of a healthy society, any business model out of alignment with God’s priorities is a powerful force for evil. Perhaps Paul’s experience in Ephesus was part of what motivated him to write, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).
Ministry Snapshots
Acts 20:1-38
Who are the people you feel closest to in life? And in the church? Spend a few moments praying for these people today.
“Be shepherds” (20:28). The image of a shepherd caring for God’s people reverberates throughout Scripture and finds its culmination in Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. If we want to know how to strengthen the church today, the quick answer is this: live like Jesus.
Part Four: The Essential Question
Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem
The first man to defeat heavyweight boxing champion Mohammed Ali was Joe Frazier. He did it by using a daring strategy: he walked straight up to his opponent, took his best punches and kept coming. In the next five readings we’ll see the apostle Paul using the Joe Frazier style of ministry. He walked straight into Jerusalem, home base of his increasingly violent opposition, and confronted them head on.
After being confronted by Jesus himself, Paul reported, he responded by saying, “What shall I do, Lord?” (22:10). That’s the essential question. Once you’ve decided to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord, it’s the only question that matters.
Knowing God’s Will
Acts 21:1-26
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
Some have criticized Paul for agreeing to James’s proposal, claiming Paul compromised his principles. To that, John Stott says, “The solution to which they came was not a compromise, in the sense of sacrificing a doctrinal or moral principle, but a concession in the area of practice.”1 This passage is a case study of what Paul meant when he said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22).
Outside the Comfort Zone
Acts 21:27-36
Are you a risk taker? What’s your risk tolerance in financial matters? In physical activities? In serving the Lord?
The Essential Question
Acts 21:37–22:21
Take a few minutes to remember the story of how you first encountered Jesus. Then, thank God for the people and experiences that caused you to say yes to him.
If you just escaped from an angry mob trying to kill you, would you willingly go back and engage your enemies on the very topic that caused the upset in the first place? That’s exactly what Paul did here, and it reminds us how spiritually “strong and courageous” he was (see Deuteronomy 31:6).
Paul also built his testimony around three questions. The first was, “Who are you, Lord?” (22:8).
The second question was, “What shall I do, Lord?” (22:10). If Jesus really was alive, then it required a response. The final question came from Paul’s first spiritual director, Ananias, “What are you waiting for?” (22:16). There’s a time to debate spiritual ideas, but there’s also a time to make a decision. That was the point of Paul’s speech.
As we’ve discovered, God had an assignment for Paul, one that would change his life and the world forever.
Maybe the best way to get started is to follow the advice of Oswald Chambers, author of the classic devotional My Utmost for His Highest, when he said, “Trust God and do the next thing.”
Blessed Assurance
Acts 22:22–23:11
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.” Reflect on the words of this beloved hymn.
What set these Jewish leaders off again was they just couldn’t accept the idea that God’s plan of salvation included Gentiles (22:21-22). That may not be an issue for the church today, but are we free of prejudice? People say that in America the most segregated hour of the week is 11:00 to 12:00 on Sunday morning, the time when many people go to church. Changing that picture will require more than just adding a few multiracial photos to the brochure.
We’re left with the question: How did Paul keep going through all his troubles? The answer comes at the very end of the passage: “The Lord stood near Paul” to renew his courage and affirm his mission (Acts 23:11). Without that, Paul surely would have been overwhelmed.
The Paradox of Ministry
Acts 23:12-35
Consider the serenity prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
Paul’s Roman Trial
As you make your way through the Roman trial of Paul, keep an eye out for two themes. First, notice the power of focus. In many ways, Paul lost control of his ministry. He was caught in the Roman justice system and vulnerable to the whims of those in charge. But because Paul stayed focused on his calling, “testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24), he had an effective ministry anyway.
The second theme is the power of God. Beneath the turbulent surface waters of these trials, the strong current of God’s plan was at work, using the seemingly negative situation to get his servant and his message from Jerusalem to Rome. As you’re about to see, these next five readings are strong encouragement for anyone serving God in the face of opposition today.
The Inconvenient Truth
Acts 24:1-27
Begin your time of worship with the ACTS prayer method: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.
How should we respond to untrue criticism and unfair treatment from those who oppose the gospel?
Paul first responded to the charges (24:10-13). Tertullus accused Paul of stirring up riots when in fact it was the religious leaders who had instigated them.
Second, Paul redirected the discussion to spiritual matters by saying the real issue was not riots, but the resurrection.
Finally, Paul recounted part of his spiritual journey (24:17-18). Simply telling people how God has worked in our lives is an effective way to witness for Christ.
“I Appeal to Caesar!”
Acts 25:1-12
How would you describe your life today—focused, hectic, busy, discouraging? Spend a few moments asking for God’s peace and presence, regardless of what you are experiencing.
Who Is Jesus?
Acts 25:13-27
This well-known question is still worth considering: If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
We’re at a loss how to find the truth about Jesus Christ. One obstacle to honest investigation comes from within the church. When Christians seem more interested in marginal issues—like reading only a certain translation of the Bible, or refraining from dancing and movies, or requiring women to dress a certain way—then they are missing the point of the gospel and preventing others from entering the kingdom.
Another obstacle more prevalent outside the church is the modern assumption that there is no such thing as absolute truth. Today, many believe all religions are equally true. So the claim that Christianity is the one true religion seems narrow at best and offensive at worst. But that characterization also misses an important point. Even the Christian religion—that is, its buildings, traditions and hierarchy—isn’t the exclusive way to God. Jesus Christ is (John 14:6). That’s an important distinction.
Paul’s Apologia
Acts 26:1-18
What is the spiritual state of the people you’ll be with this week or month? Pray that they will become fully committed followers of Jesus.
The Focused Life
Acts 26:19-32
When are you most focused in your life? At work? Playing a favorite sport? Working at your job? Serving at church? What accounts for this heightened sense of focus?
Of all the things we’ve read in our journey through Acts, perhaps the three biggest change-drivers have been the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter’s meeting with Cornelius and the conversion of Paul.
Paul is a remarkable example of the power of the focused life. And what exactly is it? To be clear about your God-given mission, great or small, to be wholehearted about pursuing it with everything you have, and then to be willing to trust the outcome of your efforts and your entire life to God. That’s the way to change your world forever.
Paul’s Journey to Rome
Mission Journal
Acts 27:1-12
What is the longest trip you’ve ever taken? Spend a minute remembering what happened and how you felt about that experience.
Today we know the result of Paul’s ministry: the good news spread “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). But at the time, Paul had no idea that would happen. That’s why it’s important to look back, to remember what God has done in the past. It helps us recognize the pattern of what he’s doing in the present and encourages us to trust him for the future.
A Titanic Ministry
Acts 27:13-26
What is the greatest area of pressure in your life right now? How are you responding to this situation?
The church in Antioch was committed to intense prayer, fasting and worship before they sent out the mission team (Acts 13:1-3). We need to take spiritual preparation seriously if we expect to weather the inevitable storms of ministry.
As the situation on board spiraled from bad to worse, Luke says, “We finally gave up all hope of being saved” (27:20). Sometimes God takes us to the end of our ability to cope so we can more clearly see his power at work. In fact, for some people, disaster in their health, finances, career or some other area can be the climax that redirects them to Christ. That’s an important truth to remember when talking to anyone going through a tough time.
But perhaps the greatest value of desperation is that it makes us ready to listen to God in a way that few other things can.
The Shipwreck Moment
Acts 27:27-44
Have you ever been on a boat or ship that encountered rough waters or even a storm? What was it like, and how did you feel?
Ministry Along the Way
Acts 28:1-10
Think of the people who have been the most kind and hospitable to you in your life. Take a few minutes to thank God for their ministry to you. Then pray that God will bless them.
We must never forget that ministry along the way is just as important as accomplishing a grand mission objective. In fact, when we think about the life of Jesus, most of what he did was ministry along the way.
Let’s not miss the role of prayer in Paul’s ministry. We know from other parts of Acts that God had given Paul a special ability to heal others (19:11-12). Even so, he took time in this instance to pray first. Perhaps he needed insight into the ailing man’s real condition.
Or maybe Paul wanted to get a sense of God’s intention for Publius’s father. Either way, prayer was the essential first step. This reminds us that the purpose of prayer in ministry is not just to ask God to act, although that’s part of it. It’s also to make sure we are in alignment with God’s agenda before we attempt great things for him.
An Everyday Challenge
Acts 28:11-31
Consider 2 Corinthians 5:20: “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”
“And so we came to Rome” (28:14). Those six words summarize more than just the conclusion of Luke’s mission journal. In a certain way they sum up Paul’s entire life.
The essential question is the one Paul himself asked after he met Jesus on the Damascus Road: “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). Once we’ve decided to follow Jesus, answering that question must become the primary focus of our lives. God gave Paul his answer right away: “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15).
And now, in the final verse of Acts, we find Paul still at it: “Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (28:31). Knowing and faithfully pursuing our God-given mission—that’s the real definition of success, and by that measure Paul achieved it in the most incredible way.
But there’s one more person who’s been on the journey through Acts, and that’s you. You’ve seen how God used the individuals and small groups of the first-century church to make a difference for him. Now it’s your turn. But it’s important to realize that answering the essential question is not a one-time event. It’s an everyday challenge. “What shall I do, Lord?” is the question that will keep you focused on your God-given mission, whether great or small, for the rest of your life. And that’s the way to change your world forever.