Not-So-Quiet-Time: Acts 14
At-Home Bible Guide for the Week of 1/4
Day 1: Verses 1-7
Sometimes God’s people encounter a hostile mission field. In this passage, “unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers” (14:2). So did they give up? No! Instead, they “remained for a long time,” and “spoke boldly for the Lord.” And God demonstrated his kindness by “granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands” (14:3). God has called us to a consistent, bold faith. Ask the Lord to give you boldness for his gospel today, and ask Him to empower your efforts like only He can.
Day 2: Verses 8-15
The people started to heap praise on Paul and Barnabas when they did God’s works. And praise can be trap because it can lead us to pride. Barnabas and Paul saw through this and rejected the praise of people, saying, “We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news.” Instead of being gods, they were God’s messengers calling out “Turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (14:15). Ask God to help you not to think too highly of yourselves, and to think ever more highly of Him.
Day 3: Verses 16-18
God has always had a plan. Initially, He let the nations to “walk in their own ways” (14:16). He was kind in giving them life and joy. But when the time was right, He dosed his kindness even more clearly: He sent out his ambassadors to point all people toward his ways. How can you live as Christ’s ambassador today?
Day 4: Verses 19-22
Paul was stoned and left for dead. And the next day, he preached the Good News. He wanted to build up the church, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (14:22). He was practicing what he preached because he believed the kingdom was worth the tribulation. Pray for those who are experiencing persecution for their faith today. Ask God to strengthen and encourage them.
Day 5: Verses 23-28
When Paul and Barnabas helped to start new churches, they made sure to appoint elders in every church. The elders were charged with leading through teaching and example. The word for elder here is “presbuteros,” and you can see the connection to the word “presbyterian.” Pray that the elders in our church would seek and represent the mind of Christ.
Catechism Connection: WSC 47, 64
Paul and Barnabas had to remember that Scripture forbids taking “worship and glory, which is due to him alone” (WSC 47). We must all vigilantly fight against thinking too highly of ourselves. We are to rightly honor and serve everyone “whether [they are] in authority over us, under our authority, or equals” (WSC 64).
Day 1: Verses 1-7
Sometimes God’s people encounter a hostile mission field. In this passage, “unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers” (14:2). So did they give up? No! Instead, they “remained for a long time,” and “spoke boldly for the Lord.” And God demonstrated his kindness by “granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands” (14:3). God has called us to a consistent, bold faith. Ask the Lord to give you boldness for his gospel today, and ask Him to empower your efforts like only He can.
Day 2: Verses 8-15
The people started to heap praise on Paul and Barnabas when they did God’s works. And praise can be trap because it can lead us to pride. Barnabas and Paul saw through this and rejected the praise of people, saying, “We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news.” Instead of being gods, they were God’s messengers calling out “Turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them” (14:15). Ask God to help you not to think too highly of yourselves, and to think ever more highly of Him.
Day 3: Verses 16-18
God has always had a plan. Initially, He let the nations to “walk in their own ways” (14:16). He was kind in giving them life and joy. But when the time was right, He dosed his kindness even more clearly: He sent out his ambassadors to point all people toward his ways. How can you live as Christ’s ambassador today?
Day 4: Verses 19-22
Paul was stoned and left for dead. And the next day, he preached the Good News. He wanted to build up the church, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (14:22). He was practicing what he preached because he believed the kingdom was worth the tribulation. Pray for those who are experiencing persecution for their faith today. Ask God to strengthen and encourage them.
Day 5: Verses 23-28
When Paul and Barnabas helped to start new churches, they made sure to appoint elders in every church. The elders were charged with leading through teaching and example. The word for elder here is “presbuteros,” and you can see the connection to the word “presbyterian.” Pray that the elders in our church would seek and represent the mind of Christ.
Catechism Connection: WSC 47, 64
Paul and Barnabas had to remember that Scripture forbids taking “worship and glory, which is due to him alone” (WSC 47). We must all vigilantly fight against thinking too highly of ourselves. We are to rightly honor and serve everyone “whether [they are] in authority over us, under our authority, or equals” (WSC 64).
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