David is running from Absalom, his own son. Soldiers are somewhere behind him. And what they're saying is worse than the chase. "There is no salvation for him in God" (v2).
Then verse 5. David down. He sleeps. He wakes up. In this context, these words are shocking. The word behind "sustained" pictures a hand placed under something to hold it up, the kind of support that catches weight before it falls.
Most of us won't ever have an army at our back. But we know the 2am kind of crisis. And sleep in the middle of that can feel like defeat. David shows us that sometimes the most honest prayer isn't another round of trying to fix it. It's closing your eyes and trusting that you'll still be held while you're not looking.
- David Bempong

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What exactly do David's enemies say about him in verse 2, and why might that be more painful than the danger itself?
+ Verse 5 uses three plain, physical verbs: lie down, sleep, wake. What does that sequence suggest about David's state, given everything happening around him?
+ David calls God his shield, his glory, and the one who lifts his head (v3). What does each image add that the others don't?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Try praying verse 5 tonight as your own words before you turn off the light.

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, you know what it is to be surrounded, though I've never known it the way David did. Tonight I bring you whatever is chasing me, the things that feel bigger in the dark than they do in daylight. Be the hand underneath me that I don't have to feel to trust. Let me lie down. Let me actually sleep. Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who do you know who's in a season where sleep feels impossible? Consider sending them verse 5 today, not as advice, just as a reminder that someone's thinking of them.

These words have been attributed to King David (see Acts 4:25) and we see evidence of that when the believers were praying for courage after Jesus was crucified and resurrected.  After being released from prison Peter and John returned to the other believers and lifted up the first three verses of the Psalm after proclaiming: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them—-you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant speaking the words of this Psalm.”

Most images of kings and rulers in our culture and media are negative. Usually the focus is on the unjust rule or abuse of authority. Think King George in Hamilton, Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars and of course the classic Lord Farquaad from Shrek. More often than not, we’re conditioned to think that kings are bad and in many cases they are. But, what if you’d be better off living under a king? The answer to that question would depend on who the king is, right? The story of scripture tells us there is a perfectly just, holy and loving king.  The bible begins and ends with a picture of God’s loving rule and as followers of Jesus, we do not just follow a loving savior, we follow a good and gracious king.

The Psalm is divided into 4 significant sections:
Part I: The nations are raging and rebelling against God’s word (verses 1-3)
Part II: We can be certain of God’s word as He laughs at the folly of the rulers and the people of the earth (verses 4-6)
Part III:  God issues a decree to install his Son on the throne forever (verses 7-9)
Part IV: Do we run to the King and experience God’s joy or run from the King where we will not be saved (verses 10-12)
- Lynn Kellner

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ David may have written these words during a time when the surrounding pagan nations were conspiring against Israel.  But he knew and believed that God’s promise would be fulfilled and that the promised Messiah would come through his bloodline. Why might the Hebrews have missed this promise?
+ To submit to God’s royal son means to surrender to him.  It means we submit every day.  This command comes with a promise of true joy.  Do you think the Hebrews felt that joy as they were running for their lives from the Pagan kings?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ How often do we plan away from the directions of God? One of my favorite pop expressions is “People plan and God laughs”.  
+ God is never frantic, anxious or wondering what He will do in response to human opposition. How can you take that thought to your own life?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, thank You that in Your grace You have told us the end from the beginning and have promised that we are safe and secure in Your gracious hands. Lord, there are many individuals, leaders, and nations, that are raging against You and conspiring against the Lord Jesus Christ, and the world seems to be spiralling out of control. Thank You that Your Word stands fast forever and that the day is coming when Christ will rule this earth with equity and justice. Blessed are those that put their trust in You, and choose to walk in Your word and Your ways.  We pray in Jesus' name, Amen!

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who in your life can you encourage with the good news of the gospel?

King David sets the stage for the journey through the 150 Psalms in Psalm 1; the journey of a man (or woman), the journey of a nation, the journey of a Kingdom!
What are some things one initially notices about this journey in Psalm 1? The individual has to make choices along the way. He answers questions with his actions. Who will he walk with as he lives? Where will he walk, or sit, or stand? What will he delight in? What will he meditate on during his fleeting moments? Will he put down roots? If so, where?
King David tells us that how one answers these questions matters. They matter to the individual, to the family, to the nation, to God’s Kingdom. How one chooses to invest his time, energy, and resources will, in God’s design, have specific outcomes. Daily choices propel the direction of one’s journey.
Already in Psalm 1 we have many contrasting outcomes as a result of faithfulness over time to a way of living, to a way of answering these “simple” questions. One can become part of the righteous or the wicked. He can become like a tree or like chaff. He can find himself associated with counsel of the wicked or the congregation of the righteous.
When is the last time you and I have asked ourselves some of the questions Psalm 1 poses? As we choose daily, are we aware of where our choices are leading? God’s inspired Word reminds us!
Psalm 62:12 says the Lord will “render to a man according to his work.” Are your “works” and my “works” leading you and I to a blessed life? This Psalm in six short verses tells us what it should look like and how we can get there. And yet, though the words are brief, the application of them can be daunting.
Jesus was and is the ultimate “blessed” God-man. King David will point us again and again throughout the Psalms to the One man who made all the right choices. Jesus, alone, made a way for those who believe in Him, through His sacrificial life leading to His sacrifical death, powerful resurrection, and gifting/empowering of the Holy Spirit.
Clinging to Christ, living life hand-in-hand with Him, the way that delights Him, will lead us to the blessed, fruit-yielding life. Who or what are you and I clinging to today?
- Kim Williams

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Rephrase Verse 1 thinking about where the “blessed man” would (instead of would not) walk or stand or sit?
+ What delights the blessed man according to verse 2? What does he meditate on? How often does he make this choice?
+ What is the blessed man “like” in verse 3? Think of this simile. What might this mean in one’s spiritual, emotional, and physical health?
+ What is the three-fold outcome of a blessed man’s life according to verse 3b?
+ Jesus walked out the life of the “blessed” man and “taught” His way in Matt 4:2-11. Take a minute and read this Scripture. How does this aid your understanding of the blessed man?
+ Verses 4 and 5 address the “wicked.” According to Psalm 1, how might you define “the wicked?” Who might be included in this definition?
+ How does  Romans 4:3-8 give more insight about the wicked and the blessed?
[3] For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” [4] Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. [5] And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, [6] just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: [7] “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; [8] blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”
+ “The Lord knows the way of the righteous” and offers it to you and I through His Son, Jesus, in meekness and humility and sacrifice. What would this “way” look like for you and I today?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Where are you and I choosing to walk, or sit, or stand? Who are we inviting into these “activities” with us? Would we delight to invite Jesus into our actions or thought life? Since He is already there, is there something we might need to say in response to Him?
+ Where does your way, your law, your form of love and truth and mercy speak louder than Jesus’s Way in your life?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Jesus, you know the “way of the righteous” because you lived it! You alone are the blessed man. You alone are worthy of my praise. Forgive me for thinking I can earn my own righteousness my own way. Forgive me for where I tend to spend my time, energy and resources apart from you. Lord, make me thirsty for the blessed life you freely offer. Help me delight in your law, your truth, your love, and your mercy. As I meditate on your law, your revealed way, give me eyes and ears  to see how I can live it out in your power today.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ What is one take-away you learned from your time with Jesus today? After you meditate on this truth, who will you organically share it with?

I love when we have a “Mission Minute” at a Sunday Gathering.  I am so inspired in my walk with Jesus when I hear from people who have literally disrupted their entire lives to serve the cause of Christ on the mission field.  Paul and Barnabas must have had some real stories to tell back at their home church in Antioch, even if they didn’t have a media presentation to show the congregation!
- Chris Adomanis

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ It appears Paul and Silas somewhat “retraced their steps” as they made their way back to Antioch.  Why?  
+ What do you make of the words used in verse 22 “we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God”?  Share instances of hardships you have endured for the cause of Christ.
+ What do you make of the words used in verse 26, “they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed”?  Share times where you believe you were committed by God to do something for the cause of Christ.

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ I am convicted and challenged by the deep caring and determination shown by Paul and Barnabas in verses 21-23 for those they were trying to reach for Jesus.  May we have such a heart to not only preach, but to disciple those we know at home, at work and in our neighborhoods!

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, we exalt Your name because you alone are worthy to be praised and worshipped.  We confess the times we have lacked determination in the preaching and teaching of the Gospel of Jesus to others.  While we all are not called to the foreign mission field, may we take seriously our call to be disciple makers where we live, work and play.  In the matchless name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who in your circle of influence needs to be “strengthened and encouraged to remain true to their faith”?  Are you willing “to pray and fast, committing them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust”?

I think to myself as I read this passage, How many times have I taken the glory for what was only God? In verses 8-18, the crowd sees the healing permitted by Jesus (see verse 3) for a man who had faith, and attribute the healing to Paul and Barnabas “obviously” being the Greek mythological little-g gods Zeus (god of the sky, thunder, weather, as well as the enforcer of law, order and justice) and Hermes (personal messenger to Zeus, god of messengers, travelers, and so much more; canonically Hermes had more domain and power than almost any other Greek god). I think historically, what I find so intriguing in this deception they had is that these Greek gods filled the role and power of that of only the One, True Living God. He is our Master of order, of justice, of nature, of angels. He protects us in our comings and goings.
This crowd was so certain and stuck in the ways they had always known (or at least the one that they thought benefited themselves the most) that they could not accept that Paul and Barnabas were mere humans as themselves who came to deliver the Good News of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
And while receiving the glory, sacrifices and treasure is so like us human beings to accept in a heartbeat, these two disciples of the Way insist on rejecting it. In fact, “they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd” and cried out the Truth.
I pray that the moments which I receive praise or glory in vain that I would mourn in Jesus’ name. That I respond with all honor to the One who has given me every gift I have ever received.
- Danielle Parker

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Why do you think the Jews resolved to stone Paul?
+ Why was it easier for this crowd to believe that mythological Greek gods had come down in human form to perform miracles than to believe the works were being done in the name of Jesus, the Living God who did come down in human form?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Where might you be accepting the glory for what God is doing through you?
+ Do you continue on sharing the Good News of Jesus even after you’ve been metaphorically (maybe literally but prayerfully, I hope not) stoned by crowds?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
God, meet me where I am today.
Reveal Your grace and mercy to me. Help me to trust in You even when divine healing doesn’t come, and help me to praise and glorify only You when it does. You are the One who has given us every good gift, and it is only by faith that we can receive these gifts. Yet even if I never received another gift, another miracle, another healing, You alone are worthy of all my praise. Help me to praise You in the storm.
Jesus, we love You. We cry out for You. Maranatha.
In Jesus’ precious name, amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who is your Barnabas, living on mission with you, and where might the two (or maybe 3, 4 or 5) of you be getting sent in this season? Is God keeping you planted in this season? Why?

My daughter loves playing with toys that other people are playing with. It doesn’t matter if she hasn’t touched the toy in three months. When she sees someone else enjoying her toy, all she wants to do is play with that toy.
I read this passage and feel the same way. The Jews loved Paul and Barnabas’s teachings. They even “urged them to continue in the grace of God.”
But notice when the Jews’ tone toward Paul, Barnabas, and Jesus’s message changes. It wasn’t until they saw the crowds. It wasn’t until everyone else followed the power of Jesus’s messages that the Religious Leaders felt threatened by the teachings.
This is just another example of the power of Jesus and the Gospel. What other story or testimony would fill someone (or a group of religious leaders) with such jealousy?
- Brandon Beylo

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Why do you think the Jews enjoyed Paul’s message until they saw the crowds?
+ Where else in the Bible do we see jealousy and envy cause someone to sin?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Are there any areas of my life where I’m letting envy and jealousy hold me back?
+ What can I do today to give that control over to Jesus?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Dear Jesus, help me shed the bondage of jealousy and envy. Help me lean into Your Will, regardless of how I feel about it or how it messes with my life.

When Paul and the gang arrive in Antioch in Pisidia, they join their brethren in the synagogue on what would be a “typical Sabbath.” On this day, however, God ordained Paul to uncover the truth of Scripture to them that, until this day, had been hidden.
I find it fascinating that the men and women gathering in this synagogue have grown up reading (or hearing) the Law and the Prophets, or the Torah, yet are unaware that the Messiah of whom the Old Testament foreshadows has lived, died, and raised again in their lifetimes! It seems unfathomable now, but this would be like Christ returning to earth and those of us in the US totally missing it. As Paul says in verse 32, this is “good news!” His audience was blind to what, in retrospect, should have been incredibly obvious, yet the good news is that it’s not too late. The laws they follow and the prophets they recognize as God’s own voice are not the be-all-end-all of scripture… Jesus is! And he offers forgiveness and freedom to all who believe in His name – even today.
When you read the scriptures today, open the eyes of your heart to Jesus – he is on every page!
- Hayden Van Dyke

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Why might the Jews in Antioch of Pisidia have missed the Messiah promised by the prophets?
+ What is the warning Paul gives in v40? Is that relevant to us today?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ How can we read the scripture with Jesus in mind? Why should we?
+ Notice how Paul delivers this “encouragement” with both grace and truth – how do we share the truth of scripture with others in a way that is both honest and forgiving?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Father, we are grateful to know you and your Son… this is eternal life! Would you, by the power of your Spirit, reveal to us your gospel truths as we read Scripture? Would you deepen our understanding of Jesus Christ so that we may follow Him with the boldness of the believers in Acts? You are good and your mercies endure forever. I love you, Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who in your life can you encourage with the good news of the gospel?

Acts 13:1–12 marks a major turning point in the book of Acts as the focus shifts from Peter's ministry to Paul's missionary journeys and the spread of the gospel to the Gentile world. The church in Antioch serves as a beautiful model of a healthy, Spirit-filled church: its diverse leaders were gathered not to develop strategies, but to worship, pray, and fast before the Lord. Out of this posture of dependence, the Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul for a special mission. Their commissioning reminds us that the Church does not create God's mission—it joins it. Before every meaningful work for God comes a willingness to listen for His voice and obediently follow His leading.
As Barnabas and Saul begin their journey, they immediately encounter both spiritual opportunity and spiritual opposition. Sergius Paulus, an intelligent Roman governor, eagerly desires to hear God's Word, while Elymas the magician attempts to turn him away from the faith. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul boldly confronts Elymas, exposing deception and pronouncing temporary blindness upon him—a striking reminder that those who seek to blind others to the truth ultimately stand under God's judgment. The encounter illustrates that the advance of the gospel is never merely a human endeavor but a spiritual battle in which God ultimately demonstrates His authority over every opposing power.
The passage concludes with victory as Sergius Paulus believes, not simply because he witnessed a miracle, but because he was 'astonished at the teaching of the Lord.' Luke's emphasis is clear: miracles may draw attention, but it is the truth of the gospel that transforms hearts. Acts 13 challenges every believer and every church to remain rooted in worship, attentive to the Holy Spirit's direction, courageous in the face of opposition, and unwavering in proclaiming Christ. When God's people seek Him first and faithfully obey His call, He continues to use ordinary men and women to accomplish His extraordinary mission in the world.
- Eileen Dowd

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ The church in Antioch models worship, prayer, fasting and careful listening to the Holy Spirit. They respond with obedience by sending out Barnabas and Saul.
+ How do you respond to the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life?
+ In our lives, do we ask God, “Am I making space to hear you, or racing ahead?”

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Consider where comfort or control might be holding you back from prompt obedience.  A next step might be setting aside intentional time this week to pray and listen for God’s direction about one specific decision.
+ Question for reflection: Where might God be nudging you toward greater obedience, and what’s been holding you back?
+ How can you cultivate a rhythm of prayerful listening before making decisions?  Pray through the passage and ask God to reveal areas of resistance or self-reliance.

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, thank you for calling ordinary people to your purposes.  Forgive me for the times I’ve resisted your leading out of fear or comfort.  Teach me to worship and listen before I act.  Give me courage to take the next step of obedience, even when it’s costly or unclear.   Fill me with your Spirit, so that my words and decisions honor Jesus. Make my life a faithful wiriness.  In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 12:23 may not be your go-to memory verse, but like all Scripture, it is "profitable for teaching" (2 Tim. 3:16). So what does this passage teach us about the character of God?
Scripture consistently warns about the danger of pride. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18). Likewise, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
Scripture also reminds us that earthly rulers are accountable to God. He "removes kings and sets up kings" (Dan. 2:21), and Jesus taught, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked" (Luke 12:48).
Taken together, these truths help us understand the framework by which God exercises righteous judgment. Herod Agrippa I (one of the six Herods mentioned in the New Testament, a confusing family of notoriously wicked rulers) had already ordered the execution of James, the brother of John, and intended to execute Peter as well. He was undoubtedly a wicked king. Yet, as with King Nebuchadnezzar centuries earlier, Scripture highlights pride and arrogance as central to God's final judgment (Dan. 4; Dan. 5:20–22).

Herod Agrippa I accepted the praise and worship that belonged to God alone. Rather than giving glory to the Lord, he embraced the adoration of the crowd as though he were divine. For this act of blasphemous pride - together with his persecution of Christ's followers - God struck him down.
Acts 12:23 reminds us that God is patient, sovereign, and just. He alone deserves glory, and He will not share His honor with another. Those who exalt themselves invite His opposition, while those who humble themselves before Him receive His grace.
- Jason Rimmer

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Lord, examine me and show me where I have pride or arrogance that I can turn from.

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, cleanse me of any pride or arrogance and replace it with Your fruits of kindness, gentleness and self control.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who is my spiritual mentor with whom I can discuss this passage?

This is a passage about the power of prayer. This is Peter’s third imprisonment, coming after the execution of James. In John 21:18-19, we see that Jesus prophesied the martyrdom Peter would face for the sake of the Gospel. If I were Peter, I would believe and say to myself, “This is it, there is no way I am getting out of this one alive”. Prayer changes things. Verse 5 talks about how the church community bound together in “earnest prayer”. Luke uses the word ektenōs to describe the prayer. This is the same word used to describe Jesus’ prayer in the garden at Gethsemane. The very same prayer that caused Jesus to sweat blood (Luke 22:44). The intensity that type of prayer carries is something I have yet to pursue the Lord with in my life, and I pray I find the strength to petition God in the same manner. I pray we as a community find that strength. Imagine a world where the Body of Christ saw a need and responded by coming together and praying and waiting. If Peter was released miraculously due to the power of prayer; imagine what He can do in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, the U.S., even the world.
Now it's time to talk about our blind spots. We may spend time in this sincere, heavy, and intimate prayer over very real struggles and hardships in our lives. We must still listen and observe for His answer. We see in verses 13-16 that the community didn’t even believe it when the answer to their prayer arrived. They respond with more of a “no way, you’re crazy” than a “maybe this is the answer we are looking for”. Oh, how often this chapter of my testimony has repeated itself. Many times when we petition God, we only look for the answer in the way we are expecting, but God doesn’t operate on our logic or ideas of the way things “ought” to be. His answers require us to humble ourselves, sit, trust, and listen for Him. I encourage all of us to look with an open heart to the answers God has already given us, but we often too easily say “you are out of your mind."
- Quentin Parker

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Why do you think Peter waits until after his complete freedom in verse 11 before acknowledging God’s answer for him?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Where in your life do you need earnest prayer?
+ What thing in your life are you saying “you're out of your mind” to what God may be trying to speak to you?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Father, thank you for this day and your provision. Open my eyes to the answers you are giving me, and blessings you are providing. God, thank you for the people praying for us even when we do not see it, may we find the strength to petition on behalf of Your people. Thank you for the opportunity to love more like you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Who can you share the Gospel with this week?

At first glance, Acts 11:19–30 may seem like a simple account of the church expanding into a new city. But Luke wants us to see something much greater. Antioch stands as living proof that God’s promises in Christ never fail.
Following Stephen’s martyrdom, believers were scattered by persecution (Acts 8:1; 11:19). What seemed like a devastating setback became the very means God used to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem. At first, the scattered believers spoke only to Jews. But then, some believers from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Hellenists as well. “The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord” (v. 21). Remember, centuries earlier, God promised Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). In Antioch we see this covenant promise being fulfilled as Gentiles come to faith in Jesus Christ. Through Christ-the offspring of Abraham-God’s blessing was reaching the nations.
The prophets anticipated this day as well. Isaiah foretold that the coming Servant would be “a light for the nations” (Isaiah 49:6) and that people from every nation would be welcomed into God’s house (Isaiah 56:6–8). Those promises were being fulfilled as Jews and Gentiles were united by faith in Christ. When Barnabas arrived, he “saw the grace of God” (v. 23), recognizing that the church’s growth was God’s work, not man’s. He then brought Saul to Antioch, and together they spent a year teaching the believers so they would mature in their faith. And there, as Luke tells us, “the disciples were first called Christians” (v. 26). Now their identity was no longer defined by their ethnicity or background, but by the One to whom they belonged—Jesus Christ.
Acts 11 is far more than the story of a growing church. Antioch stands as living proof that God’s promises in Christ never fail. Through persecution, God advanced His kingdom. Through Christ, He fulfilled His covenant promises. And through Christ, He formed one people from every nation who now bear His very name.
- Jenna Connor

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ How does Antioch show us that God’s promises in Christ never fail?
+ Where have you seen God use what seemed like a setback to accomplish His purposes?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What does it mean that your deepest identity is found in belonging to Christ?
+ How might the gospel move you toward deeper faith, maturity, and love for others?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in keeping every promise You have made through Jesus Christ. Thank You that nothing—not even persecution, suffering, or what appears to be a setback—can hinder Your redemptive plan.
Help me to trust Your sovereign hand when I cannot see what You are doing. Remind me that You are always at work for Your glory and for the good of Your people.
Thank You for making me part of Your family through faith in Christ. Help me to find my identity in Him alone, to grow in the knowledge of Your Word, and to live in a way that reflects His name.
By Your Spirit, strengthen me to love others with the same grace You have shown me, and use my life to point others to the Savior whose promises never fail.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Does the fact that God’s Redemption plan through Jesus continues to this day move and excite you? With whom can you share the joy of Christ’s love for us?

Peter had barely arrived in Jerusalem when the charges came. You ate with uncircumcised men. The accusers were not unbelievers or enemies. They were fellow followers of Jesus, and that made it matter more.
The dispute was sharp. The stakes were real. This was not a minor procedural disagreement. Circumcision was identity. History. The equivalent of a national flag. To set it aside felt like betrayal, not a breakthrough.
Peter does not argue theology. He tells a story.
He starts at the beginning: the vision, the voice, the Spirit's command, the hospitality he extended and received. He adds one detail not mentioned before: the angel had told Cornelius that Peter would bring words by which his household would be saved. Then the Spirit fell, exactly as it had at Pentecost. Exactly as Jesus had promised.
Who was I to stand in God's way?
That question carries everything. Peter is not claiming credit. He is confessing that God moved first, and he simply followed.
Three times Luke tells this story. Repetition signals importance. The gospel was crossing the largest boundary imaginable in that world, and it needed to be defended, not assumed.
The room goes quiet. Then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life.
Not an abstraction. A glad recognition. These people, unexpected, uncircumcised, unqualified by any traditional measure, were image-bearers. Family. In.
God is always doing new things. Not all good ideas are His ideas. But when the Holy Spirit shows up the way he showed up at Pentecost, the only faithful response is to follow.
- Mary Gunther

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Who were the accusers confronting Peter, and why does it matter that they were fellow believers rather than outsiders?
+ What is the new detail Peter adds in verse 14 that wasn't in the original account? Why might Luke include it here?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Where in your own life might religious habit or cultural expectation be masquerading as obedience?
+ God moved toward people Peter considered outside the boundaries. Who are the people you instinctively place outside yours?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, you move in ways we often do not understand, and your love extends to places we are uncomfortable going. Forgive us for the boundaries we have drawn that you never drew, and for the people we have kept at a distance that you have called family. Give us Peter's courage to follow even when it costs us, and Peter's humility to say: Who am I to stand in your way? Show us who you are placing in our path. Make us willing. Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ How would you tell someone in your life what God has done for you simply, from the beginning?

Peter’s encounter with Cornelius is a powerful demonstration of the Spirit at work in bringing the Gospel to all people in fulfillment of Acts 1:8.  The Spirit separately guides Peter and Cornelius so that when they meet, they see the Spirit’s unmistakable hand at work.  We begin today’s passage with Peter following the Spirit’s direction to go to Cornelius’s house.  After arriving, he states that “our law” prohibits a Jew from associating or visiting Gentiles, but that God has shown him that he should not call any man unclean or impure. Cornelius explains how he has been directed by the Spirit to reach out to Peter, and Peter connects this to the Spirit’s direction to him.  This is a divine appointment orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.
As Peter explains the Gospel to Cornelius, his family, and his friends, at least two transformations are taking place.  First, the Gentiles understand how to receive forgiveness of sins by believing in Jesus and in believing they experience the Spirit coming upon them.  Second, the Jewish believers are amazed and astonished that “even the Gentiles” are receiving the Holy Spirit.  Personally, Peter reveals his changed perspective by stating that he now knows God does not show favoritism in who can receive the gift of the Spirit.
- Gary Gunther

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Is there someone you know that you believe is beyond God’s ability to save?
+ What does the interplay between the Spirit communicating to and guiding a Jew and a Gentile and their subsequent actions tell us about at least one way the Spirit might work in your life?
+ What is the significance of the Gentiles speaking in tongues (other languages) and how does this contribute to the Jewish believers' understanding of what is taking place?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ In Galatians 2:11-21 Paul opposes Peter for refusing to eat with Gentiles in Antioch.  What do you think is happening in Peter’s mind in light of what Peter says he now knows in Acts Chapter 10?
+ How do Peter’s actions in Antioch serve to alert us to our potential shortcomings?
+ In what ways have you been transformed by the Gospel?
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Father, open my eyes to those around me who need to hear about you.  Reveal where my perspectives need to change regarding my attitudes and opinions of others.  May I live in step with your Spirit and reflect the love of God in my thoughts, words and actions.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ Ask God to lay someone on your heart who needs to hear the good news.

The Jewish food laws were not arbitrary. Through them, God marked Israel as a holy people, separating them from the surrounding nations (let us remember here that a defining component of holiness is set-apartness). This was a necessary step in salvation history. In establishing Israel, God chose a covenant people from whom He operated in expansion. As such, Israel needed to be disciplined in separation, holiness and obedience. The food laws, then, were a part of a larger system that trained the Israelites in these virtues.
Then, in Christ, the next chapter of salvation history is unfurled.
In Christ, the covenantal boundary markers that separated Jew from Gentile are transformed. This reaches a decisive public turning point with Cornelius. Everything about the providential setup of Cornelius’s vision exudes boundary transcendence. Cornelius is not a Jew (though he is a God-fearer). He’s a Roman centurion (a commander!). He receives the vision in Caesarea Maritima, a political and administrative capital in the Roman political system. All of this would be considered highly unusual by the Jewish people. But who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? [Isaiah 40:13]
The next day, in Jewish-associated Joppa, the Spirit reveals another equally important piece of the puzzle. This time, Peter is the recipient.
In this way, the Gentile seeker and the Jewish apostle are both met by God in prayer before they ever meet each other in person.
We should pay attention to the geography that Luke highlights in this chapter. Peter is summoned from the significantly Jewish city of Joppa into Caesarea Maritima – the very heart of Gentile-Roman power in Judea. Why? And why does Cornelius’s angel not simply tell him, “Believe in Jesus Christ, receive forgiveness, and be baptized”? Why command the extra steps associated with summoning Peter for this work?
Calvin, in his commentary on Acts, expounds upon this well. Christ has ordained human preaching as the ordinary means of gospel proclamation. The angel can direct Cornelius to Peter, but Peter himself must preach Christ. And in the unfolding of salvation history, Peter and Cornelius’s geographic connection itself preaches the gospel – a breaking of barriers, and a kingdom open to all through the one who is himself the Way.
Christ opens, Peter is the apostolic instrument, and we enter.
- Kidus Kebede

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ The vision in the second half of the above passage concerns food, but Peter himself later interprets it chiefly in terms of persons. Why do you think this is?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ In his commentary on the above passage, Calvin says the following regarding the use of set prayer times: “For because we are drawn away with divers businesses, and there is no end of turmoiling, unless we bridle ourselves, it is good to have certain hours appointed for prayer, not because we are tied to hours, but lest we be unmindful of prayer, which ought to be preferred before all cares and business.” Elsewhere, he is clear that we shouldn’t be legalistic about mechanisms of this nature – yet, still, their usefulness is clear. Do you have such aides to holiness that help you stay connected to your Savior in prayer, service, and Scripture reading?
+ Re-read verses 17-23. Notice that, though Peter does not yet possess full comprehension of what is happening, he obeys the Spirit anyway. Obedience even without full comprehension – does that sound like you?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, help me to embody your passion for the expansion of your righteous kingdom. Help me to serve your kingdom in obedience, even when I don’t yet possess a full understanding of what you are doing. You are good, and your plans are good. Help me to trust in this, that I may walk the path that hastens the below becoming as the above. In Jesus’s almighty name, amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups)
+ What cultural, social or personal barriers might God be calling you to cross so that Christ may be proclaimed faithfully?

In my opinion this passage is one of the most fascinating accounts of the early church! We read that Paul has already faced many obstacles in his juvenile faith. I love verses 23-25 because it reminds me of Mark 2 and the four friends who lowered the paralyzed man through the roof to meet Jesus.
Although we see instantaneous healing and Tabitha’s resurrection, we can’t ignore the miracle of the disciples’ hearts being softened to Paul. Everyone knew that Saul had tortured and imprisoned followers of the Way. So why would the apostles believe he was a true disciple? They were indeed skeptical at first but Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”) testified to Paul’s faithfulness. Although it had been 3 years since his conversion, Paul’s ministry had not joined forces with Jesus’ original disciples. Imagine how the Holy Spirit must have moved in their hearts to link arms with a man who might have killed their friends. Even to the point that when the brothers learned the Hellenists were seeking to kill Paul, they intervened for the sake of his ministry. The Gospel was further preached because the apostles put their fear aside in order to unite with the transformed Saul.
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.” It’s amazing to me that the early church was advanced so much because of this unity in the Holy Spirit. What could we be missing out on because of our own unwillingness to pursue His purposes?
- Cara Fowler

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Read Galatians 1:11-24. How does hearing the account through Paul’s words change our understanding of Acts 9?
+ The Hellenists were Greek-speaking diasporic Jews living outside of Palestine. Why do you think Paul would be disputing against them and why would they be seeking to kill him? (v29).

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Why did the disciples believe that Paul was actually a follower of Jesus? (v26-27)? How might our testimonies bear witness in the same way to those around us?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, humble us in Your Spirit and allow us to see your purposes for those around us. God will you use us as Your instruments even when we don’t understand. We pray that your church in Annapolis will have peace, be built up, and multiply. We ask that you help us understand Your Word so that we might grow in our love for You. Amen.

Saul must have seen himself as a guardian. He was a Pharisee and shaped by a people who had learned the hard way that compromise gets people in trouble. He knew what happened when Israel let the covenant slip. Babylon happened. Exile happened. And so, when this movement began to spread through Jerusalem, claiming that a crucified man was the Messiah, Saul saw the same old drift that had happened before. He did what men of deep conviction do when they believe the sacred is under threat. He moved to stop it.
That's what makes the Damascus road so disorienting. Jesus doesn't appear to a man who has abandoned his faith. He appears to a man who is on fire for it. And the question he asks is Why are you persecuting me? Saul's certainty, the very thing he thought was protecting God's people, had become the weapon aimed at God himself. Today ask: Where in my life is my certainty doing the most damage?
- David Bempong

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Jesus asks Saul "Why are you persecuting me?" not "why are you persecuting them?" What does that tell you about how Jesus sees his church?
+ What does it mean that Saul spends three days blind, fasting, and waiting? What might God be doing in that silence?
+ The text says Saul "immediately" began preaching after his sight returned. What has to be true about an encounter with Jesus for it to produce that kind of urgency?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Is there an area of your life where you've been confident you're doing the right thing, but haven't actually stopped to ask if Jesus agrees?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, you interrupted Saul in the middle of his worst moment and called it a beginning. Do the same in us. Show us where we're breathing the wrong air and mistaking our certainty for your will. Give us the humility to be led when we can't see, and the courage to go when you call us toward someone we'd rather avoid. Amen.

There are many things I find amazing about this account. The angel of the Lord directs Philip, and Philip obeys. The Ethiopian has come to Jerusalem to worship and is reading a prophecy about Jesus in Isaiah. Philip is there and has an opportunity to share who Jesus is. The Ethiopian believes and is moved to be baptized, and there in the middle of the desert is some water for his baptism. After this divine appointment, the Spirit takes Philip somewhere else.
Following the prompting of God leads to amazing things. That Ethiopian would take his faith in Jesus back to Ethiopia. The gospel is spreading beyond Jerusalem and Judea. I can’t help wondering what divine appointments the Lord has for us. Like Philip, God wants to use us to bring the gospel of Jesus to those in our communities but also to total strangers like this Ethiopian.
- Monica Godfrey

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ If the Ethiopian had come to worship in Jerusalem, what does that imply?
+ How does the text of Isaiah 53 point to Jesus?
+ How does the Ethiopian respond to the message?
+ What happens after his baptism?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ Are you aware of the Holy Spirit’s prompting in your life? Are you willing to step out in faith and obedience when he prompts?
+ Is there someone the Holy Spirit is prompting you to speak with?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
God, we thank you for the way you use us to share your good news with others. Thank you that You care for strangers and those in the ends of the earth. Holy Spirit, would you help us be open and receptive to your prompting; would you help us be faithful to share the hope we have with others; would you give us divine appointments. We pray for many people to believe in Jesus as a result. In your name we pray, Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups) 
+ Do you have a story of a divine appointment?

The Scriptures have many things to say about our Father who loves to give good gifts (including the Holy Spirit!) to His children. (Luke 11:13, Acts 2:37-38, Acts 10:25) Simon was given a gift in the Scripture above. He was allowed a glimpse into his sinful heart. He was also given a clear path to redeem and restore the brokenness through the work and power and love of Christ in repentance and prayer.
However we also see that this is not what Simon asked for. He wanted God’s power, in the Holy Spirit, for his own purpose and his own glory. As we understand God’s Kingdom, perhaps we can see that giving Simon what he asked for was not the right move! Perhaps there have been things that you and I have asked the Lord for that are not His best gifts for you at this particular time. We can trust our Good Good Father for giving the right gift at the right time.
Do we see the gifts God gives when they are not the “asked for ones?” His best may look different, as it did with Simon. The Lord illuminates what He loves and calls us to love them too. Repentance and prayer were illuminated to Simon in this passage. Luke recorded this event, but he didn’t give us very much closure. Did Simon see the value of this gift or was he so fixated on what he wanted that he completely missed what the Holy Spirit revealed (ironically!) through Peter and John?
What good gift from the Father might you and I be missing as we are so fixated on the thing we thought would be best? Is there something God is calling you and I to repent of today before the best gift is given?
- Kim Williams

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What word does this passage start with? As a reader this word is directing us to look at the passage that comes before for context. Luke is contrasting what happens with Philip in Samaria (Acts 8:4-8) and what has been happening with Simon in Samaria. (Acts 8:9-11)
+ What contrasts do you see? Who is Philip proclaiming? Who is Simon proclaiming? What happens after their proclamations? Who gets the glory from their words/actions? How do the people of Samaria respond to each of them?
+ Why is it significant that these events happen in Samaria? What do you remember about the relationship between the Jews in Jerusalem and the Samaritans?
+ The Message (paraphrase) translates verse 11, “He (Simon) had been around a long time and everyone was more or less in awe of him.” How might you have felt if you were Simon and Philip arrived in your town and proclaimed another “Great One” and performed miracles in His name?
+ Why do you think Simon “followed Philip everywhere?”
+ Who came into the narrative in verse 14? Why might they have been sent by the apostles in Jerusalem?
+ What does Simon ask of Peter and John in verse 19? How does the rest of the passage reveal his true heart motivation for this request?
+ How does Peter respond to Simon’s request? Verse 20-23? What two specific actions does Peter tell Simon HE should do in response to what was revealed in Simon’s heart? Verse 22.
+ How does Simon actually respond? Do we see HIM accomplishing either action Peter recommended?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ What do you and I do when our sinful heart is exposed? Do we repent of our sin before the Lord Jesus (and others we have sinned against) and pray for His promised mercy or do we evade this difficult and humbling step of confession?
+ Has the Lord revealed a space in your life through His Word today where you want to be the Great One and receive the glory for the things the One True God has done in your life?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Christ Jesus, Messiah, thank you for the great things You have done. You alone are worthy of our praise and honor. Thank you for showing us the greatest act of humility as You went to the cross becoming sin so we would have no sin in your eyes. Thank you for accomplishing the greatest miracle, conquering sin and death and rising from the dead and ascending into heaven and making a way for all who believe to do the same. Because of the work You have done, we don’t have to strive, to perform, to do, to make ourselves appear to be something we aren’t. Holy Spirit, pierce our hearts so that we see where we have missed the mark today. In our sin, give us the courage to repent, to confess what you have revealed through Your Spirit. Lord Jesus, thank you that You have made a way for us to have a direct relationship with the Father. We no longer need a priest (or Peter or John!) to intercede for us. You want to hear directly from us. Today, Lord Jesus, hear my prayer!

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups) 
+ What one thing stood out in this Scripture to you today? Why do you think this particular part of the passage stood out? Ask Father God, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, (each aspect of the Trinity separately!) what they want you to learn, meditate upon, or do with what He has shown you. The people of Samaria “paid attention” to the proclamation of the Gospel and then were baptized. Simon was called to repent and pray. The word of God never returns void. What action is God calling you to take in obedience to Him today?

One commentary I read on Psalm 46 was titled “Confident in God’s Protection and Power”.  That phrase reminded me of the Hebrews 11:1 which describes having faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see”. And boy, do we, as the Body of Christ, need these reassuring words today! I love these quotes on this psalm from two giants of the faith who lived hundreds of years apart.

“Martin Luther, when in greatest distress, was wont to call for this psalm, saying, Let us sing the forty-sixth psalm in concert; and then let the devil do his worst.” (John Trapp 1601-1669)
“Comment on this great song of confidence seems almost unnecessary so powerfully has it taken hold on the heart of humanity, and so perfectly does it set forth the experience of trusting souls in all ages and tumultuous times.” (G. Campbell Morgan 1863-1945)
- Chris Adomanis

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Verses 1-3 are SO clear about God’s willingness and ability to “be there” for His people in times of trouble.  What keeps us from believing and resting in these verses?  What specific things do you fear that you can bring to God, who is a refuge and a very present help?
+ Verses 4-6 were written with the city of Jerusalem in mind; however, read Ezekiel 47:1-12 and Revelation 22:1-5.  Can you see any other application for these verses for believers today?
+ What do you make of the author using two titles for God in verse 7; “the Lord of hosts” and the “God of Jacob”?
+ One commentator described verse 10 as “a word from God Himself”.  What “point” is God trying to make?  How would you describe His “tone”?  Are these words of encouragement, meant for rebuke or are they both?  What does it mean to be “still” before God?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ SOMETHING TO PONDER (PUN INTENDED):  The word “selah” appears 3 times in this psalm: 74 times in the Old Testament as a whole.  It is widely understood as a musical or liturgical pause, which makes sense as this psalm was written to be performed in worship as outlined in the opening lines of the text.  It also marked a time when the reader or hearer were to ponder; to reflect deeply on what was being stated.  I encourage all of us to do the same, maybe even committing some of these verses to memory!

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Almighty God, we praise and exalt You, for You are worthy of all of our worship.  Forgive us for the times we refused to submit to You as Master and Lord.  Thank you for Your Word, which reminds us of Your mighty power and deeds, but also of Your loving kindness towards us; Your people who You love in spite of our constant rebellion.  Let the words of this Psalm wash over us and settle in our soul so we can draw upon the incredible truths found here to live in effective and loving service to You.  Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups) 
+ Who in your sphere of influence needs to hear about the God who is willing and MORE than able to be a very present help in time of need?

Something I really like in this Psalm is in verses 10-17, where the Psalmist says “forget your people and your father’s house, and the king will desire your beauty  Since he is your lord, bow to him…I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.” Like Song of Solomon, this is a love song that parallels and is also directly addressing our relationship with Jesus, with the Father, with the Spirit. The Godhead that is three in one functions in many levels of relationship with us, should we choose to open our eyes to see Him.
Reading these verses makes me think of Luke 14:26, when Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” The Psalmist is telling this daughter to forget her own house where she comes from, because the king is waiting to desire and admire her in her beauty more than she can possibly imagine. He will wrap her in his riches to wed into his family, she will be remembered forever. While this is not the false-teaching prosperity gospel that says “follow God and you’ll get anything and everything you’ve ever wanted”, it is instead the Truth that leaving all we have to follow Jesus, including treasures here on Earth, stores up our Heavenly treasure. The image of golden robes and remembrance and joy, to me, are so meek in comparison to the reward of our relationship with Jesus. But things like this are just a fraction of what He wants to do through you and for you. There is no one on this Earth, not mother nor father, brother nor sister, spouse nor friend, who can desire your beauty as the Lord does. After all, He is the one who fearfully and wonderfully made you. As a parent that looks at their newborn who they’ve created and wants everything good this world could ever offer them, imagine how much more our perfect Father plans, desires, and sends to you.
He loves you. He is with you. He is for you.
- Danielle Parker

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Where do you see a draw between this love song and Messianic prophecies of the Son of Man to come?
+ Identify the phrases and verses which are written to the Lord, and which are to the bride (or the Church).

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Where do you need to forget your father's house so you can fully embrace the life that God has for you? 
+ Do you trust that He is going to catch you when you stumble, fall, or jump?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, sometimes it is difficult to believe that what you ask me to leave behind is being worked for good. I can cling on to the gifts more than the Gift Giver sometimes. Forgive me when I forget the difference. What You have for me, what You have already given me, and what You have removed from me are all more than enough because I trust Your plan more than I trust my own. Help me to surrender, to fall in love with You again, and to have the boldness to share the love You've given me with others around me. I adore you, Father. Your presence is enough for me. In Jesus' name I ask You to remind me that You are here today. Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups) 
+ Is there someone who reminds you of His love for you when you forget?
+ Tell someone today that they are loved by Jesus. It can affect people more than you know.

This psalm is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, right? The psalmist acknowledges the God of his forefathers, then confesses Him as king (v4). He writes of God’s faithfulness, but follows up with the line “you have rejected us and disgraced us” (v9). Just when hope in restoration starts to surface again (vv17-18), the psalmist once again takes a dark turn concluding with a plea for the Lord to wake up, to rise up, and redeem (vv23-26). In modern terms, the sentiment is something akin to “God… why aren’t you listening? Where are you? Do something!”

And you know what… I’d bet that God welcomes and even loves to hear such impassioned prayer. Jesus says that abiding in Him includes asking what you desire (John 15:7). Paul says to be anxious for nothing, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, present your requests to the Lord (Phil 4:6). And if you read through the rest of the Psalms, you can see this is simply the way that God’s people pray – honestly, boldly and without holding back! Afterall, God already knows what’s in our minds and hearts (v21).

Psalms like this one serve as a reminder of God’s place in our lives. Though He is sovereign, He longs to hear our cries, He loves to show His steadfast love, and in whatever trial you’re going through, He is present, listening, and redeeming you.
- Hayden Van Dyke

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What might the psalmist be referring to when he speaks of the “deeds performed in days of old” (v1)? What about when he says “you have made like sheep before slaughter” (v11)?
+ What are the implied beliefs about God that the psalmist holds?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Where do you desperately need God’s help in your life?
+ Like the bow or sword referred to in v6, what might you need to drop in order to show your trust in the Lord?
+ What might be holding you back from praying honestly and boldly?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, sovereign Lord, I need you in my life. I sometimes feel that my prayers go unanswered, or that you have turned a blind eye to the troubles in my life. And yet, O Lord, I know you. I want to abide in your steadfast love and kindness. You are good and gracious, and even when I feel you are far away, I trust that you hear me when I cry. Give me strength today. Remind me of all the goodness in my life… I know you are the source of every good thing that I have, and your love will never fail.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups) 
+ Who can you pray for earnestly and honestly this morning?
+ Who in your life needs to hear of the Lord’s goodness in your life?
+ When are you going to tell them?

"Why are you cast down, O my soul?" These have to be among the most honest lines in all of Scripture. He is praying through something happening inside him, in real time, out loud before God. That kind of honesty is harder than it looks.

What makes this psalm so interesting is the turn. "Hope in God, for I shall again praise him." He moves from inner turmoil to something that sounds like confidence, and the text does not tell us how. Something happened between those two lines. We just don't know what. What we get is not the explanation but the result: a soul that was cast down finding something solid enough to stand on.

We don’t get a formula for how to get from anguish to hope. We just see that someone did. And that they found hoping in God, even without resolution, was enough to keep going. The praise the psalmist is anticipating isn't the praise of a problem solved. It's the praise of a person held.

What would it look like for you to hope in God today, before the turmoil settles?

- David Bempong

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What does the psalmist ask God to send in verse 3, and what does that request reveal about what he feels he has lost?
+ The refrain in verse 5 appears almost word-for-word in Psalm 42. What does its repetition suggest about how the psalmist is moving through his discouragement?
+ The psalmist speaks directly to his own soul. What does that tell you about the relationship between emotion and will in this passage?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ The psalmist preaches to himself before the feeling changes. What is one true thing about God you could speak to yourself today?
+ What does "hope in God" look like practically for you this week?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
God, some days faith feels challenging. I believe you are there, but I cannot always find you. Lead me back to where worship feels natural again. I will praise you, not because everything is fine, but because you are still my God.

Psalm 42 is a beautiful example of having great faith in the darkest moments of life. Imagine being so filled with sorrow that you feel like your only sustenance are your own tears, the psalmist also says in these moments he was mocked by those around him questioning if God was even with him.
Yet in the midst of his sorrow, he looks inward, and confronts his own feelings of discouragement by asking, “Why are you in turmoil within me?” Then a very important part of this passage is that rather than shy away or further his distance from God, he brings this problem to Him. He tells God that his soul is downcast, but he also remembers all that God has provided for him, even in despair his hope remains in God, and that leads him to keep praising the Lord.
- Keegan Geis

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What does this psalm teach us about bringing our struggles honestly before God?
+ What images does the psalmist use to describe his longing for God?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ How can reflecting on God's past faithfulness help you in difficulties?
+ When have you felt spiritual sorrow or distance from God like the psalmist?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for your faithfulness and your steadfast love. I pray that when my soul is in despair or when I feel distanced from you that I will always remember what you have done for me. Thank you for your word and how you guide us into being more like you each and every day. “For I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups) 
+ What truth from this psalm would you want a friend to hear this week?

Lord, may I never be counted among the mob who would reject truth and meet a godly rebuke with murder.  Yet this pattern will be repeated a number of times as we proceed through the book of Acts. The very one who led the “great persecution” (Acts 8:3) will himself suffer numerous acts of mob violence and narrowly escape death.
In later years, Paul may have recalled these experiences when he warned Timothy that a “time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3)
In the case of the high priests and the elders, we see the inverse. They would not put up with Stephen’s sound doctrine, and they executed him for declaring it. The danger is not only that we might listen to false teachers. A subtler danger may be that, like Stephen's accusers, we become so committed to our own desires and traditions that we reject God's truth when it is plainly set before us.
So how do we guard ourselves from becoming the mob? Consume the Word of God (Jeremiah 15:16); stay humble (Micah 6:8) and avail ourselves of promises like this:
“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” 1 John 4:2
- Jason Rimmer

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ What are the habituated practices in my life that prepare me to recognize the truth when it is presented to me?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
Lord, keep me in the center of the narrow path that leads to you.  Give me the ability to discern your truth and hear your voice. Protect those who are sent to us as our spiritual leaders.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups) 
+ Who is a spiritual mentor with whom I can discuss this passage?

Stephen's speech to the Pharisees is probably one of the most convicting streams of Truth in the New Testament. In this, the message, while lengthy, is simple… God sends us redemption and we are too blind, too legalistic, and too prideful to receive it. In the most palatable way for his audience, Stephen identifies the very man who was the mouthpiece for God’s law, a man who redeemed his people and the one who they revere so deeply. Moses.
After drawing the comparison, he then talks about the Holy Spirit. The very Spirit that dwelt in the tabernacle and eventually the first and second temples, dwells within us as believers. I seriously doubt man's ability to speak with the same level of conviction, facing the same level of consequences. That's boldness. That is the Spirit at work.
Too often we read stories about the Pharisees and they seem almost cartoonishly evil. We have this depiction of them as if they were not the MOST faithful men to YHWH. They weren’t persecuting Christians for fun, they were the MOST deceived. They had the understanding that they were defending God’s plan and his coming Messiah. They missed it right in front of their faces. I think we need to stop viewing the Pharisees as unintelligent, unfaithful men. They are us. We are deceived and fall into legalism all too often. The Truth of relationship with Jesus is uncomfortable and we as sinful creatures find comfort in the black and white of the letter of the law. We should read Acts 7:51 and feel the weight of that. I am a stiff necked person who resists and denies the Holy Spirit. God, I repent! Mold my heart and allow me to listen to your Spirit with integrity and conviction. May we hide our hearts in His love and allow Him to change our stone into flesh constantly. May we resurrender.
- Quentin Parker

[ EXAMINE ] the passage. At this point, answer some questions about the meaning of the text. Take time to reflect.
+ Compare and contrast Moses’ life and calling to Jesus’ time here on earth.
+ How can we learn from Stephen’s boldness?

[ APPLY ] the passage to your own life.
+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ How can we prevent legalism in our own lives? What are some practical steps?

[ PRAY ] through the passage and your application, and ask God to change your heart and your life.
+ Pray with me:
God, search my heart. Identify my shortcomings and help my unbelief. You are good, You are perfect. Guide me and give me eyes to see and ears to hear. Thank you for the cross and your sacrifice, in Jesus' Holy Name, amen.

[ SHARE ] what God is teaching you with at least one person: your roommate,
your spouse, your kids, or your coworkers. Don’t keep what God taught you to
yourself.
(e.g., your family around the dinner table, a friend, co-worker or neighbor- for help join a community group at downtownhope.org/community-groups) 
+ Who can you share the gospel with, with the boldness of Stephen?