Week 2 Devotionals

NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE:  WEEK ONE

Devotional #5 (Sept. 29)

Blind Leading the Blind

Items you’ll need:  2 blindfolds

Matthew 15:10-20

(Parents:  Prepare for this lesson by placing large objects in the middle of the room.  Ask for a volunteer, whom you will blindfold and ask to stand at the end of the room.  Ask for a second volunteer, who will also be blindfolded and asked to take the hand of the first child.  The children will decide who will lead across the room.  Once they have reached their destination, they will switch roles and return to the other side.)

Explore:  What’s it like to lead someone when you can’t see where you’re going?  Isn’t it scary to be led by someone who can’t see where he’s headed?  Jesus described the Scribes and Pharisees as people who led others, without knowing where they were going.  He said to His disciples, “they are blind guides of the blind.”  (Matthew 15:14a) The Scribes and Pharisees were keepers of the old way of doing things (the old law).  Jesus came to teach them a new and more perfect way.  Had they been more open to His ideas, they would have been much happier people.  Instead, they chose to wander blindly.  Jesus warned his disciples that they would blindly lead others straight into a pit!

Application:  What’s the difference between their teachings and the teachings of Jesus?  The Scribes and Pharisees focused on outward uncleanliness, but Jesus says what truly makes a man unclean comes from within – his thoughts.  (Read Proverbs 4:23)

Discussion for the family:  How do our thoughts make us unclean in God’s sight?  What are some good things we can think about?  (Philippians 4:8)

Prayer:  Dear Lord, please help us to do things your way and have your attitude.  Help us to put into our heart the things that make us clean and pure.  Help us to always put You in our hearts through every means available to us in Christ Jesus.

NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE:  WEEK ONE

Devotional #6 (Sept. 30)

He Leads me Safely Through

Acts 27

Explore: Close your eyes and imagine that you are on a boat in the middle of the night.  This is a boat unlike any you’ve ever seen.  It’s not a new modern boat, but a boat made of wood planks and rope.  It’s the middle of the night and a terrible storm has been raging for days.  The boat is being tossed back and forth and men who have spent their whole lives at sea are terrified for their lives.  They are saying that the only chance of survival is to get off the boat.  One man stands up in the middle of all the chaos and encourages everyone to not be afraid.  He says that an angel of God told him that as long as everyone remains on the boat, they will live, only the boat will be destroyed.  By the fourteenth night of this terrible storm, people are ready to take their chances with the smaller life boats.  Once again, this man whom some are calling Paul the Apostle says that they will only live if they remain onboard.  Grudgingly, they obey and it comes to pass that they see an island nearby.  Paul instructs them to run aground and though the ship is torn to pieces, all 276 men are saved.  The nightmare is finally over.

Application:  God promised Paul that he and all the men would be saved.  He didn’t promise that they wouldn’t have to go through the storm, but that He would take care of them.  God promises the same thing to us.  We will all face storms, or trials and hardships in the voyage of life which all of us are taking.   God doesn’t promise to keep us out of them, but He does promise that He will lead us safely through with His strength and comfort as long as we trust in HIM.  (Read Psalm 34:19; Philippians 4:13)     

Discussion for the family:  What are some “storms” we have to go through sometimes in life?  How can we hold steady to God in the midst of the storms of life?  (Read Matthew 7:24-27; Hebrews 13:5-6)  In turn, how will we steady those around us and point them to God?  (Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-11)

Prayer:  Dear Father, we thank you for the reminder from this chapter that life is intended to be filled with difficulties and dangers, perils, and even shipwrecks at times.  Help us understand that it is through all these that we make our way, learning great lessons along the way to your heavenly kingdom.

NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE:  WEEK ONE

Devotional #7 (Oct. 3)

Who Will You Serve?

Romans 6:15-16

Explore:  Throughout your life you will be a slave.  Yes, you heard me right, you are going to be a slave.  The good news is that you get to choose whose slave you are going to be.  You can choose one of two masters.  Listed below are your choices.  Listen to the requirements of each and decide who you will serve

 Master #1                                           Master #2

 You must be…                                    you must be…

 ● Hateful                                                          ● Loving

 ● Selfish                                                           ● Unselfish

 ● Dishonest                                                        ● Honest

 ● Stingy                                                            ● Giving
 ● Conceited                                                      ● Humble

 ● Underhanded                                             ● Forthright 
 ● Apathetic                                                        ● Caring

 ● Lazy                                                                  ● A hard worker
  ● Willing to spend an                                   ● Willing to spend
      eternity suffering                               an eternity in rest

Application:  If you haven’t figured it out already, master number one is sin (Satan), and master number two is righteousness (God).  So which did you choose?  Master number two!  Excellent choice!  That was an easy decision, right?  Sure it was!  But, believe it or not, even though some people say choose God, their actions say something different.  Some people say they are loving, yet they treat their neighbors unkindly.  Some people say they are caring, but when they see a brother or sister in need they look the other way.  Remember, the choice really is yours!  Who will you serve?

Discussion for the family:  Read and discuss the following:  Luke 16:13; 1 John 2:15

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to always choose to be a slave to righteousness.  May we resist choosing Satan as our master, which leads to eternal destruction.   May we choose you Lord to always be our Master, which leads to grace and an eternal life in heaven.

NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE:  WEEK ONE

Devotional #8   (Oct. 4)

The Lord’s Supper

Matthew 26:20-29

(Parents:  Spend some time this evening discussing the Lord’s Supper.  It’s important for your children to know the significance of the Lord’s Supper and why we partake of it at the first of every week.  Use all or some of the following questions to begin discussion with your children.)

Discussion for the family: 

Who is Jesus?  (John 20:31)

Who can tell me about Jesus’ death?

(Possible discussion topics:  He was crucified (Luke 23:33); It was painful (Luke 22:44); He was spat upon (Matthew 27:30); He was humiliated (Acts 8:33); He was separated from God (Mark 15:34)

Did you know that He died for you?  (Romans 5:8)

Did you know that Jesus instituted as special feast so we can remember Him? 

(Read today’s devotional text and discuss the emblems of the meal)

What is the purpose of that memorial feast? 

(1 Corinthians 11:23-26 – remembering & proclaiming “until He comes”)

How often are we to participate in that memorial feast? (

The early church met on the first day of the week to remember the Lord’s death (Acts 20:7). 

We should, too.

Prayer:  Father, help us as we observe the Lord’s Supper to remember Jesus and to proclaim the facts and significance of His death and resurrection until He comes.  Help us also to remember as we partake of the Supper that we are your new covenant people—part of the family of God.

 

 

 

Saul is Saved!

We are first introduced to Saul of Tarsus at the stoning of Stephen. Stephen was a disciple of Christ who was put to death for preaching the message (Acts 7:54-60). In Saul’s eyes, however, he was a heretic and blasphemer. Therefore, Saul approved of the actions taken against him.

After the death of Stephen, Saul was emboldened and initiated a campaign of intense persecution against the disciples, pursuing and imprisoning them. His hostility was unmistakable. 

“But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.”   (Acts 8:3)  The word “ravaging” means to ruin or to damage. The idea is that of a wild beast tearing at raw flesh. This is the only time the word appears in the New Testament. Ironically, the one dragging off men and women in this text would one day be dragged off himself (Acts 16:19-23).

By Acts 9, Saul was so determined to rid the world of Christianity that he received permission from the high priest to broaden his pursuit of the disciples to Damascus. The high priest served as head of the Sanhedrin, which was the Jewish legislative body. Caiaphas was high priest at the time.

“But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.” (Acts 9:1-2)

Saul was convinced that those belonging to the Way were enemies of God. However, his actions made him the true enemy of God. “The Way” is an expression used throughout the book of Acts referring to Christianity (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). It was one of the earliest designations for the church. The familiar term “Christian” did not appear until later (Acts 11:26).

As Saul and his companions made their way toward Damascus, a bright light flashed around Saul forcing him to the ground. He then heard a voice calling his name. “And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” (Acts 9:3-6)

Saul must have been terrified to hear the speaker identify himself as “Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” At that moment, he knew that Jesus of Nazareth was alive, that Stephen had told the truth, and that he, not the disciples, was the enemy of God. Gamaliel’s worst fears had come to pass (Acts 5:39). Saul was then led into the city where he would be told how to be saved.

Now some believe that Saul was converted on the road to Damascus because he referred to Jesus as “Lord.” However, Saul did not even know that it was Jesus at that point. Therefore, we must understand “Lord” as simply a courteous title, much like our word “sir” today. Saul was not forgiven of his sins until baptism (Acts 22:16).

Saul entered Damascus much differently than he anticipated. He was helplessly led by the hand because the encounter left him blind. Since his companions also saw the light (Acts 22:9), it must have been the brightness of the glorified Christ, which only Saul witnessed, that left him blind.

The Lord sent a disciple named Ananias to visit Saul. Upon entering the house, Ananias laid hands on Saul and restored his sight. This indicates that at some point Ananias had received the laying on of the apostles’ hands. He could perform the miraculous gifts, but not impart them to others.

So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”(Acts 9:17)  Ananias’ use of the term “brother” has caused some to think that Saul was already saved at this point. However, Saul was not forgiven of his sins until baptism (Acts 22:16). Ananias called Saul his brother because they were Jewish brethren according to the flesh, not because they were Christian brethren according to the Spirit.

Throughout the book of Acts we see examples of people calling one another brethren in this way (Acts 2:29, 37; 3:17; 7:2; 22:1). In Romans 9, Paul lamented the unbelief of the Jews saying, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (v. 3, emp. mine). So the term did not necessarily imply spiritual fellowship.

Despite the fact that he had been praying for three days (Acts 9:11), Saul was still in his sins and needed to be baptized. Therefore, Ananias told him exactly what he must do. “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16)  One contacts the blood of Christ and has his sins forgiven when he is baptized in water (Acts 2:38). That is why we see such urgency in the words of Ananias. Baptism is not to be delayed or postponed. It is to be done immediately. Saul wasted no time rendering his obedience to the gospel.

What a privilege it must have been for Ananias to baptize Saul into Christ (Galatians 3:27). Saul went from sinner to saint, from persecutor to preacher, from murderer to martyr. His zeal for Judaism was transformed into a zeal for Jesus! Better known to us as Paul the apostle (Acts 13:9), he would go on to write nearly half of the New Testament and establish countless churches of Christ.

This remarkable episode, beginning on the Damascus road and concluding with Saul becoming a Christian a few days later, is consistent with every other detailed conversion in the book of Acts. (See Acts 2:37-38; 8:12-13, 8:35-39; 10:45-48; 16:14-15, 31-33; 18:8) 

Saul came to believe in Jesus, repented of his sins, and was immersed in water for the forgiveness of his sins.  There can be no denying the necessity of baptism.  Saul was miserable until his baptism, and did not have his sins washed away until baptism.

Have you been saved like Saul? 

Robert Prater

Intro to Matthew and Acts

Matthew

(The front side (recto) of Papyrus 1, a New Testament manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew. Most likely originated in Egypt around the third century A.D. Also part of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri (P. oxy. 2)

The Gospel of Matthew is one of four gospels in the Bible and the first book of the New Testament. Matthew was one of the 12 apostles that were with Jesus throughout His public ministry on earth. Scholars believe that the book was written sometime between 50 and 70 A.D.

Matthew was a Jewish tax collector from Capernaum, who left his profession to follow Jesus. It’s not surprising that this gospel talks more about money than the others, or that this gospel gives special attention to his home town. Matthew gives a personal account of many miracles that Jesus performed.

Matthew writes to the Jewish people to persuade them that Jesus is the true Messiah that had been prophesied in the Old Testament.  In fact, there is over 120 references or quotations from the Old Testament in this one book.  It stresses how Jesus fulfilled Jewish prophecies. (By the way Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies spoken by different voices in the Old Testament over a period of about 500 years.)

Genealogy was a big deal to ancient Jews. Listed in Matthew 1 here among all these boring hard to pronounce names are four women from the wrong side of the tracks. Tamar was involved in a sandal, Rahab was a prostitute, Ruth was not an Israelite, and Bathsheba was involved in adultery.  What we can learn from even this tedious passage is that God can lift the lowest and place them in royal lineage, and that somehow God’s grace forgives the darkest of sins and reaches to the entire world not just the nation of Israel.

Acts

Acts was written by a physician named Luke, and functionally serves as volume 2 of a two volume work that completes his gospel account. Scholars believe that the two books, Luke and Acts, were divided as such because the scrolls upon which they would have originally been penned were only about 35 feet long. Luke and Acts are the second and third longest books in the New Testament and together account for approximately one fourth of its material.

The book spans the first thirty years following the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If you take the most generally accepted date of Jesus’ birth to be 4 BC, that would place the events of Acts around 30 AD to 60 AD. Acts in every way continues the story of the Gospel account.  In the Acts account, Luke describes what Jesus continues to do and teach through His body, the church in spite of the great persecution.

We don’t know much about the occasion of writing, other than Luke clearly addresses both volumes to a person named Theophilus. The name Theophilus means “one who is loved by God.” Other than that, we really don’t know much about him or how he functions in relationship to the larger picture.  At the turn of the century, some scholars began to suggest that Luke-Acts was a trial brief prepared by Luke for the Apostle Paul’s defense in Rome. While that is a romantic notion, the truth is that we really don’t know.

We can be certain, however, of Luke’s meticulous writing style and attention to detail.   Luke was a first rate historian. The accuracy and thoroughness of his historical investigation has been soundly confirmed by archeology and modern historical research.  The only reasonable explanation for such details is that Luke was writing a first-hand eyewitness account of what he witnessed. All reasonable accounts point toward Acts being a first rate history of first century happenings. And if the Bible is proven true in the eyewitness historical accounts, we can have increased confidence in the eye witnessed theological accounts also. This wasn’t just an “academic exercise” for Luke: He wrote so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.  (Luke 1:4)

Robert

Week 1 Devotionals

 

NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE: WEEK ONE

Devotional #1 (Sept. 22)

Humble Beginnings: Jesus was humble—Are you?

Matthew 1:18-25

Explore: Close your eyes, and imagine you are living over 2,000 years ago. Your clothes are different, your shoes are different, and you have a donkey in the stable out back. You are the owner and keeper of an inn located in a little town called Bethlehem. One dark, windy night, a young couple knocks on your door and asks you for a room. “I have no rooms available,” you tell them. Then you notice the young woman is pregnant. You feel sorry for the couple, and you offer to let them stay in your stable. Later you learn the young woman had her baby, not just any baby: the child was Christ the Savior, God’s Son. “Oh, no,” you say. “Had I only known I would have given you my room. I would have thrown a party in your honor!”

When you start to seek praise and honor for your accomplishments, or believe you haven’t received the recognition you deserve, just remember this: Jesus, who is God’s Son, our Lord of Lords, our mighty King, ruler of everything, and was with God from the beginning (John 1:1-4), didn’t come to this earth for praise and glory. He didn’t come with trumpets sounding. The red carpet was not rolled out. He came quietly and humbly, placed in a manger, fleeing from danger—not to receive recognition, but to die on a cross for our sins.

“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”  (Matthew 1:21)

Application: Christ, who was the only one with every right to be arrogant and prideful, chose to humble Himself. (Read Philippians 2:5-8) Our attitude should be the same as that of Jesus. Jesus Christ has set the perfect example for us to follow—in life, in marriage, and in our family. Becoming more like Christ in our lives will not happen overnight. It will take persistence. It will take flexibility. And, most of all, it will take love. A love that shows others that we are more concerned with their needs than our own. A love that serves without an attitude. A love that forgives. 

Discussion for the family: How can we demonstrate humility and value to others? (That’s right!  Serve others and put the needs of others ahead of our own. Read Philippians 2:5-8.)

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help us to have the same heart of humility that Jesus had when He came down from Heaven to be born and die for our sins.

NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE: WEEK ONE

Devotional #2 (Sept. 23)

Wisdom & Love: It is important to deal with problems as they arise and work towards resolving them in a Christian way.

Acts 6:1-15

Explore: As we read through the early part of Acts, we learn about God’s church in its early stages and how it continued to grow. Today, we learn of a problem that the church was facing. There was a threat to their unity. The Christians who lived outside of Palestine felt that their widows were being neglected. As with anything new, problems will arise and obstacles will need to be overcome. This was the case, even with the early church. But, part of our reading today is not that there will be problems, but how to deal with them when they do arise. Rather than let this problem grow, the apostles acted quickly. They instructed the church to choose men among them to handle the task. The church acted accordingly and was stronger and more fruitful than it was before. And with their unity restored, the Bible says, “The number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem.” (Acts 6:7)

Application: When Christians act the way the apostles did and solve differences with wisdom and love, others will come to know God and the church will grow!

“By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  (John 13:35)

Discussion for the family: When we face problems today, whether in the church or just with our friends, what is the best thing to do? (That’s right! We need to go to them and work it out! Read Matthew 18:15.) When is the best time to work on a problem with others? (That’s right!  Now is the best time!  Read Ephesians 4:25-32.)

Prayer: Dear Lord, so often petty things stand in our way of having healthy relationships with others. Help us to be assertive in resolving our differences with other people, but to always do things in Your love. 

NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE: WEEK ONE

Devotional #3 (Sept. 26)

A Sheepentdove: Sheep that are wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Matthew 10:1-16

Explore: Before we read today’s devotional text, see if you can solve this riddle: What do you get when you cross a serpent, a dove and sheep?  A Sheepentdove? Not exactly. Give up? A Christian! When Jesus was preparing His disciples for service, He gave them some very important instructions about the world, and how to deal with those they encountered. Jesus said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.” In other words He says, I am sending you out helpless and unarmed among those who want to harm you. Do you think the disciples were nervous? Jesus knew their job would not be easy, so he told them to “be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.” What did He mean? How can someone be a serpent and a dove at the same time? Think for a moment about the qualities that Jesus gives each of these animals. To be shrewd means to be wise or prudent. A serpent is described as having the ability to do the right thing at the right time. And to be innocent means to be harmless and pure of heart, like a dove. So the disciples were to be wise and prudent, but harmless and pure of heart.

Application: When you become a Christian, you also become a disciple of Christ. Is there a reason to be nervous? Sure there will be wolves among you! Some may wish to hurt you and make fun of you for who you are and what you stand for. If so, use wise judgment. Don’t lash back at them, but be as a serpent and avoid those situations. And most of all, have no fear. For we are but sheep and the Lord is the Good Shepherd. Let Him be your guide.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  (Psalm 23:1)

Discussion for the family: How can we keep a tender heart while developing a tougher hide? How can we everyday commit to the Lord as “my Shepherd”  when we face opposition?  (That’s right!  Look to Jesus as our example and model.  Read 1 Peter 2:21-25.) 

Prayer: Lord, help us to be as “wise as serpents” about the world’s opposition to us, but “harmless as doves” in our response. May we commit to keeping our soul to you God, for you will be faithful to care for us.

NEW TESTAMENT CHALLENGE: WEEK ONE

Devotional #4 (Sept. 27)

Joy, even in jail: Prison praises in the midst of suffering. 

Acts 16:22-40

Explore: The apostle Paul and Silas are in prison….again. It’s hard to imagine that two great men who are disciples of God would find themselves in prison so much, but over and over again it happens. Our reading today finds them in prison after having cured a girl who was being possessed. It’s interesting to note that they have never been thrown in jail for doing something wrong.  It’s always for doing the Lord’s work. This time they are not just thrown in prison, but they are beat up. Not wanting them to have any chance of escape, the guards are commanded to put them into the inner prison and bound their feet in the stocks. You can imagine that the room they were kept in was dirty, dark, and had no windows. Not only were they locked in this room, but they also had their feet bound so that they could not move. How do you think you would feel in a situation like this? I would be terrified and miserable, but do you want to know what the Bible says Paul and Silas did? THEY WERE SINGING!

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”  (Philippians 4:4-7)

Application: Paul and Silas, beaten and thrown into prison for no reason, are praying and singing praises to God! In the same situation, do you think you would be doing that? Why do you think they were singing praises to God? (Good answer, they probably were singing because they were finding joy in suffering for God. Also they knew that other prisoners around them would hear their words.) The great lesson we can learn from this story is that no matter what situation we find ourselves in, we should always be able to thank God and find joy in our faith in Him.

Discussion for the family: What are some rough situations where you could praise God? (Read Romans 5:3-5.) How can our joy in times of hardships be a testimony to those around us?

Prayer: Lord, help us to be brave and to learn how to praise You in hard times. May our lives be a testimony for Jesus to those around us…..a testimony of your presence and comforting love.