Acts of Jesus Study Guide: Acts 7

Overview

In our last chapter we were introduced to a man filled with the Spirit of God called Stephen. He spoke God’s words and was innocent of any wrongdoing, and yet he was persecuted just as Jesus was. In Acts 7 Stephen gives a long speech recounting the people of Israel’s longstanding pattern of rejecting the work of God. All of this leads to his final conclusion that Jesus is the true Messiah, and the Church, not the Temple, is now the centerpiece of God’s redemption in the world. Enraged, they stone Stephen, and as the first martyr of the Church, He is welcomed into eternity by the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

~Read Acts 7~

Key Questions

Why do you think Stephen chose that moment to give a speech about the history of Israel? Peter also referenced the patriarchs in his speech earlier in the book. What is the connection they are trying to make for the Jewish leadership?

Stephen highlights that they didn’t follow a sacrificial system when they were wandering through the wilderness. Why does that matter, and why do the listeners find it so upsetting?

Solomon’s temple was one of the great wonders of the world at its time and yet God does not dwell in temples built by human hands. What did happen at the inauguration of Solomon’s temple? How did they misunderstand the symbolism of that moment?

Later, scripture records the symbol of God’s presence departing from the temple. The current temple that existed was a newer construction, and we have no recording of divine fire or smoke to symbolize the presence of God. What is implied by that?

Stephen’s controversial point is implied. What was it?

 What is the irony of Stephen being filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit? 

Jesus is standing at the right hand of the throne of God. In most descriptions of the ascendent Jesus He is described as seated on the throne. Why is He uniquely described as standing here?

Applying Truth

The radical truth of the early Church was that God’s presence now dwells in His people. David in the Psalms pleaded for God’s Spirit and asked that it not be taken from him. The Prophets were led by the Spirit to speak God’s truth and yet it was temporary. Men and women of God longed for the day when He would dwell with His people, and they would be changed from the inside out.

That happened in Stephen’s day and continues until this very moment. Does it matter to you? The prophets longed for it, Stephen died for it, and we forget about it. May God remind us of the most precious gift of His Holy Spirit, and may we be caught up in the joy of walking in Him. 

Acts of Jesus Study Guide: Acts 6

Overview

The rapid growth of the church left some basic functions of the community in disarray. In particular, certain widows were not receiving food each day, and this became a point of criticism within the broader community. The disciples gather and decide that while they must keep their focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word, others should indeed be appointed to fill this gap. A spiritual leader named Stephen is chosen who becomes both a model for the Spirit-filled life and a target for persecution.

~Read Acts 6~

Key Questions

Hellenists were those who embraced and embodied Greek culture. Luke notes that the Jewish Hellenists who are familiar with local customs point out that certain widows are being neglected. What do you think was motivating their comments?

Their critique was fair regardless of the reasons behind their words. The disciples recognize this and decide to act. Does godliness save us from mistakes and oversights? How should we respond to the frustrations and accusations of organizational problems?

The 12 disciples recognize that they should keep a laser focus on preaching the Word and prayer. Why does it matter that the church keeps the main thing the main thing? What are some examples of losing focus and being imbalanced in the church today?

The feeding of the poor was daily practice. In that day there was not a separate government agency that provided a cultural safety net. How does this tie back to Luke’s comparison of two temples?

If you were writing a job description for working in a soup kitchen and waiting tables, would you make the top requirements be an excellent reputation in the community and uniquely wise and insightful? Why are the requirements so spiritual for such a mundane task? What does this say about how they view this role of service?

Was serving the marginalized less important than preaching the Word, or was it something else?

Applying Truth

The Church is unlike any other group in the world. We are called to care for the poor, fight for justice, and promote righteousness, and yet the Church is not primarily a humanitarian effort, a social justice cause, nor an anti-(fill-in-the-blank sin) lobbyist group. The foundation for all the Church does is Christ.

However you are called to make a difference in this world as your live out your faith, do so with Christ at the center. The story of the early Church is the continuing work of Jesus through people who are led by the Spirit. May He lead us, and may we follow with Him at the center of our lives.

Acts of Jesus Study Guide: Acts 5

Overview

The disciples continue the work of Jesus with the authority of Jesus. Acts chapter 5 details the cost of dismissing divinity when it comes wrapped in humanity. Ananias and Sapphira thought their deception would win them points with their peers and didn’t stop to consider how a Holy and Righteous God would see their actions. The religious leaders attempt to imprison, intimidate, and contain God’s work only to find themselves working against God. The chapter concludes with the disciples praising God that they were counted as worthy to suffer for God’s kingdom just as Jesus had done.

~Read Acts 5~

Key Questions

What do you think the conversation was like between Ananias and Sapphira when they were coming up with their lie? What motivated them? How do lies like that happen today?

Peter notes that they have lied to the Holy Spirit when they believed they were just talking with Peter. How is that possible?

Does their punishment seem harsh to you? Consider Luke’s focus on the true temple (believers with the Holy Spirit or brick and mortar). How does this reflect stories in the Old Testament, and why was that connection important to make for the early church?

Why do you think it is hard to see divinity when it is wrapped in humanity? How does that play out in the Church today?

Peter and the early disciples flatly refused to follow orders that would lead them to disobey God. Peter boldly says in verse 30 that we should obey God rather than men. The Bible often tells us to live peaceably and with respect to earthly authority. When do you think it is right to reject authority?

The leaders were so enraged by Peter’s response that they literally wanted to kill them. How does the early church’s example challenge a conflict-avoidant Christianity? What are some ways that we slip into that today?

Applying Truth

Many people struggled to accept Jesus as God because the Word became flesh. People dismissed the early Church as the temple of God which housed His Spirit because they looked so ordinary. People still dismiss the work of God because it doesn’t look like what they expect. We run the danger of dismissing or denying the work of God when we mistake it for merely human. We are told to abstain from certain sins because the body is the temple of God. How do you view your body?

We are called to forgive and fight for our fellow believers because we are all part of the body of Christ. How do you think about those other believers who you don’t get along with?

We are told to respect and give all honor to our spiritual leaders because they are led by Jesus. How do you view those leading the church? To fully live out the call of Jesus on our lives we can’t dismiss the divinity wrapped in humanity.

Acts of Jesus Study Guide: Acts 4

Overview

In the previous chapter we saw the surprising work of Peter healing a lame man on the steps of the temple. While many marveled and celebrated this amazing intervention of God, not everyone was so pleased. The established leaders of the Temple and the religious community were fearful and attempted to stop Peter’s words and, more significantly, the work of God in their midst.

~Read Acts 4~

Key Questions

In the last chapter we saw the pious crowd amazed at Peter’s act of healing. This chapter begins with the temple rulers being disturbed (verse 3) by Peter’s words. Why were they not focused on what happened, and what did they find so disturbing that they placed him in jail?

In verse 7 they ask Peter by what power and by what name (authority) did he do this? Since they heard him speak previously and surely know his answer already, why are they asking the question? What does this imply about their attitude and belief?

Reread verses 11-12. Jesus is the foundation of our salvation and relationship with God. There is no other name by which men can be made right with God. The leaders listening to Peter were angry by the exclusivity of his claim and what that implied. Many are still angry with that claim and what it implies. What does that imply, and why does it make people angry? What do you believe about the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus?

The leaders were astounded by the power, wisdom, and composure of Peter. Their only explanation was that he had been with Jesus. Think back to chapter 1 during the 40 days of being with Jesus and listening to His words. Why does it matter that we spend time with Jesus and His words today? How can that change us? Do you know of anyone who has made a radical change because of their relationship with Jesus?

In response to persecution, the early church doubled down and dedicated themselves to hearing God’s word and growing together. How committed is the average believer to their church today, and how does this challenge us?

Applying Truth

The spiritual life that Jesus calls us to can put us at odds with popular religion. When a religious system is more concerned with temporal power and historic precedent than responding to the work and words of God it should be rejected.

The religious nationalism of the day led people away from the true message of Jesus. Afterall, the thinking went, isn’t it better that one man (Jesus) die than the power structure the Jewish leaders had negotiated with Rome.

The words and works of Jesus have always challenged popular religion. It still does today. May we be committed enough to follow the leading of God’s Spirit even to places that set us at odds with some of the religious and political systems around us.

Acts of Jesus Study Guide: Acts 3

Overview

In Acts 3 we find that its not just the work of Jesus that is continuing through people who are led by the Spirit, but the miracles of Jesus are continuing as well. In the Gospels we find numerous accounts of Jesus healing the sick and the lame. Now, we see His disciples doing that same work to confirm their message of salvation through the risen Jesus.

~Read Acts 3~

Key Questions

What were the stated reasons that Peter and the lame man were at the temple? What is the deeper significance of this event happening at the temple (Hint: what is the purpose of the temple?)

The pious onlookers where shocked when they saw the work of God on display. Peter challenges their reaction. Why were they shocked, and why are we so surprised when we see the work of God in our midst?

Peter states that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has glorified Jesus and yet their descendants (the Israelites) have rejected and killed Him. How is it that you can inherit a tradition of faith and still miss it? What does this imply about how we can or cannot pass along our personal faith others?

Verse 24 states that the prophets in the Old Testament spoke of Jesus even though His name wasn’t specifically mentioned in the text. What does this say about a “Christian” reading of the Old Testament?

Applying Truth

“We believe that all the Scriptures center about the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in His first and second coming, and hence that no portion, even of the Old Testament, is properly read, or understood, until it leads to Him.”[1]

God’s plan of redemption was set in motion from eternity past. All of creation praises and points to Him. All of scripture speaks of Him and leads us to Him. Our lives should do the same. Just like creation and the word of God, our lives should point to Jesus.

What is your life pointing to? May it be said of each of us that our lives center about the Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in His first and second coming, and that the story of our life can’t be fully understood until you see that it points to Jesus.

[1] https://www.dts.edu/about/what-we-believe/doctrinal-statement/

Acts of Jesus Study Guide: Acts 2

Overview

Acts 2 tells the story of how the Holy Spirit came upon the early believers on the day of Pentecost. God’s prophecy came true and the early church began to miraculously speak the story of Jesus in such a way that each person understood it in their own language. Peter preaches the message of Jesus as the rejected Messiah who is now calling Israel to Himself and many respond to the Gospel. In response to God’s word and the work of the Holy Spirit, a new faith community is gathered.

~Read Acts 2~

Key Questions

Pentecost was a celebration of the first harvest of wheat where many Jewish pilgrims came from all over the empire to Jerusalem to celebrate and make offerings to God. Why is this setting significant for the coming of the Holy Spirit?

While they were waiting, there was a rushing wind and something like tongues of fire came upon the believers. Read 2nd Chronicles 7:1-4 and Exodus 30: 33-38. What is significant about this imagery and what does it imply?

When they spoke the words of Jesus, they miraculously spoke in languages they didn’t previously know. The pilgrims who had traveled from all over the world to be there suddenly heard the message of Jesus clearly. How is this a fulfilment of Ezekiel 37:15-28?

Verse 42 says that they devoted themselves to this new community of faith. They heard the message, they responded with faith, and then they dedicated themselves to this new community. Why was that important, and why is it still important?

Applying Truth

God fulfills His promises. The events in Acts 2 undoubtedly shocked and surprised all who saw it, but God had planned this long ago. The prophets had foretold this moment would come and that God’s kingdom would break forth in a new way. Those who saw it responded with joy, worship, and generosity. They committed themselves to God’s word and lived with the simple purpose of being a part of God’s coming kingdom because God’s people respond to God’s promises.

Too often this simplicity of purpose and the overflowing life of worship it brings gets buried by the worries of everyday life. What has overshadowed your commitment to the community of believers? What has robbed you of joy or complicated your purpose in living? Give it to God and reconnect with the thrill of seeing God’s kingdom come in and through you.

Acts of Jesus Study Guide: Acts 1

Overview

Luke gives the premise for writing his book. This is the story of how the work of Jesus continued after his ascension into heaven. The disciples are given a mission but told to wait until the power of the Holy Spirit is upon them. While they wait and prepare for that moment, the disciples choose a replacement for Judas.

~Read Acts 1~

Key Questions

Luke begins by describing the time in between Jesus’ resurrection and His coming ascension. He taught the early disciples for 40 days about the coming of God’s kingdom. What do you think they discussed and how did it impact the disciples? (Hint! Look at how Luke describes the disciples in the last few chapters of Luke and then in the first few chapters of Acts.)

What does this imply about the need and result of you spending time with Jesus and His word?

The disciples are told to wait for a power which was promised by God, told to them through Jesus, and made available to them by the Holy Spirit. Why do they need to wait?

Jesus tells them that when they receive the power of the Spirit, they will be witnesses. People who are operating in the power of Holy Spirit witness about Jesus. What do you think witnessing means and how are you living that out?

Why do you think the disciples felt the need to replace Judas’ position as the 12th disciple? Think back to their last 40 days of discussion.

Applying Truth

God’s work requires God’s power. You cannot live the life that He has called you to in your own strength and effort. Acts is a story of the continuing work of Jesus through people who were led by the Holy Spirit. Even as the disciples waited for that first gift of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, so we who have the Spirit within us must also wait for His leading in our lives.

What areas of your life are you living in your own strength and what has that cost you?

Where are you outpacing God’s leading?

Pray

God grant me the grace this week to move in the power at the speed of your Holy Spirit.

Acts of Jesus Study Guide: Overview

Overview

Luke wrote this book as a “part 2” companion to his Gospel of Luke. From the start he explains that:

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,”

                                                                                                                                                               Acts 1:1

If Luke’s first book was about what Jesus began to do, then his part 2 (the book of Acts) is about how the work of Jesus continued throughout the early days of the Church and how it continues even to this day. While we see many notable figures throughout the book (Peter, Stephen, Paul, Timothy, etc.) this isn’t a story about people, it is a story about what Jesus is doing through them.

One key idea that threads through the entire 28 chapters of this amazing book is that the work of Jesus continues through people who are led by the Spirit. It was not blind luck or human effort that transformed a small and beleaguered group of disciples into a global community of faith. It was the work of Jesus. What He came to do He continues to do even today.

One of the key verses for the entire book also provides a basic outline for how the story unfolds:

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

                                                                                                                                                               Acts 1:8

The story Luke tells begins with the early believers witnessing in Jerusalem (Acts 1-7), then in the surrounding regions of Judea and Samaria (Acts 8-12), and finally unto the ends of the earth (Acts 13-28).

How to use this guide

This guide is meant to help you understand and respond to God’s Word. Each chapter will give a basic overview, some key questions to ask, and prompts for how to apply it to your life. When you come to read God’s word, whether you are in a small group or on your own, take time to come before God in worship. Ask Him to lead and guide your time. Ask for grace to read, listen, and respond as He leads.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
“As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.”

              Daniel 12:1-4; 13

Daniel didn’t simply survive, he thrived.

The visions he received and the challenges he faced, all of it led him to his knees and to his God. At the end of it all, he was told to go on his way and live his life with the confidence that God is in control. 

Daniel’s vision of the end is as relevant for God’s people today as it was to the exiled prophet in his own time. When we see the end as God has written it, we are changed by it. It challenges our priorities and perceptions. And perhaps most stunning of all, the book of Daniel ends, not with a call to act, but a call to rest. 

There is a rest awaiting God’s people. You can experience it today. Will you enter into that rest? There is more for you than simply surviving. Today, you can thrive. 

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Ephesians 6:10-13

There is a battle taking place around you. You cannot see it nor can you touch it. But it is as real as the air you are breathing and it is affecting you. Daniel 10 gives us a glimpse beyond the veil to see a reality few of us acknowledge. There is a spiritual battle taking place, a contest between spiritual beings. Daniel instinctively realized what was happening to his people was more than simple stubbornness. He also realized that the spiritual forces influencing this world for evil were far beyond his ability to handle. In that moment of realization, he didn’t turn to his influential position, he didn’t leverage his network, nor did he deliver a stirring speech. 

He prayed. 

His battle started on his knees. The enemy was far beyond his ability to handle. Thankfully, they were not beyond Gods. 

This isn’t just a story about Daniel. It is a reality for us as well. Ephesians tells us that we are presently in a spiritual battle and that we must be prepared for it. God has given us all that we need, from the armor we wear to the weapons we use. Ignoring this spiritual dimension of our lives will cost us. 

Are you ready for the battle?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

3 Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 7 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. 8 To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him 10 and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

Daniel 9:3-10

Sometimes to go forward, you must look back.
 
Daniel was reflecting on God’s promise to return His people to their land. After so many years living in exile, visions of home, of the temple, and of what life used to be like must have been dim. But he clung to that promise of his people returning one day. Fearful that God’s people might continue in their cycles of sin and unfaithfulness, Daniel goes to his knees in prayer. 

He prays not only for himself, but for God to forgive their long history of sin and brokenness. He was a spiritual leader who interceded on behalf of others and was willing to break the cycles of sin in his own generation. This man, so far from home, helped return an entire people back to their land and back to their God. 

We desperately need spiritual leaders today. Who can you intercede on behalf of? What cycles of sin need to be challenged and broken in your context?

May you lead one person back to God this week.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.  And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

Daniel 8:1-4

Visions of the future give us courage for today. 

Daniel saw an appalling vision. He saw nations rising and falling. He saw violence and corruption. A little horn would come and, with it, bring incredible persecution for God’s people. It was almost too much for Daniel to take. 

We might be tempted to think at this point that Daniel was ready to give up or step back from the hardship to come. But something happened in Daniel when he saw these visions. Instead of slinking back, he actually presses forward. Instead of being gripped by fear, he finds courage. These visions, as difficult as they were, came before and fueled some of the most fruitful years of ministry in Daniel’s life. 

Why? Because visions of the future give us courage for today. 

This vision came just a short while before Daniel’s risky confrontation of the sacrilegious king Belshazzar. Daniel had seen the end. He knew what would happen to Babylon and, more importantly, that the King of Kings had everything in control. 

How does this vision of the future give you much-needed courage for today?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
    there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
    and was presented before him.
 And to him was given dominion
    and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
    should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
    that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14

There is a kingdom coming. 

Those who see it with the eyes of faith find peace in the storm and courage in the battle. Those who see it have a hope that goes beyond the circumstances around them. Nations rise and fall, but the one like the Son of Man will receive the honor due His name.

Jesus, Our Redeemer, went to the cross with His eyes fixed on that kingdom to come. Scripture says that for the joy that was set before Him, He endured. He wasn’t looking behind, around, or even at the pain and suffering of the cross. He looked ahead. 

Where are you looking today? There is a kingdom coming and those who see it with the eyes of faith are strengthened and they endure.  

Do you see it?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11 Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12 Then they came near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign an injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 13 Then they answered and said before the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or the injunction you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
                                                Daniel 6:10-13

It was surprising he survived.

Daniel 6 is a story about living with dual citizenship. What does it look like for those who are called to live and work for the good of a city, a nation, or an empire when in so many ways it seems to be moving away from God and His purposes? How does one live as both a citizen here on earth and as a citizen of heaven? 

For Daniel, it required a conviction deeper than convenience. It wasn’t always going to be easy and yet what he believed went beyond easy. He had a life that made statements. It was clear to all around that he had faith in God. He had a healthy disregard for false gods. He wasn’t antagonistic about it; he simply would not acknowledge people or policies that demanded his allegiance above his God. Daniel lived with his dual citizenship, having a true loyalty to the King of Kings which allowed him to do what was best for his earthly king. 

It was surprising that he survived in all of the messy court politics, but it was a miracle that he thrived in it. May God give you grace to thrive where He has placed you for His kingdom.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, opposite the lampstand. And the king saw the hand as it wrote. 6 Then the king's color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7 The king called loudly to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers. The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
                                                Daniel 5:5-7

The writing was on the wall. 

Pale, stunned, and weak, Belshazzar sank into his chair. He had challenged the God of slaves and exiles, a god he thought powerless. He was wrong and now he knew it. The real tragedy is that it took this long for him to see it. Belshazzar lacked the humility, insight, and wisdom to see God’s hand in his life until it was too late. 

May you see God at work in your life today. May He speak through the voice of those around you. May He guide you through stories in His Word. May you have the insight to see His hand at work in your life even as you read this sentence. 

Do you see Him?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’

                                                Daniel 4:13-17

When they looked up, all they could see were branches. When he looked down, all he could see was himself. 

Nebuchadnezzar looked over the grandeur of Babylon and believed that it was all by him and all for him. His pride and arrogance deceived him into thinking that he was the source and purpose for everything. But he had forgotten something. There is a King of Kings – One who is the true source of all life, from Kings to the birds of the air. In Him, everything finds its purpose. All of us, Nebuchadnezzar included, need to learn that there are more than branches overhead and to give all honor and glory to the ruler of Heaven and Earth. 

What do you see when you look up?

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

                                                Daniel 3:14-15

They stood alone. Thousands of people all kneeling before a statue, thousands of eyes, and thousands of reasons to bow down. Yet they stood. They stood for what they believed in and for who they believed in. God had shown up in their lives before and they believed He would do so again. 

It was costly. They knew they were putting everything on the line including their very lives. The king was furious and their punishment was swift and brutal. As they were marched to the edge of an intense furnace that would end their lives everyone was watching to see if their God would save them. 

But God didn’t. He didn’t save them from the fire, He met them in it. God doesn’t promise to save us from the trials in our lives, but He does promise to be with us in them.

May you have the courage to stand, knowing that you are never alone. 

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

                                                Daniel 10:25-29

Who is my neighbor?
It is a simple enough question. On the face of it, it might even sound innocent or simply curious. But for the lawyer standing in front of Jesus that day, that question held much more meaning. 

Justification. 

The lawyer wanted to position and to nuance what he knew to be true in such a way that it justified his selfish and unloving attitude towards others. Like a dispassionate scholar, he had the right idea and yet, he was fundamentally wrong. The command of God was always intended to sink much deeper than just the mind. The true gift of God is a radical change that happens at the heart level. It is a divine passion that leads to compassion and then to action for those in need around us. His question hid a much deeper purpose and it also revealed a much deeper truth about himself: he was spiritually dead inside. 

Racism is a sin against our fellow man and a horrific offense to a God whose image they bear. The soul's deep cure is a heart that loves our neighbor as selflessly as we are selfish. We cannot do this on our own, but need a radical change of heart that only God can bring. If we are hedging, positioning, and justifying our own cold and unloving hearts like that lawyer did, it reveals a deeper truth about ourselves. 

May God, by the power of His Spirit, bring us new life, and give us His desires.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.
But Daniel resolved…
                                                Daniel 1:1-8a
 

Nameless, faceless, helpless. Daniel and his friends were simply unknown captives who were ripped from their lives and herded across the country to an unknown land. They had lost everything: their home, their family, their hopes and dreams. But they hadn’t lost their faith. Even when all was taken away, God remained with them. 

When Daniel arrived in Babylon and learned his life was to be spent building the empire that destroyed his life, he resolved. He saw God’s hand in the situation and so he learned to thrive in his new life even as he engaged his faith. He took a risk to honor God and God rewarded him. 

When life has flipped upside down and oppression is all around, we need to resolve in our hearts like Daniel and his friends. Resolve to follow God into the unknown and to live our lives by faith as it exists, not as we wish it were. 

May you resolve in your heart to follow God this week.

MIDWEEK MEDITATION

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer's;
    he makes me tread on my high places.
                                                Habakkuk 3:17-19

Though; a statement of exception.

Even if what I hold dearly does not pan out, I choose to believe. That sentiment is the heart of faith. Habakkuk knew the price and the gift of joy. When we are willing to let go of what we demand our lives should look like, and instead, cling to our God who is good and to the belief that He will work all things together for our good… in that place we find joy. Not the sort of joy that rides ebbs and flows with the tide of circumstance, but a joy that is based on something far more constant dearly – a good God with good plans for our lives. Even though the fig trees in our lives may not blossom as we expect or along the timeline we anticipated, still we can find a joy that leads to praise. 

May your joy be based on God’s character instead of your circumstances this week.