13 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers. Among them were Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius from Cyrene. Simeon was also called Niger. Another was Manaen. He had been brought up with Herod, the ruler of Galilee. Saul was among them too. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. “Set apart Barnabas and Saul for me,” he said. “I have appointed them to do special work.” 3 The prophets and teachers fasted and prayed. They placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul. Then they sent them off.

Today’s passage is another reminder to ask

God regularly about what He wants us to do but this one is more about doing it as a church or connect group or even a workplace. Groups of us getting together to pray and ask God is a great thing to do. How

beautiful to see how the early church did things. These guys regularly sat with each other and God and prayed and fasted. God showed that He was there and listening by speaking to them. It doesn’t appear to have just been a prayer meeting around asking God about a specific thing but a regular thing they just did all the time. So things like Church prayer meetings are important. We can do it on a personal scale too by regularly getting together with friends to pray – giving God space to speak.

The early church not only invited God to speak, they then acted upon what He said and sent out Barnabas and Saul to do the work God had for them. Then Barnabas and Saul started on a wonderful adventure that had its ups and downs but was pretty amazing.

Lord thanks for being interested in our lives, for wanting us to help you with your plan for the earth. Help us to give you space regularly to speak and help us to hear and act. Thanks for the wonderful opportunities that can result.

Written by Therese Manning

12 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover. 5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” 12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place. 18 In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.

Herod Agrippa decides to persecute the church, who knows why.  The Jews were pleased with this, almost certainly from jealousy.

Herod had James killed and arrested Peter.

The response was one of prayer from the church.

Peter’s miraculous escape amazed even him.  Thinking he was having a vision Peter obeys the angel who is in fact in the act of freeing him.  The disciples had gathered for prayer and in the midst of their prayer time Peter knocks at the door.  The servant girl recognizes Peter’s voice but

is over noted and goes back to the prayer meeting to tell everyone, but they do not believe her until the knocking continues.

These events all speak about the miraculous power of God.  They also speak of how amazed the disciples were that God has chosen to do the miracles.

There was no expectation of a miracle, but there was a dependence on God.  Each of us needs to obey God and trust that in His love and faithfulness He will continually work everything together for good.

Father help me to seek You with all my heart at all times.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta

 

19 Some believers had been scattered by the suffering that came to them after Stephen’s death. They traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch. But they told the message only to Jews. 20 Some believers from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch. There they began to speak to Greeks also. They told them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s power was with them. Large numbers of people believed and turned to the Lord. 22 The church in Jerusalem heard about this. So they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad. He told them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 Barnabas was a good man. He was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. Large numbers of people came to know the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul. 26 He found him there. Then he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church. They taught large numbers of people. At Antioch the believers were called Christians for the first time.

In Antioch the believers had such success spreading the word about Jesus that Jews and Greeks believed and turned to the Lord. The response was so good that Barnabas was sent to check it out. He was glad to see God at work and encouraged Saul to retu

rn there with him to teach the people.

It makes me wonder what Saul was up to. What was it that he left behind to devote a year of his life here? I imagine there was a lot of good work to be involved in. Yet this area where disciples were first called Christians is what he devoted himself to for a year.

Life is busy and full of good things to do. I really want to make sure that I devote myself to God’s calling.

It makes me check and

ask God:

What should I leave and lay down?

Is there something new that I should take up?

Written by Lyndall Gourlay

34 Then Peter began to speak. “I now realize how true it is that God treats everyone the same,” he said. 35 “He accepts people from every nation. He accepts all who have respect for him and do what is right. 36 “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel. It is the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened all through Judea. It started in Galilee after John preached about baptism. 38 You know how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Jesus went around doing good. He healed all who were under the devil’s power. God was with him. 39 “We are witnesses of everything he did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by nailing him to a cross. 40 But on the third day God raised him from the dead. God allowed Jesus to be seen. 41 But he wasn’t seen by all the people. He was seen only by us. We are witnesses whom God had already chosen. We ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 “He commanded us to preach to the people. He told us to give witness that he is the one appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets give witness about him. They say that all who believe in him have their sins forgiven through his name.” 44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45 Some Jewish believers had come with Peter. They were amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on those who weren’t Jews. 46 They heard them speaking in languages they had not known before. They also heard them praising God. Then Peter said, 47 “Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Peter and other Jews with him were amazed that salvation was for Gentiles as well as Jews. They had felt secure in their “favoured nation” status, and despite prophecies to the contrary still didn’t expect Jesus to have died for all – it was a very radical concept for them then. God was bigger than they had thought.

This prompts me to think “What biases do I have which are ungodly? Have I put God in a box and made him smaller than he really is?”

Lord, just as King David asked you to show him any wicked ways in him, I ask you to reveal to me any sinful biases or expectations I may have. Please help me to be

transformed by the renewing of my mind.

Written by Megan Cornell

10 A man named Cornelius lived in Caesarea. He was a Roman commander in the Italian Regiment. 2 Cornelius and all his family were faithful and worshiped God. He gave freely to people who were in need. He prayed to God regularly. 3 One day about three o’clock in the afternoon he had a vision. He saw an angel of God clearly. The angel came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius was afraid. He stared at the angel. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to poor people have come up like an offering to God. So he has remembered you. 5 Now send men to Joppa. Have them bring back a man named Simon. He is also called Peter. 6 He is staying with another Simon, a man who works with leather. His house is by the sea.” 7 The angel who spoke to him left. Then Cornelius called two of his servants. He also called a godly soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened. Then he sent them to Joppa.

In the Jewish tradition, Cornelius would have had a hard time to earn the description “devout man who feared God.” We see evidence of this unacceptability later in Acts 10 when Peter answers his invitation but hesitates to share a meal with him. I wo

nder if a modern comparison would almost be like having an alcoholic claim that they have had a message from an angel of God that they needed to invite a Southern Baptist (traditionally non-drinking Christian denomination) to their local pub for a round of beers.

The point here is not necessarily about what Christians can and cant engage in, but to be aware that God created us all and loves the world so much that he sent generic propecia his only begotten son to die for all of our sins. God can and does communicate with people outside Christianity, whether we like it or not! Lets pray that if Australia we play flex Peter’s role in their lives that we will be sensitive to God’s invite and not our own preconceptions of how people will come to know Christ.

Written by Justin Ware