LEARN BY TOPIC

The church in Acts

Follow how the community learns to care, send and communicate in new places.

1. 1. Read and discover - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 2:42-47

   ⁴² They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

   ⁴³ Fear came on every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

   ⁴⁴ All who believed were together, and had all things in common.

   ⁴⁵ They sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need.

   ⁴⁶ Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart,

   ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Teaching, table fellowship, prayer and material help describe a community; fellowship has visible shared dimensions.

   Reflect

   • Which needs do these practices meet?

   Put it into practice

   Join a community practice linking learning and care.

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2. 2. Organizing fair care - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 6:1-7

   ¹ Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, a complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily service.

   ² The twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not appropriate for us to forsake the word of God and serve tables.

   ³ Therefore, select from among you, brothers, seven men of good report, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

   ⁴ But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.”

   ⁵ These words pleased the whole multitude. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch,

   ⁶ whom they set before the apostles. When they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

   ⁷ The word of God increased and the number of the disciples greatly multiplied in Jerusalem. A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

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   Understanding the passage

   A complaint about unequal distribution leads to new responsibilities; the community listens and reorganizes service.

   Reflect

   • What happens when an overlooked need becomes visible?

   Put it into practice

   Hear a complaint without dismissing it and seek a concrete improvement.

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3. 3. Sent from Antioch - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 13:1-3

   ¹ Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

   ² As they served the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate Barnabas and Saul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”

   ³ Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   A diverse community discerns, prays and sends Barnabas and Saul; mission begins with shared listening.

   Reflect

   • How does the Antioch community take part in sending Barnabas and Saul?

   Put it into practice

   Consult your community before taking on a new responsibility.

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4. 4. Philippi - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 16:11-40

   ¹¹ Setting sail therefore from Troas, we made a straight course to Samothrace, and the day following to Neapolis;

   ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is a city of Macedonia, the foremost of the district, a Roman colony. We were staying some days in this city.

   ¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside of the city by a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

   ¹⁴ A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

   ¹⁵ When she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

   ¹⁶ As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

   ¹⁷ Following Paul and us, she cried out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us a way of salvation!”

   ¹⁸ She was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” It came out that very hour.

   ¹⁹ But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

   ²⁰ When they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men, being Jews, are agitating our city

   ²¹ and advocate customs which it is not lawful for us to accept or to observe, being Romans.”

   ²² The multitude rose up together against them and the magistrates tore their clothes from them, then commanded them to be beaten with rods.

   ²³ When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely.

   ²⁴ Having received such a command, he threw them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.

   ²⁵ But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

   ²⁶ Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were loosened.

   ²⁷ The jailer, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

   ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, “Don’t harm yourself, for we are all here!”

   ²⁹ He called for lights, sprang in, fell down trembling before Paul and Silas,

   ³⁰ brought them out, and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

   ³¹ They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

   ³² They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house.

   ³³ He took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household.

   ³⁴ He brought them up into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly with all his household, having believed in God.

   ³⁵ But when it was day, the magistrates sent the sergeants, saying, “Let those men go.”

   ³⁶ The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go; now therefore come out and go in peace.”

   ³⁷ But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly without a trial, men who are Romans, and have cast us into prison! Do they now release us secretly? No, most certainly, but let them come themselves and bring us out!”

   ³⁸ The sergeants reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Romans,

   ³⁹ and they came and begged them. When they had brought them out, they asked them to depart from the city.

   ⁴⁰ They went out of the prison and entered into Lydia’s house. When they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them, then departed.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Lydia offers hospitality and the jailer receives care in a crisis; Paul also requests fair treatment after imprisonment.

   Reflect

   • What changes in Lydia’s and the jailer’s lives after meeting Paul?

   Put it into practice

   Meet an immediate need while honoring the person’s dignity.

   Next lesson →

5. 5. From Malta to Rome - Read lesson

   World English Bible

   Acts 28:1-31

   ¹ When we had escaped, then they learned that the island was called Malta.

   ² The natives showed us uncommon kindness; for they kindled a fire and received us all, because of the present rain and because of the cold.

   ³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand.

   ⁴ When the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped from the sea, yet Justice has not allowed to live.”

   ⁵ However he shook off the creature into the fire, and wasn’t harmed.

   ⁶ But they expected that he would have swollen or fallen down dead suddenly, but when they watched for a long time and saw nothing bad happen to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.

   ⁷ Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us and courteously entertained us for three days.

   ⁸ The father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery. Paul entered in to him, prayed, and laying his hands on him, healed him.

   ⁹ Then when this was done, the rest also who had diseases in the island came and were cured.

   ¹⁰ They also honored us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put on board the things that we needed.

   ¹¹ After three months, we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose figurehead was “The Twin Brothers.”

   ¹² Touching at Syracuse, we stayed there three days.

   ¹³ From there we circled around and arrived at Rhegium. After one day, a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli,

   ¹⁴ where we found brothers, and were entreated to stay with them for seven days. So we came to Rome.

   ¹⁵ From there the brothers, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

   ¹⁶ When we entered into Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard, but Paul was allowed to stay by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

   ¹⁷ After three days Paul called together those who were the leaders of the Jews. When they had come together, he said to them, “I, brothers, though I had done nothing against the people or the customs of our fathers, still was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans,

   ¹⁸ who, when they had examined me, desired to set me free, because there was no cause of death in me.

   ¹⁹ But when the Jews spoke against it, I was constrained to appeal to Caesar, not that I had anything about which to accuse my nation.

   ²⁰ For this cause therefore I asked to see you and to speak with you. For because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.”

   ²¹ They said to him, “We neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor did any of the brothers come here and report or speak any evil of you.

   ²² But we desire to hear from you what you think. For, as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.”

   ²³ When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.

   ²⁴ Some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.

   ²⁵ When they didn’t agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had spoken one message: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,

   ²⁶ saying, ‘Go to this people and say, in hearing, you will hear, but will in no way understand. In seeing, you will see, but will in no way perceive.

   ²⁷ For this people’s heart has grown callous. Their ears are dull of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, then I would heal them.’

   ²⁸ “Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of God is sent to the nations, and they will listen.”

   ²⁹ When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.

   ³⁰ Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house and received all who were coming to him,

   ³¹ preaching God’s Kingdom and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, without hindrance.

   Read the full chapter

   Understanding the passage

   Paul receives hospitality in Malta and keeps teaching under custody in Rome; the ending portrays a message still being heard.

   Reflect

   • How does Paul keep welcoming people and teaching while under guard?

   Put it into practice

   Find a realistic way to serve within your present limits.