Today's Reading:
Acts 5, 6
In chapter 5 of today's reading we have one of the many key verses in support of the doctrine of the Trinity. When rebuking Ananias for lying about the amount of money he and Sapphira received for the property they sold, Peter asks him why he has lied to the Holy Spirit (5:3). In verse 4, Peter refers to the Holy Spirit as God by stating, "You have not lied to men but to God." This is a good verse to write down and refer to when a difficult question comes up in your group concerning the docrtine of the Trinity. There are numerous verses elsewhere that call Jesus, God (Jn. 1:1; Heb. 1), supporting the person of Christ in the Triune God.
Another observation to consider in today's reading is the distinction between the church office of elder and deacon (6:1-7). According to this passage, the elders were set apart to lead the people spiritually and to give their attention to "prayer and the ministry of the word" (6:4), while the seven were chosen to minister to the physical needs of the believers (21:8; 1 Tim. 3:8-13). The Greek noun for "deacon" can also be translated as "minister" or "servant" (NIV Study Bible, Zondervan).
PrayerPoint:
Thank God that He is Merciful
ActionPoint:
Each Sunday in one of our services there are many who are not connected to the body of Christ. Some might be new to our church and some might just need some help getting connected. This Sunday, introduce yourself to one person (or couple) that you do not know. Get to know them. Give them a call during week. Look for them the following Sunday. Try to get them to attend a small group that would be suited for them (if they are not already attending one).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
"You have not lied to men, you have lied to God!"
I read and discussed this story with my children this week. Initially they could not understand why Ananias didn't just say that he was giving some of the money instead of pretending to give it all. Then my daugher said, "I know, he wanted to impress the people; he wanted to look good to them, like he was a real giving person."
It made me stop and think, how many times have I done something with the sole intent of impressing man? How many times have I misrepresented the truth about something, failing to realize that the eyes of God are 24/7? HE knows the truth no matter how much I pretend otherwise and ultimately it's to Him that I have to answer.
I thank Him that He has been merciful enough not to strike me down to death and this story is always a powerful reminder to me to stay honest!
Post a Comment