Week 10: An Invincible Church: Persecution of the Apostles

Day 2
Acts 9:31; 12:24; 13:52; 16:5

You may not know the whole story of Acts, but flip through the headings and see what's going on. You'll see stonings, persecutions, and danger. Yet look at today's verses. These are like chapter markers in the book of Acts showing how the gospel continued to spread. No matter what happened, the Church continued to grow and thrive. Why? Because God was with them. God never said following Jesus would be easy, but God did say he'd be with us. As the hardships increased for the early Church, the power of God sustained them and ever helped them to grow stronger. The same can be true for us today. When we seek to serve God together and refuse to let circumstances stop up, we can count on the power of God to make our lives and church we just as powerful.

What obstacles have hindered you church or youth group?

Are these insurmountable problems?

Ask God to empower your church as the churches in Acts were empowered.

Week 10: An Invincible Church: Persecution of the Apostles

Day 1
Acts 5:17-32

The apostles were jailed, freed by an angel, captured again, and brought before the people who imprisioned them. But through all of this, they didn't even begin to water down their message. In fact, they did just the opposite. When asked why they'd violated orders, they basically said the only One they obeyed was God. What id we had the same attitude? What if we weren't afraid of offending people or didn't care about our reputations? What if we were bold like the apostles and shared our faith without worrying about the consequences? does this sound extreme? Truth is, this is exactly what the Church is supposed to be doing. God has given us the power. What are we doing with it?

As a Christian in today's society, you'll face persecution. What can you learn from today's story about the apostles?

God made you spiritually invincible. Pray that God will give you a spirit of boldness.

Week 10: An Invincible Church: Persecution of the Apostles

Memory Verse

"Peter and the other apostles replied: 'We must obey God rather than men!' " (Acts 5:29)


Introduction

Let's think for a moment about all the religions that have come and gone. There were Egyptian gods, that whole druid thing, and how can we forget all those Greek gods?

But then there's the Church. Not only has the Church stood the test of time--spanning more than 2,000 years of history--but multitudes of people have also tried to destroy it without success. Bibles have been burned, apostles executed, an entire empire tried to wipe out the Church--all to no avail. the Church continues to thrive. Why? Because Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Impostors fade away while Christ remains.

The situation has been that same from the Church's beginning. In Acts the apostles were threatened by religious and government authorities, thrown in jail, and beaten. But none of this put a dent in God's unfolding plan for his kingdom in the world. The Church continued to grow through all of the opposition.

Today's Church is the same way. Christians around the world are persecuted, and the Church of Jesus Christ still stands. Yet most of us don't see the Church of Jesus Christ as the invincible body it is.

Week 9: Integrity: The Key To Our Witness

Memory Verse:

"But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do." (1 Peter 1:15)


Introduction

Mahatma Gandhi was an influential Hindu leader in the early twentieth century whose life and teachings are still followed by many today. He often referred to Jesus with terms of praise, prompting someone to ask Gandhi if he wanted to become a Christian. In reply, he said, "I like your Christ." His sentiment is shared by many. How many people have been driven away from church because some Christians talk like believers but never live out the faith they preach?

The reality is that if we don't live what we say, then we lose our credibility in telling others about Jesus. When Christians lack integrity, everyone loses. What's integrity? Having integrity means being honest. it means saying what you mean and meaning what you say. And it's more important than you know. In early stages of the Church, God went so far as to kill one couple who purposefully lied to their church. What happened to them was pretty drastic. but their lack of integrity threatened the Church.

As Christians we have to be diligent about making sure our lives reflect our beliefs. And since we're a part of a larger body, we have to help each other live out our beliefs as well. Even if we live correctly, when other believers are hypocrites, it hurts our witness. so this week we're going to talk about the integrity of not just our lives, but of the Church as well. Whether you like it or not, we're all in this together.

Week 8: One Community: Sharing Among Believers

Day 5

Hebrews 10:24-25

I don't believe any truly rational people like to get up early.   I don't.  Not ever!  But sometimes it's necessary.  And there are a few occasions when I don't mind, such as Christmas morning.  For some reason getting up early on Christmas has never bothered me.  It may seem like a chore to get up and make it to church on Sundays.  What's the big deal?  Why do we have to do that anyway?  The big deal is that it's a chance for your community to meet together, and that doesn't happen very often.  The people in your church need to see you so they can encourage you, and they need you to do the same for them.  The author of Hebrews knew that, and he reminds us how important it is.  If we never met together, then we'd never grow into the kind of family God wants us to be.  So get up!  It's time to see the Church.  It's time to be the Church!

Think about all the ways you're encouraged when you go to church.

Think about the people you can encourage.  Ask God to help you remember these things each Sunday.

Week 8: One Community: Sharing Among Believers

Day 4
I Thessalonians 1:1

What can you possible get out of an introduction? A lot. Flip through the New Testament and look at the first verses of some of the letters Paul wrote. Notice anything? Paul rarely wrote a letter alone. It's always Paul and Timothy, Paul and the brothers, or Paul and Sosthenes. Why did Paul always mention these other people if he was doing all the writing? Well, Paul wasn't a loner. He knew he needed other people--his community--to fully follow God. And so do we. Walking with God isn't an isolated action.

If you had to write a letter to a group of Christians who lived far away, then whose names would you include at the top of your letter? Who's walking beside you in your Christian journey? If no one comes to mind, then maybe it's time to start cultivating more Christian friendships. Thank God for the strong Christian friends you have.

Ask God to show you ways you can grow closer to other Christians.

Week 8: One Community: Sharing Among Believers

Day 3
James 5:13-16

Almost everyone has secrets--sins, issues, problems we don't want to talk about. But when we pretend we don't have any struggles, we're not being truthful with our friends. One of the ways we build community is by being honest with one another. In today's Scripture passage, James commands us to confess our sins not only to God, but also to one another. Why? Because God uses each of us to help our friends in Christ. This doesn't mean we should tell everyone, but we should be accountable to a few of our trusted Christian friends. The result is a depth of friendship you may have never experienced. I know it may sound terrifying, but we have to trust that God knows what he's doing. Believe me, I've tried it and it actually works. Confession our sins to each other is amazingly powerful.

What are some things you struggle with that you've never told anyone about?

Who are some trustworthy and mature Christians you could talk to about these things?

Pray that God would show you who these people are and give you the courage to be honest with them.