Scripture for Sunday (4/30/17)

Sunday, following morning worship, we will have a covered dish lunch in celebration of our recent baptisms and new members. The church will provide drinks.  

Please bring a dish to share.

Scripture

Acts 6:1-7:2 (ESV)  

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.  [2] And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.  [3] Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.  [4] But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."  [5] And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.  [6] These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. [7] And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. [8] And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.  [9] Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen.  [10] But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.  [11] Then they secretly instigated men who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."  [12] And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council,  [13] and they set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law,  [14] for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us."  [15] And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel. [7:1] And the high priest said, "Are these things so?"  [2] And Stephen said: "Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,  

Acts 7:44-60 (ESV)  

"Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen.  [45] Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David,  [46] who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.  [47] But it was Solomon who built a house for him.  [48] Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says, 

    [49] " 'Heaven is my throne,
        and the earth is my footstool.
    What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
        or what is the place of my rest?
    [50] Did not my hand make all these things?'

[51] "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.  [52] Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered,  [53] you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it." [54] Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.  [55] But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  [56] And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."  [57] But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him.  [58] Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.  [59] And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."  [60] And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 

Scripture and Questions for Sunday (4/16/17)

Scripture for Sunday
Luke 24:1-12 (ESV)  

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. [2] And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, [3] but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. [4] While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. [5] And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? [6] He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, [7] that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise." [8] And they remembered his words, [9] and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. [10] Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, [11] but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. [12] But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. 

Questions for Reflection
1. When was a time you told a true story that other people found hard to believe?
2. What did the women do after the men had told them that Jesus had risen from the dead as He had predicted? (24:9)
3. How did the apostles react to the women’s testimony? (24:11)
4. Why did the apostles not believe the women? (24:11)
5. In what way were Peter’s actions different from the other apostles? (24:12)
6. How did Peter respond to the sight of the empty tomb? (24:12)
7. Why did the disciples express disbelief even though Jesus had told them clearly that He would rise from the dead?
8. What does this passage teach us about witnessing and evangelism?
9. What does this account teach you about the people to whom God reveals His good news?

Holy Week Schedule

Holy Week Schedule

April 12, Bible Study, Red Room 5:30 PM

April 13, Maundy Thursday Communion Service 7 PM

April 14, Good Friday Tenebrae Service 7 PM

April 16, Easter Egg Hunt during the Sunday School Hour

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (4/9/17)

Scripture for Sunday
Luke 19:28-44 (ESV) 

And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. [29] When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, [30] saying, "Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. [31] If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say this: 'The Lord has need of it.' " [32] So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. [33] And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" [34] And they said, "The Lord has need of it." [35] And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. [36] And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. [37] As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives— the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, [38] saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" [39] And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." [40] He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."

[41] And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, [42] saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. [43] For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 

[44] and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

Questions for Reflection

1. How do people commonly show admiration for famous people?
2. How did people react to Jesus’ entrance into the city? (19:36-37)
3. Why did all of the disciples begin to praise God? (19:37)
4. In what way were the words of the disciples’ praises significant? (19:38)
5. Why were the Pharisees in the crowd upset? (19:39)
6. How did Jesus respond to the Pharisees’ rebuke? (19:40)
7. What does this passage teach us about Jesus’ regard for celebrity status?
8. What can we learn from the example of the disciples in this account?
9. What has the Lord done for you recently that causes you to praise Him?