Applying the Right ACTIONS

How to Study the Bible?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

All Scriptures is useful for:

1.      Teaching

2.      Rebuking

3.      Correcting

4.      Training (in righteousness)

5.      Equipping

James 1:22
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

While we walk through Acts, continue to ask yourself, “What difference should this passage make to my life? How should it make me want to think or act?”

If you have trouble finding relevance in passage, use SPECK as a guide. While scripture reading look for:

SPECK		ACTION
S	Sins to confess	What sin will I avoid?
P	Promises to claim	What promise will I trust?
E	Examples to follow or not to follow	What will I do or not do?
C	Commands to keep	What is God telling me to obey?
K	Knowledge obtained	Through this scripture, how is my knowledge of the Lord increased (not just awareness)?

Some passages may have several aspects of SPECK. Some passages have only one.

Each aspect of SPECKs also requires prayer. Pray as you study. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the strategies and tactics for the ACTIONS. He should be your guide and empowerment. The scriptures cannot be reenacted in your own strength.

Read Acts 1:12-26 about when Matthias is chosen to replace Judas as an Apostle.

Acts 1:25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.”

Ministry (diakonia)

·         Means SERVICE

·         Originally service at a meal table. What does this mean for you?

o   Side note: diakonia is the root of the English word deacon. Traditionally, in Western churches, deacons serve the Lord’s Supper. Serving Communion is symbolic of offering the redemptive power of Jesus to people.

·         Christian work of all kinds

·         The Example: Mark 10:45. Jesus came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage. ACT!

Acts 1:26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

Cast lots

·         Method for discerning God’s will for a decision

·         Proverbs 16:33 states believe that God, not chance, determined the outcome when lots were cast.

·         How should we accept new members to the team?

·         Is adding new members to the team a “gamble”?

As new people come, pray for God to search YOUR heart. If someone makes you uncomfortable, perhaps you have the issue and not them. God may have chosen that person to be in your life. Therefore, the prayer is not for them, it’s for you.

Acts 1:24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen

What can we learn from this prayer?

1.      No matter what comes out of our mouth, God knows our heart.

2.      Prayer is dependent on revelation from the Holy Spirit – “show us”

3.      God chooses who He wants in HIS ministry

When we want God to add something to or change something, how can we apply the principles of this prayer?

1.      Prayer begins with a pure heart – Repent

2.      Effective prayer is effective dependency. – Submission

3.      Prayer is a communication. Communication is a two-way street. If you ask to be “shown”, then “look” or wait for the vision. During a period of prayer, allot time for response. Don’t bark requests at God then walk away. – Obedience

4.      God is in control. He alone has the answer. – Trust

Applying the Right ACTIONS

Acts records what did happen, not necessarily what should happen or what will happen. We should not attempt to imitate everything.  

For instance, we won’t be “casting lots” for accepting new members. However, we do vote on new board members under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

How do you know if an "act" in the Bible should be applied to ACTION? Frequency. This casting of lots is only mentioned once. Prayer is mentioned several times. Prayer is definitely an apostolic mandate. We must seek God for others.

Why Are We Walking Through Acts?

Who was Luke?

·         The author of the book of Acts
·         Was a doctor
·         A good writer
·         Man of relationships
·         A good storyteller
·         Meticulous
·         Enjoyed fellowship and sharing meals
·         Concerned about the oppressed and downtrodden people

Why study Acts?

Luke 1 (NIV) - Introduction

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Luke addresses his purpose of the book of Luke and Acts in this single introduction. Luke writes so that we can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what are were taught.  The written Scripture by means of this gospel sealed the certainty of what could be written off a myth.

We must move from people from the legend of “a man who might have once lived named Jesus” to the reality and relationship with a true and living Savior.

Acts shows the MANIFESTATION of our beliefs.

Through Acts we learn our mission

1.      Global/world (Church) mission

2.      MCC (local church) mission

3.      Personal mission

Acts shows us how God helps fulfill that mission and the Power (the Holy Spirit) by which the mission will be fulfilled.

Acts shows God's hope for His people.

Acts 1 (NIV)

Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”