The Essential Question E-Book

Whitney T. Kuniholm

• Herausgeber: IVP
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Seitenzahl: 185

Beschreibung

"I don't want to look back someday and realize I wasted my time. I want my life to count for something important." "This world is a very needy place. If my Christian faith means anything at all, I've got to figure out what I can do about it." Have you ever asked yourself, What difference am I making with my life? On some level, we all struggle to find our own answer to that fundamental question. The search for significance is the underlying motivation for virtually all human activity. It's what drives us. Whitney T. Kuniholm, president of Scripture Union/USA, addresses these core questions by taking you on a fast-paced journey through the book of Acts. He draws on the question the apostle Paul asked Jesus: "What shall I do, Lord?" (Acts 22:10). The experiences of the first Christians show us that God has a mission, an essential mission, for all of his people—whether it is to serve him faithfully in the marketplace, in the home, in school, in the military or someplace else. The Essential Question is perfect for groups and churches that want to read the book of Acts together and then make a difference for God in their community and the world. Are you ready to answer The Essential Question?

Leseprobe

WHITNEY T. KUNIHOLM

A 10-WEEK BIBLE READING EXPERIENCE

www.IVPress.com/books

InterVarsity PressP.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426World Wide Web: www.ivpress.comEmail: [email protected]

©2014 by Whitney T. Kuniholm

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.

InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept., InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit the IVCF website at www.intervarsity.org.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

While all stories in this book are true, some names and identifying information in this book have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.

Cover design: CrosssectionImages: Hikage Keita

ISBN 978-0-8308-9666-0 (digital) ISBN 978-0-8308-3674-1 (print)

For my friends and colleagues in Scripture Union, a ministry team that’s making a difference for God around the world every day

Contents

PART ONE: THE ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY

Week One: The Church Is Born

1. The Essential Truth Acts 1:11-11

2. So, Now What? Acts 1:12-26

3. The Real, Real World Acts 2:1-13

4. What Just Happened? Acts 2:14-36

5. The New Testament Church Acts 2:37-47

Week Two: The Church Begins to Grow

6. “Just Do It” Faith Acts 3:1-10

7. The Hard Sayings of Peter Act 3:11-26

8. The Offense of Christianity Act 4:1-22

9. Fearless Prayer Acts 4:23-31

10. The Perfect Church Acts 4:32-37

Week Three: The Church Is Persecuted

11. Lying to God Acts 5:1-16

12. We’re in the Jailhouse Now Acts 5:17-42

13. Trouble in River City Acts 6:1-15

14. Good News for a Hostile World Acts 7:1-19

15. Courageous Evangelism Acts 7:20-8:1a

PART TWO: THE ESSENTIAL MESSAGE

Week Four: The Good News Changes Lives

16. The B-List Apostle Acts 8:1b-25

17. Effective Evangelism Acts 8:26-40

18. Seeing the Light Acts 9:1-9

19. I Want You! Acts 9:10-19a

20. Spiritual Mentor Acts 9:19b-31

Week Five: The Good News Is for Everyone

21. Bold Humility Acts 9:32-43

22. The Divine Choreographer Acts 10:1-48

23. Holy Legalism Acts 11:1-18

24. The Church Goes Viral Acts 11:19-30

25. The Unstoppable Force Acts 12:1-25

PART THREE: THE ESSENTIAL MISSION

Week Six: The First Mission Trip

26. A Mission from God Acts 13:1-12

27. Pioneering Ministry Acts 13:13-52

28. Successful Ministry Acts 14:1-28

29. Ministry Disagreements Acts 15:1-21

30. Personal Disagreements Acts 15:22-41

Week Seven: More Mission Trips

31. Jailhouse Rock Acts 16:1-40

32. Flexible Ministry Acts 17:1-34

33. The Mission Team Experience Acts 18:1-28

34. The Real Problem Acts 19:1-41

35. Ministry Snapshots Acts 20:1-38

PART FOUR: THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Week Eight: Paul's Journey to Jerusalem

36. Knowing God’s Will Acts 21:1-26

37. Outside the Comfort Zone Acts 21:27-36

38. The Essential Question Acts 21:37–22-21

39. Blessed Assurance Acts 22:22-23:11

40. The Paradox of Ministry Acts 23:12-35

Week Nine: Paul's Roman Trial

41. The Inconvenient Truth Acts 24:1-27

42. “I Appeal to Caesar!” Acts 25:1-12

43. Who Is Jesus? Acts 25:13-27

44. Paul’s ApologiaActs 26:1-18

45. The Focused Life Acts 26:19-32

Week Ten: Paul's Journey to Rome

46. Mission Journal Acts 27:1-12

47. A Titanic Ministry Acts 27:13-26

48. The Shipwreck Moment Acts 27:27-44

49. Ministry Along the Way Acts 28:1-10

50. An Everyday Challenge Acts 28:11-31

Appendix One: The Essential Question Journal

Appendix Two: My Apologia

Notes

About the Author

Scripture Union Resources

More Titles from InterVarsity Press

Introduction

I don’t want to look back someday and realize I wasted my time. I want my life to count for something important.

This world is a very needy place. If my Christian faith means anything at all, I’ve got to figure out what I can do about it.

Honestly, what motivates me is not guilt. I want to help others because I’m so thankful for what God has done for me.

People think that having a “mission from God” is a joke. Not me. It’s what I’ve always wanted.

There are so many ways to make a difference in the world. How do I know what God wants me to do?

What difference am I making with my life? Have you ever asked yourself that? Of course you have! On some level, every human being is struggling to find their own answer to that fundamental question. In fact, I believe the search for significance is the underlying motivation for virtually all human activity. It’s what drives us.

Most people want to make a positive impact with their lives—through education, career, family, service to the community or through accomplishing some notable goal or achievement. Even those who are headed in a negative direction, like criminals or gang members, are still attempting to make an impact with their lives; they want to be recognized and they want to be respected.

While it’s true that we get distracted on our search by any number of contemporary temptations, nonetheless, human beings seem to have a built-in longing to make their lives count for something more. The philosopher Plato reportedly described the human as “a being in search of meaning.” And in more recent times, Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps and author of the classic book Man’sSearch for Meaning, wrote, “Man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life.”1

But for Christians, there’s an extra dimension. If you are a follower of Jesus, you know that life is more than what you have or what you accomplish or even what people think of you. For Christians, the real question is: How can I make a difference for God? Jesus gave us the answer in his Sermon on the Mount: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). That’s our mission statement. Regardless of what happens in this life, all believers are headed to the same finish line, where we’re hoping to hear our Heavenly Father say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21). Isn’t that what you’re really longing for?

A JOURNEY TOGETHER

“Yes, I do want to make a difference for God,” you may be thinking, “but how can I?” That’s a very important question, and it’s the one I want to help you answer in this book. To do that I want to take a journey with you through the New Testament book of Acts, one of the most exciting reads in the entire Bible.

Let me say right up front, I’m not a theologian or a scholar. So if you’re looking for a heavy doctrinal treatise on the subject, you won’t find it here. I’m simply a follower of Jesus who believes that God’s Word still speaks today, if we are willing to listen. And I believe the book of Acts is the perfect place to start our journey, because it tells the story of how the first Christians, both individuals and small groups, struggled to answer the question, how can we make a difference for God?

THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION

In Acts 22 there is a very significant passage that will become the theme of our journey together. The apostle Paul was in Jerusalem when the religious leaders stirred up a riot against him because he had been preaching the good news about Jesus Christ. Before things got completely out of hand, a Roman commander arrested Paul, effectively rescuing him from the violent mob (see Acts 21:27-40). But instead of playing it safe, Paul asked to speak to the angry crowd, and when he was given permission he recounted his own conversion experience (Acts 22:3-21).

Paul explained that several years earlier he had been traveling to the town of Damascus when he was overwhelmed by a blinding light and heard a voice from heaven. In response he asked two questions. The first was, “Who are you, Lord?” (Acts 22:8). Paul didn’t immediately realize it, but he was having an encounter with Jesus.

The second question—and the one we’ll wrestle with in this book—was, “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). Lying in the dust on the Damascus road, Paul articulated the question every believer must answer; it is the essential question. Once we’ve encountered Jesus and made our decision to follow him, the next question must be, “What shall I do, Lord?”

It’s fascinating to read how God answered. “‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do’” (Acts 22:10). Think about that for a minute. God had an assignment for Paul. Could it be that he also has an assignment for all Christians, including you and me? I believe the answer is yes. As we’ll discover in the experiences of the first Christians, God has a mission, an essential mission, for his people.

That doesn’t mean your mission will be as remarkable as Paul’s. In fact, it probably won’t be. Yes, God may call you to serve him in short-term missions, or even in a full-time missionary career. And if he does, that would be wonderful! But it’s just as likely, and just as important, that God will call you to serve him faithfully in the ­marketplace, in the home, in school, in the military or someplace else. We must never forget that meeting the practical and spiritual needs of the people around us is an enormously valuable and often overlooked mission. And we can do that no matter what “day job” we may have. As the prophet Micah said, “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

So our challenge as we work our way through the book of Acts is not to feel pressured to outdo the apostle Paul’s missionary accomplishments. Rather, it’s to answer the essential question for ourselves—that is, to find and follow God’s assignment for us today.

ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT

Before we begin our journey, there’s something else I want to clarify. When people consider the book of Acts, they often think of one thing: that Day of Pentecost when God poured out his Holy Spirit. To be sure, the work of the Holy Spirit is a major theme in Acts. But there’s more to the book than just chapter 2—much more, as you will see.

Today the Holy Spirit has become a much-debated issue in the church. Some Christians seem to emphasize him too much and slip into excess. Others seem to keep him on the sidelines, as if he no longer exists. And both sides seem suspicious of the other. So let me put you at ease: I don’t have an agenda on either side. I’m hoping we can avoid that controversy, mostly because it will distract us from our essential question.

With that in mind, I want to ask you to affirm two things with me. First, let’s agree that the Holy Spirit is one person of our triune God. As it says in the Nicene Creed, “We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.” And second, let’s agree to let the text of Scripture form our understanding of how the Holy Spirit works. In other words, let’s allow God’s Word to be our teacher.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

At this point you may be thinking, “Of course I want to make a difference for God. But honestly, I’m not sure I’ll be able to stick with this regular Bible reading thing.” If that’s how you feel, don’t worry; most people struggle with Bible reading. That’s why I’ve designed this book to make your journey through Acts easy and meaningful. Let me make a few suggestions that will get you off to a good start.

First, The Essential Question is designed to be used with a Bible. Each chapter tells you what passage to read and then helps you think about the main points. Obviously, if you don’t read each Bible passage The Essential Question won’t make much sense. But one good thing is that you can use any Bible translation you want. I recommend, however, that you use one of the many excellent modern translations, such as the New International Version (NIV), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), the English Standard Version (ESV), the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), the New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE) or the New Living Translation (NLT). If you are still unsure about which Bible translation to use, you might want to check with a pastor, minister or priest.

Second, The Essential Question guides you through fifty short passages in the book of Acts. The readings are undated so you can complete them at any pace—fifty days, ten weeks, a year or more. But whatever schedule you pick, don’t feel guilty if you miss a day. Just do the next reading whenever you have time and before you know it you’ll make it through all fifty. Also, I’ve grouped the readings into sets of five and included introductions that point out important themes. This might help you do one set of five readings each week.

Third, you will notice that for each reading I’ve followed a four-step process. I begin with an opening statement, prayer thought or question intended to help you prepare for the study. Next I list the Bible passage, which you should read, perhaps a few times, before proceeding. The most important part of this entire journey is that you read God’s Word for yourself. After that, I offer you my own comments on the text to help you reflect on the passage, especially keeping in mind our desire to make a difference for God. But don’t let me do all the work! You need to ask yourself: What do I think is the main point of this passage? And what is God saying to me about the work he has called me to do? Finally, for each reading I offer an idea on how to apply the passage. I’ve tried to make these action oriented, because I’ve learned the best way to really understand the Bible is to live it out.

At the back of this book you’ll find a useful feature, the Essential Question Journal. As you take this journey, use this space often to jot down your insights from the Bible or your responses to the essential question. At the end of the study, you’ll have a record of what God has been saying to you.

One more thing: I would strongly recommend that you wrap this Bible reading process in prayer. Before you start each passage, ask God to help you understand his Word. You may want to spend a few minutes in thanksgiving, confession or praise. Remember, you’re beginning a dialogue, not just a discipline. Then after you complete your reading and reflection, pray again, this time asking God to help you obey his Word. Turn the things you’ve learned into prayers. Also pray about your own needs and the needs of others. And be sure to thank God for any answers to prayer you’ve experienced recently.

DON’T GO IT ALONE

At the end of each section I’ve included a page of discussion questions. Why? Because the best way to take this journey is with another person, or better yet, with a small group. Each week, try to complete a set of five readings on your own. Then get together with your friend or group to talk about what you’ve learned. Start by encouraging each person to share their own insights from the readings. Use the discussion questions to continue the conversation. You’ll find that reading and discussing the Bible with others creates positive motivation to keep going and makes your experience of God’s Word more meaningful.

Another excellent way to use this book is to have your entire church congregation read The Essential Question together. Ask your pastor, minister or priest to get behind this program and work with others in the church to encourage everyone to participate. Over the years I’ve seen that a tremendous spiritual energy is unleashed when a congregation commits themselves to reading and living God’s Word together; I call it “Bible reading revival.” Imagine if your church went through The Essential Question and then worked together to make a difference for God in your community. (To learn more about the range of resources available from Scripture Union to make The Essential Question a successful church-wide Bible reading experience, see page 143.)

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

As you’re about to discover, the book of Acts tells the story of how the first Christians attempted to answer the essential question, that is, to find out what God wanted them to do in their world. But having a better understanding of how they did it is only part of what we want to accomplish on our journey. The most important thing is to discover how you’ll do it, how you’ll begin to make a difference for God today. Ultimately, that’s why you picked up this book: because you want to make your life count for God now.

So my prayer is that over the next ten weeks, or however long it takes for you to complete this journey, you’ll get a better understanding of the assignment—whether great or small—God has for you. And more than that, I pray you’ll have the faith and courage to wholeheartedly pursue it, because that’s how, with God’s help, you could change your world forever.

Part One

THE ESSENTIAL COMMUNITY

[ Week One ]

The Church Is Born

The book of Acts tells the second-most exciting story in the Bible. The most exciting story, of course, is God becoming a human being by entering the world he created in the person of Jesus Christ. But Acts is the great sequel to the gospel. It addresses the question, what happened after Jesus left earth? What happened is that the church was born and against all odds began its unstoppable, global growth and development. That’s the story we’re about to begin.

You’re probably already familiar with the dramatic highlights in Acts, and there are many—the ascension, the Day of Pentecost, Peter’s early leadership and miraculous experiences, Paul’s conversion and missionary journeys. But there are also many less dramatic passages in Acts, and there’s a lot to be learned from them too. How did the early church function day-to-day? How did the first Christians make decisions together? How did they resolve conflicts? By examining both the familiar and the overlooked passages in Acts, we’ll discover some principles that can help us make a difference for God today.

In these first five passages, we’ll read about the first decision the early Christians made after Jesus returned to heaven: who would replace Judas? The way they went about it gives us a model for discerning God’s will today. Next we’ll read about the Day of Pentecost, the time when God poured out his Holy Spirit and gave birth to the church. That was a lot for the small group of Christians to absorb, so God inspired Peter to explain what was going on in one of the greatest impromptu sermons ever. Discerning God’s will, relying on the Holy Spirit, perceiving how God is at work—these are all critical spiritual abilities for those who want to make a difference for God today.

But the most amazing thing about the book of Acts is that the story isn’t over. The church is still growing and developing—and you’re part of that story. So let’s get going!

DAY ONE: The Essential Truth

Prepare: How have you made a difference for God with your life so far?

Read: Acts 1:1-11

Reflect: Luke is on his second career. He started out as a physician; now he’s a writer (1:1). Why? Because he encountered Jesus. His new passion is telling the story of the man who changed his life. Compared to that, everything else is secondary. But that’s what it means to be a Christian: you have a new passion in life—Jesus. He becomes your first priority.

The book of Acts is the sequel to Luke’s Gospel, and Luke begins in the typical way, with a look back to where his first book left off—with the death and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 1:3-5; see Luke 22–24). It would be easy to breeze past this review, but we’d miss an important point: the first step to making a difference for God is being sure of the “many convincing proofs that he [Jesus] was alive” (1:3). Are you sure of this?

As we begin this journey through Acts, ask yourself, what’s my real motivation for wanting to serve God? Is it gratitude for all he’s done? Concern for a world in need? A desire to respond to his call? That’s all good. But if, like the disciples, it’s a desire to push some other agenda, whether personal or political, that’s not so good. So take time to prayerfully ask, are my priorities fully aligned with God’s? Being a little off track now could take you way off course down the road.