This book is dedicated to believers who meet in homes around the world, especially those who are persecuted for their faith.

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Free downloads of this book in English and other languages are available at www.learnhisways.com

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Following Jesus Together: A Guide for Christians Who Meet in Homes
© 2020, Life Resources

Table of Contents

1. Note: These chapters may be read in any order, however, it is recommended that you read Chapters 1 and 2 first.

2. 1. Becoming the Glorious Church of Jesus Christ

3. 2. The Home Fellowship is a Family

4. 3. Love, the Leader’s Motivation

5. 4. Understanding God’s Wonderful Gift of Salvation

6. 5. Baptism in the Home Fellowship

7. 6. Worshiping Together in Spirit and Truth

8. 7. God’s Word: Our Daily Bread

9. 8. Passing the Gospel on to the Children

10. 9. Celebrating the Lord’s Supper with Thanksgiving

11. 10. Growing in Faith through Prayer

12. 11. Discovering the Blessing of Giving

13. 12. Becoming Mature Disciples

14. 13. Forgiveness in the Home Fellowship

15. 14. Becoming Salt and Light in the World

16. 15. Remaining Steadfast in Persecution

17. 16. The Faithful Home Fellowship Sees God’s Kingdom Grow

18. Appendix A: Resources

19. Appendix B: Stories

20. Appendix C: Forgiving and Asking Forgiveness

1. Becoming the Glorious Church of Jesus Christ

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God...
(1 Peter 2:9-10)

What Is This Book About?

This book is about the Church of Jesus Christ. It’s not as much about “going to” church as it is about BEING the Church that Jesus died for. But what does this mean? How can we BE the Church?

Some believers see their walk with God as something they do alone, as an individual. Yes, Jesus does call us as individuals to repent of our old way of life and follow him; we must each make that decision. But Jesus doesn’t only look at you and me as individuals; he sees us together. The Bible teaches that we are all baptized into one Body—the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), the universal Church of Jesus, made up of all believers in every generation and throughout the whole world. We are all part of that Body, and members of one another. Our life in Christ is a life together.

The New Testament gives us another important picture of this unity. It calls the Church of Jesus the Bride of Christ. The God of the universe created us for deep relationship with himself, far more beautiful and fulfilling than we can imagine! God’s heart is full of love for us! The husband & wife relationship on earth was created by God to give us a picture of the oneness and the joy that God wants in relationship with his people, the Church. He delights in us and we delight in him.

Jesus died to cleanse us so that we might be his glorious bride. The apostle Paul, speaking to husbands, said this about Jesus’ relationship to the Church, his bride:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

At the end of the apostle John’s amazing vision in the book of Revelation, we see the Church of Jesus shining with the glory of God:

One of the seven angels... said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. (Revelation 21:9-11)

John continues in Revelation 21 to give more details about the glorious sight he saw. The bride of Christ is seen in a mysterious way as a glorious city, made out of precious jewels. But a question we all may ask is this: “How will this happen? How will we, his Church, be changed into the glorious bride John saw in Revelation?”

Of course, this is the work of God. The Lord himself is building his church into an eternal city where he will dwell. (See Matthew 16:18 and Rev. 21:3.)

But one way that he builds us into his beautiful city, his spotless bride, is through our learning to follow Jesus together—in community—that is, in our local churches. And that is what this book is about. Jesus told us that if we love him, we will follow his teachings (John 14:23). This book will help you learn those teachings and follow them as God’s people together.

THIS BOOK IS FOR HOUSE CHURCH LEADERS AND MEMBERS

The chapters in this book are written to help house churches think more deeply about the most common things that all churches and their leaders should be and do.

Do you want to go deeper in studying God’s word together? Do you want to know how to worship God in a way that is pleasing to him? Perhaps you have questions about how and when to baptize new believers or what it means to take the Lord’s Supper. Are you wondering how your home group can build God’s kingdom through the offerings? Are there conflicts between your home fellowship members? These topics and more are covered in this book. Each chapter teaches things that Jesus and the apostles instructed disciples of Jesus to do.

HOW EACH CHAPTER IS ORGANIZED:

Each chapter, except for Chapter 1, has 4 parts:

1) A Bible study

God’s Word is the foundation for everything that is presented in this book. These studies sometimes speak directly to home group leaders, but you will also find it profitable to go through them with your whole fellowship. As you study the passages closely, the Holy Spirit will counsel you in key scriptural teachings on that subject.

2) A story from Christian history

These are inspiring stories from believers throughout the centuries that help illustrate the topic being discussed. Be sure to share these with your home group for their encouragement.

3) Frequently Asked Questions

This section won’t answer every question your group has, but the answers given will help you to better understand some practical aspects of the topic presented in that chapter.

4) Application and prayer

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). Don’t skip these discussion questions. They will help your group pray together, take action, and as a result, grow.

Imagine what would happen if all house churches in your country grew strong in devotion to the Lord, in their love for one another and in their love and service to the world. This can begin as your group takes the first steps in applying the teachings in this book.

YOU DON’T NEED TO STUDY THE CHAPTERS OF THIS BOOK IN ORDER.

It is recommended, however, that you read Chapter 2 after this first chapter, because it is foundational to the rest of the book. After that, go to the Table of Contents and choose any chapter that you feel your group needs most at this time.

God bless you as you seek to follow Jesus together.

NOTE: THIS BOOK IS DESIGNED TO BE USED TOGETHER WITH 50 LIFE STUDIES

You will notice that in many chapters there are references made to one or more related Bible studies in 50 Life Studies from the teachings of Jesus the Messiah. For information on how to obtain a free copy of this and other resources, see Appendix A, "Resources," at the back of this book.

2. The Home Fellowship is a Family

So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family.
(Ephesians 2:19, NLT)

Introduction

Jesus Created a Family, Not a Religion

Today in the 21st century, followers of Jesus meet together all over the world. Some meet in large, beautiful church buildings. Many believers meet in homes. Sometimes two or three believers whisper their worship of Jesus quietly in a prison.

Some churches worship with candles and with the leaders dressed in long robes. Others, wearing blue jeans, lead worship with guitars. Some services are formal with written prayers. Others are informal, with believers studying God's word as they drink tea together in an apartment.

Over the centuries many ideas have emerged of what a "church" is. Think about your own ideas. What pictures come to your mind of the church? Do your ideas come from your own visits to a church service? Perhaps they came from movies or even YouTube. But here’s a question we should all ask when we think about what a church should be: What are the central things that Jesus wanted in his Church?

Many different Church traditions have developed since the time of Christ on earth. But what is the "correct" way to worship? The purpose of this book is not to focus on what churches do today or traditions that churches started long after Jesus returned to heaven. Instead, it is to discover what Jesus taught in the New Testament. Did Jesus give us rules for the times we gather together for worship? Actually, Jesus did not talk of church buildings, or candles, or musical instruments. His simplest picture of believers gathering together was this:

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Mt. 18:20)

It's important to remember that Jesus didn't come to establish a religion with rituals and rules. He came to restore our relationship to God and to others. Jesus actually created a family, not a religion! This family learns together how to live in Christ’s love as people of faith in a dark, unbelieving world.

Bible Study

What should our home fellowship look like?

Opening Discussion: What do you think are the most important things that believers should do when they gather each week? (Take a few minutes to discuss this question before doing the study below.)

Read all of Acts chapter 2

In Acts 2, we learn of the amazing birth of the Church at the Jewish holiday, Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came like a powerful wind and fire. The disciples of Jesus were filled with power and spoke in many different languages. The Jews from many nations heard them praising God in their own languages and were amazed. Then Peter preached to the crowd, helping them to understand that Jesus, whom they had recently crucified, was the one who poured out the Holy Spirit. God was calling all to look to Jesus Christ for forgiveness of their sin.

For this lesson we will focus on the last verses of Acts 2, especially verses 36-47.

1. How many people responded to Peter’s message and were baptized? (v. 41)

Go back to chapter 1 of Acts. Read Acts 1:4-8. What did Jesus promise in verse 8?

At Jesus’ trial before he was crucified, Peter had denied that he knew Jesus. Now, forty days later, when the Holy Spirit comes upon him, Peter boldly preaches to the crowd that Jesus is Lord and Christ. Discuss how the Holy Spirit has changed Peter?

2. Read Acts 2:42. What 4 things did the new believers devote themselves to?

In what way are these 4 things important to a healthy fellowship in the 21st century? (NOTE: We can learn from the apostles today by studying the gospels and letters of the New Testament.)

3. Read verse 43. What were the apostles doing? What kind of attitude did this create in the people?

Do you think we should ask God for signs and wonders today? Explain your answer.

4. In verses 44-45, what was the attitude of the believers toward their possessions?

While it may not work well for us to have everything in common all the time, how can your group’s attitude and actions improve in caring for the practical needs of one another?

5. Look at v. 46. How often did they meet? What were they doing in their homes? Do you think meeting together was a burden to them or a joy?

It seems that the believers in the early church thought of themselves as a new family. They did not just come together once a week for a worship service; they often spent time together and cared for one another. Today we sometimes see believers rejected by their families for their faith in Christ. If your family rejected you because you believed in Jesus, how important would it be to you to be welcomed into a house fellowship? Explain why. (Perhaps people in your group have experienced this.)

6. According to the last part of v. 47, what was the result of the outpouring of the Spirit?

7. In summary, look back over verses 42-47. What elements should be a part of a healthy fellowship today? What is your responsibility as a leader to make sure these are a part of your home fellowship?

End in prayer: Pray for your home fellowship to experience the life, joy and power of the early church.

Go deeper in this subject: Ephesians 4:1-16 and 1 Corinthians, chapters 12, 13, and 14.

A Story from Christian History

1st Century, Rome and Asia Minor

A Slave Becomes A Brother

Before reading the story below, read Paul’s letter to Philemon in the New Testament. It is only one chapter.

*******

Although this letter is short, it is like a valuable jewel in scripture. It teaches us much about how the gospel brings us all into one family— the family of God. It also teaches us to freely welcome all believers into our fellowships as brothers and sisters in Christ.

The letter to Philemon was written by the Apostle Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome, about 25-30 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection. At that time, Philemon was a house church leader in Colossae, an ancient city near Ephesus (in modern day Turkey). From the letter we know that Paul knew Philemon and probably had been influential in bringing him to faith in Jesus (verse 19).

In verse 10 we read that Paul has led a young slave named Onesimus to become a follower of Jesus. Imagine Paul’s surprise when he learns that this new convert has run away from his master in far away Colossae, and that his master is Paul’s friend, Philemon! In God’s sovereign way, he has brought Paul together with this young slave who has an open heart to the gospel.

In order to understand Onesimus’ situation, it is helpful to know about slavery in the Roman Empire in the first century. For all of society, including the millions who were slaves, it was an accepted way of life. Slaves worked in all kinds of jobs. Some worked on farms, in mines or in construction jobs. This work was often very difficult, and masters could be harsh and cruel. Others worked in their owners’ homes and were treated well, almost as if they were part of the family. But all were considered the property of their master to do with as he pleased.

Any slave who ran away could be punished in whatever way his master chose. He could be branded on his forehead to show that he was a runaway; he could be beaten or otherwise badly treated; he could even be killed. If he was caught and returned, his very survival depended on the mercy of his master.

Although Jesus did not speak out against the practice of slavery in his day, his teachings show us that he equally loved all people in the world. He gave his life for all people—both slave and free. And he commands us to love everyone as much as we love ourselves. The Apostle Paul said this about all who are followers of Jesus:

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

This was a brand new, revolutionary teaching in Philemon’s day. Let’s imagine the day that Onesimus ran away. Think of the anger that Philemon must have had. He had purchased this slave with his own money. Now the slave has run away. It seems likely that he even stole money from his master (verse 18). The name “Onesimus” means “useful” but now Philemon is probably thinking his runaway slave is “Useless.” (verse 11). It would be natural for Philemon to be thinking about how he will punish Onesimus if he is caught and returned. Philemon cannot imagine that his “useless” slave Onesimus will be saved by the same gospel that saved him and his family and friends. And he cannot imagine that Onesimus will be returned to him by the Apostle Paul himself!

But God is moving in mysterious ways. Paul sends Onesimus back, appealing to Philemon to receive him, not as a slave, but now as a brother (verse 16). Paul says to Philemon, “...receive him as you would receive me” (v. 17, ESV). The gracious, peace-making apostle Paul even says that he will himself pay Philemon if Onesimus owes him anything (verses 18-19).

In verse 2, we see that this letter was not just written to Philemon; it was also addressed to “the church in your house.” It was to be read to all the believers. Imagine Philemon and his family and friends in the house church listening to Paul’s appeal to Philemon, while the “useless” runaway slave, Onesimus, is standing in their midst! (verse 12)

Did Philemon and the house church receive Onesimus as a brother? The scripture does not tell us, but it seems likely that they did. This letter was copied many times and sent to churches everywhere to be read. If Philemon had not followed Paul’s request, wouldn’t he have torn up the letter?

Paul wrote in his letter that Onesimus was “useful” also to him (verses 11-13). Paul wrote,

I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel... (v. 13, ESV).

It is probable that Philemon, deeply touched by Paul’s letter, forgave Onesimus and accepted him as a brother. What if he then freed Onesimus and sent him back to Paul to be a part of Paul’s traveling missionary team? Imagine Onesimus, a young man when this letter was written, growing in Christ year by year as he serves alongside the Apostle Paul and other missionaries.

We can’t know for sure if Philemon freed Onesimus to join Paul, but it does seem possible. There is another letter, written about 40 years after the death of the Apostle Paul, when Onesimus would probably have been approximately 70 years old. It was written by a church leader named Ignatius to the bishop of Ephesus. The bishop’s name was Onesimus!

Although no one knows for sure if this is the same Onesimus, it seems possible that it is. What a beautiful story of how Jesus can transform a life—taking a rebellious slave and raising him up to be a leader in the Church. But it might not have happened if Philemon’s house fellowship had not welcomed him.

Think about what your house fellowship can learn from this first century story. Philemon and the church in his home had to learn that all people are equal in Christ and they had to receive a runaway slave as their brother. The story of Onesimus is the story of all of us, is it not? We who were slaves to sin were set free by the grace of Jesus Christ and welcomed into his kingdom and work. May God help us all learn to love and care for one another as one family—regardless of race, or whether we are rich or poor, young or old, male or female.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are we really a church if we are just a small group of people meeting in a home?

It may help you to know this historical information: For the first 300 years after Jesus ascended to heaven, the early Church mostly met in homes. The Church was growing throughout the Middle East and into Europe and North Africa. Because of persecution, and because the believers did not have money to build buildings, they gathered from house to house.

Because the groups were small, and because they suffered together, they had sweet fellowship and love among themselves that helped the Church continue to spread to more houses. It was the house church movement of those centuries that spread the gospel everywhere. Churches in public buildings did not exist.

As you go through the other chapters of this handbook you will see that even a very small group can, as a fellowship, follow all of Christ’s instructions. And you have the advantage of knowing each other well so that you can do as the Apostle Paul said in Gal. 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ”(ESV).

Remember that the Church is people, not a building or a meeting. All followers of Jesus all over the world together make up the Church, Christ’s Body.

2. Besides meeting together once a week, what can we do to be more like a family?

In a healthy family, the members care about one another. In the same way, a good leader is concerned about the needs of the fellowship members, checking regularly on them throughout the week and encouraging them to check on one another. Is someone sick or out of work and in need of something? Has someone had a family member die? Is someone going through a hard time and in need of prayer? Sometimes a phone call or visit for no reason at all except to say, “I’m thinking about you,” can mean a lot to the other person. We should ask ourselves, “Do I really care for the members of the fellowship? Do they really care for one another?” If everyone is helping to care for everyone else, then no one person has a big burden to carry.

3. The woman whose home we meet in has a servant heart, but she sometimes gets weary of hosting the home fellowship every week. She feels a burden to always provide food, and of course, she cleans the house before everyone comes and after they leave. Does the home fellowship always need to meet in the same home?

The book of Acts tells us that believers met from “house to house.” (Acts 5:42) If there are other homes available, you can certainly take a burden off of one person or family and meet other places.

Also, help the members to understand the burden that the host home carries. Ask brothers and sisters to help serve the tea or wash the dishes afterwards. Like Jesus who “did not come to be served but to serve” (Mt. 20:28), everyone—both men and women—should learn to help in practical ways. Some may come a little early (or stay late) to help clean. Also, you don’t always have to have a meal together. But when you do eat together, encourage everyone to bring food to share.

4. There are believers who don't attend our fellowship anymore and they don't go to other fellowships. They still call themselves followers of Jesus, but they don't see the need to meet with others. What can we do?

There are many reasons why someone may leave a fellowship of believers and decide to live his Christian life alone. It's important to remember, though, that harsh words and scolding probably won't produce a desire in them to return. They need to know that they are loved. Look for ways to show them that you care about them and their needs. Take time to go and visit them; listen to them and pray for them. They also need to be reminded gently that they need the body of believers. (See Hebrews 10:24-25.) Yes, our home fellowships are imperfect, but we still need each other. Pray for them often.

Also, as leaders we need to teach new believers what the scriptures say about our being born into a body of believers. (See Scriptures below.) God has much bigger plans than just getting us saved as individuals. At the heart of God's plan are relationships of love, with him and with our brothers and sisters.

5. Is there a way that our house fellowship can feel more like we are a part of the larger body of Christ in our country, and in the world?

Anyone who is a believer needs to see himself as not only a member of a local home fellowship, but also part of the worldwide Body of Christ. You can help them by teaching the scriptures listed below.

It is also helpful to look for ways to join together with other fellowships in your community and even those from other countries for special times of prayer, celebration, conferences, camps, etc.

Scriptures to meditate on and teach:

John 17:20-21

Colossians 3:9-17

Ephesians 4:1-16

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

John 10:14-16

Romans 12:3-8

Ephesians 2:11-22

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Look carefully at Acts 2:42-47. Answer each of these questions separately:

- What happened in the early church that your group also experiences?

- What did the early church experience that you don’t see happening in your group?

- Does your group have joy, love for one another and a sense of awe that God is moving among you each week? What do you want to see changed?

2. What needs to change so that your home fellowship is more like a family where all people are welcomed and cared for? (For example: Are there changes needed in your attitudes toward certain people who come?)

3. Take time now to pray for your home fellowship. As you are praying, quietly read over Acts 2:42-47. Use it as a guide to help you pray. Ask the Lord to fill you with the same life and power that the church in the first century had.

3. Love, the Leader’s Motivation

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you.

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
(Mark 10:42-45)

Introduction

Christian Leaders Learn Sincere Love from Jesus

Jesus calls us to a totally new way of life. He calls us into his kingdom. One thing in his kingdom that is very different from this world is the way that leaders should lead.

When leaders in the church use people for their own purposes, it goes completely against the way Jesus taught. Such leaders have big egos and ambitions to build their own kingdoms. Or they want to gain financial wealth through their ministry. In the history of the church (to our great shame) leaders have sometimes even taken advantage of others for sexual reasons. It’s important to know that Jesus calls us to a completely different way—the way of sincere love for people.

We all need a lifetime to learn love. No one is born naturally into this way of love. It comes year by year as we are changed by Jesus.

Jesus was the perfect example of sincere love. People saw that he wasn’t pushing them down so that he could move to a higher position. Jesus was a loving servant.

In the following study we will look at the apostle Paul’s ministry. Jesus changed Saul (a persecutor of Christians) into Paul, and the world has never been the same. When Saul met Jesus, love became his motivation for all of life. He later wrote the famous chapter on love, 1 Corinthians 13.

Looking at the apostle Paul’s life gives us hope that we can also change and be leaders who love others deeply from the heart.

Bible Study

The Apostle Paul’s Example to All Leaders

Opening Discussion: As you grow in leading a home fellowship, describe to the group what character qualities you want the Lord to develop in your heart.

In his missionary journeys, the apostle Paul traveled through what is now Turkey, parts of Greece, and other areas. He wrote several letters to the Thessalonians, a people who lived in what is now Greece. In his first letter he talked about his ministry in Thessalonica, when he first brought the gospel to them. Let’s look at his attitude toward these people.

Read together 1 Thessalonians chapter 2

1. What had happened to Paul in Philippi, before he went to Thessalonica? (v. 2)

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that when he came to them, he dared to tell the gospel to them, also, in spite of conflict there, too. (You can read about Paul’s sharing the gospel in Philippi and Thessalonica in Acts 16 and 17.)

2. Look again at verses 3-5. Who was Paul trying to please as he brought the gospel to the Thessalonians?

What did Paul say he did NOT do while serving the Thessalonians? (v. 5-6)

Why is the praise of men sometimes a temptation to us?

Paul also says that he was not motivated by greed. If a leader has secret motives of greed, how could that destroy a fellowship?

3. Read again verses 7-10. Describe in your own words how much Paul loved the Thessalonians and how he demonstrated that love for them.

4. In verses 11 and 12, Paul describes himself as a father to them. What were his actions toward the Thessalonicans that were like a good father?

If our home fellowships are led by men and women who act like loving parents, how will that affect the people who come?

5. What was the result of Paul’s labor in Thessalonica? (v. 13)

In your home fellowship, do the people accept God’s word as your word, or as the word of God?

6. Was it easy for the Thessalonians to follow Jesus? (v. 14-16)

If we, as leaders, have deep love for the people, how will that help them endure in times of persecution?

End in prayer: Paul is a wonderful model of sincere love and pure motives in serving a body of believers. Take time to pray now for your home fellowship that you may gain the same heart of love that Paul had.

Go deeper in this subject:

Meditate on Mark 10:35-45 and Philippians 2:1-11

A story from Christian history

20th century, USA

Leaders Show Love to a Wandering Church Member

Gene Getz, an American pastor, tells a story about a Christian man in his fellowship who left his wife for an adulterous relationship with another woman. Gene knew this man well and was very disturbed over this brother’s sin. He went with another elder to see the man. They walked into his office and told him they had come to help him change his mind and return to his wife. The man became very angry and told them to leave. Gene and the elder stood firm, insisting in love that they wanted time to talk with the man.

It was a long and difficult talk with him—about two hours. He was determined to pursue his sinful desires and the leaders wondered if they would be successful in turning him back to his wife and to clear thinking. Gene writes: “At one point my fellow elder—himself a businessman—placed his hand on the man’s arm and with tears streaming down his cheeks, pleaded with him to reconsider his decision.”

Gene and the elder saw the man’s heart soften a bit. Finally, the man agreed to talk with them more. Gene says, “Though he was not ready to leave the woman and return to his wife, he agreed for he and his wife to visit a Christian counselor.”

It took many weeks of talking with this man, listening to his struggles, and sharing God’s word with him. One Sunday morning the man came to their fellowship. With tears in his eyes, he put his arm around Gene and said, “Thank God you didn’t let me go.” He had returned to his wife. Over time, with much prayer and pastoral counsel, his relationship with his wife was fully restored.

Later the man said, “Gene, I’ll be indebted to you the rest of my life.” Gene writes: “That, of course, makes being a “shepherd” worth all the time, effort, and even the initial rejection.”

Gene writes about this kind of sacrificial love:

What then should characterize a leader with a shepherd’s heart? He is willing to give himself to the members of the body of Christ that inhabit his fold. He stands by them no matter what the cost. He knows his sheep. He calls them by name!

Gene was referring to Jesus, speaking of himself in John 10:14. Jesus is the example of all who want to be caring shepherds in the church.

We must be with our people, not separate from them. We must know them personally—their needs, their concerns, their problems! We must be willing to leave the ninety nine in the fold and go into the darkness of the night to find the straying lamb that has wandered away from the safety of the flock and has been caught in the thicket of disillusionment and sin. (Matthew 18:12-13).

Pastor Getz continues by saying that our lives, not just our words, must say to the people in our fellowship,

“We love you, we care about you, and we’re here beside you; you can talk with us anytime, anywhere, and about anything you wish. We won’t condemn you! We will help you become the person you really want to become: a mature functioning member of His body, the church.”

Leaders who follow Christ’s example and persevere over many years know that not all stories end as happily as this one did. Some people harden their hearts and walk away from the Lord. Sometimes we have no choice but to let them go. But a true pastoral heart is always learning more of Christ’s love, a love that seeks to always protect, always trust, always hope, always persevere (1 Corinthians 13:7). This is the love of Jesus Christ, our Savior.[1]

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do we as leaders build love into our home fellowships?

As Gene Getz said above, love is first shown to the people through our actions. But we also have a responsibility to teach on love. Christ commanded us to love each other. He taught us that loving God with all of our heart, mind and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves was the greatest of the commandments. You have a responsibility to teach your home fellowship often about this most important command. It’s the heart of our faith.

As we take time to do this, we plant seeds into the hearts of the people. We can trust the Lord to make those seeds grow. Imagine Christians here in this country becoming known by all as people of love! Here are a few passages on love to study in your home fellowship:

1) Jesus explains what love really is:

John 15:9-17

John 13:1-17

John 14:15-24

2) Three parables of God’s great love for sinful men:

Luke 15:1-7 (the lost sheep)

Luke 15:8-10 (the lost coin)

Luke 15: 11-32 (the lost son)

3) A parable of love in action:

Luke 10: 25-37 (The good Samaritan)

4) The apostle Paul’s beautiful description of love:

1 Corinthians 13

5) The fruit of God’s Spirit in our lives (as opposed to living by the flesh):

Galatians 5:16-26

1 John 3:11-18 & 4:7-21

2. As a leader in the home fellowship, how should I help people of the opposite sex?

Sexual temptations are very real, and leaders are no exception. Though you are to love and help people in your fellowship, you should never meet with someone of the opposite sex alone, even when they want to share their problems with you for prayer. Satan has used such meetings many times to destroy the lives of Christian leaders and the churches they serve. Always go with another mature member, perhaps your husband or wife, or perhaps another brother or sister. Avoid rooms with closed doors. True Christian love is wise as a serpent, but harmless as a dove.

3. What does the word “pastor” mean?

The word we translate “pastor” means “shepherd” in the New Testament. We understand what it means to “pastor” when we look at Jesus’ words to Peter after the resurrection. He told Peter, “Take care of and feed my sheep.” (See John 21:15-17.) Peter was given the job of shepherding God’s people. Being a pastor in those days was not a “church position” but a ministry of serving.

Peter didn’t have a diploma from a Bible school. He never preached in a church building! He was a simple fisherman who learned to take care of the people of God because he had been changed by the love of Jesus.

Don’t forget this: Whoever you are, if you are taking care of Jesus’ sheep, you are acting like a true pastor.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. All Christian leaders, if they are honest, know they are inadequate for the job of leading God’s people. In what areas of your life do you know you need to change in order to love people sincerely?

2. Take time to pray for yourself. You may also want to ask members of your fellowship to pray for you. As you look over the previous pages on learning to be leaders of love, ask the Lord to change you where you have need for growth in your life.

3. Look over the list of scriptures in the Frequently Asked Questions section, Question 1. Choose one or two passages to study with the members of your fellowship soon.

4. Understanding God’s Wonderful Gift of Salvation

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:6)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
(John 3:16-17)

I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
(Acts 20:21)

Introduction

The Good News That Saves the World

The gospel is “good news” for sinners. And it is preached by people who know they also are lost without Jesus. Wherever this good news of Jesus is preached faithfully from his word, chains fall off from people's hearts. Prisoners of sin and darkness who had no hope, now come out of their dark, cold dungeons into the warm sunshine of God's love. Their hearts are filled with joy and deep gratitude to Jesus for his gift of salvation. Throughout their lives they will continually hold on to faith in Jesus’ eternal sacrifice for them on the cross and they will find strength and life in Jesus, the Bread of Life.

This chapter looks at the foundation of our faith—the spring of life that blesses every home group. If we understand and bathe ourselves often in Christ's salvation, there will be life flowing through our home group. Our meetings will not be boring. We will read the Bible with hearts eager to learn more of the God who has shown us such incredible grace. Our love for each other and for a lost world will grow.

We will then find that the Holy Spirit is filling us with a strong desire to take this good news to others. When we are in love with Jesus, sharing our faith is not a heavy burden. The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with power and courage, and we find great joy in helping others find the same freedom that we have found.

Telling others about Jesus is not always easy, though. Unbelievers eyes are blinded by Satan. They cannot understand God’s deep love shown through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. But thanks be to God, we are not working alone. The Holy Spirit is working through us and in the hearts of the unbelievers we talk with. He convicts of sin. He is calling them to lay those sins at the cross of Jesus. He is showing them the Father's costly grace for them.

Let's not forget this: The gospel has come to us because faithful believers throughout the centuries have guarded its message from corruption and shared it with others. Now, in the 21st century, the gospel message is ours to take to others. Each home fellowship has great potential to reach the world around them. Only God knows how far the seeds you plant will go.

Bible Study

Jesus Helps a Religious Leader Understand True Salvation

Opening Discussion: In your own words, or using scripture verses, can you describe what salvation is?

Read John 3:1-21.

1. What did Jesus tell Nicodemus in verse 3?

Did Nicodemus understand what Jesus was talking about? (v. 4)

2. Read verses 5-7 again carefully.

Many Biblical scholars have sought to understand the meaning of being “born of water” (v. 5). Some say water in this verse means baptism. Others link verse 5 with verse 6, saying that being “born of water” is referring to natural birth, the water in the mother’s womb.

Whichever the meaning, Jesus does give us a picture of natural birth in verse 6. He says that we need to understand that being born “of the flesh” is not enough. We need a second birth. We must be born again by the Spirit. (v. 7)

The major point that Jesus is making to this Jewish leader is that he cannot trust in his natural birth as a Jew. His Jewish heritage, which he was so proud of and trusted in, will never make him right with God. He must receive a brand new life that transforms him from within.

3. Quietly read verse 8 several times and then describe its meaning in your own words.

4. Read verses 14 and 15 again. Then, read the explanation below.

Jesus reminds this Jewish teacher of an illustration from their own Jewish history to help him understand this new life in the Spirit. If you have an Old Testament, take a minute to read it in Numbers 21:4-9.

The people were bitten by poisonous snakes because of their rebellion against God and against the prophet Moses, who brought them God's law. Though they were rebellious, God showed that he still loved them. God told Moses to make a replica of a poisonous snake and hang it on a pole. The people could look at that snake and they would be healed. They deserved to die for their rebellion, but God gave them new life. This unusual picture of God's healing grace was given to the ancient, tribal people of Israel. He gave it to point to the day that Jesus would come.

Now many years later, Jesus opens up this story from Jewish history to help Nicodemus understand salvation. Do you remember the snake's lies to Eve in the Garden of Eden?

Adam and Eve chose to listen to him instead of God. Therefore, the devil's poison entered the world through them. Sin and death came in through Adam and Eve and everyone since then has been born under Adam's curse and continued in rebellion against God. The serpent who bit Adam and Eve has bitten you and me, too.

But Jesus changed everything. Jesus came to take the serpent's bite away from us. He came to destroy the serpent's power. How? Jesus was lifted up on a cross, as an eternal sacrifice.

The New Testament tells us: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree.” (1 Peter 2: 24) He who was completely free from sin received the poison of sin. He took our sin and death into his body, and he carried them to death so that we might be healed from the poison of our rebellion against God.

When we know the meaning of Jesus' death and his victory over it in the resurrection, we look in faith to him, as the ancient Jewish people looked to the serpent on the pole to be healed. We trust in Jesus who died in our place. Death’s power is broken. We receive the life and righteousness of Jesus.

5. John 3:16-17 explains salvation very simply. That is why young believers love to memorize these verses. Have you ever memorized verse 16 and 17? Can you say them now and tell the meaning of each part in your own words.

How can you use John 3:16-17 to help unbelievers and new believers to understand the gospel? What else can you do to help them understand salvation?

6. Read Ephesians 2:1-10

In verse 1, Paul talks about our condition before we knew Christ. How did he describe us?

In verse 2, he says we followed someone. Who did we follow?

Describe our actions in verse 3

7. In verses 4-5, Paul says that God did something for us. What did he do?

In verse 6, it says he raised us up. Where did he raise us? Why did he do this? (v. 7)

8. Take a minute to memorize verses 8-10.

Can you say verses 8-10 now without looking at the New Testament?

Now, think about what you have memorized. Paul says we are NOT saved by something. What does not save us? Then, he tells us how we are saved. Explain in your own words what Paul is saying in verses 8-10.

9. What kind of emotions do you feel as you think about God’s great grace toward you?

End in Prayer: Now take time to pray that your home fellowship will be empowered by God to bring this grace to many people.

A Story from Christian History

16th Century, Germany

A German Monk Discovers the Gospel and Changes the World

When Jesus sent his disciples into all the world, he told them to preach the good news of salvation everywhere they went. They taught how his death and resurrection brought forgiveness of sins and eternal life to all who believed in him. Many came to faith through their preaching and the gospel spread rapidly, although often with much persecution. The Church grew until thousands all over the Middle East, Europe, Northern Africa and beyond were following the Savior.

Over time, however, traditions of the Church began to be considered more important than the Holy Scriptures, and many Church leaders began to teach a false gospel that did not point men to Jesus as their only hope of salvation. It seemed the vibrant, life-giving message of salvation through Christ alone was about to be lost.

Most people in those days were uneducated, and they had no access to the Word of God. In fact, the Word of God did not even exist in their language. In church, everything was read in Latin, which only the priests could understand. The common people had no way of knowing what the Bible actually taught. They did not know the gospel of salvation by faith in Jesus alone.

It was at this time, at the beginning of the sixteenth century in what is now Germany, that God raised up a young man who would bring many people back to the truth of the gospel. His name was Martin Luther.

In 1505, at the age of 21, Martin entered a monastery to fulfill a vow he had made and to try to find peace with God. What he found in the monastery was many rules to guide the monks in every aspect of their lives: how they should talk, walk, eat, look around, bow to those above them, and many, many other things. Everything had a rule!

Martin tried hard to follow all the rules, hoping that, somehow, this would make him acceptable to God. Besides this, he wore rough, uncomfortable clothing and often slept on the freezing cold floor in winter. He thought that suffering would help to cleanse him from his sins. He prayed and fasted and confessed every sin he could think of to the priest, but nothing brought him peace. The more he looked into his dark soul, the more he was filled with despair. How could he ever please a holy God? “Do I love God?” Martin asked himself. “Sometimes I hate Him!” He felt that God was requiring something impossible from him and then condemning him when he could not do it.

In the midst of his despair, Martin began to study the Holy Scriptures intensely for himself. He knew Latin, and therefore could read the Bible of his day, and he had a strong mind. He also had a deep longing to please God and find rest for his tormented soul.

When Martin read the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, a light began to shine into his heart. Before he met Jesus, Paul, like Martin, had been very religious, carefully following all of the laws of the Jews in order to be acceptable to God. Then he had a dramatic encounter with Jesus.

Many years later, in the book of Romans, Paul wrote that no man can stand before God’s holiness in his own righteousness, no matter how many righteous deeds he has done. We are all sinners; we have all broken God’s law. But God himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, paid the penalty for sin.

Martin began to discover that God has done for all people that which no one can do for himself. He saw that righteousness was God’s free gift, given to all through faith in Jesus the Messiah.

What great freedom and joy arose in Martin’s heart! He didn’t have to make himself holy; instead, he looked to Jesus and his death and resurrection. He would trust fully in that gift of God’s grace throughout his life and for all eternity. There could be no more condemnation from Satan, no more accusations, no more shame, because God had declared him clean. Jesus, in his death, had taken Martin’s penalty for his sin.

Many years later, Martin told about the time when he began to understand the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. He wrote, “...I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise.”

Throughout his lifetime, Martin Luther was greatly used of God to call people from the darkness of false teaching into the light of the true gospel. He was declared a heretic by the established Church, and threatened with death. But Martin was not afraid. In spite of suffering many illnesses and fighting against depression, he worked with great energy. He preached, he wrote many books, he translated the Bible into German—the common language of his people. His great desire was that everyone come to know the freedom of salvation that he had found.

Martin Luther’s many followers were called “Reformers,” and the movement he started was called “The Reformation.” Many people suffered, and some were killed for preaching the truth, but the life-giving gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone spread throughout Europe and the world. The apostle Paul wrote,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation... (Romans 1:16)

May God help us today to follow in the footsteps of Paul and of Martin Luther, proclaiming boldly this same wonderful gospel!

Frequently Asked Questions

The following questions will help you think more deeply about how to lead people to an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ.

1. “What must I do to be saved?”

When someone asks a question like this, we can rejoice. This question is asked by people of all nationalities in many ways: “What must I do to go to heaven?” “How can I receive forgiveness for my sins?” “How do I become a Christian?”

Sometimes they ask more general questions: “Does life have meaning?” “Why am I here on this earth?” All these questions show that people are spiritually hungry. They are feeling their lostness.

What they are asking is basically how they can be reconciled to God and find purpose in life. As followers of Jesus, we are called to help them understand the good news. Many people believe they must do something religious, like lighting a candle in a church, sacrificing an animal, giving money to the poor, or visiting a holy place. None of these things will save them.

The questions and answers below will help you know more about how to lead someone to trust in Jesus as their Savior.

2. How do I know if someone is ready to receive Jesus?

Sometimes a person will agree to pray a prayer with you because they think that prayer is a way to manipulate God to give them something they want or need, such as money for rent or a good grade in university, or they want him to get them out of a bad situation. But they don’t understand what true repentance is. They need to understand that God is calling them to turn from their life of sin and trust in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and a completely new life.

Don’t rush them to repent; ask the Holy Spirit to help you know when they are ready. There should be some evidence that they know they are a sinner and in need of a Savior. Take time to teach them from God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to work in their heart, convicting them of sin. In 50 Life Studies there are 10 Bible studies in the section titled “Repent and Believe” that can help you open God’s Word to them.

3. How can I help people come into the new birth that Jesus offers?

We must realize that people are spiritually dead. Their separation from God makes them blind to spiritual truths. Our words alone will not bring people into the kingdom of God; only a work of God’s Spirit in their hearts will give them new life. We may win a spiritual argument with them, but it is possible that they still will not see their personal need for salvation. Only the Lord can open their eyes to see their sin and Jesus who died for them. That is why prayer is so important in evangelism.

Therefore, each time you meet together as a fellowship, take time to pray for the lost and for opportunities to share the gospel with them. Ask God to open their hearts and prepare them to receive the good news. And ask him to give you love and boldness in speaking about Jesus.

Of course, we ourselves should be growing in understanding the message of salvation in Jesus Christ so that we can share it correctly with others. Take time to meditate on Peter’s sermon in Acts 2, especially verse 38, and also Paul’s explanation of salvation in Ephesians 2:1-10. Ephesians explains what God has done, and Acts 2 explains what we must do to be saved.

God’s gift of salvation is free, but, as Peter instructed people on the day of Pentecost, God calls everyone to “repent and be baptized” (verse 38) in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. This means we must leave our old life of sin behind and trust completely in the sacrifice of Christ for our sins, which is symbolized by baptism. Jesus becomes our Lord and Savior.

All who trust in Jesus become a new creation, born into God’s family. We receive the righteousness of Christ, given to us by grace—a free gift from God. It is not something we create ourselves by good works; we trust God for it. This is what you must know yourself and what you must help those with whom you are sharing the gospel to see.

4. Can you give some practical ideas to start introducing people to Jesus?

1) Introduce people to Jesus by telling stories about his life. Or you can open up the New Testament and read the stories together. Every story about Jesus shows something about his authority, his divine power, his kindness and mercy. You may find it helpful to use a book such as 50 Life Studies to guide you in studying the life and teachings of Jesus with them. Be sure to give them a Bible, too, and encourage them to study about Jesus at home.

2) Or you may decide to start in the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Read or tell the creation story. Or you could use the study guide Exploring the Ancient Book of Genesis. Show them that man was created in the image of God. Then show them how the relationship with God was lost through Adam and Eve’s sin. (Genesis 1-3). This will lay the foundation for sharing about their need for a savior.

3) Give them a copy of the Psalms. Read with them the beautiful, honest prayers. Use those prayers to teach them that through Christ they can have a friendship with God, and they can talk with him about anything.

4) Don’t forget to use electronic media such as the Jesus film, Magdalena, The Hope and audio recordings of the Bible. Also, if they like to read, give them a good Christian book telling about someone who came to Christ.

(Note: Information on how to download all of the books and videos mentioned here can be found in Appendix A, "Resources".)

5) Perhaps one of the most powerful ways to help people come to Jesus is to tell them your own story of how you came to Jesus. Tell them how Jesus brought his light into your darkness.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Find a time to ask people in your home fellowship (those who call themselves believers in Jesus) to share with you their understanding of salvation in Jesus based on what the New Testament teaches. As you listen to their stories, do you see that they understand, as is explained in the Martin Luther story above, that we are saved by God’s grace, through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins? Or are they trusting in their own righteousness to be saved?

2. Over the next few weeks when you gather with your home group, study these passages regarding salvation:

- Luke 18:9-14: This parable from Jesus on the mercy of God for sinners is found as a Bible study in 50 Life Studies, lesson #3.

- Galatians 2:11-21: In this passage, the apostle Paul explains that we are not saved by works, but by faith in Jesus.

- Acts 2:29-41: In this passage, the apostle Peter preaches to Jews in Jerusalem on how to be saved from their sin.

3. Take time for believers in your fellowship to share how they came to faith in Jesus. Help them see that their personal testimonies can be powerful tools for sharing their faith with unbelievers.

4. In your home fellowship, take time often to pray that each of you would be filled with the power of the Spirit to share the gospel with unbelievers. Pray specifically for people your group members know (family members, friends, etc.) who need to hear the gospel. Talk about how people in your group can share the gospel with these unbelievers. Discuss how you can take the gospel into other cities and towns of your country.

5. Take time to find out what evangelistic tools are available in your language, for example: The Jesus film, Magdalena, The Hope, audio scriptures, a copy of the New Testament, etc. Where can you get them? Do you keep a supply of these? Do you know how to help people download digital copies on their phones? Does your group use these tools with unbelievers? (See Appendix A, "Resources".)

5. Baptism in the Home Fellowship

(The last words of Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, the day the Church was born)—

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
(Acts 2:36-41)

Introduction

Baptism Brings New Life

A day of baptism in the home fellowship is like a refreshing spring of cool water on a hot day. It can bring renewed life and strength to every person who attends.

First, those who are baptized will remember the day for the rest of their lives as the day they declared before others that they are not ashamed of Jesus Christ. Through baptism they are showing that they are leaving their old life of sin and trusting in the One who offered his life as their sin sacrifice. They come out of the water to live in his resurrection power.

Second, it brings spiritual renewal into the hearts of the believers who have already been baptized. In their hearts they think of their own lives. They renew their love for Christ in different ways. Some quietly repent of letting their love for God and others grow cold. Others are reminded of the meaning of baptism and are strengthened by the Holy Spirit to live each day in Christ’s resurrection life.

For believers who have not been baptized, the Holy Spirit is speaking to them to obey Jesus’ command to be baptized.

Finally, if unbelievers are present (perhaps family members or friends of those being baptized), they begin to think about eternal things. They sense the Holy Spirit’s power. Seeds of repentance and faith are planted in their hearts, as they see the death and resurrection of Jesus acted out before their eyes.

Jesus commanded all his followers to be baptized. We may not intellectually understand all that happens at a baptism; there are mysterious things that God’s Holy Spirit is doing in every heart. We can expect, however, the blessings of Jesus upon the church that obeys him.

Bible Study

What is the Meaning of Baptism?

Opening Discussion: Tell about the day of your baptism. What did it mean to you then? What does it mean to you now?

Read Romans 6:1-14 together.

1. Satan wants us to live our lives defeated by sin. Paul understands that. He wants us to understand what happened when we trusted Jesus Christ and obeyed him in baptism. He says in verses 1-4 that two very important things happened in our baptism. What are those two things?

2. Read again verses 5-7 together. What is the result of our old self being crucified with Christ? (v. 6-7)

In general, do you think believers have an assurance that sin’s power has been broken in their lives? If the answer is “no,” what is needed to give them that assurance?

3. Paul states again in verse 8 that our baptism into Christ means that we die with him and then that we are raised with him. Read verses 8-10 again to review what the purpose of Christ’s death and resurrection is.

4. In verse 11, Paul tells us that we also should count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. What do you think he means by this?

5. Explain what Paul means when he tells us to not let sin reign in our bodies and not obey its lusts. (v. 12)

Most of us wish that we would never be bothered by temptation. Notice that Paul does not tell us that we are now free from temptation. But Paul tells us that because we have a new life in Christ, we now have the power and the responsibility to say “no” to evil.

6. We not only say “no” to evil, we say “yes” to God. How does Paul describe that “yes” in verses 13 and 14?

Jesus told his disciples in John 10:10: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

When we give our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness, how does that give us a full and joyful life?

7. Are there believers in your home fellowship who have not been baptized? As a leader, have you taught them to obey Jesus Christ’s command to be baptized? (See the “Application and Prayer” section at the end of this chapter.)

End in Prayer: Close this study time by taking time to pray for a deeper understanding of what baptism symbolizes: that we have died to our old sinful self and that we have been raised to new life in Christ.

A story from Christian History

21st century, Central Asia

A Joyful Easter Baptism

The small house fellowship was especially excited to be worshiping together this morning. It was Easter, and they were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead! They were meeting in the apartment of two single sisters, Maryam and Sara.

One of the participants that morning was the sisters’ elderly mother. For several years she had listened to the gospel, but this quiet woman had never made it clear to her daughters that faith was growing in her heart. After the worship time, she and her daughters were preparing tea in the kitchen together.

“I want to be baptized this morning,” the mother told her daughters. Maryam and Sara looked at each other in amazement! After questioning their mother to make sure that she understood and believed the gospel, they knew her faith was real. “But let’s do it another day, Mother,” Sara said.

“No, I believe in Jesus with all my heart, and I want to be baptized today,” she replied.

Knowing that their mother understood the meaning of baptism, and not having a good reason to wait, they returned to the living room to tell the group of their mother’s decision. Everyone rejoiced.

But there was a problem. “Mother is too old to go down into the water,” Maryam said. “She’s never gone swimming. She won’t even put her head completely into bath water! She’s too afraid.”

“And we don’t have a bathtub in this apartment,” Sara added. “In fact, we don’t even have very much water reserved, because no water has come to our apartment building today! What shall we do?”

The believers discussed the problem. Is the actual baptism what saves someone, or is it the grace of Christ, received by faith? All agreed that the scriptures teach that baptism is not what saves us.

“And what do believers do in desert areas, where water is very scarce?” one of them asked. “Do they disobey Jesus’ command to be baptized because they don’t have enough water to go down into?” The little house church was struggling with questions about baptism that Christians have asked for centuries.

“Let’s think about this together,” Eldar, one of the leaders said. “What is really happening at baptism?”

He paused as each member thought about it. Then he began, “I think several things are happening at each baptism, and these things are happening today in our house church. First, baptism gives the opportunity for your mother to obey Jesus. We should be so happy that she is not just believing in Jesus philosophically. She knows that Jesus said, ‘If you love me, you will obey my commandments.’ She is starting her life of obedience to Jesus today. Let’s not hinder that!

“Secondly, she who grew up Muslim, is saying that she is not ashamed of being called a follower of Jesus. That is a big step for her, especially at her age.

“She is clearly connecting herself with us as believers and with the Church around the world. Until today, we did not know if she had true faith or not. Her request for baptism shows us she truly believes.

“One more thing,” Eldar added. “This is Easter. Her baptism will always remind her that she has died with Christ and also that she is joined with him in His resurrection.”

By the time Eldar finished talking, the group was ready to baptize her. “But how?” they asked.

“I definitely prefer immersion baptism,” Eldar said. “But in this case, let’s place her on a chair in the bathroom. Then I will pour a pitcher of water over her head.”

“What!” Maryam exclaimed. “Mother will never allow a man in the bathroom with her, even when she is fully dressed.”

Eldar paused quietly. “Ok, before she goes into the bathroom, let’s ask her questions about her faith so she can testify to the whole group. Then the women will go into the bathroom and baptize her.”

The women objected again. “None of us are ordained. And where in the Bible does it say that women can baptize?”

Eldar answered, “I’m a house group leader, but I’m not ordained either! Where in the Bible does it say who must baptize? From reading the New Testament, I believe it is telling us that it is not so important WHO places the person into the water, or in your mother’s case, who pours water over her head. What is essential is WHOSE NAME she is baptized into! That’s the most important thing for all of us!”

Soon the mother was in the living room, confessing her faith in Jesus to the whole group. Then the women gathered in the bathroom with the mother sitting on a chair. “And now, we baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit...”

Tears mingled with the water running down the face of the elderly woman, and her eyes shone with joy. “Thank you, Jesus,” she whispered.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How soon after someone repents should we baptize them?

Let’s look first to the teachings of Jesus and the practices of the apostles. Jesus commanded that all who follow him should be baptized. (See Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15,16)

After Jesus ascended to the Father, when the apostles saw that someone repented and believed in Christ they baptized them right away. The apostles did not see baptism as a graduation ceremony for perfect believers. They knew that baptism was the place where Christ called sinners to repentance. New believers stepped into the water as sinners who were trusting God's grace. Baptism was one of the first steps of their new life in Christ.

In countries where Christians are persecuted it is common for churches to wait to make sure the new person is a true believer. They don’t want a spy to ask for baptism and after the baptism report it to the police. In such situations, it is important to be careful. But we also don’t want to turn away a true believer.

Some groups require a year or more of waiting, and while the new believers are waiting, they are taught the scriptures. Leaders believe the new believers need to prove that their faith is real. It is interesting that the apostles did not do that, nor did Jesus teach it.

Look at the following examples in the book of Acts and notice how quickly people were baptized:

- Acts 2:41: At Pentecost 3000 people hear Peter's sermon, believe in Jesus and are baptized.

- Acts 8:36-38: The Ethiopian eunuch is baptized by Philip.

- Acts 10:44-48: Cornelius’ household is baptized.

- Acts 16:22-34: The Philippian jailer and his household are baptized.

All of these stories (and more in the book of Acts) involved immediate baptism when people responded to the gospel in repentance and faith. Even the persecutor of the Church, Saul of Tarsus was baptized just a few days after his repentance. Ananias said to him,

And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name. (Acts 22:16, ESV)

2. Shouldn’t there be some type of training for new believers before they are baptized?

It is important that new believers understand what baptism means. Take them to God’s word for this. Such training need not take months, however. Usually a few classes on baptism are enough. In 50 Life Studies there are 2 Bible studies on water baptism and 3 studies on the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit.

3. How do we plan for the baptism?

Whether the baptism will be at a beach or a river or in a bathtub, some planning is helpful. Remind them to bring an extra set of clothes and a towel. It also is good to show the new believer beforehand how you will do the baptism as they enter into and rise from the water. However, the New Testament gives no detailed instructions, only the command to baptize disciples in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Therefore, churches around the world have different baptism practices.

One practice that is often done is to give an opportunity for the new believer to proclaim his faith in Christ publicly. Jesus said in Matthew 10:32: "Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” You could do this by asking them before they are baptized to share with the group their story of how they came to believe in Jesus. You could also ask them a few simple questions in front of the whole group, such as:

- Do you confess that you are a sinner and need forgiveness and salvation from God?

- Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior whom God has sent into the world? Do you believe His sacrifice on the cross was for you?

- Do you put your faith in Him alone for forgiveness of sins and eternal life?

After the baptism is a good time to take the Lord’s Supper together (see chapter 9), and also to pray as a group for those who have been baptized.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Have you ever taught in your home group about baptism? Do your group members understand what it means? If not, you may want to go through the Bible study on baptism in this chapter with your whole fellowship.

In the New Testament, water baptism is often mentioned together with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said,

I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Luke 3:16, ESV)

As you baptize new believers and pray over them, make sure they understand the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit that is available to them. As mentioned above, there are 2 studies on water baptism and 3 studies on the Holy Spirit in 50 Life Studies.

2. Are there believers in your fellowship who are ready to be baptized? What must you as a fellowship do to prepare for it?

3. Pray for spiritual renewal to come to your group through your time of baptism.

6. Worshiping Together in Spirit and Truth

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
(Romans 12:1)

Introduction

True Worship: Offering Ourselves to God

God created all people for worship. Therefore, all people throughout the world worship something in some way. Those who do not worship the true God, Creator of the universe, will worship something that he has created. Many people worship themselves, seeking only their own happiness. To worship anything less than God himself is idolatry.

God’s Word teaches us that what we focus on (worship) we will become like (Psalm 115:4-8). If we set our hope on things of this fallen world, it will bring death. If we make Jesus the center of our lives, loving and worshiping him, we will become more and more like him. With hearts full of joy and peace, we will know true life.

Before reading further, take a minute to discuss the answer to this question: What is true worship of God?

In this chapter, we will look at Biblical teaching on group worship and personal worship of God. We will see that worship is much more than rituals, and more than singing songs. In fact, many times people in the Bible worshiped God without music at all. Their worship came from hearts that were filled with gratitude to God for who he is and what he had done for them. Often worship in the Old Testament was expressed by sacrificing an animal. Since the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection, his followers have offered a sacrifice of praise to him in thanks for his sacrifice for their sin. (See Heb. 13:15.)

And believers don’t just worship once a week in a church service. They worship every day. The Holy Spirit helps them to offer their lives daily to God in worship, whether they are singing in church, busy at work, or sitting on a bus. (See Rom. 12:1) They worship by putting God first in their lives, loving him with all their hearts, souls, minds and strength, as Jesus taught.

In John 4 Jesus told the Samaritan woman that the Father desires worshipers who worship in spirit and in truth. Learning to worship in spirit and in truth is one of the most important things we can do when we gather together in our house churches. We will talk more about what this means in the pages that follow.

Most of all, God wants our hearts. As we offer ourselves daily to him, we learn true worship and enjoy friendship with God.

Bible Study

A Key to True Worship: Remembering to Give Thanks

Opening Discussion: What does this verse from Psalm 50:23 mean?

The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God! (ESV)

Gratefulness is an important aspect of true worship. Let’s look at two passages that teach this truth.

Read Luke 17:11-19

1. How many lepers cried out to Jesus? (v. 12) What did they say to Jesus? (v. 13)

NOTE: Let’s try to understand the culture in Jesus’ time. Leprosy was a horrible disease that still affects people today. But beyond the physical aspect was a deeper wound: societal rejection. They were strictly taught that they were not to go near people (see v. 12: “they stood at a distance”). Wherever they went, they had to announce that they were lepers by crying out about themselves, “Unclean! Unclean!” so that people wouldn’t come near. They lived a life of rejection and hopelessness.

2. There are accounts of lepers being healed in the Old Testament. To prove their healing, the law of Moses required them to go to the priest to be examined to see if a healing had actually taken place. It was like telling someone who has been healed today to go to a doctor to confirm the healing.

What did Jesus tell them to do? (v. 14) And what happened as they went?

Remember that now they are not only healed physically; their life of rejection is over. People will hug them and kiss them now. People will welcome them into their homes. People will speak kindly to them.

3. Did the same thing happen to all ten of the lepers?

What did the Samaritan leper do? (v. 15-16)

NOTE: Samaritans were not of the Jewish faith. Their instruction in following God was confused, not like the clear instruction Jews were trained in.

4. Read verses 17-18. What did the other nine do?

It seems that the other nine were Israelites. They would have been taught from the law to honor God for the blessings he gives. However, they neglected to give glory to God for their healing. What do you think is the reason they didn’t think about returning to thank Jesus?

Read Psalm 103

5. In verses 1-2, what is David telling himself?

6. In verses 3-5, David finds 6 different things to thank God for. After reading these verses several times, can you close the Bible and say them from memory?

7. In your own life, have you seen the Lord’s blessings in similar ways to those expressed in these verses?

Think about these rich blessings from God. Think of specific times that you have experienced some of the things mentioned in verses 3-5. Can you speak with others in your group about these things?

8. Throughout our lives we grow in understanding what God is really like.

Read again verses 6-14. How do these verses help you to understand God’s character better?

Do you have times when you turn off your phone and go into a quiet room (or go for a walk in a park) to give thanks to God for his rich blessings? Is your worship of him only when you are in the house fellowship, or do you enjoy thanking him, and giving glory to him when you are completely alone?

End in Prayer: Close this study by entering into a time of thanksgiving to God for his many blessings. You may want to keep Psalm 103 open. Reading it slowly can help you remember to return to Jesus (like the one leper) to thank him for who he is and the many things he does for you.

Stories from Christian History

Three Stories about Worshiping God in Hard Times

20th Century, China

China Cry, a movie produced in 1990, is the true story of Nora Lam who comes to faith in Christ. It is at a time when persecution of the Church in China is intense. The atheistic state punishes severely those who claim faith in God. A very touching scene of the movie is when believers in Christ, meeting secretly, begin to offer up a song of praise to God.

The pastor tells them the song they will sing, and then begins to lead them, moving his hand as a choir director. All the people in the little gathering begin to sing enthusiastically, with joy on their faces... but there is no sound at all! No musical instruments are played. Only the believers’ lips are moving... in complete silence. Because of neighbors and police nearby, they know they must be careful. The persecuted Chinese believers show us true worship from the heart!

***

20th Century, India

In the mid 1900’s a young mother who was a missionary walked up a mountain in northern India. She was taking her 7-year-old daughter to a boarding school where she would live and study for nine months each year. At the time, this was the little girl’s only option for an education. As they walked, the mother wept bitter tears. “How can I leave my little girl so far away from her family? How can I give her up?”

Then the Lord reminded her in her heart of Abraham’s words to his servant as he went away to offer Isaac as a sacrifice: “[We] will go over there and worship.” (Genesis 22:5, ESV) Just like Abraham’s offering of his son, her giving up her little daughter for the sake of serving God was an act of worship, a gift that she could give to show her love for God. In her heart, she offered up her child to God. Suddenly, she was filled with joy and peace.

Years later, that same daughter returned to India, also to serve God as a missionary.

***

1st Century, Ancient Philippi

In our third story, we will travel back to the 1st century, to remember a remarkable time of worship where God came down in power. The worshipers were under great stress, having been beaten severely that very day for their faith in Jesus. They were then bound with chains and put in prison. But their earnest prayers and open singing of hymns to God were heard by the other prisoners. Then something amazing happened:

Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. (Acts 16:26)

You may recognize this story as Paul and Silas in prison in Philippi. Their sincere worship of God while in pain from the beatings and while chained in prison is a story that is told around the world. The day was very dark and Paul and Silas had every reason to be depressed and defeated by fears and doubts. Perhaps their hymns were not lively and full of great emotional joy. They may have been Jewish hymns crying for God’s help in a very hard situation, like some of the mournful Psalms. We don’t know for sure. Paul and Silas may have been praising with joy, even though they could not see God’s hand of help. Whatever the type of song, God saw their worship of him and their faith. Using the earthquake, He tore off their chains and opened the doors of the prison!

Through this, the jailer’s whole family came to Christ. Probably some prisoners did, too! You can read this amazing story in Acts 16:22-40.

*****

Throughout the Bible, we see worship of God outside of a traditional, church setting. Here are a few more stories from the Bible for your group to read together to better understand what true worship is:

Daniel 3

In this story, Nebuchadnezzar made his people bow down and worship a statue that he set up, threatening them with death if they did not obey. Although the people bowed down, this was not true worship from their hearts. In contrast to that, we see a beautiful example of true worship. Although they spoke no words of praise, nor sang any hymns to God, the three young Hebrew men offered up their lives by choosing to worship only the true God. This is the kind of worship we are called to in Rom. 12:1.

2 Chronicles 20

Here we read how King Jehoshaphat led the people of Israel in seeking God’s help against a much more powerful enemy. When God told them not to be afraid because he would be with them,

Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. (2 Chron. 20:18-19)

God miraculously intervened to defeat Israel’s enemies as they praised him. In this story we see that they praised and worshiped God before they saw the answer to their prayer!

Luke 7:36-50

Here we read of an unusual way that one woman worshiped Jesus. With a heart overflowing with love and gratitude, she washed his feet with her tears and anointed them with ointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Our worship used to be full of joy and life. Recently it seems that our hearts are cold toward God and our prayers have no life in them. We sing songs, but not with the happiness we had before. What is wrong?

What you are experiencing can happen in any church or home group. A burning fire can grow cold. There is a danger of “acting out” our faith in superficial ways when our hearts are not engaged in true worship. Jesus rebuked religious leaders for this by quoting the prophet Isaiah:

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain... (Matthew 15:8-9)

All believers go through times when God seems far away and they are not experiencing the joy they had at the beginning of their walk with him. At these times, they need to persevere in faith, believing that God has not left them, even when they don’t feel his presence. They need to fill their minds with the truths of God’s Word. They must call out for the Holy Spirit to strengthen them to fight off the lies of the enemy. Then they can offer a sincere sacrifice of praise and worship to God, in spite of feeling that he is far away.

But there may be other reasons that believers experience joyless worship. Here are two common reasons:

1) We keep sin hidden in our hearts, thinking that it doesn’t affect our worship. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Do your group worship times include moments of quiet for confession of sin? This allows each worshiper to release guilt to Christ for cleansing and for the joy of fellowship with God to return.

One common way that sin is held in hearts is when brothers and sisters have wronged each other but have not sincerely asked for (or given) forgiveness. Jesus taught us this:

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24)

Read the above verse again slowly and think about how important human relationships are to God, especially among brothers and sisters. God puts them in higher priority than our gifts to him in worship.

2) Another reason the fire goes out in our home groups is that we have slowly moved away from the gospel of grace. The scriptures teach us that our walk with God is by faith in his grace from first to last. Sometimes churches talk so much about rules that they become “legalistic”—in other words, the people begin to think that the Christian faith is simply about teaching what we must do and not do.

When we begin to think and act in this way, our worship times drift away from every person expressing sincere gratitude to God for his mercy and grace. Our thoughts move away from the greatness and holiness of God and his deep love for lost humanity shown to us by the sacrifice of his Son for our sin. We either boast quietly to ourselves that we are better than the others around us, or we live in condemnation and fear that we will experience God’s wrath. We’ve returned to performance-based religion. Our faith is in ourselves, not in Christ’s salvation. That is not Christian thinking.

Taking the Lord’s Supper regularly in our home groups is one way to re-emphasize the beauty of the gospel and refresh our faith. Also, as we baptize new believers, we are reminded of God’s amazing grace to all of us.

For a more in-depth understanding of what true salvation is, go to chapter 4, “Understanding God’s Wonderful Gift of Salvation.”

2. Our new group doesn’t have anyone to play piano or guitar for our worship time. What should we do?

In the New Testament there is no mention of musical instruments being used in worship, probably because most home fellowships had no instruments. We do know that the early believers sang songs (see 1 Corinthians 14:26). In the Old Testament, many of the Psalms speak of praising God with musical instruments, and it’s wonderful when people in our fellowship have musical talents they can offer as part of our group worship. However, group members need to understand that true worship does not depend on music. John 4 can help us understand what is the kind of worship that pleases God.

The woman at the well in John 4 thought it was most important to worship God in the right location.

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem. (Jn 4:20)

Jesus answered her in these helpful words:

Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:21-24, ESV)

Our home groups need to understand that these two things are essential for true worship:

1) Worshiping God in spirit— The location of our worship (a certain city, a certain building or holy place) is physical. Many other things that we do in worship are also physical: lighting a candle, kneeling, playing a guitar, or raising our hands. Such actions may help us in worship, but God is looking at the heart. True worshipers understand that worship in spirit means we not only honor God with our lips on Sunday; we offer our time, our energy, our possessions, our thoughts and actions to him every day.

Look at this verse in Romans where the apostle Paul explains that spiritual worship means offering ourselves wholeheartedly to God:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1, ESV)

2) Worshiping God in truth— We need to worship God in the way that he has revealed himself to us in his word—the way he really is. This includes his eternal existence before he created anything, his unlimited power and wisdom in his creation of everything, his ability to be everywhere and to see all things, and his perfection in holiness and love, which means he is the perfect judge of all. The God of the universe does all things perfectly, even though we may not understand everything in this life. At the Olympics, an audience jumps to its feet to applaud a gold-medal gymnast who performs his or her routine with perfection. “Bravo! Unbelievable! Hooray!” How much more should we worship God for his absolute perfection in everything that he is and does!

To worship God in truth, we must also realize that it is only by the sacrifice of Jesus to pay for our sin that we come into the presence of the holy God. We have nothing in ourselves to offer to make us worthy. And so we come with humble and grateful hearts to worship the Father and the Son, who have shown us such amazing love. (See Hebrews 10:19-23.)

All through the Bible the Lord clearly declares that he wants us to have an accurate understanding of what he is like. (See Jeremiah 9:23,24) And, amazingly, he wants us to know him personally! (See John 17:3) The better we know God, the more we will trust him from our hearts and worship in truth. To study this subject more in depth, see Bible study #34 in 50 Life Studies on worshiping God in spirit and truth.

3. Christians around the world worship in many different ways. How do we know which is the correct way?

Yes, it is true that people in cultures all around the world worship Jesus in their own distinct way. And not only cultures, church traditions (i.e. denominations) usually have their own style of worship. Some worship with songs and dancing, while shouting their praises to God. Others worship quietly with soft music and meditation, sometimes with the people on their knees, sometimes with much silence as they think about God’s greatness. Of course, persecution also may pressure us to more quiet ways of worship.

In the Bible we see many different ways that people worshiped God. (See the story section above for examples.) While we may each have certain types of worship that we prefer because they speak deeply to us personally, we can also learn from others who worship in ways that differ from ours.

However we choose to worship, we must be careful not to judge others in their style of worship. The Bible warns us of the serious consequences of that. (See 2 Samuel 6:14-23 where David’s wife criticized him for the way he worshiped God.) The attitude of each person’s heart is what is most important to God, and only he knows the heart. We must also remember that over the years, styles of worship can become traditions that can lead us to worship God with our lips when our hearts are far from Him. Jesus accused the Pharisees of this. (See Matthew 15:8-9.)

In 1 Corinthians 14, we find some instructions for worship in the small group setting, such as the home fellowship. In a large church this may not be possible, but here Paul urges the Corinthians who worship in homes to give opportunity for everyone in the group to minister to one another. The entire meeting does not need to be dominated by one or two people. Here is how Paul summed up his instructions:

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 1 Corinthians 14:26)

It seems that the Lord’s focus is not on the type of music that is sung, or whether people sit or stand or kneel, etc. The above verse tells us he wants each member to contribute the gifts God has given them for the growth of the whole body.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Think about your weekly gatherings and discuss the questions below together:

Do you think that worship of the Lord in spirit and truth is happening in your weekly meetings? (You may want to read again question 2, in the Frequently Asked Questions above that explains what Jesus taught about this.)

Do you think you are truly worshiping God from the heart, or is it just a time for singing songs? Does your group understand that they are also worshiping when they give attention to the teaching of the word of God, or when they give offerings?

2. Ask the group members if they are also growing in worship when they are alone during the week. Do they enjoy giving thanks and praise to God for His kindness and mercy to them? Are they regularly offering themselves to the Lord, as it says in Romans 12:1?

3. Discuss:

How can your group grow in worship so that you are honoring the Lord for His greatness and goodness when you meet together each week?

Look back over this chapter, especially the scripture passages that are given. Which ones do you think might be most helpful for what your group is presently experiencing? Plan to study these passages together as a fellowship in the coming weeks.

4. Take time to pray together for all that you have discussed.

7. God’s Word: Our Daily Bread

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”
(Matthew 4:4)

(Jesus, praying for His disciples before He went to the cross)—

“Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth.”
(John 17:17)

(Speaking of the new believers who came to faith on the day of Pentecost)—

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching...
(Acts 2:42)

Introduction

Learning Together from God’s Word

The good news of Jesus Christ changed the lives of his disciples so radically that they took it everywhere. They preached with power, and lost people trusted in the Savior. In Jesus’ name they healed the sick and set people free from demons. They even suffered persecution and death for believing and preaching that Jesus Christ was Lord of all.

This WORD about Jesus Christ was the power that started a movement which has now spread to all nations of the world. We have that same Word in the writings of the early apostles, telling us what the gospel of Jesus Christ really is. This same message can start a movement of faith in your nation, too, and your small group can be a part of the movement.

Think about the Holy Book this way: As you read and study God’s Word together in your home fellowship, you are inviting the ancient men and women of faith to visit your home group and share what they learned with you. It is as if you are sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing Him teach and seeing Him heal with authority. The same faith that empowered the early church can overflow into your group.

Every week, it is important that the Word of God be at the center of your gatherings. Every member of your group needs to hear the Word, meditate on it, discuss its truths, and OBEY what is learned. God himself through the Holy Spirit is your teacher when you learn from his Word.

Paul exhorted Timothy,

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Tim. 4:13, ESV)

Each week as you give careful attention to the Word of God in your meetings together, you will find yourselves growing into maturity and being changed into the image of Christ.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17, ESV)

This chapter will help your group learn God’s word more deeply. God bless you as you grow together!

Bible Study

The Power of God’s Word to Change Lives

Opening Discussion: How has hearing and believing God’s Word affected your life?

Read Acts 17:10-12.

1. How were the Bereans more diligent than the Thessalonians in receiving Paul’s word? (v. 11)

Paul and Silas were proclaiming to Jews in a synagogue that the long-awaited Messiah had come and that Jesus was the Messiah. The Bereans didn’t accept that word immediately. Instead, they searched the Old Testament prophesies about the Messiah to find out if Paul was teaching the truth from God’s word.

How can you in your home fellowship show that you are diligent, like the Bereans, when you study the scriptures?

Read 2 Tim. 3:14–4:5.

2. Where does scripture’s life come from? (3:16). What are 4 purposes of scripture that Paul mentions? (v. 16)

3. Paul tells Timothy to be prepared at all times to do something. What must he do? (4:1-2) What should Timothy’s attitude be as he preaches? (v. 2)

4. Read 4:3-4 again.

How do these two verses describe the day we are living in now? How will studying God’s Word in our home fellowships save some people from this rebellious spirit?

5. In verse 5 Paul tells Timothy how to resist this spirit that rejects God’s truth. How can Timothy stand strong?

Read Heb. 4:12-13

6. To what does the writer compare God’s Word? (v. 12)

How has God’s Word judged the thoughts and attitudes of your own heart?

When you study God’s Word in your home fellowship, do you keep in mind its power to search deep into people’s hearts and reveal secret things?

Read Luke 6:46-49

7. Why do you think we need to learn the truth presented in this parable in our home groups?

How can we warn group members who only listen to God’s Word but don’t obey it?

End in Prayer: As you end this study, take time to pray that you and your group members would be people who know God’s Word and who obey it from the heart.

Go Deeper in this subject: Here are three studies from the book 50 Life Studies that you can do with your group to help you see the importance of God’s Word:

- Study 9: “Receive the Word in a Good and Noble Heart”

- Study 26: “Make Time to Get to Know God”

- Study 36: “Overcome Temptation by the Word of God”

A story from Christian history

16th Century, England

The Battle for God’s Word in the English Language

One man who loved and valued the Word of God even more than his own life was William Tyndale. Born in England in 1494, he grew up during a time in history when the truth of the Scriptures was mostly unknown throughout England. Although most people were part of the Church, they were not hearing the true gospel because the priests themselves often did not know it.

As in Germany (see the story about Martin Luther in chapter 4), so also in the churches in England, God’s word was read and preached in Latin, which the common people did not know. The Bible was not available in English; in fact, it was punishable by death to translate the Bible into English—or even to own it in English. For the people of England, God’s truth was locked behind closed doors, and they had no key.

But God was about to open a door for them. William Tyndale was a young man uniquely gifted by God for the task of translating the Bible. He was a genius when it came to learning languages. In fact, he spoke eight languages so fluently that people said it was hard to tell which one was his mother tongue! Among these languages were ancient Hebrew and Greek, which he learned so that he could study God’s Word in the original languages.

The more he read and studied the Old and New Testaments, the more he found the life and freedom that only Christ could bring. And the more he found life and freedom, the more the fire burned within him to bring this good news to the common people. A passion began to grow in Tyndale to translate the Bible into English and to get it into the hands of everyone, both rich and poor.

The Church leaders of his day, however, did not share William’s love for God’s Word. He once got into an argument with a church leader who insisted that the Pope’s laws were more important than God’s Law. William replied furiously, “I reject the Pope and all his laws! If God allows me to live long enough, I will make sure that a boy who plows in the field will know more of the scriptures than you!”

Of course, statements like this did not make Tyndale a friend of the church leaders. When he sought permission from church authorities to translate the Bible into English, they rejected his appeal. Over the next several years both church and political authorities would more and more become his enemies.

Realizing that he would never be able to work openly in England, William Tyndale moved to Germany where he went into hiding. There he began to work diligently on translating the Bible. He often had to move from one town to another to escape the men who were sent by the king of England to find and kill him. In spite of these troubles, in a little more than a year he finished his translation of the New Testament into English.

Hundreds of copies were printed on the Gutenberg printing press, which had been invented less than 100 years before. These were then smuggled back into England on merchant ships. As the merchants sold the New Testaments in England, many were bought up by Church officials and burned. But the money received from these purchases was sent back to Germany, where more New Testaments were printed! In this way, little by little, the Word of God began to spread throughout England.

Tyndale then gave himself with great energy to the translation of the Old Testament. He was translating from the ancient language of Hebrew (the original language of the Old Testament) and it was long and tiring work. Just imagine, working alone day after day to translate the long, and often confusing books of the Old Testament. But his deep love for God and for his Word drove him to continue.

William Tyndale was living in Antwerp, Belgium, at this time, where he thought he could enjoy a little more freedom. Sadly, he was mistaken. For most of his adult life, he had lived with the knowledge that he was being hunted by men who hated him and wanted him dead.

Finally, in 1535, he was betrayed by a man he thought was a close friend. Tyndale was arrested and put in prison. For sixteen months he suffered greatly there. His prison cell was cold, damp, and dark (he was not allowed to have a lamp), and his health was poor. Besides this, he suffered with loneliness and terrible boredom, since he was not allowed to have any of his precious books.

In October of 1536, William Tyndale went through his final suffering. His prison cell was opened and the guards led him into the open air for the first time in many months. There a crowd was gathered to watch as he was led to a pile of wood and tied to a pole. A herald shouted William’s crime before the people who were watching. The crime? He had translated God’s Word into the English language. Then the torch was placed on the wood pile and William Tyndale was burned alive. As the flames leaped up, he shouted out his final words: “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!”

Less than three years later, a copy of the Bible in English was placed in every church throughout England by order of the king, Henry VIII. Although this was done for political reasons and not out of love for God, nevertheless, it was the beginning of the fulfillment of William Tyndale’s dream.

In the years to follow, hundreds, then thousands, then millions of people throughout the English-speaking world would read the Bible in their own language and come to know and love the God of William Tyndale. No other book has influenced the English people more than the Bible.

In Psalm 119:162, David wrote this: “I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure.” William Tyndale loved God and treasured his Word even more than life itself.

Do you have God’s Word in your language? Is it like great treasure to you?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is the Bible so important in the home fellowship?

The Bible—the Old Testament and New Testament (Incil)—is the foundation of the Christian faith. If we want to be true followers of Jesus, we need to know and follow the scriptures. People who do not know the scriptures can easily begin to teach their own ideas and wander from the true message of the gospel.

In the Bible study above we looked at the apostle Paul’s exhortation to Timothy. Let’s now take a closer look to discover four reasons the Word of God is important.

2 Timothy 3:14-17:

14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1) As we learn the Holy Scriptures, they make us “wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ." (Read v. 15 again.)

The entire purpose of the scriptures could be summed up in verse 15. Jesus Christ came into the world to save us from sin and darkness and bring us back to God. He is the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6) We learn this from the scriptures.

2) All the scriptures are inspired by God to teach us how to live in God’s righteousness. (Read v. 16 again.)

Besides just coming to Christ in the beginning of our Christian life, we must learn God’s way to live our daily lives. Paul teaches Timothy that all of us need teaching. We sometimes need rebuking and correcting. And we need to be trained, like an athlete, in how to live righteous lives.

3) The scriptures (through the ministry of the Holy Spirit) supply us with all that we need to serve Him and His kingdom. (Read v. 17 again.)

We used to serve Satan and his dark kingdom. Now the Lord has called us to serve the kingdom of light. The Lord has many good works which he wants to lead us into, and the scriptures will be our guide.

4) Because of the above three truths, we need to continue to learn and obey the teachings of Christ. (Read verse 14 again.)

This exhortation is not just for individuals, but for home groups who present the message of Jesus each week. Jesus taught that his true disciples will continue in the teachings he gave them. That’s why Paul teaches Timothy the same thing.

2. How can I teach the Bible in a home fellowship when I don’t know it very well myself?

It is important to remember that the Holy Spirit is our most important Teacher. We should begin every study of God’s Word by asking him to lead us and speak to us. He will be faithful to feed hungry hearts, even if the leader does not know a lot.

Also, it is not necessary for one person to preach or teach a message to the group every week. In a home fellowship, there is opportunity for everyone to read God’s word together and discuss it as they sit around a table or in a circle.

Below are 3 methods to help your group study God’s word together. As you read through these, ask God to help you discern what might work well with your group. You may want to use one method for a time and then change and use a different one for a while. How we study God’s Word is not as important as that we are learning, and allowing God to change us through what we learn.

1.  READ THE BIBLE TOGETHER AND ASK QUESTIONS

Start by reading a passage of scripture together as a group. Read it slowly several times and talk about what you are learning. Ask: “What is the writer trying to say?” Instead of just one person preaching the text and everyone sitting silent and passive, understanding comes more by asking questions about the text and letting individuals think and talk about what they are learning.

Here are some simple questions suggested by the Discovery Bible Study method:

- What does this passage teach us about God?

- What does this passage teach us about ourselves?

- What do you like about the text?

- What in these verses bothers you? (Perhaps something in these verses convicts you of sin, or shows you that you are not wholehearted in your love for others?)

Of course, your group should also ask questions that come naturally from the members of your group (both believers and nonbelievers). Every time you open God’s Word in your group can be different, but the important thing is that everyone is allowed to think, ask questions, and discuss what they are learning.

Two final questions you should always ask in your group:

- What will you do with what you are learning, that is, how will you change?

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day liked to teach God’s Word to others, but they themselves did not obey it. That is called hypocrisy. These leaders looked religious, but they were dead inside their hearts.

The Christian faith is about our hearts growing bigger in love and faith, not about our heads growing bigger with knowledge. As we follow what God teaches us, our faith in the power of the gospel will grow and our joy will increase. As followers of Jesus, we should always keep a soft heart to learn more from him and from others regardless of our age!

- With whom will you share what you’ve learned?

Every member of your group will find new people to lead to Christ if they will step out and talk with others about what they are learning in God’s word. Everyone can learn to make disciples of others. And from that, new house fellowships can start!

2.  USE BIBLE STUDY RESOURCES FROM THE WEBSITE www.learnhisways.com.

Many home fellowships around the world are using prepared Bible studies that lead them into fulfilling group study. The website above offers this kind of Bible studies.

With these studies, the leader simply has the group read the Bible text and follow the questions in the Bible study step by step. This is similar to the first method above, but the questions are designed especially for that passage of scripture.

Two books on that website are especially helpful for new groups:

- From the Teachings of Jesus the Messiah: 50 Life Studies

- Exploring the Ancient Book of Genesis (14 studies)

For more information about this website, see Appendix A, "Resources."

3.  TELL THE STORIES OF THE BIBLE

Much of the Bible consists of stories that show how God worked in the lives of people throughout history. These stories teach us his truths and lead us to Jesus, the focus of all of scripture. They stay in our minds and hearts and give us faith that God cares about us, too. During the time of the Old and New Testaments, very few people had access to written scripture. Therefore, truth was often passed from generation to generation by telling the stories of the Bible.

Even in our modern time, many people find listening to and learning Bible stories an enjoyable way to grow in God’s Word. This is especially true for individuals or groups who have difficulty reading or do not read at all.

In Appendix B you will find a list of stories from the Old Testament and New Testament that you could use in your group. Some suggestions of how to use the stories are also given there.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

Take some time to discuss the following questions:

1. Do you personally love God’s Word? How important is it to you to take time throughout the week to read and study it? Are you applying what you learn to your life?

2. What would you like to change in your own life to help you grow in your knowledge of God’s Word? Take some time to pray about this.

3. How are you helping your fellowship members grow in their love for God’s Word? Take some time to think through each of the following questions:

- Is studying God’s word an important part of your meeting times?

- Do you encourage them to think deeply for themselves about what you are studying together, or do you just tell them your own thoughts?

4. Look back over the three methods of Bible study suggested above in the Frequently Asked Questions. Choose one or more of these to help your fellowship go deeper in God’s Word.

5. Take some time to pray for all the members of your group, including yourself, that God would help all of you to grow in both knowledge and application of his Word.

8. Passing the Gospel on to the Children

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.

He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
(Mark 10:13-15)

Introduction

Will You train the Children?

Someone may ask: “How many seeds are in one apple?” That’s not difficult to discover, is it? But here’s a mysterious question: “How many apples are in one seed?” One seed’s potential is very great.

We might make the same comparison with our home groups. “How many children do you have in your home group?” If your group has several families, you might have five or more children. Counting them is not difficult.

But here’s a more difficult question, “Can you measure the influence of these children in this world for God’s kingdom in future years?”

Have you ever thought about what a treasure the children in home groups and churches are? Do you see it as your privilege and responsibility to raise them up to follow Jesus?

Jesus taught us that we are to be good stewards of the gifts that he has given us. Children are priceless gifts from God. Jesus expects us to welcome the children in our home groups as real people who need his salvation just like we do. How will you train them in the ways of God? Do you look at them as seeds of righteousness that will be later planted in the fields of this world?

Take a minute to read and discuss Mark 10:13-15 on the previous page. Do you sometimes think about children in the same way that Jesus’ disciples did?

This chapter will help you and your home group to value and train the children God has given to you.

Bible Study

God Calls the Boy Samuel

Opening Discussion: Do you think children have the capacity to have a relationship with God? Explain your answer.

You may want to tell about any experiences you had with God when you were young, or perhaps tell about conversations you have had with children about knowing God.

Our study will focus on 1 Samuel 3, but we will first read 1 Samuel 1 to understand the context of the story.

Read 1 Samuel 1:1-28

1. For what reason is Hannah grieving? (v. 6)

2. Read verses 10 and 11 again. What did Hannah ask for, and what did she promise the Lord?

What could happen in our nation if believers dedicated their children to the Lord from an early age?

3. God heard her prayer and gave her a son. What name did she give him? (See verse 20)

4. Read verses 24-28. When did she take Samuel to the house of the Lord? What did she say to Eli, the priest?

Read 1 Samuel 3:1-21

5. What was Samuel doing in God’s temple under Eli’s leadership? (v. 1)

Samuel was faithfully doing his duties in the temple, “ministering before the Lord” under Eli’s direction. This young boy was given responsibilities in the worship of God.

Are children allowed to participate in worship in your home fellowship? Do you involve them in reading scripture, helping to lead worship, or telling a testimony of God’s faithfulness?

Why is it important that children know that we value their participation in our home group?

6. What happened during the night? (Read verses 3-4)

When God called Abraham (Genesis 22:1), his response was “Here I am.” Others throughout scripture responded in the same way: a few examples are Moses (Exodus 3:4) and Isaiah (Isaiah 6:8) in the Old Testament, and Ananias (Acts 9:10) in the New Testament. It basically meant, “I am ready to serve you.”

7. Here Samuel does not know it is the voice of the Lord, so he runs to Eli, the priest. What does Eli tell him on two occasions? (Read v. 5-6)

What does Eli tell Samuel the 3rd time? (v. 8-9)

Are the parents in your home group paying attention to what is going on spiritually with their children? Are they noticing spiritual openness to God? When they talk with the children, are the parents listening carefully to see if God is moving in the children’s lives?

8. Samuel returned and did what Eli told him to do. When the Lord called again, Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” What did the Lord tell Samuel was going to happen? (v. 11-14)

Eli had already heard this word of judgment before in chapter 2. What Samuel told him confirmed it as more certain.

For this first time of hearing God speak to him, did Samuel receive an easy word from God or a difficult one? Would you have given such a word to a child? (Josephus, a Jewish historian who lived many years later, says that Samuel was 12 years old when this happened. But the text does not say his exact age.)

9. Looking carefully at verses 19-21, describe how Samuel grew in hearing from God and delivering God’s word to the people?

What was the response of the people? (v. 20)

10. In the last verse of chapter 3 (see verse 21), the writer tells us that God revealed himself to Samuel by his word. Here we see that Samuel was growing to know God by the word that God spoke to him. In the same way week by week in our home groups, we and our children learn what God is like especially by the teachings of scripture which he has given to us.

Do you believe the children in your group can learn God’s ways through scripture? How important is it to your group to make sure that children are taught the word of God each week?

End in Prayer: Take time now to pray for the children who attend your home group.

A Story from Christian History

20th century, An Orphanage in China

Children are Visited by Outpourings of God’s Spirit

Throughout history, from Bible times to the present age, there have been incidences where God has poured out his Spirit in unusual ways to revive his people and to start new waves of kingdom growth in the world. These waves did not just touch adults. The Spirit moved among children, too.

Jonathan Edwards, writing on the revivals of the 18th century in America wrote:

The influences of God’s Holy Spirit have also been very remarkable on children.

The great evangelist D.L. Moody said this:

The devil has been very crafty to make us believe that children cannot understand religious things... Why would Christ have made a child the standard of faith (Luke 18:17) if he had known that children were not able to understand his words?

Children are able to understand the things of God! Here’s one amazing example: In the 20th century a powerful revival among children shows us that children can grasp profound spiritual things and learn to follow Jesus passionately at an early age. This revival is recorded in the book, Visions Beyond the Veil by H.A. Baker.[2]

Mr. Baker and his wife had traveled to the Yunnan Province of China in the early 20th century. They started a Christian orphanage, called the Abdullam Rescue Mission. The orphan children, mostly boys from ages 6 to 18, had been beggars, many of them part of children’s gangs on the street, stealing and finding ways to survive, having no education or moral training.

At the orphanage Mr. and Mrs. Baker taught the children the Bible and the message of the good news of Jesus Christ. Some of the children had given their lives to Christ. Others were not born again yet but were growing in their knowledge of scripture.

The revival among the children started as a morning prayer meeting was ending. Some of the children had already left to begin their academic studies in the school room, but some continued praying earnestly. The Holy Spirit’s presence began to be felt intensely, with strong conviction of sin among the boys.

Soon many of the students were face down on the floor, crying to the Lord for forgiveness for their sins. Mr. Baker, slipped out of the prayer room and went to the school room to tell those boys who had left what was happening in the prayer meeting. He told them they were free to return for prayer if they wanted to.

The Chinese teacher who was in the school room was soon left alone, as all the boys returned to the prayer meeting. The Chinese teacher, a man who did not know Christ, started to go home. But soon Mr. Baker saw that the teacher had returned and was in the back of the prayer meeting. Mr. Baker writes that he saw the teacher “for the first time in his life, kneeling down and trying to pray.” It was obvious that the Spirit of God was dealing heavily with the man.

“It was not long before I noticed the teacher with arms uplifted, tears on his face, pleading with the Lord to forgive his sins, which I heard him say were ‘so very, very many.’”

The man was a proud man and it wasn’t easy for him to humble himself in the presence of the children. This was, writes Mr. Baker, “a real Holy Spirit conviction of sin.”

The children were worshiping with tears, spontaneous songs and wholehearted surrender to Jesus. The Holy Spirit was touching hearts in ongoing waves of the Spirit, helping them to go deeper than just a mental understanding of Christ’s death for them. The Spirit touched the eyes of their hearts, helping them to see God’s eternal love in the death of Jesus for them.

Mr. Baker continues,

The meeting went on hour after hour, the children showing no desire to leave. I had nothing to do or say; the Lord seemed to have complete control; I just tried to keep out of His way.

This continued over many weeks. Sometimes the children were found in the chapel late into the night, missing their sleep.

Classes were lessened at times by the adult leaders who recognized this was a special move of God. But at times during those weeks school continued, and the children attended to their chores as usual. The waves of the Spirit continued among them off and on over the weeks ahead. During these times the children were visited with visions, revelations, and various gifts of the Spirit in their midst. Mr. Baker tells that the children were simply seeking Jesus to know him better when these supernatural manifestations came upon them.

Week after week the boys on their own accord went to the prayer meeting (at the scheduled morning time, after school and in the evenings) to seek the Lord, to enjoy communion with Jesus. His presence was so heavy and so satisfying. They were daily drinking of Jesus, who gives rivers of living water (John 7:37,38)

And the revival did not just stay at the orphanage. The children went out into the streets to preach where they once had been thieves. One by one, the boys would step forward and proclaim the gospel of Jesus to adults and other children who would stop to listen. They called the people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. They spoke with power and authority.

Throughout the history of revivals God has not forgotten the little ones. Charles Spurgeon, the great English preacher said this:

In the hand of God’s Spirit, a child’s capacity for faith is, in some respects, greater than that of a grown-up. Children believe the word of God to be the very Truth of God. The Gospel is fact to them and they seem to see it clearly before their very eyes.

As you pray for the children of your home fellowship and give attention to teaching them God’s Word and leading them in worship, you will see God nurture this “capacity for faith” that Charles Spurgeon mentions above.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can we help the members of our group to see the importance of teaching the children?

Sadly, many home groups do not train the children in God’s ways; they only train the adults. Adults usually want uninterrupted time to hear the word of God for themselves, and therefore the children are sent into another room to watch a movie or play games. This can happen for months, even years, and the children hear very little of the gospel.

The Bible teaches parents that it is their responsibility to train their children to walk with God. However, most parents don’t automatically know how to do this, and therefore they need help. The home fellowship is where they will learn these things. Below are some ideas on how to teach the parents. The singles in your group can also learn!

Begin by studying with the adults what God’s word teaches about raising children for God.

In 50 Life Studies, you will find study #49: “Teach Children to Love and Serve Jesus.” You could do that study in your home fellowship or in small groups during the week. Also, if you haven’t done it in your weekly fellowship, you could do the study in this chapter on the young boy Samuel learning to hear God’s voice. And you could read in your group the story above about the revival among children in China to help inspire them.

Here are a few others passages to help believers (parents and singles) understand the importance of training the children in the homes and also in the home group:

- Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 6:20-25

- Psalm 78:1-8

- Ephesians 6:1-4

2. We have children from the ages of babies to teenagers in our home fellowship. How can we make sure that all ages are learning from God’s Word in ways they can understand?

First, it’s important to know that there are no absolute rules in the Bible on this subject. In the New Testament times, however, it is likely that the whole family participated in the gathering together: the worship with songs, the prayer times, and the teaching. We don’t know for sure, but probably the house fellowship gatherings at first were very informal. They were a family who ate together (and the Lord’s Supper was often a part of the meal), and they sat together as a whole family, including the children, to listen to and discuss God’s word and to pray together. It was informal, as conversations in homes are.

Children can often be trained to listen and learn with the adults. They will feel welcome when adults ask them to help with the scripture readings, or to act out the Bible story in a drama. When asking the group questions for discussion, leaders can form some of the questions in simple ways so that the children can participate also.

If you choose to send the children into another room during the time in God’s word, all parents should be encouraged to help carry the responsibility of training the children. If they take turns with the children week by week, then no one will miss the adult Bible study every time, and they will all have the opportunity to grow in learning how to train their own children in God’s ways.

3. What do we teach the children, and how?

Bible Stories

In Appendix B you will find a list of stories from God’s word that can be read or told as a story or acted out in a drama. Get the children involved in the drama; they will love it! You could also have them each draw a picture of what they are learning. You could pick out a verse or two from the story and have them each memorize it.

Prayer

Also, teach the children to pray. First, teach them what Jesus taught on prayer. For help with this, see the 5 lessons in the Prayer section of 50 Life Studies. Help them learn to talk to God as their loving heavenly Father. Ask the children what makes them sad, or what they are afraid of. They may not think deeply about their problems, but they still have things that concern them.

For example:

- When we teach God’s word to children, they are convicted of their sins by the Holy Spirit just as adults are. Teach them to confess their sins, to trust in Jesus for forgiveness and cleansing, to ask for the Holy Spirit to come and change them.

- Like adults, children have hopes and desires, as well as disappointments. What’s on their minds? Adult believers can help them pray in faith, using Jesus’ teachings as a guide.

- Sometimes children are ridiculed at school by other children or by teachers. These wounds need healing, and the ministry of prayer is powerful to guide them to Jesus the healer. You can also help them pray for those who persecute them, as Jesus taught.

- Children sometimes see difficult things, like alcoholism, drug addiction or fighting, up close. They know it is destroying that person but don’t know what to do to help. You can pray with them.

- What other needs do they see around them? Do they have a friend or relative who is sick or has some other need? Help them pray also for people they know who need to know Jesus.

Remember: Children's faith will grow as they see answers to their prayers!

Songs

Children love to sing! And this is a great way to help them remember truths about God’s love for them. Look in songbooks or on the internet for simple songs you can teach them.(See Appendix A, "Resources".)

Of course, there are many other ways you can teach the truths of God’s Word to children: through games; through crafts that they make; through walks in nature; through special projects you do together. As you pray for the children, expect God to give you creative ideas.

4. We have very few resources for teaching the Bible to children. What can we do?

If your language is not a minority language, often you will find that there are more resources available than you think. Even smaller languages are getting more Bible literature in their languages each year.

Ask other believers to help you find resources for training children. Often there are videos, Bible story books for children, etc, that are available. If you need funds, then use some of your weekly offering to buy the supplies. (See chapter 11, “Discovering the Blessing of Giving.”) And of course, don’t forget to search on the internet. Each year, more and more becomes available to help in this important task of training children. (See Appendix A, “Resources,” for suggestions.)

Resources can be helpful, but don’t underestimate the power of children’s imagination. It is one of their greatest gifts. Review the question above (“What do we teach the children, and how?”) for ideas that will cost you nothing, or very little.

5. What is our most important goal in training our children?

Psalm 78 talks about the great things that God did in former times and how important it is to pass these stories on to our children. Notice our goal is found in the bold print below:

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done... he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments... (Ps 78:4-7, ESV)

All adults who work with children should remember this: Every child, like every adult, needs to know that God loves them personally. He knows their name. He knows their hopes and dreams. He cares about the things that make them sad, and he hears their prayers. Most importantly, he came to this world in the form of Jesus Christ, to give his life as a sacrifice for their sin.

Don’t think that children do not feel their sin. As we tell the good news of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will work in their hearts to awaken an awareness of sin. The gospel will create faith in their hearts to look to Christ, their sacrifice for sin, and be saved.

Every home fellowship should pray often for their children to understand the gospel and trust in Christ. A good resource to help parents and house fellowships with this is the book, Raising Children to Walk with God. This book can be obtained free in a digital form. (See "Resources," Appendix A.)

6. Is it advisable to give literature to children?

In countries where this is illegal, you should only give Christian literature (books, videos, etc.) to the parents—not to children. This helps the parents take responsibility to look at the material and decide if they want their children to learn from it. Even parents who are not believers are often very happy to have such resources. They sometimes will read the material themselves AND read to their children. Don’t look at a law that forbids giving literature to children as completely negative. This gives you an opportunity to share the gospel with parents, too! In this way, a whole family may come to Christ.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Review the first question in the previous section of Frequently Asked Questions.

In your home group, have you taught the importance of parents teaching their children the ways of God?

Look at the Bible studies that are recommended for you to do in that first question. When can you start studying these in your home fellowship time, or in a special meeting during the week?

2. Questions #2, 3 and 4 in the Frequently Asked Questions section were written to help you think about how you will train the children in your home fellowship. Now make plans to do it! Re-read the questions and begin your discussion today.

What needs to be done to start training your children in the home group time? Here are some specific details to decide upon:

- Each week in our fellowship during our time in God’s word, will we keep the children with us or will we train them in another room? If we keep them with us, how will we get the children involved so that they feel welcomed and yet it is interesting for everyone?

- If we train them separately from the adults, who will train them? How will we train them (with resources, with telling stories, acting out dramas, etc.)?

3. Who has taken time in the home fellowship to explain the gospel to the children that come each week? What is the spiritual condition of these children?

Just as with adults, we should not try to force children to believe. Instead, we should help them to see God’s love by sharing the good news with them.

Is this being done in your home group? If not, will you begin soon? When and how?

4. Take some time to pray for the children in your home fellowship and for their parents.

9. Celebrating the Lord’s Supper with Thanksgiving

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said,

“This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying,

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
(1 Corinthians 11:23-26, ESV)

Introduction

Believers Around the World Celebrate the New Covenant

Have you ever thought how strange it must have been for the disciples eating the Passover meal with Jesus the night before he was crucified? He passes out bread and wine for them to eat and drink. He tells them that it is his body and his blood, a new covenant between God and man.

The next day when Jesus was dying on the cross, they didn’t know they were seeing the actual event of Jesus’ body and blood given for the world. They thought with the death of their leader they were losing everything. Instead, because of what Jesus was doing for them, they were gaining everything.

But at the Passover meal Jesus knew what was about to happen. He had told the disciples earlier,

“...the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(Mt. 20:28)

At the meal, Jesus wanted his disciples (and all future disciples) to understand this. It was as if he was saying to all of us: “I want you to understand what I am about to do for you. Take it in deeply. Do it often. Don’t forget my death for you.”

For centuries believers from many peoples and languages have taken the Lord’s supper together. As they eat the bread and drink the cup, they “proclaim Jesus’ death” again, and faith in God’s grace grows in every heart. Believers will continue to do this until Jesus comes again.

Bible Study

Paul Teaches Believers to Value the Lord’s Supper

Opening Discussion: Tell the group how it affects you when you take the Lord’s Supper.

Read together 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

1. What did Paul say about the Corinthian meetings? (v. 17-18)

2. In the first century, the church often took the Lord’s supper while they were eating a meal together. This custom started when the disciples ate the Passover meal with Jesus on the night he was betrayed. But in Corinth, this special meal had turned into a selfish time. What is Paul rebuking them for? (v. 20-22)

3. According to Paul, what happened on the same night Jesus gave us the Lord’s Supper? (v. 23)

Since Jesus knew that he was going to be betrayed and go to the cross, how do you think he felt the night he ate the bread and wine with his disciples?

4. What did Jesus call the bread? What did he call the cup of wine? When they ate and drank them, what were they proclaiming? (v. 26) What does it mean to “proclaim the death of Jesus until he comes?”

Do you think the Lord’s Supper in your home fellowship is a time of proclaiming the death of Jesus?

5. Read verses 27-34 again. What do you think Paul was talking about when he spoke of taking the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner? (Remember the improper actions of the Corinthians, v. 21-22.)

6. What does he mean by this in verse 29: “without recognizing the body of the Lord?” How did the Corinthian church during the Lord’s Supper not recognize the body of the Lord? Did they exhibit the humble attitude toward each other that Jesus showed on the night he was betrayed?

7. According to Paul, is it proper to examine and judge ourselves? (v. 28-31) In this passage, what happens when we judge ourselves? (v. 31) What happens when the Lord judges us? (v. 32)

Because of a fear of eating “in an unworthy manner” (v. 27), some believers don’t take the Lord’s Supper, and sometimes this continues for months or even years. They don’t want to “bring judgment on themselves.” (v. 29) They think that Paul was saying that if they have sinned they should not take the Lord’s Supper. Is this correct thinking? Why did Jesus give his body and blood for us?

If we have sinned, what should we do as we take the Lord’s Supper? (1 John 1:9)

8. Read again Paul’s summary statements in verses 33 and 34. What attitude was he trying to cultivate in that body of believers? Whose attitude was he trying to display as worthy of imitating?

End in Prayer: How can you as a home fellowship leader teach others to “recognize the body of Christ” (v. 29) when you serve the Lord’s Supper? Will you strive for unity in the body of Christ? Will your attitude toward other believers be one of humility and servanthood? Close this study by taking time to pray for these things.

A story from Christian history

19th Century, England

A British General Humbles Himself at the Cross

The Lord’s Supper is a sign that we are all paupers standing together, hand in hand, partaking of the grace of Christ together. Communion is where we consider others more significant than ourselves, because we know our own failings so deeply, and we experience the grace of Christ so freely. His mercy teaches us to love people who also look to him for grace.

The Duke of Wellington was a famous military leader in England who had led the British armies to victory against Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo in 1815. He regularly attended his church when he was in town.

Whenever he entered the church, the church members whispered to each other about his coming. They were proud to have this military hero as a part of their church.

The time came for the Lord’s Supper. To receive the bread and wine in this church, small groups of people went to the front to kneel. The Duke also went forward, knelt and was quietly praying as he waited for the bread and wine. The church members, in respect for the great leader, let him go alone to the front.

However, at the church that morning an old peasant man in ragged clothes was also worshiping. He came to the front and knelt beside the famous leader. All in the church gasped to see the peasant kneel right beside the honored Englishman. Quickly a deacon rose, went to the peasant and tapped him on the shoulder. He whispered for the man to rise, move away from the Duke and wait until he returned to his seat.

The Duke heard the deacon’s word and quickly grabbed the old man’s hand, stopping him from rising. The Duke said to the man: “Don’t get up. We are all equal here.”

***

The good news of Jesus Christ helps us all to see our great value in the eyes of God. It also helps us to see that the ground is level when we kneel as sinners at the cross of Jesus. No man is higher than another. No one should look down on another person. The scripture teaches us, “...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).

This beautiful truth can be felt each time believers eat the Lord’s supper, remembering the death of Jesus together. No one is boasting about who they are. Rather, we are humbling ourselves before God. We thank him for saving us. We know we are not worthy of such sacrificial love.

The apostle Paul said about himself, that he was the worst of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). He was once the proud, self-righteous Saul of Tarsus, but when he understood what Jesus did for him on the cross, it produced in him a deep humility. It is that beautiful character quality that Jesus talked about when he said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3).

Each time we eat at the Lord’s table, we review the truth about ourselves. We are lost without Jesus Christ. But his great mercy raises us up to walk with God. And we don’t walk alone. We walk together, hand in hand, with all believers from around the world, rich or poor, famous or common. As the Duke of Wellington said, “We are all equal here.”

...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23,24)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How is the Old Testament Feast of Passover related to the Lord’s Supper in the New Testament?

The first time the disciples ate what we now call the Lord’s Supper, it was on the Jewish holiday of the Passover. They were celebrating an ancient, yearly tradition of the Jews, begun during Moses’ leadership.

This feast looked back to when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. The night before they left Egypt, they sacrificed and ate a lamb. Its blood was painted on the doorframes of their home, and they were saved from the angel of death, who saw the blood and passed over their homes. This was God’s last judgment on Pharoah and the Egyptians, for not releasing them from slavery. Every firstborn son in Egypt died.

The Israelites also ate unleavened bread that night, symbolizing that they were to leave Egypt quickly. The bread did not have time to rise. (You can read the story in Exodus 12.)

It was while celebrating this feast on the night Jesus was betrayed, that Jesus told his disciples that the bread had new meaning: it was his body given for them, and the wine was his blood, poured out for them. They ate and drank together.

He also told them that every time in the future when they ate the bread and drank the wine they should remember him. That same evening, he was arrested. The next day he went to the cross. After his resurrection, the disciples remembered his death often with the bread and the wine. The tradition has continued through the centuries among Christians all over the world.

The above history helps us understand that the first Lord’s Supper was during a time of celebration, around a meal. It was in a home not a church building. The Jews were celebrating their freedom from slavery and death. It came through the sacrificed lamb. The parallel truth is that we are also delivered, not from Egyptian slavemasters, but from a more powerful slavemaster—SIN and DEATH. We remember that our Sacrificed Lamb, Jesus Christ, died that we might live!

2. When we serve the Lord’s Supper in our home fellowship, is there a formal way to do it?

Through the centuries, churches have developed different ways to take the Lord’s Supper. However, Jesus gave no rules on how to do it. The important thing is to remember him in a humble and reverent way. He gave his life for us. Therefore, home group leaders should plan the time of taking the Lord’s Supper prayerfully. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Choose worship songs that speak of his sacrifice for us. Read appropriate scriptures (see the list below). Some may want to read a poem they have written about their love for Jesus. With happy hearts, thank the Lord for his body and blood, his sacrifice for our sins.

So that the time be reverent and orderly, explain beforehand how they are to take the bread and wine. There are many different ways it can be served. Most importantly it is a time of confession of sins, thinking of Jesus’ death for them personally, and trusting completely in his forgiveness and grace. Remember that it is a time of worship. Help people meet quietly with Jesus. His presence is very near.

3. How often should we take the Lord’s Supper in our fellowship?

It seems that the churches in the New Testament took it every week (and perhaps daily), often when they were eating a meal together. (See Acts 2:42-47). They took it at a meal as the twelve disciples did when Jesus told them that He was establishing a New Covenant (at the Passover meal). But remember, Jesus gave no rules on how often it must be done. 1 Cor. 11:25 tells us that whenever we drink it we should remember Jesus.

In many churches, the Lord’s Supper is the central part of the worship time every week. Some people take it every day, a fresh reminder of God’s grace to them. Other groups do it once a month. Whenever you do it, make it a time full of worship and thanksgiving, with a time of quiet so that each person may spend time alone with God and review the beauty of the gospel.

4. Can only a pastor serve the Lord’s Supper?

Nowhere in the New Testament does it say that only pastors can serve the Lord’s Supper. Christ commanded us to eat and drink it to remember him. He did not say only certain people could serve it. The Bible teaches that all Christians are now priests (1 Peter 2:5, Revelation 1:6). We serve the Lord’s Supper to each other in humility. Christ has shown his grace to us all.

However, it is important that the people who lead this special time in the home fellowship understand its meaning. If we lead in a right spirit, we will help the people in the home fellowship worship in spirit and truth.

5.Is baptism required for someone to take the Lord’s Supper?

It’s important for us to know that the New Testament does not give a command that only baptized believers can take part in the Lord’s Supper. However, the book of Acts does show that first century Christians entered fellowship in the Church through repentance, faith and baptism. Baptism was a sign that their journey with Christ was beginning. It was the first command of Christ that they obeyed as new believers (joined with repentance and faith, of course). Taking the Lord’s Supper was then also obeyed when the Church took it together.

Over the centuries, churches have usually required that baptism occur first before a believer takes the Lord’s Supper. Because the New Testament does not give a clear command on this issue, each church leadership must make their own decision on this. Perhaps your house church is part of a network of churches. If you are not sure which way your church should go on this issue, you should consult the leaders of the network.

Whatever decision your group makes regarding baptism and the Lord’s Supper, consider this: Christ taught us to make disciples and to teach them to obey all of his commandments (Matthew 28:18-20). If there are people who are coming to your fellowship who claim to be followers of Jesus and who want to take the Lord’s Supper but don’t want to be baptized, you as leaders should meet with them to find out why this is. You could take them to some of the scriptures in the chapter in this book on baptism (chapter 5) to help them understand its meaning and importance. If they are afraid of persecution, refer to that chapter (chapter 15). Your gentle guidance as leaders can help this believer find joy in following Jesus in all he taught us to do.

6. Some groups serve wine and other groups serve red juice. Which is the correct way?

Because some of your members may struggle with temptations to drunkeness and may be fighting addictions, your group may decide to not tempt such church members. Serving juice instead of wine may be a loving choice for all. Other groups may not have anyone with such temptations and wine may be the choice of the leaders. In either case, let us remember that the ceremony is not for arguing, it is for humility. It is meant to help us in confession of sin and in thanksgiving that Jesus poured out his blood for us all: sinners who need God’s grace.

7. Should we read scripture before we take the Lord’s Supper? If so, what should we read?

It is common in churches for 1 Cor. 11:17-34 to be read every time the bread and cup are served, but you don’t have to always read those verses. There are many other scriptures that can help your group to meditate on repentance and faith in God’s mercy. Variety is helpful to keep us alert and familiar with other passages. The New Testament passages below help us best to understand the death of Jesus for our sins, but the Old Testament passages below also help us to understand the seriousness of our sin and the grace of God to those who look to him humbly. The psalms below are prayers of repentance that have helped believers for centuries express to God their need for cleansing. The leader of this time should always remind the members of the church that we look to Christ alone for full forgiveness.

Suggested Old Testament scriptures to read as you serve the Lord’s Supper:

- Isaiah 52:13—Isaiah 53:1-12 (This prophesy of Christ’s crucifixion was written 700 years before Jesus!)

- Psalm 32

- Psalm 51

- Psalm 103

New Testament scriptures:

- Luke 23:26-56 (or any of the other gospel accounts of Christ’s crucifixion: Matthew 27:32-66; Mark 15; John 19)

- John 6:25-71 (Jesus teaches that he is the bread of life.)

- Romans 3:21-31

- 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

- Ephesians 2

- Philippians 2:1-11

- 1 John 1:5–2:2

- Revelation 5

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Have you ever studied the meaning of the Lord’s Supper with all who attend your home fellowship?

NOTE: Besides the Bible study in this chapter, there are three studies in 50 Life Studies on the Lord’s Supper. Each study looks at a different aspect of this meaningful time.

2. Take time with other leaders in your group to read the frequently asked questions on the previous pages. Use those questions as discussion questions to help you decide what to do in your group regarding the following:

- How often will you serve communion in your group?

- Which scriptures will you read? (See the Old Testament and New Testament suggestions.)

- What special worship songs that help people meditate on the sacrifice of Jesus will you sing before (or during) the service?

- Other discussions related to the frequently asked questions

3. Take time to pray that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper in your group may always bring the people to a deeper appreciation of the sacrifice Jesus gave for us all.

10. Growing in Faith through Prayer

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
(Matthew 7:7-8)

Introduction

The Power of Prayer

Wherever churches are growing and multiplying, you will find the people praying earnestly. Your home fellowship will be making true disciples of Jesus if you teach them to pray to their Father in heaven, and to pray with faith that their heavenly Father truly cares for them and answers their prayers. This is what Jesus taught his first disciples to do.

Faith grows when we pray regularly together, especially when we take time to talk about how the Lord has answered our prayers.

If we want to see the gospel spread throughout our villages, cities and country, we need to be people of prayer. And we need to learn to pray together.

This chapter will help you grow in prayer as a home fellowship. And as you pray, expect the gospel of Jesus Christ to spread to others through your home fellowship!

Bible Study

Learning How to Pray from the Apostle Paul

Opening Discussion: “Are there any prayer requests today?” This is a common way home groups start their prayer time. Such requests often include very important needs:

“I need a job.” “My aunt has cancer.” “My son is taking exams at the university next week.”

These are all important to the Lord who wants us to “bear one another’s burdens...” We become like Christ when we do this. (Galatians 6:2).

This lesson shows us an aspect of prayer for one another that is not so common when we pray together. However, this type of prayer was very important to Paul. As you study, think about adding this type of prayer in your corporate prayer times.

Read together Ephesians 3:14-21

1. Read verse 14again.

Paul starts with “For this reason...” That means that he is referring to something he said before. The previous verses of Ephesians 3 are about what Christ has done for us and the riches we have in Him. Then he tells us something very important in verse 12. What does he tell us?

Because Paul knows he can approach God with freedom and confidence, what does he do in verse 14?

Would you say that your home group approaches God with freedom and confidence because of what Jesus has done on the cross for us?

2. Read verses 16-19 again. Name five things that Paul asks the Father for in these verses.

3. Once more, slowly, read verse 16. Discuss what this verse means. If you prayed this prayer often, how could this help your group to grow stronger?

4. Now slowly read verse 17. Discuss this question: How much are we aware that we believers have Christ living in us? How might this awareness make a difference in finding daily peace and joy in all the problems we face in life?

5. Read again verses 17-19. As we grow in our faith, we go deeper into knowing and experiencing God’s great love. We come to understand this amazing love by thinking about the love of Christ who gave his life for the sins of the world.

Paul knows God wants believers to know him and so Paul prays earnestly for the Ephesians “to know this love that surpasses knowledge.” Do you desire this for your home group, also? Can you think of anything more important to pray for another believer?

In verse 19, Paul says the result is that we will be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” How much do you want to be filled with the fullness of God?

If we include this type of prayer with the other prayers mentioned in the introduction (for a job, for a sick person, etc.), how will that affect the maturity of our home fellowship?

How important to you is the spiritual maturity of each member of your house church?

6. Paul reminds the believers of an amazing truth in verse 20. What is it? Do you believe it?

Then, in verse 21, he talks about God’s glory. Read verse 21 again. Where is that glory to be seen?

7. As you quietly look over verses 16-19, take some time now (and in future meetings together with your group) to pray for yourselves to be filled with God’s love, for his glory to be seen in you.

End in Prayer: You may want to return to this prayer often, using it as a model when you pray for your home fellowship. You can pray these verses, putting in the names of your group members. And teach the members of your group to do the same, praying for themselves and for others.

Go Deeper in this Subject: The apostle Paul prayed other prayers for the spiritual maturity of his disciples. Below are a few examples. Take time often both alone and in your fellowship meetings to pray these prayers for yourself, your fellowship, and also for other believers in your country and worldwide.

Ephesians 1:17-19; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12

A Story from Christian history

20th Century, The Philippines

The Balangao People Learn to Pray

You have probably never heard of the Balangao people, have you? Deep in the jungle mountains of the Philippines, this head-hunting tribe was changed dramatically when the gospel of Jesus Christ was brought to them in the midtwentieth century. This amazing story is told in the book, And the Word Came with Power by Joanne Shetler and Patricia Purvis.

Joanne Shetler was in her mid-twenties when she and another single woman went to live with this tribe at the tribe’s invitation. The Balangao people had been told about God’s word written in a book. Surprisingly, they welcomed these two American women to come and live with them. Joanne (being helped by other partners throughout the years) took on the task of learning the Balangao language and translating the scriptures for them.

As the translation work continued over the years, Joanne taught the people about Jesus Christ, his life and death, and how, at the cross, he took their shame and guilt upon himself. Also, she told them about his resurrection from the dead, which gave them great hope. Life was very hard for these people who lived in darkness and fear of the evil spirits to whom they offered sacrifices. They began to listen closely when Joanne taught them that Jesus has more power than the spirits which tormented them and that he could defeat them and set them free. The book tells of dramatic victories over the demonic forces.

The following story is on another important subject from the same book. Here Joanne tells how the Balangao people learned to pray to God from the heart.

“I had diligently prayed that Balangaos would turn from the spirits and trust the God of heaven. God answered... they started to believe. Then I’d begun waking up in the night, pleading with God to defeat the spirits. And God, who had awakened me to pray, answered my prayers.

“Now, I was praying through the day and waking up at night again. ‘God, teach these new believers how to pray. How to really pray. Do something, Lord.’ They knew how to pray for birth into God’s family. But they didn’t understand about asking for God’s help with the everyday issues of life. They liked it when I prayed, but they wouldn’t pray themselves.

“Desperate, I had carefully told God, ‘I don’t care what you have to do; make these people pray!’

Joanne did not know the sacrifice she would give so that her prayers for the Balangao people would be answered. One month later she was traveling into the mountains in a huge helicopter that was carrying building materials—tons of cement, nails, etc.—to build a small hospital for the Balangao people. As the helicopter neared the landing strip, it hit a tree and the helicopter crashed to the ground. The doctor was killed and Joanne and a few others were buried under tons of cement.

After putting out the fire of the crash, the Balangao people climbed inside the broken helicopter and started digging. They threw off kegs of nails and bags of cement to find Joanne underneath, almost dead. Pulling her out of the helicopter, they discovered that cement powder had poured into her eyes from the broken bags. Her ribs had broken and one lung had collapsed. She could barely talk.

All night long the Balangao people tried to help her, as Joanne gave whispered instructions to them of what she needed most. Here she continues the story...

“... I slowly gave instructions: ‘You must wash my eyes out. Get a pitcher of water, hold my eyes open, and pour the water in. Do it again and again.’

“The water felt like live coals pressing against my eyeballs. I insisted in a hoarse whisper, ‘Continue.’ When the pain literally took my breath away, they stopped. I breathed, then I whispered again, urgently, ‘Keep pouring the water in!’

“In my heart, I cried throughout the night: ‘God, I can’t go blind—I won’t be able to finish this translation if I’m blind.’

“It was hours and hours of torture. The night was long, the pain intense.

“But something else was going on. Something new for Balangaos. One by one, throughout the night, Balangao Christians worked their way through the throng, touched my hand, and prayed. I’ll never forget it—they actually started to pray! Their prayers for me were unsolicited and so fervent, deep from the heart.

“Three months earlier I’d written home asking friends to pray:

The believers need to learn to pray about everything, and with intensity. They need to understand that their own powers are useless, even in doing ‘godly’ things, and that only what God performs will be real in people’s lives... If there is a longing in my heart, it is that God would make these Balangaos a people of effective, powerful prayer.’

“That night, as I lay on the floor, more dead than alive, the Balangaos were praying—really praying. One after another, they prayed the same prayer, ‘Don’t let her die, the Book’s not done yet. Please, just let her live; the Book’s not done yet...’

“It was the worst and best night of my life all wrapped up in one. The worst pain I’d ever known was eclipsed by moments of indescribable awe over their prayers.

“The next day I was airlifted to a hospital far away from the Balangaos. It took me six weeks, with many pain-filled and sleepless nights, to recover. I couldn’t see God anywhere. I couldn’t feel him. I couldn’t hear him; there were no waves of glory, just wave after wave of pain.

“After six more weeks of resting and mending, I returned to Balangao to carry on with the translation. I was astounded to find Balangaos still praying. At last they had learned that they could pray about everything, big or small. Fervent prayer had become a part of their lives. They’ve never been the same since the helicopter crash. And neither have I.”[3]

Frequently Asked Questions

1. In our home group, our prayer time is often a long list of requests. Everyone has problems: illness in the family, financial problems, and worries of all sorts. Some people in our group go on and on in prayer, going through their lists of problems. It sometimes makes us tired (and fall asleep!) Can you give us some suggestions on how to bring new life and faith into our prayer time each week?

Most people know that they don’t pray very well. That is why the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Jesus helped them with his model prayer, and in the verses before that he gave instructions on how not to pray. (See Matthew 6:5-15). He also taught on prayer and faith in other places. We need to study what Jesus said about prayer in order to pray with confidence, faith and joy.

There are 5 studies on prayer from the teachings of Jesus in the book 50 Life Studies which your house fellowship may want to study together.

Also, it could be helpful to your group to understand that “prayer” in God’s word is not simply bringing personal requests to God. It involves much more. If we look at the Psalms we see that God has given us many examples of prayer. A well-balanced prayer time should include the following elements:

PRAISE

Remember that prayer is entering the throne room of the Creator of the universe. He is also the one who died for you and for the whole world. To enter his presence with only a list of wants and needs ignores his majesty. Take time to think about his greatness, read a psalm about his power, and worship in awe. Your faith is built on taking time to think about his greatness. Worship may include a song of praise, dancing for joy, or it may mean kneeling silently.

Here are a few examples from scripture on praise:

Psalm 33:1-11 and Psalm 59:16-17.

THANKSGIVING

The Lord gives us breath each moment, food and clothing, family, friends, work, and many wonderful things to enjoy. Whenever we take time to give thanks for all the blessings of God, we often see sadness and depression leave us. Thanksgiving is a weapon to use against the discouragement that Satan brings to us.

Meditate as a group on the importance of thanksgiving in our prayers: 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20; Psalm 118:21

CONFESSION OF SIN

If we try to hide sin in our lives, we are wearing a mask, pretending to have fellowship with the Lord. But the Lord is light, and his light searches our hearts. That is why the Holy Spirit often reveals sin to us when we bow our heads in prayer. Jesus taught that we should ask the Lord's forgiveness when we have sinned, and we should also forgive others. Leaders do well when they teach these truths in their groups.

Here are some scriptures on confession of sin. Your group can meditate on them together:

1 John 1:8-2:2; Matthew 6:12; Psalm 32:3-5; Psalm 38:18; Proverbs 28:13

PRAYING FOR YOURSELF

These are our personal prayers, the needs in our lives, like daily bread, a place to live, more patience, wisdom, etc.

See Philippians 4:6-7; James 5:13; Matthew 6:11 and 13; Matthew 26:41; Matthew 7:7-11.

PRAYING FOR OTHERS

We show Christ’s love by taking time to pray for other people, as Christ does for us. This includes praying for the lost to come to know Christ and praying for our brothers’ and sisters’ needs and for their growth in Christ.

See Ephesians 6:18-20; Colossians 1:9-12; Colossians 4:12; James 5:16; 1 Tim. 2:1-2; Matthew 5:44-45.

2. I want to see my fellowship pray more with Jesus’ authority. I know that Jesus told us to pray in faith, but sometimes our prayers seem very weak. How can we strengthen our faith as we pray?

The Bible teaches that faith comes to us when we hear God’s word (Rom. 10:17). During our prayer times we need to read stories from the Old and New Testaments where people of faith prayed and saw mighty miracles.

- When praying for the sick, you may want to read a story of how Jesus healed people. (Luke 4:38-40; Luke 5:12-13; Luke 7:1-10)

- When praying for power to share the gospel with unbelievers, you may want to read the story from Acts 4:1-31 when the Holy Spirit came upon the believers and they preached the word boldly.

- When struggling with demonic powers, read about Jesus’ authority over the evil spirits. (Luke 4:31-37; Mark 5:1-20)

- If you need to confess sin, use Psalm 51 or Psalm 32 to help you be honest with God about your sin, and trust him to forgive you (1 John 1:9).

- If you are praying for your daily needs, read what Jesus said about the Father’s care of the birds in Matthew 6:25-34.

Use these Bible verses to help strengthen your faith that Jesus cares about you and has power to help you as you pray.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. In the following weeks when your home fellowship gathers (or in small groups during the week), do the 5 lessons on prayer in 50 Life Studies. These are lessons from Jesus’ teachings that help you learn to pray in His way.

OR...

2. Take time in your gatherings to study the scriptures under the different aspects of prayer that are mentioned above: Praise, Thanksgiving, Confession of sin, Praying for yourself, Praying for others. As you study together, pause to apply these different ways to pray, and remember to include these aspects regularly in your weekly prayer times.

3. Consider planning special days or evenings for your home group to pray together, and perhaps include fasting. Use this time for more intensive prayer for your families, for the lost of your nation, for your government, etc. Pray for power to grow in Christ and to share the gospel with those who don’t know the Lord.

11. Discovering the Blessing of Giving

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
(Acts 20:35)

Introduction

Building God’s Kingdom through Giving

No one knows more about giving that God himself. No more costly gift was ever given than the gift of God’s Son to the world. (See John 3:16) Jesus gave his life for us, and he taught us to give also.

“You cannot serve both God and money," he taught us. (Luke 16:13) When we give generously, we take positive steps to trust God with our future... and we grow in love.

There are two kinds of giving that we learn from God’s Word:

First, in our daily tasks we all encounter people who need help: the beggar on the street, the person who cannot pay for a needed surgery, the widow who needs a bag of groceries. We give from our pockets as individuals.

But there is a second way we give which can have a more far-reaching impact. This happens when believers learn to give into group offerings. Our study in God’s word on the next page will show one example of this.

Throughout the centuries, much good has been done in the world because believers gave through their churches. It’s not just big churches that do this. This happens in house fellowships around the world. House fellowships buy Christian literature to give to others. They give to the poor who worship with them, and they give to people outside of the house group, too. They also support teams to take the gospel to other places.

This chapter will help you consider how the gifts from your house church can build God’s kingdom in your city and country, and in other parts of the world.

Bible Study

The Apostle Paul Teaches Churches to Give Generously

Opening Discussion: Imagine a world where the kindness and generosity of our Lord rules in every heart. What would that world be like?

Read Acts 11:27-30 together.

1. What did Agabus prophesy (v. 28)? What did the disciples in Antioch decide to do? (v. 29) Who did they choose to take the gifts to Judea? (v. 30)

At some point, Paul decided to collect from churches in other cities to help the Judean churches. Today’s study will look at how Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give to this need.

Read 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 together.

2. What was his instruction to the Corinthian and Galatian churches? (v. 1-2)

3. Who will take the gift to Jerusalem? (v. 3-4)

Read 2 Corinthians 8 together.

4. In verses 1-5, Paul describes the attitude in which the Macedonian churches gave. Read together verses 1-5, then discuss their difficult situation and their amazing attitude in this trial.

5. Paul then begins to urge the Corinthians to have the same generous attitude as the Macedonians. Who does Paul use as an example of generous giving in verse 9?

6. In verses 10-12, what does Paul advise the Corinthians?

What makes a gift acceptable? (v. 12)

7. What was Paul trying to do in verses 20-21?

Read again verses 16-19. What was he doing in these verses to avoid criticism?

In the offerings we take in our home fellowships, why is it important that we are very careful in the way the money is collected, kept and then distributed?

Read 2 Corinthians 9 together.

8. What does Paul mean in verse 6? Why is it important for leaders to teach this principle in the home fellowship? Why is faith in this truth necessary as we give?

9. Read verse 7 again. If we compel believers to give, what does that destroy in their hearts? What does it mean that “God loves a cheerful giver?”

10. In verses 12-15, Paul talks about the most important result of our giving. What is it?

End in Prayer: We have learned today about generous giving and the wise handling of the offerings. If all of the house groups in this country learn to give with the same generosity and wisdom, how will it build the kingdom of God here? Pray for this to happen!

A story from Christian history

20th Century, Ethiopia

Sacrificial Giving in the African Church Spreads the Gospel

Sometimes we quietly tell ourselves that when we get rich, then we will begin to give generously. Here’s a story of how churches among a very poor people in Ethiopia obeyed Jesus’ command to give. Their giving is a beautiful example for all of us. It reminds us of the widow who gave her last coins (Mark 12:41-44).

*****

From 1937 to 1942, the Wallamo church in Ethiopia experienced rapid growth. Because of the Italian government occupation during World War II, the missionaries had been forced to leave the country. The missionaries had been teaching the gospel to the Wallamo people, but they had seen only 48 Wallamos come to faith in Christ. When the missionaries left, only the gospel of Mark and a few other portions of scripture had been translated into the Wallamo language.

In the five years that the missionaries were gone, the Wallamo church grew to 10,000 believers! All of this happened under severe persecution. Wallamo evangelists were beaten severely and placed in prisons. They suffered much for their faith as they spread the gospel everywhere.

The Wallamos were committed to obeying all that Jesus taught, including Jesus’ command to give. They had no foreign funds to help them. In their suffering, they gained God’s heart for the spread of the gospel, and for helping the poor. Though they all were very poor, they still learned to give to those who had greater needs, both physical and spiritual needs. When the missionaries returned, they saw that these people of childlike faith took Jesus’ words seriously. They gave generously and they gave with joy.

And the Wallamo offerings were not just money. Because they often had no money, they would take off articles of clothing and give it in the offering, such as shoes or sweaters. These items were later sold in the market places. This money was used to spread the gospel.

The Wallamos rejoiced that their offerings were supporting more evangelists each year. A tradition soon started at their yearly conferences. Each person would, according to their faith, promise to ask God for help to bring a generous offering to the next year’s conference. Even though they told the leaders the amount they were asking for, they made their promises with no pressure from man. The promise was between each person and God, and during the year they prayed, worked and saved the money to give their gifts at the next yearly gathering.

At one conference there was a woman who wanted to give a gift at the end of the gathering, which was just a few days away. She had a few, very tiny coins in her country’s currency, but she wanted to give a bigger offering than that.

After the classes one day, she took those few cents and bought some cotton in the market. Because she was busy in classes during the day, late at night she stayed awake to spin the cotton into thread. It took her several nights to finish the thread. Long before daylight came, she walked nearly 5 hours to the market. There she sold her thread and returned to the conference.

When she arrived, she placed her sacrificial offering in the hands of a leader. She was so happy that she could give such a large gift. It had grown from her two tiny coins to the equivalent of eight U.S. cents![4]

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Why is giving important to the life of the believer and to the health of the fellowship?

The Bible teaches that we need to give for many reasons. Here are a few of them. Read the scriptures in each section:

- Giving helps us guard against becoming greedy and self-centered (1 Tim. 6:6-10 and 17-19)

- Giving builds unity in the Body of Christ. If you have not read the Bible study in this chapter, please take time to study it. In that study we see that as the churches gave to help each other, they grew in love for each other.

- Giving shows God's love and compassion to the poor, including to nonbelievers (Leviticus 23:22; Deuteronomy 15:7-11).

- Giving to needy people is one way that we seek God’s kingdom first. It helps us, as Jesus taught, to keep our focus on God as our provider (Matt 6:25-33).

- Giving is a way that God allows us to participate with him in spreading the Good News to others. This is one way we have treasure in heaven. For example, think about the joy we can receive when we contribute to offerings to buy Bibles or other spiritual literature to give to those who don’t have God’s word, or in sending someone to another town or to another country to teach or preach about Jesus! (Matthew 6:19-21)

2. Are Christians supposed to tithe (that is, give 10% of their income) like the Jewish people were commanded to do?

Some Christians practice tithing; some do not. Some churches teach that it still applies to Christians and that the tithe should go to the church. Others say we should learn to give generously but that the tithe itself is from the Old Testament and not something that the New Testament teaches as part of Christian doctrine.

In the New Testament, there are only two places that the tithe is mentioned. One is in a parable about a religious leader who reminded God that he fasted and tithed and didn’t do bad things. Jesus, however, said he was not righteous in God’s eyes (Luke 18:9-14). The other place is where Jesus gives strong warnings to the Pharisees because they neglect justice, mercy and faithfulness but rather focus on tiny aspects of tithing, like the mint in their gardens. Jesus said tithing was important, but they were blind in missing the most important things (Matthew 23:23-24).

In the rest of the New Testament, there is no mention of the tithe and no command for Christians to continue the Old Testament practice.. However, generous giving is taught repeatedly by Jesus and the apostles, and those who give sacrificially are praised. If under the Old Covenant God taught the Jews to give a tenth of their income, could that perhaps be a minimum for followers of Jesus, who gave everything for them? Can we give less? Should we not give more—not because of the Law, but because of love? But in all of our giving, house groups should remember Paul’s instruction:

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7)

Let’s not forget that in both the Old and New Testaments God’s commands to give often come with promises of blessing! The Lord assures us that he will certainly take care of those who honor him in giving.

In the Old Testament, God spoke through the prophet Malachi:

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” (Malachi 3:10)

In the New Testament, Jesus taught us:

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

3. As leaders, how can we help believers learn to give?

Jesus clearly taught his disciples to be generous in giving: “Freely you have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8) The New Testament even teaches us to care for enemies who are in need! (Romans 12:20) That is how we show God’s amazing love to all people.

Here are 3 ways we can encourage believers in our house churches to give:

1) We teach them first by our example. Are we people who share with those in need? Our example is watched by all. We should share not only our money, but our time, our home and food (hospitality), and our spiritual gifts, to help people grow.

2) We study together what the Bible teaches about giving. The members of our home fellowships need to know what the Bible has to say about giving because the Bible is our guide for life. God told his people in the Old Testament to give; that was part of the Law. In the New Testament, Jesus taught his disciples to give freely and joyously. At the end of this chapter are some scriptures you can study on this subject.

3) We tell testimonies of how God is faithful to his people. Our heavenly Father is the same today as in Bible times. He takes care of those who seek first his kingdom. Do you have stories of his faithfulness to tell in your home fellowship?

4. What should the offerings of the home fellowship be used for?

Here are a few common examples:

- to purchase Bibles, Christian books, Christian media, etc, to spread the gospel

- to help needy believers

- to help needy unbelievers (Throughout the centuries Christians have given not just to believers, but to all needy people, regardless of their religion.)

- to send relief gifts to those in natural disasters (victims of earthquakes, famines, floods, etc.)

- to help pay for conferences and seminars

- to provide the home fellowship each week with basic blessings (tea, simple refreshments).

- to help evangelists and teachers as they travel (In 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 Paul says that those whose work is preaching and teaching should be supported by other believers.)

5. Who counts the offering and records it? Who keeps the money? Who decides what the offerings will be used for?

The Holy Book teaches that when we walk in the light with each other and with God, we have true fellowship. When house church members give to an offering, they are trusting the leaders to handle it well and not to hide information.

The three questions above are very important. It is best that at least 2 leaders or respected members count the offering and keep good records of what is received and how the money is spent. Take special care in deciding where the offering is stored. Remember the money is God’s money, so it should be given out prayerfully and in the fear of the Lord. The leaders should let the members know how the money has been spent.

Also, it is recommended you not collect money for many weeks without spending anything. Make decisions often on how the money should be used and then use it for God’s work. It is not wise to keep large amounts of money, unless it is being saved for a specific large need.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Look back over the previous pages of this chapter. As you studied those pages, how did the Holy Spirit speak to you about your home fellowship growing in giving?

Some house fellowships give their members opportunity to give weekly. Others only take offerings occasionally, for specific needs. The Bible does not give specific instructions. How often does your group take offerings? Is this the way you want to continue in the future?

2. Look over the list below. What passages on giving could your group study together?

3. Pray for yourself and your group to grow as generous givers. Ask the Lord for ways that you can spread the good news through your gifts of love.

A few passages to study on giving:

- The widow’s coins: Mark 12:41-44

- Seek God’s kingdom first: Matthew 6:19-34

- Show kindness to your enemies: Luke 6:27-36

- Don’t give to be seen by men: Matthew 6:1-4

- The sheep and the goats: Matthew 25:31-46

- Bless the poor with kindness: Luke 14:12-14

- Ananias and Sapphira lie to the Holy Spirit: Acts 4:32-5:11

- The apostle Paul teaches on giving: 2 Corinthians 8 and 9

- Paul teaches on contentment: 1 Timothy 6:6-10

- Paul’s command to the rich: 1 Timothy 6:17-19

- Command to thieves: Ephesians 4:28

Also, in the book 50 Life Studies, there is a section on giving with 3 lessons under that topic.

12. Becoming Mature Disciples

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
(John 8:31-32)

He [Christ] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
(Col. 1:28)

Introduction

Disciples of Jesus Make Disciples of Others

If you have answered Jesus’ call to you to follow him, then you are a disciple of Jesus. But what does it mean to daily be a disciple of Jesus?

First of all, disciples learn and obey all that Jesus taught. They study together the words of Jesus as found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and the teachings of Jesus’ apostles found in the rest of the New Testament, and they apply these things to their lives. Jesus made it clear: “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.” (John 14:23)

Because they understand Jesus love for them as seen at the cross, they gladly give themselves to him, to serve him and to become like him. They make Jesus Lord of their lives. And they help others to also become disciples.

Making disciples, however, is not an easy task. Just as we ourselves must learn to have the heart and attitude of Christ in our thoughts and deeds, we must help our disciples to do the same. We must walk with them as they take little steps in learning to live by faith, trusting God in difficult times, and submitting to the Holy Spirit as he works to change them to be more like Jesus.

We cannot solve all of the problems of our disciples, but as we help them learn from God’s Word, pray with them and show them true friendship, we are encouraging them to grow in trusting Jesus. Of course, the only way we can do this is by spending time with them– not only on the day we worship together, but also at other times throughout the week. It is through relationships of sincere love that we all grow.

This chapter will give you scriptures to study, as well as suggestions to help you grow as a disciple of Christ yourself and to help you encourage others to do the same.

Bible Study

Jesus Starts a Worldwide Movement by Teaching Disciples to Follow Him

Opening Discussion: What have you learned in the last few weeks from Jesus, either from his teachings in the Bible, or from His Holy Spirit speaking to your heart?

Jesus said that disciples become like their teacher (Luke 6:40). How has Jesus worked in your life so that you are more like him this year than last year?

Read Mark 1:14-20 together.

1. What did Jesus say to the people when he preached (verses 14-15)?

What do you think it meant to the people who heard him?

2. Jesus told the fisherman to “follow me.” Religious teachers of that day would have students follow them and learn from them. Imagine yourself living in the first century. You hear Jesus call you. If you answer his call, you will spend your days with this new teacher. Your goal is to listen, watch, and learn from his wisdom and become like him.

Imagine you become one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. How important will it be for you to be fully attentive, to learn all that Jesus teaches you? Explain your thoughts.

3. Jesus told the fishermen that if they followed him he would make them fishers of men (verse 17). What does it mean to "fish for men?" Have you ever asked Jesus to make you a fisher of men?

4. When Jesus called these men, they left their nets (their job) and their father (family) (verses 18 and 20). Do you think this was a big sacrifice for them? Why?

Do you think sacrifice is needed to reach this country with the good news? What kinds of sacrifices are needed?

NOTE: Although there are believers who leave their jobs to give their entire day to the spread of the gospel, there are many more believers who remain in jobs but are faithful witnesses and disciplemakers wherever and whenever they have opportunity. They see themselves as people who bring God’s light and love into their workplace. What do you think Jesus is calling you to do?

Read Matthew 28:16-20

5. Jesus spoke these words after the resurrection, at the end of his time on earth. Jesus told his disciples that something had been given to him. What was it (verse 18)

Do you believe Jesus' words about his authority? Because of this, how important is it that we obey Jesus' words? If we know that Jesus has all authority, how will this help us to be confident when we face opposition to the gospel?

6. The first disciples of Jesus were told to make more disciples after Jesus left the earth. Where were they to go to do this (verse 19)

7. In whose name were they to baptize people (verse 19)?

8. What were they to teach the new disciples (verse 20)?

When you study the teachings of Jesus, do you think about how you can pass his teachings on to other people?

Do you see yourself as one who could fish for men, using Jesus' teachings?

9. What promise did Jesus give his disciples (verse 20)?

Do you believe that for yourself, too?

End in Prayer: Pray for your fellowship to become true disciples of Jesus who disciple others.

Go deeper in this subject: The last four studies in 50 Life Studies (#47-50) are specifically about making disciples.

A story from Christian history

Central Asia, 20th century

The Power of Discipleship

But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.(Matt. 13:23)

The English teacher had just finished his conversation class at the university in the Muslim country he had brought his family to only a few months earlier. After all of the other students had left the classroom, one young man stayed behind and approached the teacher’s desk. The teacher did not know him yet, as the new semester had just begun.

“Can we talk for a few minutes?” he asked.

“Of course,” the teacher replied.

The student introduced himself as Hasan and explained that he was from another Muslim country. They spoke small talk for a few minutes and then the student overcame his fears: “Sir... I’m fascinated with Jesus. Can you teach me about him? My friend Ibrahim also wants to hear about Jesus.” Ibrahim, a student in the same class, was also from Hasan’s country.

This conversation was the beginning of many discussions Hasan and Ibrahim had with the teacher outside of class. The teacher was a follower of Jesus and was happy to share his faith with these two students. He invited them to his home to meet his wife and young children, and the two young men came often. They laughed and played with the children, ate meals with the family, and spent many hours with open Bibles, learning about Jesus and the gospel from the teacher. It wasn’t long before they asked to be baptized. They truly believed Jesus was their Savior.

Soon after this, the teacher and his wife invited these new brothers and other new believers to a house fellowship. They worshiped in song and shared their needs with each other for prayer. They read the teachings of Jesus together and talked about ways they could follow Him in all that He commanded. They also took the Lord’s Supper together, remembering the death of Jesus for their sins. And they baptized other new believers.

One day Hasan explained to the teacher that he had decided not to continue at the university. He would return to his own country.

“I want to share Jesus Christ with people in my country. I especially want to take the gospel to the minority peoples who live as shepherds in the mountains near my city. How should I do this?”

“Hasan,” the teacher replied, “you do it just like I did with you. Go to those people in love. Tell them about Jesus and teach them to repent and turn to him in faith for forgiveness of sins and salvation. Remember, Jesus died for all people. You may want to take the Jesus film and show it. As they believe in him, baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Then, use the Bible studies I gave you to help you teach them to obey everything that Jesus commanded.”

Hasan paused for a moment as he thought about the teacher’s words. He felt inadequate and wondered if he could actually do the same things that the teacher had done with him. Now he himself was going out with the gospel, crossing a culture just like the teacher and his family had done.

Hasan looked at the teacher uncertainly. “I’ll try.”

The teacher reminded Hasan that he was not going alone; Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was with him.

Over the months and years ahead, the teacher received letters from Hasan. He explained that he had stepped out in faith and taken the gospel to these people who had never heard it before. He had taught them to obey Jesus, just as the teacher had done with him. People were repenting of their sins and believing in Jesus. Soon he was baptizing them and forming little fellowships of believers in different towns and villages.

Years later, the teacher put Hasan’s latest letter on the desk and remembered their times together eating around the table. He could picture in his mind Hasan’s baptism and his hunger to learn God’s Word. “I never imagined,” the teacher said to himself, “that the gospel could go so far through one man. And God gave me the honor and privilege of being a part of discipling this precious brother who took the teachings of Jesus seriously. Thanks be to God for the power of the gospel!”

NOTE: Hasan discipled people with some of the lessons from 50 Life Studies. (See "Resources", Appendix A)

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. We study God’s Word together each week in our home fellowship, but the people in our group don’t read it during the week. How can we help them to develop habits of reading (or listening to) God’s Word when they are alone?

Your desire to help them learn the discipline of daily meditation on God’s Word and prayer is very good. This habit, developed over a lifetime, gives believers strength and wisdom for the challenges they face in life. It is also through these times alone with God that they will come to know him and be changed to be more like him. The home fellowship can help them to develop this habit.

When we study the Psalms we see that David and the other writers found help and joy in God’s Word as they meditated on it continually. Here are some examples from Psalm 119:

- Verse 11: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

- Verse 28: “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.”

- Verse 72: “The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”

- Verse 97: “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.”

- Verse 105: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Here are a few practical suggestions to help your members stay in God’s word daily:

1) Try reading a short portion of Psalm 119 in your meetings each week. This does not need to be the main Bible study; just take a few minutes for this for 4 weeks, for example. Pray each time for the Holy Spirit to put a hunger in every heart for God and his Word.

2) Audio scriptures are available on the internet in many languages. If people don’t like to read, help them download the audio format to listen to. (See Appendix A, “Resources.”)

3) Suggest a book from the Bible for them to start reading. The four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), Genesis, Psalms and Proverbs are good books for young believers to start with. Then they can move on to the rest of the New Testament. You could decide as a group to all read or listen to the same book on your own during the week. Then take time in your meetings together for them to share what they are learning.

2. We are concerned about ongoing conflict and quarreling in our home fellowship. Some are gossiping and are harsh in judgment of each other. Some come to meet on Sunday but avoid relationships or conversations with others in the group. We know it is not healthy for a home fellowship to continue in this way. How can we help them grow to be more like Christ?

When Jesus saw problems between the disciples, he took time to talk with them about it. (See Mark 9:33-37). This is discipleship that deals not just in theoretical problems, but in practical things, such as poor relationships in our groups. In this situation, Jesus helped his disciples see that their arguing was rooted in pride, and in not understanding that God values humility and servanthood, not a person’s position in the kingdom.

James wrote this:

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? (James 4:1, NLT)

The apostle Paul wrote this to the Corinthians:

For I am afraid that when I come I won't like what I find, and you won't like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behavior. (2 Cor. 12:20, NLT)

All of these attitudes can be very harmful in your home fellowship also. Whenever you see these problems, begin with prayer. We know that Jesus prayed for his disciples as he saw their weaknesses. (See Luke 22:31,32) In the same way, we must pray for individuals in our group when we see character weaknesses or sin in them.

Here are some verses to help you study in your group what God has to say about these things:

Slander and Gossip:

Proverbs 16:28

Proverbs 20:19

Proverbs 26:20-22

Ephesians 4:29

James 1:2

Galatians 5:14-15

Jealousy, envy and selfish ambition:

Ecclesiastes 4:4

James 3:14-16

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Philippians 2:1-11

Judging others in a hypocritical or self-righteous way:

Matthew 7:1-5

Rom. 2:1-3

Romans 14:1-13

Note: Sometimes judgment is necessary. Look also at these verses to understand when it is important for the Church to judge sin in its midst:

1 Corinthians 5

Matthew 18:15-17

Rom. 16:17-18

Showing favoritism:

Genesis 37 (especially verses 3-4)

James 2:1-9

1 Tim. 5:21

Anger:

James 1:19-20

Ephesians 4:26-27 and 31

Proverbs 14:29

Proverbs 15:1

Matthew 5:21-22

Pride:

Proverbs 8:13

Proverbs 16:18

Romans 12:3 and 16

Philippians 2:1-8

Besides studying God’s Word as a group, you may need to have conversations with individuals. Use the above scriptures to help them see where they are not applying the teaching of the Bible to their lives. They may need encouragement to grow in Christ’s love for others. As you go to have these private talks, ask God to help you do it with humility and grace. (See Galatians 6:1,2) Ask him also for wisdom and spiritual insight to know what they need most.

3. Some people in our fellowship want to leave the work of discipling others to the leaders. How can we encourage everyone to be involved?

Ephesians says that Christian leaders help the members of Christ’s body to do the work of serving in God’s kingdom (See Ephesians 4:11-12). Here are some ways to encourage all group members to build God’s kingdom in their relationships.

- Each week at the end of your study in God’s word, ask this question: “During this next week, with whom will you share what you have learned today?” The following week, ask: “Who of you told a friend or family member what God is teaching you?” Take a few minutes to pray for the people they have shared with.

- Encourage the people in your group to form small groups to meet during the week for prayer and Bible study.

- During the week, go in groups of two or three to visit people in their homes, in the hospital, or in coffee or tea houses. Think about whom you could bless with a visit: to pray for the sick and for those burdened with problems, to give practical help and encouragement, and to share the gospel with unbelievers.

An important rule to remember as you go to visit: Men should visit men and women should visit women, unless you are going as a husband and wife or are visiting a husband and wife. This will protect you from gossip and from temptation.

See Chapters 4 (“Understanding God’s Wonderful Gift of Salvation”) and 7 (“God’s Word: Our Daily Bread”) and also Appendix A,“Resources” for more suggestions of things your group members can use to disciple others.

4. Some of us go to small towns and cities of our country to share the gospel where there are no believers. People are beginning to turn to Christ. We know they need to meet together for worship and to strengthen one another, but we have no leaders to be with them to guide them each week. Can you give us some advice?

If your house fellowship can send believers to guide the new groups, that will certainly help them grow. This is why the apostle Paul said that God gives gifted people to build up the body of Christ. (See Ephesians 4:11-13) But even if it is not possible to send someone every week, a small group of believers can still start to meet.

Remember this: All over the world new believers are in situations where they must learn to trust in the Holy Spirit to be their teacher. Your groups can also, with the Spirit’s help, worship in simple ways, read or listen to God’s Word, pray and serve one another in Jesus’ name. The Lord himself will help them grow.

Jesus said:

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20)

Even if the group is small, they can gather often and grow together. This book has been written as a guide to help such groups. Give them a copy of this book, or help them download it to their device. (See “Resources” appendix for information.) If possible, read and discuss chapters one and two together with them. Then, look at the Table of Contents and help them decide which chapters are most important for them to study on their own until you can be with them again.

Also, show them how they can use 50 Life Studies for weekly study. Encourage them to obey Jesus in all of his teachings. Visit them as often as possible, and call or message them frequently between visits. Most importantly, don’t forget to pray for them. The Apostle Paul tells repeatedly throughout his letters how he prays “without ceasing” for the churches he established (Rom. 1:9; Colossians 1:9; Ephesians 1:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:11).

Take time also to think and pray about a long term plan for reaching into new areas and establishing new fellowships. Ask the Lord to help you train traveling teams that have the vision of planting and strengthening new fellowships. Discuss in your group who can be on these teams. Teams like this are important for the multiplication of churches in a nation. You may find it helpful to join together with other home fellowships to accomplish this.

The Apostle Paul said this about the church in Corinth that he started and Apollos later strengthened:

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

Jesus said this to his disciples:

I will build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. (Matt 16:18, ESV)

Jesus is committed to seeing His Church grow. Our job is to make disciples who are faithful to his teachings.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Are the members of your fellowship learning to read or listen to God’s word regularly on their own? Are they daily spending time with the Lord in prayer? From the question and answer section above, reread the first question. Plan ways to teach about this. (See the study: “Make Time to Get to Know God” in 50 Life Studies as a possible resource to use.)

2. Think about each of the members of your group. Are they growing to be more like Christ? Are they learning to obey all that Jesus taught? All of the chapters of this book are designed to help you disciple others. Look through the book, taking time to think and pray about which topics you most need to focus on in your group.

3. Reread question and answer #2 in Frequently Asked Questions, thinking specifically about people in your group. Are there things from the list in that question that you need to teach in your group? Are there individuals you need to talk with?

4. Are the members of your fellowship discipling others? How can you help them to grow in this? See question 3 above, and discuss how you might use those suggestions.

5. Pray often as leaders and in your group meetings that you would all become true disciples of Jesus, according to John 8:31-32.

Here is a prayer that the apostle Paul prayed for the Colossian believers. You can pray this prayer for the people in your group:

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:9-14)

13. Forgiveness in the Home Fellowship

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
(Ephesians 4:31-32, ESV)

Introduction

As We Forgive, We Become Like Christ

Have you ever seen a perfect family? Perhaps you think you have when you look at certain families from a distance. But when you get up close you discover that they have relationship problems, just like all families do.

Every family needs to learn to live together in love. If they don’t, their relationships will slowly die. The same is true of a house fellowship. Some house fellowships gather each week for months, even for years, but members harbor resentment, bitterness and hatred toward one another. Deep inside the tree is rotting, even though it may look good on the outside.

Confession of sin and forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian faith. Our Savior went to the cross so that we would be forgiven completely of our sins. We take the Lord’s Supper often to remind us of this. For that reason, the gospel teaches us over and over that the Church of Jesus Christ must learn to ask forgiveness of one another when they have hurt each other, and also to forgive each other from the heart. We are children of the King who taught forgiveness was something we are to learn throughout our lives.

If your group learns to practice the things that are taught in this chapter, your house fellowship will gain the heart of Jesus. You will become bright lights in this dark world.

Bible Study

The Power of Forgiving and Asking Forgiveness

Opening Discussion: Do you know of situations where people have stopped going to a fellowship because of broken relationships? If so, how did that affect the fellowship?

In our study today we want to look at how we can walk in an attitude of forgiveness and love and encourage the people in our fellowships to do the same.

Read Matthew 6:12-15.

1. How did Jesus teach us to ask for forgiveness? (v. 12) What does Jesus say about what happens when we forgive other people’s sins against us? What happens when we do not forgive other people’s sins against us? (v. 14-15)

This is a serious statement that we must not ignore! Do you believe it? Are there people in your life that you need to forgive? Are there people in your fellowship who need to know how dangerous it is to refuse to forgive?

Read Colossians 3:12-14.

2. According to these verses, what are God’s chosen people supposed to be like? What a beautiful family we’ve been privileged to join! If we live according to these verses, how will these attitudes and actions affect our relationships?

3. Read verse 13 again. This verse talks about “bearing with” each other and “forgiving” each other. Discuss what you think is the difference between these two things.

When we “bear with” each other, we are patient with the weaknesses of others. Forgiveness is only necessary when someone sins against us. We don’t need to forgive them for their weaknesses, but we do need to bear with them, that is, love them anyway. Can you give examples of these two situations?

4. Verse 12 says that we are chosen by God, holy, and dearly loved and verse 13 says that we are forgiven by Christ. How should these things help us to be forgiving?

5. What will happen to our beautiful family of believers if we are not forgiving?

Read Mark 11:24-25.

6. Do you think there is a connection between verse 24 on asking God for something in faith, and verse 25 on learning to forgive people whom we hold bitterness toward?

Why is forgiveness of others so important when we pray to God?

Read Matthew 5:23-24.

7. What does Jesus say you should do if you’re offering a gift to God and then remember that someone has something against you?

Does it surprise you that Jesus would want you to interrupt your worship of God to go be reconciled to your brother? Why are human relationships so important to God?

Are you aware of anyone in your life who has something against you because of some way you have hurt them or sinned against them? If so, are you willing to humble yourself and go ask forgiveness? Jesus says even to interrupt your worship time to do it. It’s the most important gift you can give to God!

Why is obeying the Holy Spirit quickly so important in keeping relationships healthy?

LET’S REVIEW WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED:

Mark 11:25 tells us that it is important to recognize when we are holding something against someone and to forgive them.

Matthew 5:23-24 talks about the importance of recognizing that someone else has something against us. We must then go to them and ask forgiveness from them.

Both directions are important—forgiving others and seeking forgiveness from others. Rom. 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

End in Prayer: Take time now to consider how you can grow in forgiveness and how you can encourage other members of your group to grow both in forgiving and seeking forgiveness. And then pray for a healthy family of faith!

A Story from Christian History

20th Century, Germany

Forgiving an Enemy from the Heart

Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch woman in her early fifties when the Nazis invaded Holland in 1940. As thousands of Dutch Jews were being cruelly arrested and carried off to concentration camps in Germany (also known as death camps), Corrie’s family knew they must do something to help save as many Jews as possible from certain death. They built a secret room in their home and hid many from the Nazi soldiers until they were able to safely escape to places in the countryside or other countries.

Eventually, they were caught by the German secret police. Corrie, her older sister Betsie and their elderly father were sent to a prison camp. Ten days later, her father was dead. Betsie, who was ill, also died after several months of cruel treatment in the death camp in Germany. Through a “mistake” (of man, but not of God!) Corrie was released from prison shortly before the end of the war. Nearly all of the other women in her prison camp were killed.

During the time they were prisoners together, Corrie’s sister Betsie often said to Corrie, “When the war is over, we must take the message of forgiveness to the world.” Corrie struggled greatly within herself, but finally surrendered to God. She would obey him and forgive, and she would follow God wherever he would lead.

In 1947 (two years after the war ended) she traveled back to the nowdevastated country of Germany to bring the good news of God’s love and forgiveness to a broken and desperate people. After speaking in a church in Munich on the topic of learning to love our enemies, Corrie was faced with one of the greatest challenges of her life: could she truly forgive her enemy when face to face with him?

The meeting was over and nearly everyone had left when she saw a German man making his way toward her. Immediately she recognized him! In her mind she could see him again in his prison guard uniform. He had been so cruel and had so humiliated her and Betsie. Now he stood in front of Corrie with his hand outstretched toward her. Would he remember her?

“A fine message, Fraulein! How good it is to know that as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!” He explained that since the war, he had become a Christian. He knew that God had forgiven his sins, but now he was asking her, as a representative of those he had treated so terribly, to also forgive him.

Of course he did not recognize her, Corrie realized. There had been thousands of women in the camp.

Corrie tells what happened as the man waited with his hand outstretched toward her:

I stood there—I whose sins had again and again been forgiven— and now I could not forgive him. Betsie had died in that horrible place—could this guard erase her slow and terrible death simply for the asking?

Yet Corrie knew she had to do it. God’s Word says that if we will not forgive those who have sinned against us, neither will our heavenly Father forgive our sins. She had also seen for herself that those who were able to forgive their enemies after the war were able to go on and live healthy lives. But those who did not forgive were forever held back. They remained prisoners of their past suffering.

Corrie continues the story:

And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion—I knew that, too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. ‘Jesus help me!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

“I forgive you, brother!” I cried. “With all my heart.”

As they stood there together—former prisoner and former guard— God poured out His love into her heart in a way that she had never experienced before.

Corrie ten Boom traveled the world for over 30 years carrying this message of God’s love which overcomes all hatred and hurts. Over the years, she faced other tests of forgiveness, but God was always patient and gracious to teach her his ways.

Corrie’s message—the message of the gospel—brought freedom and life to thousands around the world. It can bring healing and new life to us, also. Most of us will never face the kind of test to forgive our torturers as Corrie ten Boom did, but will we forgive the much smaller hurts and offenses that come to us? If God can pour his love into the heart of one who experienced such terrible pain, can he not also give us his love for one another?

This story is retold from the book The Hiding Place,[5]and also from chapter 7 of the book Tramp for the Lord[6]. The quotes are from Tramp for the Lord.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How should we as leaders respond when we are wronged?

Most people will respond in one of three ways: silence—they refuse to speak to the person who hurt them; screaming—they blow up in anger and look for ways to get revenge; or denial—they bury the incident deep inside and pretend that nothing happened. With all of these what will be the end result? Can there be unity and harmony in the body if we respond in any of these ways?

The enemy especially likes to attack leaders because they are the doorway to destroy the group. Frequently, he uses a member of the fellowship. Every leader can expect that, sooner or later, someone will become upset with him or her and speak out their feelings in a hurtful way, or perhaps try to get others on their side against the leader. Will you quit if someone wrongs or offends you, or are you committed to work through difficulties?

As a leader, it is your job to set an example in forgiving and loving those who wrong you. You must make a choice to keep your heart soft, allowing the grace of Christ to heal your hurt and enable you to reach out in love to those who have hurt you. Ask God to help you to forgive, even if you must forgive the same person over and over again. (See Jesus’ words to Peter in Matthew 18:21-22.)

Here are some other Scriptures to help you in learning forgiveness. Have you looked at these scriptures together in your group?

- Romans 12:17-21: Do not repay evil for evil; leave room for God’s wrath. Overcome evil with good.

- Matthew 5:43-48: Love your enemies.

- Matthew 6:12-15: If we do not forgive, neither will God forgive us.

- Matthew 18:21-35: The parable of the unforgiving servant

- Isaiah 53:7-9 and Matthew 27:11-14 and Luke 23:33-34: Jesus is our example. Though He suffered unjustly, He did not take revenge, but instead He forgave.

2. How can we help those in our home fellowship to forgive one another?

Besides setting an example and teaching about forgiveness, sometimes it will be necessary to go to an individual in your group and talk with them privately about the importance of forgiving their brother or sister. Perhaps you may need to bring together the two people who are having a problem with each other and help them listen to and forgive each other. Always pray and ask for the help and fullness of the Holy Spirit before you go.

The following are some important Scriptures you can share with them. (Also, use the verses listed above.)

- John 13:34-35: We must love one another as Jesus loved us. His love includes complete forgiveness of all our sin.

- Colossians 3:12-15: “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness,humility... forgive as Christ forgave you.”

- 1 John 4:7-12 and 19-21: We cannot love God and hate our brother.

- 1 Peter 3:8-12: “Live in harmony...” We should repay evil with blessing.

3. When someone has sinned against us, are there times when we should just forgive them from our heart and not mention it to them? When should we confront them in love about what they have done?

Sometimes people hurt us and are not aware of what they have done. If it is a small thing that was done unintentionally, often it is best to forgive them and keep it between us and God, saying nothing to them. At other times, it is important for them to realize that what they have done is wrong, especially if we see that they are continuing in sin and continuing to hurt us and others.

If they are being divisive in the group, there is the potential for the home group to be destroyed. If we care about that person and their relationship with God and others, we must go to them and speak with them about their actions.

In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus gives us some helpful guidelines for what to do when someone sins against us. Although every situation is different, there are some important principles that we can follow that are found in this passage. Lesson 37 (“In Love, Help One Another Overcome Sin”) in the book 50 Life Studies can help you know how to apply this passage.

More on confronting relationship problems within the home group can be found in chapter 12, “Becoming Mature Disciples.” (See question #2 in Frequently Asked Questions.)

See also Appendix C for helpful principles in forgiving and asking forgiveness.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Read Matthew 5:23-24. Do you know of anyone whom you have offended or hurt in some way? When will you go to them? What will you do or say? Take time to pray about this. Make a plan now and follow through by doing it as soon as possible.

2. Is there anyone who has offended you whom you have not forgiven? With God’s help and grace, pray now and forgive them from your heart. (Read again Colossians 3:12-14.)

3. Are you aware of anyone in your fellowship who needs to forgive someone else in the fellowship or someone outside the fellowship? If so, how can you help them to forgive? Take some time to pray for them.

Look back over the scriptures in this section, and ask God to show you how to talk with them using some of these scriptures. Ask God to soften their heart to obey him.

4. Pray for all the members of your fellowship to grow in applying Colossians 3:12-14 in their relationships with one another.

14. Becoming Salt and Light in the World

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
(Matthew 5:13-16)

(Before he went to the cross, Jesus prayed to the Father for His disciples)—

“As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”
(John 17:18)

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
(James 2:15-16)

Introduction

Jesus Sends Us into the World

It’s very comfortable for house churches to gather together for a few hours each week, say goodbye to each other at the end, and then return a week later to sing a few songs and listen to a teaching again. But, as we’ve said in other places in this book, the Christian faith is much more than just a worship service that we go to every week.

Let’s remember what happened in the gospels.

The disciples watched Jesus for three years. They saw that he didn’t hide behind the walls of a religious building. He didn’t tell the people to come to him; he was out among the people! He went from village to village. He ate with sinners, called them to repentance and showed them God’s grace. He fed thousands. He went out to touch the lepers, heal the sick and set the demonized free. He courageously challenged religious hypocrisy. He taught about God’s kingdom everywhere—in homes, on the streets, and beside the lake—not just in synagogues.

Today we are called the body of Christ. In other words, we are now the voice, the hands and feet of Jesus. We go out into the world, too! We shine his light in dark places. We feed the hungry and visit the sick. We care for those who are in prison. We touch people in the world with his grace. We pray for them in his name. And as we meet their needs, we also share the reality of Christ’s coming as the Savior of the world. And in love we warn people to turn from sin and trust in him.

This sounds good in theory, doesn’t it? But we all know that it’s much easier to just stay in our Christian circles and not enter the world’s needs.

This chapter will help your group guard against hiding your light under a basket. As you go, remember: Jesus is with you! Go out to serve the world in his name.

Bible Study

Serve Jesus By Helping Needy People

(This is study #41 in 50 Life Studies)

Opening Discussion: Do you think God cares about the poor? Do you think we have a responsibility to help the poor? Why or why not?

Read Matthew 25:31-46.

1. In these verses Jesus is telling a story to teach a truth. Read again verses 31-32. When does this story take place? Describe the scene. Who is present? (v. 32)

What is the Son of Man (Jesus) doing? (v. 31)

2. Read again verses 34-36. What do those on Jesus’ right receive? (v. 34) Why? What have they done?

List the things Jesus says in verses 35-36 that they have done for him.

3. What do those on the right (the righteous) answer in response to Jesus words? Do you think they are surprised at his words? (vs. 37-39)

4. Read Jesus’ answer to them in verse 40. What do you think he means by this? How do we serve Jesus when we help those in need?

Mother Teresa was a well-known Catholic nun who served the very poor and dying who lived on the streets in India. She was inspired by this parable. She said that she saw the face of Jesus in each person that she helped. When you care for needy people, do you consider that you are helping Jesus himself?

5. Jesus now turns to speak to those on his left. What does he say to them? Why do they receive this punishment? (vs. 42-43)

6. How is their answer in verse 44 similar to the answer of the righteous in verse 37-39? How does Jesus answer them? (v. 45)

7. Read Ephesians 2:8-10. Read these verses through several times. What does verse 8 tell us about our salvation?

According to verse 9, are we saved by our works? Can any believer boast that he has earned his salvation through something he has done?

8. Now read again verse 10. Because of our faith, God has made us new creatures in Christ Jesus. As new creatures, what does it say we are created to do?

What do you think these good works might include?

9. Turn back to Matthew 25, and read verse 40 again. When you see or hear of someone in need, do you think to yourself, “How can I be Jesus’ hands reaching out to this person?” No one can meet all of the needs they see around them. But we can each reach out to the needy people that God brings across our path.

End in Prayer: Think about people that God may want you to help. Ask him to give you his heart of compassion for them. Then obey him by doing what he shows you to do.

A story from Christian history

Central Asia, 21st century

Prison Doors Open for a House Fellowship

“Ruslan, since you’ll be getting out of the prison soon,” Tofiq pleaded, “let me have your Bible. You can get another one once you get released. But I have no opportunity to learn God’s ways.”

Tofiq, a former thief in a Central Asian Muslim nation, had come to Christ through some other believers in prison, but he had no Bible. His prison friend, Ruslan, was a young believer when he entered prison and had been allowed to take a Bible in with him. Ruslan had often lent the Bible to Tofiq to read. The message of Christ was truly changing both of these men.

The day finally came for Ruslan to be released. As he was leaving, he embraced Tofiq and placed the Bible in his hands. The prison doors opened for him and he entered the free world. Tofiq hugged the Bible to his heart, and thanked God for this amazing gift.

Immediately he began reading the Bible for hours each day. The more he read, the more he changed. God’s Word, day by day, was shining light and hope into his mind and heart. He saw that the good news of Jesus Christ was not just a one time change when we are born again. Day by day change was happening in Tofiq: He was growing in his trust in God’s goodness. He grew more assured that through Christ’s death his sins were completely forgiven.

He now treated other prisoners with respect, and he even began to care about the guards. His little world within the prison walls was now full of light, even joy, as the truths of the gospel were planted deeper and deeper into his soul. He was actually living the miracle that the Bible talks about—a deep peace that can be experienced even in hard places. Prison was depressing, for sure. But because of Christ, Tofiq’s heart was full of hope.

He found the power of the Holy Spirit deep within and could not keep his faith to himself. He began to share his faith with other prisoners, some of whom also came to believe in Christ. Before long, the prison officials began to let him and other believers have a special room to meet in. They had seen the amazing change in Tofiq and they saw how he was influencing other prisoners, whose attitudes, words and actions were changing for good! The officials saw the power of the gospel being lived out in these men.

Soon the officials let them meet 4 times a week, for over 2 hours each time! Tofiq was thrilled. Meeting often with these new believers (and some unbelievers also) was wonderful, but Tofiq knew he could not teach well unless he himself was taught more. Was this possible? How could he learn more of the Bible when he was in prison?

Then a miracle happened. Ruslan, who had put the Bible in Tofiq’s hands, helped Tofiq by sending his friend Reshad, a house group leader, to visit him in the prison.

Before going into the prison, Reshad prayed for wisdom to know how to help Tofiq. He knew the prison officials would limit what he could give Tofiq. He decided to take in another Bible and also the Bible study resource, 50 Life Studies. It would provide the group many hours of study and discussion in the life and teachings of Jesus.

Reshad asked 3 house fellowships to pray that doors would open for him to get into the prison. He took one brother with him who stayed in the car outside the prison and prayed. And God answered their prayers! Reshad was able to get in to see Tofiq, and the prison guards allowed both of the books in also. They even surprised Reshad by asking him for Bibles for themselves! “I have some in my car and will give them to you after I finish my visit with Tofiq,” he told them.

Reshad was allowed to talk with Tofiq for several hours. He helped Tofiq understand the gospel more clearly and he encouraged him in teaching the class of prisoners. He told Tofiq,

God has given you a wonderful opportunity to disciple these men. We will try to help you as much as we can. But don’t forget, the Holy Spirit will help you. The word of God is powerful and will work in men’s hearts. It’s God’s work, not yours!

Reshad showed Tofiq how to use 50 Life Studies, and how to get everyone involved in discussion during the Bible study time. They spent time praying together for the Lord to use these weekly meetings to expand his kingdom in the prison and beyond the prison walls. As they talked, Reshad saw that Tofiq was on fire for Jesus. He later told others, “Tofiq is more alive in Christ than we are who live outside the prison!”

At Christmas time, Reshad, along with a few other men from the fellowships, took in a lot of food for the small group to cook in the kitchen provided for them. This small group of believers decided to invite other prisoners to join them, those who had no family to bring them tasty food. Tofiq and his brothers in Christ wanted to share the blessings they had been given.

Reshad had also brought in a lot of candy. Tofiq and the other believers wrote Bible verses of hope on small pieces of paper which they inserted into the candy wrappers and passed out to unbelievers as a Christmas present.

But the blessing doesn’t just go one direction—that is, from the house fellowships to the prisoners. Recently, when Reshad visited the prison, Tofiq handed him a bag of gifts the prisoners had handmade for the home groups that had shown them such love. They were beautiful crocheted shawls for the fellowships to give to little girls!

At Easter the believers wanted to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together but they had no juice or wine to represent the blood of Christ. And so they made dark tea. As they ate the bread and drank the tea, they celebrated together that Jesus gave his life for them—forgiven prisoners!

The home groups now call Tofiq’s group their “house church that meets in the prison”! They feel responsible to help them grow in Christ. As this story is being written (in spring of 2020), Tofiq is still in prison and the Bible study group is still meeting. Reshad continues to visit Tofiq, sometimes going with other men from the home fellowships.

The house fellowship is also helping Ruslan now that he is out of prison. They know that released prisoners need help as they leave an environment where there is no freedom, and enter an environment where they are not restricted in what they do each day. That can be an emotional shock! These released prisoners often need practical things, like a job, clothes to wear, winter coats and shoes, and sometimes a place to stay. They also need friendships with believers, so they don’t start meeting with old friends who might pull them back into their old ways.

The house fellowship prays for Ruslan and men of the house group meet with him regularly to encourage him and help him with his problems. They realize that they may have ministry to released prisoners in the future, because Tofiq’s ministry in the prison is growing. Eventually those believers will be released. They will need God’s love shown to them in practical ways.

“‘And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”’ (Matthew 25:39-40, ESV)

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What did Jesus mean when he said that his disciples are the salt of the earth and the light of the world?

Jesus often used illustrations from everyday life to help us understand what God’s kingdom is like. First, Jesus compares his disciples to salt. What does salt do? The most common use of salt is to bring out the flavor of food. Sometimes life is tasteless, that is, it is difficult and feels meaningless. Believers who live in God’s love bring meaning and hope wherever they go. Life begins to “taste good” to those around them when believers step in and change the atmosphere of a home, a work place, a school, or other place.

Salt was also used to keep meat from decaying before there were refrigerators. We believers work in a world that is dying. Like the salt, our righteous deeds, even acts of kindness shown toward ungodly people, have a life-giving effect. They restrain sin and bring God’s beauty. The early Christians served the corrupt Roman world in such a powerful way that unbelievers began to believe that things could actually change for the better.

Jesus also said that his disciples are light in a dark world. In the Bible, light is often a synonym for truth. When we turn on the light in a dark room everything suddenly is clearly seen. In the same way, the life of a believer should reveal Jesus, the light of the world, to those around them. People should see God’s great love for the world in the way Jesus’ followers treat others with gentleness and compassion.

They should also see God’s love of righteousness and hatred of evil in the way his people live their lives. Believers should be known for their integrity and trustworthiness. True disciples also will speak up in support of what is right and against what is wrong in society. They are like a city on a hill that can be seen from afar. Both their lives and their words help others find the way to God.

2. We don’t want to be a group that just meets on Sundays for worship times; we want to have the heart of Christ for the world. Can you give us practical suggestions on how we can begin to care for other people?

Don’t try to create a ministry without prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit. Read again the Bible study of the parable of the sheep and the goats that is on the previous pages. Discuss the questions and think about the needs that the Lord puts before you in every day life.

We have all lived in blindness to the needs of people around us. Pray together for each member of your group to have the eyes and heart of Christ. Ask him to give you his heart of compassion for people with all kinds of needs—physical (for food, clothing, shelter, health care), emotional (those hurting from abuse or difficult life circumstances), or spiritual (those who don’t know Christ or may be suffering from depression, discouragement, doubt, etc).

As the Holy Spirit opens your eyes to see these needs, ask him to also show you what you can do to help. Your serving will almost always involve a sacrifice of your time, your money or your reputation in the eyes of others. See the parable of the Good Samaritan, who sacrificed all of these, in Luke 10:25-37. For a study on this parable, see #18 in 50 Life Studies.

3. Our group is small. We have limited money and limited time. How can we take on more responsibilities?

It is okay that you are small. As you pray and seek God, as discussed in question #2 above, He will open your eyes and your heart to what he has for you to do. And he will provide the resources that you need for the work he puts before you.

Many acts of service are small and don’t need organization and lots of money. Read about Tabitha in Acts 9:36-42. Notice that her serving was in simple acts of sewing for needy people. Somehow she found time to use her gifts to help people.

Each week your church members will see needs that they can help with. It may be helping a mom with a very sick child, or visiting a widow who has no family, taking a bag of food to someone in need or going with a cancer patient to the doctor. Some may decide to pick up the trash around their apartment building.

Remember, Jesus said this:

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much... (Luke 16:10, ESV)

Also, think about this: when the Lord opens a door for one member (like in the story above where Reshad went into the prison to help Tofiq), it could provide an opportunity for your whole group to serve through giving, praying, and showing love in ways both big and small. Simply serve God that he may be glorified through your love.

You could also consider joining together with other groups to start a ministry. The church in Jerusalem started a daily ministry of feeding widows. (See Acts 6:1) Their resources were large because it was a joint project of many new believers in the city. Don’t try to create alone a ministry that is bigger than you can handle. When the apostle Paul encouraged people to give, he wrote this:

For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. (2 Cor. 8:12, NIV)

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Look back at questions 2 and 3 above. Take time as a fellowship to pray together as suggested there. Give opportunity for those in your fellowship to tell about any ways they are currently being salt and light among the people they live and work with. Are there ways that your group as a whole can strengthen and perhaps enlarge this ministry of service?

Also, as you pray expect God to show you other ways that you as individuals or as a group can show his love.

2. Take time in your group to discuss any challenges that group members may be facing as they seek to be salt and light in their world. For example, is anyone being pressured to be dishonest at work or at school? Is there anyone who is seeking to show God’s love to a difficult person? Take time to pray for anyone who is facing any kind of persecution for doing what is right according to God’s Word.

3. Discuss in your fellowship: What holds you back, either as individuals or as a group, from helping needy people? If it is a lack of time, ask God to show you any ways you may be wasting time. Some people truly may not have free time, but others could give up watching television or time on the internet to serve someone in need.

If you are concerned that people will take advantage of you, pray together that God would give you wisdom. Do you know others who help the poor? Ask them what they have learned in their ministry.

Are you afraid of gossip? Some people in your group may be held back by the fear of man. It’s easy for us to worry about what other people will think or say about us if we do certain undesirable jobs or if we help people who are seen as outcasts. Here are some verses you can read together to see what God says about the fear of man and the fear of God:

Psalm 27:1

Psalm 56:10-11

Proverbs 29:25

Galatians 1:10

Ask the Lord to help you to not be afraid to serve humbly and sacrificially, like the Good Samaritan. Ask him to help you to keep your eyes on him as you serve and not worry about what people think. Remember the parable of the sheep and the goats. When you serve people in need, you are really serving Jesus!

15. Remaining Steadfast in Persecution

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
(Jesus, Matthew 5:10-12, ESV)

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed...
(The Apostle Paul, 2 Timothy 3:12-14)

Introduction

Jesus Strengthens Those Who Suffer for the Gospel

Persecution of the Church of Jesus is not a new thing. Jesus was persecuted and so were his disciples. Persecution has been a reality in all 21 centuries since Jesus was crucified. Your house fellowship may already know these hardships. You may be in persecution now.

Peter said,

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)

When trouble comes because of our faith, we may wish we could retire from serving Christ. But we remember how much we have been helped by others who brought him to us. God asks us to give freely, just as we have received. Jesus gave everything for us. We know also that many unnamed believers over the centuries have sacrificed for us to receive the gospel. Some even gave up their lives. And so we learn to sacrifice daily.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23, ESV)

We let our light shine wherever we go, especially in dark places. And it is in dark places where we are opposed by angry people blinded by Satan. Jesus knew this opposition well (John 15:18-25).

In times of persecution, we discover our weaknesses and run back to Jesus, asking him for the strength and grace we need. In poverty of spirit, we call out for him to empower us to not be ashamed of him, and to continue to love those who hate the light.

We could run from the pain of persecution as the disciples did when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:50). But if we focus on saving our lives, we will be denying all that Jesus has done in us so far. As we experience Jesus’ healing in our lives, we find power to choose hardship, loss or pain when it lies in the path of righteousness. We’ve grown to love God’s kingdom and we keep our eyes on Jesus in the suffering. In losing our own kingdoms, we enter fully into his (1 Pet. 4:1-2)[7].

This chapter will help strengthen the hearts of your group members to follow Jesus when others stand against you.

Bible Study

Jesus Prepares His Disciples for Persecution

Opening Discussion: Do you know anyone who has gone through persecution because of their faith? Or have you read testimonies of believers who have suffered for Jesus? Before you start the lesson below, briefly tell a story about yourself or others who have suffered persecution.

In the beginning of Matthew 10, Jesus sends his 12 disciples throughout the land of Israel to teach about the kingdom of God, to heal the sick, and to cast out demons. In the next verses, he gives further instructions and tells what they can expect to happen. These are important truths for all believers in every generation.

Read Matthew 10:16-42

1. Read verse 16 again. Jesus’ followers who go out into the world to share the good news are compared to what? Think about this picture; sheep are helpless and harmless; wolves are out to destroy the sheep. According to this verse, how are they to behave in this situation?

What do you think it would mean for your home group to become “wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove”? As you share the good news, are there some ways in which you are not wise? Are there some ways in which you are not harmless as doves?

2. Read verses 17-20. What can Jesus’ disciples expect to happen to them? When they are brought before governors and kings, what opportunity will this give them? (verse 18) How will the Holy Spirit help them (v. 19-20)

3. Read verses 21-22. You may have heard of instances in our modern day where family members have killed another family member because they became a follower of Jesus. Oftentimes they are not killed, but they may be rejected by the family; they may be beaten or slandered and cursed. According to verse 22, what will be the end result for those who do not give up their faith in the face of persecution?

Is there anyone in your home fellowship who has faced persecution by family members because of their faith in Jesus? Discuss in your group what happened. If they have been rejected by their family, discuss ways in which the home fellowship can be a true family for them.

4. Read verses 24-25. Jesus was called Beelzebul in Luke 11:14-15. People said Jesus’ good deeds came from the prince of demons. According to v. 25, if we are truly Jesus’ followers, what can we expect from godless people? Do you think you are prepared in your heart to be attacked by such hateful speech? Explain your thoughts.

5. Read verses 26-28. Why should it encourage believers that everything that is hidden will be revealed?

Read verse 28 several times slowly. This is a very important truth for us to know. Who can destroy only the body, but not the soul? Who can destroy both body and soul for eternity? (Think about it: Who is our Judge who will ultimately decide where we spend eternity? See also James 4:12.)

Even though Jesus taught us that we should not fear what men can say or do to us, we know that the pressures of people around us are hard to ignore.

How can this verse help us to prepare our hearts and overcome fear during times of persecution?

6. How do verses 29-31 encourage you?

7. Read verses 32-33. All of us can be tempted to live our lives as secret believers. In our hearts we believe that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life,” but when we are under pressure from unbelievers, it is easy to stay silent about our faith. Fear of persecution from government or people at work, or fears of rejection from family members pressure us to hide our light under a basket (Read 5:14-16).

What does Matthew 10:32-33 have to say to us when we are tempted to be secret believers?

8. Jesus now returns to talking about family relationships. Read verses 34-39. What does Jesus say his coming has brought to the world? (verse 34)

We call Jesus the Prince of Peace. (See Isaiah 9:6) How can the Prince of Peace cause family members to be enemies with each other? (Reread verses 35-37)

Note: Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” This should always be our goal. But sometimes, even when we do everything possible on our part to be at peace with others, they reject us or demand that we deny our faith in Jesus. If that is the case, we must decide who we will love most and who we will follow.

9. Read verses 37-39. What place does Jesus say that he must occupy in our hearts? (verse 37)

What do you think Jesus meant when he said we must take up our cross and follow him? (verse 38)

Note: Think about the purpose of a cross. The person who was carrying a cross in Jesus’ day was going to his death. In Luke 9:23 Jesus says we must deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him. In Luke 9:25, Jesus continues with this thought, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”

10. Read Matthew 10:39 again. This same verse is found 4 other times in the gospels: Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, and Luke 17:33.

As you look over verses 38 and 39, think about your every day life as a follower of Jesus. What do these verses mean for you as an individual? What do they mean for you as a leader?

11. Three times in this passage, as well as in other places in the gospels, Jesus tells his followers to have no fear. How can you help your group members to overcome their fears?

End in Prayer: How can you help those in your fellowship to find the joy of laying down their lives daily to follow Jesus, in good times and in days of trouble? Take some time to pray about this now.

Go deeper in this subject: There is a list of other Scriptures on this topic to study with your fellowship at the end of this chapter.

A story from Christian history

20th—21st century, China

The Chinese Church Grows Strong in the Fires of Persecution

The growth of the Church in China in the last 70 years is an amazing story. Around 1950, there were only about 1 million Christians in the country. At that time, China had a population of over 500 million people, which means the Church had only 1 believer for every 500 persons.

Today the government of China estimates say that the Christian Church in China may be as much as 10 percent of the population – 1 believer for every 10 persons. There are over 100 million believers in China today! How did this happen? The largest growth has come from the multiplication of house churches, which have spread rapidly in spite of intense persecution.

In the latter half of the 20th century, some house church leaders in China suffered as much as 20 to 30 years in prison because of their faith. Imagine going into prison when your children were very young and then being released when they were grown.

These Chinese leaders suffered emotional and physical anguish. But they did it for Christ’s sake and for the growth of the Church in China. Because of this they are honored deeply by Chinese believers today, though many of them are unknown to the world outside of China.

One man who helped the house church movement grow in China was Liu Zhenying, more commonly known as Brother Yun. After his father was healed miraculously, Brother Yun’s entire family gave their lives to Jesus, along with many relatives and friends. His mother became an evangelist who planted house churches throughout their region.

No one could find a Bible during those days because of the intense persecution of the Church. For over three months, the teenager Yun fasted daily and prayed earnestly for a Bible. Finally, late one night, he heard a quiet knock at his door. Two strangers had been sent by God to deliver a Bible to his home! The Bible had been buried underground for years, hidden from the government’s eyes. Brother Yun tells what happened to him after that miraculous answer to prayer:

From that moment on I prayed to Jesus with faith-filled prayer. I fully trusted that the words in the Bible were God’s words to me... Every day from morning to late evening I read the Word of God. When I had to work in the fields I wrapped my Bible inside my clothing and took every opportunity to sit down and read. At night-time I took my Bible with me to bed and laid it on my chest.

Yun’s parents were poor farmers. Yun had only finished the 3rd grade and so he read very slowly. Still, he memorized entire books of the Bible, starting with the book of Matthew.

He traveled to new house churches which had no Bibles. He didn’t know how to preach, so from memory he quoted the miraculous stories and teachings of Jesus. The listeners found faith rising in their hearts. With simple songs they worshiped Jesus who saved them from their sins and eternal darkness.

Yun also told them stories from the book of Acts, which tells of the growth of the Church after Jesus went to heaven. Faith grew in believers’ hearts to share the gospel boldly.

But persecution was fierce. The police continually searched for believers, raided meetings, and arrested many. They beat them mercilessly, took them to courts and gave them heavy fines. Many leaders were sent to prison. The police and courts called the believers “enemies of the Chinese government,” even though the Christians were law abiding citizens who did no harm in society. This was just as Jesus and the apostles said would happen in the New Testament.

In his book The Heavenly Man, Yun tells that the persecution years were also filled with many miracles. Jesus was with them and confirmed their preaching with powerful signs and wonders. God was using those dark years in China to bring millions into the kingdom of God. The believers prayed often and earnestly, and they wrote worship songs about staying faithful to Jesus in difficult times.

Xu Yongze, Chairman of the Sinim Fellowship of House Church Leaders in China wrote this about those years in which Mao Zedong was President:

In 1949 persecution of God’s people commenced and the churches have suffered from all kinds of attacks since. By 1958 the government had closed all visible churches. Mao’s wife, Jiang Qing, told foreign visitors, ‘Christianity in China has been confined to the history section of the museum. It is dead and buried.” In the 1970’s a visiting Christian delegation from the United States reported, “There is not a single Christian left in China.”

Of course there were still Christians there, but the Church was meeting secretly in house fellowships. Later, in trying to control the growth of the church and control what leaders preached, the government said believers could gather legally, but in only a few registered church buildings.

Church leaders saw that this would limit the growth of the church, and they did not believe the Church of Jesus should be told by the government how to serve Christ. Like the disciples of Jesus, they knew they must follow God not man. (Acts 5:28-29) As a result, new house churches were starting everywhere.

More and more people were hearing the gospel for the first time. The gospel even spread throughout the prisons, since imprisoned believers had many hours to share their faith. Criminals listened and found hope. They knew they needed freedom from shame and demonic oppression even more than freedom from a prison cell. They trusted in Christ and were washed clean. They became truly free!

Many believers were willing to suffer in prison so that the gospel might spread. Even though their prison times were full of loneliness and fears, the believers trusted that God had reasons for their being there. Brother Yun expressed this confidence in a message he wrote from prison in 2001:

God has sent me to be his witness in this place. There are many people here who need Jesus. I will be in this prison for exactly the length of time God has determined. I won’t leave one moment early and I won’t stay one moment too long. When God determines my ministry in prison is complete, I will come out.

Because of such confidence, Yun was able to endure the terrible conditions. He also saw a miraculous release from prison, like the apostles saw in the book of Acts.

Zhang Rongliang, a leader of the Fangcheng House Church network of China, was a friend of Brother Yun. He summed up his thoughts about Yun in the following words:

In the Chinese church I have seen many of God’s servants come with great power and authority, but with brother Yun I saw a servant of Jesus who always came in humility and meekness, reflecting the heart of the Son of Man, who did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life.[8]

Since the time of Jesus, many such believers around the world have faithfully spread the gospel at great personal sacrifice, sometimes laying down their lives. Through very dark times they held on in faith that their labor in Christ was never in vain, and by their humble service they brought honor and glory to the name of Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews tells us the world is not worthy of such people. (Hebrews 11:38)

Jesus said their reward in heaven is great!

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Recently we have had persecution from the government. Some believers tell us that we are experiencing this because we have sinned. Others tell us that if we had enough faith, we wouldn’t be going through these trials. Is this true?

The Bible clearly teaches that there are consequences for sin, and we should have responsive hearts to God when he corrects us. But persecution for spreading the gospel is something different. Consider what the apostle Peter said concerning this in 1 Peter 4:

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name... Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (1 Peter 4:14-16 & 19, ESV)

It’s important for believers to realize that persecution for living godly lives and for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with others is something that believers have suffered since the time of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself said:

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. (John 15:18-21, ESV)

See also Romans 8:31-39. These verses encourage us that God is for us and not against us. He is with us even in the darkest of trials, famine, deep poverty or violent persecutions that may come against us.

2. We are confused about what we should do when persecution comes to us. Should we try to hide? Should we run somewhere else, maybe to another country? Should we stand up and protest against what is being done to us? Or should we quietly accept what is happening and continue to be bold witnesses?

There are different degrees of persecution, from a family member tearing up your Bible, to radical, angry people bombing church buildings. Every situation is different, and therefore we must be led by the Spirit of God. We must learn to seek the Lord’s wisdom in Scripture, and also listen to his Spirit guiding us in what to do in each situation. Here are some scriptures to help us.

As Jesus was sending out his disciples to preach from town to town, he told them this:

When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. (Matt. 10:23)

Notice what Saul (later called Paul) did when his life was threatened:

When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. (Acts 9:23-25, ESV)

Later, Paul went to Jerusalem, knowing that he would be arrested there. He told the elders in Ephesus:

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me —the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. (Acts 20:22-24)

Jesus told his disciples ahead of time that they could expect to be arrested. He gave them these instructions:

Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Matt. 10:17-20)

Peter and John, full of the Holy Spirit, boldly said this to the authorities who had arrested them:

But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20, ESV)

One thing to remember when we are brought in to police stations or before courts is that we have been instructed as followers of Jesus to show honor to all those in authority.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men... (1 Peter 2:13)

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. (Titus 3:1-2)

Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Rom. 13:7)

Those in authority should see our respect for them and our desire for peace in society, but they should also see that we are committed to obeying God, as Peter and John were in Acts 4 above. If we are full of God’s Spirit, he will give us strength to overcome fear. Then we will be able to speak confidently to them about Jesus, praying that they also may find salvation in him.

There are occasions when it is right to resist peaceably. If your country has laws that support the rights of all people to freedom of religion, then sometimes standing up for your rights is the right thing to do.

Notice what the Apostle Paul did in Acts 22:24-29. When he was about to be whipped by Roman soldiers, even though he had not been condemned of a crime, he appealed to Roman law. When they realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and what they were about to do was illegal, they stopped.

3. Some in our group are struggling with hate and bitterness toward those who persecuted them and toward some who betrayed them. What can we do in our house fellowship to help them overcome their pain and bitterness?

The power to overcome any darkness always comes from the teaching and preaching of God’s word and through prayer. But we must be gracious and understanding toward our brothers and sisters who are struggling.

For all of us, our natural reaction is to respond in the same way that we have been treated—with hate, insults or violence. But Jesus taught his followers a different way, and we must help the members of our fellowship to walk in his way. In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul gives us these instructions:

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse...Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:14 & 17-21)

In Matthew 5:44 Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to pray for them. It is difficult to hate someone when you are praying for them. Of course, the most important prayer you can pray for them is that they would know the mercy and grace of Jesus, just like you do. Perhaps there were those in the early church who were praying for Saul of Tarsus when he was persecuting them! (Acts 9)

We must also remember that our real battle is a spiritual one and people are not our real enemy. Ephesians 6:12 tells us

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Therefore, we must put on the whole armor of God so we can fight against our true enemy. (See Ephesians 6:10-20.)

(See also Chapter 13, “Forgiveness in the Home Fellowship.” The story in that chapter from the life of Corrie ten Boom may be especially helpful to share with anyone struggling with bitterness.)

4. Because of persecution in the past, some believers in our city do not meet anymore. Fear is ruling in their hearts. They can only think about not being persecuted, so the spread of the gospel has been essentially forgotten. How can we restore the courage to live for Jesus that we once had?

Do you remember what happened when Jesus was arrested? At that dark moment, the disciples were scattered. And Peter even denied that he knew Jesus. Before they saw the resurrected Jesus, they had lost all hope. Jesus found them hiding behind locked doors.

But the reality of the resurrection of Jesus changed everything. Jesus conquered death and nothing could stop him. For that reason, the apostles were willing to trust their lives into God’s hands.

As you end this section, look at Acts 4:23-31 with your home group. Notice what the early believers did when religious leaders threatened them. Notice especially their prayer and God’s answer in verses 29-31. It is helpful for us to remind each other often of how much Jesus suffered so that we could be free from sin and death. So many people still do not know that! How can we keep this wonderful news from them?

It is not uncommon for believers to stop meeting when persecution comes, but at this time, they need to support one another. The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:26, “If one part [of the body] suffers, every part suffers with it...” If individuals in your group are going through troubles with family or with police, it’s important for them to know that the fellowship is standing with them; they are not alone. If people are afraid to come to your meetings, you as the leader, or someone else from the group should go to them and share with them some of the scriptures from this chapter. Take time, also, to pray with them, helping them to take their fears to Jesus and exchange them for his courage.

For more encouragement for your group, see the application section below.

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

1. Look at the following list and talk about what fears you face most when persecuted for following Jesus?

- fear of rejection by family members

- fear of losing a job or being unable to enter university

- fear of what neighbors might say about you

- fear of government fines, imprisonment, beatings or death for your faith

- fear of being separated from your spouse or your children

2. If you have faced persecution in the past, or you are in it now, which questions on the previous pages (Frequently Asked Questions) help to describe what your group is facing? Take some time to meditate on the related verses and pray for God’s wisdom in your situation.

3. If you have not already done so, study Acts 4:23-31, mentioned at the end of Question 4 above. Use that scripture to help you pray for one another about the fears you face and for emotional healing for those abused by persecution. Pray for boldness and signs and wonders as the apostles did in these verses.

4. There are many scripture passages in this chapter. Look back over the chapter and decide which ones will be most helpful to your group. Choose several passages that you will study together as a fellowship in the coming weeks.

See also other scriptures on the next page.

Here are other scriptures on this topic to study with your fellowship:

- Joshua 1:1-9 (Encouragement to be strong and courageous)

- Matthew 5:10-12 (Those who are persecuted are blessed.)

- Matthew 24:9-14 & Luke 21:10-19 (Encouragement to persevere in trials)

- John 15:18-21 (Expect the world to hate you as they hated Jesus)

- John 16:1-4 & 33 (Warning about persecution; Jesus has overcome!)

- Acts 4 (Encouragement to grow in courage and boldness)

- Acts 5:17-42 (Apostles are thrown in prison; they speak boldly.)

- Romans 8:16-25 & 28 (God’s Spirit helps us.)

- Romans 8:31-39 (Nothing can separate us from God’s love.)

- 1 Corinthians 15:58 (Our labor is not in vain.)

- Philippians 1:27-30 (Stand firm; do not be frightened.)

- Hebrews 4:14-16 (We can approach God’s throne with confidence.)

- Hebrews 11 & 12:1-3 & 11 (Follow the example of past men and women of faith.)

- James 1:2-4 & 5:7-11 (Rejoice in suffering; it produces maturity.)

- 1 Peter 1:3-9 (We have a living hope; we are refined by suffering.)

- 1 Peter 2:19-25 (Jesus, who suffered unjustly, is our example.)

- 1 Peter 3:13-4:19 (There is blessing in suffering for Christ’s sake.)

- 1 Peter 5:6-11 (Resist the devil; Christ will make you strong.)

- Revelation 2:8-11 (Do not fear; be faithful and receive the crown of life.)

Scriptures about God’s help in times of trouble:

- Psalms 3, 5, 13, 18, 20, 23, 27, 40, 46, 54, 56, 61, 62, 68, 70, 91, 121, 125, 130, 140 & 146

- Isaiah 26:3-4; 40:27-31; 41:10; 42:5-9 & 43:1-4

- Jeremiah 29:11-14

- Matthew 11:28-30

16. The Faithful Home Fellowship Sees God’s Kingdom Grow

You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
(The apostle Paul to his disciple, Timothy. 2 Tim. 2:2, NLT)

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
(1 Cor. 3:6-7)

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
(John 15:5)

Introduction

Growing Together

Since the time of Jesus, teaching disciples to know and obey Jesus’ teachings has been the key to the growth of the true Church around the world.

Growing together is the theme of this book. Wherever believers gather for the purpose of lifting up the name of Jesus and serving him, spiritual power is released for God’s kingdom to grow. If you and your group have studied the previous chapters in this book and prayerfully applied them in your group, you are growing in Christ. You also are growing in your influence of others.

This chapter is a review of all the previous chapters of this book. In the following pages we will discuss how growth comes in a natural way when we do what Jesus taught. Here are three ways you should see growth: 1)growth in godliness of your church members; 2)growth in numbers of people coming to Christ; and 3)growth in new fellowships being started to serve the new believers.

Jesus talked often about the growth of God’s kingdom. Remain in Jesus and expect the kingdom to grow through you!

Bible Study

Spreading the Gospel by Training Faithful Believers

Opening Discussion: How can your house group be more effective in spreading the gospel in your country?

Read 2 Timothy 1:1-2:3

1. Who is writing the letter and who is he writing to? (v. 1,2)

The elderly apostle Paul has discipled young Timothy for many years. He was not his real son, but because of their deep friendship, Paul calls him "my dear son."

2. Read verses 3-5 again. What does Paul say that shows us he had deep affection for Timothy?

3. Paul exhorts Timothy in verses 6 and 7. What character qualities does Paul want to see in Timothy? (v. 7) How can Timothy grow in these qualities? (v. 6)

Think about your own life right now. Are you strong in these qualities or weak? Explain your answer and how you want to grow.

4. Paul, who is suffering in prison, writes that Timothy should not be ashamed of the gospel. (Read again v. 8) How does Paul explain what the gospel is in verses 9 and 10?

5. Even though Paul is in prison, why is he not ashamed to keep proclaiming the gospel? (v. 11,12)

When we face trials like Paul did, why is it so important that we have assurance of Jesus the Messiah's keeping power in our lives (v. 12)?

6. Read again verses 13 and 14. Paul has sent Timothy out to keep proclaiming the gospel. In these two verses, Paul tells Timothy to guard something. What must Timothy hold onto carefully?

Many false teachers were coming into the early church and were distorting the gospel of grace which all the apostles taught.

How important is it to you to study carefully what the New Testament teaches about Jesus the Messiah? Are you committed to faithfully teach that message so that others may hear and believe in the true gospel?

7. Read again chapter 2:1-3. Here Paul is exhorting Timothy to keep working for the spread of the gospel. As you answer the following questions, look carefully at verse 2.

- Who taught Timothy?

- To whom is Timothy to entrust the teaching he has received?

- What will they do with the teaching?

8. This is a simple picture of how discipleship happens as people are faithful to pass on God’s word: Paul teaches Timothy-->Timothy teaches faithful believers--> Those faithful people teach other faithful people --> (and this continues).

What will happen if believers in this country do not train new people to teach the gospel?

2 Tim. 2:2 says that Timothy is to “entrust” what he has received to faithful (trustworthy) people. When you entrust something to someone, you give it to them, trusting that they will be responsible to do with it what you expect them to do.

Paul tells Timothy to look for trustworthy people to pass on the gospel. These would not be people who simply learn the Bible in an academic way and love to talk about what they know, but their lives aren’t changed. Faithful people show by their humble obedience that they love Jesus. Their lives exhibit the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). They give themselves to serve others and to teach and train them.

The home fellowship is the place where this training (or discipleship) best takes place. Believers grow in community with other believers, as they learn to love and serve one another. We don’t learn these things in isolation, by ourselves. That’s why it is important that believers gather together regularly.

End in Prayer: Talk about how it could affect your city and nation if every home group trained faithful believers to train others. Take some time now to ask God to help your group to follow Paul’s instructions to Timothy.

A story from Christian history

1st Century, Ancient Roman Empire

The Gospel Explosion in the First Centuries of the Church

The day Jesus walked out of the tomb was like a huge tsunami wave on the earth. It was the beginning of the end of Satan’s kingdom. On the cross Jesus had taken the sin of the world on himself. He took our curse and died our death. The Father raised Jesus up to show the world that nothing can defeat Jesus, even the last enemy—death! Jesus is Lord over everything.

A few weeks later on the day of Pentecost, the dynamite from heaven exploded. Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus had told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the dynamite (Greek “dunamis,” meaning “power”) from heaven came upon them (Acts 1:4-8). In the power of the Holy Spirit they would go everywhere to proclaim the good news of His Lordship over all things.

On the day that the Holy Spirit came in power, 3,000 people became believers in Jesus (Acts 2:41). Very soon after that the number was 5,000 (Acts 4:4). The gospel soon began moving throughout the entire Roman empire and beyond. It is estimated that within 300 years the Christian population was 6 to 10 million people in the empire!

This growth did not happen through military conquest and forced conversions. The gospel spread through simple people spreading their faith during seasons of great persecution. In 313 AD, Rome decreed the Church should no longer be persecuted and soon after that the Christian faith was declared the religion of the empire.

Why did the gospel spread so rapidly? Looking especially at the book of Acts but also the letters of the apostles, let’s think about some of the factors that influenced that growth. As you read the following paragraphs, we hope you will take time to read each scripture in parentheses. These will help you to see more clearly the power of the Holy Spirit that was moving through the early Church.

Here are seven reasons why the gospel spread so rapidly through the ministry of the apostles and other evangelists.

1. Belief in the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

This was the unexpected event that changed everything. The apostles saw it with their own eyes and they were changed forever! No one could convince them that it didn’t happen. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all boldly tell the resurrection story in their writings. They do not hide the defeat and fear that the disciples experienced when they saw their leader crucified.

At the trial of Jesus, Peter shamefully denied that he knew Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75). But a few weeks later, Peter preached to thousands and said, “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we are all witnesses.” (Acts 2:32, ESV )

Luke tells us that Jesus appeared to them at various times during the 40 days before he ascended to heaven (Acts 1:3). Paul says that Jesus appeared to more than 500 followers at one time! (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

The resurrection was a very clear statement from God about who Jesus was and the disciples knew it. Peter preached at Pentecost:

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36)

Paul told the Corinthians that because of Jesus’ rising, all believers are destined to eternal victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:54-58). For this reason, life had purpose and meaning, even during very difficult times.

2. Belief in the power of Jesus to save.

They wholeheartedly believed in the power of Jesus Christ to forgive sin and save from eternal judgment. Because of this, from hearts of love they courageously called people to repentance, faith and baptism.

Peter and John boldly told the Jewish leaders that salvation comes only through Jesus (Acts 4:12). They explained to all people that God sent Jesus to turn them from their wicked ways (Acts 3:26). This was an important theme in the apostles’ letters. Because of what Christ had done, his followers were called to leave the darkness and walk in the light of Christ as new people (Ephesians 5:3-15; 1 Peter 2:9-12; 1 John 1:5-10.)

3. Belief in the power of prayer.

Following what Jesus had taught them, the apostles taught that believers should pray at all times and for all things (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 18:1-8; Acts 1:14; Acts 12:5; Ephesians 6:18). Prayer was not only a part of their Sunday gatherings; their daily lives were filled with prayer. They especially prayed for God’s kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10). Even when threatened by religious authorities, the early believers asked God to make them bold in their preaching and to send signs and wonders to confirm the truth of what was preached. (See Acts 4:29-31.)

4. Belief in God for signs and wonders.

As they went out and preached to the lost, the apostles had confidence in the power of Jesus to heal and to drive out demons. They did not trust in their own abilities to heal, but they were very confident in the name of Jesus to do so (Acts 3:6-10 & 16). Jesus had taught them to preach that the kingdom of God had come near and to demonstrate it by bringing physical healing and spiritual deliverance to the people (Matthew 10:7-8). The disciples continued this practice after Jesus ascended to heaven.

Extraordinary miracles occurred, resulting in both believers and unbelievers walking in holy fear (Acts 2:43; 5:12-16). Such miracles happened throughout the book of Acts. The apostles expected signs and wonders, not only through their own ministry, but also through new generations of believers that God was raising up. Stephen and Philip were deacons whom the Holy Spirit used mightily in signs and wonders (Acts 6:8 and 8:6-8). Later James told elders to pray for the sick and to expect healings (James 5:14-16).

5. Belief in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

As they went out with the gospel, the apostles knew that Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, was always with them as he had promised: “And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20). They knew that they were participants with Jesus in his mission to redeem the world, and they listened for his guidance.

Sometimes it was miraculous and specific: The Lord led Peter to Cornelius’ house (Acts 10), Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40), and Paul and his missionary team to Macedonia (Acts 16:6-10), which was the first step of the gospel into Europe. Other times they followed the general command to “Go,” trusting that the Spirit would lead them to opportunities and inspire them with what to say and do as they went. But always they trusted in God’s leading, however it would come.

6. Belief in the power of God over every enemy, even death.

The apostles did not fear the mobs of people or the authorities who threatened them, imprisoned them and even killed some of their number. They knew their battle was not really against people, but against Satan’s kingdom. They expected the forces of darkness to make war on them (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Jesus had told the disciples about the dangers that were ahead for them, but he taught them not to be afraid (Matthew 10:28-31). On several occasions the Lord miraculously delivered the apostles from prison (Acts 16:22-40).

But more importantly, Jesus promised that the Spirit of God would give them what to say when they stood before kings (Matthew 10:17-20). The book of Acts tells of amazing opportunities the apostles had to share the gospel before religious leaders and government leaders. (See Acts 4 and Acts 26 for a few examples). But in the end, most of the apostles were killed for the sake of Jesus Christ. They were willing to sacrifice and suffer for the gospel because they did not put their hope in this life but in the life to come.

7. Belief that the gospel message was from God, not man.

The apostles were committed to preserve the purity of the gospel message. They did not make up their own version of the gospel in order to build their own ministries or kingdoms (Galatians 1:6-12). Instead, they passed on what they had seen and heard as witnesses. (John 20:30-31, 1 John 1:1-4, 2 Peter 1:16-21).

They knew (as Jesus had warned them) that false teachers and prophets would come to distort the gospel message. In the fear of the Lord, the apostles worked hard to make sure the truth of the gospel was passed on as they had received it (Acts 15:1-11; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8; 2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Peter 2:1-3). They did this through their preaching and through their writings, that is, the New Testament, which we have as our standard of truth today.

Of course, we could mention many other reasons why the gospel spread so rapidly in the Roman Empire. The love of Christians for one another, as well as for their pagan neighbors was a very important factor. In those first 300 years, followers of Jesus served both believers and non-believers during times of plagues when thousands were dying. Frequently, the Christians themselves caught the plague, sacrificing their lives as they served the sick day and night.

They took in babies that the pagans commonly abandoned to die on the streets, and they cared for orphans and widows as the scriptures taught. In these ways and more the disciples of Jesus demonstrated that their message was from heaven, sent by a God who loved a lost world and was powerful to save all who looked to him in faith. It was a message that people everywhere were hungry to hear.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How will our small house church’s obedience to the teachings of Jesus help to grow God’s kingdom in this big world?

To answer this question, we’re going to briefly review each chapter in this book. Sometimes it is important to step back and look at the big picture. And it’s important to remember Jesus’ parables on the power of small beginnings. (See Matthew 13:31-33.)

No matter how small your church is (even if only two or three people), if you pay attention to what Jesus taught you to do, you are advancing his purposes on this earth. You are faithful to him!

As you read the following summaries of the chapters in this book, think about your home group. Are you applying these teachings?

The Home Fellowship is a Family

Jesus said he would build his church. His true church, however, may look different than what we think a “church” should look like. The house fellowship that develops true community and learns to sincerely love people with the grace of Christ is going to shine like a city on a hill. In this broken world where so many people are lonely and deeply wounded, God wants to form your church into a family who helps lost people find his way. (Read Acts 2:42-47.)

Love, the Leader’s Motivation

Jesus gave us a completely different example of what leaders should look like in this world. Sadly, in some churches around the world, the leaders don’t follow the example of Jesus. Instead they follow worldly examples of leaders who lord it over those under them. When Christian leaders serve with sincere humility and love, the people in their flock never forget it. And they become servant leaders, too. God’s true kingdom multiplies! (Read Mark 10:42-45.)

Understanding God’s Wonderful Gift of Salvation

The gospel is a pearl of great price for all sinners. It gives us great joy when we understand it and receive it. Even a simple presentation of the gospel can guide a sinner to repent and believe. But year by year, all believers need to go deeper in understanding salvation. As we do, the Holy Spirit brings life to us like a powerful river inside of us. The better we understand the gospel, the better we will help the lost to find hope in it. (Read Rom. 1:16-17.)

Baptism in the Home Fellowship

Many around the world attend a church and call themselves believers but have never obeyed Jesus’ command to be baptized. Baptism calls each person to publicly confess their faith in Christ. They are confessing that they need a Savior and that they truly believe Jesus’ death and resurrection was for their salvation. But baptisms are not only for those who enter the water. They renew the faith of all believers who watch as well. (Read Rom. 6:1-14.)

Worshiping Together in Spirit and Truth

Worship flows naturally from the hearts of believers whose eyes are opened to how much God has given them—in material things, in friends and family, and, especially, in their union with Christ. A grateful heart is a worshiping heart. And people who are happy in Christ naturally begin to change the world around them. A home group that worships God from the heart is welcoming the Lord’s presence among them... And that is power! (Read Psalm 100.)

God’s Word: our Daily Bread

Jesus and the apostles warned that many false prophets and teachers would distort God’s Word and lead many astray. Your home group takes a strong stand against Satan’s deception by studying God’s Word carefully each week, and by teaching your people to read (or listen) to the scriptures in their times alone with God. Faith is renewed each week by hearing God’s Word! It is our daily bread! (Read Psalm 119:9-16.)

Passing the Gospel on to the Children

Jesus said “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them...” (Matt. 19:14, NIV) But do you hinder them in your home group from coming to him? Do you give careful attention to teaching your children God’s ways? In a few years, these children could be leaders of the church in your country. But this will happen only if you make sure to train them now to walk with God. Children need the gospel, too, and they need the loving guidance of believing adults. Don’t neglect this treasure that Christ has given you. (Read 2 Tim. 3:14-15.)

Celebrating the Lord’s Supper with Thanksgiving

When Jesus gave his disciples the bread and the wine as his body and blood, he was telling them, “I love you so much that I am giving my life for you. Please never forget this.” In your group, take the Lord’s Supper often. When you do it, don’t hurry. Allow people time to quietly confess sins and thank him for the covenant of grace. The Holy Spirit is present in a powerful way when we take it together. We are washed clean again and serve Him with fresh joy. (Read John 6:35 & 51).

Growing in Faith through Prayer

There is something mysterious about the way prayer works in us and through us. Jesus and the apostles knew how to pray without show or hypocrisy. They prayed in faith!. The heart of their prayers was that God’s kingdom would come and his will be done on earth. All through the New Testament, when the apostles prayed, God’s kingdom grew in power. Does your home group pray together often? The church that learns to pray together grows together! (Read Ephesians 6:18.)

Discovering the Joy of Giving

In the gospels, stories on giving often tell us of great sacrifice. Think of the widow and her tiny coins. She gave all she had to live on. And the good Samaritan sacrificed much time, money and reputation to help his country’s enemy (a Jewish man lying beaten on the road). The home fellowship that learns to give generously is regularly touching the world with Christ’s love. (Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-5.)

Becoming Mature Disciples

Every chapter in this book is about making disciples, but in this specific chapter on discipleship, the emphasis is on two things: 1)Is the character of Jesus being formed more deeply in your church members year by year? 2) Are they each taking on the responsibility to pass on what they are learning to others who are younger in the Lord? If each church member takes discipleship seriously, God will use your group mightily. (Read 2 Timothy 2:1-2.)

Forgiveness in the Home Fellowship

Every family in the world needs to learn to live together in harmony. The church of Jesus is no different. Sadly, some churches have factions that go on for years. Bitterness remains between brothers and sisters and slowly poisons many relationships. But when relationships are healed among church members, hope is restored that Christ’s kingdom can truly flourish on this earth. (Read Ephesians 4:32.)

Becoming Salt and Light in the World

Right now around the world in millions of ways, believers are showing the love of Christ to people who don’t know him. True believers not only proclaim the truths of the gospel; they live out the gospel in practical ways. Jesus went about doing good (Acts 10:38) and his Church does the same. House church members do more than just meet on Sundays; their acts of kindness and mercy touch the world every day. (Read Matthew 25:31-40.)

Remaining Steadfast in Persecution

Nobody wants persecution. We all hope it will never come to us. But Jesus said his true followers would experience it. When we suffer, should we despair, thinking that God is not in control anymore? Let’s never forget Romans 8:28. Though evil men, inspired by evil spiritual forces, do evil things, God is still working out his purposes. Let’s trust him to spread the gospel and to refine our faith like gold. (Read Romans 8:28-39.)

How can your group grow in Christ?

Application and Prayer

Go back to the Frequently Asked Questions section above. Look more carefully there at the summaries of the chapters of this book. Choose a few chapters where you think your group is weak and needs to grow. Study those chapters again in the weeks ahead and pray for growth in those areas.

Appendix A: Resources

The following websites contain many helpful resources for both children and adults in many languages. You can also find songs and messages in many languages on Youtube.

WEBSITES:

1)  www.learnhisways.com

When you visit this website you will see flags for the various languages. Click on the flag for the language you need and you will see the available resources. All are FREE to download to your device or to print as books or as individual studies for your home group. You may also print books to distribute to other groups in your country.

This book, Following Jesus Together, is available in several languages from this website.

The following Bible study and devotional books are also available here in many languages. These books are useful tools to use alongside this book and are referenced throughout the chapters.

50 Life Studies

Exploring the Ancient Book of Genesis

Growing Strong in Christ through the Beatitudes

One Flesh-One Heart (on marriage)

Raising Children to Walk with God (for parents)

2)  www.thehopeproject.com

The Hope video: the story of the gospel from Genesis through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

3)  https://www.jesusfilm.org/search.html?q=English

The life of Jesus for adults and for children, the story of Mary Magdalene (Magdalena), as well as other films

4)  https://www.jesusfilm.org/strategies-and-tools/resources/the-app.html

Jesus video app: Here you can download an app that will give you free access to all of the films on the website above in hundreds of languages.

5)  olivetree.com.

Free Bible in many languages

6)  https://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/audio-bibles/bible-recordings.

Audio Bible in many languages

7)  bible.com/app

Free Bible App in many languages

8)  bible.com/kids

Free Bible App for children in many languages

9)  https://bibleforchildren.org/

Bible stories for children in many languages, with pictures for children to color that can be downloaded and printed

10)  http://www.wol-children.net/index.php?n=English.Main

Audio Bible stories for children in many languages, with the script for creating your own Bible story dramas

11)  https://songs.worshipleaderapp.com/

Worship songs in many languages

Appendix B: Stories

Bible Stories for Home Fellowships And Suggestions for Using Them with Children and Adults

Below is a list of Bible Stories that both children and adults can enjoy and learn from.

Old Testament

- Genesis 1&2: Creation

- Genesis 3: The fall of mankind into sin

- Genesis 4: Cain and Abel: the first murder

- Genesis 6:5—Genesis 8:22: Noah and the flood

- Genesis 11:1-9: The Tower of Babel

- Genesis chapters 12—50: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph: These chapters have many stories children will love. Some of the stories will be more appropriate for older children and adults.

- Exodus chapters 1—20:21 & chapters 32—34: God Delivers Israel from Egypt and gives the Ten Commandments. There are many fascinating stories for all ages in these chapters.

- Numbers chapters 13—14: Spies are sent into Canaan; Israel rebels against God

- Joshua chapters 1—4 & 5:10––10:15: Joshua leads Israel into Canaan; the walls of Jericho fall

- Judges chapters 6 and 7: Gideon miraculously defeats the Midianites

- The Book of Ruth: This is a beautiful story of love and faith!

- The Books of 1 & 2 Samuel: Young children will love the story of David defeating the giant, Goliath, in 1 Sam. 17. Many of the other stories in these two books have important lessons for children who are a little older and for adults.

- 1 Kings chapters 16:29—19:21 and 2 Kings chapter 2: Elijah the prophet confronts a wicked king and false gods (Miracle Stories)

- 2 Kings chapters 4—7: Elisha the prophet does many miracles

- 2 Chronicles 20:1-30: Jehoshaphat: God delivers Judah

- The Book of Esther: Esther risks her life to save her people

- Daniel chapters 1—6: Exciting stories of Daniel and his three friends in Babylon and how God delivered them.

- The Book of Jonah: Jonah Runs from God and is swallowed by a fish

New Testament

Below is a list of 25 stories from the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and the Acts of the Apostles that everyone from young children to adults will enjoy. The Gospels contain many stories from the life and miracles of Jesus. The Book of Acts has many great stories of miracles God did through the Apostles after Jesus went back into heaven. It also tells of trials and suffering that Jesus’ followers endured as they took the gospel everywhere. These stories can inspire your fellowship members of all ages to also follow Jesus and take the gospel to others.

- The Birth of Jesus: Luke chapters1&2 and Matthew 1:18—2:23

- Jesus Is Tempted: Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13

- The Parable of the House on the Rock: Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:46-49

- Miracles of Healing: Matthew 8:1-17

- Jesus Calms a Storm: Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; and Luke 8:22-25

- Jesus Forgives Sins and Heals a Paralyzed Man: Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26

- Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals Others: Matthew 9:18-34; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56

- The Parable of the Sower: Matthew 13:1-23; Mark 4:1-20; and Luke 8:4-15

- Jesus Feeds Five Thousand People: Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30- 44; and Luke 9:10-17

- Jesus Walks on Water: Matthew 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-52; John 6:16-21

- Jesus Feeds Four Thousand People: Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10

- The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant: Matthew 18:21-35

- Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem: Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10 Luke 19:28-40

- Jesus Heals a Blind Man: Mark 8:22-26

- Jesus Says to Let the Children Come to Him: Mark 10:13-16; Luke 18:15-17

- The Parable of the Prodigal Son: Luke 15:11-32

- Jesus Heals Ten Lepers: Luke 17:11-19

- Jesus Meets Zacchaeus: Luke 19:1-10

- Jesus Is Crucified: Matthew chapters 26&27; Mark chapters 14&15 Luke chapters 22&23 John chapters 18&19 (These passages are very long. For young children you will need to tell it more briefly or read it from a children’s Bible. You could also read a little each day, leading up to Easter Sunday.)

- Jesus Rises from the Dead: Matthew 28:1-10 Mark 16:1-13; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18

- A Lame Beggar Is Healed in Jesus’ Name: Acts 3:1-10

- Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch: Acts 8:26-40

- Dorcas Is Raised from the Dead: Acts 9:36-43

- Peter Is Released from Prison: Acts 12:1-19

- Paul and Silas Sing in Prison; The Jailer’s Family Believes: Acts 16:16-34

Suggestions for Teaching Bible Stories to Children

1. Prepare ahead of time.

a) Begin by praying for the Holy Spirit to guide you as you prepare. Then, read the story through several times and practice telling it in your own words. Think about the ages of the children in your group. How can you best present the story so they will understand and remember it? Will you read it from the Bible or from a children’s Bible, or will you tell it in your own words?

b) Take time, also, to think about the main message of the story. What does this story teach the children about God? Does it teach something about people and our relationship to God —perhaps something about obeying God? Is this story a positive example of someone who did what was right, or a negative example of someone who did wrong?

Try to think of how to say the main message of the story in one simple sentence that is appropriate to their ages that they can remember. Write the sentence down. You will want to emphasize this several times throughout the story time.

c) Write down a few simple questions you can ask the children to see if they understand the story.

d) Think about what you will do to help them remember the story. Will you have them act it out in a simple drama? Draw a picture of the story? Write out and memorize a verse from the story? You may want to do all of these. Think about how you will do each of these and make sure you have on hand the supplies that you will need for whatever you plan to do.

2. Present the story.

a) Read or tell the story, whichever you have decided is best for their ages.

b) Read or tell it again, emphasizing what you wrote down as the main message of the story.

c) Ask the questions you have prepared. Encourage different ones to answer. If they aren’t sure of the answers, read or tell the story—or at least that part of the story—again.

d) Have the children tell the story back to you. Use questions to help them remember any parts they leave out.

3. Reinforce the story.

a) If you will act out the story, assign the children roles to play and explain to them how they will act out the story. You may want to act it out several times so that all of the children get to play a part.

b) If they will draw a picture, help them think about what to draw that will best display the main message of the story.

c) Have them write the verse to remember on their picture or other paper, and encourage them to take it home and practice saying it for their parents throughout the week.

d) Take time to pray about what they have learned from the story and how they will apply it in their lives.

e) Encourage them to tell the story to their parents and tell what they learned from the story. They can also tell it to other relatives or friends.

f) The next time you meet, ask questions to see what they remember from this story. Also, give them a chance to say from memory the verse they memorized, and to tell about anyone they shared the story with.

Suggestions for Using Bible Stories with Adults

To use the above stories in a Bible study with adults, the following storying principles are recommended:

1. Prepare ahead of time.

Begin by praying and asking the Holy Spirit to be the Teacher for you and the group you will lead. Then read the story (or listen to the audio) several times so that you are familiar with it ahead of time. If you will tell the story from memory, make sure you know it well enough that you don’t leave out important details.

You may want to also read the surrounding verses or chapters so that you understand the context of the story. Ask God to help you see the main message of the story.

2. Present the story to your fellowship.

As in your preparation, begin with prayer. Then read or tell the story to the home group. Then read or tell it again. Everyone will hear things the second time that they missed the first time. Some people may want to only listen; others may enjoy following along in a printed Bible or on their phone.

3. Have them retell the story from memory, Bibles closed.

Don’t rush them; give them time to think and remember. Encourage everyone to participate, adding whatever details they remember. If they are struggling to remember, you may want to read or tell the story a third time, and then have them tell it.

After they have told what they can recall, remind them of the parts they have left out. Make sure they don’t miss the main message of the story.

4. Ask questions to help them think more deeply about the story.

Try to get everyone involved in this discussion time. You may think of specific questions to ask to help them see the main message of the passage, or you may want to use these general questions:

a) What in this story was right, or good? What was wrong, or bad?

b) What does this story help you to understand about God (or Jesus)?

c) What does this story help you to see about yourself? What do you need to repent of or change as a result of what is taught in this story? What, specifically, will you do to obey God?

d) Who will you tell this story to this week?

5. Take time to pray, applying what you have learned, as the Holy Spirit leads or convicts.

Appendix C: Forgiving and Asking Forgiveness

1. What does it mean to forgive?

Learning to forgive is something we all must do, but many times forgiving is hard because we don’t understand what forgiveness is.

a) Forgiveness means that you are releasing the wrong and the hurt into God’s hands. When you choose to forgive someone, you are not saying that what they did was not wrong, nor are you saying that they did not hurt you. If there is no hurt or wrong, there is no need to forgive. Forgiveness means you will not seek to hurt them in return. You are trusting God to work in the heart of that person.

b) Forgiveness means that you recognize that God has shown great mercy to you and therefore you will be merciful also. Think about Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:12-15. Here we see a very serious truth. If we want God to forgive all of the great debt of sin that we have committed against him, we must have an attitude of forgiveness toward those who sin against us.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. (Matt. 5:7)

c) Forgiveness means that you are refusing to grow cold and bitter in your heart. Forgiveness is not just something you do for the person who has hurt you, it is also for your own sake. If you hold on to bitterness and anger, it will destroy you. They may never ask for your forgiveness. If they don’t, then this is only between you and God. Go to God and tell him that you are choosing to forgive them and ask him for his grace to help you release it to him.

2. When someone has sinned against me and comes and asks for my forgiveness, how should I respond?

a) Listen in an attitude of humility. When someone comes to you confessing their sin and asking for forgiveness, they are doing a very difficult thing. Give them your full attention and resist thoughts that you are a better person than they are. Remember your own need for God’s mercy.

b) Speak words of forgiveness. A good thing to say would be, “Thank you for saying that. I forgive you.” Don’t brush their words aside as if it is not important. They need assurance that you forgive them.

c) Ask yourself and God, “Was I partly at fault?” Are you perhaps also guilty of wrong toward the other person? There may be something for which you need to ask forgiveness from them. Listen to God with a humble and open heart, and then respond by asking their forgiveness for anything he shows you that you have done wrong, even if it seems small.

d) Show love and acceptance to them. While you may not be able to immediately trust a person who has been dishonest or hurt you in some way, you can still open your heart to them in love. Your mercy will encourage them to grow. Pray for God’s blessing on them—together with them, if appropriate, or later, alone.

Give them grace as Christ has given you grace.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:8-12)

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7)

Once you have forgiven the one who has offended you, you should not continue to talk about what they did wrong, or to let your thoughts dwell on it. Leave it in the past and leave it with God. Trust HIM to change your feelings as you continue to give the past to him every time it comes to your mind.

3. When I realize that I have hurt someone by my words, actions, or attitude, what should I do?

a) Humble yourself. Admit to yourself and to God that you were wrong in what you said or did. As you confess your sin to God, receive his forgiveness.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

b) Confess your wrong to the person you have offended. Ask God to help you to see clearly where you have been wrong and then go to that person, naming your sin specifically and taking full responsibility for it. Don’t make excuses for your behavior, and don’t talk about their wrong. Let God work in their heart if they were also wrong.

c) Ask for forgiveness.When you say, “Will you forgive me for __________?” you give the other person something specific they can respond to. If they cannot say “yes” immediately, give them time to think about it and pray for them that God would heal any pain you have caused in their life.

d) Change. Don’t keep doing the same sin over and over again; “Bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt. 3:8). Meditate on Galatians 5:16-25. God is not asking you to change yourself by your own willpower. Instead, trust deeply in Jesus’ sacrifice to take away all your sin, and ask God to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life.

Verses

This story is retold from the book Elders and Leaders by Gene A. Getz, copyright 2003, Moody Publishers. Used by permission.

This story is retold from the book, Visions Beyond the Veil, by H.A. Baker, Minneapolis: Osterhus Publishing House, 1950.

From the book And the Word Came With Power by Joanne Shetler and Patricia Purvis, Wycliffe, 2002. Used with permission from Joanne Shetler.

This story is adapted from the book Fire on the Mountains by Raymond Davis, Zondervan, 1966.

ten Boom, Corrie, and John and Elizabeth Sherrill. (1971) The Hiding Place. Grand Rapids, MI: Chosen Books.

ten Boom, Corrie, and Jamie Buckingham. (2011) Tramp for the Lord. Fort Washington, PA: CLC Publications.

These paragraphs are taken from Day 27 in the devotional book, Growing Strong in Christ through the Beatitudes. See “Resources” Appendix for how to get a copy of this book.

Quotes in this story are taken from The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun with Paul Hattaway. Monarch Books, Oxford, England, 2002.

1 Corinthians 12:13

13For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Matt. 16:18

18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

Revelation 21:3

3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

John 14:23

23Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

Acts 2

2 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
13Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

“‘In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
18Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.
19I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
22“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
27because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
28You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
29“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’
36“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:36-47

36“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:41

41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 1:4-8

4On 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. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But 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.”

Acts 1:8

8But 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.”

Acts 2:42

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Acts 2:43

43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

Acts 2:44-45

44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.

Acts 2:46

46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,

Acts 2:47

47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Ephesians 4:1-16

1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called ; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”
9(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

1 Corinthians 12-14

12 1Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

13 1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

14 1Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
6Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
13For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21In the Law it is written:

“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.”
22Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace —as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
34Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. 35If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
36Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? 37If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 38But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored.
39Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Philemon

1 1Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker — 2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier —and to the church that meets in your home:
3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your love for all his holy people and your faith in the Lord Jesus. 6I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ. 7Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.
8Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 9yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— 10that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. 11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. 14But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary. 15Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
17So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self. 20I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
22And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
23Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. 24And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers.
25The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Philemon 19

19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

Philemon 10

10that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.

Philemon 18

18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.

Philemon 11

11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

Philemon 16

16no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.

Philemon 18-19

18If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 19I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me your very self.

Philemon 2

2also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier —and to the church that meets in your home:

Philemon 12

12I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.

Philemon 11-13

11Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.
12I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you. 13I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.

Acts 5:42

42Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Hebrews 10:24-25

24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another —and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

John 17:20-21

20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Colossians 3:9-17

9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ephesians 4:1-16

1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called ; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it says:

“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”
9(What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
14Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

12Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

John 10:14-16

14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father —and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Acts 2:42-47

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Rom. 12:3-8

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Ephesians 2:11-22

11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) — 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Acts 2:42-47

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

1 Thessalonians 2

2 1You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed —God is our witness. 6We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7Instead, we were like young children among you.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. 14For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
17But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way. 19For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 2:2

2We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-5

3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed —God is our witness.

1 Thessalonians 2:5-6

5hearts. 5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed —God is our witness. 6We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.

1 Thessalonians 2:7-10

7Instead, we were like young children among you.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

11For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

1 Thessalonians 2:13

13And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16

14For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

Mark 10:35-45

35Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”
36“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
37They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
38“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?”
39“We can,” they answered.
Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”
41When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. 42Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Philippians 2:1-11

1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

John 10:14

14“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

1 Corinthians 13:7

7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

John 15:9-17

9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command. 15I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit —fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17This is my command: Love each other.

John 13:1-17

1It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

John 14:15-24

15“If you love me, keep my commands. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Luke 15:1-7

1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Luke 15:8-10

8“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15: 11-32

11Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
13“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
17“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20So he got up and went to his father.
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Luke 10: 25-37

25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

1 Corinthians 13

13 1If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Galatians 5:16-26

16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

1 John 3:11-18

11For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous. 13Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.
16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

1 John 4:7-21

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19We love because he first loved us. 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

John 21:15-17

15When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

John 3:1-21

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven —the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

John 3:3

3Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

John 3:4

4“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

John 3:5-7

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

John 3:5

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

John 3:5-6

5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

John 3:6

6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

John 3:7

7You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

John 3:8

8The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

John 3:14-15

14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

Numbers 21:4-9

4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”
6Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

John 3:16-17

16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Ephesians 2:1-10

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:1

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,

Ephesians 2:2

2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Ephesians 2:3

3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

Ephesians 2:4-5

4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:6

6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:7

7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-10

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Acts 2:38

38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:1-10

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Acts 2:38

38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Genesis 1-3

1 1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning —the first day.
6And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning —the second day.
9And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. 10God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
11Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds. ” And it was so. 12The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13And there was evening, and there was morning —the third day.
14And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19And there was evening, and there was morning —the fourth day.
20And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” 23And there was evening, and there was morning —the fifth day.
24And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
26Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
28God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground. ”
29Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food. ” And it was so.
31God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning —the sixth day.

2 1Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
2By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
4This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
5Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
8Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. 11The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12(The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) 13The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush. 14The name of the third river is the Tigris; it runs along the east side of Ashur. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
18The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
19Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals.
But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
23The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
for she was taken out of man. ”
24That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
25Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

3 1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? ”
2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
4“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
11And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? ”
12The man said, “The woman you put here with me —she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
13Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
15And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
16To the woman he said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you. ”
17To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
18It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
19By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”
20Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.
21The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Luke 18:9-14

9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Galatians 2:11-21

11When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.
14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?
15“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
17“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners, doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! 18If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
19“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

Acts 2:29-41

29“Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
35until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”’
36“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off —for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Romans 6:1-14

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — 7because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6:1-4

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Romans 6:5-7

5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — 7because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6:6-7

6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — 7because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6:8

8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Romans 6:8-10

8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

Romans 6:11

11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:12

12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

Romans 6:13-14

13Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

John 10:10

10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Matthew 28:18-20

18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 16:15,16

15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Acts 2:41

41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 8:36-38

36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

Acts 10:44-48

44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, 47“Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Acts 16:22-34

22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Psalm 115:4-8

4But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
6They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
7They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.

Heb. 13:15

15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

Rom. 12:1

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Luke 17:11-19

11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
14When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
17Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Luke 17:12

12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance

Luke 17:13

13and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

Luke 17:12

12As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance

Luke 17:14

14When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

Luke 17:15-16

15One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Luke 17:17-18

17esus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Psalm 103

1Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children —
18with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, my soul.

Psalm 103:1-2

1Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—

Psalm 103:3-5

3who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 103:3-5

3who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Psalm 103:6-14

6The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

Psalm 103

1Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children —
18with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, my soul.

Genesis 22:5

5He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you. ”

Acts 16:22-40

22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
35When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
37But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”
38The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

Daniel 3

1King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. 3So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it.
4Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.”
7Therefore, as soon as they heard the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp and all kinds of music, all the nations and peoples of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
8At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. 9They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “May the king live forever! 10Your Majesty has issued a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music must fall down and worship the image of gold, 11and that whoever does not fall down and worship will be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego —who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.”
13Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
16Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. 18But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. ”
19Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
24Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”
25He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
26Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
28Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.”
30Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Rom. 12:1

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

2 Chronicles 20

1After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.
2Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar ” (that is, En Gedi). 3Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
5Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6and said:

“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7Our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9‘If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.’
10“But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. ”
13All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.
14Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
15He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
18Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
22As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. 25So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. 26On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berakah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Berakah to this day.
27Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. 28They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lyres and trumpets.
29The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. 30And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
31So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. 33The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.
34The other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the book of the kings of Israel.
35Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked. 36He agreed with him to construct a fleet of trading ships. After these were built at Ezion Geber, 37Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.

Luke 7:36-50

36When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
40Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
41“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
48Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

1 Corinthians 14:26

26What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.

Heb. 10:19-23

19Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Jeremiah 9:23,24

23This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
or the strong boast of their strength
or the rich boast of their riches,
24but let the one who boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.

John 17:3

3Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

2 Samuel 6:14-23

14Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
16As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
17They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. 18After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. 19Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.
20When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”
21David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. 22I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”
23And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Matthew 15:8-9

8“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules. ’ ”

Rom. 12:1

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Acts 17:10-12

10As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.

Acts 17:11

11Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

2 Tim. 3:14–4:5

14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

4 1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

2 Tim. 3:16

16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

2 Tim. 4:1-2

1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction.

2 Tim. 4:2

2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction.

2 Tim. 4:3-4

3For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

2 Tim. 4:5

5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Heb. 4:12-13

12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Heb. 4:12

12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Luke 6:46-49

46“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

2 Timothy 3:15

15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

John 14:6

6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

2 Timothy 3:16

16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

2 Timothy 3:17

17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:14

14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,

Mark 10:13-15

13People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

1 Samuel 1:1-28

1There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 2He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were priests of the Lord. 4Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 5But to Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her womb. 6Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 7This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat. 8Her husband Elkanah would say to her, “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why don’t you eat? Why are you downhearted? Don’t I mean more to you than ten sons? ”
9Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. 10In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
12As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk 14and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
15“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
17Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him. ”
18She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes. ” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.
19Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. 20So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
21When her husband Elkanah went up with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow, 22Hannah did not go. She said to her husband, “After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him before the Lord, and he will live there always.”
23“Do what seems best to you,” her husband Elkanah told her. “Stay here until you have weaned him; only may the Lord make good his word.” So the woman stayed at home and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

1 Samuel 1:6

6Because the Lord had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her.

1 Samuel 1:10-11

10In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”

1 Samuel 1:20

20So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”

1 Samuel 1:24-28

24After he was weaned, she took the boy with her, young as he was, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh. 25When the bull had been sacrificed, they brought the boy to Eli, 26and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 27I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. 28So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

1 Samuel 3:1-21

1The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.
2One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am. ” 5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
7Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
8A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel! ”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
11And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”
15Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”
Samuel answered, “Here I am.”
17“What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”
19The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

1 Samuel 3:1

1The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions.

1 Samuel 3:3-4

3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4Then the Lord called Samuel.
Samuel answered, “Here I am. ”

Genesis 22:1

1Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.

Exodus 3:4

4When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”

Isaiah 6:8

8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? ”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Acts 9:10

10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

1 Samuel 3:5-6

5And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down.
6Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”

1 Samuel 3:8-9

8A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

1 Samuel 3:11-14

11And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. 14Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

1 Samuel 3:19-21

19The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

1 Samuel 3:20

20And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord.

1 Samuel 3:21

21The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

John 7:37,38

37On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

4Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:20-25

20In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” 21tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness. ”

Psalm 78:1-8

1My people, hear my teaching;
listen to the words of my mouth.
2I will open my mouth with a parable;
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
3things we have heard and known,
things our ancestors have told us.
4We will not hide them from their descendants;
we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done.
5He decreed statutes for Jacob
and established the law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach their children,
6so the next generation would know them,
even the children yet to be born,
and they in turn would tell their children.
7Then they would put their trust in God
and would not forget his deeds
but would keep his commands.
8They would not be like their ancestors —
a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
whose spirits were not faithful to him.

Ephesians 6:1-4

1Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3“so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

17In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 20So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
33So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.

1 Corinthians 11:17-18

17In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.

1 Corinthians 11:20-22

20So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!

1 Corinthians 11:23

23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,

1 Corinthians 11:26

26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 11:27-34

27So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
33So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.

1 Corinthians 11:21-22

21for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!

1 Corinthians 11:29

29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

1 Corinthians 11:28-31

28Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.

1 Corinthians 11:31

31But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.

1 Corinthians 11:32

32Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.

1 Corinthians 11:27

27So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:29

29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

1 John 1:9

9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 Corinthians 11:33-34

33So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.

1 Corinthians 11:29

29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

1 Timothy 1:15

15Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners —of whom I am the worst.

Exodus 12

1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2“This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. 3Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. 4If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. 5The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. 6Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. 7Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. 8That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. 9Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs. 10Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. 11This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover.
12“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.
14“This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance. 15For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. 16On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do.
17“Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 18In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. 19For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel. 20Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.”
21Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.
24“Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.
29At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.
31During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. 32Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.”
33The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!” 34So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 35The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
37The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. 39With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.
40Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430years. 41At the end of the 430years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions left Egypt. 42Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come.
43The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover meal:
“No foreigner may eat it. 44Any slave you have bought may eat it after you have circumcised him, 45but a temporary resident or a hired worker may not eat it.
46“It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones. 47The whole community of Israel must celebrate it.
48“A foreigner residing among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land. No uncircumcised male may eat it. 49The same law applies both to the native-born and to the foreigner residing among you.”
50All the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. 51And on that very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.

Acts 2:42-47

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

1 Corinthians 11:25

25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

1 Pet. 2:5

5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Revelation 1:6

6and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father —to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20

18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Isaiah 52:13

13See, my servant will act wisely;
he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.

Isaiah 53:1-12

1Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
4Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Psalm 32

1Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Psalm 51

1Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
18May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 103

1Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children —
18with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, my soul.

Luke 23:26-56

26As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30Then

“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
44It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
50Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
55The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Matthew 27:32-66

32As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 34There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.
38Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
45From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 46About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
54When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
55Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
57As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
62The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

Mark 15

1Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
2“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
3The chief priests accused him of many things. 4So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”
5But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
6Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested. 7A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. 8The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
9“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, 10knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. 11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
12“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
13“Crucify him!” they shouted.
14“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
15Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
16The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. 17They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. 18And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” 19Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. 20And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
21A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. 22They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). 23Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
25It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. 26The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.
27They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30come down from the cross and save yourself!” 31In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! 32Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
33At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
35When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
37With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
40Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. 41In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
42It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, 43Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 44Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. 45When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. 46So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.

John 19

1Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
4Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.” 5When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
8When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
12From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
13When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). 14It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon.
“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
15But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
16Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). 18There they crucified him, and with him two others —one on each side and Jesus in the middle.
19Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews. 20Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. 21The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,

“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.”
So this is what the soldiers did.
25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
28Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” 37and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
38Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

John 6:25-71

25When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
28Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
30So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34“Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”
35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
41At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
43“Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71(He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

Romans 3:21-31

21But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood —to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished — 26he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

17In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. 20So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter!
23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
33So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I come I will give further directions.

Ephesians 2

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions —it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
11Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) — 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Philippians 2:1-11

1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

1 John 1:5–2:2

5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

2 1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Revelation 5

1Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Ephesians 3:14-21

14For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:14

14For this reason I kneel before the Father,

Ephesians 3:12

12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Ephesians 3:14

14For this reason I kneel before the Father,

Ephesians 3:16-19

16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:16

16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Ephesians 3:17

17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,

Ephesians 3:17-19

17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:19

19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:20

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Ephesians 3:21

21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:16-19

16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 1:17-19

17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength

Philippians 1:9-11

9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Colossians 1:9-12

9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

Matthew 6:5-15

5“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11Give us today our daily bread.
12And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Psalm 33:1-11

1Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
5The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
6By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
he puts the deep into storehouses.
8Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the world revere him.
9For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
10The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Psalm 59:16-17

16But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
17You are my strength, I sing praise to you;
you, God, are my fortress,
my God on whom I can rely.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20

20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 118:21

21I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.

1 John 1:8-2:2

8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

2 1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Matthew 6:12

12And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Psalm 32:3-5

3When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.

Psalm 38:18

18I confess my iniquity;
I am troubled by my sin.

Proverbs 28:13

13Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Philippians 4:6-7

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

James 5:13

13Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.

Matthew 6:11

11Give us today our daily bread.

Matthew 6:13

13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

Matthew 26:41

41“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Matthew 7:7-11

7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Ephesians 6:18-20

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Colossians 1:9-12

9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

Colossians 4:12

12Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

James 5:16

16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

1 Tim. 2:1-2

1I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Matthew 5:44-45

44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Rom. 10:17

17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Luke 4:38-40

38Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. 39So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.
40At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.

Luke 5:12-13

12While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
13Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

Luke 7:1-10

1When Jesus had finished saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 6So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.

Acts 4:1-31

1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Luke 4:31-37

31Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
33In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34“Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are —the Holy One of God!”
35“Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.
36All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” 37And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

Mark 5:1-20

1They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
9Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Psalm 51

1Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
18May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Psalm 32

1Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.
5Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

1 John 1:9

9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Matthew 6:25-34

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

John 3:16

16For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Luke 16:13

13“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Acts 11:27-30

27During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) 29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. 30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Acts 11:28

28One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.)

Acts 11:29

29The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea.

Acts 11:30

30This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

1 Corinthians 16:1-4

1Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2

1Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

1 Corinthians 16:3-4

3Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

2 Corinthians 8

1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But since you excel in everything —in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
10And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
22In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.

2 Corinthians 8:9

9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

2 Corinthians 8:10-12

10And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

2 Corinthians 8:12

12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.

2 Corinthians 8:20-21

20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.

2 Corinthians 8:16-19

16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.

2 Corinthians 9

1There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”
10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

2 Corinthians 9:6

6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

2 Corinthians 9:7

7Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:12-15

12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

1 Tim. 6:6-10

6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Tim. 6:17-19

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Leviticus 23:22

22“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’”

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

7If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. 9Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Matthew 6:25-33

25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:19-21

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 18:9-14

9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Matthew 23:23-24

23“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

Rom. 12:20

20On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

1 Corinthians 9:13-14

13Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

Mark 12:41-44

41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Matthew 6:19-34

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
25“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Luke 6:27-36

27“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Matthew 6:1-4

1“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 25:31-46

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life. ”

Luke 14:12-14

12Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Acts 4:32-5:11

32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

5 1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

2 Corinthians 8-9

1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. 6So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But since you excel in everything —in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
10And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter. Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, 15as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.”
16Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 17For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. 20We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. 21For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
22In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. 23As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. 24Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

9 1There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.
6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written:

“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.”
10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

1 Timothy 6:6-10

6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Ephesians 4:28

28Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Luke 6:40

40The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

Mark 1:14-20

14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
16As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18At once they left their nets and followed him.
19When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Mark 1:14-15

14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Mark 1:17

17“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Mark 1:18

18At once they left their nets and followed him.

Mark 1:20

20Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Matthew 28:16-20

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18

18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Matthew 28:19

19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Matthew 28:20

20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19

19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Matthew 28:20

20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Mark 9:33-37

33They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. 35Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” 36He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Luke 22:31,32

31“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Proverbs 16:28

28A perverse person stirs up conflict,
and a gossip separates close friends.

Proverbs 20:19

19A gossip betrays a confidence;
so avoid anyone who talks too much.

Proverbs 26:20-22

20Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.

Ephesians 4:29

29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

James 1:2

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

Galatians 5:14-15

14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

4And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

James 3:14-16

14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Philippians 2:1-11

1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Matthew 7:1-5

1“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Rom. 2:1-3

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?

Rom. 14:1-13

1Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
10You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”
12So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
13Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.

1 Corinthians 5

1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. 2And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? 3For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. 4So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, 5hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.
12What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

Matthew 18:15-17

15“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Rom. 16:17-18

17I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

Genesis 37

1Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan.
2This is the account of Jacob’s family line.
Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought their father a bad report about them.
3Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made an ornate robe for him. 4When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.
5Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more. 6He said to them, “Listen to this dream I had: 7We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it.”
8His brothers said to him, “Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?” And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said.
9Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. “Listen,” he said, “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
10When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?” 11His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.
12Now his brothers had gone to graze their father’s flocks near Shechem, 13and Israel said to Joseph, “As you know, your brothers are grazing the flocks near Shechem. Come, I am going to send you to them.”
“Very well,” he replied.
14So he said to him, “Go and see if all is well with your brothers and with the flocks, and bring word back to me.” Then he sent him off from the Valley of Hebron.
When Joseph arrived at Shechem, 15a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, “What are you looking for?”
16He replied, “I’m looking for my brothers. Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks?”
17“They have moved on from here,” the man answered. “I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan. ’”
So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. 18But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him.
19“Here comes that dreamer! ” they said to each other. 20“Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”
21When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. “Let’s not take his life,” he said. 22“Don’t shed any blood. Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don’t lay a hand on him.” Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father.
23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— 24and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.
25As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded with spices, balm and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt.
26Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? 27Come, let’s sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood. ” His brothers agreed.
28So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
29When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. 30He went back to his brothers and said, “The boy isn’t there! Where can I turn now?”
31Then they got Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat and dipped the robe in the blood. 32They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, “We found this. Examine it to see whether it is your son’s robe.”
33He recognized it and said, “It is my son’s robe! Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces.”
34Then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned for his son many days. 35All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave. ” So his father wept for him.
36Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.

James 2:1-9

1My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?
8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

1 Tim. 5:21

21I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

James 1:19-20

19My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

Ephesians 4:26-27

26“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:31

31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Proverbs 14:29

29Whoever is patient has great understanding,
but one who is quick-tempered displays folly.

Proverbs 15:1

1A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Matthew 5:21-22

21“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister, will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Proverbs 8:13

13To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.

Proverbs 16:18

18Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.

Rom. 12:3

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Rom. 12:16

16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Philippians 2:1-8

1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death —
even death on a cross!

Galatians 6:1,2

1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-12

11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

Rom. 1:9

9God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you

Ephesians 4:11-13

11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Colossians 1:9

9For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,

Ephesians 1:15

15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people,

2 Thessalonians 1:11

11With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.

John 8:31-32

31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Matthew 6:12-15

12And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 6:12

12And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Matthew 6:14-15

14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Colossians 3:12-14

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Colossians 3:13

13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians 3:12

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:13

13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Mark 11:24-25

24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Mark 11:24

24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Mark 11:25

25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Matthew 5:23-24

23“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Mark 11:25

25And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Matthew 5:23-24

23“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 18:21-22

21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Rom. 12:17-21

17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 5:43-48

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 6:12-15

12And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:21-35

21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Isaiah 53:7-9

7He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Matthew 27:11-14

11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
12When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 13Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” 14But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.

Luke 23:33-34

33When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

John 13:34-35

34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Colossians 3:12-15

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

1 John 4:7-12

7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
10Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”

1 John 4:19-21

19We love because he first loved us. 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

1 Pet. 3:8-12

8Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10For,

“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech.
11They must turn from evil and do good;
they must seek peace and pursue it.
12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Matthew 18:15-17

15“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Colossians 3:12-14

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Matthew 5:23-24

23“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Colossians 3:12-14

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Matthew 25:31-46

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

Matthew 25:31-32

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Matthew 25:32

32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Matthew 25:31

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.

Matthew 25:34-36

34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 25:34

34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

Matthew 25:35-36

35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 25:37-39

37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

Matthew 25:40

40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:42-43

42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

Matthew 25:44

44“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

Matthew 25:37-39

37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

Matthew 25:45

45“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Ephesians 2:8-10

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8

8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

Ephesians 2:9

9not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:10

10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Matthew 25:40

40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Luke 10:25-37

25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Acts 9:36-42

36In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

Acts 6:1

1In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.

Psalm 27:1

1The Lord is my light and my salvation —
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 56:10-11

10In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?

Proverbs 29:25

25Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Galatians 1:10

10Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

John 15:18-25

18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

Mark 14:50

50Then everyone deserted him and fled.

1 Pet. 4:1-2

1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.

Matthew 10:16-42

16“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!
26“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
34“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law —
36a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
40“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”.

Matthew 10:16

16“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Matthew 10:17-20

17Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Matthew 10:18

18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.

Matthew 10:19-20

19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Matthew 10:21-22

21“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:22

22You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:24-25

24“The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

Luke 11:14-15

14Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.”

Matthew 10:25

25It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!

Matthew 10:26-28

26“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28

28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

James 4:12

12There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Matthew 10:29-31

29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:32-33

32“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16

14“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 10:32-33

32“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Matthew 10:34-39

34“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law —
36a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 10:34

34“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

Isaiah 9:6

6For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Matthew 10:35-37

35For I have come to turn

“‘a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law —
36a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’
37“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:37-39

37“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 10:37

37“Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Matthew 10:38

38Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Luke 9:23

23Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:25

25What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

Matthew 10:39

39Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 16:25

25For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Mark 8:35

35For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.

Luke 9:24

24For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.

Luke 17:33

33Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.

Matthew 10:38-39

38Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.

Acts 5:28-29

28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” 29Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!

Heb. 11:38

38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

Rom. 8:31-39

31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died —more than that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Acts 22:24-29

24the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”
26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
28Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.

Ephesians 6:10-20

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Acts 4:23-31

23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 4:29-31

29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 4:23-31

23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Joshua 1:1-9

1After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2“Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them —to the Israelites. 3I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates —all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Matthew 5:10-12

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 24:9-14

9“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Luke 21:10-19

10Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
12“But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13And so you will bear testimony to me. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17Everyone will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19Stand firm, and you will win life.

John 15:18-21

18“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

John 16:1-4

1“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you,

John 16:33

33“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Acts 4

1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 5:17-42

17Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.
When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin —the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23“We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.
25Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people.” 26At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
27The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
29Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead —whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
33When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”
40His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.

Romans 8:16-25

16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Romans 8:28

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:31-39

31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died —more than that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Philippians 1:27-30

27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

Hebrews 4:14-16

14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin. 16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 11

1Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.
3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
4By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.
13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.
22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.
23By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.
29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.
30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.
31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.
32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.
39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Hebrews 12:1-3

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:11

11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

James 1:2-4

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 5:7-11

7That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.

1 Peter 1:3-9

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 2:19-25

19For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

22“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 3:13-4:19

13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits — 20to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand —with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

4 1Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit.
7The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
12Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

1 Peter 5:6-11

6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 2:8-11

8“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
11Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Psalm 3

1Lord, how many are my foes!
How many rise up against me!
2Many are saying of me,
“God will not deliver him. ”
3But you, Lord, are a shield around me,
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
4I call out to the Lord,
and he answers me from his holy mountain.
5I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
6I will not fear though tens of thousands
assail me on every side.
7Arise, Lord!
Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
8From the Lord comes deliverance.
May your blessing be on your people.

Psalm 5

1Listen to my words, Lord,
consider my lament.
2Hear my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.
4For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
with you, evil people are not welcome.
5The arrogant cannot stand
in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
6you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
you, Lord, detest.
7But I, by your great love,
can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
toward your holy temple.
8Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make your way straight before me.
9Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongues they tell lies.
10Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
11But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
12Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Psalm 13

1How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
4and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him, ”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

Psalm 18

1I love you, Lord, my strength.
2The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I have been saved from my enemies.
4The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
5The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
6In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.
7The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
8Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
9He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
10He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
11He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
12Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.
13The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
14He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
15The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.
16He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
19He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
20The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
21For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
22All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
23I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
24The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
25To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
26to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
27You save the humble
but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.
28You, Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
29With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.
30As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
31For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
32It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
33He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
34He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35You make your saving help my shield,
and your right hand sustains me;
your help has made me great.
36You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
37I pursued my enemies and overtook them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
38I crushed them so that they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
39You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.
40You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
41They cried for help, but there was no one to save them —
to the Lord, but he did not answer.
42I beat them as fine as windblown dust;
I trampled them like mud in the streets.
43You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
you have made me the head of nations.
People I did not know now serve me,
44foreigners cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
45They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.
46The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God my Savior!
47He is the God who avenges me,
who subdues nations under me,
48who saves me from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
49Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.
50He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing love to his anointed,
to David and to his descendants forever.

Psalm 20

1May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
3May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
4May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
5May we shout for joy over your victory
and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.
6Now this I know:
The Lord gives victory to his anointed.
He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary
with the victorious power of his right hand.
7Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
8They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
9Lord, give victory to the king!
Answer us when we call!

Psalm 23

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Psalm 27

1The Lord is my light and my salvation —
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
4One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8My heart says of you, “Seek his face! ”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
11Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.

Psalm 40

1I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
4Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
5Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.
6Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—
but my ears you have opened—
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—
it is written about me in the scroll.
8I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart.”
9I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.
10I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.
11Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
12For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
13Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
14May all who want to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
15May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
be appalled at their own shame.
16But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”
17But as for me, I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay.

Psalm 46

1God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
8Come and see what the Lord has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 54

1Save me, O God, by your name;
vindicate me by your might.
2Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.
3Arrogant foes are attacking me;
ruthless people are trying to kill me —
people without regard for God.
4Surely God is my help;
the Lord is the one who sustains me.
5Let evil recoil on those who slander me;
in your faithfulness destroy them.
6I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good.
7You have delivered me from all my troubles,
and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

Psalm 56

1Be merciful to me, my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
all day long they press their attack.
2My adversaries pursue me all day long;
in their pride many are attacking me.
3When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
5All day long they twist my words;
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
hoping to take my life.
7Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.
8Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll —
are they not in your record?
9Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
10In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
12I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.

Psalm 61

1Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.
2From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.
4I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
5For you, God, have heard my vows;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
6Increase the days of the king’s life,
his years for many generations.
7May he be enthroned in God’s presence forever;
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.
8Then I will ever sing in praise of your name
and fulfill my vows day after day.

Psalm 62

1Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3How long will you assault me?
Would all of you throw me down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4Surely they intend to topple me
from my lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
5Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.
6Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
9Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
together they are only a breath.
10Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12and with you, Lord, is unfailing love”;
and, “You reward everyone
according to what they have done.”

Psalm 68

1May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.
2May you blow them away like smoke—
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.
3But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.
4Sing to God, sing in praise of his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds ;
rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.
5A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.
6God sets the lonely in families,
he leads out the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
7When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,
8the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.
11The Lord announces the word,
and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng:
12“Kings and armies flee in haste;
the women at home divide the plunder.
13Even while you sleep among the sheep pens,
the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver,
its feathers with shining gold.”
14When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land,
it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon.
15Mount Bashan, majestic mountain,
Mount Bashan, rugged mountain,
16why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain,
at the mountain where God chooses to reign,
where the Lord himself will dwell forever?
17The chariots of God are tens of thousands
and thousands of thousands;
the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary.
18When you ascended on high,
you took many captives;
you received gifts from people,
even from the rebellious —
that you, Lord God, might dwell there.
19Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
20Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
21Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies,
the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.
22The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan;
I will bring them from the depths of the sea,
23that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes,
while the tongues of your dogs have their share.”
24Your procession, God, has come into view,
the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary.
25In front are the singers, after them the musicians;
with them are the young women playing the timbrels.
26Praise God in the great congregation;
praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel.
27There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them,
there the great throng of Judah’s princes,
and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali.
28Summon your power, God;
show us your strength, our God, as you have done before.
29Because of your temple at Jerusalem
kings will bring you gifts.
30Rebuke the beast among the reeds,
the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations.
Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver.
Scatter the nations who delight in war.
31Envoys will come from Egypt;
Cush will submit herself to God.
32Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth,
sing praise to the Lord,
33to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens,
who thunders with mighty voice.
34Proclaim the power of God,
whose majesty is over Israel,
whose power is in the heavens.
35You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary;
the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!

Psalm 70

1Hasten, O God, to save me;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
2May those who want to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
3May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
turn back because of their shame.
4But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
“The Lord is great!”
5But as for me, I am poor and needy;
come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Lord, do not delay.

Psalm 91

1Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation. ”

Psalm 121

1I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7The Lord will keep you from all harm —
he will watch over your life;
8the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Psalm 125

1Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
2As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the Lord surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.
3The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land allotted to the righteous,
for then the righteous might use
their hands to do evil.
4Lord, do good to those who are good,
to those who are upright in heart.
5But those who turn to crooked ways
the Lord will banish with the evildoers.
Peace be on Israel.

Psalm 130

1Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;
2Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
3If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
4But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
5I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

Psalm 140

1Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,
2who devise evil plans in their hearts
and stir up war every day.
3They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
the poison of vipers is on their lips.
4Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
protect me from the violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
5The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
they have spread out the cords of their net
and have set traps for me along my path.
6I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.
7Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
8Do not grant the wicked their desires, Lord;
do not let their plans succeed.
9Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
may the mischief of their lips engulf them.
10May burning coals fall on them;
may they be thrown into the fire,
into miry pits, never to rise.
11May slanderers not be established in the land;
may disaster hunt down the violent.
12I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor
and upholds the cause of the needy.
13Surely the righteous will praise your name,
and the upright will live in your presence.

Psalm 146

1Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
2I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
4When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
6He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.
7He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
9The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.

Isaiah 26:3-4

3You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.
4Trust in the Lord forever,
for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.

Isaiah 40:27-31

27Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 41:10

10So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 42:5-9

5This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
7to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
8“I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
9See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you.”

Isaiah 43:1-4

1But now, this is what the Lord says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
4Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11-14

11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Matthew 11:28-30

28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

2 Timothy 1:1-2:3

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.
13What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
15You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

2 1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 1:1-2

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,
2To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Timothy 1:3-5

3I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:7

7For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

2 Timothy 1:6

6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

2 Timothy 1:8

8So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

2 Timothy 1:9-10

9He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

2 Timothy 1:11-12

11And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

2 Timothy 1:12

12That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

2 Timothy 1:13-14

13What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

2 Timothy 2:1-3

1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:2

2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

Galatians 5:22-23

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

2 Timothy 2:2

2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

Acts 1:4-8

4On 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. 5For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But 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.”

Acts 2:41

41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 4:4

4But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

Matthew 26:69-75

69Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Acts 1:3

3After 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.

1 Corinthians 15:3-8

3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

1 Corinthians 15:54-58

54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Acts 4:12

12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Acts 3:26

26When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Ephesians 5:3-15

3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater —has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7Therefore do not be partners with them.
8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15Be very careful, then, how you live —not as unwise but as wise,

1 Pet. 2:9-12

9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

1 John 1:5-10

5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

Matthew 7:7-11

7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Luke 18:1-8

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
6And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Acts 1:14

14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Acts 12:5

5So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Ephesians 6:18

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Matthew 6:10

10your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.

Acts 4:29-31

29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 3:6-10

6Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Acts 3:16

16By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

Matthew 10:7-8

7As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Acts 2:43

43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

Acts 5:12-16

12The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.

Acts 6:8

8Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.

Acts 8:6-8

6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.

James 5:14-16

14Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Acts 10

1At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
4Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”
7When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14“Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
15The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”
16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.
17While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.
19While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. 20So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”
21Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”
22The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. 24The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
27While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”
30Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. 32Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ 33So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”
34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39“We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said, 47“Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Acts 8:26-40

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” [ 37] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Acts 16:6-10

6Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Ephesians 6:10-12

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Matthew 10:28-31

28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Acts 16:22-40

22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.” 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
35When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” 36The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”
37But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.”
38The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed. 39They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia’s house, where they met with the brothers and sisters and encouraged them. Then they left.

Matthew 10:17-20

17Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Acts 4

1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”
8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.’
27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 26

1Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”
So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4“The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9“I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.
12“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19“So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen — 23that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
24At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”
25“I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
29Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
30The king rose, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them. 31After they left the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”
32Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

Galatians 1:6-12

6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
10Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. 12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

John 20:30-31

30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

1 John 1:1-4

1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched —this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4We write this to make our joy complete.

2 Pet. 1:16-21

16For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 15:1-11

1Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the believers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.”
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-8

1Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

2 Tim. 2:2

2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

2 Pet. 2:1-3

1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them —bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

Matthew 13:31-33

31He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
33He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Acts 2:42-47

42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Mark 10:42-45

42Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Rom. 1:16-17

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Rom. 6:1-14

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin — 7because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Psalm 100

1Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 119:9-16

9How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your word.
10I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
13With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

2 Tim. 3:14-15

14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

John 6:35

35Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

John 6:51

51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

Ephesians 6:18

18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

1And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.

2 Tim. 2:1-2

1You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.

Ephesians 4:32

32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Acts 10:38

38how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Matthew 25:31-40

31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Rom. 8:28

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Rom. 8:28-39

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died —more than that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 6:12-15

12And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
14For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Galatians 5:16-25

16So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.