Wed Jun 11

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the name Jesus.

Reading

Acts 4:21-31—The Nations Rage Against the Lord and His Christ.

Optional Reading

Psalm 2

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

God’s enemies always rage against the Lord and His Christ.
Yet even in their raging, God brings about His will.
The raging of God’s enemies against Christ led to our salvation.

Questions

(Some read the ?s before the notes/ ask them after.)

Why were Peter and John in prison?
Why did they quote from Psalm 2?
What did they pray for? Did they get it?

Notes

When Peter and John were released from prison (for preaching Jesus), they went to the other disciples and told them what had happened. Then together they prayed. Having been bold, they prayed for boldness. I suppose we might have been tempted to gloat a little—"We sure told them, huh?!” But instead they asked God for more boldness. They asked God, knowing He was above the authority of the Jewish leaders. As Stott comments, the Sanhedrin might utter warnings, threats and prohibitions, and try to silence the church, but their authority was subject to a higher authority still, and the edicts of men cannot overturn the decrees of God.

In prayer, they recognize from their worship and praise songbook (Psalm 2) that God had long ago told that the nations would rage against Him and His Christ. And they recognize that God orders even sinful men to do His will. Kistemaker notes that God did not force Jesus’ adversaries to engage in acts of violence against their will … Instead, God allowed them to conspire against him that he might accomplish salvation for his people.

So they ask this powerful God to give them more of the boldness they had already experienced. And God answered their prayer. The Holy Spirit filled them, and in response they all spoke the word of God with boldness.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 138a, 119s

Prayer

Give thanks that no raging against God and Christ will ultimately succeed.
Pray for change in you from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.