One of the best life lessons I have ever learned is that we are never too old to stop learning. Life is a classroom and, as Christians, we are expected to constantly be prepared for a new lesson. The Lord is the potter and we are the clay. The Lord molds us and shapes us for His purposes and grand designs, and that process never stops until the day that we are called home to be with our Father in Heaven.
1. What is a life lesson that you understand now that you did not understand five or ten years ago?
As we continue the process of being molded and taught life lessons, we continue to grow. This is the final step in the cyclical mission statement of The River Church. As with all the steps, this one is never-ending. Just as we are to continue to Reach lost people with the hope and Good News of the cross, and Gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ, we must also never fail to be constant to Grow ourselves spiritually. It is incredibly important that as we get older and move from stage to stage of life, we constantly grow in our walk with the Lord because different aspects of God’s character will resonate with us at different times of our life. Our calling as ambassadors of Christ, and where the Lord chooses to place us, will almost certainly change as we grow and develop. Our ability to impact people with the Gospel will widen as we deepen our relationship with God.
2. What are some ways that a believer who has developed their relationship with the Lord over 60 years might differ, in terms of calling, compared to a brand-new believer?
Additionally, as we grow in our spiritual walk, we get much better at applying teachings from God’s Word to our lives. For me, one that has taken a long time to understand is the timing of the Lord. I pray that in 30 more years on this earth, I will be a lot better about patiently waiting on God’s perfect plan. In Acts 1:5, we read, “For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Before Jesus’ ascension to be with the Father, He tells His disciples of the coming Holy Spirit. He instructs them to wait on this promise from the Father. I have to imagine that the time between Jesus’ ascension and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit was a difficult time for some of these followers of Christ. Trying to trust and believe in the promises of God, while also struggling with impatiently desiring our own timing, is a difficult dichotomy for us to navigate.
3. Describe a circumstance in which you had a difficult time waiting for God to move.
4. When you have such feelings, what helps you get through these difficult times?
Now, along with the promise of the Holy Spirit, Jesus tells His followers more in verse 8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
5. How has the Holy Spirit empowered you in your life?
6. At the end of Verse 8, Jesus commands His followers to be His witnesses “to the end of the earth.” What does that look like in your life? How has the Holy Spirit grown you to be uniquely equipped to be a witness to those in your sphere of influence?
After the ascension of Jesus, the disciples went to the upper room where they devoted themselves to prayer. Acts 1:14 states, “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” These are men who, just eight verses prior, were asking if God was now going to restore the kingdom of Israel. These men did not yet have the Holy Spirit and did not fully grasp the Lord’s plan to save His people. They were still focused on earthly expectations instead of God’s sovereign will. In the midst of the confusion and unrest that they must have been feeling, they immersed themselves in prayer. They drew near to God and rested in His promises. What a blessing it is to not have to piece everything together on our own. As Christians, we have an incredible gift: we know that our Heavenly Father is working all things together for those who love Him.
7. How consistent is your prayer life? How can you better take advantage of the blessing that it is to rest in the promises of God?
As we move into Acts chapter 2, we see the Holy Spirit come to those that the Lord called (verse 39). The Holy Spirit coming to dwell within God’s people at Pentecost was an incredible victory and a true testament to the power of the Holy Spirit. The movement of the Spirit through Peter led to 3,000 conversions to Christ. There were many who mocked the disciples, assuming that they were drunk on wine, after being filled with the Spirit. Despite this, Peter shared the Gospel of Jesus boldly (verses 14 through 36). Peter had confidence, a peace that passes all understanding, which is a gift that the Holy Spirit brings to believers. This confidence and peace, when we have the backing of Almighty God, can be incredibly empowering when we are called to do something in the name of the Lord.
8. What things hold you back from boldly speaking about Jesus?
After this mass conversion, Acts 2:42 records, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” This was an incredible picture of the blessing that it is to grow in our relationship with the Lord together. Yes, our walk with Jesus is individual, but it is meant to be done together with brothers and sisters who share the same love for the Lord and the same worship of their Creator. We can stir one another up “to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24), among many other things.
9. Acts 2:42 tells us that the followers of Christ devoted themselves to learning Jesus’ teachings, engaging in fellowship, breaking bread, and praying. Which of these do you feel the Holy Spirit laying on your heart to be more intentional about prioritizing in your life?
10. Acts 2:47 ends by telling us that God added to their numbers daily. What are some practical ways that you can be a part of God’s work in bringing others to faith in Him?