The temple in Jerusalem was meant to be a place where people could meet with God. But something tragic had happened in Israel. Hundreds of years of spiritual compromise, abuse, and injustice had made the temple a centre of a religious breakdown. In the temple courts there were money changers who extorted worshippers, and sacrifice salesmen who flogged doves and other sacrifices at inflated prices. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on the week of his crucifixion he went directly to the temple and ‘cleansed’ the temple by driving out the salesmen. In a fit of holy anger he cried out, “My house will be called a house of prayer”, but you are making it “a den of robbers” (Matthew 21:13). In the proceeding days Jesus taught in the temple courts that his body (the temple) would be destroyed but would be rebuilt in three days. This angered the high priests and temple elite and they planned how to kill him. Sure enough the temple of Jesus’ body was destroyed but three days later he rose again.

After Pentecost the disciples of Jesus met every day in the temple courts. These people were no longer just meeting in the temple, they had become temples of the Holy Spirit. The old order of things was crumbling down around them but the Jesus movement had begun and there was no stopping it. They took their movement into homes and marketplaces and the news of the favour they enjoyed with God spread like wildfire. The temple had been redeemed and restored to its true purpose, but no the presence of God was carried by the disciples wherever they went, and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved! DB

1. Why did the first disciples of Jesus keep meeting in the temple?

2. What do you think it would have been like for the first disciples to meet, eat, and pray, knowing that they were now temples of the Holy Spirit?

3. How can we encourage one another to keep meeting and praising God in a way that is joyful and reflects all God has done for us?

Living Lord we thank you that we can regularly meet to worship and praise you. Thank you that the temple of Jesus’ body was destroyed for us, but that he rose again. Help us to keep thanking and praising you this day and everyday. Amen!


The story of Jesus and the ‘rich man’ is a sad one. The man struts up to Jesus thinking he has it all together but goes away sad because he has great wealth. If only he had stuck around to hear the rest of Jesus’ teaching. Wealth and the Kingdom of God are something Jesus regularly talked about because our wealth is an integral part of who we are. Our bank accounts, jobs, and mortgages all inform our decisions but Jesus taught us about wealth not because he wanted us to get rid of these aspects of our lives but because he wanted us to reprioritise them.

Following Jesus is about putting him at the forefront of your life. It’s easy to pretend you follow God; the rich man was great at doing this, but Jesus easily exposed where his heart was at by challenging him to give it all up. Could we live without our possessions? Yes, definitely! Can we live without Jesus, definitely not!

The story of Jesus and the ‘rich man’ is sad for the man but should fill us with joy. If our citizenship in the kingdom of heaven depended on our ability to give up our possessions, then like a camel trying to go through the eye of a needle, we would all fail. Instead God has made it possible for us to enter his presence despite our failures and this is the good news. If salvation depended on us we’d be stuffed. Instead God has made a way for us to come into his presence. That’s why it’s vital that we put him ahead of anything, including out wealth, because when we do so everything falls into place! DB

1. What do you value more than Jesus?

2. How can you put Jesus at the forefront of your priorities?

3. How can you encourage others to do the same?

Gracious God, thank you that you have given me everything I have. Help me not to let my possessions weigh me down or distract me from you. Help me to put you first and use all I have to reflect your glory to others. Amen!


In 1848 the German Economist, Karl Marx, published ‘Manifesto of the Communist Party’. It was a scathing critique of the political and economic climate that had been created by the industrial revolution where the rich became richer and the poor became poorer. Marx called for the end of child labour, class separation and private property. Marx’s work triggered a series of communist revolutions around the world but Marx never lived to see the true outworking of his ideas. While communism promised equity and equality it yielded only economic collapse and heartache for millions.

What we see in the book of Acts is not an early form of communism, despite what some scholars may say. Instead the disciples freely shared their possessions, not because of some sort of economic theory but because they realised that everything they had was a gift from God. The first disciples shared everything they had because they knew, loved, and trusted one another. They realised that everything they owned could be used to bless those in need and help others to know and share the Gospel.

While communism sought to force people to share their possessions, the Gospel calls us to freely share all we have with those in need. While communism spread inequality and corruption, the Gospel demands that disciples of Jesus live lives of integrity and selflessness that will help to alleviate poverty and show the world the Kingdom we are living for. While selfishness and sin still breed inequality and corruption within and without the church, wherever the Gospel is faithfully taught and applied, followers of Jesus will selflessly and joyfully share all they have, giving back to God all he has given to them. DB

1. Why did the first followers of Jesus share all they had? How do you go with sharing your possessions with others?

2. How can you use your possessions for God’s Kingdom?

Majesty of Heaven, thank you so much that you lavish your love on us everyday. Help us to be more generous with our possessions as we grow as disciples and to use all we have to glorify you and bless our neighbours. Amen.


Eutychus is the 'whipping boy’ of the Bible. He’s the proof text used by some people when they’re telling people to preach shorter sermons. He’s the laughing stock of the church faithful. But if we look closely at Acts 20 we’ll see that there is a lot more to this passage than a sleepy disciple.

As the disciples of Jesus meet with Paul at Troas there is a lot of urgency. Paul isn’t able to stay long so he needs to make the most of his time with them. The first day of the week was Sunday and was the day Christians met to remember their Lord Jesus. Sunday wasn’t a rest-day or a weekend at the time and followers of Jesus would meet early in the morning for Sunday worship and then go to work. Paul didn’t have much time so he taught a packed out room, with people sitting on the windowsills, the Gospel and its implications for the lives of his listeners. Eutychus was probably tired from an early morning and a big day and his presence there suggests that he didn’t want to miss a word that Paul said. The three storey-fall would have killed Eutychus instantly but Paul wasted no time at all in resurrecting him. All the tired-but-happy Christians left that day having heard and experienced Jesus’ resurrection life!

As disciples of Jesus it’s important to remember that Eutychus or even Paul aren’t the stars of this passage. People were so fascinated by Jesus that they crammed into rooms in the middle of the night and hung out of windows to hear about him. How far are we willing to go to share the Gospel? DB

1. What does this passage tell us about the urgency with which Paul shared the Gospel?

2. How desperate are you to hear the Gospel faithfully preached and taught?

Living Lord, thank you that you raised Eutychus from the dead. Help us to be so passionate about hearing the Gospel that we extend ourselves to hear it taught, and so passionate about proclaiming it that we will go beyond our comfort zones to share it with others. Amen.


Have you ever met someone who claimed to be part of something but who quickly let on that they weren’t really as committed to it as they claimed. Perhaps someone who claimed they were a big fan of the Beatles but couldn’t name a song, claimed to be a vegetarian but were happy to down a BigMac, or someone who claimed to speak Japanese but only knew a couple of phrases? Saying you are part of something and being devoted are two different things.

In Acts 2 the new disciples aren’t just ‘flash in the pan’; they are in it for the long haul. The Jesus Movement begins and these 3000 people really get on board. Acts tells us that these people devoted themselves to the Apostles' teaching (about Jesus) and kept meeting, eating, and praying together. As a result they were filled with awe and wonder at the acts performed by the Apostles by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This account should really prompt us to ask ourselves what discipleship looks like today? Are we devoted to the teachings of the Apostles or do we let our Bibles gather dust on our bookcases? Do we meet together with other disciples regularly or is church an optional extra? How often do we sit down for a meal and break bread and pray with people? Are we filled with awe in what God is doing in our midst or has our relationship with God become a little stale? Following Jesus is about whole-life discipleship. The more we fall in love with God and let the Gospel inform every aspect of our lives, the more we will discover the awe and wonder of being a disciple of Jesus! DB

1. How often are you praying, reading the Bible, and sitting down for a meal with other disciples of Jesus?

2. Do you think many Christians in Australia are filled with awe at what God is doing among them? Why is this so?

Father, thank you for the example of the early church. Help us in your church today to be filled with the same awe as we meet, eat, and pray together. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and help us to grow closer to you and to one another everyday. Amen!


Have you ever tried to save someone from a danger you can see but they can’t? “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation!” This is Peter warns and pleads with the crowds in the temple courts at Pentecost. In doing so Peter is risking his own safety and reputation as he desperately warns his listeners to repent, turn to Jesus, and be baptised!

There was once a soldier travelling through the dense jungles of Vietnam. The heat, bugs, and lack of drinking water made the going tough. All of a sudden, the terrain dipped and the soldier found himself in a peaceful, cool valley with a stream running through it. He lay down and suggested to his fellow soldiers that this was an ideal place to lay down and rest a while. A Vietnamese allied soldier told him to “Get up!” He then pointed to the hills surrounding the valley. They were perfect vantage points for the enemy to surround the soldier and trap them. What looked like a wonderful place to be was actually a dangerous trap.

In life we can often delude ourselves into thinking we are in a great place, when in fact we are in danger! At Pentecost Peter alerts his listeners that they are in danger of capitulating to the culture around them and dying in their sins. They hear Peter’s desperate warning, they recognise their predicament, they are convicted by the Holy Spirit, and they accept his message. Three thousand new disciples devote themselves to the Apostles’ (and ultimately Jesus’) teaching. A big part of becoming a disciple of Jesus is recognising that we need to be saved, and Jesus is the best Saviour there is! DB

1. What are the things in life that lull you into a false sense of security?

2. How can you warn the people of their need to repent in a way that they will understand?

Lord Jesus, you are the Saviour of the world. Please help me to turn away from my sin and trust you. Keep me from deluding myself into thinking that my life is okay without you and help me to clearly convey your message of salvation to those around me. Amen.


Because of the fulfilment of the prophesies, because of the witness of the Apostles, and because of the signs and wonders of Jesus, Luke is reminding us that there can only be one valid conclusion: Jesus is the long awaited Messiah. Yet in the face of all the evidence, the Lord of all creation was crucified by the people he came to save. After listening to Peter, and his explanation of the Scriptures and how Jesus fulfilled them, the crowds come to a great realisation of their sin, and they asked the most appropriate question, “what shall we do?”. Faced with their sin and the truth of who Jesus is, they now want to turn back to God. But how could they do it?

Two days ago, we asked the question, “where in your life are you not living with Jesus as King?”. Looking back and confessing sin is never easy or fun, but is part of the regular turning to Jesus as the Lord of our lives. For when we see our sin set before us, there is only one appropriate response to the question, “what shall we do?”. The response that Peter gives to the crowds applies to us as well. Peter says, “repent and be baptised”. That is, to have a complete life transformation, to turn from sin and all that is evil and turn to Christ, and to put on a new identity through baptism as a follower of Jesus.

Mindlessly saying the words of confession every Sunday can’t save us, having a casual attitude to sin can’t save us, but when we turn to Jesus and put our trust in him, we can be confident of salvation through God’s grace. This is the promise given to the nation of Israel, and to the whole world. MC

1. When first faced with all the evidence of Jesus and what was foretold about him and what he did, what was your reaction and conclusion?

2. What is the difference between saying sorry and repenting?

3. Are you in a habit of daily repentance? How could you incorporate it daily?

Heavenly Father, we thank you that Jesus is the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Help our trust and assurance in him to grow day by day. We are sorry for our sins and turn away from them. Change our hearts and minds to live for you, day by day, through Jesus Christ, Amen.


Arguably, the prime time for Israel was when King David was on the throne. Saul hadn’t turned out too well and things went pretty much all downhill after Solomon, apart from a few notable examples. Under David, the nation worshipped Yahweh and experienced all the covenant blessings that came with devotion to God. So, it’s no surprise that David had a special place in Jewish thought and belief. However, there is one major problem with that. David died. If it hadn’t been raided in 135BC, Peter’s listeners could go, look in the tomb and see the bones of David. He couldn’t reign on the throne forever because he was just a mortal human. However, during David’s reign, God promised to him that a descendant of his would reign forever, and that descendent is Jesus. Even though he was put to death, God raised him from the dead just as David prophesied. David’s bones were in a tomb, but Jesus’ body was raised and renewed. So where is Jesus now if he isn’t in a tomb? He is seated at the right hand of the Father, is on the throne with all authority, and his reign will have no end.

All of this hangs on the resurrection of Jesus. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then we have been totally conned, we would be wasting our time going through this study guide, and we would be wasting our Sunday mornings and evenings. But, we can have confidence in the resurrection of Jesus, that it was prophesied, witnessed by hundreds, and recorded so that we know the one whom we serve. Jesus, the eternal King who defeated sin and death. MC

1. Who are the heroes of the faith that come to mind when you think about Christian history? What do they all have in common?

2. How would you explain the importance of the resurrection to a friend who does not yet believe?

3. What impact does Jesus’ reign have over your life?

Lord God, thank you that Jesus didn’t stay dead but rose victoriously, reigning with you for all eternity. Help us to trust in Jesus’ reign, to trust in his supremacy over all things, and to live with him as King over our lives. In his name we pray, Amen.


I sometimes like to watch the show ‘RBT’. On the show, a TV crew follows the Police conducting random breath tests and occasionally, they find some very irresponsible people. After getting caught, the police list off everything the offenders have done wrong, with each offence being accompanied by a hammer sound for dramatic effect. In today’s passage, Peter lists off the things that the Israelites had got wrong about Jesus, with each one being like a hammer blow for the Jewish listeners.

Jesus had been proven by God to be the Messiah through his signs, miracles, and wonders, yet some still put him to death. They had all the evidence, the foreknowledge of the prophets of the Old Testament, but they nailed him to the cross. They failed to recognise him as the Son of God, as the true King of the Jews. So, it would be easy at this point to say how bad the Israelites were and say, ‘don’t be like them!’ But that would be missing the point.

We have the big picture, the big revelation of Jesus written down, we have accounts of his resurrection, we have the writings of the Apostles and yet, we too often fail to recognise him as King. Who am I to say that I too wouldn’t have shouted ‘crucify him!’, when I deny his kingship every time I sin?

So what’s our only hope? It’s in God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge of the cross and resurrection. This is God’s rescue mission for a sinful world. And it is because of this, because of a restored relationship with him, that we can really join in with David in the Psalm in verses 25-28. Thanks be to God! MC

1. In regard to knowing Jesus and who he is, how are we better off than those living in the first century?

2. Re-read vv.25-28 and place the name ‘Jesus’ in place of ‘you’. How does this Psalm offer you comfort in the light of the death and resurrection of Jesus?

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus - for his death and for his resurrection. We thank you for your great rescue plan. We are sorry for the times when we don’t live according to your ways and don’t live with Jesus as the King. Please forgive us and renew our hearts to live for you today and always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.


As of today, there are only 336 days till Christmas 2019. This seems a long way away, but I’m almost certain that in 335 days time, someone will say to you, “I can’t believe it’s Christmas Eve!” We know it’s coming every year but for some reason we don’t see it coming. It can sometimes be like that with the prophesies of the Old Testament. They are written down, a good Jewish person would know them all, but when they are fulfilled, they don’t see them coming! Specifically, we see today that the prophesy from the book of Joel is being fulfilled in the events of Pentecost that we have seen in the past days.

After these amazing events, Peter steps up and addresses the crowds. He explains that the events of the day aren’t random, but that which have been prophesied and told of long ago from God, through the prophet Joel. The Spirit has been poured out; people are telling of the wonders of God in all languages; men, women, young, and old are all experiencing the blessings of the Holy Spirit; and the last days between Christ’s coming and Christ’s coming again have been inaugurated.

We are in the last days right now and we can experience the blessings of the Holy Spirit right now. No, we may not immediately be able to speak French or Portuguese, but we do get to experience the wonder, the awe, and the assurance of God being with us every day. How can anyone experience these blessings of the Holy Spirit? By calling on, depending on, and repenting to the person of Jesus Christ our Lord. MC

1. What does it look like for you to live faithfully between Christ’s coming and Christ’s coming again?

2. How do you see the blessings of the Holy Spirit at work in your life?

3. What can you do to share the Good News of verse 21 with others?

Lord God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit that is abundantly poured out. Thank you for all the blessings that we experience because of him. Help us to revel in our relationship with you and never take this amazing gift for granted. Thank you for the salvation that is found in Jesus Christ. Amen.