Year B

Welcome to The Living Word for Sunday, April 18 (TLW15Br). This was posted earlier with the readings for April 25 in error. Humble apologies for that. Here are the correct readings for April 18 although there is quite a lot of variation in the Easter scheme. This is a non-denominational Bible study, so it won’t fit every church or chapel’s use exactly.

Theme: Restoration and renewal

OT: Zephaniah 3:14-20 — A word of hope: the Lord has taken away the punishment and promised to be with us

NT gospel: Luke 24:36-49 — Jesus encourages the disciples and reveals to them how what has happened is all in  the Scriptures

NT narrative: Acts 3:11-19 — Peter says faith in the living, healing Jesus has healed the crippled man and calls hearers to repent

NT letter: 1 John 3:1-7 — We believers should know we are children of God with the freedom to choose to live for Him

Zephaniah 3:14-20 — The Lord has taken away the punishment

A word of hope — the God of love and justice has promised to be with us

14 Sing, Daughter Zion; shout aloud, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, Daughter Jerusalem!

“Daughter Zion… Daughter Jerusalem” — meaning the people of God.

“Sing… be glad and rejoice” — God promises unrestrained joy for His people. Contemporary worship emphasises praise and joy.

15 The Lord has taken away your punishment, He has turned back your enemy. The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm.

“The Lord… is with you” — this prophetic word of hope is fulfilled in part by Jesus’ reign through His church of joyfully forgiven people.

16 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.

“Hands hang limp” — do not go about discouraged.

17 “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Mighty Warrior who saves” — combining various attributions for Yahweh; and the Messiah.

• For further study, compare Psalm 24:8-10; Isaiah 10:21); Isaiah 42:13; Hab. 3:8-15; and Isaiah 9:6.

18 “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals, which is a burden and reproach for you.

“I will remove from you” — better, “I will gather you who mourn for the appointed festivals; you will be disgraced no more” NLT.

19-20 “At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honour in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honour and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,” says the Lord.

“I will gather exiles” — those who have been abused and alienated for upholding God’s values will be first to know the justice of Jesus’ kingdom, Ezekiel 34:16; Micah 4:6-7; Matthew 5:3-4.

Reflection

SUMMARY  Zephaniah foretells God restoring justice, with His favour and joy for those who have been oppressed and marginalised by unrighteous power.

APPLICATION  Throughout history, those who exalt their position and power over God’s sovereignty have oppressed those seeking to live by God’s values. Bad things happen to morally upright people. But God’s  just kingdom is becoming more evident.

QUESTION  If you have found loving God costly, what does He say to you? (v.17)

Luke 24:36-49 — Jesus encourages the disciples and eats with them

He reveals to them how what has happened is all in  the Scriptures

36-39 Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself! Touch Me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

“Look at My hands and feet” — which bore the scars of having been nailed to the Cross. Jesus was not an immaterial spirit but had the same body that had been put to death, but now gloriously not corruptible nor subject to death.

• For further study, read 1 Cor. 15:1-19, 50-58.

40-43 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate it in their presence.

“He took it and ate it” — Jesus proves that He is not a spiritual manifestation by allowing the disciples to touch Him and by eating.

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

“Fulfilled in the Law… Prophets and… Psalms” — meaning everything pointing to Christ in the OT. What Jesus did earlier on the road to Emmaeus,  Luke 24:25-29, He now shares with the wider group of disciples.

45 Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

“He opened  their minds” —  what was hidden before now becomes plain, with greater revelation promised, v.49.

• For further study, Peter’s Pentecost message references Joel, Acts 2:16-21.

“The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead” — the OT foretells this in several places, see Acts 3:13 and 18 and notes, below.

49 “I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

“I am going to send you what My Father promised” — essential ending (the set reading ends incomplete on v.48) of the encounter with Jesus, fulfilled at Pentecost, Acts 2:1-41 and link to the continuation in Acts.

Reflection

SUMMARY  It is the evening of the day of the resurrection and following reports that Jesus had been seen, He has appeared in a renewed resurrection body where they are gathered.  He shares fellowship — and food — and then takes them through the Scriptures (our OT) which point to Him, including the promise of the Holy Spirit.

APPLICATION  This passage links the bodily resurrection of Jesus; the OT prophecies, Jesus, and the apostles; and divine empowering promised. They needed to understand from the OT references how this was always God’s plan. So do we.

QUESTION  Why was sharing food with the disciples important?

Acts 3:11-19 — Peter says faith in Jesus has healed the crippled man

His hearers had called for Jesus to be killed; now God calls them to repent

11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.

“Solomon’s Colonnade” — a long portico enclosing the temple outer court near the Beautiful Gate where the disabled man had just been given new legs.

12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?

“As if by our own power” — following the common pattern in Acts of a story related to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection (vv.11-16), then calling for a response to who Jesus is (vv.17-26 in the Bible).

13 “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed, and you disowned Him before Pilate, though he had decided to let Him go.

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” — Peter grounds the good news of Jesus firmly in the Hebrew Scriptures.

“His servant Jesus” — both God’s representative and the suffering servant of Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (see also v.18 below).

14 “You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

“You disowned the Holy and Righteous One” — chose against Him, although Pilate had six times declared Him innocent.

15 “You killed the author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.

“You killed… God raised… we are witnesses” — a frequent theme in Acts (see below). They did not recognise Jesus as Messiah, and did not understand that the Messiah would be divine, Daniel 7:13-14; John 1:1-18.

• For further study, read Acts 2:23–24; 4:10; 5:30-32; 10:39-41; 13:28-29.

16 “By 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.

“Faith in the name of Jesus” — the name stands for the truth about the person and the faith here is the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith operating in Peter.

17-18 “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what He had foretold through all the prophets, saying that His Messiah would suffer.

“Saying that His Messiah would suffer” — not only through Isaiah, v.13 and note above, but Luke also references suffering and rejection as follows: Psalm 2:1-2 in Acts 4:25-26; Psalm 16:8-11 in Acts 2:25-28, Acts 13:35; and Psalm 118:22 in Acts 4:11.

19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”

“Repent” — turn to God in a change of mind and will that expresses remorse for sin.

“Times of refreshing” — every renewal movement of Christ’s church is a step change towards the ultimate end-time of refreshing.

Reflection

SUMMARY  A man disabled from birth has been miraculously given his mobility and as he goes leaping into the temple courts a crowd gathers. Peter addresses them in direct manner, saying that Jesus who they defied Pilate to have crucified, is alive, has been seen by t hem and is still healing people today. He calls for a response — repentance.

APPLICATION  Former fisherman Peter, now full of the Holy Spirit, has done what He had seen Jesus do, taking a miraculous sign and giving God glory for it. He knows that the same Holy Spirit will bring conviction in his hearers. He calls on them to repent and take the opportunity to get right with God. Many who heard the message believed, Acts 4:4 and the church now numbered 5,000 with women not counted..

QUESTION  To what extent is this a Christ-centred gathering, and a possible pattern for our meetings? What brings change and new life in us?

1 John 3:1-7 — We believers should know we are children of God

Jesus has given us a remedy for sin and the freedom to choose to live for Him

3 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.

“See what great love” — amazement at the extent of God’s love.

“We should be called children of God” — a very big statement about the identity believers have through belonging to Christ, John 1:12.

2-3 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure.

“We shall be like Him” —God’s children reflect the image of Christ and will share in His glory, Romans 8:18-30.

“Purify themselves, just as He is pure” — developed in vv. 5-6 below. Knowing who we are in Christ helps to keep us true to Him.

4-5 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that He appeared so that He might take away our sins. And in Him is no sin.

“Sin is lawlessness” — likened  to a spirit of rebellion against God’s law. Lawlessness, Gk. anomia, is activity wilfully independent from God’s guidance and law. 

“He appeared so that He might take away our sins” — Jesus came so that our sin might be forgiven, but also to break the power of sin’s bondage.

6 No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him.

“Keeps on sinning” — the difference between a moral lapse and habitual sin. John has in mind false teachers who professed Christ without the evidence of new life or morality. Genuine believers will show their faith in generally upright, if not perfect, lives.

7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous.

“Does what is right, is righteous” — true believers live in union with the One who is righteous, so will want to make righteous choices and guard against deceptive temptations to be independent from God.

Reflection

SUMMARY  John writes to believers in the young churches about living their new lives in right living. He warns that there are some who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk, and they are not to be deceived by them.

APPLICATION   Genuine believers will live like renewed people who love the Lord — because they love His ways.

QUESTION  What difference does it make to how you see yourself and how you pray, to know you are a child of God?

PRAYER  Father God we thank You for the joy we have in knowing You through Jesus, and for choosing us to be part of your renewal and refreshing of the world.
And thank You, Jesus, for breaking the hold of sin so we can choose to live for You — and we have You to restore us if we slip.
You are alive and with us, and with joy we can can tell others. Amen.

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PRINT EDITION  You can download a PDF of the print edition here. It prints on A4 paper to produce a 4-page Bible-size handout. Permission granted to copy for your own use, for your home or other small group, or for inclusion with your church bulletin.

Welcome to the non-denominational Bible study for Sunday April 25 (Easter 4) TLW15B. Read the passages as they stand first and let the Holy Spirit reveal them to you. Then for a deeper dive you’ll find below the verse-by-verse commentary and reflections. There is also an article linked to this post, ‘Knowing the Good Shepherd — It’s personal’

Theme: A personal relationship with the Good Shepherd

OT Psalm 23 — David’s special relationship with God points the way for knowing God through Jesus
NT gospel John 10:11-18 — Jesus reveals His mission as the Good Shepherd to rule His people with care and justice
NT narrative Acts 4:5-12 — Peter tells the court that salvation is found in no one else but the resurrected Jesus
NT letter 1 John 3:16-24 — Believers who truly belong to the Lord are known by their confidence before God and generous spirit

Psalm 23 — Knowing the provider and protector secures the soul

David’s special relationship with God points the way for knowing God through Jesus

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

“Shepherd” — a common metaphor for kings in Israel and the ancient Near East. In OT, widely used for the Lord as the Shepherd of Israel. In the NT, used of Jesus the great and good Shepherd, John 10:11, 14; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 7:17.

• For further study on the Lord as the Shepherd of Israel, Psalms 28:9; 79:13; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3; Genesis 48:15; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 17:16; 31:10; 50:19.

2-3 He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul.

“Green pastures… still waters” — sheep, unlike the more independent goats, rely on the shepherd to find them good places for feeding and safe, still water for drinking.

3-4 He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.

“The right paths” — free from danger, and not wandering off.

4 Even 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.

“Darkest valley” — like the dark and deep wadis of dry riverbeds, inviting concealment and attack.

“You are with me” — these words emphasise God’s nearness and caring relationship, underlined by being at the exact centre of the psalm.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

“A table before me” — picture of a covenant treaty celebration with the vassal an honoured guest and enemies excluded.

6 Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

“Your goodness and love” — goodness coupled with mercy, chesed or faithful love, an intense expression.

“Dwell in the house of the Lord” — for a non-Levite, having ready access to the sanctuary for worship. This also describes the Christian of personal faith, who can worship any place and any time.

Reflection

SUMMARY  A psalm that describes the unusually close relationship David had with the Lord. It is clearly prophetic of Jesus who is both the Good Shepherd of the flock made up of those that trust in Him, and also the King with a perfect and caring rule that will be established.

APPLICATION  What God wants more than anything, is a personal relationship in which He guides, provides and protects through earthly life, as a preparation for eternal life in heaven. Life will bring challenges and darker episodes, but God is with us in them

QUESTION  In a recent life situation, good or bad, where in this psalm did you experience God?

John 10:11-18 — Jesus reveals His mission as the Good Shepherd

Ezekiel prophesied that God Himself would shepherd His people with justice

11 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

“I am” — one of seven (number of completeness) “I am” sayings by Jesus which for Jewish hearers resonated with the way God revealed Himself to Moses, Exodus 3:14 and the seven “I am he” statements in Isaiah.

“The Good Shepherd” — Jesus is alluding to Psalm 23 (above) and also the scathing rebuke through Ezekiel in which which God called out the evil leaders of Israel and promised to personally become Israel’s Good Shepherd. Jesus identifies Himself with God by using this title.

For further study, read Ezekiel 34:1-6 and 7-31.

12-13 “The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

“Hired hand” — villages often had a communal flock and employed a shepherd to look after them. But a hired hand would not take the risks for the flock that their owner would.

14-15 “I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me — just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father — and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

“I know My sheep” — deep mutual experience, like the Father and the Son.

16 “I 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.

I have other sheep” — for the first hearers, the gathering of God’s scattered people, Ezekiel 37:21-24; Micah 2:12 but here Jesus shows that He has sheep among the despised Gentiles also, John 7:35, and anticipates the mission to the Gentiles after Pentecost.

17-18 The reason my Father loves Me is that I lay down My life — only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

“I lay down My life” — this part of John’s gospel brings out Christ’s stated purpose of dying for His people. He would allow by His own authority; otherwise no one would have had the power to kill Him, Luke 23:46.

Reflection

SUMMARY  Jesus reminds His hearers of David’s psalm about the Lord who is his Good Shepherd. Less directly He references God’s rebuke of the harsh and corrupt leaders of Israel through Ezekiel, in which He stated He would be Israel’s Good Shepherd Himself. By identifying Himself as the Good Shepherd, Jesus was showing His deity and Messiahship.

APPLICATION  The relationship that God seeks can only come through Jesus the Good Shepherd. It is central to understanding how this works, that this Shepherd is exceptional in sacrificially losing His life to save His sheep.

QUESTION  What is the importance of the sheep listening to the Shepherd’s voice, v.16?

Acts 4:5-12 — Salvation is found in no one else but Jesus

Jesus crucified then raised from the dead healed the lame man, Peter tells court

5-6 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family.

“Rulers… elders… teachers of the law” — the three groups represented on the supreme court that was comprised of 70 of the wealthiest and mosat powerful men of Israel, presided over by the high priest of the time. This was the same court that had condemned Jesus.

7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

“By what power” — the healing was indisputable; the question was about how the man was healed, and by whose authority.

8-10 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If 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, then 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.

“Filled with the Holy Spirit” — there are a number of instances in Acts of people being filled with the Spirit, a repeatable and also a situational experience.

“Called to account” — Jesus had promised that the disciples would stand before kings and rulers and that the Spirit of God within them would give them what to say, Matthew 10:16-20.

• For further study, read Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; Acts 9:17; Acts 13:9.

11 “Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

“The cornerstone” — Peter uses the argument of precedent, as used in courts today, quoting Psalm 118:22 which Jesus has also used in His parable about the wicked tenant farmers, directed against these same corrupt leaders of Israel, Luke 20:17.

12 “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

“Found in no one else” — in that one sense exclusive, but in another fully inclusive, available to all who believe. The Bible is clear that there is no means of salvation other than Jesus the Messiah.

• For further study, read Matt. 11:27; John 3:18; 14:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; 1 John 5:12.

Reflection

SUMMARY  Peter and John are brought before the same court that convicted Jesus. Jesus had told them that they would be put on trial before rulers, but the Holy Spirit would tell them exactly how to answer. This is seen in Peter’s bold, unapologetic reply which makes one of the clearest statements about Jesus and salvation in Him.

APPLICATION  To say that there are many paths to salvation and many dimensions of the truth may sound inclusive and politically correct, but it is impossible to square with this statement by Peter which is supported by the general thrust of the New Testament. Salvation comes through repenting of our own efforts and believing what Jesus has done for us.

QUESTION  Why is “Salvation is found in no one else” held by some to be controversial? Is salvation exclusive or inclusive?

1 John 3:16-24 — Those who belong to the Lord have changed lives

Confidence before God, generosity towards other sets apart the true believer

16 This 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.

“Lay down our lives” — in John’s churches some believers were martyred and slaves were often tortured for information. A believer might have to pay a big price to avoid betraying a brother.

17 If 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?

“Material possessions” — material objects that sustain life, essentials.

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

“Love… with actions and in truth” — or in reality. Love is not sentiment but has an outworking, James 2:15-16.

19-20 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything.

“God is greater” — an inner conviction by the Holy Spirit that our love has lacked substance is more than matched by God’s capacity to forgive. 

21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him.

“We have confidence” —if we have a clear conscience, we can go to God confidently in the relationship we have with Him.

23 And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.

“To believe… and to love” — compare with Jesus’ answer to the scribe about the Great Commandment, Matthew 22:34-40

24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.

“We know it by the Spirit” —The Holy Spirit’s work in the believer is assumed throughout the letter. Here John summarises the test for discerning who has the Spirit — not (as the false teachers claimed) an elite who claim to be enlightened without their lives being changed but the evidence of believers growing in faith and sacrificial love, v.23 and Galatians 5:22-23.

SUMMARY  John writes from the perspective of Spirit-filled believers growing in the their faith and witness against the twin dangers of unregenerate and deceptive teachers; and the ever-present risk of martyrdom. True believers stand out by their transformed lives, their loving concern for others in sharing necessities, praying confidently and growing in discipleship.

APPLICATION  As James said in His letter, faith and love must be sincere, resulting in deeds and actions. John expands that teaching, emphasising that the born-again believer will be a transformed person, of confident faith and prayer life and evidently full of the Spirit of God and full of God’s love.

QUESTION  Most believers in the western world do not face the kind of persecution that John’s readers did. What does laying down our lives for our brothers mean to us?

PRAYER  Thank You, God our Father, for sending Your Son to make a way back for us to be accepted by You.
Thank You for His incomparable love shown in the self-sacrifice of the Cross, and for being faithful and merciful to us, when our love for You has often been fickle.
May we grow in faith and love towards You, and among all Your diverse children, as we share the precious relationship we have through Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

PRINT EDITION  You can download a PDF print edition which prints on A4 paper to form a four-page Bible-size handout. Permission is granted to copy for your own use, your home group or Bible study, or to include with your church bulletin.

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Welcome to The Living Word Bible study TLW14B for Sunday April 11 (Easter 2). This is based on the Revised Common Lectionary Bible readings shared by many denominations.

Theme: The real fellowship that comes through knowing Jesus

• See also the article linked to this post ‘To know Jesus is to have fellowship in Him‘

• And an introductory video telling the story through the Scriptures on YouTube or better for viewing on on a mobile vertical format here Instagram

NT letter: Acts 4:32-35 with Psalm 133 — The believers experience a profound sense of unity, sharing what they own

NT gospel: John 20:19-31 — Jesus appears with a scarred body and sends the disciples on mission with an impartation of the Spirit

NT letter: 1 John 1:1-2:2 — Believing God and and living by His values brings fellowship with Him and all other believers.

Acts 4:32-35 — The believers experience a profound sense of unity

The believers share what they own and no one is left needy

32 All 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.

“One in heart and mind” — Luke notes how the early Christians, filled with the Holy Spirit, demonstrated a remarkable togetherness.

• For further study, see 2 Chronicles 5:1-14

33 With 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…

“Continued to testify to the resurrection” —the most compelling part of the story they all knew and told.

34 …that there was no needy person among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales

35 and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

“Brought the money from the sales” — not communal ownership and strictly voluntary, Acts 5:4. “Grace was so powerfully at work”, v.33 above, that this generosity was the result.

Psalm 133:1-3

1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.

3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life for evermore.

Reflection

SUMMARY God’s life and presence, like an anointing for service or the refreshing of dew or rain, is brought by the unity and harmony of His people. The baptism of the Holy Spirit they received at Pentecost and the further impartation that came at the prayer meeting after Peter and John had been released by the Sanhedrin, was transforming, Acts 2:3-4, 4:31.

APPLICATION Those first believers were changed in three ways, from the fearful men who hid in the Upper Room from the religious authorities. Firstly, they experienced a remarkable unity. Secondly, they found themselves speaking out boldly about Jesus and His resurrection, even though they had been threatened and ordered not to. Thirdly, they had a profound sense of being in this new move of God together with a generosity that trusted God for His provision, and was quick to share and to meet needs. In recent history, where there has been a move of the Spirit in revival it has brought churches into collaboration, a strong conviction to proclaim the Good News of Jesus, and shared prayer and praise with sharing of resources.

QUESTION  Can we be like these these early believers? What would help us?

John 20:19-31 — The disciples witness Jesus’ resurrection body

The disciples are sent on mission with an initial impartation of the Spirit

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

“When the disciples were together” — principally the Twelve without Judas, and Thomas (v.24) .

20 After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

“Showed them His hands and His side” — to dispel any thought that they were seeing a ghost, Luke 24:37.

“The disciples were overjoyed” — He had promised He would turn their grief to joy, John 14:18; 16:20-22.

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”

“As the Father has sent Me” — Now the One who was sent, becomes the One doing the sending, in John’s version of the Great Commission.

 22-23 And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

“With that He breathed on them” — the sending and the equipping go together. The Bible records the disciples receiving at least three impartations of the Holy Spirit. This initial impartation would have prepared them for Pentecost.

24-25 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

“Unless I see” — Thomas wanted the same concrete experience as the other disciples, v.20 above.

26 A week later His disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

“My Lord and my God” — Thomas is overcome with awe, now seeing Jesus as divine but also incarnate. One of the clearest statements of Jesus’ divinity.

• For further study: John affirms that Jesus is the incarnate Word. His resurrection body is not an apparition but a real, but glorified, body John 1:14; 1 John 4:2-3; 2 John 7.

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

“Those who have not seen and yet have believed” — few at that time but pointing to future generations of believers, John 20:8; 1 Peter 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:7.

30-31 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But 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.

“Written that you may believe” — John sets out to bring every reader of his gospel to confess Jesus as their Lord and God like Thomas, and so obtain eternal life.

Reflection

SUMMARY  The disciples are together and out of sight behind locked doors, when Jesus appears and greets them. He shows them the scars of His hands and side — He is not a ghost — and He gives them an initial impartation of the Holy Spirit. A week later, Thomas, absent on the first occasion, sees Jesus in the same way. The disciples are overjoyed, but Jesus reminds them that many more will be blessed through believing what they have not seen..

APPLICATION  Not long before there had been some friction about who would have the most favour in the new kingdom order but now the disciples shared a very special experience, seeing the risen Lord in His resurrection body. The early church was made up of people who all shared the fullness of the Holy Spirit, which brought a deep sense of togetherness, making a powerful witness.

QUESTION  What’s most important for unity among believers — a common experience of meeting with Jesus? A common experience of receiving the Holy Spirit? A common experience of being sent on the Lord’s mission?

1 John 1:1-2:2 — God expects us to believe Him and live by His values

Having fellowship with God is an experience shared with all other believers

1 That 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. 

“From the beginning… the Word of life — Jesus has always existed, but John knew Him as a flesh-and-blood man, the Word made flesh, John 1:14.

2 The 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.

“The life appeared” — He is called the life because Jesus, like God, has life in Himself, John 1:4, 11:25, 14:6.

“We have seen it” — and can testify at first hand “what we have seen and heard”, v.3. John’s personal testimony refutes false teachers who had not seen or known Christ themselves.

3-4 We 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. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.

“Fellowship with the Father and Son” — trusting Jesus in faith is to find fellowship both with Jesus and with the Father.

5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.

“God is light” — true, good and holy, untouched by evil or sin. Humanity’s compromised and double-minded state is exposed by God’s light.

6 If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.

“Walk in the darkness” — live contrary to the moral character of God. The false teachers John challenges claimed to be enlightened but were shown up by denying the reality and seriousness of sin and refusing fellowship with God’s people.

7 But 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.

“Walk in the light” — live in truth and holiness, open to God and His revelation of what is right and wrong.

“In the light, we have fellowship with one another” —a double meaning: adopting God’s values brings fellowship with Him; sharing those values finds fellowship across man-made divisions in the Body of Christ.

8-9 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

“Claim to be without sin” — the gnostic0 false teachers held that ‘higher knowledge’ made them sinless because Christ had abolished their sins. But Christians do sin because of the pull of the old nature. Everyone needs to come to Christ often for forgiveness.

• For further study, read Romans 7:14-25.

10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.

“If we claim we have not sinned” — beyond the self-deception of v.8 above, this questions why God would send His Son to die for everybody’s sins. It disputes that all are alienated from Him, John 2:2 below.

2:1 My 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.

“My dear children” — John is one of the original apostles, a senior elder, and by now of great age. 

 “If anybody does sin” — the grammar carries the assumption that we will.

2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

“The atoning sacrifice” — God’s utter holiness demands that human sin is paid for by punishment. So out of merciful love, He sent His Son to make an atonement as a substitute for the believer’s sin. Thereby His holy requirement for justice (wrath) is met.

“The whole world” — the pardon for sins offered to the whole world is received by those who believe, the only way to be reconciled to God.

• For further study, read references to Christ dying for the whole world, John 1:29, 3:16, 6:51; 1,Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 2:9. And references to atonement made for those who believe, John 10:11,15, 17:9,20; Acts 20:28; Romans 8:32,37; Eph. 5:25; 1 John 4:9,14; John 5:24.

Reflection

SUMMARY  John draws on long and deep experience to set out what it means to have fellowship with God. The brilliance of God’s purity and moral character shows up everything that is unholy — and we have to be real about our inadequacies, seeking forgiveness. Knowing that we need the blood of Jesus, His Son, to purify us from sin is walking in the light. It brings true fellowship with other believers and it is a powerful witness. To somehow claim that we don’t need this, discredits God Himself who made such costly provision for our sin.

APPLICATION    The world is sensitive to religious hypocrisy. Claiming to know God when we really don’t, will give out the mixed message that the world rightly distrusts, and where the fellowship is lacking, nothing can disguise it. The answer is to walk in the light, relying totally on Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Only through Him can we know God personally, and this is what attracts others. It’s all about relationship.

QUESTION  Because relationship demands a lot from us, do we look for more repeatable worship practices?

PRAYER  O God our Father, we are so grateful that Jesus made a way for us to have fellowship with You, Almighty, all-holy God.
Even though we are such a work in progress! We know that our independence and selfish pride get in the way of that wonderful relationship You have given us in Jesus, and damage our fellowship with other believers.
Thank You that we can bring our sin back to the Cross and receive the freedom Jesus won for us, never exhausting Your grace.
May Your love for us and love in us, be a signal to others that they can know this love, too. In Jesus we pray. Amen.

TLW is also available in a print edition to download as a PDF and print on A4 paper, producing a four-page Bible size handout. Permission is given to include this with your church bulletin or sharing copies with your house fellowship group.

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The Living Word is a Bible study on the set readings for April 4 according to the Revised Common Lectionary (shared by many denominations) which brings out the theme:

The message of the empty tomb is for all who believe 

• See also article linked to this post Jesus is Lord for all who turn to Him

OT Isaiah 25:6-9 — The heavenly banquet celebrating no more death for all who joyfully trust the Lord for salvation

NT gospel Mark 16:1-8 — The women find the stone rolled back, an empty tomb and an angel who explains: He has risen!

NT letter Acts 10:34-43 — The good news of peace with God: everyone who believes and trusts Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through Him

Isaiah 25:6-9 — Victory on the Lord’s mount swallows death for ever

The heavenly banquet for all who trust the Lord and are joyful in His salvation

6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines.

“On this mountain” — the mountain of the Lord. Jerusalem is taken as symbolic of Zion, the heavenly city, Isaiah 1:8, 1:27, 2:2, 24:23.

“Rich food… aged wine” — God’s grand Messianic banquet at the end of time. “Rich food” is symbolic of great blessings and “the finest of wines” speaks of a spiritual outpouring.

7-8 On this mountain He will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; God’s salvation through Jesus is fo r all people. He will swallow up death for ever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove His people’s disgrace from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.

“He will destroy the shroud… swallow up death for ever” — the first of two remarkable promises by God. Death, the great swallower, Psalm 49:14 ESV, is itself swallowed up in victory, 1 Cor. 15:54.

• For further study, see Revelation 7:17, 21:4

“The sheet that covers all nations… the tears from all faces” — the second remarkable promise, not only will God destroy death but He will do it for ALL people (five repetitions of ‘all’), not just the chosen people of Israel. This anticipates Christ’s death and , now resurrected, empowered to confer new life on all who come to Him in repentance and faith.

• For further study, read Romans 6:1-10.

9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

“They will say” — the new community of those belonging to God will respond in humility but also exuberant joy.

Reflection

SUMMARY  The picture of the heavenly banquet contains two promises that must have been difficult for Isaiah and his original hearers to grasp. First is that death, which stalks everything living until it can devour it, would be itself devoured and human sorrow and disgrace with it.

The second promise, just as extraordinary to those first hearers, is that wiping away tears and removing disgrace will be for all. Not just for God’s own, the nation of Israel, but all people of every nation — with much repetition of the “all”.

APPLICATION  The nature of religions is that they are exclusive. Apart from major world religions, the ordering of Christian faith into a great many strands of competing membership and practice is man’s way of organising and holding on to God’s free gift. Isaiah’s words show us with great clarity that God’s heart is to invite all who respond to His love to put their trust in Him and know His salvation.

QUESTION  Is Christian faith something we should be receiving, or giving away?

Mark 16:1-8 — The angel explains the empty tomb: He has risen

The women on a dawn visit to the tomb find the heavy stone rolled back

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.

“When the Sabbath was over” — no purchases could be made until sunset on Saturday evening. 

“Anoint Jesus’ body” — Jews did not practise embalming but this was an act of special devotion and love. They were not expecting resurrection.

2-3 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

“Who will roll the stone away” — the heavy stone closure was shaped to roll and set in a groove for closure.

4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.

“Had been rolled away” — an act of God, not to let Jesus out but to allow witnesses to see what had happened. There is no mention of the seal on the tomb or the guard. The women are unaware of the precautions the authorities had taken, Matt. 27:62-66. Matthew reports that an angel moved the stone, Matt. 28:2-4 and an earthquake occurred. 

5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“As they entered” — a fore-chamber, with a smaller burial chamber leading off it.

“Young man…in a white robe… sitting” — the posture of authority, and in formal attire suggestive of a heavenly visitation. Matthew tells us he was an angel. 

• For further study, see Mark 9:35, 13:3, Luke 4:20 and Esther 8:15; Ecclesiastes 9:7-8; Mark 9:3; Matthew 28:2-3.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

“The Nazarene” — used by some as a slur. The angel may have been saying that the ‘despised one’ who was crucified, has now risen in glory.

“He has risen!” — one emphatic word in Greek. The angel emphasises the evidence of the Resurrection.

7 “But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as he told you.’ “

“Go, tell His disciples” — a woman’s testimony was not allowed in court but Mark boldly cites the women as the first witnesses to the empty tomb and Christ’s resurrection.

“Disciples and Peter” — this detail only in Mark showing Peter was still very much included.

8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Reflection

SUMMARY  Mark’s account focuses on the the early morning visit by Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome. They set out at first light, on a mission of love and reverence, to reach the tomb where their Lord is laid out –– or so they believed. These women are the first witnesses of the empty tomb and the angel’s message: “He is risen! He is not here…” 

APPLICATION  Just as Isaiah’s words emphasise God’s heart that all are eligible to hear and believe for salvation in Jesus, Mark’s account puts women first, not last. On the Cross, death was defeated. At the tomb, God opened a sealed place of death, to reveal unmistakable evidence of Jesus raised to new life. We have to allow faith to rise above reason and trust in Jesus and His death and resurrection. Believing the Resurrection is a key to our receiving new life. 

QUESTION  Why did the women set out for a tomb they couldn’t open? What does this tell us about following God’s prompting, and His desire for ‘the last and least’ to be first on this occasion?

Acts 10:34-43 — The good news of peace with God through Jesus

Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name

34-35 Then Peter began to speak: “I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right.

“Peter began to speak” — at the house of Cornelius, a Gentile Roman in Caesarea. 

“God accepts from every nation” but there is no suggestion that salvation is possible apart from the redemptive work of Christ. 

• For further study: that God does not show partiality in the OT and the NT, Deut. 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Job 34:19; Romans 2:11, 3:29, 30; James 2:1. 

36 “You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.

“The message… to the people of Israel” — Jesus was the message, and the Jews were the first to hear it, but it was not exclusively for them because “Jesus Christ… is Lord of all”.

37-38 “You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached — how 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.

“You know what has happened” — the life and death of Jesus was known about, even to Romans living in Caesarea.

“After the baptism” — Peter’s summary begins with Jesus’ baptism and ends with the Resurrection, like Mark’s gospel which is based on Peter’s preaching, but in Greek.

39-40 “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, but God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen.

“Hanging Him on a cross” — literally, on a xylon, tree, the same word used in the Greek Septuagint OT to render Deut. 21:23 ESV “cursed by God is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”

41 “He 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.

“Ate and drank with Him ” — evidence of His bodily resurrection. 

• For further study, read Luke 24:42-43; John 21:12-15.

42 “He 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.

“The One whom God appointed as judge” — this seemed heretical to many Jews who believed that God the Father is judge of the world, John 5:22,27.

43 “All the prophets testify about Him that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”

“All the prophets testify” — to the Messiah and that everyone who believes in Him will have their sins remitted.

• For further study see Luke 24:25-27, 44-47; John 5:39. 

“Everyone who believes… receives”— to receive forgiveness of sins, we have to believe: nothing more, nothing less.

Reflection

SUMMARY  Peter, after receiving a dramatic vision from God, finds himself in a household he would never have entered before, surrounded by God-fearing Gentiles waiting for him to give them a message from God. He begins by sharing his most recent lesson — as a Jew, he had to understand that God accepts worship from people of every nation and background, without favourites. Then Peter tells them how he saw all Jesus’ ministry from His baptism, through the healings and miracles in Galilee and then in Jerusalem, and finally stood by the cross on which Jesus died. But then, on the third day, Jesus was raised from the dead. He was seen by many witnesses including the disciples who ate and drank with Him. Now they were under His orders to tell all the people about Him, how He is the One appointed by God to judge the living and the dead, and that everybody who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through Him.

APPLICATION  What we receive through entrusting our lives to Jesus, is what is our obligation to share — and the lesson here is about going beyond people who are like us. Peter found himself well outside his comfort zone with a Roman centurion — a Roman execution squad had put his Lord on the Cross — and a house full of ‘unclean’ Gentiles that no good Jew would associate with. But Peter had received an impartation of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and subsequently, and had received a vision that shocked him out of his blinkered Jewish view of who had favour with God. Now he found himself sharing freely with people who were not like him. His hearers were drawn to God and ready to believe, but they didn’t tick a single one of the religious boxes. They were complete outsiders. And Peter tells them that it is about believing in and trusting Jesus — everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through Him. That’s our learning point: God is at work in people who may be quite different from us, but what we have been given, is for us to share with whoever God brings across our path — and gladly. 

QUESTION  What is within your comfort zone? And what would be reaching outside it look like, for you?

PRAYER  Father God, You sent Your Son, empowered Him to show Your love to the world and then had to endure seeing Him die in indescribable pain and shame. Why?
Because You so loved the world that You gave Your Son, that whoever, of any race, background or record, that truly believes in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life through Him.
We are deeply grateful as we let those words sink in for us, once again.
And we receive Your love and Your truth afresh on this Resurrection Day.
As the women went with that most exciting message that Jesus is alive — so show us people that we can share that good news with.
To His eternal glory and honour, Amen.

PRINT EDITION  The print edition of TLW is available as a PDF download to print on A4 paper as a four-page Bible-size handout. Permission granted to copy for your own use, for your house group of for inclusion/distribution with your church bulletin.