Acts to Paul (2)
Pray Psalm 16.10, 11.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Sing Psalm 16.10, 11.
(All to Christ: Jesus Paid It All)
Soon Your glory I shall see, for as Jesus rose again,
You will come to gather me to my home with You in heav’n.
Refrain v. 11
Make me know life’s way! Pleasures fill Your hand.
Fill my life with joy each day! Before Your face I stand.
Read Acts 2.29-36; Acts 17.30, 31; 1 Cor. 15. 12-21; Phil. 2.5-11; meditate on Phil. 2.5-11
Preparation
1. What should govern our thinking as Christians?
2. How did God respond to Jesus’ suffering?
Meditation
Because Jesus has risen from the dead, we who believe in Him have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2.16). By this we know that we have been conveyed into His Kingdom (Col. 1.13), that His Spirit dwells within us (Gal. 4.4-6), and that we are gifted and empowered to be His witnesses and make disciples (Acts 1.8; 1 Cor. 12.7-11; Matt. 28.18-20). The more we think with the mind of Christ, the more we will know full and abundant life in Him.
Paul outlines the characteristics of the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ is first, engaged with and submissive to the mind and will of the Father. Second, the mind of Christ focuses on Jesus’ exaltation and rule. Third, the mind of Christ is humble, condescending to meet people at the point of their need and do whatever is necessary to reach them with the grace and truth of God. Fourth, the mind of Christ is self-denying, willing to undertake deprivation, suffering, and even death to make the way for others to be reconciled to and joined with God the Father. Fifth, the mind of Christ sets aside all self-interest and focuses on the will and glory of God, for it knows that in His will and glory, glory and honor will be realized through service. Sixth, the mind of Christ is devoted to His appointed work, to join with Jesus to restore to God the world He has reconciled to the Father by His death and resurrection.
We are to be always so minded, that the mind of Christ may govern our soul and give shape to our words and deeds in furthering the rule of Christ on earth as it is in heaven. Our lives as Christians will be vain, unfruitful, and ineffectual for the Kingdom unless we submit to our resurrected King and, according to His Word and in the power of His Spirit, learn and do His will in all things.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“THIS JESUS
God has raised up…” (Acts 2.32).
“God has made
THIS JESUS,
Whom you crucified,
both LORD and CHRIST” (Acts 2.36).
“…that at theNAME of JESUS—
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace—
every knee should bow…and every tongue should confess that
JESUS CHRIST is LORD,
to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2.10; Is. 9.6; Phil. 2.11).
“Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth!
For I AM God, and there is no other.
I have sworn by Myself;
the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness,
and shall not return,
that to Me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall take an oath” (Is. 45.22, 23).
“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2.11).“…for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Lk. 19.10).
“…Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!” (Lk. 24.5, 6).
“He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves,
but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5.15).
I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today;
I know that He is living, whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him He’s always near.
Rejoice, rejoice O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.
(Alfred H. Ackley, 1934)
JESUS—The Resurrected Lord.
Reflection
1. How would you explain to a new believer what it means now that Christ is their Lord?
2. How do you expect the Lordship of Jesus to manifest in your life today?
3. Whom will you encourage today with the reminder that Jesus is our risen Lord?
It is to the glory of God the Father, to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; for it is his will, that all men should honor the Son as they honor the Father, John 5:23. Here we see such motives to self-denying love as nothing else can supply. Do we thus love and obey the Son of God? Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Philippians 2.5-11
Pray Psalm 16.1-9.
Praise the Lord, Who reigns on His throne above! Call on Him to teach and guide you today, and to give you the strength you need to show His resurrection life to others.
Sing Psalm 16.1-9, 11.
(All to Christ: Jesus Paid It All)
Preserve me, O my God; I refuge seek in You.
You alone are all my good, my LORD and Savior true!
Refrain v. 11
Make me know life’s way! Pleasures fill Your hand.
Fill my life with joy each day! Before Your face I stand.
The saints within the earth, majestic in their day,
delight me with the worth of all they do and say.
Refrain
They endless tears shall weep who worship idols vain;
their ways I will not keep, nor speak their empty names.
Refrain
My portion and my cup are You, my Savior dear;
You help and hold me up and ever keep me near.
Refrain
I bless Your Name, O LORD; my mind instructs each night;
You teach me by Your Word and guide me in the right.
Refrain
You are ever with me, LORD; in You I shall not fall.
But rejoicing in Your Word, I abide within Your call.
Refrain
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest this week: Our Read Moore podcast takes up the book Understanding the Times to help us in knowing how to live and proclaim the Kingdom. Our twice weekly column, Crosfigell, is well into a series on the life of Brendan the Navigator, one of the great saints of the 6th century. Our ReVision series, “The Kingdom Economy”, continues this week with today’s teaching on the mission of the Kingdom. And new in our bookstore, our book, The Ongoing Work of Christ shows us how the book of Acts provides a template and footprint for all who take up the work of building Jesus’ Church.
And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.
Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
