Pastor John Wright

After a three hour hiatus at a rest area outside of Needles, Arizona, we made it home by noon today, only to find our internet service down. I'll get the timing better next week!

This week we need to look through the rest of Acts 3, Acts 3:11-26, Peter's second speech in Acts, this one after the healing of the lame man. A helpful approach may be to compare and contrast this sermon with that in Acts 2, both in terms of the occasion and its content.

(1) v. 11-12: The occasion: What happens as a result of the man's healing? How does this provide Peter an "in" to address the audience? Who is the audience?

(2) vv. 13-18: An accusation: How does Peter speak to this group? Why? What is the healing of the man show in relationship to their previous actions?

(3) vv. 19-26: Call to Repentance: What does "repentance" and "conversion" entail here? What will be the results of their repentance, for them and for all things? Why must this repentance begin with them?

As you reflect together about this episode, what are you noticing about the beginnings of the church that you have been pulled into by the grace of God? What is repentance, conversion, and faith for you as well? What are the ways that we can be a "blessing" to all nations as well?

Tiana and I are currently up in the Bay Area, but I thought I'd stop by the PJ blog to see how things are going and to let you know how our particular Bible study is shaping up.

On Wednesday, we met first at our place and then walked over to Larry and Dave's. They were hanging out and watching TV so we just all talked and caught up for a bit with how things are going with nurse visits, Darren's care, and the dynamics between Larry and Dave, which are always fun.

After 30-40 minutes or so we walked back to Dave-O's and my place. We realized that there's probably no comfortable way to actually have a Bible study in their place because it's even smaller than it used to be with the hospital bed that Larry is now on.

We've decided in the last couple weeks that we really want to make these times personal and a way to connect with each other on a weekly basis, so we started out with each sharing our "low" and "high" of the week.

Then, after prayer, we engage in the word and bounce off the points laid out here in your outline --thanks for the guidance! This week when you asked "As you reflect together about this episode, what are you noticing about the beginnings of the church that you have been pulled into by the grace of God?", I took the opportunity to go around in the circle and ask everybody what specifically was it that pulled them into the church by God's grace? As in, what is it that drew their desire to join the church, or, if they had been in it all their life by birth, what is it that continued to draw themselves. We know that it is God's grace, but I wanted to really get at what is it in particular that draws each of us by that grace. There's definitely some common themes in what was shared.

It was a good time.

We ended with a few candles lit and in silence for 5 minutes or so, and then Cassie Lewis-Beevers closed in prayer.

This has been how our evenings have been going for the past couple weeks now, with the addition of the visit to Larry & Dave's. We are going to do the same next week!

peace,

eric