• Read Acts 6:8-15

Reflect on the following:

• From chapter 6, what do we know about Stephen?

• When have you been a godly person and received pain in return?

• How did this situation (past or present) impact your relationship with Jesus? Were you angry? Confused?

• How can you keep pressing into the Lord to grow in character in situations like this?

• Read Acts 6: 1-7

There is a dispute that comes about in this new church. What happens and why does it happen?

• How do you typically handle a disagreement or argument with another person?
• What is the process of handling disputes in our body here at Riverside?
• What about in your Home Group?
• How did your family handle disputes?

This dispute gets addressed and resolved and the ‘word of God spreads’. How does the resolving of this conflict enable the spreading of the good news (even to the priests!)?

• Read Acts 5:12-42

Reflect on the following:

• What stands out to you from this passage?

• What do you think is behind the jealousy of the Sadducees?

• In what ways do you see this in contemporary church culture?

The apostles left rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (vs 41).

• How are you doing in the joy department?
• What are you choosing to count as joy even in a hard circumstance?
• How, in your daily life, is your relationship with Jesus ‘good news’?

• Read Acts 4: 32-5:11

Similar to the passage at the end of Acts 2, this passage records the characteristics of the early church.

We are going to take this opportunity to use the “Know, Be, Do…Together” format to learn here!

KNOW (What does the text say about God?)

BE (What does the text say about us?)

DO (What is the text calling me/us to do?)

• On a separate piece of paper, write out your reflections based on our above format.

Our predictable rhythm leads us to spend our Sabbath in worship and prayer.

• Pray and worship in the ways that you connect best to the Father’s heart.

• Read Acts 4: 23-31

Consider the following questions as you go about your day today:

• What strikes you from this passage?

• It seems remarkable that they do not pray for the situation to change. What are they praying for in the midst of this situation?

• What is a situation in your own life that you could apply this example to?

• Why do you think the filling of the Holy Spirit results in boldness to speak God’s word? How are these connected?