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The Church is Persecuted

Week 4
April 27-May 3, 2024


FAMILY THEME

The Church is Preserved

WE ARE USING THE ICB VERSION OF THE BIBLE

20With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or think of. 21To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all time, forever and ever. Amen.




MONDAY
Read Acts 12:1-5 (ICB)

Herod Agrippa Hurts the Church

1During that same time King Herod began to do terrible things to some who belonged to the church. 2He ordered James, the brother of John, to be killed by the sword. 3Herod saw that the Jews liked this, so he decided to arrest Peter, too. (This happened during the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.) 4After Herod arrested Peter, he put him in jail and handed him over to be guarded by 16 soldiers. Herod planned to bring Peter before the people for trial after the Passover Feast. 5So Peter was kept in jail. But the church kept on praying to God for him.

While Peter was in prison, what were the other believers doing?


List two people you know who are facing a hard time. Take time to pray for them right now.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

When people I know face tough times, I can pray for them.


TUESDAY
Read Acts 12:6-11(ICB)

Peter Leaves the Jail

6The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping. He was between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Other soldiers were guarding the door of the jail. 7Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood there. A light shined in the room. The angel touched Peter on the side and woke him up. The angel said, “Hurry! Get up!” And the chains fell off Peter’s hands. 8The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” And so Peter did this. Then the angel said, “Put on your coat and follow me.” 9So the angel went out, and Peter followed him. Peter did not know if what the angel was doing was real. He thought he might be seeing a vision. 10They went past the first and the second guard. They came to the iron gate that separated them from the city. The gate opened itself for them. They went through the gate and walked down a street. And the angel suddenly left him. 11Then Peter realized what had happened. He thought, “Now I know that the Lord really sent his angel to me. He rescued me from Herod and from all the things the Jewish people thought would happen.”

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

God is able to do miracles.


WEDNESDAY
Read Acts 12:12-17(ICB)

12When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary. She was the mother of John. (John was also called Mark.) Many people were gathered there, praying. 13Peter knocked on the outside door. A servant girl named Rhoda came to answer it. 14She recognized Peter’s voice, and she was very happy. She even forgot to open the door. She ran inside and told the group, “Peter is at the door!” 15They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she kept on saying that it was true. So they said, “It must be Peter’s angel.” 16Peter continued to knock. When they opened the door, they saw him and were amazed. 17Peter made a sign with his hand to tell them to be quiet. He explained how the Lord led him out of the jail. And he said, “Tell James and the other believers what happened.” Then he left to go to another place.

How did the believers respond when they saw Peter and realized God had answered their prayers?



Why is it important to be on the lookout for how God is answering our prayers?



THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

God hears my prayers.


THURSDAY
Read Acts 12:18-24 (ICB)

18The next day the soldiers were very upset. They wondered what had happened to Peter. 19Herod looked everywhere for Peter but could not find him. So he questioned the guards and ordered that they be killed.

The Death of Herod Agrippa

Later Herod moved from Judea and went to the city of Caesarea, where he stayed for a while. 20Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. But the people of those cities all came in a group to Herod. They were able to get Blastus, the king’s personal servant, on their side. They asked Herod for peace because their country got its food from his country. 21On a chosen day Herod put on his royal robes. He sat on his throne and made a speech to the people. 22They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not a man!” 23Herod did not give the glory to God. So an angel of the Lord caused him to become sick. He was eaten by worms and died. 24God’s message continued to spread and reach more and more people.

Herod was killed because he did not . . .




But, the Word of God . . .




THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

God deserves all glory and honor.


FRIDAY
Read 2 Timothy 1:7-12 (ICB)

7and to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love. 8If all these things are in you and are growing, they will help you never to be useless. They will help your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ make your lives better. 9But if anyone does not have these things, he cannot see clearly. He is blind. He has forgotten that he was made clean from his past sins. 10My brothers, God called you and chose you to be his. Try hard to show that you really are God’s chosen people. If you do all these things, you will never fall. 11And you will be given a very great welcome into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That kingdom continues forever. 12You know these things, and you are very strong in the truth. But I will always help you to remember these things.

ASHAMED / PEOPLE / AFRAID / GRACE / SAVED / OURSELVES

God did not give us a spirit that makes us __________. He gave us a spirit of power and love and self-control. So do not be __________ to tell people about our Lord Jesus. God __________ us and made us his holy __________. That was not because of anything we did __________ but because of what he wanted and because of his __________.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I don’t have to be afraid or ashamed to tell others about Jesus. No matter what happens to me, I am saved and have eternal life.


CHECK IT OUT

Sometimes it’s easy to think that persecution like we read about in the Bible doesn’t happen today, but you just listed five countries where being a Christian is still dangerous. Christians in these places do not meet in public because they will be shunned by friends, arrested, or even attacked and physically harmed. The Bible tells us our greatest battle is with Satan—not with other people—and one of our greatest defensive weapons is prayer. Although you can’t stop persecution from happening around the world, and you can’t protect someone you love from being mocked for saying the Bible is true, you can pray for them. Turn to Jesus, in whom we can place our trust!




JUNIORS CHALLENGE

Pray for persecuted Christians around the world. Ask God to strengthen them, to remind them of the hope they have, to help them know how to share the gospel, and to give them the boldness they need to share it.