In today"s sermon, "The Full Message Of This New Life", according to the section "Summary from last week (29)": How is the "double-edged sword" of our wealth both a blessing and a curse? Read Hebrews 4:12 and relate it to the proper use of our wealth, the dividing of the sheep and goats, and other instances in the Bible and our daily lives.
What exactly is "the word of God"?
In the section "Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, ... and all of them were healed.": Why weren't other teachers of the law and rabbis able to join this gospel community (verse 13)? What were the differences between the disciples and their message as compared to the teachers and rabbis and theirs?
Why was there such a difference, and how did this difference affect the people? Compare the "good news" of the Gospel with the "bad news" of the Law (use Isaiah 61:1-3 to aid your reasoning).
How does hardship and suffering prepare you to preach the true Gospel? How does the true Gospel attract some people and make others run away (see John 3:19)? Are these sufferings coincidental?
In the section "They arrested the apostles ... and tell the people the full message of this new life (v.20).": Why did the religious and political leaders put the apostles in prison?
How and why did Jesus give "the full message of this life" to His disciples? What is another name used here for this message?
Why can't the word of life be confined? What is the true reality of the word "content", found in Philippians 4:11-14?
In the section "Peter and the other apostles replied: ... whom God has given to those who obey Him."(vv.29-32): What happens when the grace of Christ intervenes in our life? What was the core message preached by Peter and the apostles here?
In the "Conclusion": Why does God continually allow sufferings and hardships in the lives of His saints?
In "Confrontation!", by Ray Stedman, When are the "last days" mentioned in II Timothy 3:1-2, and what will they be like? Paul saw signs of "times of peril" in his day, Stedman in his, what are some of those signs today?
Why are these "signs" not the real cause of the "peril"? How are physical occurrences in our world merely symbolic actions that are meant to reveal to us the occurrences in the spiritual realm (read Job:1 and Ephesians 6-12)?
When reading this sermon, try to pick out the "four great factors" that Stedman says are present when the church is operating in the midst of peril. Why do we worry about the Church when we don't see the signs, wonders, and miracles shown in the Early Church in the book of Acts? How are these acts a clear demonstration of the power of God?
How and why are the works of the apostles different from those of the other members of the Church? What are the "greater works" Jesus speaks of in John 14:12?
What does Stedman say God is trying to teach us in the release of the Apostles from prison? Why does God sometime not allow His people to be released from prison physically?
Where does Ephesians 6:12 say the opposition and hostility to the Gospel really comes from?
In today's daily devotion, entitled "Hands Off!": Read Psalm 46, famous for verse 1 (God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.") and verse 10 ("Be still, and know that I am God."). Martin Luther was inspired by this Psalm, and the death of a martyred friend, to write the song "A Mighty fortress is our God" (see Lesson 28), which became the battle hymn for Christendom. Read Mark 4:35-41 and discuss how to know when to rest and when to take action in our daily lives, and also the idea of "peace within the storm".