week of 4/28

Unit 32 Session 4

IMPRISONED FOR THE GOSPEL

ACTS 12

God responded to the church's prayers and delivered Peter from prison.

A year had passed since Peter's appeal to the Jerusalem church to accept God's salvation of the Gentiles. Luke provided a few details of this time, including the fact that the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26). The stoning of Stephen caused many Christ-followers to scatter to avoid persecution. Their relocation served as a catalyst to spread the gospel message beyond the mostly Jewish religions surrounding Jerusalem. But persecution continued. Yet God remained faithful in delivering His people.

Points to consider:

✞   Praying to the Lord for Deliverance

     * How can we cultivate more prayer 

        in our lives?

     * When trials come our way, how 

        does prayer help?

✞   Following the Lord for Deliverance

     * What truths about God do you think 

        Peter clung to while he awaited 

        his trial?

     * How can we grow in our trust in God 

        that we can have peace even when 

        things don't seem to go the way 

        we expect?

✞   Praising the Lord for Deliverance

     * Why are there times when we 

        pray for something and yet doubt 

        that it could happen?

     * How can we be encouraged by 

        the suffering and deliverance 

        of God's people around us and 

        throughout the world?