Get the appWordLive - Year OneSample
Prepare: Who do you think is running the world? What power do politicians, the financial markets and international businesses have? Praise God for his eternal power.
Only a man
Do you remember, in Monday’s reading, Cornelius falling at Peter’s feet to worship him (10:25,26)? Peter immediately told him to stop, saying, ‘I am only a man myself.’
How different is Herod! A crowd-pleaser (12:3), he allows the people of Caesarea to flatter him (v 22). Their words may seem odd to us, but at that time the Caesars were setting themselves up as gods and demanding worship. For the Greeks, too, it was accepted that, at times, the gods would appear among men.
One God
For us, as for the Jews of whom Herod was king, there is one God and we must worship no one else (Exodus 20:3). God’s punishment of Herod was swift and terrible (v 23).
But the believers would soon face a dilemma when their society demanded they acknowledge Caesar as Lord. Proclaiming ‘Jesus is Lord’ would be dangerous for Christians in the early church. Such faith is attractive (v 24) but can bring persecution, as it would for Saul (9:16).
Respond: Is there a situation you know about where Jesus’ lordship needs to be affirmed and other gods need to be challenged? Reflect that he wants to be Lord of our hearts, too, and we must submit wholly to him ourselves before we can proclaim his lordship to the world.
http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-12-15
Only a man
Do you remember, in Monday’s reading, Cornelius falling at Peter’s feet to worship him (10:25,26)? Peter immediately told him to stop, saying, ‘I am only a man myself.’
How different is Herod! A crowd-pleaser (12:3), he allows the people of Caesarea to flatter him (v 22). Their words may seem odd to us, but at that time the Caesars were setting themselves up as gods and demanding worship. For the Greeks, too, it was accepted that, at times, the gods would appear among men.
One God
For us, as for the Jews of whom Herod was king, there is one God and we must worship no one else (Exodus 20:3). God’s punishment of Herod was swift and terrible (v 23).
But the believers would soon face a dilemma when their society demanded they acknowledge Caesar as Lord. Proclaiming ‘Jesus is Lord’ would be dangerous for Christians in the early church. Such faith is attractive (v 24) but can bring persecution, as it would for Saul (9:16).
Respond: Is there a situation you know about where Jesus’ lordship needs to be affirmed and other gods need to be challenged? Reflect that he wants to be Lord of our hearts, too, and we must submit wholly to him ourselves before we can proclaim his lordship to the world.
http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2012-12-15
Scripture
About this Plan
WordLive provides a daily slice of Bible reading and commentary that, over four years, covers most of the Bible. The commentary encourages the reader to engage with the Bible passage in order to deepen their relationship with God, through reflection and practical application. The WordLive website offers further multimedia content and group Bible study, while registration offers a daily email, journal and bookmarking, and community tools.
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We would like to thank Scripture Union England & Wales for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: www.wordlive.org/youversion
