Series: The Mvmnt 
Message: Persecution and Growth
Preacher: Alex Bryan
Reflection: Japhet De Oliveira
Live Wonder: Zan Long 
Live Adventure: Zan Long 
Live Purpose: Jessyka Albert 
Editor: Becky De Oliveira

Refresh: Begin today in prayer. Ask God for understanding through the Holy Spirit and for God’s character to be revealed.

Read: Acts 5:17-42 in The Message (MSG). Note 1–3 insights or questions. 

Reflect: When Jesus began His ministry, one of the earliest moments recorded was the cleansing of the temple (Mark 11:15-17). He called the temple His house. You have to understand that this was an intensely bold thing to say. The leaders did not know who Jesus really was. He appeared to be nothing more than a local carpenter’s son. It would be similar to me approaching a team of decorated Navy Seals and saying, “Step aside. I’ll take care of the missions from now on.” Or turning up in a surgeon’s operating room at the start of an aortic dissection procedure and telling her to stand down so I can operate in her place. The Navy Seals would likely pick me up with their little pinky fingers and throw me out the barracks. The surgical team would call security and I would end up wearing a different type of white coat for the rest of my life. Jesus touched on their raw nerves. This was their seat of authority—one which they guarded with their lives and souls. Priests waited a year to serve in the temple. It was such a privilege that even if they should find an injured Samaritan on the side of the road, they would feel intense pressure to hurry on past so as not to miss the opportunity to serve.  When Luke tells us (in Acts 5:24) that the Captain of the temple was perplexed, he means that the leadership gave up their position. Every morning, at the first sight of dawn, the first worship service of the day was supposed to be overseen by the Captain of the Temple. That morning, he was no where to be found. Instead, all the apostles who had been freed from the prison were there preaching about “this life.” It seems that the people were hungry for someone to speak truth into their lives. The apostles were trying to stay faithful to the example that Jesus set in the following example”

And He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And He was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority. —Luke 4:31-32

Recalibrate: What message have you been called to share?

Respond: Pray for clarity. 

Research: Why did Jesus cleanse the temple and what does that mean today?

Recharge: Wonder/Adventure/Purpose

When I was a child I loved Sesame Street. One of the songs that I loved to sing was “The people in your neighborhood”. Who are the people in your neighborhood? Go on an adventure in your neighborhood. See all the people who God loves.

When you learn about something super cool, like a new kind of candy or a fun game, you want to share it with all your friends, right? The apostles had something really cool they wanted to share with everyone. What do you think that something was? How can you share about Jesus with your friends?

Fitting in can be super important. We try to fit in intentionally and sometimes we fit in unintentionally. The apostles didn’t fit in or blend in at all. What they were saying about Jesus giving new life seemed crazy! What is something that people might think is crazy about following Jesus today?