Welcome to week one of Weekly Word!
Below, you’ll find your readings for this week, along with some helpful discussion questions and a short devotional that we encourage you to enjoy at the end of the week.
We are praying for you as you dig into God’s Word this week!
Readings
Acts 1–2
Luke 4:1-13
Devotion
Readings: Acts 1–2 | Luke 4:1–13
In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit arrives like a rushing wind, filling the disciples with a power they couldn’t manufacture on their own. It was a “mountaintop” moment of fire and tongues of praise. Yet, as we look to Luke 4, we see that the same Spirit who empowers us for the crowd also leads us into the wilderness. Jesus, full of the Spirit, was led into a season of hunger and testing.
This tells us something vital: being “filled with the Spirit” isn’t just for the miracles; it’s for the resistance. Whether you are in a season of “Acts 2” growth or “Luke 4” testing, the same God is present. Your hunger in the wilderness is not a sign of God’s absence, but a preparation for His power.
This week, as you read about the birth of the Church, remember that the power to change the world starts with a humble heart that relies on God’s Word more than its own appetites. Trust that the Spirit who started the fire in the early church is the same one sustaining you in your quietest, hardest moments.
Discuss:
- In Acts 2, the Spirit empowers the church for mission. In Luke 4, the Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness. How does the Holy Spirit help you navigate both “mountain top” moments and “wilderness” seasons?
- The early church was “of one accord.” What is one area of your life where you need to get “in accord” with God’s direction?
Dig Deeper
In this sermon from 2020, Pastor Andy teaches on two verses from Acts 1 that show us what it means to “Live Ready.”