Queen's Road Cell

 6. How do the believers respond to the Sanhedrin’s threats (see 4:23-31)?  They 'went to their friends' (v.23), reported what had happened Prayed (v.24), quoted Scripture (v.25), reviewed past events in the light of God's purposes (v.27) Asked for boldness and power (v.30)   7. What do they confess about God? Write down as many observations as you can (see 4:24-30). God is sovereign (v.24] He made the heaven, earth, sea and everything in them (v.24) Spoke through the Spirit through David (v.25a) Opposed by kings and rulers (v.26) Anointed Jesus (i.e. made Him Messiah) (v.26-27) Had a plan fulfilled by wicked people (v.28) Knows the evil of men (v.29a) Grants boldness to speak His word (v.29b) Heals and perform miracles in Jesus' name (v.30) Gives visible evidence of answered prayer in shaking and speech of the apostles (v.31) 8. What do they ask God to do (see 4:29-30)?   Look at the threats of the authorities (v.29a) Grant boldness to speak (v.29b) Show His p...

As expected, we spent time talking about Trump's victory in the US elections. We noted that Scripture calls us to 1. Submit to civil authorities (Ro 13:1-7, 1 Pe 2:13) 2. Honour them (1 Pe 2:17, Ro 13:7) and 2. Pray for our political leaders (1 Ti 2:1) And yet, Acts 5:29 reminds us that the laws of God must always take precedence over the laws of men when there is a conflict. And yet, Christians must take pains to be the best citizens possible excepting when we are compelled and restricted by the laws of the land to go against Scripture. We moved on to address Kevin's question: how should we regard events and movements in the past like the Crusades, or the Inquisition, or the conquistadors who did what they did in the name of Christ? We said that their actions did not reflect Scriptural principles, and that we should be most careful when engaging in political action not to proceed on the basis of preference and expediency without clear Biblical warrant. What then of the...