Big Ideas

1. Christ is Lord and sovereign over all of history. When faced with persecution, the Church looked to the Word of God for help, hope, and wisdom. Specifically, they looked to Psalm 2 which reminds us that while the world rages against the Lord, he remains seated in victory on his throne and he will not be moved. While the world conspires against God, God laughs. Therefore, God’s people, though they face intense persecution and opposition, shall not be moved because Christ is the sovereign Lord over all of history.

2. The Church prayed for boldness, not for relief. One might expect that in the face of opposition, that the Church would have prayed for relief. Perhaps, at times they did, but that is not what is recorded for us in this text. Rather, what Luke tells us is that in the face of opposition, the Church prayed for continued boldness in preaching the Word.

Study Questions

1. What does this text teach us about the relationship between God’s sovereignty and the details of historical events? How does this affect the way you understand and relate to the specific events of your own life?

2. Why do you think the Church prayed for endurance and boldness instead of relief?

3. Luke tells us that the place in which the Church had gathered was shaken. Why do you think he mentions that detail? What is important to the story?