PrayerBits for Thursday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Thursday

Scripture lesson: Acts 2:14a,22-32 Peter's Pentecost speech

Time to reflect: This was part of Peter's speech to the gathered crowd in Jerusalem on Pentecost. This was the first opportunity for most of the people to hear the story of Jesus and his resurrection. Peter lays it out pretty clearly, but using supporting references that would have been meaningful to that crowd. But it all, finally, came down to “...all of us are witnesses.”

Moving through the day: These witnesses have been dead for millenia, but their witness still carries weight throughout the world! In prayer thank them for their witness, their faithfulness and their martyrdom. Pray that you, too, can be a witness.

Scripture:

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.

"Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about him:
   " 'I saw the Lord always before me.
      Because he is at my right hand,
      I will not be shaken.
 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
      my body also will live in hope,
 because you will not abandon me to the grave,
      nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
 You have made known to me the paths of life;
      you will fill me with joy in your presence.

 "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.