Spiritual Practices: Keyword Listing
Keyword listing is a method of observational Bible study. It doesn’t require any special skills, tools, or training. You can read more about the process of keyword listing here. You can choose any word or short phrase to study using keyword listing. For this passage, we suggest the following keyword(s) to start your study.
Starting Points
Keyword listing is a method of observational Bible study. It doesn’t require any special skills, tools, or training. You can read more about the process of keyword listing here. You can choose any word or short phrase to study using keyword listing. For this passage, we suggest the following keyword(s) to start your study.
Starting Points
- They/You - Explore what Jesus says to his disciples immediately before his ascension
Exploring the Text: Prayer and unity
After Jesus' ascension, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and back to the upper room. Luke records that they, he women, and Jesus' brothers were all there. In Acts 2 we see that there were a total of about 120 of them. Luke also records that they were all in one accord and that they devoted themselves to prayer. There is a deep connection between prayer and unity. When we pray together, we draw closer in unity. It is almost impossible to devote ourselves to prayer together with others and not draw closer to them in unity. The reverse is also true, it is almost impossible to truly devote ourselves to prayer with people that we are in conflict with. Prayer and unity go hand in hand. If you find that you are not in unity with someone, if you are having conflict or strife with them, try devoting yourself to prayer for them and see if unity grows.
David Dalton
After Jesus' ascension, the disciples returned to Jerusalem and back to the upper room. Luke records that they, he women, and Jesus' brothers were all there. In Acts 2 we see that there were a total of about 120 of them. Luke also records that they were all in one accord and that they devoted themselves to prayer. There is a deep connection between prayer and unity. When we pray together, we draw closer in unity. It is almost impossible to devote ourselves to prayer together with others and not draw closer to them in unity. The reverse is also true, it is almost impossible to truly devote ourselves to prayer with people that we are in conflict with. Prayer and unity go hand in hand. If you find that you are not in unity with someone, if you are having conflict or strife with them, try devoting yourself to prayer for them and see if unity grows.
David Dalton
Living out the Text: Who is your Jerusalem?
Just before Jesus is taken up into heaven, he tells his disciples that they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and ultimately the furthest ends of the earth. The disciples were to start in Jerusalem because that was where they were. We sometimes get caught up in waiting to do something for God because we don't know where to start. I think Jesus would say the same thing to us that he said to the disciples. Start where you are. Who are the people that you are around, that you are in relationship with? That's where we need to start. We need to find our own Jerusalem and start there, just like the disciples did.
David W. Dalton
Just before Jesus is taken up into heaven, he tells his disciples that they will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and ultimately the furthest ends of the earth. The disciples were to start in Jerusalem because that was where they were. We sometimes get caught up in waiting to do something for God because we don't know where to start. I think Jesus would say the same thing to us that he said to the disciples. Start where you are. Who are the people that you are around, that you are in relationship with? That's where we need to start. We need to find our own Jerusalem and start there, just like the disciples did.
David W. Dalton