In this week’s study, we take a short detour to talk about Lent—what it is, where the word comes from, and why the church sets aside forty days (not counting Sundays) to prepare for Holy Week. We’ll explore themes of darkness and light, the purpose of fasting and spiritual disciplines, and why the church returns to these rhythms every year as a regular reminder of God’s saving work.
Then we move into Acts 3: the healing of the lame beggar at the Beautiful Gate and Peter’s sermon in Solomon’s Portico. Along the way we focus on the church’s calling to witness and proclaim, the continuity between the Old Testament and Jesus, and why true gospel proclamation includes a call to repentance. We also discuss what it means for the real presence of Jesus to flow through his people, and we close with an honest conversation about miracles today—why we may not see them as often, and what faithfulness might look like in our cultural moment.
Key themes: Lent and fasting, dependence on God, spiritual renewal, Acts 3 healing, proclamation and repentance, the presence of Christ in the church, and the continuity of God’s plan from the prophets to Jesus.
If you’d like to follow along, read Acts 3 before watching—and come ready to ask: What might God be calling me to repent from, and what might he be calling me to trust him for?
