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Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction Last week we studied the lives of Paul and timothy with Paul and Titus. While Paul decided to circumcise Timothy, he did not insist on Titus being circumcised and the reasons were explained. We also looked at their submission to the leading of the Holy Spirit for every instruction and their prompt obedience. They were faithful and loyal to God; they did not seek to prove points but sought peace as much as possible. Wisdom was employed in their dealings in day today conduct in varied situations.
This week's study will look at how their strength and faith was put to extreme test and how their strength did not fail in the day of adversity. Vs.16. Spiritual alertness spirit (could discern). Do you know the people around you? 17. What was her motive? What is your motive for the things you do? Is God your ONLY motive or is there a hidden agenda? The devil subtly manifested as an angel of light in order to cause confusion. The bible enjoins us to test all spirits. 1 John 4:1, Matthew 7:15, 2 Peter 2:1 Satan will sometimes conceal himself under the guise of truth in order to deceive. 18. But Paul, being grieved - Being molested, troubled, offended. Paul was grieved..WHY DO WE GET GRIEVED WHENEVER WE SEE THE WORKS AND DECEPTION OF THE DEVIL?
19. The hope of their gains was gone - It was this that troubled and enraged them. Instead of regarding the act as proof of divine power, they were intent only on their profits. What is your heart focused on? The love of money blinds to the truth of the gospel. Many in evil businesses are unwilling to abandon it or be committed in church because eyes are fixed on gains.. (1Tim 6:10) the love of money.
20. The charge which they wished to substantiate was that of being disturbers of the public peace. The moment their course of life is attacked and exposed, they become full of zeal for laws that they were violating or won't hesitate to violate. HYPOCRITICAL CONSCIENTIOUSNESS. 21. Charged the apostles with introducing a new religion which was unauthorized by Roman laws. This was a cunning and artful accusation. They had no way of revenge except causing confusion, spreading lies and using the MULTITUDES. This is one among many instances where wicked and unprincipled people will endeavor to make religion the means of promoting their own interest. 22. And the multitude ..the confusion of multitudes, easily incited even though they don't understand what is going on (looter in London) MULTITUDES (Matthew 27:25). MAJORITY IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT. 23. And when they had laid many stripes on them - The Jews were by law prohibited from inflicting more than 40 stripes, and usually inflicted but 39, 2 Corinthians 11:24. But there was no such law among the Romans. They were unrestricted in regard to the number of lashes, and probably inflicted many more. Perhaps Paul refers to this when he says 2 Corinthians 11:23, "In stripes above measure." 24. Secured feet in the stocks - These were probably those large pieces of wood, in use among the Romans, which not only loaded the legs of the prisoner, but also kept them extended in a very painful manner. THE RIGHTEOUS DO SUFFER 25. And at midnight - Probably their painful posture, and the sufferings of their recent scourging, prevented their sleeping. Yet, though they had no repose, they had a quiet conscience, and inner strength from the Holy Spirit, their strength did not fail in the day of adversity. They were able to sing and pray. Job 35:10. Psalm 77:6, 42:8 Nothing but a deep relationship with God could have birthed this. The prisoners heard them - And doubtless with astonishment. Prayer and praise are not common in a prison. Songs of rejoicing and praise is not usual among men lying bound in a dungeon. WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR NIGHT SEASONS?
The Christian's source of happiness is within him. External circumstances cannot destroy his peace and joy. In a dungeon he may find as real happiness as on a throne. On the cold earth, beaten and bruised, he may be as truly happy as on a bed. The enemies of Christians cannot destroy their peace. They may incarcerate the body, but they cannot bind the spirit, they may exclude from earthly comforts, but they cannot shut them out from the presence and sustaining grace of God. We see the inestimable worth of the Christianity. It fits for all scenes; supports in all trials; upholds by day or by night; inspires the soul with confidence in God; and puts into the lips the songs of praise and thanksgiving.
26. And suddenly - While they were praying and singing "A great earthquake" - Matthew 28:2. An earthquake, in such circumstances, was regarded as a symbol of the presence of God, and as an answer to prayer. This was to furnish them proof of the presence and protection of God, and to provide a way for them to escape. It was one among the series of wonders by which the gospel was established, and the early Christians protected amidst their dangers. Immediately all the doors were opened - An effect that would naturally follow from the violent concussion of the earthquake. Acts 5:19 Everyone's bands were loosed - And yet so eminently did God's providence conduct everything, that not one of the prisoners made his escape, though the doors were open. If any had escaped the jailor wouldn't have been in a frame of mind to accept the gospel.
27. Would have killed himself - Christianity is against self-murder in all forms. 28. Do thyself no harm - Christianity seeks the true welfare of man. God's laws are for our own good. 29. It is evident that he regarded them as the favorites of God, and was constrained to recognize them as religious teachers 30. Sirs - an address of respect; a title usually given to masters or owners of slaves. "What must I do to be saved"? - 31. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ - This was a simple plain and an effectual direction. Don't make the gospel complex 32. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord - Thus, by teaching him and all that were in his house the doctrine of the Lord, they plainly pointed out to them the way of salvation. 33. He took them the same hour of the night, after they had done preaching to him and to his family and washed their stripes. 34. He set meat before them - They were sufficiently exhausted and needed refreshment. As they were the instruments of bringing health to his soul, he became the instrument of health to their bodies. Genuine faith in Christ will always be accompanied with benevolence and humanity, and every fruit that such dispositions can produce.
35. It is evident from the narrative that it was not contemplated at first to release them so soon; it is not known what produced this change of purpose in the magistrates. It is probable that they had been brought to reflection, somewhat as the jailor had, by the earthquake, and that their consciences had been troubled by the fact, that in order to please the multitude, they had caused strangers to be beaten and imprisoned without trial and contrary to the Roman laws or they judged it best to be content with what punishment they had inflicted on them, and dismiss them. 36. And the keeper of the prison said the magistrates have sent to let you go; they have sent an order to let you out of prison: now therefore depart, and go in peace; which expresses the jailer's pleasure of mind, and joy of heart, in executing his orders; and his sincere and hearty wishes for peace and prosperity to go along with them wherever they went, who had been instrumental of so much good to him and his family.
37 They have beaten us openly un-condemned! - There are three aggravating circumstances mentioned, of which Paul complains: (a) that they had been beaten contrary to the Roman laws. (b)The disgrace had been public and the reparation ought to be as public. (c)Punished without a trial and un-condemned, and therefore the magistrates ought themselves to come and release them, and thus publicly acknowledge their error. Paul knew the privileges of a Roman citizen Acts 22:28 DO YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHTS PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY?
38. They feared when they heard ... - They were apprehensive of punishment for having imprisoned them in violation of the laws of the empire. they besought them to go out, saying: We were ignorant of your circumstances, that ye were righteous men. And, leading them out, they besought them, saying, Depart from this city, lest they again make an insurrection against you, and clamor against you." They seem not to be so hostile as the day before.
39. And they came and besought them - A most humiliating act for Roman magistrates, but in this case it was unavoidable. The apostles had them completely in their power, and could easily affect their disgrace and ruin. Probably they besought them by declaring them innocent; by affirming that they were ignorant that they were Roman citizens, etc. 40. They went to the house of Lydia, comforted, exhorted and encouraged them to persevere, notwithstanding the opposition and persecution which they might meet with. They would have shared their testimony of divine deliverance, jailers' family conversion and their release from prison and exhorted them to cleave to the Lord, to continue in the faith, and abide by the truths and ordinances of the Gospel.
CONCLUSION God is faithful; He will always make a way of escape Isaiah 43:1-3. We must be spiritually and physically alert. Let not your strength fail in the day of adversity. Keep your focus on God and God alone.
Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction Last week's bible study amongst other things highlighted the power of documentation in everything we do, both personally and corporately as the body of Christ (the church). Another very applicable lesson was on conflict resolution using the sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas as a case scenario. I recollect a contribution that both were right. Both shunned what the teacher called spiritual hypocrisy and were very moderate in their temper while resolving the issue. I believe we learnt a very good lesson from the study and pray that we will be doers of the word and not hearers only. Today, we will be looking at three (3) connected, yet distinct scenarios as the ministry journey of Paul and Silas continues, aptly captured by Luke and also detailing some interesting lessons that we can learn as individuals and corporate body. Paul and Timothy Vs Paul and Titus: Vs 1-5 The first two verses of this scripture heralds a disciple called Timothy. On their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas preached in Lystra (Acts 14: 8-19), a city of Lycaonia, and experienced success and persecution. Note that it was at Lystra that ?they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead'. (Vs 19). However, it is likely that a Jewess named Lois, and her daughter Eunice, were converted to Christ during that ministry (See 2Tim1:5). Eunice was married to a Gentile, by whom she had Timothy, probably an only child. Timothy evidently had been instructed in the Jewish religion, but his father refused to allow his son to be circumcised. When Paul returned to Lystra (also a place of Idolatry) on his second journey, he found Timothy to be a member of the local church and highly recommended by its leaders there and at Iconium. The Third verse is however very controversial. Just a chapter before, the same Paul and Barnabas were sent to deliver the decision of the Parish Council and other brethren on the documented decree against circumcision of the Gentiles as a mark of salvation. Yet we read that Paul took Timothy and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in that region. Let us parallel this event with Galatians 2:1-5. Lessons 1) An account of where Timothy grew up shows that he lived in a very dangerous place, and yet his testimony was highly respected by the Christians who knew him and his testimony in that dangerous place. Little wonder Paul's admonition in 1Tim 4:12. Thank God for his mother and grandmother's influence on him, even though the father was probably an unbeliever. Though we live in a society whose moral decency is questionable, this is still not enough reason for us as parents and guardians not bringing up God fearing children. 2) On the controversy of circumcision, since they were going to be ministring among the Jews, Paul admonished Timothy to be circumcised, not for righteousness' sake, but for sake of Christian courtesy in order to avoid offending the Jews since his mother was Jewish. This was not compromise (as proven by the firmness of Paul in the case of Titus who was a Gentile in Gal 2:1-5); it was a mature recognition that social, cultural, and even religious differences should never become more important issues than the simple message of salvation in Christ. See 1 Cor. 9:19-23. (.I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view.).We should, as a church and Christians be careful in handling issues bothering around tradition with great wisdom having the salvation of souls as the ultimate purpose of our calling in the Lord. The result of Paul's action resulted in ?the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in number daily' Vs 5 Forbidden By the Holy Spirit - Submission to the Leading of the Holy Spirit : Vs 6 - 10 We would recollect from Acts 13 how the Holy Spirit initiated the first stage of Paul and Barnabas missionary journey. However, the ways in which God guided them (Paul and Silas) to the "second stage" of their mission are both interesting and informative. Lessons 1) God first used "closed doors" to guide these missionaries (Vs 6 - 7). They did not interpret this to mean an opposition from the enemy! We should realize that not all open doors are God's doors. Has this principle of God's guidance ever been demonstrated in your life? 2) If they had disobeyed, I believe they would have missed the Macedonia opportunity. In fact, Paul would not have received the vision. We should know that a closed door simply means that God has a great and effectual door in the waiting! (share) Riverside Experience: Vs 11 - 15 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.(Vs 13 NKJV) It is recorded that Jewish law required the establishment of a synagogue when there was a population of at least 10 men in a community. The absence of one in Philippi indicates a small Jewish population. Little wonder that there were more women at the riverside. It's however interesting to know how God had planned that people will be saved in the lowly populated city of Macedonia. God opened the heart of just one woman, Lydia from Thyatira, she and her household were saved and baptized! Her salvation led to that of many others subsequently and a church emerged (The Church in Thyatira - Rev 2:18-29) Also notice the immediate evidence of her salvation in the last verse (Vs 15). God Himself (not us) determines who will be saved. How come it was the heart of Lydia that God opened and not all the women? We need to be very opened and sensitive to God's leading in evangelism. It's God's call and not ours! CONCLUSION Paul and Silas proved their faithfulness and loyalty to the cause they believe in by delivering the decrees documented by the elders in Jerusalem in every city they went. Paul also demonstrated great Christian courtesy which we should learn from, to the Jewish believers in circumcising Timothy, resulting in the strengthening of the church and an increase in their numbers. He was however resolute in his stand against circumcision of the Gentiles as we saw in the account of Titus. Wisdom is profitable in all matters. Also, God demonstrated His sovereignty through leading by closed doors and deciding to open the heart of just one woman in order to spread the gospel and save souls in Philippi. We must trust God for grace to follow the Leading of the Holy Spirit at all times. Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction In our last bible study, we saw a major disagreement arising between the Jews and believing Gentiles about traditions. It is instructive to observe the method adopted by the early church in order to resolve the debate. They did not take matters into their hands or allow strife and division to take over the church. As the matter was brought to the attention of the Apostles in Jerusalem, it is very important to note that a very broad spectrum (of course many of them seasoned) was allowed to make inputs to the issue. In fact, it was James (someone not seen to be the leader of the church at the time) that took the leading role as he made his contributions, supported by the scripture, to the matter at hand. Finally, they all agreed on the way forward as led by the Holy Spirit. Today, we will finish up this Chapter by observing certain things in the final resolution of the Church council and the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas.
Letter to Gentiles: Vs 22 - 35 Principle of print (writing) and documentation § Chosen men whose integrity was not in doubt were appointed to go; yet the consensus was put in print. Is there a lesson for the church to learn? Content of the letter § Agreed by those involved § Clarity of the letter is striking! No ambiguity. § Commendation of Paul and Barnabas § Note the word ?seemed good' in vs 28. (Compare to last week's comment on Mosaic Law?) "The avoiding of fornication is necessary to all Christians at all times; the avoiding of things strangled, and of blood, and of things offered to idols, is necessary at this time, for the keeping up of a good understanding between you and the Jews, and the preventing of offence;" MH commentary
Disagreement between Barnabas and Paul: Vs 36 - 41 Here is an account of a private disagreement between two great ministers not willing to compromise but yet ending well. § A proposal to review their work and renew it: As believers and as a church, we must cultivate the habit of continual assessment/appraisal of every activity we engage in so as to improve on them. Note the word ?how they do' in verse 36. That must be the purpose! § The principle of two-by-two: We need one of another in quite a number of ways so we must not be ashamed to both borrow and lend assistance. Two are better than one. Every soldier has his comrade. Mark 6:7, Luke 10:1-3 The Disagreement § The disagreement between the two was clearly defined i.e. about an assistant who was meant to be a witness of their doctrine, manner of life, and patience, and that should be fitted and trained up for further service. No ?spiritual' hypocrisy like ?it is well' of many modern believers meanwhile they are not in agreement with the subject matter. What can we see from this?
§ Men will always be men even the best of us are subject to like passions. The two highly regarded men of God resolutely stuck to their opinions without even referring the matter to a third person as they did earlier. § It is not strange to have differences among wise and good men (Believers). In fact, different opinions, views and sentiments are to be expected from group of Christians. What it seems is the possibility that Paul and Barnabas amicably "agreed to differ". § We must be careful not to allow our differences over-ride the ultimate aim of glorifying Christ. What we should note here is that persecutions of the unbelieving Jews and the impositions of the believing Jews could not separate them yet they allowed unhappy disagreement to do so. This is written for us to learn from! I Cor. 10:11
God will always be God who knows how to make all things to work together for good to serve His purpose! Had it not been, He would not have permitted it.
§ More places visited. Barnabas went one way; he sailed to Cyprus (Ac 15:39), Paul went another way. God served His own purpose using it for the diffusing of gospel light. § More hands employed in the ministry of the gospel among the Gentiles. § Afterwards Paul seems to have had a better opinion of John Mark; Look at what he wrote to Timothy (2Ti 4:11). ?Take Mark and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry'; and he writes to the Colossians concerning Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, that if he came to them they should receive him, bid him welcome, and employ him (Col 4:10).
The disposition of Paul later teaches us (As taken from MH commentary) § That even those whom we justly ?condemn', we should do so moderately and with a great deal of temper. This is because we may have cause to think better of them afterwards to the extent of seeing need to make use of them and make friendship with them. Therefore, we should regulate our resentments that if it should prove so, we may not be ashamed of them later. § That even those whom we have justly condemned, if afterwards they prove more faithful, we should cheerfully receive, forgive and forget, and put a confidence in, and, as there is occasion, give a good word to them. § That Paul, though he wanted his old friend and companion in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, yet went on cheerfully in his work (Ac 15:41): He went through Syria and Cilicia, countries which lay next to Antioch, confirming the churches. Though we change our colleagues, we do not change our principal President who is Jesus.
Conclusion It is very crucial to engage the power of print (writing) and documentation in everything that we do in the church. This should be done in a clear and comprehensive fashion as we saw the Apostles did. Perhaps, if the inspirations/laws/instructions/etc had not been well-documented, we may not have had the bible.
In as much as the best of men will always be human, God is still able to use the ?faults' of his servants to the profit and building of the Church: yet we have to take heed, even in the best matters, that we do not let our anger overflow. Even when we mistakenly allow the heat-of-the-moment to take over and finally saw that our judgement had not been entirely right, we must be humble enough to admit it and wherever possible publicly as Paul did.
Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction Fortnight ago, while studying Chapter 14, we saw the consistent habit of the Apostles whenever they go to any city; 14:1"At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue" .We also saw their effectiveness in preaching the gospel with results. We also received the important lesson of knowing when to wait and when to run during persecution. Lastly, we saw the importance of not directing praise to ourselves even when we are at the center of attention.
1) The Issue at Hand: Act 15: 1-5 "Now some men came down from To further understand these verses, let us look at Gal.2:11-16. I believe this was an incident that took place before Act 15. The ambivalence (hypocrisy) of apostles like Peter probably encouraged others who were even more radical in their views to press their demands publicly, as we read in vs 1 & 5. We should note that these Judaizers who demanded circumcision and law keeping were not evangelists who were preaching their message to Gentile pagans. These were Jewish believers (those of the Pharisee party) who were targeting newly saved Gentiles. It is interesting how some are more than willing to let others do the evangelizing, only to prey upon these new converts with their distorted doctrines. What were their demands? That gentile converts should be circumcised and made to uphold the Law of Moses. In our Churches today, we still have leaders and followers who uphold the traditions of men rather than the gospel of grace. Gal.1:6-9. The gospel of Christ is the gospel of grace not of works and human traditions Eph.2:8,9. We should observe the method of dispute resolution in the early Church in vs 2. the church at 2) The "Both the apostles and the elders met together to deliberate about this matter. 7 After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God chose me to preach to the Gentiles so they would hear the message of the gospel and believe. 8 And God, who knows the heart, has testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between them and us, cleansing their hearts by faith. 10 So now why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11 On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are." 12 The whole group kept quiet and listened to Barnabas and Paul while they explained all the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13 After they stopped speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has explained how God first concerned himself to select from among the Gentiles a people for his name. 15 The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written, 16 ?After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, 17 so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, namely, all the Gentiles I have called to be my own,' says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from long ago. 19 "Therefore I conclude that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but that we should write them a letter telling them(a) to abstain from things defiled by idols and (Genesis 2:24 b)from sexual immorality and(c) from what has been strangled and(d Genesis 9:2-4) from blood. 21 For Moses has had those who proclaim him in every town from ancient times, because he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath" It is not just the apostles who gather to decide on the issue of circumcision (verse 6). It is the apostles and the elders of the church at Peter recalled his encounter in Acts10 then made a remarkable statement: "We believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they are." This is exactly the opposite of how some Jewish Christians were thinking. The Jews were used to thinking that anyone who wanted to be saved must be saved like they were. In fact, some still are. They were insisting that Gentiles can only participate in God's blessings to the seed of Abraham by doing what Abraham did - be circumcised. But Peter insists that the Law never saved anyone; it only condemned (compare Romans 3:19-20). He then states that Jews must be saved the same way Gentiles are saved, by faith, apart from law keeping. Also look at Romans 4:9-12. Vs 12 is very interesting because Paul and Barnabas pointed to the signs and wonders done among the gentiles just like God did among the Jews (Acts 2:43; 5:12 and Acts 14:3). In verses 13-21, James steps forward. One does not get the impression that Peter is the dominant leader here; instead, James seems to play that role. James did something that the three before him had not done - he cites Scripture. Thus, the decision that is reached is based both upon Scripture and on experience. James follows up on what Peter has said. God has revealed His purpose to save Gentiles as well as Jews. This is the fulfilment of what the Old Testament prophets had foretold. James turns to the words of Amos 9:11-12 to establish his point: Conclusion: The conclusion is clear. The four things prohibited in the Acts 15 letter are all NON-MOSAIC, universal regulations. They are, and always have been, universally binding on all humans. They are, however, also strongly emphasized in Mosaic law. Pagan society in the first century was woefully unaware of these universal regulations - except through the teaching of the Hebrew Scriptures (hence James' comment in Acts 15:21). When the Jerusalem church agreed that Mosaic regulations should not be imposed on the Gentile believers, they recognized that with the rejection of Mosaic regulations as binding on Gentile Christians, it might be understood that the prohibitions against idolatry, eating blood, eating strangled meat, and fornication should also be thrown out, as they were only generally known through Mosaic law. The church was careful to restate these regulations not because they wanted to avoid scandalizing Jewish believers, but because they were and are and always will be universally binding on all mankind. They did not want to appear to be condoning what God had universally condemned.
Contributor: Alex Alajiki Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction Last week's study titled: "Missionaries to the Gentiles" we saw the encounters of two of the Apostles (Barnabas and Paul) and their special mission and transforming journey led by the Holy Spirit. This week we shall continue in this journey and pick up learning points "Useful Tips" as we journey together. Reading through the passage we can pick up the useful tips from nearly every verse. Come, let's journey together: LEARNING POINTS 1. They developed the habit of fellowshipping: verse 1a "At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue" Heb 10:25 2. They were effective: verse 1b "There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed."Eccl 9:10 3. They were wise to know that "there is a time for everything": - a time to stay Verses 2-3 "But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.", and a time to run! Verses 4-6 "The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. There was a plot afoot among both Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country" Eccl 3:1-8 4. They were diligent and consistent: verse 7 "where they continued to preach the gospel". One of the virtues the church seem to lack. Either we start and don't finish or we seem to lose the zest after a while. But see verses 15-17, 21, 24-25& 26. Proverbs 22:29 5. They were spiritually alert and sensitive: verse 9b "Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed"1 Peter 5:8a 6. They acted in faith: verse 10 "and called out, "Stand up on your feet!"Luke 17:16 7. They were humble; verses 14 - 15a "But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 "Friends, why are you doing this? We too are only human, like you." James 4:10 8. They capitalized on the opportunity to preach: verses 15b - 17 "We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." 1 Peter 3:15 9. They were a source of help and support for each other: verse 20 "But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe." Heb 10:24 10. They were focused and relentless: verse 21a "They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples." 2 Tim 4:2, Luke 9:62 11. Their follow up strategy was complete and noticeably honest: verse 21b - 22 "Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said." They visited and strengthened the people and told them the honest truth about what to expect. Eph 4:15, Matt 5:37 12. They communicated openly and collaborated by their actions: "Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust." 13. They were consistent and continuously active doing what they were called to do: "After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25 and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia." 14. They finished the project assigned to them: [because they were focused] verse 26 "From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed." Disciples like their Master. 1Thess 5:24 15. They were direct, honest and accountable: verse 27 "On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles." CONCLUSION So much to learn, so much to adopt and adapt. So very many useful tips that we should fashion our lives after. Virtues that will not only keep us focused and effective but able to keep us ready for the coming of the Lord. These same virtues are capable if adopted by the church universal to prepare the bride for the coming Groom. Lord help us not to be forgetful hearers or hearers alone but to be doers of your Word! Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction Two weeks ago, we looked at some Dos and Don'ts through the pleasant experiences of Peter in the hand of Herod and the resultant prayers of the rest of the Apostles and disciples. We were able to learn from this encounters and I am sure that we will continue to apply the lessons learnt when we go through pleasant situations too and we will surely overcome and grow stronger even as we do in Jesus Name, Amen. This week, we will be looking at the encounters of two of the Apostles (Barnabas and Paul) as they were specially sent on a life transforming journey by the Holy Spirit. Just as we have been doing, we will be focusing on the acts of the Apostles in parallel with the acts of the church today.
PLURALITY OF GIFTED MEN - Ideal for the Church (Vs 1) The chapter begins with an introduction to the church's leadership composition. Leadership by a plurality of gifted and godly men is an ideal for any church that will fulfill God's purpose (Eph 4; 11-14). This church did not depend on just a single gifted man! Five gifted men were mentioned. From our previous lessons on Barnabas, he was probably the most gifted (Leader) of them all with Paul probably being the rookie of the five. This ideal leadership structure will pave way for church growth which will result in sending out quality missionaries for church growth.
SOUND AND TESTED MEN TO THE RESCUE! - (Vs 2-4) "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." There are important lessons that the present day church can learn from this. 1) Unlike the disciples that were scattered due to the persecution of the church in Acts 8, these two Apostles were called and sent out by the Holy Spirit (Vs 4). Let us parallel this with what is obtained in the present church (Discuss) 2) The two that were sent out have been tried and tested. These are not baby Christians! They are gifted and godly men that have been effectively equipped by the Holy Spirit! 3) The Holy Spirit spoke while the church was ministering to (serving, worshiping) the Lord and fasted. The church (as her custom was) was very faithful in what they were doing. There is need for faithfulness in what we have been called to do before we can move on to the next level.
SYNAGOGUES AND JOHN MARK - (Vs 5) The Synagogue is usually the first point of call for the Apostles whenever they get to any city (Acts 9:20, 13:14, 14:1, 17:1,10). The reason being that this is where God fearing Jews and Gentiles congregate. Although John Mark (Barnabas cousin - Col 4:10) joined the two Apostles at this point, he later forsook them at Perga in Pamphylia (Vs 13). This was to cause a very sharp contention and subsequently separation between Paul and Barnabas in Acts 15:39. The lesson here is in recognizing the differences in the temperament of these two Apostles who have achieved so much together.(Discuss)
FILLED AND CONTROLLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT - (Vs 6-12) An interesting event happened here. The sorcerer (a Jew) must have some relationship with the proconsul (a Gentile) to have been with him. Called Bar-Jesus (Son of Jesus) whose real identity was revealed by Paul under the influence of the Holy Spirit as son of the devil! I believed that the proconsul would have had some questions to ask and probably not made up his mind to believe immediately (following the influence that the sorcerer must have had on him) but for Paul "filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit" Vs 9, and the Elymas Blindness, that made him (proconsul) believed on the spot. I believe when things are done under the very influence and proper promptings of the Holy Spirit, results manifest instantly! Also note how God orchestrates things! Imagine if Elymas has not been with the proconsul.
PAUL TAKES THE LEAD! - (Vs 13 - 41) Notice the shift from Saul to Paul. Paul is the gentile translation of the Hebrew Saul. Also notice that Paul was the more outspoken of the duo. This is a reflection of his temperament (Discuss). The emphasis of Paul in his word of exhortation is found in the following; "But God raised Him from dead" Vs 30 "...in that He has raised up Jesus" Vs 33 "And that He raised Him from the dead,." Vs 34 "But He whom God raised up..." Vs 36 The contention by the Jews is borne from the fact that they find it hard to believe that Jesus is raised from the dead. See Paul's outrage in Acts 23:6-8 The core of our message should be the risen Jesus!!!
IMMEDIATE RESPONSE - (Vs 42-44) A Holy Spirit led message will convict the heart of sinner anytime, anywhere. Remember that the duo was sent by the Holy Spirit. So there is no doubting what the result will be. "...the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath." Vs 42 Not only the Gentiles, Vs. 43 mentioned that; ".many of the Jews and the devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas," (AMP)
OPEN DOOR ALONG WITH ADVERSARIES- (Vs 44-51) "For a wide door of opportunity for effectual [service] has opened to me [there, a great and promising one], and [there are] many adversaries."[1 Cor 16:9 AMP] Crowds were gathered by the next Sabbath day because the news had spread. This was not without tribulations and adversaries, though. Most times, when we are being persecuted, provided we are in tune with God, it's not because we have done things wrongly, but mainly because we are doing things rightly and achieving results! An interesting portion to ponder and meditate upon is verse 48b; "and as many as were destined (appointed and ordained) to eternal life believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Jesus as the Christ and their Savior)."[AMP]
BETTER IS THE END OF THE MATTER - (Vs 52) This verse shows the faithfulness of God. And I love the way the chapter ended; "And the disciples were continually filled [throughout their souls] with joy and the Holy Spirit." [AMP]
CONCLUSION There is quite a lot to learn as a church from this chapter especially in the area of missions and leadership. The church in Antioch was an ideal church with a very rich leadership base. So expansion was not a problem at all as they were well overripe for one. With Solid leadership base, letting go of two prominent leaders into the mission field was a sweat less effort especially when initiated by the Holy Spirit. There was no pressure involved here. The results obtained at the field was outstanding, but not without challenges. But they were able to finish well because they embark on the mission based on the request and command of the Holy Spirit!
Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction In last week's study titled "The First Gentile Church (Embodiment of Love)" we saw some dramatic changes pre-planned by the Almighty God Himself for the sake of the propagation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ We saw selflessness of Barnabas - the Encourager and we also saw that in the first gentile church, their love was a verb!
In as much as there are interesting occurrences in this chapter that would make interesting reading and present several learning points, we would focus only on the "acts" of the apostles and the early church. We will in the study of the following verses treat some Dos and Don'ts
THE DOS
Verse 5 - "So Peter was kept in prison, but fervent prayer for him was persistently made to God by the church (assembly)." What they could have done and what we sometimes do
2. Trust God; even when the world is crumbling around you (Isa 50:10, Job 13:15 )
Verse 6 - "The very night before Herod was about to bring him forth, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, fastened with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison"
Ps 121: 4 - "Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps" [NLT]
Peter must have thought to himself "it is pointless for two people to lose sleep on the same matter" His trust for God was of the highest form!
3. Fear Not! Peter was not afraid of dying. Fear and sleep don't go together! He made himself comfortable and slept (see verse 8) Matt 10: 28 - "And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
What he could have done and what we sometimes do Stay up all night worrying, panicking and creating a foul atmosphere that may hinder God's plans. However, God cannot be boxed in our little minds; neither can we undermine the Holy Spirit's move. How else can you explain these two similar situations? · Paul and Silas prayed because they trusted · Peter slept because he trusted
They did as they were led!
THE DON'TS
1. Insensitivity - they were praying but not watching (Luke 21:36a) Verses 14 & 15: "And recognizing Peter's voice, in her joy she failed to open the gate, but ran in and told the people that Peter was standing before the porch gate. They said to her, you are crazy! But she persistently and strongly and confidently affirmed that it was the truth. They said, it is his angel!"
2. Faithless prayers - they were not praying in Faith (Matt.21:22, James 1:5-8, Hebrews 11:6) They clearly didn't believe God could do what they were asking for. Although they were fervently and persistently praying - they were simply going through the motions
3. Praying without expectations Unlike the father of the prodigal son who was expecting his son to return (Luke 15:20) they were not expecting an answer to their prayers - see verse 15
"I call to You, God, because I'm sure of an answer." Psalms 17:6 (MSG)
CONCLUSION So what have we learnt? We can safely say that God showed Peter mercy on the basis of his faith and trust in Him. It is possible that we can sometimes follow the motions when we pray without putting our hearts to it; we could be insensitive, faithless and not expectant. However, there still remains one possibility that we should objectively consider - "their expectation of how God will answer their prayers" They could have been expecting God to answer in a different way! So it is therefore vital that when we pray, (and as the 4th DO): "We should be open to receive from God in any way He chooses!" Having learnt all these we will now touch on the other learning points and useful prayers we can adopt from this chapter 1. That God will not allow us to be used as pawns in the Devil's chess game [James and the soldiers] 2. Always give God the glory - He gave us His only begotten Son and everything else with Him but He will not share His glory with man Acts 12: 23 3. God's work will continue to advance - no one can hinder it! Better to be a part of it than be against it. Verse 24 Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction: Another opportunity to learn more of the work of God in the lives of the men who turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6) is here! Last week's topic, titled "Handling Criticism" was remarkable. We learnt about how matured and worthy of emulating, Peter handled the Hebraic Jews' criticism of his association with the Gentile centurion and the ultimate conversion of his household and himself. As we will see today, God's ways are higher than any man's and His thoughts are past finding. This was the beginning of a new phase of movements which has since continued till this very present moment - The Gentile Church! CHANGE IN TIME (Vs 19) Interestingly, beginning from this verse down, we are going to see some dramatic changes pre-planned by the Almighty God Himself for the sake of the propagation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Personnel change from our beloved Apostle Peter to Barnabas and Paul, location change from Jerusalem to Antioch and time referral to the persecution of Stephen. It's amazing how God orchestrates events simultaneously. In Acts 8, while God was preparing the Ethiopian eunuch for salvation, He was also guiding Philip to their meeting place in the desert. While God was preparing Saul for conversion, He was preparing Ananias for meeting with Saul to restore his sight and while God was preparing Cornelius for the arrival of Peter, He was also preparing Peter to go to the home of a Gentile. Same is true for our text today, while the Jews in Jerusalem were debating the legitimacy of the salvation of Gentiles; God was already at work saving Gentiles. HELLENISTIC JEWS, NOT THE HEBRAIC JEWS (Vs 20 - 21) Of course, God is not partial, neither is there discrimination in Him. "He knows us inside and out.." (Psalm 103: 14a MSG) In reaching out to the Hellenistic Jews, God used their fellow brethren (Stephen, Philip, Paul and Barnabas etc). "God was pleased with what they were doing and put his stamp of approval on it?quite a number of the Greeks believed and turned to the Master." (Vs 21 MSG) Supports the truth that God was the one orchestrating this. HEBRAIC JEWS DECISION ACTED UPON (Vs 22) What the Jerusalem church leaders (including the apostles) had decided in principle, they now had to act upon in practice - by sending Barnabas to Antioch. BARNABAS, A MAN SUBMITTED TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (Vs 23 - 26b) Real Name, Joses of Cyprus. First mentioned in Acts 4:36 as the fore -runner in the act of charity. Nicknamed Barnabas (Son of encouragement) by the apostles. This verse implies that he has been in the background doing what he knows to do best - encouraging! Know any Barnabas in the house? Now finding themselves in the way they have not been used to, the Gentiles needed some cheering. Who else is most qualified to do this than our man? He's always done a good job in the lives of the Apostles when they needed to be encouraged. An incurable optimist! Nothing ever weighed him down! Barnabas was delighted at the salvation of these Gentiles. See what the word says about him; When he arrived and saw what grace (favor) God was bestowing upon them, he was full of joy; and he continuously exhorted (warned, urged, and encouraged) them all to cleave unto and remain faithful to and devoted to the Lord with [resolute and steady] purpose of heart. (Acts 11:23 AMP - Emphasis Mine) Continuously! A true encourager is diligent in what he does. The source of this attribute is not far-fetched; For he was a good man [good in himself and also at once for the good and the advantage of other people], full of and controlled by the Holy Spirit and full of faith (of his belief that Jesus is the Messiah, through Whom we obtain eternal salvation). And a large company was added to the Lord. (Vs 24 AMP- Emphasis Mine) It's not enough, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, with an evidence of speaking in tongues! The ultimate is to be led (controlled) by the Holy Spirit; The true children of God are those who let God's Spirit lead them. (Rom 8:14 NCV) We need to consciously train our spirit to obey the voice of the Spirit in little things. This is a sure way to grow. When we learn to obey little instructions, we will not struggle in obeying some destiny determining instructions as we grow in the Lord. Barnabas did not only encourage these Gentile Christians, he also went to Tarsus and sought Saul. He was not threatened by God's gift in Paul. In fact, if you recall in Acts 9: 26 - 30, he was the one that recommended Paul to the leaders in Jerusalem. He also took Mark with him when rejected by Paul in Acts 15. Barnabas was indeed a very good man who always sought after the good of and what will benefit and be of advantage to other people. This is the legacy we should all leave for the coming generation! ARE WE TRULY LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE? (Vs 26b - 30) I believe that the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch because of the sudden change in the Lifestyles of the Gentile believers! Sudden, because these have only been converted and taught the word of God for a Year! They were all very united in purpose and ultimately, LOVE! It was this love that compelled them to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea at the prophecy of an impending famine. CONCLUSION One of the first signs of the truly saved is in their undeniable willingness to give sacrificially (out of pure love). Giving in all forms. No wonder they were called Christians! The foundation upon which the Christian faith is built is LOVE! This is the ultimate and the highest walk! The very first response of the Gentiles to the faith that they have come to sincerely embraced was in their showing of Agape Love through giving. Whereas agape love is eternal, tongues will cease when we leave this earth. Love (Agape) will cross the barrier of death and go on to Heaven with you. (Dave Roberson) Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction In last week's study titled "God shows no Prejudice" we saw a new wave of the move of the Spirit - away from the traditionalist mind set. A new wave to get the purpose of Christ's death fulfilled - salvation to the whole world! We saw how "protocol" was bypassed when the Holy Spirit came upon "Gentiles". Today we shall study the reaction of this move and learn a few lessons from what God wanted to achieve and how by His Spirit Peter handled criticism
Verses 1-3 [AMP]; The first three verses of this chapter tell us an undeniable truth - "Every Move of the Spirit always triggers varying reactions" The Amplified Bible makes this clearer. 1. Verse 1: "NOW THE apostles (special messengers) and the brethren who were throughout Judea heard [with astonishment] that the Gentiles (heathen) also had received and accepted and welcomed the Word of God [the doctrine concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God]."- Acceptance [they were happy to hear that the Gentiles were being saved]. They were excited and were impressed!
2. Verses 2 - 3: "So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party [certain Jewish Christians] found fault with him [separating themselves from him in a hostile spirit, opposing and disputing and contending with him], Saying, Why did you go to uncircumcised men and [even] eat with them?"- Criticism [instead of seeing the good in what happened, they found faults] they were majoring on the minors. The same still happens today to the point that we miss out on God's blessings! The fuel behind this fire bothers around pride, selfishness, tradition and religion Verses 4-16 [AMP]; PETER'S RESPONSE TO CRITICISM Once again, the Amplified Bible throws the light needed. Verse 4: "But Peter began [at the beginning] and narrated and explained to them step by step [the whole list of events]. He said:" Peter narrated the story from the beginning - He explained himself [Read verses 5 - 16] He revealed how he too fought with the thought of associating with the unclean [Gentiles] Verse 8: "But I said, No, by no means, Lord; for nothing common or unhallowed or [ceremonially] unclean has ever entered my mouth."[AMP] And in verse 16, it all made sense to him [WHAT GOD WANTED TO DO]: "Then I recalled the declaration of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with (be placed in, introduced into) the Holy Spirit."[AMP] WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PETER'S RESPONSE? a) Humility: It takes humility in a leader to explain their actions. He could have flipped the coin, turned the table over and attack them for condemning him and challenging his authority. b) Sincerity: He did not deny that he struggled as well with this move of the Holy Spirit (Verse 8) c) Empathy: He knew what they were going through (he's been there). d) Wisdom: He knew (by revelation) what they did not know; and with wisdom brought them to the same understanding by his explanation and he then posed a rhetorical question that stilled them in verse 17: "If then God gave to them the same Gift [equally] as He gave to us when we believed in (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on) the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I and what power or authority had I to interfere or hinder or forbid or withstand God?"[AMP] His final statement left his critics spellbound! It was Luke 21: 15 fulfilled!
"For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist." [KJV] The message puts it this way: "I'll give you the words and wisdom that will reduce all your accusers to stammers and stutters."[MSG] See verse 18: "When they heard this, they were quieted and made no further objection." [AMP] THE RESULT Verse 18b - "And they glorified God, saying, Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance unto [real] life [after resurrection]."[AMP]
CONCLUSION In conclusion, we will consider verse 18 in the MSG version, apply our hearts and learn: "Hearing it all laid out like that, they quieted down. And then, as it sank in, they started praising God. "It's really happened! God has broken through to the other nations, opened them up to Life!"[MSG] Peter did not feel threatened when he was challenged, hence he did not lash back at his accusers. Let's come aside for a while, what if Peter did not handle the situation humbly and wisely? The enemy would have used the foothold given to him and created a stronghold of disunity, they would have missed the opportunity to praise God, failed to realise what God was doing and completely derailed from the move of the Spirit.
Friday, December 30 2011
Introduction You are welcomed again to the book of the Acts of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the Apostles. It's been a very remarkable and impacting experience so far, looking at these ministers of the most High God, breaking traditions and setting Godly standards during their existence on this planet earth. Last week, we started the study on the encounter of Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Regiment, with an Angel of God. His life was going to be changed forever. Not only this, but any Judaism related mindset was also going to be broken in the lives of the Apostles too. Hitherto, the Apostles have been in their comfort zones - preaching Christ to the lost sons and daughters of Israel, Cornelius encounter introduces them to a God that shows no prejudice! In our study today, we shall be looking at this portion of Acts 10 through series of questions and we trust God that this will break the mould in the church today, take us from our comfort zone, and propel us into the harvest which is already very ripe (Matthew 9:37). ARE WE READY FOR CHANGE? Do you like change? Few of us do. It is so easy to settle into a comfortable rut rather than endure the discomfort of change. This lesson is about changes that were necessary for the early church to grow. Ask God what changes are needed in your life for you to become your best. You see, nothing can be liberating than the truth! Remember the words of Jesus in Mark 2:22? This is the purpose of today's study. THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTIONS Q1 The next day Peter and his six companions set out for Caesarea. How sure was Cornelius that Peter would come? Who arranged this meeting? Q2 What was the first thing Peter said to this Gentile crowd? What had Peter finally come to realize through this experience? Q3 How did Peter begin his sermon? What are some subtle ways we "show favoritism"?
Q4 Can you recall a time when you felt separated from others because of social, economic or racial differences? Q5 Which of the following groups are represented in your church? Irish, Poor, Physically Challenged, Divorced, Widowed, Homeless, Addicts, Orphan, Former Convict, e.t.c. Does your church "look like" the nation? Q6 How have you observed people react when someone of different race, dress, looks or economic status joins? How do you react? Why do you think churches are still so segregated? Q7 How are prejudices formed? How does God view our prejudices? (James 2: 8-9) How can we relinquish them? Share your struggles and/or victories. Q8 Reread verse 35. Does this mean Cornelius' good deeds had earned him salvation? If so, why did he still need Jesus? What is the most crucial "right" thing to do in life? Q9 In what way was this event (Acts 10:44-46) similar to (Acts 2:1-4)? What is the significance? Q10 What did Peter and his companions do to show confirmation of Peter's new revelation from the Lord? [Compare this with Acts 2:38] Q11 Throughout this lesson we have observed two men who were open to change and new ideas. What is the lesson for you from their example? What change in your life required the most adjustment? What do you need to change now? Discuss your struggles and/or victories. Q12 Throughout this section, Peter is taken through a process to end his prejudices. Trace the process. What process has God taken you through? CONCLUSION Consider how difficult it is to change yourself and you'll understand what little chance you have when you try to change others! This is the job of the Holy Spirit. |
