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Category: Acts for a 21st c. Church

Acts Apostolos - Acts of the Apostles - the chronicles of Christ's Apostles - a history of Christ's Church including early leaders like Stephen, Philip the Evangelist, Paul, Barnabas and many others
Acts of the Apostles + a History of Christ’s Church

Acts of the Apostles 1-28

 

Acts of the Apostles:
+ The first century Church SHARED Christ while suffering severe persecution.
+ Luke records a historic account of the Church which gives 21c Christians a context to SHARE the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

Read more about the Early Church & add your COMMENT on Scripture.

ACT now.

+ SHARE the Gospel history witnessed in the CURRENT chronological SERIES from ACTS of the APOSTLES.

  • Fully Trained – 5

    Fully Trained – 5

    [ctt title=”“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” tweet=”“A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. – Luke 6:40 from ‘Fully Trained’ serial http://ctt.ec/86L38+” coverup=”86L38″]

    The gospel of Luke carefully records truth from eyewitness accounts of numerous historical citizens of the first century.

    The following is a fictional representation continued from our previous episodes of eyewitness by one of Jesus’ first disciples.

    I have told you of how I became an early disciple of the Messiah Jesus and followed our Lord in the early days. It has been many years ago now; before the good news of our Lord’s crucifixion by the Jews and resurrection and appearance to many witnesses, including me and my family.

    We continued in the Way. We worshiped our risen Lord with the Apostles and many others. John Mark, who had been with Saul, and Luke the doctor have shared the increase in the good news with us. In fact, Mark has just returned to us from a time he has spent with Paul, who we knew as Saul.

    Acts 13: 13 Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem

    John Mark brings us good news that the Roman proconsul of Cypress has witnesses the power of Christ in Paul and has come to believe in the Way.

    Now that we have become fully trained just as Jesus had mentioned in those early days I wanted to share some of our Lord’s teaching with you; not as we heard it then as uncertain believers, but as we now consider how our Lord’s teaching has changed us over time – now, years later and after Jesus’ resurrection, many appearances and glorious ascension into heaven.

    Horns of HattinThinking back to our Lord’s teaching to the crowds, which we heard consistently many times in those early days… He was teaching on a mountainside one day, as Jesus often did. Jesus would stand with His back toward the highest hillside above the gentle slopes populated with disciples from every locale. Jesus could look around into their faces and most of us could see His probing gentle eyes.

    Luke 6:

    20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

    “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

    We didn’t understand this then; for we were all poor and all the kingdoms of Judah, Samaria, Rome and all the others were powered by the rich – those who could buy influence or high office, whether Herod or Octavian or other rich men and women who bought their way into leadership.

    Other times Jesus had said:

    “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:7

    It is this poorness of spirit we now understand – a poorness desired we had never sought, before our Lord and Master had lived out its meaning before our very eyes.

    Jesus had never had anything by which men might consider him anything but poor. In Nazareth he made a more meager living as a sort of handyman carpenter than most of us town’s people. He never wore fancy clothes. His well-worn shoes were just like mine.

    Jesus’ humility showed more than just his lowly station in life, his beleaguered place in our small community isolated from the seats of power. He was in every way as the scriptures say, “a bruised reed”  himself. His gentle sincere smile always encouraged us. His happiness from deep within overflowed into the depths of our own souls. After a time I too sought to show others this same poorness of my spirit, that they might see the richness of the blessings of the Lord.

    Yes, during all of the years of Jesus’ teachings and the many years since His resurrection we were poor. We were all poor. We were oppressed by Rome. We were miserable and afflicted by our own rulers in our day to day lives and often our insignificant deaths. Followers of the Way were soon and often persecuted. We suffered financially and physically.

    We were poor. Yet in our Messiah Jesus we have inherited the Kingdom of Heaven.

    Psalm 40:

    I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry…

    3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
    Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord…

    ..my iniquities have overtaken me,
    and I cannot see;
    they are more than the hairs of my head;
    my heart fails me.
    13 Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me!
    O Lord, make haste to help me!

    17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
    but the Lord takes thought for me.
    You are my help and my deliverer;
    do not delay, O my God!

    To be continued…

  • Follow After Me -2- Released from My Prison

    Some Disciples left everything to follow Jesus about 2000 years ago. They were sinners, family men, working men, men like you and me in every way. Although these men and women led simple lives, just like you and me they had problems.

    EmpireAssyriaTheir country had fallen to enemies centuries ago. Prophets of God had asked centuries before how long the punishment of the Lord’s Chosen would last.

    Habakkuk 1: 

    2 How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?

    Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?

    3 Why do you make me look at injustice?

    Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

    Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.   4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails.  The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

    How like our 21st century after Christ! How like the days of the early Christian church are these last days.

    Their political and religious leaders were corrupt and greedy. Few followers of the Way, local Jews or anyone else were rich or had adequate income to live comfortably for more than a few days. Again, how like today are these areas devastated and affected by violence and war by the hand of the enemies of the Lord God.

    PaulscitiesvisitedA world super-power had conquered their homeland, taxed and ruled over them with an iron hand, occupying their towns with soldiers of superior strength. (Romans called this area of the world, Syria, from the name of a former empire.)

    These Messianic Jews and Gentile followers of the Way came to be known as ‘Christians.’ It would not be long until Romans, Greeks and Jews alike would persecute them.

    A Prison of our world and the Witness of Christ-followers

    Christians were known to do strange things, like singing Psalms or songs in prison or as they faced certain death by execution. Paul, a Roman citizen and messianic Jew had been thrown into prison along with Silas, but by the Hand of God they were released from their shackles in a great earthquake.

    Acts 16:

    The Philippian Jailer Converted

    25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

    27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

    30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

    31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

    32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.

    +

    Who was really imprisoned here? Was it Paul and Silas? Or was the jailer, a husband and provider for his family who was about to take his own life over a perceived mistake at work, truly the prisoner of his daily existence?

    Were the prisoners two men singing Psalms from a jail cell or a family suppressed in the futility of their daily lives in a home of hopelessness?

    The jailer realized that these two men had a higher hope in Christ Jesus.

    +

    35 But when it was day, the magistrates sent the police, saying, “Let those men go.” 36 And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent to let you go. Therefore come out now and go in peace.”


    37     But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.”     38 The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. 39 So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city.Saeed Abedini faith

    +

    Justice will be served. Paul and Silas, though imprisoned falsely by men in power, experienced a temporary justice. Though the Christian prisoners were freed, they were asked to leave the city.

    The imprisoned jailer who thought Roman soldiers would execute him for his mistake had asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Paul, Silas, the Philippian jailer and his family all received a better justice – an eternal justice of the Lord God Almighty.

    We have been released from the prison of our sin and guilt of our unrighteousness.

    We have received mercy and grace in Christ Jesus.

    To be continued…

    NEXT: The Holy Bible

  • Seeing the Invisible Spirit

    Seeing the Invisible Spirit

    How does the LORD use the Bible? How do we use the Bible to show others the Lord Jesus?

    All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

    – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

    Peter’s powerful sermon of Pentecost is perhaps among the best preaching in the Bible after Jesus is raised from the grave. Yet if you or I had been in Peter’s sandals and new position of leadership, what would we have to say?

    Let’s take a look at the context and application of events confronting this ‘preacher’ and ask of our situation, ‘What do I do with this?’

    Acts 2:

    When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

    +

    Let’s be clear of the place and condition of the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the LORD GOD, promised by Christ Jesus, Son of the Living God:  “they were all together in one place.” Peter and the Apostles were worshiping.

    Peter and the Apostles were worshiping in Jerusalem where Christ Jesus had been crucified on the Cross outside the gates for our sins; in Jerusalem where Christ Jesus our Lord had risen from the grave to appear to Peter, the Twelve and many (and in many places for fifty days) Pentecost is a celebration of worship, like the Passover, which brought many of the faithful to the city of Jerusalem to worship the LORD.

    5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together…

    The sound of Almighty God draws worshipers to the place where worshipers dwell. Inexplicable, all-powerful Spirit of the Living God, here-present; NOT in the Temple of God (re-built by Herod), nor before only a High Priest behind a veil which separates the Holiness of the LORD from the sinners of God’s choosing. NO! The Holy Spirit of the Living God fell on the Apostles of Jesus and the Twelve began to preach with the Power of the Living GOD.

    “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

    Some things only God can do. Perhaps a High Priest might witness the Holy Presence of the LORD.

    Centuries before the great silence of God in defeated Israel and defeated Judah, on occasion the Voice of God would be heard out of the mouth of the LORD’s Prophet. It is one of these great Prophets this uneducated Galilean fisherman taught from and rebuked the unbelieving people who had witnessed the Crucifixion less than two months ago. It is a fisherman speaking in languages of gentiles and of Jews who all amazingly understand the Apostles. It is the Spirit of the LORD instructing Jews and gentiles through faithful worshipers, rather than by educated Pharisees like a Saul of Tarsus, who would later witness the risen Christ.

    What was it the Apostle Peter reiterates in Jerusalem of Judea from the Prophet Joel of 800 years before Christ?

    [Joel (meaning “one to whom Jehovah is God,” that is, worshiper of Jehovah) seems to have belonged to Judah. – Commentary by A. R. Faussett ]

    What had worshipers in Jerusalem forgotten in the short weeks since a dramatic blood moon at the Crucifixion of Jesus and the tearing of the veil of the Temple?

    What have some of us forgotten since the worshipful festival of Easter just a few Sundays ago?

    Joel 1:

    1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel: 2 Hear this, O elders, And listen, all inhabitants of the land. Has anything like this happened in your days Or in your fathers’ days?…

    8 Lament like a virgin wearing sackcloth for the bridegroom of her youth.

    +

    Was Israel not the Chosen Bride of the Living God?

    Was the Bridegroom not crucified by those rejecting God’s promised grace of Perfect forgiveness?

    The Spirit of the LORD poured forth from Peter and the Apostles. Worshipers of GOD were drawn to the Invisible Word spoken through these servants of Christ Jesus.

    Acts 2:

    17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
    that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
    and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
        and your young men shall see visions,
        and your old men shall dream dreams;
    18 even on my male servants and female servants
        in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
    19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
        and signs on the earth below,
        blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
    20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
        and the moon to blood,
        before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
    21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

    +

    Peter is not reading from a scroll in the Temple. This uneducated fisherman is reminding Jerusalem of not only infrequently heard words of the Prophet Joel, but of the dramatic events of just two months earlier when the sun turned to darkness and the Bridegroom of Righteousness cried out from a cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

    Peter now preaches by the Spirit of what Joel had foretold of these very last days, begun on a Cross just weeks before.

    22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

    +

    The bold fisherman of Galilee again quotes scripture from the hymnal of the Jews, the words of Psalm 16 :

    25 For David says concerning him,

    “‘I saw the Lord always before me,
        for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
    26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
        my flesh also will dwell in hope.
    27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
        or let your Holy One see corruption.
    28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
        you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

     +

    The Spirit then gives Peter not only more scripture to speak to the souls before him, but application to their salvation. Speaking of King David, a man after God’s own heart, Peters says:

    31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

    Speaking of what some in the crowd surely had witnessed in Jerusalem at the previous feast of Pentecost, Peter proclaims:

    32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

    33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,

    he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

    God’s chosen worshipers are once again witnessing the invisible and inexplicable signs and wonders in the Apostles, signs and wonders not unlike those many had also witnessed personally in Christ Jesus of Nazareth.

    The Spirit and Peter confront their souls with the evidence of the Messiah, sacrificed and risen. Jesus is not a King like David; Jesus is more than a King of the Jews and of Jerusalem.

    34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

    “‘The Lord said to my Lord,
    “Sit at my right hand,
    35     until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

    36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

    Peter, by the power of the Spirit and the convicting words of scripture has applied the Word of God to the very moment of salvation for those with ears to hear.

    The Bridegroom of the church speaks by the Spirit to those with ears to hear:

    • Will you hear the conviction of the Savior you crucified in the words of Peter?
    • Will you turn from your sinful ways to take up your cross and follow Christ Jesus?
    • Has Jesus’s love drawn your soul to the wedding feast which will come on the clouds of these last days?
    • Will this Spirit-filled sermon make any difference in your days?
    • Will the Lord Jesus be your Lord?

     

    God IS in Person, Christ Jesus!

    The Spirit of the I AM, the LORD, calls out to you.

    • What must you do?

    Acts 2:37-47