Talk of JESUS . com

Tag: Church

Can anyone withhold Baptism from Gentiles?
Acts of the Apostle Peter 11:
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link above to NASB, KJ21, Orthodox Jewish Bible, SBL Greek New Testament; MOBILE Friendly LINK to ACTS 11 21st Century King James Version only
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Peter has no sooner returned to Jerusalem from his first mission trip to Joppa, Lyda and Caesarea when traditional worshipers of the Lord question what he has done.

Now the apostles and the brothers and sisters who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

This is a VERY BIG DEAL to the Jews!

I remind us here (and now in this 21st century A.D.) that followers of Jesus (by now, hundreds of them) were Jews, a chosen people of the LORD.

Furthermore, due to centuries of division after Israel and Judah fell to foreign empires from both East and West a partially-restored Judea claimed faithfulness to Abrahamic covenants formerly abandoned by most Jews.

Peter is leading a diverse and large group of believers in Christ Jesus. Judea and Jerusalem will soon be crushed by its Roman captors.

And when Peter had come up to Jerusalem, those who were of the Circumcision contended with him, saying, “Thou wentest in to uncircumcised men and didst eat with them.”
Acts of the Apostles 11:2-3 KJ21
- περιτομή – peritomē
  - the circumcision
    from περιτέμνω peritemnō
    since by the rite of circumcision a man was separated from the unclean world and dedicated to God, the word is transferred to denote the extinguishing of lusts and the removal of sins
Contending for the faith

Once again, Peter will tell his story and orders from the Holy Spirit not to contend with gentiles who led him to Caesarea.
- Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting G1252 nothing: for I have sent them. – Acts 10:20
These men of Jerusalem who Peter led were Jews from varying religious traditions: Pharisee, Sadducees, Esenes, Hellenists (Greeks), proselytes worshipping as Jews and even men of little consequence unsought by any jewish traditions of worship.

Yes, they contended with the faith while some zealously contended for the faith. BUT which ‘jewish’ faith?

ALL, however, would agree that ‘gentiles’ had NO place among men and women who worshiped the Lord God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴But Peter began and explained at length to them in an orderly sequence, saying,
- “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision.
  - A certain vessel descended as though it had been a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners, and it came even to me.
  - I saw the four-footed animals of the earth, the wild animals, the crawling creatures, and the birds of the sky.
- I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’
  - “But I said, ‘By no means, Adoni, because nothing common or tameh (unclean) has ever entered into my stomach.’
  - But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.’
  - This happened three times, and everything was drawn back up into the sky.
Is there any contention in your church?
- Who should worship?
- What evidence does the Holy Spirit provide that something new is from the Lord?
  - Or that some tradition we have held near no longer applies?
JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED AND RISEN IS AN ENTIRELY NEW TESTAMENT OF GOD’S WILL FOR WORSHIPERS AND THE WORLD.
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com + on the inclusion of gentiles in the Church

Peter’s summary of events in Caesarea
- Three men (Romans/Gentiles) from Caesarea came up to him at the very moment of his vision. [v.11]
- The Spirit led him to go with these men.
  - Peter saying that the Holy Spirit led him amounts to his reaction to a command of God.
- Seven men including Peter went to the house of Cornelius and witnessed these things. [vs. 12-14]
And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
ACTS 11:15 of the HOLY SPIRIT

The men and women of the Church in Jerusalem, ORTHODOX in practice or HELLENIST in their return to the faith of Judaism had all experienced the power and signs of the HOLY GHOST!

It is a great mystery of the Lord God the Father and Christ Jesus that is a NEW TESTAMENT of the Gospel of the Resurrection.

So the Apostle Peter (with all these witnesses) continues:

Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.’
Acts of the Apostles 11:16 KJ21

Quoting The Word

Gospel of Luke 20:

On one of the days while He [Jesus] was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him,

(Contention, just like Peter faced now.)

“Tell us by what authority You are doing these things, or who is the one who gave You this authority?”

(Their questions about the Holy Spirit coming to the gentiles seem familiar to the Apostle.)

“I will also ask you a question, and you tell Me:

“Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?”
Gospel of Luke 20:4 the question of Jesus to doubters in His Authority

They discussed among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ “But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us to death, since they are convinced that John was a prophet.”

After this Luke’s Gospel records the parable of the vine-growers, a parable now fulfilled by the gentiles replacing jews in the paradise of the Father.
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Their first century BAPTISM of John for repentance and cleansing and a temporary forgiveness of sins now regenerated since Pentecost becomes something more — something MUCH MORE + the Baptism of the HOLY SPIRIT promised by the SON of GOD!

Who am I to contend with the HOLY SPIRIT?

ACTS 11:17 – IF, therefore..

Peter closes his testimony in humble obedience to the Word of God witnessed by the Holy Spirit.

If therefore God gave them the same gift as He did unto us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ,
who was I that I could withstand God?”
Acts of the Apostles 11:17 KJ21
- Would you contend with ALMIGHTY GOD?
- Will you deny the AUTHORITY of the ANOINTED SON JESUS?
- Can any deny the witness of THE HOLY SPIRIT of GOD?
THIS IS SOMETHING ENTIRELY NEW! AND GOD HAS CONFIRMED IT + GENTILES WELCOME.

18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying,

“Well then, God has also granted to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”
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ACTS of the Apostles - to be continued.. 
(with both Jews and gentiles) ...
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May 20, 2022
Looking back at The Lord’s Day
The Lord’s Day in years just past

You have heard this day called Easter Sunday, Resurrection Sunday or perhaps Pascha. But today, on the 17th day of April in the year of our Lord, 2022, I would simply like to look back at celebrating ‘the Lord’s Day’ as followers of Christ Jesus have done since His resurrection.

HOLY Week (we once called it)
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CLICK the link above to read some of what I have said before about Holy and weeks and festivals. 

ALSO, Feel free to comment on anything from my fiery EDITORIAL which I have moved to Comments to get to my perspective about the Lord's Day of the first century Christ followers. - RH 
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LENT, we once set aside as preparation of repentance preceding the death of Christ for our sins.

Yet in this NOT so HOLY time, now universally referred to as, the “COMMON Era” (as opposed to years we once called, Before Christ, now known as Before the Common Era); HOW intolerant are we who insist that JESUS IS LORD (and no other), as the world continues in its most common and ordinary daily sin! HOW insensitive of followers of CHRIST to PROCLAIM: JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN TODAY!

In the Holy Week of our Lord, A.D. 2022

(In case you missed these posts which lead us to this Lord’s Day Sunday)

Blood on the night in which He was betrayed

Holy Week: Thursday, A.D. 2022

What’s good about Good Friday?

Holy Week: Good Friday, A.D. 2022

He was what? A Man of sorrows?

Palm Sunday thoughts of previous years

The Gospel of Resurrection Sunday +++ in context

Have YOU shared the Gospel of the Lord Christ Jesus?

The Lord’s Day witness to the everyday saints of the Church

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18 NASB – Verse of the Day via BibleGateway.com

This epistle was most likely written in the first half of A.D. 55 from Ephesus (16:8, 9, 19) while Paul was on his third missionary journey.
John MacArthur :: Bible Introductions – 1 Corinthians via BlueLetterBible.org

Easter: a narrowed narrative that missed the Church

Why do I start with a Scripture about the Cross, rather than a traditional narrative of Resurrection morning from the Gospels?

(Think about this, now…)

The Gospels were NOT written as an immediate message from the pulpit of A.D. 30.

Yes, that’s about when the Lord Jesus was crucified, buried and rose in body and spirit from the grave!

But the Apostles Matthew and John, and later disciples Mark and Luke recorded their GOOD NEWS of JESUS’s Resurrection for a much later following of the Church.

On this Lord’s Day, in the year of our Lord 2022, we glance at just a few events of THEIR Church life.

Why the Gospel was Good News on the Lord’s Day
- A.D. 32 – Stephen martyred & Saul persecutes Christ followers
- A.D. 37 – Caligula declares himself a god
- A.D. 44 – the Apostle James, brother of John, is martyred
- A.D. 46 – Julian calendar changes the year
- A.D. 49 – the jews expelled from Rome
- A.D. 50’s (~20 years after Jesus’ Resurrection)
  - + Mark writes his Gospel;
  - + Matthew writes his Gospel
- A.D. 54-68 – Nero is Emperor
  - A.D 64-68 Nero persecutes Christians after burning Rome
- A.D. 60 + Luke writes his Gospel
- A.D. 62 – James, brother of Jesus and head of the Jerusalem church martyred
- A.D. 66 – Jewish revolt against Rome
  - + Apostle Peter martyred in Rome
  - + Paul, Apostle to the gentiles, martyred in Rome
- A.D. 70 – Jerusalem falls to Rome and is burned
- A.D. 80’s + John wrote his gospel ca. A.D. 80–90, about 50 years after he witnessed Jesus’ earthly ministry. – J.M.
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Sources for above: Then and Now Bible Maps, Rose Publishing & BlueLetterBible.org commentaries
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Each Lord’s Day

The saints of the A.D. first century church gathered each Lord’s Day to worship the Lord God by the grace of Christ Jesus and though the power of the Holy Spirit.

Do YOU?

For many centuries the Lord’s Day was set apart as Holy to the Lord for morning and evening worship, as well as study of doctrine from the Bible, as the business of the world (reluctantly) remained CLOSED on Sunday.

They gathered frequently in each others homes to hear the Gospel and receive the letters of the Apostles.

These saints (small ‘s’) of the church, “Christians” (as Christ followers came to be known), delighted to serve one another in Christ-like love.

The saints of THE WAY, knowing that as one of the Lord’s SAVED and REDEEMED ones, suffering in a world violently opposed to JESUS CHRIST and the LORD GOD, endured for these brief times because of HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION.

We have begun eternal life and need not suffer the WRATH of GOD’s punishment for our many, many sins against God and against man.

A.D. 90, The Lord’s Day

The aging Apostle, lone survivor of many trials for Christ among those who Jesus first chose some sixty years ago, concludes his Gospel; a fourth, following that which has already been proclaimed to tens of thousands throughout a world of Rome’s temporary ownership by Matthew and two faithful gentile servants of The Way.

The Apostle John writes of that glorious day:

Now when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were together due to fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side.
The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
Gospel of John 20:19-21 NASB

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
April 17, 2022
Saul’s Unwelcome Return to Jerusalem
(to join the Church!)

When Sha’ul had come to Yerushalayim, he tried to join himself to the talmidim; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a talmid.
ACTS 9:26 Hebrew Names Version

Do you take this man .. ?

Have you ever wanted to JOIN a group of people who really knew nothing about you? Were you ever the one forced to move to a new town where you tried to join a new church? Did you, in that time of isolation from familiar friends, feel more unwelcome than wanted? Or worse, did those you wanted to join most REJECT you? Did THEY slam the door of hospitality in your face?

NO! No, I say. I CANNOT take this man to be part of ME for life or eternity.

How does it feel?

administration of a church in an empire divided by culture

Σαῦλος: an Unwelcome application to join the church of Jerusalem
- Why did you leave your last church?
  - I escaped some zealous brothers who were trying to kill me.
- Didn’t you try to kill some of them?
  - In fact, I once led these men in trying to kill disciples of Jesus. A brother heard they were in town and they lowered me down to escape. So now we come to join you.
- hmmm. I think we’ll have to pray about that and get back to you…
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Familiar? 
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Church Membership + Not so unlike a marriage vow

We understand that Saul was well-known in Jerusalem, as A JEW OF JEWS, zealous to destroy ALL disciples of the Apostles of the Messiah Jesus. But at first even the church in Jerusalem would have been suspicious of Saul’s motives, unaware of Saul’s calling by Christ on the road to Damascus.

They knew Saul of Tarsus, but not this man baptized in the Holy Spirit who had met the Lord Jesus in Person. And you know Paul’s words written later to the church at Ephesus, familiar to all concerning marriage.

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Ephesians 5:30 KJV

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:32 KJV
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YOU MUST leave one to be JOINED to the other.

MEMBERSHIP mattered in the first century. 
(Joining a church should make a difference for you in the 21st c. as well. - RH)
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Has Saul of Tarsus, disciple of Gamaliel in Jerusalem, really left his former rabbi to JOIN us as disciples of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah?

ACTS 9:

26 And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles..

Saul: Encouragement in Christ from Cypress

Barnabas, disciple of the Apostles in Jerusalem, helped Saul escape Damascus and certain death.

Barnabas demonstrates his well-known encouragement in Christ to Saul.

Do you recall this man Joseph from before he fled to Damascus?

Earlier in ACTS of the disciples of the Apostles:

4:32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

There was not a needy person among them..
Acts of the followers of the way 4:34A ESV

Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. – ACTS of the disciple Barnabas 4:36-37

5:12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor.

Stephen, Joseph (Barnabas) and many others joined the Apostles; while many jews (and they were ALL Jews) publicly showed the Apostles ‘high honor’ for their obvious works for the LORD, yet formally remained accepted worshipers of the Temple.

Many jews would have respected Stephen with such honor as he defended The Way of the Messiah Jesus before the court of the Temple.

Join us! (or not?)

Early followers of The Way of Jesus had to choose:
1. Join in following the Apostles of the Messiah Jesus?
2. OR remain joined to the designated leadership of Herod’s Temple?
As for the Apostles, rightfully fearful of Saul of Tarsus; they trusted Barnabas even to the point of allowing him to bring their nemesis to them.

κολλάω
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Click here for definition Strong's G2853 - kollaō 
Root Word (Etymology) From kolla ("glue")
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- And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples.. – NKJV
- .. he tried to meet with the believers.. – NLT
- .. he attempted to join the disciples… – ESV
- .. he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him.. – NASB20
Do you get the context of their fear?
1. to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together
2. to join or fasten firmly together
3. to join one’s self to, cleave to
THIS is the context of the CHURCH comprised of disciples, that is: followers of The Way of Christ Jesus!

The Encouragement of Barnabas

The Apostles did NOT flee Jerusalem. Neither did they deny Saul’s request to join them, though they feared him (but not more than the Lord).

But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
ACTS of the Apostles 9:27 RSV + CLICK HERE FOR CONTEXT IN English & German

WE must bring the flesh and blood of the repentant soul before us in person on occasion so as to discern the authenticity of Christ’s impact on their reborn soul.
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com

Peter and the Apostles did this at the urging and encouragement of the disciple Barnabas.

28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

This would not have happened had Christ and Ananias and Judas and Joseph and Peter and the Twelve had not intervened in the reborn life of the Apostle Saul of Tarsus.

And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists..
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Remember from earlier in Acts 6 several jewish sects opposed Stephen and other disciples of Jesus: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
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..but they were seeking to kill him.

30 And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

Saul Joins the Church!

This foremost of sinners and persecutor of Christians now begins Christ’s most important mission to go into all the world and talk of JESUS.

Have you (even in fear) gone to YOUR LOCAL CHURCH & asked them to JOIN your fellow forgiven sinners as a member of their body of Christ?
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ACTS of the APOSTLES + To be continued...
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March 11, 2022