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Tag: Church

  • 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?

    divided map of Roman empire Join the Church + Hebrew OR Hellenist Jew or Roman or what?
    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…
    Familiar?

    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

    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)

    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

    Click here for definition Strong's G2853 - kollaō 
Root Word (Etymology) From kolla ("glue")
    • 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..

    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.

    ..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?

    ACTS of the APOSTLES + To be continued...

  • An Apostolic Model: Administration of a Growing Church

    An Apostolic Model: Administration of a Growing Church

    Now that we have defined some key terms of the church (including ‘church’ – ἐκκλησία), we can proceed to examine the administration of disciples following the Lord Jesus Christ (‘Christians).

    If you missed this defining first post about ACTS 6, you may want to visit some of the secure links included in Ministering to a Growing Church (BELOW).
    Acts Apostolos - Acts of the Apostles - the chronicles of Christ's Apostles - a history of Christ's Church
    An Apostolic Model: Ministering to a Growing Church

    Who would lead change after hearing their murmurings?

    Last time we only got to one verse, Acts 6:1, then encountered a roadblock before I could address how the Twelve ran their administration of the multitudes.

    ..when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews,

    Acts 6:1 excerpt KJV

    Does that sound like YOUR Church?

    Let’s address my next question from our previous post about ministering to the personalities in this initial Church of the Apostles.

    How can WE help relieve so many PERSONAL problems for hundreds of families belonging to our growing church?

    Filling in a four-hundred year gap between the OLD and NEW TESTAMENTS:

(The Apostles, of course, understood their church family history better than we do.)

    Mapping out traditions of our pasts

    I suppose you have wondered about my FIRST CENTURY CHURCH MOSAIC attached to this post. So let’s take a look at the diverse ethnic gathering of the lost sheep of Israel (along with some NON-JEWS as well).

    Acts 6 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, maps of empires impacting the Jews
    First Jerusalem Church of the Apostles

    Here’s an unspoken issue of ethnos underpinning their recent ‘murmurings.’

    divided map of Roman empire

    Israel did not exist!

    In the time of the Apostles, a divided Greek-speaking Roman empire changed administrations frequently.

    Before the Herod’s

    • JEWS exiled to the EAST to Babylon, some returning to Jerusalem AFTER Persia defeats Babylon.
    • Many JEWS remained in cities WEST of Jewish influence in cities of the Greek and Roman world.

    map of kingdoms conquered by Alexander the Great
    BEFORE HEROD – Kingdom of Alexander the Great 336-323 B.C.
    • 323 BC, Alexander died in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II, in Babylon
      • Alexander had conquered cities, kingdoms & empires from Greece to Asia and to Egypt, Babylon, Persia and beyond.
      • These ‘Hellenized‘ cultures then embraced or tolerated Greek customs and language as a universalist ethnos applied to trading and communication between cultures.
        • (Compare to a contemporary founding culture three centuries ago in North America.)
    • 200’s BC, The Ptolemy’s of Egypt (who had also been Hellenized by Alexander’s conquests) ruled Jerusalem and the eastern Mediterranean coast to Syria beyond Tyre and Sidon.
    • 100’s BC, Seleucia (modern-day Bagdad) was the Hellenized capital of the Seleucid Empire which survived until 63 BC
      • As you can see on the top-left of my map mosaic, much of this massive empire lies east of Rome’s later reach.
      • 167-134 BC, Maccabean revolt and resistance against Seleucid rule in Judah
    • 63 BC, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus or Pompey the Great, captured Jerusalem for Rome
    • 37 BC, Herod the Great (of Edomite ancestry, born in Idumea) aligned himself with Rome.
    Herod's kingdom 4BC

    Rome divides its client kingdom into:

    • Bashan
    • Lower Galilee
    • Samaria
    • Mishor
    • Judea &
    • Idumea

    In the time of Jesus and the Apostles into:

    • Samaria, Judea & Idumea
    • Perea & Galilee
    • Batania (Caesarea Philippi) & Auranitis
    • Syria, including Phoenicia & Ituraea
      • (with Antioch, Roman city of 500,000+ residents, residence of its Governor)

    source

    Apostolic ACTS of Administration

    6:2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said,

    “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

    NIV

    WHEN will we ever have time to minister to our church family?

    NOT OUR PROBLEM? NO! That’s not what the Apostles leading the growing church are saying.

    In fact, the Apostles lead other servants of God to solve the church’s own ministry ‘challenge.’

    Waiting tables is just one of our many ministries

    “Instead, brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.

    Acts of the Apostles 6:3 NASB20
    • Together this first church in Jerusalem, saints ministering to each other (though having common petty differences),
      • must address the administration of their own servant duties to the community
      • without intervention of the their masters (and teachers) the Apostles.

    But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry G1248 of the word.

    ACTS 6:5 This proposal pleased the whole group.

    • Select seven (for administration of a church of 500+ saints now)
    • These seven men must be μαρτυρέω [of good reputation]
      • (NOT as we might think, but i.e. ‘to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration.’
      • Seven men from the
    • .. full of the [Holy] Spirit
    • .. and of wisdom σοφία [sophia] who we should put in charge [administrators] of this task.
    These laymen disciples will choose those who will administer the daily tasks of the church.

    An Administration by More Servant Leaders

    And they chose:

    1. Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and
    2. Philip,
    3. Prochorus, [Greek, probably a Hellenist]
    4. Nicanor, [a Greek name]
    5. Timon,
    6. Parmenas, [may have been from Asia minor] and
    7. Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch [a pagan converted to Judaism from the city in Syria where he will soon to minister to the gentiles]

    What must we do for each and every saint of our Lord Christ Jesus?

    Administration of our designated authority

    And they brought these men before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

    ACTS of BLESSING the seven men in Jerusalem given authority by the Apostles 6:6

    Prayer (inquiring of the LORD) followed by Blessing

    We see such acts as this throughout Scripture.

    Moses chooses seventy to help. Israel blesses each of his grown sons before his death. (Isaac had blessed Jacob and not Esau.) Moses blesses Joshua. David blesses Solomon.

    Conversation with the LORD followed by the Lord’s blessing of continued authority of administration of His work through another.

    They laid their hands … - Among the Jews it was customary to lay hands on the head of a person who was set apart to any particular office, Numbers 27:18; Compare Acts 8:19. This was done, not to impart any power or ability, but to "designate" that they received their authority or commission from those who thus laid their hands on them, as the act of laying hands on the sick by the Saviour was an act signifying that the power of healing came from him, Matthew 9:18; compare Mark 16:18. In such cases the laying on of the hands conveyed of itself no healing power, but was a sign or token that the power came from the Lord Jesus. Ordination has been uniformly performed in this way. See 1 Timothy 5:22.

    Though the seven deacons had been chosen by the church to this work, yet they derived their immediate commission and authority from the apostles.

    Barnes’ Notes on the Bible – Source of this & extended quote above: https://biblehub.com/commentaries/acts/6-6.htm

    The Great Commission

    (Mat 28:16–20; Luk 24:44–49; Act 1:6–8 )

    Later he [Jesus] appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw him after he had risen. Then he said to them,

    “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

    Gospel of Mark 16:15 CSB

    .. but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”

    ACTS of the risen Christ 1:8
    Pentecost – a narrative of the fifty days fulfilled
    And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them.
    Acts 2:3

    The Day of Pentecost had been a laying on of hands by the Holy Spirit such as man had never seen!

    Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
    1350 illustration of Gamaliel seated with students

    Recalling a caution of Gamaliel

    But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

    Acts of the Apostles 5:39 NLT

    So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

    Acts of the Apostles 6:7 NIV
    ACTS of the Apostles - To be continued...

  • An Apostolic Model: Ministering to a Growing Church

    An Apostolic Model: Ministering to a Growing Church

    How did Twelve Apostles minister to multitudes of disciples of a growing Church?

    • Who would lead change after hearing their murmurings,
      • (And THAT, knowing that some came to Christ from one TRADITION,
      • while others came to the Lord from diverse ethnic standards of community, family and worship of God.)
    • How can WE help relieve so many PERSONAL problems for hundreds of families belonging to our growing church?
    • WHEN will we ever have time to minister to our church family?
    • What must we do for each and every saint of our Lord Christ Jesus?

    ACTS of the Apostles and the Jerusalem CHURCH 6:1-7

    Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

    ACTS of the Apostles 6:1 ESV

    Leading through diverse difficulties of a growing Church

    ‘.. but we have always done it THIS way?’

    (This isn't going to be so easy, is it?)

Luke reveals the cultural challenge of the church familiar to him, however most of us (in this 21st century) will not understand the root of the problem: 

Mixing gentiles with Jews. Even bringing the traditional challenge of some Jews joining in fellowship with other Jews divides political alliances in the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem.

Therefore I will begin by including a background for our scene in first century Jerusalem, as well as outcomes of church ministry which have occurred over two millennia. - RH

    First let’s clarify some ‘church‘ terms we derive from the Greek language of the New Testament.

    Who are Apostles? (and who are Disciples?)

    Acts Apostolos - Acts of the Apostles - the chronicles of Christ's Apostles - a history of Christ's Church
    • HOW MANY APOSTLES?
      • TWELVE (our standard answer)
    • WHO ARE THE APOSTLES?
      • No need here to recite them by name, but remembering:
    • ALL Apostles at this point in ACTS are leaders of the Church in Jerusalem.
      • Matthias has now replaced Judas.
    • Saul of Tarsus will soon encounter the risen Christ Jesus and join in ministry as Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles.

    ἀπόστολος – full definition linked here

    Disciples (disciples)

    μαθητής

    Strictly speaking, disciples are the ones taught; that is, anyone who follows the teachings or traditions of any teacher or rabbi.

    The disciple G3101 is not above his master [didaskalos], 

    nor the servant [doulos] above his lord [kyrios].

    Instruction of Jesus Christ – Matthew 10:24

    לִמּוּד

    54:13 וְכָל־בָּנַיִךְ לִמּוּדֵי יְהוָה וְרַב שְׁלוֹם בָּנָֽיִךְ׃

    And all thy children shall be taught H3928 of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children.

    prophesy of the Messiah by Yeshaiya (Isaiah) 54:13

    μαθητής mathētḗs, math-ay-tes’; from G3129; a learner, i.e. pupil:—disciple.

    • The Twelve were disciples of Jesus who followed their Teacher full-time for three years.
      • You’ve probably noticed that most translations of the Bible capitalize ‘disciple’ to avoid confusion when referring to the Twelve Disciples [Apostles].
    • Many others of the multitudes also became disciples and followed Jesus Christ in the early days before his crucifixion and resurrection.

    Now, in our scene in Jerusalem after the Lord’s resurrection, the Church in Jerusalem has many disciples – disciples of the Holy Spirit (who of course first receive the Holy Spirit, as we have just read from Luke’s account).

    Yet from Jesus’ instruction from the Gospel of the Apostle Matthew, note another distinction of this relationship between rabbi and pupil: that of master (or lord) and servant.

    These also apply in Luke’s account describing the model by which the Apostles lead the early Church.

    Our NEW Pastors 🙂

    (Some call them: ‘ministers‘)

    • FIRST: Jesus was the Rabbi. And Jesus was the Master.
    • THEN: The APOSTLES became the Rabbis. And the Apostles were then masters of their sheep (students; flocks, servants, community, school, fold, gathering, or whatever you may choose to call this multitude of the Church).

    Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.

    Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

    Jeremiah 23:1, 50,17 KJV

    But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; G1249

    Gospel of Matthew 20:26 KJV – Teaching of Jesus to His disciples

    The Twelve, led by two of Jesus’ inner circle of Apostles, Simon Peter and John, now lead the New Testament Church as rabbis to a multitude of disciples.

    Lambs of the Apostles’ fold

    The Apostle John, who Luke records as standing at Peter’s side on the day of Pentecost, opens our eyes to the resurrected Jesus, where the Lord calls on Peter to restore the foundation of his calling:

    “Tend My lambs.” .. “Shepherd My sheep.” .. “Tend My sheep.

    The risen Master’s loving command to Simon Peter to minister to His church – Gospel of John 21:15,16,17

    These new disciples of the Twelve include NOT ONLY men from traditional Judaism, but also men, women and children accepted into fellowship, tender young lambs of Jesus who could NEVER before have been full members of their community of faith in the Lord God.

    “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back.

    Jesus teaching the Jews that He will Shepherd the gentiles, as scripture has said. – Gospel of John 10:16-17 NASB20
    • And what happens when ANY two groups of differing cultural traditions choose to follow one leader?
    • Dissension and murmuring by some unwilling to abide by rules and traditions imposed by others.

    Who is the master ministering to these NEW lambs?

    sheep by a manger

    “They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

    “Go; behold, I am sending you out like lambs in the midst of wolves.

    Instruction of the Master Jesus to seventy-two [72] disciples + Gospel of Luke 10:3 NASB20

    Master – διδάσκαλος – didaskalos

    The KJV translates Strong’s G1320 in the following manner: Master (Jesus) (40x), teacher (10x), master (7x), doctor (1x).

    Doctor:

    a teacher (from didasko, “to teach”), cp. didaskalia, “teaching, doctrine, instruction,” is translated “doctors,” with reference to the teachers of the Jewish religion, Luk 2:46. Cp. paideutes, “a teacher.”
    See MASTER, TEACHER.

    Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words 1 Strong’s Number: g1320 Greek: didaskalos – via BlueLetterBible.org

    The rabbis of Jerusalem quarreled with each other as they had also challenged the legitimacy that Jesus’ MANY disciples should call the Lord, ‘Master.’ Now that Peter, John and the Apostles have remained in Jerusalem as Jesus commanded, MANY disciples remained faithful to the church gathered under the leadership of the Apostles.

    Note from earlier, after Peter preached in the Temple,

    “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. 

    Acts records the reactions of other rabbis

    These Apostolic Masters of the Church community now face division and opposition just as Jesus had encountered in Jerusalem prior to His execution and resurrection from the dead.

    Lord

    We will never understand our role as a servant of the Church until we know the sacrificial love of its servant-Master.

    Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
    "lord" occurs 7,790 times in 6,587 verses in the NASB20. Page 1 / 132

    Here too I urge caution and prayerful understanding of terms frequently used and misused by the church. i.e. Lord, Master, servant, slave (even God and ‘love,’ translated from several different Greek and Hebrew words in Scripture).

    • LORD – Yᵊhōvâ – יְהֹוָה
      • i.e. So Noah acted in accordance with everything that the LORD H3068 had commanded him.
    • From הָיָה (H1961)
      • i.e. Genesis 27:29 הָוָה

    May peoples serve you,
    And nations bow down to you;
    Be master of your brothers,
    And may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
    Cursed be those who curse you,
    And blessed be those who bless you.”

    And God said to Moses, “I AM H1961 WHO I AM H1961”; and He said, “This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM H1961 has sent me to you.’”

    Exodus 3:14 NASB20

    אָמַרְתְּ לַֽיהוָה אֲדֹנָי אָתָּה טוֹבָתִי בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃

    I said to the LORD [Yᵊhōvâ}, “You are my Lord [;ăḏōnāy];
    I have nothing good besides You.” – Tehillim (Psalms) 16:2
    For this is what the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said:
“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,
Isaiah 30:15

    κυρίῳ kyrios – Lord

    "lord" occurs 106 times in 100 verses in the book of 'Act' in the NASB20.

    And increasingly believers in the Lord G2962, large numbers of men and women, were being added to their number,

    Acts of the Apostles 5:14 NASB20

    ἐκκλησία – ekklēsia – ‘Church‘

    Luke has only used the term ‘church’ once at this point in Acts of the Apostles to describe these ‘large numbers of men and women.’ He opens his second account describing the miraculous growth of the church:

    Acts of ALL with one accord
    Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
    • And now HOW has Luke just introduced the Church by name?
    A Church Seized by Signs and Wonders
    Acts 5:11 KJV And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
    • The Church (that is, the early church) lives as a community of love in fear of God, yet joyful of Christ’s anointing Spirit given to His disciples of the Church who will ‘follow Jesus, as their Master.’
    • The saints of the Apostolic community serve the Living God and obey the Apostles as their lords and masters.

    The disciple G3101 is not above his master [didaskalos], 

    nor the servant [doulos] above his lord [kyrios].

    Instruction of Jesus Christ – Matthew 10:24

    the servant [doulos]

    Now that we have defined some of these ‘Christian‘ terms so foundational to understanding Luke’s account of the Acts of the Apostles; NEXT, God-willing, we will examine the role the these servants of the Church. 

    ACTS of the Church 6: 
To be continued...