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Tag: romans

Sailing Home on the Aegean
And when they had come to him, he said to them,
“You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials..
Acts of the Apostles 20:18-19a LSB – The Apostle Paul bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders

As you know Paul and apostles of his third missionary journey have set sail for Jerusalem.

Three Years in Ephesus with Tears

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock.. – Acts 20:28a – the Apostle Paul’s parting advice to the elders of the church.

Anatolian peninsula

Reflecting back on a Third Missionary Journey

Paul had begun this third mission in about A.D. 52 setting out on land from Antioch to visit churches all along the Anatolian peninsula until reaching the Aegean at Ephesus, a distance of more than 500 miles.

A.D. 57

In addition to starting and nurturing an important church in Asia Minor, namely Ephesus, the Apostle had then crossed the Aegean into Europe and done the same for churches in Thessalonica, and Berea; the important Achaian city of Corinth, returning to Thessalonica once more then traveling to the Roman stronghold at Philippi.

The Aegean Missions by Sea

Although these missionaries have bypassed Ephesus on their return to Jerusalem, note Paul’s APOSTOLOIC LETTERS encouraging CHURCHES during these same years:

Epistles to the Thessalonians
- 2 THESSALONIANS (possibly)
  - (if it had not already been delivered during Paul’s Second Missionary Journey along with 1 Thessalonians and an epistle to the Galatians.)
- TWO LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS
- PAUL’S LETTERS TO THE ROMANS,
  - including the major theological epistle preserved in the Bible
  - and no doubt other letters to individuals in Rome as in other cities.
Acts of the Apostles 21:

Now when we had parted from them and had set sail, we came by a straight course to Cos..

and the next day to Rhodes..

and from there to Patara;

.. and having found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we went aboard and set sail.

And when we came in sight of Cyprus, leaving it on the left, we kept sailing to Syria and landed at Tyre; for there the ship was to unload its cargo.

Land Ho! Almost Home

We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days.

Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
Acts of the Apostles 21:4 – New International Version

a word of warning
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Note three things Luke is about to tell us about their arrival:
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- μαθητής (mathētēs) – they sought out OTHER followers of Christ and stayed with them (seven days here in Tyre)
  - disciples in every port AND on various parts of Paul’s missionary journeys various disciples become apostles also sent out to other churches.
  - SEE the list: These disciples are both men and women.
- They spoke to Paul in the Spirit.
  - λέγω – legō
    
    conversation between believers, exhortation in this case they must have thought received through the Spirit
    
    (We’ll come back to this..)
  - πνεῦμα – pneuma
    
    Let Christ-followers reading ‘Spirit‘ 70 times in Acts understand that this is the Holy Spirit who joined in these conversations.
- disciples Prophesied to Paul through the Spirit what would happen if the Apostle ‘set foot’ in Jerusalem (as he had planned).
  - Soon other disciples will provide addition detail of these prophesies though the Spirit.
When it was time to leave, [Luke tells us] we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.

6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.
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Does the intimacy of their parting not remind us of the Ephesian elders as these apostles crossed the Aegean and Mediterranean?
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διά – λόγος – [dia – log]
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'dialogue' of 'Christians' -literally, dia logos, dia legō 
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- discourse
- to say, to speak
- through
  - by the means of:
the HOLY SPIRIT or HOLY GHOST!

And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

“Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

“But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are.”
Acts of the Apostles 2:43, 10:43, 15:11,
references to Strong’s G1223 – dia – meaning “through“

DO NOT DISMISS or overlook frequent intimate conversation between 1st century followers of Christ AND their continual dialogue through the Holy Spirit.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

The Apostle Paul has RECENTLY [A.D. 57] written in a letter to Roman Christ-followers:

.. the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5b excerpt [the context could not be more important]

NEXT: The apostles continue their return from Paul’s Third Missionary Journey and the Holy Spirit reveals more details through prophesy of what will take place in Jerusalem.

Talk of JESUS . com
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Let's have some dia-log here, dear brother/sister in Christ.
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Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
April 9, 2024
and fear fell upon them all – Phobias from the enemy
FEAR descends upon us without warning when we least expect it. This is what has just happened in places distant from our secure homes and times more near these last days.

Acts of the Apostles 19:
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TODAY we return to Ephesus in the first century of our Lord and then quickly jump forward to fearful times ahead and even now in this 21st century of the Common Era.

IF you missed the account of Paul's previous preaching of Jesus Christ you might want to look back first.
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Evil spirits, exorcism, possession of Power

What do we fear?

Disgrace, as these men ran away from a situation over which they claimed to have power?

DEATH perhaps, IF the enemy should prevail?

The Apostle Paul [Saul of Tarsus] was a RELIGIOUS man once feared by Christians as he pursued the unrighteousness of men and women turned from Almighty God.

But a more powerful JESUS and the Holy Spirit had intervened most unexpectedly. NOW Paul in Christ demonstrates God’s POWER!

ACTS 19 – Believe in JESUS!

6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them..

.. some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude..

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul..and the evil spirits went out of them.

16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them..
Acts of the Apostles 19:16a NKJV

PAUL HAD POWER! Unseen power. The Jewish priests observed reactions of people who had witnessed this mysterious unseen power and sought such control of the crowds as well.

18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.
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We may safely suppose that their confessions included the ordinary sins of every man and woman and their deeds being the evil against God and others so common in our everyday lives.
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19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Fear of the unseen enemy

The LORD GOD is your enemy when YOU SIN against HIM!

Satan and unseen spirits in which many of you do not believe are ENEMIES of the LORD GOD and His only SON JESUS CHRIST sent to SAVE you from the Judgment of your SIN.

This CHOSEN NATION of GOD had sinned and fallen many times.

AND they continued to deny Christ’s grace and power over sin demonstrated in JESUS.

Priests and preachers had sinned against the SON of GOD sent to HIS OWN for forgiveness of SINS.

The King of the Jews was sacrificed on a Roman Cross in Jerusalem.

Paul who by now has confessed Christ witnesses to the gentiles of first century Roman Asia Minor. The Apostle once again demonstrates the power of Jesus Christ OVER sin.

AND as always, there arose a great commotion about the Way. [v.23b]

מָשִׁיחַ מָשִׁיחַ
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PHOTO above from the 3-part Gospel Series: 12 Men Texting as their Messiah approaches
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a Common Era parable – phobomai
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We interrupt these ACTS of the first century for 
BREAKING NEWS from Israel in this 21st century of the Common Era
and a parable of current events.
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A man with seven sons and seven daughters whom he had set over an inheritance of great wealth and influence sent them out to build new settlements for his grandchildren. One day his oldest son gathered all of their brothers and sisters for a great music festival of songs celebrating the culture of their fathers.

So as a trumpet sounded from the besieged holy hill beyond the locked gate they departed toward this rave for the ages led by local guides into the valley of the shadow near the salt sea.

To be continued…
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In the diaspora, the first day is known by its biblical name, Shemini Atzeret. We still dwell in the sukkah, but without a blessing. Yizkor, the memorial for the departed, is also said on this day.

The second day is known as Simchat Torah, during which we complete and immediately begin the annual Torah reading cycle. - source: Chabad.org
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7 October, 2023 of the Common Era

At the RAVE of the enemy in the valley of the shadow many fall victim.

It was NOT a festival to the LORD God and the enemy provokes the spirit of evil in any who seek pleasure in sin and death.

May God have mercy on their lost souls.

FEAR

φόβος – phobos – From a primary phebomai (to be put in fear)
- Fear, dread, terror
- that which strikes terror
And the dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. And fear [G5401 – phobos] gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying,

“A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!”
Gospel of Luke 7:15-16 Legacy Standard Bible

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars,
and on the earth anguish among nations,
in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,
men fainting from fear [G5401 – phobos]
and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world;
for the POWERS OF THE HEAVENS will be shaken…
Gospel of Luke 21:25-26 LSB
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We return now from the 21st c. C.E. to a FEAR in those witnessing GOOD in the Name of JESUS in the first century of the Lord in Ephesus recalling:
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And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear G5401 fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.
Acts of the Apostles 19-17 LSB

Reaction against the Power of God

IT ALWAYS HAPPENS THAT WHEN GOD WORKS MIGHTY ACTS OF POWER THAT UNGODLY MEN WILL DO EVIL AGAINST THE WITNESSES OF GOD AND CHRIST JESUS.

ACTS 19:23 NKJV

And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said:

“Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”

Some men FEAR disgrace, most men and women FEAR death, yet many cling to tradition forged into idols of culture condoning our sin and denying our mortality.

These would lead the leaven of life into a pit of eternal punishment.

“THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”
Paul later writes to the ROMANS, quoting PSALM 36

Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying,

“Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.

The Apostle Paul’s ACTS in Ephesus – To Be Continued, God-willing…

Acts 19, death, fear, God, holy spirit, israel, Luke, paul, phobia, romans, war
October 14, 2023
So help US god – intro to christianity lite
In God WE trust?

Perhaps it strikes you as strange that I introduce a treatise on Christianity, God and doctrine with an illustration from the coinage of a 20th century A.D. world power like US, The United States of America.

Yet in this not-so-brave new world of the 21st century Common Era WE spend countless lite-weight pennies. And more inflated American dollars than WE save say, “IN GOD WE TRUST.” All the while WE recklessly espouse political ideologies FOR or AGAINST GOD (blessing America).

One Nation, Under God
In God We Trusted – 5

October, A.D. 2013 conclusion of 5-part TalkofJESUS.com post series from the Prophets
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Election year rhetoric -- nothing new. (See post from 10 years ago above.)
WE didn't trust in God then and certainly WE as a Nation do NOT trust in God now, ten years later in this Common Era of an upcoming 2024 election.
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The phrase had been placed on U.S. coins since the Civil War when, according to the historical association of the United States Treasury, religious sentiment reached a peak. Eisenhower’s treasury secretary, George Humphrey, had suggested adding the phrase to paper currency as well.
July 30, A.D. 1956 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a law officially declaring “In God We Trust” to be the nation’s official motto. Public LAW passed by the 84th Congress of the United States of America also ‘mandated that the phrase be printed on all American paper currency.’ – source: History.com
“In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.”
Dwight David Eisenhower – June 14, A.D. 1954 – Flag Day in the U.S.

christianity lite – church & STATE – god help US
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Time will not allow me to get to the christian church of the Common Era today; so you'll have to wait for my NEXT post where, God-willing, I will move on from doctrines of GOD to teaching JESUS CHRIST. - RH)
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NO Doctrine of the COMMON ERA or any other millennia will stand the test of time without defining GOD truthfully.

GOD IS and God reveals Himself through His creation, Scriptures and IN THE PERSON of JESUS CHRIST.

Deuteronomy 4-5 — the line of the LAW and the GOD we crossed
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4:6  וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם כִּי הִוא חָכְמַתְכֶם וּבִינַתְכֶם לְעֵינֵי הָעַמִּים אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמְעוּן אֵת כָּל־הַחֻקִּים הָאֵלֶּה וְאָמְרוּ רַק עַם־חָכָם וְנָבוֹן הַגּוֹי הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּֽה׃
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“For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is Yahweh our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?

“Only keep yourself and keep your soul very carefully, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. But make them known to your sons and to your grandsons.
Deuteronomy 4:7-9 Legacy Standard Bible

WE must not limit God exclusively to Israel, America or any nation, but worship the only Creator of ALL things, breathing life into human flesh and blood, choosing some as saved souls for His glory of eternal life.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

The Gospel of God from Paul’s letter to the Romans
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I CHALLENGE ANY PASTOR who claims to be NOT GUILTY of preaching "christianity lite" to OPEN A SERMON as Paul does his letter to the Church in Rome: 
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Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus
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Pastor, are you shepherding YOUR church proclaiming yourself "A SLAVE" of the risen Christ JESUS and PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL of SCRIPTURE as God has written it?

Paul does.
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.. 3 concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

4 who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ..

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous will live by faith.”

christianity lite neglects GOD’s Righteous Wrath
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Your 'christianity lite' 'pastor' will not confess this positive place of appropriate SLAVERY.
And a Common Era shepherd wearing the casual robes of cultural correctness 
DARE NOT draw a distinct line written IN GOD'S WORD of Scripture. 

Paul does.
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For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men [and women anthrōpos] who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
Paul’s Epistle to the 1st c. A.D. church in Rome 1:18-19 Legacy Standard Bible

NEXT: christianity lite – in a post-Christian Common Error World

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
September 16, 2023