In Acts 15:79, to what does Peter refer? Before his ascension, Jesus promises his apostles that they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be his witnesses (Acts 1:68). God favors the weak and burdened, not the spiritually proud. A crucified God is a stumbling block and folly (1 Cor. Here is a blatant opponent to the work of God, motivated not as Saul was by religious zeal, but by the desire for acclaim (Acts 12:3). Repeatedly in Acts, we see that Gods grace plays the crucial role in the advance of the gospel, as even repentance and faith are gifts from God. But in Gods providence, this convoluted legal squabble becomes the means for the gospel to reach Rome. The sermons in the book of Acts give us a window into the preaching ministries of Peter, Stephen, Philip, James, and Paul, along with the immediate impact those sermons had. Jesus promised that the gospel would spread to the end of the earth, and Peter proclaims that the promise is . He is at the heart of the gospel message and, through the Holy Spirit, he is responsible for its remarkable growth. declares the Lord. ELDER. (6) * Christian Apologetics (7) * The Church Jesus Built (16) * A Closer Walk With God (14) * Conversions In The Book Of Acts (10) * Disciplines For The Disciple (8) * Equipping The Saints For Ministry (14) * This 71 part expository study of Acts was preached at Flagstaff Christian Fellowship in 2000-2002. Life's Forecast! Because of their background, Jewish Christians would have struggled to share a meal with Gentiles who flaunted their traditional dietary customs. Take a moment now to ask for the Lords blessing and help as you continue in this study of Acts. Gods grace is overflowing and abundant (Rom. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:2223 that Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. The stumbling block to Jews of Christ crucified has been a common theme through Acts so far. . 41:1314 and Jer. 2:1213). This reveals God to be the great benefactor who pours out blessings on all people. . David foreshadowed the suffering of the Messiah in a Psalm that Jesus quoted on the cross: They have pierced my hands and feet . They were written to provide certainty concerning the things that had been revealed to Luke and others about what Jesus did and taught (Luke 1:14; Acts 1:15). What was seen only as shadows in the Old Testament, God reveals finally and fully through Jesus Christ. If so, how? PDF Core 52 Sermon Series . It was this very group that up to this point had been the most vehemently opposed to the gospel. How does Luke emphasize that God is the active agent in bringing believers to faith in Christ? Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Beginning with Greek-speaking Jewish Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:17), the Christian gospel is proclaimed to an ever-widening circleto Samaria (Acts 8:425), to an Ethiopian (Acts 8:2640), to a Gentile God-fearer (Acts 10:148), and to the Gentiles of Antioch (Acts 11:1930). Knowing Gods tendency to maneuver the plots of people to accomplish his redemptive purposes, we can be bold and trust God. Gods light has overcome Satans darkness (John 1:5; 2 Cor. 2:48). What others intend for evil, God will work for good (Gen. 50:20). No one is so far removed that God cannot redeem them. Like Moses, Jesusas a babyis forced to flee the wrath of a king who kills hundreds of infants in an attempt to find him (Matt. Read through the complete passage for this study, Acts 1:126. In the Old Testament, God made his dwelling among the Jews in the form of the tabernacle, a temporary tent that allowed Israel to say, The glory of God is with us (Ex. How is Saul fulfilling Gamaliels prudent words? 5:15, 17; 6:1; 2 Cor. Sermon Series - Pulpit Pages . Why does he say they must do this (Acts 17:31)? (For further background, see the ESV Study Bible, pages 20962101, available online at. Consider what you have learned that might lead you to praise God, repent of sin, and trust in his gracious promises. This is Gods plan of salvation. Saul was at his worst, overseeing the murder of men and women in the church, with no sign of repentance, when Jesus met him on the Damascus road. The law hung over us as a ministry of death, threatening to kill us for our sins; the Spirit of Christ delivers us from the bondage of sin, guilt, and death into new life (2 Cor. 3:21). Some written to people at large, others to individual Christians and churches 2. But Christs death was part of Gods plan to redeem the world (Acts 4:2728). The Greek verb preach the gospel (euangelizo) occurs more often in this book than in any other in the New Testament. The ritual practice of removing the foreskin of an individual, which was commanded for all male Israelites in OT times as a sign of participation in the covenant God established with Abraham (Gen. 17:914). Now God is communicating that the gospel does not require Gentiles to become a part of Israels national identity. Samaritans, though technically half Jewish, were considered non-Jewish, even of lower status than Gentiles, by the Jews of the first century. 2. In Saul, we see a rebel against God, who committed cosmic treason and was an enemy of God. That the Christ would suffer and die was a surprise for most of the Jews, and a significant stumbling block to their believing in Jesus as the promised Messiah (1 Cor. Consider what you have learned that might lead you to praise God, repent of sin, and trust in his gracious promises. Read through the complete passage for this study, Acts 21:1728:31. A List of Sermons in the Book of Acts | Anchored in Christ Paul is embroiled in a legal squabble that has kept him imprisoned in Caesarea for two years (Acts 24:27), while he yearns to bring the gospel to Rome (Acts 19:21). The Bible has a number of different uses and tenses of the words salvation and save (e.g., Num. 12:3). . The apostles are threatened, jailed, and beaten, and conflict arises even from within. Amen. The gospels expansion is the culmination of what God has been doing since the beginning. Compare Peters response to Simon in Acts 8:20 in light of what we read in Acts 2:38, 10:45, and Acts 11:17. Reread Gamaliels words in Acts 5:3839. Acts demonstrates that as the budding Christian movement spreads, Jesus himself is at work. As a response to this grace, Stephen extends a reflection of that grace to his persecutors. Repentance, forgiveness, water baptism, and reception of the Spirit comprise the basic pattern of conversion. As Paul recounts, Jesus encapsulates his message as a call to turn from darkness and the power of Satan to the light of God that is manifest in the gospel of Christ. In Acts 1011, Peter preaches to Gentiles, who believe and are filled with the Spirit. 3:67). 3:7). How does Herods response compare with Peters swift denial when Cornelius seeks to worship him (Acts 10:26) and Pauls vehement protests when the people of Lystra mistake him for the god Hermes (Acts 14:1115)? Finally, give your sermon a tentative title -- one definite enough to be published in the church newsletter or the local newspapers before the sermon is finished. And Jesus promises his presence at the close of his last words of commission to the church: Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matt. There is only one God, only one king. Acts 24:1-21, 40. A well-presented sermon series on the Book of Acts reminds all of us that these are not unprecedented times it's just our time. All of our salvation is an undeserved, gracious gift from God. 5:14). This miraculous communication did not depend on their education (which was minimal, among these . It's All About Jesus. . 2:8). Download a PDF schedule for the entire year and then join us each day as we read through the Bible [], "Equipping and encouraging people to keep believing in Jesus", Copyright 2020 Keep Believing Ministries, Lets Read the Bible! Topical Sermon Series (Executable Outlines) Read through the complete passage for this study, Acts 6:17:60. The grace of God motivates mercy in his followers. The good news of the salvation accomplished in Christ and applied by the Holy Spirit extends to the ends of the earth through preaching. We see numerous churches planted as the gospel message extends even further. When spelled in the OT with small capital letters (Lord) it translates Hebrew, Transliteration of the Greek for anointed one (equivalent to Hebrew. How do Peter and John respond to the crowds amazement in Acts 3:1216? How does Jesus response challenge and expand the disciples thinking and understanding of the gospel? In Acts 20:2438, Paul reminds the Ephesians of how God has worked in him to testify to the gospel of the grace of God (Acts 20:24). But Peters vision (Acts 10:916) reminds us that what God has called clean, we have no right to call unclean (Acts 10:15). GRACE ALONE. The preaching of Jesus death and resurrection is central in Acts. Praise God! 1:82:10). Luke and Acts are narratives about Gods plan of salvation. As Peter declared, We will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus (Acts 15:11). In Acts 28:14, Luke writes a brief geographical note: And so we came to Rome. He ends Acts on a note of triumph, showing Paul in the capital of the world as he preaches the gospel with boldness and without hindrance to all who are willing to hear it (Acts 28:31). Acts 1314 records Pauls first missionary journey. A new recurring theme is introduced here as we repeatedly see the Jews rejecting the gospel while the Gentiles embrace it. 2:1213). Acts 8. b. Peter, John & the Apostles were repeatedly arrested, beaten and. If you would like more resources including full text messages, preaching tips, and small church how-to's be sure to visit www.ronniebrown.net and sign up for our email news letter. PURE IN CHRIST. But because of this, we may miss some of the meaning in our reading of Scripture. Gods grace is now going out to the nations. But we are prone to attribute the glory of God to lesser things, and this leads to idolatry. The Book of Acts which was written by doctor Luke is a wonderful letter which tells us about the beginning of the church and how the church began to spread throughout the world. We Christians have been saved from the penalty of our sins; we are currently being saved from the power of sin; and one day, when Gods plan of salvation is completed and we are with Christ, we shall be like him, and we shall be saved from the presence of sin. After Paul and Silas are savagely beaten and imprisoned for rescuing a girl from a dishonorable and probably oppressive occupation, we learn about the terror-ridden job of the Philippian jailer, one in which he faced death for any failure (see Acts 12:19). This is not a new concept: God has always desired that his people would be witnesses to his greatness. In Acts 19:17, we read that some Ephesians had become followers of John the Baptist and had received his baptism (see also Acts 18:2428, concerning the similar experience of Apollos). The mission of God is his work to reconcile the world to himself through Jesus Christ by lavishly offering grace to sinners and sufferers. Such behavior by the man who would become the apostle to the Gentiles (Rom. THE RESURRECTION. Acts Sermon Series | Renton Bible Church After Paul and Silas are savagely beaten and imprisoned for rescuing a girl from a dishonorable and probably oppressive occupation, we learn about the terror-ridden job of the Philippian jailer, one in which he faced death for any failure (see Acts 12:19). As he promised, God is pouring out his Spirit on all fleshmen and women, young and old, Jew and Gentile. The gospel expands not through human strength but through the power of God over significant barriers of geography, ethnicity, culture, language, gender, wealth, persecutions, weaknesses, suffering, sickness, and imprisonments. In his gospel presentation in Acts 10:3443, Peter does not quote the Old Testament, but his message remains consistent: Jesus lived, died, and was raised; he has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead; and everyone is called to repent and believe, to receive forgiveness of sins through the name of Jesus. A Study in the Book of Acts Archives - Fellowship Bible Church How could Stephen ask God not to hold this sin against them (Acts 7:60)? 12:3; Eph. Read Genesis 50:20. The land promised to Christians is heaven. In Acts 15:10, Peter refers to the law as a yoke . COMMON GRACE. In Acts 15, the church convenes a major assembly, known as the Jerusalem Council, to discuss conditions for Gentile membership in the church and what is necessary for salvation. As before, Peter emphasizes the resurrection of Jesus, but this marks the first time the apostles experience overt opposition to the gospel from authorities. His harshest words were for the Pharisees, who he says tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on peoples shoulders (Matt. This is only half true. The NT often uses the law (lower case) to refer to the entire body of precepts set forth in the books of the Law. An Acts-based sermon series can help your core group embrace empowerment by the Holy Spirit. God is mercifully and joyfully calling all people to salvation. Before his ascension, Jesus promises his apostles that they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be his witnesses (Acts 1:68). 4:15). Such judgment is rare in Scripture. Christians from the start have thought and spoken of God as omnipresent. God is present everywhere with his whole being. Stephen turns to the golden era of Israel, the days of David and Solomon, to make the point that the Jews have mistakenly associated Gods presence only with the temple. 49:6). 10:14; 26:14). 2:15). 53:6), and Jesus, the suffering Messiah, bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors (Isa. Through its system of sacrifices, the people of Israel were to look forward to the sacrifice that was to come, the true spotless lamb that would take away their sins forever (John 1:29). Christ died for Stephen while Stephen was yet a sinner, showering him with undeserved grace. For Paul, the resurrection of Jesus both confirms Gods faithfulness and power to fulfill his promises, and provides the impetus for the spread of Gods gospel and Spirit to Jews and Gentiles over all the earth (Acts 26:2223). THE YOKE OF THE LAW. This is the message of the gospel. Acts | Bible.org 1:82:10). Pauls example of selflessness leads to a stunned appeal for salvation and another example of Gods grace poured out to suffering sinners. 1:11). When Jesus promised that he would return, he instructed his followers to wait. Why, Paul asks, is it thought incredible that God raises the dead, when he has always had the power to do so? The gospel will go to Rome and fulfill the promise of Acts 1:8 that Jesus disciples would be his witnesses to the end of the earth. God is the true actor behind the scenes. Care Care, Recovery, and Counseling support Connections Welcoming and connecting you into the life of the church Family Young Adults, Senior Adults, Marriage, and Parenting . Sin is anything (whether thoughts, actions, or attitudes) that does not express or conform to the holy character of God as shown forth in his moral law. Acts 6:15-7:60, 12. BABEL. The gospel is not confined by geographical boundaries, but is universal in scope. 31:8; compare Josh. He knows he has failed, he knows his fate, and he decides to take his own life. The ultimate example of this was the crucifixion of Jesus, which seemed like the final triumph of evil over good. Though rejected by his own people and crucified, Jesus was vindicated when God raised him from the dead. We believe that faithful proclamation of the gospel is what our hostile and disoriented world needs. Jesus is the Son of God, not only in that he is the one called by God to rule the earth as Gods representative, but also in that he is God. Gods heart has always been with the afflicted. In Acts 18:6, Paul seems frustrated. CORE 52 SERMON SERIES OPTION 1:For churches who desire to align their preaching and small group material, Core52 provides suggested series that move through the book in canonical order. Paul was intent on preaching Christ after his conversion (Acts 9:2022, 2630). Do you have any sense of similarities and continuities between Luke and Acts? When Peter refers to the law as a yoke that no one is able to carry (Acts 15:10), he is echoing the words of Jesus (Matt. The response of the Gentile believersjoyshows that they hardly view these requirements as burdensome. . Jesus takes the yoke we are incapable of carrying, which Peter admits we are unable to bear, and then takes the whippings of the law for us at the cross. In the resurrection of Christ, Gods power to raise the dead has been clearly manifested. The Unexpected Acts of God Seven Parts: Second Sunday of Easter through Pentecost The unlikely, ironic, and surprising stories in the book of Acts. The Psalms equate rebellion against Gods anointed with rebellion against him (Ps. Then review the following questions concerning this section of Acts and write your own notes on them. Here Now (Pentecost) - Acts 2:1-13, Week 3: Switched on (Empowered by the Spirit) - Acts 2:14-36, Week 4: Now What? 6:14; Titus 2:1112). 8:23, where the word messenger is the same Greek word. The church is Gods people, his witnesses to his powerful work of redemption through Jesus Christ. Consider what you have learned that might lead you to praise God, repent of sin, and trust in his gracious promises. 4:25), and the exact times and places in which people live (Acts 17:26). How do we see this in Acts 1:1226 and the choosing of Matthias? Pauls opponents believed that people would try to keep Gods commands only out of fear of punishment, and if that fear was removed, there would no longer be any motivation to live a righteous life. In Acts 15:79, Peter refers to the outpouring of the gospel at the house of Cornelius in Acts 10:3443. Take a moment also to look back through this unit of study, reflecting on some key things that the Lord may be teaching you and noting things to review again in the future. But Paul recognizes that the resurrection is the hope for which all of the Old Testament prophets waited and watched (Heb. Otherwise, the Samaritans may have assumed autonomy from Jerusalem, or Jerusalem may not have accepted them as full brothers and sisters in the family of God. In the Bible, graceless religion is presented as an intolerable burden that only brings discouragement and despair. TGC Course | Knowing the Bible: Acts - The Gospel Coalition
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