#31 - The Gospel of LIFE?
#31 - Acts 16–21
BIBLE TEXT SECTIONS:
Acts 16 - Timothy Joins Paul and Silas - Macedonian Call - Conversion of Lydia - Paul and Silas in Prison - Philippian Jailer Converted
Acts 17 - Paul and Silas in Thessalonica - Paul and Silas in Berea - Paul in Athens - Paul Addresses the Areopagus
Acts 18 - Paul in Corinth - Paul Returns to Antioch - Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus
Acts 19 - Paul in Ephesus - Sons of Sceva - Riot in Ephesus
Acts 20 - Paul in Macedonia and Greece - Paul speaks to Ephesian Elders
Acts 21 - Paul Goes to Jerusalem - Paul Visits James - Paul Arrested in the Temple - Paul Speaks To The People
Read Acts yourself then…
watch the Bible Project video on Acts
Neil Evans COMMENTS:
The book of Acts tells the story of how the first century church went about “preaching the Gospel” and “making disciples.” It is the story of how God transitioned from declaring Himself through Israel to declaring Himself through His Church. God was teaching and the Church was learning. The book of Acts is a travelog, and the rest of the New Testament is detailed descriptions of the why and how-to for Christ’s Church to go about “preaching the Gospel.”
In their relationship with God, people were transitioning from being Temple focused to being Messiah focused. The “Gospel,” or “Good News” was the declaration that caused both so much opposition and so much devotion in those who heard it. What was this “Gospel?” How was it preached? And, how was it received?
In brief the Gospel was, and is, the declaration that God’s age-old promise to send a deliverer to rescue people from their sin had occurred in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament predictions of a virgin born, Divine-Human person who would come to God’s people, be killed by them as the substitutionary sacrifice for their sin, and come back from the dead to lead God’s people in victory over sin and death into eternal peace and joy with God.
This Gospel was rejected and opposed by people who would not believe either that they were sinners in need of a Savior, or that God would give His Life to people who did not personally earn it. The Gospel was received by people who believed what the disciples who had been with Jesus said about Who Jesus demonstrated Himself to be; and, how having died as The Sacrifice for their sin, Jesus came back to life, was alive, and offered His Life to all who would put their trust in Him.
These Acts chapters (16-21), similar to the ones before and after, describe both how this Good News was shared and how it was received.
In Philippi, Paul, Silas and Timothy “spoke,” “proclaiming the way of salvation” and people “believed in the Lord Jesus,” and as a demonstration of their salvation were baptized.
In Thessalonica, they “reasoned from the Scriptures,” explaining why Jesus “suffered, died, and rose from the dead.” There was no mention of them being baptized with water or with the Holy Spirit.
In Berea, the people “received the Word” and “examined the Scriptures” to make sure that what they were being told was true. There was no mention of baptism or the Holy Spirit.
In Athens, they “reasoned” with Jews in the synagogue and with people in the marketplace. They “conversed” with Greek philosophers about “Jesus and the resurrection.” Paul used the “unknown god” they worshipped in their pantheon to describe the total otherness (Holiness) of the Biblical God. The God they did not know is the Creator of all, LORD of all, did not live in human temples, is not served by human hands, does not need anything, gives life to all, created all nations from one man, determines the time and place for everyone, is not far from us and in Him we live and move and have our being. And, while God is other than us, He created us with a likeness to Himself so that unlike the stone- idol-gods they worshipped, we could have a genuine relationship with Him. Paul warned them that in the Risen Jesus this Unknown God was going to judge them if they did not “repent” of worshipping false gods. Some people “joined with Paul in “belief.” No mention is made of baptism or the Holy Spirit.
In Corinth they were “occupied with the Word,” “reasoning in the Synagogue” trying to “persuade” them, testifying that The Christ was Jesus. Many people “believed” and were “baptized” as Paul stayed “teaching the Word of God.” No mention is made of the Holy Spirit.
In Antioch, they “reasoned” with the Jews, “strengthened” the disciples, and “showed by the Scriptures that The Christ was Jesus.”
In Ephesus, Paul found believing disciples who had identified with John the Baptists message of repentance but not heard of Jesus’ baptism or of The Holy Spirit. Learning of the baptism of identifying with Jesus’ death and resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the disciples experienced and demonstrated the radical transformation being followers of Jesus brings. Paul “laid his hands on them” as a declaration that what was happening was in agreement with what Paul and the other Apostles had learned from Jesus. Paul continued daily “reasoning and persuading about the Kingdom of God.” Authenticating the truthfulness of the things Paul was teaching, God did miracles through Paul. Preparing to leave Ephesus Paul “spoke” to the elders, “declared” things that were profitable, “taught” and “testified” of “repentance” and “faith” in the Lord Jesus, “declaring” the “whole counsel of God.”
As the early Church spread and grew it did so on the simple Good News that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah Who lived a perfect life, did and said things only God could do, was killed as The Substitutionary Payment for the sin of mankind, rose from the dead, powerfully demonstrating the truthfulness of this Good News. And Jesus is alive and with His followers, His Church, spreading this Gospel so that all the world is challenged to repent, believe and receive the new Life that Jesus provides.
Through the Laws and Sacrifices, Old Testament followers of God were taught that we always fail at trying to be perfect and that a substitute sacrifice was the only thing that could atone for our sin. Believers offered their sacrifices and obeyed God’s rules for righteousness in faith that God would forgive. New Testament followers of God recognize that Jesus Christ is the Perfect Substitute Sacrifice for our sin. They have faith that God forgives their sin because of what Jesus has done for them, not because of anything they have done for God. They obey God in thankfulness for the New Life He has given them. With the Holy Spirit of God living with and in them, they grow in the understanding the reality that it is in God “we live and move and have our being.”
BIBLE TEXT SECTIONS:
Acts 16 - Timothy Joins Paul and Silas - Macedonian Call - Conversion of Lydia - Paul and Silas in Prison - Philippian Jailer Converted
Acts 17 - Paul and Silas in Thessalonica - Paul and Silas in Berea - Paul in Athens - Paul Addresses the Areopagus
Acts 18 - Paul in Corinth - Paul Returns to Antioch - Apollos Speaks Boldly in Ephesus
Acts 19 - Paul in Ephesus - Sons of Sceva - Riot in Ephesus
Acts 20 - Paul in Macedonia and Greece - Paul speaks to Ephesian Elders
Acts 21 - Paul Goes to Jerusalem - Paul Visits James - Paul Arrested in the Temple - Paul Speaks To The People
Read Acts yourself then…
watch the Bible Project video on Acts
Neil Evans COMMENTS:
The book of Acts tells the story of how the first century church went about “preaching the Gospel” and “making disciples.” It is the story of how God transitioned from declaring Himself through Israel to declaring Himself through His Church. God was teaching and the Church was learning. The book of Acts is a travelog, and the rest of the New Testament is detailed descriptions of the why and how-to for Christ’s Church to go about “preaching the Gospel.”
In their relationship with God, people were transitioning from being Temple focused to being Messiah focused. The “Gospel,” or “Good News” was the declaration that caused both so much opposition and so much devotion in those who heard it. What was this “Gospel?” How was it preached? And, how was it received?
In brief the Gospel was, and is, the declaration that God’s age-old promise to send a deliverer to rescue people from their sin had occurred in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament predictions of a virgin born, Divine-Human person who would come to God’s people, be killed by them as the substitutionary sacrifice for their sin, and come back from the dead to lead God’s people in victory over sin and death into eternal peace and joy with God.
This Gospel was rejected and opposed by people who would not believe either that they were sinners in need of a Savior, or that God would give His Life to people who did not personally earn it. The Gospel was received by people who believed what the disciples who had been with Jesus said about Who Jesus demonstrated Himself to be; and, how having died as The Sacrifice for their sin, Jesus came back to life, was alive, and offered His Life to all who would put their trust in Him.
These Acts chapters (16-21), similar to the ones before and after, describe both how this Good News was shared and how it was received.
In Philippi, Paul, Silas and Timothy “spoke,” “proclaiming the way of salvation” and people “believed in the Lord Jesus,” and as a demonstration of their salvation were baptized.
In Thessalonica, they “reasoned from the Scriptures,” explaining why Jesus “suffered, died, and rose from the dead.” There was no mention of them being baptized with water or with the Holy Spirit.
In Berea, the people “received the Word” and “examined the Scriptures” to make sure that what they were being told was true. There was no mention of baptism or the Holy Spirit.
In Athens, they “reasoned” with Jews in the synagogue and with people in the marketplace. They “conversed” with Greek philosophers about “Jesus and the resurrection.” Paul used the “unknown god” they worshipped in their pantheon to describe the total otherness (Holiness) of the Biblical God. The God they did not know is the Creator of all, LORD of all, did not live in human temples, is not served by human hands, does not need anything, gives life to all, created all nations from one man, determines the time and place for everyone, is not far from us and in Him we live and move and have our being. And, while God is other than us, He created us with a likeness to Himself so that unlike the stone- idol-gods they worshipped, we could have a genuine relationship with Him. Paul warned them that in the Risen Jesus this Unknown God was going to judge them if they did not “repent” of worshipping false gods. Some people “joined with Paul in “belief.” No mention is made of baptism or the Holy Spirit.
In Corinth they were “occupied with the Word,” “reasoning in the Synagogue” trying to “persuade” them, testifying that The Christ was Jesus. Many people “believed” and were “baptized” as Paul stayed “teaching the Word of God.” No mention is made of the Holy Spirit.
In Antioch, they “reasoned” with the Jews, “strengthened” the disciples, and “showed by the Scriptures that The Christ was Jesus.”
In Ephesus, Paul found believing disciples who had identified with John the Baptists message of repentance but not heard of Jesus’ baptism or of The Holy Spirit. Learning of the baptism of identifying with Jesus’ death and resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the disciples experienced and demonstrated the radical transformation being followers of Jesus brings. Paul “laid his hands on them” as a declaration that what was happening was in agreement with what Paul and the other Apostles had learned from Jesus. Paul continued daily “reasoning and persuading about the Kingdom of God.” Authenticating the truthfulness of the things Paul was teaching, God did miracles through Paul. Preparing to leave Ephesus Paul “spoke” to the elders, “declared” things that were profitable, “taught” and “testified” of “repentance” and “faith” in the Lord Jesus, “declaring” the “whole counsel of God.”
As the early Church spread and grew it did so on the simple Good News that Jesus Christ was the promised Messiah Who lived a perfect life, did and said things only God could do, was killed as The Substitutionary Payment for the sin of mankind, rose from the dead, powerfully demonstrating the truthfulness of this Good News. And Jesus is alive and with His followers, His Church, spreading this Gospel so that all the world is challenged to repent, believe and receive the new Life that Jesus provides.
Through the Laws and Sacrifices, Old Testament followers of God were taught that we always fail at trying to be perfect and that a substitute sacrifice was the only thing that could atone for our sin. Believers offered their sacrifices and obeyed God’s rules for righteousness in faith that God would forgive. New Testament followers of God recognize that Jesus Christ is the Perfect Substitute Sacrifice for our sin. They have faith that God forgives their sin because of what Jesus has done for them, not because of anything they have done for God. They obey God in thankfulness for the New Life He has given them. With the Holy Spirit of God living with and in them, they grow in the understanding the reality that it is in God “we live and move and have our being.”
Check out these LINKS:
Watch Bible Project video about Acts
Read "Bible Words to Ponder" related to this week study
Read "The Gospel"