John 3:16 – “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”[1] This is the mission of God. The most memorized verse in the Bible. We quote it, we read it, and we hear it many times. It is expressed so much that little thought is put into the mission. Christopher Wright reminds us in The Mission of God’s People that this is God’s mission. Because it is God’s mission, He has chosen how to accomplish His mission. God’s way of achieving His mission is not the way parents would choose as a plan. But God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit’s plan always was. They always knew the whole world because they created them. They love what they created… you. Just as they chose the world by creation and out of love, they gave the world a choice to love in return. They offered eternity with them by a simple choice. Believe in Jesus, the Son of God, as Lord and Savior. But the plan was so much deeper than just a choice. The plan included a blood sacrifice that Jesus made with His own life. God gave up His Son to death so the world could have life. This is God’s mission.

            As believers in God’s mission, we are invited to participate in His mission with Him. There are several aspects of our involvement with God’s mission:
     1) The idea that the world's Creator, the Holy Trinity, would create us to include us in their relationship with them is unfathomable. We were created by God out of His love for us. Every individual in the world is special because we are His creation. Understanding and embracing that truth only causes us to worship God and His Glory. Because of God’s mission, believers choose to worship God. Jesus said, “But an hour is coming, and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”[2] Jesus said genuine worship comes from the heart through understanding God's truths. We journey through this life, learning about God and growing in the knowledge of His mission. When that occurs, it is natural for us to worship the Creator.


     2) Believing that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord caused a transformation in our lives. Paul reminds us, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved and gave himself for me.”[3] Our old life was put to death, and now we live our life by another source, the Trinity. As we learn and grow in knowledge and wisdom about the Trinity, it begins to impact how we live out our lives. It is not a matter of being taught how we should live our lives but a more natural living out of our journey by the grace administered through the Spirit of God. When the universal Church learns about a spirit-filled life, the mindset changes from legalism to grace. This is the real adventure when we begin to trust God rather than relying on our own strength and abilities. Grace has two aspects to it. There is grace that brings salvation through Jesus. The other aspect of grace is the ability to live each day through God. We will spend the rest of our journey here on earth learning to live in this grace of another source.


     3) Learning to live out of this grace changes our lives. Paul encourages the Church to “Do everything without grumbling and arguing,  so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life.”[4] Peter also says, “But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.”[5] These scripture passages are typically taught as commands to obey in our behavior. But if the Church understands it is about their identity rather than their behavior, these truths become very natural. The Church has been made holy and blameless because of what Jesus did on the cross. We must rest in this truth and just “be” rather than “do.”


     4) When believers discover their identity in Jesus, a transformation in the mind takes place, significantly impacting their behavior. Joy is already present in the Spirit but is now discovered by the believer. It is realizing they are forgiven and made holy. They know they are the righteousness of Christ—not just that God views them as righteous, but they have been made righteous… past tense. When this realization has occurred, it becomes natural for them to talk about the best news ever. Knowing your identity in Christ becomes the most incredible “evangelism tool” and becomes more than just information being communicated. When the Church knows its true identity, it begins to express the Good News to those around it. Our world is being taught that it is more about them than others. So, this focus on what they can become through Jesus is attractive to them.


     5) As the Church grows in spiritual maturity, it is natural for the believers to edify and disciple one another. God intended the Church to live together in community, which was intentional as it created a desire for others to be included in this group. Nobody would want any part of this community if it is focused on something other than God's intentions. This is displayed in the Bible through the role of the Pharisees. For the Pharisees, it was all about their behavior. Their behavior dictated more about what they would become and their role. This is the opposite of God’s intentions. He made believers supernatural beings; we naturally behave and accomplish things from that transformation. As a body of believers, we are to teach and encourage our fellow believers in their identity so they may live out of this daily grace supplied by God. Proverbs says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.”[6]

     6) The final intention of God’s mission is that the Church lives together in community and fellowship so they can provide for the needs of one another. This is modeled in Acts, “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”[7] This is the model church as God intended it to be. We are to live together in harmony and help one another walk this journey here on earth.

This is God’s mission for the New Covenant Church. Therefore, it is my personal mission as well. I not only have to battle the worldview, but I also have to battle (or avoid) the religiosity of the Church. God never intended for us to be religious. Jesus said, “ A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”[8] I believe that we can have a full and abundant life here on earth and not have to wait until we die and go to heaven. May God continue to reveal Himself and empower me to accomplish His mission.

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Jn 3:16.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Jn 4:23–24.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ga 2:20.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Php 2:14–16.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), 1 Pe 1:15–16.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Pr 27:17.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Ac 2:43–47.
[8] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Jn 10:10.

Old Covenant vs New covenant
 - New makes old obsolete
KNOWING CHRIST
PHILIPPIANS 3
1 In addition, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. To write to you again about this is no trouble for me and is a safeguard for you.

• We are prone to forget who Jesus is and what He has done in our lives.
• Keep waving the banner.
• Paul’s tone changes… very loving man… speaks of joy… he is happy… through suffering.
• There is a conflict he has been involved with for many years.
• There were other religious people who continually undermining Paul’s ministry.
• Critics, enemies & opposition from pastors and elders of the church
• Paul rebuked religious people who led people astray.

2 Watch out for the dogs (Religious people), watch out for the evil workers, watch out for those who mutilate the flesh (happy knife-cutters). 3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh--

• “Evil workers.” These men taught that the sinner was saved by faith plus good works, especially the works of the Law.
• But Paul states that their “good works” are really evil works because they are performed by the flesh (old nature) and not the Spirit, and they glorify the workers and not Jesus Christ.[1]
• There is a difference between Christians and religious people… understanding, joy and humility
• Dogs – violent, mean, bark, bite and scary. Not domesticated at the time.
• God hates religion!
• Religious people believe that Jesus helps us but that He needs us to help Him.
• Jesus plus anything ruins everything
• Circumcision plus salvation nullifies the cross (Gen 17 – Circumcision was a seal of the covenant that God made with Abraham)
• Temple, priests, sacrifices not needed today
• What are some examples of us adding to our faith to make it a “religion”?
• Richard Halverson writes, “When the Greeks got the Gospel, they turned it into philosophy; When the Romans got it, they turned it into a government; when the Europeans got it, they turned it into a culture; when the Americans got it, they turned it into a business.”
• The DNA of the church produces certain identifiable features:
     - The centrality of Jesus Christ
     - The innate desire to form deep-seated relationships that are centered in Christ
     - Authentic community
     - Familial love and devotion of its members to one another
     - The native instinct to gather without static ritual
     - The internal drive for open-participatory gatherings
     - The loving impulse to display Jesus to a fallen world.

4 although I have reasons for confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee;

• Most rule keeping devoted religious people of their day…
• Jesus pointed out they even tithed from their spice racks

6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.

• (OT has more than 600 laws and Paul was blameless).

7 But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ.

• Paul was auditing his own life… and realized that he had been bankrupt all along.

8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung,

• Garbage, refuse, filth, dung, dog dung, turds…
• Isaiah 64:6 - and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.
• I started cleaning out my office at home yesterday.
• Things that I considered valuable (ad cost me much) are now considered just junk… trash.

 
so that I may gain Christ

• Paul literally had to “lose his religion” so that he could “find salvation”.
• Religion is about what “I do”… The Gospel is about what “Jesus has done”.
• Religion trusts in “my works”… The Gospel teaches us to rest in Jesus’ works.
• Religious people confuse justification and sanctification.
• Religious people hate to repent because it reflects their wrongdoing. (You are taking away their goodness!)
• Religion lends an uncertainty to your fate in the end.
• Religion leads to pride or despair. (I can do it or I can’t do it).
• Christianity leads to humbleness and joy which makes us happy!
  
  
• Hard Religion
     - Religion tells you to “clean up your act!”
     - Religious people take things out of the Bible and add their own rules to them and beat people with self-righteous rules and restrict their joy that Jesus intended.
  
  
• Soft Religion
     - Vote, Golden rule, be nice to animals, do things for others, fight poverty…
  
  
• Everyone has religion and is building their resumes.
• Everyone wants to be righteous.
• Will you pursue it through religion or through Jesus.
• All Religions tell us how to become righteous…
  - Buddhism – To be righteous… you cease all desires
  - Confucianism – You pursue education, reflection and lead a moral life.
  - Hinduism – You detach yourself from your ego and live in unity with the divine.
  - Judaism – You obey God’s Law.
  - New Age – You should see yourself as connected with the Oneness and live in perfect harmony with the creation.
  - Taoism – You should line yourself with the Tao and go with the flow
  - Islam – You should live a moral life, do good deeds, and stand before Allah in the end and if your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds and Allah so wills it, you shall be declared righteous.
• Every single religion… both hard and soft… tells us that on our resume should be listed all the things we have done to be declared righteous.
• Paul is saying that it has nothing to do with what we have done but purely what Jesus has done.

Grace vs works
A lady was arguing with her pastor about this matter of faith and works. “I think that getting to heaven is like rowing a boat,” she said. “One oar is faith, and the other is works. If you use both, you get there. If you use only one, you go around in circles.”
‘’There is only one thing wrong with your illustration,” replied the pastor. “Nobody is going to heaven in a rowboat!”[2]
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.
Justification…

• God demands perfection and there is only one way we can become perfect. Through Christ!
• Two words on my resume… Jesus Christ.
• I have been declared righteous because of my faith in Jesus!
• Gift righteousness!

10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.[3]
Sanctification…

• Everything changes. It has changed and continues to change!
• New nature, new desires, new power, new passion… a life that results in passion, purpose and JOY!
• Religion cannot compare to this!

It’s tax season and you are collecting your forms.
 - You will do your own personal financial audit.
 - What if you audit the things you do this week?
 - Is it your strength or His strength?

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 84–85). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 85). Victor Books.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (Php 3:1–11). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

PROPHECY: A SUPERIOR GIFT
1 CORINTHIANS 14
1 Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. 2 For the person who speaks in a tongue is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation. 4 The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 I wish all of you spoke in tongues, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.

• Two divisive spiritual gifts are compared to one another by Paul.
• Tongues allows a person to address God in an unknown language or linguistic configuration of syllables, but the speaker him/herself does not necessarily know what they are saying, and certainly others do not.
• Whereas prophecy, the proclamation of God’s Word in a message directly given by God to an individual, with or without advance preparation, speaks intelligibly to address a whole wide variety of possible human recipients.
• “Tongues edify [oneself],” build up one’s own assurance that God is with one and working in and through one and can bring a great sense of peace and encouragement and love on the part of God’s Spirit, especially in troubled times, especially when, as Rom 8 talks about it, we don’t even know with what words we should pray, and the Spirit prays for us.
• Whereas prophecy immediately edifies others, if the message is truly from God, to encourage, even perhaps to rebuke in a positive way, to communicate important information, to show God’s love and justice and all the other range of His revelatory activities.[1]

6 So now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 Even lifeless instruments that produce sounds—whether flute or harp—if they don’t make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized? 8 In fact, if the bugle makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 In the same way, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech, how will what is spoken be known? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, none is without meaning. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me. 12 So also you—since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church.
13 Therefore the person who speaks in a tongue should pray that he can interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with my understanding. I will sing praise with the spirit, and I will also sing praise with my understanding.

• Pray and sing with their mind so that they are benefited with understanding as well as a good feeling.[2]

16 Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, how will the outsider say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

• This is the only time in Paul’s writings that he even hints at speaking in tongues personally.

20 Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.

• In your thinking, function as adults.
• With respect to evil or wickedness, be like children, innocent, at least of certain characteristic adult sins,
• But be fully mature in one’s understanding.[3]

21 It is written in the law,
I will speak to this people
by people of other tongues
and by the lips of foreigners,
and even then, they will not listen to me,,
says the Lord.

• Paul then goes on to quote Isa 28:11–12, which is a context in which foreigners and their unknown languages, the languages that the Israelites do not understand, are a sign of God’s judgment—in context, referring to the Assyrians from the north who are going to invade Israel.[4]

22 Speaking in tongues, then, is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.

• This is totally backwards from what Paul was previously saying in verses 1-19.
• But in light of “judgment by God” which is in reference to the verse quoted out of Isaiah…
• Unbelievers won’t be able to speak in tongues.
• Believers will be able to understand prophecy.
• The Corinthians, as we’ve seen throughout this letter, had an unfortunately smug attitude toward numerous issues of Christian growth and maturity and behavior.
• And just as Isaiah had to catch Israel’s attention, so Paul uses the same text, the same principles, the same dynamic to try to shock the Corinthians into attending to these concerns.[5]

23 If, therefore, the whole church assembles together and all are speaking in tongues and people who are outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or outsider comes in, he is convicted by all and is called to account by all. 25 The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is really among you.” [6]

• Here at Leavener, we have personally tried to remove all the obstacles that would keep nonbelievers from being turned off by religion.
• We meet in a pub.
• Not interested in putting on a show. (no smoke machines or countdown clocks and every minute planned, no pipe and drape)
• Dress casual.
• No hierarchy of leadership
• And no offering
• We don’t do this as a marketing ploy.
• We don’t do this to boast either.
• We just don’t see this as necessary.
• But what we will do every week, is teach from the Word of God for the sake of the believer.
• I’ve always believed that if this community can be real with who they are… and the struggles we have… that outsiders (nonbelievers) would be captivated by the difference we are to the rest of the world.
• The nonbelievers could show up here on a Sunday morning without marketing towards them hear the Good News that is being taught and lived out through this people who are perfect in Christ yet struggle through living in these flesh suits.

 

• Some pastor once defined love as this: “Love is the unconditional giving of the very best we have on behalf of another, regardless of response.”
• And each of those four key parts is crucial.
• We give ourselves unconditionally to others.
• That doesn’t mean we give ourselves to others approving of everything they do, but there is nothing they can do, there are no conditions that we put on our commitment to them.
• And we commit to them the very best we have.
• It’s other-centered and not self-centered; we’re not doing it for some hidden agenda of our own.
• And we continue that self-giving even when it is rejected, even if it’s thrown back in our face; it’s regardless of response.

 

• Using Our Gifts to Build Others Up
• In that spirit of love, how do we use our spiritual gifts?
• Do we go to church?
• Do we participate in Christian gatherings with the goal and the priority of using our gifts to encourage and build others up?
• Or do we go asking what we can get out of the situation?
• Our modern world that does so much church hopping and shopping suggests that way too many people are in it for what they can get out of it, first of all, rather than how they can find a place to best use their gifts.[7]
• Here is the real struggle for newbies to our community:
• You will not be entertained here and provided with a bunch of programming for you to get involved.
• Neither can you ask the question, “How can I get involved and used my spiritual gifts?”
• You might initially become a part of this community because you discovered us in the midst of a crisis.
• This group of people will definitely help people in crisis.
• But at the same time, there is an investment of your own spiritual gifts.
• Have you been checked on lately? I can’t answer that.
• How much checking on have you done of others?
• In this community, you are probably going to get out of it what you put into it… most of the time.
• There will be times when this community does not meet your expectations.
• One of the best areas of ministry with this group is the lack of expectations they have placed on me as the pastor.
• They have discovered they have the same Spirit in them that I have in me.
• They are able to visit, check on, do things for those in need just as well as I can.
• I’m not the only one in here that does weddings and funerals.
• The purpose of the spiritual gifts is to edify and build up the community known as the Church.
• A true Christian is not in it merely for the fire insurance, merely for whatever positive, touchy-feely experiences she or he can get from God, but seeks to identify their spiritual gifts, seeks to exercise them in love, and does so for the building up of the Christian church for the work of God in the world.[8]​

[1] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (1 Co 14:1–25). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Blomberg, C. L. (2017). NT334 Book Study: Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Acts 14 ( 47-48 AD)
GROWTH AND PERSECUTION IN ICONIUM

• As the blood dries on their backs, Paul and Barnabas travel 90 miles southeast to the frontier town of Iconium. (still modern Turkey).
• This is roughly a five-day walk.
• The two men take the Roman military road called the Via Sebaste (Sebastian Way), which will eventually lead them to Lystra and Derbe.[1]
• The Via Sebaste was built under Augustus in 6 BC. It connected six military colonies, including Antioch of Psidia.

1 In Iconium

• Greek city that speaks Greek & Phrygian.
• Some Romans had begun to settle here.

they entered the Jewish synagogue, as usual, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of his grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders.

• Faith is not based on miracles.
• Miracles support faith.

4 But the people of the city were divided, some siding with the Jews and others with the apostles.

• As the apostles continued their witness, the city became more and more polarized into those who supported them and those who opposed them.
• It is noteworthy that Luke used the term “apostle” here to refer to Paul and Barnabas.
• Here and 14:14 are the only places where he applied the term to anyone other than the Twelve disciples.[2]

5 When an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat and stone them,

• This was more a mob mentality rather than an official city decision by authorities like in Antioch.

6 they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian towns of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside. 7 There they continued preaching the gospel.

• Another “church” was started in Iconium.

 
MISTAKEN FOR GODS IN LYSTRA

• Paul and Barnabas take the Via Sebaste and travel eighteen miles southwest to a Roman colony called Lystra.
• Lystra is a very primitive town that is built on a small hill.
• The old Lyconian language is still spoken here, as well as Greek.
• Since Lystra is a Roman colony, the language of the courts and the Roman soldiers is Latin.
• There is no synagogue, indicating there are hardly any Jews present.
• There is an old legend that says that the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes once visited Lystra (as told by the poet, Ovid).
• They appeared as humans looking for a place to stay.
• After they were rejected by the people, an elderly couple took the gods into their home.
• The gods turned their home into a palace.
• That palace became the temple of Zeus.[3]

8 In Lystra a man was sitting who was without strength in his feet, had never walked, and had been lame from birth. 9 He listened as Paul spoke. After looking directly at him and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 Paul said in a loud voice, “Stand up on your feet!” And he jumped up and began to walk around.
11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes (herald, messenger of the gods), because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the town, brought bulls and wreaths to the gates because he intended, with the crowds, to offer sacrifice.
14 The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their robes when they heard this and rushed into the crowd, shouting: 15 “People! Why are you doing these things? We are people also, just like you, and we are proclaiming good news to you, that you turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to go their own way, 17 although he did not leave himself without a witness, since he did what is good by giving you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.” 18 Even though they said these things, they barely stopped the crowds from sacrificing to them.
19 Some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and when they won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking he was dead.

• 2 Corinthians 11:24-25 - Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea.[4]

20 After the disciples gathered around him, he got up and went into the town.

• Timothy being one of those who watched and gathered.
• 2 Timothy 3:10-11 - But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, 11 along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all.[5]
• Timothy’s faith came through his mother Eunice and his Grandmother, Lois.
• 2 Timothy 1:5 - I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also. [6]
• These women are both Jews but Timothy’s Dad is Greek.
• Acts 16:1 - Paul went on to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewish woman, but his father was a Greek. [7]
• Paul was miraculously healed but deeply scarred.
• Galatians 6:17 - From now on, let no one cause me trouble, because I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.[8]​
• If the Bible says, “the thief comes to kill, steal and destroy.”, it doesn’t matter if it is referring to the Pharisees or the evil one.
• The intent is to “steal, kill and destroy” with the root of that evil coming from the evil one.
• Paul is doing all things good (sharing the Gospel) but comes to the edge of death.
• Miraculously he survives… but the scars remain.
• Ever been there?
• Do you have scars as a result of your goodness?
• Maybe you’re still in the midst of being wounded.
• Maybe you’re in the midst of healing.
• Don’t ever give up on your faith, your calling… your goodness that comes from the Lord.
• Near death… miraculously healed… got up and went and got their “stuff” and then…

The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.

• Another “church” was started in Lystra.
• The two apostles head 60 miles southeast to a tiny frontier town called Derbe.

 
CHURCH PLANTING
21 After they had preached the gospel in that town and made many disciples,

• A convert is made in the town whose name is Gaius. (mentioned in Acts 20:4)
• Another “church” was started in Derbe.
• After preaching the gospel in Derbe, Paul and Barnabas retrace their steps.
• Despite the fact that they have been driven out of these cities.

they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” 23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

• In each city, they meet with the church briefly to strengthen, encourage, and warn them of the trials that lie ahead.
• After prayer and fasting, the apostles identify the older men in each church that have matured the most.
• They acknowledge these men as “elders.”
• After commending each church to the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul and Barnabas depart.
•  If we take into account their travel time, Paul and Barnabas spend only three to five months planting each Galatian church.
• This is a pattern that holds throughout Paul’s entire ministry.
• He will spend a short amount of time laying a solid foundation for an infant church.
• Then he will abandon it for a long period of time without human headship or designated leadership.
• Two years will pass before Paul will return to see the Galatian believers.
• Most of the converts in South Galatia are heathen Gentiles.
• There are some God-fearers and some Jews among them.
• The new converts in South Galatia do not have any Bibles. The NT has not been written yet.
• Possibly a Jew in one of the four churches has one or two scrolls of some OT Book. But it is highly doubtful that any of the churches in South Galatia have a complete OT.
• Yet even if every convert had an entire Bible, it would profit them little. For only five to ten percent of the population in the Roman Empire are literate.
• Letter writers, stenographers, occasional poets, and legal scribes make up only four percent of the population at best.
• Those who can write become farsighted by the age of forty. Thus they will need a secretary that serves as a professional scribe to pen their letters.
• For this reason, Paul needed a scribe to write his epistles (e.g., Romans 16: 22). Yet with his own hand he would sign the last part of each letter to confirm its authenticity (Galatians 6: 11; 2 Thessalonians 3: 17; 1 Corinthians 16: 21).
• The average life expectancy for a male is 45. The average life expectancy for a female is 38. (Of all humans born in the Empire, half die before age five.)
• Women usually marry in their early teens and raise families until they have passed child-bearing age. Very little birth control is practiced.
• Twenty-five percent of babies do not survive their first year.
• Half do not live past the age of ten. Three of every ten Jewish children die before the age of eighteen.

24 They passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25 After they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed back to Antioch where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had now completed.

• Now 49 AD

27 After they arrived and gathered the church together, they reported everything God had done with them and that he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a considerable time with the disciples. [9]

• Meanwhile, back in Rome, Emperor Claudius issues a decree expelling all the Jews from the “Eternal City” (Rome).
• According to the historian Seutonius, the Jews are rioting over their various views about Christ.
• Since Christianity is viewed as a sect of Judaism in the eyes of the Greeks and Romans, all Jews—including Christian and non-Christian—are forced to leave the city.
• Many of the banished Jews flee to the Greek city of Corinth.
• A Roman Jew named Aquila and his wife Priscilla are among them.
• Because Rome has expelled all Jews, Gentiles in all the Roman colonies throughout the Empire regard Jews with even greater suspicion and disfavor than they had before.

 

• For most of the population, first-century Galatia is a thankless, loveless, horrible place to live.
• This is the world into which two apostolic workers from Syrian Antioch come to establish the church of Jesus Christ.
• Keep in mind that these new Galatian churches are surrounded by Gentile immorality and idolatry. Also, there are Jews in their towns who hate the new faith.
• After their brief revisiting trip, the new Christians in Galatia will not see the hair of an apostle for almost two years.
• But the gospel that Paul and Barnabas preach will be rich and high enough to cause the Galatian churches to survive without any outside help.
• What Paul and Barnabas preach cause these once heathen, superstitious, selfish, miserable Gentiles to fall in love with one another, to sing, to smile, and to glow with the joy of Jesus Christ.
• Like the Twelve before them, they were called, trained, and sent.
• And they preach an indwelling Christ that will sustain them through the pressures of life.
• They eat together, work together, greet each other with a holy kiss, raise their children together, take care of one another, and bury one another.

It is this joy and love that the Galatian Christians have one for another that will shake the Roman Empire to its very foundations.[10]

[1] The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Gide to Understanding the New Testament, Frank Viola, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2004. Chapter 9
[2] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 311). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Gide to Understanding the New Testament, Frank Viola, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2004. Chapter 9
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Co 11:24–25). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Ti 3:10–11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Ti 1:5). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 16:1). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 6:17). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 14:1–28). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Gide to Understanding the New Testament, Frank Viola, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2004. Chapter 9

Acts 12 (April 44 AD)
18 At daylight, there was a great commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had searched and did not find him, he interrogated the guards and ordered their execution. Then Herod went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

• If a guard permitted a prisoner to escape, Roman law required that he receive the same punishment that the prisoner would have received, even if it was death (see Acts 16:27; 27:42).
• This law did not strictly apply in Herod’s jurisdiction, so the king was not forced to kill the guards; but, being a Herod, he did it anyway.
• Instead of killing one man to please the Jews, he killed four and perhaps hoped it would please them more.[1]
• Show Map of Caesarea

 
HEROD’S DEATH

• August 1, 44 AD

20 Herod had been very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon (north of Caesarea). Together they presented themselves before him. After winning over Blastus, who was in charge of the king’s bedroom, they asked for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the king’s country. 21 On an appointed day, dressed in royal robes and seated on the throne, Herod delivered a speech to them. 22 The assembled people began to shout, “It’s the voice of a god and not of a man!”

• The Jewish historian Josephus said that this scene took place during a festival honoring Claudius Caesar, and that the king wore a beautiful silver garment in honor of the occasion.
• We do not know what Herod said in his oration, but we do know why he said it: he wanted to impress the people.[2]

23 At once an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died.

• As he speaks, the public utters out: “You are more than a mortal; you are a god!”
• Herod does not rebuke the people, but accepts their impious flattery. Immediately, the angel of the Lord strikes him down.
• According to Josephus’ account, Herod complains of intestinal pains and is removed from the crowds.
• He suffers with stomach pains for five days until he dies.
• The cause of death is intestinal worms that eat his insides.[3]
• The first 12 chapters of Acts are dominated by Peter. The remainder of Acts shifts to Paul.

24 But the word of God flourished and multiplied.

• At the beginning of Acts 12, Herod seemed to be in control and the church was losing the battle.
• But at the end of the chapter, Herod is dead and the church—very much alive—is growing rapidly!
• The secret? A praying church![4]

25 After they had completed their relief mission, Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem, taking along John who was called Mark.[5]

• This was the relief fund trip in Acts 11:27-30.
• According to Galatians 2:1, Paul also took Titus.
• Galatians 2:1 - Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along also.[6]
• Titus was a Gentile representative of the Antioch Church.
• From Antioch to Jerusalem it is a good 250 miles.
• They handed over the relief funds to the elders in Jerusalem.
• Galatians 2:2-5 - 2 I went up according to a revelation and presented to them the gospel I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those recognized as leaders (Peter, James & John). I wanted to be sure I was not running, and had not been running, in vain. 3 But not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. 4 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus in order to enslave us. 5 But we did not give up and submit to these people for even a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would be preserved for you.
• Now from those recognized as important (what they once were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised, 8 since the one at work in Peter for an apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in me for the Gentiles. 9 When James, Cephas, and John—those recognized as pillars—acknowledged the grace that had been given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to me and Barnabas, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 They asked only that we would remember the poor, which I had made every effort to do. [7]
• Saul, Barnabas, and Titus head back home to Antioch of Syria.
• They take with them Barnabas’ young cousin (Colossians 4:10), John Mark. (“John” is his Jewish name while “Mark” is his Roman name. He is the same Mark that authored the Gospel of Mark.)

 
PREPARING FOR THE MISSION FIELD
Acts 13
Spring 47

• Now the Church in Antioch is about 7 years old.

1 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger (Niger is his Latin surname indicating that he is of dark complexion. He is also known as Simon of Cyrene who carried Jesus’ cross), Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch (an aristocrat and probably the foster brother of Herod Antipas who was the youngest song of Herod the Great), and Saul.
2 As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.

• Like the Twelve, they are now “sent ones”—apostles.
• But their sending has not been without preparation.
• Barnabas has lived in the experience of the church for seventeen years (ten years in Jerusalem and seven in Antioch).
• He was also trained by the Twelve.
• Saul has lived in the experience of the church in Antioch for five years.
• He was trained by Barnabas.
• The other three brothers lay hands on Barnabas and Saul on behalf of the Antioch church, sending them out to the work.[8]

 
THE MISSION TO CYPRUS
47-50 AD
Paul’s First Missionary Journey
Time: 2 years – 47-49 AD
1200 Miles traveled
Churches Planted: (4)

• Pisidian Antioch 3-4 months
• Iconium – 3-4 months
• Lystra – 3-4 months
• Derbe – 3-4 months
• Barnabas, Saul & John Mark with Barnabas taking the lead.
• Show map of Antioch to Cyprus

4 So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia (sixteen miles from Antioch), and from there they sailed to Cyprus (60 miles offshore from Antioch).

• Cyprus is where Barnabas is from.
• Cyprus belongs to the province of Cilicia.
• The principal export of Cyprus is copper, from which it derives its name. (Barnabas probably sold a copper field when he pooled his money to help the Jerusalem church seventeen years ago.)
• Cyprus stretches 140 miles from east to west.
• It is an island made up mostly of Greeks.
• Yet it has a large Jewish population.[9]

5 Arriving in Salamis (a town on Cyprus), they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

• This became common for Saul to bring the Gospel to the Jews first, then the Gentiles.

They also had John as their assistant. 6 When they had traveled the whole island as far as Paphos (west side),

• Island tradition has it that Barnabas & Saul were tied to a pillar and whipped – receiving the “forty less one” beatings and imprisoned.
• Picture of the column
• 2 Corinthians 11:24 - Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews.[10]
• Over the next ten years.

they came across a sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul (governor), Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man (Sergius Paulus) summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas (also Bar-Jesus, bar translating to “son”) the sorcerer (that is the meaning of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

• He interrupted them in the middle of the Gospel.

9 But Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at Elymas 10 and said, “You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery, you son of the devil and enemy of all that is right. Won’t you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord? 11 Now, look, the Lord’s hand is against you. You are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

• A rebuking w/ a curse.

12 Then, when he saw what happened, the proconsul believed, because he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

• Sergius Paulus became Barnabas and Saul’s first Gentile convert.
• Sergius Paulus has relatives in Pisidia and most likely encourages them to go tell them the Gospel.

 
PAUL’S SERMON IN ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA
Summer of 47 AD
13 Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia, but John (Mark) left them and went back to Jerusalem.

• Ten years later Paul will mention being involved in three shipwrecks and spending a night and a day in the open sea (2 Corinthians 11: 25).
• Luke mentions nine sea voyages and only one shipwreck, which occurred after Paul penned 2 Corinthians.
• Adding up all of Paul’s sea journeys, we discover that Paul traveled some 3,000 miles by sea.
• At this point. Luke begins to use Saul’s Greco-Roman name Paul (Paulos) instead of his Jewish name, Saul.
• It is significant to note that John Mark left them.
• Show map from Cypress to Perga.
• The journey from Paphos to Perga is accompanied by a shipwreck.
• The shipwreck, coupled with the bandits who haunted the Taurus Mountains, greatly discourage John Mark from continuing on the journey.
• He is also disturbed that Paul is now the leader of the apostolic mission, instead of his cousin Barnabas.
• Paul is prepared to preach outside the synagogue to Gentiles with greater freedom than Mark had anticipated.
• All this causes John Mark to get homesick, so he heads back to Jerusalem.
• Paul views John Mark’s departure as unfaithful abandonment.
• In addition to all these setbacks, Paul is sick.
• Galatians 4:13-14 - you know that previously I preached the gospel to you because of a weakness of the flesh. 14 You did not despise or reject me though my physical condition was a trial for you. On the contrary, you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus himself. [11]

14 They continued their journey from Perga and reached Pisidian Antioch.

• Show map from Perga to Psidia.
• Antioch of Pisidia is 3600 feet above sea level.
• The men must cross over the Taurus Mountains to get there.
• This is a very dangerous journey.
• The roads are not safe, and they abound with robbers.
• The rivers in this area are also known to overflow easily, causing many to drown.
• When Paul will write of “dangers from robbers and dangers from rivers” in 2 Corinthians, he is undoubtedly speaking of the journey from Perga to Pisidia.
• The ordinary rate of travel by foot in the first century is 20 miles a day.
• Therefore, the journey from Perga to Pisidia will take approximately ten days.
• Paul and Barnabas undoubtedly had to stop at the local tavern inns on their journey.
• Well-to-do Romans avoid these inns at all cost.
• Inns are noted for their filthy sleeping quarters, adulterated wine, extortionate innkeepers, gamblers, thieves, and prostitutes, not to mention their bug-infested beds.[12]
• Arriving in Psidian Antioch (today’s central Turkey), the civil and administrative center of Galatia, there are many Jews but only one synagogue.
• “Antioch near Pisidia” is still a Roman colony.

On the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the leaders of the synagogue sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, you can speak.”
16 Paul stood up and motioned with his hand and said: “Fellow Israelites, and you who fear God, listen! 17 The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, made the people prosper during their stay in the land of Egypt, and led them out of it with a mighty arm. 18 And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness; 19 and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20 This all took about 450 years. After this, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 After removing him, he raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my will.’
23 “From this man’s descendants, as he promised, God brought to Israel the Savior, Jesus. 24 Before his coming to public attention, John had previously proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 Now as John was completing his mission, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not the one. But one is coming after me, and I am not worthy to untie the sandals on his feet.’
26 “Brothers and sisters, children of Abraham’s race, and those among you who fear God, it is to us that the word of this salvation has been sent. 27 Since the residents of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize him or the sayings of the prophets that are read every Sabbath, they have fulfilled their words by condemning him. 28 Though they found no grounds for the death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him killed. 29 When they had carried out all that had been written about him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and he appeared for many days to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32 And we ourselves proclaim to you the good news of the promise that was made to our ancestors. 33 God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm:
You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
34 As to his raising him from the dead, never to return to decay, he has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure promises of David. 35 Therefore he also says in another passage, You will not let your Holy One see decay. 36 For David, after serving God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and decayed, 37 but the one God raised up did not decay. 38 Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you. 39 Everyone who believes is justified through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses. 40 So beware that what is said in the prophets does not happen to you:
41 Look, you scoffers,
marvel and vanish away,
because I am doing a work in your days,
a work that you will never believe,
even if someone were to explain it to you.” (Habakkuk 1:5)

• This is the same message that Stephen preached and was stoned on the same day.
• Paul obviously heard it and retained.
• He knew the reaction he would get from the Jews because of what he saw happened to Stephen.

 
PAUL AND BARNABAS IN ANTIOCH
42 As they were leaving, the people urged them to speak about these matters the following Sabbath. 43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God.

• The audience is made up of Jews, Jewish proselytes and God-fearers.
• Jews are born Israelites and are circumcised on the 8th day after birth to show their covenant with God.
• Proselytes are Gentiles who have converted over to Judaism and been circumcised. They have become complete Jews.
• God-fearers are Gentiles who follow the God of Israel but they are not circumcised.
• Therefore, they are not full members of the synagogue.

44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord. 45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.
46 Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
I have made you
a light for the Gentiles
to bring salvation
to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed. 49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the prominent God-fearing women and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their district.

• Associated Paul’s sickness with sin of preaching a false message.
• They are beaten with birch rods because it is part of the formal process of being banished from the city.

51 But Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.[13]

• The Church is mostly Gentile.

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 455). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 455). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Gide to Understanding the New Testament, Frank Viola, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2004. Chapter 8
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 455–456). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 11:19–12:25). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 2:1). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 2:2–10). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Gide to Understanding the New Testament, Frank Viola, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2004. Chapter 8
[9] The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Gide to Understanding the New Testament, Frank Viola, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2004. Chapter 9
[10] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Co 11:24). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 4:13–14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[12] The Untold Story of the New Testament Church: An Extraordinary Gide to Understanding the New Testament, Frank Viola, Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2004. Chapter 9
[13] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 13:1–52). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Acts 8
SAUL THE PERSECUTOR
1 Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3 Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house (probably more of the Helenistic Jews because they were easier to distinguish from native Jews), drag off men and women, and put them in prison.

• The Book of Acts and the epistles give sufficient data for a sketch of Saul’s early life.
• He was born in Tarsus in Cilicia (Acts 22:3 - …“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia[1]),
• a “Hebrew of the Hebrews” (2 Corinthians 11:22 - Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the descendants of Abraham? So am I.[2]),
• the “son of a Pharisee” (Acts 23:6 - When Paul realized that one part of them were Sadducees and the other part were Pharisees, he cried out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.[3]),
• and a Roman citizen (Acts 22:25–28 - As they stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing by, “Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and is uncondemned?”
• When the centurion heard this, he went and reported to the commander, saying, “What are you going to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
• The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”

“Yes,” he said.

• The commander replied, “I bought this citizenship for a large amount of money.”

“But I was born a citizen,” Paul said. [4]).

• He was educated in Jerusalem by Gamaliel (Acts 22:3 - …but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the law of our ancestors.[5])
• and became a devoted Pharisee (Acts 26:4–5 - “All the Jews know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.[6]).
• Measured by the Law, his life was blameless (Philippians 3:4-6 - If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; regarding the law, a Pharisee; 6 regarding zeal, persecuting the church; regarding the righteousness that is in the law, blameless.[7]).
• He was one of the most promising young Pharisees in Jerusalem, well on his way to becoming a great leader for the Jewish faith (Galatians 1:14 - I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.[8]).
• Saul’s zeal for the Law was displayed most vividly in his persecution of the church (Galatians 1:13–14 - For you have heard about my former way of life in Judaism: I intensely persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it. 14 I advanced in Judaism beyond many contemporaries among my people, because I was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors.[9]).
• He really thought that persecuting the believers was one way of serving God, so he did it with a clear conscience (2 Timothy 1:3 - I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience[10]).
• He obeyed the light that he had and, when God gave him more light, he obeyed that and became a Christian!
• In what ways did Saul persecute the church? He “made havoc of the church,” and the verb here describes a wild animal mangling its prey.
• The stoning of Stephen, which Saul approved, shows the lengths to which he would go to achieve his purpose. He persecuted both men and women “unto the death” (Acts 22:4 - I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting and putting both men and women in jail[11])
• entering both houses and synagogues. He had the believers imprisoned and beaten (Acts 22:19-20 - “But I said, ‘Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in you imprisoned and beaten. 20 And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I stood there giving approval and guarding the clothes of those who killed him.[12]).
• If they renounced their faith in Jesus Christ (“compelling them to blaspheme”) they were set free; if they did not recant, they could be killed. - Acts 26:9–11 - In fact, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things in opposition to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 I actually did this in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the saints in prison, since I had received authority for that from the chief priests. When they were put to death, I was in agreement against them. 11 In all the synagogues I often punished them and tried to make them blaspheme. Since I was terribly enraged at them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.[13]),
• He was a man with great authority whose devotion to Moses completely controlled his life, and almost destroyed his life. He did it “ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13-14 - even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.[14]),
• and God showed him mercy and saved him. Saul of Tarsus is the last person in Jerusalem you would have chosen to be the great apostle to the Gentiles![15]
• 1 Timothy 1:15-17 - This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen[16]

 
PHILIP IN SAMARIA
4 So those who were scattered went on their way preaching (evangelism – tell the Good News) the word. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria (half Jews/half Gentiles) and proclaimed (announced) the Messiah to them.

• The apostles were instructed not to go there. (Matthew 10:5-6 5 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan town. 6 Instead, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.[17]

6 The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing.

• Philip was one of the 7 chosen men that was to fulfill the administrative duties in the Church at Jerusalem (deacon). - (Acts 6:3 - 3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.[18])
• Philip not only preached but demonstrated God’s power first hand.
• Now Philip is doing the same miracles the Apostles were doing in Jerusalem.

7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

• The Gospel had just been multiplied to a city that was once ignored because of the persecution taking place back in Jerusalem.
• Was God responsible for the persecution in Jerusalem? Absolutely not.

Romans 5:1 – I have been justified (completely forgiven and made righteous) and am at peace with God.

Romans 8:1 – I am forever free from condemnation.

Romans 8:14,15 – I am a son of God (God is literally my “Papa”) (Galatians 3:26; 4:6).

Romans 15:7 – Christ has accepted me.

1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19 – I am a temple (home) of God; His Spirit (His life) dwells in me.

1 Corinthians 6:17 – I am joined to the Lord and am one spirit with Him.

2 Corinthians 5:17 – I am a new creation.

Galatians 2:20 – I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I am now living is Christ’s life.

Ephesians 1:1 – I am a saint (1 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:2).

Ephesians 1:5 – I have been adopted as God’s Child.

Ephesians 2:19 – I am a fellow citizen with the saints and a member of God’s household.

Philippians 3:20 – I am a citizen of heaven.

Colossians 1:13 – I have been delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of Christ.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 22:3). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Co 11:22). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 23:6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 22:25–28). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 22:3). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 26:4–5). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Php 3:4–6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 1:14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[9] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ga 1:13–14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[10] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Ti 1:3). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[11] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 22:4). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[12] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 22:19–20). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 26:9–11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[14] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (1 Ti 1:13–14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[15] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 434). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[16] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (1 Ti 1:15–17). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[17] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mt 10:5–6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[18] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 6:3). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Acts 6
SEVEN CHOSEN TO SERVE
1 In those days,

• If Jesus was crucified and Pentecost occurred in 30 AD, we can read through Acts and pinpoint general dates of Luke’s writings.
• This particular event probably occurred around 33-34 AD.

as the disciples were increasing in number,

• Disciples, learners, of who?
• Disciples of Apostles who were learning about Jesus and the Good News.

there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.

• The Jerusalem Christian community had witnessed considerable growth; and as is so often the case with rapid increase, administrative problems developed.
• The particular difficulty involved a complaint from the Greek-speaking Christians against the native Aramaic-speaking Christians that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food (literally, “the daily ministry”).
• We may assume that at this point the Christian community consisted exclusively of Jews.
• The only exceptions would be the “proselytes,” like Nicolas (v. 5), who were Gentiles who had converted to Judaism.
• The Gentile mission as such had not yet begun.
• The Hellenists (“Grecian Jews,” NIV) were more than likely Jews who had come from the Jewish dispersion and settled in Jerusalem.
• Their language and probably many of their ways were Greek.
• They had their own synagogues (cf. v. 9), and funerary inscriptions excavated in Jerusalem attest to their extensive presence there.
• As so often with ethnic groups, they tended to associate with those who shared their language and cultural background.
• As the church increased and came to include more and more of these “Hellenist” converts, it is only natural that they would have formed close associations with one another, perhaps even meeting in home fellowships together.
• There is no reason to picture a breach or separation in the total Christian community—only the sort of “distancing” created by natural linguistic and cultural differences.
• Where the “distancing” manifested itself was in the very practical matter of the community’s charity.
• The Hellenist widows were being overlooked—certainly not deliberately neglected but inadvertently left out.
• There may have been a considerable number of such widows. Dorcas (9:39) probably was one of them, and 1 Tim 5 attests to the large numbers of them in the Pauline congregations.
• In Jewish society widows were particularly needy and dependent, and the Old Testament singles them out along with orphans as the primary objects of charitable deeds.
• The Hellenist widows may have been a particularly sizable group.
• Diaspora Jews often moved to Jerusalem in their twilight years to die in the holy city.
• When the men died, their widows were left far from their former home and family to care for them and were thus particularly in need of charity.
• Many of them may have been attracted to the Christian community precisely because of its concern for the material needs of its members.
• The Jews had a weekly dole for resident needy, called the quppah. It was given out every Friday and consisted of enough money for fourteen meals.
• There was also a daily distribution, known as the tamhuy. It was for nonresidents and transients and consisted of food and drink, which were delivered from house to house where known needy were dwelling. [1]

 2 The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables.

• The word “table” was characteristically used as a metaphor for a meal or for a table from which money was distributed.
• Either practice could have been followed by the church, just as both are found in the tamhuy (food) and quppah (money) of Judaism.[2]

3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.

• The apostles, however, laid down basic qualifications which the seven had to meet.
• First, they were to be “full of the Spirit,” i.e., they were to have manifested a special degree of allowing the Spirit to work in them.
• Then they were to be known for their “wisdom,” probably referring to the kind of practical know-how necessary for the proper management of the charitable funds.
• One would assume that the seven would take over the administration of the charity among the Hellenist Christians and the apostles would continue to do so among the others.

4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

• Verse 4 concludes the apostolic proposal. By selecting the seven, the apostles were free to carry out their primary responsibilities of preaching and bearing witness to Christ.[3]

5 This proposal pleased the whole company.

• Church problems also give us an opportunity to exercise our faith, not only faith in the Lord, but also faith in each other.
• The leaders suggested a solution, and all the members agreed with it.

So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon,
 Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch.

• Stephen was named first. He met the qualifications, being full of faith and the Holy Spirit. That Luke listed him first is no accident. He would be the primary character in the following narrative (6:8–8:4).
• Next came Philip. He too would be a major figure in the story of the expanding Christian witness (8:5–40).
• The other five play no further role in Acts, and we have no reliable additional information on any of them.[4]
• The assembly selected seven qualified men, and the Apostles set them apart for ministry.
• The church was not afraid to adjust their structure in order to make room for a growing ministry.
• When structure and ministry conflict, this gives us an opportunity to trust God for the solution.
• The Apostles were not afraid to share their authority and ministry with others.[5]
• Expectations of the “church” as an institution have grown in our culture due to government requirements and the many programs churches/institutions have added to their structure over the centuries.
• Hospital visitation, weddings, funerals, small groups, age group ministries, training, meetings, committees, budgeting, record keeping, marketing, Sunday Morning service productions.
• That list doesn’t even include the two things we are talking about… teaching the Word of God and meeting the needs of the people.
• My hardest jobs 1) knowing what to teach and 2) protecting my schedule.
• My biggest issue is giving up control and trusting.
• The plan was to “select 7 men among yourselves.”
• Small group leaders at Leavener arise organically and are chosen among you by your attendance.

6 They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly in number, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.

• Dr. Luke describes the climax of the ministry in Jerusalem, for the persecution following Stephen’s death will take the Gospel to the Samaritans and then to the Gentiles.
• It has been estimated that there were 8,000 Jewish priests attached to the temple ministry in Jerusalem, and “a great company” of them trusted Jesus Christ as Savior![6]
• The story of the community’s struggle to overcome internal divisions begins and ends with the growth of the Church (Acts 6:1). [7]
• In the rest of Acts, nothing is made of their administrative duties. What one finds them doing is bearing their witness, even to martyrdom.[8]
• So the Word of God spread… causing their numbers to increase.
• Not marketing… not programs… not events.

 
STEPHEN ACCUSED OF BLASPHEMY
8 Now Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

• Faith, wisdom, grace, power, and above all the presence of the Spirit were the personal qualities that equipped him for the ultimate witness he would soon bear.
• The Spirit and power are closely linked and led him to perform signs and wonders among the people.
• He was the first other than the apostles to be described as working miracles.[9]

9 Opposition arose, however, from some members of the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, and they began to argue with Stephen.

• Luke named it the Synagogue of the Freedmen, which indicates that many of its members formerly may have been slaves or were the descendants of former slaves.
• Its membership included Jews from the north African and Asian Diaspora.[10]

10 But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking.

• If you are unable to stand up against a man’s wisdom… history has shown that you just kill them.
• They just did this with Jesus.
• So watch the same pattern occur.

11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God.”

1. They hired false witnesses to testify against Stephen.

12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, seized him, and took him to the Sanhedrin.

1. They got the “crowd” to buy into what they were selling.
2. They took him to the Sanhedrin to face trial.

13 They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the law. 14 For we heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

• Stephen saw himself as facing the same predicament that Jeremiah had faced.
• Jeremiah 7:1-8 - 1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Stand in the gate of the house of the Lord and there call out this word: ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who enter through these gates to worship the Lord.
• “‘This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Correct your ways and your actions, and I will allow you to live in this place. 4 Do not trust deceitful words, chanting, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” 5 Instead, if you really correct your ways and your actions, if you act justly toward one another, 6 if you no longer oppress the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow and no longer shed innocent blood in this place or follow other gods, bringing harm on yourselves, 7 I will allow you to live in this place, the land I gave to your ancestors long ago and forever. 8 But look, you keep trusting in deceitful words that cannot help. [11]

15 And all who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel. [12]

• Interesting that Stephen’s accusers mentioned the named of Moses in the previous verse.
• It was not even necessary for Stephen to speak in order to give witness, for the very glow on his face told everybody that he was a servant of God.
• Certainly the members of the Sanhedrin would recall Moses’ shining face (Ex. 34:29–30).
• It was as though God was saying, “This man is not against Moses! He is like Moses—he is My faithful servant!”[13]

 
Acts 7
1 “Are these things true?” the high priest asked.[14]

• As presiding officer in the Sanhedrin, the high priest followed the proper protocol and allowed the accused to respond to the charges.
• “Are these charges true?” “How do you plead, guilty or innocent?”[15]

[1] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 180). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 180). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 181). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[4] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, pp. 181–182). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 429). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 430). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[7] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ac 6:7). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 183). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[9] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 184). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[10] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 184). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[11] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Je 7:1–8). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[12] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 6:1–15). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 430). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[14] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 7:1). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[15] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 187). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.