Crisis in the Churches of Northwest Asia

• The Christians throughout the Empire are suffering severe persecution.
• Peter has received word that the churches in northwest Asia are suffering massive attacks.
• They are distressed and in great need of encouragement.
• The persecution has become so bad that the Gentile Christians are being tempted to revert to their past pagan lifestyles to lessen the heat.
• Some believers are rebelling against local authorities because of the mistreatment and slander they are receiving from them.
• There is conflict in the home; husbands and wives are bickering.
• In some of the churches, the elders are exercising too much control in their attempt to keep the believers faithful during the pressure.

PETER WRITES 1 PETER

• Year: A.D. 65
• From: Rome
• To: The churches in northwest Asia: Pontus, North Galatia, Cappadocia, and Bithynia.
• Provocation: Peter encourages his Jewish and Gentile brethren in their suffering, which is being shared by their fellow Christians everywhere (5:9).
• He exhorts the Gentile brethren not to revert to the lifestyle they lived as pagans.
• He exhorts the church to yield to their local authorities and gives practical instructions to family members about how to treat one another.
• Peter also charges the elders to lead by example rather than by force.
• Throughout the letter, Peter uses the general Greek word for suffer (pascho) twelve times—more than in any other NT letter.
• Given its excellent Greek style, the letter was scribed by Silas (Silvanus), who was with Peter in Rome.
• Peter is a Galilean fisherman. While he no doubt could speak and write a little Greek for business purposes, his Greek writing skills were minimal.
• Peter closes the letter by sending greetings from John Mark and the church in Rome.
• He calls Rome by its code-name “Babylon.”
• Peter sends the letter with Silas who reads it to each of the churches.[1]

 
GREETING
1 Peter 1
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ:

• Peter had quality time with Jesus.
• He was able to watch Jesus live and teach.
• This is the prerequisite for being an apostle.
• Even Paul, who never knew Jesus during His earthly ministry, is considered an apostle because he met Christ on the Damascus Road.

To those chosen,

• The letter of 1 Peter was circulated throughout various Christian churches or various groups whom God chose.
• Here, Peter is not speaking of election in a Calvinistic sense where God chooses some individuals to believe and others for eternal punishment.
• He is generally speaking about the church being God’s elect group. The New Testament clarifies that this group includes Gentiles (see also Romans 9:30). 

living as exiles dispersed abroad in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,

• God had a plan for salvation before time began. Peter has this in mind with his use of the term “foreknowledge.”
• He is not speaking of an individualistic view of election or foreknowledge.
• God had a plan of redemption, a foreknowledge of what He would do and what would happen.
• This foreknowledge was a call for all to obey Jesus.
• Christ by receiving the Gospel.

through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient

• In this context, obeying Jesus Christ is believing in the Gospel.
• All who believe are sanctified, or set apart, by the Holy Spirit for God.
• Believers are reserved to display God’s grace.
• This would be an encouraging truth for these believers to think about during the persecution they were experiencing under Nero. 

and to be sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
 
A LIVING HOPE
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

• Believers are cleansed from their sins by the death of Christ but made new creations through the resurrection of Christ.
• Because of the resurrection, we are given new natures completely compatible with God (see 2 Peter 1:3-4).
• If the resurrection is not central to our theology, we will only have half of the Gospel.
• We will understand that Christ died for our sins, but we will not understand that the life of Christ saves us.
• Our inherent regeneration happens because of Christ’s resurrection.

4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.

• Christians cannot lose their salvation because it is inherently imperishable.
• Christ’s work was so perfect that nothing we do can make it void.
• Furthermore, Christians have a new heart that inherently believes in Jesus (see Romans 6:17).
• As a result, our salvation is reserved in Heaven.

5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

• God protects His children, though not always physically.
• While we face trials and tribulations during life on earth, persecution that may even lead to our deaths, our spirits are kept safe and will be preserved into the afterlife.

6 You rejoice in this,

• Joy is the natural outcome of understanding God’s grace in Christ.
• If our beliefs are not producing joy, then we are misunderstanding the Gospel or forgetting our cleansing from sin (see 2 Peter 1:9).

even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials

• Christians are not immune to the negative impacts of the world.
• Christ did not die and rise again to somehow obtain earthly victory for His children.
• Instead, Christ gives us salvation forever untouched by persecution and other worldly trials.
• As we focus on this, we will find joy in our lives during the most distressful times.
• Peter is giving us a place to go in faith, allowing us to process life emotionally in light of the truth. 

7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

• The evidence and outcome of true faith is priceless.
• It may not amount to much in this life, but has eternal value and will result in praise, glory, and honor at Christ’s return.
• This is especially pertinent to Peter’s context.
• The church was experiencing a great deal of persecution, some of which resulted in death.
• In fact, Peter was likely killed under this persecution from Nero.
• Therefore, the Christians were to keep a heavenly perspective during earthly turmoil and find joy in the truths of the Gospel, which are forever untouched by the ways of the world. 

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him;

• Notice that Peter is not telling these believers to love God.
• He is recognizing that they have an inherent and natural love for God.
• This is the result of Christ’s resurrection and our new righteous natures.
• So, Christians do not need to love God more- we already love God from the cores of our beings.
• This is the beauty of the New Covenant.
• The people were not faithful to God under the Old Covenant, so God fixed the problem. 

though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,

• The joy produced by the Gospel is inexpressible because human words fail to express the amazing truths of God.
• Even the Bible, God’s written word, is written in human languages.
• Therefore, we need power from the Holy Spirit to grasp the grand nature of God’s love in Christ. 

9 because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

• The salvation of our souls is the outcome of our personal faith.
• This is the plan God had before the foundations of the earth.
• He has elected the world to hear the Gospel.
• Our place is to respond and obtain salvation.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that would come to you, searched and carefully investigated.

• The prophets from the Old Testament who prophesied of the grace to come were seeking wisdom from the Holy Spirit to know the details of God’s plan of redemption.
• They sought to know when the Savior would arrive and precisely how this Gospel would impact people.
• There were glimpses of the New Covenant in the Old Testament (see Ezekiel 36:26-27; Jeremiah 31:31-34), but not until the death of Jesus did the New Covenant become a reality (Luke 22:20).

11 They inquired into what time or what circumstances the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified in advance to the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.

• Most believe, based on the big picture of Scripture, that the Spirit of Christ came upon Old Testament saints but did not live in them permanently.
• Not until Pentecost did the Spirit of God dwell permanently within believers.
• Therefore, Peter is likely talking about not a permanent indwelling in the Old Testament but a temporary dwelling or anointing.
• The preposition within can be translated as both in or on.
• It makes sense, therefore, that in the Old Testament the Spirit of Christ was on people but not indwelling.

12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you. These things have now been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—angels long to catch a glimpse of these things.

• The prophets were announcing that which was fulfilled in Christ.
• The prophets spoke of the New Covenant, something so beautiful that angels long to look at it.
• Thus, there was an immense amount of anticipation among the prophets and the heavenly beings for unleashing God’s grace upon the world.

 
A CALL TO HOLY LIVING
13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

• Grace is not simply a unique movement of God.
• It is the movement of God.
• Grace is not merely about being saved; we live by grace as saved individuals.
• It doesn’t matter what book of the Bible we study.
• Each book is pointing us to Jesus Christ and nothing else.
• This is what Christians are to focus on.
• We are to not return to our lifestyles pre-Christ.
• Instead, we are to live from Christ by focusing on grace.

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. 15 But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; 16 for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. (Leviticus 20:7)

• The word holy is used primarily in two different ways.
• First, it speaks of believers as people.
• All believers are holy.
• We have all been sanctified and set apart at faith in Christ.
• But here, Peter has in mind a second use of the term.
• Christians are to be holy in behavior because we have been saved and equipped to live righteously.

17 If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers.

• God, our Father, is the judge of the universe.
• He will evaluate whether something is a work of the Spirit or the flesh.
• However, this does not mean that He will judge Christians.
• Peter is not encouraging believers to live as if they will be judged but rather in light of their Abba, who accepts them perfectly as judge of the universe.
• This is a genuinely humbling reality.

18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold,

• God’s enduring word, the Gospel, purifies the souls of all who believe in Jesus.
• This salvation creates a sincere, indwelling love for the family of God.
• Peter is also clear on the permanence of this salvation: It is imperishable.
• The salvation accomplished by Jesus and perfected in all who believe can never be lost.
• Whereas that which is of earth eventually fades and dies, that salvation which is of Heaven endures forever.

19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb.

• Because God is the judge and has saved us in Christ, we can relax when we show up to the judgment.
• The precious blood of Jesus forever speaks in our defense.

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 Since you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth, so that you show sincere brotherly love for each other, from a pure heart love one another constantly,

• Christians have been washed and cleansed from all sin and set free from its power.
• Therefore, we are to live lives of love towards one another with God's same love for us in Christ.

23 because you have been born again—not of perishable seed but of imperishable—through the living and enduring word of God.

• The world cannot touch our salvation and cannot be interrupted by our actions.
• We are born again of unperishable seed, God’s seed.
• Because God is the author of our salvation, we can rest securely in all He has done for us in Christ.

24 For
All flesh is like grass,
and all its glory like a flower of the grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever. (Isaiah 40:6-8)
And this word is the gospel that was proclaimed to you.[2]

• God’s truth endures into eternity.
• In the context, Peter has in mind the Gospel.
• The Gospel is the eternal truth of God revealed in Christ.

Because the eternally finished work of Christ saves us, our salvation is permanent and secure.[3]

[1] Viola, Frank, The Untold Story of the New Testament Church. Destiny Image, Shippensburg, PA, 2004. 166-167.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. 2020. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Farley, Andrew. www.BibleCommentary.com. 1 Peter.

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To be posted soon...

• You were made different to be different
• Putting off the old self for the new
• Paul comes to expressing the specifics of how to live life out of the new creation.
• It is written to the Church, but we immediately go to the thought of our spouse with these encouragements.

LIVING THE NEW LIFE
EPHESIANS 4:25-32
25 Therefore, putting away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.

• Zechariah 8:16
• "I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
• When Truth is spoken among those who are "members of one another" amazing things happen.
• The individual members of Christ's body experience rapid spiritual growth, which results in the corporate body living in a way that epitomizes truth.
• Lying stymies growth and destroys the common life in the body.

26 Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger,

• Psalm 4:4
• Wuest – “There is a ‘wrath of God’ (Matt. 3:7, Rom. 12:19); who would not love good unless He hated evil, the two being so inseparable, that either He must do both or neither.”
• ‎The words, “be ye angry,” - this abiding, settled attitude of righteous indignation against sin and sinful things, is commanded, together with the appropriate actions when conditions make them necessary.
• ‎In the words, “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath,” the word “wrath” -  anger that is mingled with irritation, exasperation, and embitterment.
• Such anger is forbidden.
• "Don't let the sun go down on your anger." - For me, this is a season, depending the origination of your anger.
• One of my first chaplain visits, 11 years ago, was to a young Fishers couple that just lost their 4 month old baby.
•    - Who wouldn't be angry?
•    - But eventually you have to walk away from the anger.
• I have lost good friends for sharing this truth with them.

27 and don’t give the devil an opportunity.

• Forbids the continuance of an action already going on.
• Failing to control anger grants the devil an opportunity to get a foothold in your life.
• Then he can use it as a base of operation to launch more spiritual attacks against you.
• Many Christians are suffering today because of anger that was not resolved yesterday—and anger is just one of a complex range of human emotions.
• If Satan can seize our emotions, he can destroy our ability to function by crippling us emotionally or leading us into all manner of destructive and addictive behavior.
• ‎Here’s a specific example of family relationships and spiritual warfare:
• 1) Communication
• 2) Money
• 3) Sex
• Paul wrote to husbands and wives in 1 Corinthians 7:5, “Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
• Paul is saying that when a husband and wife don’t have a fulfilling sexual relationship, the devil sees that lack as an opportunity to come in and bring about moral destruction in the family.
• So this thing of spiritual warfare gets right down to the nitty-gritty aspects of everyday life.

28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.

• George Muller - "It is no right and Scriptural motive, to be engaged in a trade, or business, or profession, merely in order to earn the means for the obtaining of the necessaries of life for ourselves and family, but we should work because it is the Lord’s will concerning us."
• Paul believed that those who refused to work should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10) for such behavior resulted from a lack of discipline... or even pride.
• We not only work to provide for our family but we also work to provide for those who have needs.
• How many of you have a budget line “for others”?

29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.

• Rotten talk = unwholesome, corrupt, depraved, vicious, foul, rotten or impure.
• Build up = encourage... Why do we find this difficult?
• A simple press on the "like" button makes a world of difference.
• What if you actually left a comment? (Trish Zastrow)
• What if you called them?
• What if you wrote a handwritten letter?
• What if you said it to their face while looking in their eyes?‎
• Tozer – “To preach the truth, the prophet must be under the constant sway of the Holy Spirit. He must be driven to God for wisdom. Otherwise, he will not pierce the conscience of each listener as if the message had been directed to him or her alone. Further, it is necessary that the man of God know the people’s hearts better than they themselves do!”

30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.

• The Spirit is here seen as capable of feeling, and so as personal.‎
• ‎Because He is loving and kind and friendly, the Holy Spirit may be grieved.… He can be grieved because He is loving, and there must be love present before there can be grief.
• Epiphany at breakfast one day when a friend who knew their identity couldn't walk with the Spirit. Knew it but couldn't live it... and was suffering.
• ‎Tozer - "I remind you that there are churches so completely out of the hands of God that if the Holy Spirit withdrew from them, they wouldn’t find it out for many months."
• One of the greatest assurances of the eternal security of the believer is the fact that the Father has sealed every believer with the Holy Spirit

31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.

• No one enjoys being around bitter people.
• Directly proportional to the number of friends you have?

32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

• “The idea is that they had to abandon one mental condition and make their way, beginning there and then, into its opposite.”
• Forgiven - Past, present & future.
• If unity is to exist within the church, we must learn to forgive each other as God has forgiven us.

 
EPHESIANS 5:1-5
1 Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children,

• Our word “mimic” comes from this Greek word, "mimetes". (followers)
• ‎“Walk in love” is “be constantly ordering your behavior within the sphere of love.”
• Deeds, that result from trying to imitate God in our own strength are of no benefit.
• Jesus did not imitate the Father, but lived by the Father's life... thus being a reflection of God.

2 and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God.

• No saint can "walk in love", nor can he live by the life of Another, unless the Person of the Holy Spirit empowers him to do so.

3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints.

• porneia (πορνεια) (fornication)
• The word porneia (πορνεια) was used of illicit sexual intercourse in general.
• ‎The moral life of the Graeco-Roman world had sunk so low that, while protests against the prevailing corruption were never entirely wanting, fornication had long come to be regarded as a matter of moral indifference, and was indulged in without shame or scruple, not only by the mass, but by philosophers and men of distinction who in other respects led exemplary lives.”

4 Obscene and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks.

• Foolish talking - course jesting - for the sake of attention and wit, a person quickly turns an innocent statement into that which is suggetive, obscene or indecent.
• We need to exchange our indecent talk with giving thanks.

5 For know and recognize this: Every sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, does not have an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[1]‎

• Their lifestyle of habitual sin confirms they are unredeemed.
• It is how we can tell the difference between believers and non-believers.
• Light vs darkness
• Walking by the Spirit vs walking by the flesh

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Eph 4:25–5:5). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

• This passage is the second of two prayers recorded in Ephesians, the first one being Ephesians 1:15–23.
• In the first prayer, the emphasis is on enlightenment;
• but in this prayer, the emphasis is on enablement.[1]
• Knowing vs being
• “know what you have, but start appropriating for your daily life.”
• Paul is writing from prison and focused on the spiritual needs of man rather than the physical.
• If we can focus on the inner man as the priority, then the outer man will be supplied as a byproduct.

 
PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL POWER
EPHESIANS 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father

• Abraham and Solomon stood
• David sat
• Jesus fell on his face in the garden
• No protocol in Scripture for praying posture
• Paul was attached to Roman Guard
• More of a heart issue

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.

• Creator – Father of all men/women
• Savior – Father of those who believe
• In reference to creation means all Jews & Gentiles

16 I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to (1) be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit,

• Still goes back to knowing what you have
• Then trusting for it to work
• Miss Marvel and She-Hulk discover powers and then learn how to use them.
• But it is not our strength but through His Spirit.
• How do you let the Spirit work through you?
• Someone has said, “If God took the Holy Spirit out of this world, most of what we Christians are doing would go right on—and nobody would know the difference!” Sad, but true.[2]
• “According to the riches of His glory”, not out of His riches…
• Not a portion, but a proportion
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 - Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. [3]
• It is only when we yield to the Spirit and let Him control the inner man that we succeed in living to the glory of God.[4]

17 and that (2) Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

• “Dwell” – to settle down and feel at home (permanently)
• “nesting” – get settled at camp
• Settle into a relationship… not just surface.
• That would be hard to do if it was just God alone.
• But there is a Spirit of God that dwells within you.
• You have a super power that is super-natural
• Super and natural
• “through faith” – believe and trust
• Simple as sitting in the chair

I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, 18 (3) may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,

• Rooted is an architectural term; it refers to the foundations on which we build[5]
• Building footers as a foundation.
• The deeper your foundation in Christ, the stronger you will be able to stand in the storms of life.
• Phil Tooley – God’s timeline is a plane.
• It is more than a plane… it has height and depth.
• $240 billion spent on loan relief… that’s politics
• I got $400 from the state this week… that’s politics
• That’s just a drop of God’s riches
• I can complain all I want about my $$$ and where it goes… but it’s the principle… the bigger picture is… it’s not mine in the first place… I haven’t missed a meal yet.
• Stay focused on the inner man and outer man will be provided for out of God’s riches.
• “with all the saints”

19 and to (4) know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

• Knowledge is good but it is not greater than love
• Knowledge leads to being puffed up… about you.
• Knowledge is good but worthless without love.
• What if you had the Bible memorized yet never loved?
• What if you loved and had no knowledge?
• What if you knew that you had the love of God walking with you every day?

20 Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us--

• Our faith walk is just a portion of God’s riches.
• There is a lot of time, energy, money and life being poured out in our house for a one-day wedding.
• The question keeps coming up, how do we get it all done in 90 days?
• That one day is a drop in God’s limitless riches.
• Sam & Chloe’s marriage and family will be above and beyond that wedding day
• According to the power… not a portion but a proportion.

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.[6]

• Where is the glory?
• In the Church
• In Christ Jesus

 
Always Only Jesus

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 30). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 32). Victor Books.
[3] Christian Standard Bible (2 Co 4:16–18). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 32). Victor Books.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 32). Victor Books.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Eph 3:14–21). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

The Date: The book of Acts closes with Paul in prison for two years in Rome (acts 28:16, 30-31).

• The apostle Paul was taken to Rome as a prisoner about 61-62 AD.
• It is likely the book was written at the end of Paul’s two-year imprisonment (63-64 AD), which was a little over 30 years after the crucifixion of Christ.

 
PENTECOST
Acts 2
1 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place.

• Pentecost - Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks
• The Hebrew is shah-voo-oat, but it is also correct to say Shavuos (shah-voo-ohs).
• Shavuot means weeks.” The Greek word for this holiday is Pentecost, which means “50th.”
• Shavuot in the Old Testament (see Leviticus 23:15-21)
• Shavuot occurs 50 days or seven weeks after Passover. In the month of Sivan (May/June)
• It is a harvest celebration commemorating God’s provision for and sustenance of His people.
• Shavuot shares two important characteristics with the holidays Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles):
• All three holidays involved a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
• All three holidays involved firstfruit offerings at the Temple.
• Passover, in early spring, included firstfruits from the first harvest, barley.
• Shavuot, in late spring, included firstfruits from the wheat harvest.
• Among the many offerings given, was a “wave offering” of two loaves of leavened bread. This was the firstfruits offering.
• Sukkot, in the fall, was the final harvest and included firstfruits of olives and grapes.
• Jerusalem is less than 1 square mile
• Population of 60,000
• 125,000-500,000 show up for Pentecost
• According to Jewish tradition, Moses received the Law from God at Mount Sinai during Shavuot.
• Jewish tradition also suggests that King David both was born and died on Shavuot.
• The Ten Commandments are read to commemorate the giving of the Law.
• Some Jewish people stay up all night studying the Torah (Law) to “re-live” the revelation at Mount Sinai.
• Jewish people traditionally decorate their homes and synagogues with flowers and greens.
• An older tradition prescribes that two loaves of leavened bread be baked; some say they represent all of humanity (one loaf is the Jewish people, the other Gentiles), while others see them as representing the two tablets Moses brought down from Sinai.

 
Shavuot in the New Testament

• (see Acts 2)
• Peter seemed to know the tradition that King David was born and died on Shavuot as he gave his sermon. He used the prophecies of David in the Psalms to speak of the resurrection of Jesus, the Son of David.

 
Prophecy fulfilled

• Peter pointed out to the crowd that what they were witnessing was a fulfillment of prophecy from the book of Joel (Joel 2:28).
• An experience of revelation and community
• A mighty revelation occurred that day as 3,000 Jewish people understood the truth of Peter’s words and became followers of Jesus.

 
Shavuot in the future: the harvest festival to come

• Just as there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that Jewish people heard and accepted Jesus in a supernatural way on Pentecost, so an even greater outpouring is predicted by the prophet Zechariah: “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10).
• Yes, there will be mourning when all of Israel finally realizes who Jesus is, but after the mourning and the repentance there will be great joy. Yeshua said this regarding the end-time harvest of souls:
• “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest”
• Matthew 9:37, 38[1]

 
2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind (pnoe –no-eee) came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.

• The picture is that of one great flame representing the Spirit, which separates into many tongues of flame with one resting on each individual.[2]
• The tongues of fire symbolized the powerful witness of the church to the people.
• They were able to speak with Jewish pilgrims of many languages from all over the Mediterranean world.[3]
• There would be two changes: the Spirit would dwell in people and not just come on them, and His presence would be permanent, not temporary[4]

5 Now there were Jews staying in Jerusalem, devout people from every nation under heaven.

• Jews of the “diaspora” (dispersion; cf. James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1) were … in Jerusalem for the feast.
• Perhaps they were bilingual, speaking both Greek and their native languages.
• They were dumbfounded to hear Jews from Galilee speaking the languages of peoples surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.[5]

6 When this sound occurred, a crowd came together and was confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 They were astounded and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 How is it that each of us can hear them in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites; those who live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts), 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But some sneered and said, “They’re drunk on new wine.”

• Note that the believers were praising God, not preaching the Gospel, and that they used known languages, not an “unknown tongue” (Acts 2:6, 8).
• Luke named fifteen different geographical locations and clearly stated that the citizens of those places heard Peter and the others declare God’s wonderful works in languages they could understand.[6]
• Show Middle East Map
• Here for the first time appears a motif that runs throughout Luke-Acts—in itself, without the element of personal faith and experience, even the most profound aspects of the good news are not self-confirming but can lead to skepticism and even rejection (cf. Luke 24:11; Acts 17:32; 26:24).[7]

 
PETER’S SERMON
14 Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them: “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let me explain this to you and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning.

• The joyful worship of the believers was not the result of too much wine; it was the evidence of the arrival of God’s Holy Spirit to dwell in His people.
• Orthodox Jews did not eat or drink before 9 a.m. on the Sabbath or on a holy day, nor did they usually drink wine except with meals.[8]

16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
17 And it will be in the last days, says God,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all people;
then your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
18 I will even pour out my Spirit
on my servants in those days, both men and women
and they will prophesy.
19 I will display wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below:
blood and fire and a cloud of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 Then everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.

• Peter did not say that Pentecost was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel 2:28–32, because the signs and wonders predicted had not occurred.
• When you read Joel’s prophecy in context, you see that it deals with the nation of Israel in the end times, in connection with “the Day of the Lord.”
• However, Peter was led by the Spirit to see in the prophecy an application to the church. He said, “This is that same Holy Spirit that Joel wrote about. He is here!”
• Such an announcement would seem incredible to the Jews, because they thought God’s Spirit was given only to a few select people (see Num. 11:28–29). But here were 120 of their fellow Jews, men and women, enjoying the blessing of the same Holy Spirit that had empowered Moses, David, and the prophets.[9]

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. 23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. 24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.
 
25 For David says of him:
I saw the Lord ever before me;
because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart is glad
and my tongue rejoices.
Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me in Hades
or allow your holy one to see decay.
28 You have revealed the paths of life to me;
you will fill me with gladness
in your presence.
29 “Brothers and sisters, I can confidently speak to you about the patriarch David: He is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn an oath to him to seat one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay.
32 “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. 33 Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear. 34 For it was not David who ascended into the heavens, but he himself says:
The Lord declared to my Lord,
‘Sit at my right hand
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’

• But Peter told them the truth: Jesus of Nazareth had indeed been raised from the dead, and the Resurrection proves that He is the Messiah!
• Peter gave them four proofs of the resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and then he called on them to believe on Christ and be saved.

 

1. His first proof was the person of Jesus Christ (vv. 22–24). Peter’s audience knew that Jesus was a real Person from the town of Nazareth and that He had performed many signs and miracles. (On “Jesus of Nazareth,” see Acts 2:22; 3:6; 4:10; 6:14; 10:38; 22:8; 26:9; also 24:5.) It was clear that God’s hand was on Him. They had heard Him speak and had watched His life. They had even seen Him raise the dead, yet they could find no fault in Him—and these things were not “done in a corner”! (Acts 26:26)

 
       2. Peter’s second proof was the prophecy of David (vv. 25–31). He quoted Psalm 16:8–11, verses that obviously              could not apply to David who was already dead and buried. Being a prophet of God, David wrote about the                Messiah, that His soul would not remain in hades (the realm of the dead) or His body in the grave where it would              decay. 
       3.  The third proof was the witness of the believers (v. 33). After His resurrection, Jesus did not appear to the                      world at large, but to His own followers whom He had commissioned to give witness to others that He was                     alive (Acts 1:3, 22).

• But were these people dependable witnesses? Can we trust them? We certainly can!
• Prior to Christ’s resurrection, the disciples did not even believe that He would be raised from the dead; and they themselves had to be convinced (Mark 16:9–14; Acts 1:3). They had nothing to gain by preaching a lie, because their message aroused official opposition and even led to the imprisonment and death of some of the believers.
• A few fanatics might be willing to believe and promote a lie for a time, but when thousands believe a message, and when that message is backed up by miracles, you cannot easily dismiss it. These witnesses were trustworthy.
  
• 4. Peter’s fourth proof of the resurrection of Christ was the presence of the Holy Spirit (vv. 33–35). Follow his logic.
• If the Holy Spirit is in the world, then God must have sent Him.
• Joel promised that one day the Spirit would come, and Jesus Himself had promised to send the gift of the Holy Spirit to His people (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; 15:26; Acts 1:4).
• But if Jesus is dead, He cannot send the Spirit; therefore, He must be alive.
• Furthermore, He could not send the Spirit unless He had returned to heaven to the Father (John 16:7); so, Jesus has ascended to heaven!
• To back up this statement, Peter quoted Psalm 110:1, a verse that certainly could not be applied to David (note Matt. 22:41–46).[10]

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
 
CALL TO REPENTANCE
37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

1. Surrender… raise a hand… help!
2. Receive repentance
3. Receive forgiveness
4. Receive the Spirit
5. Be baptized

• From this point on in Acts, the gift of the Spirit became a normal connection of becoming a Christian believer (2:38).[11]

39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

• Peter said, “Look around you… there is a lot of corruption going on around you that is accepted and be normalized. Turn from what is sucking you into a worldly view and be ready to be opposed because the corruptness cannot understand it.”
• There is a new view with the help of the Spirit who has come to live your life for you.

 
A GENEROUS AND GROWING CHURCH
41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

• The stuck around to be taught by the Twelve and become their disciples.

43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles.

• Can you see the “awe” of God?
• Have you ever experienced the “awe” of God?

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. [12]

• The selling of property and the common possession of the proceeds may imply that the early church expected the Lord to return soon and establish His kingdom.
• This may explain why the practice was not continued.
• Holding everything in common was not socialism or communism because it was voluntary (cf. 4:32, 34–35; 5:4).

Also their goods were not evenly distributed but were given to meet needs as they arose.[13]

[1] https://jewsforjesus.org/newsletter-jun-2005/newsletter-jun-2005/newsletter-jun-2005/shavuot-the-feast-of-weeks/
[2] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 98). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Bond, S. (2003). Pentecost. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, E. R. Clendenen, & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (p. 1273). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 407). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Toussaint, S. D. (1985). Acts. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 357). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 408). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[7] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 104). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 409). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[9] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 409). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[10] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 409–410). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[11] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 98). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[12] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 2:1–47). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Toussaint, S. D. (1985). Acts. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 360). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

??? - What is the difference between an apostle and a disciple?
        While a disciple is one who learns from a teacher, a student (pupil), an apostle is sent to deliver those teachings to others (delegate). Apostles – Those who saw Jesus after the resurrection and were sent as messengers to tell the Gospel.
          The word "disciple" comes from the Latin discipulus, or pupil. "Apostle" comes from the Greek word apostolos, or delegate.
 
Acts 1
1 I wrote the first narrative, Theophilus,

• Theophilus “dear to God” or “friend of God”. A person to whom Luke dedicated his gospel (Luke 1:3) and its sequel, the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:1).
• Theophilus was most likely a Gentile “God-fearer” in need of an “orderly account” of the gospel, about which he may have had some knowledge.[1]
• Theophilus may have received the special dedication for being a patron who helped defray some of the costs of Luke’s writing.[2]

about all that Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up, after he had given instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

• After His resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for forty days and ministered to His disciples.
• He had already opened their minds to understand the Old Testament message about Himself (Luke 24:44–48), but there were other lessons they needed to learn before they could launch out in their new ministry.
• Jesus appeared and disappeared during those forty days, and the believers never knew when He might show up.[3]
• The period of instruction was a time of transition. In the Gospel it was the time when Jesus completed his earthly ministry.
• In Acts it was the time when Jesus prepared the apostles for theirs.[4]

 
THE HOLY SPIRIT PROMISED
4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.” (Luke 3:16 - 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I am is coming. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.[5])
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

• This explains that the power of the church comes from the Holy Spirit and not from man.
• God’s people experienced repeated fillings of the Spirit as they faced new opportunities and obstacles (Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9).
• Ordinary people were able to do extraordinary things because the Spirit of God was at work in their lives.
• Throughout Scripture we have stories of the Spirit coming “upon” people.
• Numbers 11:16-30

SEVENTY ELDERS ANOINTED

• The Lord answered Moses, “Bring me seventy men from Israel known to you as elders and officers of the people. Take them to the tent of meeting and have them stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and speak with you there. I will take some of the Spirit who is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you bear the burden of the people, so that you do not have to bear it by yourself.

• 18 “Tell the people: Consecrate yourselves in readiness for tomorrow, and you will eat meat because you wept in the Lord’s hearing, ‘Who will feed us meat? We were better off in Egypt.’ The Lord will give you meat and you will eat. 19 You will eat, not for one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes nauseating to you—because you have rejected the Lord who is among you, and wept before him: ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’”
• 21 But Moses replied, “I’m in the middle of a people with six hundred thousand foot soldiers, yet you say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’ 22 If flocks and herds were slaughtered for them, would they have enough? Or if all the fish in the sea were caught for them, would they have enough?”
• 23 The Lord answered Moses, “Is the Lord’s arm weak? Now you will see whether or not what I have promised will happen to you.”
• 24 Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He brought seventy men from the elders of the people and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord descended in the cloud and spoke to him. He took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and placed the Spirit on the seventy elders. As the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but they never did it again. 26 Two men had remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other Medad; the Spirit rested on them—they were among those listed, but had not gone out to the tent—and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
• 28 Joshua son of Nun, assistant to Moses since his youth, responded, “Moses, my lord, stop them!”
• 29 But Moses asked him, “Are you jealous on my account? If only all the Lord’s people were prophets and the Lord would place his Spirit on them!” 30 Then Moses returned to the camp along with the elders of Israel. [6]

 

• Jesus did not reject the concept of the “restoration of Israel.”
• Instead, he “depoliticized it” with the call to a worldwide mission.[7]
• He promised two things: power & witness
• The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not a luxury; it is an absolute necessity.[8]
• The geographical scope of Acts 1:8 provides a rough outline of the entire book: Jerusalem (1–7), Judea and Samaria (8–12), the ends of the earth (13–28).
• The story of Jesus led to Jerusalem and the story of the Church led from Jerusalem.[9]

 
THE ASCENSION
9 After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”

• Our Lord’s ascension into heaven was an important part of His ministry, for if He had not returned to the Father, He could not have sent the promised gift of the Holy Spirit (John 16:5–15).[10]
• Luke did not dwell on the ascension. He quickly shifted the apostles’ gaze back to earth. [11]
• We have incredible spiritual experiences. It is in these moments that we don’t remain but we become witnesses to others.
• We share what we know is true with others.

 
UNITED IN PRAYER
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem—a Sabbath day’s journey away. 13 When they arrived, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James. 14 They all were continually united in prayer, along with the women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

• Luke 24:50-53 -  50 Then he led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 And while he was blessing them, he left them and was carried up into heaven. 52 After worshiping him, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they were continually in the temple praising God.[12]
• Jesus ascended from the Mt. of Olives (1/2 mile away)
• The disciples returned probably to the Upper Room.
• Prayer meeting in Mary’s house (John-Mark’s mother) (Lord’s Supper & Peter)

 

• What a variety of people made up that first assembly of believers!
• There were men and women, apostles and “ordinary” people, and even members of the Lord’s earthly family (see Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3).
• His “brethren” had not believed in Him during His ministry (John 7:5), but they did come to trust Him after the Resurrection (Acts 1:14).
• Mary was there as a member of the assembly, participating in worship and prayer along with the others.
• The center of their fellowship was the risen Christ, and all of them adored and magnified Him.
• How easy it would have been for someone to bring division into this beautiful assembly of humble people!
• The members of the Lord’s family might have claimed special recognition, or Peter could have been criticized for his cowardly denial of the Savior.
• Or perhaps Peter might have blamed John, because it was John who brought him into the high priest’s house (John 18:15–16).
• John might well have reminded the others that he had faithfully stood at the cross, and had even been chosen by the Savior to care for His mother.
• But there was none of this. In fact, nobody was even arguing over who among them was the greatest!
• The key phrase is “with one accord,” a phrase that is found six times in Acts (1:14; 2:1, 46; 4:24; 5:12; 15:25; and note also 2:44).
• There was among these believers a wonderful unity that bound them together in Christ (Ps. 133; Gal. 3:28), the kind of unity that Christians need today.[13]

 

• Jesus set the pattern of prayer for His disciples.
• Jesus even downloaded this to Paul.
• Romans 12:12 - 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.[14]
• Colossians 4:2-6 - 2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, 4 so that I may make it known as I should. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.[15]
• The time before Pentecost was a time for waiting, a time spent in prayer undoubtedly for the promised Spirit and for the power to witness.
• There is no effective witness without the Spirit, and the way to spiritual empowerment is to wait in prayer.[16]

 
MATTHIAS CHOSEN
15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters--

• Peter is portrayed throughout Luke and Acts as one of the primary leaders among the apostles—although that does not mean he possessed sole authority (15:6,22–23) or was beyond rebuke (see Gal 2:11–14 and note; compare note on Acts 1:13).[17]

the number of people who were together was about a hundred and twenty—and said: 16 “Brothers and sisters, it was necessary that the Scripture be fulfilled that the Holy Spirit through the mouth of David foretold about Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” 18 Now this man acquired a field with his unrighteous wages. He fell headfirst, his body burst open and his intestines spilled out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that in their own language that field is called Hakeldama (that is, Field of Blood). 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms:
Let his dwelling become desolate;
let no one live in it; and
Let someone else take his position.

• Arnold Fruchtenbaum has this to say about Judas’ death in his Life of Christ series:
  “According to Jewish law, if there was a dead body in Jerusalem, the city was considered defiled and the morning Passover sacrifice could not be offered and could not be celebrated. However, Jewish law goes on to say that if the body is taken and cast into the valley of Hinnom, a place of burning… then the city is reckoned as cleansed and the Passover can be partaken of, and then later they can return and bury the body.”
• November 4, 2018 – Gospels #77 – For more details on Judas’ death.

 
21 “Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us—from among these, it is necessary that one become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
23 So they proposed two: Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “You, Lord, know everyone’s hearts; show which of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this apostolic ministry that Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias and he was added to the eleven apostles.[18]

• “But it was wrong for them to select a new apostle,” some claim, “because Paul was the one who was chosen by God to fill up the ranks.
• They chose Matthias and he was never heard of again!”
• Except for Peter and John, none of the original Twelve are mentioned by name in the Book of Acts after 1:13!
• Paul could not have “filled up the ranks” because he could never have met the divine qualifications laid down in Acts 1:21–22.
• Paul was not baptized by John the Baptist; he did not travel with the Apostles when Jesus was with them on earth; and, though he saw the glorified Christ, Paul was not a witness of the Resurrection as were the original Apostles.
• Paul made it clear that he was not to be classified with the Tw elve (1 Cor. 15:8; Gal. 1:15–24), and the Twelve knew it.
• If the Twelve thought that Paul was supposed to be one of them, they certainly did not show it! In fact, they refused to admit Paul into the Jerusalem fellowship until Barnabas came to his rescue! (Acts 9:26–27)
• The 12 Apostles ministered primarily to the twelve tribes of Israel, while Paul was sent to the Gentiles (Gal. 2:1–10).

No, Paul was not meant to be the twelfth apostle. Peter and the other believers were in the will of God when they selected Matthias, and God gave His endorsement to Matthias by empowering him with the same Spirit that was given to the other men whom Jesus had personally selected (Acts 2:1–4, 14).[19]


[1] Myers, A. C. (1987). In The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (pp. 997–998). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
[2] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 79). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 402–403). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 80). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 3:16). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Nu 11:16–30). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, pp. 84–86). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 403). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[9] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 86). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[10] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 403–404). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[11] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 87). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[12] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 24:50–53). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 404). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[14] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ro 12:12). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[15] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Col 4:2–6). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[16] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 90). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[17] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ac 1:15). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[18] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 1:1–26). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[19] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 405–406). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

John 15
13 No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.

• Who were Jesus’ friends?
• Not only the disciples (and us), but also the Father and the Spirit.
• No greater love was ever displayed than what Jesus did for us at the cross.
• Jesus died for the unbelievers as well. (John 3:16)
• Jesus is a friend of everyone.

14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

• You are my friends if you love one another as I have loved you.
• Impossible to do unless you live your life by another source.
• Most Christians believe the greatest aspect of being a believer in Jesus is salvation.
• Pretty hard to top salvation.
• But what if you could walk on this earth in your own earth suit but your source of energy, ability, thinking, creativity, love, mercy and grace came from a totally different source than yourself?
• It’s the only way to live out Jesus’ commands.
• To me, this is the greatest aspect of living as a believer.
• Being born is great… but living the adventure is even greater.
• But the majority of the church is still stuck on the birthday!

15 I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing.

• Difference between a slave and bond-servant.

I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.

• This is the beauty of knowing your identity.
• You can know exactly what the Father thinks about you.

16 You did not choose me, but I chose you.

• The disciples did not choose Jesus.
• Some people the unredeemed are incapable of choosing Jesus, therefore it has to be done in eternity past.
• John 6:70-71 - 70 Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He was referring to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray him.[1]
• Jesus did not choose His disciples for salvation.
• Mark 3:14-15 - 14 He appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, to send them out to preach, 15 and to have authority to drive out demons.[2]
• The discipler doesn’t have to know the whole Bible.
• The discipler just needs to be more mature than the disciple.
• I had a friend here last week that just needed some encouragement.
• We didn’t have a Bible Study.
• We lived life together… we laughed, we cried, we ate, he watched me interact with my wife, my son, my friends our ministry.
• If I could restructure seminary… it would look more like 12 disciples hanging out with Jesus for 3-4 years. Doing life together.
• Just teach practicality.
• Jesus chose the 12 “to be with Him”… not for salvation.

I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain,

• Who is producing fruit?
• The Father, through the Son, through the disciples.
• What fruit remains?
• Those things done in the Spirit.

so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

• You know my name… If you know Jesus… you are going to know what to ask for.

17 “This is what I command you: Love one another.

• Agape love – based upon a choice… not a feeling.
• Love each other unconditionally.

 
PERSECUTIONS PREDICTED
18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.
 - My Savior sympathizes with us because He has already endured this fallen world.
 - Jesus wanted to remind the disciples that the world (and it’s system) is going to hate them.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
 -  You realize that the evil one will use believers in Jesus Christ to detour the truth of the Gospel?
 - It’s hard to disassociate yourself from the conglomerate definition of Christianity.
 - It’s hard to disassociate yourself from the systems that have been put into place by the majority of the churches.
 - It’s not hard to see that the evil one doesn’t want believers or the church to be successful in not only sharing the Good News, but living it out on a daily basis.
 - So mediocre Christianity and mediocre church is effective in causing the world to hate the ones who have been commanded and given the ability to love.
20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they don’t know the one who sent me.

• It often sounds if I am bitter about the institutional church and the system that has been established by “Christians.”
• I’m not because I understand spiritual warfare and what Jesus reminded His disciples about concerning being in the world.
• So I (we), am constantly questioning what I do personally with my time and resources.
• Am I doing things because it is what I know how to do or because this is what the Spirit is calling me to do.
• How do we shed the “Sunday Morning” system of all its systems, monotony. apathy and misconstrued ideas of what Christ called us to?
• I don’t want to play church but at the same time I am living in the world that has systems.
• Do I avoid systems? Do I comply?
• The struggle is real but so is the fact that no matter my choices, the world is still going to hate me.
• Man… that is doom and gloom… ugh…
• No… it is only the result of doing what Jesus gives the ability to do… love one another.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I had not done the works among them that no one else has done, they would not have sin. Now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.

• Jesus performed the 3 Messianic Miracles:
• 1) Heal a Jewish Leper (Matthew 8)
• 2) Heal a man born blind (John 9)
• 3) Cast a demon out of a mute (Matthew 12)
• Jesus shined a light a light on their blindness.

25 But this happened so that the statement written in their law might be fulfilled: They hated me for no reason. (Psalm 69:4)
 
THE COUNSELOR’S MINISTRY
26 “When the Counselor (helper) comes, the one I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 You also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.[3]

• The Father through the Son who sends the Holy Spirit.
• Defined them as apostles.
• Acts 1:21 - 21 “Therefore, from among the men who have accompanied us during the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day he was taken up from us[4]

 
John 16
1 “I have told you these things to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 They will do these things because they haven’t known the Father or me. 4 But I have told you these things so that when their time comes you will remember I told them to you. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.

• Jesus couldn’t have told them all these things in the beginning because they couldn’t have handled it.

5 But now I am going away to him who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Yet, because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.

• Acts 2

8 When he comes, he will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment: 9 About sin, because they do not believe in me;

• Who doesn’t believe in Jesus? Non-believers.
• Every unredeemed person is being convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit.
• There is a good reason why non-believers hate us.

10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me;

• Who is the Spirit convicting of righteousness?
• Those who have been made righteous.
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 - He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. [5]
• Once believers understand they are righteous…. They will quit trying to attain righteousness and then they can learn Sabbath rest.

11 and about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. [6]

• 2 Corinthians 4:4 – Satan is the ruler of this world.
• Satan has already been judged… and lost.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jn 6:70–71). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mk 3:14–15). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jn 15:1–27). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 1:21–22). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Co 5:21). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jn 16:1-11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.