Acts 4
PETER AND JOHN ARRESTED
1 While they were speaking to the people,
 

• Peter was interrupted in the middle of his message.
• “they” implies John was speaking too.

the priests, the captain of the temple police,

• “Sagan” - The sagan had extensive duties, which included assisting the high priest in all ceremonies and serving as his alternate in such capacities.
• Ranking second in the priestly hierarchy, he was always chosen from one of the families of the priestly aristocracy.
• Serving as sagan was viewed as a stepping-stone to appointment as high priest.
• The sagan’s involvement in this scene is particularly appropriate since he had ultimate responsibility for order in the temple grounds and had the power to arrest.[1]

and the Sadducees confronted them, 2 because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.

• The Sadducees of the first century represented the “conservative” viewpoint.
• They rejected the oral traditions of the Pharisees and considered only the written Torah of the Pentateuch as valid.
• They considered the concepts of demons and angels, immortality and resurrection as innovations, believing in no life beyond this life[2]

3 So they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening.

• The religious leaders were not only disturbed at the apostles’ teaching, but likely offended that they were instructing the people in the first place.
• The priests and Sadducees, along with the Pharisees, typically occupied the role of teachers, and the apostles have usurped that status—with great success.[3]

4 But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
 
PETER AND JOHN FACE THE JEWISH LEADERSHIP
5 The next day, their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem 6 with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and all the members of the high-priestly family.

• Annas was the high priest recognized by the Jews
• Caiaphas (son-in-law) was the high priest recognized by the Romans when Annas was deposed.

7 After they had Peter and John stand before them, they began to question them: “By what power or in what name have you done this?”

• Their question was legal, but they did everything they could to avoid admitting that a miracle had taken place (Acts 4:14).
• They were evasive and merely referred to the miracle as “this.”
• They were probably scornful as well, so that their question might be paraphrased, “Where did common people like you get the power and authority to do a thing like this?”[4]

8 Then Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and said to them,

• The Holy Spirit was telling Peter what to say.

“Rulers of the people and elders: 9 If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a disabled man, by what means he was healed,

• They asked for a name but Peter redirects them to the healing of the lame man whom they all probably contributed to many times over the years.
• Then he gives them the name they dread to hear.

10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing here before you healthy. 11 This Jesus is
the stone rejected by you builders,
which has become the cornerstone. (Psalm 118:22)

• Peter made it clear that Jesus was the stone that was rejected by the builders (Sanhedrin).
• “Cornerstone” may refer to:
• (1) the stone in a new building laid first with great care and ceremony so as to ensure a straight and level foundation;
• (2) the interlocking cornerstones that join and strengthen two connecting walls;
• (3) the capstone at the top corner of a wall; or
• (4) the keystone of an arched door or gateway, the center and topmost stone that joins the two sides and supports the arch itself (the most important stone in which the name of the city, the ruler, and builder were often carved).[5]
• This metaphor is picked up again by Peter (1 Pet 2:4) and Paul (Rom 9:32–33; Eph 2:20). Jesus cites this psalm in Matt 21:42.[6]

12 There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

• Peter’s message usually ends with an appeal to receive Jesus… not here.
• Their decision to believe would rest in their verdict.

 
THE BOLDNESS OF THE DISCIPLES
13 When they observed the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed and recognized that they had been with Jesus.

• This does not imply that Peter and John were ignorant, but that they lacked formal training in the law of Moses.[7]
• When you are filled with the Holy Spirit… He will give you the words to say.
• “I don’t know what to say…”
• “I can’t teach…” At camp… “that was the best class”

14 And since they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

• Peter’s testimony was the healed man “standing” there and Jesus’ name!

15 After they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For an obvious sign has been done through them, clear to everyone living in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that this does not spread any further among the people, let’s threaten them against speaking to anyone in this name again.”

• In this instance they were at something of a loss.
• They really had no charge to lay upon them.
• Further, the accused were popular with the people, for the news about healing of the lame man had already spread throughout Jerusalem.
• There was only one thing they could do—they could threaten.[8]

18 So they called for them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19 Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; 20 for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

• Peter was not intimidated by the council.
• The response was much the same as that given by Socrates to his Athenian accusers who warned him to desist from his teaching.
• The saying had become quite proverbial, however, and was widely used by Jews and Greeks.
• It would seem a bit ironic if these unlearned and common men (v. 13) were throwing the words of the Greek philosopher at them.[9]

21 After threatening them further, they released them. They found no way to punish them because the people were all giving glory to God over what had been done. 22 For this sign of healing had been performed on a man over forty years old.

• The council did not want the Gospel message to spread, and yet that is exactly what happened!
• From 120 praying men and women in Acts 1, the church increased to more than 3,000 on the Day of Pentecost; and now there were more than 5,000 disciples in the fellowship.
• In the days that followed, “believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women” (Acts 5:14; and see 6:1, 7).
• Satan’s attempts to silence the church only led to a stronger witness for the Lord.[10]

 
PRAYER FOR BOLDNESS
23 After they were released, they went to their own people and reported everything the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together to God and said, “Master, you are the one who made the heaven, the earth, and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You said through the Holy Spirit, by the mouth of our father David your servant:
Why do the Gentiles rage
and the peoples plot futile things?
26 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers assemble together
against the Lord and against his Messiah. (Psalm 2:1-2)
27 “For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28 to do whatever your hand and your will had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that your servants may speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand for healing, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God boldly.

• They did not pray to have their circumstances changed or their enemies put out of office.
• Rather, they asked God to empower them to make the best use of their circumstances and to accomplish what He had already determined.
• They did not ask for protection; they asked for power.
• They did not ask for fire from heaven to destroy the enemy, but for power from heaven to preach the Word and heal the sick.
• Their great desire was for boldness in the face of opposition.
• The emphasis is on the hand of God at work in the life of the church, not the hand of man at work for God.
• God’s answer was to shake the place where they were meeting and to fill the people once again with the Spirit of God (Acts 4:31).[11]

 
ALL THINGS IN COMMON
32 Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.

• Perfect picture of the Church.
• This was said many times at camp this week.

33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. 34 For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need.
36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.[12]

• We also learn that Barnabas was a Levite from Cyprus.
• Levites were not supposed to own land, but that no longer seemed to apply in Barnabas’s day.
• Jeremiah, a priest, owned land (Jer 32:6–15).[13]
• Possibly could have meant land outside of Palestine… Cypress was not in Palestine.
• Barnabas mentioned 25 times in verses to come.

[1] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 139). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 139). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ac 4:2). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 416). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Swanson, D. M. (2000). Cornerstone. In D. N. Freedman, A. C. Myers, & A. B. Beck (Eds.), Eerdmans dictionary of the Bible (p. 285). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.
[6] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ac 4:11). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[7] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ac 4:13). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 146). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[9] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 146). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[10] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 417). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[11] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 419). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[12] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ac 4:1–37). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[13] Polhill, J. B. (1992). Acts (Vol. 26, p. 154). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

John 17
17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

• Believers deal with sin differently – we are separated from non-believers.
• 1) “Sanctified” – God sanctifies our person (spirit & soul)
• 2) “Sanctifying” – God has given us the ability to overcome the power of sin.
• 3) “will be sanctified” – In the future, we won’t even have to deal with sin. Total sanctification in our behavior.
• Who does the sanctifying? God or the Truth?
• God sanctifies us with the tool of the Truth.
• Psalm 119:9-11 - 9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word.
• I have sought you with all my heart; don’t let me wander from your commands.
• I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.[1]
• It is God who changes us… not the Truth.

18 As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

• He came to model living His life by another… and wanted the disciples to do the same for the world.
• Surrendering your will to His.
• Believing that Jesus is going to do this in me.
• You consciously know that He is going to do it through you.
• It is not a “feeling”
• What does it mean living life by another?
• When you get to the point of saying “I can’t do this anymore.”… you are in a great place.
• Pressure is off.

19 I sanctify myself for them, so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

• He didn’t sanctify Himself for his own purpose
• He yielded to the Father’s life because the disciple would see it.
• John Bisagno as seminary student wrote 60 names of peers in ministry in the back of his Bible when he graduated from seminary.
• As his peers burned out, failed or simply walked away from full-time ministry he would mark their name out of the back of his Bible.
• When he retired in his 60’s… he had 6 names in the back of his Bible… 1 out of 10.
• If you show up on Sundays, hang out with me or be my friend… you need me to live my life by another…
• I love you… I am learning everyday what this means.

 
JESUS PRAYS FOR ALL BELIEVERS
20 “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word.

• He is praying for ALL of us!

21 May they all be one,

• Religion will never accomplish unity.
• Our country is becoming more divisive by the minute… or tweet.
• Unity finds its origin in God the Father…
• They are the source of love… God is love.

as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.

• You have a Spirit, and you have a Spirit, and you have a Spirit… how many Spirits do you think are in this room? ONE

22 I have given them the glory you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one.

• You can have all the bells and whistles of a huge organization but it will not prevail unless there is unity through the body of Christ.
• If love is absent… it will fail
• What is the glory of God?
• The awesomeness of the character of God which is the expression of the presence of God and which only draws attention to the person of God.
• Colossians 1:27 – 27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.[2]
• If that glory lives in me… I have access to that person. Just as you do.

23 I am in them and you are in me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.

• Jesus lives in me… and the Father in Jesus…
• God loves me just as much as He does the Son.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world’s foundation.
 - Two places at once… My citizenship is in heaven.
 - 2 Corinthians 3:18 - 18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.[3]
 - 2 Corinthians 3:14 - 14 but their minds were hardened. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ.[4]
 - What is being transformed? Our behavior
 - Making us into more spiritually mature humans.
 - Are we more holy? No… just in our behavior.
25 Righteous Father, the world has not known you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me.
 - The whole world knew the Father sent the Son because of the unity in the Church that is displayed.
26 I made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.”[5]

• They know some now but not as much as they will after Acts 2 – the Spirit coming.
• How confusing would this be for them?
• Jesus would be in them.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ps 119:9–11). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Col 1:27). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Co 3:18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Co 3:14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Jn 17:1–26). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

• Jesus has done everything He could in teaching His disciples.
• Now, all He can do is pray for them.
  
  

JESUS PRAYS FOR HIMSELF
John 17
1 Jesus spoke these things, looked up to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,
 - So Jesus could glorify the Father.
2 since you gave him authority over all flesh (people),

• God gave Jesus the ability to do miracles and continually escape the Pharisees in order for people to see that He truly is the Messiah.

so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.

• Jesus gave us eternal life but it originated through the Father.

3 This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ.

•  The essence of eternal life is the ability to know intimately the heart of God the Father and God the Son.

4 I have glorified you on the earth by completing the work you gave me to do.

• He glorified the Father by allowing the Father to work through Him.
• Every word that Jesus spoke was the Father’s word.
• Jesus knows even the hours to come are going to happen that He refers to them in past tense.
• The crucifixion, resurrection and ascension are included in these works.

5 Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with that glory I had with you before the world existed.

• Colossians 1:15 - He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.[1]
• Philippians 2:6-7 - who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.
• Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man, [2]
• Jesus Christ possessed the Glory of God from eternity past.
• This Glory that Jesus has always had was witnessed at the Mount of Transfiguration and will be witnessed again at the resurrection.
• Otherwise, the rest of Jesus’ earthly presence, the Glory that is His has been veiled.

JESUS PRAYS FOR HIS DISCIPLES
6 “I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

• Jesus has revealed Himself to the disciples.
• Jesus defends the disciples even though the chapter before he tells them they are going to scatter when Jesus is arrested.
• Jesus sees what they are going to do through the Spirit before it happens.

7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, 8 because I have given them the words you gave me. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.

• It’s like when a pastor just preaches a message and then closes the message by repeating the message and pleading with the audience to do as he taught them.
• Even though the disciples didn’t know (at that time), Jesus knew that they were going to know once the Spirit came.
• So pray as if you know what is to come.

9 “I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those you have given me, because they are yours.

• This verse destroys any universalist theology.
• When were they given to Jesus?
• The moment they believed they became “in Christ”.
• Once you are “in Christ” you are there from eternity past to eternity future.

10 Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I am glorified in them.

• Everything that belongs to the Father belong to the Son.
• Psalm 24:1-2 - The earth and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants, belong to the Lord;
• 2 for he laid its foundation on the seas and established it on the rivers.[3]
• “Them” – the disciples
• “glorified” – past tense… it already happened… even though they were going to scatter and didn’t understand what He was truly saying.
• Jesus saw their future and spoke about them because of their future.
• This totally opposite of our society, you make one mistake or even say the wrong word then you are cast aside.

11 I am no longer in the world (The crucifixion, resurrection & ascension is so for sure that Jesus speaks about it in past tense), but they are in the world (unredeemed world that is controlled by Satan), and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me (they are equal in character – same name), so that they may be one as we are one.

• How did Jesus keep the disciples in the Father’s name?
• Because He taught them about the Father.
• He didn’t give them 3 points and illustrations.
• He didn’t give them “responsibility”
• He didn’t give them Law.
• He taught them about His Father.
• If they know the Father’s Name… they would take on the Father’s character.
• If they take on the Father’s character then they become united.
• We try to create unity for the sake of unity rather than just knowing the Father.
• My friend Dale from Camp Zion drove 8 hours to hang out with our group for 3 hours because he saw something different in our group of people.

12 While I was with them, I was protecting them by your name that you have given me. I guarded them and not one of them is lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.

• Jesus was not surprised by Judas leaving the 12.
• He called it back in John 13

13 Now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy completed in them.

• Jesus taught them things they could not understand.
• But He knew that one day it would be revealed to them.
• This gives me, as a teacher, much hope.

14 I have given them your word. The world hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

• If the Holy Spirit reveals these things to you, you will not respond as the world responds.
• You will not set people aside.
• You will be considered “weird”, “a harborer of sinners”, “a sloppy thinker”, “a teacher/follower of a twisted Gospel.” (irony in that).

15 I am not praying that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

• All these disciples were martyred.
• He is asking that they never falter in what they believe or teach.
• Suffering will occur… but keep them faithful.

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

• Separated from the world – sanctified – holy – set apart.

17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

• Who sanctifies you? The Father.
• What does the Father use to sanctify you? Truth
• My person (soul/spirit) is sanctified.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Col 1:15). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Php 2:6–7). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ps 24:1–2). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

• We concluded last week at Luke 17 with Jesus answering a question about end times and His Second Coming.

• He continues this thought through the beginning of Luke 18 with a couple of parables.
• Jesus specifically is teaching about prayer because it will become important for the Jews.
  
  

Luke 18
THE PARABLE OF THE PERSISTENT WIDOW
1 Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people. 3 And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 “For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people, 5 yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them? 8 I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

• This parable is in reference to the Second Coming of Jesus and saving the remnant of Jews that is left and being pursued by the Antichrist at the end of the Tribulation.

 
THE PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’
13 “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’

• Repentance + Faith = Salvation

14 I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than the other; because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”[1]

• God is more concerned about the condition of your heart rather than what you are doing.

 
The subject of divorce:

• You are not going to find all your answers in the next 20-30 minutes.
• We will not cover all the Scriptures on divorce
• If you are considering divorce… seek wise counsel
• Don’t look for people to affirm what you want to do.

 
THE QUESTION OF DIVORCE
Matthew 19
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he departed from Galilee and went to the region of Judea across the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 3 Some Pharisees approached him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on any grounds?”

• Deuteronomy 24:1 - “If a man marries a woman, but she becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, he may write her a divorce certificate, hand it to her, and send her away from his house.” [2]
• Mishna (Page 321) Gittin 9.10

The School of Shammai say: A man may not divorce his wife unless he has found unchastity in her, for it is written, Because he hath found in her indecency in anything.
And the School of Hillel say: [He may divorce her] even if she spoiled a dish for him, for it is written, Because he hath found in her indecency in anything.
4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that he who created them in the beginning made them male and female,” 5 and he also said, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

• Instead of going back to Deuteronomy, Jesus went back to Genesis.
• What God did when He established the first marriage teaches us positively what He had in mind for a man and a woman.
• If we build a marriage after God’s ideal pattern, we will not have to worry about divorce laws.[3]
• It is between man and woman…
• Not man and his job…
• Not woman and her children…
• I choose to journey with my wife the rest of my days here on this earth.
• We reproduced children so they could do the same.
• For the last 24 years and 25 days, we have prepared our marriage for this very day.
• We are one flesh!

  
7 “Why then,” they asked him, “did Moses command us to give divorce papers and to send her away?”
8 He told them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of the hardness of your hearts, but it was not like that from the beginning. 9 I tell you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”

• Jeremiah 3:6-10 – 6 In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, “Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there. 7 I thought, ‘After she has done all these things, she will return to me.’ But she didn’t return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 I observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself. 9 Indifferent to her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees. 10 Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah didn’t return to me with all her heart—only in pretense.”

This is the Lord’s declaration. [4]

• The Jews will return to the Lord at His Second Coming.

 

• Malachai 2:10-16
  10     “Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?

11     “Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord which He loves and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
12     “As for the man who does this, may the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob everyone who awakes and answers, or who presents an offering to the Lord of hosts.

1.     “This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.

14     “Yet you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
15     “But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did that one do while he was seeking a godly offspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth.
16     “For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong,” says the Lord of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”[5]

• Why does God hate divorce?
• What is divorce?
• The act of divorce is not a legal document.
• The act of divorce is everything that leads up to separation of one flesh.
• Singleness – Everything is done for yourself.
• Dating/Courtship – You learn to do things to gratify one that you choose to love.
• Marriage – You become one flesh and it is about gratifying each other’s needs.
• Sexual intimacy is that wedding gift that physically says, “we are one flesh.”
• The act of divorce begins when you start acting as a separated flesh.
• In other words, you go back to doing things that gratifies yourself rather than your spouse.
• As for the sexual intimacy… some of you just stop… because you don’t want to… you don’t take into account your spouse’s needs.
• Others will go back to self-gratification through porn (guys like pictures, girls like words so the will read romantic novels that cause them to create a relationship with their spouse in their brain that they can never attain).
• Some will find self-gratification in another person.
• The self-gratification of intimacy is just one aspect of the act of divorce.
• There is the lack of communication as one flesh.
• There is the issue of money and possessions that come into play.
• There is in-laws and family that interfere with you being one flesh.

And it all leads down a selfish road of doing everything for yourself.
 
10 His disciples said to him, “If the relationship of a man with his wife is like this, it’s better not to marry.”

• You can assume that the disciples grew up under the discipleship of the School of Hillel.

11 He responded, “Not everyone can accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs who were made by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept it should accept it.” [6]

• Jesus speaks about the life of celibacy.

 
THE QUESTION OF DIVORCE
Mark 10
1 He set out from there and went to the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Then crowds converged on him again, and as was his custom he taught them again.
2 Some Pharisees came to test him, asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”
3 He replied to them, “What did Moses command you?”
4 They said, “Moses permitted us to write divorce papers and send her away.”
5 But Jesus told them, “He wrote this command for you because of the hardness of your hearts. 6 But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother 8 and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
10 When they were in the house again, the disciples questioned him about this matter. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. 12 Also, if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” [7]

• With this statement, Jesus just changed the Jewish law by saying the wife could divorce the husband.

Romans 8:1 - 1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.[8]

• I believe you have two choices:

1) Walk by your flesh (selfish)
2) Walk by the Spirit (live your life by another source)

• No one goes into marriage wanting divorce.
• Sometimes we walk in a season of flesh.
• Maybe, you just need some counsel in how to walk by the Spirit.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 18:1–14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Dt 24:1). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 68). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Je 3:6–10). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (Mal 2:10–16). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mt 19:1–12). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Mk 10:1–12). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Ro 8:1–2). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Luke 11
THE MODEL PRAYER
1 He was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.”

• All the Jewish prayers (Pharisaic Judaism) were read from a Jewish prayer book.
• Jesus prayed without reading.
• Matthew 6 – May 28, 2017 - #12

2 He said to them, “Whenever you pray, say,
Father, your name be honored as holy.
Your kingdom come.
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 And forgive us our sins,

• Pre-cross prayer.
• Hebrews 9:22 - “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.”
• How many times did that happen?
• Thanks for forgiveness
• Because this is “red Letter” it is still taught as necessary.
• Teach prayer on context

for we ourselves also forgive everyone
in debt to us.
And do not bring us into temptation.”
 
ASK, SEARCH, KNOCK

• Does God get tired of the same prayer requests?

5 He also said to them: “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him.’ 7 Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s shameless boldness (persistence), he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you.

• Keep praying.
• As a group… it intensifies.

10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

• Jesus just told the Pharisees they are quite the opposite of God.
• Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.[1]

 
A HOUSE DIVIDED
14 Now he was driving out a demon that was mute.

• What is special about this miracle?

When the demon came out, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds (multitude) were amazed.

• Only the Messiah could cast a demon out of a mute.
• The others casts demons out by calling on the name of the demons.
• Matthew 12 – Pharisees accused Jesus of doing this miracle under the power of Beelzebul.

15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”

• The crowds should have been rejoicing for the healing that took place… quite the opposite.
• Now the multitudes took on the belief system of their leaders.

16 And others, as a test, were demanding of him a sign from heaven.

• “All your miracles come from hell.”
• Now they were testing God.

17 Knowing their thoughts, he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.

• Same response as Matthew 12. (06/25/17)

18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?

• They were so illogical.
• If Jesus & Satan are on the same team, why would they be fighting against each other.
• Jesus just cast out a demon.

For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out?

• The Pharisees are doing very similar miracles and you are not condemning them.
• How do their works differ?

For this reason, they will be your judges. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his estate, his possessions are secure. 22 But when one stronger than he attacks and overpowers him, he takes from him all his weapons he trusted in, and divides up his plunder.

• Jesus has just described Himself as a hero.
• In a season of super hero movies… Jesus proves to be better than Marvel & DC combined.

23 Anyone who is not with me is against me, and anyone who does not gather with me scatters.

• Can you imagine Jesus eyeballing the crowd as He makes this last statement?
• You can’t stand here in the middle of the battle and not choose a side.
• Your indecision is your choice.

 
AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT’S RETURN
24 “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest, and not finding rest, it then says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ 25 Returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.”

• Two things here: 1) The healed person could have easily made no choice to pursue God and his situation became worse than before.
• 2) Jesus could easily be foreshadowing what was to come for His Jewish nation. John the Baptist came, Jesus came and indecision ruled. Destruction came in 70 AD.
• How much history would have been impacted if Jesus would not have come?

 
TRUE BLESSEDNESS
27 As he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the one who nursed you!”
28 He said, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”

• It is not about His earthly ties but His heavenly ties.
• Keep the Law…

 
THE SIGN OF JONAH
29 As the crowds were increasing,

• The disciples were impressed with the numbers (Luke recorded this) but Jesus was not.

he began saying: “This generation is an evil generation. It demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh (capital of Assyria), so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.

• What is the one sign they will see? Resurrection
• Lazarus
• Jesus

31 The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and look—something greater than Solomon is here.

• The Queen of Sheba came all the way from the south to hear the wisdom of Solomon, yet Jesus stands right in front of them and they cannot hear it.
• The Gentiles will end up judging the Jewish nation.

32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s preaching, and look—something greater than Jonah is here.

• Even the corrupt men of Nineveh believed and repented.

 
THE LAMP OF THE BODY
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is also full of light. But when it is bad, your body is also full of darkness.

• The brightest sun cannot enable a blind man to see.[2]

35 Take care, then, that the light in you is not darkness. 36 If, therefore, your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be entirely illuminated, as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
 
RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY DENOUNCED
37 As he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him. So he went in and reclined at the table. 38 When the Pharisee saw this, he was amazed that he did not first perform the ritual washing before dinner.

• What can you learn from this statement about the purpose of this invite/dinner?
• The Pharisee was looking for something to accuse Jesus.

39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and evil.

• Pharisees (religious people) have a tendency to draw their students to them personally.
• Therefore, they need to be perfect on the outside.
• Hollywood doesn’t want anything to do with people who “blow it”.

40 Fools! Didn’t he who made the outside make the inside too?

• the same God who created the outside also created the inside, the “inner person” that also needs cleansing (Ps. 51:6, 10).[3]


• Bob Warren taught there were 5 stages of growth:
• 1) You’re a heathen – Born spiritually dead and never had ears to hear or eyes to see and you are perfectly fine with that because it is your sinful nature. It is all about “me”.
• 2) You’re a religious person – You do all the good things to make yourself look good. You pray a prayer. You come to church, you keep the 10 commandments, etc. You realize you have a sinful nature.
• 3) You’re a new believer – You are here and waiting for God to fix all your bad behavior and change your life for you.
• 4) You understand your identity – You know you are a holy, righteous, forgiven saint but you are still waiting for God to align your behavior with who you know you are. God is going to give you the strength to fix myself (exterior).
• 5) You not only understand that you are a new creation but you also realize that it is God’s responsibility to change your behavior. “I can’t fix my behavior.” Then you trust and rest. This is real life.
• The way to clean up a dirty vocabulary is not to brush your teeth but to cleanse your heart.[4]

41 But give from what is within to the poor, and then everything is clean for you.
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! You give a tenth of mint, rue, and every kind of herb, and you bypass justice and love for God. These things you should have done without neglecting the others.

• Tithing and didn’t help those in need.

43 “Woe to you Pharisees! You love the front seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

• Pride

44 “Woe to you! You are like unmarked graves; the people who walk over them don’t know it.”

• You are causing people to fall into holes and die.

45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult us too.”
46 Then he said: “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, and yet you yourselves don’t touch these burdens with one of your fingers.
47 “Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 Therefore, you are witnesses that you approve the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their monuments. 49 Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that this generation may be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world--51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary.
“Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible.
52 “Woe to you experts in the law! You have taken away the key to knowledge. You didn’t go in yourselves, and you hindered those who were trying to go in.”

• Religious people will try to kill you.
• Religion will never change one’s heart.
• Religion only causes people to try to conform in their behavior and it is impossible.
• Religion will kill you.

53 When he left there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to oppose him fiercely and to cross-examine him about many things; 54 they were lying in wait for him to trap him in something he said.[5]

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Eph 1:3). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 217). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 217). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 217). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 11:1–54). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.