The Acts of the Apostles- part 2

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The themes of the book:

• The birth of Christianity
• The final rejection of God’s attempt to reach Israel through priests, judges, kings, prophets, and finally His Son
• The rise of the predominantly Gentile church

Approaches to Reading the Bible

• Read intellectually, literally as:
• History (Acts, Kings)
• Literature, poetry (Job, Psalms)
• Philosophy (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes)

• Read for its metaphors, symbolic meaning
• Example — Abraham nearly sacrificing Isaac

Rom 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things.

• Example –
• Joseph in the Old Testament, a “type” of Christ
• A faithful son
• A faithful servant
• A faithful sovereign
• A faithful savior

• Read to reveal spiritual truths and mysteries (The ram, a type of Christ—Christ the sacrifice for our sins—a mystery hidden from the Devil)

1 Cor 2:7-8 We speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 

• For application to our lives / practical

Prov. 10:19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,But he who restrains his lips is wise. Prov. 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many,But fools die for lack of wisdom. Col. 3: 9, 13 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds…¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 

• Read as meditation: speaking to God; hearing from God

Acts Chapter 1:

• The resurrected Jesus teaches the disciples for forty days
• Jesus ascends to heaven
• The apostles have an expectation that the kingdom of God will come immediately
• The eleven pick a twelfth apostle, Matthias

• The kingdom of God is both:
• A realm (a place)
• A reign (an authority)

• The Holy Spirit:
• Indwells for the benefit of the believer
• Empowers for the benefit of others

• Urim and Thummim in the OT—used to determine yes/no; guilt/innocence decisions
• How the priests and leaders heard from God in addition to prophetic words, dreams, and visions 
• Had something to do with the high priest’s breastplate, which was worn over his ephod or vest 

Acts Chapter 2

• The Holy Spirit falls at Pentecost
• The twelve are suddenly bold and filled with the Holy Spirit

• Peter preaches to the Jewish participants of the Feast of Weeks (Harvest), teaching that:
• The outpouring of the Holy Spirit they are witnessing fulfills Joel 2:28-32
• The Jews have crucified their king and Messiah
• All is not lost: if the Jewish nation repents, is baptized, and believes, Jesus will return 

• Thousands initially respond to the gospel

• The visitors at Pentecost were Hellenistic Jews and Jewish proselytes
• Hellenistic Jews were followers of the Jewish religion in areas outside of Judea, in the regions that once were Alexander the Great’s empire (died in 323 BC)  
• The Hebrew OT was translated into Greek (Septuagint)- between 200- 132 BC in Alexandria, Egypt   

• The four languages of 1^st Century Palestine
• Hebrew
• Aramaic (common language) -- the Hebrew dialect that developed in Palestine after the Babylonian captivity
• There were two major dialects of Aramaic:
• Eastern (Chaldean or Babylonian) 
• Western (Mesopotamian or Palestinian--also called Syriac.
• Greek
• Latin 

• The New Testament was written in Greek but includes a few Aramaic words such as:
• Abba
• Rabboni
• Beelzebub
• Golgotha
• Eloi, Eloi, lama Sabachthani (Ps. 22:1-2)
• Hosanna 

• A summary of Peter’s first sermon:

1. Jesus performed miracles
2. He was “delivered into the hands of lawless men (the Romans)”
3. He was crucified and resurrected
4. David prophesied about this: that the Messiah would die but His body would not suffer decay (Ps. 16:10)
5. This Psalm cannot be referring to David himself, for David did die, and his body saw corruption 
6. The one who is spoken of in the Psalm must be the Messiah, Jesus

• Repent: Greek: metanoeo: to have another mind, to change the mind

• Features of the early church: fellowship, prayer, preaching, doctrine, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, miracles, signs and wonders

Acts Chapter 3

• Summary
• The Holy Spirit through Peter and John heals a lame man
• Peter teaches that if Israel repents and receives Jesus
• Then Jesus will return to restore the glory of Israel
• And Jesus will usher in the millennial period promised by the Old Testament prophets

• Peter’s second sermon to the crowd at the temple:

1. Jesus is the Messiah
2. It is in His name the man was healedThe God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob glorified, certified Jesus by His resurrection
3. Unfortunately, God’s chosen people, the nation Israel, rejected and crucified Him
4. He is the Prince of Life (offers eternal life, the promise of our resurrection)
5. He is God’s Servant predicted in the Old Testament

• Peter promises a “time of refreshing,” a soon return of Christ and a worldwide blessing
• But this depends on the repentance of Israel
• A restoration of glorious, ruling Israel
• A theocracy under the authority of David’s Son

• Restoration: Greek: apokatastasis

• The returning Messiah would fulfill God’s promises to:
• Abraham
• David   
• The nation Israel; that it would:
• Rule the nations around it
• Evangelize the earth
• Establish:
• Justice
• Peace
• Health
• Long life

Gen. 12:2-3; 2 Sam 7:16; Jer. 23:5-6; Zech. 8: 20-23; Is. 42:4; Is. 11:6-9; Hos. 2:18; Micah 4:3; Is 65:20

• Peter presents Jesus as the second Moses (Dt. 18:18)

• Peter encourages the Jewish nation to repent and receive their Messiah, Jesus

Acts Chapter 4

• Summary:
• The first persecution of the Church begins
• Peter and John are arrested by the Sanhedrin and forbidden from preaching Jesus
• The believers together are filled a second time with the Holy Spirit
• The believers experience the kingdom of heaven on earth, sharing property and goods in common

• The first persecution arises from the Sanhedrin:
• The Jewish ruling body: like the Supreme Court
• Members of the Sanhedrin were mostly Sadducees, with some Pharisees 71 elders including the high priest
• With a smaller council of 23

• The religious beliefs of the Sadducees
• There is no “fate”
• Man has free will
• Souls are not immortal
• There is no afterlife, and no rewards or penalties after death

• Peter boldly addresses the Sanhedrin proclaiming that:
• Jesus is the Messiah
• There is salvation only in His name
• He is the rejected “cornerstone” of Ps. 118: 22-24

• Peter tells the Sanhedrin that he must preach the truth about Jesus despite their threats

• The young Christian community responds to the persecution by asking for boldness, not protection

• The Lord sends a second filling or empowering of the Holy Spirit to the fellowship

• The Church has grown to 5000 men plus their households

• The Church shares goods and property, making sure no one is in need

• Barnabas, a wealthy Jew from Cyprus, joins the Church

Acts of the Apostles- part 1

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Luke, the physician and friend of Paul, wrote the book of Acts

• Acts is the sequel to the gospel of Luke

About Luke

• The only Gentile author of the New Testament
• Wrote in koine Greek; used the Septuagint for his Old Testament verses
• A physician
• Believed to be a native of Antioch in Syria
• Likely knew Barnabas, Mark, and Paul in the early days of the Antioch church (40’s AD)
• Traveled with Paul on part of his 2^nd and 3^rd missionary journeys and on the trip to Rome (51, 58-61 AD)
• Stayed with Mnason in Jerusalem at the end of the third missionary journey where he met James, Jesus’ half-brother (58 AD)
• Stayed for two years in Caesarea during Paul’s trials before Felix/Festus/Agrippa II where he likely met Philip the Evangelist (58-60 AD 

The divisions of the book:

• Chapters 1-7—witnessing in Jerusalem
• Chapters 8-12—witnessing in Judea and Samaria
• Chapters 13-28—witnessing throughout the Roman world

The significant people in the first 12 chapters are:

• Peter
• Stephen
• Philip
• James the half-brother of Jesus

The significant people in the final 16 chapters are:

• Paul
• Barnabas
• Silas

The themes of the book:

• The birth of Christianity
• The final rejection of God’s attempt to reach Israel through priests, judges, kings, prophets, and finally His Son
• The rise of the predominantly Gentile church

Summary of Chapter 1:

• The resurrected Jesus teaches the disciples for forty days
• Jesus ascends to heaven
• The apostles have an expectation that the kingdom of God will come immediately
• The eleven pick a twelfth apostle, Matthias

The kingdom of God is both:

• A realm (a place)
• A reign (an authority)

The Holy Spirit:

• Indwells for the benefit of the believer
• Empowers for the benefit of others

Urim and Thummim in the OT—used to determine yes/no; guilt/innocence decisions

• How the priests and leaders heard from God in addition to prophetic words, dreams, and visions 
• Had something to do with the high priest’s breastplate, which was worn over his ephod or vest 

And Having Done All, Stand [a study of Ephesians 6:10-20] part 6

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In previous studies of this series, we talked about the importance of recognizing that we are in a real battle against unseen forces of evil and the nature of that battle.  We considered the value of being inwardly empowered by the DUNAMIS of God and how to go about it.  Two studies ago, we looked at putting on the belt of truth, and most recently we talked about the breastplate of righteousness.  Today we turn our attention to having our feet shod "with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's scheme.... Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then... with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. [Eph. 6:11,13,14a,15, NIV]

The real issue is not about the analogy of dressing our feet but the promise of a supernatural peace that is part and parcel of the good news. That said, there is one primary point to take away from the analogy, which the Amplified Version expresses very well:

 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.

What is peace?

• EIRENE- essentially means peace and tranquility; a condition free from disturbance, whether outwardly, as of a nation from war or enemies, or inwardly, within the soul

According to Scripture, the EIRENE of God impacts the believer's life in three dimensions:

• Peace with God because our conscience is assured of salvation through Christ (Rom. 5:1)
• Peace that is to affect our relationships with other people (Eph. 2:13-14; 4:1-3)
• Peace within, a state of freedom from anxiety and inner turmoil regardless of outward circumstances

[John 14:27, ESV] Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

This third dimension, I believe,  is the point Paul is addressing in Ephesians 6:15.

The peace of God is tangible, meaning it can be experienced emotionally, physically and spiritually... and it can be given and received.

• Someone walks into a hospital room where bad news has just been delivered and their very presence shifts the atmosphere from fear and panic to hope and a quiet trust.  That is the peace of God.
• Someone facing seemingly insurmountable financial problems has been in emotional turmoil all week, but as they walk into the church building they immediately feel at rest.  That is the peace of God.
• Someone facing the strain of a crisis in their marriage relationship is unable to shake overwhelming feelings of confusion and hopelessness, but when they go into their prayer closet and sit in the presence of the Lord faith rises in their heart and they can think clearly.  That is the peace of God.

[Matt 10:11-13, ESV] And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart.  ¹² As you enter the house, greet it.  ¹³ And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 

[Luke 10:5-6, ESV] Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!'  ⁶ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 

[John 20:19-21, ESV] On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."

[John 20:26, ESV] Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 

[2 Thess 3:16, ESV] Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

Why is peace important to spiritual warfare?

While most of the worry and anxiety we experience is a natural response to life circumstances, if anxiety becomes chronic it can open a door through which the enemy can establish a stronghold of fear. That said, the opposite is also true. Knowing our weak points, the enemy can orchestrate circumstances designed to produce worry and anxiety within us, then release a spirit of fear to inflame our hearts with anxious thoughts and panicky emotions. Either way, worry and anxiety are important weapons in Satan's arsenal because they hinder our ability to trust God and our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and fellowship with the Lord. Science has also proven that chronic anxiety is a major cause of many sicknesses and diseases.  

Consider the following Scriptures from a "schemes of the devil" perspective:

[Luke 10:41-42, ESV] But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, ⁴² but one thing is necessary.  Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." 

[Luke 8:14, ESV] "And as for what fell among thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature." 

[Luke 21:34, ESV]"But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap."

Read Matthew 6:19-34.  Jesus is not addressing greed in the passage, but the very human tendency to worry about material provision.  It is in this context that we understand verse 21: "For where your treasure is there your heart will be also."  Worry (in this case, worry about material things) can cause our heart to shift away from treasuring first the kingdom of God, which has always been Satan's primary objective.

How do we get the peace of God?

First  we must recognize that it is promised to us as a kingdom provision.  If we do not know that it belongs to us, we will not confidently access it.

[John 14:27, ESV] "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." 

[John 16:33, ESV] I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." 

[Rom 14:17, ESV] For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Knowing that peace is ours to access, we very simply and practically make an exchange through prayer - the issue that is causing anxiety for God's promised peace.

[Phil 4:6-7, ESV] ... do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

[1 Pet. 5:7, NIV] Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 

[Ps. 55:22, NIV] Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

How do we keep the peace of God?

[Col 3:15a, ESV] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts....

• BRABEUO- to act as an umpire, hence to arbitrate, decide, rule; to control the activity of someone, based presumably upon correct judgment and decision

[Isa 26:3-4, ESV] You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.⁴ Trust in the Lord forever,for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. 

[Rom 8:5-6, ESV] For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 

[Phil 4:8-9, ESV] Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. 

And Having Done All, Stand [a study of Ephesians 6:10-20] part 5

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As a reminder, this passage has one primary objective:

Eph. 6:13, NIV
...that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

The passage also offers three keys for reaching that objective:

• Recognizing the reality that we are in a real battle against unseen forces of evil
• Being strengthened by the Lord and the power of his might
• Utilizing the full armor provided to us by God

In the previous study, we talked about putting on the belt of truth. In this study, we consider the breastplate of righteousness.

Eph. 6:11,13-14, ESV Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.... Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all , to stand firm. Stand therefore... having put on the breastplate of righteousness.

• ENDUSASTHE- from ENDUO, to put on, to enter into, to get into; as putting on clothes

Speaking of the use of ENDUO in this passage, Rick Renner writes:

Paul uses the imperative tense in this text. This means he is not making a suggestion; rather, he is issuing the very strongest kind of command that can be given. In the strongest tone available, Paul is commanding us with great urgency to take a particular kind of immediate action.

What is Renner saying? That though the armor is the Lord's and is fully available to us, without our active engagement it will remain dormant. 

The breastplate of righteousness is God's provision for protecting the believer's heart against the vicious accusations of the enemy.

Prov. 4:23, HCSBGuard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.

Remember that Paul is addressing how the believer can stand against the deceptive scheming and vicious attacks of the kingdom of darkness. Two primary Greek words are used to describe the ruler of this evil kingdom:

• DIABLOLOS- an accuser; one who attacks the reputation of another; an adversary (see John 8:44)
• KATEGOROS- a prosecutor or plaintiff in a lawsuit; one who speaks in a derogatory way against another (see Rev. 12:10-12)

These definitions give insight into the nature of the attacks can be expected. some of which include:

• slanderous accusations against the mind and emotions
• condemning thoughts and false emotions of unworthiness
• feelings of worthlessness
• hopelessness with regard to an overcoming life

The breastplate of righteousness is designed by our heavenly Father to protect our hearts from such attacks.

In a manner of speaking, the breastplate of righteousness is part of our new identity through Jesus.

2 Cor. 5:21, ESV
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

To quote Rick Renner, from Dressed to Kill:

...when you know that God has made you righteous - when you have the breastplate of righteousness fixed firmly in place - it doesn't matter how many arrows the enemy shoots against you because not one arrow will penetrate. No word of condemnation, no false allegation, and no guilty thought will penetrate your heart or lodge in your mind when you are walking in your breastplate of righteousness.

The breastplate of righteousness also provides access the supernatural confidence necessarily to live a victorious life.

Rom. 5: 17b, ESV...much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

To quote Rick Renner again:

This verse is saying that when a believer finally grabs hold of the truth that God has graciously imparted righteousness to him, that knowledge changes him. He no longer view himself as a little, unimportant, defeated believer. He is so affected in his attitude that he begins to move with assurance from a life of chronic defeat to a life of reigning in life life a king.By developing an attitude of righteousness in your life and learning how to view yourself through the work of the Cross, you will receive a divine impartation of confidence and boldness that will always put you on the winning side of victory!

How do we 'put on' the breastplate of righteousness? It is activated through faith.

Rom. 3:21-22, ESV But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it - the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

Derek Prince writes:

[Paul] spoke of the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. That is the kind of righteousness that he had in mind when he spoke about the breastplate of righteousness that protects the heart..... We must be convinced from Scripture and accept by faith that we have become the righteousness of God. That is the only kind of breastplate that can adequately protect our hearts and our lives.