Paul: Total Commitment - Acts 9

This is a timely lesson in that it is just five more days until it will be our American Independence Day, July 4, 2008. This is one of the most important holidays for all of us older citizens that were born and raised under the American flag. Recently there has been a heavy infiltration of foreigners that did not all come to America for the sole purpose of sharing in our freedom. This freedom was bought with a heavy price; and it has been maintained for over two hundred years because of the millions that have served this country in the armed services; scores of which paid the supreme price. I personally think that our immigration policy should have always demanded that all immigrants swear allegiance to America, its constitution and flag, and agree to speak the English language, and accept our schools, and our police and court systems. They should agree to adjust to our way of life and not ask us to make changes that cater to them. Admittedly many have made this their home of choice and should be commended; but sadly, many have not and should be deported. They should have to pay the price for their non-commitment, and there should be no exceptions. There is no such creature as an “UNCOMMITTED IMMIGRANT:” They are ‘ILLEGIAL ALLIENS.”

Paul is the best example that can be given of a foreigner that paid the supreme price for his privilege to change from a Roman born/Jewish citizen, hired and supported by the Sanhedrin court system, to become a Christian and a member of the Early Church. This lesson is about commitment. I have already stated how important I believe it is to be committed to the USA; and as important as that is, total commitment to Jesus Christ is a far greater cause. And you should note that failure to commit to Him carries a far greater penalty than being deported. The penalty is total separation from God forever.

The scriptures teach that some converts will be saved as by fire. I believe that it is referring to those who repent of their sin of unbelief and accept Christ as savior but never fulfill the total commitment that God expects of each one of us. There are those that are not regular in their attendance at church; many limit attendance to the Sunday morning worship. [For some it may be only at Christmas time or the annual Easter service.] Some never serve the Lord and Church in any capacity, never tithe; and give sparingly; and have never shared their faith with the lost. This is far from total commitment. If you are one that feels some guilt in your lack of meaningful service, I challenge you to read and study the life of Saul of Tarsus before he met Christ on the Damascus Road and then continue to study the apostle Paul and the difference in his life following his conversion to Christ and commitment to the Church of his Lord. Many believe that Paul’s life emulated the life of Christ more closely than any other man in history.

As you study the life of this man remember that he has two names—he was born as Saul, named for King Saul, and remained Saul until his conversion on the road to Damascus when Jesus changed his name to Paul. In order to prevent any misunderstanding, I will use the name Paul continuously.

Paul was the Hebrew of all Hebrews during the AD period. He was specially qualified for his great work. Paul was born in one of the most famous university cities of the Gentile world, Tarsus. He retained the sacred speech of the Jews and maintained the strict Hebrew traditions concerning their holy city, their Temple and their law. He was also an expert in the Greek language and literature and had learned from his child hood about the importance of the trade, culture, religions and philosophies of foreign lands.

Paul was trained from childhood according to Mosaic requirements and received his early education from the secluded school of the synagogue and then graduated from the sacred Jerusalem College. In addition, and one of his greatest assets, he was a free born Roman Citizen. Either his father or grandfather had been enslaved by Pompey, and then was enfranchised by adoption into some noble Roman family. Then by inheritance Paul could say that he was a Roman citizen. Then he could work as a Jew, accepted and trusted by his piers but also protected in a special way by his Roman citizenship.

As a Parisian Paul [Saul] was a legalist, that is he only recognized and practiced obedience to the Law of Moses. According to the law he lived a blameless life. He was dedicated. He practiced what he believed and he honestly thought that he was living a blameless life. He too could say… I thank God that I am not as other men; I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I possess; I am committed. Both as Saul and Paul he obeyed the dictates of his conscience in matters of right and wrong. He was a sincere person from childhood to death. He allowed nothing to beguile him into doing anything that he thought was wrong and was never restrained from doing what he honestly believed to be the right thing to do. Can you honestly say that you follow your convictions without any exceptions? There is no doubt that he was chosen by Jesus as his disciple simply because the Lord knew that he could always be trusted to do what was right. Now the only thing Jesus had to do was to show him what was right under Grace and not law.

Just imagine the nerve and pure guts it required for Paul to admit to all the world [especially the Jews] and I quote him: “Though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly and in unbelief.” Then continued saying: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifices for sins…[Hebrews 10].”

Before conversion, Paul held Stephen’s coat and approvingly watched as he was stoned to death. Then in 2 Corinthians eleven and early in Paul’s ministry—Christ said “I will show him how great things he must suffer for my sake.” Then a list of those sufferings appear; “In stripes above measure..,
Five times the Jews whipped me with thirty-nine lashes; Three time I was beaten with rods; I was stoned [like Stephen was] but not to death; I suffered three shipwrecks and spent a night and a day in the water; I suffered the perils of rivers, robbers, my countrymen, the gentiles, the city, the wilderness, the sea, and false brethren. I have gone hungry, thirsty, cold and naked. Then he said that these things that were without were nothing compared to the suffering daily with anxiety for all the new churches.

Christ was in the garden only one time when he prayed “let this cup pass” but Paul had a thorn in his side too, and he prayed three times that God would remove the thorn...the thorn was never removed…but he did receive a promise that God’s Grace would suffice. Finally, do you realize that Paul wrote his own gospel without the aid from Matthew, Mark, Luke or John because they had not been written for him to read? The rest of the lesson.

9:1- Following the stoning of Stephen, Paul went zealously about the persecution of the church. One may ask why? a] To return those that had broken the Jewish law and fled to other countries. b] To prevent the spread of Christianity to other cities. c] To prevent Christians from causing trouble with Roman rule. d] To build Paul’s career as a Pharisee. Or e] To unify the different factions of the Jews by giving all a common enemy.
9:3- On his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, Jesus Christ met and greeted Paul in an unforgettable way and he continued on with blinded eyes and a broken spirit; and thus he remained until he was greeted by Ananias, a Christian who called him brother; and then explained what had happened to him and why. God uses different approaches to get a sinner’s attention. A good man, and our friend, Fred Gachot, was my fishing buddy—and one day while we were fishing he told me about his conversion. He gave his life to Christ while one leg was hung under a bush-hog with part of his foot already missing. The motor was still running when he went under the mower, then it stopped miraculously. When help came the key was still in the on position, Many times conversion comes as a quiet experience; however it comes it brings the beginning of a new life of TOTAL COMMITMENT.

Paul tells us that this was the beginning of his new life. He did not experience a vision, but instead he actually met and talked to Jesus—for this reason he was made blind, because the bible teaches that no man can look into the face of God and live [1Cor. 9:1, 15:8. Gal. 1:15-16 and Acts 9: 17]. True conversion never comes without a personal encounter with Jesus Christ that leads to a personal relationship with the Savior. Saul thought he was arresting heretics—but he was persecuting Jesus. Listen…any one who persecutes Christians today are also guilty of persecuting Christ because we are the body of Christ on earth today [Matt. 25: 40-45].

Be very careful who you condemn, the first thought Ananias had was that there was no way Paul could be coming to him as a Christian; but he did and about this we can have no doubts. There is no place in God’s word where we are assured that true salvation will prevent the hardships of this life. In contrast the life of Paul proves that the more zealous one is, the more he may be asking to bear. The meeting between these two men proves that we who are experienced in the way are obligated to meet, greet and provide a caring shoulder on which they may lean. There is no mention of Paul being filled with the Holy Spirit but there is no way Paul could have done the things he did without the power of the Spirit in and on his life. When a sinner is saved the Holy Spirit enters his life; with some it may be a spectacular event, but more often He is viewed when you watch a life of commitment, when you see a heart of compassion and love and when you experience the helpfulness that comes from Christian hands.

9:20-Immediately after his conversion Paul went to the synagogue and started witnessing to his Jewish friends who were unbelievers. New converts may not know the bible well enough to preach or teach but they know what has happened in their life, and sometimes that is all that it takes to reach the lost. The last part of this chapter is a recount of how the disciples in Jerusalem were at first afraid of Paul, but became convinced. The Grecian Jews plotted to kill him and he had to make his first escape to save his life. Then it closes with the stories of Peter’s healing of Aeneas, a polio victim of eight years; and raising Tabitha [Dorcas] from the dead.

Philip: Consistency - Acts 8

The job of winning souls for Christ can be compared to the job of a master gardener. Without consistency there will be no success. My father had the time and patience to grow a beautiful and productive garden first because he knew that it was necessary for our family to have the food we needed to exist; and second because he had learned from experience that each step in the plan was just as important as the one before or after.

The ground had to be tilled in order to remove the impaction and clods and to bring the moisture to the surface that would permit the seed to germinate consistently. The outcome will always depend upon the quality of seed that are planted. He would save seed from his best vines and stalks to be used the following year or maybe two years and then he would buy new seed that had been improved and had been grown in another location. Garden seed are somewhat like cattle in that inbreeding will destroy quality.

Proper minerals to enhance quick and steady growth had to be added at the appropriate time. [In our day this usually meant the spreading of manure from the barn or chicken litter.] The moisture had to be maintained either by natural rain fall or by irrigation. [In our day this usually meant the hauling of water in barrels from Raft Creek.] Weeds, grass, and insects were the tormentors and they never ceased to appear; especially when the fertilizer and water was applied to the soil. So there was a continuous need to cultivate, hoe and poison over and over as needed to prevent impaction and to remove the tormentors. There was a time schedule involved and to miss one of the processes would always diminish the needed results.

Witnessing to lost people is somewhat like growing a garden and far too many of us are not consistent about it, if the gardener never plants the seed, he will only harvest from the tares. If we never approach the lost with the message of Christ we cannot expect to harvest a soul. There are many processes, ways or opportunities that appear each day that we must take advantage of and consistently use as our means of starting our soul winning program. Samuel Gordon once said, “The way from God to a human heart is through a human heart.”

The most important preparation of the groundwork is that we live the life of example before our neighbors, friends and especially the unsaved that watch our every move. We must be consistent in living for Christ each day. Most of us are not consistent about taking advantage of every opportunity we have to witness. Why? I think it is our habit of following the crowd…doing as others do. We just don’t think about sharing the gospel while at work or play, at the grocery store or barbershop, at the gym or on the golf course, and especially to strangers that we may meet on a plane, bus, or in a motel lobby. The most important question we may ever ask a stranger is—“do you know Jesus Christ?” Oh yes, we may receive a caddy answer, or be completely ignored; but remember this—the blood of that person will not be on our hands. Do we have examples of how? Yes. “ Stephen and Phillip.”

Luke started in Acts to give us a narrative of the young church. Last Sunday he interrupted the story to tell us about Stephen, the first deacon and one of the greatest preachers. Today he has interrupted again to tell us about Phillip, the second deacon, and one of the greatest evangelist. Whether it is preaching, evangelism, or just witnessing, the key to Godly approved ministry is always going to be the combination of consistency & dedication. Leading the lost to Christ requires that we be ready when the opportunity arises, that we be able to recognize the opportunity, and be ready and fearless, always able to know and use God’s word and claim the power of the Holy Spirit.

Allow me to clear up a point that could become disputable. Above I stated that Stephen was the second of the deacons chosen to serve. In Matt. 10, Mark 3, Luke 6 and Acts 1 you will find that Philip is listed as one of the twelve apostles. The question is, could this Philip, the apostle be the same as the Philip here in Acts 8? I don’t think so, because in Acts 8:1 we are told that the persecution caused everyone [except the apostles] to leave their homes and run for their lives. This Philip was one that left Jerusalem and went to the city of Samaria where he proclaimed Christ; therefore he was not Philip the disciple, but the deacon. Also, in 8:14, it states that the apostles at Jerusalem heard about Philips success in Samaria they sent Peter and John there to support the new Christians.

When the white men discovered America, they found a great number of different tribes of Indians who all already had their gods. They had great faith and worshipped sincerely but in error because they had never been introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ. When Philip reached Samaria he found that a great number of these people had already chosen the man they would follow because of the magic things he was able to do. His name was Simon, a magician or sorcerer who dominated the thinking of the Samaritans and had many thinking that he had the power of God working for him. In this example we see that people have always been willing to trust the demonstration of evil power simply because it is convincing and they do not have the answer as to why it works.

Here is another example, and a perfect explanation as to why God gave these early disciples, and preachers [who had all been in the presence of Christ] the ability to perform miracles. Without this ability, Philip would have been in trouble trying to get the people to believe him instead of Simon. Philip used the power of the Holy Spirit to perform greater miracles and the people believed him, accepted Christ and were baptized.

When Simon saw that he couldn’t beat him he joined him—but it was only through pretence and without repentance and belief. The way we know this is that when Peter, James, and John came to Samaria to support Philip they continued to perform great miracles and Simon approached them with the idea of buying from them this new power that made these things possible. It is easy to deduce from his intentions that he was only interested in building himself up so he could compete with the work of the Holy Spirit. The bible is so very clear on this point—the Holy Spirit, fellowship with Jesus Christ, nor the plan of salvation can be bought; it is received by grace [free] through faith [personal and individually] and no other way.

It may be of interest here to note the similarity between two similar stories one in the OT and this one in the NT. There was an occasion when Joseph was called before Pharaoh, in Egypt and put to test. Moses cast his staff on the floor of the King’s temple and it became a snake. This did not amuse the Pharaoh one bit, he simply demanded his magicians to do likewise. They were able to match the incident and produced snakes that immediately crawled about on the floor. So nothing was decided. No one had the advantage. Until—Moses’ snake ate the snakes that the magicians had produced. Minds changed, and even the Pharaoh was made to believe that Moses had a greater power though unseen.

This is exactly what happened here in Samaria, Simon had his snakes working for him until Philip and the disciples showed up with miracles that were far superior to those performed by Simon. Some ask, why do these kinds of miracles not appear today? To me, the answer is very simple; we have the Inspired Word of God that tells us that God has these great powers. It tells us that God used miracles to prove himself in olden times and we now know that they existed and that it is not necessary for us to have them demonstrated to us in order for us to have the faith to believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. Because we have his word, we know and do not need demonstrations, only faith.

Evangelists today are unhappy when the stadium is not full, and when the offering does not meet their expectation. I wonder how many would go if their instructions was as the one given to Philip by the angel that simply told him to hit the desert road south of Samaria that goes down to Gaza? Philip did not hesitate, question the size of congregation that would await him or ask what his pay would be. The incident tells us that he could preach to the multitudes in the big city or to one lonely eunuch; all he needed was a soul searching for his master.

There is a miracle here that could well happen today to any of us. Phillip. a stranger, was invited to ride along in this royal chariot. A sinner may ask you to ride with them to Little Rock tomorrow. The rest of the opportunity must be created by you. Phillip climbed into the chariot and found the man trying to read and understand the passage in Isaiah where he prophesied about the coming Messiah and how his own people would take his life rather than follow him. He did not understand it but he wanted to and he was ready for someone to explain it to him.

He not only accepted the Lord but demanded that Philip baptize him in water that was found along the road, a pond or river. Now the eunuch had not read and studied the bible as we have so there was a need to make this incident in his life one that he would never forget. The Holy Spirit reached down and lifted Philip out into space and this had to make an impression on the eunuch.

If you go to Little Rock with your friend and on the way home you are able to win him to Christ, do not expect to be lifted out of his car and vanish into space…it will not happen. But, what you must do is convince him that the word of God is true and is for his guidance. Tell him that he will find everything necessary to strengthen his faith and help him to grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. There will be no more signs to guide you, just read and believe God’s Word which is the road map of the way.

Stephen: Boldness- Acts 6:1 - 8:3

Is there a name that stands out as one of the boldest Christians that you know? There is not just one, but many that have crossed my path that is eighty three years old and heavily traveled. There is always danger when one starts naming names—the danger comes from two directions—some will be named that the readers will not agree with and then there is always the danger of leaving out the very one that deserves recognition most. Danger or no danger, I must recall a few that are from our church family that stand out as bold Christians.

Pat Sowell, was one of this church’s stalwart defenders, he and his wife made this a better church and his super care for others is just now being tested. Walter Aldridge, with all his personal health problems and the loss of his wife has remained God’s picture of what a Christian should be. Gene Cartwright has had more than one of life’s supreme tests and passed with one of God’s top scores. Mary Gachot has born more than her share of life’s sorrows and still remains willing to give her best to her church. D. J. Haney left us a family of supporters as his gift to this church. Betty Keeter and Kay Lambert were two of the most wonderful keepers of the faith and an inspiration to all of us. Louis Lee stands out as a young man that is completely dedicated to God’s will for him and finally there is John Barber, older and willing to spend so much of his time helping others who have needs. {I know. I left you out, and you deserved to be mentioned.}

The writers of the NT left out several names that were eligible to be mentioned as bold and fearless Christians when they zeroed in on Stephen, but they could not have found anyone that would have better fit the mold. We pray for The Lord’s return before any of us has to prove our faith by paying the price that Stephen paid. It is our prayer also that the example that Stephen left will inspire us to exhibit boldness in our life for Christ.

Do you realize why the church always seems to be embroiled in some kind of problem; like the one that cost Stephen his life? Problems, difficulties and set-backs are surely not new. It started with the first church that was established by Christ while He was on earth; and that church had problems because its membership consisted of a bunch of sinners saved by grace who still had the old sin nature that started in the garden with Adam and Eve. The apostles were among the first members and if you will read about their walk with Christ, you will find that He was continually correcting them and admonishing them about both their thoughts and actions. It is important that your grasp this truism; though not perfect, there is no doubt that Christ was proud of his twelve chosen apostils by the time of this writing. He does not require us to be perfect; just perfectly willing to worship and serve Him.

During the period covered by Acts, about 30 to 60 AD, a great number of Hebraic Jews and Grecian Jews had joined the church. During those days the life of a Christian was no bed of roses, primarily because of the opposition of the Sadducees and the Pharisees and their supporters…The same crowd that had crucified Christ. One of their main concerns was that they had to be self-supporting and many were poor people, even to the point of needing food. The early church had to resort to a plan where those that had wealth had to share a part of it to care for those who had nothing. A common fund was established which was administered by the church leaders, primarily the apostles, to help those with the greatest needs and this was generally the widows and children.

Who was this man, Stephen? He was one of the seven first deacons that were called and set aside to handle the distribution of a fund that was established to take care of the Grecian widows who were thought to be left out of the distribution of the common fund. The majority of the church was made up Jewish converts. The Greek members accused the Jewish Christians of being unfair in the distribution of aid to the Greek needy. Accepting the doctrine of Grace and faith, the Jewish leadership authorized the appointment of the seven new deacons that would be responsible and all of those chosen had Grecian backgrounds.

Stephen was one of the seven leaders that were chosen to guarantee fairness.
He was known as one with spiritual qualities of grace, faith, wisdom, and power because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life. Stephen was an outstanding leader, teacher and a great debater…You need to read his message in chapter seven delivered in his own defense. HE WAS AN ORATOR. And he was the first member of the early church that gave his life as a martyr.

Baptists believe that deacons are called to serve tables; and those tables are the tables of the poor [as represented by the widows], the table of the Lord’s supper when it is practiced in remembrance of the body and blood of Christ sacrificed for sinners, the table of the church which serves members physically and spiritually and the table of the Pastor, when his load is heavy and he needs prayer and support to do his work in the church.

It is obvious that Stephen was strong in his beliefs and leadership and his ability to defend his faith. Chapter 7 is too long for me to go into verse by verse, but YOU REALLY SHOULD READ THIS CHAPTER, you can easily understand what he is telling the Sanhedrin court, especially where they are failing to follow the very law that they are claiming to uphold. The first organized opposition came from the Synagogue of the Freedmen. This group was made up of a group of imprisoned Jews that had been set free by the Roman courts and formed their own synagogue in Jerusalem, and their primary allegiance was to the Pharisees and Sadducees who were in power in the temple and other synagogues of Jerusalem. The charge against Stephen was that he was speaking blasphemy against Moses.

There is no way to know for sure just how many people of all nationalities had joined the new church movement by the time that Stephen got into trouble. It appears from the writing that the group at this time was made up of Jews and some Greek…and there could have been a few others. One thing is obvious and that is that the movement had not moved very far beyond the walls of Jerusalem.

It already appears to most of us that the arrest, trial and stoning of Stephen was another charge that could be laid at the feet of the Jewish leadership. If we read no further than chapter seven, we could never understand why this event had to happen. God works in mysterious way, some that we never understand; but we can be sure that no Christian has ever been ask to give more for the cause of Christ than He was willing to give for us.

This tragic moment in the life of the church—epitomized by the death of Stephen marks a new beginning in the life of the church that may not have happened had this event never happened. Three of the greatest new movements resulted. God used this man and his sacrifice to start the spread of the Gospel into the entire world. Think through this on your own and you may be able to understand that we should never be in doubt about our worth as we sacrifice ourselves to God’s plan.

1. The church started in the upper room in Jerusalem. Then it begins to spread over the city as the apostils traveled about preaching and teaching. Peter and John are an example as they went to the temple to pray and healed the lame man on the way. No doubt they had already gained many converts, but all lived in the city and had no reason to move. They were still not loyal enough to Christ to just decide on their own that they should leave home and go to another nation to witness. So God made it happen.

On the day that Stephen was stoned to death, Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him and a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem. Now the wrath was not just against Stephen and the apostles, but it included each and every one that had professed to know Christ. The lives of families were threatened to the point that every one except the apostles were scattered throughout all Judea and Samaria,

2. As a result of the persecution, hundreds, maybe even thousands of foreign missionaries are on the field in other nations. We could even think that the first missionaries were forced to go to other nations; God used an evil deed to bring about a good cause.

3. Saul was at the stoning…stood by and watched. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. No wonder they had to leave town. Some that got away had moved to Damascus and while Saul was on his way there to arrest them and bring them back for imprisonment—he met the God that Stephen knew. Can we assume that Paul remembered the stoning and it helped him recognize the voice of God and his call that resulted in the birth of a new Apostle and the greatest of all missionaries? Can we assume that the death of Stephen gave birth to the missionary program?

Empowered to Help - Acts 3-6

A while back I started writing a bibliography of my life primarily to meet the family’s request. It seemed prudent to start with my birth and early childhood on Raft Creek in Prairie County. The first part of the book would cover things that were important enough to me that I could write from memory; so I made a date-line of early memories that included 1. Parents, birth, when; where; and how? 2. First and best loved pets. 3. First and best friends. 4. Early schooling. 5. Growing up and maturing. When I first read the lesson for today which is recorded in these three chapters, it occurred to me that Luke followed this same pattern as he tells us about the birth of the church, its early days and who its friends and enemies were.

1. Luke tells us that the church was born in Jerusalem, the very city where Jesus was crucified.
2. The leaders were Peter and John assisted by other disciples.
3. The power and direction came from the Holy Spirit as he worked through the Christian Jews. All early leaders were Jews.
4. There were only a few friends of the church and they were Jews.
5. One thing set these Christian Jews apart was their fearless proclamation of Jesus as the living Lord.

Read 3: 1-10. A Jewish day started at 6 AM and ended at 6 PM. There were three special hours, 9 AM, 12 noon, and 3 PM that were set aside for prayer which was necessary wherever they were, but was doubly precious when offered in the temple courts. Even after Pentecost, the disciples continued to go to the Temple to pray. They were now under grace but they did not use their new freedom as a license or excuse to break any part of the law. Men of faith still needed to bath their new freedom in prayer.

Beggars looked for temples then; they still look for churches as the best place to beg alms. Conservative Christians are noted for their willingness to give to the poor. Note: A very recent news forecast reported that a survey has been made in the USA which shows that the people in the more conservative states give far more to charity each year than the liberal states in the far west and east.

John and peter were going to the temple to pray at 3 PM. A beggar, unable to walk since birth, was at the ‘Gate Beautiful’ and asked them for money. Peter made one of the best known statements in the NT. Looking the beggar in the eye he said; “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I will give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth walk.” The beggar that had never walked before, got up, walked, and followed them into the temple praising God. This turned out to be a real problem for the apostles to deal with—because the Jewish opposition to Christ thought they had crucified their problem, and now they find that He is still alive and healthy.

Miracles did happen. The Jewish opposition would have denied the possibility but the truth was self evident and they did not deny or try to de-grade the apostles. Specific, immediate, and visible examples of people being healed were possible—and had to be in order to win the doubters of that day—and to help build the faith of young believers. You will note that Peter and John did not take the credit for this healing, but quickly and emphatically stated that the power came from the Holy Spirit—Christ’s gift to them.

Some have asked why this type of healing stopped after the demise of the apostles. I believe God saw the necessity of these undisputable examples of healing. Those known to be blind could see. The deaf could hear. This lame man had been seen by hundreds/thousands of people and they knew that he had never walked in his life, now he walks. Lazarus had been dead and his body had begun to decay and he was made alive and lived for a time thereafter. This was a time when miracles were necessary. In that early age of the church, the Jewish doctrine of keeping the law was so dominating that they needed visible proof as a guarantee of the truth and the power of the Christian message of salvation by grace and not works [law]. People had to see to believe. To the best of my knowledge these special miracles were performed by only Jesus Christ in person, and by those disciples that had a personal intimacy with Jesus Christ. They had walked and talked to Him.

The question today is not ‘why have miracles stopped?’ But a better question is ‘have they stopped?’ My answer, based on the word of God is an emphatic—NO. Today, doctors would have simply repaired the problem that caused the man to be lame and God would heal him. The eye surgeon would remove the cataracts that blinded the eyes, and he could see by the grace of God. There is no doubt that many have been diagnosed with a serious ailment such as cancer and their bodies have developed antibodies that cured the ailment without treatment or surgery. Some of these are people of faith and they truly [and rightly so] believe that it was a miracle performed by Jesus Christ. It may be done in an instant by some man/woman laying hands on them and praying but is not a visible happening that you and I can observe as was the case of the lame man that walked. If indeed it does happen, it is simply a miracle performed by Jesus Christ and not by man…just as Peter told these people that this miracle was performed by the man they crucified. Jesus is the only man and spirit that can heal.

I think what I am trying to say is this. I know without any doubt that my Lord has performed miracles in my life many times, but you just have to take my word for that. It is not something that you saw happen to me as a visible miracle. In fact I did not watch Christ heal me, but my little faith tells me beyond any doubt in my mind that he did. We are living in the day of grace and faith, and if you do not believe you can not be healed—neither can you be saved. To my knowledge, there is no record in the bible where and evangelist or even a disciple held a “healing service” for the precise purpose of healing the sick or lame. The incidents recorded occurred along with and during the ever day activities that were taking place. For Christians there are still miracles that happen almost daily if one only has eyes to see and a believing heart.

Verses 11-16. Based on this scripture the early preachers and even those that came to America considered the crucifixion as the most horrible crime ever committed. Ministers that have stuck with the basic doctrine of the Gospel generally agree that His resurrection was vindication for his murder and that the church would never have come to stay without His resurrection. The disciples including Paul, all stressed the power of the risen Lord. His power through the Holy Spirit gave them the power they had to witness.

3: 17-26. Telling people they are ignorant is usually not a good way to win their hearts; however in this case Luke is actually having mercy on them, as he indicates that they did not crucify Christ intentionally. He then continues by telling them that they can not claim ignorance as an excuse…they now know the truth and there is no excuse for them to reject the Lord. James said the same thing when he wrote: “Whoever knows to do right and fails to do it, to him it is sin.” When we become knowledgeable about sin and its consequences—that knowledge brings us the obligation to repent and trust Christ. Peter uses the OT and the Jewish writings to prove that this was all foretold and that they should have been able to discern it from prophesy.
4: 1-4. For preaching the power of the resurrection, Peter and John were arrested and spent the night in jail. The healing took place at the ‘Gate Beautiful’ which led from the Court of the Gentiles into the Court of the Women. The Court of the Gentiles was the busiest part of the temple because anyone could enter that part if they observed the common laws of decency. Even this reverence was not always shown because this was the place where the money exchangers were gathered when Christ used a whip and drove them out. The crowd was likely very large, and the Jews just could not allow so many to hear and see Christ at work. Indications are that this incident resulted in about 5000 converts—shocking the Jewish leaders.

The superintendent of the Temple was the right hand man for the High Priest and it was his job to maintain peace and order in the temple. This large crowd that had gathered got their attention so he and the Sadducees went to restore order. The Sadducees were the rich and aristocratic class and they were afraid that the Roman Government would intervene and cause them trouble for not maintaining a peaceful atmosphere and public order. They did not want their prized position with the government jeopardized. They arrested the disciples to nip this movement in the bud.

4: 5-12. The supreme court of the Jews was called the Sanhedrin Court, and its power was almost unlimited. This court had 71 members and the most of them were the Sadducees and the High Priest served as the chief judge. A few of the members of the court were Pharisees who were fanatics; some were scribes that were the experts in interpretation of the law; and only a few were elders or just respected men in Jerusalem. The position of High Priest had always been hereditary and for life and was until the Romans came to power. According to Josephus there was so much intrigue, bribery and corruption that many were removed from office. Between 37 BC and AD 67 there were at least 28 that held the office. The court was corrupt.

Can you imagine Peter, a fisherman, standing before this court more as their judge than their arrested victim? This was the same court that condemned Jesus to death. What courage he must have had, but through his great faith he found that courage that was necessary for him to carry on and not fold. Here again Peter let all that were present that Jesus had healed this lame man and not he and John. He actually rubbed it in when he reminded that this man Jesus was the Messiah they had killed, and that he was raised from the dead and now lives. He let them know that they had arrested the wrong man. You rejected the stone…you killed Him, but now He has become the cornerstone of the living church.

4: 13-22. We must ask ourselves this question. If we have to someday appear before the Sanhedrin court or the Islamic court will we have the faith to do what the disciples did? Their faith bewildered these Jews. They said they were ignorant and unlearned but they astonished at their defense. They knew that they had access to a Higher Power because they could see the change in the disciples. I know from my life’s experience that were I a few years younger I would have had more doubts, but honestly I do not wish for a chance to prove it, but in confronted today my little faith is strong enough to stand for Christ regardless of the pressure that comes against me. Oh, I plead with you who have not reached the level of assurance necessary to live daily under pressure, please study your bible and see what these men had to do, believe in your heart that God will sustain you, and pledge your everlasting commitment to our Lord and savior.

The Sanhedrin witnessed the healing of the lame man; they now are witnessing the courage and strength of disciples that have been in the presence of Christ, and they still refused to believe. Why do you [many do] read these truths, these proofs, and still retain doubting minds? You are simply refusing to believe. Ask yourself why? Then there are those of us that witness…we believe the gospel, but when we tell others about Christ and they seem to reject us, it interferes with our boldness to witness. We are prone to pull back, feel the pier pressure and fail to be aggressive and claim the promises of God when he tells us that if we will acclaim him before men he will intercede for us with the Heavenly Father. The Sanhedrin Court was caught between a rock and a hard place. They wanted to punish the disciples for their message about the resurrection which they did not believe and a great number of the people who had witnessed the healing and would rise up against them—so they warned the disciples to go ‘and preach no more.”

4:23-31. We can see in this writing the action or reaction the church today should take when our message is rejected. We should go to God in prayer realizing that the strength needed to succeed is through the Holy Spirit who is with us and in us and whose power is available each day. The disciples had the conviction of the power of God, and the power of the Spirit that they received at Pentecost and as they prayed regarding their problems here they were re-filled, refreshed in, empowered by the risen Lord. We should face our problems remembering what Christ did for us. It is a good attribute to feel weak, helpless and in need of help—we should never attack in our own strength, but always call on Christ in times of need—whatever the need may be.

4: 32-37. The believers felt the dire need for complete unity and realizing that some of their brethren were not financially able to survive as families and still make contributions as needed for their work they decided to share alike. They seemed to share in the work showing a sense of responsibility for each other. This was not some new government rule; they did not legislate but simply agreed to share. Note: this feeling still exist among conservative Christians today as was proven in the survey that I mentioned above, which shows that the more conservative Christian minded states in the USA give more to society than the ‘Sadducees’ with self centered minds and hearts.

In Acts 5 we see the both the internal and external problems of the early church. There was the pressure from the Jewish leaders, and now the incident with Ananias and Sapphira showed that Satan still had a stronghold in the church. Ananias and Sapphira had a choice, they did not have to give all they received from the property they sold; it would have probably pleased God if they had only given their tithe. But they lied about their gift and were punished for the lie. This was not a miracle but an incident to show others the importance of remaining faithful and truthful with God. The apostils and other believers continued to meet in Solomon’s Colonnade. Even today it is not the beauty of the church that attracts people, but the message and the work it does. The miracle of healing continued because of the need for the supernatural to help reluctant Jews especially. Read the rest of this chapter to find what happened to those worshipped.

Empowered to Witness - Acts 1 and 2

The source of all power is God. The use of all power is by God but often it is through man!! When we think about the power of mortal man as compared to the power of God, we realize that there is really no comparison. What is the most powerful thing in nature? A tornado? Cyclone? Earthquake? Or is it gravity that holds the earth in space? Or maybe the largest ocean, the Pacific? What would you choose as your answer? The sun?

What is the most powerful invention man has made? A bulldozer? A battle-ship? A cruise-ship fifteen stories tall with a small city including a park and swimming pool? Maybe the atomic bomb. Again, what would you choose?

Who was the most powerful man you ever met or even heard about? Some can pull an eighteen wheeler. Lift a thousand or more pounds. Bench press hundreds of pounds. Could it be one or more of the presidents? A dictator like the ones in Russia, China, or Hitler? Billy Graham? A Pope? These are mind-boggling questions that will not be answered in this class or lesson. Who would be your choice?

The book of Acts can and will introduce you to one that can out-accomplish any of these circumstances or fetes. His name is God the father, Jesus Christ the son, and the earthly presence of both of these, and the third part of the God Head, The Holy Spirit. They are Three in One. They are Three but One. They are all One and the Same. But they are both God and Man. They are in both heaven and on earth. The book of Acts attempts to help us understand the total power of the God Head; and it attempts to prove that mortal man can share in and actually use this super-natural power. It was possible and is demonstrated in the years AD 30 to AD 63 and it is still possible in 2008.

The apostles were selected by Christ and they chose to follow him on sea and land, in heat and cold, dry and wet, while hungry and with plenty, everywhere, whether accepted or rejected—for three long years. In our minds it would appear that strong commitment like this would have never been broken. But the bond was broken on that fateful night when all of them left the garden—all went home except Peter and he soon denied that he even knew the Man. It is clear that they lacked the POWER to remain loyal to Jesus, much less to become witnesses to others as to who He really was. Both his life and death seemed to have been for naught. They left Him as God had planned because it was absolutely necessary for Jesus Christ to bear the cross alone and with no support from anyone.
He was raised from the dead and things begin to change. Most of his followers were joyfully happy and they began to show it—but some were reluctant, bewildered, and even doubtful. Why? They still had not actually received His power. They were still operating on the strength of man and not the Holy Spirit. Their faith had grow to the point that they did stop and listen as he told them that he would go back into heaven, but that He would send One [The Holy Spirit] that would empower them to carry out the commission that He gave them to do. We know that this group of followers was gathered in the upper room when the Spirit arrived as a mighty rushing wind and filled the place in such a miraculous way that it transformed His week followers into mighty heroes for Christ. All of the apostles and many others were now so convinced that they willingly martyred their lives for the cause of Christ. This event is known as the Day of Pentecost.

Luke began writing the book of Acts by describing the events occurring just before and during the Day of Pentecost. He was empowered by the same Spirit that he describes in his writings. The truths declared in this book have a direct application to those of us who are studying it. Have faith. Believe. Slowly read and study the first two chapters along with the comments given below which start with Chapter 1, verse 1.

Addressing Theophilus [a Greek who was “a friend of God”] he wrote to all posterity and told us that he wrote a former book [“Luke”] that told about the things that Jesus did and taught while still on earth—before His ascension. Therefore, it becomes clear that the book of Acts begins where his gospel left off. In the gospel he reported on the actions of the apostles and the work of the Holy Spirit, beginning in Jerusalem, the church was established and it grew rapidly, and then faced intense persecution. This drove the believers out into the surrounding areas—and through this dispersion [not just the Jews] but also the Samaritans and Gentiles were now able to hear the Good News and believe.

V1-5. After his suffering means after the Cross. He was personally seen and heard by hundreds of witnesses as he proved that He was the same Christ that died and was buried and arose on the third day. He lived among them for forty days in the normal way, walking, sleeping, talking, and eating the same food they ate. One day while eating, he told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift [which was the Holy Spirit] that God had promised. They would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. They believed and continued to meet and pray for their success in carrying out his commission.

The Holy Spirit had been with them three years—but they still did not fully understand and had not recognized Him at this time. How do we know? Had they already understood, they would not have asked him if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel? Even now, they are still expecting an earthly king to set up his rule in Jerusalem. However, they had changed drastically. Before the Cross, they had argued with each other, deserted the Lord, and Peter had lied and denied even knowing Him. After the 40 days and his ascension they are changed witnesses, and believed the Holy Spirit would come and give them the power they needed to sustain their witness even against their oppressors. Listen, and grasp this thought. By studying God’s word we too can sit with the resurrected Lord in his special school of discipleship. By believing in Him we can receive the same power through the Holy Spirit that the apostles received; and by joining with other believers in the church we can do the same kind of work on earth that they did.

Dear Christian friends, this is not a hear-say gospel. The apostles [and hundreds of others] were eyewitness—they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears what was done and said—not on just one day—but from the garden to the Cross, to the grave, and for 40 more days in their homes, along the seashore even at their own tables as they ate together. If you were seated on a jury and asked to decide whether or not Jesus was who he said he was—would this be enough proof for you to make a positive decision? To any person who still does not believe in Christ I ask you—“How much more proof do you need? Could it be that you are making a mistake???

Before the death and resurrection these men were disillusioned, scared, feared for their life,
After meeting and seeing and talking with the resurrected Christ and watching as he was caught up into heaven they feared no man and risk their life every day as they spread the Good News. They faced imprisonment, beatings, rejection and martyrdom but not a single one fell away. No one can convince me that these men would have given their lives for a man or a cause that they thought was a fraud. We must have confidence in their testimony. Jesus explained that at his birth, the Kingdom of God was inaugurated; and when he returned to heaven his Kingdom would remain in the hearts of born again believers through the presence of Holy Spirit. Realize now that believers are just sinners saved by grace—they are not yet perfect. Therefore His kingdom cannot be fully realized until he comes again and judges man and removes all evil from this world. Only then can his will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

6. The disciples inquired about the earthly kingdom with headquarters in Jerusalem, which they were expecting soon. However, Jesus answered them about his kingdom on earth after his second coming. This really is two different thoughts…they inquired about an earthly kingdom…he answered about his heavenly kingdom, and told them it was not for them to know when it would be. I literally feel sorry for all the different demigods that have claimed to know the day of his coming. God only has that information. After he answered them they went to the Mount of Olives where he was taken up into heaven and they watched Him with their own eyes…go out of sight as he was hidden from them by a cloud. With their own eyes, they saw two men [angels] dressed in white who told them that He would come again just as they had seen him go…with their own ears they heard the voice. Based on what I have read there were at least 17 of these witnesses and there may have been as many as 120 present. How many eyewitnesses do you need in order to believe?

12. They returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. How many were in the group?
There were the eleven disciples, the women and Mary, and His three brothers. This had to be at least 17 people because “women” is plural and had to be two or more. So at least 17 people had witnessed the ascension of Jesus and were now gathered upstairs in the room. When Peter started talking to them about choosing a replacement for Judas, the book says there were 120 present, and though the book is not clear, I believe that the total number was 120 all along through his departure and in the upper room.

Peter reminded them that David in the Psalms had directed them to choose a replacement for Judas who had sold his soul for thirty pieces of silver. As was the Jewish custom they chose two men who had been with them since the beginning of their walk with Christ {he too had to be an eyewitness to all that had transpired} and then they prayed that when they cast lots that God would let his choice be the one to win the appointment. Cast lots? Yes! But God chose Matthias as the replacement. He was added to the eleven and now there are twelve witnessing disciples again. On my second thought, we know that Matthias was also at the ascension—so that means that the minimum had to be 18 and not 17.

2:1 Pentecost came, 120 or more were together in one place, and The Holy Spirit came upon them as a mighty rushing wind. It was a violent wind, like, maybe a tornado. It got their attention. Since some, including Thomas and The Lord’s three brothers had found it hard to believe that He was the Messiah—some or all of the 120 were totally and forever saved in that upper room. They received the Holy Spirit that day. And when we are saved we immediately receive the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to be the sons of God.

This miraculous event fulfilled the prophesy of John the Baptist who said the Holy Spirit would baptize with fire [Luke 3: 16] and the prophesy of Joel who predicted the out pouring of the Holy Spirit [2: 28-9]. The word “tongues” represents or symbolizes the spoken word [speech] and the explanation of the gospel in words that all could understand. The word “fire” indicates that God’s purifying presence which burns away any impurities in the lives of believers was present. On Mt. Sinai God used “fire” [his presence] to emphatically establish His Law [Exodus 19: 16]. In Acts He proclaimed the work of the Holy Spirit’s ministry using “fire” which represented His presence. At Sinai the fire came down on a place…At Pentecost the fire or [presence of God] came to dwell in the people who were gathered in the room. It fell on them. The power of the Holy Spirit entered them. The same thing happened to you the moment you repented and trusted Christ as Savior.
There were people present at Pentecost and in Jerusalem that were from many nations, and they spoke different languages and could not understand each other. The fire fell on the on the tongues of those gathered in the upper room and immediately they and all those in Jerusalem could understand what was happening in their own language. Luke lists a great number of countries from which these people had come just to emphasize that God is no respecter of certain people, but his word is available to all that will believe. Try to imagine the immediate spread of the gospel as many of these people who were present then returned to their own country and began to witness to their people about what they has seen and heard as a result of the Pentecost experience and the sermon that Peter preached there which resulted in the immediate salvation of 3000 people. No wonder the early church grew so rapidly. And it is no wonder that the strong Jewish opposition began to organize against this new Christian movement.

V 13-40. These verses contain the sermon that Peter preached at Pentecost. Space and time prevents a verse by verse analysis of the sermon. You must read it slowly and carefully; you will find most of it is self explained. Don’t miss the fact that all nations are included in God’s plan and both women and man. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Every person, past, present and future has or will commit sin. The price that must be paid for sin is death. Christ gave his life to pay for our sins—therefore, each and every person had a hand in the crucifixion of Jesus. That means you and me! How do you feel about this?

When these people heard Peter tell them what they had done—they were heart broken and they asked Peter what they could do. His answer is the heart of the Gospel. No message has ever been given that is more important. He told them and every person on earth what they must do. Do you want to spend eternity in hell separated from God? No. No. No. Do you want to be forgiven of your sins and spend eternity in Heaven with God? Yesssss. Then here is what you MUST DO. “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Introduction to the Book of Acts

Stop—don’t toss this introduction away without reading it. I truly believe that it is important for us to have a good preliminary idea about things we are to study in depth. We need to read, then study, and then reread God’s word. It is far too deep to just read casually. Thanks.

We began our second journey through the bible with the study of Genesis which we completed last Sunday. The study of the Acts of the Apostles will be our second book in this six year venture into the pages of Holy Writ. Acts may not be your favorite book in the New Testament, but it has to be one of the most informative and therefore one of the most important books ever written. The passage that sets the tone for our study is found in the 8th verse; “…You shall receive power [In fact, the title of the first lesson will be “Empowered to Witness] when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” CHRIST WAS TALKING TO THE NEW CHURCH. The church is a body of believers that witness of Jesus Christ. The book of acts is the story of how the church is to accomplish this task!

The first sentence tells us that Luke was the author and this is his second book written to Theophilus. He tells us that he was a companion to Paul and it is thought that he wrote the acts from Rome while Paul was in prison there. The date of writing was about AD 62 or 63. Colossians 4:14 tells us that Luke was a physician. Luke was a gentile Christian and probably one of Paul’s converts. He was with Paul in both of his Roman imprisonments. The book tells the story of the church and the spread of gospel from Jerusalem, the Jewish capitol to Rome which was the capitol of the world at the time. It covers the time period from the death of Christ, AD 33 to AD 63 a thirty year period covering the early church.

Dr. Luke was the author of Acts and the book of Luke, and there are many similarities; actually Acts is a continuation of the book of Luke. In his gospel, Luke tells us what Jesus started to do and teach before he ascended. In Acts, he tells us what Jesus began to do and say following His ascension and until the gospel reached Rome upon Paul’s arrival there. The writer told us in his gospel what Christ did on earth; in Acts he speaks of what Christ does and teaches from heaven. Both were written to Theophilus, a Greek word that means “A friend of God.” Nothing more is known about Theophilus than what you will find in Luke and Acts.

Acts presents the church in its beginning as an example of what it should have continued to do—and even what it should be doing now. Acts is really restricted to the BEGINNING of the church in each town and city where it was newly established. You will find Jesus Christ as the hero of this book.

As you read Acts, remember that Christ is in heaven. He is already enthroned as King of Kings and Lord of Lords at his Father’s right hand and he is interceding as our High Priest. The church is already organized with its officers and apostles and its laws and ordinances have been established. The mother church at Jerusalem will soon have its first pastor and deacons. You must remember that the church has already been commissioned; Christ commissioned the church as one of his last acts on earth—1. To bear witness of the fact that Jesus, was born, lived and died and was resurrected. 2. Proclaim to the world the risen Christ as Savior of the world.

We must remember that the church was organized, but young and still ignorant of some duties and doctrines. At the time of His ascension they still were still expecting the establishment of an earthly Jewish kingdom. One asked, “Lord, doest thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He evaded that question by saying that they would not know the time or the season. We think of this as meaning long and short periods of time, because he used the words Chronos which means long time; and kairos which means a short period of time. This tells us that the ‘second coming’ may be soon or in the distant future…it is not for us to know.

They were still ignorant as to the way a church democracy was to work. The had been accustomed to levels of power and could not yet understand that though the church would make no distinction between the apostles, deacons, and other brethren…not even between men and women. The Lord’s idea of the church was that it should be a pure democracy—an organization where everyone without regard to age, sect, or previous conditions or status would participate equally. There are three specific groups mentioned in the gospel and Acts; 1-The eleven apostles, 2-Several women, including is mother, and 3-The four brothers of Jesus which were unbelievers until the very last.

On the cross Jesus asked John to take care of his mother. Some think that his brothers were poor and unable to care for her; others think that John had been more faithful than his own brothers. I can find no place in the bible where it says that Mary was taken up without dying, or anything about her immaculate conception; not even that she was born holy. There is no record of her being the queen of heaven, and the fountain of all grace, and the source of salvation. This idea must have come from some perversions of the scriptures as other church organizations were developed to fit man’s ideas. This doctrine is taught by the Catholic Church.

Allow me to clarify how we know that Luke wrote the Acts. You will not find in the book of Luke or Acts any statement that specifically states that Dr. Luke wrote the books. However, there are several places where the pronouns “WE” and “US” occur; and these leave no doubt as to who is talking. You can confirm this by reading chapters 16, 17, 20, 21, 27, and 28. Each time it is evident that the writer was an eyewitness of Paul’s ministry. I have no one that doubts that this eyewitness was Luke.

Even though he wrote two books in the NT, we still know very little about Luke. It is obvious that he was a brilliant writer, and since his books were canonized, we can feel sure that they were inspired writings. Luke’s name only appears in the NT only three times. Colossians 4:14 tells us he was a medical doctor and a close associate of Paul. Philemon 24 also says that he was with Paul. Then 2 Timothy 4:21 says that Luke was with Paul when Paul wrote the book of 2 Timothy. Then in Acts 13 to 28 there are several events that happened with Luke present as an eyewitness. The book has at least six purposes; A. It is has a historical purpose. B. It has a theological purpose. C. It records what Jesus “began’ to do and teach while on earth. D. It also records what Jesus continued to do and teach through His Spirit and His apostles. E. He confirmed that Jesus was the Messiah, and F. He proved that Christianity and the church were not a departure from but a continuation of God’s purpose in the Old Testament. There is no conflict.

The following outline will give you a snap-shot view of the entire book.

1. Chapters 1 through 12 takes place takes place with Jerusalem as center.

a. They were waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises…1.
b. The promise was fulfilled at Pentecost…2.
c. Work of Peter and John, with Sadducees opposition…3-4.
d. Dealing with social problems in church…4-5.
e. With new prosperity came renewed hostility from Sadducees…5.
f. A problem with church administration…6.
g. The Pharisees opposed Stephen’s teaching and killed him…6-8.
h. Expansion through Judea, Samaria and surrounding by Philip…8.
i. Change came when Saul was converted…9.
j. The doors of the church opened to gentiles…9-11.
k. New Roman persecution from Herod Agrippa I…12.

2. Chapters 13 through 21 takes place after Antioch became the center.

a. Paul and Barnabas entered the missionary business…13.
b. Explaining the greatest mission tour of all times…13-14.
c. Jerusalem conference over gentile freedom from the Law…15.
d. Paul’s second mission tour…15-18.
e. Paul’s third mission tour…18-21.

3. Paul’s enemies—he became prisoner…21-28.

a. Paul’s problems centered in Jerusalem…21-23.
b. Paul before the Roman court in Caesarea…23-26.
c. Paul appealed to the Roman court and Nero…27-28.
d. Two years waiting for Nero’s decision—writing and witnessing…28.