The Word of His Grace

"So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32; NKJV)

Consider these two precious things that God's word does for us:

1.  Build us up.

2.  Give us an inheritance.

In His grace, God has given us His word that will build us up and give us an inheritance if we will but read it, internalize it and apply it to our lives.

All Heard the Word

"And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks." (Acts 19:10)

Question:  How did this happen?

Answer:  Disciples carried out the great commission!

We can make this happen where we live if we will but go and teach!

Hearing, Believed and Were Baptized

"Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized." (Acts 18:8; NKJV)

In "The Great Commission" Jesus called His disciples to go teach and preach the gospel.  Those who heard and believed were to be baptized.  In Corinth, the gospel was preached.  Those who heard and believed were baptized.

Go.  Teach and preach the gospel of Christ.  When someone hears the gospel and believes it, baptize them into Christ for the remission of their sins.  Carry out His commission.

Turning the World Upside Down

"Those who have turned the world upside down have come here too." (Acts 17:6; NKJV)

Question:  How did the disciples of the first century turn the world upside down?

Answer:  They preached Jesus, "saying there is another king - Jesus" (Acts 17:7; NKJV)

Question:  How will we turn the world upside down in 2013?

Answer:  By preaching Jesus, "saying there is another king - Jesus."

Hidden in My Heart

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18; NKJV)

The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer

1.  He heard the word of the Lord - Acts 16:32

2.  He believed the word he heard - Acts 16:30-34

3.  He repented - Acts 16:33

4.  He was baptized - Acts 16:34

5.  After hearing, believing, repenting and baptism, he rejoiced - Acts 16:34

"Sirs, what must I do to be saved," He asked (Acts 16:30).  Do what the Philippian Jailer did.  Find what the Philippian Jailor found.

Amos 9:11-12 and Acts 15

Jehovah God visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name (Acts 15:14).  With this the prophets agree, just as it is written in Amos 9:11-12.  "After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD, Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the LORD who does all these things" (Acts 15:16-17; NKJV).

In Christ and through the Holy Spirit, God the Father is restoring the fallen tabernacle of David and the Gentiles are an integral part of this restored tabernacle.  This was always His plan.  This was part of His eternal purpose:  "Known to God from eternity are all His works" (Acts 15:19; NKJV).

Whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, be about the business of "turning to God" (Acts 15:19; NKJV).

Through Many Tribulations

"And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:21-22; NKJV)

Tribulations - thlipsis - pressure (literally or figuratively) (Strong's)

There are all sorts of pressures in life.  As Christians, we must through many pressures enter the kingdom of God.  Whatever pressure you are feeling at the moment, know that it is through that pressure that you will enter the kingdom of God.

Serving Your Own Generation

"For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God..." (Acts 13:36; NKJV)

David served God in his own generation.  The truth is you can’t serve God in any other generation except your own!  Ministry must always be done in the context of the current generation and culture.  Whether we like it or not, we must minister to people in the culture as it really is, not in some past form that we may have idolized in our minds.

Question:  How do I serve my own generation?

Answer:  I serve God’s purpose.

The true and living God is a God of purpose – Ephesians 3:11

As His children, His will is to be done in our lives, in our own generation – Matthew 26:39

Worship, Discipleship, Ministry, Fellowship, and Evangelism – Individual & Collective Roles and Responsibilities that are to be carried out in my own generation.

Constant Prayer

"Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church." (Acts 12:5; NKJV)

Pray.

Pray some more.

Keep praying.

But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, "Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren." And he departed and went to another place.  (Acts 12:17; NKJV)

Hidden in My Heart

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18; NKJV)

Necessary Inference, God, and the Gentiles

When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, "Then God also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life" (Acts 11:18; NKJV)

They understood that God had granted to the Gentiles repentance to life based on this five things:

1.  The Divine Vision - Acts 11:5

2.  The Divine Command - Acts 11:12

3.  The Divine Preparation - Acts 11:14

4.  The Divine Action - Acts 11:15

They necessarily inferred from Peter's divine vision, the Spirit's command and preparation and action, that God had granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.

God did not correct them because they drew a necessary conclusion based on His divine work.

Necessary Inference

Acts 10:9-16; NKJV

9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 

10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 

11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 

12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 

13 And a voice came to him, "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."

14 But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean."

15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, "What God has cleansed you must not call common."  

16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Notice that no where in the three times Peter saw the animals in his trance did God say, "The animals represent the Gentiles."  Peter "wondered within himself what this vision that he had seen meant" (Acts 10:17; NKJV).  The events that followed led Peter to draw a necessary inference from the vision, namely that the animals represented the Gentiles and it was time to take the keys to the kingdom and open it to them (see Matthew 16:18-19).

If Peter was not supposed to necessarily infer from the vision that he was to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, don't you think that God would have corrected him before he preached to Cornelius and his household?

Jehovah did not directly command Peter to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.  He showed him a vision and expected Peter to draw a necessary inference.  Peter did and in so doing he fulfilled the will of God.

If We are to Multiply

"Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied." (Acts 9:31; NKJV)

If we as a local church are to multiply we must...

1.  Have peace.

2.  Edify one another.

3.  Walk in the fear of the Lord.

4.  Walk in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Let us endeavor "to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).  Let us build each other up.  Let us walk in fear of the one Lord.  Let us walk in the comfort of the one Spirit.  Let us multiply to the glory of the one God and Father.

Except the Apostles

"Now Saul was consenting to his death.  At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." (Acts 8:1; NKJV)

"Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word." (Acts 8:4; NKJV)

The Great Commission was given to the Apostles by Jesus.  The gospel was to be preached first in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria and then to the end of the Earth.  When great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem, the Christians were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.  Except the Apostles.  The Apostles remained in Jerusalem.

Notice that the early Christians understood that The Great Commission was not only given to the Apostles.  They understood that it was their commission too.  They went preaching the word.

Go.  Preach the word.  Carry out The Great Commission.

Resisting the Holy Spirit

Acts 7:51-53; NKJV

51 "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. 

52 Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, 

53 who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it."

We resist the Holy Spirit when we resist the word of the prophets, the law, and angels that the Holy Spirit gave them to speak.  We resist the Holy Spirit when we resist the word of the Apostles that the Holy Spirit gave them to speak.  We resist the Holy Spirit when we resist the word of God which is "the sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17).

Don't resist the Holy Spirit.  Listen to His word.  Obey Him. 

Hidden in My Heart

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18; NKJV)

Stephen: Chosen to Serve

1.  Among them – A Disciple of Christ

2.  Of Good Reputation – others spoke well of

3.  Full of the Holy Spirit – in the sense of “being filled” with the Spirit

4.  Full of Wisdom – insight into the true nature of things

5.  Full of Faith – conviction of the mind, trust from the heart, surrender of the will

Honest With God

Ananias & Sapphira (ACTS 4:32-5:11) & Nadab & Abihu (LEV 10:1-3)

In both cases God was making specific points:  Obedience is important!

The Seriousness of Sin:  “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight…” (Psalm 51:4)

Ananias & Sapphira were not honest with God.

1.  God sees all:  The Omnipresence of God

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?  Or where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.”  (Psalm 139:7-8)

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”  (Hebrews 4:12-13)

2.  God knows all:  The Omniscience of God

Heart:  “…then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men)…” (2 Chronicles 6:30)

Giving:  “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”  (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

3.  The fact that God is all powerful (The Omnipotence of God) gives us hope!  If we are honest with Him, He is “able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” (Ephesians 3:20).

Salvation

Salvation - “rescue or safety, deliverance” 

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12; NKJV)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6; NKJV)

Blotted Out

—“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…” (Acts 3:19; NKJV)

Exaleipho – blotted out (NKJV)
—1.  To smear out, i.e. obliterate (erase tears, figuratively, pardon sin) (Strong’s)
—2.  To anoint or wash in every part, to wipe off, wipe away (Thayer’s)
—3.  From ek, "out," used intensively, and aleipho, "to wipe," signifies "to wash, or to smear completely."
—4.  Hence, metaphorically, in the sense of removal, "to wipe away, wipe off, obliterate" Acts 3:19, of sins; Colossians 2:14, of writing; Revelation 3:5, of a name in a book; Revelation 7:17; 21:4, of tears (Vine’s)

Ancient writing was upon papyrus.  Ancient ink used no acid – it did not bite into papyrus as modern ink does – it simply lay upon the top of it.   —To erase one would take a wet sponge and simply wipe away.  When GOD forgives our sins He wipes the slate clean with the blood of the Lamb!  —Isaiah 43:25; NKJV - "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.”
—

“…made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14; NKJV)
—

The Greek word translated “handwriting” (COL 2:14) referred to the handwritten certificate of debt by which a debtor acknowledged his indebtedness.  All people (ROM 3:23) owe GOD an unpayable debt for violating his law (MATT 18:23-27), and are thus under sentence of death (ROM 6:23).  —
List of crimes nailed to the cross to declare one’s violations (MATT 27:37; MK 15:26; LK 23:38; JN 19:19).  The believer’s sins are nailed to the cross!  Forgiveness – GOD wiping the ink off the parchment!  The cross of Christ satisfies the just wrath of GOD against crimes requiring punishment in full!
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The Christ of Acts

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36; NKJV)

The Christ of Acts - Jesus is the Resurrected Lord and Christ!

The resurrected Savior is the central theme of the sermons and defenses of Acts.

The Old Testament Scriptures, the historical Resurrection, the apostolic testimony, and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit all bear witness that Jesus of Nazareth is both Lord and Christ (2:22-36; 10:34-43).

"To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43; NKJV).
—

Hidden in My Heart

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18; NKJV)

Concerning Me

What This Book is About

Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." (Luke 24:44; NKJV)

Our Prayer as We Read

“And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45; NKJV)

Our Father in Heaven, through your Son and your Holy Spirit, open our understanding, that we might comprehend your Scriptures…”

Why We Read This Book

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18; NKJV)

1.  We read this book to behold the Author.

2.  We read this book to become like the Author.

Remember His Words

Luke 24:5-7; NKJV
 
5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 

6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 

7 saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'"

1.  We must hear the words of Jesus.

2.  We must meditate on the words of Jesus.

3.  We must remember the words of Jesus.

He is risen!  Seek Him!  Remember His words!

And Their Voices Prevailed

“But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified.  And their voices prevailed.” (Luke 23:23; ESV)

There are a lot of voices competing for our attention.  Only one matters.  Know His voice.  Listen to His voice.  Follow His voice.
 
“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” (John 10:28-29; NKJV)