Acts 8 & 9
This is the historical account of some of the first steps of the nascent church.
Stephen is arrested, preaches to the whole council, and they stopped their ears and ran upon him with one accord (7:57), they dragged him out of the city and stoned him to death.
And Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death (8:1).
Persecution scatters the new Jewish church.
Philip went to Samaria and dealt with Simon the Sorcerer (who may not have had a genuine conversion). When Peter and John came to check out Philip's new "congregation," they laid on hands to confer the Holy Spirit onto them.
Then Philip talks to the Ethiopian and baptizes him, then is found in Azotus, from which he preaches his way to Caesarea.
Meanwhile, Paul goes all the way to Damascus (150 miles) to arrest the Christians there, and encounters Jesus on the way.
Having been blinded by the intense light of the vision, God sends Ananias to him, and "something like scales" fall from his eyes (sounds kind of like opaque contact lenses!).
He immediately begins to preach powerfully, and confounds the Jews in Damascus, who are confused at his turn-around to preach Jesus instead of arrest His followers. So they plan to kill him, and Saul is let down from the city wall in a basket, and returns to Jerusalem.
Back in Jerusalem, Barnabas "introduces" him to the Apostles, but then they have a problem with plots there to kill him, too, and they send him home to Tarsus. He's just too hot to handle.
Saul of Tarsus is probably the most passionate man in the Bible! (Other than Jesus, Himself.) His personality is very powerful, and his character is one of sweeping action. He went from severely persecuting Jesus' followers to effectively convincing of Jesus' Divinity and Messiahship.
So when Saul was gone, the new church finally had rest. And it grew.
Peter went to Lydda, where he heals a paralytic, Aeneas, and is sent for from Joppa; to go there and raise Tabatha (Dorcas) from the dead!
Everything these Apostles and disciples are doing is the work of furthering and promoting the Kingdom of God by increasing the population that are its citizens.
And God is still today increasing His Kingdom population, His family. Jesus has not yet returned because not every person who is recorded in the census rolls has been drawn into it yet.
That's our job, to be His witnesses, sharing with those who are in our circles, our little worlds, what He has done for us and can also do for them. Then when we go out from our Jerusalem to our Judea, then to our Samaria, and out into all the World, we will run, hand-in-hand with our Savior, spreading His Love and Grace to every creature, among every Nation, every tribe, every language; until His house is full and every seat at His Table is filled!
Then He will return to call us out (the Rapture), and follow Him down through the clouds as He fights the Battle of Armegeddon and sets up His Kingdom here on this Earth. Then we will "sit with Him on His Throne" as His kings and queens to govern in righteousness and judgment, and this World wil have its Golden Age!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, May 3, 2019
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Same Message, Opposite Response
Acts 2: 37
Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?
Acts 7: 54
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.
These two groups of men were both affected the same way by the preaching of the Gospel, that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled all the requirements of the Law for us as our Sacrificial Lamb and Redeemer, Messiah: they were cut to the heart.
But they reacted in opposite ways.
Peter's teaching the people on the day of Pentecost reached hearts that were seeking and prepared to receive this Good News.
Stephen's preaching to the Sanhedrin of the same message went to hearts that were hardened and overcome by fear. So they attacked the messenger, and stoned him to death.
The same message goes out to every person. God offers His remedy for our problem and sickness of sin to every creature. He loves us all, and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9). But any person's response to understanding the message will depend on their own choices; whether they have wanted to seek God and His Truth, or whether they have decided to be comfortable in their own little deceptions.
The same fragrance of Christ is a sweet savour to those who are being saved, but a rotten stench of death to those who are perishing (II Corinthians 2:15-16).
O my Father, You are so good, and Your heart must break when people You love turn their backs on You and prefer their sin over Your wonderful care and gifts! You are our Source of everything we need to exist and prosper. How You must grieve over all those who decide to cut themselves off from Life and Light and sustenance, so will spend eternity separated from everything that is good and right and True, even after You have done everything possible and impossible for them.
But, Father, I know that You have drawn to Yourself more beings than can be numbered, from this Earth and Heaven and whatever other realms You know. And every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess, and Your own will enjoy Your pleasures and enjoyments and wholeness with You forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Brethren, what shall we do?
Acts 7: 54
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.
These two groups of men were both affected the same way by the preaching of the Gospel, that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled all the requirements of the Law for us as our Sacrificial Lamb and Redeemer, Messiah: they were cut to the heart.
But they reacted in opposite ways.
Peter's teaching the people on the day of Pentecost reached hearts that were seeking and prepared to receive this Good News.
Stephen's preaching to the Sanhedrin of the same message went to hearts that were hardened and overcome by fear. So they attacked the messenger, and stoned him to death.
The same message goes out to every person. God offers His remedy for our problem and sickness of sin to every creature. He loves us all, and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9). But any person's response to understanding the message will depend on their own choices; whether they have wanted to seek God and His Truth, or whether they have decided to be comfortable in their own little deceptions.
The same fragrance of Christ is a sweet savour to those who are being saved, but a rotten stench of death to those who are perishing (II Corinthians 2:15-16).
O my Father, You are so good, and Your heart must break when people You love turn their backs on You and prefer their sin over Your wonderful care and gifts! You are our Source of everything we need to exist and prosper. How You must grieve over all those who decide to cut themselves off from Life and Light and sustenance, so will spend eternity separated from everything that is good and right and True, even after You have done everything possible and impossible for them.
But, Father, I know that You have drawn to Yourself more beings than can be numbered, from this Earth and Heaven and whatever other realms You know. And every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess, and Your own will enjoy Your pleasures and enjoyments and wholeness with You forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
What God Purposed
Acts 4: 27-28
Herod and Pontius Pilate along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel ... [did] whatever God purposed to be done.
God's hand led them in the choices and decisions they thought they freely made. Even these evil people, choosing to do their evil deeds, God used for His own purposes. God used them to further His program through the fulfilment of Scripture in carrying out Jesus' sacrifice as the Lamb of God.
And the worst event that ever happened in the whole history of Mankind--the murder of God--God used for our very best and highest benefit!
5: 41
Rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His Name.
"Worthy to suffer" is not a distinction any healthy person would desire. But God trusts His favorite children to come through some pretty awful stuff, and still praise Him!
O my Father, Your ways are not our ways. I can imagine in the halls of Eternity Past, when You decided to create, You discussed among Father and Son and Spirit what You would make, how it would run, and who would populate it. And what You would do to take care of things in any circumstance.
And to give these people a will free enough to choose or reject You, because You want us to choose You. And I can see the Son agreeing to take full responsibility for these Men, when we would decide to reject Your authority and look to ourselves instead of You.
You the Son as our Lord God Almighty, walked with Adam in the garden, gave the Law to Moses, appeared to Isaiah "sitting upon a Throne, high and lifted up," and showed Ezekiel great Heavenly marvels of "a wheel in the middle of a wheel," and the "spirit of the living creature was in the wheels."
You gave all the Laws and prophesies to show Your people what Messiah would accomplish when He came to rescue us; and You will return to claim Your Kingdom and finish all the rest of what You said would come to pass.
Not one point of a dot or the smallest stroke of a pen will disappear until every jod and tittle is fulfilled in full. You say what You mean and You mean what You say. Every time. About every thing.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Herod and Pontius Pilate along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel ... [did] whatever God purposed to be done.
God's hand led them in the choices and decisions they thought they freely made. Even these evil people, choosing to do their evil deeds, God used for His own purposes. God used them to further His program through the fulfilment of Scripture in carrying out Jesus' sacrifice as the Lamb of God.
And the worst event that ever happened in the whole history of Mankind--the murder of God--God used for our very best and highest benefit!
5: 41
Rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His Name.
"Worthy to suffer" is not a distinction any healthy person would desire. But God trusts His favorite children to come through some pretty awful stuff, and still praise Him!
O my Father, Your ways are not our ways. I can imagine in the halls of Eternity Past, when You decided to create, You discussed among Father and Son and Spirit what You would make, how it would run, and who would populate it. And what You would do to take care of things in any circumstance.
And to give these people a will free enough to choose or reject You, because You want us to choose You. And I can see the Son agreeing to take full responsibility for these Men, when we would decide to reject Your authority and look to ourselves instead of You.
You the Son as our Lord God Almighty, walked with Adam in the garden, gave the Law to Moses, appeared to Isaiah "sitting upon a Throne, high and lifted up," and showed Ezekiel great Heavenly marvels of "a wheel in the middle of a wheel," and the "spirit of the living creature was in the wheels."
You gave all the Laws and prophesies to show Your people what Messiah would accomplish when He came to rescue us; and You will return to claim Your Kingdom and finish all the rest of what You said would come to pass.
Not one point of a dot or the smallest stroke of a pen will disappear until every jod and tittle is fulfilled in full. You say what You mean and You mean what You say. Every time. About every thing.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
So What Shall We Do Now?
Acts 2: 42
And they were continually devoting themselves to the Apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
These four things were what the infant church was focused on:
They devoted themselves to the internal priorities, to grow strong in the Lord and in their relationships with one another.
Then reaching out to others came as a natural consequence.
We would do well to follow this pattern in our new birth: as a new Christian we need to continue to learn God's ways by reading and studying Scripture, as well as strengthening our friendships with our new brothers and sisters in the Lord by spending time and meals together, as well as praying together for one another.
And as we grow in Christ in these practises, we will begin to reach out to others to share our witness and the Good News.
And as our responsibilities in the church grow, we must not neglect the fundamental practises. We certainly do not want to lose our "first love," as Revelation 2:4-5 says that the first church, in Ephesus, had, and was told to remember where they have fallen from, and repent, turn around, to love the Lord like they had at the first. It looks like they got caught up into "doing church" instead of being the church.
That happens so often, so we really need to pay attention to our personal relationship with our Father and our Lord as first priority; then our own families must come next, to nurture our children and honor our spouse. Then the third priority is our work for the Lord and the church.
If we get our priorities wrong, we will lose that "first love"--or lose our families, who we are responsible for before the Lord (I Timothy 5:8).
O my Father, You are so kind to us, to be so patient with us, giving us second chances, and third and fourth! You know that we are but dust, our flesh is weak, and we need Your strength and perseverance to be who You intend us to be.
Father, You have even given us Your own Holy Spirit, the power that raised Jesus from the dead, to live inside our human spirits; so we always have access to His knowledge and strength and wisdom and courage to face every trial and maneuver over every stumbling stone and around every pothole in our path.
And Father, as we do the good works that You planned ahead of time for us to do, help us to lean on you when the enemy's minions slander us, and fight against us, and attack us. He knows that his time is short, and he is furious.
Protect Your children, Father; may those who are facing extreme persecution know that they can curl up in Your lap, wrapped in Your strong and gentle arms. Let them know that their families are being cared for, not starving.
And watch over Your people Israel, all the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, scattered over the whole World in every Nation. Continue to carry them, protect them, and preserve them, drawing them to Yourself.
And, Father, send Your workers into Your mission fields, to find every lost sheep, in every Nation, every people group, every language; to carry them into the safety of the One Fold with One Shepherd.
And may every seat around Your great Table be filled with all the subjects in Your Kingdom; all Your children, all Your friends, all Your guests, from whatever places and realms they will be found; that Your House will be full!
And every knee will bow, every tongue in every language will confess and admit, that Jesus of Nazareth is our Almighty Lord God of the Universe, to the glory of God the Father, in the power of God the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, through all Eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And they were continually devoting themselves to the Apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
These four things were what the infant church was focused on:
- Learning more about Jesus;
- Befriending one another;
- Having their meals together (a continual party!); and
- Praying, communing with God
They devoted themselves to the internal priorities, to grow strong in the Lord and in their relationships with one another.
Then reaching out to others came as a natural consequence.
We would do well to follow this pattern in our new birth: as a new Christian we need to continue to learn God's ways by reading and studying Scripture, as well as strengthening our friendships with our new brothers and sisters in the Lord by spending time and meals together, as well as praying together for one another.
And as we grow in Christ in these practises, we will begin to reach out to others to share our witness and the Good News.
And as our responsibilities in the church grow, we must not neglect the fundamental practises. We certainly do not want to lose our "first love," as Revelation 2:4-5 says that the first church, in Ephesus, had, and was told to remember where they have fallen from, and repent, turn around, to love the Lord like they had at the first. It looks like they got caught up into "doing church" instead of being the church.
That happens so often, so we really need to pay attention to our personal relationship with our Father and our Lord as first priority; then our own families must come next, to nurture our children and honor our spouse. Then the third priority is our work for the Lord and the church.
If we get our priorities wrong, we will lose that "first love"--or lose our families, who we are responsible for before the Lord (I Timothy 5:8).
O my Father, You are so kind to us, to be so patient with us, giving us second chances, and third and fourth! You know that we are but dust, our flesh is weak, and we need Your strength and perseverance to be who You intend us to be.
Father, You have even given us Your own Holy Spirit, the power that raised Jesus from the dead, to live inside our human spirits; so we always have access to His knowledge and strength and wisdom and courage to face every trial and maneuver over every stumbling stone and around every pothole in our path.
And Father, as we do the good works that You planned ahead of time for us to do, help us to lean on you when the enemy's minions slander us, and fight against us, and attack us. He knows that his time is short, and he is furious.
Protect Your children, Father; may those who are facing extreme persecution know that they can curl up in Your lap, wrapped in Your strong and gentle arms. Let them know that their families are being cared for, not starving.
And watch over Your people Israel, all the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, scattered over the whole World in every Nation. Continue to carry them, protect them, and preserve them, drawing them to Yourself.
And, Father, send Your workers into Your mission fields, to find every lost sheep, in every Nation, every people group, every language; to carry them into the safety of the One Fold with One Shepherd.
And may every seat around Your great Table be filled with all the subjects in Your Kingdom; all Your children, all Your friends, all Your guests, from whatever places and realms they will be found; that Your House will be full!
And every knee will bow, every tongue in every language will confess and admit, that Jesus of Nazareth is our Almighty Lord God of the Universe, to the glory of God the Father, in the power of God the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, through all Eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, April 29, 2019
His Commission To Us
Matthew 28: 18-20
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on Earth.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the Age.
Acts 1: 8
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and evern to the remotest part of the Earth.
This has been called The Great Commission, and many think that it only applies to His Apostles and disciples who followed Him then, and pastors and missionaries today.
But we need to understand that all Christians in every time since then have been His students, His disciples. Every believer is a disciple. And every believer has been given this commission.
We are all "called." When the Apostles wrote their Epistles, they were letters to all the believers in each location, not just the leaders. (See Romans 1:6; I Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:6; Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 3:15; I Thessalonians 2:12; Hebrews 9:15; I Peter 1:15; II Peter 1:3; and I John 3:1, for example.)
So each one of us is called to faith, called to be His children, called to be Christians. And we are all commissioned to be His witnesses, to testify of our own personal knowledge and experiences in our relationship with Him.
Each of us needs to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us why we are different, or why we respond to something instead of reacting.
Has Jesus changed your life and attitudes about anything? That's your experience, your testimony. Be ready to share it when called upon.
O my Father, thank You so much for knowing me and loving me. Thank You for choosing me to be Your own daughter. Thank You for sending Your own Son to be my personal Sacrificial Lamb to take my death and wash me clean by His precious Blood. Thank You for plannng out my life for my good and Your glory.
Father, You are amazing! You are incredible! You are so much more than I could ever imagine! (And You have given me a really good imagination!) You are my Source of Everything! Source of existence, Source of environment, Source of sustenance, Source of being, Source of every material need in this World. Also Source of every fun and pleasurable thing for me to enjoy.
O Father, I am looking forward with great anticipation to that Day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is our Lord God, to the glory of God the Father, throughout all eternity.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on Earth.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the Age.
Acts 1: 8
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and evern to the remotest part of the Earth.
This has been called The Great Commission, and many think that it only applies to His Apostles and disciples who followed Him then, and pastors and missionaries today.
But we need to understand that all Christians in every time since then have been His students, His disciples. Every believer is a disciple. And every believer has been given this commission.
We are all "called." When the Apostles wrote their Epistles, they were letters to all the believers in each location, not just the leaders. (See Romans 1:6; I Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:6; Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 3:15; I Thessalonians 2:12; Hebrews 9:15; I Peter 1:15; II Peter 1:3; and I John 3:1, for example.)
So each one of us is called to faith, called to be His children, called to be Christians. And we are all commissioned to be His witnesses, to testify of our own personal knowledge and experiences in our relationship with Him.
Each of us needs to be ready to give an answer to anyone who asks us why we are different, or why we respond to something instead of reacting.
Has Jesus changed your life and attitudes about anything? That's your experience, your testimony. Be ready to share it when called upon.
O my Father, thank You so much for knowing me and loving me. Thank You for choosing me to be Your own daughter. Thank You for sending Your own Son to be my personal Sacrificial Lamb to take my death and wash me clean by His precious Blood. Thank You for plannng out my life for my good and Your glory.
Father, You are amazing! You are incredible! You are so much more than I could ever imagine! (And You have given me a really good imagination!) You are my Source of Everything! Source of existence, Source of environment, Source of sustenance, Source of being, Source of every material need in this World. Also Source of every fun and pleasurable thing for me to enjoy.
O Father, I am looking forward with great anticipation to that Day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is our Lord God, to the glory of God the Father, throughout all eternity.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, April 28, 2019
My Apology
My Apologies
I must apologize for my rush to pronounce a fact something that may not be.
I have been taught by highly respected Bible scholars, and I sometimes disagree with them, and I sometimes just swallow whole what they have said, without a lot of personal research to determine if what they said is really True.
I suppose it is my pride that will do this, thinking that I am somebody when I am a nobody in the World. Only God considers me a V.I.P.--in His family and in His Family Business, His Kingdom.
So I must confess that I shared that the Mary who was the mother of James and Joseph could be Jesus' own mother, without also showing that she could be another Mary who was the wife of Cleophas and the mother of James the Less and Joseph.
I've done some research and am impressed that "James the Less" is one of the Twelve Apostles, and is the brother of the Apostle Jude, the son of Alphaeus.
So "James the Just" would be the brother of Jesus, who didn't believe in Him until after His Resurrection, but who then became the leader of the church at Jerusalem, and who probably wrote the Epistle of James.
And I'm sorry I didactically proclaimed that the Epistle of Jude was written by the brother of Jesus. I don't know that for a certainty, but I suspect it is so. He calls himself "the brother of James" who is understood as being James the Just, the leader of the Jerusalem church. So if James the Just is the brother of Jesus, then Jude is also the brother of Jesus. But, like I said, there is not total certainty of that.
Please forgive me for my indiscretions and my eagerness to promote my own knowledge, even before I did my own sufficient research.
I call on all of you, my readers, to not just take what I say as Gospel, but to do your own research to make sure that what I say really is according to Scripture, before you swallow it whole, as I did.
I am always open to other views on what God is really saying to us, and I appreciate that He is so gracious with me in the weakness of my flesh.
Thank you for reading my blog, and for your faithfulness if you read it every day. You are free to share it with others, if you think it will help them grow closer to our Father, which is my purpose in sharing. You may freely print out any of my entries to share with your Bible study group or Sunday School class, at your pleasure and discretion.
You may comment on any page, with questions or comments or to let me know what effect these entries are having on you and your friends.
And may God receive all the credit and glory for all of our readings and studyings and researchings and seekings and prayers.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
I must apologize for my rush to pronounce a fact something that may not be.
I have been taught by highly respected Bible scholars, and I sometimes disagree with them, and I sometimes just swallow whole what they have said, without a lot of personal research to determine if what they said is really True.
I suppose it is my pride that will do this, thinking that I am somebody when I am a nobody in the World. Only God considers me a V.I.P.--in His family and in His Family Business, His Kingdom.
So I must confess that I shared that the Mary who was the mother of James and Joseph could be Jesus' own mother, without also showing that she could be another Mary who was the wife of Cleophas and the mother of James the Less and Joseph.
I've done some research and am impressed that "James the Less" is one of the Twelve Apostles, and is the brother of the Apostle Jude, the son of Alphaeus.
So "James the Just" would be the brother of Jesus, who didn't believe in Him until after His Resurrection, but who then became the leader of the church at Jerusalem, and who probably wrote the Epistle of James.
And I'm sorry I didactically proclaimed that the Epistle of Jude was written by the brother of Jesus. I don't know that for a certainty, but I suspect it is so. He calls himself "the brother of James" who is understood as being James the Just, the leader of the Jerusalem church. So if James the Just is the brother of Jesus, then Jude is also the brother of Jesus. But, like I said, there is not total certainty of that.
Please forgive me for my indiscretions and my eagerness to promote my own knowledge, even before I did my own sufficient research.
I call on all of you, my readers, to not just take what I say as Gospel, but to do your own research to make sure that what I say really is according to Scripture, before you swallow it whole, as I did.
I am always open to other views on what God is really saying to us, and I appreciate that He is so gracious with me in the weakness of my flesh.
Thank you for reading my blog, and for your faithfulness if you read it every day. You are free to share it with others, if you think it will help them grow closer to our Father, which is my purpose in sharing. You may freely print out any of my entries to share with your Bible study group or Sunday School class, at your pleasure and discretion.
You may comment on any page, with questions or comments or to let me know what effect these entries are having on you and your friends.
And may God receive all the credit and glory for all of our readings and studyings and researchings and seekings and prayers.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Intro To The Church
Acts 1
Doctor Luke was a scientist, so he made very careful research into everything Jesus said and did, interviewing all the people who knew and interacted with Him, in order to make sure that all the stories that were going around were really accurate according to the Truth of what really happened. That's why he wrote the Gospel According to Luke.
And that is also why he wrote this treatise of The Acts of the Apostles, to continue the story God was folding out, especially since he himself is part of this continuing saga as he travelled with Paul as his doctor (Acts 16:7, they; v. 10, we, when he joined the party).
This first chapter records how Jesus commissioned His disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth.
And when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up into a cloud that received Him out of their sight.
And while they were still looking earnestly toward Heaven, suddenly two men stood by them in white apparel;
And said, Why are you men of Galilee standing here gazing up into Heaven?
This same Jesus, that has been taken from you into Heaven, shall come again in the same way that you saw Him go into Heaven. (Vs. 8-11.)
So here is another promise that Jesus will come back, coming through the clouds to the Mount of Olives, just as He went up into the clouds from the Mount of Olives. (As Zechariah describes in chapter 14.)
Then they walked the Sabbath's day journey, about 3/5ths of a mile, to Jerusalem, to the upper room where Peter and James were staying, and all the other Apostles and disciples were with them, about 120 people in all, including Jesus' mother and His brothers, too. (Vs. 12-14.)
Since the Apostles' number went from 12 to 11 with the abdication of Judas, who had hanged himself in despair; Peter held a vote, and two were appointed to take his place; so they cast lots, probably like dice, and it fell on Matthias to take Judas' place as the 12th Apostle. (Vs. 15-26.)
We never hear any more about Matthias, this is the only place in the whole Bible where his name is mentioned.
But when Saul of Tarsis has his crisis of faith (Acts 9) and becomes Paul the Evangelist (Acts 13), he considers himself to be the twelfth Apostle (Romans 1:1; I Corinthians 1:1; II Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; I Timothy 1:1; II Timothy 1:1; and Titus 1:1), so maybe Peter was jumping the gun here, in rushing to fill that position.
O my Father, Your written Word is so rich in knowledge and wisdom and information and depth of understanding! It's like You wrote it in a code that takes Your Holy Spirit in us to decrypt and decypher it.
Father, please continue to reveal Your Truth to me, so that I will have an accurate understanding of what You are saying to us. Help me to use the words that will convey a clear picture of Your Truth, in whichever facet I am focused on to share. Keep me from any kind of minor or major error in my telling, and use my efforts in Your strength to draw others ever closer to Yourself, to love You and love others as You have Loved us.
O Father, keep us all firmly in Your Truth; in every story, in every point of doctrine to believe, in every detail of what we need to know. So that we will be confident in Your trustworthyness and bold in our proclamations that we broadcast throughout all the World.
And we know that Your Word is True and Steadfast, and will remain in effect until everything, every detail, every promise, every prophecy, is fulfilled and finished, exactly as You said it.
And You will receive all the Glory and Honor and Praise, when every knee will bow and every tongue will admit, in every created realm, that Jesus is our Lord God and Sovereign King, forever and ever throughout all Eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Doctor Luke was a scientist, so he made very careful research into everything Jesus said and did, interviewing all the people who knew and interacted with Him, in order to make sure that all the stories that were going around were really accurate according to the Truth of what really happened. That's why he wrote the Gospel According to Luke.
And that is also why he wrote this treatise of The Acts of the Apostles, to continue the story God was folding out, especially since he himself is part of this continuing saga as he travelled with Paul as his doctor (Acts 16:7, they; v. 10, we, when he joined the party).
This first chapter records how Jesus commissioned His disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the Earth.
And when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up into a cloud that received Him out of their sight.
And while they were still looking earnestly toward Heaven, suddenly two men stood by them in white apparel;
And said, Why are you men of Galilee standing here gazing up into Heaven?
This same Jesus, that has been taken from you into Heaven, shall come again in the same way that you saw Him go into Heaven. (Vs. 8-11.)
So here is another promise that Jesus will come back, coming through the clouds to the Mount of Olives, just as He went up into the clouds from the Mount of Olives. (As Zechariah describes in chapter 14.)
Then they walked the Sabbath's day journey, about 3/5ths of a mile, to Jerusalem, to the upper room where Peter and James were staying, and all the other Apostles and disciples were with them, about 120 people in all, including Jesus' mother and His brothers, too. (Vs. 12-14.)
Since the Apostles' number went from 12 to 11 with the abdication of Judas, who had hanged himself in despair; Peter held a vote, and two were appointed to take his place; so they cast lots, probably like dice, and it fell on Matthias to take Judas' place as the 12th Apostle. (Vs. 15-26.)
We never hear any more about Matthias, this is the only place in the whole Bible where his name is mentioned.
But when Saul of Tarsis has his crisis of faith (Acts 9) and becomes Paul the Evangelist (Acts 13), he considers himself to be the twelfth Apostle (Romans 1:1; I Corinthians 1:1; II Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; I Timothy 1:1; II Timothy 1:1; and Titus 1:1), so maybe Peter was jumping the gun here, in rushing to fill that position.
O my Father, Your written Word is so rich in knowledge and wisdom and information and depth of understanding! It's like You wrote it in a code that takes Your Holy Spirit in us to decrypt and decypher it.
Father, please continue to reveal Your Truth to me, so that I will have an accurate understanding of what You are saying to us. Help me to use the words that will convey a clear picture of Your Truth, in whichever facet I am focused on to share. Keep me from any kind of minor or major error in my telling, and use my efforts in Your strength to draw others ever closer to Yourself, to love You and love others as You have Loved us.
O Father, keep us all firmly in Your Truth; in every story, in every point of doctrine to believe, in every detail of what we need to know. So that we will be confident in Your trustworthyness and bold in our proclamations that we broadcast throughout all the World.
And we know that Your Word is True and Steadfast, and will remain in effect until everything, every detail, every promise, every prophecy, is fulfilled and finished, exactly as You said it.
And You will receive all the Glory and Honor and Praise, when every knee will bow and every tongue will admit, in every created realm, that Jesus is our Lord God and Sovereign King, forever and ever throughout all Eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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