Podcasts about Acts 2

Jan. 15 & 16, 2021 - A Church That's W.E.L.L. – Part 3 Pastor Ed Taylor Study #24412 - Acts 2:40-47 ACTS

In Part 3 of Dr. Hixson's series through the book of Acts, he discusses characteristics of the Model Church from Acts 2:40-47. Not By Works Ministries   Get the new NBW Ministries mobile app!   Sign up for the NBW Newsletter   Spirit of the Antichrist Full Series on DVD or Download   What In the World Is Going On? Video Series   Not By Works Online Store   Bible Study Methods Course   Culture Shock Video Series   What Lies Ahead Video Series   Accurate Covid Data   Support Not By Works   Not By Works You Tube Channel   Not By Works Rumble Channel   New Book: Top Ten Reasons Some People Go to Hell   New Book: Weekly Words of Life  

In Acts 2 we witness the first gospel sermon, the first Christians, and the first church. The first church is marked out by devoting themselves to the Apostles' teaching, fellowship, prayer, the Lord's Supper.

Peter finishes his sermon on the Day of Pentecost and his audience is stunned - "what should we do? Is there any hope for us?" And if it was in a modern day church, this is when you'd cue the invitation song!

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Peter stands up at Pentecost to preach the first gospel sermon. He begins his sermon by going back to the prophet Joel to demonstrate that Pentecost was part of God's great plan.

In Part 2 of Dr. Hixson's series through the book of Acts, he addresses the powerful move of the Spirit of God on the birthday of the Church nearly 2,000 years ago.  Not By Works Ministries   Get the new NBW Ministries mobile app!   Sign up for the NBW Newsletter   Spirit of the Antichrist Full Series on DVD or Download   What In the World Is Going On? Video Series   Not By Works Online Store   Bible Study Methods Course   Culture Shock Video Series   What Lies Ahead Video Series   Accurate Covid Data   Support Not By Works   Not By Works You Tube Channel   Not By Works Rumble Channel   New Book: Top Ten Reasons Some People Go to Hell   New Book: Weekly Words of Life

In Acts 2 we witness the birth of the church on the day of Pentecost. Jesus was crucified on Passover infusing that feast we new meaning. Now the new covenant people of God is born on the feast day when Israel remembered God forming a covenant with them at Mount Sinai.

Vision 2022 - Acts 2:42-47 by Forefront Church at Harvey Park

Sermon series: Stories of Change In this series, we will see how the one gospel reaches and changes different groups and individuals. In this passage, we see how it reaches the devout Jews. For this group to truly experience the power of the gospel, they had to see that the true purpose of all Scripture is to reveal Christ. And, they had to have Christ at the centre of their lives. Preacher: Tan Huai Tze Date: 2 January 2022

A new MP3 sermon from Heritage Reformed Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Acts (2): The Ascension of Christ Subtitle: Acts Speaker: Mike Waters Broadcaster: Heritage Reformed Baptist Church Event: Sunday - AM Date: 1/2/2022 Bible: Acts 1:9-11 Length: 54 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Eastford Baptist Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Jan. 2, 2022 Bible Reading - Gn. 2, Mt. 2, Ez. 2, Acts 2 Subtitle: Daily Bible Reading 2022 (KJV) Speaker: Timothy Howard Broadcaster: Eastford Baptist Church Event: Audio Book Date: 1/2/2022 Length: 20 min.

Download Devoted to the Breaking of Bread Acts 2:42 Introduction: Acts 2:42-47 should be impressive to us. We should have it embedded in our minds because Luke is immediately impressing on Theophilus what Christians did together as a community following their conversion to Christ.  “Devoted” or “continued steadfastly” are the key words. With the wonder … Devoted to the Breaking of Bread: Acts 2:42 Read More » The post Devoted to the Breaking of Bread: Acts 2:42 appeared first on Woodland Hills Church of Christ.

Acts 2 by Paul Carter

With family: Genesis 2; Matthew 2 Genesis 2 (Listen) The Seventh Day, God Rests 2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. The Creation of Man and Woman 4   These are the generations  of the heavens and the earth when they were created,  in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. 5 When no bush of the field1 was yet in the land2 and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist3 was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground—7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates. 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat4 of it you shall surely die.” 18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for5 him.” 19 Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed6 every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam7 there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made8 into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,   “This at last is bone of my bones    and flesh of my flesh;  she shall be called Woman,    because she was taken out of Man.”9 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Footnotes [1] 2:5 Or open country [2] 2:5 Or earth; also verse 6 [3] 2:6 Or spring [4] 2:17 Or when you eat [5] 2:18 Or corresponding to; also verse 20 [6] 2:19 Or And out of the ground the Lord God formed [7] 2:20 Or the man [8] 2:22 Hebrew built [9] 2:23 The Hebrew words for woman (ishshah) and man (ish) sound alike (ESV) Matthew 2 (Listen) The Visit of the Wise Men 2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men1 from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose2 and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6   “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;  for from you shall come a ruler    who will shepherd my people Israel.'” 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. The Flight to Egypt 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Herod Kills the Children 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18   “A voice was heard in Ramah,    weeping and loud lamentation,  Rachel weeping for her children;    she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” The Return to Nazareth 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. Footnotes [1] 2:1 Greek magi; also verses 7, 16 [2] 2:2 Or in the east; also verse 9 (ESV) In private: Ezra 2; Acts 2 Ezra 2 (Listen) The Exiles Return 2 Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3 the sons of Parosh, 2,172. 4 The sons of Shephatiah, 372. 5 The sons of Arah, 775. 6 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812. 7 The sons of Elam, 1,254. 8 The sons of Zattu, 945. 9 The sons of Zaccai, 760. 10 The sons of Bani, 642. 11 The sons of Bebai, 623. 12 The sons of Azgad, 1,222. 13 The sons of Adonikam, 666. 14 The sons of Bigvai, 2,056. 15 The sons of Adin, 454. 16 The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 17 The sons of Bezai, 323. 18 The sons of Jorah, 112. 19 The sons of Hashum, 223. 20 The sons of Gibbar, 95. 21 The sons of Bethlehem, 123. 22 The men of Netophah, 56. 23 The men of Anathoth, 128. 24 The sons of Azmaveth, 42. 25 The sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. 26 The sons of Ramah and Geba, 621. 27 The men of Michmas, 122. 28 The men of Bethel and Ai, 223. 29 The sons of Nebo, 52. 30 The sons of Magbish, 156. 31 The sons of the other Elam, 1,254. 32 The sons of Harim, 320. 33 The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725. 34 The sons of Jericho, 345. 35 The sons of Senaah, 3,630. 36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, 973. 37 The sons of Immer, 1,052. 38 The sons of Pashhur, 1,247. 39 The sons of Harim, 1,017. 40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74. 41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 128. 42 The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, in all 139. 43 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 44 the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, 45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, 46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shamlai, the sons of Hanan, 47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, 48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, 49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, 50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephisim, 51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 52 the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 54 the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha. 55 The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda, 56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the sons of Ami. 58 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392. 59 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, though they could not prove their fathers' houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, 652. 61 Also, of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). 62 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 63 The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim. 64 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 65 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female singers. 66 Their horses were 736, their mules were 245, 67 their camels were 435, and their donkeys were 6,720. 68 Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. 69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics1 of gold, 5,000 minas2 of silver, and 100 priests' garments. 70 Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel3 in their towns. Footnotes [1] 2:69 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams [2] 2:69 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram [3] 2:70 Hebrew all Israel (ESV) Acts 2 (Listen) The Coming of the Holy Spirit 2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested1 on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” Peter's Sermon at Pentecost 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.2 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17   “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,  that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,  and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,    and your young men shall see visions,    and your old men shall dream dreams;18   even on my male servants and female servants    in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.19   And I will show wonders in the heavens above    and signs on the earth below,    blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;20   the sun shall be turned to darkness    and the moon to blood,    before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.21   And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' 22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—23 this Jesus,3 delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,   “‘I saw the Lord always before me,    for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;26   therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;    my flesh also will dwell in hope.27   For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,    or let your Holy One see corruption.28   You have made known to me the paths of life;    you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,   “‘The Lord said to my Lord,  “Sit at my right hand,35     until I make your enemies your footstool.”' 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “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. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. The Fellowship of the Believers 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe4 came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Footnotes [1] 2:3 Or And tongues as of fire appeared to them, distributed among them, and rested [2] 2:15 That is, 9 a.m. [3] 2:23 Greek this one [4] 2:43 Or fear (ESV)

reGATHER

This episode is also available as a blog post: http://genealogymeditations.com/2022/01/01/gods-promise-to-david-acts-2/

Pastor Mike Ascher

Sermon by Davy Lee on December 26, 2021. 

23 Isaiah 27-28; 20 Proverbs 22; 44 Acts 2

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Bible Church of Savannah is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Spirit and the Kingdom | Acts 2:14–21 Subtitle: Acts of the Apostles Speaker: Shaun Marksbury Broadcaster: Grace Bible Church of Savannah Event: Sunday - AM Date: 12/19/2021 Bible: Acts 2:14-21 Length: 52 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Bible Church of Savannah is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Spirit and the Kingdom | Acts 2:14–21 Subtitle: Acts of the Apostles Speaker: Shaun Marksbury Broadcaster: Grace Bible Church of Savannah Event: Sunday - AM Date: 12/19/2021 Bible: Acts 2:14-21 Length: 52 min.

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Bible Church of Savannah is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Spirit and the Kingdom | Acts 2:14–21 Subtitle: Acts of the Apostles Speaker: Shaun Marksbury Broadcaster: Grace Bible Church of Savannah Event: Sunday - AM Date: 12/19/2021 Bible: Acts 2:14-21 Length: 52 min.

Dec. 18 & 19, 2021 - A Church That's W.E.L.L – Part 2 Pastor Ed Taylor Study #24411 - Acts 2:40-47 ACTS

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Bible Church of Savannah is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Baptism of the Spirit | Acts 2:1–13 Subtitle: Acts of the Apostles Speaker: Shaun Marksbury Broadcaster: Grace Bible Church of Savannah Event: Sunday - AM Date: 12/12/2021 Bible: Acts 2:1-13 Length: 59 min.

Dec. 11 & 12, 2021 - A Church That's W.E.L.L – Part 1 Pastor Ed Taylor Study #24410 - Acts 2:40-47 ACTS

Continually Devoted | Acts 2:41-42 | November 14, 2021 (Anniversary Sunday)   For more information about Lakeside Bible Church, please visit us online at lakesidebible.church. We'd love to connect with you on social media as well! Find us by searching @lakesidebiblenc on Facebook and Instagram. For questions about the Bible or our church, feel free to email us at info@lakesidebible.church.

Tuesday, 7 December 2021   praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:47   The words of this verse continue those of the previous verse. Taken together they read, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” With this noted, we see that the early church was “praising God.”   This is a general statement that was noted by Luke at the very end of his gospel –   “And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.” Luke 24:50-53   This attitude of praise concerning the crucified Lord, their Passover Lamb (Leviticus 23:14) and Atoning Sacrifice (Leviticus 23:26-32); and the risen Lord, the Firstfruits of God (Leviticus 23:9-15); continued on in an attitude of praise at the Lord who gave forth His Spirit to the people (Leviticus 24:15-22). The fulfillment of typology from Scripture was being realized before their eyes.   With each occurrence, the praises of the people must have grown greater and greater. The thought of Ecclesiastes 9 must have saturated their conduct –   “Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works. 8 Let your garments always be white, And let your head lack no oil.” Ecclesiastes 9:7, 8   The Lord had accepted them, and thus their works were now acceptable to the Lord. Along with this, it says of them, “and having favor with all the people.” This doesn't mean the masses were being converted, nor that the leaders accepted their message as true. It is the same general sentiment found in Mark 12:37 where it says, “And the common people heard Him gladly.”   Those who heard the apostles speak would have nothing to hold against them, and – indeed – they would have been glad to listen to them and learn from them, even if they didn't join the faith. People can go to a lecture by a person and learn from him, even if they don't necessarily agree with him. We can watch a show on TV about something we don't agree with, maybe evolution, and still enjoy the content.   As such, the apostles and disciples found favor with people in general. There was nothing worthy of calling for a good stoning in order to silence them. And so, they continued proclaiming their message. In this, it next says, “And the Lord added to the church daily.”   The verb is imperfect. It more rightly says, “And the Lord kept adding to the church daily.” Of those that heard from day to day, some were convinced, their hearts were touched, and they yielded to the call upon their hearts. Saying that “the Lord” did this does not in any way need to imply that the Lord actively reached into their hearts and converted them. This would be contrary to the notion of free will in man.   Rather, the apostles would have quoted directly from Scripture (as evidenced by Peter's quoting of Scripture in Acts 2 and elsewhere, and also in the epistles). Along with that, they would explain how Christ fulfilled these things. In hearing, there would be a response. This is how salvation works. Paul states this directly in Romans 10:16, 17 –   “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?' 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”   It is the Lord who gave Scripture, it is the Lord who fulfilled Scripture, it was the Lord who appointed His ambassadors, and thus it is the Lord who adds to the church. Luke finishes the verse with the thought that those who are so added are “those who were being saved.”   The KJV tragically renders these words, “such as should be saved.” This would compel the verb to be rendered in the future. But it is a present participle. Vincent's Word Studies, citing Lightfoot, reveals the extent of the damage such an incorrect translation of these words means –   “Salvation is a thing of the present, as well as of the past and future. ... ‘Godliness, righteousness, is life, is salvation. And it is hardly necessary to say that the divorce of morality and religion must be fostered and encouraged by failing to note this, and so laying the whole stress either on the past or on the future - on the first call, or on the final change. It is, therefore, important that the idea of salvation as a rescue from sin, through the knowledge of God in Christ, and therefore a progressive condition, a present state, should not be obscured, and we can but regret such a translation as Acts 2:47, “The Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved,” where the Greek implies a different idea' (Lightfoot, ‘On a Fresh Revision of the New Testament').”   The church was growing, and people were being saved. But the theology behind the words is important to understand, and it cannot be properly understood when a translation gives a faulty sense of what has occurred, is occurring, or will occur within the redemptive narrative.   Life application: There is a lot of theology that is to be found in this final verse of Acts 2. But Acts 2 is a chapter literally overflowing with information that is to be taken in the proper context and applied to our theology in the proper manner.   As for Acts 2:47, how one perceives the words here will be based on what one believes about salvation. Does man have free will? Does God actively choose some for salvation while condemning all others? Is salvation a “right now” event, or is it some concept that applies to the future in an obscure way? Paul tells us the importance of “right now” in his second letter to the Corinthians –   “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2   What is your attitude concerning sharing the gospel? If people are predestined to be saved by God, then it doesn't really matter, does it? Can God's will be thwarted? And so, if there are those who “should be saved,” there would be no need to worry about telling them anything. There would be no need to send missionaries out to bring the message of Christ to the world.   Great errors in theology have  arisen because of great errors in translations, in thinking, and in doctrine. Let us be aware of such errors and flee from them. Let us purpose in our hearts to get the saving message of Jesus Christ out to those around us.   Lord God, help us to be responsible with our time in Your word. Help us to reject faulty translations when we realize they are faulty, making notes to carefully correct the doctrinal errors that are presented in verses or passages that were incorrectly presented. We can be sure that most translators really cared about what they were doing, but we can also be sure that they were just fallible people translating Your word in a fallible way. Help us to see the error and to correct it in order to be right in our walk with You. Amen.  

Jared and Allen bring on Jon Graham while Matt was away to discuss TV for Christians and Jon's new stream service, ACTS2. Find out more at: https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/tv-for-christians-georgia-baptist-mission-board-unveils-acts2/Make sure you are following us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PotluckPodcastSBC

Monday, 6 December 2021   So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, Acts 2:46   The previous verses spoke of the new believers having everything in common and of the people selling their goods and possessions and then dividing up the proceeds among one another. With that noted, and implying it is a reason the people could gather daily, the words now state, “So continuing daily.”   Because of having sold all their possessions, the believers could remain together as a group, even after the end of the pilgrim feast. Normally, people would come to the feasts, spend time in the presence of the Lord, and then return to their homes in order to return to their employment, whether it was working in the fields, working as a potter, or doing whatever else they once did for their livelihood. In essence, the believers had come to live out an almost permanent festive celebration.   The instructions for the attendance at the pilgrim feasts are stated several times in the books of Moses. The particular instructions for the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) are noted in Deuteronomy 16 –   “You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain. 10 Then you shall keep the Feast of Weeks to the Lord your God with the tribute of a freewill offering from your hand, which you shall give as the Lord your God blesses you. 11 You shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, the Levite who is within your gates, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are among you, at the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. 12 And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.” Deuteronomy 16:9-12   Because of the enormity of what occurred, and because of the marked change in the people who had come to this feast, they were so converted that they kept the spirit of the feast going, even after it had ended. This attitude was found in all the believers who continued together “with one accord.”   There was a unity of purpose and heart among the believers because of their faith in Christ. It is the same attitude that has been seen, such as in Acts 1:14, and it will be seen several more times (where the same Greek word is used) through Acts 12 when referring to the faith and unity of these early believers. For now, it is a unity of mind that was on display “in the temple.”   The disciples would gather there openly to consider the wonder of what God had done in Christ. It is probably at this time that they began to ponder the larger picture of what their history had been leading to and how it was actually all a typological anticipation of the coming of the Messiah.   The Passover celebration that they had observed year by year would have taken on a whole new meaning to them. The Day of Atonement would suddenly stand out in a whole new way. And so on. There must have been an overwhelming sense that they belonged to a people that had served a greater purpose than they ever could have previously imagined.   In this state of amazed joy, they were not only in the temple daily, but they were also “breaking bread from house to house.” The Greek reads “at home.” The words are then set in contrast to “in the temple.” When they weren't at the temple, they were at someone's home. Wherever the believers dwelt, other believers would come and sit over a meal, symbolized by the breaking of bread that would set the tone for the meal.   Bread would be brought forth, a blessing would be made, and then bread would be broken and passed around. This is seen in all three synoptic gospels, such as in Mark 8 –   “So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. 7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. 8 So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments.” Mark 8:6-8   Once the bread was brought forth, blessed, and broken, “they ate their food with gladness.”   One can think of the complete joy of knowing they had become a part of what God had been preparing since the fall of man. Step by step, He was working in the world as it led to the coming of Christ and toward the restoration of all things in Him. These early believers were sensing the glory of God in a way that probably stunned their senses from moment to moment.   Each time someone brought up a story from their Scriptures, they would probably talk about it and how it actually was leading to Jesus. As they ate their meals, they would be filled with gladness in the Spirit that their eyes had been opened to these marvelous things. Luke next notes that this state would be combined with that of “simplicity of heart.”   Here is a word found only this once in Scripture, aphelotés. It means “not stony ground.” As such, it is that which is simple or plain. There is nothing complicated to the eyes or to the feet when walking, and thus the steps are unencumbered. The term “purity of heart” would give a good sense. There is nothing complicated in it, there is nothing uneven or difficult in it.   As such, there would be no concerns or worries. No matter what arose during the day, the people would acknowledge it as being within the will of the Lord. In other words, “If the Lord took everything that we know of our part of human history, and He organized it so meticulously that we can see Jesus in every detail, then He must be guiding our lives for a good purpose, even if difficult or bad things happen along the way.”   The story of Joseph would have taken on a completely new meaning in their minds, the exile to Babylon would begin to make sense, the raising up of good kings, and the failings of the bad kings would be understood more clearly. The story of Ruth and that of Esther would suddenly call out to them in a completely new way. There would be no stony ground in their hearts because they could see the world with eyes that had never seen such wonder and glory before.   Life application: There are people who have been Christians for many years, or even for all of their lives – having come to know Jesus at young ages – and yet, they have never taken the time to dive into Scripture and search out its treasures. But at some point, they decide to start listening to sermons from the Old Testament and they start to realize that everything there is about... JESUS.   In this realization, they start to hunger the word as they never had before. Not only do the Old Testament Scriptures start to make sense, but the New Testament starts to take on a completely new tone. This is because they see that the Bible is one united whole, all telling the same story – slow and progressively revealing what God is doing in Christ.   With this new appreciation, their faith finds a stronger footing than it ever had before, and their lives take on a new calmness that they had never experienced. “If God had everything so carefully structured in the past, certainly my life is being carefully handled as well.” With this new attitude, the trials, pains, and woes all seem less troubling. A new reliance on Christ is realized, and a surety in salvation is more fully appreciated.   If you have not pursued God's word to its fullest, start today. The sermons from the Superior Word will help you in this. Start with Genesis 1:1 and just keep on going. There is treasure in this word. Forget the TV shows! Get into the word!   Lord God, help us to not squander our time, but to focus on You and on Your word now... while we can. Surely our lives will be more grounded if we do this. So, help us to pursue this path. Give us the heart to cherish this word all the days of our lives. Amen.

Dec. 04 & 05, 2021 - God's Undying Love for You And The Lost Pastor Ed Taylor Study #24409 - Acts 2:5-41 ACTS

Sunday, 5 December 2021   and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. Acts 2:45   The previous verse noted that “all who believed were together, and had all things in common.” Along with that, it now goes on to say, “and sold their possessions and goods.” It should be noted that all of the verbs in this verse are in the imperfect tense – “they were selling,” “they were dividing,” “anyone having a need.”   The idea is that they were in a state of selling everything they had as the occasion called for it. The word translated as “possessions” signifies landed property, such as a field or the like. The word translated as “goods” signifies stuff in general. It is simply something under the authority and discretion of a person.   One can get the sense that the disciples really thought that Jesus must be coming back quickly and there would be no need to have these things. So, they gathered together into a commune and sold their things off, waiting for that day. In doing this, they “divided them among all.”   There is a definite state of generosity here that follows after precepts found in the Law of Moses, such as –   “If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs.” Deuteronomy 15:7, 8   This doesn't mean these people were all poor that came into the fellowship, but that the principle of extending your hand to another to meet his need is one that Israel was aware of and lived by. As people sold their things, eventually someone would need to follow suit to take care of the person who had done so and found himself with nothing left. This is seen in the final words of the verse, “as anyone had need.”   Until these people joined the movement, they would have had their own property, their own employment, and their own means of tending to themselves. But it is quite apparent that they felt that these things would no longer be needed. The Lord would surely return soon, and the kingdom had arrived where there would be a new order of things.   Unfortunately, they misunderstood the times and the seasons Jesus spoke of in Acts 1:7. Israel, as a nation, had rejected the Lord. As a corporate body, they would be corporately punished for this, as outlined in the law – such as in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. They would go into an extended exile and the gentiles would pick up and carry the spiritual banner that had been carried by Israel for so long.   This is all clearly seen and revealed to them as Acts closes out –   “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” Acts 28:28   It would be a calamitous mistake indeed to use Acts in a prescriptive way by following along with this verse in the church today.   Life application: The early church, misunderstanding the timeline of events to come, must have thought that they would enter into the kingdom age quickly. As such, they followed a rather reckless path concerning future savings. But even the Proverbs warned against that –   “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22   Solomon's advice did not stop being true after the resurrection of Jesus. We should save for contingencies in life, and we should even save in anticipation of blessing the next generations.   Unfortunately, the early Gentile church at Thessalonica caught the same fever as the Jews in Jerusalem. Paul told them about the coming of the Lord at the rapture in his first epistle, and they took that as an indication that they would be swooped out of there in short order. Hence, in his second epistle, it is seen that there were believers who were lolling around and not being productive. That is what brought about Paul's words concerning anyone not working would also not eat.   What is similar, but is found on a spiritual level, is the constant whittling away of time by the people of the church today because of the shape the world is in. And this has been going on constantly since the 1800s. Individuals and groups have gotten so into date setting that every twenty or thirty minutes it seems that a new date for the rapture is set. When it doesn't happen, a new and “corrected” calculation comes out, moving the timing back a couple days or a month.   This constant stream of failure is bad enough, but the true failure is that these same people spend all their time consumed in the thought of their speedy departure and they fail to do the things that are truly necessary – like telling people the gospel and actually learning proper doctrine.   It is a sad state of affairs, and it is as common as bed bugs in a boarding house. What people need to do is to forget about the timing of the rapture (meaning the dating of it, not necessarily the sequence of events as Scripture lays out), and actually live their lives in a productive manner – spiritually, towards their family and friends, and economically as well. The Lord will come when He comes. All of the false date setting in the world will not change the time of His coming one bit. And, when it happens, the date setting won't have mattered at all.   Lord God, help us to be responsible with the time You have given us in our lives. Amen.

 Saturday, 4 December 2021   Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, Acts 2:44   Acts 2:44 (along with other verses to come) is a great verse for dispelling the notion of applying the book of Acts to our current religious lives. Luke has been describing the growth and fellowship of the early church. To highlight the unity and brotherhood that existed, he continues with, “Now all who believed.”   It is referring to those who had accepted that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel. They are all Jews at this point, and they have separated themselves from the larger group within the nation, identifying themselves first and foremost with Jesus. Only after that were they considered people of Israel.   This was not uncommon. Pharisees had their own sect that stood apart from the others. Sadducees did as well. The extra-biblical record refers to the Essenes. These and other groups identified as Jews, but with a separation based on various beliefs. This had become the case with followers of Christ.   As such, Luke notes that they “were together.” This implies communal living. It is something that is found in various sects even today, and it is something that is set forth as an ideal in the modern Jewish kibbutzim. Though not believers in Jesus, the people live together, work together, and are almost one large family. If one were to add in Jesus, such a community would closely reflect what is developing here in Acts. One noted aspect of the kibbutz that is stated here in Acts is that they “had all things in common.”   This will be further explained in the next verse and then it will continue to be explained a bit later in Acts. This system will be seen to be a flawed one that will eventually break down, even to the point where these people will become dependent on the Gentiles in order to meet their needs.   As noted, the words here show the folly of selecting verses from Acts and applying them in a prescriptive manner. How common it is to argue over Acts 2:38. Churches set doctrine based on that verse, or other verses, that have nothing to do with the intended structure of the church or of rightly established doctrine within the church.   And yet, right in the same chapter, and in verses dealing with the exact same group of people, verses that clearly define what they did and how they lived are completely ignored for establishing any sort of doctrine. The chances of establishing a viable, working church based on the words stated now are pretty much zero. Those churches that would attempt to do so would almost immediately turn into an aberrant cult led by a megalomaniac. This is the natural outcome of such a system.   Rather, the words here simply describe what occurred, and they will eventually describe the failed outcome of the system. This is not because it is not a noble ideal, but because we are living in a fallen world. Such a system cannot sustain itself. It has been attempted by sects and even governments (communism) and the result is always failure. The human heart is not conditioned for such a system at this time.   This is why Paul gives instruction to the church concerning our responsibility to work and to earn one's own keep, such as –   “But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; 8 nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, 9 not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. 10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. 11 For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. 12 Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.” 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12   Paul's words are prescriptive. They are commands for us during the church age, and they are to be adhered to. If you want to eat, get to work. If you want to excel in this current system, you will be diligent in your labors, save when you can, and pay your bills with money earned by your own efforts.   Life application: Remember that Acts describes what occurred at various points in the early church. It shows us how things were, but it does not speak to whether those things are right or not. Nor does it set forth doctrine for us to live by. Instead, we are to look at what Acts says as a way of understanding how the church began, was able to grow, and how it eventually became established in the world.   During this early period, things took one form or another, identifying what did work and what failed to work. Eventually, the epistles were completed. They give enough information for the church to have effectively continued for two millennia.   Let us not pick and choose verses from Acts in order to establish doctrine. Should the temptation arise to do so, then simply come back to this verse in Acts and ask yourself, “Why am I not also applying what it says here to my doctrine as well?” The answer will come forth telling you that Acts is not intended for such purposes.   Glorious heavenly Father, thank You for Your kind hand upon us. Bless the work of our hands as we go forth to our respective places of employment. Help us to be productive, fruitful, and to work honorably for the wages we receive. May our lives be examples to others of our desire to honor You through our daily actions. Amen.

Friday, 3 December 2021   Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Acts 2:43   The previous verse noted that those who had believed and were added to the number continued resolutely in the Lord, in teaching, in fellowship, in breaking of bread, and in prayers. With that noted, a word about those who had witnessed these things is given, saying, “Then fear came upon every soul.”   The word “fear” has various significations, such as terror, alarm, withdraw (as in fleeing from something), etc. Here, it probably does not speak of terror, but of awe. It appears that this is referring to not only those who believed, but also those who merely saw what occurred, even if they were not added to the number of disciples.   Those who were added to the number would have been in awe at the events their eyes beheld and the enormity of what it meant that the Christ had come and fulfilled Scripture. Those who didn't believe would still be in awe of the fact that so many people had suddenly been converted in their lives and conduct.   In all, there would be a sense of something major going on that they were being swept up in. Those inside would want to grow; those outside would want to know. And one of the major reasons for the intensity of the awe is connected to the next words, saying, “and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.”   The words here are teras and sémeion. The teras, or wonder, is something that is done in order to bring about a reaction from those who see it. The effect upon those who witness it is intended to bring about a change in them. A wonder is a thing that is evident in itself. It is something that extends beyond what is normal and is thus considered miraculous. When it is done, it is to be attributed to the Lord because there is no other explanation for it to occur.   The sémeion or sign, is a sign, a miracle, a token, and so on. It generally is given to authenticate, corroborate, or confirm a person or a matter. Whereas a wonder is the thing itself, the sign stands for, testifies to, or points to something else. A simple example of a sign would be the blood of the Passover applied to the doorposts of a house. It is a sign. Jesus' miracles, at times, are noted as signs. Though they may be miraculous, like the changing of water to wine, they are signs that were given to authenticate Him as the Messiah and His ministry as approved by God.   These things, having been done through the apostles, were clear demonstrations of the power and effective working of the Lord, and they were given as confirmations of their office and of the approval by the Lord concerning their ministry.   The important thing, however, is that everything done by them and through them was ascribed not to their own abilities or capabilities, but to the effectual working of the Lord through them. Thus, even though these signs and wonders confirmed their office, and their approval by the Lord, they ultimately point back to the Lord Himself, acknowledging that He and His ministry among Israel was exactly what was claimed. Jesus is the Messiah.   Life application: Despite it being as common as coins in a slot machine among churches and individuals in the church today, the claim that people are still exhibiting signs and wonders is both unnecessary and contradictory to the word itself. It is the apostles who had this power. There are no more apostles. The signs and wonders were given to testify to the church of the authority and office of the apostles who represented Jesus. The Bible now does this.   Those in the church are to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). If we are expecting signs and wonders, we are not adhering to this precept. And so on. The purpose of the Bible is to be a witness to the workings of God in Christ. As it is given by the Holy Spirit, and as we are to accept it as such after doing our personal evaluation of it, then what do we need signs and wonders for? They are completely superfluous to our walk.   This does not mean that we should not pray for, or hope for, healing. We are specifically told to do so. But we are not to expect it or claim it. That is presumptuous. Should our prayers be answered, we should give God the glory for what has occurred. Let us be sound in our doctrine, reasonable in our walk, and understand the difference in what is merely descriptive and what is prescriptive in Scripture. In this, we will be in the sweet spot.    Lord God, how wonderful it is to have the written testimony of those things that occurred in order to confirm Your workings in redemptive history. Now, we can read about the signs and wonders that were given to establish the faith of early believers and we can then more readily accept that the message we have is true. Thank You for Your precious word! Amen.  

Thursday, 2 December 2021   And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42     The previous verse saw three thousand souls added to the number of followers of Christ. With this great increase, Luke now records the results of their conversion, saying, “And they continued steadfastly.”   He uses the same word as in Luke 1:14 to describe their conduct –   “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”   The word used, proskartereó, signifies a consistent display of strength that does not fail, even in times of difficulty. It is a remarkable attitude considering that they had first been among those who mocked what they saw. But when they heard the words of Peter, and when they realized the magnitude of what had occurred in the coming of their Messiah, they were wholly converted. There is no record of any of these people falling away. Rather, their lives had been completely changed by the events that occurred.   In this state, it says they continued “in the apostles' doctrine.”  The word is more precisely rendered “teaching.” It signifies both the act and the matter rather than just the matter (as in “doctrine”). Those who had joined the faith were willing to sit and be instructed on what it meant to enter into the New Covenant. Along with continuing in the apostles' teaching, it adds “and fellowship.” Vincent's Word Studies provides the meaning –   “From κοινός, [koinos] common. A relation between individuals which involves a common interest and a mutual, active participation in that interest and in each other. The word answers to the Latin communio, from communis, common. Hence, sometimes rendered communion, as 1 Corinthians 10:16; 2 Corinthians 13:14. Fellowship is the most common rendering.”   Indeed, the life of the early believers wasn't just in common, it was almost in commune. This will be seen in Chapter 4. There was an intimate fellowship that goes well beyond that experienced in almost all of the church today. To find any church that is even closely similar to what is described is almost unheard of. But, if such a body exists, it is more of a fringe cult than anything else.   This alone shows the descriptive nature of the book. It also shows the hypocrisy of those who pull various verses or passages out of Acts and force them upon a congregation in a prescriptive manner while completely ignoring other passages that are just as clearly stated. What is occurring in the early church, as is recorded in Acts, is a state of necessity for the body to survive, grow, and continue within the society in which it existed.   To impose the same type of life upon others in societies elsewhere would not only likely be unwise, it would most certainly be damaging to those who joined. As noted above, this is the type of environment that easily leads to complete bondage in cults. The reason is that any such teacher is not an apostle of Jesus. When such control of others' lives is obtained, the most aberrant of doctrines quickly arise. This has been seen innumerable times in the present dispensation.   As for these early believers, they had a state of instruction, community, and a reliance on one another. Along with that, they continued “in the breaking of bread.”   The word used, klasis, is derived from a word, klaó, signifying “to break.” It is found only here and in Luke 24:35 where Jesus broke the bread in Emmaus after His resurrection. This is the final use of the word in Scripture, but the connection to Luke 24 may be intended to signify more than just the fact that common meals were shared, but that each meal was considered a participation in the Lord's Supper.   In other words, the bread in a family would have been broken by the head of the house who would then say a prayer for blessing upon it. In the case of the breaking of bread among the believers, it would be asking for a blessing in the body of Christ. This is, of course, speculation. However, it is reasonable to assume this. Christ had said in Luke 22:19 (and Paul repeats in 1 Corinthians 11:24) to “do this in remembrance of Me.”   Along with these points of activity, Luke adds in the words, “and in prayers.” Even the prayer life of these early believers was a united activity, and it shows the highly intimate closeness of the body as they continued on in their relationship based on the memory of the Messiah who had come to the people of Israel.   Life application: It is often said that those described in the book of Acts who had converted to the faith continued to adhere to the instruction (Torah) of Moses. This is then used to justify that believers today are also bound to Moses.   This is not only untrue, it is one of the principle teachings that Paul argues against. In fact, the book of Galatians is so clear, unambiguous, and precise in arguing against it that it is astonishing that anyone gets caught up in this heretical doctrine. Peter is even used as an example of why this is untrue, being called out openly by Paul for his heresy. In fact, because it is the basis for the book of Galatians, Paul calls it out as anathema, or accursed right at the beginning of the epistle –   “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9   Thus, this is not a light and unimportant matter. It is the highest of offenses against the cross of Jesus Christ. The reason these early believers continued on in the culture of the  Jews was because they were... Jews. To this day, Jews have a Sabbath. Jews circumcise. Jews (in part) observe their annual feast days. Jews get married under a khupa. These are things they do culturally, whether they believe in God or not, and whether they are believers in Jesus or not.   Even though these things are what they do culturally, they actually have nothing to do with faith in the finished work of Christ. Reinserting the Law of Moses, in part or in whole, is not to be tolerated in our lives as Christians. It is the arrogant attitude that says, “Jesus, You did a good job, but I will improve upon it. Thanks for Your help, but I've got this.” You will not survive the judgment for your arrogance.   Be sure to understand the historical record of Acts, but also be sure to understand proper theology so that you do not get swept up into the judgment of God for failing to simply believe that Christ has completed what is necessary for you to be saved. The words, “It is finished,” have meaning. Believe them.   Lord God, thank You for Jesus Christ who has fulfilled all that is necessary to bring me into a right relationship with You. Thank You that we are free from the bondage of the law, and that we are brought into the perfect liberty of living by faith in the completed work of Christ. Amen.

Tuesday Guy Preaches Vindicating Jesus - [Acts 2:14-21]

Nov. 27 & 28, 2021 - The Promise of The Father Arrives Pastor Ed Taylor Study #24408 - Acts 2:1-4 ACTS

Welcome to this week's message from CONVO Church! Today, we finish chapter 2 of Acts and learn the definable qualities that made the church and formed its identity. We do not become the church be just showing up. There are things we must devote ourselves to in order to actually be the church together. Lean in and get free! We hope this experience Inspires Purpose, Encourages Life, and Builds Faith. Subscribe to this channel at http://youtube.com/convochurch​​​​​ If you want to contribute to support the ministry of CONVO Church, you can give securely online at http://convochurch.com/give​​​​​. Follow CONVO Church on Social Media: http://instagram.com/convochurch​​​​​ http://facebook.com/convochurch​​​​​ http://twitter.com/convochurch​​​​​ CONVO Church is led by Pastors Craig & Cara Dyson. We exists to lead people in becoming passionate Jesus followers bringing God's love and grace into everyday convos, influencing every sphere of life. We are here to Inspire Purpose, Encourage Life, and Build Faith in you. #HolySpirit #convochurch #convoreno #renotahoe #renonevada #church #bible #truth #community #family #friends #churchonline #arcchurches #churchplanting #faith #jesuschrist #jesusfollower #missions #xHope #fostering #adoption #discipleship #Uganda #legacy

Fr. Mike shares the powerful story of the Holy Spirit coming upon the apostles in the upper room. He emphasizes how God calls us to go out into the world with his Spirit and live in community and with devotion to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the Eucharist, and prayer just like the first Christians. Today's readings are Acts 2, Romans 2-3, and Proverbs 26:27-28. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.