JAMES 1:1–12 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (James 1:5). James has just told us to rejoice when we fall into trials, realizing that tribulation develops perseverance, which in turn produces maturity. In what seems like … Continue reading “THE ACQUISITION OF WISDOM”
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THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
ACTS 15:1–35 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved”. (Acts 15:1). While Barnabas was commissioned by the Jerusalem church and sent to Antioch, some other men took it upon themselves to go to Antioch … Continue reading “THE ECUMENICAL COUNCIL”
THE EPISTLES OF THE APOSTLES
COLOSSIANS 4:7–18 After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea (Colossians 4:16). At this point we will leave our study in Acts to consider the two earliest epistles written to the church. The … Continue reading “THE EPISTLES OF THE APOSTLES”
THE AUTHOR OF JAMES
JAMES 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings (James 1:1). The book of James is addressed to Jewish Christians scattered abroad. The book makes no mention of any Gentile controversy, and thus was probably written before that controversy broke out and … Continue reading “THE AUTHOR OF JAMES”
THE POWER OF PRAYER
ACTS 12 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him (Acts 12:5). Hearing that the church in Judea needed financial assistance, the church in Antioch sent them a gift by the hands of Saul and Barnabas. While the two men were traveling to Jerusalem, Herod decided to … Continue reading “THE POWER OF PRAYER”
THE TRANSFER OF THE KINGDOM
ACTS 13–14:7 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them [the Jews] boldly: “We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46). We now begin to study Paul’s First Missionary Journey. After Barnabas and … Continue reading “THE TRANSFER OF THE KINGDOM”
HERMES AND ZEUS
ACTS 14:8–28 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!”. (Acts 14:11). After Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went to Lystra. We are not told if there was a synagogue there. It seems that they went directly to the unconverted … Continue reading “HERMES AND ZEUS”
THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL
ACTS 9:19–10:8 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda (Acts 9:32). After Saul was converted, he remained in Damascus and helped proclaim the Gospel. After a while a great conflict arose, and there was a conspiracy to kill him. With the help of the other believers, he escaped … Continue reading “THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL”
UNITY OF THE CHURCH
ACTS 10:9–11:18 He [Peter] said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean (Acts 10:28). The story in Acts 10 and 11 of the conversion … Continue reading “UNITY OF THE CHURCH”
THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH
ACTS 11:19–30 For a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch (Acts 11:26b). Right after Peter’s encounter with Cornelius, Luke tells us about the Jewish and Gentile believers in Antioch. Acts 11:19 says that when the disciples were scattered … Continue reading “THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH”