Continuing Power in the Lord's Church

Continuing Power in the Lord’s Church

Acts 5:12-26

November 18, 2018

Sunday Bible Study

Open with an Invocation

Continuing Power in the Church

12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

vs12 Notes:

This is the third picture of the church in Jerusalem.  The first was in Acts 2:42-47 (3,000 added in one day).  The second was in Acts 4:32-35 (about 5,000 Christians now).  In Acts 5 no number is given (vs.14). The apostles have not been dispersed as of yet.  Peter tends to speak for the whole group but not by any special authority. The are acting as one (hands is plural).  The signs and wonders were miracles of grace (preaching) and healing in contrast to the strong judgment against Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11).  The meeting place is Solomon’s Porch. This is located on the outer wall of the Eastern Side of the Temple. The undestroyed portion of the First Temple (the temple Solomon built) foundation is under this area.  The Jews gather daily in this area. Again, there is no great distinction between Jew and Christian, but the Christians were a distinct group among the Jews.

vs13 Notes: The Christians were highly esteemed because of the many healings taking place regardless of Jew or Christian.  But the many Jews were also afraid of joining the Christians because of the ruling authorities (Sanhedrin).

vs14 Notes: And yet, Jewish men and women were brought to faith daily through the preaching of Peter.  Again, the number of Christians is now too high to count accurately. It is greater than 5,000.

vs15 Notes: There is no superstition here.  The shadow of Peter healed the sick. The hem of Jesus’ robe healed the woman with the 12 year flow of blood.  In Acts, as in Luke, all of these miracles are done by Jesus among the people. It is a continuation of Jesus’ ministry but now through the mouth and hands of the apostles.

Imprisoned Apostles Freed (by the Lord)

17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”  21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

vs 17 Notes: The Sadducees have been observing the Apostles as they publicly keep disobeying their orders to “not preach or speak in the name of Jesus.”  They are also observing the increase of the Christian movement. But here they snap.

vs18 Notes: The apostles are placed in prison again.

vs19 Notes: The Lord takes care of this problem.  He sends an angel to release them from prison. This angel is an angel.  It is not Jesus but it is Jesus who sent the angel. Angels are pure spirits.  People are enfleshed spirits. Two different kinds of creatures in the Lord’s creation. This angel delivers to the apostles a message from the Lord.

vs20 Notes: The are to go back to Solomon’s Porch and continue speaking “all the words of this life.”  Similar to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20 baptized all nations and teach them all things I have commanded you).  Overall, this is Jesus rebuking the Sadducees. The Sadducees have rejected the life Jesus gives and want to stop others from receiving it (Matthew 23:13 13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in).   So the Apostles are directed by the Lord to go back and keep on giving/speaking out the Words of Life.

Close with the Lord’s Prayer and a Blessing

Copy of Galatians Introduction

Galatians Introduction

Wednesday Bible Study Notes

Galatians - Introduction

Why read the Epistle to the Galatians?  God wants to establish the righteousness of faith, so that we may have a perfect knowledge and know the difference between Christian righteousness and all other kinds of righteousness.

What other kinds of righteousness are there?  

1. There is a political righteousness, which the emperor, the princes of the world, philosophers, and lawyers consider

2. There is also a ceremonial righteousness, which human traditions teach.  Parents and teachers may teach this righteousness without danger, because they do not attribute to it any power to make satisfaction for sin, to placate God, and to earn grace; but they teach that these ceremonies are necessary only for moral discipline and for certain observances.

3. There is, in addition to these, yet another righteousness, the righteousness of [the Law or of ]the Decalog, which Moses teaches. We, too, teach this, but after the doctrine of faith.

Note:  these kinds of the righteousness of works are gifts of God, as are all the things we have.

God will teach us faith-righteousness in this Bible study.  Therefore it is appropriate to call the righteousness of faith [or christian righteousness] “passive.” This is a righteousness hidden in a mystery, which the world does not understand. in fact, christians themselves do not adequately understand it or grasp it in the midst of their temptations. therefore it must always be taught and continually exercised. and anyone who does not grasp or take hold of it in afflictions and terrors of conscience cannot stand. For there is no comfort of conscience so solid and certain as is this passive righteousness.

What is the problem?  When the Law shows us our sin, our past life immediately comes to our mind. Then the sinner, in his great anguish of mind, groans and says to himself: “Oh, how damnably I have lived!  If only I could live longer! Then I would amend my life.” Thus human reason cannot refrain from looking at active righteousness, that is, its own righteousness; nor can it shift its gaze to passive, that is, Christian righteousness, but it simply rests in the active righteousness. So deeply is this evil rooted in us, and so completely have we acquired this unhappy habit!

It is a marvelous thing and unknown to the world to teach Christians to ignore the Law and to live before God as though there were no Law whatever. For if you do not ignore the Law and thus direct your thoughts to grace as though there were no Law but as though there were nothing but grace, you cannot be saved. “For through the Law comes knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20). On the other hand, works and the performance of the Law must be demanded in the world as though there were no promise or grace. This is because of the stubborn, proud, and hardhearted, before whose eyes nothing must be set except the Law, in order that they may be terrified and humbled. For the Law was given to terrify and kill the stubborn and to exercise the old man.  Both words must be correctly divided, according to the apostle (2 Tim. 2:25 ff.).

Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Vol. 26: Lectures on Galatians, 1535, Chapters 1-4, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald, and Helmut T. Lehmann, vol. 26 (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1999), 6.

Copy of Galatians 1:6 - 2:1 No Other Gospel

Galatians 1:6 - 2:1

Wednesday Bible Study Notes

Galatians 1:6-2:1

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Only One Gospel

6 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.  10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

1. How can anybody say there is only one Gospel when there is so much division within the Christian church?  We talk about denominations but our fathers did not speak of denominations; they spoke of confessions of the faith.  Denominations focus on social groups like German Lutherans, Swiss Reformed, Irish Catholics. Then the Lutheran, Reformed, Catholic terms were dropped so we are American Christians.  Confessions are the content of what is believed. Where the confessions are ignored then there is the resulting situation that the Bible is also ignored in preference for the preacher.

2. The response God & Paul have to anyone who has “any other gospel” is - be accursed, which means be damned to hell.  What other gospels have you heard; from whom? Were they declared as “accursed”?

Here are some of my examples:  

1. Instead of Justification (forgiveness, life, and salvation) by faith alone

   1. The Roman church teaches “faith formed by love”

   2. The liberal Protestant churches teach “deeds not creeds”

   3. The conservative Protestant churches teach “a decision for Christ”

     b. Other gospels exist. This is not good.

Call to Apostleship

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.  15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

3.   The Gospel which was preached to us is also not according to man.  We neither received it from man, nor were we taught it (by men), but it came to us through the revelation of Jesus Christ - Holy Scripture.

Contacts at Jerusalem

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)  21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God in me.

5.  How long did it take before Paul went to Jerusalem to meet Peter?  How long did Paul remain?

6.  What did Paul do during those three years?  He preached the Gospel.

Defending the Gospel

2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.

7.  How long before Paul returned to Jerusalem?

8.  What did Paul do during those fourteen years?  He preached the Gospel.

9.  So, a little over 17 years after Christ’s Ascension brings us to the Jerusalem Council/Synod (Galatians 2, Acts 15) to address the first major division within the Christian church.  Should Gentile Christians be circumcised as the Jewish Christians insist? After the council concluded “no” then came the official separation of the disagreeing parties.

Let us close this Bible study by praying the Lord’s Prayer together.

Galatians 1:6 - 2:1 No Other Gospel

Galatians 1:6 - 2:1

Wednesday Bible Study Notes

Galatians 1:6-2:1

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Only One Gospel

6 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.  10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

1. How can anybody say there is only one Gospel when there is so much division within the Christian church?  We talk about denominations but our fathers did not speak of denominations; they spoke of confessions of the faith.  Denominations focus on social groups like German Lutherans, Swiss Reformed, Irish Catholics. Then the Lutheran, Reformed, Catholic terms were dropped so we are American Christians.  Confessions are the content of what is believed. Where the confessions are ignored then there is the resulting situation that the Bible is also ignored in preference for the preacher.

2. The response God & Paul have to anyone who has “any other gospel” is - be accursed, which means be damned to hell.  What other gospels have you heard; from whom? Were they declared as “accursed”?

Here are some of my examples:  

1. Instead of Justification (forgiveness, life, and salvation) by faith alone

   1. The Roman church teaches “faith formed by love”

   2. The liberal Protestant churches teach “deeds not creeds”

   3. The conservative Protestant churches teach “a decision for Christ”

     b. Other gospels exist. This is not good.

Call to Apostleship

11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.  15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

3.   The Gospel which was preached to us is also not according to man.  We neither received it from man, nor were we taught it (by men), but it came to us through the revelation of Jesus Christ - Holy Scripture.

Contacts at Jerusalem

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)  21 Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23 But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God in me.

5.  How long did it take before Paul went to Jerusalem to meet Peter?  How long did Paul remain?

6.  What did Paul do during those three years?  He preached the Gospel.

Defending the Gospel

2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.

7.  How long before Paul returned to Jerusalem?

8.  What did Paul do during those fourteen years?  He preached the Gospel.

9.  So, a little over 17 years after Christ’s Ascension brings us to the Jerusalem Council/Synod (Galatians 2, Acts 15) to address the first major division within the Christian church.  Should Gentile Christians be circumcised as the Jewish Christians insist? After the council concluded “no” then came the official separation of the disagreeing parties.

Let us close this Bible study by praying the Lord’s Prayer together.