Through the Bible with Les Feldick, Book 18
LESSON ONE * PART I
ACTS 1:1 - ACTS 4:37 - "GOD'S SECRETS"
Transcriber's note: As I transcribed this lesson, I noticed this is also
where we started in Book 17, Lesson 3, Part 3. But after reviewing the study, I
found that although the Scriptures are the same, Les has used a different
approach and his commentary is completely different. I think you will find it
to be very enjoyable as I did.
We just got back from Indiana and Ohio where we got to meet and share with so
many of you, our viewers. It just thrilled our hearts. It was so nice to put a
face on a name that before we had just known by letter or telephone. In Ohio we
had a chance to speak to a Christian High School, and for about three hours
those kids just ate it up. We had hands in the air by the dozens constantly.
And it was hard to stop even after three hours. It was exhausting. I was
totally beat when I got out of there, but what a thrilling experience to see
those kids come alive and search the Scriptures. The headmaster was in my class
that night and he said, "You know Les, they didn't stop all day long." He
said, "They were still looking up Scriptures all afternoon." The third and
fourth grade were taken out after the first hour and they complained all day
long because they couldn't stay and participate. When people begin to see what
the Scriptures say it inspires them.
I hope as you study with us that a spark will ignite and you'll have that
desire to study the Word. If you can prove me wrong from Scripture, that I'm
not teaching correctly, then I'll have an open ear. Because everything I teach,
I teach from God's Word, under the direction of the Holy Spirit. But I'm so
confident that after all these years of teaching, and seeing so many people
literally turned around, either by Salvation, or seeing their Christian life
become exhilarating, then I know what I teach is the Truth. Now open your
Bibles to Acts Chapter 3.
In our last program we were in Acts Chapter 2, and I closed the program with
the definition of the word `Church.' Whenever you see the word `Church'
in the New Testament it is not always applicable for the Church which is the
Body of Christ. Remember the word Church came from the Greek word "ecclesia"
which is translated "a called out assembly." Moses with Israel in
the desert was a called out assembly. Stephen in Acts Chapter 7 refers to them
as a Church in the wilderness. And we know that wasn't the New Testament Church
by any stretch of the imagination. And I feel the same way with these Jews in
Jerusalem. They have not heard the Gospel of Grace as we know it. They have not
comprehended that the death, burial, and Resurrection of their Messiah was now
intended to go out to the Gentile world. And so they are still correctly
confining it only to the Jew and I'm going to show you in a little bit why they
are and why God is having them do just that.
So as we go out of Chapter 2 into Chapter 3 nothing has changed. It's still an
extension of the Old Testament program, only The Messiah that they should have
and could have accepted as their King in His earthly ministry, they have
crucified. God has raised Him from the dead; called Him back to glory to sit at
the Father's right hand; but He's still dealing with the Nation of Israel under
that same set of circumstances that began with John the Baptist. So Peter
admonishes in Chapter 2, ye men of Israel over and over. I've told my
classes for over twenty-four years, how can you push Gentiles into those verses
when Gentiles are not even mentioned. I maintain that is all still very Jewish.
Now let's read:
Acts 3:1
"NOW Peter and John went up together into (the church on
the corner of First and Grand? Did they? No. But where did they go? To the
Temple. The Temple hasn't been closed down, they are still practicing the Law;
no one has told them they didn't have to. And not only did they go to the
Temple but on the required hour. See how that is stipulated? These men are
still under that Jewish habit and ritual of going to the Temple at the ninth
hour to pray.) the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour."
Now there is nothing that stipulates in this Church Age that at such and such
an hour you and I must go to prayer. The Muslims do, they have their hour of
prayer throughout the day. Now as Peter and John go to the Temple there lay a
lame man. Verse 2:
Acts 3:2
"And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried,
whom they laid daily at the gate of the Temple which is called Beautiful, to
ask alms (beg) of them that entered into the Temple."
We know that The Lord Himself must have passed that lame man during the three
years of His earthly ministry. And the reason He never healed him was the
Sovereign God does everything with a purpose. In John's Gospel, when Lazarus
was sick, and Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that he was sick, what did
Jesus do? He purposely delayed responding to them so that Lazarus would die.
Then Jesus could go back and raise Him from the dead. Had He gone immediately,
as Mary and Martha had wanted Him to, then Lazarus wouldn't have died and we
wouldn't have had that account. But you see everything is done for a purpose,
even today. This lame man had been lame from his mother's womb and he was over
forty years old. And so Jesus had purposely bypassed him so Peter and John
could precipitate these series of events that are now going to take place. Now
verse 3:
Acts 3:3-5
"Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the Temple asked
an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, `Look on us.'
And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them."
Acts 3:6
"Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I
have give I thee (note carefully: I'm going to read it differently from
what your Bible says only for the sake of making an impression. "In the name of
Jesus Christ Who has died for your sins, and has been raised from the dead get
up and walk." Is that what Peter says? No. He says): In the name of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."
Peter doesn't even mention His death, burial, and Resurrection. For us today
this is the epitome of everything that God began to do when He created Adam and
Eve. And that was to bring the world to a knowledge of the crucified, buried,
and risen Christ. But Peter has never been told that. And why do I say that he
doesn't know it yet? Because God has not revealed that. It is still a secret,
and will be revealed to the Apostle Paul a little later.
Let's stop and look at some of the references about God's ability to hide
things. First to the Book of Deuteronomy. God never told everything all at
once, but revealed a little bit at a time all the way through the Bible. And
the only way we can study Scripture correctly is with the idea that only
periodically does God reveal something that those Old Testament people didn't
understand. The same with Peter and John in these early chapters of Acts. They
still haven't had an understanding of what God was going to reveal in the
death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ. As of yet all they understood was
that He was The Messiah; He was The Son of God; He had proved it with His
miracles; but it was only for the Nation of Israel. It wasn't that God had
overlooked the Gentiles. Not at all. But He was going to use that favored
nation to reach out to these pagan, idolatrous Gentiles at the appropriate
time.
Deuteronomy 29:29
"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God (I make
the point that the term of Deity, "The everlasting God," is capable of hiding
things. Even the Psalmist asked the question, "Lord why do you hide these
things?" Well, He's Sovereign, and has the right to do as He pleases); but
those things which are revealed (keep that word `revealed' in your mind.
Another word that comes from the same root is `revelation.' Paul is constantly
referring to the revelations that he got from the risen Lord) belong unto us
and to our children..."
Not that much had even been revealed to Moses. But as much as had been revealed
they were to believe. Now let's go to Luke 18, verse 31. This shocks people
the first time they see it. John tells us the same thing. This passage occurs
in Northern Israel just shortly before the Passover and the Crucifixion. It's
the end of Jesus' three years of earthly ministry.
Luke 18:31-33
"Then he (The Lord Jesus) took unto him the twelve, and
said unto them, `Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written
by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall
be delivered unto the Gentiles (the Romans), and shall be mocked, and
spitefully entreated, and spitted on. And they shall scourge him, and put him
to death: and the third day he shall rise again.'" Is that plain language?
It's as plain as you can get it. But look at the next verse:
Luke 18:34
"And they (the Twelve, who had been with Him for three
years) understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them,
neither knew they the things which were spoken."
Who hid this from the disciples? God did. It wasn't time for them to know. This
immediately substantiates that they had no idea when He was hanging on that
Cross, that three days later He would be alive. I'm always making the point,
had they had any understanding that He was going to die, and yes, He would be
buried, and yes, on the third day he would be raised from the dead, where would
they have been that early Sunday morning? Outside the tomb! But they weren't;
they had all given up, and thought it was all over. When Mary Magdalene went to
dress the Body with the spices, she was bewildered because the Body was gone.
She had no idea that He was alive. God had purposely hidden these things from
them, because He is going to reveal them in His own time, and use faith in
Jesus' death, burial and Resurrection as the Gospel for the Gentile Church. It
would be revealed to the Apostle Paul. Always remember Peter and the eleven
preached only what was revealed to them. Paul preached what was revealed to
him. This will open the Scriptures to you. Let's look at another occasion in
the Gospel of John Chapter 13.
John 13:6,7
"Then cometh he to Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto him,
`Lord, dost thou wash my feet?' Jesus answered and said unto him, `What I do
thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.'"
Let's go all the way to Ephesians Chapter 3, to the writings of Paul. He writes
from a different perspective. He writes now as one who has had these
revelations revealed to him. And that's the word he calls it - `revelation.'
And in Chapter 2 Paul has just written about Salvation. For example, in
Ephesians 2:8 he says:
Ephesians 2:8
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God:" And now Ephesians Chapter 3, verse 1:
Ephesians 3:1-4
"FOR this cause (in other words everything he had just
written in Chapter 2 concerning our Salvation). I Paul, the prisoner of
Jesus Christ for you Gentiles," That's us as believers today.
"If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me
to you-ward:"
"How that by [here it is] revelation he made known unto me the
mystery [a secret]; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye
read, ye may understand my knowledge [as a result of revelations] in the
mystery of Christ)"
Ephesians 3:5
"Which in other ages (or generations, or administrations,
or dispensations, they all come from the same root word) was not made known
(do you see how plain that is in light of Deuteronomy 29:29, and the other
references we looked at. It all fits so beautifully. These things were not made
known because God was keeping them secret) unto the sons of men, as it is
now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;"
Ephesians 3:6-9
"That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same
body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made
a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the
effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all
saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship
of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world (Age) hath been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ."
Now you can't get it any plainer than that. These things have never been
revealed before, because they have been hidden. God has kept it secret and that
is His prerogative. I'm doing this to show that when Peter and John go up to
the Temple to pray, they had no concept of what we call the Church Age. They
were still under the legal system of Judaism. They were still an extension of
Christ's earthy ministry, and when we get back to Acts and see the miracles
they perform, it's nothing different than that which Christ had been doing for
three years. But let's continue with keeping things secret until God is ready
to reveal them. Turn to the Book of Colossians Chapter 1, verse 24. Remember
Paul is writing to Gentile believers. Colossi is up in Asia Minor.
Colossians 1:24,25
"Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that
which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake,
which is the church." Do you see the difference in language? Here it is the
Church which is the Body of Christ. This is the one you and I are acquainted
with.
"Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is
given to me for you to fulfil the word of God;"
Just as surely as God gave the Law to Israel through Moses, He also gave the
Age of Grace to Paul for us the Gentile Body of Christ. The Scripture is so
clear on that. God didn't give Israel the Law directly, He gave it through
Moses. Moses took it down Mount Sinai and then shared it with the Nation of
Israel. Consequently in His earthly ministry when they came and asked Jesus
doctrinal questions He didn't answer them, but rather said, "You have
Moses." In other words, go back and read it yourself. You have all you need
to know because Moses has written it. He has done the same thing for us today
in the Church Age with the Apostle Paul. I know once in a while someone will
complain that I make more of Paul than I should. No, I don't. I don't make any
more of Paul than the Scriptures do, nor any more than they made of Moses. In
fact, I maintain that Moses and Paul are the two greatest men other than Christ
Himself in all of Scripture.
One Sunday morning, Iris and I heard a guest speaker in our church. He was a
denominational leader with quite a few degrees behind his name. It just
thrilled me as he opened his message by saying, "I'm going to be taking my
message from the Apostle Paul, whom I feel is the greatest man that ever lived
other than Christ Himself." I'm even going to temper that. I don't called
Paul the greatest, but rather I put him on the same level with Moses. But I'm
not alone when I say we have to listen to what this Apostle says because he is
writing to us. To Gentiles. Now look what he says in verse 26. Look at verse 25
again first:
Colossians 1:25,26
"Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation
of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the
mystery (secret) which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but
now is made manifest to his saints:"
Let's go back to Acts Chapter 3. And in that light, as I understand the
Scriptures, I say that Peter and John did not have any knowledge of the Church
which is the Body of Christ. They are still associated with the Judaism that
Christ dealt with, and that John the Baptist preached; that the Kingdom of
Heaven is at hand. Repent and be baptized by believing Who Jesus was. This is
all that Peter and the eleven men here in these early chapters of Acts know.
Throughout these whole early chapters of Acts, many study Bibles will even head
a chapter the "First Church," or "The beginning of the Church,"
or "The First Christians." But there is not a word of church
language in here. There's not a word about deacons, bishops, and pastors.
There's not a word in here about how to behave in the House of God. So I don't
care what denomination people may be from, where do most local Churches get
their idea of church government? From Paul. He describes the office of the
deacon and elder. He describes the requirements to be a pastor. But here in
Acts you don't find anything like that. This is an extension of Judaism. Temple
worship; prayer at the ninth hour; unlawful to go into a Gentile home; keeping
the Jewish feast days; and now they are healing a lame man. Not on the power of
the Resurrection, but on the power of The Messiah, The Christ, The Lord Jesus
of Nazareth, The Son of God. And now read on:
Acts 3:6
"Then Peter said, `Silver and gold have I none; but such as I
have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.'"
Appropriate? Absolutely. Because Peter and John are just continuing on with
what Christ has been doing for three years. And that was the whole idea in Acts
1:8 when the Holy Spirit came, they were to have power. What kind of power? To
do what Jesus had been doing. Remember Jesus told the Twelve that the Holy
Spirit would not come until He left. And so the transition of power went from
The Lord Jesus to the Holy Spirit. Now in the moment we have left let's look at
Acts Chapter 5.
Acts 5:30,31
"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and
hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a
Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel,..." Do you see that?
_______
LESSON ONE * PART II
ACTS 1:1 - ACTS 4:37 - "GOD'S SECRETS"
In Acts Chapter 3, we have Peter and John healing the lame man by using the
name of Jesus in verse 6. And immediately in verse 8, the lame man leaps to his
feet and goes with them into the Temple. And in verse 9 all the people see him
walking.
Acts 3:10
"And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the
Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at
that which had happened unto him."
Now what amazes me, especially with the Nation of Israel, is that throughout
their history they had seen manifestations of the power of their God and it
seemed to have so little effect on them. Even coming out of Egypt with the
tremendous miracles that were surrounding them... the pillar of fire by
night... the pillar of cloud by day to give them shade... God holding back the
Egyptian army... opening the Red Sea and many other miracles. Yet it seemingly
didn't sink in what a great God they were under. And that's the way it was all
the way through their history - miraculous event after miraculous event. And it
just seemed to roll off like water off a duck. And then you come to Christ's
earthly ministry, miracle after miracle for three years. In fact John tells us
there were so many that the world couldn't hold all the books it would take to
record them. And still they couldn't comprehend Who He was. And now again, this
event we are reading about is only days after His Crucifixion, probably 7-10
weeks. And they can't comprehend a lame man being healed? This is amazing to
me. Now verse 12:
Acts 3:12,13
"And when Peter saw it (the amazing reaction of these
Jews) he answered unto the people (watch the language here, and don't
let anybody push in here what isn't in here. There is no mention of Gentiles,
there is no mention of anything except the Nation of Israel. And Peter
says), Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly
on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to
walk?" Now look at verse 13. Is that Gentile language? No.
"The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob (did those names mean
anything to Romans? Or the Greek philosophers? But it meant everything to a
Jew. They hung everything on Abraham! And this is what Peter is saying), the
God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered
up,..."
In our last lesson, when Jesus spoke to the Twelve up there in Northern Israel,
I hope you caught it that when He was relaying to them the things that would
take place, He said He would be beaten and scourged by what people? By the
Gentiles. But here, Peter is laying the blame on Israel. So I always have to be
careful that people don't get the idea that only the Jews brought about His
death. We all know better than that I trust. The Jew participated in it. They
demanded it, but Rome carried it out. And that's exactly what Psalms 2
foretold. Jew and Gentile together would reject Him and put Him to death. When
I emphasize that Peter is pointing the finger at Israel, I'm not taking away
the Gentiles part in it all.
Unfortunately, Martin Luther evidently rode on this. He hated the Jew with a
passion in spite of all his great spiritual enlightening. For Martin Luther
said it was doing God a favor to kill a Jew, or burn down his business. Some of
you are aware of the Nuremberg trials after Hitler's holocaust. Those Nazis
used the writings of Martin Luther to substantiate what they had done to the
Jew. And it wasn't until the last year or two that officially some of the
Lutheran bodies have been apologizing for that. The Roman Catholic Church for
centuries referred to Jews as Christ killers and they were sincere in making
that charge. They, too, have been apologizing and making amends just the last
few months with the present day Nation of Israel for this attitude over the
centuries. But, no doubt, Peter does point the finger. Verse 13 again:
Acts 3:13-15
"The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of
our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up. and denied him
in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied
the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you
(Barabbas); And (you) killed the Prince of life, whom God hath
raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses."
The language here is so totally opposite of what Paul speaks of in His letters.
Paul never points the finger at Jew or Gentile and says you killed The Christ.
But Paul tells us for example in the Book of Galatians Chapter 1. and in
Ephesians Chapter 5, the following:
Galatians 1:4
"Who gave himself for our sins,..."
Ephesians 5:25
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the
church, and gave himself for it;"
See the difference? Peter doesn't say that. Why? These things were still
hidden in the mind of God, and consequently, Peter couldn't go any further than
what God had revealed. Now I need to make a point. Let's talk about faith for a
moment. Biblical faith is taking God at His word. If faith is taking God at
His word, what does God have to do before we can believe what He says? God has
to say it. He has to reveal it. You can't place your faith in something that He
has never said. That's why Peter is in perfect accord with Almighty God
here. He is not out in left field by confining his remarks to Israel, or by
accusing Israel of what they have done. Because God has not said a word yet,
that they are not under Law, but Grace. Romans 10:17 backs me up. So many times
(and I have found it in my teaching years) people come up and say, "Can't we
assume that the Twelve knew that Christ was going to die and be raised from the
dead, and make it the Gospel they preached? Can't we just assume that they knew
that." Absolutely not. You can't assume what God is going to do or say. We have
to wait until He's spoken it, then believe it like Deuteronomy 29:29
said, "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God:..." But the
things He has revealed are for us.
Romans 10:17
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God."
The Word of God isn't some mish-mash floating around in the ethereal. The Word
of God is something that The Almighty God has spoken. The Old Testament
prophets were constantly saying that. The Word of The Lord came to me, Ezekiel
will say for example. And what did Ezekiel do? He believed it and wrote it. And
during our Lord's earthly ministry, when He spoke these things, if the Twelve
were supposed to understand it, He made it clear and they could believe it. God
always does things for a purpose. In Acts Chapter 3 God hasn't said a word yet
about shutting down the Temple, that they are no longer under Law, but under a
new manifestation of God's Grace. He didn't expect Peter and the eleven to
believe something He hadn't said. So never think they must have been negligent
in their duty. They didn't know that God was going to turn to the Gentiles and
call out a people for His name and call it something totally different. "The
Body of Christ" There's not a word in here of Church structure or a word
concerning the Gospel based on Christ's death, burial, and Resurrection. It's
still all based on Who He was. Remember Peters confession in Matthew 16.
Matthew 16:13-16
"...Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said,
`Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias, and others, Jeremias, or
one of the prophets.' He saith unto them, `But whom say ye that I am?' And
Simon Peter answered and said, `Thou art The Christ, the Son of the living
God.'"
And remember Martha speaking with Jesus, just before Lazarus is raised from the
dead.
John 11:25-27
"Jesus said unto her, `I am the Resurrection, and the life: he
that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever
liveth and believeth in me shall never die, Believest thou this?' She saith
unto him, `Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art The Christ, the Son of God, which
should come into the world.'"
And how about the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts Chapter 8. Philip had explained
about Jesus to this fellow.
Acts 8:35-37
"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same
scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they
came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, `See, here is water; what doth
hinder me to be baptized?' And Philip said, `If thou believest with all thine
heart, thou mayest.' And he answered and said, `I believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God.'"
The Ethiopian Eunuch doesn't say, " The one who died for me and rose
again." That hadn't been revealed yet. Their statement of faith was
believing that Jesus was The Christ, The Son of God, The King of Israel. Now
back to Acts Chapter 3, verse 15. Peter says:
Acts 3:16
"And his name through faith in his name hath made this man
strong,"
What is Peter neglecting to mention here? We think His death, burial and
Resurrection. Peter is only reminding these Israelites Who Jesus really was.
And it was to be faith in that Name that made this man whole. Now verse 17:
Acts 3:17
"And now, brethren, I wot (know) that through ignorance
ye did it, as did also your rulers."
For this we must go back to Israel's ancient history, back when they were under
the Law, and the year of Jubilee, the cities of refuge, and so forth. If
someone killed a person the penalty was death. But if someone killed a person
by accident and he was being accused, he could run to a city of refuge and at
that city, if the city fathers determined that he had killed that man in total
ignorance, they would send him back home a free man. Now you see all through
the Crucifixion account from Christ's own words from the Cross, which were,
"Father forgive them." Why? "They know not what they
do." What was Christ pleading? Their ignorance.
Peter says, "You killed him but you were ignorant, you didn't know what you
were doing." I call it "God's loophole" for the Nation of Israel. Because,
had they known Who they were killing, God would have had to destroy them.
Another reference is I Corinthians Chapter 2. Here we have the Apostle Paul
with the same basic truth. Not only concerning Israel but even Rome, the
Gentiles.
I Corinthians 2:7,8
"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery (see there's
that word again. It pops up throughout all his epistles. Which is a secret that
has been revealed to him), even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before
the world unto our glory:" I'm sure that he is speaking of himself.
"Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they know it, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory." So where did God put them?
Ignorance. They didn't know. Otherwise God would have zapped the whole human
race - Jew and Gentile alike. Now back once again to Acts Chapter 3. So
Peter claims that same thing. And so does Stephen. Stephen, when he was being
killed, said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they
do." Ignorance.
Acts 3:17,18
"And now, brethren, I wot (know) that through ignorance
ye did it, as did also your rulers. But (the flip side) those things,
which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ
should suffer, he hath so fulfilled."
Anytime something is written in prophecy it has to be fulfilled to the last jot
and tittle, or it would make God a liar. Always remember that. Every written
prophecy has to come to pass. So this is what Peter is saying. Christ had to
die, because prophecy had foretold it.
Acts 3:19,20
"Repent ye therefore (the same format that he chose in
Acts 2:38) and be converted (change your direction and thinking),
that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from
the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was
preached unto you:
Now if God is going to send Christ back to earth, then we now know from the
Book of Revelation (and we didn't get the time element for the Kingdom from the
Old Testament or even in the early part of the New Testament), that here again
is the ability of God to keep things secret until He revealed this to the
Apostle John who wrote Revelation. When Christ returns and this Kingdom is set
up and becomes viable and visible, it wouldn't be immediately eternal, but
would last 1000 years. But see nothing in Scripture indicates that thousand
year time frame until we get to Revelation. The final revealing. But here Peter
is speaking in terms of the Kingdom promised all the way back to Abraham. That
when their Messiah would return, based on Israel's repentance and believing Who
Jesus is, then yes, God would have sent Christ right here in verse 21. But
first there had to be that seven-year period of Tribulation spoken of by Daniel
the prophet. Now that is the time of restitution that is spoken of here.
Acts 3:21
"Whom the heaven must receive until (a time word) the
times of restitution (tribulation) of all things, which God hath spoken
by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began."
Now what's the Old Testament full of? That before The King and Kingdom could
come on the scene, Israel especially would have to go through those seven
horrible years of restitution of all things. And what was it? The lifting of
the curse, the Tribulation and the defeat of Satan, and the earth would be
regenerated and made glorious and beautiful again for that Kingdom reign. So
Peter is in full agreement with the Old Testament. That yes, Christ had gone
back to the Father's right hand. Psalms 110:1, "Come sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your foot stool." That would be during the
Tribulation. And Peter is expecting it. We are all capable of forgetting the
bad things if we want to. But very seldom will we forget the good things. Now
if you remember in the closing remarks of the Gospel of John, Jesus indicated
that Peter would suffer a very ignominious death. But I'm sure at this point in
time Peter has totally forgotten about that. He is totally enraptured with the
idea, that if he could just see Israel repent and yet believe Who Jesus was,
then their Messiah would return and they could yet have the Kingdom. The Twelve
could then take their seat ruling the Twelve Tribes of Israel as Jesus had
promised. Let's look at it again in Matthew Chapter 19. I told you it's hard to
forget the good things, and Peter is remembering this. I'm sure he has
forgotten what kind of death he would die. But this part was ever present in
his mind, and you can't blame him. He could see it just over the horizon. He
knew there would be seven years of bad times, but the end would be worth it.
Matthew 19:27
"Then answered Peter and said unto him, `Behold, we have
forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?'"
Now Peter had his Salvation, that wasn't what he was asking about. He's wanting
to know what he's going to have for rewards. I left my home and fishing
business to follow you. What am I going to have? And The Lord didn't rebuke
him. He answered him.
Matthew 19:28
"And Jesus said unto them, `Verily I say unto you, that ye
which have followed me in the regeneration (that's when the earth will be
regenerated and brought back to like it was in the Garden of Eden) when the
Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory (King of Kings), ye also
shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.'" Is
that plain language? Why, you can't get it any plainer than that. And you see
this is what's on Peter's mind. Oh if Israel would just repent and be converted
and recognize that the One they killed was their Messiah.
There is nothing in here about the power of the Resurrection. There is nothing
in here about the shed blood Atonement, although in the mind of God that was
all there. But God is still dealing with the Nation of Israel if they would
repent of their nation's sins, and just believe Who Jesus was, God would have
brought in the Tribulation to run its course; Christ would have returned and
Israel could have had their Kingdom. Then Peter and the eleven knew when that
was fulfilled then they could take the Gospel of their God of Abraham to the
Gentile world, but not until. And that is what you have to keep in mind. These
twelve men do not leave Jerusalem. Not even under pressure. Why? Because it's
to Jerusalem, to the Mount of Olives, that their King was going to imminently
return.
And then to see what was to happen after His return, let's go back to a verse
in Zechariah 8 (other examples are Isaiah 49:5,6 - Isaiah 59:20 through 60:3
and many others in the Old Testament). For now we'll just study this one in
Zechariah Chapter 8. After Isaiah has said that the Gentiles would be coming to
the light of Israel, and that Israel's light would be The Messiah, then in
fulfilling of all of that we have the following.
Zechariah 8:20-23
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; `It shall yet come to pass,
that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities; And the
inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray
before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many
people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts (where)
in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.'" Now verse 23: You can't kick
this out of your Bible. Here it sits in concrete:
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; `In those days (when Israel will have her
King) it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all
languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a
Jew, saying, We will go with you (why?): for we have heard that God is
with you.'"
The `you' here is believing Israel. A redeemed Israel. A regenerated and
repentant Israel. And remember Exodus 19:6 says every Jew was to become a
priest. And what's a priest? A go-between. And so every Jew had the prospect of
being a priest of God to the Gentiles.
_______
LESSON ONE * PART III
ACTS 1:1 - ACTS 4:37 - "GOD'S SECRETS"
We continue with Peter and John dealing with the events surrounding the healing
of the lame man in Acts 3:21. The Temple rulers are upset by how it happened,
and Peter and John are trying to explain that it was through the power of Jesus
Christ of Nazareth Whom they had crucified. Consequently, in verses 19-21,
Peter had said that if the Nation would just repent of that awful sin of
rejecting their Messiah, as well as their other national sins, then God would
have immediately instituted the Tribulation, and brought in The King and
Kingdom for them. Peter knew there would have to be a Tribulation period of
seven years as prophesied by Daniel. That is why Peter said in verse 21 that,
even though The Lord was ready to return if Israel would repent, it would still
have to wait until that period of restitution of all things in the Tribulation.
In verse 22, Peter's still speaking to this great crowd of Jews.
Acts 3:22
"For Moses truly said unto the fathers, `A prophet shall the
Lord of your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me;...'"
That takes us back to the role of Moses in the life of Israel. He was the
deliverer. He was in so many words "the redeemer." He led them out of slavery
and captivity, and brought them unto Abraham's God. So even as Moses was the
deliverer in type back there, Peter says the real Deliverer has come; they've
killed Him; God raised Him from the dead, but He is still willing to come and
fulfill the promises. A few years ago I noticed that Peter is still on Covenant
grounds. It's so obvious, yet I missed it for many years.
Acts 3:23
"And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not
hear that prophet (the one Moses foretold, which was The Christ), shall
be destroyed from among the people." In other words, what did Jesus say in
the Gospel of John Chapter 3?
John 3:3
"...Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God."
This is a follow-up on that. If Israel would have repented (and as we will see
in the last verse in this Chapter every one of them would have had to become a
believer), then there would have been no problem. Remember that no unbeliever
will ever go into the Kingdom of Heaven. Here is the verse that totally changed
my thinking.
Acts 3:24
"Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow
after, as many as have spoken (and that includes all the Old Testament
prophecies), have likewise foretold these days" This is only eight or
nine weeks after the Crucifixion - only 3 years and a few months surrounding
what Peter is making reference to: that all of these things that have happened
in these days were all in fulfillment of what God had said going into verse
25.
Acts 3:25
"Ye are the children of the prophets and of the covenant which
God made with our (that excludes you and I as Gentile believers. Gentiles
aren't in the lineage of Israel.) fathers, saying unto Abraham, `And in thy
seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.'"
That was through the work of The Messiah, but through what Nation did The
Messiah come? Israel. And Israel was to be the vehicle all along. Let's go back
to Isaiah 42:1. I want everybody to get the concept now, that God hasn't
forgotten about the Gentiles. He's been dealing only with the Nation of Israel
to be sure, but He still has the Gentiles in view. As so much of Scripture
indicates, it's all tied to the Nation of Israel. In fact, before we read
Isaiah 42:1, look at Deuteronomy 32:8 again. Some verses must be seen over and
over before we can understand what they are talking about.
Deuteronomy 32:8
"When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance,
when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people (that
is all the other nations) according to the number of the children of
Israel."
So who is at the very core of the whole human experience? Israel! God's
Covenant people. Everything else will fall in place as it begins with Israel.
And even today, why is that tiny nation in the news every day? Why is the whole
world so concerned about Israel making peace with their neighbors? They don't
know, but it's the Sovereign God at work, and the nations stumble over that
little nation. They will stumble over Jerusalem until Christ comes and becomes
The Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords. Until then, the world can't comprehend
why this little nation of only a few million people are the center of the whole
operation. Now back to Isaiah 42. And so God was only planning to deal with the
Gentiles all the way up through the Old Testament through the Nation of Israel.
They were the ones who would take Salvation to the Gentiles.
Isaiah 42:1
"BEHOLD my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul
delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment
(rule) to the Gentiles." So Who are we referring to? The Christ, The
Messiah. Chapter 49 states so plainly:
Isaiah 49:6,7
"And he (God) said, `It is a light thing that thou
shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the
preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the (what
people?) Gentiles, that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the end of the
earth. Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One
(Messiah), to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth,
to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship,
because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall
choose thee.'"
Now Isaiah Chapter 59. I wish people could see this, and then apply it as it
was intended to be for the Four Gospels and early Acts. That would make the
Book of Acts come alive. It's like putting it under a microscope. It just jumps
at you when you understand that this is how God had originally laid it out to
the Nation of Israel. And it's not that the Nation of Israel had trouble with
this, they knew they couldn't go to the Gentiles until the whole nation became
a Nation of Priests. Peter and the eleven knew that. But it's mankind today
that can't see it. In God's total purpose as Paul speaks of it in the Book of
Ephesians, God is looking beyond to when He would go to the whole human race
without Israel, which He has done. But first things first. We've got to take it
as the Scripture unfolds it. And here He is dealing with Israel.
Isaiah 59:20,21
"And the Redeemer shall come to Zion (Jerusalem), and
unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob; saith the LORD. `As for me,
this is my covenant with them,' saith the LORD; `My spirit that is upon thee,
and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth,
nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed,
saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.'" Those are the promises
given to the Nation of Israel. Now Chapter 60, verse 1:
Isaiah 60:1a
"ARISE, shine; for thy light is come,..."
Jesus said to the Israelites, "You are the light of the world." And that
was to have been their role. He also told them they were the salt of the earth.
So, in the Four Gospels, it was God dealing only with the Nation of Israel
under the Law, but we can come in and make applications. You and I as believers
are the light of the world.
Isaiah 60:2,3
"For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth
(spiritual darkness), and gross darkness the people (Israel): but
the LORD shall arise upon thee (Israel), and his glory shall be seen
upon thee (Israel). And the Gentiles shall come to thy light,..."
And who was to be Israel's light? The Messiah, The Christ Who came in the flesh
in the Four Gospels. It was for all the world, but it had to come through the
Nation of Israel. Previously, we read the passage in Zechariah, where nations
will take hold of the skirt of a Jew. If you want to look at it again, it's
Zechariah 8:20-23 and it ties all this together. Now back to Acts Chapter 3,
verse 25 again:
Acts 3:25
"Ye are the children of the prophets (Peter says to these
Jews), and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto
Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed."
The Abrahamic Covenant was basically three promises, and within those three
promises all the other covenants are involved. The first one was a promise to
Abraham, that out of him would come a nation of people: the Nation of Israel.
The second was, when they became a nation of people God would put them in their
own geographic area of land, the Promised Land, as we understand it in
Scripture. And the third promise was when they were in a geographic area, they
had to have a government, and so God Himself would come and be their Messiah,
King, Redeemer and Savior. It had to be Salvation as well. There is the
Abrahamic Covenant in a nutshell. All the other covenants are wrapped up in
this one. I always make the qualification you cannot have a viable Kingdom
without a King. On the other hand a king is of no earthly use unless he has a
Kingdom. These two always have to come together.
When Jesus came and John the Baptist presented Him as Israel's King, what was
in the long view? The Kingdom. And this is what Israel was to have understood.
Their King was there, and He was ready to bring the whole Abrahamic Covenant
into fruition by ushering in the Kingdom. But Israel rejected The King and
thereby rejected the Kingdom. And so The Lord went back to Heaven. The Kingdom
is centered in Heaven, and according to Colossians 1:13 you and I as believers
are translated into the Kingdom of His dear Son the moment we are saved. But
it's the same Kingdom, because it is yet going to come back on the earth and we
are going to reign and rule with Him.
It's funny how people are always running ahead of me. For a long time they
couldn't wait till I got to the Book of Acts. Now that I'm in the Book of Acts,
they're writing that they can't wait until I get to Paul's Epistles. But we've
got to be patient. We're going to be taking it one step at a time. But Paul's
Epistles are coming. And we're going to teach them verse by verse. But it's
thrilling when you get into the Book of Romans and see how God is now dealing
with you and I as Gentiles. Not under the Mosaic system, but under Grace. For
now, we've got to see what it took before God revealed all those new doctrines
or teachings which were in His mind since day one. He had kept them secret. So
let's finish the Chapter. Acts Chapter 3 verse 26. Covenant ground. Peter is
resting on that Abrahamic Covenant, on the Davidic Covenant, on a Palestinian
Covenant, on a Mosaic Covenant. And now he says:
Acts 3:26
"Unto you first (see that? Talking about the Nation of
Israel) God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you
(how?), in turning away (watch this. How many Jews had to turn?)
every one..."
Every one. That was the prerequisite for The King. Every Jew had to repent of
their sin. Had to follow it with water baptism. Acts 2:38 is appropriate still.
And then Christ would have ushered in the Tribulation, lifted the curse,
brought in the Kingdom. Israel could have gone out and evangelized the nations
and brought them to His knowledge. It was a valid offer. Because God knew that
Israel wouldn't do it. So God knew that He would be going to the Gentiles
without Israel. Remember that from the time of the Crucifixion to the
destruction of the Temple by the Roman army was forty years. Don't ever lose
sight of that. The Book of Acts is a forty-year time when God is still dealing
with His Covenant people. Even though He's going to start going to the Gentile
people before that forty years is up. But at the end of that forty years (which
in Israel's history has always been a period of testing), Israel is still
adamant in their unbelief.
So what does the Sovereign God permit? Rome to come in and destroy the city in
the most awful siege in all of ancient history. They destroyed the Temple and
Israel was sent into a dispersion amongst all the nations of the world, which
you and I have finally seen coming to an end. It hasn't ended yet for the most
part, but a lot of nations now are completely devoid of Jews. Albania doesn't
have a Jew left in it. Syria, I think, is down to less than two hundred. And so
many of the Eastern European nations are down to relatively small numbers
compared to what they were. But the Jew, you see, is finally returning to the
Nation of Israel. It's been slow, but there's going to be something again that
will trigger it. There's going to be a great influx of Jews into the little
Nation of Israel, in order to prepare for the coming of their Messiah. In verse
26, Peter admonished everyone to believe and confess their sins.
Chapter 4. Peter and the rest of these men are continuing to preach that this
Jesus Whom they had crucified had been raised from the dead. That just flew in
the face of one group of religious leaders, the Sadducees. They did not believe
in a Resurrection of the dead. They did not believe in a life hereafter. They
believed that you live to the best of your ability and the only eternalness
they could conceive of was that you would pass it on to the next generation.
That was what they thought of as eternal life. They saw nothing of a
Resurrection of the dead. So when Peter and John and the rest began to proclaim
the Resurrection of Christ and the hope of Resurrection for other believers, it
caused a hornets nest.
Acts 4:5,6
"And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and
elders, and scribes, And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and
Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered
together at Jerusalem."
There is not a Gentile in that verse. They are all next of kin to the high
priest, and the high priest had to be a Jew. All right, verse 7. So now all
these Jews that were in Jerusalem:
Acts 4:7
"And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, `By what
power, or by what name, have ye done this?'"
What are they still talking about? The healing of that lame man. They can't get
it out of their craw. How did you do it? Read on:
Acts 4:8
"Then Peter,..."
Peter is always the spokesman throughout his earthly ministry. I don't agree
that Peter was the first Pope and I don't make any bones about that because
Peter never had a ministry among the Gentiles. And even though our dear
Catholic friends might disagree with me, that's their privilege. And so now
he's filled with the Holy Spirit. This still reverts to just a few weeks ago
during the day of Pentecost. And now under the power of the Holy Spirit he
again speaks forth, and he says:
Acts 4:8-10
"...Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel (and he
doesn't say and you Romans and you Gentiles. No, he's talking to the Jews),
If we this day be examined of the good deed done to this impotent man, by what
means he is made whole (now look at verse 10): Be it known unto you all,
and to all the people of Israel (does that include any Gentiles?) that
by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,..."
When Peter keeps emphasizing the Name, the Name, what does that imply? I always
give this illustration. If I were to name Bill Clinton, what would be the first
thing that flashes in your mind? Whether you like him or not, that's beside the
point. He's still Bill Clinton, the what? The President. And immediately your
mind pictures the White House. Because he is the President. And when you
mention his name then his position flashes in your mind. All right, this is
what Peter is driving at. When they heard the Name, Jesus of Nazareth, or Jesus
The Christ, what did Peter immediately want to associate that with? Who He was.
His office. And what was He? The Messiah, The King, The Savior, The Redeemer of
Israel. Again, watch the language here. There isn't a single reference here to
His Atoning blood; to His death; to His Resurrection or to His power. Not a
word. Only that Israel had killed Him. That He was Who He said He was. He had
proven it. God had raised Him from the dead. And He was still waiting in Glory
to fulfill that which He had begun. Alright, read verse 10 again:
Acts 4:10
"Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel,
that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified,..."
Now if Peter was on Church ground, what should he have said there? He should
have said, "Who died for your sins." But he doesn't. He says, "whom
you crucified," You see how plain it is when we just look at it.
_______
LESSON ONE * PART IV
ACTS 1:1 - ACTS 4:37 - "GOD'S SECRETS"
Acts Chapter 4 where we left off at verse 11. Never rest on what I say, but
rather what The Book says. I'll never forget one of the first teaching
experiences I had a long time ago. Our pastor was aware of a couple coming into
our church who were married but from diverse church backgrounds. They were
having marital problems over it. He asked me to go to their home each week and
teach them from The Book. The first opposition I got from the lady was,
"Well Les, we have always been taught that it isn't the Bible that is the
authority, it's our church." Now how are you going to overcome that? It
took a lot of patience as her husband had a totally different view. Between the
three of us, with the help of the Holy Spirit, within about 6 months, we
finally got them squared away and they both came to know The Lord. And to this
day they are both active in a local church, and their children are all
believers. Every time I go see them, it's so nice to think that I had a small
part in all of that. But it was such a learning experience for me.
I have said so often, you can't go by what someone else tells you. But open The
Book, and read carefully. Look at every word. See what's in The Book and what's
not in The Book. There are lots of groups that go strictly by what the church
and/or pastor tells them. And you can't do that. A couple of years ago, a class
member came back from her denominational convention, and said, "Les, just
read this first paragraph because this is shocking." And the long and short
of that paragraph was this: "Don't you try to interpret Scripture on your
own - wait until you hear it from the pulpit." That is where people are
getting led down a primrose path. Some pulpits are all right, but there are
many that aren't. So you need to get to the place where you can discern the
Scriptures. I never want people to say, "Well, that's what Les said." I
want people to be able to see where I've shown them what the Scriptures say and
then they can say, "This is what it says." And that is the reason I
teach, to get people into The Book. Now back to our study, verse 11. Peter is
continuing his message to the religious leaders of Israel.
Acts 4:11
"This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders,
which is become the head of the corner."
There is an interesting legend about the cornerstone of Solomon's Temple. It's
not in Scripture, but is certainly applicable. When they were building
Solomon's Temple, there was never a hammer sound at the Temple site. It was all
done out at the quarry. Every stone was so perfectly pre-cut that they could
just set it in place. In ancient architecture, especially arches, the final
stone that goes in is the one at the center of the top of the arch. The rest of
the arch rests against that one, and it becomes the chief cornerstone. Legend
has it that this chief stone had come to the building site and for some reason
they couldn't find a place for it. Not knowing what to do with it, they dragged
it out into a vacant lot, where the weeds grew up around it and there it lay.
But every time someone would go through that vacant lot to take a shortcut,
they would stumble over that stone. Now, that story is a legend, but is so
apropos. This is the analogy that Peter is using.
Israel was the builder of God's kingdom and their Christ was to be The Messiah
of it, the Chief Cornerstone which would hold it all together. They rejected
that Stone and like the builders, threw It out into a vacant lot. And what has
Christ become to the Nation of Israel ever since? A Stone of stumbling. Over
and over, beginning back in the Psalms, Israel is warned that their Chief
Cornerstone would be rejected and laid aside, and He would be their Stone of
stumbling. There is so much departing from the truth of Scripture that people
can be saved outside of faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And this is
dangerous. There is no such thing, according to Scripture. I know that it's
a narrow concept but it's a narrow Book.
I remember talking to a man whose particular group was vast in numbers. He was
convinced his was the only group that had Salvation. I said, "Wait a minute
Jimmy, I have a Scripture verse that proves you wrong." He said, "Show
me." We sat down and checked the verses where Jesus said in
Matthew:
Matthew 7:13,14
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and
broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be which find it. "
This is a fact of Scripture and of the whole human race. God has only had a
remnant. Even in Israel, the Covenant people, how many Jews were true
believers? Only a small remnant. And even today there may be a lot of talk and
a lot of preaching, but how many are genuine believers today? It's getting
fewer every week. Because we are getting so much false teaching coming in and
people are flocking to it. People will always flock to the false before the
truth. So Peter says so clearly here in verse 12, that which still spills over
into our Gospel:
Acts 4:12
"Neither is there Salvation in any other: for there is none
other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
There's a lot of good sincere folks who are following cult leaders - Buddha,
Mohammed, or whatever. This verse is narrow. It brings it right down, that
there is only one way. For the Jew in this particular time that Peter is
dealing with, they had to recognize that Jesus was The Christ. And
only Jesus. It's amazing that the Jews of our present day, for the most
part, the orthodox especially, refuse to admit that the Jews ever followed
Christ. But we know that thousands of them did. Archaeology is proving it. A
lot of Jews embraced Christ as their Messiah and their Redeemer. But granted,
the vast majority rejected Him and God went to the Gentiles without them. Now
continuing on with verse 13:
Acts 4:13-17
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and
perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men (in other words, they
weren't taught by the rabbi's. They hadn't been in a seminary, but they had
been in the presence of Christ for three years), they marvelled; and
they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
"And beholding the man which was healed standing with them (proof
positive that they had a power the religious leaders couldn't touch), they
could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out
of the council, they conferred among themselves, Saying, `What shall we do to
these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest
to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. But that it spread
no further...'"
You see how Satan uses religious people to stop the truth. Human history
abounds with wars that were fought over religion. War after war. Yugoslavia's
war, what is it? It's religion. The Middle East. The basic controversy is
religion. And so it hasn't changed. Religious people will often be tools of
Satan to resist the truth of God. These rulers thought they were keeping the
Law. But when we get to the Book of Romans we'll see how futile that is. That
human beings can't keep the Law. Now verse 18:
Acts 4:18
"And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all
nor teach in the name of Jesus."
It would have been easy for Peter and John and the others to agree and say,
"Well, alright, we'll go back to our fishing and just mind our own
business." That's what a lot of Christians do today. It's easy to give up
and say, "Well, alright. Let them have their way." But that's not God's
will for any of us. Jude says that we are to contend for the faith. Now we're
not to be contentious for its own sake. But we are to contend or stand up for
the truth of the Word of God. And God gives us the Grace to do so. Verse 19:
Acts 4:19-22
"But Peter and John answered and said unto them, `Whether it
be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.' So when they
had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might
punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which
was done (the healing of that lame man. And now we find him again in verse
22). For the man was above (or over. And there's that number. How
old?) forty years old,..."
Again, what did this man's life span indicate? A time of testing. And Israel is
on trial here, and is going to be on trial until we come to the end of the Book
of Acts. God is not going to wait all the way to the end of their forty years
to start calling out a people for His Name as we'll see in Chapter 15. Now
those of you who watched the tapes of our programs two or three years ago, saw
we digressed a little bit from the Book of Genesis and went to Acts 15. We've
had such a response to that tape (which is number 6). James in Acts 15
recognized that Paul indeed had a ministry among the Gentiles that Peter and
the others knew nothing of. So he made that classic statement that, "Yes,
God is going to call out from the Gentiles, a people for his name." And
that is what He has been doing for the last 1,900 + years. Whereas Israel has
been blinded. And now, of course, we see the stirring of a nation preparing
them for God to pick up where he left off. Now back to the text. Verse 23.
Peter says:
Acts 4:23
"And being let go, they (Peter and John) went to their
own company,..." Back to that group of believing Jews in Jerusalem.
I want to make you search the Scriptures. Now I read a lot of good men's works
- all the famous authors that you know. Over and over I see these men refer to
these Jewish men as Christians. Now I'm going to give you something to look
for. You find in your Bible that the Word of God calls them Christians, and
then I'll admit that you were right and I was wrong. But the Word never refers
to these Jewish believers as Christians. Acts 11 says that the Gentile
believers up there at Antioch, were first called Christians.
Acts 11:25,26
"Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when
he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a
whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people.
And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."
That's what The Book says. But the best of theologians are constantly ignoring
that statement and are calling those Jewish believers Christians. I refuse to
do so. They were Jewish believers under the Covenant promises, the same as John
the Baptist's followers. The same as those that came under Christ's ministry.
Those that were saved at Pentecost, and those that were saved under this Jewish
economy. And you cannot call a person a Christian who has not been saved
according to the Gospel of the Grace of God: That Christ died for our sins,
He rose from the dead and He has ascended. What a difference. All right,
let's go on:
Acts 4:24-28
"And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God
with one accord, and said, `Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and
earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: Who by the mouth of thy servant
David hadst said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
(Psalms 2) The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered
together against the Lord, and against his Christ (do you see how that
involved both Jew and Gentile? Psalms 2 says the same thing). For of a truth
against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius
Pilate, with the Gentiles (Peter is tying Jew and Gentile together? It
isn't just Israel. The whole human race is guilty), and the people of
Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel
determined before to be done.'" We've looked at that in Acts 2:23 before
but let's look at it again. It's very important. And most people never see it,
but here it is.
Acts 2:23
"Him (speaking of Jesus of Nazareth) being delivered by
the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked
hands have crucified and slain:" Was God caught by surprise? No. Did
anything happen that God didn't foreordain? No. It was all in eternal purpose.
He came to be Israel's King. Now Ephesians Chapter 1, verse 11. And the
Apostle Paul is writing this. After all these further revelations and here it
comes.
Ephesians 1:11
"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will:"
Now did you catch the word purpose in there? According to his own purpose.
Let's see what that purpose is that Paul is talking about. II Timothy Chapter
1, verse 9. Paul is writing to a fellow believer, a Gentile with the name of
Timothy. Though he may as well have been writing to us. Look what he says:
II Timothy 1:9
"Who (God, of verse 8) hath saved us, and called us
with an holy calling, not according to our works,... In other words, our
merit doesn't mean a thing. He didn't call us as people who have earned
something, but the call goes out to every son of Adam. He has not called us
according to our works, ...but according to his own purpose..."
If you are a child of God, do you know why you are a child of God? Because it
was in the purpose of God. You were saved for a purpose. You were saved for a
reason. Everyone of us. We have to understand that we were already in the mind
of God before He ever created Adam. So we have a distinct purpose. I have a
couple in my class who, in God's Divine Sovereignty, came half-way across this
country to a place they would never have thought to live in. The only reason
they started coming to my class was because the husband was running for mayor.
He heard that there were usually forty or fifty people meeting every Tuesday
night, so he thought that would be a good place to go and gain some votes.
That's the only reason he came and he's not embarrassed to tell everybody this.
But God had more than just a run for mayor in mind. God had two people in mind.
He brought them from Phoenix, Arizona to a little town in Oklahoma so that
they would hear The Gospel. And that's the eternal purpose of God.
I imagine that all of us can look back and see how God meticulously brought us
along and got us to where He could get hold of us. There's another gentlemen
who wouldn't mind me using him as an example either. He came to my class for
three years, ungodly as they come. He will tell you he was. Ungodly, and yet he
would still come. Finally he said, "Les, we've got to talk." He came up
to the house one night and we took him down the Roman road and led him to The
Lord. And what a change in his life!
One night I was teaching, where Martin Luther had made the statement that the
work of the Holy Spirit is the hound of Heaven. Any of you who know anything
about Beagle hounds know they don't give up until they get their quarry. So he
used that analogy. I went back and used the Psalm, where David said, "My
heart panteth after thee oh Lord, like a deer panteth after a bubbling brook."
And we had a gentleman come up afterward who said, "You know, that was
me. I was doing everything but what God was wanting me to do. Finally He
latched on to me and now I can't get enough." He said, "The last thing
that I do before I fall asleep at night is to study this Book." Imagine!
The most ungodly man in the community, but that's how God works. Back to Acts.
They've now rehearsed with their fellow believers all that has taken place.
Acts 4:31
"And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they
were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they
spake the word of God with boldness."
Now verse 32 to the end of the Chapter. Read it carefully, word by word and
tell me if this is the local church that we are associated with. I made a
statement that if you found a perfect church, like in Acts Chapter 2 and 3,
I'll join it. Somebody afterwards said, "Don't you do it Les, because that
would spoil it." And that's so true. If there were a perfect church out
there and you or I were to go and join it, it would no longer be that good.
Because there is no perfect church. And if your church measures up to this then
I'll say I was wrong. But I don't think it does.
Acts 4:32
"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and
of one soul (in other words, no argument): neither said any of them that
aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things
common."
This is pure Biblical socialism. They sold what they owned and put it in
a common kitty. They shared it out as needed. You find a Church that does that
today and then I'll tell you that I was wrong. This isn't Church language. We
know better than that.
Acts 4:33-37
"And with great power gave the apostles witness of the
Resurrection of the Lord Jesus (yes, that He was still alive and that He
could still be their kings): and great grace was upon them all. Neither was
there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or
houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things there were sold, And
laid them down at (who's feet? Not the pastor and the deacons') the
apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had
need. And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas (which is, being
interpreted, The son of consolation), a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Having land (clear out there in the Mediterranean, on the island of
Cyprus), sold it, and brought the money, and laid it (where?) at the
apostles' feet."
Now is that church language? Not the way I understand church language. This
isn't what we are expected to do. I've never had a Pastor ask me to sell my
land and cattle and bring it to the Church.
_______
LESSON TWO * PART I
ACTS CHAPTER 5 - TIMELINE - "OUR GOSPEL"
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-4
God left us this Book to study and enjoy and hopefully you and I as ordinary
believers can see what it really says. I think it was either William Tyndale or
John Wycliffe, when being burned at the stake said that he wanted The Bible to
be in the print and language of the common man so that every plowboy in England
could have a copy of the Scriptures. Since God has seen fit to do that, it
behooves us to study and read it on our own. In this first lesson I want to do
a little review of the timeline (see page 6) to see more clearly how The Book
lays out the whole program of God. We will start with the creation of Adam at
4004 B.C. That is the date usually ascribed to his creation, but not
necessarily the planet. And then half-way in between Adam's creation and the
birth of Christ is the appearance of the man Abraham, at approximate 2000 B.C.
And then from Abraham (about 400 years in round figures approximately 2400
B.C.) that brings us to the time of the flood. So from Adam to the flood is
approximately 1600 years. Then about 200 years after the flood, when mankind is
beginning to multiply abundantly, we find the Tower of Babel. Then 200 years
later is the call of Abraham at approximately 2000 B.C.
From Adam to Abraham, God dealt with one race of people. In other words, all
the things God had taught Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel were appropriate for that
whole race of people for that first 2000 years. There was no organized system
of worship, Temple or written Law. It was simply based on man's conscience that
if they knew they had sinned, they were to bring a blood sacrifice by faith,
and if their faith was real, then it was their faith that saved them just like
it's our faith that saves us today. But we know that the human race completely
fell apart until it got so wicked and rebellious that God had no remedy but to
destroy it. With the advent of Noah and his three sons, Ham, Shem and Japheth,
we can see God split the human race into three races. Those that will come out
of Ham. Those that will come out of Shem and those out of Japheth. This was the
beginning of the separation of the one race. However, they really did not
scatter until they got to the Tower of Babel. Even at that time they were still
of one speech. It wasn't until God came in with the language confusion that
they began to scatter into the prescribed areas of the planet. Then we find 200
years later out of the line of Shem comes this man Abraham at 2000 B.C.
To the man Abraham God promises what we are always referring to as the
Abrahamic Covenant. And I've maintained down through the years that unless
you understand the Abrahamic Covenant you will never understand The Bible or
even the New Testament. Because when God called this man out of idolatry,
his whole family was, as well as the whole human race was steeped in idolatry.
I've had people ask me about Shem. The Bible is silent about Shem. A lot of
those old Patriarchs probably for one reason or other lost their testimony. I
know Noah did. After Noah built the vineyard and drank the wine and got drunk,
you never hear another word about Noah. I don't think he lost his Salvation,
but he lost his testimony. The same thing may have happened to Shem. I don't
know. But other than that I've always felt comfortable teaching that after the
Tower of Babel (until Abraham came along), every human being, with maybe an
exception or two, had now succumbed to idolatry, and to pagan worship of the
mythological gods and so forth.
So God tells Abraham, I'm going to make of you a nation. And this is what I
always refer to as the three parts of the Abrahamic Covenant: "I'm going to
make out of you a Nation of people. I'm going to put you into a geographical
area of land." Those two promises didn't take all that long. And then the third
part was, that someday down the road, "I will come Myself and be your King over
a glorious Kingdom." A Kingdom not up in Heaven, but on the earth. God called
Abraham (usually when putting this on the black board I just pull that little
nation out of the main river of humanity), because He is going to make the
little nation a separate, special race of people, or as we have come to know
them, the Jew. I always put it this way, "Jew only, with exceptions" God
will make exceptions during this 2000 year period of time, but they are rare.
The rest of the masses of humanity will go on like the river, but out of this
great river of humanity God pulls this little stream, the Nation of Israel. The
whole object lesson was that He would use the Nation of Israel to penetrate the
nations of the world, and bring them to a knowledge of their God. That was
their opportunity and option, but we know now they rejected that. Turn to
Psalms Chapter 2. With the beginning of the Abrahamic Covenant, we come back to
Genesis 3:15 with the promise of the Seed of the woman. But the Seed of the
woman would come through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Then out of Jacob's twelve
sons, the son of Judah. Out of Judah comes David and Solomon, then the other
Branch of the tree brings us all the way up to Joseph and Mary.
When Israel has the opportunity of going to the Nations with the knowledge of
their God, they reject Him and crucify Him. As we saw in the early Chapter of
Acts, even though everything has been consummated for the Salvation of the
whole human race, God continues to deal with the Jew. I probably fly in the
face of most traditionalists, that He does not immediately go to the Gentiles,
but for a few years continues to deal with the Nation of Israel in the early
Chapters of Acts, until we are introduced to the Body of Christ, the Church.
You only hear that phrase from Paul. You don't see that terminology until that
revelation is given to him. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, The
Lord told Ananias:
Acts 9: 15
"But the Lord said unto him, `Go thy way, for he is a chosen
vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles,...'"
Now that's the turning point in God's dealing with the human race. He raised up
that Jew, Paul, the thirteenth Apostle if you want to call him that, and He
sends him specifically to the Gentiles. And then after the Church Age is
completed and the Body of Christ is full, God has to take the Body out of the
way so He can pick up again with the Jew in particular in those final seven
years of the Tribulation. Next we have the Second Coming of Christ, and then we
then have the thousand-year reign and rule of Christ in the Kingdom. Now this
is the way we understand the whole seven thousand years of time that God has
laid out prophetically, and a lot of it is already historical. In Psalms
Chapter 2 let's start reading at verse 1, and hopefully we can make a run
through the Scriptures and show from the Old Testament perspective that this
part about the Church Age was never mentioned. The rest is brought out so
beautifully. As soon as Christ was crucified, a short period was to elapse,
then the Tribulation was to come in, Christ was to return, and the Kingdom was
then to be set up to the Nation of Israel.
Psalms 2:1,2
"WHY do the heathen (Gentiles) rage, and the people
(Jews) imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and
the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed,
saying,"
In Acts, Peter's constantly accusing the Nation of Israel for crucifying their
Messiah. "You killed Him. You murdered Him" But the Scripture says
both Jew and Gentile were guilty of the Crucifixion.
Psalms 2:3
"Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords
from us."(-)
Now that was what the human race said concerning The Messiah. We will
not have this man to rule over us. Away with Him, crucify Him So they cast off
God's reign from them. Now verse 4:
Psalms 2:4-6
"He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall
have them in derision." That's the result of the Crucifixion.
"Then (after they reject The Messiah, the offer of The King and the
Kingdom) shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore
displeasure." That's the Tribulation. Do you see anything in between those
two verses of the Church Age? It's not in there. So the Psalmist continues on
with the prophetic program. In verse 6, notice the next event. The Kingdom.
"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion."
To get a grasp on what I'm teaching, turn to Luke Chapter 4:17. The setting is
The Lord in His earthly ministry. He's gone into the synagogue in His home town
of Nazareth. He stands up to read:
Luke 4:17-21
"And there was delivered unto him the book (or Scroll)
of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place
where it was written (in other words, he looks for this particular portion
of Scripture), `The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to
set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the
Lord.' And he closed the book, and gave it again to the minister, and sat down,
And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And
he began to say unto them, `This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your
ears.'" Isaiah 61:1 is identical to what Jesus read here in Luke.
Isaiah 61:1,2
"THE Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up
the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the
prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD
(-), and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;"
In Luke there was a period at the end of the acceptable year of The Lord. But
notice here it is a comma, so the verse goes right on to say the day of
vengeance of our God. And according to Psalms Chapter 2 what was that? The
wrath and vexation of the Tribulation. Do you see that? So this prophecy like
Psalms Chapter 2 just flows right on through, and the last part of the verse
says to comfort all that mourn. What's that? The Kingdom age. So our Lord
reading in Luke Chapter 4 knew the end from the beginning. He knew where to
stop. He said this is fulfilled in your ears, the rest of it He knew wouldn't
be until later.
To show where these prophecies have been fulfilled, we will put a dash with
parenthesis around it (-) indicating the rest is unfilled to date. This
symbol (-) would be in verse 2 after the last `LORD.' Look at Psalms
Chapter 2 again, and stop after verse 3 to put the symbol (-) because
that is as much as what happened. They rejected The Messiah, and crucified Him
and then verse 5 hasn't happened even yet. Go to Psalms 118 and we will do the
same thing. The Old Testament will just continue on with the prophetic plan,
but we know it's been interrupted with the Church Age.
Psalms 118:22
"The stone which the builders refused (-) (that happened
at His Crucifixion. Who is the Stone of Scripture? Christ is. He was the Head
of the corner, but what did they do with the Stone? They cast It aside, not
knowing Who He was. So that's all that was fulfilled, but what does the rest of
the verse say?) is become the head stone of the corner." That hasn't
happened yet so put your symbol (-) in the middle of the verse. Isaiah Chapter
9:
Isaiah 9:6
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given (-),
and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of
Peace."
Only the first part has been fulfilled. The rest is still future, so put your
break (-) after the word `given.' Next is Isaiah 61:1 and we used that as our
example. The next one will be Daniel Chapter 9:26. This is the Chapter on
Daniel's seventh week. Now verse 26 and the description of the coming of The
Messiah:
Daniel 9:26,27
"And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off
(His Crucifixion), but not for himself: and the people of the prince
that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (-) (this happened
in 70 A.D.) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of
the war desolations are determined. And he (the Anti-christ) shall
confirm the covenant with many..." That hasn't happened yet, so you can put
your break in this verse right after the word `sanctuary.' The next one is in
Joel Chapter 2.
Joel 2:28-30
"And it shall come to pass afterward (after His
rejection), that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men
shall see visions:" Verse 29. "And also upon the servants and upon the
handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit (-)." Now verse 30.
"And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire,
and pillars of smoke." Did verse 30 happen? No, but verse 28 and 29 did.
Now Zechariah Chapter 9:
Zechariah 9:9,10
"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having Salvation;
lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass (-) (did
that happen? Yes!)." Verse 10. "And I will cut off the chariot from
Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and
he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even
to sea (The Kingdom, and we know that's not happened yet), and from the
river even to the ends of the earth." So the break goes between verses 9
and 10. The next one is in Luke Chapter 1:
Luke 1:31,32
"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth
a son, and shalt call his name JESUS (-) (did it happen? You bet it
did)." Verse32. "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of
the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father
David:" Verse 32 still hasn't happened, but it's going to. So naturally the
break on this one will be between 31 and 32. One more in Luke Chapter 21:
Luke 21:24,25
"And they (the Jew) shall fall by the edge of the
sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations (that happened at the
siege of Titus): and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until
the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled (-). And there shall be signs in
the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;"
I try to show by putting breaks in verses that this Old Testament program was
suddenly interrupted with this Age of Grace we are now in, and the rest is
still future.
_______
LESSON TWO * PART II
ACTS CHAPTER 5 - TIMELINE - "OUR GOSPEL"
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-4
Let's turn to Acts Chapter 5. Recently, I was going through one of my old
teaching Bibles, and an article fell out that I had copied out of a book
written by William R. Newell. Those of you who like to read might want to take
down the title and author. Newell was a great and famous Bible teacher in the
Chicago, St. Louis and Detroit areas back in the 1920's and 30's. In this book
which is titled "Paul Versus Peter" you will find on page ten that he
writes this: "Is it not strange that 16 or 17 Chapters of the Book of Acts
(if we include Chapter 9 and of course that is where Saul is converted), is
given to that apostle who was not one of the original twelve. He was not
converted until long after Pentecost. Must there not be a deep reason for this?
And what is the reason? One thing is certainly evident already, and that is we
Gentiles have a relation to Paul that we do not have to the other apostles.
Exactly what that is we must prayerfully seek to discover." And that says
it in a nutshell. I've read that to sort of settle folk down who think I make
too much of the Apostle Paul. And I also make a point of separating Peter and
Paul. But to me it's the only way you can understand Scripture. You see,
until you can separate the ministries of those two men you are going to be like
most of the rest of Christendom and that is total confusion. And that is the
reason for the confusion. We have to get to the place that we can see that in
all of these early Chapters of Acts Peter is constantly ministering to the
Jew.
By inspiration, we are told in many places, that Paul is the Apostle to the
Gentiles and that he is the example for the Gentiles. (I Timothy 1:16 and
Philippians 3:17) I told the class before we started that I was anxious to
get to Chapter 9 and the conversion of Saul so we can see more obviously these
vast differences. But it's just amazing that folks can't understand that as
Peter is the Apostle to the Jew, God is going to lay out so clearly that Paul
is the Apostle of the Gentiles. Now those are two different groups of people,
and two different doctrines, but the same God. Everything is all fitting
together as we showed you in the last lesson. But nevertheless we have to
understand that Peter is still under the Covenant program that began with
Abraham. And all through Christ's earthly ministry, why was He ministering to
the Jew? To prove to them that He was The King coming in fulfillment of that
Abrahamic Covenant. Gentiles weren't involved in that (Matthew 10:5 also
Matthew 15:24 and Romans 15:8) until The King was in place and then they
could flow into it as Isaiah says. Then they would flow to Jerusalem. It was a
valid offer to the Nation of Israel, but that didn't happen because of the
rejection of The Messiah, and the dispersion of the Jew after the stoning of
Stephen.
In Chapter 5, I'm going to make the statement which I hope doesn't make folks
angry, because I've said often enough on this program that I don't expect
everyone to agree with me. And if you don't agree with me I won't call you a
heretic and vice versa. Just because I'm a little different don't call me a
heretic, because I'm still blood bought. I'm still a firm believer in the
death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ, and that is what's fundamental to
all of this. But for now let's review just the closing verses in Chapter 4 and
then into Chapter 5. I maintain this is not Church ground or the Body of Christ
as the Church. This is the Jerusalem assembly, primarily Jewish believers of
the fact that Jesus was The Christ. There has been no mention yet of a
Salvation based on His shed blood, on His death, burial, and Resurrection.
It's only on Who He was. He was the promised Messiah. Now the closing verses of
Chapter 4.
Acts 4:34-37
"Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as
were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the
things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet (the
Twelve): and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being
interpreted, The son of consolation) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles'
feet."
None of that is Church language. I've always maintained as long as I've been
teaching, how long could a pastor keep his congregation under his wing if he
would ask them to cash in all their property and bring him the money? Well he
wouldn't last to Monday morning, not if he has intelligent people. But you see
this is what they were doing, and there was nothing amiss. It was expected. If
Chapter 5, telling about the death of Ananias and Sapphira, is Church ground
then there wouldn't be a believer left on this earth. Because the minute they
committed the sin of even lying, what happened? They were gone. How many
believers haven't done much worse than this, and they're not gone. Why? Well we
are under a whole different set of circumstances. But here this is approaching
the Kingdom. I didn't make this point in the last several Chapters, and I
should have. The reason they are so willing to sell their property and turn it
into cash and bring it to the apostles' feet is because they knew that as soon
as The King would set up the Kingdom they wouldn't have to worry about houses
and land. In the Kingdom there will be no poverty, everyone would have
everything. And so this was their prospect, they were looking for the Kingdom
just over the horizon. Remember, according to Psalms Chapter 2 and the Old
Testament program, not long after they would reject The Messiah, then would
come the wrath and vexation, and then would come The King. Well with that in
view they were not worried about keeping their property. So they gladly sold
and brought the money to the apostles, because the more the apostles could
preach the Kingdom the more Jews would be brought in as believers and then they
would have The King and Kingdom.
And little did they know that it would all come to nothing. Now that should
also give you a little insight. Why do you suppose that every place that Paul
went among his Gentile congregations that he would always take up a collection?
For the poor at Jerusalem who had sold everything, but since Christ hadn't
returned, the kitty had run dry. And where did it leave them? Destitute. But
God in His mercy still reckoned with the fact that they had done all of that in
obedience and so God takes care of them then with the offerings from Paul's
Gentile converts. Now does that all make sense? I hope so. And so here again we
come into Chapter 5 and Peter is still dealing with these Jewish believers
there in Jerusalem.
Acts 5:1-4
BUT a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold
a possession," Just like Barnabas did, but they made their big mistake.
verse 2:
"And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it (she
knew what was being done), and brought a certain part, and laid it at the
apostles' feet."
But Peter said, `Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the
Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?'"
"Whiles it remained, was it not thine own (in other words it was up to
you. You didn't have to bring it all, but why did you lie and say that you had
when you hadn't)? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why
hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but
unto God."
Now that wasn't all that big a deal. I dare say the average believer tells a
bigger lie than that at least once in his life time. And if this is Church
ground then we would all be gone. That is if you are going to say this is part
of the Church, and use it as an example. But this is a better example of the
circumstances in the Kingdom. We know that death is possible in the Kingdom.
Not very likely, but if someone commits a horrendous act of rebellion against
The King, that is his potential fate, he will be suddenly taken off the scene.
So I prefer to think that this is what these Jewish believers had to
understand. That they were getting ready to come under the authority of The
King Who is going to rule with an iron hand. You don't fool Him. You don't even
so much tell a white lie to Him, for if you do you are going to be out of here.
And so this is really the lesson for these Jews. They were now coming under a
set of circumstances where their King was going to rule with absolute power and
knowledge. You wouldn't be able to hide anything from Him. You all know the
account of what happened. Verse 6.
Acts 5:6-11
"And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the
ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young
men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about
the space of three hours after, when his wife not knowing what was done, came
in. And Peter answered unto her, `Tell me whether ye sold the land for so
much?' and she said, `Yea, for so much.' Then Peter said unto her, `How is it
that ye have agreed together to tempt (or test) the Spirit of the Lord?
behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and
shall carry thee out (now that's shocking isn't it? That would be enough to
shake up any group of people).' Then fell she down straightway at his feet,
and yielded up the ghost; and the young men came in, and found her dead, and,
carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the
church (or assembly as I like to refer to the Jewish believers), and
upon as many as heard these things."
Acts 5:12
"And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders
wrought among the people;..."
Now come back with me again to Acts 1:8, so we don't lose sight of what I have
been trying to bring out. This is when The Lord was speaking to the eleven
disciples just before He ascended. And remember what He told them.
Acts 1:8
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
They were to receive power. What kind of power? Miracle working power. They
were to be an extension of Christ's earthly ministry. Every thing that He and
the Twelve had performed in those three years, Peter and the eleven were to
continue, because they are dealing with the same people. They're dealing with
the Nation of Israel, and trying to convince the nation that Jesus was Who He
said He was. And He was still going to fulfill His promises if they would just
simply believe. Now verse 12 again:
Acts 5:12
"And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders
wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord [where? In the
church down on First and Grand? No, but rather] in Solomon's porch...)"
And where's Solomon's porch? In the Temple. They're still meeting in the
Temple; still taking their sacrifices; they haven't stopped Judaistic rituals.
The only thing that's been added to it is now they have believed that Jesus was
Whom He said He was.
Acts 5:13,14
"(...And of the rest [of Judaism] durst no man join
himself to them: but the people magnified them. And believers were the more
added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)"
I'm thankful for the archaeologists. They are finding more and more evidence
that there were thousands of these first and second century Jews who were still
practicing their Judaism, but had embraced Jesus of Nazareth as The Messiah.
And that's what they are uncovering. Now they were not Gentile adherents of
Paul's Gospel of Grace, but rather they were Jewish believers who were still
believing the Gospel of the Kingdom. Now I'll have to explain that. For the
first three or four years after I began teaching, I was never comfortable
teaching the Four Gospels and the Book of Acts, and I would just skim over
them. And then one day I stopped in at my parents' house for a morning cup of
coffee, and on Mom's coffee table was one of those little booklets from the old
radio program called "The Radio Bible Class." It's now called The Day
of Discovery. Anyway, one of their guest preachers from time to time
throughout the year, was a gentleman by the name of Paul VanGorder. And the
title of his little booklet was "Which Gospel When?" I was just bug-eyed
at that, and said, "Mom could I have this little booklet?" She said, "Yes,
I'm through with it." I took that little book home with me, and it was a
compilation of his one month of four Radio Bible Class sermonettes. In those
four lessons he laid out that during Christ's earthly ministry it was the
Gospel of the Kingdom. Not the Gospel of Grace. When Paul comes on the
scene, then it goes to the Gospel of the Grace of God. And that just
totally changed my whole concept of Scripture.
This is how God works. I had no more than finished reading it, when someone
gave me a copy by Sir Robert Anderson of a book titled the "Silence of
God." I've made reference to that book before on this program, and if you
get a chance, read it. Now Sir Robert Anderson does the same thing. He just
lays out so clearly that in the Four Gospel accounts and the early Chapters of
Acts, it's the Gospel of the Kingdom. And that's what Jesus called it over and
over. And then when you get into Paul's letters you never see that term again.
Why? The Gospel of the Kingdom faded off the scene, and the Gospel of Grace
took its place. And that's just exactly what William R. Newell also wrote. So
all of this evidence just kept piling up, and finally I decided this is where
it's at. So all of a sudden the whole thing started to make sense. That's when
you come from the Jewish program, the Gospel of the Kingdom, based on the
Covenants and based on Christ's earthly ministry. and Israel continues to
reject it, then God turns to the Gentiles with that other apostle which will be
introduced in Chapter 9. But here in this Chapter we are still dealing with the
Twelve, who are ministering to the Nation of Israel. Now verse 14:
Acts 5:14-17
"(And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes
both of men and women.)" And now verse 15, and if this isn't a repeat of
the Four Gospels then I don't know what is.
"Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them
on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might
overshadow some of them." That was the Jewish program.
"There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem
(we're not talking about Cairo, Athens or Rome; this is Jerusalem),
bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they
were healed (how many?) every one."
"Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is
the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,"
You know religious people haven't changed. There is nothing that upsets
religious people more than to hear the truth. I've learned that over the years.
Religious people do not want the truth. They want their religion. And some of
you have shared with me that you have tried to go back to some of your
religious church members and they won't listen to you. Why not? They don't want
to be bothered. I'm comfortable, leave me alone. The world is full of religion.
For example, take the Hindu religion. They say the same thing - leave us alone.
I don't care what religion it is they will have that same stock answer,
"Leave me alone, I'm comfortable, I think I'll make it." But then we
like to come back and say, "Wouldn't you like to know that you'll make it?"
That's the difference! Verse 18:
Acts 5:18,19
"And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the
common prison. But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and
brought them forth,..."
I've always asked this question ever since I read Sir Robert Anderson's book,
the "Silence of God." He made the point: Do you know of a
single account in Church history that angels came down and delivered God's
people? In Church history? No. Now I'm not saying that God isn't a God of
miracles, don't misunderstand me. I know that God can still answer prayer and
God can still perform the miraculous. But I'm talking about the kind of
miracles that Israel experienced. Angels coming in and opening prison
doors. Earthquakes that could be so controlled that it would
release all the prisoners who were in stocks and not kill any of them. Now
that's the supernatural that I'm talking about. That doesn't happen any more.
And it's not going to happen until God begins once again to deal with the
Nation of Israel. But here we have such a supernatural intervention in the
affairs of men, that an angel comes in and opens the prisons doors and let's
the apostle out. And you all know the account of how the rulers were greatly
disturbed and wondered how these things happened. Now they've got to do
something to stop it. Now verse 27:
Acts 5:27,28
"And when they had brought them (the Twelve); they set
them before the council (religious leaders of Israel): and the high
priest asked them,"
"Saying, `Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this
name (do you see there's no mention of the shed blood, or His death, burial
and Resurrection, but only His Name. I've stressed over the years when you are
to recognize a name, what is attached to it? The position. And in this case
with Jesus, when they heard this Name, they were suddenly to know that here was
the One Who had performed all of these miracles, Who had claimed to be the
promised Messiah, The King, and this was what His Name was to imply. And that
is all they are stressing: Who He was)? and, behold, ye have filled
Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.'"
Well indeed, what had they done? They had murdered Him. Didn't they have a
right to have vengeance taken on them? And I think the Nation of Israel has
suffered for it ever since.
Acts 5:29,30
"Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, `We
ought to obey God rather than men, The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom
ye slew and hanged on a tree.'"
That throws a curve at some people. What does that sound like? Like they killed
Him first, and then hung Him up on a tree. Now why does Peter use that kind of
language? In Deuteronomy 21:18-23, if there was a rebellious son in Israel, and
he was so wicked that the parents couldn't do anything with him, they were to
turn him over to the authorities and say here is a rebellious son, he's a
drunkard, and we can do nothing with him. Then the Jewish authorities would
order him to be stoned. But it didn't stop there. To make him a public
spectacle so that people would get the lesson, they would then hang that corpse
on a pole. The end of verse 30 reads. "(for he that is hanged is accursed
of God;)" Peter is bringing that picture to the Nation of Israel. That
this is what they had really done with their Christ. They had considered Him
like a rebellious drunkard, wicked son. And they killed Him and hung Him on a
tree. Now we know that in actuality He became that on our behalf. "He who
knew no sin became sin for us." If you go into Hebrews 13, you will find
that the Crucifixion was awful. We have glamorized it with our jewelry, the
golden Crosses and all of that, but the Crucifixion was not beautiful. It was
accursed, because God laid on Him the sins of the whole human race.
But here, Peter says, "Whom you slew and hanged on a tree," to show the
degradation of His death. Not that He Himself was guilty of any of that, but
that He became the innocent Lamb of God on Whom all the guilt of a sinful world
was laid. Remember Isaiah 52 says that of anyone who ever lived, He was more
marred as He hung on the Cross than anyone who had ever lived.
_______
LESSON TWO * PART III
ACTS CHAPTER 5 - TIMELINE - "OUR GOSPEL"
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-4
It's always so good to hear from our listeners. Recently we received a letter
from a gentleman who told us that he now could see the difference between the
teaching of Peter and Paul. Another gentleman in our class reminded me that it
had been a while since we had shared Paul's Gospel with you, the television
audience, as outlined in I Corinthians 15:1-4. He said, "Those were the
verses that opened my eyes, and before the afternoon is over maybe you could
share with us again." I believe this would be as good a time as any to do
that since I never have a prepared format or lesson plan. Turn with me to I
Corinthians Chapter 15. This may open the eyes of someone else who needs these
verses. When I stress that Peter did not preach Paul's Gospel of Grace, I'm
sure that there are some out there would ask, "Well what is the Gospel that
I have to believe for my Salvation." Well here it is in plain language. And
I'm glad we are doing this because as we continue on these next few Chapters in
Acts, be aware that you do not see this kind of language. This is unique only
to Paul, because Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles, and writing to the
Gentile congregation at Corinth.
I Corinthians 15:1-4
"MOREOVER, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel (not
just a gospel, but The Gospel) which I preached unto you, which also
ye have received, and wherein ye stand;"
"By which also ye are saved (it's believing the Gospel that saves
us), if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed
in vain." In other words you have to understand and know what you believe.
Now here is Paul's Gospel:
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received (from
the risen Lord), how that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures;" It was in such vague language in the Old Testament that they
couldn't understand, but it was there.
"And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to
the Scriptures:" Now that, beloved, is the Gospel that saves you. Believing
in His death, burial, and Resurrection for your Salvation.
To see how Paul puts his emphasis on that, go to Romans Chapter 1. It has been
a while since we shared the plan of Salvation and after all, that is what we're
here for: to help people understand how to get right with God. How to have the
assurance that if we die in the next hour that we will be in His presence.
Romans 1:16
"For I am not shamed of the gospel of Christ: for it (The
Gospel) is the power of God unto Salvation (that leaves our works out of
it. We can't touch this) to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek." Do you see what that puts aside? The works that so many
people are hanging on to just fall away. But it's to everyone that believeth
for their Salvation. Come back to I Corinthians Chapter 1 for another
example.
I Corinthians 1:18
"For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
When I present Salvation, I always refer to Israel coming out of Egypt under
the leadership of Moses. Here they were at the shore of the Red Sea, with
impassable mountains on the right, and populated areas to the left, the
Egyptian army behind them, and the Red Sea in front of them. They're in a
dilemma! Does God say to hurry up and do something? Does He tell Moses to get
out the boats and transport the Israelites? No! It's unbelievable what God
tells Moses to do - stand still. Do nothing! That's contrary to human thought
and to most of Christendom. But God tells us the same thing. When we realize
that we are in a dilemma, there is no way out except to stand still and believe
that The God of Scripture can get us out of our dilemma. And how? By
believing.
I Corinthians 1:23,24
"But we preach Christ crucified (now think back. What has
Peter been saying? "Oh, you killed Him, but God has raised Him from the dead
and He can still be your King." Peter isn't preaching Crucifixion as a means of
Salvation, but rather Peter is teaching Crucifixion to prove that God had
overcome what they had accomplished, and that He could still fulfill His
Covenant promises. Paul looks at the whole thing from a different perspective,
and that is He did it for us that we might have life eternal), unto
the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which
are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of
God."
Now again go back to the Red Sea. What opened the Red Sea? Well not Moses, but
rather God's supernatural power. And when we believe the Gospel God works
supernaturally and gives us a whole new nature. A divine nature we can't touch.
We can't put it in there, but God does. That's where faith comes in. It's by
faith, not by doing anything at all. But by believing. Another one is in Paul's
writings in Ephesians Chapter 2. These are verses you all know.
Ephesians 2:1
"AND you (remember Paul always writes to believers, for the
unbelievers' benefit of course) hath he quickened (or made alive),
who were dead in trespasses and sins;"
Remember the first Law that God laid on Adam? The day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt surely die. In the Book of Ezekiel he tells us that
the soul that sinneth shall surely die. Paul comes back and says you are dead
in trespasses and sins, but God makes you alive. Now come all the way down to
verse 8:
Ephesians 2:8-10
"For by grace are ye saved through faith (and what's
faith? Believing! Nothing else - just believe the Gospel); and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God:" There is nothing we can do - we are
hopeless. But we believe, and God does everything that needs to be done. Now
verse 9:
"Not of works, lest any man should boast." But it doesn't stop there. We
are not saved just to sit down and say, "I'm not going to hell anymore." That's
not it, that's only a small part of it. What does the next verse say?
"For we are his workmanship,..."
Now what does that mean? God's divine fingers have now come into our life and
He has put us together as a new creature. For what purpose? To bring glory to
Him. We are not to live for self. Now the world ridicules that, but the world
only has 70 years on the average to try to enjoy life. That's their Heaven, but
listen we have ages upon ages ahead of us. And it's going to make this old
world at its very best seem like a smelly pig pen. That's the best way I can
put it. The most beautiful thing you can find on this earth by comparison is
just a smelly old pig pen. The Scriptures say that things are awaiting us that
we can't even imagine. Eyes have not seen, and ears have not heard the things
that God hath prepared for them that love Him. So I don't really care that we
go through this life of seventy years without much. I don't need it, because
the best is yet to come. And it's not just for me, it's for you and everyone
that believes. Now let's go on a little further in Chapter 2. verse 11,12, and
13. This falls right in with what I have been teaching in the Book of Acts:
that Peter is still on Jewish ground. He's still preaching to the Nation of
Israel, everything is still based on the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, Gentiles are not included, but now look at what Paul says to us
Gentiles.
Ephesians 2:11,12a
"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in
the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision (Gentiles) by that which is
called the Circumcision (Jews) in the flesh made by hands;" In other
words that was the way a Jew would refer to a Gentile. Now verse 12:
"That at that time..."
Now I'm a stickler for language. What time? When the Jew was still uppermost in
God's program, and the Jew was looking down on the Gentile as the uncircumcised
dogs of humanity. The Jews were in the driver's seat. Remember, all the way
from Abraham to the Apostle Paul, who is uppermost in Scripture? The Jew. The
Nation of Israel. But now read on:
Ephesians 2:12
"That at that time ye (Gentiles) were without Christ,
being aliens (non-citizens) from the commonwealth of Israel and
strangers from the (what?) covenants of promise, having no hope, and
without God in the world:"
Now did you think I am crazy when I say it was Jew only, with exceptions. Not
really. I think I got it pretty straight. Because this confirms it. That while
God was dealing with Israel the Gentile was out there without hope, and without
God in this world, because he was not a part of the Nation of Israel. But don't
stop there.
Ephesians 2:13
"But now (from Paul's day) in Christ Jesus ye who
sometimes were far off are made nigh (not by keeping the Law, not by Temple
worship, not by animal sacrifices, but by what?) by the blood of
Christ."
Do you see that? That's what makes the difference, and now it is announced to
us Gentiles that everything that has been done has been done for us. Now since
I've gotten this far I might as well answer the question that has already been
coming in over the phone. "Les you have been saying that you don't believe
that the Church began at Pentecost." I used to teach it that way but I've
never been comfortable teaching it that way. I've been showing why, with the
language throughout those Chapters. I know that 90% of preachers and
theologians who may listen to me are disagreeing and that's their privilege.
But people say, "If the Church didn't begin at Pentecost then where did it
begin?" Well, there was a period of time when I had to say I don't know,
but I'm looking. Then one night several years ago as I was reading my Bible I
ran across the Scripture in I Timothy Chapter 1 that blew my eyes wide open.
And I've shared it with folks ever since. When they say "When do you think
the Church the Body of Christ began?" I tell them I think it began with the
conversion of Saul of Tarsus. Here is my reasoning:
I Timothy 1:15.
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
Now let's break this verse down.
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation (no room for
argument), that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (now
wait a minute, hold everything. Way back when John the Baptist announced
Christ, he did say, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the
world," but that was almost lost in the dust. But what did John the Baptist
really proclaim that Christ had come for? To become The King. The King is here.
But Paul doesn't mention Him being The King, nor setting up an earthly Kingdom.
Paul says He came into the world to save sinners. But the next part is what I
want you to see, and every sermon I have heard preached on it the preacher
would say that Paul proclaimed himself to be the worst of sinners, by
virtue); of whom I am chief."
But all you have to do is get a Greek dictionary or Strong's Concordance and
look up every place in the New Testament where this word `Chief' is found, and
it comes from the same Greek word, and in every instance it is referred to as
the "Chief man of the Island" (The Governor) "The Chief Priest"
(The High Priest). Paul and Barnabas were in a pagan city and they called Paul
"Mercurius" because he was the "Chief Speaker." Now does any of
that indicate something bad? No. It denotes a place of leadership. The head of
the line. Have you got that? So read it like this: "Christ Jesus came into
the world to save sinners of whom I am at the head of the line." Now look
at the next verse:
I Timothy 1:16
"Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first
Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which
should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting." Now let's also break
the verse down.
"Howbeit for this cause (ask yourself questions as you read. What
cause? That He came to save the chief of sinners) I obtained mercy, that
in me (what's the next word?) first (now what does first
mean? It means first! There is no way you can foul that word up)
Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering (mercy or Grace),
for a pattern (now ladies, when you are sewing a dress what do
you use? A pattern. What's a pattern? It's the outline of the original. It's
the first. Now if you're going to make three dresses, you use the pattern to
cut out the first dress. What do you use for the next pattern - the piece of
material or the original pattern? The original pattern. I can remember when I
was young and I was building a small outdoor building, and I was busy cutting
rafters. That was long before everything is as modern as it is now, and I was
still cutting them with a hand saw. And I had four or five of them all ready
cut when my dad came along, and he said, "Which one is the pattern?" I
said whichever one I used last. And he said, "Les you're going to have a
roof that will have all kind of bows and sways in it." I said why? He
replied, "Because every time you make a little mistake you will multiply it
in the next one. Always use the first for a pattern."
I had to learn like all the rest of us. Now it's the same way here, there could
only be one original pattern of a sinner saved by Grace. And who was it? The
Apostle Paul. Have you ever seen the likes of the Grace of God as it was poured
out on that rebel on the way to Damascus. There is nothing like it in human
history. And he was saved! - the least meritorious of any human being I'd say
that was living at that time. He had caused people to be thrown into prison,
caused people to be put to death, and then God saves him. He did it without a
cause, but by Grace. Now read on. And remember Paul is now the original
pattern) to them which should hereafter (that means from this
point on. This goes forward from Paul. Now this next word is very crucial, does
it say to repent and be baptized? No but that's what Peter says in Acts 2:38.
But Paul says to ) believe on him to life everlasting." Reading
the verse again.
I Timothy 1:16
"Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first
Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which
should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting."
I don't call someone a heretic if they disagree with me and still adhere to the
Jews at Pentecost as being Christians. I've said over and over The Bible
doesn't call them Christians. The Bible doesn't call people Christians until
the Gentiles at Antioch. But here I think the Apostle Paul, by inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, is laying out so clearly that at that Salvation experience
on the road to Damascus that God saved the chief of sinners. Not the worst
necessarily, although he was apologetic for that all through his letters. But
God saved the leader of sinners, and that everyone who now comes into the Body
of Christ, the Church, is going to come patterned after him. And will follow
him.
I made a comment several years ago in my McAlester OK class. We were studying
Peter going up to the house of Cornelius. Those of you who know your Bible know
that's in Acts Chapter 10. And we had just studied Saul's conversion in Acts
Chapter 9. So the next week when I got into Chapter 10 and I was ready to start
teaching about Cornelius, I said "Praise The Lord that Chapter 10 follows
Chapter 9." Well everybody laughed, they thought I was trying to say
something that was funny, but I wasn't. I wasn't talking about the numerical
following of 10 after 9, but the content. Because in Chapter 9 the chief of
sinners is saved, he's the pattern, he's at the head of the line, now what's in
Chapter 10? The Salvation of a house full of Gentiles. Do you see that? Now if
Cornelius would have been saved in Chapter 8, then all of this would fall
apart. And I wouldn't stand here and teach it. But it doesn't come in Chapter
8, it comes in Chapter 10. And then as we go on through the Book of Acts, we're
going to find that with the conversion of Saul, God's going to take him down in
to the desert for three years and reveal to him all these doctrines of Grace
associated with the Church. Things that are a mystery and have been kept
secret. I've been stressing on this program for a long time Deuteronomy 29:29.
This is so fundamental to our understanding. Why did God hold some of these
things from Peter and the eleven? Why couldn't they have heard it and
comprehended it? Because God is Sovereign.
Deuteronomy 29:29
"The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those
things which are revealed belong unto us..."
Now what do you do with a secret when you reveal it? It's no longer a secret,
everybody knows it, but until it's revealed it is a secret. Do you remember
back in Genesis one of the names of God implies that He is not only Sovereign,
but He has the right and ability to keep things hidden, or a secret, until He
reveals them.
_______
LESSON TWO * PART IV
ACTS CHAPTER 5 - TIMELINE - "OUR GOSPEL"
1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-4
Let's go back to where we left off in our study of Acts a couple of lessons ago
and start in verse 28 of Chapter 5: After the High Priest had said in verse
28:
Acts 5:28,29
"Saying, did not we straitly command you that ye should not
teach in this name?... Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, `We
ought to obey God rather than men.'"
Acts 5:30,31
"The God of our fathers (notice the language here is all
Jewish. That term didn't apply to Gentiles. The God of our fathers was the God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a
tree." And we told you earlier that goes back to Deuteronomy 21:18-23 And
then verse 31:
"Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour
(He was going to be the political King, as well as the Spiritual
Savior); for to give repentance to Israel (see any Gentiles in that? No,
only Israel, that's what The Book says. I'm not twisting it, I'm just leaving
it where it is), and forgiveness of sins."
That reminds me, come back again to Luke Chapter 1, and see how appropriately
this all fits together. My, if only folks could just understand that the
Scriptures are like a fine-tuned watch, and I've used that analogy more than
once. It is so meticulously put together, but so many people throw monkey
wrenches in it and try to move the Scripture around to make it fit their
belief. Just let the Scriptures sit where our Lord intended them to be. Now
here in Luke Chapter 1 compare with what Peter has just said in Acts 5:31. That
He was to be a Prince and Savior, and to give repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sin. In Luke 1:67, Zechariah one of the believing priests, the
father of John the Baptist, says:
Luke 1:67,68
"And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Ghost
(why? Because what he says is not going to be just the mouthing of a good
Jew, but the Word of God coming forth. The Spirit is prompting him to say what
he says), and prophesied, saying,"
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his
people," Who are His people at this time? The Nation of Israel!
Luke 1:69-71
"And hath raised up a horn of Salvation for us (Israel)
in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy
prophets, which have been since the world (Age) began: That we should be
saved from our (not sins in this verse but what?) enemies, and from the
hand of all that hate us,"
Their enemies then were the same ones that are their enemies tonight. The same
ones who had been their enemies for almost 2000 years. They included the
Romans, Greeks, and everybody else that lived around them. They all hated the
Nation of Israel, and so Zechariah is just speaking in plain language again.
Luke 1:72,73
"To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember
his holy covenant (what Covenant?); The oath which he swear to our
father Abraham."
This is all Covenant ground and what I'm referring to when I say that
everything is on the basis of the Covenants made to Abraham. And Zechariah is
repeating it by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:74-77
"That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of
the hand of our enemies (physical enemies), might serve him (This
King, and Messiah, This God) without fear, In holiness and righteousness
before him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the
prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to
prepare his ways (now look at verse 77); To give knowledge of Salvation
unto his people (Israel) by the remission of their sins,"
Notice nothing has changed between here and Acts Chapter 5. Peter is saying
practically the same thing in Acts, that Zechariah did in Luke Chapter 1. That
Christ had come to give them remission of sins but also to be their King, if
they would just repent of what they had done, and that was having killed their
Messiah. Then everything would still come along as God had intended it.
Acts 5:33
"When they (the religious leaders who have Peter and the eleven
on trial) heard that, they were cut to the heart (oh, the Spirit
is working, even on these religious leaders. And remember religionists always
hate the truth. And religionists only have one way to deal with their enemies
and that is what? Kill them. That's what religion does. Now this may shock a
lot of people but this Book never uses the term religion in a good way. Never.
Religion is a bad word according to this Book. When Paul says in Galatians
Chapter 12, how he profited in the Jews religion, it was bad thing. And the
same way here. These people were the religious leaders of Israel, and as soon
as they saw the truth of what Peter and the eleven were proclaiming, they have
only one option), and took counsel to slay them,"
Acts 5:34,35
"Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named
Gamaliel, (he's the one who taught the apostle Paul Judaism) a doctor of
the Law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the
apostles forth a little space: And said unto them, `Ye men of Israel (do
you see the language), take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as
touching these men.'"
And then Gamaliel goes on and gives examples of what had happened before. It
didn't amount to anything, and nothing came of it. So Gamaliel says of this
present situation, "Don't worry about it. If these guys are nothing but a bunch
of heretics and a bunch of loonies, forget about them. Nothing is going to come
of it. We don't have to do anything drastic." And in verse 38 he says this:
Acts 5:38,39
"And now I say unto you, `Refrain from these men, and let them
alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But
if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight
against God.'"
We were looking at a verse last night that speaks to you and I today. Let's
look at it now because it just comes to mind. And what a promise! We are in
such a minority that we almost get a little fearful, and get a little timid,
and I'm probably as guilty as anybody, but look at the promise here in God's
Word. Just like Gamaliel said concerning the Twelve, Paul says we can take the
same approach.
Romans 8:31
"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who
can be against us?"
Oh men may dare, and they may get by for a while, but listen God is Sovereign,
He's in control, and He is going to be the final Avenger. That's why Paul says
in this same Book of Romans, "Avenge not yourselves." We don't have to,
God will do it for us.
Romans 8:32
"He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us
all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"
Well, if God was willing to give the best that ever inhabited Heaven, if
God was willing to put Him to the shame and the suffering of the Cross for you
and I, is there anything else that He can withhold? No. He will give us
everything that we need.
Romans 8:33
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect (to
the believer)? It is God that justifieth." In Acts, in the Jewish
economy, it's the same God. God hasn't changed. Just because He changes His
program of dealing with the Jew to the Gentile, God doesn't change. Now back to
Acts Chapter 5:
Acts 5:40
"And to him they agreed (these religious leaders listened
to Gamaliel): and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they
commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go."
There again, they were not to preach the Name of Jesus. Now had they been
dealing with Paul, I think they would have said, "Don't you ever again preach
death, burial, and Resurrection." There were many people who couldn't believe
in resurrection. But here they tell the Twelve not to ever again teach in the
Name of Jesus.
Acts 5:41,42
"And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in
the (where?) Temple,..."
The Temple was still operating, and still the center of Jewish life. That
hadn't changed. Oh, I want you to see that. Now when we get to Paul I know
there is going to be a time or two when he is going to take a Jewish vow in
order to reach Jews. But you see Paul has nothing to do with the Temple in his
missionary journeys. He doesn't tell his new converts up there in Asia-Minor
(which is present day Turkey) to be sure and get to the Temple the first chance
they get. No, he doesn't do that. But instead what does he do? He sets up
little congregations of believers in homes, small groups of believers. I have
been blessed now for over twenty years by being able to teach these small
groups outside the church environment. I'm not against the church, not at all,
and those of you who know me personally know that. I have never told anyone to
quit going to their church. Quite a few years ago, I was teaching in a college
here in Oklahoma. It was an evening Bible class in their adult education
section. We always had a paid enrollment of between 40 and 45 people in that
college class room.
We taught there for thirteen years, just exactly the way I teach to you. No
opposition at all. The dean of academics would come when he could. One night
after class he said, "You know Les, I had an interesting experience several
weeks ago, my own pastor stopped me on the street and said, `Doctor what kind
of a kooky Bible class do you have there at your college anyway?'" And the
dean told me that he didn't even try to argue the point with him. He just said,
"Pastor, I'll just get a roster of Les' class, and the next time I see you I'm
going to show it to you." He said about three days later he met the Pastor on
the street again and said, "Oh by the way, Pastor, that kooky Bible class
you were asking about? Here's Les' roster of class people." The Pastor went
down that roster, almost turned pale, and said, "That's mostly Deacons and
Sunday School Teachers." But this is exactly what most of my classes have
been. Most of you are active in your various churches. I have never encouraged
anyone to leave their particular church, and they certainly don't have to leave
to follow me. We teach so they can go in and teach and share these things with
other folks.
But getting back to the original Church. Paul didn't set up huge congregations
on a corner place, but rather a little group of believers in a home. I've come
to the conclusion that maybe there's a reason for teaching small groups, as
there are many at the present time doing that. I'm always reminded of Watchman
Nee. He was a Bible teacher in China, just before the communist took over. And
he did much the same as I and many others are doing. He never taught that much
in the local organized church. He taught in little home Bible classes, all over
Shanghai in particular. And he was preparing them, without them knowing it, for
the day when the organized church doors were locked. But these little Bible
studies could just continue on. Consequently, when we went back into China a
few years ago, because the doors had somewhat opened, the western world was
aghast at all the believers that were in China. Why? Because of these
underground little home Bible studies.
We may face the same thing in our own beloved America some day, where our
churches will be locked, and we will be forbidden to worship. But it will be
difficult for them to stop three or four families to meet and study the Word in
homes. But anyway, that's how the Church was started by Paul. It was small
group meeting in a home atmosphere. In verse 42 they are still meeting in the
Temple. They're still under Judaism, but have separated themselves from the
mainstream of Judaism, by recognizing Who Jesus was. Now remember they have
been selling all their goods, and land they have been cashing in their C.D.'s
and they are putting all their money in the common kitty, and they are all
living out of it. Now everything has been going just great for about 7 years
after Pentecost now. No discord, no disagreement of doctrine, the Twelve are
under complete control of the whole thing. And now in Chapter 6, I call it "The
first signs of trouble in paradise."
Acts 6:1
"AND in those days, when the number of the disciples was
multiplied, (quite a few thousand of them) there arose a
(what?) murmuring (now you haven't seen language like that in the
first five Chapters. It said they were all of one mind, and in one accord. No
one lacked anything, everyone had all they needed because the kitty was full.
But I don't imagine they had 20% interest in those days either, and so what
happened? The kitty was getting a little short. So now we have the first sign
of trouble) of the Grecians against the Hebrews, (now here is
where we have to be careful. Definition is so important. Greeks are pure
Gentiles. The Hebrews are self-explanatory - that's the Jews. A Grecian was
simply a non-Palestine Jew. Remember all the Jews didn't return from the
Babylonian captivity. They went into many different countries. After they had
become citizens in those various nations, naturally they would take that
nation's language for their own, but kept their Judaistic practices. Those
people who would come to Jerusalem were the Grecians! They were Jews but they
had been a generation or two outside the land of Palestine) because their
widows were neglected in the daily ministration." So these Grecian
widows were being cheated, they were being pushed aside. They were what we call
today `outsiders.'
Acts 6:2
"Then the twelve (notice the Twelve are in control of all
of this) called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, `It is
not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.'"
I know a lot of people and commentaries will say the first deacons were
selected here. The Bible never calls the seven men deacons. They played much
the same role as a deacon, but The Bible doesn't call them deacons. It just
says we need someone to serve tables, because we need to continue to preach the
Word. Read on:
Acts 6:3-7
"Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of
honest report, full of the Holy Ghost (watch this language) and wisdom,
whom we may appoint over this business (to bring back fairness in the
distribution). But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the
ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they
chose Stephen (now watch this language), a man full of faith and of the
Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas,
and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when
they had prayed they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased;
and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great
company of the priests were obedient to the faith."
These Jews were responding to Peter and the eleven and are becoming part of the
Jerusalem assembly of Jewish believers.
Acts 6:8
"And Stephen, full of faith and power did great wonders and
miracles among the people. The continuation of that same Jewish program. It
was an extension of Christ's earthly ministry.
Acts 6:9-14
"Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called
the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them
of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephens. And they were not able to
resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men,
which said, `We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and
against God. And they stirred up the people and the elders, and the scribes,
and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council (they
were like a mob, and brought him before the religious leaders), And set up
false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words
against this holy place, and the Law: For we have heard him say, that this
Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which
Moses delivered us.'"
What had Stephen been talking about? The coming of The King and the Kingdom,
and naturally, when The King would come this whole format of the Mosaic system
of Law and Temple worship would fall by the way side, because The King, and the
new Covenant would become a reality, and they would no longer have to study and
witness. Everybody would be in the right relationship with God. And when
Stephen and the rest of these Jewish believers were proclaiming that, the
religious section of Judaism said, "No way! We are not going to let anything
change the way we have always done things"
_______
LESSON THREE * PART I
ACTS CHAPTERS 6,7 & 8
It thrills us to receive letters telling us we are teaching on a level that
almost anyone can comprehend. We always try to teach on a common man level. I
believe that is the way The Lord wants us teach. We trust as you study with us,
The Lord will bless you and hearts will be opened. We especially appeal to
those who have never been saved, that you might understand that the Gospel is
so simple (I Corinthians 15:1-4), and yet so complex that I'll
never understand it all (nor will any other human being). In Acts Chapter 6,
Stephen's brought before the religious leaders of Israel. I have stressed,
contrary to tradition, that the early Chapters of Acts are still to the Nation
of Israel - no mention of Gentiles. The language is Jewish, everything is there
in Jerusalem.
Acts 6:15
"And all that sat in the council (this religious
leadership), looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the
face of an angel."
They could see there was something beyond the natural here. Stephen was filled
with the Holy Spirit, as is mentioned several times in Chapter 6 and 7. Now as
you come into Chapter 7, the Jews had many accusations they had put forth
against Stephen.
Acts 7:1,2
"THEN Said the high priest, `Are these things so?'"
"And he (Stephen) said, `Men, brethren, and fathers (again,
analyze those three words, there is not room for a Gentile here. Stephen was
referring to the Nation of Israel), hearken; The God of glory appeared unto
our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran
(before he moved from Ur),'"
Stephen is saying, by inspiration, that God actually appeared to Abraham in a
form that he could see with his eye. Back in Genesis 12:1 it says, "NOW
the LORD had said unto Abram,..." It doesn't clarify it like it does
here. We now see that God not only spoke to Abram, but He appeared to him in a
human form which we call a "Theophany." Chapter 7 is a beautiful review of
Israel's history. Beginning with Abraham, Stephen keeps building and building,
as we have tried to do coming through the Old Testament; how that God was
constantly unfolding and revealing, and preparing the Nation of Israel for the
coming of their King, Messiah, and Redeemer. Stephen starts with Abraham and
shows how he came out of the land of the Chaldeans in verse 4.
Acts 7:4
"Then came he out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in
Charran (Haran): and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed
him into this land, wherein ye now dwell." Now verse 6:
Acts 7:6,7
"And God spake on this wise, `That his seed (his
offspring, the coming generations) should sojourn in a strange land
(Egypt): and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil
four hundred years (this is all back in Genesis 15), And the nation to
whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they
come forth, and serve me in this place.'"
Let's go to Genesis Chapter 26 and 46 so we will know what Stephen is talking
about. All of these things are fundamental to our understanding of even the New
Testament. That's why I spent as much time in Genesis as I did when we first
started this Through the Bible study. If folks don't understand Genesis, they
will never understand the Gospel of Grace. In Genesis 26:1 God has made this
Covenant agreement with Abraham, and now He is conferring it to Isaac, the true
son of promise.
Genesis 26:1-5
"AND there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine
that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the
Philistines unto Gerar (down on the border between Canaan and Egypt) And
the LORD appeared unto him (Isaac), and said, `Go not down into Egypt;
dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of (the Promised Land. Everything
connected with Canaan was based on the Promise of God): Sojourn in this
land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy
seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I
swear unto Abraham thy father (the Abrahamic Covenant); And I will make
thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all
these countries (or tribes living in Canaan), and in thy seed shall all
the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my
voice,...'"
In Chapter 46, Joseph is in Egypt. He has all kinds of food and grain stored up
during this famine that was covering that region of the world. Jacob has been
invited together with the sons and the rest of the family to come to Egypt, and
take part in all the food that had been supplied. Here, The Lord is talking to
Jacob:
Genesis 46:2,3
"And God spake unto Israel (Jacob) in the visions of
the night, and said, `Jacob, Jacob.' And he said, `Here am I.' And he said, `I
am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt for I will there
make of thee a great nation:'"
God had told Abraham and Isaac to stay in the land of promise and He would
bless them. But now in a future generation, it's time for the Nation of Israel
to explode with population. God had told Abraham that would occur in Egypt. Now
God comes back to Jacob and tells him to not fear going down into Egypt. Here
is what I want folks to understand. This statement tells us where the Nation of
Israel began to bloom. It was in Egypt. You see that in the last part of verse
3. Up until now the Nation of Israel is composed only of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. Jacob comes back with the twelve sons and their children, but that's
still not much of a nation is it? When they end up in Egypt, in those years of
slavery (beginning when they go in under Jacob with about 75 people), they will
come out under Moses with several million people. So note that Israel became a
Nation of People down in Egypt. Back to Acts Chapter 7:
Acts 7:7-10
"And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge,
said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place
(that's Canaan). And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so
Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob;
and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. And the patriarchs, moved with envy,
sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, And delivered him out of all his
afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of
Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house."
I'm taking this verse by verse as we can learn some things from the Old
Testament to prove some things in the New Testament.
Acts 7:11-13
"Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and
Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance (you
know the story). But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt he sent
out our fathers first. Ten of the sons. In verse 13 is a statement you need
to underline. "And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren;
and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh."
Let's Go back to Genesis once again. You all know the account of how Joseph,
when he was wearing that coat of many colors, would share his dreams with his
older brothers and how it would infuriate them, that they would have to bow
down to him. And then he had another dream that made it even worse. A dream
where he saw eleven stars, with the sun and moon. And they also bowed to
Joseph. Now it's coming to fruition. I don't put any stock in dreams today. I
had someone ask me the other night if I knew anything connected with believing
what dreams say. I said none whatsoever. If it were true, I'd be in a mental
institution - I think we all would. Don't tie anything to dreams. But back here
in the Old Testament economy, God did speak through dreams - no doubt about it.
Genesis 42:1-3
"Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said
unto his sons, `Why do ye look one upon another?' And he said, `Behold, I have
heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from
thence; that we may live, and not die.'" And again you know the story. They
come before Joseph in verse 8:
Genesis 42:8
"And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him."
Just as soon as those ten men stepped into his presence, Joseph immediately
knew who they were. But did they know him? No! Now what's the analogy? Christ
at His first coming. The Lord knew Israel from their very beginning. He
presented Himself to them in language that was clear as day. But did they
recognize Him? No! And this is exactly what Stephen is driving home. Now let's
read the second event in Chapter 45. The brothers have come back the second
time to refill their sacks with grain.
Genesis 45:1-4
"THEN Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that
stood by him; and he cried, `Cause every man to go out from me (the
Egyptians).' And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself know
unto his brethren (see that? Look at the results). And he wept aloud:
and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto his
brethren, `I am Joseph; doth my father yet live?' And his brethren could not
answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his
brethren, `Come near to me, I pray you.' And they came near. And he said, `I am
Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.'" Down to verse 15:
Genesis 45:15
"Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and
after that his brethren talked with him."
You have an emotional reunion here. And I mean it was emotional. When after all
these years they are finally brought back together. What's the analogy? Before
we go back to the Book of Acts let's stop at the Book of Zechariah. At His
first advent, Israel didn't recognize Jesus as their Messiah, but He knew
them. And that analogy draws all the way through Acts Chapter 7. And they
said, "Away with Him, we will not have Him rule over us." So He went back to
glory, sat down at the Father's right hand. But He's coming again to the Nation
of Israel, whether they believe it or not. He's coming again! There will be
that same emotional reunion when Israel recognizes their Messiah. I was reading
in the Jerusalem Post that the ex-mayor, who is now in his eighties, said the
first thing he was going to ask The Messiah when He comes is, "Have you been
to Jerusalem before?" And that's their hang up; they can't recognize that
He has been here before. They know He's coming, but they can't see it as
a second event. Well, here in the Book of Zechariah we see the emotional
turn of events when He will return.
Zechariah 12:10-12
"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication: and they
shall look upon me whom they have pierced (a reference of the
Crucifixion), and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only
son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his
firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem,... And the
land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart,
and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives
apart;"
I don't think this is a mourning of grief, but a tearful mourning of reunion
that they have their Messiah. Another is in Chapter 13:
Zechariah 13:6
"And one (the house of Israel) shall say unto him,
`What are these wounds in thine hands?' Then he shall answer, `Those with which
I was wounded in the house of my friends,'" This is Old Testament.
Back to Acts Chapter 7. Stephen is stressing the fact that at Christ's first
Advent they didn't know Who He was. So far as Israel is concerned, it's a good
thing they didn't. Because had they performed the rejection that they did,
knowing Who He was, then God would have had to destroy the nation. There
wouldn't have been any excuse. But even as Christ hung on the Cross, one of
those seven statements that He made on the Cross was, "Father forgive
them for they know not what they do." And as Stephen is stoned, he,
too, will say the same thing. Forgive them because of their ignorance. I always
tell my class people, that everything rests on the Old Testament economy. Back
in Israel's history if someone was killed by accident, that person that killed
could flee to a city of refuge. If he had done the deed through ignorance then
he could tell his situation to the city fathers. If the city fathers maintained
he was innocent of doing anything intentional, then he was set free to return
home. He was not guilty if he did what he did through total ignorance. That's
the backdrop for Israel's response to their Messiah. Had they have known Who He
was, and then demanded His Crucifixion, they would have been put to death like
a common murderer. But they escaped that because they did not know what they
did. Keep that in mind. A verse I usually associate with that thought is found
in I Corinthians Chapter 2:
I Corinthians 2:7,8
"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden
wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory (Paul is
speaking of his own ministry): Which none of the princes of this world knew:
for had they known it (Who He was), they would not have crucified the
Lord of glory." They just didn't know, so The Lord could rightfully say,
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do." And it is the same
way when they kill Stephen. Stephen will say the same thing. Now back to Acts
7:13:
Acts 7:13-16
"And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren;
and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. Then sent Joseph, and called
his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. So
Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, And were carried
over into Sychem (in Israel), and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham
bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
Now this is interesting because this is the very same burial site that is a
holy site in Israel today for the Moslems as well as the Jews. And it's the
very same burial cave where a Jewish doctor a few months back killed all of the
Moslems in their time of prayer. It's the burial place of Abraham, Sarah,
Jacob, Rebecca and others. Abraham bought it from the Canaanites and Jacob had
to pay for it again, but nevertheless, this is the same burial place that is
still held in reverence by the Jews and the Moslems. Now verse 17:
Acts 7:17,18
"But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had
sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, Till another king
arose, which knew not Joseph.
_______
LESSON THREE * PART II
ACTS CHAPTERS 6,7 & 8
I trust you will see what The Book says, but also what it doesn't say. We hope
you learn to enjoy this Book. Someday we will stand before The Lord and be
judged on this Book, and nothing else. So that is why it behooves us to know
what The Book says, and know where to find the places pertaining to your
Salvation. Now Acts 7:
Acts 7:19
"The same (the new Pharaoh) dealt subtilly with our
kindred (the Children of Israel), and evil entreated our fathers, so
that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live."
Again I'm going to hammer home what I've been trying to teach for the last 6 or
7 Chapters - that it is all Jewish. Nothing in these chapters deals with the
Gentiles except, of course, Egypt, and you certainly don't won't to align
yourself with Egypt. But here Stephen is addressing the Nation of Israel. Now
verse 20:
Acts 7:20
"In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair
(that doesn't mean that Moses was a pretty baby, although he may have been.
Moses was a special child in God's line of service. His parents took special
steps to save his life), and nourished up in his father's house three
months:" In Acts Chapter 7, we pick up details that are left out in the
Genesis and Exodus account. There are many in just this one Chapter.
Acts 7:21,22
"And when he was cast out (upon the river), Pharaoh's
daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son." The next verse
gives us some things that the Old Testament does not.
"And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (that stands
to reason, being raised in the palace of the king. But Scripture gives us
knowledge that Moses was the top man in Egypt under the King. He was highly
educated and he had a lot of power), and was mighty in words and in
deeds."
Then we have the breakdown in Moses' life that is not in the Old Testament. It
was in periods of forty: forty years in Pharaoh's palace; forty years on the
back side of the desert herding sheep; and forty years leading the Children of
Israel.
Acts 7:23
"And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart
to visit his brethren the children of Israel."
This is the first time Moses will approach the Children of Israel as
their deliverer. God did not specifically instruct him here, but Moses, using
his own position and power, by faith, knew that Israel had to be taken out of
Egypt.
Acts 7:24,25
"And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and
avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: For he supposed his
brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them:..."
When Moses went out as the second man in Egypt, with all the power and wisdom
that he had, he honestly thought he was going to lead the Children of Israel
out of slavery in Egypt. He supposed they would have understood that God, by
using him, would deliver them. What's the rest of the verse say? "...but
they understood not."
Now do you see what a parallel you have when Christ came to the Nation of
Israel the first time? He came and presented Himself as their Messiah and King,
but they never comprehended Who He was. Only a few did. Remember, Stephen's
whole purpose of this sermon is to bring the Nation of Israel to the knowledge
that the One they had killed was The King. This is the whole premise of the
early Chapters of Acts. Yes, they killed Him, but God raised Him from the dead,
and He can still be their King if they will just believe it and repent of that
awful deed. Peter, in Chapters 2 and 3, states it plainly. "You killed Him! You
murdered Him!" And Stephen is going to make the same accusation. Stephen is
laying the groundwork for this conclusion: "Why do you always have to have the
second offer." Joseph showed it. Moses is showing it. Christ has already
accomplished it. Now you'll to have to wait until He comes the second time.
Remember Moses had hoped the children of Israel would have understood in verse
25, but they didn't.
Acts 7:26,27
"And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove,
and would have set them at one again, saying, `Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye
wrong one to another?'"
"But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying (this is
exactly what they said to Christ), `Who made thee a ruler and a judge over
us?'" And Stephen is driving this point home. Over the years I've said
Stephen is sort of putting the dagger into the heart of the nation, twisting it
and making them squirm.
Acts 7:28-30
"Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?
Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where
he begat two sons (here is another time element), And when forty years
were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of
the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush."
You all know the story of Moses and the burning bush. How God sent him back to
Egypt and his confrontations with Pharaoh. Stephen is rehearsing it with the
Nation of Israel's religious leaders. Let's go to the end of Stephen's sermon.
Verse 47:
Acts 7:47-50
"But Solomon built him (The Lord) an house (the
first Temple)," See how Stephen is coming up through Israel's history.
"Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands; as saith the
prophet, `Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye
build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand
made all these things?'"
Stephen is emphasizing the fact that this Messiah that they crucified was the
promised Son of God, The King of Israel, The Son of David. All of these terms
filled the Old Testament promises.
Acts 7:51
"Ye stiffnecked (stubborn) and uncircumcised (not
in the flesh, they certainly kept that. But what were they lacking?) in
heart..." Which is that part of Salvation in any dispensation. That when a
person came to believe, then God exercises a spiritual circumcision. And Israel
knew nothing of that. They knew the physical, they kept that to the last jot
and tittle. Reading again:
Acts 7:51,52
"Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do
always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye."
"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?..."
What's that in reference to? The Old Testament economy. The prophets would
come, even as Jesus put it in the parable of the vineyard and husbandman. The
husbandman planted a large vineyard and went into a far country, and as the
fruit was about ready for harvest he sent servants back to his vineyard. And
what did they do with the servants (Prophets)? They killed them. And then he
sent his son, saying surely they won't kill him. But they killed the son also
(Christ). Stephen is showing them the same thing. The prophets came to their
forefathers and they killed them. Remember Jeremiah was thrown into one of the
dankest, deepest, wettest dungeons in Jerusalem, because the Nation of Israel
didn't like what he was prophesying about them. The same thing may happen here
in America. When people don't like what they hear they get rather nasty. Now
finishing the verse:
Acts 7:52-55
"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and
they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One
(Stephen is speaking mainly to the religious leaders of Israel); of whom
ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:" Now that's not very kind is
it? But that's what Israel was guilty of. They had killed their Messiah.
"Who have received the Law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept
it." What did they do with it? They didn't keep it. Now verse 54, Stephen
has been building his case against the Nation, and God is convicting their
hearts.
"When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed
on him with their teeth." People never get more vicious than in the name of
religion. These are religious Jews, civilized people, but because of their
religion, they suddenly lose it all. They went berserk because of their
convictions.
"But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy ghost (and here is
another place we have all three Persons of the Godhead in one verse), looked
up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the
right hand of God." Usually, we think of Christ seated at the Father's
right hand, after His ascension. And Scripture says so. But here Jesus is
standing. Most people never catch that, but these Jewish religious leaders did.
Stephen saw Him standing rather than sitting.
Acts 7:56-58
"And said, `Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of
man standing on the right hand of God.'" At that statement: "Then they
cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one
accord. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him:..."
Now just think. Why was Jesus standing at this point, rather than sitting as
all the rest of Scriptures say? In Acts Chapter 3, Israel could still have
their King and Kingdom if they would only believe. Christ is alive! God has
raised Him from the dead and called Him back to Heaven. But He is ready to
return and set up the Kingdom. Of course the Tribulation would have to run its
course.
Acts 3:19,20
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the
Lord (that's the fulfilling of the Covenant promises and Kingdom
promise); And he (God) shall send Jesus Christ, which before was
preached unto you:"
Israel was aware of what Peter and the rest of the disciples had been
preaching, that they killed Him, but God raised Him from the dead, and He can
still be our King because He's alive. Now Acts Chapter 7. In verses 55 and 56
we see Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Turn to Psalms Chapters 67 and
68. I don't know if this is the exact answer for this, but it's the one that
I'm comfortable with. Something was attracted to the fact of Stephen seeing
Jesus standing that aroused the Jews' anger. The religious leaders knew their
Old Testament, And I think this was the cause.
Psalms 67:1-7
"GOD be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to
shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health
among all nations. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise
thee. O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the
people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth, Selah." (what's this
referring to? The Kingdom, when He would come and set up His Kingdom) Let
the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the
earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall
bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him." Now there is the
setting of the promises of the Kingdom, when He would yet be their King.
Psalms 68:1,2
"LET God (remember God The Son is just as much God The
Father, and God The Spirit) arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them
also that hate him flee before him." This struck those Jews Stephen was
preaching to. Stephen was saying that He had arisen from His seated position,
and He was ready to come.
"As smoke is driven away, so drive them away (His enemies): as wax
melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God"
Was Israel ready for that? No, and they knew they weren't. So rather than
bring down conviction and a Godly fear, it aroused their anger. Back to Acts 7.
They weren't ready for Christ to return. They were too happy with their own
religion.
Acts 7:58
"And cast him out of the city, and stoned him (under Roman
government there was no way a Jew could get away with stoning a Gentile. But
this was a Jewish situation and the Romans let the Jews pretty much handle
their own religious matters. Jews were permitted to kill their own in the name
of religion): and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's
feet, whose name was Saul."
Now remember as we have come up through the Book of Acts it's been Jewish,
Jewish, Jewish. But here at the stoning of Stephen, Israel has come to the
crescendo point of her rejection. We'll not have this Man rule over us. So as
they reach their pinnacle of rejection, we see God introduce Paul to the scene.
The man who will now go to the Gentiles, without benefit of Israel. The man who
will make all the difference to the rest of the world. A few years ago even one
of our news magazines gave the Apostle Paul credit for the influence that he
had upon the world. And for being the one that introduced Christianity.
Normally everyone will say Jesus The Christ introduced Christianity. Always
remember that Jesus is the very foundation and basis of it, but it was the
Apostle Paul who took it out to the Gentile world. Now, as Saul is introduced,
he's not in a very good light is he? He is standing there holding the garments
of those that are throwing the stones.
Acts 7:59,60
"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, `Lord
Jesus receive my spirit.' And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice,
`Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.' And when he had said this, he fell
asleep."
Acts 8:1
"AND Saul was consenting unto his death...." He was more
than consenting, he was driving it. Let's go to the Book of Galatians to shed
some light on that.
Galatians 1:13
"For ye have heard of my conversation (my lifestyle) in
time past in the Jews religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church
of God, and wasted it." That was the Jewish assembly there at Jerusalem.
Saul wasn't just a casual onlooker here at Stephen's stoning. Rather he was the
leader of it. And he hated anything concerning Jesus of Nazareth. Why? Because
he was a good religious Pharisee, and thought Jesus was an impostor.
_______
LESSON THREE * PART III
ACTS CHAPTERS 6,7 & 8
Now back to Acts Chapter 8, where we left off in the last lesson. For some
time, I never liked to teach the Book of Acts. But now I just love to. The Book
of Acts just comes alive when you are able to see that God was still dealing
with the Nation of Israel during these early Chapters, and how Israel rejected
the message. Then God in so many words said, "I'll just turn to the Gentiles
without you." That is exactly what happened. In Chapter 8 we are still
pretty much on Jewish ground. In the last lesson we have just seen the stoning
of Stephen, and Saul of Tarsus consenting unto his death. He was actually
promoting and leading the assault on these early Jewish believers. So let's
begin with verse 1:
Acts 8:1
"AND Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time
there was a great persecution against the church (assembly of Jewish
believers) which was at Jerusalem; and they were all (I'm a stickler for
every word of Scripture and when it says they were all scattered, I'm
sure that every Jew who had embraced Christ as The Messiah is in that word
`all') scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria
except the apostles."
Now analyze that verse for a moment, exactly as it is. I'm not going to try to
be a theologian or do like some rabbi's do with the Old Testament, trying to
think of a million ways I can interpret it. But rather, I'm just going to take
it for what it says. Every believing Jew now had been scattered out of
Jerusalem because they had to run for their life or else Saul would have had
them. And yet the very leaders of those Jewish believers sat tight. I've got
another question. Remember we are about seven years after Pentecost, and
according to Matthew 28:19, where should these Twelve men have been by now?
They should have covered the whole Roman empire in those seven years. Even in
the transportation of that day they could have covered a good portion of the
then-known world. But where do we find them? Having never left Jerusalem. Are
they derelict in their duties? No. They knew they could not go beyond the
borders of Israel until Israel had her King. They still had that hope that
Israel would yet repent of their national sin of having crucified their
Messiah, and then Christ could return and set up the Kingdom. Zechariah 8 is as
clearly put as any Scripture in the Old Testament regarding what Israel was to
have done, getting the message of Salvation to the Gentile world.
Zechariah 8:20
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass
(it hadn't happened at this time because they hadn't had the Kingdom yet.
Oh, they had the glory of Solomon and David but they hadn't had what God had
been promising, so it's still future), that there shall come people, and the
inhabitants of many cities;"
Zechariah 8:21-23
"And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,
`Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I
will go also. Yea, many people and strong (now what's the next word?)
nations (we're dealing here with Gentiles) shall come to seek the
LORD of hosts in (Heaven? No but rather in) Jerusalem, and to pray
before the LORD.'" Now verse 23, and you don't have to twist this and
analyze it.
"Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass
(which days? When Christ is ruling in Jerusalem. His Kingdom is set up)
that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall
take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, `We will go with you: for
we have heard that God is with you.'"
And indeed He will be. And this was the prospect for the Nation of Israel.
Resuming Acts Chapter 8, we find then these Twelve men were not derelict in
their duties, they know their role, and they know they cannot have a ministry
to the Gentiles until Israel has come to recognize that the One they crucified
was their Messiah. Then He could have returned and set up His Kingdom. I've
always used this analogy. You go to an airport to meet a loved one, but the
announcement comes that the flight is late. So you're tempted to go somewhere
else for awhile. But what's uppermost in your thinking? "Just as sure as I do
the plane will come in and I won't be here to meet it." I think that's the
thinking of the Twelve. They weren't about to leave Jerusalem because they knew
that Christ would return to the Mount of Olives from where He had left them
just as the angel had told them in Acts Chapter 1. And they were going to be
there when this happened. So in spite of all the pressure of persecution that
old Saul of Tarsus could bring to bear, those Twelve men sat tight. They're
still in Jerusalem seven years after Pentecost. Turn to Acts Chapter 11 and let
the Scripture speak for itself.
Acts 11:19
"Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution
that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice and Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word (Old Testament) to none but unto the Jews only."
That's what The Book says plainly. They knew they couldn't minister to
Gentiles, the Old Testament Scriptures wouldn't permit that until the whole
nation was a Kingdom of priests. So they didn't go to the Gentiles, they didn't
go down into Egypt or over to Greece, (if they did it was to Jews). They were
still preaching to Jews only. Remember the Old Testament was used to prove that
the One that Israel crucified was The Christ. That was the Jewish message all
the way through here. Now how in the world can you put Gentiles into anything
in that first few years, when the Scriptures says they preached to none but Jew
only. Back to Acts Chapter 8, verse 2:
Acts 8:2,3
"And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great
lamentation over him. As for Saul (you will see more and more of him
now), he made havoc of the church (this assembly of Jewish
believers), entering into every house, and haling men and women committed
them to prison."
Saul was ruthless in the name of religion. He is a religious Jew, and
everything he does he thinks he is doing it for the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. Let's look at Acts Chapter 26. And remember there are three accounts of
the conversion of Saul in the Book of Acts. Now that tells me that three is an
important number all through Scripture. And here this sort of puts the capstone
on it. Here Paul is talking to King Agrippa in particular.
Acts 26:9,10
"I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things
contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth." He hated that Name. Because he
thought it was making inroads into Judaism, and it was.
"Which thing I also did in Jerusalem (see how that fits with Acts
8:1?): and many of the saints (now those are Jewish saints) did I
shut up in prison, having received authority from (not from Rome but
rather) the chief priests;..."
Rome let the Jews take care of their religious Laws, even Laws concerning death
sentences. You may ask, "How about Christ's death?" Well, prophecy said that
Jew and Gentile would both be responsible for that. Secondly, all Scripture
intimated a lifting up, a Crucifixion. Remember the serpent in the wilderness?
What did Jesus say in John Chapter 3?
John 3:14
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of man be lifted up:"
So there had to be that kind of death. Stoning would not have fulfilled
those prophecies. Now Paul continues on in the first person as the Apostle, he
is reflecting back. Now reading verse 10 again.
Acts 26:10
Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints
did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priest; and
when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them"
They actually killed some of these Jewish believers in the name of religion. If
Rome was so benevolent toward the Jewish religion, then why did they turn so
vehemently against Christianity? Here they put up with the Jewish religion
until 70 A.D., with Rome never giving them opposition. But as soon as
Christianity made itself known, then Rome did everything it could to stamp it
out. And here is the reason. Rome, pagan as it was, had respect for any ancient
religion, whether their own or someone else's. And in the eyes of Rome you see,
Judaism was as ancient as you could get it. But when Christianity came on the
scene, that wasn't anything ancient, that was something new, so that they
couldn't go for it. But I want you to realize that Paul makes it plain that he
voted to have these Jewish believers, not just thrown in prison but put to
death.
Now that reminds me of something that came up in a class last night. Was Paul
ever married? I think he was, even though the Scripture never gives any
indication. But does Peter ever talk about his wife and family? We know he had
a wife because of his mother-in-law. But the main reason I think Paul was
married and must have had children was that in order for him to vote here in
Chapter 26, he must have been a member of the Sanhedrin. And in order to be a
member of the Sanhedrin, what was one of the qualifications? You had to be a
husband and a father. Because if you weren't a husband and father how could you
pass judgment on what parents had to deal with? In the Book of Philippians we
know Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee of the Tribe of Benjamin. He was also a
member of the Sanhedrin, but what happened to his wife and family? Who knows?
The Scripture is silent. Now back to Acts Chapter 8.
Acts 8:4
"Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where
preaching the word." Now don't forget in Acts 11:19, they preached to none
but Jew only.
Now we are going to see a change of venue. Philip now goes to Samaria. You want
to remember that Israel is a small country where everything is close. Samaria
is only a few miles due north of Jerusalem. So let's look at verse 5:
Acts 8:5
"Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria (that's
north of Jerusalem), and preached Christ unto them."
Now let me show you a comparison. Look at I Corinthians, and see how Paul puts
it. And this is just for comparison sake. So that we don't put them both into
the same kettle. It just won't mix. Philip goes down to Samaria and he preached
Christ.
I Corinthians 1:17,18
"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the
gospel:... For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
I Corinthians 1:23
"But we preach Christ (notice Paul doesn't stop at
`Christ' like Philip did. Paul continues with) crucified,..."
Now can you see the difference? Philip goes to Samaria and preaches Christ. But
for Salvation he doesn't preach Christ crucified. The Jewish message has been
from Pentecost on that Jesus was The Christ. Remember all the references I have
given you? Peter's confession back in Matthew 16:
Matthew 16:15,16
"He saith unto them, `But whom say ye that I am?' And Simon
Peter answered and said, `Thou art The Christ, the Son of the living God.'"
And then Martha at Lazarus' death in the Book of John Chapter 11:
John 11:25-27
"Jesus said unto her, `I am the Resurrection, and the life: he
that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; And whosoever
liveth and believeth in me, shall never die.' She saith unto him, `Yea, Lord: I
believe that thou art The Christ the Son of God,...'"
There was never any mention of death, burial, and Resurrection in any of these
confessions of faith. And then we have the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts Chapter
8:
Acts 8:37
"And Philip said, `If thou believest with all thine heart,
thou mayest (be water baptized).' And he answered and said, `I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'"
And we will see Saul of Tarsus at his conversion on the road to Damascus, he is
going to go into the synagogue after his conversion and preach, but he's not
going to preach Christ crucified, but rather the following:
Acts 9:20
"And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he
is the Son of God."
Now can you see the difference? Oh, it's all the difference in the world.
Remember faith in our Lord's death, burial and Resurrection for Salvation had
been kept secret, until He revealed it to Paul in Arabia a short time later.
Now back to Acts Chapter 8: So we see Philip in Samaria, preaching Christ unto
them. In other words, that He is The Christ, their Messiah.
Acts 8:6
"And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things
which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did." So you
see nothing has changed? No! Miracles are still used to convince the people,
Jesus and the Twelve did the same thing. Remember in I Corinthians 1:22:
I Corinthians 1:22
"For the Jews require a sign,..."
And Samaritans are basically more Jew than Gentile. They were half-breeds. They
see the miracles and pay attention to Philip.
Acts 8:7
"For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many
that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame,
were healed."
Here's something for you to think about. I don't set these things in concrete.
But someone sent me some information the other day about exorcism, casting out
demons. I'm not comfortable with it. The reason I'm not comfortable with it is
because the Apostle Paul never once gives the Grace-age believer any
instruction in dealing with demon possession. That's just something for you to
think about. My own personal belief is that the person must need Salvation, and
if we can present them with the plan of Salvation and see them genuinely saved,
then I think that will take care of their demon possession. But here Philip has
that same power that Jesus had in His earthly ministry.
Acts 8:8-10
"And there was great joy in that city." The next verse
starts with "But." You notice that when everything starts going well, the devil
comes in and there is a flip side. We just can't escape it. He'll never let us
get away with good things very long.
"But there was a certain man called Simon, which beforetime in the same city
used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria giving out that himself was
some great one:" Because of the miracles he could perform.
"To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, `This
man is the great power of God.'"
Was he? No, but rather the power of Satan. Now never lose sight that this is
not new. Remember when Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh, and they did as God
instructed. And when they threw their rod on the ground it became a serpent.
Then Pharaoh's magicians did the same thing. Fortunately the one serpent from
Aaron's rod swallowed up the other serpents. Which shows us and them that God's
power is greater than Satan's. But listen, don't you ever sell Satan short. I
can remember missionaries coming back from some of the dark uncivilized tribes
of this world back when I was just a kid. And they would rehearse the power of
some of those witch doctors and they had great power. It wasn't a gimmick. It
was Satanic. And don't ever sell it short. And so it was the same way here. Old
Simon was performing miracles, and he had the people confused thinking he was
some great one. But it wasn't the power of God, but rather the power of Satan.
Read on:
Acts 8:11,12
"And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had
bewitched them with sorceries. But when they believed Philip preaching the
things concerning the kingdom of God,..."
Some people will question what the difference is between the Kingdom of God and
the Kingdom of Heaven? The Kingdom of God is that whole sphere of God's
influence, which is to the very outer reaches of space, all of Heaven and all
of earth. The Kingdom of Heaven is that sphere of influence concerning the
earthly Kingdom. The Kingdom of Heaven is within the Kingdom of God like
Oklahoma is within the United States of America.
_______
LESSON THREE * PART IV
ACTS CHAPTERS 6,7 & 8
Let's pick up in Acts Chapter 8. We had been introduced to Simon the sorcerer,
who had been bewitching the Samaritans. Remember he was using Satanic power to
accomplish that. Now verse 12:
Acts 8:12
"But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning
the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men
and women."
Does Philip or any of these people say anything about our Lord's death, burial
and Resurrection which is the very core of our Gospel. Our Gospel is that we
have to believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the
dead. Philip doesn't mention that. He was preaching that Jesus was The Christ,
The Messiah, The Son of the living God. And then they were baptized. John the
Baptist started with, "The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, repent and be
baptized." That was the Jewish message. It was tied to it. I would be the last
one to say you can separate it back there in that economy. Today I maintain
that baptism has no part in Salvation. It has to be the finished work of the
Cross plus nothing. Otherwise we are telling God, "You didn't quite finish
it. I have to complete it with my baptism." So here is where we have to be
so careful. When someone questions my stand on baptism, I tell them, "Don't
ever make it part of your Salvation, because then you are adding to the
finished work of the Cross. We rest totally on what Christ accomplished on our
behalf." But here in this passage, this is not the message yet. That
revelation hasn't been revealed.
Acts 8:13
"Then Simon himself believed also; and when he was baptized
(Simon went the whole nine yards; he professed believing; evidently did his
repenting, and was baptized) he continued with Philip, and wondered,
beholding the miracles and signs which were done."
What is Simon majoring on? Signs and miracles. What's he minoring on? The
Person of Christ. Our priorities have to be based on Scripture. But since that
had been Simon's trade, it was right down his alley to have signs and miracles.
He jumped on that bandwagon and said, "Hooray, this is my kind of thing!" But
was Simon a true believer? No! He's a fake. He's a counterfeit. Now read on:
Acts 8:14-17
"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem (that would
be the Twelve. This Philip is one of the seven if I understand Scripture
correctly) heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto
them Peter and John:" James is dead already because as a rule it was always
Peter, James and John.
"Who (Peter and John), when they were come down, prayed for them
(these Samaritan believers), that they might receive the Holy
Ghost:"
"(For as yet [in spite of all of the success of Philip's preaching]
he [The Holy Spirit] was fallen upon none of them: only they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)" Why aren't they given the Holy
Spirit? God had His reasons. Let's look at verse 17:
"Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
Amazing isn't it? Why did God withhold the Holy Spirit from these baptized
Samaritans believers until Peter and John came down? Go to John's Gospel,
Chapter 4. Here we have the account of Jesus and the woman at the well, and you
all know the story:
John 4:15-20
"The woman saith unto him, `Sir, give me this water, that I
thirst not, neither come hither to draw.' Jesus saith unto her, `Go, call thy
husband, and come hither.' The woman answered and said, `I have no husband.'
Jesus said unto her, `Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had
five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: (Sounds
familiar doesn't it?) in that saidst thou truly.' The woman saith unto him,
`Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this
mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to
worship.'"
We've got to go back into Israel's history, when the Kingdom was divided under
Rehoboam and Jeroboam. The Temple was in the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and it
carried on as usual. So what did the Israelites of the Northern Kingdom set up?
A secondary temple worship. They had their own counterfeit as it were. The
presence of God wasn't in it. It was another man-made religion. They didn't
realize that God was dealing with Israel at the Temple in Jerusalem. Now I need
to make another point as we go along. All through Israel's religious history,
Jerusalem is the headquarters of God's operation. For the New Testament Church
there is no earthly headquarters. That's the vast difference. The Church today
is headquartered not on earth, but in Heaven! And even though Antioch was more
or less the fountainhead of where the Gospel went out to Gentiles, yet the
Scriptures never place Antioch as the headquarters of the New Testament Church.
Nor is Jerusalem. There is no headquarters of the New Testament Church.
But under Judaism, Jerusalem is understood that that is where Christ dealt with
His people. But the Samaritans said, "What's the difference?" Now with
that kind of historic mentality what did God have to show these Samaritan
believers? That Jerusalem was the headquarters of God dealing with the Nation
of Israel. The Samaritan believers were certainly saved by the preaching of
Philip, yet they did not get the full frosting on the cake until
representatives of Jerusalem (Peter and John) came and manifested their divine
office. By the laying on of hands, they received the Holy Spirit. What did that
tell the Samaritans? Jerusalem is where we have to worship, not Samaria. Now
back to Acts Chapter 8 again. Old Simon is seeing all of this, and he is the
curious one.
Acts 8:18
"And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles'
hands the Holy Ghost was given (and remember under this economy when the
Holy Spirit came down there was visible evidence of it), he offered them
money,"
Doesn't that show where his heart is? He has been gaining wealth for years in
performing the miraculous. But now he sees something that was even better than
what he had been able to do. It had more power. Simon wants to buy into this.
Now here is where you have every right to discern the spiritual condition of
this man Simon. As a true believer would he make a statement like that? No way!
But he's not. Oh he made a profession, but it was as empty as a bucket. It had
absolutely nothing that was life-changing. He had even gone through baptism.
Does that ring a bell? We've got millions doing it all time. They go through
the process, they get baptized, they join the church, and they are as lost as
ever. Why? Because there hasn't been a change of heart.
Acts 8:19-21
"Saying, `Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay
hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.'" Simon wasn't concerned about the
Spiritual aspect of the Holy Spirit. All he could see was the money he could
reap. Peter sees right through Simon.
"But Peter said unto him, `Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast
thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.'" They're both
going down the tube, not just the money, but Simon too!
"Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter (do you see what that
says? Even though it says in verse 13 that he believed, yet Peter brings us to
the truth of the matter. It wasn't any real belief, he was a fake. He was in it
strictly for what he could get out of it): for thy heart is not right in the
sight of God."
Let's go to Romans Chapter 10. Recently, we taught in this Chapter, and I came
away just knowing that hearts were really touched by the Gospel. These are
verses that I think every servant of God uses when dealing with someone in the
area of Salvation.
Romans 10:9
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and
shalt believe (where?) in thine heart (not just in the head) that
God hath raised him from the dead (now what does that imply? He died, was
buried and rose from the dead. If you believe that with all your heart),
thou shalt be saved." That's the Gospel by which we are saved.
Not if, maybe, or hope so, but when we believe that God promised
it as a fact. Thou shalt be saved. And that's a promise. What does God expect
us to do with promises? Rest on them. Not doubt them nor wonder. But we have
every right to say, "God, that's what you told me, and I believe it."
God calls that faith. This is one place where we can hold God
accountable, if I may put it that way. Because He said it we can hold Him
accountable.
Romans 10:10a
"For with the heart (not with the head; not with the mind)
man (what?) believeth unto righteousness;..."
Now do you see a lot of things that people think should be in there but are
not? Paul doesn't even allude here to some of the things here in the Book of
Acts. But all he says is that if we believe with all our heart that God in
Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the dead, we shall be saved.
That's a promise, but it has to be in the heart. Now back to Acts. Simon
didn't believe in his heart. He just saw what was to be gained materially and
said, "I want that." Read on. In verse 22 Peter says to Simon:
Acts 8:22
"Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if
perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee."
Scripture doesn't give the slightest hint that Simon ever changed his mind. We
read a book recently saying Simon probably was the promoter of what was later
called Gnosticism - a counterfeit of Christianity. He went from Samaria,
according to some archaeological and historical findings, and became an enemy
of the Gospel. I believe it as he was Satanically endowed. Peter says in Verse
23:
Acts 8:23
"For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and
in the bond of iniquity."
Is that the description of a believer? No way. Salvation breaks the bond of
iniquity. Salvation breaks those chains of Satan. Salvation sets us free! I
often tell my classes that back in the sixties during the hippie movement, they
thought they were free. They thought their lifestyle had broken all bonds of
social behavior and they could do as they pleased. Those people weren't free.
They were in the very bonds of Satan himself. They were bound. But, the
believer is truly set free. All those shackles are broken by the power of God.
But Simon couldn't believe. He only saw the material.
Acts 8:24a
"Then answered Simon, and said, `Pray ye to the Lord for
me,...'"
Does that work? No way. Let's go back to Romans 10. Over the years I believe
that God has given the majority of my teaching for the benefit of the
believers. But that doesn't mean we don't recognize there are many lost people
that we touch, and we've seen a lot of people come to know The Lord. I know I
don't express a lot of evangelistic output in my teaching, and I am the first
to admit it. That might be a failure on my part, but here it is in Romans 10:
Romans 10:11,12
"For the Scripture saith (no one else but The Word,
saith), `Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (he brings in
this which got Paul in trouble with the Jews). For there is no difference
between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all (not in
a blanket effect, but to whom?) that call upon him.'"
Then you come to that great verse 13. Here, I'm reminded of a lady in Minnesota
who years ago, when we brought her through all these verses down to verse 13,
through her tears said, "I never saw this verse before." She claimed to
be a Sunday School teacher for years. But see, here's the capstone of the whole
thing; when we believe what The Bible says about ourselves, that we're sinners.
Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned..." Being sons of Adam. When we take
that verse by faith that God has called me a sinner, then I can believe that
Christ died for my sin. He died in my place, and God expects us to believe
it and recognize it verbally. You don't have to shout it to a crowd or
shout it from a housetop. But even in the privacy of your own prayer closet, or
driving down a road or washing dishes in the sink. You verbally say, "Lord,
I'm a sinner. Save me because I believe that you have done everything that
needs to be done." That's what verse 13 means.
Romans 10:13
"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (and
what's the promise? That person) shall be saved."
I can't understand it. I don't think that you can. But that's what The Book
says. That if we call upon him, we shall be saved. I've always given the old,
simple, childlike illustration of a swimming pool on a hot summer afternoon.
The kids are screaming and laughing and having a ball. There's so many heads in
there that you can't see one from the other. But a lifeguard who knows what he
or she is doing, even though they may be carrying on a conversation with some
one, what is their ear constantly trained for? That feeble cry, "Help."
And then Bingo, that lifeguard is in the water saving that child. This is a
perfect picture of God. He is constantly listening for the feeble call of a
sinner who says, "I am wanting to be saved." And the second that
God hears that cry, He's there. That's what Salvation is all about. And as I
left that lady, I told her, "Now tomorrow, Satan is going to come back and
cast doubt, and make you say, `Now did anything really happen?' And you
come right back and open your Bible to Romans 10:13 and you again, verbally,
just say out loud, `God you promised it.'" That's what faith is all about.
God promised and I did what He said to do. I called upon Him, believing the
Gospel. Now I want the assurance that it is true.
I've had so many people long after the fact tell me, "This is what I did,
and what a difference." I've always told my class, if you have any doubt
about your Salvation, drop to your knees and just say, "Lord, if I'm not
truly saved, I want you to save me right now." Don't go through life
doubting. Am I going to make it? Am I alright? The Scripture says, "Make
your calling and election sure" And that's one way of doing it. Briefly,
let's go to Acts Chapter 8:
Acts 8:25
"And they (Peter and John), when they had testified and
preached the word of the Lord (where did they go?), returned to
Jerusalem,..."
They didn't keep on going because they knew they had no ministry to Gentiles
until Israel had The King and the Kingdom, so they went back to Jerusalem.
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Copyright © 1994 Les Feldick Ministries. All rights reserved.