"He is the Christ, The Son of God"
Notes
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Acts divided into 6 parts showing the fulfillment of Acts 1:8
the growth of the church as it spread from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth
each section part ends with a similar proclamation:
7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Acts 1:1 - 6:7 - birth of church at Jerusalem and its spectacular growth
the preaching of Peter and persecution, the first act of Church discipline, the choosing of the 7 to free up the Apostles
Acts 6:8 - 9:31 - spread of Christianity from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria and Galilee & conversion of Saul
Stephen’s martyrdom, persecution of the church causes the gospel to spread out from Jerusalem, Saul’s miraculous conversion from being a persecutor to a minister of the gospel
Acts 9:32 - 12:24 - explosive growth of church as it spread to Gentiles
Peter’s ministry and Cornelius, Peter’s report to the church in Jerusalem, spread of the gospel to Antioch which became the sending church for Paul’s missionary journeys, James killed and Peter’s miraculous rescue, death of Herod for not glorifying God
Acts 12:25 - 16:5 - church in Asia Minor and Galatia
Antioch church sent Barnabas and Saul on their first missionary journey, stops in Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, opposition of the Jews to Paul, Paul’s stoning at Lystra, Jerusalem Council and the problem of Jewish believers and their commitment to the ceremonial law, Council’s decision against them
Acts 16:6 - 19:20 - spread of the church further west
Paul & Silas’ trip to strengthen the churches they had established on their first journey, call to Macedonia, conversion of Philippian jailer, ministry in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, return to Antioch, rise of Apollos, Paul’s ministry in Ephesus
Acts 19:21 to end - Paul’s final ministries and spread of gospel to Rome
riot in Ephesus instigated by the Demetrius and the idol craftsmen, ministry in Macedonia and Greece, raising of Eutychus from the dead, addressed the Ephesian elders, trip to Jerusalem, Paul’s arrest, trial and preaching to kings, appeal to Caesar, trip to Rome, ministry there and martyrdom
Saul one of God’s key servants in that spread
could not have happened if those whom Saul led to Christ did not take the gospel to their families, neighbourhoods and towns
Saul Carries Jesus to the Jews
Saul Carries Jesus to the Jews
Saul had been chosen by Jesus to carry his name (9:15)
he immediately set himself to accomplish this task by preaching to his own people (9:20)
“with the disciples” (19b)
up to this point they had fled from him, they refused to fellowship with him because they were afraid of him
example of Ananias’ fear (13,14)
Jesus had changed Saul from being their enemy to being their brother
when the disciples realized this they embraced him as a fellow member of the family of Christ
a mark of a transformed life is the desire to be with other Christians
14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
true believers do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of the scoffer (Ps 1:1)
a professing believer who prefers the company of unbelievers is probably still one of them
“And immediately he proclaimed Jesus” (20)
another mark of Saul’s transformation: he could not stop speaking about God’s saving grace in Christ Jesus
having been appointed to carry Jesus’ name before the Gentiles, kings and children of Israel (9:15) Saul wasted no time getting started in his new calling!
immediately: Saul did not delay
“proclaim” = herald
heralds were messengers sent by rulers to convey messages or proclamations
Saul went about proclaiming the good news about Jesus
“he proclaimed ... in the synagogues”
Saul did not wander through the streets yelling, “Jesus is the Son of God”
Saul had a plan
he began with synagogues:
Saul’s reputation opened opportunities to speak in the synagogues
this was Saul’s preferred method of carrying the message of Christ to new cities
synagogues were often located in urban areas
this meant that the gospel would come to a city and then spread to the surrounding areas as new believers spread out
Saul was wise and intentional, seeking the most effective means of fulfilling his calling
gospel was to be sent to the Jew first
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
when the Jews rejected him and his message he would go to some other venue and teach all who followed him from the synagogues
with those people he would form new churches
if we would be wise and intentional in the spread of the gospel we will do like Saul
the most easily accessed venue is the church
what are we doing to invite our family, friends, neighbours and co-workers to church?
80% of church goers came to Christ because someone invited them
invite to church and then to your home for discussion
Saul’s Message
Saul’s Message
20 And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
Jesus
Jesus
for the Jewish people this was his common name
it identified him as the carpenter son of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth
but Jesus was much more than this and Saul sought to teach them
the name Jesus means Saviour
21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
Saul first presented Jesus to them as their Saviour
to do this he told them about their sins
he warned them against trying to earn their salvation
he called them to repent and believe
Jesus the Son of God
Jesus the Son of God
when Jesus took this title to himself the Jews interpreted it as a claim to equality with God (Mt 26:63-64; Mk 15:39; Jn 10:36, 19:7)
devil and demons addressed Jesus as “Son of God” (Mt 4; 8:29)
Peter & Martha’s confessions
Jesus affirmed this when adjured by the Chief Priest at his trial
63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy.
66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.”
this was condemned as blasphemy because Jesus, a man, was claiming to be God
if Jesus was just a man he could not have been our Saviour, our substitute
only a perfect man could stand for another
only the God/man could stand for many
Jesus the Christ
Jesus the Christ
who was “the Christ” to the Jew?
a future Jewish king from the line of David (Isa 11:1
would rule the Jewish people during the Messianic age
often referred to as “king Messiah”
will gather the Jews back to the promised Land (Isa 11:12)
usher in a period of peace, build the 3rd Temple
when he comes the rulers of the world will look to him for guidance (Isa 2:4; Zech 8:23)
the whole world will worship him (Isa 2:11-17)
belief in the coming Messiah a fundamental requisite of the Jewish faith
evil and tyranny will not be able stand during his reign (Isa 11:4)
when Jesus was asked by the Jews in John 10:22-30 if the was the Christ he said was one with the Father
they sought to stone Jesus for blasphemy, i.e. making himself God
Saul presented Jesus to them as the only one who could save them because he was the Son of God and their Messiah
are you convinced that Jesus is the only one who can save those you love?
are you telling them?
“Saul increased all the more in strength”
Saul experienced the same success that Stephen did when he debated in the synagogues in Jerusalem
increased: Saul learned how to communicate the gospel more and more effectively
his reasoning was such that his opponents could not answer or refute him
put them into a difficult position:
if they admitted Saul was right they would have to forsake Judaism
if they denied Saul they were rejecting God’s truth
increasing in strength requires knowledge and experimentation
must know the Word
must use the knowledge we have
must grow in our proficiency
“amazed … confounded”
“amazed” = to be removed from its place i.e. to shake, to alter
to become astounded to such a degree as to lose one’s mental composure
example: how believers feel when a faithful Christian leader falls from grace; how we feel when betrayed someone we thought was our friend; how a team might feel when their star player is sidelined
when confronted with Saul’s teaching they were utterly shocked and didn’t know what to do
“confounded” = to bewilder
to astonish in such a degree that the mental faculties are confounded and such a person is practically incapacitated
can’t think and so can’t act
the irrefutable proof that Jesus was the Christ left them physically incapacitated
in spite of their amazement and confusion many of them continued to reject and oppose the gospel
our temptation is to think that when presented with such irrefutable proof that the natural response is to repent and acknowledge and embrace the truth
stems from a misguided assumption that all a person needs is to be persuaded about what is true and right
this ignores the clear teaching of the scriptures
7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.
8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
other NT descriptions of being in sin: dead in sin, lovers of darkness, suppress the truth, blinded by the devil, not seeking for God but going their own way
refusing to humbling themselves and unable to refute Saul, the Jews sought to silence just as Stephen had been
such is the hardness of the human heart when faced with the truth of the gospel
they would rather kill the messenger than turn away from the lies they believe!
we do not yet face this kind of violent response because in our culture we have been conditioned to think that it doesn’t matter what we believe and that everyone is entitled to believe whatever they want and everyone is right in what they believe
it is not until a person is pressed with the truth that they become aggressive in their opposition and even violent
our culture: you can believe whatever you want and you are ok
as long as we don’t go past this in our witnessing we will avoid trouble
Paul presented the gospel in such a way that if the Jews did nothing they were giving tacit approval so their only option was to attack and kill Saul
we need to develop our ability to convey the gospel and the only way to do this is by trial and error
classes will only do so much!
what would happen if we started talking with our family and friends about Jesus?
“did you know that Jesus name means Saviour? I just think it’s amazing! Can I tell you why?”
Saul Delivered From His Enemies
Saul Delivered From His Enemies
23 When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him,
24 but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,
25 but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
“the Jews”
often refers to the Jewish religious leaders and others under their influence who were staunchly opposed Christianity
according to Pauls testimony in 2 Cor 11:27 they were able to turn the political rulers against him
32 At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me,
33 but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.
what do you do when every one is against you? give up? start to think you must be wrong? stop speaking out to avoid persecution?
example of the Hebrews who were tempted to turn back to Judaism (Heb 10:32-39)
Paul’s warning to the Galatians who were thinking of going back to the law
Jesus promised to give them everything they needed to complete the work he had started
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
examples of God doing this
17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.
18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Saul Ministers in Jerusalem
Saul Ministers in Jerusalem
Disciples were afraid of Saul, believed he was lying
refused fellowship
Barnabas introduced Saul to the Apostles and gave them an account of Saul’s conversion
after this the disciples opened up to Saul and trusted him
Saul preached boldly to the disciples
he preached to the Greek speaking Jews just as Stephen had done
“he spoke and disputed against”
he confronted their false thinking
to the Jews Jesus was a liar, an imposter, a blasphemer, a servant of the devil, did not rise from the dead
when Saul challenged their false thinking he challenged them with the truth of the Word
“disputed” - to discuss vehemently in order to reach a solution or an agreement
this was a heated discussion
Saul was unafraid to confront their lies and blasphemous attitudes
when they could not overcome him they sought to kill him
the Greek speaking Jews treated Saul in the same way as Stephen
the same disciples who at first were afraid of him rescued him
brought him to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus (9:30)
Jesus saved Saul, the great enemy of the church, and raised him up to carry his name to world
persecution ends for a time and the church continued to grow
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.