The Acts of the Apostles
Introduction
We spent nine weeks on the End Times in our prior study—a heavy topic (perhaps too heavy for some) but definitely appropriate for today’s times. Our current study will be more traditional. For those who had not attended our Sunday morning Foundation classes, our Heritage Lounge classes are called GPS: “God’s Positioning System”. Its purpose and goal is to be Christ’s witnesses in a world that has lost its bearings and a nation that is drifting farther away from God.
Our current study is the Book of Acts, a little more traditional study than the End Times. We did a study of Acts four years ago in 2017. There were about 22 in our class at the time. The current study format and material is not identical but, of course, follows the Book as written with additional background information. If you studied Acts before, will you learn anything? Absolutely! How many times have you read or even studied each of the Gospels or Epistles (letters)? Did you learn anything each time? I’m certain you did. Otherwise, all we would have to do is read the Bible once, and never have cause to read it again. There is always something new to learn. So, I hope you join us as we study Acts.
The Book of Acts covers a period of about 30 to 35 years. The church began with almost totally Jewish-converts and became predominantly Gentile-converts as we see in Acts, which serves as a bridge between the four Gospels and the New Testament apostolic Epistles (letters). It begins with the ascension of Christ (30–33 AD) and continues through to 62–64 AD with Paul’s imprisonment in Rome. An important aspect of Acts is the conversion of Saul on his journey to persecute Christians in Damascus (Acts 9:3-4). Peter and Paul are the two central figures in Acts.
Out of all the books in the Bible, why Acts? Pastor Scott piqued my interest with his recent sermon series on Acts and evangelism, especially with Easter approaching, which sets the stage for the Book of Acts. So then, why not Acts? It continues the narrative that Luke began in his gospel, which is important because both books together provide the first written history of the early Church. Acts concerns a vital period in Church history from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, baptism with the Holy Spirit, spread of the church, and imprisonment of the apostle Paul. Those early Christians lived during perilous times, yet they prevailed. We are living in uncertain times, and yes, there is an analogy.
This is the essence of the message they had to share with both Jews and Gentiles. We can only imagine the impression, if any, the Gospel message had on the pagan world of Paul’s day and the Jewish world of commandments, rituals and animal sacrifices, all of which were only temporary as an ongoing payment-plan to make restitution for personal sins to a Holy God. The difference between then and today is most people believed in “a god” then and few believe in “God” today.
The ancient Jerusalem temple was an edifice dedicated to the worship of Jehovah God—Yahweh! An important part of temple worship was animal sacrifice, which involved the shedding of innocent blood! The temple both represented and was dedicated to the awesomeness of Jehovah and as restitution for the sins of the nation of Israel/Judea.
How often were the temple sacrifices made? Opinions differ, some believe that every regular weekday, Sabbath, and many Jewish holidays had their own unique offerings. There seems to be a degree of support for this view (next slide). Next slide defines each area of the temple, which served as a house of prayer; also from where God emanated to all of Israel.
Heb 9:20 He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Jews made pilgrimages to Jerusalem as described in Acts 1. If you want to know more about the temple go to Pastor Scott Larson’s Wednesday evening study (week 5) focusing on the temple—and why there even is a temple, per the following link..
https://covp.org/connect/wednesdays-live-lessons
(copy and paste into your web browser—you have to scroll down when your there)
(PS: you can click on the picture to enlarge it. Hit esc to return to normal reading)
View showing the outer courtyards, where the next slide takes place. Just like in Judah, without sincere worship, corruption for personal gain becomes the norm.
This incident would indicate some form of worship and animal sacrifice were a daily occurrence, and not an annual one as some commentaries indicated. Doves were purchased by the poorest people, most making a financial sacrifice in doing so.
Mark 11:15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"
Similar beliefs regarding animal sacrifice and shedding of blood existed across the ancient world. Animal sacrifices were common to appease the gods. The shedding of blood was an important part of their religious beliefs and rituals. Baal's worshipers appeased him by offering sacrifices, usually animals such as sheep or bulls (1 Kings 18:23). The sacrifice to Baal even included the first born of the person offering the sacrifice. Is there any similarity regarding the sacrifice of unborn children in America?
Great temples were built to appease the gods throughout ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, much of which included animal sacrifices to appease the gods and get favors from them. The Greeks and Romans share many of the same gods, but with different names.
Just as the apostles and disciples received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we too are born-again by the power of the Holy Spirit. We will see examples of what that means as we go through our study. This slide is presented as a statement of fact and not intended as a lecture on what we need to do. What we do and how we do it is between each individual and God. My personal prayer is that the Holy Spirit guides this study for God’s glory and our edification. Do you believe God has a plan for your life? I do. I believe He has a plan for each of us individually, and all of us collectively as the Body of Christ.
An important part of Acts was Paul’s three missionary journeys as shown on the map. His fourth and final journey is when He was sent to Rome under guard to plead his case before Caesar’s court. Acts begins in Jerusalem with Peter as the central figure; at the end it follows Paul’s final trip, which takes him to Rome where he is placed under house arrest. As a Roman citizen, Paul is afforded certain courtesies. He lives by himself and is guarded by a single guard. He spends a lot of time preaching to Romans from his cell, which is the last we hear about Paul in the Book of Acts. (Click on picture to enlarge it. Hit esc to return to normal viewing).
As we go through our study of Acts, think of the strong faith and perseverance of the early church in sharing the Gospel in a pagan world, a message that we are sinners in need of a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus Christ. Some churches have drifted from Jesus’ commission to go out and share the Gospel message with the whole world as stated in Acts 1:8. Something we will look at.
Acts 1:7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
We can find an answer to this question in the Book of Hosea in the Old Testament. Hosea was a prophet in the Northern kingdom of Israel, that enjoyed economic prosperity and political security during the reign of Jeroboam (793-753 B.C.). It was followed by a period of political and social chaos, and religious decline; and later complete turmoil in domestic and foreign affairs. Sound a little bit familiar? It raises the question, where has the church gone, and where are we going as a nation? Much of what is called worship today is a form of idolatry; a substitute for sincere biblical worship.
Reflection of a Christian Europe—a.k.a. Christendom, built many of the cathedrals/basilicas across Europe, some dating back to the fourth century. We can be certain they were built with the same reverence and purpose to worship the Lord God, as was the temple in Jerusalem.
The medieval cathedrals in Europe sprung up to honor and worship God. It’s principal form of worship was the Roman Catholic “sacrifice of the mass” (i.e. the shedding of Jesus’ blood on the cross). Photo of Notre Dame in Paris, France. Many of those cathedrals/basilicas throughout Europe, including this one, have now become principally tourist attractions; true of several churches I attended in Europe, including St. Paul’s cathedral in London, England (an Anglican church) that can accommodate 2,000 people, but about 100 were at Sunday's worship. What happened to the Church in Western society? Perhaps Acts will give us some insight.
National Cathedral is an Episcopal church. We’ll take a brief look at this historic, traditional denomination.
Grace Church was established in 1808 and started worship services in 1834. It is of a French Gothic Revival style architecture like Europe’s cathedrals. One could easily conclude that God is worshiped there and the Gospel is faithfully preached. Grace Church started a school as many churches have done, the intent being to instill the faith in children and spread the Word.
Grace Church School was of a similar architecture as the church. The school (photo) was founded in 1894 by Grace Church as the first choir boarding school in New York City. The private day school began in 1934. So, how well has the School done in enhancing the faith of its children and spreading the Word? The question gets down to just what “word” are they teaching and spreading? Without church oversight and biblical doctrine, the culture has an open door into the school and the church.
While the school has continued its close relationship with Grace Church, since 1972 it has been governed by an independent Board of Trustees and it is a fully accredited member of the New York State Association of Independent Schools and the National Association of Independent Schools. Grace Church School is also a member of the National Association of Episcopal Schools. One has to wonder, does it no longer have church oversight? Covenant Christian School has a member of Session and church members on its board; an important distinction.
Grace Church School published an “Inclusive Language Guide” as part of their curriculum, based on what is referred to as the “Woke” ideology shaping the culture and lives of young children. Put this within context of the early church in Acts, which was to change the culture and not be changed by the culture.
Definition, as noted, was downloaded from the web, but it does reflect it as professed, including the elimination of gender identity. Children are being told that they can decide their own gender based on how they feel, not how they were born. The sheer zeal with which middle managers and HR executives, as well as the students rioting in the streets aspiring to join their numbers, have latched onto the successor ideology, reveals their grasp of the potential power it affords them…the apparatuses of the new ideology are the education system, the mass media and the culture industry: go to university, read the newspaper, listen to mainstream radio and TV: there is no escape from the ideology of the administrative class. And now we find it not just in schools, but even a Christian school.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
The very name "woke" is a play on the Christian Great Awakenings that swept across the United States at various times in our past, revitalizing old faiths and giving birth to new ones. Read how it is being used in Grace Church School, before going to the next slide.
These are the current guidelines for their school. What has happened to the Episcopal Church? Is this the Great Commission Jesus had in mind as noted in Acts? Of course not. The Gospel message is very clear in the Book of Acts. How can those associated with a Christian denomination drift so far and become so intertwined with the culture.
Pastor Adrian Rogers’ sermon is well suited for today’s America. The Supreme Court banned the Bible and prayer in public schools in 1962. Kids no longer had moral guidelines consistent with the Bible, and we are seeing the consequences of that decision today, and increasingly so.
Pastor Adrian Rogers 40-minute sermon: Standing Firm in a Pagan World – Acts 17
https://youtu.be/F9IKFsiG0-Y
(copy link and post in your web browser)
Our Nation is in serious need of prayer. Will God hear our prayers? Yes. Will God respond to our prayers? Yes. But how He responds is TBD. Nevertheless, He tells us to pray. Pray for America, and wisdom for the president and congress. Pray for our church, our pastor and his family, and our congregation. Pray for wisdom and guidance for our Session.
My intent is to return to Heritage Lounge after everyone has gotten their Covid-19 vaccinations and are safe and comfortable in doing so. A year is a very long time to be away. There are three pending dates as noted, for resuming our studies in Heritage Lounge. The blog will continue with our study of the Book of Acts in the meantime.
End of The Acts of the Apostles
Introduction
