How can the guilty be cleared? Paul concludes his sermon in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia with a profound declaration. Though faith in Jesus, all who believe are forgiven for sins and justified from the condemnation of the law. He then warns them about unbelief.
Faith in God, Love for People
Posts by Jeff Short (Page 9)
The Book of 1 Kings Review Questions from last week’s lesson: What is in the book of 2 Samuel? How does 2 Samuel help us today? Answers: 2 Samuel tells of David reigning as king. The book has the well known sin David committed with Bathsheba, followed by the murder of Uriah and Nathan’s confrontation…
What about Jesus? Paul continues his message in the Synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia. He shows Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise for a Messiah, the son of David, to come. Jesus’ resurrection fulfills Scripture and proves him to be the Messiah.
Who is in control? Paul rehearses the history of Israel while in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia. He emphasizes their history has been governed by God in preparation for the Messiah, who is Jesus.
Where to now? By the end of chapter 12, Acts takes on a different focus. Peter and the ministry in Jerusalem is no longer the focus. Beginning with chapter 13, Luke focuses on the Gospel going to the Gentiles in the larger world. This mission begins with Paul and Barnabas and the church in Antioch.
What about him? Peter once asked Jesus about what would happen to John. That wasn’t for Peter to worry about. In this chapter, Peter gets rescued from prison, again. That is not Jame’s story, though. He is martyred by Herod Agrippa 1. Of course, Jesus told his disciples it would be this way.
What’s Next? The church at Jerusalem spread out and spread the Gospel. By this point, new churches have been planted and where do they go from here? Chapter 11 closes with a focus on the church at Antioch–the church about to become the launching point of the worldwide mission of the Gospel.
Can that really happen? Peter and his companions were surprised by events in Caesarea, but God wasn’t. Peter faced objections back home with the church in Jerusalem. He retells the account, highlighting the work of God and the Spirit, in order to bring them along to the conclusion he reached.
What is the Gospel to the Gentiles? This passage gives Peter’s message at Cornelius’ house. The Gospel message is the same to the Gentiles it is to the Jews. Salvation is in Jesus Christ alone through faith in his name, accompanied by repentance.
Across Cultures Crossing cultures is challenging and brings many issues into focus that can go unnoticed. The early church was faced with difficulties in understanding exactly how the mission to the Gentiles was to go forward. The episode with Peter and Cornelius was a vital happening for clarifying the Gospel, not only to the Gentiles…