Day 79 of Reading the Bible in 90 Days

Welcome to day 79; this means we are very close to ending our 90 day challenge of not just reading the bible alone; but collecting a vast new understanding of what we have been reading. Let us begin today by asking the Lord to give us wisdom knowledge and understanding of what we read and the openness to receive it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Acts chapter 17

¹Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
²And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
³Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

The term Christian Sabbath, referring to the first day of the week is something that was unheard of to Paul and the early Christians because as we see here Paul, everywhere he travel went into the synagogues on the Sabbath days to reason with the Jews, not about the Sabbath day and which day it was; rather about the Messiah being Jesus who was killed and that he rose from the dead.

Jesus revealed everything to the prophets and confirmed everything the church needed with the apostles. Anything that came after them would be questionable. Constantine is the emperor who really established Sunday worship, and the biggest proof that it was an unofficial move is the fact that Mr. Constantine was not an Israelite but a Roman. Revelations that come from the Lord that are spread to man go to the Jew first; we'll read that in a bit.

As many believed on the teachings of Paul, the local Jews who didn't believe on Jesus caused commotion, even for the Gentile Greeks who believed bearing false witness against them. This clearly let's us know that no matter what nation you are from; when you begin to do what the bible says you will be alienated to a certain degree. Every where in the coast of Thessalonica where Paul was teaching, the local Jews came over to dispute with them (v13).

Paul left and went to Athens

¹⁶Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

The city was filled with idol worship. That is worshiping of an object or symbol to represent God. Many people wear a cross to represent Jesus or to commemorate Him; could this be a form of idolatry?

The Athenians were what we call philosophers of the gods with no real doctrine. They were people of "many truths" so they were open to hear what Paul had to say concerning his new doctrine.

²²Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
²³For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.


We have many superstitious people today who serve an unknown God ignorantly, however, Paul declares it to them and us today.


²⁴God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
²⁵Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
²⁹Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
³⁰And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:


Paul tells them and us plainly that we do not and are not to worship God with things made of hands being that He created the heavens and the earth. In the pass God kind of winked at; but now Jesus has come and died and requires all of us to repent from our sins. Paul spoke on the resurrection from the dead and lost many people at that point. They mocked him because a ressurrection is so far out of human comprehension that it cannot be taken seriously by many, which will be to their own demise.

Acts 18

¹After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
⁴And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.


Here again he reasoned with the Jews and the Greeks, every Sabbath. If one is going to keep a day of worship, of reading the bible, of prayer to the God of Heaven, the 7th day of the week should be the first pick. Man can give God glory everyday of the week; but the 7th day is the one to put the emphasis on. We've seen the Sabbath mentioned every chapter every book from Genesis onward.


And Paul's teachings and reasonings were of proving and teaching that Jesus was/is the Christ. Paul did not have to convince anyone about the Sabbath day or any other topic, although I'm sure he taught that; but it was mainly for people to accept Jesus Christ as Lord.


⁶And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles. When Paul would come into a coast, he would speak and reason with the Jews first. If they rejected him, he would shake off the dust and move forward to the Gentiles. A preachers job is not to convert you! This is your own job. A preachers job is to give you the information, the knowledge, and you make due with it what you will.

The Lord sends teachers where He has people ready to listen (v9-11).


Paul Still Keeps the Feast of the Lord


²⁰When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not; ²¹But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.


The big job in Paul's day was for the apostles and disciples to show the Jews that Jesus was indeed the Christ (v28).

Acts chapter 19

Some Jews believed on the coming Messiah but perhaps had left Jerusalem during the time of Jesus and were only baptized of John's baptism. When Paul met fellows like this he taught them Jesus and baptized them in the name of Jesus (v1-5).


Mocking the Word of God is Not Wise


¹⁵And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
¹⁶And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
¹⁷And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.


Men who were sorcerers or witchcraft attempted to do as Paul and remove evil spirits from people and heal the sick. They laid hands on people and with an evil mind mocking called on the God that Paul preached. The evil spirit let him in on a secret; that he knew Jesus and knew Paul; but didn't know him.
As Paul taught about idolatry, many who are in the business of making a cross started to feel it in the wallet. So quite naturally they made uproars about Paul and what he was teaching in their coast.


²⁴For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
²⁷So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
²⁸And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.
²⁹And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre.


And just like that the whole city was filled with confusion and the word of God was broken up for a moment over a man's desire to make a few bucks. Instead of finding a new craft, he wants to delete his soul and the soul of others by keeping them into their pagan worship and idol worship of the goddess Diana.

Acts 20

⁶And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.
⁷And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.


Here is a first day of the week (Sunday reference), where Paul was eating with the disciples and he spoke with them, insomuch it went into the middle of the night. This was during the feast of unleavened bread. This does not stamp a change in the Sabbath worship. There are reasons they were eating on the first day of the week as Paul preached. During the Sabbath days after the setting of the sun, Jews often sat around and spoke concerning the word. Also it may have been one of the 7 days of unleavened bread feasting and they were there eating and feasting. We do not know fully; but we know that this tiny insert does not denote a change of the Sabbath day worship.


As clear as the Lord is about the 7th day; I know He would have been just as clear about a change to the first day of the week.


Pentecost or Feast of Weeks Still Kept


¹⁶For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.


Paul tells the preachers to pick up the work he has laid down. Feed the people with knowledge of God and His Christ.


²⁸Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.


Feed the church of God, which Jesus has purchased with His own blood.


Acts chapter 21


Much of the chapter is travelling and going to different coast then they prepare for Jerusalem. However, a prophet tells the disciples that Paul will be arrested and sentenced before the Gentiles if he goes back to Jerusalem. Paul was not scared and proceeded to go saying he was ready to die for the Lord Jesus Christ.


Paul goes to Jerusalem, meets with James and the elders but then goes to the temple where he is recognized and seized, beaten, and arrested. However, he gets a small chance to speak granted by the Greek guard who thought Paul was an Egyptian. The Egyptians today are Arab Muslims who took over the land of Egypt approximately 600 AD. So at this time to be mistaken for an Egyptian is to be mistaken for a child of Ham or what we call today someone from the continent of Africa, someone from a country like Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, etc.


The Greek guard gives Paul chance to address the people.


Acts chapter 22


Paul addresses the Jews in the Hebrew language, which gets their attention and he rehearses the story of how he was blinded while on a mission to arrest and bound Jews who called on Jesus. However, they are not buying his account and are still pursuant to have him killed. Paul then tells them he is a Roman citizen and this gives him more time. Paul being a former pharisee knew that those men, if given chance were going to kill him. Everyone will die for Jesus until death is staring them in the face; then they are looking for ways out of the situation.

Acts 23

¹And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
²And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.


Paul is before the council and they are not playing any games with him because they feel he betrayed them and also let Gentiles into the temple and into the church.


Paul let the high priest know God will slap him too, and he called him a "whited wall" because he has no knowledge because he is to judge by the law; but had someone smitten contrary to the law. Paul saw two sects of groups there, the pharisee and sadducees; and declared himself a pharisee. The oldest trick in the book is to get people mad at you to get mad at each other; and it worked for Paul to buy him more time. He is going through all this when he could of stayed out of Jerusalem. It shows us the power of God.
He was able to get enough pharisees to defend him and they took him out and back into the Roman headquarters in Jerusalem to be held over night.


¹¹And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.


So Paul knew he would not die because the Lord showed him he would have to give the same testimony to the people in Rome; despite a band of 40 men making a vow not to eat or drink until they have killed Paul (v12-13). They planned to have Paul brought out once again to act as if they had more questions for him; then these 40 men would rush him, overbearing the guards and kill him at once. The only thing is God placed Paul's nephew there and heard the plan and he went and told it to Paul.


Paul is then sent with armed men to Felix to hear his trial.


Acts Chapter 24


Paul explains that they are making false claims against him and that he caused no trouble while in Jerusalem, he simply believes all things written by Moses (the law) and the prophets. This includes things concerning JESUS, and the resurrection of life to the just and unjust.


¹⁴But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:
¹⁵And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.


Felix held Paul up and allowed one Festus to judge by bringing the men of Jerusalem to present their case on why Paul should be killed!


Acts chapter 25


⁷And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.


They couldn't prove anything; so Festus was going to have it sent back to Jerusalem saying it is a matter between the people. Paul appealed wanting it to go before Caesar since he was a Roman citizen. So King Agrippa was brought in to hear the matter and he wanted to hear about it; and they believed it was a matter for the Jews to judge on but Paul kept appealing.


Acts chapter 26


Paul is given chance to address king Agrippa and he rehearses his life and what took place for him to leave being a pharisee to one who followed Christ. It reminds me, when Malcolm X left the nation of Islam to become a follower of Christ, the nation instantly put it out for him to be killed. It has similar sentiments as Paul's events. Paul tells his matter and let's king Agrippa know this is why they want him killed.


²¹For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.
²²Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:


All Paul ever desired to do was to teach to people what the scriptures says. Festus believed Paul was going crazy by learning to much; but Paul said he's not and that Agrippa was understanding of his words.


²⁷King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. ²⁸Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.


Agrippa was almost converted on Paul's story. They allow Paul to go to Italy.

Acts 27

¹And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.
The sea was violent and Paul suggested that they should not have set sail; but the sailors felt they knew better than Paul.


¹¹Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
¹⁴But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. ¹⁵And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.


They were caught up in what we call a hurricane and they could no longer control the ship and they just let the wind take it to where it was going to go.


²¹But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
²³For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
²⁴Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.


God sent His angel to comfort Paul and deliver him and the men of the ship.


Acts chapter 28
The ship finally crashes

Acts 28

They come across barbarian people who treated them kindly; and Paul was bit by a venomous snake. I read in the paper the other day that a woman who was suppose to be on the flight that crashed in South America, she missed the flight and obviously preserving her life; but the next week, she was in a car crash that took her life. The barbarians thought the same of Paul, thinking he was a murderer who's life was been sought for him to survive the boat crash; but then get bit by a poisonous snake. Paul just shook the thing off and wasn't poisoned nor did his hand swell up. So then the barbarians believe he was a god.


¹⁸Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me.
¹⁹But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.


Same story of the Jews doing more persecution than other nations; the Gentiles wanted to let Jesus go; but the Jews put on the pressure; same thing they did with Paul.

However Paul read the scriptures to them to reason with them.


²³And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.


Peter remained there teaching the word of God to all who would hear.
This finishes our reading for today; we will resume tomorrow.


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Peace & Grace

Day 77 of Reading the Bible in 90 Days

Here we are onto day 77; we are going to begin this reading in St. John chapter 16.

John 16

¹These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
²They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.


Jesus is further comforting and warning His disciples of what's to come; that the Pharisees are going to put them out of the synagogues and will think that killing you is doing God a service; but they are not to fret. The Lord will still be with them and with us.


²³And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. This is all we have to do; keep the commandments, then with faith, pray to the Father in Jesus name; and He will give it.


³¹Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? ³²Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.


Jesus mentioned something that made the disciples believe even more; and Jesus asked do you really believe? Because when the time comes; all of them are going run and leave the Lord alone; but He won't be alone because the Father is with Him. They cannot say they truly believed because if they did they would not have ran away. You have to have good understanding to really, truly believe.

John 17

¹These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
²As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
³And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Jesus is now in prayer to the Father!
⁵And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.


Jesus again tells us that He was around before the world was. He was around before it was the Father and Son; back when it was just God, back when it was Jehovah and Jesus and all the angels and they decided to make a man in their image. The man sinned and one of them had to save the world from this sin, and Jehovah took on the task. Jesus made a body for Him and sent Him to die for the sins of as many as will receive Him. Jesus did not begin with Mary, to become a son of man, He had to come through man so He come through Mary.


⁹I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. Praying for everyone is not always a good idea. You could be praying for a no good person who will never try to do good. You are to pray for those who are earnestly trying to follow the Lord.


¹⁷Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. The truth shall set you free, in other words, the Lord's Word shall set you free. When you read and understand the Lord's word, then you are set free spiritually from the bondage of this world; mentally, physically, and spiritually.


²⁰Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; Jesus just prayed for us; because we were not there when this took place, but we read it or have been told it and we believe through their word.

John chapter 18

With Judas, the Pharisees came to Jesus; and Jesus knowing they were coming asked them who they were looking for? They said Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus reply, I am Him; and they jumped backward in fear, even falling to the ground (v4-6). What kind of authority is that? Here they come to arrest Him; and they are scared.


So they took Him to the chief and high priest as He allowed them to do. He came before Caiaphas and was asked about His doctrine and His disciples. Jesus told them to ask the disciples what He taught them; they will tell you. And one of the high priest servants slapped Jesus in the face telling Him is that how you speak to the high priest? Imagine you do not know the scriptures so you do not know who you slapped in the face.


Pilate asked Jesus if He were a king; Jesus said are asking because you think I am or because the Pharisees told you this? Pilate said I'm not a Jew, your own people want you killed. Jesus then said if this was my kingdom my servants would surely fight so that I am not delivered. So Pilate asked Him again, so then are you a King since He has a kingdom?


³⁷Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.


Pilate asked what is truth? We read it in the previous chapter, the Lord's words are Truth. Pilate found no fault in Jesus and attempted to let Him go.


St. John chapter 19


Jesus was then sentenced to be crucified as we've read in other previous gospels. Keep in mind, that all of this is taking place on the actual passover day; that Jesus died on the passover day. That means for us today, we should have easter (resurrection day services) three days and three nights after the passover day and not automatically on Sunday.


¹⁴And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
¹⁵But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.


Just as they had removed Jesus from being king over them and set up Saul, they said away with Him here as well. The children of Israel did not and currently do not want Jesus to be their king. They threatened Pilate of his job and loyalty to Caesar and that pushed him to have Jesus killed; but He put the blood of the innocent man on the heads of the children of Judah.


¹⁹And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
²⁰This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin.
²¹Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.
²²Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
Pilate deep down believed that Jesus was what He claimed to be and would not change the ascription on the cross for His title.


³¹The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.


We have to remember this is a book about the Jews customs they received from Moses, from God. The passover is on the 14th and on the 15th is the feast of unleavened bread, which is a high Sabbath day. High Sabbath's are just like weekly Sabbath day except they have preeminence over the weekly Sabbath. So when verse 31 says it was a High Sabbath, early Christians did not know that it is different than the normal 7th day of the week Sabbath. This is why they assumed Jesus died on "good Friday" because Friday is before Saturday, the Sabbath Day. However, this was a high Sabbath and they can fall on any day of the week, it depends on the rotation of the year and day it falls under.


³⁴But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
³⁵And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.


This just shows that there was a difference in Jesus and from other men.
³⁹And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
This gospel let's us know that Nicodemus, a Pharisee that believed in Jesus as the Son of God, came with Joseph to take the body of the Lord to His grave.

John 20

¹The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
She came early on Sunday, the first day of the week, so early it was still dark out and she found out that Jesus was gone, the body was gone. He rose from the dead and the sun, had not even risen yet, it was still dark out. We all have to question SUN-rise service on SUNday now don't we?


Jesus Reveals Himself to Mary v16


Jesus showed Himself to the brothers; and they believed; but Thomas wasn't there and wouldn't believe them; so Jesus appeared to them eight days later and spoke with Thomas; telling him not to be faithless; but believing.


²⁸And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God. They called Jesus Lord, Master, Teacher, Son of God, Messiah, but never had they called Him God. He had at this point been born back into the God family.


²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
³⁰And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
³¹But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.


This is for us and those who came in generations after Jesus, that we will read and believe, blessed are those who believe without seeing.

John 21

¹After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.
¹²Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. The last supper was not the last supper. Jesus dined quite a few times after the passover dinner they had before He was killed.


²⁴This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
²⁵And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.


John is letting us know today that everything they saw Jesus do is sure and did happen; in fact there are so many things that He did that didn't get recorded because there were so many things.
We will move into the book of Acts.

Acts chapter 1

⁴And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
⁵For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
⁶When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?


Now the Lord told the disciples to leave Jerusalem when they see it surrounded by armies; but they should wait there till the Lord visits them. They still thought at this time the Lord will restore the kingdom of Israel; but it is not yet.


¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
¹²Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.


We should remember in Zechariah the fourteenth chapter that it says the Lord returned and the first place the souls of His feet hit was the mount of Olives. The angel lets us know He will return in the same manner.


The chapter ends with the eleven praying to God for guidance in selecting the another disciple to become an apostle to fill in for Judas who betrayed Jesus. This is how you do things correctly; pray to the Father to help you make a good decision.

Acts 2

¹And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting


Pentecost seems like it is a new Christian thing that the Jews began doing after the death of Jesus, and the events introduced the the beginning of the "Church." First off, Pentecost means 50, and this was a feast of the Lord that the Israelites were and are required to to keep. It was the Feast of Weeks. This feast you are to count seven weeks after the Sabbath after the passover, which will be a total of 49 days, then the day after the 49th is a feast and high Sabbath day to the Lord. It will always take place on the 1st day of the week. This is what the Jews were doing there when the Spirit of the Lord filled the house.


The Lord did a miracle by showing tongues of angels translating everything that the speaker was saying to all the people who returned to Jerusalem for the feast. He used fiery cloven tongues to do it. This is like the UN does when it's translating for other national leaders. Let's see who came up for the feast, was it all men or just children of Israel?


⁵And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.


It was only Jews, devout Jews that were in coming up out of every nation on the earth to keep the high Sabbath and feast to the Lord.


⁷And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? This let's us know that they were all Jews; because when the speaker spoke, the men said aren't these men from Galilee, how is it we can here them in our language. If they were from other Gentile nations they would have said, aren't these men Jews, how is it we can hear them speak in our Russian language?


The Lord's Sabbath days and festivals were and are something that Christians think are only for Jews and not for them. But they are the Lord's and should be kept by all people. Since the children of Israel were scattered into all countries; all the people who returned for this feast came from many different nations as mentioned.


¹⁴But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:


And Peter addressed the men of Judaea; not the men of Judaea and Gentiles and Ham; just the men of Judaea who were keeping the commandment of God to keep His feast at their appointed times.


Peter tells them that Jesus Christ, who they killed by wicked intentions was a man approved by God. God did raise Him up from the dead, He is let His Spirit down on them with this sign and wonder.


⁴⁰And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.


When they heard that the Lord had made Jesus Christ both Lord and Christ, many of the men were remorseful and scared. Peter advised and warned them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins in order to receive the Holy Ghost. Then Peter tells us to save ourselves from this horrible generation; this is to say our salvation is in our own hands by our faith and behavior or works.


⁴¹Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
⁴⁷Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Acts 3

¹Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
⁶Then 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.


Peter heals a crippled beggar in the name of Jesus Christ, and the man rose and walked into the temple along with Peter and John.


The people came amazed and that is when Peter let's them know not to be amazed at their God. ¹³The 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.
Peter went on to tell them that Jesus is the one Moses wrote about and not only Moses; all the prophets.


²²For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
²³And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
²⁴Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.


Jesus is the prophet that if you don't listen to Him, it will be required and you will be destroyed.

Acts 4

¹And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
²Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
³And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day: for it was now eventide.


They were not going to be able to speak freely about Jesus without persecution from the men who put Jesus up to being killed. They came in and put them in jail for preaching about Jesus. However, about 5,000 men that heard Peter speak believed.


The Pharisees proceed to question Peter, and Peter spoke as the Holy Spirit guided him. ¹¹This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.


¹²Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.


The Pharisees let them go on the condition of verse 18; but they were full of knowledge and zeal and ask the elders should we listen to you or to God? The Pharisees let them go and the people praised the Lord and quoted the prophet David.


²⁵Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?
²⁶The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
²⁷For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
³⁶And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
³⁷Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.


Here we see a Levite named Barnabas, selling his land and bringing the money to the apostles' feet. Levites were suppose to receive the tithes, but the Levite priesthood was stopped at the death of Jesus Christ. Now we no longer have to go to a priest that is a man and ask for forgiveness; but we can go right to the Lord Jesus, who is our High Priest.

Acts 5

¹But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
²And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.


Here a man named Ananias and his wife were selling their land and donating the money to the ministry of God; and they attempted to keep some of the money they vowed back. A vow to the Lord is a vow you must keep; and the Lord had them both killed for lying on a vow (v3-10).


¹⁴And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) We still have not heard of Paul who became an apostle to the Gentiles. The church is growing in multitudes and we still have no Paul.
They were healing people and doing the works that Jesus had done that people wanted to just walk by the shadow of Peter to be healed. This angered the Pharisees and the put the apostles in a common prison.


¹⁹But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, ²⁰Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.


And they went and the Pharisees came to see about what to do to them when they found that the apostles were back out teaching. This time they went and took them peacefully so they are not stoned and anger the people because the people loved the apostles. The Apostles let them know we have to obey God rather than man; plus you all killed Him now He is alive and we are going to teach Him till we die. This really angered the pharisees to the point they were going to kill them; but then someone spoke up.


Gamaliel spoke up saying many sects have rose and fell; so don't worry about these guys. If it is from the Lord it will prosper no matter what you do; if it is not it will become nothing like anything else out here that is not from God. However, do not find yourself happily fighting against God. That is good advice today, not to fight against something that is moving in truth; because it may be directly from the Lord.


The pharisees listened to Gamaliel, after beating up the Apostles first, and let them go. ⁴¹And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. If this ever happens to you as Jesus said, be very happy because it is written that this would happen.

Acts 6

¹And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.


²Then the twelve 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.



As the church is growing, we have to remember the children of Israel, really Judah, were still in captivity to the Romans and had daily jobs they had to do and this started to bother the Greeks who ruled over them. So they called a man wise in this manner to rule over it.


They chose Stephen to discern over this matter; he was a man who was very skilled in the Word of God. Some elders in Israel came against Stephen and accused him of being blasphemous and attempting to destroy Moses's statues. They brought him in and brought false witnesses in and waited to hear his account.


¹⁵And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.


This finishes our reading for today; we will resume tomorrow.


Peace & Grace