acts 15-18

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Acts 15-18

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Acts 15-16 The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15: 1-21)

Pastoral Letter to the Churches (Acts 15: 22-35)

Pauls Second Journey Begins (Acts 15: 36 -16: 10) Ministry and Imprisonment in Philippi (Acts 16:

11-40)

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The Jerusalem Council...1/2

Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem because

of a dispute concerning circumcision

Peter had this to say: But we believe that we

shall be saved through the grace of the Lord

Jesus, just as they will (Acts 15: 11)

The new circumcision: baptism

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The Jerusalem Council...2/2

James dealt with the practical concerns on

peaceful table fellowship which is abstinence

from:

food offered to idols

sexual immorality

the meat of strangled animals

blood

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Pastoral Letter to the Churches1/1

The decision making process

Authority lay with the apostles

Consensus ofthe whole church was needed

Councils decision was rooted in Gods initiative

and in His saving action toward the Gentiles

Final decision was passed on to the churches as a

decision made in concert with the Holy Spirit

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Pauls 2nd Journey Begins1/2

Purpose of the journey: To visit the fledgling

churches planted on his first journey

Pauls reason for circumcising Timothy:

Tim was not circumcised as his dad could be Greek

His mother was a Jewish believer

To avert the problem of being accused of teaching

Jewish Christians to forsake the Law

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Pauls 2nd Journey Begins2/2

The ruling of the Jerusalem Council did not

automatically unbind Jews from their

traditions.

Paul was prevented from entering Asia and

Bithynia, but was prompted by the Holy Spirit

to visit Macedonia

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Ministry & Imprisonment in Philippi1/2

Paul and Silas was dragged before the local

authorities in Philippi because Paul freed a

slave girl from the evil spirit.

Why are they punished for doing something

good?

The charges brought against them:

Supporting customs unlawful for Romans

Throwing the city into chaos

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Ministry & Imprisonment in Philippi2/2

The verdict on the two: Flogging and

imprisonment

Imprisonment turned to an occasion for Gods

glory:

Midnight earthquake released the two

They decided to witness to the jailer rather than

flee

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Acts 17 Ministry in Thessalonica (Acts 17: 1-9)

Ministry in Beroea (Acts 17: 10-15)

Ministry in Athens (Acts 17: 16-34)

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Ministry in Thessalonica1/3

Pauls approach in presenting the gospel:

He spent 3 weeks at the synagogue

He used the OT to explain and prove that the

Messiah had to suffer, die, and then rise from the

dead.

He presented Jesus as the Christ (Christos is Greek

for the Hebrew word Messiah)

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Some Jews, many devout Greeks and leading

women responded well to his message.

Some of the other Jews got troublemakers to

incite a riot in the city.

The Jews call the Christians these men who

have turned the world upside down (vs 6)

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Charges levelled against the Christians by the

Jews:

Promoting Jesus as a rival to Caesars throne

Treason

Paul used Hebrew Scriptures to argue the

points that they doubtedthe Messiah would

have to suffer and die, and that man Jesus was

the Messiah

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Ministry in Beroea1/2

Differences between reception in Beroea and

Thessalonica:

Beroean Jews eagerly received the word of God

with open hearts and minds

They did not receive it unquestioned but took

time to verify the truth

The Thessalonians were the opposite of theBeroeans, hence only some were persuaded

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Ministry in Beroea2/2

During this period, Paul wrote to the believers

in Thessalonica encouraging them:

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all

circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ

Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)

How do Christians define joy? Is it dependant

upon outside forces?

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Ministry in Athens1/3

Pauls approach in Athens:

He still reasoned in the synagogues

However, he debated with philosophers in the

marketplace

He even made a speech in the Areopagus

He could not use the OT as the Athenians had

Hellenistic inclination He used an altar inscribed to an unknown God

as a starting point

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Response of the Athenians were varied:

Others were intrigued and wanted to hear his

teaching

To some, it was mainly curiosity

Some considered him a babbler

A few responded in faith

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Similarities between the Athenian and todays

world:

Epicurean thought which focuses on pleasure is

very much alive today

Stoic thought which suggests God is present in all

things

Paul countered all these by insisting on apersonal God

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Acts 18 Ministry in Corinth (Acts 18: 1-17)

Return to Antioch (Acts 18: 18-22)

Pauls Third Missionary Journey Begins (Acts18: 23-28)

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Ministry in Corinth1/4

Paul faced great opposition from the Jews inCorinth

He shook out his garments against them and

turned to the Gentiles In the midst of this opposition, Paul gained 2

prominent Jewish converts:

Crispus Sosthenes

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In this passage, we see that the Lord was

personally alive and active in the mission of

the apostles. How?

The Lord appeared to Paul in a dream:

to encourage him to continue his mission

to assure him of his presence

to give added comfort that he has many people

in this city (vs 11)

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Later, Paul would send comfort to the

Corinthians while in Macedonia. Why?

God comforted Paul in his sufferings

Paul was equipped to pass that comfort on

Before long, the Jews made a united attack

upon Paul and brought him before the

proconsul.

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The Lord promised Paul that I am with you,

and no man shall attack you to harm you.

Hence, the Jews united attack against Paul

came to nothing.

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Return to Antioch Paul was committed to Judaism as seen in his

2 actions before he went to Antioch:

Paul stopped off at Cenchrae to cut his hair

Paul took time to go up and greet the church

before going down to Antioch

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Pauls 3rd Missionary Journey Begins

Paul set out once again from Antioch on his 3rd

missionary journey

Priscilla and Aquila continued their ministry in

Ephesus, and took a man named Apollos

under their wing.

There were divisions in the church at Corinth:

some for Paul; some for Apollos; some for

Cephas. How did Paul address this problem?

acts 15-18

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