Download - 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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Ministry in Thessalonica2/3
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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Ministry in Thessalonica3/3
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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Ministry in Athens2/3
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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Ministry in Athens3/3
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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Ministry in Corinth2/4
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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Ministry in Corinth3/4
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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Ministry in Corinth4/4
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?