Sunday, June 24, 2012

From Acts to Revelation: Part 32 - Peter Delivered


From Acts to Revelation
Part 32 – PETER DELIVERED
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

We have seen in the Book of Acts, the persecution that the early church faced at the hands of the religious leaders, as well as the Roman government.

Today's verses, will show us persecution for persuasion. King Herod Agrippa, grandson of King Herod the great, in order to win the love of the Jews, persecutes and murders the Apostle James.

When he sees how his actions please the Jews, he arrests Peter to have him killed after the Passover.

But God has more planned for Peter, and sends an Angel of the Lord to rescue him.

Today's scripture, should have us look at our own lives and ask the questions;

Have I been “saved” from certain death in my past?

Why has God kept me here?

What is it I am supposed to be doing?


SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Acts 12:1-19 PETER'S ESCAPE FROM PRISON
It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.
Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him.
11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”


I.       KING HEROD WANTS FAVOR WITH THE JEWS
a.      King James Authorized 1611 Error
i.       Acts 12:4 “Easter”

ii.    The Literal translation for this verse says, “Passover”, yet, the Authorized King James version 1611 replaced it with the Pagan holiday Easter.

iii. Easter comes from the Saxon goddess Eostre, who was known by the Saxons as the great Mother Goddess. Easter was named somewhere between 672-735 A.D.

iv.   She is the goddess of spring, and fertility, which is why Easter is littered with eggs and rabbits, which are both symbolic of fertility.


b.     The Persecution of Believer's Continues
i.       King Herod Agrippa was the grandson of King Herod the Great, who was responsible for murdering the babies of Bethlehem.

ii.    He was seeking the Jews approval, to win favor with them, he hunted Christians.


c.      James, the brother of John, was put to death with the sword.
i.       The first Apostle to die (Stephen was one of the first seven Deacons who became a preacher.)

ii.    No successor was ever chosen to take his place among the twelve.
iii. With the exception of Judas, who was replaced by Matthias, no others ever followed any of the twelve in office.

iv.   In other words, there is no such thing as Apostolic Procession.


d.     After killing James, Herod sees that it pleased the Jews, so he arrested Peter.
i.       He planned on killing him after the Passover.

ii.    So he placed Peter in prison.



II.   PETER'S GREAT ESCAPE
a.      This is the third time Peter was put in prison for the Gospel.
i.       Acts 4:3; 5:18-19


b.     He was guarded by 16 soldiers.
i.       vs.4, Easter should have been translated Passover.


c.      Prayer was made without ceasing by the Church for him.
i.       This represents the greatest weapon at the Church's disposal.


d.     vs. 6 implies that Herod had probably announced to everyone of the great Apostle Peter's coming death.
i.       But God had other plans for Peter.



III.   RETURNING TO THE BROTHERS
a.      An Angel of the Lord came.
i.       And a light shined from glory

ii.    The angel woke Peter, and the chains fell from his hands.

iii. He instructed Peter to dress and put on his shoes to follow him.


b.     Peter was in a dream-like state, and did as the angel instructed.
i.       He thought it was a vision, and did not realize it was really happening.


c.      After they left the prison, and traveled about a city block, the angel left Peter
i.       And Peter “snapped” out of his day-dream state. (vs. 11)


d.     Pater states, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”



CONCLUSION
Today's scripture, should have us look at our own lives and ask the questions;

Have I been “saved” from certain death in my past?
Peter was saved by an Angel of the Lord from certain death, because God's will was for him to continue building the church.

Has there been times in your past where you feel you may have been saved by the hand of God from certain death?


Why has God kept me here?
Peter knew that it was God's will for him to continue building the church, and he returned to doing God's will after his miraculous escape from prison.
Do you know what God's will id for you in your life right now?


What is it I am supposed to be doing?
Peter knew his calling in life...do you?

Maybe it's time you start asking the Lord, “What is it I am supposed to be doing for you and your kingdom?”



Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!

Sunday, June 17, 2012

From Acts to Revelation: Part 31 - The Church in Antioch


From Acts to Revelation
Part 31 – THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org



INTRODUCTION
What has happened in Acts so far;

We have seen the ascension of Christ, and the instruction given to the Disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem. Once the Holy Spirit came, the Apostles began to preach the Gospel as Christ had instructed them to do.

The church began to grow, and Jerusalem founded the first church, or body of believers.

Many were coming to the Lord, accepting Jesus as the Christ and Messiah promised in scripture. But the message was only preached to the Jews.

After Stephens death, the followers of Christ fled to Judea and Samaria, taking the Word of God with them, where even more came to the Lord through the message being preached.

Peter, given a message and vision from God, began the process of taking the message to the Gentiles, which he delivered to Cornelius, the first Gentile to accept Jesus Christ, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

After returning to Jerusalem, the Apostles agreed that God wanted the same salvation message they were preaching to the Jews, to also be given to the Gentiles.

Today we see the Gospel message spread throughout Phenice, Cyprus and Antioch, preached to both the Jew and the Gentile.

Is this desire to share the “Good News” of Salvation through Jesus Christ, still alive today in the church today? If so, how has the Holy Spirit led you to share this message?






SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Acts 11:18-26 THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.


I.       THE GOSPEL CONTINUES TO SPREAD
a.      The Word of God begins in Jerusalem
i.       Stephens murder causes God's people to flee Jerusalem

ii.    They run to Samaria and Judea, taking the Word of God with them

iii. We now see them spread the Gospel into surrounding areas

iv.   Phenice (Lebanon), Cyprus and Antioch (a city in Syria)


b.     Until God spoke to Peter, and gave him the vision, the Gospel had only been preached to the Jews.
i.       Now, the gentiles were receiving the message of the Cross!


c.      vs. 20 tells us that the message was being preached to the Greeks (Gentiles)
i.       We also see in vs. 20, that they were preaching the Lord Jesus, not about keeping the Law of Moses.
d.     The Lord was with them (those preaching the Gospel), and many believed.
i.       vs. 21 lets us know that God was pleased with the Gospel being preached to the Gentiles.



II.   THE HOLY-HEADQUARTERS
a.      News of this returned to Jerusalem, where the first Church resided
i.       This was the acting headquarters, where the Apostles worked from


b.     Led by the Holy Spirit, the Apostles sent Barnabas to Antioch


c.      Barnabas witnessed first-hand the conversion of Gentiles (vs. 23)
i.       Barnabas is described in the same manner that Stephen was in Acts 6:5

ii.    vs. 24 “He was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of Faith”
a.      Barnabas, described by the Holy Spirit in scripture!

b.     LIT. “because he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit, and of faith, and a great multitude was added to the Lord.”


d.     Many Gentiles and Jews were coming to Christ
i.       But they needed further instruction for growth!




III.                        SEARCHING FOR SAUL
a.      Led again by the Holy Spirit, Barnabas traveled to seek out Saul
i.       This took place in 43 A.D., about ten years after the crucifixion


b.     Barnabas returned to Antioch with Saul where they taught for one year together
i.       This begins the teaching of the New Covenant as it had been given to Paul by Christ!


c.      It was here, in Antioch, where the disciples of Christ were first called “Christians” by the world
i.       A title which they accepted (Acts 26:28 & I Peter 4:16)



CONCLUSION

Is this desire to share the “Good News” of Salvation through Jesus Christ, still alive today in the church today?
ñ It seems that not many would cross the street to share the Gospel, let alone, travel to a foreign city to give the message.

ñ We need to be listening to what the Holy Spirit has to say to us.

ñ God has a mission for each one of us...doing what God instructs us is “Obedience”

ñ Not doing what God instructs us is “Disobedience”

ñ Where are you right now in your relationship with the Lord? Are you in obedience, or disobedience?

If you are listening, how is the Holy Spirit leading you to share this message?





Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!