A Study in the Book of Acts

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A Study in the Book of Acts
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The Dilemma
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The Power Struggle
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• Acts 412 - Salvation is found in no one else,
  for there is no other name under heaven given to
  men by which we must be saved."

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• We bear
• an exclusive message

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• Acts 418-20 - commanded them not to speak or
  teach at all in the name of Jesus.

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• 19 But Peter and John replied, "Judge for
  yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to
  obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help
  speaking about what we have seen and heard."

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• 21 After further threats they let them go.

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• 23 On their release, Peter and John went back to
  their own people and reported all that the chief
  priests and elders had said to them.

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One Powerful Prayer

• 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices
  together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they
  said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the
  sea, and everything in them.

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One Powerful Prayer

• 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth
  of your servant, our father David
• "'Why do the nations rage
• and the peoples plot in vain?
• 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and
  the rulers gather together against the LORD
• and against his Anointed One.'

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One Powerful Prayer

• 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together
  with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in
  this city to conspire against your holy servant
  Jesus, whom you anointed.

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One Powerful Prayer

• 28 They did what your power and will had decided
  beforehand should happen.

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Sovereign Lord
A Ruler With Absolute Power
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• Luke 2 - 29 "Sovereign Lord, as you have
  promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.
  30 For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31 which
  you have prepared in the sight of all people, 22
  a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for
  glory to your people Israel."

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• Revelation 610 They called out in a loud
  voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true,
  until you judge the inhabitants of the earth

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• Verse 24 - "you made the heaven and the earth and
  the sea, and everything in them.

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Benjamin Franklinlin
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• Verse 24 - "you made the heaven and the earth and
  the sea, and everything in them.

The Point nothing and no one is greater than
the creator
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• 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth
  of your servant, our father David
• "'Why do the nations rage
• and the peoples plot in vain?
• 26 The kings of the earth take their stand and
  the rulers gather together against the LORD
• and against his Anointed One.'

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• 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together
  with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in
  this city to conspire against your holy servant
  Jesus, whom you anointed.

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• you knew that people would rebel against the
  Messiah

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• The Point even though evil can appear to be
  strong, no one or nothing can frustrate the Lord

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• Verse 28 They did what your power and will had
  decided beforehand should happen.
• Even though all who plotted against Jesus were
  wicked, they only did what your power and will
  had decided beforehand should happen

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• The Point even wickedness can be used by God
  for his glory

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God is not a small God.
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He is not a tame lion!
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• The crisis of faith comes when God seems to
  contradict God

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• Job 120-22 - At this, Job got up and tore his
  robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the
  ground in worship 21 and said
• The LORD gave
  
• and the LORD has taken away blessed be
  the name of the Lord.

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Blessed Be Your Name

• You give and take away
• You give and take away
• My heart will choose to say
• Lord, blessed be Your name

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Psalm 13

• 1 How long, O LORD ?
• Will you forget me forever? How long will you
  hide your face from me?  
• 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
         and every day have sorrow in my heart?
  How long will my enemy triumph over me?

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• God has given us enough revelation about himself
  
• to make faith credible
• yet left enough out
• to make faith necessary.
• Ravi Zacharias

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Turn Up The Heat

• 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable
  your servants to speak your word with great
  boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and
  perform miraculous signs and wonders through the
  name of your holy servant Jesus."

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• 31 After they prayed, the place where they were
  meeting was shaken. And they were all filled
  with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God
  boldly.