ACTS and the Letters of the New Testament

1
ACTS and the Letters of the New Testament
2
ACTS 18
3
ACTS A Book of Transition
OLD TESTAMENT (MOSAIC LAW CODE)
NEW TESTAMENT (THE NEW COVENANT)
ACTS
4
TRANSITIONS IN THEBOOK OF ACTS

• (1) ISRAEL to THE CHURCH
• The CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST is now doing Gods
  work in the world.
• The Church is not the new Israelthey are
  different entities internally and externally.
• Terms are not used interchangeably.
• (2) FOCUS ON JEW to FOCUS ON GENTILES
• Gods purposes always included Gentile salvation.
  But in the Church, the Jew is not the
  focusmainly gentiles.
• (3) NEW/UNIQUE PRESENCE OF THE SPIRIT.
• Important differences in the Spirits ministry in
  the Church. (John 7, 14, 16)
• (4) DISPENSATION OF LAW TO DISPENATION OF THE
  CHURCH.
• A new rule of life for the church.
• Mosaic Law was designed to be temporary set
  aside.

5
INTRODUCTION TO ACTS - 11-24

• THE 40 DAYS OF MINISTRY
• Gave multiple proofs of the fact of Christs
  bodily resurrection, which is the basis of the
  faith (1 Cor. 15).
• Taught the Apostles truths that they could not
  understand before the crucifixion and
  resurrection events.
• CHRISTS ASCENSION TO HEAVEN, 16-11
• Jesus does not deny a coming Messianic kingdom,
  but focuses on their task.
• THE APOSTLES TIME OF WAITING, 112-26
• THE COMING OF THE SPIRIT, 21-4

6
THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

• DAY OF PENTECOST
• (Acts 2)

Christ is now made HEAD of the Church, His body
CHRIST
S P I R I T
Church Body of Christ
Believers will now be baptized by the Spirit.
7
(No Transcript)
8
THE WITNESS AT PENTECOST 25-47

• 25-13 Jews (many OT saints) from all over
  the world at Pentecost amazed that they heard
  their own dialects being spoken by Galileans.
• 214-21 Peters message addressed to everyone
  (222) but particular attention is given to those
  from Judea (214) who were confused about the
  tongues.
• 222-39 Key idea Jesus whom you crucified is
  both Lord and Christ as is evidenced by His
  miracles and His resurrection.
• 240-47 3,000 respond. Church now in existence
  and meeting for instruction, fellowship, worship,
  prayer and ministry.

9
JOHN 1023 ACTS 311 512
10
(No Transcript)
11
THE WITNESS IN JERUSALEM, JUDEA SAMARIA 31-

• 3 4 PETER JOHN IN JERUSALEM
• 5-8 THE APOSTLES (and Stephen) IN JERUSALEM
• 8-12 THE WITNESS IN JUDEA SAMARIA Peter,
  Philip Saul/Paul.
• THE KEY EVENT IS THE SHOCKING CONVERSION OF RABBI
  SAUL OF TARSUS.

12
THE MINISTRY OF PHILIP
Blank 8
CAESAREA
SEBASTE (Samaria)
Blank 8
Blank 8
Blank 8
Blank 8
Blank 8
AZOTUS
JERUSALEM
Desert Gaza
13
Blank 9
THE CONVERSION and EARLY DAYS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL
DAMASCUS
THE TIME IN ARABIA IS NOT MENTIONED IN ACTS. IT
IS FOUND IN GAL.117-18. Between Acts 919a and b.
JERUSALEM
Paul would spend 15 days in Jerusalem
with Peter and then have to flee to Tarsus. Gal.
1
ARABIA???
14
PETERS MINISTRY
CAESAREA - Cornelius
JOPPADorcas
LYDDA - Aeneas
JERUSALEM
15
THE WITNESS OF PETER932-1118

• THE WITNESS IN JERUSALEM.
• Peter had to defend to the Jewish believers his
  ministry to gentiles.
• Key to his defense 1114-15.

ONE BODY OF CHRIST
SAMARITAN CHURCH
GENTILE CHURCH
JEWISH CHURCH
16
THE WITNESS OF THE CHURCH1119-1225

• The Church is now entering a new phase in its
  evangelism.
• ANTIOCH of SYRIA now becomes a strong and
  significant church.
• This gentile evangelism had begun with Cornelius.
  It was not a project of the Jerusalem church.
• The need for Apostolic oversight.

17
THE BOOK OF JAMESSome Basic Facts

• James is writing to believers.
• These are Jewish believers who have fled the
  persecutions that had taken place in Judea.
• He is writing to encourage them to be doers of
  the Word and that their faith in Christ will be
  productive and valuable.
• He is writing to encourage them to avoid the
  various sins that make their faith unfruitful.

18
THE BOOK OF JAMESTHE RECIPIENTS OF THE EPISTLE

• The people receiving this letter were believers
  in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• There is no indication that James questioned
  their faith in Christ.
• They are genuine, not professed believers.
• Called brethren some 20 times. This is the
  common term for a Christian. Cf. Acts 930
  1023.
• They had been born by God. (118)
• Their faith was in the glorious Lord Jesus.
• Nowhere does James express doubt in the
  genuineness of their faith (even 214-26).

19
THE BOOK OF JAMES

• Some Key Words in James 1
• What is a TRIAL?
• From God? Satan? Internal? External?
• What is a TEMPTATION?
• Where do they come from? Different from trials?
• What is WISDOM?
• Do Christians have it automatically? How is
  obtained? By prayer?
• What is FAITH?
• How do you get faith? How do you increase faith?

20
THE BOOK OF JAMES
TRIALS
TEMP
T E M P
ENDURANCE COMPLETENESS MATURITY
REWARD
PASS THE TEST
LUST (wrong desires)
SIN
DEATH
21
STEPS IN BECOMING A DOER OF THE WORD

2 TIM. 2 PROV. 2
JAM. 1 PHIL.3
PERSONAL STUDY/READING BIBLE STUDIES SEMINARS,
CLASSES SERMONS, TAPES T.V./RADIO/VIDEOS TALKING
W/ BELIEVERS
1 BEING EXPOSED TO THE TRUTH OF GOD
2 C0MING TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH OF GOD
3 APPLYING THE TRUTH OF GOD
THE IGNORANCE GAP
THE DELUSION GAP
DOER
IN JAMES, THE DOER OF THE WORD IS THE BELIEVER
WHO IS APPROPRIATING THE TRUTH AND IS CONTINUALLY
WORKING TOWARDS STAGE 3.