Family Bible Church weekly message

* History can be aptly broken into "His Story." It is the account of what God has done in the world and amongst the nations. As we have been studying the book which is titled "The Acts of the Apostles" we can as well state that it could be more aptly called, "The Acts of God." Throughout the account written by Luke regarding the beginning of the church, we have seen the power and personal engagement of God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - displayed in wonderful ways both in the lives of individuals, and multitudes, as He has overseen and interceded in affairs at the personal, local, and national levels. * We have seen how Jesus specifically called Saul of Tarsus to stop persecuting His church and to begin promoting His church, and then how He orchestrated Ananias to come and heal Saul - preparing each of them for the moment. Jesus told Ananias, "Go, for he [Saul] is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suf

* Paul had been pressing back to Jerusalem. As he had told the elders of Ephesus along the way, "And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me." (Acts 20:22-23) * Last week, we saw the beginning stages of this prophetic declaration. * Paul was fulfilling a vow to YHWH and submitting to the leadership of the elders of the church at Jerusalem, when he was falsely accused of bringing a Gentile into the temple. He was beaten and would have been killed if the Roman soldiers hadn't come to rescue him. * On the way to the barracks, the commander of the soldiers was told many different stories regarding who Paul was. He was shocked when Paul spoke to him in Greek to request the privilege to speak to the people. When Paul spoke to the people, he spoke to them in Hebrew. The people listened until he explained how Jesus the Messiah had sent him to the Gentiles.

* We have titled this exegetical study of the Book of Acts - "Unveiling the Mystery." That "Mystery" is the church. In our study of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, we saw the proclamation of how God had extended His grace in Christ Jesus to both the Jews and the Gentiles. In Christ, both Jews and Gentiles come to the Father, through the Spirit, as "one new man." Through the sacrificial death of Christ, and His ensuing victory over death, the middle wall of partition - the works of the law - had been removed. This new work was the result of the new covenant - and would be referred to as "the church." * God began "the church" through the original apostles of Christ. We saw how they gathered in prayer waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon them as Jesus had declared. Then 3,000 Jews were saved and added to their number on the day of Pentecost. * When persecution arose, the church scattered from Jerusalem and began to take the good news of redemption in Christ to other regions. God used P

* Paul has been hurrying to get to Jerusalem in time for Pentecost. We are not told why. * Over the past two weeks, we have consider part of Paul's ministry along the journey - with the church in Troas and then his exhortations to the elders of Ephesus. * In today's passage, we get to ponder the situation when two individuals, or groups, believe that they have a “word from the Lord” ... or that the Spirit is “leading them” ... and those beliefs are leading in different directions! What happens when a group within the church feels “led” in a way that different than those who are in authority? * Today, we must ask ourselves - "How do we respond when what we believe is the best solution - which 'clearly is the will of God' - is not that which is followed?" * This message was presented on June 18, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* Two weeks ago, we considered the extent and effect of God's work in Ephesus through Paul. Paul spent more than two years in Ephesus at that time. Last week, we tracked Paul's travels from Ephesus to Macedonia to Greece and then back to Troas, where he spoke to a gathering of the church. * In Acts 20, Paul is at the end of his third missionary journey, and he is hurrying to get to Jerusalem by Pentecost. He sailed from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, took five days to get to Troas, spent seven days in Troas, and thus had at most 31 days left to get to Jerusalem (perhaps less). He chose to avoid going to Ephesus and sailed past it down to Miletus. But Paul sent for the elders in the church at Ephesus in order to speak to them one last time. * Today we look at the rest of what happened in Acts 20, where Paul speaks to the elders from Ephesus. His message to them includes both a testimony of his time in Ephesus - how he lived and ministered to the Ephesians - and a charge to the Ephesian eld

* All Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21). * Why does Luke spend much time on certain portions of Paul's trips and moves quickly through other areas? The final answer ... God wanted us to know those parts and determined that the other parts were not needed for our edification! * Last week, we considered the extent and effect of God's work in Ephesus through Paul. Paul spent at least two years in Ephesus at that time. * Today, we come to another transitional time in Paul's missionary journey ... and yet God chooses to give us a couple of vignettes along Paul's journey back to Jerusalem. We will consider those vignettes and their significance over the next couple of weeks. * Specifically, today we will consider his stop at Troas and the gathering of the church during that occasion. * This message was presented on June 4, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* Last week, we transitioned from Paul's 2nd missionary journey to his third journey. On that trip, he promised those in Ephesus that he would return. * On his first stop in Ephesus, Paul was received well and people begged him to stay. However, wherever the gospel is proclaimed continuously, there will eventually be opposition. That is what discuss today ... the opposition to the Gospel in Ephesus. * The City of Ephesus was the largest city and, commercially, the most prosperous city in the province of Asia. It was easily accessed from sea by Athens, Corinth and Rome, and was the gateway to inland trade routes, making travel easy to any point. Due to silting, the main harbor is now about 10 kms to the west! Pilgrims came from around the world to Ephesus – home of the temple of Artemis (Diana - Roman), one of the seven wonders of the world. * This message was presented on May 28, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* In 2 Timothy 2:1-2 Paul revealed the process of functional discipleship to Timothy: 1 "You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." * In today's passage, we see that philosophy, or process, of discipleship being demonstrated by, and through, Paul himself. * This portion is a transitional passage taking us from Paul's second "missionary journey" into his next cycle of visits to the churches. * Through this passage, we see various individuals - who being part of the discipleship process - grasp the concept of ministry not as a profession but as a lifestyle. * This message was presented on May 21, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* Last week we considered Paul's engagements in the metropolis of Athens - the center of the Grecian philosophical world. While there, Paul could not help but continue to tell people about Jesus. This led to his confrontation with the Stoics and Epicureans at the Areopagus. As a result, we are told, some believed. * Paul continued his travel southward to the city of Corinth - one of the major cities of Greece. * Some of the passages that we have considered during this series have spanned days or weeks. Today we will be considering the highlights which Luke records of the 18 month stay of Paul in this important city which sat at the crossroads of culture. * This message was presented on May 14, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* As we have studied the book of Acts, we have seen how God Sovereignly oversaw the expansion of the church from Jerusalem into Asia Minor (which we refer to today as Eurasia) and then specifically toward the European continent by guiding Paul into Macedonia and then down into the Ionian peninsula - to Thessalonica and Berea - toward the epicenter of the world culture of the day - Athens. * In each place that they have gone, they have met both reception of the message and rejection of the message - some believed, some did not. * Today, as we consider Paul's engagements in the metropolis of Athens we will see how he varied his evangelistic approach - in the presentation of God's redemptive plan - to each of his specific audiences. * This message was presented on May 7, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* In Acts 9, we saw the call and conversion of Saul of Tarsus. In that account, Jesus speaks to the prophet Ananias telling him to go and heal Saul. Ananias balks and Jesus states, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake." * As Paul began his ministry with Barnabas and they traveled proclaiming the gospel to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, Paul began to experience what Christ had proclaimed regarding him. Now, as he is traveling with Silas, Timothy and Luke, his suffering for the name of Jesus has continued. * The primary cause of that suffering is people's response to the gospel message. The good news of God's free gift of salvation from eternal condemnation is not always met with gladness! Rather, as Paul and his companions find out, it is many times with resistance, rejection, and persecution. * Today, we continue to see that pattern in the cities of Thessalonica

* Throughout the book of Acts - we have seen how God has Unveiled His Mystery of the Church. God has sovereignly overseen the expansion of the Church through various means of guidance. * Two weeks ago, we saw how a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas led to the multiplication of this expansion. * Today, we will again see God's direct intervention in the continuance and expansion of His kingdom - via the ministry of Paul. * Many of us are looking for “God's Will” ... His guidance and leading ... today we want to examine the manner in which God guides us and the purpose of that guidance. * This message was presented on April 16, 2023 by Bob Corbin.