Introduction to the Gospel of St. Luke
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
The Early Christian Church
The African Presence in the Bible T uBlack History Month uTonight’s Topic u“Early Christian Church” The Purpose of Tonight’s Lesson u Dispel the myths that we were introduce to Christianity through slavery. u As well as rebuke the false claim that Christianity is a “White’s Man Religion” u There are a significant number of educated blacks who believe these untruth. u So, tonight, we will search the scriptures for truth. The Sources for Tonight’s Lesson are: Let’s Get Started u When did the Christian Church Begin or When Did It Start? u How did the Christian Church Start? u Where in the bible does it tell us about the beginning of the Christian Church? Acts Chapter 2 (1-47) u And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. In the Jewish calendar, the Feast of Weeks, or the Day of Pentecost, is fifty days after the Passover. It was on the Day of Pentecost after Jesus' death and resurrection when the Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus' followers that the church began Acts 2 (2-5) u 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. u 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. u 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. -
LUKE 2:25-38 Jesus Is the Promised Messiah
Session 4 Anticipated Jesus is the promised Messiah. LUKE 2:25-38 04 36 EXPLORE THE BIBLE © 2020 LifeWay Christian Resources What do you anticipate most during the Christmas season? Does it usually fulfill your expectation or leave you wanting? This time of year is filled with anticipation. We might have expectations for receiving a particular gift, for the people we will see, or the activities in which we will participate. No doubt, some of the things we have anticipated meet our expectations and some do not. In today’s lesson, the anticipation of the Messiah did not disappoint two people who had waited for His birth. UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT Prophecy had a rich tradition in Old and prophets that God built His church Testament times. Moses spoke prophetically (Eph. 2:20). The activity of the prophets to the people of God, and messianic in the early church included predicting expectations included a Messiah who would events (Acts 11:28; 20:23; 27:22-26) be a prophet like Moses (Deut. 34:10). and announcing judgments (Acts 13:11; Prophets like Deborah (Judg. 4:6-7) and 28:25-28). These prophetic insights were Samuel (1 Sam. 3:20; 7:6,15) helped conquer not to glorify the prophet but to result and settle the land of Israel. Prophets such in missionary efforts (Acts 13:1-3). as Elijah and Elisha guided the kings by Prophecy was not to be blindly accepted giving both welcome and unwelcome advice but evaluated by the church (1 Cor. 14:29; to them. Prophets continued to deliver God’s 1 Thess. -
Acts 13:1–13)
Acts 13-28b 8/19/96 2:04 PM Page 1 The Character of an Effective Church 1 (Acts 13:1–13) Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. And while they were min- istering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. And when they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews; and they also had John as their helper. And when they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelli- gence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for thus his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the pro- consul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze upon him, and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the 1 Acts 13-28b 8/19/96 2:04 PM Page 2 13:1–13 ACTS devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand. -
Theophilus Long
!1 “They’re Real People!” By Pastor Jim Ayars 6 January 2018 Luke 1:1-4 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. [ESV] “They’re Real People!” If it were not for Luke’s dedication of his two-volume historical record to him, we would never know of a man named Theophilus. Luke mentions him twice, first in the preface to his first book, now called the Gospel According to Luke, and second, in the opening lines of his second book, now called The Acts of the Apostles. In his dedication of the second volume, Luke wrote: “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” [Acts 1:1-3 ESV] Who was he? Most scholars have no clue. As early as the beginning of the third century, Origen, an early Christian commentator and theologian from Alexandria, Egypt, who lived from 184/185 – 253/254, suggested that the name Theophilus is really a metaphor for all believers. -
Authorship of Acts
AUTHORSHIP OF ACTS Like all Scripture, the book of Acts was inspired by the Holy Spirit. But its divine inspiration should not lead us to diminish our attention to its human authors. The Holy Spirit kept the original writings of Scripture free from error, but he still employed the personalities, backgrounds and intentions of its human writers. Acts has traditionally been attributed to Luke, the author of the third gospel. But neither the third gospel nor the book of Acts specifically mentions the name of the author. So, we should look at the reasons for affirming the traditional view of Luke's authorship. We will explore the authorship of Acts from three perspectives. First, we will compare Acts with the Gospel of Luke. Second, we will examine early church history and its witness concerning Luke's authorship. And third, we will look briefly at other aspects of the New Testament that indicate that Luke wrote these books. Let's turn first to what we can learn about the authorship of Acts from the Gospel of Luke. Gospel of Luke When we compare the book of Acts with the third gospel, two types of evidence emerge that strongly suggest one person wrote both books. On the one hand, there is explicit information stated directly in both books that points in this direction. On the other hand, there is also implicit evidence from the style and content of these books. Let's begin with the explicit evidence that indicates a common author for both books. Explicit In Acts 1:1, the prologue of the book of Acts, we read these words: In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach (Acts 1:1). -
FROM PENTECOST to PRISON Or the Acts of the Apostles
FROM PENTECOST TO PRISON or The Acts of the Apostles Charles H. Welch 2 FROM PENTECOST TO PRISON or The Acts of the Apostles by Charles H. Welch Author of Dispensational Truth The Apostle of the Reconciliation The Testimony of the Lord's Prisoner Parable, Miracle, and Sign The Form of Sound Words Just and the Justifier In Heavenly Places etc. THE BEREAN PUBLISHING TRUST 52A WILSON STREET LONDON EC2A 2ER First published as a series of 59 articles in The Berean Expositor Vols. 24 to 33 (1934 to 1945) Published as a book 1956 Reset and reprinted 1996 ISBN 0 85156 173 X Ó THE BEREAN PUBLISHING TRUST 3 Received Text (Textus Receptus) This is the Greek New Testament from which the Authorized Version of the Bible was prepared. Comments in this work on The Acts of the Apostles are made with this version in mind. CONTENTS Chapter Page 1 THE BOOK AS A WHOLE............................................................... 6 2 THE FORMER TREATISE The Gentile in the Gospel of Luke ........................................ 8 3 LUKE 24 AND ACTS 1:1-14........................................................ 12 4 RESTORATION The Lord’s own teaching concerning the restoration of the kingdom to Israel .......................................................... 16 The question of Acts 1:6. Was it right?............................... 19 The O.T. teaching concerning the restoration of the kingdom to Israel .......................................................... 19 5 THE HOPE OF THE ACTS AND EPISTLES OF THE PERIOD................ 20 Further teaching concerning the hope of Israel in Acts 1:6-14............................................................... 22 6 THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE ACTS AND ITS WITNESS Jerusalem - Antioch - Rome................................................ 26 7 RESTORATION, RECONCILIATION, REJECTION The three R’s..................................................................... -
2020 Yale Bible Study-Acts-Intro.Pages
Yale BIBLE STUDY The Acts of the Apostles Introduction The Book of Acts is the second volume of a two-volume work. The first volume is the Gospel According to Luke and the second volume is the Acts of the Apostles. The arrangement of our Bibles confuses the close relationship between these two works by separating them with the Gospel of John. Almost certainly the first readers of Acts would have read our book or heard it as the immediate sequel to Luke’s Gospel. Traditionally both volumes have been attributed to Luke and Luke has been identified as a physician and as Paul’s travel companion (see Philemon 24, Colossians 4:14 and 2 Timothy 4:11). The identification of Luke as the author of the Gospel and of Acts is later than the earliest versions of the writings themselves, but in these studies, we will refer to the author as “Luke” without trying to make a judgment about whether he was the Luke who is mentioned both in Acts and in the New Testament epistles. What we can tell about out author is that he is self-consciously a historian. Each of our four biblical gospels is written for particular purposes, but it is Luke who most clearly states the purpose of his two volume work in the prefaces he writes – Luke 1:1-4 and Acts 1:1-5. In the prologue to Acts, Luke states clearly that this is the second volume of his work. Both prefaces are addressed to Theophilus. Theophilus may have been Luke’s patron – the one who invited him to write the two volumes. -
Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 – 14 Overview: Paul and Barnabas
Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 – 14 Overview: Paul and Barnabas begin their first missionary journey (13:4-12). Paul arrives at Antioch in Pisidia (13:13-15) and addresses the synagogue (13:16-43) and the Gentiles (13:44-52). Paul and Barnabas go to Iconium (14:1-7) and then to Lystra (14:8-20) and return to home (14:21-28). First Missionary Journey: 13:1 – 12 • Prophets/teachers: Two ecclesial ministries often listed by Paul (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:28) • Worshipping/fasting: Provide an opening to listening to the Holy Spirit and receive direction • Lay hands: Expresses the community’s setting apart for God’s mission (Kurz, 203). Correct Order Incorrect Order Worship/fasting – flows into mission Plan mission – ask God to bless our plans • Seleucia: Named after the Hellenistic dynasty that ruled northern part of Greek empire • John (Mark): Holy Spirit called Saul and Barnabas, but they also brought John Mark • Note: Mark will abandon mission and go to Jerusalem; Barnabas is from Cyprus (Acts 4:36) • Bar-Jesus: “Son of Jesus”; he was a Jew, magician, and false prophet (Kurz, 206) • Sergius Paulus: Gentile who desires to hear God’s word; from Pisidia Antioch in Asia Minor • Opposed them: Those who reject the gospel throw up roadblocks to its expansion • Key: Just as Satan opposed Jesus from the beginning, so Elymas opposed Paul at beginning • Paul: Luke switches from Saul (Jewish name) to Paul (Roman name) for the first time • Twisting: Son of the devil twists the straight paths of the Lord (Is. -
GOD's PROMISE FULFILLED in JESUS Acts 13:13-43
GOD’S PROMISE FULFILLED IN JESUS Acts 13:13-43 SERMON NOTES FOR LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION INTRODUCTION This is the first complete sermon that we see Paul preaching the book of Acts. Luke has told us of his preaching in the synagogues, but this is the first sermon that we can examine in full. We see that Paul preaches the same message that we have already seen Peter preach in Acts. He mentions three figures prominently: David, John the Baptist and Jesus. God makes promises to David which are ultimately fulfilled in Jesus. John serves as the messenger who alerts Israel to the arrival and ministry of Jesus. Paul is tying the story of Scripture together for the Jewish and Gentile audiences who are listening to him. In doing so he is preaching the same message that Peter preached, which is the same message that Jesus preached. Too often we got lost in the details of the OT stories and we forget to see how they are pointing toward Jesus. This sermon is a short summary of that overview of Scripture. God made promised to David. He fulfilled those promises in Jesus. There is no one else coming who will fulfill them. Jesus is the fulfillment of every promise God has made. I. JOHN MARK ABANDONS SHIP – 13:13-14 Paul and his companions departed from Paphos – 13:13 Luke shows us that there has been a definite change in the leadership of this missionary team. It is no longer “Barnabas and Saul” but is now “Paul and his companions.” In this verse Barnabas is not even listed by name. -
We Are Theophilus
March 2/3 WE ARE THEOPHILUS John Fuller, Senior Pastor INTRODUCTION This week, Pastor John begins our seven-week series Luke: The Gospel for the Rest of Us. He explains that in writing to Theophilus, Luke set out to write to the “average” person; hence the sermon title “We are Theophilus.” In the first three chapters of his comprehensive Gospel, Luke fills in the blanks regarding some areas of uncertainty about Jesus. To quote Pastor John, “So it was thought… but with God, there’s always more than we thought.” DISCUSSION 1. Read Luke 1:3-4 aloud. As Pastor John stated, “It’s easy to believe a few things about God without really believing God.” Discuss why it’s problematic to have some information about God without more complete knowledge and certainty. 2. Pastor John used passages from chapters 1-3 to help illustrate that life is not random. Discuss how Luke’s accounts of the following help teach us about God’s purposefulness: Zechariah & Elizabeth Mary & Joseph The Roman Census Prophecy about John the Baptist Jesus’s Genealogy 3. God chooses to use unexpected, ordinary people for His glory. Who are some of the characters in the first three chapters of Luke who help to illustrate this truth about God? In what ways does this bring encouragement to you in your walk with the Lord? Share with the group. 4. Heaven is not “earned” by anyone. Rather, it is for everyone who loves Jesus and surrenders their lives to Him. Read Ephesians 2:8-10 aloud. Discuss how this passage should influence us as a church community as well as individually. -
Use the Family Content on the Activity Page to Summarize the Bible Story, Learn the Big Picture Question and Answer, and to Guid
Preschool Activity Pages Unit 19 • Session 4 What Does Not Belong? Jesus Was Dedicated INSTRUCTIONS: Circle the ten things that do not belong in the picture. BIBLE STORY SUMMARY: • Mary and Joseph took Baby Jesus to the temple. • Simeon thanked God for keeping His promise to Simeon to let him see the Messiah. • Anna the prophetess told other people that the Savior had come. • Simeon and Anna worshiped Jesus. KEY PASSAGE: John 1:1 BIG PICTURE QUESTION: • Is Jesus God or a human? Jesus is both fully God and fully human. FAMILY DISCUSSION STARTERS: • How did God keep the promise He made to Simeon? • Why do you think Simeon said being Jesus’ mother would be good but hard for Mary? • What did Simeon and Anna do that we get to do now? Use the family FAMILY ACTIVITY: • If any of your children were dedicated before your congregation, tell them about the experience. content on the Show pictures and explain the purpose of the dedication. Talk about how Jesus’ dedication was diff erent because He is God’s Son. Activity Page to DOWNLOAD the LIFEWAY KIDS APP summarize the 9 Bible story, learn the Big Picture Question and Answer, and to Younger Kids Activity Pages Unit 19 • Session 4 Waiting for Whom? Jesus Was Dedicated guide a family INSTRUCTIONS: Find the color-coded, hidden letters and unscramble them to learn whom Simeon and Anna waited for. BIBLE STORY SUMMARY: • Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the discussion. temple as a baby to obey God’s law. • Simeon and Anna waited a long time to meet the Messiah. -
Implications of the Kingdom in Acts 3:19–21
MSJ 26/1 (Spring 2015) 75–93 IMPLICATIONS OF THE KINGDOM IN ACTS 3:19–21 Peter Goeman Ph.D. Candidate The Master’s Seminary The Messianic Kingdom is a subject which is given great importance in Scrip- ture. Different theological systems debate the current status of this kingdom and its relationship to Israel. A neglected passage in this discussion is Acts 3:19–21. In or- der for a theological system to be accurate, it must incorporate Acts 3:19–21. This passage teaches that the Messiah’s kingdom is not present at this time, and awaits the future repentance of the nation of Israel, at which time Israel will turn to the Messiah and He will return to establish the kingdom. ***** Introduction Acts 3:19–21 appears to teach that the end time events of the Messiah’s Second Coming and the establishment of His kingdom are in some way related to the national repentance and forgiveness of Israel. In addition, the context of Acts 3:19–21 seems to indicate that the promised kingdom will not come until that time. This understand- ing of Acts 3:19–21 also appears to match the expectations of both the Old Testament and non-canonical Jewish literature. This article will begin by addressing Acts 3:19–21, examining its meaning in context. Then, the proposed interpretation of Acts 3:19–21 will be compared with the teaching of the Old Testament, as well as the common Jewish expectation of Peter’s day. Finally, this article will offer a reason for Luke’s authorial strategy in placing Acts 3:19–21 within the broad flow of Luke-Acts.