Category Archives: Bible Study

ACTS THE SEQUEL…DON’T MESS WITH JESUS – 45

Bible Study, ,

“Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”

“Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It’s amazing how the thirst for power leads people into strange paths. Some of the Jews in Ephesus, though apparently not believers in Jesus, tried to use the name of Jesus as a magic formula to drive out demons. A family of sons of Sceva, whoever he was, tried this ploy but, unfortunately, it backfired. Instead of gaining a reputation for power, as they had probably hoped, they were thoroughly beaten up and humiliated. 

What they failed to understand was that…

Although the name of Jesus has great power, He works through those who are united in faith and obedience to Him. He gave authority to use His name to those who are convinced that He is Lord. He doesn’t give His power of attorney to just anyone. 

The crux of the matter was…

“One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?”

Jesus’ power is freely available to those who believe in His name…not to those who have no regard for who He is. 

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Can you see the significance of this incident? Paul was ministering in a city that was full of the practices of witchcraft. The evidence of demonic power was everywhere. These Jewish men, who were supposedly exorcising demons, were simply trying to add the name of Jesus to their pool of powers through which they operated. 

What foolishness! What disrespect! What lack of understanding of who Jesus was  in that situation, and still is today!  Jesus is not, and will never be, one of many. He is absolutely, and utterly, and forever, Lord…the supreme authority in heaven and on earth!

Only those who bow to Him as Lord and live under His authority, have the right to use His name and to expect Him to act on His Word. 

These men neither understood nor acted in obedience to His instructions…and they paid dearly for their foolishness. As then, so now, there are many who trifle with the name of Jesus because they have no idea of who He really is. 

I tremble when I hear people using expressions like, “O my God!” or even,” OMG!” as a thoughtless expletive, or speaking of God as “the man upstairs!” with no thought to the utter holiness of the one whose name they invoke so carelessly. And what of words like “holy moly” or worse with no regard to the true meaning of holiness or to whom holiness belongs?

Written in stone are the words…

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The name of the Lord is a treasure we must guard with great care and never…never treat it with anything but reverence and awe. 

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…SIGNS OF THE KINGDOM – 44

Bible Study, ,

“Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.”

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭8-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Since Ephesus was an important city in the Roman province of Asia, and a hub of trade and commerce in Paul’s day…

“Ephesus was a major, strategic city in the New Testament, serving as a hub for early Christianity, a center for Paul’s missionary work, and the recipient of the Pauline epistle, Ephesians. Paul spent over two years there (Acts 19), and it is associated with the ministry of Timothy and the Apostle John, who is believed to have lived there later in life…”

(Source: Google AI)

Where was Ephesus?

“Ephesus was an ancient Greek city located on the Aegean coast of Ionia, in modern-day western Turkey, near the modern town of Selçuk in the Izmir Province. Situated at the mouth of the Cayster River, it was a major Roman port and trade hub, though the ruins are now located inland due to geological changes and silting…” (Source: Google AI)

…Ephesus also became an important centre of the church in Asia. The gospel message spread from Ephesus throughout the province of Asia as believers, both Jews and Greeks, moved around in the province. 

Now let’s zero in on another important factor in Paul’s ministry in the pagan world. Paul was given power to do extraordinary miracles in Ephesus.  What was the significance of these “signs and wonders” that accompanied both Peter and Paul’s ministries, and why is it important for us to understand this phenomenon in today’s church life?

First…

Jesus told His opponents, the Pharisees, that the purpose of His miracles was signs that God’s kingdom had come in power as He had declared. 

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The apostle John, in his gospel,  specifically called Jesus’ miracles “signs”. Signs pointing to what? The presence of the kingdom of God! Every time Jesus did a miracle, He was revealing His power over the demonic realm…and the nature of God’s rule on earth. There would be restoration, healing, wholeness…no more sickness, demons, pain, death…in God’s realm. Jesus came to usher in that kingdom, in part now…and completely when He returns. 

Second…

…those who believe will have a part in the demonstration that God’s kingdom is here. Miracles are not just for the benefit of those who receive them. Miracles are still signs. They still point to the reality of Jesus’ reign on earth. 

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭

Third…

Both Peter and Paul’s preaching…Peter to the Jews and Paul to both Jews and Gentiles…was accompanied by unusual and spectacular miracles…

Peter in Jerusalem…

“Nevertheless, more and more men and women believe in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭5‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul in Iconium…

“So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭14‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…and in Ephesus…

“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭19‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Fourth…

Paul explained the role of these unusual signs…they authenticated the ministry of the apostles. 

“I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬

…and the message they preached….

“I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So we see, according to Scripture, that signs and wonders are not for  spiritual entertainment…as Herod thought…

“When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Signs and wonders are specifically tied to the message and demonstration of the kingdom. They are signs that God reigns. They are evidence that He is restoring what sin has destroyed. They are a foretaste of what life in His eternal realm will be like. 

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let us not be deceived by the many current ways of teaching and preaching. “Come and get your healing” is the draw card to great healing campaigns. What about healing and miracles being the evidence that God rules and that Jesus is Lord and supreme authority over all things and over our lives? 

So, the Holy Spirit and Paul were in partnership to propagate and establish God’s kingdom by the power of the Word, to give new life to those who believed and to heal those who were physically broken, as a sign and demonstration that God’s reign was present and real. 

Should this not be the real motive and practice of those who preach the message of the kingdom today?

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…THE HOLY SPIRIT FALLS AGAIN- 43

Bible Study, ,

“While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.”

It seems, then, that John’s baptism was a temporary ritual pointing to the ministry of Jesus.

“Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Now here is an interesting and significant interlude! This titbit of information…a seemingly by-the -way injection into the story…is actually an important part of the narrative of the Holy Spirit’s appearance and work in believers on earth. 

When John the Baptist was introducing Jesus to His people as their promised Messiah, an identifying part of Jesus’ ministry would be that He would baptise those who believed in Him with the Holy Spirit. 

“I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus gave us an ordinance that moved on from John’s baptism, which is a once-off, permanent act of identity with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. 

Baptism in water was a public declaration of identity with John’s message of repentance, but baptism with the Holy Spirit would be God’s permanent mark of ownership in the heart of every

believer. 

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

As we have traced the work of the Holy Spirit from the day of Pentecost when He fell on the believers in Jerusalem, it has become clear that the Spirit came on various groups of people outside Jerusalem in a special and visible way when hands were laid on them… the Samaritans…the household of Cornelius, the Roman centurion…the Ephesians in the above incident…as a demonstration that grace was for all people, not only for the Jews. 

Why?

Was God showing believers in different national and cultural groups that the promise of the Spirit was for them as well? He came on each group in a specific manifestation of God’s presence in fulfilment of His word. 

Does this mean that every new believer needs to have hands laid on him/her to be “baptised” in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues as some teach? Let’s see what the Scriptures teach. 

“For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

 When does this happen?

“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

According to Peter, when he clarified the meaning of the coming of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was and is given to every person who believed then and believes now in Jesus as the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise.  He is both the agent who gives people new life…

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬, ‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…which is the work of the Spirit…

…and the new birth, which gives the believer entrance into God’s kingdom…

“Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…who comes to indwell every believer when they are born again…

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own…”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The key issue is not whether the Holy Spirit has come to dwell in us but whether we have “received” Him. 

“Lambano (λαμβάνω) is a Greek verb primarily meaning to take, seize, or receive. The use of this word implies an active, often physical grasping or laying hold of something with the hand, and is frequently used in the New Testament to mean actively receiving or claiming what is offered, rather than passively accepting it.” (Source: SKJV Interlinear Bible) 

This word, “lambano” in Greek, is the word Paul used when he asked the Ephesian believers whether they had “received” the Holy Spirit. The issue was not whether the Holy Spirit had come to live in them but whether they had laid hold of, actively grasped the truth of His presence in them. 

It was by the laying on of hands that the Holy Spirit’s presence became real to them. 

The consistent teaching of the New Testament is that God’s Spirit indwells every believer… but not every believer has laid hold of His presence as a reality and not everyone submits to Him as the Helper, Teacher, and Leader in their lives. 

Romans 8 is the roadmap to living under the presence and authority of the Holy Spirit. 

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires….You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you… And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ…And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you….For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live…For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received (lambano – Greek) does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬, ‭9‬, ‭11‬, ‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The more we acknowledge the Holy Spirit, the more we fellowship with Him, the more we submit to Him and learn to hear His voice and follow His leading…the more we will experience His power in our lives. This is not a magic formula but a way of life that grows as we learn. 

If you keep asking God for the baptism of the Spirit, as I did in my ignorance as a young believer, you are, in fact, contradicting the truth of God’s word. Instead, lay  hold of Him as a real presence already in your life and learn to connect with Him through faith and obedience. 

To be continued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…ENTER APOLLOS – 42

Bible Study, ,

“Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism.”

At this point, Luke introduced yet another player in the story of the early church. Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria in Egypt, relocated from Africa and arrived in Ephesus at the very time when Paul had strategically planted two trusted colleagues in that city. Aquila and Priscilla! Although Apollos was thoroughly versed in the Old Testament Scriptures, he was yet to fill in the gaps from the input of the resident couple. 

“When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.”

So, even more thoroughly equipped, Apollos moved on. He was not needed in Ephesus since there were competent leaders in place there. 

“Apollos had been thinking about going to Achaia, and the brothers and sisters in Ephesus encouraged him to go. They wrote to the believers in Achaia, asking them to welcome him.”

God has His man for the moment…yet another eloquent and capable teacher to move the saints on towards maturity. 

“When he arrived there, he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. He refuted the Jews with powerful arguments in public debate. Using the Scriptures, he explained to them that Jesus was the Messiah.”

‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Thank the Lord for Apollos! Paul could not be everywhere at the same time. God had raised up another man to fill the gap and to secure the believers in Achaia in their most holy faith. 

God has chosen to do His work in partnership with His people. He sets aside one and another to take the lead in nurturing the saints and moulding them into a unit as a witness to His grace and power. 

Apollos’ faithful and accurate interpretation of the Old Testament Scriptures made inroads into the opposition of the radical Jews. It seems that he was able to damp down their fiery antagonism towards the gospel in debate, by his understanding and presentation of Jesus as the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy. 

Is it possible that this Jewish believer, who had a clear understanding of the meaning of the Tanach and its preparation for the coming of Messiah Jesus, was the author of the letter to the Hebrews?

Although there are many who believe that Paul was the author, there are also many differences between Paul’s letters and Hebrews. The descriptions we have of Apollos, however… his understanding, his eloquence, his knowledge of the Tanach…can so easily point to him as the one who wrote this clear interpretation of the types and shadows of the the Torah. 

So, once again, the Holy Spirit had 

planted, strategically, another member of the team who pioneered the work of spreading the gospel to the known world. Each one was called, equipped, and positioned to anchor the churches in truth and to guide the believers towards maturity. 

There was Timothy in Ephesus, together with Priscilla and Aquila and, for a short while, Apollos. There was Titus in Crete…Apollos in Achaia…and other unnamed elders in the churches that had sprung up across the empire. Slowly, surely, under the guidance of the Spirit …and, despite fierce opposition…the kingdom of God was spreading throughout the world of that day. 

To be contnued

ACTS THE SEQUEL…THE LONG WALK HOME – 41

Bible Study, ,

“Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus.”

“When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭18‬:‭18‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul’s journey back to his home church in Antioch was not a quick two or three-hour flight. It was a long, tedious, even dangerous trip over land and by sea, with many stops and interludes to ensure that the fledgling churches were flourishing before he could report back to his home base. 

This was a feature of Paul’s missionary enterprise. He was not a loner. He had an obligation to his people in Antioch to keep in touch…to stay faithful to their confidence in him to do what he was called to do. Set apart as he was by the Lord Himself, he was also commissioned by the church, in obedience to the Holy Spirit, to fulfil that calling. 

It seems, according to Luke’s report, that there was much free movement of people from one place to another. Paul took his compatriots from Corinth…Aquila and Priscilla…with him to Ephesus. For what reason? Perhaps to help and strengthen the people’s faith in the truth which Paul, no doubt, would have built into this couple during his time with them in Corinth. He left them there while he continued on alone, always with one goal in view…to please his Lord, no matter what. 

So, Paul sailed on to Caesarea, then called in on the church in Jerusalem before reaching his final destination…Antioch. This was like taking a detour to London via Paris! This sounds like a day trip…or a week on the road. No so! Many weeks, perhaps even months had passed before he arrived in Antioch.

We have no idea, with our many ways of easy travel, what life was like in Paul’s day. He criss-crossed the Roman Empire on foot, by sailing ship…through every kind of terrain…facing hazards of every kind…sometimes travelling alone…sometimes in a company…many, many times, over thousands of kilometres. He could not call ahead to make a booking at a wayside inn, or even consult a travel agent for assistance. It was what it was!

Would we, whose lives are cushy by comparison, have persevered to the end of life as he did? Would we have pushed through every hardship to obey the Lord Jesus, no matter the cost? Would we have suffered persecution for the sake of the gospel as he did? Would we have faced death at the hands of hostile Jews or the Roman government rather than  deny our Lord as he did?

For Paul, it was his eye in the goal that kept him steadfast and immovable. Circumstances were not part of the mix. Grace gave him strength for every challenge as long as he kept going towards his appointed end. His weaknesses were not an issue…they were a qualification for supernatural power to endure and to overcome. 

How flabby, by comparison, are many of the people today who claim allegiance to Jesus. We give up…even turn on God at the slightest provocation…walk away when we don’t get what we want…sulk when we suffer…demand, advise, instruct when we pray. We question His love…doubt His goodness…mistrust His promises…all because we are insecure in our position in Him. Is this the calling of the Lord…the way of the kingdom?

When we confess Jesus as Lord, we surrender ourselves to His supreme authority, no matter what!

  1. “Am I a soldier of the Cross—

  A follower of the Lamb?

And shall I fear to own His cause,

  Or blush to speak His name? 

In the name, the precious name,

  Of Him who died for me,

Through grace I’ll win the promised crown,

    Whate’er my cross may be.

  1. Must I be carried to the skies

  On flowery beds of ease,

While others fought to win the prize

  And sailed through bloody seas?

  1. Are there no foes for me to face?

  Must I not stem the flood?

Is this vile world a friend to grace,

  To help me on to God?

  1. Since I must fight if I would reign,

  Increase my courage, Lord!

I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,

  Supported by Thy Word.”

(Isaac Watts – source… hymnal.net)

To be continued