Bakersfield First Assembly

ACTS 15 & 16

1. WE FINISH STRONG WHEN WE OVERCOME THE FEAR OF

REJECTION!

Timothy 1:7 “ For God has not given us a spirit of

fear (fear is not God’s plan for your life!), but of power

and of love and of a sound mind” (NKJV)

I Peter 3:13-15 “And who is he who will harm

you if you become followers of what is good? But

even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake.

You are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats,

nor be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your

hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to

everyone who ask you a reason for the hope that is in

you…”

II. WE FINISH STRONG WHEN WE REMAIN CONVINCED IN SPITE

OF THE UNKNOWN

SHOW II TIMOTHY 1:12 (NKJV)

i. “For this reason, I also suffer these things;

nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I

have believed in and am persuaded that he is able to

keep what I have committed to Him until that day.”

Romans 8:38-39 “For I

am persuaded that neither death or life, nor angels,

nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor

things to come (the unknown), nor heights nor depth,

nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate

us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus”.

Romans 8:31-32 asks us…

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for

us, who can be against us? He did not spare his own

Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall He not

with Him also freely give us all things?”

3- WE FINISH STRONG WHEN WE STAY CONNECTED TO “THE

WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE” (JOHN 14:6)

""...Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death,

where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? O

Hades, where is your victory?" The sting of death is sin,

and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God,

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1

Corinthians 15:54b–57).

4-FINISHING STRONG BY LEAVING A GODLY

LEGACY

“…I THE LORD YOUR GOD, AM A JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE

INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN TO THE THIRD

AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THOSE WHO HATE ME, BUT

SHOW MERCY TO THOUSANDS, TO THOSE WHO LOVE ME AND

KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS” (EXODUS 20:5-6 NKJV)

“CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW,

HAVING BECOME A CURSE FOR US (FOR IT IS WRITTEN,

“CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”, THAT THE

BLESSING OF ABRAHAM MIGHT COME UPON THE GENTILES IN

CHRIST JESUS, THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE THE PROMISE OF THE

SPIRIT THROUGH FAITH.” Gal 3:13-14

Bakersfield First Assembly

“… rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the

LORD. Haggai 1:8 NLT

13  Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel

and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees…” 2

Kings 17:13 NLT

17  Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of

orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. Isaiah 1:17 NLT

18  “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I

will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make

them as white as wool. Isaiah 1:18 NLT

…They have been led astray by the same lies that deceived their ancestors.

Amos 2:4 NLT

MERRIAM WEBSTERS

Deception: the act of causing someone to accept as true or valid what is

false or invalid 

What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil,

that dark is light and light is dark... Isaiah 5:20 NLT

“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so

that we do not drift away from it.” Hebrews 2:1 NASB

3  God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.  4  Then each of

you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor 1 Thess. 4:3-4 NLT

24  Therefore God gave them up to vile impurity in the lusts of their hearts, so that

their bodies would be dishonored among them.  25  For they exchanged the truth

of God for falsehood, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the

Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26  For this reason God gave them over

to degrading passions; for their women exchanged natural relations for that

which is contrary to nature,  27  and likewise the men, too, abandoned natural

relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with

males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due

penalty of their error. Romans 1:24-27 NASB

The leaders of Israel are the head, and the lying prophets are the tail. 16  For the

leaders of the people have misled them. They have led them down the path of

destruction. Isaiah 9:16 NLT

This is what the Lord says: “You false prophets are leading my people astray!

Micah 3:5 NLT

  Your prophets have said so many foolish things, false to the core. They did not

save you from exile by pointing out your sins. Instead, they painted false

pictures, filling you with false hope. Lamentations 2:14 NLT

“Stop seeing visions!” They tell the prophets, “Don’t tell us what is right. Tell us

nice things. Tell us lies. Isaiah 30:10 NLT

… “You must not see visions”; And to the prophets, “You must not prophesy the

truth to us. Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions. Isaiah 30:10 NASB

Suppose a prophet full of lies would say to you, “I’ll preach to you the joys of wine

and alcohol!” That’s just the kind of prophet you would like! Micah 2:11 NLT

2  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct,

rebuke, and exhort, with great patience and instruction.  3  For the time will come

when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears

tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their

own desires,  4  and they will turn their ears away from the truth and will turn

aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:2-4 NASB

But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls

herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so

that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to

idols. Revelations 2:20 NASB

“What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my

sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected

to care for,” says the Lord. 11  “Even the priests and prophets are ungodly, wicked

men. I have seen their despicable acts right here in my own Temple,” says

the Lord… 13  “I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil, for they

prophesied in the name of Baal and led my people of Israel into sin. 14  But now I

see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and

love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns

away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and

Gomorrah once were.” Jeremiah 23:14 NLT

15 …it is because of Jerusalem’s prophets that wickedness has filled this land.”

16  This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to his people: “Do not listen to

these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They

are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord! 17  They keep

saying to those who despise my word, ‘Don’t worry! The Lord says you will

have peace!’ And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, they say, ‘No

harm will come your way!’ Jeremiah 23:15-17 NLT

… not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and

flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. Romans 16:18

NASB

18  “Have any of these prophets been in the Lord’s presence to hear what he is

really saying? Has even one of them cared enough to listen?... 22  If they had

stood before me and listened to me, they would have spoken my words, and

they would have turned my people from their evil ways and deeds. Jeremiah

23:18, 22 NLT

27  By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me,

just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal. Jeremiah 23:27 NLT

Israel’s Downfall

1) Neglected the needy in their cities

2) Deception crept in

3) Tolerating false teachers

4) IDOLATRY

18  “Then I warned their children not to follow in their parents’ footsteps, defiling

themselves with their idols. Ezekiel 20:18 NLT (591 BC)

23  For they also built for themselves pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and

Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.  24  There were even

male and female shrine prostitutes throughout the land. The people imitated the

detestable practices of the pagan nations... 1 Kings 14:23-24 NLT

35  They have built pagan shrines to Baal in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, and there

they sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech. I have never commanded

such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing.

What an incredible evil, causing Judah to sin so greatly! Jeremiah 32:35 NLT

Their land is full of idols; the people worship things they have made with their

own hands. Isaiah 2:8 NLT

They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery

in the Lord’s sight. Psalm 106:39 NLT

Merriam-Webster:

Idol: an object of extreme devotion

4  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to

destroy strongholds.  2 Cor. 10:4 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in

Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:3 ESV

ACTS 11 & 12

Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the

Gentiles had received the word of God.  2  But when Peter arrived back in

Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him.  3  “You entered the home of

Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said. 4  Then Peter told them exactly what

had happened. Acts 11:1-4 NLT

7  And I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.’ 8  “‘No, Lord,’ I

replied. ‘I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared

impure or unclean.’ 9  “But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call

something unclean if God has made it clean.’ Acts 11:7 NLT

Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the

Gentiles had received the word of God.  2  But when Peter arrived back in

Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. 3  “You entered the home of

Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said. Acts 11:1-2 NLT

Criticism: the expression of disapproval of someone or something based on

perceived faults or mistakes.

11  But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he

did was very wrong. Galatians 2:11 NLT

12  When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not

circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t

eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people

who insisted on the necessity of circumcision (Jewish Laws). 13  As a result, other

Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led

astray by their hypocrisy. 14  When I saw that they were not following the truth of

the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew

by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are

you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?

15  “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles.  16  Yet we know that a

person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law.

And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God

because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one

will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” Galatians 2:11-16 NLT

… our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave

him—  16  speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are

hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his

letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of

Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. 2 Peter 3:15-16 NLT

I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all. 1 Cor. 14:18 NASB

For the one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to God; for no

one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 1 Corinthians 14:2

NASB

3  Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to

come. Jeremiah 33:3 NLT

19  Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after

Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They

preached the word of God, but only to Jews.  20  However, some of the believers

who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles

about the Lord Jesus.  21  The power of the Lord was with them, and a large

number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord. Acts 11:19-21 NLT

22  When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas

to Antioch.  23  When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing (Grace),

he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the

Lord. Acts 11:22-23 NLT

Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And

many people were brought to the Lord. Acts 11:24 NLT

27  During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch.  28  One of

them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit

that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled

during the reign of Claudius.)  29  So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief

to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they

could. 30  This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the

elders of the church in Jerusalem. Acts 11:27-30 NLT

12 About that time King Herod Agrippa began to persecute some believers in the

church.  2  He had the apostle James (John’s brother) killed with a sword. 3  When

Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish people, he also arrested Peter.

(This took place during the Passover celebration.)  4  Then he imprisoned him,

placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended

to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.  5  But while Peter was in

prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

6  The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with

two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison

gate. 7  Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord

stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said,

“Quick! Get up!” And the chains fell off his wrists.  8  Then the angel told him, “Get

dressed and put on your sandals.” And he did. “Now put on your coat and follow

me,” the angel ordered. 9  So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the

time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually

happening.  10  They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the iron

gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed

through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left

him. 11  Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has

sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what the Jewish leaders had

planned to do to me!” 12  When he realized this, he went to the home of Mary, the

mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer. 13  He knocked at

the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it.  14  When

she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the

door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!” Acts

12:6-14 NLT

Bible Trivia:

A) Praise God! He is a miracle worker!

B) He’s Faithful!

C) You’re out of your mind!

15  “You’re out of your mind!” they said… Acts 12:15 NLT

When she insisted, they decided, “It must be his angel.” Acts 12:15 NLT

16  Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally opened the door and

saw him, they were amazed.  17  He motioned for them to quiet down and told them

how the Lord had led him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers what

happened,” he said. And then he went to another place. 18  At dawn there was a

great commotion among the soldiers about what had happened to Peter.  19  Herod

Agrippa ordered a thorough search for him. When he couldn’t be found, Herod

interrogated the guards and sentenced them to death. Acts 12:16-19 NLT

…When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and

made a speech to them.  22  The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s

the voice of a god, not of a man!” 23  Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod

with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving

the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died. Acts 12:21-23

NLT

24  Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new

believers. Acts 12:24 NLT

FAMILY SUNDAY

“Two people are better off than one for they can help each other succeed.” Ecclesiastes 4:9

Tob - good, pleasant, agreeable; a benefit or a welfare

Genesis 1:4 “ And God saw that the light was good.

Genesis 1:31 “And God looked over all that He had made, and he saw that it was very good.”

Genesis 2:18 “Then the Lord said. ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

Acts 9 & 10

“… rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the

LORD. Haggai 1:8 NLT

Bakersfield First Assembly

The Book of Acts