Unveiling the Mystery - The Book of Acts

* Over the past two weeks, we have considered the beginning of Barnabas and Saul's first "Mission Trip."

* Two weeks ago, we saw how the Holy Spirit had called for them to be set apart for the work to which He had called them, and then had them sent out by the elders of the church of Antioch. Last week, we saw how God sovereignly oversaw their path - leading them to Paphos, Cyprus to lead Sergius Paulus to a saving knowledge of Christ.

* Today, we see how God continues to guide Barnabas and Paul, in fulfilling His plan and revealing of the mystery of the church - the age of the Gentiles, when the Gentiles would become joint-heirs with those of Israel!

* This message was presented on March 12, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* Last week, we considered the movement of the Holy Spirit sending forth Barnabas and Saul from the church of Antioch, while the leaders were serving the Lord and fasting.

* Today, we get to look at the beginning of Barnabas and Saul's first "Mission Trip."

* Between today and next Sunday's message, we will see how God can direct His work. We may plan; but we always need to remember the admonition of James: "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.' " (James 4:13-15)

* This message was presented on March 5, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. As they waited, they prayed. The Holy Spirit then empowered them and they willingly proclaimed the message of Christ to the crowd that gathered. Three thousand people turned to Christ that day!

* Prayer then became an integral part of the life of the church.

* The early church recognized it's dependence upon YHWH and spent much time in prayer to Him. As a result, the Word and Church of God multiplied!

* Today, we return to the church of Antioch with Barnabas and Saul, and see that prayer was at core of what we refer to as: "Missions."

* This message was presented on February 26, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* As the Gospel spread, the Spiritual War continued.

* In our study of the book of Acts, we have seen that the Apostles were threatened and persecuted for proclaiming the name of Jesus ... and informed the Sanhedrin that they were to obey God rather than men - to be witnesses of the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah.

* Next, Stephen was stoned to death for proclaiming Christ and Saul of Tarsus spread the persecution even unto Damascus.

* However, in each of these situations God reveals His Sovereignty and His faithfulness to those who believe in Him. The Sovereignty of God does not mean that we will not be persecuted but rather that through the persecution or the deliverance God is working His plan.

* In our passage today, God reveals that He is the Sovereign King and that He can, and does, over-rule earthly kings at His choosing.

* From last week ... Barnabas and Saul had been sent by the church of Antioch with a gift to the church of Jerusalem. These events that we cover today occur while they are in Jerusalem (cf. 12:25).

* This message was presented on February 19, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* April through June of 2022 we considered "The Marks of a Healthy Church." Stemming from that series, we studied the book of Ephesians and then began this current study of the book of Acts. In that series, we consider what I refer to as: The Armada of the Church - the four "ships" of the church: Worship, Discipleship, Fellowship, and Stewardship.

* As the church was established and the message of the gospel began to spread, these four areas have been continually seen in the interactions of the church.

* Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen the conversion of Saul of Tarsus - who was formerly the persecutor of the church - and the conversion of Cornelius the Centurion. God was beginning His work of sending the Gospel to the end of the earth.

* Today, we see that message spread to Antioch - where this fledgling church highlights the marks of a vibrant church.

* This message was presented on February 12, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* Before He ascended, Jesus commanded His disciples to remain in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them with power. Jesus also promised them that when the Holy Spirit came upon them that they would become His witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea, in Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

* Over the past month, we have seen how the Good News (gospel) of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for the payment of sins ... had spread into Samaria. We saw then, and revisited last week, how it was Peter who was chosen to "confirm" that the message was truly believed by the Samaritans.

* The message was then believed on by Saul of Tarsus who was told that he would be the Apostle to the Gentiles - taking the message to the ends of the earth!

* However, again, as we saw last week, it is Peter - the Apostle to the Jews - whom God would use to begin that process.

* Today, we continue to see how Christ is going to expand His ministry through Peter - from Judea to Samaria to the Gentiles! Thus, laying the foundation for the work that Saul, who becomes Paul, will continue.

* This message was presented on February 5, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* 1 Corinthians 12:12 states, "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ."

* In the beginning of our series, the focus of the book of Acts was upon the church as an entity - as a body. Over the past four weeks we have focused upon how God works through individual members - as we considered the martyrdom of Stephen, the ministry of Philip and the conversion of Saul. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be looking at God's continued working through Peter.

* Jesus had already declared that Peter would be a pillar that He would use to establish the church. Matthew 16:15-19 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

* We have seen that God used Peter at Pentecost to proclaim His message to the Jews who were gathered in Jerusalem. As well, it was Peter - along with John - who continued to the proclaim the message to the crowds and the Sanhedrin when presented the opportunities. It was Peter - along with John again - who went to Samaria to confirm that the Samaritans had received the gospel. And, it was Peter, to whom God gave special knowledge regarding the giving of Ananias and Sapphira ... and the authority and power to take away their lives by his word.

* Now we see how Christ is going to expand His ministry through Peter - from Judea to Samaria to the Gentiles!

* This message was presented on January 29, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* Today is the Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. We rejoice in God for His gift of physical life. However, the greater gift is eternal life. God desires for us to have fellowship with Him for all of eternity. That is why Jesus came to the earth to pay the penalty for our sin!

* Today, we see that great gift of life - eternal life - being extended to Saul of Tarsus - the persecutor of the church!

* This NEW LIFE comes with a transformation ... we become "a new man." We are told in Scripture that our "old man" (evidenced by the works of the flesh) is put off and we are given a new nature (evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit). cf. Romans 6:5-6,20-23; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 4:17-24.

* This transformational work of God is evidenced in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus

* This message was presented on January 22, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* Throughout the Book of Acts we have seen the birth and growth of the church. Jesus commissioned the Apostles to be His witnesses and the Holy Spirit empowered them to proclaim the Gospel. The Holy Spirit then convicted men of sin, righteousness and judgment ... and thousands of men and women responded!

* Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen how God then used persecution to spread the Gospel message.

* Last week, specifically, we saw how Saul of Tarsus began to intensify this persecution, causing the church of Jerusalem to scatter.

* We are then told how Philip went to Samaria - which is north of Jerusalem - and began to share the gospel with the Samaritans. They received his message and were baptized. Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem to validate what they had heard, and discovered that indeed the Samaritans were following Christ. On their way back to Jerusalem, Peter and John evangelized in the Samaritan villages which they passed through.

* But, God wasn't done using Philip just yet! In Philip, we have the testimony of a man who was committed to the work of the Lord and who had a passion to share the good news of redemption in Christ with those whom he met.

* Today, we see that commitment and passion carried into other regions.

* This message was presented on January 15, 2023 by Bob Corbin.

* The Series Title for this Study is "Unveiling the Mystery;" that "Mystery" is the church.

* Throughout the book which is titled "The Acts of the Apostle" we saw God unveiling His plan which He had Sovereignly determined prior to the creation of the world! After His resurrection, Jesus commissioned and empowered His disciples to be His witnesses. In that commissioning, Jesus told His disciples that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea, in Samaria, and into the uttermost parts of the world.

* In the first seven chapters of the book of Acts, we have seen how the first part of that promise came true. God worked through those Apostles to proclaim the gospel and perform great miracles, such that many believed the message. The church became a movement and it grew. Those who believed began proclaiming the message as well and the church multiplied.

* As the message was proclaimed and people believed, those who did not believe became actively resistant to the church, and began to persecute the believers. Last week, we surveyed Acts 6:8-7:60 considering the martyrdom of Stephen.

* Today, we see how God used that persecution to propel the gospel message ... and "The Mystery" beyond Jerusalem.

* This message was presented on January 8, 2023 by Bob Corbin.