CONVERSIONS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS by David Cambridge

Transcription

1 CONVERSIONS IN THE BOOK OF ACTS by David Cambridge

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3 Contents Lesson # Title Page 0 Introduction 5 1 Jerusalem (2:1-41) 7 2 Solomon s Porch (3:1-4:4) 13 3 Samaria (8:4-25) 15 4 The Desert Road 19 5 The Road to Damascus 23 6 Caesarea 25 7 Philippi 27 8 Athens 31 9 Corinth Ephesus 37

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5 Introduction 1. The book of Acts is an important, historical document a. It is a continuation of the gospel of Luke and provides a backdrop for the epistles. b. It is the only historical document that details the spread of the gospel and expansion of the Lord s church. c. It records many examples of conversions of both Jews and Gentiles. 2. In this series of lessons we shall examine several examples of conversions a. Considering the context of each conversion. b. Analysing the preacher s message and the hearer s response. 3. The following outlines are a concise version of my original typed notes.

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7 Lesson 1 Jerusalem (2:1-41) PART ONE THE PENTECOST CONVERSION I. THE DAY OF PENTECOST 2:1-13 A. The day of Pentecost. 1. Many Jews from all over the world had come to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost (2:1, 5). 2. The Jews were commanded to keep three annual feasts: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:16). 3. Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after the presentation of the first-fruits (See article). B. The apostles are immersed in the Holy Spirit The apostles were gathered together when the Holy Spirit fell upon them (Acts 2:1-4a). a. The Holy Spirit fell only upon the apostles. This is evident when we trace the pronoun we back to the noun apostles in 1:26. b. This evidence of the Holy Spirit s presence is seen in the sound of the rushing wind that was heard and the tongues of fire that were seen, and the miracle of the apostles speaking the word of God in languages they had not learnt (2:2-4, 6, 11). 2. The coming of the Spirit had been promised by Jesus (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5). C. The crowd s reaction and Peter s explanation. 1. The crowd s reaction was mixed: some were amazed and perplexed and others accused the apostles of being drunk (2:12-13). 2. Peter explained to them that all these events were in fulfilment of the Prophet Joel s prophecy (2:14-21). Summary Thousands of Jews from all over the world had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the feast of Pentecost. Early in the morning, the apostles were gathered together and the Holy Spirit descended upon them. The presence of the Holy Spirit was manifested visibly and audibly. Further, He enabled the apostle to speak in the languages of those present as a sign of His presence. It was these events that drew a large crowd. The response of the crowd was mixed: some were amazed and wondered about the meaning of these events and others mocked. Moved by the Holy Spirit, Peter stood up and delivered the first gospel sermon. II. THE FIRST GOSPEL SERMON 2:14-40 A. Peter s sermon (2:14-36): 1. The events you are now witnessing are a fulfilment of Joel s prophecy (2:14-21). 2. Jesus is the Messiah whom you crucified (2:22-24). a. God attested to His Messiahship by miracles, wonders, and signs (2:22). b. You killed Him by the hands of ungodly men (2:23). c. But God raised Him from the dead (2:24). 3. The witnesses: a. The witness of Scripture (2:25-31; see Psalms 16:8-11). 1 The Holy Spirit exerted an overwhelming influence over what they did and said. 7

8 b. The witness of the apostles (2:32; see 1:21-26). c. The witness of the exalted Jesus (2:33-36; see Psalms 110:1). B. The response to Peter s sermon (2:37-40): 1. They were convicted of their sin and asked what they needed to do (2:37). 2. Peter s answer: a. They had heard the gospel (2:14-36). b. Their belief is evidenced by their being pricked in their hearts and their asking what they must do (2:37). c. Seeing this, Peter told them to repent and be immersed in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (2:38). 3. Peter continued testifying and exhorting them to repent (2:40). Summary Peter began his address by showing the absurdity of their accusation that speaking in tongues could be inspired by alcohol. He then pointed them to the Scriptures and showed that the current events were the fulfilment of Joel s prophecy. The Jews could not deny that Jesus was among them or that He performed many miracles, signs, and wonders. Yet, despite these things, they handed Him over to ungodly men to be crucified. Peter then resounded the prophecy of David in which he spoke of Jesus resurrection that was fulfilled, and of which they were witnesses. Further, He had ascended into heaven at God s right hand and poured out the Spirit, which they were witnessing for themselves. Thousands of those who heard were cut to the heart and asked what they must do. Peter, seeing they believed, told them to repent and be immersed into Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. III. THE FIRST CHURCH 2:41-47 A. Luke now tells what happened after Peter s sermon (2:41-46): 1. On that day three thousand of those who believed were immersed into Christ (2:41). 2. They all remained in Jerusalem and continued meeting together for study and worship (2:42). 3. They developed friendships and provided for one another as each had need (2:44-46). B. The church continues to grow (2:47): 1. The apostles continued to preach the gospel every day, and those who believed and were immersed into Christ were added to the church. 2. It is the Lord that adds people to the church, and it is only those who are saved that are added to the church. PART TWO - OBSERVATIONS I. THE FOCUS OF PETER S SERMON A. Peter spent a minimal amount of time discussing the miraculous events that had just occurred. 1. At the beginning of his address, he pointed to Joel s prophesy to explain what they had seen and heard (2:14-21). 2. At the end of his address, he attributed the pouring out of the Spirit to the exalted Jesus (2:23). B. Peter s sermon: 1. The content of the sermon: a. Demonstrate that this man Jesus was a man accredited of God (2:22). 8

9 b. Attest to His resurrection which declared Him to be Lord and Christ (2:24-32). c. Show that Jesus was now exalted at the right hand of God (2:23). 2. The objective was to convict them of their sin the murder of God s anointed One (2:23, 26). II. THE RESPONSE TO PETER S SERMON A. They were cut to the heart (2:37). 1. They had the testimony of three witnesses: the Scriptures (2:16), God (2:22), the Holy Spirit (2:1-4), and the testimony of the apostles (2:32). 2. The preaching of the gospel produced faith (Romans 10:17) and convicted them of their sin (Cp. Romans 1:16; John 16:8). B. They earnestly sought forgiveness. This is seen in their question, Men and brethren, what shall we do? III. PETER S ANSWER TO PENITENT SINNERS A. Peter had preached, which produced belief, and there was remorse implied in their question. They now anxiously waited for the answer to their question (2:37). B. Peter s reply: 1. Peter calls on them to repent (2:38a) It signifies to change one's mind or purpose, always, in the NT, involving a change for the better, an amendment, and always, except in Luke 17:3-4, of repentance from sin (Vine). 2. He also calls on them to be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ (2:38b). Why be immersed? a. In the great commission, Jesus had said, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned (Mark 16:15-16 NASB). Jesus here links faith and baptism in order to be saved from one s sin. Faith and baptism are necessary in order to be saved from one s sins. Faith alone cannot save (John 12:42-43; James 2:19) and baptism without faith cannot save (Acts 8:37) (Quotes & Things, Commentary, D. Collins). b. This, then, is why Peter called on the people to be immersed in the name of Jesus, because he understood that immersion was necessary for the forgiveness of sins (2:38b). 3. Not only is the forgiveness of sins promised when one submits to baptism, but also the gift of the Holy Spirit (2:38c). It is not within the scope of this lesson to discuss the nature of this gift. C. Those who believe, repent, and are baptised for the forgiveness of sins are saved (Mark 16:16) and God s adds those who are saved to Christ s church (2:47). Conclusion 1. It is not unreasonable for people to want to base their faith on evidence (Hebrews 11:1, 6; Proverbs 14:15) and we must be prepared to present such. a. John wrote his gospel to produce faith (John 20:30-31). b. Paul proved and gave evidence that Jesus was the Christ (9:22; 17:2-4). c. Peter appealed to evidence (2:14-36). 9

10 2. This record of the first gospel sermon is extremely important because it shows what must be preached and answers the question of what one must do to be saved. Those whom Peter addressed heard the gospel, believed the gospel, repented of their sin, and were baptised for the forgiveness of their sin. 3. The Lord adds those who are saved to the church (Acts 2:47), i.e., those who have heard the gospel, believed the gospel, repented of their sins and turned to God, and been immersed in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. There is only one church to which the Lord adds us, and that is to His church. It is the church that Jesus said He would establish (Matthew 16:18; seen here in Acts 2), and which He purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28). It is our responsibility to meet with Christians for worship and mutual edification. 10

11 Article Pentecost It is but once mentioned in the historical books of the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 8:12-13), from which reference it is plain, however, that the people of Israel, in Solomon s day, were perfectly familiar with it: offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the Sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the set feasts, three times a year, even the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles. The requirements of the three great festivals were then well understood at this time, and their authority was founded in the Mosaic Law and unquestioned. The festival and its ritual were minutely described in this Law. Every male in Israel was on that day required to appear before the Lord at the sanctuary (Exodus 34:22-23). It was the first of the two agrarian festivals of Israel and signified the completion of the barely-harvest (Leviticus 23:15-16; Deuteronomy 16:9-10), which had began at the time of the waving of the first ripe sheaf of the first-fruits (Leviticus 23:11). Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, therefore fell on the 50 th day after this occurrence. The wheat was then also nearly everywhere harvested (Exodus 23:16; 34:22; Numbers 28:26), and the general character of the festival was that of a harvesthome celebration. The day was observed as a Sabbath day, all labor was suspended, and the people appeared before Yahweh to express their gratitude (Leviticus 23:21; Numbers 28:26). The central feature of the day was the presentation of two loaves of leavened, salted bread unto the Lord (Leviticus 23:17, 20; Exodus 34:22; Numbers 28:26; Deuteronomy 16:10). The size of each loaf was fixed by Law. It must contain the tenth of an ephah, about three quarts and a half, of the finest wheat flour of the new harvest (Leviticus 23:17). Later Jewish writers are very minute in their description of the preparation of these two loaves (Josephus, Ant, III, x, 6). According to the Mishna (Menachoth, xi. 4), the length of the loaf was 7 handbreadths, its width 4, its depth 7 fingers. Leviticus 23:18 describes the additional sacrifices required on this occasion. It was a festival of good cheer, a day of joy. Free-will offerings were to be made to the Lord (Deuteronomy 16:10), and it was to be marked by a liberal spirit toward the Levite, the stranger, and orphans and widows (Deuteronomy 16:11, 14). Perhaps the command against gleaning harvest-fields has a bearing on this custom (Leviticus 23:22). 11

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13 Lesson 2 Solomon s Porch (3:1-4:4) PART ONE THE CONVERSION AT SOLOMON S PORCH I. AT THE TEMPLE 3:1-11 A. Peter and John were on there way to the temple at the hour of prayer (3:1). 1. Christians had been meeting here in the temple on a daily basis (2:46). 2. It is likely that they were meeting in one of the porches for worship rather than participating in the temple worship (Cp. 5:12). B. The healing of the lame man: 1. As Peter and John came to the gate called Beautiful, a lame beggar asked alms of them (3:2-3). 2. Peter healed the lame man in the name of Jesus (3:4-8). C. Crowds gather: 1. This healing attracted the attention of people and a large crowd gathered (3:9-11). 2. The apostles ceased this opportunity to preach the gospel. II. PETER S SERMON 3:12-4:4 A. Peter gives glory to God for the miracle (3:12-16). B. Peter s sermon: 1. God has glorified Jesus (3:13a). 2. This is the Jesus whom you rejected and had put to death (3:13b-15a). 3. But God raised Him from the dead and we are witnesses (3:15b). 4. You acted in ignorance but all the things concerning Christ are written in the prophets (3:17-18). 5. This is followed by a call to repentance and return, and more evidence from the Scriptures concerning Christ (3:19-26). C. The crowd s response: 1. As they were still speaking, the temple guard came and arrested them and put them in jail (4:1-3). 2. Despite this, about 2000 came to believe and were added to the church (4:4): Note: the figure 5000 mentioned by Luke probably is the sum of those converted on Pentecost and those converted on this occasion. PART TWO - OBSERVATIONS I. PETER S SERMON A. preaching Jesus (3:13-18): 1. You rejected the Christ. 2. You had Him put to death. 3. God raised Him up and we are witnesses. 4. God has exalted Him. 13

14 B. A call to repentance and conversion (3:19). On Pentecost (Acts 2:38), Peter had preached: (1) repent ye, (2) and be baptized, (3) for the remission of sins, and (4) ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Exactly the same four factors are in view here: (1) repent, (2) turn again, (3) that sins may be blotted out, and (4) that refreshing from the Lord's presence would follow. It is universally admitted that (1), (2), and (4) of the above factors in both sequences are synonymous; and, if we had known nothing at all concerning any of these things, the incidence of be baptized and turn again in exactly corresponding places in these sequences would prove that they mean the same thing. As De Welt expressed it: The thought behind turn again was nothing short of baptism. The Jews no doubt had witnessed the baptism of persons every day (Acts 2:47); and thus when Peter called upon them to repent and turn again, they knew exactly what he inferred. Boles also agreed, declaring that: The blotting out of sins is equivalent to remission of sins; and being baptized is tantamount to turning again (Coffman, which see for further discussion). II. THE RESPONSE TO PETER S SERMON A. Little is said about the response of the crowd other than that they believed (4:4). 1. It is possible to believe and yet still be lost (John 12:42; James 2:19). 2. These, however, were not of this class because Luke says that the number of disciples grew to five thousand. This shows that Believed here means something more than mere belief of the facts of the gospel. B. Determining the meaning of believed : Conclusion 1. Peter had called upon them to repent and be converted 2, so it is reasonable to conclude that is what they did. So we can say that the term believed includes repentance and being converted. 2. The example of the Philippian jailer also demonstrates the meaning of believed: a. The jailer and his household were told to believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). Did he have to repent? (See Acts 17:30). b. The text says they spoke the word of the Lord to him and his entire household (Acts 16:32). 1) Did he talk about faith? He said earlier they needed to believe (16:31), so that is certain. 2) Did he mention repentance? (See Acts 17:30). 3) Did he mention baptism? The fact that they were all baptised shows that he did (16:33). c. The text then says, And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household (Acts 16:34 NASB). After having heard the gospel, believed the gospel, and beeen baptised, they rejoiced at having believed. 3. The conclusion is that believed is used to stand for faith, repentance, and baptism. 1. There is a similarity here to the conversion in Acts 2, in that, a miracle drew a large crowd and Peter took the opportunity to preach Jesus. 2. The content of Peter s sermon was essentially the same as on Pentecost. 3. All that is said of those who responded is that they believed. It is clear that this term includes faith, repentance, and baptism. 2 We have already shown that be converted is equivalent to be baptised. 14

15 Lesson 3 Samaria (8:4-25) PART ONE THE CONVERSION OF THE SAMARITANS I. IN SAMARIA 8:9-10 A. Philip was one of the seven men appointed as deacons by the disciples (6:5) This was not Philip the apostle because it is said that all the apostles remained in Jerusalem (8:1). 2. Philip is later called the evangelist (21:8). 3. Philip s ministry in Samaria begins shortly after Saul instigates a great persecution against the church and the disciples are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria (8:1-4). B. The situation 1. A man called Simon the sorcerer had led the Samaritans to believe that he was someone great through his magic arts (8:9). 2. The Samaritans were bewitched by him and believed him to be the great power of God (8:10). II. PHILIP S PREACHING 8:5-8 A. Philip came to Samaria and preached Christ (8:5). What does it mean to Preach Christ? 1. It includes the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (8:12a). 2. It includes the command to be baptised because those who believed were baptised (8:12b). How would they otherwise have known to be baptised unless Philip had so preached? B. Philip s preaching was also attended by a demonstration of power: casting out unclean spirits and healing the paralysed and lame (8:6-7). 1. We believe that the Holy Spirit gave certain gifts to men through the laying on of the apostles hands (See 8:14-18). The apostles had laid their hands upon Philip when he was appointed as a deacon (6:5-6). 2. The purpose of these signs was to confirm the word (John 3:2; 20:30-31; Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4). III. THE SAMARITANS BELIEVE 8:12-25 A. The Samaritans believe Philip: 1. The Samaritans believed Philip and were baptised (8:12). 2. Simon the sorcerer also believed and was baptised (8:13). B. The Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit: 1. The apostles in Jerusalem heard about the conversion of the Samaritans and sent Peter and John to Samaria (8:14). 2. Peter and John prayed for them and laid hands on them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (8:15-17). a. It is important to note that Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given only through the laying on of the apostles hands (8:18). b. What did Simon see? He saw that when Peter and John laid their hands on them that they began speaking in tongues (See 19:1-7). c. This instance and that in 19:1-7 show that receiving the Holy Spirit was a figure of speech to mean receiving a gift of the Spirit rather than the Holy Spirit Himself.

16 C. Simon falls from grace! Luke says, Even Simon himself believed and was baptised (8:13). There is nothing here in Luke s words that suggest Simon s conversion was anything other than a genuine conversion. If Simon had not believed then Luke would not have said he did. 2. It was when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was imparted through the laying on of the apostles hands that he sought to purchase this ability of impartation himself (8:18-19). a. Peter s expository rebuke show that Simon had fallen from grace (8:20-23). b. Peter calls on him to pray and repent (8:22). John, writing to Christians, says If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:8-10 ASV). 3. Calvinists deny that Simon was ever truly converted: PART TWO - OBSERVATIONS a. Their reason for saying this is because they do not believe that one can fall from grace, and they recognise that Peter s language here is not descriptive of one that has merely slipped. b. But is not such a description true of any one who falls from grace? All those who have believed will sin; our message to them is not You were never truly converted are lost but rather, Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee (Acts 8:22 ASV). I. CONCERNING THE SAMARITANS A. The citizens of Samaria were completely bewitched by Simon the sorcerer and many would suppose there was no hope of their conversion. So how did Philip manage to convert these people? 1. The Holy Spirit manifested His power among them as a witness to the authenticity of Philip s message (John 3:2; 20:30-31; Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3-4). 2. Philip s message was Christ, and the message itself is the power of God (Romans 1:16-17). B. Some may argue, But how can we hope to convert those in similar circumstances today when the Holy Spirit does not authenticate our word with signs today? And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three are in agreement (1 John 5:8 NASB) 1. The Spirit bearing witness in the earth is a reference to the Scriptures revealed by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures record all the miracles of Jesus and the apostles that authenticate their word (Hebrews 2:3-4). 2. The water is a reference to Christian baptism: At the time John wrote, the baptism of Christ could hardly have been spoken of as witnessing anything. It was a past event, by a whole generation; and John here spoke of the water as witnessing in the present tense. How could this be true? The grand initiatory rite of the Christian religion is a continual witness in all generations of the essential facts of the gospel; namely, the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God. The very form of the ordinance with its burial and resurrection to walk in newness of life was designed for that very purpose; and how Satan does hate it! In all ages and communities, a believer's baptism into Christ declares the gospel message. It is a continuing witness of almost cosmic dimensions, taking place thousands of thousands of times in every place and at every time throughout history (Coffman).

17 3. The blood signifies the commemoration of the blood of Christ shed for the remission of sins. In partaking of the Lord s Supper we proclaim the Lord s death until He comes again (1 Corinthians 11:26). II. PHILIP S PREACHING A. What was Philip preaching? 1. Things concerning the kingdom of God (8:12a). This would include the proclamation that the Messiah had arisen from the dead to begin his heavenly reign (Acts 2:30-36; 1 Peter 3:21-22; Ephesians 1:19-23), that those who submit to the king may receive his gracious pardon (Acts 2:38) and, having thus been delivered from the power of darkness, enjoyed citizenship in his kingdom (Colossians 1:13). Philip perhaps explained that the kingdom is not an earthly, political kingdom (John 18:36), but a spiritual kingdom based on truth, existing as Jesus rules through truth within the hearts of men (John 18:37; Luke 17:21) (Johnny Stringer, Acts). 2. The name of Jesus Christ (8:12a). The name of an individual stood for the person with all his attributes and qualities. Philip no doubt proclaimed the name of Jesus as the only name whereby men must be saved (Acts 4:12) and as the name that is above every other name (Philippians 2:9-10) (Johnny Stringer, Acts). B. For a complete picture of what it means to preach Jesus Christ one should read all the record sermons recorded in the New Testament. The response of the hearers also sheds light on the content of the evangelists message. III. THE RESPONSE OF THE SAMARITANS A. The Samaritans 1. Heard Jesus Christ preached (8:5, 12). 2. They believed that Jesus was the Christ (8:12a). 3. They were baptised (8:12b). B. This is pattern is consistent with Jesus commission (Mark 16:15-16) and with what we have see so far. Conclusion 1. Philip went down to Samaria and preached Jesus Christ to those of the city of Samaria. a. The people were deceived by Simon and all hailed him as the great power of God. You might think Philip stood little chance of converting many people here, if any at all. b. But by the power of the Spirit and the message preached, many believed and were baptised. c. Their conversion is consistent with the other conversions so far, in that, we see the pattern being followed, viz. hearing, believing, repenting, and being baptised. 2. Some say that a Christian cannot fall from grace but Simon is an example of one who did. a. This example also furnishes with the answer to the question of what a Christian must do to restore their relationship with God, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you (8:22). b. John also provides the same answer (1 John 1:8-10). 17

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19 Lesson 4 The Desert Road (8:26-40) PART ONE THE CONVERSION OF THE ETHOPIAN EUNUCH I. RETURNING HOME 19 A. After the success in Samaria, Peter and John made their way back to Jerusalem; preaching Christ in the cities of Samaria on their way (8:25). B. Philip, though, was instructed to go south toward the desert road. This was the road that ran from Jerusalem to Gaza (8:26). 1. The angel instructed him to go but did not give any further information. 2. Philip did not argue but simply obeyed. II. THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH A. Travelling along the desert road was an Ethiopian eunuch (8:27-28): 1. He was the queen of Ethiopia s treasurer. 2. He was returning home having worshipped at Jerusalem. 3. He was reading from the book of Isaiah. B. Philip preaches Jesus (8:29-40): 1. The Spirit told Philip to go up to the chariot of the eunuch. 2. The eunuch was read this passage from Isaiah He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? (Isaiah 53:7-8 NASB) 3. From this Scripture, Philip preached Jesus to the eunuch. C. The eunuch s response: 1. Still travelling along, they come to a body of water, and the eunuch asks, See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptised? (8:36). a. The eunuch s question is very interesting because it shows that preaching Jesus includes teaching about baptism (otherwise, why would the eunuch have asked to be baptised?). b. It also shows that one may be baptised immediately when one believes with all one s heart; as opposed to waiting days, weeks, or months. 2. The eunuch is baptised upon his confession (8:37-38). a. In response to the eunuch s question, Philip says, If you believe with all your heart, you may (8:37a). Baptism is only valid if one believes. b. The eunuch confesses, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (8:37b). This shows that preaching Jesus involves teaching that Jesus is the Son of God. This belief is essential to one s salvation (Romans 10:10). c. Philip then baptises the eunuch (8:38). That this was an immersion is evident by the fact that they both went down into the water and came up out of the water (8:38-39). d. It was after his baptism that the eunuch rejoiced, not before (8:39).

20 PART TWO OBSERVATIONS I. RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AND SALVATION A. The Ethiopian Eunuch was a religious man: 1. He was a religious man and had just been to Jerusalem to worship God. 2. The religion he practiced was one that God Himself ordained, not a man made religion. B. A religious man but lost! 1. If the eunuch were already saved, then he would not have needed to believe on Jesus or be immersed. But faith in Jesus and immersion are necessary (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). 2. The same could be said of the Jews on Pentecost. C. If a religious man like the eunuch was lost, then how much more those who belong to other religions? Being religious does not guarantee that one is saved, but faith and obedience to the gospel does save us. II. PREACHING JESUS A. Philip preached Jesus to the Samaritans and the eunuch. What does this involve? 1. The text itself sometimes elaborates a little; as in 8:5, The response to the message also indicates what was preached, as in the case of the Samaritans and the eunuch. In both instances we can see that baptism was a part Philip s message. B. If we preach Jesus, then we must be sure to include all that we learn from these examples. III. ABOUT BAPTISM A. Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins and was preached by Peter and Philip in the examples we have seen. This is no surprise because Jesus said that whoever believes and is baptised shall be saved (Mark 16:15-16). B. Baptism is an immersion in water: Conclusion 1. The Greek word itself actually means an immersion (See Vine). 2. The example of Philip and the eunuch going down into the water and coming up out of the water strongly imply an immersion and is consistent action in connection with the meaning of the Greek word. 3. The action of sprinkling and pouring do not qualify as an immersion. a. Some may ask, But what about the sick that are unable to be baptised? I believe that this is how the practice of pouring began, but not knowing how God will judge such individuals is no authority to introduce new practices. b. Some may say, Are you saying, then, that I must immerse my baby? Isn t that dangerous? If infant baptism were necessary, then they would have to be immersed because sprinkling is not a mode of baptism. Infant baptism arose on the assumption that babies are born sinners, but this is not true. 1. The Ethiopian eunuch was a religious man but he was lost. The arranged meeting between Philip and the eunuch shows that God will give every honest and sincere person an opportunity to hear and obey the gospel. 2. To preach Jesus involves many things that can be determined by an examination of the context and the sermons recorded by Luke throughout Acts. From the example just studied, we learn that preaching Jesus involves teaching of things pertaining to the kingdom of God, the deity of Christ, and baptism. 3. A person must believe in his heart that Jesus is the Son of God. 4. The text says that they both went down into the water, and Philip baptised the eunuch, which is consistent with the meaning of the Greek word baptisima that signifies an immersion in water. 20

21 Lesson 5 The Road to Damascus (9:1-19; 22:6-16; 26:12-18) PART ONE THE CONVERSION OF SAUL OF TARSUS I. THE CHIEF OF SINNERS A. The martyrdom of Steven signalled the beginning of a great persecution against the church. This caused Christians to be scattered throughout Judea and Samaria (8:1). B. One zealous persecutor of the church was a young man named Saul (It will be assumed that the student has knowledge of Saul). 1. Saul made havoc of the church (8:3; cp. Galatians 1:13). The word lumainomai was applied to the behavior of wild animals in seeking and devouring their prey (Clark). 2. Saul was entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison (8:3). He was even willing to travel as far north as Damascus. C. Reflecting on these activities after his conversion, Paul lamented over his actions and described himself as the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:12-15). II. SAUL S CONVERSION This is a harmony of three accounts given in Acts. A. On the road to Damascus: 1. Saul was on the road to Damascus. His intention was to find Christians and bring them bound to Jerusalem (9:1-2; 22:4-5; 26:9-11). 2. Suddenly a light shone around him (9:3; 22:6; 26:12-13), and Jesus spoke to him in Hebrew (9:4-5; 22:7-9; 26:14-15). 3. Jesus explains why He has appeared to him (26:16-18), and he is told to go into Damascus where he would be told what he must do (9:26; 22:10). B. In Damascus: 1. Having been blinded by the light, Saul is led into Damascus (9:8; 22:11), and he fasts for the next three days (9:9). 2. Jesus then appears to Ananias in a vision and tells him to go to Saul (9:10-16). 3. Ananias comes to Saul: a. He lays his hands on Saul and his sight is restored (9:17-18a; 22:12-13). b. He explains why the Lord appeared to him and that he must be a witness of resurrection (22:14-15). c. Ananias then baptises Saul to wash away his sins (22:16; cp. 9:18b). C. Saul then begins preaching Christ (9:20; 26:19-20). PART TWO OBSERVATIONS I. WHEN WAS SAUL WAS SAVED? A. Paul was saved when his sins were washed away, and his sins were washed away when he was baptised. What Ananias told Paul to do is consistent with Jesus words (Mark 16:16), and with Peter s words on Pentecost (Acts 2:38). B. Some say that Saul was saved on the Damascus road because Ananias called him Brother before he was baptised. The following quote says it for me 21

22 Conclusion Some argue that Saul must have been a Christian before his baptism because Ananias called him brother (Acts 9:17). I would say then, if you consider the words of Ananias weighty then also take note that he told Saul to arise and be baptised and wash away your sins (Acts 22:16). Whatever Ananias meant when he called Saul brother, he still recognised that he needed to have his sins washed away (D. Collins, Quotes & Things, Commentary). 1. Saul s conversion was remarkable! No one would have believed that one who rejected Jesus and made havoc of the church would be found preaching Jesus, and who would believe that the Lord would forgive such a blasphemer as him? a. We should be careful not to judge people as hopeless cases. The power to save is the gospel (Romans 1:16-17). b. God is able to save even the chief of sinners and so none should think himself or others as beyond redemption: It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life (1 Timothy 1:15-16 NASB) 2. The Lord Himself did not tell Saul what he needed to do to be saved, but, rather, he sent him into the city where one would come and tell him. God has chosen the message to be communicated through human agency. 3. The blood of Jesus washes away a person s sins and this example shows us the point at which this takes place when we are baptised (Acts 22:16). 22

23 Lesson 6 Caesarea (10:1-48; 11:1-18) PART ONE THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSEHOLD I. CORNELIUS A. Luke s testimony of Cornelius and his household: 1. Cornelius was a Roman centurion based in Caesarea (10:1). 2. He and his household were Gentiles (See 11:1). 3. Cornelius was a devout man, he feared God, prayed always, and gave alms to the people. His whole household were also God fearing people (10:2). B. God also recognised Cornelius prayers and charity (10:4). C. The two servants sent by Cornelius also testified saying he was a just man, one that feared God, and had a good reputation among the Jews (10:22). II. THE CONVERSION OF CORNELIUS AND HIS HOUSEHOLD A. An angel appeared to Cornelius (10:3-6). 1. The angel assured him that God recognised his devotion and charity. 2. He instructed him to send for Peter. B. Cornelius immediately chose two servants and sent them Joppa to seek out Peter (10:7-8). C. Meanwhile, Peter had a vision in which God was trying to show him the great truth that, in Christ Jesus there is neither Jew nor Gentile (10:9-16). D. Peter and Cornelius servants went to Caesarea and came to Cornelius house: 1. Cornelius was prepared for Peter s arrival and had gathered together his whole household and close friends (10:24). 2. Peter now understands the vision given by God (10:28). E. An outline of Peter s sermon: 1. God shows no partiality in respect to salvation: whoever fears God and works righteousness is accepted by Him (10:34-35). 2. You know about Jesus and His works, and we are witnesses of all that He did (10:36-39a). 3. The Jews put this Jesus to death but God raised Him up, and we are witnesses, and we have been commissioned to preach, that by Jesus all will be judged. All who believe in Him receive forgiveness of sins (10:39b 43). F. As Peter preached Jesus to those that were gathered, the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and his household. 1. Seeing that God has poured out the Spirit on them, he commanded that they be baptised in water. 2. Peter s reason for commanding this baptism was the same as he stated on Pentecost, for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). 23

24 PART TWO OBSERVATIONS I. GOOD PEOPLE ARE LOST! A. Cornelius and his household were God fearing and charitable people, but they were not Christians, they had not had their sins forgiven; they were not saved. The angel himself said to Cornelius, Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household' (Acts 11:13-14). B. All people, no matter how good they are, need to hear and obey the gospel; they need to hear words by they can be saved. Cornelius and his household were saved when they believed and were baptised in water to wash away their sins (10:48; 2:38). II. HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM A. The Holy Spirit first fell upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4): 1. This outpouring of the Spirit fulfilled the prophecy of Joel (Acts 2:15-21). 2. The outpouring of the Spirit indicated the presence of God, authenticated the message of the apostles, and enabled the apostles to speak the word of God to the nations. 3. What does it mean to be baptised in the Holy Spirit? The meaning is, they were overwhelmed by the influence of and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It does not mean they were possessed by the Spirit. B. The Holy Spirit also fell upon the Gentiles (Acts 10:44-46): 1. The purpose of this baptism was to indicate to the Jews that God had accepted the Gentiles on the basis as the Jews by faith. 2. The evidence of this baptism was seen in that they began speaking in tongues (Acts 10:46). III. GOD USES HUMAN AGENCIES A. In the case of Saul and Cornelius human agencies were used to tell them what they needed to do to be saved: 1. Jesus appeared to Saul but did not tell him what he needed to do. Rather, Jesus told him to go into Damascus where he would be told all that he must do (Acts 9:5-6). 2. An angel appeared to Cornelius but did not tell him what he needed to do to be saved. Rather, he was told to send for Peter who would speak words by which he would be saved (Acts 11:13-14). B. God does not speak directly to people via angels or visions etc. and reveal his plan of salvation. This is the responsibility of evangelists (Romans 10:13-15). Conclusion 1. Cornelius and his household were already religious people but they were lost. The angel that appeared to Cornelius instructed him to call for Peter from whom he would receive instruction about what he needed to do to be saved. Good people need to hear the gospel. 2. Cornelius and his household were baptised in the Holy Spirit to show the Jews that God had accepted the Gentiles on the same basis on which he had accepted Jews by faith. 3. Holy Spirit baptism is an overwhelming and an endowing with power. 24

25 Lesson 7 Philippi (16:6-34) PART ONE THE CONVERSIONS OF LYDIA AND THE JAILER I. THE MACEDONIAN CALL A. While Paul and his entourage were at Troas, he had a vision in which a man was beckoning him: Come over to Macedonia and help us (16:8-9). 1. Paul, then, assumed that it was God s will that they take the gospel over to Macedonia (16:10). 2. So, without delay, they set sail for Macedonia and came to the Philippi (16:11-12). B. The Jews, of course, rested on the Sabbath and met in the synagogues for worship. This, then, was the ideal opportunity to preach to devout men and women (Cp. 17:13). 1. In this city, however, it seems there was no synagogue, as in seen in the fact that devout women met by the riverside for prayer (16:13). 2. Robison says that the rule of the rabbis required ten men to constitute a synagogue. II. THE CONVERSION OF LYDIA AND HER HOUSEHOLD A. Little detail is reported here, only that they sat down with the women and began speaking to them (16:13). B. Lydia and her household are baptised: 1. We are not told anything of what Paul said to these women but we know he preached faith in Jesus, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins (Cp. 13:5, 14ff; 17:2; 18:4; 19:8). 2. After hearing what Paul had spoken, Lydia and her whole household were baptised (16:15). III. THE CONVERSION OF THE PHILIPPIAN JAILER A. The Lord knows the hearts of all men (1 Kings 8:39), and he knew the heart of the Philippian jailer. Through the providence of God, the jailer is given the opportunity to hear the gospel. 1. A certain woman possessed by an evil spirit kept proclaiming, These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation (Acts 16:17). 2. After many days, Paul cast out the demon and her masters, seeing their income had been cast out, had Paul and Silas arrested and cast into prison (16:19-24). 3. As Paul and Silas prayed and sung hymns there was a great earthquake that shook the foundations and all doors opened and the shackles of all the prisoners fell off (6:25-26). 4. The jailer feared that his prisoners had escaped and would have fallen on his sword, but Paul cried out and assured him that none had escaped (16:27-28). B. The jailer and his household believe: 1. Seeing the prisoners had not escaped, the jailer brought out Paul and Silas and asked them, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? (16:29-30). 2. They told him that he needed to, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (16:31). 3. After receiving further teaching, he and his household were baptised, and they rejoiced at having come to believe (16:32-34). 25

26 PART TWO OBSERVATIONS I. THE LORD OPENS THE HEART 26 A. Concerning Lydia, Luke says, The Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul (16:14). 1. Claude Devereux comments Here is proof of the Sovereignty of God in salvation; it is God who opens the heart of those He has ordained to eternal life (see 13:48). As Paul preached the gospel to Lydia, the Holy Spirit came upon her and opened her heart that she might understand the message of grace and bestowed upon her the gift of faith (see Ephesians 2:8). 2. Johnny Stringer says While men indulge in groundless speculations based on unscriptural theories, the Scriptures clearly reveal how God opens the heart of the sinner: He works through the word, the gospel, to produce faith in the sinner s heart (Acts 2:37; 14:1; Romans 1:16; 10:17). There is no reason to believe that Lydia was an exception. The Lord opened her heart in the same way he opens the hearts of others. Lydia must have had the common Jewish concepts about Christ and his kingdom, but through hearing the gospel, her heart was opened to see the error of those ideas and to see the truth. B. The same process can be seen at work in other conversions: 1. In Thessalonica, Paul entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews and presenting evidence that Jesus is the Messiah. The result was that some were persuaded (17:2-4). 2. The process by which they were persuaded was through the presentation of the Scriptural evidence. This is the way the Lord opens the hearts of individuals. II. INFANT BAPTISM A. It is said that Lydia and her whole household were baptised (16:15), and many see here the proof that infants and young children were baptised. Note Claude Devereux s reasoning Here is another example of a household baptism. Of all the household baptisms recorded in the Scriptures, it would be ridiculous to suggest that none of these households had young infants or children. Paul was in the habit of baptizing all the members of a household and this would have included any children. The Savior Himself taught that it was a great crime to exclude children from the kingdom of God. B. I would agree that, it is highly probable that in all the household baptisms, children would have been present in some, but this does not prove they were baptised. The Scriptures everywhere teach that faith must precede baptism. The clearest passages are the following III. BELIEVE As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Acts 8:36-37 NASB) But what does it say? THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART - -that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation (Romans 10:8-10 NASB) A. We have encountered this question twice: 1. The questions: a. On Pentecost, the Jews had asked, Brethren, what shall we do? b. Here in Philippi, the jailer asks, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

27 2. What answers did they receive? a. Peter answered the Jews, Repent, and each one of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (2:38). b. Paul and Silas answered the jailer, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (16:31). B. Are the two different answers? Are there different ways of being saved? Conclusion 1. There is only one way of salvation and these are one and the same answer. a. All must hear the gospel (Romans 10:14). b. All must believe the gospel (Acts 16:31). c. All must repent of their sins (Acts 17:30-31). d. All must confess that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 8:35-38). e. All must be baptised for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). 2. How then do we account for Paul and Silas answer? a. Does anyone really believe that the jailer did not need to repent? Then why didn t Paul say, Believe on Jesus and repent and you will be saved? b. Obviously, belief or faith includes more than just an acceptance that Jesus is the Christ; it must be a living faith, and this means a faith that works; a faith that does all that Jesus says. You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder (James 2:19 NASB) For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead (James 2:26 NASB) Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter (Matthew 7:21 NASB) 1. There were people in Macedonia, good people, who worshipped God and would believe on Jesus if only they had the opportunity to hear the gospel. a. The Lord is not unaware or unsympathetic because He desires all men to come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). In accordance with His mercy and grace, the Lord calls the missionaries over to Macedonia (16:8-9). b. It worth noting again that the Lord did not preach the gospel to them personally or through visions. Rather, the message was brought to them through human agencies. Some people in our day claim to they were saved when the Lord spoke to them or appeared to them in a vision, but this is not the method by which He reveals the message. 2. Paul, according to his custom, sought out an assembly of God-fearing Jews on the Sabbath and reasoned from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ (16:13-14). It was by means of this presentation that the Lord opened her heart. 3. Lydia and her household were saved in exactly the same way as all those that preceded them: they heard the gospel, believed, repented, and were baptised for the remission of sins. The message is always the same and obedience to the gospel is always required to be saved. 27

28 4. The Philippian jailer may have seemed like an unlikely candidate for becoming a Christian, but God does not look upon outward appearance, like we do, but on the heart. Through God s providence the jailer and his household came to hear the gospel and obeyed it. They were saved in exactly the same way as all who had been previously saved: hearing the gospel, believing the gospel, repenting, and being baptised for the remission of sins. 5. Some people worry about those who are lost because they never have a chance to hear the gospel. But when such concerns arise we should consider the following facts and not speculate about the fate of the lost beyond what is written: a. God is all knowing (1 John 3:20), all powerful (Jeremiah 32:17), and present everywhere (Jeremiah 23:24). God posses all power and strength, so who is able to withstand Him? God posses all knowledge and wisdom, so what plans can men or angels devise to thwart Him? God fills the heavens, so who is able to hide from presence? (D. Collins, Quotes & Things, The Book of Wisdom, 15:1). b. God desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). c. God knows the hearts of all men (1 Kings 8:39). d. God is the judge of all the earth and will do what is right (Genesis 18:25). 28

29 Lesson 8 Athens (17:16-34) PART ONE THE CONVERSIONS OF THE ATHENIANS I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF PAUL S SERMON A. Paul s arrives in Athens: 1. Paul left Berea because of persecution (17:13-15). 2. Provoked by the prevalent idolatry in the city, he began preaching (17:16-17). B. Paul attracts the attention of the philosophers: 1. In particular, epicurean and stoic philosophers (17:18). 2. They invited him to the Areopagus (17:19-21). a. The Areopagus was a rocky hill about 730 feet high a short distance from the Acropolis and the Agora (marketplace) in Athens (Holman Bible Dictionary). b. It was the place where the Athenians and visitors spent their time discussing any new ideas. II. PAUL S SERMON A. The opportunity that gave rise to his sermon: 1. Paul acknowledged their religious devotion and made mention of one altar in particular to an unknown god (17:22-23a). 2. Paul used the opportunity to preach the true God (17:23b). B. The main points of the sermon: 1. God is the creator of the universe and does not dwell in temples made with hands (17:24; cp. 1 Kings 8:22-30). 2. God is the one sustains all life and should not be worshipped as though He needed anything (17:25; cp. James 1:17). 3. God is the ruler of all the nations (17:26-27): a. He made all the nations and determines their rise and fall (Cp. Daniel 2:20-21; 4:17). b. Everything has been arranged in such a way that men may seek God. 4. God is the Father of all mankind (17:30-31): a. God made us, and in Him we live, move, and have our being. b. Therefore, we should not think that God is like an idol made of gold, silver, or stone. 5. God is the judge of the world (17:30-31): a. God once winked at ignorance 3 but now commands all men to repent b. Because the day is coming when all men will be judged through His son Jesus the Christ (Cp. John 5:22, 26-27; 12:48). 3 We are not to suppose that God regarded idolatry as innocent, or the crimes and vices to which idolatry led as of no importance; but their ignorance was a mitigating circumstance, and he suffered the nations to live without coming forth in direct judgment against them. 29