Acts Lesson 51
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Tonight’s Lesson Cancelled
We will return with lesson 51 next week. See you then!
Acts Lesson 50
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Lesson 50 – April 7, 2015 (click here to listen on-demand)
Tonight’s Text – Acts 19:1-10
Brief review
- Concluding thoughts on Apollos
- He was disposed
- βουλομαι – (BOO-lo-my). To will (reflexively).
- Decision to go to Corinth did not originate with Apollos
- Who is being “encouraged”?
- προτρεπομαι “pro-TREP-oh-my” – to turn forward for oneself
“And with him (Apollos) being willing to go to Achaia, the brethren (in Ephesus) having been motivated to proceed, wrote to the disciples (in Corinth) advising them to welcome him (Apollos).”
- He was disposed
- Paul and the other disciples
- John’s baptism
- Disciples of Apollos
- An incomplete knowledge
- Holy Spirit baptism
- Baptized in the name of Jesus
- Receiving of gifts
- Tongues
- John’s baptism
- Paul’s on-going ministry in Ephesus
- Speaking boldly in the synagogue
- Paul’s normal, daily manner.
- Continuous, on-going
- Disputing and persuading
- Be ye separate.
- The school of Tyrannus
- A center for Paul’s ministry
- All of Asia hears the word.
- Speaking boldly in the synagogue
Acts Lesson 49
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Lesson 49 – March 31, 2015 (click here to listen)
Tonight’s Text – Acts 18:18-28
Brief review
- A work begins in Ephesus
- Paul’s vow
- Imperfect verb tense indicates it is on-going
- Clue found in verse 21
- Desire to keep a feast
- Aquila and Priscilla accompany Paul
- Paul does not abandon the Jews
- He finds a synagogue
- Positive response
- They want Paul to stay longer
- Aquila and Priscilla entrusted to finish the work.
- Become key figures in NT assemblies
- (1 Corinthians 16:19, 2 Timothy 4:19)
- Paul’s vow
- One journey ends, another begins
- Arrival in Caesarea and ascent to Jerusalem
- Paul greets the “assembly”
- not just the “important” ones
- ασπαζομαι (ah-SPAD-zoh-my) – to enfold in the arms.
- Paul greets the “assembly”
- Arrival in Antioch signifies the end of the 2nd missionary journey.
- Visiting the regions of Galatia and Phrygia.
- Hindered by the Spirit the first time.
- επιστηριζω (epi-stay-RID-zo) – To establish further.
- Compare with Acts 14:22, 15:32, and 15:41.
- Arrival in Caesarea and ascent to Jerusalem
- An introduction to Apollos
- Important to know
- Jew – born in Alexandria
- Eloquent
- λογιος (log-EE-os) Full of words.
- Mighty in the scriptures
- δυνατος (doo-NA-tos) – Powerful. To have the ability.
- Instructed in the way of the Lord
- κατηχεω (kah-tay-KEH-oh) – To sound down into the ears
- Knowing only John’s baptism
- Fervent in spirit
- ζεω (DZEH-oh) To be hot, or boiling.
- Spoke boldly with the religious leaders
- He taught accurately.
- Intimate knowledge of scripture
- Aquila and Priscilla fill in the gaps.
- Important to know
Acts Lesson 48
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Lesson 48 – March 24, 2015 (click here to listen)
Tonight’s Text – Acts 18:1-17
Brief review
- Paul arrives at Corinth
- Historical and geographical context
- Aquila and Priscilla
- Similar skills
- Helped with tentmaking.
- Jews
- “Reasoning” in the synagogue
- πειθω – “peitho” – to convince by argument
- (Hebrews 13:17)
- Silas and Timothy join Paul
- “Pressed in the spirit”
- συνεχω “soon-echo” – moved with the press of a crowd
- Ministry to Jews expands
- Jews’ response to Paul
- They opposed themselves
- αντιτασσομαι (anti-tass-oh-my) – acting riotous
- They blasphemed – spoke evil of Paul
- They opposed themselves
- Paul’s emphatic response
- Shaking his clothes
- symbolic display of shaking off uncleanness
- More intense than just shaking off shoes
- Provoking the Jews to jealousy
- Shaking his clothes
- “Pressed in the spirit”
- The synagogue next door
- Paul comes to stay with Justus
- Crispus becomes a believer
- Leader of the synagogue
- His whole “house”
- The Lord encourages Paul
- Grammatical analysis
- Keep up the good work
- I got your back
- The practical outworking
- Gallio’s keen judgment
- Corinthian’s retaliation against the Jews
- Grammatical analysis
Home Fellowships: Are Elders Optional?
Some time ago during our Tuesday night Bible study in Acts, teacher Andy Young suggested an alternative interpretation of 1Timothy 3:1.
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
Most English translations use words in this verse that indicate an individual’s desire to become an elder, but Andy pointed out, and as far as I can tell from word study, such a conclusion is not definitive. In fact, while many translations render this “if a man,” the ESV and other translations are more accurate by rendering it, “if anyone.” Whether the text refers to the aspirations of a group or individual is difficult to ascertain.
In addition, “the office of” is clearly added with no merit to do so whatsoever. This should be a red flag. We must also interject into the discussion that first-century home fellowships, at least for a while, had no elders.
Titus 1:5 – This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—
So, at least for a time, Crete obviously had no elders; yet, it didn’t prevent the gathering of the saints. Throughout the New Testament, we see the forming of fellowships with no mention of elders. In the least case, elders were not efficacious to having a fellowship for any designated period of time. Clearly, it was a secondary priority. Meeting together is the first priority. Putting things in order is a lower priority.
We must remember that home fellowships are a powerful combination of informality and order. Doing things in an orderly and organized way does not prevent growth, but later facilitates growth. Once home fellowships reemerge from the Protestant Dark Age, deacons and elders will accelerate the Lord’s work and general mandates. Granted, a world outreach and impact from homes is an idea that we need to get used to, but building materials do not empower God’s people—this should be evident. Nor does authority passing judgment on the gifts of others empower. Even when elders and deacons emerge by necessity in the home fellowship movement, disciples will not be waiting for permission to practice their gifts.
Let’s also consider the context of 1Timothy 3:1. Let me suggest from the prior verses that there was a problem with a loosey-goosey approach to the freedom of home fellowships. No institution with its strangulating authority equals NO organization; that’s a huge miscalculation. Also, see Paul’s letters to the Corinthians.
However, while we are on that subject, is it not interesting that elders are not spoken of in the Corinthian letters? Am I missing something? If they are mentioned it is barely more than a mention that I cannot find. Nevertheless, I leave room for correction. But at any rate, the vast majority of instruction in the New Testament addresses the assemblies in general and NOT leadership in particular. That is very telling. Leaders are to facilitate gifts, and are not called to grant permission.
This ministry is beginning to get a lot of feedback that looks like this: “We have left the institutional church; what now?” And this ministry will be addressing that question in the near future.
But be sure of this: in the beginning of your journey, you only need the head—Jesus Christ. Follow Him, and whatever you do—don’t look back.
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Paul's Passing Thoughts 
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