LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY: March 2012

Monday, March 19, 2012

BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday March 18, 2012
Acts 14

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PAUL AND BARNABAS’ TRAVELS AND TRAVAILS

(Spreading and defending the Gospel is not an easy task)

In Iconium, Paul and Barnabas went into the synagogue and preached mightily, and many Jews and Gentiles were converted to Christianity. However, anti-CHRIST Jews, who spurned GOD’s message from Paul and Barnabas, stirred up mistrust among the Gentiles saying many evil things about the pair. Nevertheless, the apostles stayed for an extended period of time preaching boldly about the grace of GOD, and the LORD HIMSELF helped proved the genuineness of the apostles teachings, by enabling them to perform many miracles before the people. The people remained divided in their opinion however, as some sided with the Jews, and some sided with the apostles (Vs. 1-4).

Later, Paul and Barnabas got word that a mob consisting of both Jews and Gentiles, were planning to stone them to death. Upon hearing of this they fled and went to the region of Lycaonia, where they made stops in the cities of Lystra and Derbe, and some of the surrounding towns, and they preached the Gospel there for a while (Vs. 5-7).

While Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra they met a man who had been crippled since birth. Seeing how much faith the man had, Paul called out to him with a loud voice, commanding him to stand up. The man immediately stood up and began walking. When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they began to say that Paul and Barnabas were both gods in human bodies (Vs. 8-11) and they begin to worship them as the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes.

Zeus and Hermes had longed been worshipped in this part of Galatia. In fact, legend had it that just 50 years earlier the two gods had visited the area in human form, and had severely punished the people for not welcoming them. And so Paul’s healing of the cripple man had provoked a superstitious response from the citizens there. The temple of Zeus stood not far away, and one of the priests, along with several Zeus and Hermes followers, came to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas with oxen and wreaths of flowers at the city gates (Vs 11-13).

When Paul and Barnabas got wind of this foolishness, they tried to restrain the people from their idolatrous treatment of them as false gods, but they could scarcely stop the people from sacrificing to them. At around that time, the Jews who had been dogging them for some time now, arrived from Antioch and Iconium, and were able to successfully turn the crowd of people from an adoring one, and into a murderous mob. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, and left him for dead. However, as the believers stood around Paul, he got up and went back into the city. The following day, he and Barnabas left and went to Derby (Vs. 14-20).

In Acts 14:21-28, we see Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch, from their preaching mission, one that had been very successful, even though Paul had been nearly stoned to death in their visit to Lystra, near the end of their journey. Barnabas and Paul were sent out by the HOLY SPIRIT to serve, and to grow the church of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, and it is in that same spirit that we as Christians should operate today when we commit to do the work of CHRIST.

The early church had many struggles and persecutions, and Barnabas and Paul warn of that to the church at the end of this maiden journey. They encouraged the believers to continue on in the faith, and reminded them that, in order to enter into the kingdom of GOD, they, like CHRIST JESUS, must go through many tribulations. They appointed elders in every church, along the way, praying and fasting, and then, turning them over to GOD. When they had arrived back at Antioch, they called the church together and told of all those things that GOD had done on their trip, and how HE had opened the doors of faith also to the Gentiles.

One can’t help but be reminded of the great commission of CHRIST, as HE laid it down at the conclusion of the Book of Matthew (28:19-20). It is a message and command that resonates to every Christian, from across the spans of time, in hopes that every man, woman, and child will have a chance to enlist and serve in the army of GOD. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER, and the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world”. Amen.

PERSONAL APPLICATION:

(1). After you have accepted the “Great Commission of CHRIST” center your

efforts on those people you meet who seem ready to respond.

(2). Remember, at all times, that you are not the one who changes people, only GOD

can do that. We, as Christians, can only plant the seed, and do a little watering. GOD is

the ONE who causes the increase, or change in a person’s heart.

(3). Always stay focused on GOD and your successes. Never focus on people and

opposition. If your focus is on people, instead of GOD, you’re going to always be

disappointed and discouraged with your efforts.

LIFE RESPONSE:

Follow the examples of the men in this lesson by praying and fasting persistently, and, as a result, GOD will give you the strength and courage you need to endure to the end of your Christian journey.

KEY VERSES: Acts 14:19-20

DEVOTIONAL PASSAGES: Matthew 28:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:3-5, 2 Timothy 2:15-16

Monday, March 5, 2012

BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

BIBLE STUDY LESSON

For the week beginning Sunday March 4, 2012

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WE ARE SENT OUT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

(We are sent out by GOD to confirm the Church)

Acts 13

In Acts 13:1-3 we see that the church at Antioch of Syria had become the base of operations for Saul (Paul) and other missionaries. And, even though the church at Jerusalem was still the mother church, the missionary church was the church at Antioch. Here, Luke gives us a vivid description of the background diversity of the leading men in the church there.

First of all, we see Barnabas, a Jew from the island of Cyprus, who had become known as “the enabling encourager”, by those, in the Christian church. Then we see Simeon, who was also a Jew, but was called by his Latin nickname “Niger”, because of his dark complexion. This Latin name may also indicate to us, as to how he moved in Roman circles. Then there is Lucius, who was from Cyrene, a country in northern Africa. And there was also Manaen, a man with royal clout, as he had been raised with Herod Antipas, the king who had John the Baptist beheaded during the time of CHRIST’s earthly ministry. Manaen had become a disciple of JESUS after Herod’s shameful treatment of CHRIST during HIS trials at Jerusalem. And finally, there is Saul, a Jew who had been trained for Rabbinical work by the institutions of men, and then, was converted by CHRIST one fateful day on the road to Damascus (Acts chapter 9).

As these faithful men were praying and fasting one day, the HOLY SPIRIT, as HE often gave directives to GOD’s leaders in those days, came to them, and instructed them that they separate Barnabas and Saul for a special task that GOD had called them to do. It was to be the first of Paul’s, now famous, “missionary journeys” and it would include a circuit through the province of Asia Minor, and a voyage to Barnabas’ homeland, of the island of Cyprus.

The Christian Church, for the first time, is now seen positioning itself to take the Gospel of CHRIST to the world. Cyprus was a Roman province, famous for its copper mines, and shipbuilding industry, and it was only fitting that Barnabas might first want to preach JESUS to his own hometown people.

After landing at the island of Cyprus they went to the town of Salamis and visited the Jewish synagogues and preached the gospel to the people. John Mark, Barnabas’ cousin, and the eventual author of the Book of Mark, went with them as an assistant. The launch of this journey was a decision that was taken under the direct guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT, and unlike we see so often in the Churches today, the men of the Church in the first century, never did what they wanted to do, but rather, they always did what GOD wanted them to do. They were in tune to the HOLY SPIRIT, and they waited patiently on HIS prompting.

After preaching in Salamis for a while, the men traveled from town to town across the entire island of Cyprus. When finally came to a town called Paphos, they met a false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who, had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulas, a man of considerable insight and understanding. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him so that he could hear a word from GOD through them. However Elymas, a practicing socerer, who was seeking to block the governor from learning of the new Christian Faith, interfered and urged the governor to pay no heed to what Saul, or Barnabas had to say (Vs. 6-8).

Then Saul (also known as Paul by that time), who was filled with the HOLY SPIRIT, looked the sorcerer in the eyes and said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of trickery and villainy, enemy of all that is good, will you never stop perverting the true ways of the LORD? And now the LORD has laid HIS hand of punishment upon you, and you will be stricken awhile with blindness”. Then suddenly mist and darkness fell upon the sorcerer and he began to wander around aimlessly begging for someone to take his hand and lead him. When the governor saw what had happened, he instantly believed and, in fact, was astonished about what he was able to learn about the LORD, through Paul and Barnabas (Vs. 9-12).

When Paul and his company left Paphos by ship, they sailed to Pamphylia and landed in the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and went back to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas, however, continued on to Antioch of Pisidia farther inland. To get there, they had to cross over the Taurus Mountain range, which was some 3600 feet above sea level, on one of the most dangerous roads in all of Asia Minor. It was notorious for the bandits and robbers who made a living off the innocent travelers who were brave enough, or stupid enough to come that way. And to top that off, it is said that Paul was sick at that time, but it never crossed his mind to turn back from the assignment that the LORD had given him.

On the Sabbath they went to the synagogue to attend the services there. After reading from the books of Moses, and from the prophets, the synagogue leaders invited Paul and Barnabas to come forward and give them encouragement. What pursued was what would become the Apostle Paul’s longest recorded sermon in scripture (Vs. 15-41).

And so we see coming into focus, a startling contrast between the orthodox Jew, who sought to keep their privileges from to GOD to themselves, and the Christian Jew, who sought, with all determinedness, to share that privilege with the world.