King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Sunday, December 12, 2021
Chapters: Acts 20-22
Message: One Sacrifice
Hello My Friend,
Did you ever wonder what it would have been like to be among the first Christians? The persecution they faced was about as bad as it is getting now, but their zeal for Christ was astounding and would put us to shame today, well, at least, here in America. While we do not see it much in America because we are still free to worship Christ in public, there are countries that people are dying for their faith. If we do not shape up, we might just lose our freedom to worship Christ freely as God will not hesitate to remove Himself from this country if it continues to ignore the warnings to repent, and this means the Church of Christ, [Revelation 3:2-3 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.]
There was no such thing as a church before Christ, in fact, He is the Church, and while we do not need to go to church to worship God it is very important that we come together as one body of Christ. As we return to the Book of Acts, Paul determined to walk the path of Jesus, believing he was supposed to go to Jerusalem where he would be persecuted, stopped in Troas. On the Lord’s day, which is the first day of the week, he preaches to a crowd of people, and they were so attentive to what he was preaching that it went on until after midnight.
[Acts 20:6-7,9-11 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days. 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.]
[And upon the first day of the week,] Although the disciples read, meditated, prayed, and sung apart, they came together to worship God on the first day of the week, this was in observance of Jesus rising from the dead on the first day of the week, [Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.]. In the early times, it was custom to receive the Lord’s supper (communion) every Lord’s day in remembrance of Christ’s death, followed by the preaching of the gospel. They were willing to hear, and when he saw that they were, he continued speaking until he was interrupted when a man fell from the window. Continuing on to Jerusalem, Paul stops in Ephesus, he went there to encourage them to continue preaching the Gospel, and to let them know that he was headed to Jerusalem.
[Acts 20:22-28 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.]
[so that I might finish my course with joy,] You see, we may not always make the right choices, in fact, we make quite a few wrong choices. Making the wrong choices does not count against us, that is unless we believed in Christ in vain, if we allow Christ to guide us after we make them then He will use them for good. We know that cannot avoid death, unless Jesus returns soon, but what we can do is finish our course with joy knowing that even when we make wrong choices, we will still be with Jesus, [1 Corinthians 3:13-15 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.]
[which he hath purchased with his own blood.] For those who say they do not need a church to worship God, remember that Jesus is the Church, He purchased it with His own blood. Jesus is the head of the Church, at least, the one that solely believes in the Gospel and receives Him as their Saviour. Do not be fooled by churches disguised to look like they know Christ, they do not even preach repentance for sin through Christ alone, [John 7:17-18 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.]
No matter what Paul was going through he did everything that the Holy Spirit led him to do, if it meant that he was going to suffer, then he gladly accepted the challenge and went whatever God called him to go. However, Paul did not always make the right choices either, we find that even he did not listen to the warnings that the Holy Spirit was telling him what would happen if he went to Jerusalem. In fact, every where he went, the Holy Spirit led people to warn him not to go, but he refused.
[Acts 21:4,8,11,13-14 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. 8 And the next day we that were of Paul’s company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. 11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. 13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.]
[The will of the Lord be done.] Okay, so, there are some that believe that these people were trying to stop Paul from the will of God, as when Jesus rebuked Peter. I believe that God did not want him to go back there and tried to get him to see what was going to happen if he did, but since he was determined to go there, God allowed it. You see, God does not want us to suffer more than we have to, that is why Jesus suffered more than us all, yes, we do have to endure some pain in this life, but not more than we are able, after that, it is in in the Lord’s will what happens afterward, [1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.]
Remember, God does place some temptation before us, but not the sin temptation rather prove Him temptation. Paul arrives in Jerusalem, and at first, he was welcomed, but something happened, the saved Jews, who insisted that the Law of Moses still be instituted, urged him to be an example by following the Law concerning purification, and he went along with it.
[Acts 21:19–21,24,26 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry. 20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: 21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. 24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. 26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.]
[Them take, and purify thyself with them,] Do you see the error here? This was ceremonial law. Jesus purifies us with His blood the second we receive Him as our Saviour, there is no need to shave heads, circumcise, or walk in the customs of ceremonial law to be reconciled with God. However, we do need to cleanse ourselves from the sin of the day by confessing our sins, which is why Jesus tells us that we need to wash our feet, [John 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.]
[until that an offering should be offered for every one of them.] Okay, God may let us get out of His will sometimes, but He will intervene when we are about to make a huge mistake. It was fine that Paul shaved and took a bath, but to offer up sacrifices to God at this point would be sin as Jesus put an end to that. Watch how God stops this from happening.
[Acts 21:27-28,30,33,36-37 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him, 28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. 30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. 33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. 36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him. 37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek?]
[and further brought Greeks also into the temple,] Just before they were to offer the sacrifice, the took Paul and threw him out of the temple. Do you understand what this means? All the ceremonial laws concerning redemption, atonement, and sanctification were done away with when Christ gave His life on the cross, [Hebrews 10:4-5,10 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.]
We may not always be in God’s will, but that does not mean He will not use it to our advantage, and get us back in His will. Now, that Paul is captured, God would use this to His advantage, it would be a perfect time to preach the Gospel. The best way we can tell people about Jesus is to give our own testimony, which is what Paul did.
[Acts 22:1.3-4,12-14 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you. 3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. 4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. 12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, 13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. 14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.]
[that thou shouldest know his will,] One amazing thing about God is that even when we get out of His will His grace is enough to get us back in it. He only allows us to go so far out of His will before He nudges back in the right direction. While Paul went through much suffering in and out of God’s will, none of it can compare to the suffering that Jesus endured as He shed His blood to save us. Jesus died for all with joy, He took on the sin debt that every living soul owed by giving His own life for them. He bore much pain, humiliation, and suffering so we do not have to spend eternity in hell. Being faithful to Christ does not mean that we will suffer no more while we are here, it does mean that He will direct us through every step, and when we are suffering, He will give us the means and direction to endure it, [1 Peter 3:17-18 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:]
Let Us Pray: Jesus, You chose me, I did not choose You, but You chose me, all because I knew where my fate would be had I not received You as my Saviour. Although I try to make the right choices, and even remember times where You have warned me not to do something, I still made them. You did not push me to the side, You used those choices to help me get back in Your will. Lord, lead me and guide me, help me to listen to Your Spirit in me at all times, and to understand when You are simply trying to tell me that I need to stop what I am persistent in my own will to do because it will hurt me. I know I can do and endure all things through You as I prepare, and finish my course with joy. I love You Lord and pray this in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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