Acts 16 Paul and Silas went to Lystra.. the same city that at first wanted to worship Paul, thinking he was the god Hermes.. and then ended up stoning him and leaving him for dead.  In Lystra, Paul found Timothy, a believer, who's mother was Jewish and father was Greek.  Paul wanted Timothy to go with them and he decided it would be good for him to be circumcised "because of the Jews".  

As they went back to the cities where churches had been established they shared the directives of the elders in Jerusalem and encouraged the believers. "So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily."

In verses 6-12 we  learn that Paul was redirected from the path he wanted to take.. north to Bithynia.. and moved west until they came to Troas on the coast of the Aegean Sea. Here is where Paul has the vision of a man from Macedonia saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Paul acted immediately to secure passage to Macedonia, "concluding that God called us to preach the gospel to them." ( v10) 

The team landed in a town called Neapolis. It is this seaport that God chose to use as a gateway for the gospel of Jesus Christ to enter Europe! So thankful that He sent Paul westward! Ten miles from Neopolis was the Roman city of Philippi. Paul and his fellow disciples stayed there "for some days."  It is here at the riverside that Paul meets Lydia.. the very first convert in Europe. 

Philippi is also the place that Paul delivered a slave girl from a "spirit of divination"; where he and Silas were arrested, beaten, and placed in prison; where he and Silas sang hymns at midnight; where an earthquake freed them from their shackles; where the jailer and his family ended up being saved; and where Paul insisted that the magistrates publicly release him and Silas because they were Roman citizens and had been treated illegally. 

Lydia, "a seller of purple fabrics",  and the jailer, who's name we are not told.. were the first members of this church in Philippi.. coming to faith through the message preached by Paul.  We know from Paul's letter to Philippi that Paul continued to have a great love for this church. He wrote, " I have you in my heart..." (Phil. 1:7) 

Father in heaven, Your plan is always perfect and even when problems, persecution, and prison try to stop your servants.. You prevail!  All praise and glory belongs to You, our Great and Loving God.  Thank You for leading Paul to Europe.. for the letters that he wrote for the churches.. for they still are Your words that strengthen our faith and encourage us in our walk with the Lord Jesus.  The church and even the town of Philippi may be no more.. but Your word will never pass away!  Thank You Lord. Give us ears to hear and hearts to obey all that You have taught us.. fill us with Your Spirit we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Acts 15 Dissension- strife, controversy, insurrection...  A group of men came from Judea.. not sent from the apostles or elders.. to take a stand on the issue of circumcision for those Gentiles who were claiming to be Christ followers.  This issue was so important that the church sent Paul and Barnabas, along with some others to Jerusalem to bring it before the apostles and elders in the church. 

Both sides were presented.  Much discussion and investigation took place. The debate ended when Peter spoke up, reminding everyone about what God had done.. "Brethren, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. and God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He also did to us; and He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith."  

Peter continued with this great statement, "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are." 

God, Himself, affirmed the salvation of uncircumcised Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit. Both Jews and Gentiles are saved in the same way.. by faith in the grace of the Lord Jesus!  It was true then and is still the Truth.  So thankful for the grace of Jesus Christ that has brought us into the Kingdom of God!

It is James who has the final word.  "Therefore it is in my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles.. "  They only asked that the Gentiles "abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from things strangled and from blood and from fornication."  These would be moral or ethical issues that would keep the Gentiles free from the cultural idolatry and also  keep them from offending the Jewish believers. 

Dissension, of a more personal level, came when Paul and Barnabas disagreed about taking Mark along on a second missionary journey.  It was resolved by Barnabas taking Mark with him to Cyprus and Paul taking along Silas back to Syria and Cilicia. Both groups went with the same purpose, to strengthen and encourage the churches. God was at work.. and He is still at work today! He leads His servants to the people who need encouragement and strength.. He leads His servants to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus.. so others will come to have faith in the grace of the Lord Jesus unto salvation! 

Father, when there is dissension.. may we learn to handle it like the church did back in that day.. listening, debating, and looking to what You have made clear by Your Spirit and the Word of God. Bring unity in Your church so that the message of the Gospel is not made a burden, but a great joy in the grace that You have poured out on us all. Our faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ, sent to be our Savior and King forever. We praise and worship You with thankful hearts. Help us to be conformed by Your Spirit and transformed by Your Word to the glory of Your Holy Name.  It is in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen. 

 Acts 13:44-14:28   The second Sabbath day in Antioch (Pisidian)  brought the "whole city" out to hear Paul and Barnabas preach the Word of God. They spoke boldly, but the Jews were jealous and began contradicting the Word.  Paul rebuked them and proclaimed that they would now turn to the Gentiles. "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the Word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life  believed." 

The Jews stirred up trouble and the Gentiles rejoiced. Paul and Barnabas were driven out of the city, but the believers were "filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit". 

Paul and Barnabas went to Iconium where they spoke again and many believed. Then the Jews stirred up trouble... even while God continued to work in Paul and Barnabas, giving them boldness to speak the Word and "bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands." 

Again Paul and Barnabas were persecuted and moved on to Lystra. Here, Paul saw a man who was lame from birth.. "when he had fixed his gaze upon him, and had seen that he had faith to be made well, said with a loud voice, 'Stand upright on your feet' '.    The man jumped up and walked! This miracle had unintended consequences as the people proclaimed Paul and Barnabas to be gods. They had to convince the people to not offer sacrifices to them! 

But, then along came the Jews from Antioch and Iconium.. stirring up problems.. so much so that the same people who wanted to worship Paul.. now "dragged him out of the city" and stoned him.  They thought he was dead, but Paul arose and went back into the city..  They then made their way back to Lystra and Iconium.. and back to Antioch.  They continued preaching.. they encouraged the believers.. they set up elders.. they prayed and fasted with them. And finally, they returned back to Antioch and reported to the church all that had happened. 

Paul taught the believers that "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."  He lived it before them and encouraged them to "continue in the faith".  Then he "commended them to the Lord."

Father in heaven, thank You for establishing the Church.. thank You for leaders and teachers who boldly preach the Word of God..and for the joy that men and women share when they come to believe in Jesus Christ the Lord.  Fill Your church with Your Spirit and help us to persevere in persecution and trouble.  I thank you for the word "commended" used in this passage. We, as believers, have been placed before You, presented to You, and entrusted into Your charge.. the Lord Jesus has brought us into Your Kingdom and we have become Your children and servants.  Thank You for those who have obeyed You and brought to us the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank You for appointing us to eternal life and giving us faith to believe for salvation and for healing.  We seek Your Presence today, Lord God. Lead us nearer and nearer into Your Love we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen. 

 Acts 13:16-42  Paul's sermon was given in Pisidian Antioch on a Sabbath day, in a synagogue, attended by Jews and by God-fearing Gentiles. His message was powerful and clear... 

v17  God chose the Jews, made them a great number in Egypt, and led them out. 

v18 God "put up" with His people for 40 years in the wilderness.

v19 God destroyed the nations in the land of Canaan and gave it to His people "as an inheritance."

v20 God gave Israel judges and prophets to lead them.

V21 Israel asked for a king and God chose Saul.

v22 God removed Saul and "raised up" David.. "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My heart". 

v23 God promised that the offspring of David would come as a Savior.. and Jesus is the One sent.

v24 John ( the Baptist) came to preach repentance to "all the people of Israel"

v25 John told of the One coming who was greater than he.

v26 " Brethren sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation is sent out."   

Here comes the heart of Paul's message!

v27 -30. The leaders in Jerusalem rejected and condemned the One sent to save them. They put Him to death. He was laid in a tomb... "But God raised Him from the dead"!

v32 "And we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is written in the second Psalm 'Thou art My Son; today I have Begotten Thee.' " 

Paul used scripture to  show that the Messiah would indeed die.. but would not decay.. "therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you."  (v38) 

The people who heard Paul wanted to hear more.. what wonderful words.. "through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses." 

Freedom and forgiveness.. Good News!  God did it all.  The Law could not. Moses could not. Even the Prophets and Judges...could not.  Only Jesus Christ who came, died and rose again could bring what the Father ordained.. salvation through the only Begotten Son of God.  Hallelujah !  What a Savior!

Father in heaven, we rejoice at the message of salvation.. that we have freedom from the rule of sin and the law.. that we have forgiveness through Jesus Christ, the Begotten Son of God.. who came in the flesh and dwelt on earth, who died on the cross as the Lamb of God, and who rose again to reign in the Kingdom forever and ever.  Thank You for such a marvelous salvation!  You planned it.. You promised it.. and You brought it to pass.  All glory and honor and praise to You, our Gracious God and to Jesus Christ our Lord and King.. and to the Holy Spirit Who has opened our eyes to see and our ears to hear this blessed Gospel. Amen. 

 Acts 13:1-12 The church at Antioch had 5 main "prophets and teachers".. Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul.  The Holy Spirit spoke to these leaders saying "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 

With prayer and fasting, they laid their hands on the two men and sent them out.  The first place they went was Cyprus, the island where Barnabas had grown up.  They began preaching in the synagogues through the whole island from one end to the other. When they reached Paphos they met two significant people.. Elymas/ BarJesus who was a magician and false prophet; and Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of Cyprus.  Elymas used fraud and deceit to try to keep the proconsul from hearing or believing the message of the Gospel. Paul rebuked him and stopped him by speaking to him, "and now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time."  A "mist and a darkness fell upon him."  

But, the proconsul, listened to the Word, saw what the Lord had done and "believed". 

It was here that John Mark, who had traveled with them to Cyprus, turned back to Jerusalem.  Paul and Barnabas and whoever else was traveling with them sailed from Paphos on to Perga in a region called Pamphylia, which is in modern day Turkey. The group traveled inland to the city of Pisidian Antioch.  This was another important city in Asia Minor. Here Paul and his companions went to the synagogue and Paul preached his first recorded message.  It is also here that Paul "turned to the Gentiles". 

Paul was led by the Holy Spirit everywhere he was sent. He probably never imagined what God had in store for him when he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. God prepared him for this ministry of preaching the good news about Jesus Christ in all the places he was sent.. in places he was received and in places he was rejected and ejected.  No matter what, Paul and the disciples were "continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." 

Father, prepare us also for the work You have for each of us, wherever it is that You send us.  Fill us with Your Spirit and with joy as we walk through the path that You have led us in.. that we might be Your witnesses wherever we might be. Help us to be faithful and bold in proclaiming the good news about Jesus Christ the Lord. Bless those who are even now serving You in other lands.. may the Word of God run rapidly throughout the land and many more come to believe in Jesus Christ the Lord. amen. 

 Acts 12   Herod took up where Saul had stopped.. persecuting the church.  Verse 2 "and he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword."  

James and John.. the sons of thunder.. had once wanted to call down fire from heaven when a village of Samaritans did not receive Jesus.  They were also 2 of the 3 that saw Jesus transfigured on the mountain top, speaking with Moses and Elijah.  James and John had asked Jesus if they could be seated next to Him when He ruled in His Kingdom.  They told Him that they could drink of the cup that He would drink.. and they did.  James was the first of the disciples to be martyred for the name of Jesus. John would be the last. 

After James was killed, Herod.. quite pleased with the response of the Jews.. had Peter arrested.  He intended to kill Peter also, but the Lord intervened. Peter was sleeping between 2 soldiers, guarded by 4 squads.. and apparently at peace with his fate.  The Lord had other plans. An angel woke Peter up and told him to put on his cloak and his shoes. He then led Peter out through the doors, past the soldiers, right through a gate that opened on its own accord. Only then did Peter realize that this was not a dream!

Peter went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark. A prayer meeting was going on in that house and God answered their prayers for Peter.. but, they couldn't believe it when the servant girl told them Peter was at the door!   Peter told them to let the others know that he had been set free and then left for unknown parts. 

Herod was furious and ordered the innocent soldiers to their deaths.  He then left Jerusalem and went to Caesarea.  Anger filled Herod's life... and eventually brought him to an awful death.  When people began to flatter him and refer to him as a "god", Herod drank it all in. "And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." ( v23) 

Father God, we do not know what a day will bring.. but we put our trust in You that Your plan is good and no matter what we face, You will be with us.. and Your name will be glorified.  We do not know why James was killed and Peter spared, but we know that You were leading their steps and holding them in Your Hands.. completing Your will in them both.  As it is with each of Your children.  Whatever You have for us today, we simply pray.. Your will be done! Let our lives be a testimony of Your grace and goodness no matter when or how we die.. whether we are released from these mortal bodies by death or if we are caught up with Jesus in the rapture..we pray, "To God be the Glory".  Amen. 

 Acts 11:19-30 The Lord used the death of Stephen to move His church from Jerusalem outward into Samaria and now into "Phoenicia,  Cyprus, and Antioch".   In verse 20 we are told that some men from Cyprus and Cyrene came to Antioch and began preaching about Jesus to the Greeks as well as to the  Jews. "And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord." 

Cyprus is an island off the coast of Phoenicia, and was the birthplace of Barnabas. Cyrene was a city in northern Africa, near ancient Ethiopia.  One man that we know came from Cyrene was Simon,"and as they were coming out they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross." ( Matthew 27:32)  There were people from Cyrene in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10)  There were men from Cyrene who argued with Stephen. ( Acts 6:9) There is also a prophet named Lucius of Cyrene, part of the church in Antioch who commissioned Saul and Barnabas for the first missionary journey. One of the other leaders in Antioch was "Simeon, that was called Niger" Could this have been the same Simon/Simeon that carried the cross?

The church at Antioch was not only the first church where the believers were called Christians.. it was the first multi-cultural church that the Lord established by His hand. 

As the church grew, the leaders in Jerusalem heard about what the Lord was doing there and sent Barnabas to them.  He "rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord."  After a little while... Barnabas went to Tarsus and found Saul, bringing him back to Antioch. For a year the two men worked together teaching this growing, thriving church. When the prophet Agabus came from Jerusalem and told of a coming famine this church began, "according to their ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren"...  collecting money to send to the believers back there.  Barnabas and Saul would deliver this gift to the elders. 

Antioch was a large city filled with many Jews who had gone there to start businesses in a relatively free environment. There was also a large Greek population.  It was the third largest Roman city, after Rome and Alexandria.  It was also a seaport on the Orontes River, 20 miles inland from the Mediterranean . There were pagan religions in Antioch as well as the Jews, Greeks, and Romans with all of their religious preferences. In spite of all this the Lord built His church in Antioch!  God used these people to send out the first missionaries, do relief work for those undergoing famine, and to bring together Jews and Greeks and others into one family, honoring God, the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit who filled them with His Love. 

Today this city is called Antakya and is located in Turkey just north of the Syrian border. It is still a multi-ethnic population. 

Father in heaven, help us to never underestimate what You can do.. what You want to do in Your church. Built us up in our faith that we might be "resolute" to remain true to You in every way. Send out workers into the harvest field.. help us to be determined, according to our own ability, to help those of our brothers and sisters in Christ in their times of need... and bring us together in unity.. "to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus that with one accord we many with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."  In the name of the Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.