Bible Pathway - Nov. 9, 2011
Read Acts 1
Highlights:
Purpose of the Church (Acts 1:8). Unite together and pray (1:13-14). The power of the Holy Spirit (2:1-21). Peter preaches Jesus: crucified, risen, exalted as Lord and Christ (2:22-36). The 1st Church (2:41-47). Witnesses (3:18-26).
The supreme theme of the Book of Acts is Jesus Christ, the only Savior and the coming King. Know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). The listeners responded by asking: What shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Spirit). . . . Then they that gladly received His (the Lord's) Word were baptized (2:37-38,41).
A person may be doctrinally wrong about many things and yet still be saved; but one dare not be wrong about his relationship with Jesus Christ, who alone is his hope for eternal salvation. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (4:12).
The believers in Acts knew that Jesus of Nazareth is Christ their Messiah. They also recognized that any belief which does not lead to repentance and a new way of life is insincere and worthless. Ye were . . . redeemed . . . with the precious blood of Christ. . . . Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the Truth . . . see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently (I Pet. 1:18-19,22).
It is written of these early Christians: Daily in the Temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ (Acts 5:42). Imagine groups of the disciples meeting and talking about the weather or politics, and saying little if anything about Jesus. There are vital obligations for every Christian (Luke 9:23), and the person who has no concern for doing what is pleasing in the Lord's sight should not assume that he is prepared to meet the Lord. However, our faith must never rest in our works. All our trust and hope must be in the Beloved (Christ). It is in Him alone that we have redemption through His blood (Eph. 1:5-7), and not by our good works.
Jesus said of His disciples: They have kept Thy Word (John 17:6). This is of more than incidental significance as we may discern from the promise of our Lord when He said: He that hath My Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him (John 14:21).
Thought for Today:
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (Acts 16:31).
Cross References:
For Acts 1:20: See Ps. 69:25; 109:8. Acts 2:17-21: See Joel 2:28-32. Acts 2:25-28: See Ps. 16:8-11. Acts 2:34-35: See Ps. 110:1. Acts 3:22-23: See Deut. 18:15,18-19. Acts 3:25: See Gen. 12:3; 22:18.
Word Studies:
1:3 after His passion, after He had suffered death; 1:12 a Sabbath day's journey, a little over one-half mile, the extent a Jew was allowed to travel on the Sabbath; 2:27 leave My soul in hell, forsake Me in the grave (Sheol).
Prayer Needs:
Pray for International Broadcasts in memory of Iva Ann McElroy (Dr. John A. Hash's mother) • Staff: Clarence Rathbone • Government Official: Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH) and Rep. Scott Tipton (CO) • Country: Ecuador (13 million) in South America, crossed by the equator • Major language: Spanish • Religious freedom • 91% Roman Catholic; 3% Protestant • Prayer Suggestion: When you pray, be brief and pray from your heart (Eccl. 5:2).
Memory Verse for the Week: Romans 6:12
