Acts (12)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27

Be sure to view the video introducing our study of Acts 13 (Lesson 12) by clicking here.

Read and meditate on Acts 12.4-7.
The Jews had been dispersed throughout the Roman Empire prior to the birth of Christ – a Roman attempt to dissipate and defang their rebellious tendencies. We can see how God was at work in this, laying a foundation for the coming of the Gospel.

For reflection
1.  Paul preached in synagogues everywhere he went, and, while he was frequently opposed by the rulers of those synagogues, a good many of the first Christians were enlisted there. To Barnabas and Saul it “made sense” to begin their work in the synagogues, since, as we shall see, they intended to use the Old Testament to make the case for Christ. How would you make a case for Christ from the Old Testament?

2.  As in the Old Testament (Joseph, Daniel), certain Jews, scattered about in the Roman world, managed to insinuate themselves into high places among the civil and other authorities in that world. The dispersal of the Jews is one of the many ways God prepared the Roman world for the coming of the Gospel. Can you think of some others?

3.  The synagogue would have provided a bridge into the Gentile world, as we see here in Acts 13. We can imagine Bar-Jesus talking about Barnabas and Saul to his client, Sergius Paulus. Bar-Jesus is a “false prophet.” In his case, he probably preached and taught in a way that catered to the self-interest of local rulers, in this case, Sergius Paulus – not unlike the Sadducees in Jesus’ day. Is there a danger of pastors and teachers doing this sort of thing today? Explain.

4.  Bar-Jesus might have suggested some advantage to be gained by the magistrate in becoming familiar with this new teaching. Sergius’ interest was piqued, and being a thoughtful man, he summoned the evangelists to meet with him. Luke tells us specifically that he wanted to hear the word of God. Would he ever! What does this vignette suggest about the importance of making contacts for the Gospel?

5.  As we think about extending the Kingdom throughout our own communities, we need to think of the most likely places to begin our outreach, and how to phrase our message in a way that will make sense and appeal to the interests and concerns of the people we’re trying to reach. We’ll see that this is Paul’s method wherever he goes. What opportunities for extending the Kingdom of God are available for your church in your community?

Summary
Saul and Barnabas must have been careful in teaching from the Old Testament – presenting Christ in terms their audience would be familiar with, and, therefore, might more readily understand and receive. Meditate on 1 Corinthians 9.19-23. What does this suggest about your church’s witness in your community? About your own witness in your Personal Mission Field?

Closing Prayer
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

Psalm 145.3-7

T. M. Moore

Each week’s studies in Acts are bound together into a free PDF that you can download for personal or group use (click here). Each week also features a video related to the studies of the week, which you may find helpful as you work through our studies in Acts.

Acts is the record of Christ’s ongoing work as King and Lord. This is the work of bringing the Kingdom of God to earth as it is in heaven. Read more about the implications of this work in our new book, The Kingdom Turn (click here).

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