After their appointment, the Seven engaged not only in church ministry but also in effective witnessing. The result was that the gospel continued to spread, and the number of believers kept increasing (Acts 6:7). This growth started, of course, to bring opposition to the early church. The narrative then focuses on Stephen, a man of rare … Continue reading –>
Read Acts 6:1. What was the complaint of the Hellenistic believers? “The cause of complaint was an alleged neglect of the Greek widows in the daily distribution of assistance. Any inequality would have been contrary to the spirit of the gospel, yet Satan had succeeded in arousing suspicion. Prompt measures must now be taken to remove … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Acts 6-7, Acts 7:48, Heb. 5:11-14, Micah 6:1-16, Acts 8:4-25. Memory Text: “The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7, NRSV). Many converts at Pentecost were Hellenistic Jews, that is, Jews from the Greco-Roman world … Continue reading –>
Further Study: “We are stewards, entrusted by our absent Lord with the care of His household and His interests, which He came to this world to serve. He has returned to heaven, leaving us in charge, and He expects us to watch and wait for His appearing. Let us be faithful to our trust, lest coming … Continue reading –>
When was the last time you had people from your church over to your house? The New Testament speaks of churches in homes. See Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 16:9, Colossians 4:15,Philemon 1:2. Years ago, when I became a Bible Worker at a church in Texas, an elderly saint informed me of a group of people … Continue reading –>
If the apostles could be used to bring God’s judgment on sin, as in Ananias and Sapphira’s case, they could also be used to bring God’s grace on sinners. Their powerful healing ministry (Acts 5:12-16) was tangible evidence that God’s Spirit was working through them. That even Peter’s shadow, it was believed, could heal people is striking. … Continue reading –>
You can view an in-depth discussion of “Life in the Early Church” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the lesson outline from the HopeTV … Continue reading –>
The contrast was striking. Just a short time before, descriptive words such as possessed, wild, untamed were used to describe the Demoniac of the Gadara. Now, as the people of the city crowd about him, he is simply described as clothed, and in his right mind. Luke 8:35 A wild man beyond the help of … Continue reading –>
The pooling of goods in the early church was not compulsory; that is, it was not a formal condition of membership. Yet, there certainly were several examples of voluntary generosity that inspired the whole community. One such example was Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37), who will play an important role later in the book. However, there were also … Continue reading –>
It was not long until the church’s success aroused opposition from some Jerusalem leaders. The Jerusalem temple was run by the high priest and his associates, most of whom were Sadducees. The high priest was also the president of the Sanhedrin council, which in those days was comprised mostly of Sadducees and Pharisees. Because the … Continue reading –>
