I. The historical background of the Messiah (Acts 13:13-23)
A. The exodus, wilderness, and Joshua (Acts 13:16-19; Deuteronomy 7:1-2)
B. David (Acts 13:20-22) and his part in God’s plan (Acts 13:23)
II. The prophecies and proofs of Jesus (Acts 13:23-37)
A. John the Baptizer’s testimony (Acts 13:23-25; John 1:29-30; 3:30)
B. Paul’s target audience: “those among you who fear God” (Acts 13:26)
C. Jesus’ rejection and crucifixion fulfilled prophecy (Acts 13:27-29)
D. Jesus’ resurrection fulfilled prophecy (Acts 13:30-37; 2:29ff)
III. Jesus is the answer to every man’s problem of sin (Acts 13:38-41)
A. Forgiveness and justification (Acts 13:38-39; Galatians 3:23-25)
B. Warning against rebellion (Acts 13:40-41; Habakkuk 1:5; Isaiah 53:1)
I. Thanksgiving for mercies granted to the king (Psalm 21:1-6)
A. Joy in the salvation of God (Psalm 21:1; 1 Peter 1:10-12; Ephesians 3:4)
B. Prayer (Psalm 21:2; James 1:6; 1 John 5:14-15)
C. The crown (Psalm 21:3; Galatians 4:4-5; 2 Timothy 4:8)
D. Life (Psalm 21:4; John 10:10)
E. Honor and majesty (Psalm 21:5-6; 2 Samuel 7:18; Ephesians 2:8-9)
II. The hope of future victories (Psalm 21:7-12)
A. Steadfast trust (Psalm 21:7; 1 Corinthians 15:58)
B. The enemies of God do not stand a chance (Psalm 21:8-12; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; 25:21, 23)
III. The reward for faithfulness (Psalm 21:13)
A. The power rests with God, not with us (Psalm 21:13)
B. Coffman: “There can be no higher activity on the part of mankind than that of worshipping and praising the Creator” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Philippians 2:12-13)
A. The problem of false teaching (Jude 3-4; 3 John 9, 11)
B. Warning against false teachers (2 Peter 2:1-19)
C. Continue in the truth because faith is precious (John 8:32; 2 Peter 3:18)
II. The trial of our faith (1 Peter 1:6-9)
A. The testing of faith (James 1:2-3)
B. Present suffering will not compare to eternal glory (Romans 8:18)
III. A gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:3-4)
A. Gentle/meek (Matthew 5:5)
B. Quiet/peaceable (1 Timothy 2:2)
IV. The promises of God (2 Peter 1:2-4)
A. God’s revelation is sufficient (Proverbs 17:8)
B. God’s promises are conditional upon obedience (Romans 11:22)
V. Christ (1 Peter 2:4-7)
A. The living stone chosen of God (1 Peter 2:4-5)
B. Old Testament prophecies1. Isaiah 28:16 (cf. Ephesians 2:19-22)
2. Psalm 118:22
VI. The blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19)
A. Intrinsic value (Acts 3:6; Mark 8:36-37)
B. The blood of animals not sufficient (Hebrews 10:4, 10)
A. Cyprus (Acts 13:4; 4:36; 11:19-21)
B. The work is straight-forward: preach the Word (Acts 13:5; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 1:14-17)
II. The mission was met with interest and opposition (Acts 13:6-8)
A. The opposition: Bar-Jesus/Elymas (Acts 13:6-8; 2 Timothy 4:4)
B. The interested party: Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:7)
III. Opposition must be opposed! (Acts 13:9-11)
A. Paul was inspired in his opposition of Elymas (Acts 13:9-10)
B. We must be gentle and patient in our opposition of error (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
C. Mercy even in opposition (Acts 13:11)
IV. The result of truth (Acts 13:12)
A. Sergius Paulus believed (Acts 13:12)
B. Belief is always preceded by hearing (Romans 10:17)
C. Belief is a “synecdoche” for the proper response – obedience
A. Psalm 23
B. Psalm 79:13-80:3
C. Psalm 95:6-7
D. Ezekiel 34
II. Jesus as the Good Shepherd
A. He knows His sheep by name and leads them (John 10:1-4)
B. He provides for them abundant life (John 10:10; Ephesians 3:20-21)
C. He lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:11, 15, 17-18)
III. The spiritual satisfaction of Jesus’ sheep
A. Are you listening? (John 10:27)
1. Hear His voice (John 8:43-45)
2. Does Jesus know you? (Matthew 7:21-23)
3. Follow Him!
B. Eternal life, protection, and security for His sheep (John 10:28)
A. Jochebed (Exodus 2:2-10; Hebrews 11:25)
B. Hannah (1 Samuel 1-2)
C. Lois and Eunice (2 Timothy 1:3-5; 3:14-15)
D. Mary (Luke 2:41-52)
II. The influence of a godly mother
A. “Behind every good man is a good woman” – and that good woman is often his mother (Ephesians 5:23; 6:1)
B. The power of a mother’s prayer (Rudyard Kipling’s “Mother O’ Mine”; James 5:16)
III. The sacrifice of a godly mother
A. She takes initiative (Proverbs 31:13)
B. She provides for her family’s needs in the home (Proverbs 31:15)
C. She is shrewd in business dealings (Proverbs 31:16)
D. She is generous (Proverbs 31:20)
E. She is not lazy (Proverbs 31:27)
F. She is blessed (Proverbs 31:28-31)
A. He was devout (Luke 10:25-28; 9:23-25)
B. He was reverent (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Psalm 36:1-4)
C. He was a leader in his home (Deuteronomy 6:4-7)
D. He was generous (Leviticus 19:9-10; Galatians 6:10)
E. He was a praying man (James 5:16)
II. Cornelius was a lost man
A. He needed to be told what he “must do” (Acts 10:3-8)
B. Peter brought the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10:28-29, 34-35, 42-43; 1:8; 2:39)
C. God showed the acceptability of the Gentiles (Acts 10:44-46; Mark 16:20; Acts 10:47-48)
III. The Jewish response
A. Initial backlash (Acts 11:1-3)
B. Peter’s defense: “at the beginning” (Acts 11:15, 17)
C. God was glorified (Acts 11:18; Galatians 3:28)
A. Knowing God (1 John 4:7-8; Philippians 3:8-11; Titus 1:16)
B. Christ gives us life (1 John 4:9; John 14:6; 1:4; 11:25; 5:24) as the propitiation of our sins (1 John 4:10)
C. We have no excuse to not love the brethren (1 John 4:11)
II. Confessing God’s love
A. The good confession (1 John 4:15; Acts 8:37-38; 1 Timothy 6:12)
B. More than mere lip service (Matthew 15:8; 7:21)
III. Abiding in God’s love
A. A mutual spiritual indwelling; a reciprocal abiding; the closest fellowship and communion possible (1 John 4:12-16)
B. We can be bold by conforming our lives to His (1 John 4:17; 1 Timothy 6:11; Ephesians 5:1-2)
C. There is no fear in love (1 John 4:18; Psalm 111:10)
IV. Practicing God’s love
A. Selflessly seeking the very best for another person (1 John 4:19)
B. Love for the brethren flows from a love for God (1 John 4:20)
C. You cannot love God if you do not love your Christian family (1 John 4:21)
A. Seeing old friends who have been away for some time (Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7)
B. Good news about friends (Ephesians 6:22; Philippians 1:12-14)
II. From God (Ephesians 6:23-24; 1:2-3)
A. Peace (1 Peter 3:10-11; Romans 12:18; Ephesians 2:14; Matthew 5:9)
B. Love with faith (James 2:22; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 6; 2 Thessalonians 1:3)
C. Grace (Romans 6:23; Isaiah 59:2; John 3:16; John 14:23)
But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. (Acts 8:12)
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