5/19/12

Circle, circle, dot, dot...



If "Circle, circle, dot, dot; now you have a cooties shot" means anything to you, then you probably have watched "The Big Bang Theory" recently.  I was a little fuzzy on the exact meaning so I went to Wikipedia and found out that the term became popular during the FIRST WORLD WAR as a description of the bug infestations that were common in the opposing trenches.  Basically, bugs were transferred by some sort of physical contact.  And so we come to the picture where a young guy of maybe five or six is calling his "sweetheart" to give her the bad news.  Make no mistake... IT IS BAD NEWS!!!  Head lice in kids is very contagious and hard to exterminate!!!  BUT, as I looked at the picture, it occurred to me that at least he cared enough to CALL!!!!!  Concern for others is a very "grown-up" thing to do and says a lot about this youngster's character.  This, of course, made me think of a passage from the book of Philippians....


Philippians Chapter 2

  1 If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion,  2 make my joy full, by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;  3 doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; 4 each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

  5 Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus,  6 who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.  8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name;  10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,  11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 Like Corinth, the assembly of Christians at Philippi had problems.  They, too, needed to be reminded to care for one another and here the Apostle Paul does just that.  He also gives them the supreme example... Jesus.  Most of us do nice things for others from time to time, but to care for others MORE THAN WE DO FOR OURSELVES, that is another matter entirely!!!  Yet, that is EXACTLY what Jesus did and the scope of it is phenomenal!!! We can never do what Jesus did because HE had a grander starting point, but we can show love and concern for others and that is an excellent place to start.  Who knows; it may begin with something as simple as a phone call....



May 19 Joshua 19, 20


May 19
Joshua 19, 20

Jos 19:1 The second lot came out for Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. Their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Judah.
Jos 19:2 They had for their inheritance Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah,
Jos 19:3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem,
Jos 19:4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah,
Jos 19:5 Ziklag, Beth Marcaboth, Hazar Susah,
Jos 19:6 Beth Lebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities with their villages;
Jos 19:7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan; four cities with their villages;
Jos 19:8 and all the villages that were around these cities to Baalath Beer, Ramah of the South. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.
Jos 19:9 Out of the part of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon; for the portion of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.
Jos 19:10 The third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families. The border of their inheritance was to Sarid.
Jos 19:11 Their border went up westward, even to Maralah, and reached to Dabbesheth. It reached to the brook that is before Jokneam.
Jos 19:12 It turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrise to the border of Chisloth Tabor. It went out to Daberath, and went up to Japhia.
Jos 19:13 From there it passed along eastward to Gath Hepher, to Ethkazin; and it went out at Rimmon which stretches to Neah.
Jos 19:14 The border turned around it on the north to Hannathon; and it ended at the valley of Iphtah El;
Jos 19:15 Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
Jos 19:16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Jos 19:17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar, even for the children of Issachar according to their families.
Jos 19:18 Their border was to Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
Jos 19:19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
Jos 19:20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,
Jos 19:21 Remeth, Engannim, En Haddah, and Beth Pazzez.
Jos 19:22 The border reached to Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth Shemesh. Their border ended at the Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages.
Jos 19:23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities with their villages.
Jos 19:24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families.
Jos 19:25 Their border was Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph,
Jos 19:26 Allammelech, Amad, Mishal. It reached to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath.
Jos 19:27 It turned toward the sunrise to Beth Dagon, and reached to Zebulun, and to the valley of Iphtah El northward to Beth Emek and Neiel. It went out to Cabul on the left hand,
Jos 19:28 and Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, and Kanah, even to great Sidon.
Jos 19:29 The border turned to Ramah, to the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah. It ended at the sea by the region of Achzib;
Jos 19:30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty-two cities with their villages.
Jos 19:31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Jos 19:32 The sixth lot came out for the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families.
Jos 19:33 Their border was from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, Adaminekeb, and Jabneel, to Lakkum. It ended at the Jordan.
Jos 19:34 The border turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, and went out from there to Hukkok. It reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the sunrise.
Jos 19:35 The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,
Jos 19:36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,
Jos 19:37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor,
Jos 19:38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath, and Beth Shemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.
Jos 19:39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities with their villages.
Jos 19:40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families.
Jos 19:41 The border of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaol, Irshemesh,
Jos 19:42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah,
Jos 19:43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron,
Jos 19:44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath,
Jos 19:45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon,
Jos 19:46 Me Jarkon, and Rakkon, with the border over against Joppa.
Jos 19:47 The border of the children of Dan went out beyond them; for the children of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and lived therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.
Jos 19:48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Jos 19:49 So they made an end of distributing the land for inheritance by its borders. The children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun in the midst of them.
Jos 19:50 According to the commandment of Yahweh, they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in the hill country of Ephraim; and he built the city, and lived there.
Jos 19:51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance by lot in Shiloh before Yahweh, at the door of the Tent of Meeting. So they made an end of dividing the land.
Jos 20:1 Yahweh spoke to Joshua, saying,
Jos 20:2 "Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'Assign the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you by Moses,
Jos 20:3 that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there. They shall be to you for a refuge from the avenger of blood.
Jos 20:4 He shall flee to one of those cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city. They shall take him into the city with them, and give him a place, that he may live among them.
Jos 20:5 If the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver up the manslayer into his hand; because he struck his neighbor unintentionally, and didn't hate him before.
Jos 20:6 He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days. Then the manslayer shall return, and come to his own city, and to his own house, to the city he fled from.' "
Jos 20:7 They set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba (the same is Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.
Jos 20:8 Beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness in the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
Jos 20:9 These were the appointed cities for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally might flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stands before the congregation.

"ACTS OF THE APOSTLES" Chapter Two by Mark Copeland


                         "ACTS OF THE APOSTLES"

                              Chapter Two

OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER

1) To carefully consider the events surrounding the outpouring of the
   Spirit on the day of Pentecost

2) To examine Peter's first gospel sermon, and the evidence presented in
   it for the resurrection of Jesus Christ

3) To observe the response to the sermon, and what people were told to
   do in order to be saved

4) To note the establishment and characteristics of the church in
   Jerusalem

SUMMARY

Ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven, on the Jewish feast day of
Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is poured out as promised.  With the sound of
a rushing mighty wind, and with tongues of fire appearing above their
heads, those filled with the Holy Spirit begin to speak in other tongues
(1-4).  Devout Jews visiting from other countries are attracted and
amazed as they hear wonderful works of God proclaimed in their own
languages (5-13).

Peter, standing with the rest of the apostles, explains that what has
happened is a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy (Joel 2:28-32), who
foretold that God would pour out His Spirit in the last days (14-21).
He then preaches Jesus of Nazareth to the crowd, reminding them of His
miracles, their involvement in His death, and proclaiming that God
raised Him from the dead.  As proof for the resurrection, Peter offers
three lines of evidence:  1) the prophecy by David, who foretold of the
resurrection (Ps 16:8-11);  2) the twelve apostles as witnesses;  3)
the Spirit's outpouring itself , indicative of Christ's exaltation and
reception of the promise of the Spirit from the Father.  In conclusion,
Peter pronounces that God has made Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord
and Christ (22-36).

Cut to the heart, the people ask the apostles what they should do.
Peter commands them to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins
and gift of the Holy Spirit.  With many other words he exhorts them to
be saved, and about 3000 souls gladly receive his word and are baptized
(37-41).

Thus begins the church in Jerusalem, which continues steadfastly in the
apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and prayers.
Signs and wonders are done by the apostles, while the believers display
their love and devotion through acts of benevolence and frequent
worship.  They enjoy the favor of the people, and the Lord adds to the
church daily those being saved (42-47).

OUTLINE

I. THE OUTPOURING OF THE SPIRIT (1-4)

   A. ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST (1)
      1. A Jewish holiday, also known as the Feast of Weeks and Feast of
         Harvest, one of three great annual festivals (cf. Lev 23:15-22;
         Exo 23:14-18; 34:22)
      2. Fifty days after the Passover Sabbath, i.e., Sunday
      3. They, most likely the apostles (cf. Ac 1:11,26; 2:7,14), were
         gathered in one place

   B. WITH AUDIBLE AND VISUAL SIGNS (2-3)
      1. A sound from heaven
         a. As of a rushing mighty wind
         b. Filling the house where they were sitting
      2. Divided tongues
         a. As of fire
         b. One upon each one of them

   C. FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT (4)
      1. Speaking with other tongues (known languages, cf. Ac 2:8,11)
      2. As the Spirit gave them utterance

II. THE REACTION OF THE CROWD (5-13)

   A. CONFUSED AND AMAZED (5-11)
      1. The crowd made up of devout Jews visiting from other nations
      2. The effect of what they heard
         a. Drew the multitude together
         b. Confused them, for everyone heard them speaking in their own
            language
         c. Amazed and marveled them, for those speaking were Galileans
         d. Yet were hearing languages of the countries of their birth
            1) Parthians, Medes, Elamites, dwellers in Mesopotamia
            2) Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia
            3) Egypt, Libya, Cyrene, Rome
            4) Both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs
      3. Hearing in their languages the wonderful works of God

   B. TWO RESPONSES (12-13)
      1. One of serious questioning:  "Whatever could this mean?"
      2. One of mockery:  "They are full of new wine."

III. THE EXPLANATION BY PETER (14-21)

   A. THEY WERE NOT DRUNK (14-15)
      1. Standing up with the eleven, Peter addresses the crowd
      2. It was too early in the day ("third hour", i.e., 9 a.m.) for
         them to be drunk

   B. THE FULFILLMENT OF JOEL'S PROPHECY (16-21)
      1. The events were those prophesied by Joel (cf. Joel 2:28-32)
      2. Which foretold of the outpouring of the Spirit
         a. In the last days on all flesh
         b. Leading sons and daughters to prophesy, young men to see
            visions, and old men to dream dreams
         c. With signs and wonders in heaven above and earth beneath
            before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord
         d. With salvation to those who call upon the name of the Lord

IV. THE SERMON BY PETER (22-36)

   A. PROPOSITION:  GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD (22-24)
      1. Jesus, a man attested to by miracles, signs and wonders
         a. Done by God in their midst
         b. Which they themselves knew
      2. Jesus, crucified and put to death
         a. According to the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God
         b. Which they did by lawless hands (via the Romans)
      3. Jesus, whom God raised from the dead
         a. Having loosed the pains of death
         b. For it was not possible that He should be held by it

   B. EVIDENCE:  THREEFOLD TESTIMONY (25-35)
      1. The testimony of David
         a. For David prophesied of Jesus (cf. Ps 16:8-11)
         b. David could not be speaking of himself
            1) For he was dead and buried
            2) With his tomb for all to see
         c. But spoke as a prophet
            1) He knew that God had sworn with an oath that one of his
               descendants would be raised to sit on his throne
            2) He therefore spoke of the resurrection of Christ, whose
               soul was not left in Hades nor did His flesh see
               corruption
      2. The testimony of the apostles
         a. They were witnesses
         b. That God raised Jesus
      3. The testimony of the Spirit's outpouring
         a. Jesus poured forth what they saw and heard
            1) Having been exalted to the right hand of God
            2) Having received from the Father the promise of the Holy
               Spirit
         b. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but prophesied of
            the Lord (Ps 110:1)
            1) Who would sit at God's right hand
            2) Until His enemies became His footstool (cf. 1Co 15:
               25-26)

   C. CONCLUSION:  JESUS IS LORD AND CHRIST (36)
      1. All the house of Israel were to "know assuredly" (i.e., believe
         with all their hearts)
      2. That God made Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord and Christ

V. THE CONVERSION OF 3000 SOULS (37-41)

   A. THE RESPONSE OF THE LISTENERS (37)
      1. They were cut to the heart
      2. They said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and
         brethren, what shall we do?"

   B. THE REPLY BY PETER (38-39)
      1. Two commands
         a. Repent
         b. Let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ
      2. Two promises
         a. For the remissions of sins
         b. You shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
      3. The extent of the promise
         a. To them and their children
         b. To all who afar off, as many as the Lord will call

   C. THE RESULTS RECORDED BY LUKE (40-41)
      1. After Peter with many other words testified and exhorted them:
         "Be saved from this perverse generation"
      2. Those who gladly receive his word were baptized
      3. That day about 3000 were added (cf. Ac 2:47)

VI. THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH (42-47)

   A. THEIR STEADFASTNESS AND REVERENCE (42-43)
      1. They continued steadfastly in:
         a. The apostles' doctrine and fellowship
         b. The breaking of bread and prayers
      2. Fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done
         through the apostles

   B. THEIR CHARITY AND GROWTH (44-47)
      1. Those who believed were together and had all things in common
         a. Those with possessions and goods sold them
         b. Dividing them among all according to their need
      2. They continued daily with one accord in the temple
      3. Breaking bread from house to house, eating with gladness and
         simplicity of heart
      4. Praising God and having favor with all the people
      5. The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved

REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER

1) What are the main points of this chapter?
   - The outpouring of the Spirit (1-4)
   - The reaction of the crowd (5-13)
   - The explanation by Peter (14-21)
   - The sermon by Peter (22-36)
   - The conversion of 3000 souls (37-41)
   - The beginning of the church (42-47)

2) What day had arrived?  Who was gathered in one place? (1)
   - The Day of Pentecost; "they" (most likely the apostles, cf. Ac
     1:26; 2:7,14)

3) What audible and visible signs were evidence of the Spirit's
   outpouring? (2-3)
   - The sound of a mighty rushing wind filling the house where they
     were sitting
   - Divided tongues, as of fire, one sitting upon each of them

4) What did those filled with Spirit begin to do? (4)
   - To speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance

5) Who was present in Jerusalem at that time? (5)
   - Devout Jews from every nation

6) What indicates that the "tongues" were known languages of men? (6,11)
   - Everyone heard them speak in his own language
   - The people said, "We hear them speaking in our own tongues..."

7) What evidence is that those speaking were only the apostles? (7)
   - Those speaking were Galileans (which was true of the apostles,
     whereas many disciples were from other regions besides Galilee)

8) What was the reaction of those who heard? (7,12-13)
   - They were amazed and marveled, they were perplexed, some even
     mocked

9) How did Peter and the eleven discount the charge that they were
   drunk? (14-15)
   - It was only the third hour of the day (9 a.m.)

10) To what does Peter attribute the events of that day? (16)
   - That which was spoken by the prophet Joel

11) When would the events described by Joel occur? (17)
   - In the last days

12) Upon whom would the Spirit be poured out? (17,18)
   - All flesh
   - God's menservants and maidservants

13) What did Joel prophesy would be some of the effects of the Spirit's
    outpouring? (17-18)
   - Sons and daughters shall prophesy (cf. Ac 21:8-9)
   - Young men shall see visions and old men shall dream dreams
   - God's menservants and maidservants shall prophesy (cf. 1Co 11:5)

14) What other events were foretold by Joel?  When would they occur?
    (19-20)
   - Wonders in heaven and signs in the earth
   - The sun turned into darkness, and the moon into blood
   - Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord

15) What reassuring promise was made by Joel? (21)
   - Whoever calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved

16) How was Jesus attested to by God? (22)
   - By miracles, wonders, and signs which He did through Him

17) Could the audience deny that Jesus did these signs? (22)
   - No, for they were done in their midst and they were aware of them

18) Though crucified by lawless hands, according to what was Jesus'
    death? (23)
   - God's predetermined purpose and foreknowledge

19) What is the main proposition of Peter's sermon? (24)
   - God raised Jesus from the dead

20) What first line of evidence did Peter present to prove his
    proposition? (25-31)
   - The prophecy of David concerning the resurrection of the Christ

21) How was Peter able to prove that David did not speak of himself?
    (29,34)
   - David was dead and buried, the tomb was still there
   - David did not ascend into the heavens

22) What two prophecies of David did Peter reference? (25-29,34-35)
   - Psalms 16:8-11; 110:1

23) What second line of evidence did Peter present to prove his
    proposition? (32)
   - The apostles were witnesses of the resurrection

24) What third line of evidence did Peter present to prove his
    proposition? (33-33)
   - The outpouring of the Spirit, indicative of being exalted to the
     right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise
     of the Holy Spirit

25) What did Peter want his audience to know assuredly? (36)
   - That God has made Jesus, whom they crucified, both Lord and Christ

26) How did this impact the audience?  What did they ask? (37)
   - They were cut to the heart; "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

27) What two commands did Peter give them? (38)
   - Repent and be baptized

28) What two promises did Peter offer them? (38)
   - Remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit

29) To whom was the promise offered? (39)
   - To them and their children, and to all who are afar off, as many as
     God would call

30) What else did Peter say? (40)
   - With many words he testified, and exhorted them, "Be saved from
     this perverse generation"

31) What did those who gladly received his word do?  How many? (41)
   - They were baptized; about 3000

32) What did those who were baptized then do? (42)
   - Continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in
     the breaking of bread and in prayers

33) Who were doing many wonders and signs? (43)
   - The apostles

34) What did those who believe do with their possessions? (44-45)
   - Sold them and shared with one another as anyone had need

35) What did the disciples do during those first days of the early
    church in Jerusalem? (46-47)
   - Continued daily in the temple with one accord
   - Breaking bread from house to house, eating with gladness and
     simplicity of heart
   - Praising God and having favor with all the people

36) What did the Lord do during those days? (47)
 - Added to the church daily those who were being saved