The Unsearchable Riches of Christ: Commentary Series

James is killed by Herod.  Then Peter is placed in prison only to be released by an angel of the Lord.  Each guard is then killed in consequence of losing Peter, and then the chapter concludes with the miraculous death of Herod.  A lot of death and imprisonment.  This chapter has much to teach us so open your Bibles and let’s study the word of God.

Probably the most criticized word in the KJV is the word Easter, found in Acts 12:4.  Why is the Greek word pascha (which means both Passover and Easter) translated this way in Acts when the 28 other times it’s found in the New Testament it’s translated Passover?  Did the translators get it correct back in 1611?  Well, let’s study the word of God to find out.

Peter rehashes to the believer Jews in Judea what just happened to the Gentiles.  At first, the Jews contend the matter but eventually the truth of God prevails.  Then we see a major shift in the church’s history where God moves the focus of the church from Jerusalem to Antioch.  Open your Bibles and let’s study the word of God.

There is therefore now NO CONDEMNTION to them which are in Christ Jesus.  Wow … what a grand truth!  How can this be?  Open your Bibles and let’s bask in praising Jesus Christ for what he’s done for us.

Self is the conclusion of Romans 7.  We are our own worst enemy, so to speak.  So, who provides the victory over self?  Jesus Christ.  Oh, may God help us to get out of our own way and allow Him to rule!

The law of God has its proper place.  Prior to being saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ the law was our schoolmaster teaching us and leading us to Christ (Galatians).  Now that we have Christ and Christ has us, we are free from that law to serve Him in spirit and not in the oldness of the letter (Romans 7:6).  What does that mean?  … We are free to serve Him because we want to, not because we have to.   

We pause our verse-by-verse study through Acts to reflect on what we’ve learned thus far.  So far, we’ve seen preaching delivered to the Jews, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles.  Furthermore, we’ve seen 3 cases where individuals hear the preaching of Jesus Christ.  We must compare each case to fully understand how God is working during this transitional period of the church’s history.  Open your Bibles and let’s study the word of God.  

Peter is called upon to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, and it is here we learn that there are no dietary restrictions governing the church.  Praise God, pork and shrimp are on the menu!  This is quite the enjoyable chapter, so open your Bibles and let’s study the word of God.

The Christian life is more than just knowing a set of facts.  Our head knowledge must be coupled with a heart desire to follow, please, and obey God.  It’s the only way we will ever yield ourselves appropriately as He desires for us to do.  So, what does your heart want?  What does your heart desire?  Oh, may God help us with this truth!

Our standing with Jesus Christ, upon believing on Him, is that we have received imputed righteousness and been declared justified by Him (Romans 4-5).  That is fixed, constant, and unchanging.  Praise God!  Our state though, can vary from day to day simply because of how WE CHOOSE to live.  Let’s allow the scripture and the first half of Romans 6 to teach us this truth. 

The chapter continues with details concerning the days following Paul’s conversion and immediately shifts to Peter.  Two miracles are performed by Peter and the second of those miracles is particularly interesting because he raises Tabitha from the dead.  There are a good many resurrections that take place throughout scripture.  Are they connected?  Can we as the church learn anything from their stories?  Open your Bibles and let’s find out.

Saul of Tarsus (also called Paul) is quite the individual as an extremely zealous and devout Pharisaical Jew.  Just read his own testimony in Philippians 3:4-6 for proof.  So, it seems only natural that a unique man like Paul would have a unique conversion.  That’s exactly what we witness here in Acts 9.

Belief of the gospel and salvation becomes the focus of this message.  Along with that we take a quick look at the 2,000 years of the church’s history and where our Bible’s text comes from.  Why must we do that?  Because verse 37 demands that we do.  Follow along with us to find out why.

The persecution of the early church ramps up and the church scatters.  The first stop, as indicated by Jesus in Acts 1:8, is Samaria and many believe the gospel.  However, their receiving of the Holy Ghost is delayed until the apostles come to lay their hands on them.  Why?  Open you Bibles and let’s find out.

Two men and two races of people are discussed at the close of this chapter.  The first Adam produced a race of sinners who die.  Thank you, Adam.  But the last Adam, Jesus Christ, produces a race of people free from sin and justification of life.  THANK YOU, JESUS! 

Stephen preaches Israel’s entire history and connects it directly with Jesus Christ.  Wow, what preaching is contained in this chapter!  Open your Bibles and get comfortable because we have a lot of scripture to examine. 

Well, another round of trouble for the early church presents itself among the widows.  Like all problems, dealing with them correctly takes wisdom and being filled with the Holy Ghost.  One such person is Stephen.  Open your Bibles and let’s learn together a valuable lesson from God’s word.

Just how much does God love the world?  What kind of relationship does He desire to have with all humanity?  Romans 5 begins to answer those very questions, and not only that … we see just what God did so that a relationship with Him could exist.  Oh, what a wealth of truth exists in this chapter.

There are many wonderful truths in this section of scripture where several “fillings” are mentioned, and Peter takes an opportunity to preach obedience.  Ultimately the major lesson here is that whatever we seek to be filled with will determine our obedience to God.  Open your Bibles and let’s study God’s word.

“Family” is the focus of this message.  The church is a family, and just as all families have trouble the church is not immune.  So, open your Bibles and let’s see what we can learn from God’s word about how a family deals with trouble.

Three key words (counted, imputed, reckoned) along with two specific people (Abraham and David) are brought to our attention in this chapter.  Abraham and David are both sinners, as the Old Testament presents, but both were counted righteous.  How?  Why?  Open your Bibles and let’s allow the scripture to answer those questions while also teaching us how we too can have Jesus’ righteousness credited to our account.

Fact … all the world has sinned.  Fact … there is nothing man can do to rectify the consequences of sin.  BUT PRAISE GOD that He desires to justify us freely by His marvelous grace!  This offer may be free, but the price required for our sin is far from being free.  It required the death of the innocent – specifically Jesus Christ the righteous.  Open your Bibles and let’s examine what Christ paid for us that we might be justified freely.

“One accord” is the phrase that summarized the early church.  It’s a prevailing truth in the first 4 chapters and only existed because the church was centrally focused on Jesus Christ.  Does that phrase describe the church after chapter 4?  No.  Does that phrase describe the church today?  No … simply because our focus is on everything other that Jesus Christ, and Him alone.

Peter and John stand before the Jewish religious council to answer for their actions … the good deed performed on the lame man.  Their intimidation tactics fail, and Peter preaches with boldness the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Like Peter’s preaching in chapter 2, he leaves no stone unturned in the message.  Israel’s guilt in crucifying Christ, their history from Moses to the prophets, and even God’s promises to them are all mentioned in calling them to repent and believe on Jesus just as the lame man had believed.

Peter and John visit the temple at the time of evening prayers and heal a community known lame man.  Immediately after being healed, he causes such a stir among the thousands present at the temple that Peter ceases the opportunity to preach Jesus Christ to these onlookers.

Here we examine God's closing arguments to what was first introduced to us in Romans 1 ... the fact that man needs a savior.  All excuses are considered.  All rebuttals are heard, and the final conclusion is that ALL HAVE SINNED.

What is the chief benefit the Jew had over the Gentile?  What is the very thing that God magnifies even above His very name?  The answer to both questions is ... the word of God!  

Here we finish our examination of the events that occurred on the day of Pentecost, and what a conclusion to the events that started the church!  Open your Bibles and let's see the Holy Ghost work.

The day of Pentecost has come, and the Holy Ghost is about to work through Peter to preach a grand message to the nation of Israel that results in thousands getting saved by the grace of God.  It doesn't get much better than this ... so open your Bibles and let's examine this passage.

A very important lesson that I've personally learned over the years is that "my ministry" isn't mine.  This is God's ministry and He's simply given me, and you, a place in it.  Why?  Simply to work toward His grand purposes regarding the children of men.  This truth is shown throughout these verses and lays the foundation for the wonderful truths presented on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  Open your Bibles and let's study the word of God.

The first instruction given to the early church was to preach everywhere.  Begin at Jerusalem, then Judea, Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.  This lesson details that instruction.

This study of Acts is our current Sunday night and Wednesday night study.  This is the initial introduction to the book detailing the acts of the Holy Spirit during the church's infancy.  He worked then and is still working today.

Romans continues with the focus set forth in chapter 1 regarding how men have responded to the light God's given them.  Belief and trust in Him based on that revelation (definition of faith) is of upmost importance, and right alongside our faith is our actions.  What do your day to day actions report about what you believe?

How do most people respond after hearing the truths of Romans 1?  They deflect attention off themselves by judging other people's actions in relation to their own.  God anticipates this response and begins Romans 2 by encouraging us to examine ourselves.  We must all take a good long hard look in the mirror before it's too late, because the ultimate judgment day is coming sooner than we think.

How did we as individuals get to the place our society is currently at? ... murder, debate, maliciousness, inventors of evil things, without natural affection, etc. ... Romans 1 holds the answer.

Time, as always, quickly evaporates on us as we begin our study of Luke 7.  We examine the first of four stories contained in this chapter where each story teaches a grand truth concerning Jesus Christ.  Just what are those truths?  Open your Bibles and let’s study the word of God.

God's operation and dealing with man is summarized in a simple phrase .... faith to faith.  What exactly does that mean?  Well, open your Bible to Romans 1 and let's find out.

Hindrances in life are inevitable, both spiritually and physically speaking.  How we respond to adversity and challenges will shape our spiritual walk with Christ.  So, let's study the word of God to see what hindered Paul from coming to Rome, how he responded, and what we can learn to help us respond correctly to circumstances that hinder us. 

God's heart desire for His church is that we would be "comforted together."  Paul is a wonderful example of what that phrase means scripturally, so let's examine the scriptures together to learn what God desires for us.