The Church Persecuted and Christians Scattered (Acts 8:1-17) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 The Church Persecuted and Christians Scattered (Acts 8:1-17)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries:Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

 

Scriptures reading (Acts 8:8-25)

8 And Saul was there, giving approved to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. ² Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Philip preached in Samaria

⁴ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. ⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. ⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs, he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 with shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Sorcerer

⁹ Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, ¹⁰and all the people, both sigh and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as the Great Power.” ¹¹ They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. ¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵ When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ Because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money. ²¹You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. ²²Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. ²³For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” ²⁴Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me. ²⁵ When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

        

Verse 9 Sorcery. Simon was a practitioner of magic, quackery, and various kinds of sorcery. He may also have made messianic claims.

Verse Simon himself believed. Peter’s denunciation(vv.20-23) indicates that Simon’s faith was not unto salvation (James2:14-20).

Verse 14-17 Though the Samaritans had been baptized in water (v.12), the gift of the Holy Spirit was delayed until Peter and John came and laid their hands on them. Normally the Spirit is given at the moment of faith (10:44; 19:2.Eph.1:13) in this instance, however, it was imperative that the Samaritans be identified with the apostles and the Jerusalem church so that there would be no rival Samaritan Christian church.

Verse 16 This does not mean that the believers in Samaria did not receive the Holy Spirit within them essentially when they believed in the Lord. According to the teaching of the New Testament in Eph.1:13 and Gal.3:2, they must have received the Holy Spirit essentially when they believed for their regeneration (John3:6,36). But they had not yet received the Spirit economically to identify them with the Body of Christ. The reason the Holy Spirit did not fall upon them outwardly and economically was so that the apostles, through whom the practical establishing of the church had been initiated in Jerusalem, might come to bring them into identification with the Body of Christ. This case is different from that of the ones in the house of Cornelius, who, when they believed in the Lord, received the Holy Spirit both essentially within them for regeneration and economically upon them for baptism into the Body of Christ (1Cor.12:13) and identification with the Body of Christ. That was because the gospel was preached then directly by Peter, who played the main role in the initiation of the practical establishing of the church.

Verse 16 had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Be Not to the name but into the name. The name denotes the person. To be baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus is to be baptized into the person of the Lord, to be identified with the crucified, resurrected, and ascended Christ, to be put into an organic union with the living Lord. In Matt.28:19 the Lord charged the disciples to baptize the believers into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But later, in practice, the believers were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus, here and in 19:5, and into Christ, in Rom.6:3 and Gal.3:27. This indicates that (1) to be baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus is equivalent to being baptized into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, because the Lord Jesus is the Triune God, the embodiment of God Himself(Col.2:9), and (2) to be baptized into the name of the Triune God or into the name of the Lord Jesus is equivalent to being baptized into the person of Christ.

Since the Samaritan believers had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus, that is, into the Lord Himself, they surely must have received the Spirit of life essentially within them that they might be not only born of the Lord but also joined to the Lord (1Cor.6:17), although they had not received the Spirit of power outwardly and economically.

Verse 17 Peter and John were sent to Samaria not only to confirm the preaching of the gospel by Philip, one of the seven appointed to serve tables, but also to bring the church in Samaria, composed of Samaritans, with whom the Jews had no dealings, into identification with the Body of Christ by laying their hands on them. The Holy Spirit honored this laying on of hands and fell upon the Samaritans, signifying their identification with the Body of Christ. In this way the Samaritan believers received the Holy Spirit economically in addition to their having received the Holy Spirit essentially when they believed in the Lord Jesus.  

Acts 8:18-24 Simon thought he could buy the gift of God (v.20). When Peter urged him to repent, Simon replied, in effect, “Pray for me that I may escape punishment” (v.24). He was still thinking in terms of magical powers rather than repentance of heart.

Verse 20 “you have no part or share in this ministry” Not eternal perdition but a punishment, as in Heb.10:39 and Matt.7:13. Simon had believed in the gospel and had been baptized (v.13). hence, he must have experienced salvation in its initial stage, but he had not been saved from his wicked though and act concerning money. Therefore, he needed to repent of this wickedness that he might receive the Lord’s forgiveness; otherwise, he would go with his silver into punishment.

Verse 25 To testify the word of the Lord is to witness according to personal experience of the Lord, and to speak the word of the Lord is to preach and teach according to the revelation of the Lord.  

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

 

 

Stephen’s message and martyred (Acts 7:1-60) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Stephen’s message and martyred (Acts 7:1-60)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music 

Scriptures reading (Acts 7:1-60)

¹Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these charges true?” ² To this he replied: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran. ³ ‘Leave your country and your people,’ God said, ‘and go to the land I will show you.’ ⁴ “So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. ⁵ He gave him no inheritance here, not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. ⁶ God spoke to him in this way: ‘For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. ⁷ But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.’ ⁸ Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.

⁹ “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him ¹⁰ and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.¹¹ “Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food. ¹² When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit. ¹³ On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. ¹⁴ After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. ¹⁵ Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died. ¹⁶ Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money. ¹⁷ “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased. ¹⁸ Then ‘a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.’ ¹⁹ He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.

²⁰ “At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for by his family. ²¹ When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. ²² Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. ²³ “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. ²⁴ He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. ²⁵ Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. ²⁶ The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’ ²⁷ “But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? ²⁸ Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ ²⁹ When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons. ³⁰ “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. ³¹ When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say: ³² ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. ³³ “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. ³⁴ I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

³⁵ “This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. ³⁶ He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness. ³⁷ “This is the Moses who told the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.’ ³⁸ He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us. ³⁹ “But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. ⁴⁰ They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ ⁴¹ That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. ⁴² But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: “‘Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel? ⁴³ You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile’ beyond Babylon.

⁴⁴ “Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. ⁴⁵ After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, ⁴⁶ who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. ⁴⁷ But it was Solomon who built a house for him.⁴⁸ “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: ⁴⁹ “‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? ⁵⁰ Has not my hand made all these things?’

⁵¹ “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! ⁵² Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— ⁵³ you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it.”

The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴ When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. ⁵⁵ But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶ “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 

    

 ⁵⁷ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, ⁵⁸ dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹ While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

        

 Acts 7:2-53 Stephen’s sermon is the longest recorded in Acts. The text is :”you are doing just as your fathers did”(51), Stephen recited the privileges of the nation Israel and their rejection of God’s messengers; then he laid blame for the slaying of Jesus squarely on his hearers (v.53).

Verse 2 God’s call to Abraham came first when he was in Mesopotamia (Gen.15:7;Neh.9:7). Later he went to Haran (Gen.11:31-32) and later to Palestine. The glory of God. It might have been visible glory (v.55), as when the cloud and the fire appeared to Israel (Exo.16:10;24:16-17;Lev.9:23;Num14:10;16:19;20:6;Deut.5:24) and filled the tabernacle and the temple (Exo.40:35;1Kings8:11). It was the God of such glory who appeared to Abraham and  called him. His glory was a great attraction to him. It separated (sanctified) him from the world unto God (Exo.29:43) and was a great encouragement and strength that enabled him to follow God (Gen.12:1,4). In the same principle, God calls the New Testament believers by His invisible glory (2Pet 1:3).

Verse 4 Apparently Abraham journeyed into Canaan (Gen12:4-5), but actually God removed him into the good land.

Verse 14 Seventy-five in all.  Compare with seventy in Gen.46:27 and Exo.1:5. Stephen quoted this number from the Septuagint, which mentions five additional descendants of Joseph in Gen.46:20. Hence, the number he mentioned of the house of Jacob who came to Egypt was seventy –five instead of seventy. Septuagint (Greek translation of the O.T.) Which arrived at seventy-five by including the son and grandson of Manasseh and two sons and a grandson of Ephraim. (Gen 46:2) which reflects a different way of numbering Jacob’s family, totaling seventh.

Verse 15-16 Jacob was buried at Hebron in the Cave of Machpelah, which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite (Gen.23:16). Joseph was buried at Shechem in a piece of ground Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor(Josh.24:32). The two transactions are simply telescoped in these verses because of the pressure of Stephen’s circumstances and need for brevity.

Verse 20 From v.20 through v.44 Stephen purposely gave a long narration in the most positive way concerning Moses. He did this to vindicate himself before his opposers, who had accused him of blaspheming Moses(6:11).

Verse 30 Angel Here and in vv.35 and 38 the angel (Messenger) in the Old Testament was Christ the Lord, who is Jehovah, the Triune God (Exo.3:2-16;Judg.6:12-24;Zech.2:6-11). This is proved by the Lord and God in the following verse.

Verse 31 the Lord and God in vv.31-35 are the Angel (Messenger) in vv.30, 35 and 38.

Verse 38 the assembly in the desert. I.e., the gathering of the people to receive the law. The word translated “church” (or congregation, assembly, gathering) is used in the N.T. of four kinds of groups: 1) the children of Israel gathered as a nation.2) in Acts 19:32,39,41 a group of townspeople assembled in a town meeting. 3) in a technical sense, all believers who are gathered together in the one Body of Christ, the church universal (Col1:18), and 4) most frequently, in reference to a local group of professing Christians; e.g., the church at Antioch (Acts13:1)

Verse 42 book of the prophet. Probably referring to the twelve books of the minor prophets, from Hosea through Malachi, counting them as one book.

Verse 43 Molech…Rephan. Molech was a title for various Canaanite deities to whom human sacrifices were offered. Rephan was the name of a god connected with the planet Saturn.

Verse 44 tabernacle of the Testimony. I.e., the tabernacle was a testimony to the presence of God in their midst.

Verse 48 Stephen called God “ the God of glory” (v.2) and “ the Most High” to vindicate himself before his opposers, who had accused him of blaspheming God (6:11). Not live or not dwell Implying that God would abandon the material temple of the Old Testament and initiate a new dispensation, that His people might worship Him in the spirit (John4:24), in which is God’s spiritual habitation, the church.(Eph.2:22).

Verse 49 This quotation from Isa.66:1-2 indicates that the Lord was seeking a spiritual habitation in man’s spirit. This is proved by the unquoted part of Isa.66:2 that says, “But to this kind of man will I look, to him who is poor and of contrite spirit.”

Verse 51-53 Stephen’s indictment of unbelieving Jews, amply illustrated in the previously cited history of Israel. Since Stephen was full of the Spirit (v.53) and was one with the Lord the Spirit (1 Cor.6:17), to oppose him was to oppose the Holy Spirit. Hence, the Lord indicated to Saul, one of Stephen’s persecutors (v.58;8:1) that he was persecuting Him (9:4).

Verse 55 Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Jesus’ priestly work of offering a sacrifice for sin was finished on the cross; He is therefore sometimes pictured as seated at the right hand of God (Heb.1:3). But His priestly work of sustaining His people continues (as here with Stephen); therefore, He is portrayed as standing to minister (Rev.2:1).

Verse 56 The earth rejected Stephen and was closed to him, but the heavens opened up to him, indicating that the heavens were with him and for him.

Verse 58 Saul, who later became an apostle (13:9), helped the persecutors in their slaying of Stephen. The mention of witnesses suggests that they went through the motions of a legal execution (Lev.24:14), though probably without securing the official approval of Pilate.

Verse 60 Stephen prayed for his persecutors in the same way that his Lord, whom he loved and lived, had prayed for His (Luke23:24). He fell asleep. This expression is used of the physical death of believers (John11:11;1Thess.4:13,15)

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

 

Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:1-15) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:1-15)

 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce 

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

 

          1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of good. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the Apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and large number of priests became obedient to the faith. 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen) as it was called)-Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen, 10 but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke. 11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God.” 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. 

 

Verse 1 Grecian Jews… Hebraic Jews. The former were Greek-speaking Jewish Christians and the latter, Aramaic-speaking Jewish Christians. Jews who spoke Greek. At the very beginning of the practice of the church life, trouble was caused by language differences; proper care was taken to solve this.

Verse 2 to wait on tables. I.e., tables of food for the widows or of money (as in John 2;15). The Greek word for “wait on” is the one form which we derive “deacon,” but these men were “deacons” only in the sense of being servants. They were not yet deacons in the later sense of officers in the church (1Tim.3:8)

Verse 3 Greek. pleres, an adjective form of pleroo, according to the usage in this book here and in 5;7:55;11:24, and in Luke 4:1. Being full of the Spirit is the condition after one has been filled with the Spirit inwardly and essentially, as mentioned in 13:52. This refers to life, not to work.

Verse 4 to pray is not only to entreat the Lord to do things for His move but also to cause our spirit to be exercised and strengthened. Hence, prayer should precede the ministry of the word, just as the apostles practiced. Without such prayer the ministry of the word will not be enlivened and empowered.

Verse 5 All seven had Greek not Jewish, names; two, Stephen and Philip, quickly achieved prominence for their vigorous evangelism.

Verse 6 laid their hands on them. The laying on of hands was a formal sign of appointment to this service. The rite indicates a link or association between the parties involved. Sometimes it was related to healing (Mark 5:23) or to the impartation of the Spirit (Acts 8:17; 9:17; 19:6) or, as here, was a sign of ordination for special service (13:3;1Tim.4:14). Since they were chosen to serve tables, they can be considered deacons, like those whom Paul and his co-workers appointed later in the church (Rom.16:1; Phil1:1; 1 Tim.3:8).

Verse 7 grew refers to growth in life, indicating that the word of God is a matter of life that grows as a seed sown into man’s heart (Mark4:14) The objective faith, referring to what the believers believe in concerning Christ. The entire revelation of the New Testament concerning the person of Christ and His redemptive work is the faith of God’s New Testament economy (Rom.16:26)

Verse 9 Freemen. These were Jewish freedmen, or descendants of freedmen, from the various places mentioned in the verse. Those who were liberated from their status as slaves. They had their own synagogue in Jerusalem.  Synagogue indicating that in Jerusalem there were a number of synagogues composed of the returned Jews according to the respective languages they had acquired in their dispersion. 

Verse 14 This indicates that words must have been circulating among the believers concerning the destruction of the temple, as prophesied by the Lord in Matt.23:37-39 and 24:2 and concerning the termination of the dispensation of law, as spoken by the Lord  in Matt.11:13. The opposing Jews twisted the believers’ words, just as in Matt.27:40, when they crucified the Lord, they twisted the word that the Lord spoke in John 2:19. Undoubtedly, the Jews’ opposition was instigated by Satan to frustrate God’s New Testament economy. But the ground used by Stand for his instigation was the change of dispensation, which contradicted the Judaic tradition. God’s New Testament economy is to have a new dispensation absolutely separated from Judaism. This offended the Jews by touching the traditions they had inherited for generations, and it stirred up their opposition, which began with the Lord’s ministry in the Gospels and grew fiercer at the time of the apostles’ ministry in this book, during which the Lord’s New Testament move was passing through a transitional period. According to Luke’s narration in Acts. The church among the Jews, including the early apostles, did not pass through this transition successfully, because of the remaining influence of their Judaic background and the entangling opposition from their Jewish kinsmen. This problem returned to trouble them again and again in this book (11:1-3; 15:1-5; 21:18-26). Even the apostle Paul was in danger of being brought back to the Judaic practices in his last visit to Jerusalem (21:20-26).

Verse 15 face signifying a heavenly appearance. Stephen was a man on earth, but he bore a heavenly appearance while being persecuted.

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

 

 

Praying for America Israel and the freedom of Christians in Iran By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Praying for America, Israel and the freedom of Christians in Iran                                  3/15/2026

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce    Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music

The U.S.A. President Trump has been acting as the brotherhood's love to Israel, protects Jerusalem and defends Israel against Hamas terrorist attack on October 7, 2023; took action against Islamic regime Iran’s nuclear threats on June 12,2025. Today, the U.S.A. continues fighting this battle until the end of Islamic regime, nuclear threats and economic threats to the U.S.A. and Israel. Islamic regime has been hostile against the United States of America and Israel since 1979.Islamic regime supreme leaders have been chanting “Dead to America” and called America a great Satan, and Israel is a little Satan, they burned the flags of America and Israel’s. Since 1979, none of the presidents dare to take action against this evil Islamic regime’s assaults. Today, President Trump, in his second term, takes the action to defend our nation’s dignity and support Israel to prevent nuclear threats.  President Trump takes action 1) to ensure there will be no nuclear threats for the future generations.  2) Help Iranian people, and Christians be set free from Islamic regime’s control, abusive and brutal murders. 3) Prevent Islamic regime from bombing oil tankers as economic threats.                              

God is love, love always protects, when you see your brothers’ nations or sisters’ nations suffering from the nuclear threats, will you act to help until both sides find a way to cease the fire, reconcile and restore the peace relationship? Today we pray earnestly for President Trump, vice President, secretary of war Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine and 2500 Marines to achieve the goals, success the tasks, end of nuclear threats and each Navy, Marine come home safely. We declare, “No weapon forged against us will prevail, and we will refute every tongue that accuses us.  (Isaiah 54:7).   Jesus said, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.  If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” (Mark 3:24-25). therefore, we urge you, my friends, to lift up your hands to pray and support America, Israel, and Christians in Iran instead of being critical.    

 

  為美國,以色列和伊朗基督徒的自由祈禱 2026年3月15日

美國總統川普一直以兄弟般的愛對待以色列，保護耶路撒冷，並在2023年10月7日抵禦哈馬斯恐怖攻擊；並於2025年6月12日採取行動應對伊朗伊斯蘭政權的核威脅。今天，美國將繼續這場鬥爭，直到徹底消除伊朗伊斯蘭政權對美國和以色列的核武威脅和經濟威脅。自1979年以來，伊朗伊斯蘭政權一直敵視美國和以色列。政權的最高領導人高喊“美國去死”，稱美國是“大撒旦”，以色列是“小撒旦”，他們焚燒美國和以色列的國旗。自1979年以來，沒有一位總統敢於對這個邪惡的伊朗伊斯蘭政權的侵略採取行動。今天，川普總統在第二任期採取行動，捍衛我們國家的尊嚴，並支持以色列防止核威脅。川普總統採取行動：1）確保子孫後代不再面臨核威脅；2）幫助伊朗人民和基督徒擺脫伊斯蘭政權的控制、虐待和殘暴的屠殺；3）阻止伊斯蘭政權以經濟威脅為由轟炸油輪。上帝是愛，愛永遠保護。當您看到您的兄弟姐妹國家遭受核威脅時，您是否會採取行動幫助他們，直到雙方找到停火、和解並恢復和平關係的方法？今天，我們真誠地為川普總統、副總統、戰爭部長皮特·赫格塞斯、丹·凱恩將軍以及2500名海軍陸戰隊員祈禱，願他們實現目標，完成任務，終結核威脅，並讓每一位海軍陸戰隊員平安回家。我們宣告：「凡為攻擊我們而造的武器都必不被利用；凡在審判時用舌頭攻擊我們的，我們必駁倒他。」（以賽亞書 54:7）耶穌說：「若一國自相紛爭，那國就站立不住；若一家自相紛爭，那家也站立不住。(馬可福音3:24-25) 因此，我的朋友們，我們懇請你們舉起雙手，為美國、以色列和伊朗的基督徒禱告並給予支持，而不是一味地批評指責。

 

  

Peter’s Message and Testimony (Acts 5:12-32) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Peter’s Message and Testimony (Acts 5:12-42)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce   

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel Music

 

Scriptures reading Acts 5:12-42

12 The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 as a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crows gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.

17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, and tell the people the full message of this new life.” 21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called to gather the Sanhedrin –the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found on one inside.” 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.

25 Then someone came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people. 26At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. 27 Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said, “Yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”

29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by haning him on a tree. 31 God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.    

Verse 17 again the Sadducees, who did not believe in resurrection (23:8), were particularly riled at the disciples’ preaching the resurrection of Christ (4:33).

Verse 20 The divine life preached, ministered, and lived by Peter that overcame the Jewish leaders’ persecution, threatening, and imprisonment. This word indicates that Peter’s life and work made the divine life so real and present in his situation that even the angel saw it and pointed it out.

Verse 31 Jesus’ incarnation made Him a man, His human living on earth qualified Him to be man’s Savior, His crucifixion accomplished full redemption for man, His resurrection vindicated His redemptive work, and His exaltation inaugurated Him to be the ruling Leader that He might be the Savior. This exalting of Him was the ultimate step in His being perfected to be the Savior of man (Heb.2:10; 5:9). Prince; the same Greek word as for Author in 3:15 or leader (Acts3:15). God exalted the man Jesus, who had been rejected and killed by the Jewish leaders, as the highest Leader, the Prince, the Ruler of the kings to rule over the world (Rev.15; 19:16), and the Savior to save God’s chosen people. Leader is related to His authority, and Savior to His salvation. He rules sovereignly that the environment might be fit for God’s chosen people to receive His salvation (17:26-27; John 17:2). To give repentance and forgiveness of sins to God’s chosen people requires Christ to be exalted as ruling Leader and Savior. His sovereign ruling causes and leads God’s chosen people to repent, and His salvation, which is based on His redemption, affords them forgiveness of sins. Repentance is for forgiveness of sins (Mark1:4) On God’s side, forgiveness of sins is based on Christ’s redemption (Eph.1:7); On man’s side, forgiveness of sins is through man’s repentance.

Verve 32 The Holy Spirit was one with the apostles. Obedience is the way and the condition for one to receive and enjoy the Spirit of God.

Verse 34 Gamaliel. A respected rabbi who followed the liberal interpretations of Hillel, another rabbi who lived shortly before the time of Christ. His popularity demanded that the Sanhedrin listen to him. Paul was a student of Gamaliel. (22:3).

Verse 36 Theudas. This is the only historical reference to him.

Verse 37 Judas the Galilean appeared. This revolt (in A.D.6) is described by the historian Josephus. The followers of this Judas became the Zealots.

Verse 41 i.e., To suffer shame. It is a real honor to be dishonored on behalf of the Name, the very name of the man-dishonored but God-honored Jesus. Hence, the dishonored ones rejoiced that they were counted worthy to be dishonored on behalf of the Name.

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.