1.Discuss the following difficult question: Why do some people readily accept evidence for Jesus as the Messiah and the truth of Christianity, while others reject the same evidence?

This question is complex and touches on various levels—from personal background and inner attitude to spiritual aspects. Here are some factors that can explain the different reactions to evidence for Jesus as the Messiah and Christianity:

1. Heart Attitude and Openness

   Some people bring an inner openness and genuine interest in truth and spiritual questions, while others remain less receptive due to personal experiences, prejudices, or a fundamental rejection of faith. An open heart makes it easier to respond to God’s call, while closed hearts are often unreceptive to evidence.

2. Prejudices and Personal Expectations

   The Jewish religious leaders at the time of Jesus often rejected Him because He did not meet their expectations of the Messiah. Today, many people have preconceived notions of what “God should be” or how a religious faith should look. When these notions conflict with Jesus’ message, it can lead to rejection, even if the evidence is convincing.

3. Intellectual and Cultural Conditioning

   For some, the intellectual level plays a significant role—they seek “logical” and “scientific” evidence. Others are more influenced by culture and tradition, making them perceive belief in Jesus as “unmodern” or culturally inappropriate. These conditioning factors can make openness to spiritual evidence difficult.

4. Emotional and Personal Experiences

   Personal experiences such as loss, pain, or negative encounters with religion can make people resistant to faith. Conversely, those who have gone through difficult times and found comfort or meaning in faith are more likely to accept Jesus’ message. Emotions and personal history strongly influence how someone responds to faith.

5. Spiritual Level and Willingness to Change

   Belief in Jesus requires a change in life and thinking. People who resist this inner transformation or are unwilling to surrender control often reject faith, even if the evidence fascinates them. Choosing Jesus means trusting Him with one’s life, which requires courage and humility—qualities not everyone develops equally.

6. Divine Mystery and the Role of the Holy Spirit

   In Christianity, the Holy Spirit plays a central role in recognizing the truth. Many believers experience that faith in Jesus is not only based on evidence but also on God’s inner work. Prayer can help foster the recognition of Jesus as the Messiah, and it remains a divine mystery why some people are touched and others are not.

In summary, people react differently to Jesus because each individual brings a unique mix of internal and external influences, experiences, and spiritual processes. Faith is a personal journey that often goes beyond evidence and requires the willingness to change and inner openness.

2.What more important truth could there be than that Jesus Christ died for our sins? But how did we ever come to know this crucial truth? Through science, natural laws, natural theology, logic, reason? All of these might lead us to believe in a Creator God, a first cause, an unmoved mover, or whatever—but none of these disciplines, neither alone nor combined, could teach us the most important truth we need to know: Christ died for our sins. What should this fact—the fact that all these disciplines, even in theory, cannot lead us to the one thing we truly need to know—teach us about how crucial it is to make the Bible our final and ultimate authority in matters of faith?

These considerations lead us to a profound insight: the central truth that Christ died for our sins eludes purely human understanding and rational cognition. Science, philosophy, or logic can give us hints about a Creator or a first cause, but none of these disciplines can lead us to the decisive truth that Jesus made forgiveness of our sins possible through His death on the cross. This truth is revealed only through the Bible, God’s Word.

Here are some key aspects of what this realization means for our faith and relationship with the Bible:

1. The Bible as the Unique Source of Revelation

   The message of the Gospel—that Christ died out of love for us and grants us eternal life through His resurrection—is not a truth that we can uncover through human means or scientific research. This truth was revealed by God Himself and is preserved in the Bible. This makes the Bible a unique source of knowledge that goes far beyond what humans can explore or prove.

2. Faith as a Gift and a Response to God’s Revelation

   The fact that this central truth comes to us only through God’s Word shows that faith in Jesus is not merely the result of knowledge or intellect but a gift from God. Faith is conveyed to us through hearing and reading God’s Word, and the Holy Spirit opens our hearts to accept this message. This makes the Bible the foundation for our faith and our relationship with God.

3. Limitation of Human Knowledge and the Need for Divine Revelation

   While science and philosophy can provide great insights into the world, they remain limited concerning the most important truths of faith. Only divine revelation can show us the way to salvation and the understanding of God’s love and Christ’s sacrifice. The Bible reminds us that we need God’s wisdom and revelation to recognize and comprehend this deepest truth.

4. The Bible as the Final and Highest Authority in Faith

   Since the central message of Christianity—the Gospel—is found only in the Bible, we must recognize it as the highest authority in matters of faith. The Bible is not an ordinary book but the means through which God reveals Himself. Therefore, we should prioritize it over other sources of knowledge when it comes to questions of faith, salvation, and our relationship with God.

5. Humility and Trust in God’s Wisdom

   The fact that God revealed the most important truth through His Word teaches us humility. We recognize that we cannot fully grasp or explain everything with our minds. Instead, we are invited to trust God and build our lives on His Word to reach the truth. The Bible becomes the guide that directs us and gives our lives meaning and purpose.

In summary, this insight shows us that the Bible is indispensable for our faith because it is the only source that leads us to the decisive truth that surpasses all human knowledge: that Christ died for us. It calls us to recognize the Bible as the highest authority in faith, trusting in God’s wisdom and revelation.

3.Why is it very important for our own faith to report on the things God has done in our lives?

It is very important for our own faith to report on the things God has done in our lives because telling and sharing our experiences can have several powerful effects on our faith and the lives of others:

1. Promotes Remembrance and Gratitude

   When we talk about what God has done in our lives, we remind ourselves of His faithfulness and help. This strengthens our trust and makes us grateful for His presence in all situations. Especially in difficult times, sharing reminds us of God’s goodness and gives us confidence.

2. Strengthens Our Own Faith

   Speaking about what we have experienced solidifies our faith. It allows us to reflect on our experiences and rethink how deeply God is working in our lives. By naming God’s interventions in our lives, our trust grows in the assurance that God will also be with us in future challenges.

3. Encourages Others in Faith

   Our stories can be valuable encouragements for others. When they hear how God has worked in our lives, it can strengthen their own faith and provide hope, especially if they are in similar situations. Testimonies about God’s work can be a powerful catalyst for others to trust God as well.

4. Makes God’s Work Visible in Everyday Life

   Reporting our experiences shows that God is not only abstract or distant but actively working in our daily lives. It helps others and ourselves recognize that God is working today and in each person’s personal life. These tangible stories make faith authentic and alive.

5. Creates Connection with Other Believers

   Sharing our experiences with God builds community and strengthens the bonds among believers. It makes us realize that we are part of a larger family that has had similar experiences of God’s love, guidance, and care. This connection enhances understanding and mutual support in faith.

6. Builds Trust and Addresses Doubts

   When doubts about faith arise, remembering and sharing past experiences with God can help overcome these doubts. Our own stories of God’s faithfulness and help can be a source of strength when we are uncertain or face new challenges.

Overall, reporting on God’s work in our lives strengthens our faith and the faith community. It gives faith depth and roots, makes God’s presence visible, and allows us to experience and celebrate His love repeatedly.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/lesson-6-more-testimonies-about-jesus-6-7-questions-themes-in-the-gospel-of-john-living-faith/

November 9, 2024

DAILY BIBLE READING – Acts Chapter 13

¹ Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

² As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

³ And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

⁴ So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

⁵ And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

⁶ And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

⁷ Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

⁹ Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.

¹⁰ And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

¹² Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

¹³ Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

¹⁴ But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

¹⁵ And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

¹⁶ Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

¹⁷ The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

¹⁸ And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in the wilderness.

¹⁹ And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

²⁰ And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

²¹ And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

²² And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

²³ Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

²⁴ When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

²⁵ And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

²⁶ Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

²⁷ For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

²⁸ And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain.

²⁹ And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

³⁰ But God raised him from the dead:

³¹ And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.

³² And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers,

³³ God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

³⁴ And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

³⁵ Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

³⁶ For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

³⁷ But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

³⁸ Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

³⁹ And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

⁴⁰ Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

⁴¹ Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

⁴² And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

⁴³ Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

⁴⁴ And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

⁴⁷ For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

⁴⁸ And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

⁴⁹ And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

⁵⁰ But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

⁵¹ But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

King James Version. Public Domain

 

Commentary

Introduction

Acts chapter 13 marks a significant turning point in the early Christian church. Here begins the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas, who are sent by the Holy Spirit to spread the Gospel beyond the boundaries of the Jewish people. This chapter emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding and sending the apostles and shows how the Gospel is proclaimed to both Jews and Gentiles. It illustrates the challenges and resistances they encounter, as well as the joy and acceptance they find among many.

Commentary

The church in Antioch is a center of spiritual activity and diversity, with prophets and teachers from various backgrounds. During a period of fasting and worship, the Holy Spirit speaks and instructs the church to set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which God has called them. This underscores the importance of prayer, community, and sensitivity to God’s guidance within the church.

On the island of Cyprus, Paul and Barnabas encounter the sorcerer Elymas, who tries to turn the proconsul Sergius Paulus away from the faith. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, confronts Elymas and calls him a “son of the devil.” Elymas’ subsequent blindness serves as a sign of God’s power and leads the proconsul to believe. This event demonstrates how God removes obstacles and brings people to faith despite opposition.

In Antioch in Pisidia, Paul delivers an extensive message in the synagogue. He connects the history of Israel with the coming of Jesus as the promised Messiah. Paul emphasizes the resurrection of Jesus as the fulfillment of Scripture and offers forgiveness of sins through Him—something that the Law of Moses could not accomplish. He warns his listeners against unbelief and encourages them to accept the message of salvation.

The reactions to the sermon are mixed. While many Jews respond with jealousy and hostility, the Gentiles rejoice and embrace the word of God with enthusiasm. Paul and Barnabas declare that they will now turn to the Gentiles, symbolizing the expansion of the Gospel to all nations. Despite persecution and being driven out of the city, the disciples are filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

Summary

In Acts chapter 13, Paul and Barnabas are sent by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel. They travel to Cyprus, where they face opposition from the sorcerer Elymas, but God’s power triumphs, and the proconsul comes to faith. In Antioch in Pisidia, Paul preaches in the synagogue, linking the history of Israel with Jesus Christ as the fulfilled Messiah. While some Jews reject the message, many Gentiles accept it joyfully. Despite persecution, Paul and Barnabas continue their mission, filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. This chapter demonstrates the spread of the Gospel across ethnic boundaries and emphasizes God’s plan of salvation for all people.

 

 

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/9-11-2024-acts-chapter-13-believe-his-prophets/