Today Paul concludes his first letter to the church in Thessalonica with several closing remarks; one being “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

A few months after his first letter, Paul writes another letter from Corinth to the Thessalonians. In this letter, Paul explains that the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ has not yet occurred. Although the church is experiencing persecution, Paul tells them this is not the tribulations that will occur on the day of Christ.

Paul exhorts them not to be “shaken in mind or troubled” by the false teaching concerning the Lord’s second coming. He says that before the coming of Christ, there will be a massive departure from true faith in the Lord and the Antichrist will appear, claiming to be God. The power which has been restraining Satan will be removed, revealing Satan at the Lord’s perfect timing. ”For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” So at Jesus’s second coming, the deceiver and all those who have been deceived will be destroyed.

But Paul encourages the church by telling them that “God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle… the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”

Paul ends the letter by instructing them all to do their share of the work load and not to grow wearing doing good but to admonish those who do not obey the word.

In Corinth, Paul continues to preach that Jesus is Christ, in the synagogue to the Jews. When the Jews oppose Paul, Paul says from now on he will go to the Gentiles. So Paul goes to the house of Justus, which is next to the synagogue, and continues preaching. “Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.” So we see again faith coming by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

“Now the Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.’ And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”

“So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him.” Paul leaves Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus to do the work of the ministry but Paul travels on, landing back at the church in Antioch. “After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.”

Tomorrow we read about Paul’s 3rd missionary journey so keep reading.

(1 Thessalonians 5:12-28, 2 Thessalonians 1:1-3:18, Acts 18:4-23)

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While in Athens, Paul’s spirit is provoked when he sees all the idolatry in the city. Therefore, Paul preaches of the God of Creation and tells the people to repent, “because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man who He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” Some who hear Paul mock him, but some believe.

After Paul leaves Athens, he goes to Corinth where he meets Aquila and his wife, Priscilla. Paul stays with them, for they were tentmakers like Paul. While in Corinth, Paul writes 2 letters to the church in Thessalonica.

In the first letter, Paul commends the Thessalonians for their faith. Paul goes on to remind them how he, Timothy, and Silas preached the Word of God to them. “For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness – God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ…For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.”

Paul writes about how they sent Timothy to encourage the church that was under persecution. He says that Timothy reported back the good news of their faith and love for one another. And Paul expresses their desire to return to the church in Thessalonica.

Paul encourages the believers to live lives that are pleasing to God. “But we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more, that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.”

Since some in the church have been killed for their faith, Paul assures them that there is life after death. “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” And at Jesus’s second coming; “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

More to the Thessalonians tomorrow. Keep reading.

(Acts 17:16-18:3, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5:11)

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The council agrees to James’s recommendations regarding the Gentiles and sends a letter to the church in Antioch. Representatives from the church in Jerusalem, Judas and Silas, accompany Barnabas and Paul to Antioch. When the letter is read confirming that the Gentiles don’t have to be circumcised but should “abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality,” there is great rejoicing over its encouragement.

Some days after reading the letter, Paul and Barnabas get into a heated debate about whether or not to take Mark with them on their next missionary journey. This dispute causes Paul and Barnabas to separate, with Paul taking Silas to churches in Syria and Cilicia, and Barnabas taking Mark to churches in Cyprus. Therefore, the Lord uses this conflict to further the spread of the Good News by doubling their labor.

On Paul’s second missionary journey he meets Timothy, a young man well respected and full of faith because of the influence of his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother, Lois (2 Timothy 1:5). Timothy is not circumcised because his father is Greek but since his mother is Jewish, Timothy is considered Jewish. Therefore Paul has him circumcised before they begin their mission work together in order to not offend the Jews.

Later Paul receives a vision which leads him and his companions to the city Philippi in Macedonia. There they meet Lydia who, as well as her entire household, converts to Christianity after hearing Paul share the gospel. She then convinces Paul and his companions to stay at her home.

However, trouble soon arrises when Paul casts out of a slave girl a spirit that possessed her and gave her predictive power. Her masters, who were profiting off of her, are not too happy about losing their means to get rich. So they bring Paul and Silas before the magistrates who beat them and throw them in prison. But the Lord rescues them and the keeper of the prison and his entire family come to faith through the whole miraculous rescue.

Once released, they continue their mission work. In Thessalonica, Paul preaches Jesus Christ. “And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar…”

So Paul and Silas flee to Berea where they once again go into the synagogue and preach. “Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men. But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul at Berea, they came there also and stirred up the crowds.”

Now Paul is on the run again and goes to Athens. Keep reading.

(Acts 15:22-17:15)

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Paul tells the Galatians that through faith in Jesus Christ we are ALL equal. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Paul goes on to tell them that we are no longer slaves to the law but adopted as sons and daughters; an heir of God through Christ.

Paul warns the Galatians of the fake religious crowd who form their own little clicks to manipulate the people. Paul says not to cave into that immature nonsense but keep focused on the Lord at all times. “They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always.”

Paul goes on to explain the freedom that is found in Christ by saying that Abraham had 2 sons; Ishmael born through flesh by Abraham’s bondservant, Hagar, and Issac born through the promise by the freewoman, Abraham’s wife, Sarah. These 2 sons are symbolic of the 2 covenants; one (Ishmael) under the bondage of the law and the other (Issac) under the freedom found in the promised Son, Jesus Christ. So Paul exhorts them to “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

Paul addresses circumcision and how it was a symbolic act of the old covenant God made with Abraham. He tells the Galatians that they are no longer bound to circumcision under the new covenant “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails to anything, but faith working through love.” “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Through Christ we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells the Galatians to walk in the Spirit and not the flesh which is opposed to the Spirit. Paul goes on to list the works of the flesh compared to the works of the Spirit. Then he tells them, ”for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

We end the reading with the dispute about circumcision continuing. Paul and Barnabas go before the council in Jerusalem “declaring how many miracles and wonders God has worked through them among the Gentiles.” Then James says, “Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.”

Tomorrow we hear the ruling of the council and tension arises between Paul and Barnabas. Keep reading to see what happens.

(Galatians 3:24-6:18, Acts 15:1-21)

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After Derbe, Paul and Barnabas return to the the other churches they have visited, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’”

Paul and Barnabas report back to the church that sent them out at Antioch in Syria all that the Lord has done, “and that He had opened the doors of faith to the Gentiles”.

Next we begin reading a letter that Paul wrote to the church in Galatia. He addresses the false teachers who have infiltrated the church, troubling the people with a different gospel.

Paul calls out Peter, who was eating with the Gentiles but withdrew and separated himself according to Jewish customs. “And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.”

Paul explains that we are not justified, made righteous, by any outward obedience to Jewish laws. He says we are all sinners who are only justified “by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

Paul says that he has died to his old way of life, which was seeking justification through the impossible obedience of the burdensome Jewish law, so that he might live to God. Therefore, Paul now lives a joyful life that is pleasing to the Lord, not by relying on his works but by faith in Christ. As Paul says, “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Paul tells them that the Lord counted Abraham righteous by faith before the law was even given to Moses. “Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.”

The law was given as part of God’s plan and God knew that no man could perfectly obey the law because of our sinful nature. The law exposes our sinful nature and our need for a Savior. Therefore, also as part of God’s plan, God sent His Son, Who lived a perfect life in perfect obedience to the law, to die for us so that we may be justified through faith in Him, Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow more from Paul to the Galatians. Keep reading.

(Acts 14:21-28, Galatians 1:1-3:23)

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An angel of the Lord rescues Peter from prison. Then Peter goes to the house of Mary, Mark’s mother, where people are gathered to pray. “When they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.” Peter says to go and tell James, Jesus’s brother, and the others that the Lord delivered him from Herod. James, who once was not a believer, came to faith when he saw his brother Jesus resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:7). James goes on to become a leader in the Jerusalem church.

While Herod sat on his throne receiving glory from the people, the Lord strikes him “because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. 😳 But the word of God grew and multiplied.”

Over in the church at Antioch we see the process the Lord uses for selecting missionaries. The leaders pray and fast and the Holy Spirit separates Barnabas and Saul, also called Paul, “for the work to which I have called them.” “Then having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.”

So Barnabas and Paul go out and everywhere they go they preach the word of God in the synagogues until they get run out. When the rulers in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia ask them if they have a word of exhortation for the people, Paul stands up and does…guess what? Yep. He tells the Story. Starting with their fathers, who dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, to the Exodus Era with their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, to the Conquest Era where they conquered and settled into the promise land, to the Judges Era where for roughly 450 years the Israelites lived out 7 sin cycles, and Paul lands on the Kingdom Era with King David – “From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus— after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.”

Paul teaches of Jesus’s death and resurrection and tells them, “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

So on the next sabbath at Antioch in Pisidia, practically the entire city shows up to hear the word of God. “But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy; and contradicting and blaspheming, they opposed the things spoken by Paul. Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.’…Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”

But persecution arises again against Paul and Barnabas so they leave and wherever they go they preach in the synagogues. While in Lystria, some Jews from Antioch and Iconium track them down and stone Paul, leaving him for dead, but Paul does not die. “And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.”

[Summary of Paul’s missionary journeys from the book 30 Days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders:

1 – Galatia for 2 years (Acts 13-14)

2 – Greece for 3 years (Acts 15-17)

3 – Asia for 4 years (Acts 18-21)

4 – Roman prison for 2 years (Acts 22-28)]

Keep reading!

(Acts 12:6-14:20)

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Cornelius, a Gentile commander of the Roman army who is “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always”, receives a vision from the Lord. The Lord tells him to send men to Joppa where Peter is staying.

The next day, Peter receives a vision from the Lord. In the vision are all sorts of animals and the Lord instructs Peter to kill and eat. Peter responds, “Not so Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” But God responds, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

“God was overturning the old clean/unclean distinctions and dietary laws in general, along with all other ‘ceremonial’ laws in the Mosaic covenant (including laws about sacrifices, festivals and special days, and circumcision). Nothing like this was to get in the way of fellowship with Gentiles, as Galatians 2 also shows.” (ESV Study Bible)

Therefore, when Cornelius’s men arrive, Peter has no problem going to the home of Gentiles and preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ! ”While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.” 🙌

Peter later explains to his brethren what happened. ”’If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?’ When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, ‘Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.’”

The Good News continues to spread. Barnabas and Saul go to the church in Antioch. “So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”

But the reading ends tragically. Herod kills “James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also.” However, the Lord will repay self-exalting Herod for his wickedness in tomorrow’s reading so keep reading.

(Acts 10:1-12:5)

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“At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles…As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.”

Philip, one of the 7 selected to serve in the church in Jerusalem, goes to Samaria where he preaches Christ to them. Multitudes receive Christ and are baptized resulting in great joy in the city. So Peter and John hear of it and come to Samaria to pray over the people that they may receive the Holy Spirit. One man, Simon a sorcerer, offers them cash for the Holy Spirit. Peter says to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.” So Simon asks Peter to pray for him.

Then an angel tells Philip to go south on a road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There Philip has a divine appointment with an Ethiopian eunuch returning from worshipping in Jerusalem. When Philip comes near his chariot, he finds the man reading the words of Isaiah and he asks him if he understands. The Ethiopian responds, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” The Ethiopian eunuch goes on to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior and is baptized by Philip. 🙌

All these wonderful things in the name of Jesus are happening but Saul is still doing what Saul loves to do and that is breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. That is until Jesus stops him on a road to Damascus and asks him why he is persecuting Him? Then Jesus blinds him for 3 days and after 3 days the scales fall from Saul’s eyes. Saul receives the Holy Spirit and is baptized bc God has plans for Saul “…for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” But this won’t be an easy road for Saul. “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

After Saul receives food and is strengthened, “Immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.” And when the Jews try to kill him, his new brothers in Christ hide him.

Tomorrow Peter receives a vision from the Lord. Keep reading to find out God’s instructions for Peter.

(Acts 8:1b-9:43)

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Today a complaint arises about widows in the church being neglected. So the disciples select 7 men to oversee the care of the widows. This allows the 12 disciples to stay focused on the word of God. Stephen, a man of faith and full of the Holy Spirt, and who did great wonders and signs among the people, is selected as one of the 7. Philip is also selected and we will hear more on him tomorrow.

But men from the Synagogue of the Freedmen argue with Stephen. “And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’”

Stephen is then brought before the Sanhedrin (Jewish council) where his face shines like an angel. When Stephen is asked to defend himself, do you know what he does?! He tells the Story of the Bible! Beginning with Abraham…

Patriarch Era:

– God’s relationship with Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and the 12 patriarchs.

– Joseph as a slave in Egypt whom the Lord elevates as a ruler that saves the nations from famine.

– Jacob and his family of 75 coming to live in Egypt.

– Jacob’s family growing so much that they become a threat to Pharaoh so that Pharaoh oppresses them and kills their babies.

Exodus Era:

– God saving Moses and raising him up to deliver His people. Then Moses speaking of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ – “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear.’”

– The Israelites wandering in the wilderness for 40 years where God gave them the law which they did not obey.

Conquest Era:

– Joshua bringing them into the promised land.

Kindgdom Era:

– God finding favor with King David but Solomon, David’s son, building the house for the Lord.

Then Stephen turns his attention to the council. “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers, who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.”

“When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

“Now Saul was consenting to his death.” But tomorrow, Saul encounters Jesus and becomes a new man. Keep reading to see what happens.

(Acts 6:1-8:1a)

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Today Peter and John go to the temple and Peter heals a lame man who laid each day at the gate of the temple. When the people see that the man is healed they are filled with wonder and amazement.

Peter responds to the crowd asking why they marvel. He tells them that this man wasn’t healed by their power but by the power of Jesus Christ, the man they killed. ”But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” Peter goes on to tell them to repent and be converted so that their sins may be blotted out.

But the Jewish leaders aren’t too fond of this message so they grab Peter and John and put them in custody. “However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.”

When Peter and John stand before the Jewish Council, Peter tells them that the lame man was healed by the power of Jesus Christ. He goes on to say, ”Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” However, the Jewish leaders do not want this message to spread among the people. Therefore they tell Peter and John not to teach anymore about Jesus Christ. But Peter and John refuse to cower to threats by men.

When Peter and John are released, they report back to their companions all that happened. Then they all pray – “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

“And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people…And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women…”

This is not good news to the high priest so he throws the apostles in prison where they are later rescued by an angel of the Lord. Then the angel tells them to “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” And that is what they do.

When the Jewish leaders find them in the temple they question why they are teaching about Jesus Christ when they were told to stop. “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’”

The leaders now want to kill them but Gamaliel, a Pharisee, says, “Keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”

Keep reading.

(Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:1-2:47)

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