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Acts 15:22-35 meaningJuly 16, 2024
The apostles and elders choose two men, Judas and Silas, to accompany Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch with a letter written to Gentile believers. The letter summarizes the conclusion of the Council: “The men teaching you to become circumcised and follow the Law were not sent by us. You do not need to do that. We agree with Paul and Barnabas and have sent our own men who will confirm this. As long as you stay away from idolatry, things sacrificed to idols, and immoral sex, you will do well.”
Acts 15:13-21 meaningJuly 16, 2024
James, the half-brother of Jesus and elder in the Jerusalem church, quotes the Old Testament to show that God had foretold that He would call Gentiles to Himself. And now the Jews are seeing this come true. Gentiles are believing in God and the Son of God. That being the case, there is no need to bother Gentiles with following Jewish Law. However, the least they should do is stay away from anything associated with pagan idolatry, and they should be sexually pure in order that they might not be estranged from fellowship with their Jewish brethren.
Acts 15:7-12 meaningJuly 16, 2024
There is further debate with the Pharisees who want Gentiles to become circumcised and follow the Law in order to be saved. Peter gives his rebuttal. He preached to the Gentiles first. He saw the Holy Spirit fill them when they believed without them having to be circumcised or follow any religious rules. Peter poses the question, “Why would we add the Law to the Gentiles? They are saved just as we are, through faith in Jesus.”
Acts 15:1-6 meaningJuly 16, 2024
False teachers from Judea arrive in Antioch. They claim that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved. Paul and Barnabas dispute this claim. The church of Antioch sends Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to consult with the apostles and elders. On the journey, the pair visit churches in Phoenicia and Samaria, telling the believers about their missionary journey. In Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas give report on the Gentiles in Galatia who believed in Jesus. In response, some Pharisees demand that these Gentiles be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law.
Acts 16:35-40 meaningJuly 14, 2024
The following morning, the chief magistrates send for Paul and Silas to be released. Paul refuses to leave the prison. He tells the magistrates’ messengers to inform them that he and Silas are Roman citizens, and that they were unlawfully beaten and jailed. If the magistrates want to release them, they have to come to the prison in person and bring them out. The magistrates are terrified at this news, and personally bring Paul and Silas out of the jail. They beg the preachers to leave Philippi. Paul complies, but first he goes to Lydia’s house and encourages the new church of Philippian believers.
Acts 16:25-34 meaningJuly 14, 2024
Paul and Silas sing hymns and pray to God while in prison. God sends an earthquake that opens the cell doors and throws the chains off of the prisoners. The jailer rushes in, thinking his prisoners have escaped, and draws his sword to kill himself to avoid punishment. Paul tells him not to harm himself; all the prisoners are accounted for. The jailer asks Paul and Silas what he must do to be saved. He takes Paul and Silas into his house. They preach the gospel to the jailer and the members of his house. All believe, and are baptized. Paul and Silas’s wounds are cleaned, and they are given food. The jailer rejoices.
Acts 16:16-24 meaningJuly 14, 2024
There is a slave-girl in Philippi who is demon-possessed. The owners of the girl make money off of her possession, because the demon in her speaks fortunes. She follows Paul and his team, shouting that they serve God and preach about how to be saved. The possessed slave does this for multiple days, until Paul, fed up, casts the demon out of her. The girl’s masters are outraged at the damage this will do to their income. They drag Paul and Silas to the chief magistrates of the city. These men accuse Paul and Silas of teaching the Roman populace to do things that are against Roman law. Egged on by the crowd, the magistrates have Paul and Silas stripped, beaten, and imprisoned.
Acts 16:11-15 meaningJuly 14, 2024
Having received a vision telling him to go to Macedonia, Paul and his team sail across the Aegean Sea from Troas to Neapolis. They journey on foot to Philippi, an important city in that part of Macedonia. They go to a river where women are praying and worshipping God. Paul and the others preach the gospel to these women. One of the women, Lydia, a purple fabrics merchant, believes in the gospel, along with her household. She and her household are baptized. Lydia insists that Paul and the others stay in her house while in Philippi.
Acts 16:6-10 meaningJuly 10, 2024
The Holy Spirit tells Paul not to preach the gospel in the province of Asia or Bithynia. With these limitations in place, Paul and his team make their way to the edge of Anatolia to a port city named Troas. In Troas, Paul sees a vision of a Macedonian man asking for Paul’s help.
Acts 16:1-5 meaningJuly 9, 2024
Paul and his team visit the Galatian churches he planted years earlier. In Lystra, a well-respected believer named Timothy joins them. Timothy’s mother is Jewish, but his father was Greek. Before Timothy sets out with Paul, he undergoes circumcision, so that his witness to other Jews will be acceptable. The letter from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem is handed out to all the Galatian churches: Gentile believers do not need to become circumcised or submit to the Mosaic Law. The churches are strengthened by Paul’s visit.
Micah 5:10-15 meaningJuly 4, 2024
The LORD promised to purify Israel from its dependence on military power as well as its dependence on pagan worship. Also, the nations that remain disobedient to Him will be the objects of His wrath.
Micah 5:7-9 meaningJuly 4, 2024
Micah now turns to a discussion of the remnant in the last days.
Micah 5:2-6 meaningJuly 4, 2024
Micah followed the message of Israel’s judgment and doom with a description of a future Messiah-King who will conquer all His enemies.
Micah 5:1 meaningJuly 4, 2024
The ruler of Israel was encouraged to gather troops for military action. It would be in vain and he will be humiliated by his enemies.
Revelation 6:12-17 meaningJuly 2, 2024
Here, the sixth and penultimate scroll is broken, bringing about with it the fulfillment of a prophecy that the sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood. With this action, God has finally revealed Himself to all people.
Revelation 6:9-11 meaningJuly 2, 2024
The fifth seal is broken, and this time the souls of the martyred speak and ask God how much longer they will have to wait for His judgement. God responds and tells them to rest while they wait for the remainder of the martyrs to join them.
Revelation 6:7-8 meaning July 2, 2024
The fourth seal is broken and the final horseman is revealed: Death and his companion Hades. Death and Hades are the culmination of all the previous horsemen, because they have the combined authority of everything the other three horsemen were given license to do.
Revelation 6:5-6 meaningJuly 2, 2024
The third seal is broken and the third horseman is revealed. This judgment is famine; the horseman has a pair of scales, with which he can weigh grains and food. Grains and food become costly, indicating that both are becoming increasingly scarce.
Revelation 6:3-4 meaningJuly 2, 2024
The second seal is broken and the second horseman is revealed, who has been given a sword and the authority to take peace from the earth.
Revelation 6:1-2 meaningJuly 2, 2024
After the Lamb was found worthy to break the seals and open the scroll in Chapter 5, He begins to open it by breaking the first seal, which revealed the horseman with a bow who was given a crown and the authority to conquer.
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