4546). Pauls epistles were originally written to the communities he formed on these journeys, and they show us exactly how Christianity spread to the Gentiles so rapidly. Likewise, early Latter-day Saint Church history is full of shifting centers of Church headquarters. . Acts covers the first 30-35 years of church history. From Salamis, the group moved across the island to Paphos, where they were met by a Jewish sorcerer named Bar-Jesus (also known as Elymas the sorcerer). Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Instead, a city clerk told everyone that unless they were going to bring formal charges against the men in a legal assembly, they were in danger of being charged with rioting. In later chapters of Acts, the writer uses the first-person plural narrative, "we," indicating that he was present with Paul. Around this time, a local silversmith named Demetrius realized that the future of his business (making idols) was jeopardized by the gospel. But while he waited, he noticed that Athens was full of idols. The Latter-day Saint Church has also faced many issues that have resulted in policy changes and official declarations sent out to Church membership to inform and educate the members about such changes. An ancient prologue to Lukes gospel indicates that Luke was first a follower of the apostles and then became close with Paul.1 This is exactly how the book of Acts unfolds, beginning with Peter and ending with Paul. Modern Church leaders, however, have warned us to be cautious in using this gift because of its potential to lead us astray. They arrived in the city of Perga, where John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem (which, interestingly, was in the opposite direction from where they just came). Pamphylia From Paphos, Paul and company set sail for the Roman province of Pamphylia, located in modern day Turkey. We are encouraged to seek after these gifts, especially missionaries serving in foreign lands. Weneed corporate seasons for insight and reflection before a movement is properly birthed (Acts 1). They decided, therefore, to call seven men from among the Hellenists to take this responsibility so that the Apostles could continue to focus on the ministry of the word (v. This went on for two years, and all the while, God used Paul to perform miracles. Today, its the capital of Greece, and the largest city in the country. Replacing a Vacancy in the QuorumActs 1:1526, One of the early Apostles first actions as the authoritative body of the early Church was to replace the vacancy in the Twelve resulting from Judass betrayal and death. Wait There Were How Many Herods?! When the jailer awoke and saw the doors open, he prepared to kill himself. Modern Apostles today also rely on heavenly direction through the Holy Spirit to know how to lead the Church and how to administer such a rapidly growing and diverse membership in an orderly fashion. Currently there are eight Quorums of the Seventy to allow better geographic organization and supervision. Rejection of the gospel and persecution of its messengers, however, worked to accelerate the church's growth. We must seek for a testimony of modern revelation so that we can be assured that we are being led by Gods representatives on earth today. Acts is the only biblical book that chronicles the history of the church immediately after Jesuss ascension. . How many churches are there in the book of Acts? The apostles portrayed in Acts shine with evangelistic zeal, showing a striking transition from the often misguided disciples of the Gospels. He debated with philosophers in both the synagogue and marketplace. [3] For example, see Ezra Taft Benson, Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988), 167. We forget all the statements that limited the gospel to the house of Israel, and we start going to the gentiles.[23]. Those who were baptized were "added" to the church - Ac 2:41,47 a. Updated on May 06, 2019 Book of Acts The book of Acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After establishing a group of believers in Athens, Paul headed west to the city of Corinth. Two of the most notable examples are included in the Doctrine and Covenants: the manifesto regarding plural marriage and the extension of priesthood blessings to all worthy males. Many future prophecies regarding the role of the Church or kingdom of God headquarters will deal with earlier abandoned Church centers that had to be left due to political situations, similar to how Jerusalem will play a key future role although it also had to be abandoned by Christian leadership. These followers went ahead of Paul to Troas, in Asia. The book of Acts ends its account before the martyrdom of Paul around AD 65. A key issue the early Christian Church faced in regards to new converts and policy was how much the Jewish customs and traditions that had been the background of the earliest Apostles and converts should persist. It contains 46 books from the old testament, 27 books from the new testament, making it 73 books of the Bible. It has truly become a world religion with congregations and temples dotting the globe. They arrived in Tyre, where through the Spirit (Acts 21:4), the local disciples urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland expressed this sentiment about the role of the Spirit in guiding the Church: From the outset (at least from the first verse of the book of Acts) the declaration was that the Church would continue to be divinely led, not mortally led. 14). Acts explicitly records three distinct missionary journeys. [1] Whereas the Gospel of Luke focuses on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the Acts of the Apostles builds upon what Jesus did and taught (see Acts 1:1), recounting the story of the young, emerging Church and the work of the early Apostles as they . We have revelations that tell us that the gospel is to go to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people before the second coming of the Son of Man. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Luke wrote to Theophilus what happened during the 30 years that followed the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. That means, as you know, that people from all nations will have the blessings of the house of the Lord before the Second Coming. Today Christianity is the largest religion of the world as it has been spread through conquest and missionary efforts into many parts of the globe. Due to the globalization and movement of peoples throughout the world today, the Church has continued to expand among many different cultures, sometimes even among people living away from their homeland where the Church has not been fully organized. They arrived in the city of Perga, where John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem (which, interestingly, was in the opposite direction from where they just came). Paul revealed that they were Roman citizens, who had just been beaten and imprisoned without trial, and the authorities became afraid. It doesnt make a particle of difference what anybody ever said about the Negro matter before the first day of June 1978. In what they taught, Emmanuel found answers to questions that had troubled him for years. . The council decided the Torah didnt apply to Gentile believers (though they did hang on to a few rules). . Initially baptisms for the dead were done in the Mississippi River, yet after the construction of the Nauvoo Temple, it became policy to only perform these baptisms within the sacred temples (see D&C 124:3142). Its so big that even if youve been reading it your whole life, you can still miss the point. It was in Antioch, according to Acts 11:26, where Jesuss disciples were first called Christians. By the end of Acts, Rome had become an important center not only due to its status as capital of the empire but because of its being the location of Pauls and Peters martyrdoms. . Shortly after they had reconstituted their quorum, a dramatic spiritual experience occurred on the day of Pentecost that helped pave the way for the spreading of the gospel in different lands. He also stated, At other times, the members of the Presidency and the Twelve present names which are considered by the First Presidency and one chosen by lot much as Matthias was (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Our churches must be Word churches; where the Word of God is preached in power and without fear. The current prophet is able to give us the counsel that we need today. Later, Paul, Silas, and the others were confronted by a spirit-possessed slave woman who could predict the future. Barnabas took John Mark and went with the original plan, making their way back to the island of Cyprus. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Your browser does not support JavaScript. Consequently, in spite of the many centuries that separate us from the early Church of the New Testament, we can relate to the circumstances facing the Apostles in the book of Acts as we confront similar challenges of contemporary Church expansion. Your Bible likely refers to it as Pisidian Antioch or Antioch of Pisidia. Many of the Gentiles believed the gospel, and Luke (the traditional author of Acts) tells us that: The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. [27] Although it would be impossible to list all such differences, perhaps it is helpful to focus on the principle behind a policy. The witness spreads beyond Jerusalem - Acts 6:1-12:25. Pauls message in Athens incorporated observations about what he saw around him as well as quotes from famous Greek philosophers to point back to the gospel. Interestingly, part of the purpose of Pauls second trip was to share the news from the Council of Jerusalem regarding the Law of Moses and whether or not Gentiles (or Christians in general) should be expected to follow it. Unfortunately, Apple's iOS doesn't support home screen shortcuts in the Chrome browser. In Acts, Luke has provided a broad survey of the church's development from the resurrection of Jesus to Paul's first Roman imprisonment, the point at which the book ends. But some scholars and even ancient Christian writers have claimed that there was also a fourth missionary journey which was only hinted at in the Bible. The Book of Acts. This led Peter to then share the gospel with many Gentiles. Note that these calculations will vary slightly based on the Bible translation you use. After her household was baptised, she persuaded Pauls group to stay with her for a while. Ten days after Jesus ascended back into heaven (Acts 1:9), the Holy Spirit was poured out upon 120 of Jesus' followers who waited and prayed (Acts 1:15; 2:1-4). Consequently, they form the foundation for the future growth of the Church in that area. It appears they regularly attended and even financially supported synagogue worship and affiliated themselves with Jews in society. We can stand firm knowing God will do the work, opening doors of opportunity even in the midst of severe opposition. The seeing, even the Savior, does not leave as deep an impression in the mind as does the testimony of the Holy Ghost to the spirit.[14]. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Ezra and Nehemiah are also combined into one book. Paul was essentially waiting around for Silas, Timothy, and the others to rejoin him. The rest of the books include the seven letters, stories of the lives of apostles, and the revelations. In Acts, however, the commission was to minister to scattered Israel and to spread the gospel throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. The New Testament is made up of 27 books that are used in practically all Christian practices today, be it any denomination. The Book of Acts is divided into three major parts: the first part consists of 7 chapters and covers the period when Jesus was on earth, the second part covers 34 chapters, and the third part covers six chapters. It records the transition from taking the gospel to an exclusively Jewish audiencewith Peter preaching to a small group in the Upper Roomto the gospel going out among the Gentiles, primarily under the ministry of the apostle Paul. 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. The cast of characters in the book of Acts is quite numerous and includes Peter, James, John, Stephen, Philip, Paul, Ananias, Barnabas, Silas, James, Cornelius, Timothy, Titus, Lydia, Luke, Apollos, Felix, Festus, and Agrippa. Read the revelation; the Lord informs us they must know, they must get the knowledge for themselves. This non-preachy, jargon-free guide will walk you through the Bibles major themes and characters and help you see how each book fits into the larger story of Scripture. They riled up the crowds and convinced them to stone Paul. The first cities that Acts mentions by name on Pauls second journey are Derbe and Lystra. Perhaps a Latter-day Saint experience that could be comparable to the early Churchs inclusion of Gentiles would be the inclusion of groups not already fully a part of the Church, such as the revelation in 1978 extending the priesthood to all worthy males. In one sense the Church is still being organized. Learn Religions. Finally James, the brother of Jesus and a key figure in the Jerusalem congregation of Christians, reiterated prophecies that declared that God would form a covenant people from among the Gentiles. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. Eventually the bishop of Rome came to be seen as the chief successor of the Apostles and as the father of all bishops (pope). You may notice that maps of the ancient world often have two cities labelled Antioch. Between 62 and 70 A.D., with the earlier date being more likely. Each comes in multiple sizes on fine art paper with a matte finish. It is an important book in understanding how we can be directed by the Holy Spirit and the role of Jesus' lessons in our lives. Modern revelation is the key to guiding the Church through new situations and changing dynamics. https://www.learnreligions.com/book-of-acts-701031 (accessed June 28, 2023). [8] They decided to select a man who had been a living witness to Christs ministry, and so they put forward two names, Joseph Barsabas and Matthias (see v. 23). After things settled down in Ephesus, Paul headed across the Aegean Sea to Macedonia. In his letter to the Corinthians, first-century church father Clement of Rome said Paul had gone to the extremity of the west, which at the time presumably meant Spain. Some have interpreted this as a reference to his first defense before Emperor Nero, which he was heading for at the end of Acts. Robert L. Millet (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1987); John W. Welch, The Acts of the Apostle William E. McLellin, in The Journals of William E. McLellin, 18311836, ed. Eager to reach Jerusalem before Pentecost, Paul sailed past Ephesus and stopped in Miletus. Elymas opposed them and tried to turn Sergius from the faith, and so Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, called him a child of the devil and struck him blind. President Packer commented on this group: There are those within the Church who are disturbed when changes are made with which they disagree or when changes they propose are not made. When one is baptized (i.e., saved), the Lord adds him or her to His church, which is His Listen to Chuck Swindolls overview of Acts in his audio message from the Classic series Gods Masterwork. He illustrated the difficulty the New Testamentera Church members must have had in reversing centuries of practice. . Acts ends abruptly with Paul imprisoned in Rome, waiting to bring his appeal before Caesar. (The focus shifts here from Peter's ministry to Paul's.). Emmanuel was studying medicine in London when LDS missionaries contacted his family. Changes in organization or procedures are a testimony that revelation is ongoing. Many modern Church leaders have stressed that one of our greatest callings in this dispensation is to further the kingdom of God on earth. ONE Church, even as there was but ONE Tabernacle, and ONE Temple. There are also some cases where members meet in language wards different from their host country so that they can maintain their gospel study and worship in a familiar tongue. It is too early in Church history to see these seven as receiving the specific title deacon, but rather in the general sense of serving and ministering (see also use of related noun ministry or service in verse 4). And that was important for the people to hear in that terrible hour of confusion and fear. 26). We dont know why John Mark decided to leave, but this would later create a rift between Paul and Barnabas. Some individuals become pioneers in a very real sense as they take the gospel back to their homelands to introduce the Church on new soil. Luke is the most likely candidate for a few reasons: 1) Of Paul's frequent companions, several are identified separately from the author ( Acts 20:4-5 ), and others, we know from Paul's own writings, did not go with him to Rome. The night before he left, he stayed up late talking in a room upstairs. The lesson? The doctrine or principle behind this ordinance is that vicarious work can be done for the deceased, and if the departed spirits accept the gospel in the spirit world, this ordinance can be effective for them. Sign up to receive e-mail from Insight for Living Ministries. 42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. President Boyd K. Packer expressed this sentiment when he said, Revelation is a continuous principle in the Church. All rights reserved. The question Long poses of whether the early church in Acts should be the example the modern church should follow is a critical question because I often see churches drawing on practices the early church put in place such as having community, sharing finances, and having prayer meets (Acts 2:44) but they ignore practices such as publicly . Acts 11:24 - for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. Each of the sections is made of many different verses. Acts can be neatly divided into two sections, the first dealing primarily with the ministry of Peter in Jerusalem and Samaria (Acts 112) and the second following Paul on his missionary journeys throughout the Roman Empire (Acts 1328). Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea, while Paul was escorted out of Macedonia to Athens. We create research-based articles and handy infographics to help people understand the Bible. Many Jews in the land of Israel, but particularly Jews living outside of Israel in Diaspora (exile from the land of Israel), became Hellenized and thus adopted many Greek ways of thinking and especially the Greek language.
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