Archive for the ‘missionary’ tag
May 10, 2009: Lydia
The text for this lesson is Acts 16:11–15.
Key Points
- Just as God worked His miracle beside the river, clothing Lydia with Christ in Baptism, so God works His miracles in pulpits and fonts around the world today, destroying the work of Satan, ripping believers from the jaws of death, washing away sins in water tinged with Jesus’ blood, and clothing believers with His righteousness.
- Law: Full of pride and guided by my emotions and experiences, I look for God and His works where I think He is, instead of humbly following His Word.
- Gospel: Christ locates Himself and His saving gifts for me in specific places: His baptismal font, His pulpit, His altar—wherever His Word is spoken, sung, poured, eaten, or drunk.
Context
On his second missionary journey, while in Troas, Paul saw a vision of a man urging him to come over to Macedonia and help him (16:9). Heeding the call, Paul and his companions crossed the Aegean Sea, bringing the Gospel to modern-day Europe. He made his way to Philippi, an important city of the day. As we’ll learn next week, his initial welcome there by Lydia and others was short-lived, for soon he and Silas were arrested, beaten, and jailed (Acts 16:16–40).
April 26, 2009: Paul’s First Missionary Journey
The text for this lesson is from Acts 13:1–14:28.
Key Points
- Just as God sent Paul and Barnabas to spread the Gospel, so today He sends pastors to preach the Gospel, baptize, and feed Jesus’ body and blood to His children, against whom the gates of hell cannot prevail.
- Law: When I despise the preaching of God’s Word, do not hold it sacred, and do not gladly hear and learn it, I sin and support Satan’s cause.
- Gospel: The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church and God’s Word, through which sinners are converted. I am a fellow partaker of the grace of God.
Context
Antioch, where believers “were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26), was the home base of Paul’s mission to the Jews and Gentiles scattered throughout the Roman world. In most towns, Paul would first visit the synagogue to proclaim the advent of the Messiah. Why? It was He whom the Jews awaited. Every Sabbath, as the Scriptures were read and expounded, the prophecies of the Messiah were heard. Gentiles also frequently attended the synagogue services, either as full-fledged converts or half-fledged converts known as God-fearers. Many, if not most, of these worshipers already believed in the coming Messiah; Paul’s message was that He had come, died, and risen again. From the synagogues, the Gospel spread.
