Thursday 022025
Let’s together, open the Word of God this morning, and study what we have been given. Allow me to help you in your study and search the Bible what God has intended for us to hear.
The verses we are going to study tonight:
Galatians 3:28; Acts 9:15, 13:9, 1:6-7, :26, 6:2-4, 8:1.
This morning’s lesson may be a little different. I am the same person, this morning though, I am going to try and teach in a different way.
In this world there are ‘generically’ two (2) different kinds of people, Jews and Gentiles; believers and unbelievers; saved and unsaved … I hope you understand the point I’m trying to make.
So, to begin in the time period of 100BC, there was the Jew and the Gentile.
In Jesus’ day, there was the believer and the unbeliever.
By 100AD, there were the saved and the unsaved.
Well, that’s where we are today in the 21st century … there is the saved and the unsaved.
After the crucifixion, we are told in the Bible there is ‘no difference.’
Galatians 3:28
‘…There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…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…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…So, there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…It does not matter whether you are a Jew or a Gentile. It does not matter whether you are a slave or a free person. It does not matter whether you are a man or a woman. You all belong together because you all belong to Christ Jesus…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
The difference is, you are either saved or unsaved.
To go along with that, you either believe what ‘man’ says, or you believe what ‘God’ has said.
Myself, I am going to believe what God has said because God is who is capable of saving me, there is not a man alive that can conquer that feat.
Man can go ahead and speak to me every Sunday morning at church and tell me what he has read and how he interprets what’s been written in the Word.
But God tells me, every day, every minute of every day, every time I open my Bible and begin to read His Word that He has given to each one of us.
This next line is about the same thing they said in that movie: ghostbusters …
WHO YOU GONNA CALL
or
WHO YOU GONNA BELIEVE?
I’m going to believe what God tells me. If there’s any interpretation … I’m gonna be the one that interprets for ME.
That pastor, that church, that denomination … they can interpret for themselves.
In Acts 9:15, (this is after the final Ascension of Jesus Christ up into heaven, seated next to His Father), when Jesus tells Ananias:
Acts 9:15
‘…But the Lord said unto him, go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…But the Lord said to him, go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…The Lord said to him, go, because I have chosen him to serve me, to make my name known to Gentiles and kings and to the people of Israel…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…But the Lord said to Ananias, go now to Saul! I have chosen him to work for me. He will go to those who are not Jews and to their rulers. He will tell them about me. He will also tell the people of Israel about me…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
There is something going on, why is Jesus abandoning the remaining eleven apostles?
Jesus isn’t just telling Ananias that Saul is going to be the next, another apostle …
… he is going to teach the Gentiles … he’s also going to teach the kings and the children of Israel.
Anyone can read this verse. We have all been given the option of making our own interpretation of what has been written.
What I am interpreting is a lot different from what I’ve been taught to think.
This is support for my belief that we have a world full of false teachers, all teaching what they want to talk about.
To me, this is important.
Acts 13:9
‘…Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, stared at him…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…Then Saul—also known as Paul—was filled with the Holy Spirit; he looked straight at the magician…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…Then God filled Saul with the power of his Holy Spirit. (Saul was also now called Paul.) Paul looked straight at Elymas, and he said…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
I included this verse to hopefully clear up any confused minds.
I want to get back to looking at the abandonment that it seems is going on with the remaining original apostles.
The last time Jesus speaks of concerning the remaining original apostles is in Acts 1:8, the introduction to the Holy Spirit, our helper.
Acts 1
AKJV
vs6 ‘…When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel…’
vs7 ‘…And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
NASB
vs6 ‘…So, when they had come together, they began asking Him, saying, Lord, is it at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel…’
vs7 ‘…But He said to them, it is not for you to know periods of time or appointed times which the Father has set by His own authority…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
GNT
vs6 ‘…When the apostles met together with Jesus, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time give the Kingdom back to Israel…’
vs7 ‘…Jesus said to them, the times and occasions are set by my Father’s own authority, and it is not for you to know when they will be…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
EASY
vs6 ‘…While Jesus’ apostles were together with him, they asked him, Lord, at this time will you now give the kingdom back to us, the people of Israel…’
vs7 ‘…Jesus replied, my Father decides when things will happen in the world. You do not need to know the day or the time when this will happen…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
The remaining eleven leave the mount where Jesus Ascended and return to Jerusalem where the men determine they need to fill the empty position made by Judas.
The eleven choose Matthias.
Acts 1:26
‘…And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles…’ AKJV
‘…And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles…’ NASB
‘…Then they drew lots to choose between the two men, and the one chosen was Matthias, who was added to the group of eleven apostles…’ GNT
‘…Then the group used lots to choose the name of one man. It happened that they chose Matthias. So, Matthias now became the 12th apostle, together with the other 11 men…’ EASY
Acts 6
AKJV
vs2 ‘…Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables…’
vs3 ‘…Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business…’
vs4 ‘…But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
NASB
vs2 ‘…So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables…’
vs3 ‘…Instead, brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task…’
vs4 ‘…But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
GNT
vs2 ‘…So the twelve apostles called the whole group of believers together and said, It is not right for us to neglect the preaching of God’s word in order to handle finances…’
vs3 ‘…So then, friends, choose seven men among you who are known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, and we will put them in charge of this matter…’
vs4 ‘…We ourselves, then, will give our full time to prayer and the work of preaching…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
EASY
vs2 ‘… The 12 apostles heard about the problem. They told all the believers to meet together with them. The apostles said, Our work is to teach people God’s message about Jesus. We do not have time to give out the food and money to people as well…’
vs3 ‘…So, friends, please choose seven men from among you. You must know that each of them is full of the Holy Spirit. They must also be very wise. We will ask these seven men to do this work for us…’
vs4 ‘…Then we will have more time to pray. We will also have more time to teach people God’s message…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
The entire time the apostles still remained in Jerusalem. They didn’t go anywhere.
In Acts 7, it is written that Stephen gives the Jews God’s last effort to save them. The religious leaders, the Sanhedrin, stone and kill Stephen.
In Acts 8:1 the Word tells us the apostles are still in Jerusalem.
Acts 8:1
‘…And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles…’ AKJV (Authorized King James Version)
‘…Now Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles…’ NASB (New American Standard Bible)
‘…And Saul approved of his murder. Saul Persecutes the Church. That very day the church in Jerusalem began to suffer cruel persecution. All the believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout the provinces of Judea and Samaria…’ GNT (Good News Translation)
‘…Saul was standing there while the Jewish leaders killed Stephen. He agreed with what they did. Saul puts many believers in prison. On the same day that Stephen died, the group of believers who lived in Jerusalem began to have great trouble. People did bad things to them. All the believers left Jerusalem and went to other places in Judea and Samaria. Only Jesus’ 12 apostles stayed in Jerusalem…’ EASY (Easy English Translation)
In the next chapter of Acts, Acts 9:15 Jesus claims Saul as His Chosen Vessel, to teach the Gentiles, the kings and the children of Israel.
Now after Paul begins to travel and spread the Word of God, the apostles do finally leave Jerusalem.
The one thing our man-made churches don’t let us hear is those words that maybe God gave up on the original remaining apostles.
Tradition records how the apostles were spread throughout the world. How the original apostles were martyred for their belief in Jesus Christ.
The Bible though, it doesn’t give us that message.
We instead hear of how they remained in Jerusalem and how people had to come and see them to receive the message.
I’ve gone way long. Sorry.
This is a subject that needs more hours put into it.
I love y’all.
Jesus, I pray that those ears and eyes, either listening or seeing this message today would be opened to the very fullest and allow Your love to come inside their lives and comfort them. Teach us Jesus. Protect us. We love You. Amen InHIM. ><)))o>