Friday, October 30, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday November 1, 2015

Over 88,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

PRAY AND EXPECT THE DOORS TO BE OPENED
(Prayer works!)
(Acts 12:1-19)

   In Acts chapter 12, Luke chronicles the story of King Herod Agrippa I, and his persecution of the Christian Church and its leaders at Jerusalem. Herod Agrippa I, was the grandson of Herod the Great, a direct descendant of Esau, who was ruler over Palestine around the time when JESUS was born. He was the son of Aristobulus, Herod the Great’s son by his wife Mariamne. Herod the Great murdered Mariamne, and then subsequently, murdered their two sons, Alexander and Aristobulus shortly after they found out that he had killed their mother.
    Mariamne was a princess who descended from the Great Jewish dynasty, known as the Maccabees, who were direct descendants of Jacob. Therefore, Herod Agrippa I was pure-bred Jewish, raised that way by his parents. He was educated in Rome, and throughout his life, he adhered strongly to Jewish laws and customs. This made him very popular with the orthodox Jews, and through his persecution of the newly formed Christian Church, he no doubt sought to further improve upon his popularity.
    In Acts chapter 12, taking up at verse 1, we are introduced to Herod Agrippa I, as he orders the death of James, one the original Disciples of JESUS. James, the brother of the Apostle John, became the first of the original Disciples to be martyred, as he was killed with a sword. When Herod saw how much this pleased the Jewish leaders, he arrested Peter, with the intent to kill him also, as soon as the Passover celebration had ended.
    While Peter was in jail, the Church prayed earnestly for him, and on the eve of his trial while asleep in his cell, he was awakened by an angel of the LORD. The angel instructed him to “get up quickly”, and the chains that bound him between two guards, fell from his wrists. Then the angel told him to “Get dressed and put on his sandals and coat and “follow me”. So Peter did as the angel instructed, but all the while, he thought it was just a dream and had not yet realized it was really happening. 
    They passed the first and second guard posts, and then finally, they came to an iron gate that would open into the street. The gate opened by itself, and Peter was able to walk with the angel to freedom. As they were walking down the street the angel left him and he realized then, that it was not a dream. He now knew that the LORD had sent HIS angel to rescue him from his impending doom.
    Peter then goes directly to the home of the mother of John Mark. John Mark is the man who became the eventual author of the Book of Mark, and is also the cousin of Barnabas (who was known as the enabling encourager) (Colossians 4:10). He would also, later, travel with Barnabas and the Apostle Paul, on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:5). The home of his mother was apparently one of the meeting places (House Churches) of the followers of CHRIST in those days, and no doubt, was where they had gathered to pray for Peter during his incarceration.
    When Peter arrives there and knocks on the door, a girl named Rhoda came to answer it. But after hearing the voice of Peter, whom they thought was still incarcerated, she, in her excitement, ran back to tell the others instead of opening the door for Peter.
    The people inside, first, thought she was out of her mind, but finally concluded that she had, no doubt, heard an angel. But, when she insisted, they finally went to the door where they themselves heard Peter’s continued knocking. When they opened the door, they were amazed to see Peter standing there. Peter motions for them to quiet down, and then, tells them the story of how the LORD had led him to freedom. Before he left Mary’s house, he instructed them to go and tell James, the brother of JESUS, and apparent leader of the Church at that time, and all the others, what had just happened.
    At dawn there was a great commotion among the palace guards about what had happened with Peter the night before. Herod Agrippa ordered a thorough search for Peter, but he couldn’t be found, and so he interrogated his guards and then sentenced them to death, before leaving for Caesarea to sojourn there for a while.
    It was the strong earnest prayers of the Christians at the House Church of Mary, John Mark’s mother that unlocked the cell that held Peter captive in Jerusalem. And I’m certain that Peter must have been reminded of what JESUS told him and the other disciples, as HE closed out HIS private teachings to them, in that dimly lit upper room, somewhere in the midst of the festive Passover atmosphere of Jerusalem, on the final night of HIS life here on earth.
    It is a statement and promise that is now available for all to see, as it is recorded in the Gospel account of the Apostle John (John 14:13-14). There, JESUS proclaims to HIS faithful followers, and to all future believers that; “You can ask anything in MY name, and I will do it, because the work of the SON brings glory to the father. Yes, ask anything in MY name, and I will do it! (NLT). Amen.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website



 


Friday, October 23, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 25, 2015

Over 88,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

TRUSTING THE SPIRIT
(Reaching the world together)
(Acts 11:1-18)

   Acts chapter 11 begins with Peter arriving back at Jerusalem after spending several days with Cornelius, the Gentile believer and his family, in Caesarea. Cornelius and his house had just become the first Gentile family accepted into the Christian Faith and the HOLY SPIRIT had fallen fresh on them, just as HE had fell on the Jews at the last Pentecost celebration (Acts 2).
    News of the Gentile conversion had already reached Jerusalem and the Jewish believers were waiting anxiously to rebuke and criticize Peter for his associating with Gentiles, and eating and drinking with them in their home. Such an action was a direct violation of their own Jewish laws that they had set up, apart from GOD, because Jewish men felt they were superior to Gentiles, Samaritans, and all women (Vs.1-3).
    Luke wants us to realize the importance of the visions that GOD showed to Peter, and, to Cornelius, in the shaping of Christianity into an all-inclusive world religion. The Jews were already set to make this new ideology from the mind of GOD, just another sect of Judaism that would only include Jews into the club.
    However, Luke is led by GOD to see these incidents as milestones along the way to building the only religion that can ever be indorsed by GOD HIMSELF. He wanted all mankind to see and realize that JESUS came, not only to save the Jews, but rather, HE came to save all humanity by giving them an opportunity to embrace the free gift of salvation through HIS vicarious sacrifice on the cross at Golgotha.    
    After Peter explained his vision from GOD that he received while still in Joppa, and how the HOLY SPIRIT had instructed him to go to Caesarea and witness to Cornelius’ family, it seemed to satisfy the Jewish assembly’s objections, and they began to praise GOD wholeheartedly moving forward.
    Through the divine intervention of GOD, by way of Peter’s and Cornelius’ visions, the people were able to see how GOD had given the Gentiles the same privilege and opportunity to turn from sin, and to receive eternal life, as HE had afforded the Jews, beginning at Pentecost.
    The Jewish people and their leaders were exceedingly glad about GOD’s plan for the new Church of CHRIST, and they began to look forward to sharing the Gospel with all the nations of the world in the future (Vs.4-18). And they trusted in the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD to lead, guide, and counsel them as they moved forward.
    Here we see, perhaps for the first time, the Christian Church being thought of as “a body of believers” being held together, and accountable, only by the ideology of GOD HIMSELF. It was and is, an ideology that is meant by GOD to transcend all the racial, structural, organizational, and worshiping style differences of man, and bring them all together in fellowship and love.
    “Christian Unity” is what JESUS prayed about in John 17, and it is also what the Apostle Paul wrote about to the Christian Churches in all of his doctrinal letters. It is a unity not born of bricks and mortar, but rather, it is a unity of personal relationships, not unlike the one that we’ve already seen between the FATHER and the SON, that will stand as an example to us for all time.
    We as Christians can truly reach the world together, but first, we must prove to the world, through our behavior that, “Christianity really does produce the best men and women”. And until we can do that, no person in and of the world is going to ever take us serious.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website




  

Friday, October 16, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 18, 2015

Over 87,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

BARRIERS COME DOWN
(Christianity breaks through all barriers)
Acts 10

   Acts chapter 10 relates how GOD used Peter to open up the doors of the Christian Church to the Gentiles (Non-Jewish people) who desired to worship and follow HIM. The Gentiles had never been accepted by the Jews in any way, form, or fashion, and, were in fact, thought to be altogether “unclean” by Israel as a whole.
    Acts chapters 10 and 11 mark a dramatic turning point in Church history as we see for the first time, Gentiles hearing and responding positively, and corporately, to the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST. Here in chapter 10, Luke begins by introducing us to a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a devout worshiper of the GOD of Israel, and a Centurion over an Italian Regiment (100 men). Cornelius was a Gentile who feared GOD, prayed regularly, and gave generously to those whom he knew were in need. In fact, Cornelius was a Gentile who already had a personal, experiential relationship with GOD.
    In verses 3-6, Luke tells us that Cornelius experienced a vision where an angel from GOD delivers a message to him that, in essence, foretold of the upcoming overall acceptance of the Gentiles into the Church of CHRIST, starting with him and his family there in Caesarea.
    Here we see the stage being set for racial barriers to come down, and, for the gap to be bridged, first, between man and himself, and then ultimately, between man and GOD. In fact, we see quite literally here, our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, coming into focus as the personification of that bridge over the troubled waters that had long been stirred by human reasoning and prejudices.  
    The angel instructed Cornelius to send some men down to a city called Joppa, an ancient seaport located on the Mediterranean coast of Palestine, where they would find the Apostle Peter, one of the twelve disciples of JESUS, who was currently residing there. They were to petition Peter to come to Caesarea and share the message of the Good News about CHRIST JESUS, that GOD had given him.
    Meanwhile, in this not too distant city of Joppa, GOD had already placed Peter in a real-life situation where he was closely associating with a man named Simon, who would be deemed by the Jews to be “unclean” just by way of his occupation as a tanner of animal skins (a leatherworker). According to Jewish law, and based on Numbers 19, a person who touches the carcass of the dead shall be deemed unclean for a designated period of time, even beyond their cleansing process. And so Simon, whose job was to work with dead animals, continually existed in an unclean state by Jewish reasoning.
    Here in Acts chapter 10, verses 5-6, Luke tells us that Peter was actually living in the same house with Simon. Most Jews, at that time, would never have accepted hospitality from a person such as Simon because of his occupation. Nevertheless, Simon was still a Christian, and no doubt, by now, Peter had already begun to see that Christianity is intended by GOD to be all-inclusive, and to be a revolution against social and racial prejudices, as well as, against pride, and economic disparities.
    The day after Cornelius received his vision GOD visited Peter and provided him with a vision of his own. In Peter’s mid-day vision, GOD presents to him, the depiction of a sheet with all manner of animals in it that were traditionally deemed unclean to eat by Jewish standards. In this vision, a voice from Heaven commands Peter to kill and eat these animals. Peter, however, protests against this command saying that, “I have never in all my life eaten anything forbidden by our Jewish laws” (v.14). Then the voice of GOD tells Peter, “If GOD says something is acceptable, don’t say it isn’t” (v. 15) (NLT).
    This same vision was repeated to Peter three times, and then, the collection of animals ascended back into Heaven. Until that moment, Peter had always thought the Gentiles to be unclean to associate with in any way, but now, GOD was preparing him for the coming of, first, the Gentile Cornelius and his family, and then later, those of the entire Gentile existence, who wished to come into the body of CHRIST, and worship and serve HIM only.
    When Cornelius’ men arrived at Joppa they met with Peter and informed him of the details of their mission. Peter invited them to lodge for the night and the following day they all made the trip back to Caesarea. When they arrived back at Caesarea, Cornelius had gathered together several family members and was waiting to greet them. Cornelius fell to the floor before Peter, but the apostle demanded that he stand up and not show worship to another man, who, like him, is only human. Cornelius got up and they went inside with the others.
    Peter began to speak by first telling the people who gathered how it was against Jewish law to even come inside the house of a Gentile, however, recently GOD had shown him that he should not look at anyone as being “impure”. And so he was ready to listen to what they all had to say, without prejudice, concerning why they had summoned him there. After telling Peter about his vision, Cornelius thanked him for coming and then stood there with great anticipation, waiting to hear the great and wonderful message that the LORD wanted Peter to share with him and his household. Then Peter replied;

 “I see very clearly that GOD shows no favoritism.  In every nation HE accepts those who fear HIM and do what is right.  This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel, that there is peace with GOD through JESUS CHRIST, WHO is LORD of all. You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism.  And you know that GOD anointed JESUS of Nazareth with the HOLY SPIRIT and with power. Then JESUS went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for GOD was with him” (Vs.34-38)(NLT).
    
   The purpose of JESUS’ vicarious sacrifice on the cross was so that all men could have the opportunity to receive GOD’s offering of Salvation. JESUS died for all mankind in general, and for all Christians in particular. Through HIS sacrifice, all mankind can be restored back into a personal relationship of friendship with GOD.
    JESUS is the only bridge that can ever reconnect man with GOD. GOD includes all of us in HIS offer of Salvation, but we must, and can only volunteer to partake in this free, “limited time” offer. No one can ever exclude anyone else from this glorious offer, but rather, it is something that each individual must choose to do, or not do. To put it plainly, GOD does not send anyone to Heaven, or to Hell, but rather, we all, through our life’s choices, in essence, choose our own destination.
    In verses 34-35, Peter testifies of his new and enlightened understanding of GOD’s holy plans for the new Christian Church. He went on to preach the Good News to the Gentiles who were present (Vs. 34-43), and as a result, all of them received the HOLY SPIRIT and were baptized. And the Jewish believers who were present marveled at what they had seen, and how the power of the HOLY SPIRIT was acting upon the Gentiles in the same way that HE had acted upon them at Pentecost. And they all abided there with Cornelius for several more days, as Cornelius had requested it (Vs. 44-48).

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website






Friday, October 9, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 11, 2015

Over 87,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

WITH THE HELP OF BARNABAS SAUL EARNS CREDIBILY
(GOD calls and inspires leaders to grow HIS Church)
(Acts 9:19-31)

After Saul’s conversion, he abided in Damascus preaching about CHRIST for a few more days, and all who heard him were amazed at his transformation of doctrine, and, his behavior (his sudden surrender to CHRIST). They could hardly believe that this was the same man who had once terrorized the “Adherents of the Way” (followers of CHRIST) every chance he got. As Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, the Jews in Damascus were no longer able to refute his proofs that JESUS truly was, and indeed is, the MESSIAH.
In the meantime, Saul’s old Jewish comrades, the Pharisees, began plotting to kill him for what they viewed as his betrayal to them. They were to lie in wait for him at the gates of the city, but Saul was alerted of their plot by a group of believers who sneaked him out of the city by lowering him down the wall one night in a large basket, and he was able to flee, making the 140-mile trip back to Jerusalem with no trouble (Vs.23-25).
Upon Saul’s arrival in Jerusalem a week later, he tried to meet with the believers there but they were afraid of him because of his history of persecuting those who followed CHRIST’ doctrine. They thought that maybe he was only pretending to be a believer so that he might draw them out to be jailed or even killed. However, Barnabas, a trusted ally in the new Church brought Saul to the apostles and vouched for him, telling of the good work that Saul had done in Damascus over a three-year period (Galatians 1:18), and how he had been truly converted by CHRIST JESUS on the Damascus Road.
The apostles accepted Saul among them on Barnabas’ word, and were willing to give him a chance to prove to them, his new-found loyalty to the Christian cause. In time, they all came to trust in him completely, and while in Jerusalem, Saul preached boldly in the name of JESUS. He even debated a group of Greek-speaking Jews, who, as a result of Saul’s powerful defense of the Gospel, were left helpless and speechless, and in their anger, they plotted to murder him (Vs.23-29).
When the believers heard about this plot they took Saul to Caesarea, and from there, sent him back to his hometown of Tarsus where he remained for about nine years teaching and preaching the Gospel there. At that time the Church was at peace throughout, and it grew by leaps and bounds in both strength (quality), and, in numbers. They walked both, in the fear of the LORD, and, in the comfort of the HOLY SPIRIT (Vs.30-31).
Thanks to Barnabas, a man of GOD who insisted on believing that there is some degree of good in every man (GOD’s nature), Saul was accepted into a leadership role at the Church in Jerusalem. Barnabas understood that only GOD can change a person for the better, wealth can’t do it, man can’t do it, the greatest secular education in the world can’t do it, only GOD can save us from destruction.
When Barnabas first heard that JESUS had caused this change in Saul, it was all that he needed to know. We can absolutely trust the change that GOD can make in a person through JESUS CHRIST, and, with the help of the HOLY SPIRIT. It is a GOD-like trait to be courageous enough to give a man a second chance at redemption. Through JESUS CHRIST, GOD is saying that HE will never allow our past to permanently separate us from HIMSELF.
Saul learned very early in his Christian walk that he would have to suffer many persecutions along the way, for he himself had at one time been a source of such persecutions. And he must have always wondered to himself why a person would gladly endure the kinds of treatment that he himself used to exact upon the believers of CHRIST. But in time he came to understand that, suffering persecution for CHRIST’ sake, should be considered the greatest compliment to a believer, because it lends a certain proof that the evil forces of satan knows that what we’re doing really matters in GOD’s plan for the world HE created.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website









Friday, October 2, 2015

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An international Sunday school lesson commentary
For Sunday October 4, 2015

Over 87,000 readers worldwide
larrydalexander.blogspot.com

THE SPIRIT IS NOT FOR SALE
(Following GOD requires a willingness to change)
(Acts 8:1-25)

The day that Stephen was killed a great persecution swept over the Church at Jerusalem causing most of the believers to flee into Judea and Samaria. Only the apostles remained in Jerusalem, along with a few GODly men who came and buried Stephen. Saul, one of the official witnesses to the slaying of Stephen (and who later became the great Church leader, the Apostle Paul) was on a rampage, going from door to door, dragging Christians from their homes and throwing them in jail because of their belief in JESUS.
In Acts chapter 8, taking up at verse 4, we see that, after the believers were scattered from Jerusalem, Philip, one of the seven chosen servants (Acts 6:5) of the early Church, fled to the forbidden territory of the, still hated, Samaritans in northern Israel. It was now the appointed time of the LORD to begin to show all mankind that the Gospel of CHRIST was intended, not only for the Jews, but for Samaritans and Gentiles as well. JESUS had already left a clear message through HIS life examples that, in the coming Christian Faith, there would be no such thing as an enemy, except satan, in all the world. No one is outside of the love of CHRIST, and no one is outside of the purpose of GOD. GOD wishes all mankind to be saved.
Second Kings, chapter 17, chronicles the origins of the Jews and Samaritans hatred for each other. By the first century A.D., the quarrels between the two groups were centuries old. In fact, one would have to go all the way back to the eighth century B.C., when the Assyrians, under the leadership of Shalmanaser, the son of the great Assyrian king, Tiglath-pileser, conquered the northern kingdom of Israel (722 B.C.), whose capital, at that time, was Samaria.
As conquerors often did in those days, the Assyrians transported the greater portion of the Jewish population to Assyria and re-settled Israel with its own people. The small portion of the Jewish people, who were left in Israel, eventually began to intermarry with the Assyrians who were supplanted there. The progenitors from those marriages became the hated Samaritans, or, so-called, half-breed Jews, that we read about in JESUS’ day.
Most of the Jews who were transported to Assyria, stubbornly and steadfastly refused to lose their identity as “pure-blood Jews”, by intermarrying with the Assyrians. They held strong resentment towards their brothers and sisters back home in Israel, because they did not cling to the same convictions that they had towards their “pure-blood” status.
Before King David moved the Worship Center up to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6), all of the Jewish people, including the Samaritans, went to Mount Gerizim to pay homage to the LORD (Joshua 8:33). After David’s restructuring and move to Jerusalem, the Samaritans continued to worship at Mount Gerizim (John 4:20) while the pure blood Jews adhered to David’s new system in Jerusalem.
In John chapter 4, verses 4-41, some fourteen generations after King David’s death, we see JESUS finally entering into Samaria to initiate an end to the ancient hostilities that had so long crippled the unity possibilities of GOD’s people. There the Apostle John, through his writings of JESUS’, now famous encounter with the women at “Jacob’s Well”, gives us a vivid description of what JESUS now expected from those who desired to be one of HIS followers into the future.
Here we see JESUS attempting to teach HIS disciples and future believers that the time had indeed come to put an end to petty disputes that had spilled over, even into the way that they were worshipping the FATHER. There JESUS tells us that GOD is looking for anyone who can worship HIM in “spirit”, and in “truth” because GOD HIMSELF is SPIRIT.
While in Samaria Philip performed many miracles, and the people of that hated city listened to him because of those miracles. Many evil spirits were cast out of people, and many who had been crippled were healed. Scripture doesn’t even hint that Philip may have wanted to withhold what power GOD had given him, from the people of Samaria. Instead he gladly healed, and he exorcized demons, and he taught everyone who cared to listen, the Word of GOD, and, the good news about CHRIST, and the HOLY SPIRIT.
There was a man by the name of Simon Magnus, or, “Simon the magician” who had become known as a great man in Samaria because of the magic that he performed. All of the people of Samaria thought him to be the possessor of the great power of GOD. However, Philip’s miracles and the message of the good news of GOD’s Kingdom and JESUS CHRIST, had won the people over from Simon. In fact, Simon himself was baptized and began following Philip everywhere he went. He was utterly amazed by the miracles and signs that he performed, and he foolishly sought to buy the power of the SPIRIT that enabled Philip, and also Peter and John (who had just arrived in Samaria to pray and share the news of the HOLY SPIRIT with the people) to do those miracles. However, after being rebuked by Peter that he repent from his evil thoughts, Simon requested that the Apostle pray in intercession to GOD for him that nothing terrible would happen to him because of his ignorant thoughts.
And so see, that, the miracles that accentuated the ministry of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST, continued on in the early days of the Church. Those miracles were used by GOD to authenticate those men and women who were acting as HIS representatives in carrying HIS Gospel message to the people.
The greatest purpose of JESUS was to communicate to man how he must worship GOD in “truth”, the true sense of HIS Word.  The purpose of the HOLY SPIRIT was to make the connection man needed in order that he may be able to worship GOD, not only in “truth”, but also with a discerning “human spirit”. And so, it is for the purpose of GOD that the Christian is called, and by the work of the HOLY SPIRIT that a person’s life is hallowed towards GOD. But it is by the sprinkling of the blood of JESUS CHRIST that past sins are forgiven, and we can look forward to a future of obedience to GOD.
It is important that a person comes to realize the purpose for which he or she came into the world, and that purpose is, and always has been, to serve GOD. And until a person is able to grasp and understand that, they will continue to find themselves living a life similar to that of the Samaritan woman before she met JESUS at Jacob’s well. She had been meandering around aimlessly for many years looking for “physical” answers from men, to problems, that had always been “spiritual”. We who are created must to know the truth of the CREATOR GOD. And when that happens, we will be able to embody the SPIRIT that can help us stay focused on HIM whose Word is the whole spiritual truth. And we also learn, just as Simon did, that the power of GOD (the HOLY SPIRIT) cannot be bought and sold, but rather, is given freely to those who believe in CHRIST JESUS.

A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander 





                                 
LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website