OPENING PRAYER
"Man Shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"- Matthew 4:4- "My mother and brothers are those who hear the Word of God and do it" - Mark 8:21
Having received this day as a gift, I (We) thank You Holy Trinity, for through Your goodness and patience You were not wrathful with me (Us), and idler (s) and sinner (s), neither have You cast me (Us) down in my (Our)sins...But You have shown Your love towards me (us) and have guided me (us) to keep my (our) daily watch to glorify Your power...Enlighten my (our) mind (minds) to study Your teachings in Scripture...Help me (us) to apply what I (we) learn and to praise You with all my (our) heart and glorify Your Holy Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen!!!
Shine within my (our) hearts, loving Master, the pure Light of Your Divine Knowledge, and open the eyes of my mind that I may understand Your teachings...Instill in me (us) also reverence for Your Blessed commandments, so having conquered sinful desires I (we) may pursue a spiritual way of life, thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You...For You, Christ my God, are my light, and to You I (we) give, glory, together with Your Father and Your Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen!!!
CHANT PSALM 23
INTO YOUR HANDS LORD YESHUA (JESUS CHRIST) WE COMMIT OUR SOULS AND BODIES, BLESS US AND HAVE MERCY ON US AND GRANT US ETERNAL LIFE!!!
THE BOOK OF ACTS- CALENDAR
DAY 1 (03-30-2002)- Introduction to the Book Of ACTS- and Chapter 1 Study Guide
DAY 2 (03-31-2022)- ACTS Chapter 2 Study Guide
DAY 3 (04-01-2022)- ACTS Chapters 3-4 Study Guides
DAY 4 (04-02-2022) -ACTS Chapters 5-6 Study Guides
DAY 5 (04-03-2022) -ACTS Chapter 7 Study Guide
DAY 6 (04-04-2022)- ACTS Chapters 8-9 Study Guides
DAY 7 (04-05-2022)- ACTS Chapter 10 Study Guide
DAY 8 (04-06-2022)- ACTS Chapters 11-12 Study Guides
DAY 9 (04-07-2022)- ACTS Chapter 13 Study Guide
DAY 10-(04-08-2022) ACTS Chapters 14-15 Study Guides
DAY 11- (04-09-2022) ACTS Chapter 16 Study Guide
DAY 12- (04-10-2022) ACTS Chapters 17-18 Study Guides
DAY 13- (04-11-2022) ACTS Chapter 19 Study Guide
DAY 14 (04-12-2022) ACTS Chapters 20-21 Study Guides
DAY 15- (04-13-2022) ACTS Chapters 22-23 Study Guides
DAY 16- (04-14-2022) ACTS Chapters 24-25 Study Guides
DAY 17- (04-15-2022) ACTS Chapters 26-27- Study Guides
DAY 18- (04-16-2022) ACTS Chapter 28- Study Guide
INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOKS OF ACTS
AUTHOR: Traditionally, Acts is accredited to Luke- "The beloved physician", as Paul called him in (Colossians 4:14); The disciple Paul, as St. John Chrysostom describes him. It is a continuation by Luke of the account given in his gospel- (see- my notes Acts 1:1):
DATE: Acts was written about AD 75-85, some time after the composition of the Gospel of Luke:
MAJOR THEME: The spread of the gospel by the apostles from Jerusalem to the whole world- (Acts 1:8): THE BOOK OF ACTS: recounts the victorious march of the Christian mission from Jerusalem throughout the Roman empire: this achievement points to the work of the Holy Spirit, who descended on the early Church, empowering the apostles and other missionaries to carry the good news of salvation: At the same time, Acts narrates the expansion of the Church by means of small congregations: The Primary subtheme of Acts is the same as the major theme of the Gospel of Luke: Immanuel, God with us: In Luke's gospel, God is with us in His Incarnate Son: In Acts, the Incarnate Son of God is yet present in the Church by the power of the Holy Spirit!!!
BACKGROUND: The Acts of the Apostles is a spiritual and theological record of how the early Church developed, as seen through the actions of the early Christians: The book is not to be read as a blueprint for reproducing the specific details and aspects of the Church which we read there: Instead, it is of great importance for understanding the organization and structure of the early Church; its method of resolving controversies; the role of the apostles, bishops, priests (elders), and deacons; and a spiritual life of the Church:
ACTS 1- STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
FROM PASSOVER TO PENTECOST: DAYS 1-39: YESHUA' (JESUS') PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
ACTS 1:1-8
1:1: THE FORMER ACCOUNT: is the Gospel of Luke (see Luke 1:3): The Gospel covers 30 years of Christ's earthly life; Acts also covers 30 years of early Church life: THEOPHILUS: See my notes(Luke 1:3):
1:2: DURING THE LAST SUPPER: Yeshua (Jesus) promised to teach His disciples THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT- (JOHN 16:13): After His Resurrection, His promise is fulfilled!!!
1:3: FORTY: is a number indicating completion or fulfillment...
1:4: THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER: is the gift of the Holy Spirit- (v. 5), which the Jews had been expecting to accompany the messianic age- (read Joel 3:1):
1:6: THAT THE DISCIPLES ARE STILL: Fixated on the establishment of n earthly kingdom shows that the Holy Spirit has not yet been given, for only after Pentecost do the disciples receive the full understanding of the Kingdom of God: Here, the disciples are asking the wrong question, for Christ will not RESTORE THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL, but will rather restore Israel and the world to the Kingdom of God!!!
DAY 40: THE ASCENSION
ACTS 1:9-11
1:9-11: CHRIST'S ASCENSION: is His enthronement in the fulness of divine authority and glory: ICONS of the Ascension represent Christ in such a way that one cannot tell whether He is going to Heaven or Coming again to earth: this captures the truth that we already are living under His reign while awaiting His 2nd Coming- Return: The ICON shows Christ being TAKEN UP (v. 11), coming again IN LIKE MANNER- (v. 11), are yet continually present- (Matthew 28:20): Believers are not to stand idly GAZING UP INTO HEAVEN, but rather are called to virtuous faith and action in this world until Christ's return!!!
DAYS 40-49: PREPARATION FOR PENTECOST
ACTS 1:12-26
1:12: A SABBATH DAY'S JOURNEY: is the distance the Jews could travel without breaking the Sabbath rest-something under a mile...
1:16: BECAUSE THE APOSTLES: had been enlightened by Christ to understand the OT as pointing to Him and His Works- (Luke 24:27): Peter now sees these two prophetic Psalms- (v. 20) as foretelling the fate of JUDAS!!!
1:18: SEE MY MATTHEW 27:3-5-NOTES: THOUGH THE ACCOUNTS: May seem to differ, Luke's report here is merely a more detailed account of Judas' end: This should also be understood in a spiritual sense, that the heart and the soul of the rebellious or faithless person will be spilled out in the final judgement!!!
1:20: THE GREEK WORD-episkope, here rendered OFFICE, is literally bishopric and refers to the apostolic position of overseer: So, we learn the apostles were the first bishops of the early Church: The authority of the overseeing the life of the Church continues in the bishops who stand in their succession...
1:26: CASTING LOTS: to discern the will of God has been practiced since ancient times- (Jos 18:6-10); Neh 11:1; Jon 1:7) and continues in various places in the Church to this day: This should not be misunderstood as surrendering all authority to random chance: The authority of the apostles is shown by their offering of specific names- (v. 23): Nerveless, the final outcome is left to God!!!
" I SAY ALL THE TIME THAT SALVATION IS A GIFT FROM THE GRACE OF GOD!!! IT'S FREE WE DID NOT EARN IT AND WE DON'T DESERVE IT, BUT REDEMPTION IS THE CHOICE YOU MAKE TO RECEIVE THE GIFT OF SALVATION!!! NEXT WE RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHICH IS OUR FOREVER PROTECTION THE MORE WE LEARN TOGETHER IT SEEMS FAITH IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO KEEP IT TOGETHER WITH THE TIMES AHEAD!!!
“Woe to me if my faith depends on men.”
St. Nektarios
END WITH THE LORD'S PRAYER
JPCE SPIRITUAL TALK
NEVER HOLD BACK
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
JEHOVAH SHALOM!!!
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