Please review this summary of our class discussion on elements helpful to the survival and spread of a religious movement. Then read Chapters 13-28 of Acts. Choose a verse or an incident from this section that seems to you particularly important in explaining one of those factors the class agreed might be helpful in the success of a religious movement. Explain your choice.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Acts--Discussion II
Please review this summary of our class discussion on elements helpful to the survival and spread of a religious movement. Then read Chapters 13-28 of Acts. Choose a verse or an incident from this section that seems to you particularly important in explaining one of those factors the class agreed might be helpful in the success of a religious movement. Explain your choice.
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Acts 13:9 “Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.” This verse fits in the category of charismatic and bright leaders in two ways. One Paul is filled with the Holy Ghost, also known as according to Dr. Marmorstein, charismatic and two he is a bright leader. Paul, originally named Saul, was a very Jewish man who persecuted many Christians. He eventually changed his ways when he met the Lord on the way to Damascus. He then became filled with the Holy Ghost and preached all over the place. He was one of the main leaders of the early church. He spread the word of Christ wherever he traveled and he wrote many different letters to people, which became about half of the New Testament. He was also a very educated man; he went through some of the best education of the time. From reading the other books of the New Testament he studied the word of Christ a lot. Paul was a great leader and he was what the early church needed; that is probably why Jesus made him into a Christian. -Kelly Longden
ReplyDeleteAfter Paul is arrested, Acts 21:39 states that "Paul answered, 'I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people.'" It then goes onto say that Paul gave his testimony of how he became a disciple of God. This goes along with the element of persecution. In amongst all of the persecution and hate he felt from the people, his first thought was to spread the word of God. It goes to show that, if you have God in your life, nothing else is necessary or really matters. -Melinda Quade
ReplyDelete6 The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7 After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8 God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9 He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? 11 No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 14:6-11 is a very important part of the Apostles acts, because this shows strength of a real leader. Peter is showing real zeal when he speaks about letting people into the church. This is what being a true leader of the church is about, it’s about letting people into the faith without prejudice. That is what being a true leader of the faith is all about.
ReplyDelete-Liz Matson
One of the reasons for the success of the Church is the credibility of what the Disciples were teaching and the miracles that were performed in the name of the Lord. When Paul heals the lame man in Lystra it has the opposite effect on the people that were listening at the time but Paul was able to leave elders in charge of the ministry in Lystra and the church withstood. The people at the time thought that Paul was Zeus incarnate but when he tried to tell them otherwise they stoned him and left him for dead. Later the disciples talked about how they were going to face hard time but they had to keep the faith. It is easy to see why the Church lived on when it had such determined leaders. -Thomas Geyer
ReplyDeleteIn Acts Chapter 15:22-35, it tell of a letter written to non-Jewish believers in Antioch and along with the letter they sent Judas Barsabbas and Silas and they tell of how they should live their lives with out sin and in the ways of God. Also after they read the letter Paul and Barnabus stayed behind to continue to preach the Good News and teach the people the message of the Lord. And as discussed in class this is very important to the survival and the spread of the religious movement.
ReplyDeleteActs 18:24-28 tells us of a man named Apollos. Apollos is described as an "eloquent speaker", though slightly unaware of much of scripture. After being informed by Priscilla and Aquila he becomes an avid supporter to the Way of God and becomes very vocal. This is a perfect example of seeing the bright leadership of the early Christians correct Apollos as well as ensuring that he could pass that message on perhaps even more effectively then they could because of his tremendous speaking ability.
ReplyDelete-Zack Krage
Acts 16:25-34 tells of an earthquake that frees Paul and Silas from prison. they had been singing hymns and praising God before this, so when the jailer saw these events he knew that their God must be credible. after seeing this miracle for himself he asks how he can be saved. Paul and Silas turn on the charismatic leader role and preach God's word to him and all his household. -Seam M.
ReplyDeleteActs 14:19-21- "But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch..."
ReplyDeletePaul and Barnabas are two of those leaders who spread the word of Christ from the beginning. Paul gets stoned to the point where he looks dead, and the very next day he goes back to preach some more. He even returns to the places where the Jews had come from that incited the crowds to stone him. Bold, charismatic, filled with the Holy Spirit.
In reading these chapters I found the most effective attribute Paul and the others used to spread the word was their credibility. There were many instances where Paul and Barnabas would be in a city for some time preforming miracles and preaching with boldness. Some people would hear what they said and take it to heart, and others did not, but there always was someone who listened. "At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders." Acts 14:1-3
ReplyDeleteThe Lord used Paul and Barnabas as advocates who he found accredited to spread his gospel!
-Greg