To see how the new believers are doing

[Matthias]

“Paul and Barnabas stayed in Antioch. They and many others taught the word of the Lord there. After some time Paul said to Barnabas, ‘Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.’”

(Acts 15:35-36, NLT)

 

[Matthias]

Paul and Barnabas went back to check on the newbies, to see how the seed they had planted in the gentile world was growing. They wanted to evaluate the health of the churches they started, the crop. The seed they had planted was “the word of the Lord,” the message they had taught and preached.

What was “the word of the Lord“ which they had taught and preached which produced this crop of disciples?

 

[Matthias]

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.”

(Matthew 28:19-20, NLT)

Paul and Barnabas were following up on their having carried out the great commission.

The “word of the Lord” is all the commands that he - Jesus - had given the apostles / disciples.

What is the first command he gave in his ministry?

 

[Matthias]

“Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. He said, ‘The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!’”

(Mark 1:14-15, NET)

Disciples are made by teaching and preaching the gospel of God. That’s what Paul and Barnabas and others had done that resulted in making newbies.

 

[Matthias]

Reading ahead a little further in Acts we find this:

”Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phyrgia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.”

(Acts 16:6, NLT)

Bold is mine.

Prevented from preaching the word. What word? Luke is using shorthand. The word is the same word of the Lord that Paul and others had been teaching and preaching elsewhere which resulted in making new disciples of and for the Messiah.

Newbies, the phrase “the word” is a technical term in the New Testament. When you read it, the Messiah teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom should come to your mind.

 

[Matthias]

From the Messiah’s parable of the sower:

“‘When anyone hears the word of the kingdom … .’”

(Matthew 13:19, NASB)

”’The sower sows the word.’”

(Mark 4:14, NASB)

“‘ … the seed is the word of God.’”

(Luke 8:11, NASB)

The word of God is the word of the Lord. The “seed” that is planted which produces a crop of disciples is the word of the kingdom, the word, the word of God -> the Messiah’s teaching and preaching; the gospel of the kingdom of God.

The apostles sowed the same “seed” that the Messiah himself sowed. The result? The apostles made newbies the same way the Messiah made newbies. It is the Messiah’s great commission work.

 

[Behold]

The apostles made newbies the same way the Messiah made newbies. It is the Messiah’s great commission work.

The Apostles were not Christians when Jesus was with them.
They didn't become Christians, until Jesus died on The Cross for them, so that they could become Christians.
So, Jesus and the 12, were making disciples.........when Jesus was with them......not Christiams, as its The Cross of Christ that began (birthed) Christianity, one believer at a time.

 

[Matthias]

“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned.’”

(Mark 16:15-16, NET)

The one who believes what? The one who believes the word of the Lord / the word of God -> the seed sown by the sower in the Messiah’s parable.

The seed that saves Jews when they believe is the same seed that saves gentiles when they believe.

The devil is deceiving gentiles - trying to snatch away the seed which produces newbies - by the mouth of those who say that Paul and others weren’t teaching and preaching gentiles what the Messiah taught and preached to Jews.

If you listen to and believe these mouthpieces of the devil, you are not a newbie. You are deceived.

 

[Behold]

The Apostles were not Christians when Jesus was with them.
They didn't become Christians, until Jesus died on The Cross for them, so that they could become Christians.
So, Jesus and the 12, were making disciples.........when Jesus was with them......not Christiams, as its The Cross of Christ that began (birthed) Christianity, one believer at a time.

 

[Matthias]

Christianity began with the Messiah’s teaching and preaching. The devil doesn’t want gentiles (nor Jews) to believe that is true.

 

[Matthias]

What is a Christian, newbies? A Christian is a disciple of the Messiah.

The apostles were all disciples of the Messiah -> Christians.

Christianity began as a sect of Judaism. The first Christians were Jews.

Listen to the Messiah teach and preach. Listen to the apostles teach and preach. The disciples are like their teacher.

 

[Hiddenthings]

What is a Christian, newbies? A Christian is a disciple of the Messiah.

The apostles were all disciples of the Messiah -> Christians.

Christianity began as a sect of Judaism. The first Christians were Jews.

Listen to the Messiah teach and preach. Listen to the apostles teach and preach. The disciples are like their teacher.

Have you considered the cost?

 

[Behold]

Christianity began with the Messiah’s teaching and preaching.

""Christianity begain".. with The Cross of Christ.

 

[Matthias]

The devil is going to fight hard to keep gentiles (and Jews) from becoming disciples of the Messiah / newbies.

 

[Hiddenthings]

""Christianity begain".. with The Cross of Christ.

Luke 12:50 read and weep

 

[Matthias]

Have you considered the cost?

As my friends in high school used to say, “They can kill us but they can’t eat us. That wouldn’t be civilized.”

The cost of not listening to and believing the Messiah is condemnation.

It isn’t the Messiah who is telling gentiles (and Jews) not to listen to and believe him. It’s the devil.

 

[Hiddenthings]

As my friends in high school used to say, “They can kill us but they can’t eat us. That wouldn’t be civilized.”

The cost of not listening to the Messiah is condemnation.

It isn’t the Messiah who is telling gentiles (and Jews) not to listen to him. It’s the devil.

Sorry Matthias if you hold that wretched pagan belief in a fallen evil angel. We all have a little darkness for the light to absorb.

 

[Matthias]

Sorry Matthias if you hold that wretched pagan belief in a fallen evil angel.

Are you a Christadelphian?

Jesus himself was approached by the devil. The devil is an external being.

We all have a little darkness for the light to absorb.

 

[Hiddenthings]

Are you a Christadelphian?

Jesus himself was approached by the devil. The devil is an external being.

Yes, and we both know that the true identity of the false accuser in that passage cannot be definitively proven, so let’s not pretend otherwise. Sound Bible interpretation is what you often emphasise, Matthias, but the question is: do you consistently apply it yourself?

 

[Matthias]

Yes …

Thanks for confirming. I‘ve been working under the impression that you are.

... and we both know that the true identity of the false accuser in that passage cannot be definitively proven, so let’s not pretend otherwise. Sound Bible interpretation is what you often emphasise, Matthias, but the question is: do you consistently apply it yourself?

Satan, the devil, is the accuser of the brethren.