September 2010 - March 2014
This study covers the book of Acts. The title, "Acts of the Apostles," distorts the thrust of the book. Only two apostles are the focus of the book, Peter, then Paul. John is mentioned as is James, but the others are not. The more appropriate name should be "Acts of the Holy Spirit". Because the Holy Spirit is the one performing the Acts, by empowering the early church, specifically, through Peter, then Paul, to take the message of the risen Messiah from the Upper Room in Acts 1, to Paul's private house prison room, in Acts 28.
To the uttermost parts of the earth ...
Video DVDs of these lessons can be ordered here and here.
To view all video Bible studies in the Acts series, click here (Vimeo) or here (YouTube).
Tue, May 29, 2012
Passage: Acts 8:14-18
Duration: 1 hr 5 mins 29 secs
Syria under the Assad regime is clearly an enemy of the US and the west. However, there is much to this situation that is not explained in our media. Hear other dimensions to this problem in this class. After Philip's successful evangelism in Samaria, Peter and John are sent by the apostles in Jerusalem to Samaria. Only then, after they have believed and received believer's baptism, do they receive the Holy Spirit. Why didn’t the Samaritans instantly receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation? Pastor Dean explains the four Pentecosts in Acts and the role speaking in tongues has, or may not have, in each. What is the purpose of speaking in tongues? How is it related to the Jews? Why was speaking in tongues not necessary at the Pentecost in Samaria?
Tue, Jun 05, 2012
Passage: Acts 8:14-18
Duration: 1 hr 4 mins 21 secs
Confusion around the Baptism of the Holy Spirit includes a definition, questions about when it happens, who is the agent who accomplishes it, how is it different from water baptism, is it an experience which can be felt, is it manifested by tongues, and how does it relate to relatively new Christian movements? Does the church age begin on a definitive date? If not, how does that relate to occurrences in Acts which seem different from doctrines in the Church age today? These questions and more are answered concerning the essential and important doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Tue, Jul 10, 2012
Passage: Acts 8:14-25
Duration: 1 hr 6 mins 8 secs
There was a positive response to the gospel message in Samaria. In Acts 8:13 Simon the sorcerer also believed. When Peter and John came from Jerusalem to lay hands on the believing Samaritans, they received the Holy Spirit. Simon thought this was great and offered money in order to profit himself from this phenomenon. Was Simon really saved? What did it mean when Peter told Simon he had neither part nor portion in this matter? How can we know that Simon’s belief was sufficient for his salvation?
Tue, Jul 17, 2012
Passage: Acts 8:26-35
Duration: 1 hr 1 mins 31 secs
The Holy Spirit is responsible for the expansion of the church, but His covert/indirect guidance is more common than His overt/direct guidance in Acts. Others, such as the angel in Acts 8:26 also give rare divine guidance. In this episode we learn of the spread of the gospel to Ethiopia through this one Ethiopian eunuch. Who was he? Where did he come from? What is the possible spiritual heritage of the Ethiopian and how is it that Philip hears him reading from Isaiah? From this episode we learn valuable insights on the spiritual life plus we learn something fascinating about Jews and Ethiopia.
Tue, Jul 24, 2012
Passage: Acts 8:26-29 & Isaiah 53
Duration: 1 hr 5 mins 50 secs
The Ethiopian Eunuch is reading from Isaiah 53 about "the Lamb" and asks Philip, "to whom does this refer?" Learn the enormous significance of this term for Israel. Consider the options for Philip’s answer: a historical figure, the nation Israel, or an individual who is Israel’s suffering Messiah? See when early Jewish Rabbis saw Isaiah 53 as a reference to their suffering Messiah and when and why that began to change. Learn about the different servant songs in Isaiah and the Servant who is the center focus, the delivering Servant of God who is fully God, fully man, the branch of David and eternal king. See the ongoing thread of the role of servant throughout Scripture that can be fulfilled by Jesus Christ alone.
Tue, Jul 31, 2012
Passage: Acts 8:26-40 & Isaiah 52:13-15
Duration: 1 hr 0 mins 59 secs
The Ethiopian eunuch has a lot to tell us about personal evangelism. But be careful; our age is not one of transition and the object of our message may be sorely lacking in information unlike the Ethiopian eunuch. What did he already know that is absent or distorted in our culture? What is the advantage that comes from the experience of failure in our efforts? Can we relax in our efforts to evangelize because we know who is ultimately responsible for bringing in the crop? Where are we responsible to be vigilant when we evangelize? Our challenge is, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to illuminate the truth surrounding “My Servant” as central in God’s message to the unbelieving world and to focus on Isaiah’s description in its uniqueness to Christ.
Tue, Aug 07, 2012
Passage: Acts 8:26-40 & Isaiah 52:13-15
Duration: 58 mins 26 secs
From Isaiah 52 we have eliminated two of the possibilities in answer to the Ethiopian eunuch’s question, “of whom does the prophet speak,” which leaves us with the third possibility, the future Messiah. What group is looking back to report these things about Messiah? Look closely to determine the focus of these verses – suffering or exaltation? Compare and contrast the New King James translation with those of 20th century Jewish translations to see where they differ and the theology those differences affect. Understand the considerations in translating the word “sprinkle,” and the possibility of the influence of theology on translation instead of correct translation of the particular word on one’s theology.
Tue, Aug 14, 2012
Passage: Isaiah 53:1-6
Duration: 1 hr 1 mins 20 secs
Learn the ways people have tried to read this as a non-messianic passage and how that is, at best, a stretch beyond evidence and reason. The perspective is a future believing Jewish remnant looking back with an element of confession on the One they failed to recognize and the nation’s rejection that followed. Compare the imagery in The Arm of the Lord, Tender Shoot and Man of Sorrows. See how historical relevance of these terms points to the Messianic view. Contrast the Jewish expectations from Messiah and the Servant who actually came. Rejection ultimately shifts to glory revealing the substitutionary atonement and affirmation of what the Servant has accomplished.
Tue, Aug 28, 2012
Passage: Isaiah 53:4-12
Duration: 1 hr 5 mins 32 secs
As these future Jews look back on who they rejected, the identity of the Servant becomes focused beyond question. No passage is so perfectly honed into the person and work of Jesus Christ as this Word given by God to His beloved Israel. By illumination and elimination the description becomes a driving force to steer the unbelieving world to Jesus Christ. Our grief, sorrows, transgressions, iniquities and chastisement describe our guilt deserving of the penalty. Stricken, smitten, afflicted, wounded, bruised, travail of His soul, describe the severity of the penalty. Borne, carried, offering for sin, put Him to grief, describe Him as our substitute. Justify many describes the completed atonement, and satisfy describes the Father’s approval. Righteous Servant, without deceit, who has done no violence, describes the offering – a righteous man, a sacrifice, Israel’s Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Tue, Sep 04, 2012
Passage: Isaiah 53:4-12 & Acts 8:34-40
Duration: 1 hr 6 mins 56 secs
The conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch through Isaiah 53 is an evangelistic ministry of Philip. The Holy Spirit is in charge, but evangelism is not apart from human responsibility. The Ethiopian is as ready as one can be to believe. Compare that to Paul, the prime persecutor of the Christian faith. Who would think his hostility could be turned around? Is there someone in your periphery you have written off because of their strong defenses? Relax, persevere, befriend, pray and trust, but be ready to deliver the Truth that you know. This lesson focuses on substitution, a foreign concept in our culture, but the major theme found consistently throughout the Old Testament, occurring prior to Israel and developed throughout Israel’s history and worship. See how the person of Christ and God’s judgment of us through His substitutionary death is undeniably stated in this passage so that we can know that Israel’s Servant can be none other than Jesus Christ.