October 10, 2021
Special Missions Guest
Mike Henderson
Missionary and Bible Translator
to Papua, New Guinea
Lunch in Fellowship Hall
(after service)
Part 3 – Acts 4:24-30 Confidence in God’s Sovereignty
“…‘what must I do to be saved?’ They said,
‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” Acts 16:30-31 (NASB)
Key Verses – God’s sovereignty is the basis for the believer’s confidence in the world Acts 4:29-30 (NASB) *The believer’s confidence supported by God’s miraculous works “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence, while You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.”
Key x-References – The Creator-God’s sovereignty over His creation
Acts 2:22-24 (NASB) *God’s sovereignty over the crucifixion of Christ
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”
Ephesians 1:9-14 (NASB) *God’s sovereignty over the salvation of mankind
“He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.”
Acts 17:24-27 (excerpts NASB) *God sovereignly sets the boundaries and times
“The God who made the world and all things in it…and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their ap- pointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” Note: God sovereignly sets the boundaries or limits of free will (cf. Job 1:10-12 and Job 2:3-6 as an illustration of the difference between the sovereign and permissive will of God)
Key Terms (most words have a ‘field of meaning’ —> various translations) “purpose” (v.28) Greek #1012 (12x), NASB boulê (from 1014); Definition: counsel:– counsel (1), decision (1), motives (1), plan (4), purpose (5)
“predestined” (v.28) Greek #4309 (6x), NASB proorizô (from 4253 pro and 3724 horizô): to pre-determine, foreordain:– predestined (6) Note: cf. Greek root word below
“bounderies” (Acts 17:26) Greek root #3724 (8x), NASB horizô : to mark off by bounda- ries, to determine:– appointed (2), declared (1), determined (3), fixes (1), predeter- mined (1) Note: cf. the English derivative “horizon” – the limit or boundary of what we can see due to the curvature of the earth – at sea level it’s about 2.9 miles
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.”
Acts 9:31 (NASB)
The Book of Acts Series #11 10/3/21
The Birth and Expansion of the Church of Jesus Christ “…you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (NASB)
Introduction – The transitional nature of the Book of Acts 1:1-5 I. Christian witness in Jerusalem 1:6-8:3
A. The Risen Lord – The 40 days between Jesus’ resurrection & ascension 1:6-26 B. Pentecost – Outpouring of the Holy Spirit – The birthday of the Church 2:1-47 C. Healing the lame man in the Temple, Peter’s 2nd Sermon 3:1-26
D. The beginning of persecution 4:1-37
- Peter and John arrested for preaching the resurrection of Christ 4:1-12
- Submission vs. non-violent resistance to civil authorities 4:13-23
- Confidence in the face of persecution because of God’s sovereignty 4:24-30
a. Courage based on their faith in the Creator-God’s sovereign plan 4:24-28
b. Asked for greater confidence to speak boldly authenticated by signs 4:29-30 4. Signs of God’s presence include boldness & true koinonia fellowship 4:31-37
E. Purging from within, more persecution from without 5:1-41 F. Choosing co-laborers – The first deacons 6:1-7
G. Stephen, the first martyr 6:8-8:3
II. Christian witness in Palestine and Syria 8:4-12:25 A. The Christians Scattered 8:4-40
B. The Conversion of Paul 9:1-31
C. The Conversion of Gentiles 9:32-11:30
D. The Christians Persecuted by Herod 12:1-25
III. Christian witness to the uttermost part of the earth 13:1-28:31
A. The First Missionary Journey 13:1-14:28
B. The Council at Jerusalem 15:1-35
C. The Second Missionary Journey 15:36-18:22 D. The Third Missionary Journey 18:23-21:26 E. The Journey to Rome 21:27-28:27
Conclusion 28:28-31
Key Verse(s) – The Creator-God’s sovereignty is foundational for the Christian faith Acts 4:24-25 (excerpts NASB) *The importance of acknowledging God as the Creator “And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, ‘O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH…who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?”
Acts 4:27-28 (NASB) *God’s sovereignty is particularly relevant in face of adversity “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both…Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.”
“…the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit .” Acts 13:52 (NASB)