Revelation 2:7

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

 

        The Fruit of the Spirit

Fruit of the Spirit - Visible Growth in Jesus Christ

"Fruit of the Spirit" is a biblical term that sums up the nine visible attributes of a true Christian life. Using the King James Version of Galatians 5:22-23, these attributes are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. We learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one ninefold "fruit" that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, these are the fruits that all Christians should be producing in their new lives with Jesus Christ.

Fruit of the Spirit - The Nine Biblical Attributes
The fruit of the Spirit is a physical manifestation of a Christian's transformed life. In order to mature as believers, we should study and understand the attributes of the ninefold fruit:

Love - "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Joy - "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

Peace - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Longsuffering (patience) -- We are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Gentleness (kindness) -- We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).

Goodness - "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, be and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (2 Thessalonians 1:11). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9).

Faith (faithfulness) - "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1). "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3:16-17).

Meekness - "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also tempted" (Galatians 6:1). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Temperance (self-control) - "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).

Names of God

Psalm 148:13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Names are important. They tell a lot about the character and personality of an individual. Here are the most common names of God with their meaning.

 

EL, ELOAH: God "mighty, strong, prominent" (Genesis 7:1; Isaiah 9:6) – Etymologically, El appears to mean power, as in “I have the power to harm you” (Genesis 31:29). El is associated with other qualities, such as integrity (Numbers 23:19), jealousy (Deuteronomy 5:9), and compassion (Nehemiah 9:31), but the root idea of might remains.

ELOHIM: God “Creator, Mighty and Strong” (Genesis 17:7; Jeremiah 31:33) – The plural form of Eloah, which is accommodating of the doctrine of the Trinity. From the Bible’s first sentence, the superlative nature of God’s power is evident as God (Elohim) speaks the world into existence (Genesis 1:1).

EL SHADDAI: “God Almighty,” “The Mighty One of Jacob” (Genesis 49:24; Psalm 132:2,5) – Speaks to God’s ultimate power over all.

ADONAI: “Lord” (Genesis 15:2; Judges 6:15) – Used in place of YHWH, which was thought by the Jews to be too sacred to be uttered by sinful men. In the Old Testament, YHWH is more often used in God’s dealings with His people, while Adonai is used more when He deals with the Gentiles.

YHWH / YAHWEH / JEHOVAH: “LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Daniel 9:14) – Strictly speaking, the only proper name for God. Translated in English Bibles “LORD” (all capitals) to distinguish it from Adonai “Lord.” The revelation of the name is first given to Moses “I Am who I Am” (Exodus 3:14). This name specifies an immediacy, a presence. Yahweh is present, accessible, near to those who call on Him for deliverance (Psalm 107:13), forgiveness (Psalm 25:11) and guidance (Psalm 31:3).

YAHWEH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide" (Genesis 22:14) – The name memorialized by Abraham when God provided the ram to be sacrificed in place of Isaac.

YAHWEH-RAPHA: "The Lord Who Heals" (Exodus 15:26) – “I am Jehovah who heals you” both in body and soul. In body, by preserving from diseases, and by curing them when afflicted with them and in soul, by pardoning their iniquities.

YAHWEH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner" (Exodus 17:15), where banner is understood to be a rallying place. This name commemorates the desert victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17.

YAHWEH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies, Makes Holy" (Leviticus 20:8; Ezekiel 37:28) – God makes it clear that He alone, not the law, could cleanse His people and make them holy.

YAHWEH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" (Judges 6:24) – The name given by Gideon to the altar he built after the Angel of the Lord assured him he would not die as he thought he would after seeing Him.

YAHWEH-ELOHIM: "LORD God" (Genesis 2:4; Psalm 59:5) – Combination of God’s unique name YHWH and the generic “Lord,” signifying that He is the Lord of Lords.

YAHWEH-TSIDKENU: "The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16) – As with YHWH-M’Kaddesh, it is God alone who provides righteousness to man, ultimately in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, who became sin for us “that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

YAHWEH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" (Psalm 23:1) – After David pondered his relationship as a shepherd to his sheep, he realized that was exactly the relationship God had with him, and so he declares “Yahweh-Rohi is my Shepherd. I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There” (Ezekiel 48:35) – The name ascribed to Jerusalem and the Temple there, indicating that the once departed glory of the Lord (Ezekiel 8—11) had returned (Ezekiel 44:1-4).

YAHWEH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" (Isaiah 1:24; Psalm 46:7) – “Hosts” means hordes, both of angels and of men. He is Lord of the host of heaven, and of the inhabitants of the earth, of Jews and Gentiles, of rich and poor, master and slave. The name is expressive of the majesty, power, and authority of God and shows that he is able to accomplish what he determines to do.

EL ELYON: “Most High" (Deuteronomy 26:19) – Derived from the Hebrew root for “go up” or “ascend,” so the implication is of that which is the very highest. El Elyon denotes exaltation and speaks of absolute right to lordship.

EL ROI: "God of Seeing" (Genesis 16:13) – The name ascribed to God by Hagar, alone and desperate in the wilderness after being driven out by Sarah (Genesis 16:1-14), when she met the Angel of the Lord and realized she had seen God Himself in a theophany. She realized that El Roi saw her in her distress and testified that He is a God who lives and sees all.

EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God" (Psalm 90:1-3) – God’s nature is without beginning or end, free from all constraints of time and contains within Himself the very cause of time itself. “From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

EL-GIBHOR: “Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) – The name describing the Messiah, Christ Jesus, in this prophetic portion of Isaiah. As a powerful and mighty warrior, the Messiah, the Mighty God, will accomplish the destruction of God’s enemies and rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 19:15).

 

Psalm 85:11  Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven.

The Gifts of the Spirit

Gifts of the Spirit are special abilities provided by the Holy Spirit to Christians for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. The list of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 includes wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Similar lists appear in Ephesians 4:7-13 and Romans 12:3-8. The gifts of the Spirit are simply God enabling believers to do what He has called us to do. 2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." The gifts of the Holy Spirit are part of the "everything we need" to fulfill His purposes for our lives.

Gifts of the Spirit - The Definitions

There is some controversy as to the precise nature of each of the gifts of the Spirit, but here is a list of spiritual gifts and their basic definitions.

• The gift of wisdom seems to be the ability to make decisions and give guidance that is according to God's will.
• The gift of knowledge is the ability to have an in-depth understanding of a spiritual issue or situation.
• The gift of faith is being able to trust God and encourage others to trust God, no matter the circumstances.
• The gift of healing is the miraculous ability to use God's healing power to restore a person who is sick, injured, or suffering.
• The gift of miracles is being able to perform signs and wonders that give authenticity to God's Word and the Gospel message.
• The gift of prophecy is being able to proclaim a message from God.
• The gift of discerning spirits is the ability to determine whether or not a message, person, or event is truly from God.
• The gift of tongues is the ability to speak in a foreign language that you do not have knowledge of, in order to communicate with someone who speaks that language.
• The gift of interpreting tongues is the ability to translate the tongues speaking and communicate it back to others in your own language.
• The gift of administration is being able to keep things organized and in accordance with God's principles.
• The gift of helps is always having the desire and ability to help others, to do whatever it takes to get a task accomplished.

Jewish Festivals and Days of Remembrance in Israel

                         

Jewish festivals, originating in antiquity, are observed in Israel intensively and in many ways. They are manifested in traditional and nontraditional customs and practice, and they leave their imprint on diverse aspects of national life. The Jewish festivals are the “landmarks” by which Israelis mark the passing of the year. They are very much a part of daily life: on the street, in the school system and in synagogues and homes around the country.

Shabbat, (the Sabbath - the weekly day of rest) on Saturday, is marked in Israel with most people spending the day together with family and friends. Public transport is suspended, businesses are closed, essential services are at skeleton-staff strength, and leave is granted to as many soldiers as
possible. The secular majority take advantage of their weekly day of rest for leisure time at the seashore, places of entertainment and excursions in outdoor settings. The observant devote many hours to festive family feasts and services in synagogue, desist from travel, and refrain from working or using electrical appliances.

Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish new year. Its origin is Biblical (Lev. 23:23-25): “a sacred occasion commemorated with loud blasts [of the shofar, the ram’s horn].” The term Rosh Hashanah, “beginning of the year,” is rabbinical, as are the formidable themes of the festival: repentance,
preparation for the day of Divine judgment, and prayer for a fruitful year. The two-day festival falls on 1-2 Tishrei in the Jewish calendar, usually September in the Gregorian calendar, and starts at sundown of the preceding evening, as do all Jewish observances. Major customs of Rosh Hashanah include the sounding of the shofar in the middle of a lengthy synagogue service that focuses on the festival themes, and elaborate meals at home to inaugurate the new year. The prayer liturgy is augmented with prayers of repentance.

In many senses, Israel begins its year on Rosh Hashanah. Government correspondence, newspapers and most broadcasts carry the “Jewish date” first. Felicitations for the new year are generally tendered before Rosh Hashanah.

Yom Kippur , eight days after Rosh Hashanah, is the day of atonement, of Divine judgment, and of “affliction of souls” (Lev. 23:26-32) so that the individual may be cleansed of sins. The only fast day decreed in the Bible, it is a time to enumerate one’s misdeeds and contemplate one’s faults. The Jew is expected, on this day, to pray for forgiveness for sins between man and God and correct his wrongful actions against his fellow man. The major precepts of Yom Kippur - lengthy devotional services and a 25-hour fast - are observed even by much of the otherwise secular population. The level of public solemnity on Yom Kippur surpasses that of any other festival, including Rosh Hashanah. The country comes to a complete halt for 25 hours on this day; places of entertainment are closed, there are no television and radio broadcasts (not even the news), public transport is suspended, and even the roads are completely closed. Yom Kippur in Israel has special meaning due to memories of the 1973 war, a surprise attack launched by Egypt and Syria against Israel on that very day.

Sukkot, described in the Bible (Lev.23:34) as the “Feast of Tabernacles” begins five days after Yom Kippur). Sukkot is one of the three festivals that were celebrated (until 70 CE) with mass pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem and are therefore known as the “pilgrimage festivals.” On Sukkot, Jews commemorate the Exodus from Egypt (c. 13th century BCE) and give thanks for a bountiful harvest. At some kibbutzim, Sukkot is celebrated as Chag Ha’asif (the harvest festival), with the themes of the gathering of the second grain crop and the autumn fruit, the start of the agricultural year, and the first rains.

In the five days between Yom Kippur and Sukkot, tens of thousands of householders and businesses erect sukkot - booths for temporary dwelling, resembling the booths in which the Israelites lived in the desert, after their exodus from Egypt - and acquire the palm frond, citron, myrtle sprigs and willow branches with which the festive prayer rite is augmented. All around the country, sukkot line parking lots, balconies, rooftops, lawns, and public spaces. No army base lacks one. Some spend the festival and the next six days literally living in their sukkot, while most observers just eat their meals there.

In Israel, the “holy day” portion of Sukkot (and the other two pilgrimage festivals, Passover and Shavuot) is celebrated for one day. Diaspora communities celebrate it for two days, commemorating the time in antiquity when calendation was performed at the Temple and its results reported to the Diaspora using a tenuous network of signal fires and couriers.

The prayer liturgy is augmented with additional prayers, including the Hallel, a collection of blessings and psalms, recited on Rosh Hodesh (the beginning of each lunar month) and on the pilgrimage festivals.

After the festive day, Sukkot continues at a lesser level of sanctity, as mandated by the Torah (Lev. 23:36). During this intermediate week - half festival, half ordinary - schools are closed and many workplaces shut down or shorten their hours. Most Israelis spend the interim days of Sukkot and Passover at recreation sites throughout the country.

The intermediate week and the holiday season end on Shemini Atseret, the “sacred occasion of the eighth day” (Lev. 23:36), with which Simhat Torah is combined. Celebration of Shemini Atseret/Simhat Torah focuses on the Torah and is noted for public dancing with a Torah scroll in one’s arms and with recitation of the concluding and beginning chapters of the Torah, renewing the yearly cycle of Torah reading. After dark, many communities sponsor further festivities, often outdoors, that are not limited by the ritual restrictions that apply on the holy day itself.

Hanukkah, beginning on 25 Kislev (usually in December), commemorates the triumph of the Jews, under the Maccabees, over the Greek rulers (164 BCE) - both the physical victory of the small Jewish nation against mighty Greece and the spiritual victory of the Jewish faith against the Hellenism of the Greeks. Its sanctity derives from this spiritual aspect of the victory, and the miracle of the flask of oil, when a portion of sacramental olive oil meant to keep the Temple candelabrum lit for one day lasted for eight days, the time it took for the Temple to be rededicated.

Hanukkah is observed in Israel, as in the Diaspora, for eight days. The central feature of this holiday is the lighting of candles each evening - one on the first night, two on the second, and so on - in commemoration of the miracle at the Temple. The Hanukkah message in Israel focuses strongly on aspects of restored sovereignty; customs widely practiced in the Diaspora, such as giftgiving and the dreidl (spinning top - sevivon in Hebrew), are also in evidence. The dreidl’s sides are marked with Hebrew initials representing the message “A great miracle occurred here”; in the Diaspora, the initials stand for “A great miracle occurred there.” Schools are closed during this week; workplaces are not.

Tu B'Shevat, the fifteenth of Shevat (January-February), cited in rabbinical sources as the new year of fruit trees for sabbatical, tithing, and other purposes, has almost no ritual impact. But it has acquired secular connotations as a day when trees are planted by individuals, especially by schoolchildren and it serves as the time when intensive afforestation is undertaken by the Jewish National Fund and local authorities. During this month, although it is still cold, the fruit trees begin to flower, starting with the almond tree.

Purim, another rabbinical festival in early spring, occurs on 14 Adar (15 Adar in walled cities), commemorating the deliverance of beleaguered Jewry in the Persian Empire under Artaxerxes, as recounted in the Scroll of Esther. This festival compensates for the solemnity of many other Jewish observances by mandating merriment. Schools are closed, public festivities abound, newspapers run hoax items reminiscent of April Fools’ Day, children (and adults) don costumes, and a festive reading of the Scroll of Esther is marked by noisemakers sounded whenever the villain Haman’s name is recited. The Orthodox indulge in inebriation, within limits, and carry out an exacting list of duties: giving of alms, evening and morning readings of the Scroll of Esther, exchange of delicacies and a full-fledged holiday feast.

Passover (Pessah), is celebrated in the spring, beginning on 15 Nisan. Passover is the festival celebrating the Exodus from Egypt (c. 13th century BCE) and liberation from bondage. Freedom is, indeed, the festival’s dominant theme. The rites of Passover begin long before the festival, as families and businesses cleanse their premises of hametz - leaven and anything containing it - as prescribed in the Bible (Ex. 12:15-20). The day before the festival is devoted to preparatory rituals including ceremonial burning of the forbidden foodstuff. On the holiday evening, the seder is recited: an elaborate retelling of the enslavement and redemption. At this festive meal, the extended family gathers to read the Haggadah and enjoy traditional foods, particularly matza (unleavened bread). The following day’s observances resemble those of the other pilgrimage festivals.

Passover is probably second only to Yom Kippur in traditional observance by the generally nonobservant. In addition, a secular Passover rite based on the festival’s agricultural connotations is practiced in some kibbutzim. It serves as a spring festival, a festival of freedom, and the date of the harvesting of the first ripe grain. Passover also includes the second “intermediate” week - five half-sacred, half-ordinary days devoted to extended prayer and leisure - and it concludes with another festival day.

On Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Day,  less than a week after Passover, the people of Israel commune with the memory of the six million martyrs of the Jewish people who perished at the hands of the Nazis in the Holocaust. Modern rites of public bereavement and special ceremonies are held. On this day a siren is sounded at 10 a.m., as the nation observes two minutes of silence, pledging “to remember, and to remind others never to forget.”

Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel's Wars is commemorated a week later, as a day honoring those who fell in the struggle for the establishment of the State of Israel and in its defense. At 8 p.m. on the eve of Remembrance Day and at 11 a.m. on the following morning, two minutes of silence, as a siren sounds, give the entire nation the opportunity to remember its debt and express its eternal gratitude to its sons and daughters who gave their lives for the achievement of the country’s independence and its continued existence.

Independence Day (5 Iyar) directly follows Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars
and is held on the anniversary of the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel (May 14, 1948). While this is not a centuries-old celebration, it is a day that means a lot to many citizens who have physically and actively participated in the creation of a new state and its struggle for survival, and have witnessed the enormous changes that have taken place since 1948. On the eve of Independence Day municipalities sponsor public celebrations, loud-speakers broadcast popular music and multitudes go “downtown” to participate in the holiday spirit.

Many synagogues also hold special services of thanksgiving, where Hallel is recited marking Israel’s national deliverance.

On Independence Day, many citizens get to know the countryside by travelling to battlefields of the War of Independence, visit the memorials to the fallen, go on nature hikes and, in general, spend the day outdoors picnicking and having barbecues.

Israel Prizes for distinction in literary, artistic and scientific endeavor are presented and the International Bible Contest for Jewish Youth is held. Army bases are opened to the public and air force fly-bys, as well as naval displays, take place.

Lag B'Omer (18 Iyar), the thirty-third day in the counting of the weeks between Passover and Shavuot, has become a children’s celebration featuring massive bonfires. It commemorates events at the time of the Bar-Kochba uprising against Rome (132-135 CE).

Jerusalem Day is celebrated on 28 Iyar, about a week before Shavuot, and commemorates the 1967 reunification of Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, after it had been divided by concrete walls and barbed wire for 19 years. On this day, we are reminded that Jerusalem is “the focal point of Jewish history, the symbol of ancient glory, spiritual fulfillment and modern renewal.” Hallel is recited in some synagogues.

Shavuot, the last of the pilgrimage festivals, when enumerated from the beginning of the Jewish year, falls seven weeks after Passover (6 Sivan), at the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest. The Bible (Deut. 16:10) describes this occasion as the festival of weeks (Heb. shavuot), for so is it counted from Passover, and as the occasion on which new grain and new fruits are offered to the priests in the Temple. Its additional definition - the anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai - is of rabbinical origin. Shavuot is observed among the Orthodox with marathon religious study and, in Jerusalem, with a mass convocation of festive worship at the Western Wall. In the kibbutzim, it marks the peak of the new grain harvest and the ripening of the first fruits, including the seven species mentioned in the Bible (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates).

The Ninth of Av (Tisha B’Av, falling in July or early August), commemorates the anniversary of the destruction of the First and Second Temples. On the day itself, numerous rules of bereavement and the Yom Kippur measures of “self-denial,” including a full-day fast, are in effect.

Other Celebrations

Ethnic communities observe additional rites and celebrations of their own. Some better-known celebrations include the Mimouna, unique to Moroccan Jewry, on the day after Passover, celebrating the renewal of nature and its blessings; and the Saharana of Kurdish Jewry, after Sukkot, which was the national holiday of the Jews in Kurdistan. Another event is the Sigd holiday of the Ethiopian Jewish community, in mid-November, a celebration which began in Ethiopia, expressing their yearning for Zion, and continues in Israel today as an expression of their thankfulness.

Thus, with its diverse population and multiple lifestyles and attitudes, Israel celebrates the cycle of Jewish festivals and observances in a public manner that underscores the country’s Jewishness and its centrality to Judaism.

Proverbs 18:10

 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

100 Biblical Names and Titles of Christ

The whole Bible is filled with references to Jesus in one way or another. (Please know that the following is just a partial listing of the many Scriptural names and titles of the Lord. There are others not listed here.)

Advocate (1 John 2:1)
Almighty (Rev. 1:8; Mt. 28:18)
Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8; 22:13)
Amen (Rev. 3:14)
Apostle of our Profession (Heb. 3:1)
Atoning Sacrifice for our Sins (1 John 2:2)
Author of Life (Acts 3:15)
Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 12:2)
Author of Salvation (Heb. 2:10)
Beginning and End (Rev. 22:13)
Blessed and only Ruler (1 Tim. 6:15)
Bread of God (John 6:33)
Bread of Life (John 6:35; 6:48)
Bridegroom (Mt. 9:15)
Capstone (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7)
Chief Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)
Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 5:4)
Christ (1 John 2:22)
Creator (John 1:3)
Deliverer (Rom. 11:26)
Eternal Life (1 John 1:2; 5:20)
Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11)
Faithful Witness (Rev. 1:5)
Faithful and True Witness (Rev. 3:14)
First and Last (Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13)
Firstborn From the Dead (Rev. 1:5)
Firstborn over all creation (Col. 1:15)
Gate (John 10:9)
God (John 1:1; 20:28; Heb. 1:8; Rom. 9:5; 2 Pet. 1:1;1 John 5:20; etc.)
Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14)
Great Shepherd (Heb. 13:20)
Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14)
Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22; 4:15; 5:23)
Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2)
High Priest (Heb. 2:17)
Holy and True (Rev. 3:7)
Holy One (Acts 3:14)
Hope (1 Tim. 1:1)
Hope of Glory (Col. 1:27)
Horn of Salvation (Luke 1:69)
I Am (John 8:58)
Image of God (2 Cor. 4:4)
Immanuel (Mt. 1:23)
Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)
King Eternal (1 Tim. 1:17)
King of Israel (John 1:49)
King of the Jews (Mt. 27:11)
King of kings (1 Tim 6:15; Rev. 19:16)
King of the Ages (Rev. 15:3)
Lamb (Rev. 13:8)
Lamb of God (John 1:29)
Lamb Without Blemish (1 Pet. 1:19)
Last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
Life (John 14:6; Col. 3:4)
Light of the World (John 8:12)
Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)
Living One (Rev. 1:18)
Living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4)
Lord (2 Pet. 2:20)
Lord of All (Acts 10:36)
Lord of Glory (1 Cor. 2:8)
Lord of lords (Rev. 19:16)
Man from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:48)
Master (Lk. 5:5; 8:24; 9:33)
Mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 9:15)
Mighty God (Isa. 9:6)
Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
Offspring of David (Rev. 22:16)
Only Begotten Son of God (John 1:18; 1 John 4:9)
Our Great God and Savior (Titus 2:13)
Our Holiness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Husband (2 Cor. 11:2)
Our Protection (2 Thess. 3:3)
Our Redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our Sacrificed Passover Lamb (1 Cor. 5:7)
Power of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Precious Cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:6)
Prophet (Acts 3:22)
Rabbi (Mt. 26:25)
Resurrection and Life (John 11:25)
Righteous Branch (Jer. 23:5)
Righteous One (Acts 7:52; 1 John 2:1)
Rock (1 Cor. 10:4)
Root of David (Rev. 5:5; 22:16)
Ruler of God’s Creation (Rev. 3:14)
Ruler of the Kings of the Earth (Rev. 1:5)
Savior (Eph. 5:23; Titus 1:4; 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:20)
Son of David (Lk. 18:39)
Son of God (John 1:49; Heb. 4:14)
Son of Man (Mt. 8:20)
Son of the Most High God (Lk. 1:32)
Source of Eternal Salvation for all who obey him (Heb. 5:9)
The One Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)
The Stone the builders rejected (Acts 4:11)
True Bread (John 6:32)
True Light (John 1:9)
True Vine (John 15:1)
Truth (John 1:14; 14:6)
Way (John 14:6)
Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24)
Word (John 1:1)
Word of God (Rev. 19:13)

Acts 4:12  "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be save"

John 1:29-34
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."

32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."

Miracles of Jesus Christ All the recorded miracles of Jesus are listed here in approximate chronological order, with scripture references. The miracles are grouped according to "healing" miracles, and "other" miracles. Healing Miracles of Jesus Christ Recipient Matthew Mark Luke John Official's son        4:46-54 Possessed man    1:21-27  4:33-37   Peter's in-law  8:14-15  1:29-31  4:38-39   Many at sunset  8:16-17  1:32-39  4:40-41   Leper  8:1-4  1:40-45  5:12-15   Paralytic  9:1-8  2:1-12  5:18-26   Man at Bethesda        5:1-17 Withered hand  12:9-13  3:1-6  6:6-11   Crowd in Galilee  4:23-25       Centurion's son  8:5-13    7:1-10   Widow's son      7:11-17   2 demoniacs  8:28-34  5:1-20  8:26-39   Jairus daughter-1  9:18-19  5:22-24  8:41-42   Unclean woman  9:20-22  5:24-34  8:49-56   Jairus daughter-2  9:23-26  5:35-43  8:49-56   2 blind men  9:27-31       Dumb man  9:32-34       Touching clothes  14:34-36  6:53-56     Crowd in Galilee  9:35       Few in Nazareth    6:1-6     Gentile's daughter  15:21-28  7:24-30     Deaf man    7:31-37     Multitude  15:29-31       Epileptic boy  17:14-21  9:14-29  9:37-42   Blind man        9:1-41 Blind/dumb man  12:22-24    11:14-15   Man of Bethsaida    8:22-26     Stooped woman      13:10-17   Man with Dropsy      14:1-16   Lazarus raised        11:1-45 Ten Lepers      17:11-19   Crowds in Judea  19:1-2       Bartimaeus  20:29-34  10:46-52  18:35-43   Many in Jerusalem  21:14       Ear of Malchus      22:47-53  18:10-11 Resurrection  28:1-10  16:1-20  24:1-53  20:1-31 Other Miracles of Jesus Christ Event Matthew Mark Luke John Water to wine        2:1-11 1st catch of fish      5:1-11   Calms a sea  8:23-27  4:35-41  8:22-25   Feeds 5000  14:13-21  6:32-44  9:10-17  6:1-13 Walks on water  14:22-33  6:45-51    6:15-21 Feeds 4000  15:32-39  8:1-10     Money in fish  17:24-27       Tree withered  21:18-22  11:12-24     2nd catch of fish        21:1-14

Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

The Parables of Jesus

"I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world." (Matthew 13:35)

PARABLES FROM NATURE
• The Sower and the Seeds (Mark 4:3-9; Matt 13:3-9; Luke 8:5-8)
• The Grain of Wheat (John 12:24)
• The Weeds in the Grain or the Tares (Matt 13:24-30)
• The Net (Matthew 13:47-50)
• The Seed Growing Secretly (Spontaneously) or The Patient Husbandman (Mark 4:26-29)
• The Mustard Seed (Matt13:31f.;Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18 f.)
• The Leaven (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20 f.)
• The Budding Fig Tree (Matt 24:32 f.; Mark 13:28 f.; Luke 21:19-31)
• The Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:6-9)
• The Birds of Heaven (Matthew 6:26; Luke 12:24)
• The Flowers of the Field (Matt 6:28-30; Luke 12:27f.)
• The Vultures & the Carcass (Matt 24:28; Luke 17:37)
• The Tree and its Fruits (Matthew 7:16; Luke 6:43-49)

The Weather Signs (Luke 12:54-56; cf. Matthew 26:2 f.; Mark 8:11-13)

WORK AND WAGES
• Master and Servant (Luke 17:7-10)
• The Servant Entrusted with Authority or The Faithful and Unfaithful Servants (Matt. 24:45-51; Luke 12:42-46)
• The Waiting Servants (Luke 12:35-38; Mark 13:33-37)
• The Laborers in the Vineyard or The Generous Employer (Matthew 20:1-16)
• The Money in Trust or The Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-27)
• The Lamp (Matt 5:14-16; Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16, 11:31) and The City Set on a Hill (Matt. 5:14b)
• The Body's Lamp (Matthew 6:22 f.; Luke 11:34-36)
• The Discarded Salt (Matt 5:13; Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34 f.)
• The Patch and the Wineskins (Matthew 9:16 f.; Mark 2:21 f.; Luke 5:36-39)
• The Householder's Treasure (Matthew 13:52)
• The Dishonest Steward (Luke 16:1-12) Revised!
• The Defendant (Luke 12:58 f.; Matthew 5:25 f.)
• The Unforgiving Official or The Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:23-35)
• The Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21)
• The Wicked Vinedressers (Matthew 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16)
• The Two Builders (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49)
• The Two Debtors (Luke 7:41-43)
• The Hidden Treasure (Matthew 13:44)

The Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45 f.)

OPEN & CLOSED DOORS
• The Closed Door (Luke 13:24-30)
• The Doorkeeper (Mark 13:33-37; cf. Matt 24:42)
• The Thief in the Night and the Faithful Servants (Matthew 24:42-51.; Luke 12:32-48.)
• The Strong Man Bound (Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21 f.)
• The Divided Realm (Mark 3:24-26; Luke 11:17-20)
• The Unoccupied House or The Demon's Invasion (Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26)
• The Importunate Neighbor (Luke 11:5-8)
• The Son's Request (Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13)
• The Unjust Judge or The Importunate Widow (Luke 18:1-8)

The Pharisee and the Publican (Luke 18:9-14)

WEDDINGS AND FEASTS
• The Sulking Children or The Children in the Marketplace (Matthew 11:16-19; Luke 7:31-35)
• The Arrogant Guest (Luke 14:7-11)
• The Bridegroom's Friend (John 3:28)
• The Bridegroom's Attendants (Matthew 9:15a; Mark 2:18 f.; Luke 5:34)
• The Bride's Girlfriends or Ten Virgins (Matt25:1-13)
• The Tower Builder and The Warring King (Luke 14:28-32)
• The Wedding Feast or The Unwilling Guests (Matt 22:1-10; Luke 14:16-24)
• The Wedding Garment (Matthew 22:11-14)
• The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

LOST AND FOUND, FATHER AND SON
• The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
• The Prodigal Son or The Loving Father (Luke 15:11-32)
• The Two Sons, The Apprentice Son, and The Slave and Son (Matthew 21:28-32; John 5:19-20a; John 3:35)
• The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)
• The Lost Sheep (Matthew 28:12-14; Luke 15:4-7)
• The Shepherd, the Thief, and the Doorkeeper (John 10:1-18)
• The Doctor and the Sick (Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17; Luke 5: 31 f.)

The Great Assize or The Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

Titus 2:11-13
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,

  Christ in the Psalms

Reference in Psalms	Reference to Christ	Fulfillment in the New Testament
Psalms 2:7	The Messiah will be God's Son	Hebrews 1:5,6
Psalms 16:8-10	He will rise from the dead.	Luke 24:5-7
Psalms 22:1-21	He will experience agony on the cross	Matthew 26,27
Psalm 22:18	Evil Men cast lots for his clothing	Matthew 27:35, John 19:23,24
Psalms 22:15	He thirsts while on the cross	John 19:28
Psalms 22:22	He will declare God's name.	Hebrews 2:12
Psalms 34:20	His bones would not be broken	John 19:36,37
Psalms 40:6-8	He came to do God's will.	Hebrews 10:5-7
Psalms 41:9	His close friend would betray him.	Luke 22:48
Psalms 45:6,7	His throne will last forever	Hebrews 1:8,9
Psalms 68:18	He ascended into heaven.	Ephesians 4:8-10
Psalms 69:9	He is zealous for God	John 2:17
Psalms 69:21	He was offered vinegar for his thirst on the cross	Matthew 27:48
Psalms 89:3, 4, 35, 36	He will be a descendant of David.	Luke 1:31-33
Psalms 96:13	He will return to judge the world.	1 Thessalonians 1:10
Psalms 110:1	He is David's son and David's Lord.	Matthew 22:44
Psalms 110:4	He is the eternal priest-king.	Hebrews 6:20
Psalms 118:22	He is rejected by many but accepted by God.	1 Peter 2:7, 8

We can see by reviewing the Psalms, and looking in the New Testament, of what happened in Christ Jesus life.  We can see that  the prophesies in the Old Testament have in deed come true. Apart from Christ Jesus there is no salvation.  Will you ask Christ into your Heart today?

Psalm 147:7

Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;make music to our God on the harp.

The Last Words of Jesus on the Cross

The statements that Jesus made from the cross have been treasured by all who have followed Him as Lord. They demonstrate both His humanity and His divinity. They also capture the last moments of all that Jesus went through to gain our forgiveness.

“Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”  Luke 23:34

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”  Luke 23:43

Speaking to John and Mary, “Dear woman, here is your son…Here is your mother.”  John 19:23, 27

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34

“I am thirsty.” John 19:28

“It is finished.” John 19:30

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23:46

 

   Crucifix at Indian River, Michigan

At the foot of Mount Sinai, God (Jesus in human form) appeared to the people of Israel in a physical form. This is called a theophany. Here are some of the other times God appeared to Bible people.

Verse                     Theophany

Genesis 16:7                 The *Angel of the Lord appeared to Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar,                                              announcing the birth of Abraham’s son, Ishmael.

Genesis 18:1-11            The Lord appeared to Abraham, foretelling Isaac’s birth.

Genesis 22:11,12          The Angel of the Lord stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac.

Exodus 3:2                     The Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in flames of a bush.

Exodus 14:19                God appeared to Israel in pillars of cloud and fire to guide them                                                 through the desert.

Exodus 33:11                The Lord spoke to Moses face to face.

Daniel 3:25                    One “like the son of the gods” appeared as the fourth man with                                             Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace.

* Angel of the Lord is a reverential way to refer to God in these passages.

2 Corinthians 4:6
For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

Jesus’ faithful disciples were ordinary men who became extraordinary because of Jesus Christ. Despite their confusion and lack of understanding during His lifetime, they became powerful witnesses to His resurrection. Their lives were transformed by God’s power. Here is a listing of these men, their outstanding characteristics and ultimate fate.

Simon Peter (son of John) – A fisherman. Impulsive; later bold in preaching about Jesus. He was crucified at Rome with his head downward.  

James the Greater (son of Zebedee) - He and his brother John were called the “Sons of Thunder.” A fisherman. Ambitious, short-tempered, judgmental, deeply committed to Jesus.  He was beheaded at Jerusalem.

John (son of Zebedee) – James’s brother and the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” A fisherman. Ambitious, judgmental and later very loving. He was put in a caldron of boiling oil, but escaped death in a miraculous manner, and was afterward banished to Patmos.

Andrew – A fisherman. Eager to bring others to Jesus.  He was bound to a cross, where he preached to his persecutors until he died.

Philip – A fisherman. Questioning attitude. The nature of Philip’s death is unknown.

Bartholomew (Nathanael) – Unknown occupation. Honesty and straightforwardness. He was flayed alive.

Matthew – Tax collector. Despised outcast because of his dishonest career. He suffered martyrdom by being slain with a sword at a distant city of Ethiopia.

Thomas – Unknown occupation. Courage and doubt. He was run through the body with a lance at Coromandel in the East Indies.

James the Less (son of Alphaeus) – Unknown occupation. Became a disciple of Christ. The historians Eusebius and Hegesippus relayed that St. James was martyred for the faith by the Jews.

Thaddaeus (Judas son of James) – Unknown occupation. Asked Jesus why He would reveal Himself to His followers and not to the world. He is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject to Persia.

Simon the Zealot – Unknown occupation. Fierce patriotism. The Abyssinians relate that he suffered crucifixion as the Bishop of Jerusalem, after he had preached the Gospel in Samaria.

Judas Iscariot – Unknown occupation. Treacherous and greedy.

Matthias – Unknown occupation. The disciples cast lots and selected him to replace Judas. He was first stoned and then beheaded.

Saul of Tarsus (Paul) – A Lawyer. God selected him by way of a miraculous conversion to replace Judas Iscariot. After various tortures and persecutions, was beheaded at Rome by the Emperor Nero.

It is not so important how the apostles died. What is important is the fact that they were all willing to die for their faith. If Jesus had not been resurrected, the disciples would have known it. People will not die for something they know to be a lie. The fact that all of the apostles were willing to die horrible deaths, refusing to renounce their faith in Christ, is tremendous evidence that they had truly witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

          Christ and the Twelve Apostles - Artist Taddeo di Bartolo - Date probably ca. 1400



On all of his journeys he traveled along the coast of Asia Minor and there are many places along the coast where he stopped and taught, or changed boats, or sheltered from the weather. The book of Acts covers most of his exploits and journeys as well as his last voyage as a prisoner to Rome.

At the instruction of the Holy Ghost, the leaders of the church in Antioch sent out Barnabas and Paul as missionaries (Acts 13:1-3). Paul's missionary trips are described in the Book of Acts and are divided into three separate journeys plus a last journey to Rome.

A) First journey with Barnabas and John Mark (Acts 13:4-14:28)

Paul, Barnabas and John Mark departed to Seleucia, from where they sailed to Cyprus. On Cyprus they preached in Salamis and Paphos. In Paphos a sorcerer Jew, a false prophet named Barjesus turned against them before the Roman deputy of the island, but God blinded him. As a result, the deputy became a believer in Jesus Christ. From Cyprus the three men sailed back to the mainland of Asia Minor, to Perge in Pamphylia, where John left them and returned to Jerusalem.

Paul and Barnabas journeyed to Antioch in Pisidia, where many Jews and Gentiles accepted the word of God and believed after hearing them preach. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts. The same thing happened in Iconium (Konya), where unbelieving Jews and Gentiles planned to stone them. They fled to Lystra, where Paul healed a crippled man and as a result the people thought they were gods and wanted to sacrifice to them, but Barnabas and Paul managed to stop them. The same crowd later stoned Paul and left him to die, when certain Jews arrived in the city from Antioch and Iconium and stirred up the people against the apostles. Paul survived and departed with Barnabas to Derbe the next day. Then they returned again to Lystra, Iconium, Antioch, Perge, to strengthen believers and ordain elders in every church. From Attalia (Antalya) they sailed back to Antioch, where they gathered the church together to tell them about their experiences and how God "opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles".

The council in Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-32)

Some Jewish Christians from Judea told Gentile Christians in Antioch, that they should circumcise themselves and keep the Law of Moses in order to be saved. To decide this fundamental question, Paul, Barnabas and some other Christians were sent from Antioch to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders. A conference was held in Jerusalem, where the church leaders, inspired by God, declared that Gentile Christians are equal to Jewish Christians and they did not have to be circumcised or keep the law to be saved, because faith in Jesus Christ is sufficient, but they should abstain from meats offered to idols, blood, strangled animals and from fornication. A letter was sent about these decisions to the Christians in Antioch by Paul and Barnabas, and two prophets, Judas Barsabas and Silas, to confirm its content.

B) Second journey with Silas (Acts 15:36-18:22)

Paul and Barnabas planned to visit the churches they planted on their first journey. Barnabas wanted John Mark to accompany them, but Paul disagreed, so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus, while Paul chose Silas and went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches everywhere. Paul and Silas then visited Derbe and Lystra (near Konya), where Paul chose a young Christian named Timothy to accompany them. They went through Phyrgia and Galatia and arrived in Alexandria Troas, where the Lord told Paul in a vision to go to Macedonia to preach.

Luke, the evangelist probably joined them in Troas, for from this point on he begins referring to the missionaries as "we". The four men sailed to Europe to Samothracia, Neapolis and to Philippi, where a godly woman named Lydia invited them into her house after she and her household was baptized. In Philippi Paul healed a demon-possessed slave girl, who made a profit for her masters by soothsaying. As she was not able to make profit after this, her masters brought Paul and Silas to the magistrates. They were beaten and cast into prison, but at midnight, as they prayed and sang praises to God, an earthquake shook the prison, all the doors opened and everyone's bands were loosened. Paul and Silas then preached the gospel to the frightened jailer and his household, and all believed and were baptized on the same night. Paul and Silas were publicly freed by the magistrates themselves the next day.

The four men then passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia and went to Thessalonica, a main seaport and an important commercial center in Macedonia, where Paul spoke in the synagogue of the Jews on three Sabbath days. Some of the Jews and many Greeks believed, but the unbelieving Jews stirred some crowds against them, so Paul and Silas had to leave the city by night. They moved on to Berea, where the Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word and searched the Scriptures to see if those things were so. Many Jews and Greeks in Berea believed, but the Jews of Thessalonica came to Berea and stirred up the people again. Afterwards, Paul went to Athens, a city full of idolatry and pagan philosophers. He disputed in the synagogue and in the market daily, and preached on the Areopagus. A few Greeks believed him but the others mocked.

Paul then journeyed to Corinth, one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire, where he convinced many Jews and Greeks, among them the chief ruler of the synagogue and all his household. In a night vision Lord Jesus encouraged Paul to continue to speak in Corinth, so he preached in the city for a year and a half. The Jews there stirred up persecution against Paul and tried to indict him in front of Gallio, the Roman deputy, but Gallio did not listen to them. Paul then sailed to Ephesus, the capital of the Roman province of Asia, where he stayed for a short time. He traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover, then back to Antioch.

C) Third journey (Acts 18:23-21:16)

After spending some time in Antioch, Paul revisited the churches in Galatia and Phyrgia to strengthen the disciples, then went to Ephesus. In Ephesus Paul found twelve followers of John the Baptist and baptized them in the name of Lord Jesus Christ. He laid his hands on them and the Holy Ghost came on them and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Paul preached in the synagogue for three months, but when some hardened unbelievers spoke evil before the multitude, he separated the disciples from them and chose another place to teach daily. He continued this for two years, so that all Jews and Greeks in the Roman province of Asia (part of Asia Minor) heard the gospel of Christ. God did special miracles in Ephesus through Paul, as even the garments worn by him healed the sick and the demon-possessed. Many believed in Ephesus and many who practiced magic before brought their books together and burned them publicly. As many pagans turned to Christianity in Ephesus, formerly a center of pagan Diana worship, craftsmen and silversmiths, who manufactured idols and shrines, saw their profit diminishing. These craftsmen stirred up the pagans against Paul and his companions, but nobody was hurt in the end.

One of the most well known incidents on Paul's travels is the riot of the silversmiths in Ephesus. Towards the end of his time there Paul preached that "...gods made by human hands are not gods at all", a direct jibe at the silversmiths who made silver statuettes of Artemis and the temple for sale to pilgrims and tourists. Sales soon began to decline and one, Demetrius, a leader of the silversmiths, led a group of artisans against Paul saying "...the sanctuary of the great goddess Diana will cease to command respect; and then it will not be very long before she who is worshipped by all Asia and the civilized world is brought down from her divine pre-eminence.'' His speech caused an uproar and the band of silversmiths, and likely a number of merchants worried about the decline in business, rushed into the theatre shouting "Great is Diana of the Ephesians". Paul was not forced to leave the city by the authorities after this riot, but he evidently decided it was prudent to do so and set off for Macedonia.

Paul revisited the churches in Macedonia, then went to Greece, where he stayed for three months. As he was about to sail to Syria, some Jews laid wait for him, so he returned through Macedonia. In Alexandria Troas he raised up a young man who died after he fell down from the third floor of a house where Christians were gathered. Paul departed to Assos, from where he sailed with other disciples to Miletus via Mitylene, Chios, Samos and Trogyllium. In Miletus he met with the elders of the church from Ephesus and in his moving speech he bid farewell to them, knowing he would never see them again. He charged them to feed the flock, and warned them that wolves would enter their congregation and men would speak perverse things to draw away disciples.

From Miletus they sailed to Cos, Rhodes, Patara and Tyre, Syria, where disciples inspired by the Holy Spirit warned Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Paul and his companions departed to Ptolemais, then to Caesarea, where a Judean prophet named Agabus prophesied that Paul will be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and will be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles. The disciples tried to persuade Paul not to go up to Jerusalem, but Paul answered that he is ready not only to be bound, but also to die for Jesus Christ, so they went up to Jerusalem.

Paul in Jerusalem (Acts 21:17-23:30)

In Jerusalem Christians received Paul and his companions gladly, but some Jews from Asia stirred up the people against him and accused him of bringing Gentiles into the temple. The people wanted to beat and then kill Paul. Roman guards saved Paul but at the same time took him into custody. On the stairs of the castle, before the multitude, Paul gave a speech in his defense and a testimony of his conversion in Hebrew, but when he said he was sent by Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, the Jews made such an uproar, that the captain wanted to interrogate him by scourging. Paul appealed to his Roman citizenship so they did not dare touch him. The next day the captain led Paul before the Sanhedrin, where Paul told he was a Pharisee and believed in the resurrection of the dead. This divided the Pharisees and Sadducees in the council, a great dissension arose and the Romans had to rescue Paul again. Hearing that more than 40 Jews made a vow and conspired to kill Paul, the chief captain sent him by night to Caesarea to Felix the governor.

Paul In Caesarea (Acts 23:31-26:32)

After five days, the elders and the chief priest arrived in Caesarea and accused Paul before the governor of profaning the temple but couldn't prove anything, so Felix deferred them but left Paul in custody. After two years Felix was replaced by Festus, who asked Paul's accusers to come to Caesarea again. They couldn't prove any of their many complaints against Paul. As a Roman citizen, Paul then appealed to Caesar. While he was waiting to go to Rome, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea, and one day Festus brought Paul before them. Acts 26 records Paul's speech, where he tells his upbringing, his former madness against Christians, his conversion on the road to Damascus and his preaching of the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. Here we find the most complete version of what Jesus said to him on the road to Damascus. King Agrippa said to Festus that Paul had done nothing wrong and he could have been set free, had he not appealed unto Caesar.

Journey to Rome (Acts 27:1-28:31)

Festus then sent Paul with other prisoners and soldiers on a ship to Rome. This journey is described in Acts 27 and 28: "And putting to sea from thence, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy; and he put us therein. And when we had sailed slowly many days, and were come with difficulty over against Cnidus, the wind not further suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crete, over against Salamone; And with difficulty coasting along it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea."

After many dangers and a storm, during which God's angel informed Paul in a vision that everybody on the ship would survive, the ship was wrecked on the island of Melita (Malta) but everybody escaped safe to land. Many miracles happened during their three-month stay on the island. Paul healed many diseased people and he got bitten by a viper, but this did not harm him. After three months they boarded another ship and arrived in Rome. Christians in Rome received Paul warmly. In Rome Paul was placed under house arrest. He lived in a rented house for two years and could receive visitors, so he could continue teaching and preaching God's kingdom. He invited the chiefs of the Jews to hear the gospel, after which some of them believed and some not. Paul ended his speech with the following: "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it."

It was by now the beginning of winter and the voyage onwards was beset with strong and adverse winds. From Crete a gale blew them down to Malta where the ship was wrecked in what is now called St Pauls Bay. Eventually a ship brought them to Rome and there he was beheaded the same day Peter was crucified, around AD 67. It is apocryphally told that when Paul was beheaded milk and not blood flowed from his body. However dubious this may be, few could have predicted what the result of Paul's work was to be as Christianity went from strength to strength to become the dominant faith in the country where he met his end.

The Cities Where Paul Preached

Antioch: the capital of ancient Syria, the eastern capital of the Roman Empire, the modern
Antakya in southern Turkey

Lystra: a city of the ancient province of Lycaonia in Asia Minor, near Konya

Antioch in Pisidia: near the border of ancient Pisidia, in Yalvac, a few miles south-west from modern Aksehir, Turkey

Miletus: a coastal city of ancient Ionia, c 30 miles (50 kms) south of Ephesus, and c 70 miles (100 km) south of modern Izmir, Turkey

Athens: the greatest city of classical Greece, capital of modern Greece

Paphos: a town in south-western Cyprus on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea

Berea: a city of ancient Macedonia, modern Veria in Greece

Perga: or Perge, the capital of ancient Pamphylia in Asia Minor during the Roman period, a few miles north of modern Antalya, Turkey

Caesarea: a seaport of ancient Palestine, capital of the Roman province, modern Tel Aviv-Yafo in Israel. Not to be confused with Kayseri - Caeserea in Turkey

Philippi: a city of ancient Macedonia, near modern Kavala, Greece

Corinth: a city of ancient Greece, near modern Corinth, southern Greece

Rome: the capital of the Roman Empire and Italy, located on the Tiber River

Damascus: a city of ancient Syria, capital of modern Syria

Salamis: a town located on the east end of Cyprus, 3 miles north-west of modern Famagusta

Derbe: an ancient city in south-eastern Asia Minor, modern Turkey, near Konya

Tarsus: a city of ancient Cilicia on the river Cnydus near the Mediterranean Sea, near Adana in southern Turkey

Ephesus: a town on the western coast of Asia Minor, c 40 miles (70 kms) south of modern Izmir, Turkey

Thessalonica: a coastal city of ancient Macedonia, modern Szaloniki in northeastern Greece

Iconium: capital of the ancient province of Lycaonia in Asia Minor, modern Konya in Turkey

Troas: on the coast of northern Asia Minor, modern Turkey, near Canakkale

Jerusalem: it was the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah and the place of the temple of God, the capital of modern Israel
Tyre: a city on the central coast of ancient Phoenicia, modern Sur in southern Lebanon




Psalm 139:9-10   If I rise on the wings of the dawn,  if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.




The Greek word parakletos, which means "comforter, helper, encourager, or counselor." "Para" means "to come along side of." The promise here is that the "Comforter" or "Helper" would come and abide with us forever, and since the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit has been carrying on His ministry in the lives of believers.
What are some of the activities of the Holy Spirit as "helper or comforter?" Let me suggest several to you and include Scriptural references for you to study. More certainly could be added, but these are the basics.

1. He guides us into all truth. John 16:13—"But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth for He will not speak on His own initiative but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come." The role of the Holy Spirit is to show us that we are sinners and to point us to, and guide us to, a clear understanding of who Jesus Christ is, leading us to a commitment to Him. He also helps us to understand God’s Word and its application in our lives. Notice: He is the "Spirit of Truth" and will only reveal truth to us.

2. He assures us that we are God’s children. Romans 8:16—"The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God." It’s like having an eternal, binding contract with God that the Holy Spirit seals, confirming that we are secure in our family relationship with the Father.

3. He gives us hope. Romans 15:13—"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." The expression "the God of Hope" means the God who inspires hope and imparts it to His children. He can be counted on to fulfill what still remains to be accomplished in us. He is not finished with us!

4. He strengthens us. Ephesians 3:16—Paul tells us to be "strengthened with the power through the Spirit in the inner man." The strengthening of the inner person comes when Christ takes up His permanent residence in us. So the secret of strength is the presence of Christ in our lives. Christ desires to bring us His strength if we will let Him. To be honest, there are times when I feel weak, and I ask the Lord to be strength through me and He has always provided that needed strength.

5. He equips us to serve others. Ephesians 4:11 & 12—"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ." The role of the Holy Spirit is to equip us for the work that we have been called to do in God’s Kingdom. For example: some can sing in the choir, or teach preschoolers, help keep the church clean, go out on visitation, participate in short-term mission trips, etc. I know that God has given each of us one or more gifts to be used in the work of the Kingdom. It is up to each one of us to discover our gifts then use them in "the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ."




Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.