I was thinking about the eight Kingdom texts in Acts for
this presentation, two words stood out. First, the name of the book, Acts, also
called the Acts of the apostles, which may seem pretty obvious, but this book
provides a vivid account of the apostles and the early Called-out Assembly, the
events, growth, miracles, persecution, and missionary journeys. This is Luke’s
sequel to his gospel account. The second word that stood out of course is
“Kingdom.” The book of Acts is not the first time we read or hear about the
Kingdom in the Scriptures. Jesus - Yeshua spoke extensively about the Kingdom,
not only in Luke’s gospel, but also in Matthew, Mark, and John’s accounts. In
fact, the Kingdom of God (same as Kingdom of Heaven) was the central theme of
Jesus’ – Yeshua’s teaching.
As we examine the eight Kingdom texts, I
encourage you to consider these 6 questions:
1. What did Jesus say about the Kingdom?
2. What is the Kingdom?
3. What is the Gospel?
4. What does the Kingdom have to do with salvation?
5. Were the Apostles and disciples of Jesus preaching the
same message as Jesus taught?
6. Why know the 8 Kingdom texts?
Kingdom Text #1: Acts 1:3
Luke starts off talking about Jesus - Yeshua after his
resurrection: “To these [his apostles] he also presented himself alive after
his suffering by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of 40
days, and speaking to them about the Kingdom of God.”
Can you just imagine what this must have been like for
Jesus’ – Yeshua’s disciples -seeing him alive, and being with him for 40 days?
What overwhelming joy they must have felt. They had witnessed the Messiah,
their master, their Lord, their teacher, and friend, go through a humiliating,
unjust trial, treated as a malicious criminal, severely beaten, and sentenced
to death by crucifixion. They saw him take his last breath and his body placed
in a tomb. On the third day, God - Yehovah raised him from the dead, and he
appeared to his apostles and disciples, eating and drinking with them (Luke
24:43; Acts 10:41).
The disciples no doubt remembered what Jesus - Yeshua told
them before he was arrested, that they “will not see me for a little while,
then after a while you will see me…You will weep and wail while the world
rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will turn into joy; and no one will
be able to take away your joy” (John 16:19- 22).
Jesus - Yeshua also said, “Now this is eternal life: that
they may know You, the only true God, and the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua whom you
have sent” (John 17:3).
Now alive, and immortal, Jesus - Yeshua gives many
convincing proofs that it’s really him. And yes, he is speaking about the
Kingdom of God. Jesus - Yeshua clearly stresses the important, vital, saving
Gospel message of the Kingdom of God after his resurrection. The next Kingdom
text mentioned by Luke is a few verses later in Acts 1:6.
Kingdom Text #2:
Acts 1:6
“So, when they had come together, they began asking him, ‘lord,
is it at this time that you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’”
This question that the apostles asked is a hotly debated
verse, and some claim that it’s the wrong question. But this question is the
correct question as they were looking towards that future Messianic Kingdom on
the earth, which the prophets wrote about under divine inspiration in the
Hebrew Scriptures.
It was this Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus - Yeshua had
been preaching to them. It was this restoration Kingdom message that they had
been proclaiming when Jesus sent them out, two by two, and gave them authority
over evil spirits, healing every kind of sickness and disease. And they went
out and preached that people are to repent (Mark 6:7, 12). Jesus- Yeshua told
them in Matthew 10:7, “Wherever you go, preach the gospel, saying, ‘The Kingdom
of Heaven is near’” (also called the Kingdom of God).
The disciples knew Isaiah 2:3-4:
““Many
peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let’s go up to the mountain of Yehovah,
To
the house of the God of Jacob.
So
that He may teach us His ways,
And
that we may walk in His paths.’
For
the law will go out from Zion
And
the word of Yehovah from Jerusalem.
And
He will judge between the nations,
And
will mediate for many peoples.
And
they will beat their swords into plowshares,
and
their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation
will not lift up a sword against nation,
nor
train any more for war.”
The apostles also
knew about Daniel interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a massive statue,
saying “that God - Yehovah made known to King Nebuchadnezzar [a pagan king]
what will happen in the last days” (Daniel 2:28). Daniel describes the
different parts of the statue and materials which represent different kingdoms
on earth:
“The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its chest
and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron,
and its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. You continued watching until a
stone was broken off without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of
iron and clay and crushed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the
silver, and the gold were crushed to pieces all at the same time, and they were
like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so
that not a trace of them was found. But the stone that struck the statue became
a great mountain and filled the entire earth” (Daniel 2:32- 35).
It is this final divine kingdom or government that will
fill the earth. Daniel 2:44 says, “The God Yehovah of heaven will set up a
kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for
another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will
itself endure forever.”
The apostles’ question shows that they knew Jesus - Yeshua
was the promised Messiah: “Is this the time when you are going to restore the
kingdom?”
“Rejoice
greatly, daughter of Zion!
Shout
in triumph, daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold,
your king is coming to you.
He
is righteous and endowed with salvation,
Humble,
and mounted on a donkey,
Even
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
And
I will eliminate the chariot from Ephraim
And
the horse from Jerusalem.
And
the bow of war will be eliminated.
And
He will speak peace to the nations.
And
His dominion will be from sea to sea,
And
from the Euphrates River to the ends
of the earth” (Zechariah 9:9,10).
Yes, this Kingdom will bring peace to the world. No more
war. The lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua, now raised from the dead, when hearing
their question, replied, “It is not for you to know periods of time or
appointed times which the Father - Yehovah has set by His own authority; but
you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be
my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the
remotest parts of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8).
The lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua did not say: Oh, you have
it all wrong; what are you asking? No, instead he let them know that God -
Yehovah has set the appointed time for the Kingdom to be established, and that
it’s not for them to know. Then he told them that they would go to the
surrounding areas, even to the most distant, isolated, remotest parts of the
entire earth to be his witnesses.
When I hear the word “witness,” I immediately think of a
courtroom and a witness on the stand. This is someone who sees an event in
person, someone who is an eyewitness, someone who can testify what happened.
The apostles witnessed, from the start of Jesus’ Kingdom Gospel ministry until
his death and resurrection. Now they received further instructions to bring
everything they saw, heard, learned and knew about the Messiah and the saving
Gospel message of the Kingdom of God to the world.
Listen to the lord Messiah Jesus’ – Yeshua’s words to his
disciples in Luke 24:44-49 after his resurrection, and just before he ascended
into heaven:
“‘These are my words which I spoke to you while I was still
with you, that all the things that are written about me in the Law of Moses and
the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to
understand the Scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So it is written, that the
Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that
repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all the
nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And
behold, I am sending the promise of My Father - Jehovah upon you; but you are
to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’”
Kingdom Text #3: Acts 8:12
“But
when they believed Philip as he was heralding the Gospel [good news] about the
Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus the Messiah, they were being baptized,
both men and women.”
Here we read that Philip, the evangelist, was preaching the
good news - the Gospel about the Kingdom of God, the same Gospel that Jesus
preached, and the name of the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua. This added
information about Jesus’ – Yeshua’s “name” means understanding his purpose,
believing and obeying everything Jesus - Yeshua taught; knowing he is the Son
of God, who died for our sins, whom God - Yehovah raised from the dead,
ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father until the day his
enemies will be his footstool (Psalm 110:1). At the appointed time, the lord Messiah
Jesus - Yeshua will return to earth, in
the same way he was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:11), to rule as King in the
Kingdom of God, the restoration hope for mankind.
Yes, this too is part of the Good News - Jesus’ – Yeshua’s
death, resurrection and ascension. However, it is the Kingdom of God that Jesus
- Yeshua talked about all the time, his purpose for being sent, which can’t be
left out. The Gospel is not complete if we only proclaim, “He is risen!” as
many today preach.
As men and women were listening to Philip, they believed him,
and they were being baptized. These Christian converts demonstrated their
repentance of sin, renewal and belief in the coming of God’s Kingdom, in Jesus’
– Yeshua’s sin-offering sacrificial death for the sins of the world, and his
rulership in that divine Kingdom. These men and women displayed their resolve
to obey God - Yehovah and His Son - Yeshua, through water baptism. It was
vitally important then, and is still today, to know the full Gospel, which not
only takes hearing and understanding it, but truly believing in the Kingdom of
God.
Although perfect, Jesus - Yeshua himself was baptized, but
did not need to repent. His baptism clearly displayed his obedience, and his
unique relationship with God - Yehovah, his Father. Matthew 3:16-17 says:
“After he was baptized, Jesus - Yeshua immediately got out from the water, and
heaven opened before him, and he saw God’s – Yehovah’s spirit like a dove
descending and landing on him. A voice from heaven said, ‘This is My Son, the
one I love, who pleases Me.”
Jesus - Yeshua later instructed his disciples to baptize
those who come to the knowledge of the Kingdom of God and the lord Messiah
Jesus - Yeshua (John 4:1). Certainly, we too should follow Jesus’ – Yeshua’s command
to be baptized in water, to show our dedication and commitment to the kingdom
of God to come and to obey His anointed one, the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua.
Kingdom Text #4: Acts 14:22
The fourth Kingdom text in Acts is 14:22. Please note that
the next five Kingdom texts that the writer Luke records are about the Apostle
Paul. So, five out of the eight Kingdom texts are connecting Paul with the
Gospel about the Kingdom of God. This was something that I had not thought
about before, but this is significant as we go through them.
I’d like to start in verse 21: “After they had preached the
Gospel to that city [Derbe] and had made a good number of disciples, they
returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the
disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. They said, ‘It is
through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.’”
To get a full picture of Acts 14:22, let’s look at what led
up to this in Acts 14:1-20. Paul and Barnabas spoke in the Iconium synagogues,
and a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed, but their Gospel message
stirred opposition, leading to divisions. Some sided with the Jews, and some
sided with the apostles. Hearing of threats of violence and stoning, Paul and
Barnabas fled to Lystra and Derbe, where they continued to proclaim the Gospel
of the Kingdom. Then, in Lystra, Paul healed a man who had been lame from
birth. This miracle prompted the crowd to mistakenly identify Paul and Barnabas
as Greek gods, Hermes and Zeus. (In Greek mythology, Hermes is the messenger of
the gods and Zeus is the king of the gods.) When the crowds saw what Paul had
done, they shouted, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” The priest
of the temple of Zeus brought oxen and flower wreaths for the people to offer
sacrifices to them. When Paul and Barnabas heard this, they tore their robes in
distress, and rushed into the crowd, shouting, “Why are you doing this? We too
are only men like you. We are bringing good news that you should turn from
these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and
everything in them.” Despite their efforts to redirect the crowds to worship
the one true God, opposition from Jews from Antioch and Iconium stirred the
people against them. They stoned Paul and dragged his body outside the city,
presuming he was dead. However, Paul survived, and with Barnabas, the next day
they went to another town called Derbe.
So, now we come to the Acts 14:21-22 Kingdom text: Paul and
Barnabas were preaching the Gospel in many cities and many were becoming
disciples. The first thing I’d like to point out is that we read that the
Gospel that Paul is preaching is about the Kingdom of God and going through
many tribulations to enter it. It is the same Gospel as the 12 apostles were
teaching and the same gospel that Jesus - Yeshua taught, about the Kingdom of
God. The second point is that Paul was preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom to
both Jews and Gentiles. Many church denominations today teach that there is one
Gospel for the Jews and another for the Gentiles, but that certainly isn’t the
case. And the third point is that Paul needed to strengthen and encourage these
new Christian disciples to continue in the faith since all followers of the
lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua, not just Paul, will go through many tribulations
prior to entering the Kingdom of God.
Yes, those who now believe in the Kingdom of God, and
follow and obey Jesus - Yeshua, will go through much tribulation. Just read the
book of Acts - the persecutions, trials,
suffering, and physical hardships; being imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and
opposed by Jewish leaders, Roman officials, and pagan religious believers.
Many of Paul’s letters to the various churches give
evidence that Christians will be persecuted for their belief in the Gospel of
the Kingdom. Yet Paul encourages them to remain faithful. In 2 Thessalonians
1:4-5 Paul says he “speaks proudly about you in the other called-out Assembly’s
of God - Yehovah because of your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions
and afflictions which you are enduring.” He continues, “This is evidence of the
righteous judgment of God - Yehovah, so that you will be made worthy of the
Kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.” Jesus - Yeshua also told his
disciples before he sent them out to preach, “You will be hated by all because
of my name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved”
(Matt. 10:22).
Kingdom Text #5: Acts 19:8
Paul “entered the synagogue and continued speaking out
boldly for three months, having discussions and persuading them about the
Kingdom of God.”
Here the Apostle Paul is on his third missionary journey
and is in Ephesus. And what is he doing? He is in the synagogue talking,
discussing, persuading, speaking boldly for three months about the Kingdom of
God. Not just once, but for three months. You can just imagine him, every day
publicly advocating for the Kingdom of God to everyone who was present.
Certainly, he was using the Hebrews scriptures since he was
in the synagogue and likely having discussions about the prophecies written by
Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel. In fact, all the prophets were looking towards
that restoration Kingdom hope that would start in Jerusalem and fill the entire
earth.
And God would accomplish this through a descendant of David
- the Messiah. The Jews would have been familiar with Jeremiah 23:5-6:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares Yehovah,
when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, and he will reign wisely as
king and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. In his days
Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is his name by
which he will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
After months of Paul
boldly proclaiming about the Kingdom of God, it then says, “But when they
stubbornly refused to believe, Paul then went to the lecture hall of Tyrannus
in Ephesus and continued for two years, so that all those living in the
province of Asia heard the Gospel-word of the Lord, both Jews and Gentiles”
(Acts 19:9-10).
Again, Paul continues to preach the Gospel-word of the te lord
Messiah Jesus - Yeshua. This Gospel-word includes Jesus’ – Yeshua’s death and
resurrection, along with the words Jesus - Yesua spoke and taught, the Good
News about the Kingdom of God. Paul was preaching the full Gospel - the Kingdom
of God and the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua, to both Jews and Gentiles.
Kingdom Text #6: Acts 20:24-25
“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to
myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from
the lord Jesus - Yeshua, to testify solemnly of the gospel of God’s – Yehovah’s
grace. And now I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the
Kingdom, will no longer see my face.”
These two verses go hand in hand. Paul says in the first
verse that he received from the lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of God’s –
Yehovah’s grace, and in the very next statement says he was preaching the
Kingdom. It’s unfortunate that many people read the first verse and stop there.
Paul refers to the gospel of God’s – Yehovah’s grace with the Kingdom in the
very next sentence. They are the same, equal in meaning. As the saying goes,
“Context is king.” Did you notice too that Paul said, “so that I may finish my
course and the ministry”? Paul is stating his full mission statement, his whole
ministry as “preaching the Kingdom.”
These verses reflect Paul’s deep commitment to his mission
and his awareness of the challenges ahead. Paul declares that he considers his
life worth nothing to himself, as his primary focus is to complete the task
given to him by the lord Messiah Jesus – Yeshua, testifying to the Gospel of
God’s – Yehovah’s grace, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.
He acknowledges that he will not see the people he has
preached to in the regions of Asia again, as he anticipates the hardships
awaiting him. These verses highlight Paul’s unwavering dedication to the
Kingdom hope, the Gospel of God’s – Yehovah’s grace, the salvation for mankind
through the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua. He displays selfless devotion and
courage in proclaiming the Gospel, regardless of personal cost, even in the
face of imminent trials and separation from those he loves. It’s a testimony to
faithfully obeying the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua.
The final two Kingdom texts in Acts, can be found in the
last chapter of Acts - chapter 28.
Kingdom Text #7:
Acts 28:23
“When they had set a
day for Paul, people came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was
explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the Kingdom of God and trying
to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the
Prophets, from morning until evening.”
This text describes a meeting shortly after Paul's house
arrest in Rome. Paul had a large number of Jewish leaders coming to him. These
leaders had not been informed or received letters from Judea concerning Paul’s
mistreatment by the Jews, and how he was then handed over to the Romans as a
prisoner from Jerusalem; and no one came to Rome to report anything bad about
Paul. But the Jews said that they would like to hear from Paul what his views
were regarding this religious movement, which they had heard about, and
everyone was speaking harshly against it (Acts 28:17-22)
What an opportunity for Paul! So, he explained to them and
testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them concerning Jesus
- Yeshua. He shared the message of the Gospel from morning until evening. Paul
testified about the Kingdom of God, using the Law of Moses and the Prophets to
show how they point to Jesus - Yeshua as the Messiah.
For example, Deuteronomy 18:18 says that Yehovah God told
Moses, “I will raise up for them a prophet from among their countrymen like
you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and He will speak to them everything
that I command him.”
Daniel chapter 7 describes Daniel’s vision of the “Ancient
of Days seated on His throne” with “thousands upon thousands serving Him,” and
the vision of the “Son of Man” in verses 13 and 14:
“I
kept looking in the night visions,
And
behold, with the clouds of heaven,
one
like a son of man was coming,
And
he came to the Ancient of Days,
And
was presented before Him.
To
him was given dominion, honor, and a Kingdom,
So
that all the peoples, nations, and populations
of
all languages would serve him.
His
dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which
will not pass away.
And
his Kingdom is one
Which
will not be destroyed.”
Daniel’s
vision also describes the “saints of the Highest One” receiving an everlasting
Kingdom. Daniel 7:18 says: “But the saints of the Most High will receive the
Kingdom and possess it forever - yes, forever and ever.” And again, in verse
27: “The people, the saints of the Most High, will be given dominion under the
whole heaven, taking possession of the Kingdom forever, and all nations will
serve and obey them [the saints].”
Paul’s
tireless efforts and deep knowledge were evident as he passionately tried to
persuade them about the truth of faith in God’s plan through the lord Messiah Jesus
- Yeshua. This verse highlights Paul's unwavering dedication to his mission,
even in captivity, and underscores his reliance on Scripture to bridge
understanding and invite belief. It’s a compelling testimony to perseverance
and faithfulness in sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom and the things concerning
the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua. This account then says that “some of them were
persuaded by what Paul said, but others refused to believe” (Acts 28:24).
Kingdom
Text #8: Acts 28:30-31
“Now
Paul stayed two full years in his own rented lodging, and welcomed all who came
to him, preaching the Kingdom of God and teaching the things about the lord
Messiah Jesus - Yeshua with all openness, unhindered.”
These
two verses conclude the book of Acts with the powerful purpose statement
emphasizing Paul’s unwavering commitment to preaching the Kingdom of God and
the things concerning the Lord Jesus Messiah. Still under house arrest in Rome,
Paul continued preaching the full Gospel for two years. And he welcomed all who
came; this would include both Jews and Gentiles.
It
is believed that Paul’s first and second letters to Timothy were written at
this time, when he was imprisoned in Rome at the close of his ministry. He
writes in 1 Timothy 2:3-6, referring to praying for all people in the world,
including those in authority, “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God
our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of
the truth - namely that there is one God, and one mediator between that one God
and humanity, the man the Messiah Jesus - Yeshua, who gave himself as a ransom
[as a sin-offering sacrifice] for all, the testimony given at the proper time.”
Paul’s
second letter to Timothy gives Timothy and us today a wonderful summary of the
Kingdom of God and the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua:
“Remember
the Messiah Jesus - Yeshua, resurrected from the dead, a biological descendant
of David according to my Gospel. For this Gospel I am suffering to the point of
being a criminal in chains, but the Gospel-word of God is not chained up! So, I
am enduring everything for the sake of the chosen ones, that they too may gain
salvation in the Messiah Jesus - Yeshua with its glory of the Coming Age. This
saying is trustworthy: If we died with him, we will also live with him. If we
endure, we will reign as kings with him. If we renounce him, he will renounce
us. If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, because he cannot deny himself”
(2 Timothy 2:8-13).
This
future Kingdom of God on a renewed earth will be a blessing to those who listen
to and obey God and His Son Jesus, and those who have died in the lord Messiah
Jesus - Yeshua will be resurrected from the dead. One of my favorite scriptures
is Revelation 21:4: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death
will be no more, neither mourning, nor crying, nor pain will be any more, for
the former things have passed away.”
Now
that we’ve covered the eight Kingdom texts in Acts, let’s return to the
questions posed at the beginning of this presentation:
1.
What did Jesus - Yeshua say about the Kingdom? The Kingdom of God was
Jesus’ – Yeshua’s primary focus, as he preached about it for over three years.
Jesus - Yeshua himself said it was the reason he was sent or commissioned by
God - Yehovah (Luke 4:43). It’s what he told us to pray for, and people need to
repent and believe it. He spoke about the Kingdom of God both before he was
crucified and after his resurrection and said that it would be preached to the
whole earth before his return (Matthew 24:14).
2. What is the Kingdom? The Kingdom of
God is God’s – Yehovah’s righteous rulership over all of His creation. This is
His will and plan to restore mankind and this world back to Himself. And He has
accomplished this through His uniquely begotten Son, the lord Messiah Jesus -
Yeshua, descendant of David, who is the promised King of that Kingdom. This
Kingdom will be established on the earth and will be everlasting.
3.
What is the Gospel?
The Gospel is the Good News about the Kingdom of God and includes the death,
resurrection, and future return of Jesus - Yeshua as King in that Kingdom. It
is the full life-saving Good News, the foundation of Jesus’ – Yeshua’s
teachings.
4.
What does the Kingdom have to do with salvation? Jesus - Yeshua said to
seek that Kingdom, putting it first in our lives, as well as spreading or
sowing the Kingdom Gospel “seed” throughout the world, for people to hear and
believe in order to be saved. This is what followers of Jesus - Yeshua should
be doing: heralding, proclaiming, teaching this Gospel of the Kingdom until his
return.
5.
Were the Apostles and disciples of Jesus - Yeshua preaching the same message as
Jesus – Yeshua taught? Absolutely! Jesus - Yeshua instructed his followers in
preparation for that future Kingdom of God. He opened their minds to fully
understand the Scriptures, and said he would send them the promise of his
Father, the Holy Spirit, to clothe them with power from on high. And they would
bring this Kingdom good news to both Jews and Gentiles.
6.
Why know the 8 Kingdom texts? These eight Kingdom passages in Acts each
emphasize the significance of the Kingdom of God - beginning with Jesus’ – Yeshua’s
command to proclaim the Kingdom to all nations until his return and culminating
in the Apostle Paul’s mission to share the complete Gospel.
If
you have not read the book of Acts for a while, I encourage you to read the
whole book from start to finish, all 28 chapters. The Apostles’ faith, courage
and steadfastness in the face of persecutions demonstrates the importance of
preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the lord Messiah Jesus - Yeshua.
This saving Gospel should be internalized and believed, as it means everlasting
life - the life of the age to come - and ruling the world with Jesus.²
Summary:
The 8 Kingdom
Texts in Acts
1. Acts 1:3
2. Acts 1:6
3. Acts 8:12
4. Acts 14:22
5. Acts 19:8
6. Acts 20:24-25
7. Acts 28:23
8. Acts 28:30-3
Written by Merryl DeMott, Oregon and edited by Bruce Lyon
From a presentation at the 2025 online Theological
Conference: youtube.com/focusonthekingdom
