Kingdom/Acts Overview

[0:00] By the way, I want to remind you once again that we're rapidly coming to a close of the miracles that we've been considering, and we need to know where we are going to go from here by way of what study we're going to undertake.

[0:19] So if you've given that some thought, maybe we'll have time at the end here to hear from you and what suggestions you may have.

[0:31] And I hope you're also talking among each other as to what areas of interest would be most beneficial to you. And we are trying to, the way I put it is I prefer trying to scratch where people itch.

[0:47] I don't want to scratch where I itch, but I want to scratch where you itch. And if there are areas of doctrine or difficulty or passages of scripture or whatever that you'd like to consider, throw it in the hopper and we'll round up all of that stuff and see where we come out.

[1:07] Because we will be concluding this series, I suspect, on the miracles probably about the time the summer concludes and we'll be ready for something else in the fall.

[1:20] So give that some thought and keep it in prayer if you would, please. And as we continue the miracles, we are looking at the extension of miracles as they occur in the book of Acts.

[1:39] And we are doing so because, not only because there are miracles there, and our Lord is ultimately behind all of them as He is in the Gospels, but under different circumstances.

[1:55] And I do want to point out something that is very, very important, and I'll try not to belabor the point because we've touched on it, and I don't want unnecessary review, but at the same time, repetition is the mother of learning.

[2:07] And I want you to be reminded that when our Lord uttered that prayer from the cross, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do, I think it is a given that we ought to be able to assume that that prayer was answered.

[2:27] And if that is true, and I believe it is, then what was it that Jesus was asking the Father to forgive them for? And what else could it possibly be but what they were doing to Him?

[2:42] The rejection of Him by the nation of Israel, and the treatment that He was receiving from His own countrymen to whom He came, and the Romans, pagan, heathen, who were actually physically carrying out the crucifixion.

[3:01] And our Lord, I think, was expressing and requesting a blanket forgiveness for all of those who were involved for what they were doing.

[3:12] And I cannot help but believe that the Father granted that prayer. That being the case, it is not a situation such as much of Christendom assumes that with the crucifixion of Christ, the offer and the opportunity that was extended to the nation Israel to accept Jesus as their Messiah and the beginning of the kingdom, that was off the table.

[3:41] And that was no longer available because Israel's final answer was the crucifixion and rejection of Christ. But we contend with that contention because that is not at all what the Scriptures go on to indicate.

[3:55] And the reason we say that is because on the day of Pentecost, Peter delivers a message that is very similar to what John the Baptist was delivering in that the kingdom of heaven was at hand and the only thing that was added to it, of course, was extremely important because Peter, on the day of Pentecost, could add something to his message that was so powerful that John couldn't add and that is God raised him from the dead.

[4:31] And that was the additional dynamite part of his message. He went on to proclaim Jesus as being the Messiah and the psalmist David was not talking about himself when he said he would not allow his soul to see corruption, but he was speaking of his son who would be born a thousand years later, the son of David, even Jesus of Nazareth.

[4:54] And the message connected, connected with those people. So if you will look quickly at Acts chapter 2, I want to just touch on something and I'll not belabor the point, but it is important because I think the last time we touched on this and mentioned it, not everybody that was here now was here then.

[5:14] So I want you to look at the message that he's delivering in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. And the only point I want to make, and then we'll move on, is that he does not say, and this is very important, Peter does not say what Joel spoke about, this is the fulfillment.

[5:36] And that word is used so many times in connection with the fulfillment of prophecy that it might be fulfilled by the prophet saying, doesn't it? He doesn't say that. He simply says, this is what Joel was talking about, and that had to do with, in the last days, I will pour forth of my spirit upon all mankind, your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams, even upon my bond slaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of my spirit, and they shall prophesy.

[6:10] Then, beginning with verse 19, he talks about something that was not part of it at all. I will grant wonders in the sky above, signs on the earth beneath, blood and fire, vapor of smoke, sun shall be turned into darkness, moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.

[6:31] And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. And the point I wish to make again that we made earlier is that verses 16, verses 17 and 18 were fulfilled.

[6:49] Verses 19 through 21 were not. I am telling you that there is a tremendous gap of time between verse 18 and verse 19 and we are in that gap.

[7:09] that is a period of time that is sandwiched in between there that has never yet been fulfilled and will not go there, but for reference sake, if you want to check with Matthew 24 and 25, which is the Olivet Discourse that our Lord delivered, it reinforces what he says here in verses 18 and 19, between 18 and 19.

[7:38] And it is remarkable the preciseness of this that is given. So what we are saying is that this whole passage that he is giving here is not all fulfilled, nor was Peter saying that it was.

[7:54] He was simply quoting this from Joel. And that is really important to keep in mind. And what this also indicates is you go into chapter 3 and let's come over, if we may, to chapter 3.

[8:07] Very, very important because this is after the day of Pentecost, but Peter is still in the temple and he is continuing to exercise the leadership role that Christ bestowed upon him in connection with the kingdom.

[8:25] And what this is saying, fellas, and I think this is really very, very important, but it is so often overlooked by, it is completely overlooked by Roman Catholics and it is mostly overlooked by Protestants as well.

[8:39] And that is the idea that the kingdom has come and that we are in the kingdom and that what was perceived to be a physical reality is instead a spiritual reality and we are now living in the kingdom and Christ is ruling and reigning only he's doing it from heaven and so on.

[9:04] And that is a gross, faulty assumption because what we are experiencing now on planet Earth is not even remotely resembling the characteristics that will be true when the kingdom of heaven is established on Earth.

[9:23] So what we are saying is the kingdom that John the Baptist introduced that Jesus preached, that the Twelve preached, is still available and if you look at Acts chapter 3 in his second sermon following Pentecost, we read in verse 18, the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all his prophets that his Christ should suffer, he has thus fulfilled.

[9:49] Remember we told you there are two things that have to be accomplished before the kingdom of heaven can come to Earth. And the first is the Messiah has to pay the price for the purchase of the kingdom.

[10:06] He did that. In the death that he died, he paid the ultimate price to be able to claim ownership of the Earth, but he has not claimed it.

[10:17] It is still under the dominion of Satan who is referred to as the God of this age in 2 Corinthians 4.4. So what we are saying is that Christ came and God provided him to do his part.

[10:35] Part one of the two-part plan, kingdom has to be paid for. Jesus paid for it. And what Peter is saying to Israel is two things.

[10:47] The first is Jesus has to pay the price. He did that. Which is, in essence, is saying God has fulfilled his part of the bargain.

[10:58] He is the party of the first part signing on to the agreement. Guess who the party of the second part is? Israel. Now Israel, the ball is in your court.

[11:09] Therefore, the first part, the first leg of the journey has been accomplished. Where is Israel? And in verse 18, he says that his Christ should suffer. He has thus fulfilled.

[11:22] Therefore, now it's up to you. Repent. Change your mind and return that your sins may be wiped away in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of...

[11:37] What would those times of refreshing be? That's the millennial stuff. That's the kingdom of heaven coming to earth. That's when the earth is cleansed. That's when it is purged.

[11:48] That's when it is restored to its original state when God was able to pronounce it very good. That's before the fall. And that's going to be returned to that. That's the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times.

[12:07] This is verse 20. And that he may send Jesus, the Christ, appointed for you.

[12:19] Well, when did he leave? Just, what? Fifty days before this. Fifty days before what Peter is talking about, Jesus was here.

[12:32] Then he ascended back to heaven. Now, what Peter is saying is, God will send him back. Dependent upon what? Dependent upon Israel.

[12:44] Now, after the death, burial, and resurrection, now Israel has another opportunity. In other words, the kingdom is still a viable possibility.

[12:58] So Israel, Peter is saying, what do you say? What do you say? And the text goes on to say, for you, verse 26, the end of the chapter, for you first, God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.

[13:20] This is a continuation of the miracles that Jesus performed during the gospel period when he was here on earth. And, fellas, I hope you never lose sight of this because it's really critical.

[13:33] And that is this. The miracles were part and parcel of the kingdom program because the miracles that Jesus performed were nothing more than a taste, just a taste of the reality for the whole earth that is to come.

[13:55] That's why he was able to say the kingdom of heaven is among you in his own presence. And everywhere Jesus went, he brought kingdom conditions with him by fixing everything that was broken everywhere he went, from raising the dead to giving sight to the blind and all the rest.

[14:12] That's kingdom stuff. That's the restoration of things to the original normal. And what has happened is that the planet has fallen into an abnormality and Jesus is restoring it through his miracles.

[14:29] Now, the point is, so are the apostles after Jesus goes back to heaven, which is proof positive in my estimation that the kingdom remains a possibility because the disciples, the apostles left behind, have been given authority even as Jesus gave it to them in Matthew 10 to perform miracles, to heal the sick, raise the dead and all of this good stuff.

[14:58] And that's exactly what they're doing and what the apostles are doing, they are doing for the same reason that Jesus performed miracles and that is to back up the claim about the kingdom of heaven, about it being available, about Israel able to receive it.

[15:16] And the evidence that they were giving was the miracles which were never denied. So all of these things are continuing after the ascension.

[15:27] What does that mean? That means the kingdom possibility is still optional. It's still open. But what is going to happen is that Israel, Israel, so blinded and so turned off to the Messiahship of Jesus that they rejected him and contributed to his crucifixion and as a result we've got a situation developing where the kingdom has not come to a close as a result of his crucifixion but in answer to the prayer that Christ gave from the cross it is still an open possibility.

[16:12] That's why the miracles are continuing in the book of Acts and that's why near the end of the book of Acts they're going to stop because God is extending his hand graciously for repeated opportunities for Israel to get on board as in a number of places he refers to them as surely I have stretched forth my hand to a disobedient and gainsaying people.

[16:42] What's a gainsaying people? It means they're talked back they're sassing they're defying the very authority of the one who called them into their being and God keeps holding out the olive leaf if you will for their coming to grips with who they are and what they are and receiving the Messiah reversing themselves even after he's gone back to heaven Peter's saying if you will get your act together Israel God will send him back again Roger?

[17:19] Even Stephen prayed for God to forgive him as he was being stoned Yeah that too that too is going to in fact that will be coming up shortly but we've got we've got to see this concept of the kingdom continuing and what is going to happen in connection with Peter delivering this message shortly after Pentecost to the man regarding the healing of the man who was born lame and as a result of that what's Israel going to do?

[17:54] Are they going to say well maybe we had it wrong all along maybe we ought to take another look at this maybe we ought to really think nope chapter 4 opens Peter and John are arrested and the persecution is going to continue what is all this saying?

[18:12] It is saying Israel is not about to repent they are digging in their heels and as regards the resurrection of Christ they don't even believe that what's their answer?

[18:26] Well his friends came and stole his body away in the middle of the night while the guards were sleeping they deny the resurrection and they continue in a mode of unbelief and yet the gracious hand of God continues extending to them the invitation and Israel keeps saying no we will not have this man to reign over us and God is saying with all the miracles that are being performed and these people are finding it very difficult the common people are finding it very difficult to turn a blind eye to this and many of them are coming on board but what about the shakers and movers?

[19:09] Nope they're still digging in their heels and refusing to comply and as a result what is going to happen and I don't want to get too far ahead of myself but this is important what's going to happen is God is going to say okay look Israel has been raised up going all the way back to Moses that they might be a light to the Gentiles but since Israel refuses to do that I'm going to set them aside and bring up one man who will fulfill what Israel did not do and that is be the light to the Gentiles and that one man will be the apostle Paul he's the only one who was ever called the apostle to the Gentiles and that's very very significant so with this persecution setting in and intensifying it will kind of come to a culmination with the stoning of

[20:13] Stephen and that's a very very important thing because at least on the surface it looks like Israel's final answer to God and the answer is no and the fact that these men comprising the Sanhedrin sometimes translations render it the council these are the religious shakers and movers in Israel and don't confuse these don't confuse these with the Romans this has nothing to do with the Romans that's a completely different thing altogether and the Jews are still functioning under the religious authority of the chief priests and scribes and so on and it is the Sanhedrin the most religiously respected men in all of Israel who carry out the disastrous deed of stoning

[21:15] Stephen to death after they set him up and bribe witnesses to testify that he had blasphemed God so this is the hard heartedness of the leadership of Israel digging in their heels and refusing to go along and what is God doing he is graciously extending the offer as you move through and it's going to if you look at well let's let's just come over to Acts 4 and notice if you will beginning with verse 29 now Lord take note of their threats he's talking about the leadership and grant that thy bond servants may speak thy word with all confidence while thou dost extend thy hand to heal and signs and wonders take place through the name of thy holy servant Jesus and when they had prayed the place where they had gathered together was shaken visibly

[22:19] I mean earthquake like shaken and they were all filled with the holy spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness in spite of the opposition they were receiving and we are told in verse 32 the congregation of those who believe were of one heart and one soul there was a togetherness here a solidarity not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own but all things were common property to them and with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and abundant grace was upon them all this is what I call fellas for lack of a better term I call this the foothills of the kingdom I want you to think in terms of the kingdom of heaven coming to earth as being like a mountain but as you travel across land if you're heading to a mountainous region before you get to the mountain and the highest peak there are always the foothills they are the low lying hills and mountains that you arrive at before you get to the mountain the big one and what we are seeing here are nothing more than the foothills of the kingdom and kingdom conditions being provided by these apostles and they are beginning to fulfill all of those things that were required we are told that they brought their land and their houses brought the proceeds of the sales laid them at the apostles feet distributed and so on what they're doing is nothing more than what

[24:12] Jesus told the rich young ruler to do divest yourself of your assets and give it to the poor and come and follow me that's what's going on here that's why these people are doing this they aren't doing this just because they feel good and generous they're doing it because they are responding to the conditions that Jesus required of the apostles who said we left everything and threw our lot in to follow you what are we going to get out of this what's the payoff and Jesus told them in the kingdom when the son of man sits on his throne you you twelve are going to sit on the twelve thrones of Israel judging the twelve tribes of Israel and when that kingdom is established the righteousness of God will prevail all throughout the world that's what these people are doing why do you think they're doing do you think they just had some sudden splurge of generosity no they're meeting those conditions they're trying to establish what

[25:15] Jesus was talking about and Barnabas is mentioned in verse five verse 36 there one of the apostles who's later going to become a companion of the apostle Paul and his missionary journeys and I want you to notice as we move on through here in Acts four we've got the first requirement in Acts five that incident that took place with Ananias and Sapphira who's in charge of that Peter Peter is the spokesperson and the leader of the twelve and this Ananias and Sapphira and the lands deal that they had whereby they sold the land for so much and then they pretended like they gave the whole price of the land all they were doing was lying and Peter called them on it and do you know what he did you know what he did look at what he did he literally told them to drop dead what is that when

[26:18] Jesus comes and rules in the kingdom we're told he's going to rule with a rod of iron what's that mean his scepter it means it's going to be a no nonsense kingdom it means righteousness is going to prevail and corruption will not be tolerated what is Peter doing he is invoking that and when Ananias and Sapphira drop dead as a result of that fellas that's kingdom stuff that's miraculous and instead of raising somebody from the dead Peter is as much as saying drop dead this is the rod of iron that Christ is going to use being given to Peter to demonstrate that these are the foothills of the kingdom and as we move on through the book of Acts

[27:22] I want you to notice in addition to Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 6 and 7 we've got the account that is given regarding Stephen and look at the wonders and signs in Acts chapter chapter 6 we are told that the miracles are continuing in verse 7 the word of God kept on spreading I'm in 6-7 and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith what does that mean listen that's really going to get the attention of the Sanhedrin because the priests many of the priests are coming on board and Stephen full of grace and power was performing great wonders and signs among the people that's nothing more than the earthly ministry of

[28:33] Jesus being continued through the delegated power and authority he gave to the apostles and by the way guys let me just inject this if you do not see the distinctions that we're talking about you can understand how and why it is our Pentecostal brethren focus on this as well as they do with the tongues in chapter 2 and the miracles that are going on here they do not see the division that we are making between the kingdom and the church and they lump all of this together and that's why they believe that the only real demonstration for the believer today is to speak in languages that they have not learned speaking in tongues and have the faith to perform miracles and this by the way has been picked up on by the evangelists who go around the country preaching and teaching their miracles and taking the big offerings and all the rest and it's all based on this and it's based on a misunderstanding of this and most of these people believe this and do this in good faith

[29:49] I don't question their sincerity at all there are some who of course use it as a tool for just personal selfish gain and the whole thing is a con and there have been some who have even been jailed because of that so these miracles are an indication that the kingdom possibility is still there and the opportunity is extended to Israel and the idea is for Israel to pick up on these miracles and come to the conclusion this really is a God thing we need to get with it but the leadership still said no and they are the ones that sandwiched Stephen and had him executed and they themselves were the ones who cast the stones that killed him as you move on through in Acts chapter 7 we've got

[30:56] Stephen and the risen Jesus because Stephen as he is dying we are told that as they had driven him in verse 58 of chapter 7 they began stoning him and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul and this Saul of course will be Paul the apostle who's going to surface in the very next chapter and he is seeing none other than the Lord in connection with that and the persecution becomes concentrated in the person of Saul of Tarsus it's going to continue so with the stoning of Stephen it can't get any worse than that oh yes it can and his name is Saul of Tarsus he is going to take the leadership position in intensifying the persecution until God says that's enough and the least likely man in all the world the chief persecutor is going to become the chief proclaimer what a turnaround if our estimation of this is correct the stoning of

[32:19] Stephen indicates God is doing a whole new thing and he's going to use this most unlikely individual Saul of Tarsus to be his point man in fact that is going to be so otherworldly so unlikely that when Saul begins his ministry the Christians don't even believe him maybe they're thinking that not even God could convert a man like Saul of Tarsus but he did and Saul was beginning to preach Jesus and the people were shy and staying away from him because they thought it was probably a trap and there was only one guy who would give him any credence at all and his name was Barnabas and he came alongside

[33:19] Saul and he said brother welcome to the family I believe you you are a trophy of God's grace and Barnabas is called the son of consolation or the son of the comforter and this is God's in my estimation providing a time for the first eight chapters of the book of Acts that the door is still open to Israel if they will just walk through it and Israel said no and they slammed the door and as a result God says I raised you up to be a light to the Gentiles you refuse to do it you will not even be a light to your own people I I am going to ring up someone else and send them to be a light to the Gentiles and Paul becomes the apostle to the Gentiles this is one of the most amazing transitions that has ever occurred and it's right here before our very eyes so all of this constitutes a reprieve even after

[34:28] Israel crucified the Messiah there is still an opportunity open for them and as a result there are some references that I'd like to give you but I'm not going to ask you to turn to them for time sake but for those who are taking notes in connection with Gentiles being given the light in Isaiah 42 and verse 6 chapter 49 verses 6 and 22 chapter 60 verse 3 61 verse 6 and 9 chapter 62 and verse 2 Hosea 8 8 Joel 3 9 all of these have to do with the testimony that God is going to make available to of all people Gentiles and as you go through the whole Old Testament and all up into the Gospels what interest do you see there and what provision is made for the

[35:29] Gentiles zero none only a promise but nothing fulfilled only a promise and now God is making good on the promise in that he is raising up Saul even as Isaiah predicted a light for the Gentiles 700 years before Jesus was ever born and as well with these other prophets so Israel is going to be set aside and I want to close our study this morning and try to have some time for Q&A with the most enlightening commentary on what we are talking about in Romans chapter 9 10 and 11 and I want you to focus especially on chapter 11 as the apostle Paul says I say then God has not rejected his people has he may it never be for

[36:30] I too am an Israelite a descendant of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew or do you not know what the scripture says in the passage about Elijah how he pleads with God against Israel Lord they've killed thy prophets they've torn down thine altars and I alone am left they are seeking my life but what is the divine promise to him I've kept for myself 7,000 men who have not bowed the knee to Baal so as you read on in verse 11 chapter says I say then Israel in their fall he said they did not stumble so as to fall did they well they did fall but what he's saying is their stumbling and falling is not a fall that is complete and permanent is it no they did stumble and they did fall and they are down but they're not out and to make a long story short

[37:40] Judaism as a religion is over it's done with God is finished with Judaism as a religion as a result of the veil in the temple being rent when Christ was crucified he's done with mosaic Judaism but a new and living way has been provided through the death burial and resurrection of Christ so while Judaism is over and done with the Jew is not there's the difference the religion of Judaism is defunct they have no altar they have no sacrifice they have no temple they have no legal scriptural basis for practicing Judaism it's gone by design the veil in the temple was rent but that doesn't mean Israel as a nation does not have a future because they have a wonderful bright future and it will be culminated when

[38:49] Jesus Christ returns may it never be but by their transgression that is by Israel's transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles to make them jealous how about that what a switch who in the world would have thought when Paul writes to the Gentiles in Ephesus he says let me remind you people that before you came to faith in Christ you were separated from God separated from the covenants of promise you had no hope and without God in this world that was the plight of the Gentiles and now Paul is saying but now but now you are not only accepted by God but you are put on the same plane along with Jew and Gentile to make one new man but

[39:49] God that changed everything as he wrote to the Ephesians he says you before formerly were without God without hope in this world you were of all men most miserable and that all changed as a result of Israel being set aside and you Gentiles being taken up what a miraculous thing and you know what that this is going to be provided for the Gentiles is never mentioned in the Old Testament that they are going to receive life and that light will be provided for them that is mentioned but so far as they're being put on a plane and on a level with God's chosen people the Jew and being so that there is no distinction no separation between Jew Gentile bond free male or female you are all children but God by faith in Christ Jesus this is a bombshell that is hitting the first century and fellas we need to understand that the confusion that existed back then still does 2000 years later the confusion is still there let me give you a case in point come back to Rome

[41:09] I'm sorry come back to Acts chapter I think it's chapter let me see if it hasn't moved chapter 21 this is very very enlightening Paul has had he's completed his third missionary journey okay and he's going to Jerusalem he's going to be going to Jerusalem for the last time and when he's there he's going to be arrested and all the rest of and it's the beginning of the end for Paul and we are told that when he arrives in Jerusalem that they are greeting him and in verse 20 they said and when they heard it that is I'm sorry let's look at verse 19 Paul's the text says and after he that is Paul after Paul had greeted them he began to relate one by one the things which

[42:10] God hath done among the Gentiles through his ministry and he's a Jew apostle to the Gentiles and he is talking to fellow Jews who have also already embraced Jesus as their Messiah these are believing Jews just like Paul is and look at this verse 20 says and when they heard it they began glorifying God and they said to him that is these believing Jews said to Paul you see brother Paul how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed what's that mean that means exactly what it says these are Jews who have been added to the number of Jews who believed on Pentecost the 3,000 and later another 2,000 this the miracles are going on and they continue to preach Jesus and his resurrection and even though the leadership of

[43:15] Israel shakers and movers are still refusing to get on board many of the people are and we are told that there are thousands among the Jews of those who have believed and look at this and they are all zealous for the law what what are they doing zealous for the law when is this listen this is years after the conversion of Saul of Tarsus he's had three missionary journeys this is approximately 20 years after the resurrection and these people are zealous for the law where is grace in this why are they zealous for the law because they are Jews and they are still fixated on the law of Moses but haven't they believed haven't they believed Jesus was the

[44:26] Messiah yes they have but did that do away with the synagogue and everything nope they're continuing tradition tradition they're continuing right on with that and it is going to be something that God will eventually bring the hammer down when Jerusalem is destroyed in 70 AD so what we've got here is a mix do you think for a moment that these Jews who are zealous for the law do you think that they are continuing to circumcise their children absolutely do you think they're continuing to observe the Sabbath absolutely what's going on here the grace provision has not been introduced or understood so what we've got and fellas this really adds to confusion in Christendom because you've got both programs side by side both of them being preached and this is what Paul will be talking about in Galatians chapter 2 when he gets together and he confronts Peter and the other apostles and he says they gave to me the right hand of fellowship and this is really important stuff it's found in Galatians 2 we won't turn there for time's sake but Paul said that it was decided that they would continue their ministry to the Jew that is Peter and the 12 apostles to whom Jesus originally raised up and by the way what did

[46:08] Jesus tell them in the beginning don't go to the Gentiles confine your ministry to Israel now what's he telling Paul go to the Gentiles and he says I will show him what great things he must suffer for my sake and he will bear witness to my name to the children of Israel the Jew and to the Gentiles and to kings and that was going to be the ministry of Paul completely different so we've got Peter and the 12 and they're preaching the kingdom message to the Jews and do you think for a moment that when Paul the apostle goes in to Gentile territory that he is preaching to these non-Jews a Jewish message of course not what's he preaching to them he's preaching to them believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved wow now we've got both of these programs the ministry of the 12 continues through these to the

[47:20] Jew and we've got Paul with his ministry going to the Gentiles now let me ask you a question what do you think is going through the minds of the Jews when they hear what Paul has been preaching to the Gentiles wait a minute you're telling these Gentiles to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved what about the Sabbath what about circumcision you can't you can't just bypass all of those things and just tell these Gentiles uncircumcised dogs that they can become right with God just on the basis of believing on Jesus as their Savior and Messiah Paul is teaching against the law kill him that was their response and that they attempted to do on numerous occasions and stoned him and beat him and you know the story other comments or questions anybody well

[48:34] Roger repeat the verses about Isaiah yeah okay Isaiah 42 and verse 6 chapter 49 verse 6 and verse 22 chapter 60 verse 3 chapter 61 verses 6 and 9 chapter 62 verse 2 Hosea 8 8 and Joel 3 9 and that's not all of them that's just some that I thought we might take time to turn to but we don't have the time so anyway anything else you want to mention or questions anybody yeah how do you talk about Jesus bought the kingdom back or whatever and then we also have paradise lost with Adam in the garden and then paradise regained is that connected to the cross the paradise regained paradise regained will be the kingdom will be the millennial kingdom when the broken paradise will be fixed will be restored it will be the times of refreshing that Peter is speaking of it will be the time of rejuvenation it will be the time where the earth will be fixed and humanity will be fixed and that's going to be that will be the kingdom of heaven come to earth and it will be so that the will of God will be done on earth as it is in heaven unless you've got an imagination the likes of which I can't fathom you believe that now

[50:28] I just can't see it yes Larry but all was to go to the Gentiles but yet whenever he went to a synagogue he would go to the synagogue he went to the Jews yes well he was raised up and it's made quite clear yeah absolutely and when when when he raised him up he took the Lord told Ananias this is when this is when Saul of Tarsus is sitting in the house of Judas a different Judas of course and we are told Ananias is to go and lay his hands on him and Paul and the Lord tells Ananias Ananias doesn't want to do it he says you're not talking about the same Saul that I am yeah yeah he's a guy and he says for I will show him what great things he must suffer for my name now why why is

[51:33] God calling him to suffer because he's going to send him into a hostile element and what will that be that will be humanity and humanity in general is hostile toward the plan and program of God and we still are we still are and he says I will send him to the Gentiles and to the Jews and to kings and priests to everybody so it's a marvelous thing but it is a transition that is developing and guys we have to keep in mind that what we are just sharing with you is taking place over a period of years not days or weeks but years and the acts of the apostles consumes about 30 to 35 years in toll and things are really changing and it's a time of transition upheaval confusion chaos and all that went with it