Stephen's speech - Acts 7:35-54 - N. T. - 

It was the same Moses that they had disowned when they said, "Who appointed you to be our leader and judge? who was now sent to be both leader and redeemer through the angel who had appeared to him in the bush. It was Moses who, after performing miracles and signs in Egypt, led them out across the Red Sea and through the wilderness for forty years. It was Moses who told the sons of Israel, "God will raise up a prophet like myself for you from among your own brothers". When they held the assembly in the wilderness it was only through Moses that our ancestors could communicate with the angel who had spoken to him on Mount Sinai; it was entrusted with words of life to hand on to us. This is the man that our ancestors refused to listen to: they push him aside, turned back to Egypt in their thoughts, and said to Aaron, "Make some gods to be our leaders; we do not understand what has come over this Moses who led us out of Egypt". It was then that they made a bull calf and offered sacrifice to the idol. They were perfectly happy with something they had made for themselves. God turned away from them and abandoned them to the worship of the army of heaven, as scripture says in the book of the prophets: 

                  Did you bring me victims and sacrifices in the wilderness                                                                            for all those forty years, you House of Israel?                                                                                               No, you carried the tent of Moloch on your shoulders                                                                                   and the star of the god Rephan,                                                                                                                     those idols that you had made to adore.                                                                                                         So now I will exile you even further than Babylon. 

'While they were in the desert our ancestors possessed the Tent of Testimony that had been constructed according to the instruction God gave to Moses. Telling him to make an exact copy of the pattern he had been shown. It was handed down from one ancestor of ours to another until Joshua brought it into the country we had conquered from the nations which were driven out by God as we advanced. Here it stayed until the time of David. He won God's favour and asked permission to have a temple built for the House of Jacob, though it was Solomon who actually built God's house for him. Even so the Most High does not live in a house that human hands have built: for as the prophet say:

                                        With heaven my throne                                                                                                                                    and earth my footstool,                                                                                                                                    what house could you build me,                                                                                                                      what place could you make for my rest?                                                                                                        Was not all this made by my hand?                                

'You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? In the past they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers. You who had the Law brought to you by angels are the very ones who have not kept it.'

They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at Stephen.

Cf. - Exodus 2:14; 7:3 - O. T. - 'And who appointed you' the man retorted, 'to be prince over us, and judge? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?' Moses was frightened. 'Clearly that business has come to light' he thought. I myself will make Pharaoh's heart stubborn, and perform many a sign and wonder in the land of Egypt.

Cf. - Numbers 14:32-33 - O. T. - As for you, your dead bodies will fall in this wilderness, and your sons will be nomads in the wilderness for forty years, bearing the weight of your faithlessness, until the last of you lies dead in the desert.

Cf. - Amos 5:25 - O. T. - Did you bring me sacrifice and oblation in the wilderness for all those forty years, House of Israel?

Cf. - Deuteronomy 18:15,18; 4:10; 9:10; 18:16 - O. T. - Yahweh your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself, from among yourselves, from your own brothers; to him you must listen.

Cf. - John 1:17 - N. T. - Since, though the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.

Cf. - Galatians 3:19-21 - N. T. - What then was the purpose of adding the Law? This was done to specify crimes, until the posterity came to whom the promise was addressed. The Law was promulgated by angels, assisted by an intermediary. Now there can only be an intermediary between two parties, yet God is one. Does this mean that there is opposition between the Law and the promises of God? Of course not. 

Cf. - Numbers 14:3 - O. T. - Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, only you have us fall by the sword, and our wives and young children seized as booty? Should we not do better to go back to Egypt? 

Cf. - Exodus 32:1,23; 32:4,6 - O. T. - When the people saw that Moses was a long time before coming down the mountains, they gathered round Aaron and said to him, 'Come, make us a god to go at the head of us; this Moses, the man who brought us up from Egypt, we do not know what has become of him. Aaron answered. You know yourself how prone this people is to evil. So I said to them, "Who has gold?" and they took it off and brought it to me. I threw it into the fire and out came this calf. And so, early the next day they offer holocausts and brought communion sacrifices; then all the people sat down to eat and drink, and afterwards got up to amuse themselves. 

- Cf. - Amos 5:25-27 - O. T. - Did you bring me sacrifice and oblation in the wilderness for all those forty years. House of Israel? Now you must shoulder Sakkuth your king and Kaiwan your god, those idols you have made for yourselves; for I mean to take you far beyond Damascus into exile, says Yahweh - God of Sabaoth is his name.

Cf. - Exodus 25:40 - O. T. - The table for the offertory bread - The lamp-stand - The tabernacle. Fabrics and hangings - The framework - The veil - ... See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

Cf. - Hebrews 8:5 - N. T. - These only maintain the service of a model or a reflection of the heavenly realities. For Moses, when he had the Tent to build, was warned by God who said: See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

Cf. - Psalm 132:5 - O. T. - Until he had found a place for Yahweh, a home for the Mighty One of Jacob.

Cf. - 1 Kings 6:2 - O. T. - The Temple that king Solomon built for Yahweh was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide and twenty-five in height.

Cf. - Acts 17:24 - 

Cf. - Hebrews 9:11-12,24 - N. T. - But now Christ has come, as the high priest of all the blessings which were to come. He has passed through the greater, the more perfect tent, which is better than the one made by men's hands because it is not of this created order; and he has entered the sanctuary once and for all, taking with him not the blood of goats and bull calves, but his own blood, having won an eternal redemption for us. It is not as though Christ had entered a man-made sanctuary which was only modelled on the real one; but it was heaven itself, so that he could appear in the actual presence of God on our behalf.

Cf. - Isaiah 66:1-2 - O. T. - Thus says Yahweh: With heaven my throne and earth my footstool, what house could you build for me, what place could you make for my rest? All of this was made by my hand and all of this is mine - it is Yahweh who speaks. But my eyes are drawn to the man of humbled and contrite spirit, who tremble at my word.

Cf. - Exodus 33:3-4 - O. T. - Go on to the land where milk and honey flow. I shall not go with you myself - you are a headstrong people - or I might exterminate you on the way. On hearing these stern words the people went into mourning, no one wore his ornaments. 

Cf. - 2 Chronicles 30:7-8; 36:14-16 - O. T. - Do not be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, and whom he handed over to destruction, as you can see. Do not be stubborn now as your ancestors were. Yield to Yahweh, come to his sanctuary which he has consecrated for ever. Serve Yahweh your God and he will turn his fierce anger from you. Furthermore, all the heads of the priesthood, and the people too, added infidelity, copying all the shameful practices of the nations and defiling the Temple that Yahweh had consecrated for himself in Jerusalem. Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, tirelessly sent them messenger after messenger, since he wished to spare his people and his house. But they ridiculed the messengers of God, they despised his words, they laughed at his prophets, until at last the wrath of Yahweh rose so high against his people that there was no further remedy. 

Cf. - Isaiah 63:10 - O. T. - But they rebelled, they grieved his holy spirit. Then he turned enemy, and himself waged war on them.

Cf. - Jeremiah 4:4+ - O. T. - Circumcise yourselves for Yahweh; off with the foreskin of your hearts (men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem), lest my wrath should leap out like a fire, and burn with no one to quench it, in return for the wickedness of your deeds. 

Cf. - Matthew 23:34-35 - N. T. - This is why, in my turn, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes: some you will slaughter and crucify, some you will scourge in your synagogues and hunt from town to town; and so you will draw down on yourselves the blood of every holy man that has been shed on earth, from the blood of Abel the Holy to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

Cf. - John 8:44 - N. T. - The devil is your father, and you prefer to do what your father wants. He was a murderer from the start; he was never grounded in the truth; there is no truth in him at all: when he lies he is drawing on his own store, because he is a liar, and the father of lies. 

Cf. - Acts 2:23+; 3:14+; 7:38+ -                 -  PAGE  105  -

The stoning of Stephen, Saul as persecutor

But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven...       -  PAGE  106  -

'Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?'

It is the Lord Jesus Christ that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. - Acts 10:43 - 

How? And in what way, when it come to understanding matters: What I was always being told is: There are ways and preferences to comprehend all matters, whether it is of spirituality and unspirituality. Firstly, in a literally manner: That is, used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true. Secondly, in a humanly manner: That is, from a human point of view, in a humanly manner, by human means; within ability; with human feeling and kindness. Thirdly, in a spiritually manner: That is, in a way that relates to or affects the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. Finally, in an unspiritual manner: That is, not spiritual. But secular, worldly and diabolical.

WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Hence, these two books (The Gospel According To Apostle/Saint Luke & The Acts Of The Apostles) of the New Testament were closely associated, and being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity'. Therefore, I faithfully believe that it is utmost importance for us; all human beings to comprehend these two books, [ All the others Old Testament and New Testament books are equally importance, but as for now, we will start studying and read these two books first, that is, being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity', before continuing the other books.] to the best of our knowledge and enabling our spirit to acknowledges: "Who is God, and how, and in what ways, that is, God is with us." Amen!  

IF WE LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND IN LOVE, WE SHALL GROW IN ALL WAYS INTO CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD BY WHOM THE WHOLE BODY IS FITTED AND JOINED TOGETHER, EVERY JOINT ADDING ITS OWN STRENGTH, FOR EACH SEPARATE PART TO WORK ACCORDING TO IT FUNCTION. SO THE BODY GROWS UNTIL IT HAS BUILT ITSELF UP, IN LOVE." - EPHESIANS 4:15-16 -

"I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE / SHE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE." - JOHN 16:12-15 -

Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 
By bank transfer/cheque deposit:

Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah

Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113                                                                Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

Stephen's speech - Acts 7:1-34 - N. T. -

The high priest asked, 'Is this true?' Stephen replied, 'My brothers, my fathers, listen to what I have to say. The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham, while he was in Mesopotamia before settling in Haran, and said to him, "Leave your country and your family and to go to the land I will show you". So he left Chaldaea and settled in Haran; and after his father died God made him leave Haran and come to this land where you are living today. God did not give him a single square foot of this land to call his own, yet he promised to give it to him and after him to his descendants, childless though he was. The actual words God used when he spoke to him are that his descendants would be exiles in a foreign land, where they would be slaves and oppressed for four hundred years. But I will pass judgement on the nation that enslaves them" God said "and after this they will leave, and worship me in this place."  Then he made the covenant of circumcision: so when his son Isaac was born he circumcised him on the eighth day. Isaac did the same for Jacob, and Jacob for the twelve patriarchs.

'The patriarchs were jealous of Joseph and sold him into slavery in Egypt. But God was with him, and rescued him from all his miseries by making him wise enough to attract the attention of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who made him governor of Egypt and put him in charge of the royal household. Then a famine came that caused suffering throughout Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find nothing to eat. When Jacob heard that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on a first visit, but it was on the second that Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and told Pharaoh about his family. Joseph then sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, a total of seventy-five people. Joseph went down into Egypt and after he and our ancestors had died there, their bodies were brought back to Shechem and buried in the tomb that Abraham had bought and paid for from the sons of Hanor, the father of Shechem. 

As the time drew near for God to fulfil the promise he had solemnly made to Abraham, our nation in Egypt grew larger and larger, until a new king came to power in Egypt who knew nothing of Joseph. He exploited our race, and ill-treated our ancestors, forcing them to expose their babies to prevent their surviving. It was at this period that Moses was born, a fine child and favoured by God. He was looked after for three months in his father's house, and after he had been exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. So Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians and became a man with power both in his speech and his actions.

At the age of forty Moses decided to visit his countrymen, the sons of Israel. When he saw one of them being ill-treated he went to his defence and rescued the man by killing the Egyptian. He thought his brothers realised that through him God would liberate them, but they did not. The next day, when he came across some of them fighting, he tried to reconcile them. 'Friends,' he said 'you are brothers; why are you hurting each other?' But the man who was attacking his fellow countryman push him aside. 'And who appointed you' he said 'to be our leader and judge? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' Moses fled when he heard this and he went to stay in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

Forty years later, in the wilderness near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to him in the flames of a bush that was on fire. Moses was amazed by what he saw. As he went nearer to look at it the voice of the Lord was heard. "I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob". Moses trembled and did not dare to look anymore. The Lord said to him, "Take off your shoes; the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have seen the way my people are ill-treated in Egypt, I have heard their groans, and I have come down to liberate them. So come here and let me send you into Egypt."

Cf. - Psalm 29:3a,c,4 - O. T. - The voice of Yahweh over the waters! Yahweh over the multitudinous waters! The voice of Yahweh in power! The voice of Yahweh in splendour! 

Cf. - Genesis 12:1,7-9 - O. T. - Yahweh said to Abram, 'Leave your country, and your father's house, for the land I will show you.' Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, 'It is to your descendants that I will give this land'. So Abram built there an altar for Yahweh who had appeared to him. From there he moved on to the mountainous districts east of Bethel, where he pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and invoked the name of Yahweh. Then Abram made his way stage by stage to the Negeb. 

Cf. -Genesis 15:2,13-14 - O. T. - 'My Lord Yahweh.' Abram replied 'what do you intend to give me? I go childless...' Then Yahweh said to Abram, 'Know this for certain, that your descendants will be exiles in a land not their own, where there will be slaves and oppressed for four hundred years. But I will pass judgement also on the nation that enslaves them and after that they will leave, with many possessions. 

Cf. - Exodus 3:12 - O. T. - 'I shall be with you,' was the answer 'and this is the sign by which you shall know that it is I who have sent you... After you have led the people out of Egypt, you are to offer worship to God on this mountain.'

Cf. - Genesis 17:10; 21:4 - O. T. - Now this is my Covenant which you are to maintain between myself and you, and your descendants after you: all your males must be circumcised. Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Cf. - John 7:22 - N. T. - Moses ordered you to practise circumcision - not that it began with him, it goes back to the patriarchs - and you circumcise on the Sabbath.  

Cf. - Genesis 37:11,28; 39:2-3 - O. T. - His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the thing in mind. Now some Midianite merchants were passing, and they drew Joseph up out of the well. They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites for twenty silver pieces, and these men took Joseph to Egypt. Yahweh was with Joseph, and everything went well with him. He lodged in the house of his Egyptian master, and when his master saw how Yahweh was with him and how Yahweh made everything succeed that he turned his hand to, he was pleased with Joseph and made him his personal attendant. 

Cf. - Acts 21:23 -

Cf. - Genesis 41:54-55; 42:5,2 - O. T. - There was famine in every country, but there was bread to be had throughout the land of Egypt. When the whole country began to feel the famine, the people cried out to Pharaoh for bread. But Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, 'Go to Joseph and do what he tells you. Israel's sons with others making the same journey went to buy grain, for there was famine in the land of Canaan. I hear' Jacob said 'that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may survives and not die.

Cf. - Genesis 45:1; 46:27+; 50:13 - O. T. - Then Joseph could not control his feelings in front of all his retainers, and he exclaimed, 'Let everyone leave me'. No one therefore was present with him while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. Joseph's sons born to him in Egypt were two in number. The member of the family of Jacob who went to Egypt totalled seventy. His sons did what he had ordered them to do for him. His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave in the field at Machpelah opposite Mamre, which Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial-plot.

Cf. - Exodus 1:7-8,10-11,22; 2:2 - O. T. - But the sons of Israel were fruitful and grew in numbers greatly; they increased and grew immensely powerful that they filled the land. Then there came to power in Egypt a new king who knew nothing of Joseph. We must be prudent and take steps against their increasing any further, or if war should break out, they might add to the number of our enemies. They might take arms against us and so escape out of the country. Accordingly, they put slave-drivers over the Israelites to wear them down under heavy loads. In this way they built the store-cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh.

Cf. - Hebrews 11:23 - N. T. - It was by faith that Moses, when he was born, was hidden by his parents for three months; they defied the royal edict when they saw he was such a fine child.

Cf. - Exodus 2:5,10 - O. T. - Now Pharaoh's daughter went down to bathe in the river, and the girls attending her were walking along the riverside. Among the reeds she noticed the basket, and she sent her maid to fetch it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter who treated him like a son; she named him Moses because she said, 'I drew him out of the water'.

Cf. - Luke 24:18-20 - N. T. - Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, 'You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days'. 'What things?' Jesus asked. 'All about Jesus of Nazareth' they answered 'who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. 

Cf. - Exodus 2:11-15; 3:1-2,4,6,5,7-8,10 - O. T. - Moses, a man by now, set out at this time to visit his countrymen, and he saw what a hard life they were having; and he saw an Egyptian strike a Hebrew, one of his countrymen. Looking round he could see no one in sight, so he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. On the following day he came back, and there were two Hebrews, fighting. He said to the man who was in the wrong, 'What do you mean by hitting your fellow countrymen?' 'And who appointed you' the man retorted, 'to be prince over us, and judge? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?' Moses was frightened. 'Clearly that business has come to light' he thought. When Pharaoh heard of the matter he would have killed Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and made for the land of Midian. And he sat down beside a well. 

Moses was looking after the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law priest of Midian. He led his flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of Yahweh appeared to him in the shape of a flame of fire,....... And now the cry of the sons of Israel has come to me, and I have witnessed the way in which the Egyptians oppress them, so come, I send you to Pharaoh to bring the sons of Israel, my people, out of Egypt.        -  PAGE  104  -

Stephen's speech - Acts 7:35-54 - N. T. - 

It was the same Moses...                     -  PAGE  105  -

'Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?'

It is the Lord Jesus Christ that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. - Acts 10:43 - 

How? And in what way, when it come to understanding matters: What I was always being told is: There are ways and preferences to comprehend all matters, whether it is of spirituality and unspirituality. Firstly, in a literally manner: That is, used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true. Secondly, in a humanly manner: That is, from a human point of view, in a humanly manner, by human means; within ability; with human feeling and kindness. Thirdly, in a spiritually manner: That is, in a way that relates to or affects the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. Finally, in an unspiritual manner: That is, not spiritual. But secular, worldly and diabolical.

WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Hence, these two books (The Gospel According To Apostle/Saint Luke & The Acts Of The Apostles) of the New Testament were closely associated, and being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity'. Therefore, I faithfully believe that it is utmost importance for us; all human beings to comprehend these two books, [ All the others Old Testament and New Testament books are equally importance, but as for now, we will start studying and read these two books first, that is, being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity', before continuing the other books.] to the best of our knowledge and enabling our spirit to acknowledges: "Who is God, and how, and in what ways, that is, God is with us." Amen!  

IF WE LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND IN LOVE, WE SHALL GROW IN ALL WAYS INTO CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD BY WHOM THE WHOLE BODY IS FITTED AND JOINED TOGETHER, EVERY JOINT ADDING ITS OWN STRENGTH, FOR EACH SEPARATE PART TO WORK ACCORDING TO IT FUNCTION. SO THE BODY GROWS UNTIL IT HAS BUILT ITSELF UP, IN LOVE." - EPHESIANS 4:15-16 -

"I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE / SHE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE." - JOHN 16:12-15 -

Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 
By bank transfer/cheque deposit:

Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah

Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113                                                                Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

 

                                          -    II. THE EARLIEST MISSIONS     -  

The institution of the Seven - Acts 6:1-7 - N. T. -

About this time, the number of disciples was increasing, the Helenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves even men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word'. 

The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of  Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.

Cf. - Acts 2:41+; 2:45 -

Cf. - Exodus 18:16-23 - O. T. - When they have some dispute they come to me, and I settle the differences between the one and the other and instruct them in God's statutes and his decisions. 'It is not right' the father-in-law of Moses said to him 'to take this on yourself. You will tire yourself out, you and the people with you. The work to too heavy for you. You cannot do it alone. Take my advice, and God will be with you. You ought to represent the people before God and bring their disputes to him. Teach them the statutes and the decisions; show them the way they must follow and what their course must be. 

But choose from the people at large some capable and God-fearing men, trustworthy and incorruptible, and appoint them as leaders of the service of the people to administer justice at all times. They can refer all difficult questions to you, but all smaller questions they will decide for themselves, so making things easier for you and sharing the burden with you. If you do this - and they may God so command you - you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.' 

Cf. - Numbers 27:16-20; 1:1-19 - O. T. - Yahweh answered Moses, 'Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom the spirit dwells. Lay your hands on him. Then bring him before Eleazar the priest and the whole community, to give him your orders in their presence and to give him a share of tour authority, so that the whole community of the sons of Israel  may obey him. Yahweh spoke to Moses,..: Take a census of the whole community... These are the names of these who are to be your helpers: For Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur. For Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai....... As Yahweh had commanded, Moses took a census of them in the wilderness of Sinai.

Cf. - Isaiah 11:2-4 - O. T. - On him the spirit of Yahweh rests, a spirit of wisdom and insight, a spirit of counsel and power, a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Yahweh. (The fear of Yahweh is his breath.) he does not judge by appearances, he gives no verdict on hearsay, but judges the wretched with integrity, and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land. His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless, his sentences bring death to the wicked.  

Cf. - 1 Timothy 3:8-11 - N. T. - In the same way, deacons must be respectable men whose word can be trusted, moderate in the amount of wine they drink and with no squalid greed for money. They must be conscientious believers in the mystery of the faith. They are to be examined first. and only admitted to serve as deacons if there is nothing against them. In the same way, the women must be respectable, not gossips but sober and quite reliable. 

Cf. - Acts 1:14; 2:42; 8:5; 21:8; 13:3 -

Cf. - 1 Timothy 4;14-16 - N. T. - You have in you a spiritual gift which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the body of elders laid hands on you; do not let it lie unused. Think hard about all this, and put it into practice, and everyone will be able to see how you are advancing. Take great care about what you do and what you teach; always do this, and in this way you will save both yourself and those who listen to you. 

Cf. - Acts 2:41+; 12:24; 13:49; 19:20 -

Cf. - Romans 1:5-7 -N. T. - Through the Lord Jesus Christ we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagans nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, then, who are God's beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace.  

Stephen's arrest - Acts 6:8-15 - N. T. -

Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But then certain people came forward to debate with Stephen, some from Cyrene and Alexandria who were members of the synagogue called the Synagogue of Freedmen, and others from Cilicia and Asia. They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted what he said. So they procured some men to say, 'We heard him using blasphemous language against Moses and against God'. Having in this way turned the people against him as well as the elders and scribes, they took Stephen by surprise, and arrested him and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 

There they put up false witnesses to say, 'This man is always making speeches against this Holy Place and the Law. We have heard him say that Jesus the Nazarene is going to destroy this Place and alter the traditions that Moses handed down to us.' The members of the Sanhedrin all looked intently at Stephen, and his face appeared to them like the face of an angel.

Cf.  - Acts 1:8 - 

Cf. - Luke 21:14-15 - N. T. - Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. 

Cf. - Acts 21:21 - 

Cf. - Matthew 2:23+; 26:59-64 - N. T. - The chief priests and the whole of Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus, however false, on which they might pass the death-sentence. But they could not find any, though several lying witnesses came forward. Eventually two stepped forward, and made a statement, 'This man said, "I have power to destroy the Temple of God and in three days build it up"', The high priest then stood up and said to Jesus, 'Have you no answer to that? What is this evidence these men are bringing against you?' But Jesus was silent. 

And the high priest said to him, 'I put you on oath by the living God to tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God', 'The words are your own' answered Jesus. 'Moreover, I tell you that from this time onward you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.' 

Cf. - Luke 4:20-22 - N. T. - Jesus the rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, 'This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen'. And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.                      -  PAGE  103  -

Stephen's speech

The high priest asked, 'Is this true?'...      -  PAGE  104  -

'Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?'

It is the Lord Jesus Christ that all the prophets bear this witness: that all who believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven through his name. - Acts 10:43 - 

How? And in what way, when it come to understanding matters: What I was always being told is: There are ways and preferences to comprehend all matters, whether it is of spirituality and unspirituality. Firstly, in a literally manner: That is, used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true. Secondly, in a humanly manner: That is, from a human point of view, in a humanly manner, by human means; within ability; with human feeling and kindness. Thirdly, in a spiritually manner: That is, in a way that relates to or affects the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. Finally, in an unspiritual manner: That is, not spiritual. But secular, worldly and diabolical.

WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. - Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Hence, these two books (The Gospel According To Apostle/Saint Luke & The Acts Of The Apostles) of the New Testament were closely associated, and being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity'. Therefore, I faithfully believe that it is utmost importance for us; all human beings to comprehend these two books, [ All the others Old Testament and New Testament books are equally importance, but as for now, we will start studying and read these two books first, that is, being call 'a history of the rise of Christianity', before continuing the other books.] to the best of our knowledge and enabling our spirit to acknowledges: "Who is God, and how, and in what ways, that is, God is with us." Amen!  

IF WE LIVE BY THE TRUTH AND IN LOVE, WE SHALL GROW IN ALL WAYS INTO CHRIST JESUS, WHO IS THE HEAD BY WHOM THE WHOLE BODY IS FITTED AND JOINED TOGETHER, EVERY JOINT ADDING ITS OWN STRENGTH, FOR EACH SEPARATE PART TO WORK ACCORDING TO IT FUNCTION. SO THE BODY GROWS UNTIL IT HAS BUILT ITSELF UP, IN LOVE." - EPHESIANS 4:15-16 -

"I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE / SHE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE / SHE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE." - JOHN 16:12-15 -

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