Jason Robinson - Toward Jerusalem - Class 7 - Beyond Jerusalem

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   Good morning, Bible school. OK, back to sadness. No, but my wife and I really expressed thanks to all of you guys. We’ve had a absolutely terrific week here at Shippensburg and really, really enjoyed our time and our haven’t seen much of our kids, so I’m sure they’re having fantastic time as well. OK, so we are taking our journey beyond Jerusalem today. We yesterday concluded in Luke chapter 24 where we brought those two wandering disciples back into Jerusalem. They were able to see who Christ was in the breaking of bread and he tells his disciples to go to Jerusalem and to remain there until they’re sent with the Spirit from on high. So we come then to this idea of going beyond Jerusalem. Before we really dive into the class, though, what I wanted to do is quickly share with you some helpful resources that I found and kind of just pass these on if you are interested in taking your studies in the Gospels or in your journey to Jerusalem further, I thought I would just share some of these. So I’m just going to put up four different texts that I found to be useful.

2. 1:12

   The first of which being Brother Bernard’s book on Luke verse by verse. This was a great resource if anybody here is a fan of the exposition those those green books that are just so prominent on your shelves in at your homes. This is another one. It like that. It’s a verse by verse exposition. Great great book to read.

3. 1:34

   Next book is not from our community, but I did find it very helpful. It’s called Christ chronological. This one’s on Amazon. It is a it is a great visual harmony of the gospels and what it does it is it lays out very nicely chronologically where each of the gospels lie with each other.

4. 1:55

   Each gospel has its own color and each section has its own short kind of summary of it. Very, very useful. I found myself often just grabbing this as a quick reference as I would try to figure out where all these pieces fit in various gospels. Very good. My deaf recommended coffee table book or something like that.

5. 2:16

   Another good one that I have to admit I did not read, which I’ll explain why in a second. The Messiah and His Ministry is a series of three books so far. This one is entitled The Journey to Jerusalem and in fear of being taking brother Walker’s work, I actually did not read this one.

6. 2:33

   I own it. It is the next book that I will read, but I did not want to kind of be kind of driven in the direction that he was taking his study, you know, out of fear of just mostly redoing a study that he’s already done. So I’m really hoping we don’t differ in opinions here because that’d be scary. But I recommend this series.

7. 2:54

   I have spoken with people who have read the whole series. Very, very highly recommended as well. If you’re interested in taking, you know, this study in particular further, again, you can see some context before the journey and then following the journey in this series as well. Now, a book that I recommend pretty much everywhere I go is a bonus material that I call it this Morning.

8. 3:18

   This is not necessarily to do directly with the journey to Jerusalem, although it does play a role. It’s the day Christ died. Anybody here read this book? Absolutely recommend this book. Absolutely hands down recommend this book. It was written and assembled by a very dear friend of mine, a major spiritual mentor for mine when I was a younger brother. And I found tremendous help in this book. 400 plus pages, 24 hour time span.

9. 3:46

   Very, very, very good read from our community. Game changer on the if you’re doing a study in the Gospels. OK, moving on, moving past that, that was for the teens. OK, so let’s then go to Acts chapter 1 while you turn to Acts chapter 1. What I want to do is I want to quickly give you a summary of where we really ended our Luke 24 journey. So we ended with Luke 24.

10. 4:15

    And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all the nations beginning at Jerusalem. And ye, Jesus says, are witnesses of these things. He’s speaking to the 11. He says remain in Jerusalem. This is the conclusion of Acts. Pardon me. This is the conclusion of Luke, and it’s the link to Acts. It’s literally meant to tie these two gospels together. Luke and Acts are two volumes of the same series. That’s how these books should be approached because what we have here at the very end of Luke is all nations would receive the gospel beginning at Jerusalem.

11. 4:58

    This phrase is acts. If you were going to summarize Acts, that’s it. So Luke is saying there’s a cliffhanger at the end of Luke, all nations beginning at Jerusalem. Now go read Volume 2 when the gospel is preached to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. If you remember from class number one, we looked at how it all started. Christ tells us in Matthew that his disciples were that city, and they were set on a hill that could not be hidden. They were a city of disciples there for the whole world to see.

12. 5:37

    And So what he does is he now takes these and he says remain in Jerusalem. And from Jerusalem you’re going to take this gospel message and you’re going to spread it to the rest of the world. You’re going to spread it everywhere. He says that’s the book of Acts now all nations really. If we were actually paying really close attention, we would have seen that this this is kind of not new. Luke chapter 2 A light to lighten the Gentiles. Luke chapter 4 Elijah and Elijah sent to the Gentiles. Luke 7 Jesus heals the Romans servant. Luke 10 Parable of the Good Samaritan 10 Lepers the one who returns Samaritan Parable of the 10 lbs. A certain noble went into a far country to receive for himself a Kingdom pair of the wicked husband. God’s going to transfer the vineyard to other people. And the gospel was preached to all nations beginning to the end of Luke.

13. 6:35

    This was the message. You could probably think of dozens more. If they had actually been been been following those crumbs, they would have seen that this was the principle all along. It was to all nations all along. And so we look then to break this out into two phases. Each book contains its own phase, but they tie to each other beautifully. The two phases are fairly straightforward. Luke phase one, Acts phase two, phase one was in chapter in Luke chapter 24.

14. 7:07

    I’ll read you the verse Luke 24. Very, very familiar. We’ve looked at this many times. Then he said to them, these are my words that I spake to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.

15. 7:28

    So what he says is that was phase one. I have to get to Jerusalem. Everything that’s written about me has to be fulfilled in Jerusalem. Phase one, check Mark. Luke has come to a conclusion. Christ has made it to Jerusalem. He’s brought the 12 there and their remaining in the city. Then you come to Acts.

16. 7:49

    One verse one in the first book. What’s he talking about? Luke in the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach in the first book, Theophilus. I was talking about everything that Jesus began to do and teach. Stay tuned for everything in Acts. The gospel explodes in Acts. The journey to Jerusalem now seems like the afternoon stroll. When you come to Acts, the gospel is going to go everywhere.

17. 8:34

    So we start Phase 2. The disciples still in their confusion verse 6 when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the Kingdom to Israel Is now the time that you are going to bring back the Kingdom of David of Israel is now the time Christ says to them, it’s not for you to know times or seasons.

18. 9:02

    The Father have fixed by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and he says phase two, you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Sumeria, and to the end of the earth. So we see here the two phases 1 accomplished everything that was written about me in the Psalms and the prophets and the law of Moses at Jerusalem.

19. 9:32

    Phase one, Phase two, you bring that message to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts is a big book. A lot of people are going to learn the gospel message here. Phase 1, you got to get to Jerusalem. That was Luke volume 1 volume to spread the gospel out from Jerusalem.

20. 9:59

    We’ve made it there, brothers and sisters. We’ve made it to the city. Now let’s take it and to spread it to the world. So let’s start. Then in Acts chapter 1, it gets underway fairly quickly. They choose Matthias to replace Judas in Acts chapter 1. Then we come to Acts chapter 2. Acts chapter 2 starts the ball rolling, and we see now that when this ball gets rolling, there is no stopping it. The gospel is going to be spread to Jerusalem, it’s going to be spread to Judea and Samaria, and it’s going to be spread to the ends of the earth.

21. 10:41

    But it starts here at the Day of Pentecost. And so they’re given the Holy Spirit and instantly we have preaching. But who are we preaching to? Remember phase two, the ends of the earth. Who are we preaching to? Peter stands up. Verses 8 through 11, verses 8 through 11. And how is it that we hear, each of us in this own native language? The world is here, Parthenians, Medes, Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontius Asia, Phrygia of Pamphylia, Egypt, departs of Libya belong to Cyrene, visitors from Rome, Jews, proselytes, Cretians, Arabians. We hear them telling in our own tongue what the mighty works of God.

22. 11:25

    The world, the world is given a glimpse now of phase two. We just get a tiny little sprinkling. But it started. The flames been lit. These people are hearing the mighty works of God at the hand of Peter and at the hand of the others. Now we go on further in this, we come to verse 16 and see if a light bulb, a tiny light bulb goes off in your head.

23. 11:57

    But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel. Any light bulbs? Earlier on he’d met with the disciples. They’re trying to find a replacement for Judas, and it was Peter who stands up to the others and explains to them that the Psalms had prophesied this. For it is written, he says, in the book of Psalms.

24. 12:23

    Let his habitation be desolate. Are there 2 light bulbs flickering in your head? You’ll never guess what he says. In chapter 3 he’s speaking again and he says Moses said the Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. What’s going on in the mind of Peter? What’s he declaring to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth?

25. 12:56

    He’s declaring to them what Christ told him was phase one. Everything that’s written about me in Moses, in the prophets and in the Psalms must be accomplished. And now Peter, Peter stands up and he says, guys, aren’t you listening? Everything that’s written about Christ in the Psalms and the prophets and through Moses, it had to be accomplished. He’s preaching Phase 1.

26. 13:25

    He gets it, Peter gets it. And Peter is the one who we see primarily take the lead in the beginning of Acts. Peter understands the message. Peter understands the goal.

27. 13:40

    He understands it so much that we see in Acts chapter 4, they were arrested. It’s a good sign. If you’re arrested in Acts, it means you’re doing the right thing. Peter and John are arrested. Acts chapter 5. Guess what? They’re arrested in Acts chapter 6. They choose the seven deacons to serve Stevens arrested.

28. 14:06

    And we come then to a pretty significant change in phase two. Acts 7 says in verse 57. But they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, rushed together at him. Then they cast them out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

29. 14:43

    And falling to his knees, he cried with a loud voice. Lord, do not hold this sin against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. This account is purposely supposed to bring you back to Phase 1. Connect to phase one, Luke, volume 1. Connect these stories. This is again a message of the Lord Jesus Christ, because we see from the phase one, we see instantly in chapter 8, verse one, phase two, and Saul approved of his execution.

30. 15:13

    But what happens? And there arose on that day a great persecution against the ecclesia in Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. So the ecclesia in Jerusalem is persecuted. They see the success of Stephen, and they persecute the rest of the brothers and sisters. And the brothers and sisters are the runaway. Where do they run?

31. 15:43

    Away To Judea and Samaria. And do they abandoned their faith? No, they start. Ecclesia is there, it started. Phase 2 is underway. We’ve spread the gospel to Jerusalem and Acts chapter 23000 plus are baptized and more daily. Now the persecution of Stephen, though sad God uses it to launch phase two. Judea and Samaria now have believers in their cities. There’s ecclesias starting they bring with them the truth. Jerusalem is indirectly involved here with spreading the gospel. Acts 8, Philip verse four, one of these people fleeing for his life.

32. 16:22

    Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip verse 4 went down to a city of Samaria, of course, and he proclaimed to them the Christ and the crowds of 1 accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. The Gospel is spreading, brothers and sisters, it’s working.

33. 16:44

    The disciples made it to Jerusalem. They stayed in Jerusalem. They were receiving the Holy spirits in Jerusalem. They preached in Jerusalem and there’s persecution in Jerusalem, but it is spreading the word Judea and Samaria. Philip baptizes the first Gentile in Acts, in the Ethiopian eunuch, and we see the first steps of phase two bearing fruit.

34. 17:09

    We have believers, and beautifully, it’s in Samaria, where five years earlier Christ had preached the message of salvation to a Samaritan woman. In Acts 8, he persecutes the ecclesia and Philip flees. And we come now to this pivotal chapter, Acts Chapter 9, Acts 9, Saul’s conversion. Think about this for a second. Have you ever seriously thought about the man Christ chose? We’ve been talking all week about Christ during to Jerusalem, how he he calls the unexpected guests, he calls the lost people, the ones abandoned by the rulers, the seemingly worst of the worst show fruits of repentance. And he calls Saul a man everyone knew a man everyone knew someone he had killed and he calls this man. This was the message to Jerusalem. Christ calls everyone to repentance and Saul’s conversion.

35. 18:23

    We then come to verse 31. So the ecclesia throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, but not only did it have peace, but it was what it was being built up, we’re told, and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. It’s still working at the hands now of Paul. We’re spreading the gospel message far and wide. Acts chapter 10 What happens in Acts chapter 10? Peter’s vision and the Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit. The Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit. It’s a big deal for the spread of this gospel message to make it outside of Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem, but now Gentiles are able also to participate in this. Acts 11 we have the first Christians as they’re called, Acts 11, verse 18.

36. 19:35

    When they heard these things, they fell silent and they glorified God saying then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life. The Gentiles can find repentance and life. Verse 19. Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that rose over Stephen, that’s Chapter 7 and 8, traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, but they preached just the Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also preaching the Lord Jesus.

37. 20:16

    And the hand of the Lord was with them in a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the members of the ecclesia in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. It’s working. Jerusalem hears that other ecclesia are popping up and they say they gather their meeting and they say we need to send people down there. We need to make sure what they’re doing is, is, is in line.

38. 20:38

    And they say verse 22, Barnabas go to Antioch and Barnabas goes to Antioch and there’s an ecclesia there. There’s believers everywhere and there’s popping up. Phase 2 is underway. It’s working.

39. 20:54

    Acts chapter 12, death of James and again, another arrest of Peter. But it’s important to remember back in the last chapter when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch for a whole year. They met with the ecclesia and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians, followers of Christ.

40. 21:20

    And so now as Peter is spreading this message, as the the gospel is being proclaimed by the apostles, we’re followers of Christ. And so you come to Acts chapter 13, Barnabas and Paul, they’re sent off on the 1st of many missionary journeys that take them far beyond Judea and Samaria. It takes them to the ends of the earth. So brothers and sisters just blasting through a few chapters and Acts, we see phase two heavily underway. Unstoppable movement of those who believe in face of persecution, in face of death, in face of imprisonment. They believe in the gospel.

41. 22:17

    And just as Peter had taken up the education of the purpose of Christ journey towards Jerusalem. You’ll never guess the words Paul utters. He says in Acts 13, as it is written in the second Psalm, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Beware, therefore, he says in Acts 13, lest that come upon you, which was spoken of by the prophets, Acts 26 saying none of the things and those which the prophets and Moses did say should come. And Paul picks up that mantle, and he brings it to the rest of the world.

42. 22:57

    And so, brothers and sisters, that’s Phase 2. The disciples, beginning in the day of Pentecost, lights cities on a hill that couldn’t be hid for all to see.

43. 23:14

    They spread the gospel to Jerusalem, to Judea, Samaria, into the ends of the earth. We’ve brothers and sisters, looked this week at many of the struggles that they had that we have on the road towards Jerusalem. But brothers and sisters, they made it.

44. 23:41

    They made it to Jerusalem. That’s our goal. Our goal is to make it to Jerusalem. We have trials, we have troubles. We’ve looked at them abundant times this week, but the goal is we make it to Jerusalem to become a city of people. But we don’t stop there, do we? Because once we are called into that Kingdom, do we simply sit there waiting?

45. 24:09

    No, what do we do? We bring the message to the ends of the earth. And just as these apostles were witness to this, brothers and sisters, this will be our role to get to Jerusalem and to bring that message to the ends of the earth. The final verse I’d like to look at together with you this week, if you come with me to the book of Philippians. The book of Letter to the Philippians has in chapter 3 some very comforting words.

46. 24:49

    And I’ll read from the English standard up on the screen. It says, but our citizenship is in heaven. It’s the word polytuma means a community in the strongs. It means a government. Citizenship means belonging to something. Our citizenship, brothers and sisters, it’s in heaven, and from it we await a Savior.

47. 25:27

    We certainly do, don’t we? The Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself. First one of chapter 4. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for my joy and crown, stand firm. Thus in the Lord, our citizenship, brothers and sisters, is in heaven. We journey together towards the same city, following the same man, to be counted as New Jerusalem. But brothers and sisters, we know that the mission to Jerusalem Phase One worked.

48. 26:29

    And do we know Phase two was successful? How do we know, brothers and sisters, Phase two was successful? How do we know that the message was preached to the ends of the earth?

49. 26:44

    Look at us, look at us. We’re Christadelphians living 2000 years after these events. And God’s gathered us from all over. The message was preached to the ends of the earth. We’re here, brothers and sisters. We’re so close to Jerusalem. We’re so close. So as we, God willing, future members of that new Jerusalem, we will take the same gospel message that we’ve clung on to until that day, and we’ll start in Jerusalem and we’ll bring it to the rest of the world under the command of our king. I look forward to this day greatly to join you all, where we will help fill Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth with God’s glory as the waters cover the sea. But for the time being, brothers and sisters, we journey towards Jerusalem.

50. 27:58

    So what I would like to do is wrap up the Toward Jerusalem series with a hymn. If you please, get out your hymn books. We, of course, still have our third session afterwards, but I’d like to finish up my study together here by lifting up our voices together and praise to our Father. And after we’ve sung this together, if you remain standing, I’ll close with the word of prayer. And then following prayer, our presider for the day will dismiss us.

51. 28:31

    We’ll close with Him 89. There are many beautiful hymns in our hymn book. I love the hymn book that we have, but there’s something special when there’s one written by a brother from our community. Him 89 was written by Christadelphian by the name of Brother John Morris. And it speaks so beautifully of the hope that we have in that city, New Jerusalem. If you aren’t familiar with the tune, let’s give it your best go.

52. 29:00

    It’s a fairly simple melody, hopefully, and I’m confident you’ll pick it up quickly and you’ll belt it out with me. I’m going to read all three verses.

53. 29:13

    Hymn 89. Hallelujah. God be honoured, true and righteous all his ways. Praise our God, all ye that fear him, praise the Lord his servants. Praise come ye Saints, with joy and gladness for the marriage feast prepare. Purged from all their sins the blessed robes of righteousness shall we’re coming down to earth from heaven.

54. 29:51

    New Jerusalem we see God shall dwell with man forever. His own people they shall be. God shall wipe away all sorrow. Former things will pass away, Lit forever by God’s presence. Earth shall glow in endless day. Come, Lord Jesus, come now quickly open soon the book of life. Bring thy judgments and thy blessings.

55. 30:28

    End the years of tears and strife. Worthy is the Lamb that liveth, who through death the victory won. Blessing, honor, strength and riches. Be to him God’s conquering Son.