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Jesus Prepares His Table Just For You

The Book of Acts Reveals
The Ongoing Ministry of Jesus

The CommunionFire Commentary On The Book Of ACTS Chapter Twenty

10/25/2016

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And as they were breaking bread he fell out of the window and died, after Paul declared him alive by the same Spirit hat raised Christ from the dead - he walked back upstais and finished communion...
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TWENTY  Names of God Bible from Bible Gateway
 Jesus confirms Paul's preaching during Comunion raising Euticus from the dead
KEY VERSE: Verse 7 and 11 Commnion is the Living Bread 
KEY VERSE: Verses 9-10 Jesus Still Raises the Dead... 
Paul's final message to the graduates: Verse 35b More blessed to give...

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Color Code 
The Ongoing Ministry of Jesus in around and through the Church

Yellow/gold = Seeing Jesus continued ministry
Teal/blue = Seeing the action of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus
Burgundy/red = Seeing the ongoing and evolving mission/witness of the Church to the Testimony of Jesus
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​1 When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, said goodbye, and left for Macedonia. 

2 He went through that region and spoke many words of encouragement to the people.

Then he went to Greece 
3 and stayed there for three months.

Paul in Troas

When Paul was going to board a ship for Syria, he found out that the Jews were plotting to kill him. So he decided to go back through Macedonia.


4 Sopater (son of Pyrrhus) from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia accompanied Paul. 5 All these men went ahead and were waiting for us in Troas. 

​6 After the Festival of Unleavened Bread, we boarded a ship at Philippi.

Five days later we joined them in Troas and stayed there for seven days.


7 On Sunday we met to break bread.

Paul was discussing Scripture with the people. Since he intended to leave the next day, he kept talking until midnight.
 


8 (Many lamps were lit in the upstairs room where we were meeting.) 

9 A young man named Eutychus was sitting in a window. As Paul was talking on and on, Eutychus was gradually falling asleep. Finally, overcome by sleep, he fell from the third story and

was dead when they picked him up. 


10 Paul went to him, took him into his arms, and said, “Don’t worry! He’s alive!” 

11 Then Eutychus went upstairs again, broke the bread, and ate.

Paul talked with the people for a long time, until sunrise, and then left. 
12 The people took the boy home. They were greatly relieved that he was alive.

Paul’s Trip to Miletus
​

13 We went ahead to the ship and sailed for the city of Assos. At Assos, we were going to pick up Paul. He had made these arrangements, since he had planned to walk overland to Assos. 14 When Paul met us in Assos, we took him on board and went to the city of Mitylene. 

15 We sailed from there. On the following day we approached the island of Chios. The next day we went by the island of Samos, and on the next day we arrived at the city of Miletus. 
16 Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia. He was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost, if that was possible.

Paul Meets with the Spiritual Leaders from Ephesus

17 From Miletus Paul sent messengers to the city of Ephesus and called the spiritual leaders[a] of the church to meet with him in Miletus. 

18 When they were with him, he said to them,


“You know how I spent all my time with you from the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. 
19 I humbly served the Lord, often with tears in my eyes. I served the Lord during the difficult times I went through when the Jews plotted against me." 

20 "I didn’t avoid telling you anything that would help you, and I didn’t avoid teaching you publicly and from house to house.  21 I warned Jews and Greeks to change the way they think and act and to believe in our Lord Yeshua."

22 “I am determined to go to Jerusalem now. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 However, the Holy Spirit warns me in every city that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. 

24 But I don’t place any value on my own life. I want to finish the race I’m running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Yeshua—the mission of testifying to the Good News of God’s kindness.[b]

25 “Now I know that none of you whom I told about the kingdom of God will see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am not responsible for the spiritual death of any of you.

27 I didn’t avoid telling you the whole plan of God. 28 Pay attention to yourselves and to the entire flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops[c] to be shepherds for God’s church which he acquired with his own blood. 

29 I know that fierce wolves will come to you after I leave, and they won’t spare the flock.  30 Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth.

They will do this to lure disciples into following them. 


31 So be alert! Remember that I instructed each of you for three years, day and night, at times with tears in my eyes.

32 “I am now entrusting you to God and to his message that tells how kind he is. That message can help you grow and can give you the inheritance that is shared by all of God’s holy people.

33 “I never wanted anyone’s silver, gold, or clothes.  34 You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me. 35 I have given you an example that by working hard like this we should help the weak.

We should remember the words that the Lord Yeshua said, ‘Giving gifts is more satisfying than receiving them.’”


36 When Paul had finished speaking, he knelt down and prayed with all of them. 37 Everyone cried a lot as they put their arms around Paul and kissed him. 38 The thought of not seeing Paul again hurt them most of all. Then they took Paul to the ship.


​
Footnotes:
  1. Acts 20:17 Or “pastors,” or “elders.”
  2. Acts 20:24 Or “grace.”
  3. Acts 20:28 English equivalent difficult.

Names of God Bible (NOG)The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
What it looks like when the Church is led by the Holy Spirit

MACEDONIA
Mission of encouragement begins

GREECE for 3 Months

Plot to kill him exposed, so walked back to MACEDONIA

7 Men Accompanied Paul:
Sopater from BEREA
(Name = 'of a safe father, sound parentage, father who saves')

Sosipater is honored as Saint Sosipater by the Eastern Orthodox Church with a feast day on 29 April. perhaps the relative of St. Paul seen in Acts 16. 
Sosipater, ordained bishop of Iconium by the Apostle Paul, his relative. With St. Jason, he converted the king of Corfu. Reference to in Romans 16:21

#58 List of 70 Apostles

http://www.communionfire.com/jesus/the-communionfire-commentary-on-the-book-of-acts-chapter-six

Aristarchus of MACEDONIA and
(Name = 'best leader')
Aristarchus is described as Paul's "fellow prisoner" and "fellow laborer" in Colossians 4:10 and Philemon 1:24, respectively. In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic tradition, Aristarchus is identified as one of the Seventy Apostles and bishop of Apamea. He is commemorated as a saint and martyr on January 4, April 14, and September 27.

See #10 List of 70 Apostles  http://www.communionfire.com/jesus/the-communionfire-commentary-on-the-book-of-acts-chapter-six

Secundus of MACEDONIA
(Name="second")
A Christian
 from THESSALONICA

Gaius from DERBE
(name=

Gaius, bishop of Ephesus. Reference to in Acts 19:29; 20:4; Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:14; 3 John 1:1
STRONGS NT 1050: Γάϊος
Γάϊος Gaius or Caius; the name of a Christian:

1. of Derbe: Acts 20:4.
2. of Macedonia: Acts 19:29.
3. of Corinth, Paul's host during his (second) sojourn there: Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:14.
4. of a Christian, to whom the third Epistle of John was addressed: 3 John 1:1. (B. D. American edition under the word ; Farrar, Early Days of Christianity, ii. 506.) 

See #28 List of 70 Apostles
http://www.communionfire.com/jesus/the-communionfire-commentary-on-the-book-of-acts-chapter-six

Timothy of LYSTRA,
(Name="Honors God; Honored by God")
Pauls calls him 'son' Timothy. He

was an early Christian evangelist and the first first-century Christian  bishop of Ephesus, who tradition says died around the year AD 97. He accompanied St. Paul often, and both 1 and 2 Timothy are addressed to him. He was ordained bishop of Ephesus by St. Paul. He died a martyr. Reference to in Acts 16:1; 17:14, 15; 18:5; 19:22; 20:4; Romans 16:21; 1 and 2 Timothy

See #65 List of 70 Apostles
http://www.communionfire.com/jesus/the-communionfire-commentary-on-the-book-of-acts-chapter-six

Tychicus of EPHESUS, and
(Name=Fortuitous, hits the mark)

Succeeded Sosthenes, as bishop in the city of Caesarea.” Orthodox Study Bible. He delivered St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians and Colossians. Reference to in Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:12; Titus 3:12
See #68 List of 70 Apostles
http://www.communionfire.com/jesus/the-communionfire-commentary-on-the-book-of-acts-chapter-six

Trophimus of EPHESUS (Minor)
(Name= nourishment, support)
Trophimus, disciple of St. Paul
, and martyred under Nero. Reference to in Acts 20:4; 21:29; 2 Timothy 4:20 They waited for Him in Troas


After Feast of unleavened Bread
They boarded a ship in PHILIPPI

After 5 days arrived and spent 7 days in TROAS

COMMUNION and COMMUNIONFIRE in TROAS

Paul shares by the Spirit until midnight

Eutychus falls asleep and falls out the 3rd story window and dies

Paul stops Communion, raises Eutychus from the dead and then goes back to having Communion as does Eutychus back on the 3rd floor

Paul Continues to share until Sunrise.

Paul leaves and walks overland
to ATOS and

boarded the ship and salied 3 days

to MYTELINE

to CHIOS

passing the island of SAMOS 

and arrived thenext day in MILETUS

Sent word to EPHESUS to invite the Christian leadership to MILETUS for a final gathering.

Remember Acts 19 When The Holy Spirit
Received at Ephesus


…6 And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 

7 There were about twelve men in all. 

8 Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 

9 But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 

10 
This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord. 


11 God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, 

12 
so that  even handkerchiefs  and   aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them
. 

These were among those who spent 2 years with Paul in the school of Tyrranus - perhaps the first Christian leadership graduation, so to speak... with a graduation message.

He tells them about his example and what it will be like in the days ahead.

They pray together and they cry - because they loved him and knew they would not see him again.  

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The CommunionFire Commentary On The Book Of ACTS Chapter Nineteen

10/19/2016

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Whenever the power of God is released by Jesus as He baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit the overflow and confirmation is speaking, praising and worshipping in the language of heaven and of angels. It is also in this new language that prayer has power to unhinge the enemies of the Kingdom of heaven.

The 12 who were Baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts 19, were engaged with a new kind of professor and new kind of school. The school of the Holy Spirit cannot be imitated without the student belonging to Jesus. Even the demons know this and have no regard for those who invoke Jesus' name wthout the authority of the Holy Spirit.

Then the power of God sends the light of heaven into each person's darkness, exposing lies and deceipt that can even enslaves believers. So they gather their books of magic, darkness and idolatry and burn them.

The first enemy: the town silversmiths who create idols.
The second enemy, those who worship a false god.
The third enemy: a spirit of confusion and the devil. 

The Lord demonstrates His love and final authority by miacles, signs and wonders... healing and delivering the sick, possessed and infirmed and creates from them a missionary force that reaches all of asia.
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NINETEEN  Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
Jesus is baptizer and miracle worker And as Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke in unknown tongues and prophesied.
KEY VERSE 
11 And God did unusual and extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul,
KEY VERSE 
12 So that handkerchiefs or towels or aprons which had touched his skin were carried away and put upon the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Color Code 
The Ongoing Ministry of Jesus in around and through the Church

Yellow/gold = Seeing Jesus continued ministry
Teal/blue = Seeing the action of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus
Burgundy/red = Seeing the ongoing and evolving mission/witness of the Church to the Testimony of Jesus
Column One                                                                             Column Two
1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the upper inland districts and came down to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 

2 And he asked them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed [on Jesus as the Christ]?

And they said, No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.


3 And he asked, Into what [baptism] then were you baptized? They said, Into John’s baptism. 

4 And Paul said, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, continually telling the people that they should believe in the One Who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus [having a conviction full of joyful trust that He is Christ, the Messiah, and being obedient to Him].

5 On hearing this:
They were baptized [again, this time] in the name of the Lord Jesus. 


6a And as Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them;

6b and they spoke in [foreign, unknown] tongues *heavenly (languages) and prophesied. 


7 There were about twelve of them in all.

8 And he went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly,

persuading and arguing and pleading about the kingdom of God. 

NOTE: (apology = defence of the faith; polemics = confronting opposition to the faith; as a lawyer-like messenger, preacher, teacher: To convince those who resist the Gospel of its heaven sent origin lived out and demonstrated revealing God's love by Jesus Christ (God come in the flesh) and His divine presence with those who believe through the day to day ingestion of the bread of His broken flesh - and - drinking of the wine of His poured out blood as a dynamic Communion with Jesus by His Spirit, who is the Lord.)


9 But when some became more and more stubborn (hardened and unbelieving), discrediting and reviling and speaking evil of the Way [of the Lord] before the congregation, he separated himself from them, taking the disciples with him, and went on holding daily discussions in the lecture room of Tyrannus from about ten o’clock till three. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of [the province of] Asia, Jews as well as Greeks, heard the Word of the Lord [concerning the [a]attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God].

11 And God did unusual and extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 So that handkerchiefs or towels or aprons which had touched his skin: 
a) were carried away and 
b) put upon the sick, and
c) their diseases left them and
d) the evil spirits came out of them.


13 Then some of the traveling Jewish exorcists (men who adjure evil spirits) also undertook to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, I solemnly implore and charge you by the Jesus Whom Paul preaches! 

14 Seven sons of a certain Jewish chief priest named Sceva were doing this.

15 But [one] evil spirit retorted, Jesus I know, and Paul I know [b]about, but who are you? 


16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit dwelt leaped upon them, mastering [c]two of them, and was so violent against them that they dashed out of that house [in fear], stripped naked and wounded.


17 This became known to all who lived in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, and alarm and terror fell upon them all; and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled and magnified.

18 Many also of those who were now believers came making [d]full confession and thoroughly exposing their [former deceptive and evil] practices.

19 And many of those who had practiced curious, magical arts collected their books and [throwing them, [e]book after book, on the pile] burned them in the sight of everybody. When they counted the value of them, they found it amounted to 50,000 pieces of silver ([f]about $9,300). 

​
20 Thus the Word of the Lord [concerning the attainment through Christ of eternal salvation in the kingdom of God] grew and spread and intensified, prevailing mightily.

21 Now after these events Paul determined in the [Holy] Spirit that he would travel through Macedonia and Achaia (most of Greece) and go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must visit Rome also.
22 And having sent two of his assistants, Timothy and Erastus, into Macedonia, he himself stayed on in [the province of] Asia for a while.

23 But as time went on, there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way [of the Lord]. 

24 For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of [the goddess] Artemis [h][Diana], brought no small income to his craftsmen.

25 These  he called together, along with the work of similar trades, and said,

​"Men, you are acquainted with the facts and  understand that from this business we derive our wealth and livelihood. 
26 Now you notice and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost all over [the province of] Asia this Paul has persuaded and induced people to believe his teaching and has alienated a considerable company of them, saying that gods that are made with human hands are not really gods at all.
27 Now there is danger not merely that this trade of ours may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may come into disrepute and  count for nothing, and that her glorious magnificence may be degraded and fall into contempt—she whom all [the province of] Asia and the wide world worship."

(continued next column)
28 As they listened to this, they were filled with rage and they continued to shout, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!

29 Then the city was filled with confusion; and they rushed together into the amphitheater, dragging along with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were fellow travelers with Paul. 30 Paul wished to go in among the crowd, but the disciples would not permit him to do it.

31 Even some of the Asiarchs (political or religious officials in Asia) who were his friends also sent to him and warned him not to risk venturing into the theater.
32 Now some shouted one thing and some another, for the gathering was in a tumult and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some of the crowd called upon Alexander [to speak], since the Jews had pushed  and urged him forward. And Alexander motioned with his hand, wishing to make a defense and [planning] to apologize to the people.

34 But as soon as they saw him and  recognized that he was a Jew, a shout went up from them as the voice of one man, as for about two hours they cried, Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!

35 And when the town clerk had calmed the crowd down, he said,

​"Men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of the sacred stone [image of her] that fell from the sky? 36 Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet (keep yourselves in check) and do nothing rashly. 37 For you have brought these men    here, who are [guilty of] neither temple robberies nor blasphemous speech about our goddess. 38 Now then, if Demetrius and his fellow tradesmen who are with him have a grievance against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are [available]; let them bring charges against one another [legally]. 39 But if you require anything further about this or about other matters, it must be decided and cleared up in the regular assembly. 40 For we are in danger of being called to render an account and of being accused of rioting because of [this commotion] today, there being no reason that we can offer to justify this disorder.

41 And when he had said these things,
he dismissed the assembly.


Footnotes:
  1. Acts 19:10 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  2. Acts 19:15 A weaker verb.
  3. Acts 19:16 The best texts read “both of them.”
  4. Acts 19:18 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  5. Acts 19:19 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  6. Acts 19:19 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  7. Acts 19:20 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  8. Acts 19:24 Artemis is the Greek name for the Roman goddess Diana.

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
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Orthodox Church in America
​Commentary


Acts 19:21-20:1 “Resolved in the Spirit”

Throughout the Book of Acts we see Paul and the disciples acting on the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It isn’t always clear how this works, and what combination of inspirations from people, events, scriptures, worship and reading of “signs” contributes to something like Paul resolving “in the Spirit” to leave Ephesus and Asia and go back to Macedonia and Achaia (i.e., Greece).

But Paul is no quietist: he doesn’t simply wait around for inspiration on occasions that demand initiative and action. Sometimes that instinct to act can get him into trouble and he wisely relies on his fellow workers to rein him in.

So here, Paul was about to step in to the boiling crowd “but the disciples would not let him.” Instead, it is an unnamed city clerk who soberly brings balance and perspective and restores calm to the situation. Paul couldn’t have done that in that situation.

Wherever there are human beings there will be confusion and conflict, and therefore there is a need for policies, procedures and people that can enable—if not guarantee—peaceful and orderly mediation and resolution.

This incident also points out a perennial temptation to let the businessof religion take over its spiritual aims. This can happen in an Orthodox Christian setting just as easily as it did among the craftsmen of Ephesus. Here again, balance and perspective are required. Paul ran a small business (tentmaker) and with the profits supported himself, his co-workers and others in need.

​He was attentive to doing his own and the church’s business in an above-board and transparent manner (as we see later in making collections for the Jerusalem community.) But he didn’t allow the business to set the direction or tone of the mission.



About the AuthorFr. John is Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America. He has a PhD in New Testament (University of Thessaloniki), MDiv and DMin degrees from St. Vladimir’s Seminary and a long record of pastoral service, university teaching and academic writing.
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The CommunionFire Commentary On The Book Of ACTS Chapter Eighteen

10/5/2016

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The Lord continues to lead Paul and Paul continues to March 4th... I mean March Forth*!
*see comment below

SALVATION HISTORY TURNING POINT
Paul says, when the Jews opposed themselves and blasphemed when Paul said in the synogogue Jesus is The Christ, that "Your blood be upon your own heads, I am clean, from now on I will go to the Gentiles!"

NEW DYNAMIC of the GOSPEL
COMMUNION with JESUS leads to Communion with the SAINTS; Jesus begets Christians who share the overflow from a growing COMMUNION-CENTRIC lifestyle


In Communion under the Surfside Pier on Sunday Sharon shared after Mary Cantwell shared about her Communion moment with Jesus - that she just realized March 4th was an important day in the life of a homeless man she led to Jesus who became an upstanding believer and from that moment kept Marching Forth in His walk with the Lord, led by the Spirit! The Holy Spirit also reminded her that at Rob's first CommunionFire gathering, He saw Jesus coming with great white horses from the clouds. Now Rob is with Jesus and Sharon was there to witness that Rob had moved in with Jesus at the funeral the day before. She witnessed with joy that Rob could now pray for us and with us with all of heaven's hosts! "He is part of that great heavenly prayer meeting being led by Jesus!"

In the same way we continue to see St. Paul being constantly led by the Lord from one city to another and then somethin happens that would forever change the course of the Church. Jesus showed Paul there was a whole quarry apart from the Jewish believers who still went to Temple or the Synogogue or who had not yet believed. They were actually fighting against themselves as some blasphemed when Paul spoke of Jesus being The Promised Messiah (Yehoshua Mashiach). Their commentary on his preaching became so rash Paul shook his clothes before them as a sign of their blasphemy! He did not go as far as to tear His clothes, because he was no longer a Pharisee, but a Jesus follower.  At that moment the course of the Gospel to the Jew first and also to the Gentile changed to a map of heaven that would lead Paul to the Gentiles from now on. This did not exclude the Jews or in any way exclude them, they were by choice of unbelief choosing to not beleive the Good News so that the Gentiles might be the ones whose eyes were open to the revelation of Jesus Christ. 


Imagin that! Paul would speak to those who had no knowlege of Jesus, no Jewish point of reference outside the preaching and teaching of those harnessed to the Gospel plough. The personalitites became the Gospel. The gentiles or the "rest of the world outside Jusdaism) would read the lives of those who were Jesus followers and the Holy Spirit would confirm to them that it was Jesus Himself who was tranforming their lives. he secret weapon, the secret universe, the secret reality they lived in was the love, joy and peace Jesus gave to each one every day when they sat down and fed on The Bread of Jesus flesh and the wine of Jesus blood! "#BeBoldBelieve" heaen conveyed to Paul in a vision at this moment! Tell the world to #BeBoldBelieve!"  9 Then the Lord spoke to Paul in the night through a vision, saying, “Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace!
10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set upon thee to hurt thee, for I have many people in this city.”

Who is speaking here? It is Jesus. It is the King speaking to Paul about His realm and the need He has for these living stones to continue to build His eternal Kingdom!
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EIGHTEEN  21st Century King James Version
​Jesus is turning the heart of Paul to the Gentiles after the Jews cursed His Polemic
KEY VERSES 4-5
KEY VERSES 9-10
KEY VERSE 26

 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Color Code 
The Ongoing Ministry of Jesus in around and through the Church

Yellow/gold = Seeing Jesus continued ministry
Teal/blue = Seeing the action of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus
Burgundy/red = Seeing the ongoing and evolving mission/witness of the Church to the Testimony of Jesus
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1 After these things, Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth.
2 There he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus and lately come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome. Paul went unto them,
3 and because he was of the same craft, he lodged with them and worked; for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
5 And when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
6 But when they opposed themselves and blasphemed,

Paul shook his raiment and said unto them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.” 

7 And he departed thence and entered into a certain man’s house named Justus, one who worshiped God and whose house was adjoining the synagogue.

8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, with all his house. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

The Lord Appears to Paul


9 Then the Lord spoke to Paul in the night through a vision, saying, “Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace.
10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set upon thee to hurt thee, for I have many people in this city.”


11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them.
​

12 And when Gallio was deputy of Achaia, the Jews with one accord began an insurrection against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 saying, “This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.”

14 And when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would have it that I should bear with you.
15 But if it be a question of words and names and your own law, look ye to it; for I will not be judge of such matters.”
16 And he drove them from the judgment seat.


17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the judgment seat. But Gallio was concerned about none of those things.

18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren and sailed then into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila, having shorn his head at Cenchrea, for he had made a vow.

19 And he came to Ephesus and left them there, but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they desired him to tarry a longer time with them, he consented not,
21 but bade them farewell, saying, “I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem, but I will return again unto you, if God wills.” And he sailed from Ephesus.


22 And when he had landed at Caesarea and had gone up and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.

23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed and went through all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.


24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the Way of the Lord; and being fervent in the Spirit, he spoke and taught diligently the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.


26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla had heard him,

they took him in and expounded to him the Way of God more perfectly.


27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him. And when he had come, he helped them much who had believed through grace; 28 for he mightily refuted the Jews (and that publicly), showing by the Scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

21st Century King James Version (KJ21)Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.
#BeBoldBelieve
"March Forth"
Sharing Communion
House to House


Paul continues His 2nd Gospel Marching Forth in Mission from one city to another as led by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit brings him to Corinth to meet Roman Jewish Believers, Aquila and Priscilla woho would then continue with Paul to meet Apollos, and Egyptian believer who only knew salvation history up to the Baptism of John. In Syria Aquilla and priscilla would be used by the Lord to bring Apollos up to speed.

What happened in Corinth was a turning point in salvation history. The Gospel's focus would begin to move to the non-Jewish population of the world. In Corinth Paul tried very hard by  followingg his pattern to go to the Synogogue first and then to the populace outside.

​4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks. 5 And when Silas and Timothy had come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. 

​6 But when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, Paul shook his raiment and said unto them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean. From henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.”

HOUSE TO HOUSE
No Longer the Synogogue...


His next stop was a house meeting at the house of Justus which was actually attched to the same synogogue. From now on the Church found its purpose and meaning in commuunion as they broke bread from house to house. 

The Holy Spirit brought Paul to a place where he witnessed the door of the Gospel of grace being closed along with the doors of the Synogogue and the hearts of the Jewish people. But then the Lord spoke to him about facing this development with a new vision.

But - note that Crispus, the Chief Ruler of the Synogue converted to Christianity as did everyone in his house.  

In the houses of Justus and Crispus Paul, Timothy and Silas (probably accompanied by Luke, the journalist and Physician) many heard, believed and were baptized. So the Lord encoureged this new level of the evolution of the Gospel.


The Lord Appears to Paul to Confirm The New Direction


9 Then the Lord spoke to Paul in the night through a vision, saying, “Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace.

10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set upon thee to hurt thee, for I have many people in this city.”

So Paul continued with His evangelism team for 18 months more in Corinth with Aquilla, Priscilla, Silas, Timothy and Luke who got a first hand experience in how to share the Gospel with a world who did not know the way of the the Jews... free and clear of the law of sin and death.

Now He preached the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus! in a whole new way to open the gates of righteousness to the Gentiles and the Lord added crispus, Sosthenes and then Apollos in the next city to the ever increasing army of those who became martyr-level witnesses about their personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the meal of the New and everlasting Covenent, Communion with the fire of Christ's glory!


Sosthenes had been elected chief ruler of the synagogue because Crispus had become a Christian. His persecution came because he was a Jew and associated with the synagogue. Paul’s persecution came from his bold witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. Sosthenes also may have become a believer, and when Paul left Corinth he went with him. We find in the salutation to 1 Corinthians the following greeting,

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and SOSTHENES, OUR BROTHER, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth.” - 1 Corinthians 1:1

So revival came to Corinth as well as persecution both of the Christians and the Jews, becase the two rulers of the Synogue became Christians. This is where we would find Paul writing about His encounter with Jesus who personally instructed him in the grace, simplicity and power of CommunionFire. 

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    From Bob Bonnell

    CommunionFire commentary on the Book of the
    ​Acts of Jesus

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