Lesson 12 Acts the Transition Book! The Gospel of “Christ Crucified”

I ask that as we go through these lessons, that you get your Bible, read it, pray, study, and ask the Holy Spirit of the Living God, to help guide you into truth.

We are now going to cover in detail the gospel/good news, that Paul preached in this lesson.

We have looked at the gospel that Jesus (prior to his resurrection), and his disciples were preaching, while Jesus (the creator of world) was walking here on planet Earth, we determined Jesus and his disciples were preaching the gospel of the Kingdom.

We also determined this gospel of the Kingdom, was the Prophetic Kingdom that was foretold of in the Old Testament.  We saw that the Jews rejected, and killed their King, the Lord Jesus.

Acts 1: [9] And when he (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they beheld, he (Jesus) was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.  [10] And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  [11] Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

In Acts 1, we see Jesus ascend in to heaven, and the people who saw him go up, are told by a couple of men in white apparel, that he would be coming back in like manner.

Zech. 14: [3] Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.  [4] And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

This is an Old Testament Prophecy that will be fulfilled at the second coming of the Lord Jesus. 

This prophecy has not happened yet, the event is still in the future, even as I write this lesson. 

We read the following in Acts chapter 3, which tells us that Jesus is back in heaven, until the times of restitution of all things, after which he will return to planet Earth as foretold. 

Acts 3: [20] And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: [21] Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Romans 16: [24] The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. [25] Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

The mystery, and Paul’s gospel as he, himself called it in three places should be compared to Acts 3. In Romans 16 Paul says his gospel, and the preaching of Jesus according to the revelation of the mystery, was kept secret since the world began. Whereas in Acts 3 the prophecy being fulfilled was known and spoken since the world began.

Eph. 5 [30] For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  [31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.   [32] This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

1Cor.15 [1] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;  [2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;  [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

We can see the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom in Matthew through Acts Chp. 8. was different than Paul’s gospel of the mystery (The Body of Christ, or Christ and the church) which was kept secret (not known) from the foundation of the world, thus was a new and different gospel.

Now let’s contrast Paul’s gospel as he called it, against the gospel of the kingdom the disciples were preaching. We will prove what the disciples were preaching, was not the death, burial, and resurrection from the dead, as given to Paul.

Matthew 16: [21] From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.  [22] Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.  [23] But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Mark 8: [31] And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Mark 9: [31] For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.  [32] But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Luke 18: [31] Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.   [32] For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:   [33] And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.  [34] And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

These verses are crystal clear; the disciples simply did not believe in, nor understand “how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” as found in the Pauline Epistles, prior to the Lord’s resurrection.

So again we can see and understand that they are two different gospels, or good news events.

Now remember when studying the Bible, it is just as important to pay attention to what is not being said, as it is to what is being said!

Rom.2 [16] In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

Rom.16 [25] Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

2Tim.2 [8] Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

Now in the three verses above Paul referred to his gospel, as "my gospel". If it was the same gospel that Jesus (prior to his resurrection) and the disciples were preaching, he simply would not be referring to it as his gospel.

The dictionary definition of "my"; belonging to, or associated with the speaker.

This gospel Paul is talking about is the same gospel he refers to in Gal. 1: [11] But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  [12] For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

He states above that the gospel he preached is not after man, he didn't receive it from man or was he taught by man, but by revelation of Jesus Christ. The reason being is that Jesus has now given the Apostle Paul a new revelation that had been kept secret since the foundation of the world!

One more thought, as I do not want these lessons to become long and drawn out, but to drive you to study for yourself.

Gal.2  [1] Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.  [2] And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

In Galatians Chp. 2 when Paul goes again to Jerusalem, he goes up by revelation, and communicates the gospel that he preaches among the Gentiles. 

Don’t you think if it was the same gospel the disciples had been preaching, Paul would not need to tell them, or share the gospel he was preaching to the Gentiles with them, if it was the same gospel?

Why do you think Paul was worried about sharing his gospel, and did so in private to those of reputation, if it was the same gospel the disciples preached? This makes no sense, unless it was a different gospel.

Think upon these things, pray about them, and I believe God will reveal to you the importance of getting your instructions from the Pauline epistles for today in the year of our Lord 2015. 

Applying and living by Paul's epistles will help remove the confusion caused by trying to live by doctrine in the Bible that is not for the Body of Christ. 

The words of our Apostle Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles!

2Tim.2 [15] Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Come join with us as we study God’s Holy Word!

Remember most unsound Bible Doctrine, is sound Bible Doctrine misapplied to the wrong time period, or wrong group of people.

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