His followers, yesterday, today, and forever

Asian Fellowship

Teacher: Ed van Ouwerkerk

1. Jesus’ vision for reaching the world2. The Holy Spirit comes in power3. The church is born

Today, the last evening of The Hope series, we focus on:

….. but first a brief recapitulation of the previous height evenings

Recapitulation fall semester

Six days of creation of all there is by God God said: “it is good”

Creation of Adam and Eve God said: “it is very good”

Genesis 1

Asian Fellowship, evening 1watched the movie “God’s Story”

did a brief introduction to the Bible

asked questions about your expectations of the Asian FellowshipIf God is the creator of the universe, do you think God cares about you?Do you want to explore God’s Word, the Bible?Do you want to know more about God’s salvation plan for everybody?

Asian Fellowship, evening 2

navigation through the Bible

an introduction to "The Hope" movie

The Hope, chapter 1 “in the beginning" 

Asian Fellowship, evening 3

The Hope, chapter 2 “The choice" 

The Hope, chapter 3 “The deadly disease" 

Genesis 2 and 3

The man gets a garden to work in 

The man may eat from all trees except from one tree,the tree of ………………………………. otherwise he will surely ….knowledge of good and evil  die

The man needs a companion and God made him a ………….  woman

We discussed the existence of Satan, mentioned elsewherein the Bible. 

We discussed how Satan tempted Eve and Adam by disobeyingGod’s command “not to eat from the tree of knowledge ofgood and evil”. 

We discussed the consequences of this disobedience in termsof separation from God and the inheritance of a sinful nature for all people. 

We discovered the foreshadowing of Jesus, when God providedanimal skins for Adam and Eve as a covering (Gen. 3:21) and theprophesy that the deliverer will crush Satan’s head (Gen. 3:15). 

Asian Fellowship, evening 4

We discussed in detail the trouble with sin: separation between a Holy God and sinful man (all humans), personal disobedience and conflict/blaming (Adam and Eve), murder in the family (Cainand Abel), violence in the world for generations of descendants,self on the throne of our lives and as captain of our soulinstead of Christ, rejection of God, idolatry, immorality, all kind of evil.

Noah (Genesis 6 and 7)We discussed a Holy God’s judgment through the flood and God’s merciful salvation (ark) for a righteous man and his household.

The tower of Babel (Genesis 9-11)We discussed God’s command (fill the earth), man’s response (build ourselves a city to make a name for ourselves and not be scattered), and God’s action (confuse their language and scatter them over all the earth).

The Hope, chapter 4Man’s sin nature demonstrated

Asian Fellowship, evening 5 The Hope, chapter 5, Blessed to be a blessing

We covered God’s call and promises to Abraham: land, descendants,being a blessing, through him all the nations will be blessed.

God’s main attributes were presented: Love (His desire for a relationship),Holy (His standards), Just (does not tolerate disobedience/sin, imposesa penalty), Full of Mercy (capacity to forgive, provides a way out)

We discussed Abraham’s crisis of faith (no child, “Now I know thatyou fear God” ) and Abraham’s crisis of love (sacrifice of his son, picture of Jesus’ sacrifice as a substitute).

Asian Fellowship, evening 6 The Hope, chapter 6, People of the Promise

We discussed the life of Joseph as an perfect example of the “Type” of Jesus (rejected, falsely accused, forgiving, saving)

We studied the way God delivered his people from slavery in Egyptthrough Moses; death of firstborn and God’s plan of salvation, Passover,sin sacrifice, connection with Jesus’ atoning sacrifice.

The Hope, chapter 7, Called to Walk in the Ways of God

The law God gave to Moses, animal sacrifices, building of the temple

Asian Fellowship, evening 7

The Hope, chapter 8, The Promised One

The birth of the promised deliverer, Jesus as a child, the baptism ofJesus, the temptation of Jesus

The Hope, chapter 9, The Ministry of Jesus

Conflict between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan

Jesus calls His disciples

Central theme of Jesus’ teaching: repentance > submission to God’s rule > eternal life

Jesus’ origin, Jesus’ compassion, Jesus’ power, Jesus’ authority,Jesus’ fulfillment of prophesies, Jesus’ claims, Jesus’ healing of the sick, Jesus’ disagreements with the religious leaders

Do you remember the two main stories we discussed last time, evening 8?

Who put Jesus to death? …………………..….. and ……………..…….the religious leaders the Roman rulers

The main reason was, that Jesus claimed to be ……….. God

The evening before His death He took the …….………….. with His disciples

1. Jesus’ death (The Hope, chapter 10, God’s love and justice intersect)

Passover meal

While Jesus hung on the cross He spoke with the Father and he saidsomething about those who killed him (Luke 23:34) ? What?

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

2. Jesus’ burial and resurrection on the third day (The Hope 11 He has risen)

Women went to the …….. on the third day. They had an encounter with an .……. and ran back to …………………. What did Jesus’ followers discover at the tomb on that third day (John 20:1-9) ?

tombangel Jesus’ followers

Jesus appeared to many people after His resurrection and explained to His followers all what had been foretold in the …………..Scriptures

empty

The Hope, chapter 12 http://christiananswers.net/hope/thehope-c12-256k.wvx

Open your Bibles at the Book of Acts (page 1657)

and watch the movie

Acts 1:1-3 “…..about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”

Fifty day period between Jesus’ resurrection and Pentecost

• Command and promise of a ‘gift’Acts 1:4-8 “4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…….……8 .. you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

• Intensive teaching

• Jesus’ ascension and promise of return

Acts 1:9-11 “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

The Holy Spirit comes at Pentecost

Read Acts 2:1-13

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs — we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

五 旬 节 到 了 ， 门 徒 都 聚 集 在 一 处 。忽 然 ， 从 天 上 有 响 声 下 来 ， 好 像 一 阵 大 风 吹 过 ， 充 满 了 他 们 所 坐 的 屋 子 ，又 有 舌 头 如 火 焰 显 现 出 来 ， 分 开 落 在 他 们 各 人 头 上 。他 们 就 都 被 圣 灵 充 满 ， 按 着 圣 灵 所 赐 的 口 才 说 起 别 国 的 话 来 。那 时 ， 有 虔 诚 的 犹 太 人 从 天 下 各 国 来 ， 住 在 耶 路 撒 冷 。这 声 音 一 响 ， 众 人 都 来 聚 集 ， 各 人 听 见 门 徒 用 众 人 的 乡 谈 说 话 ， 就 甚 纳 闷 ； 都 惊 讶 希 奇 说 ： 看 哪 ， 这 说 话 的 不 都 是 加 利 利 人 麽 ？ 我 们 各 人 ， 怎 麽 听 见 他 们 说 我 们 生 来 所 用 的 乡 谈 呢 ？ 我 们 帕 提 亚 人 、 玛 代 人 、 以 拦 人 ， 和 住 在 米 所 波 大 米 、 犹 太 、 加 帕 多 家 、 本 都 、 亚 西 亚 、 弗 吕 家 、 旁 非 利 亚 、 埃 及 的 人 ， 并 靠 近 古 利 奈 的 吕 彼 亚 一 带 地 方 的 人 ， 从 罗 马 来 的 客 旅 中 ， 或 是 犹 太 人 ， 或 是 进 犹 太 教 的 人 ，革 哩 底 和 亚 拉 伯 人 ， 都 听 见 他 们 用 我 们 的 乡 谈 ， 讲 说 神 的 大 作 为 。众 人 就 都 惊 讶 猜 疑 ， 彼 此 说 ： 这 是 甚 麽 意 思 呢 ？ 还 有 人 讥 诮 说 ： 他 们 无 非 是 新 酒 灌 满 了 。

使 徒 行 傳 2:1-13

Then Peter explained all what had happened, in a marvelous speech(Acts 2:14-41).

The people asked: “What shall we do?” (verse 37)

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (verse 38)

This was the birth of the Christian church. We read in verses 41-47: “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.”

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common.”

http://christiananswers.net/hope/thehope-c13-wm-256k.html

Concluding chapter about the greatest story ever toldand personal invitation.

Watch: