Acts 19:8-10 Amplified Bible
8 And he went into the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and arguing and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient [to the word of God], discrediting and speaking evil of [a]the Way (Jesus, Christianity) before the congregation, Paul left them, taking the disciples with him, and went on holding [b]daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus [instead of in the synagogue]. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the inhabitants of [the west coast province of] Asia [Minor], Jews as well as Greeks, heard the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ].
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Acts 19:8 in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible reads:
“And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.”
This verse comes from the book of Acts, which is the fifth book in the New Testament.
It was written by Luke, the same author of the Gospel of Luke, and it follows the spread of the early Christian church and the ministry of the apostles after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The verse specifically focuses on the missionary work of the apostle Paul in Ephesus.
In historical context, Paul’s visit to the synagogue in Ephesus represents his total commitment to spreading the message of Jesus Christ to both Jews and Gentiles.
The synagogue was a central place of worship and teaching and fellowship for the Jewish community. Paul’s decision to speak boldly there for three months shows his unyielding dedication to sharing the gospel with those who were familiar with the Old Testament scriptures and Jewish religious traditions.
The theme of boldness and perseverance in the face of opposition is prominent in this verse. Paul’s willingness to engage in such disputes and debates about the kingdom of God demonstrates his strong conviction, passion for spreading the message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
This passage serves as a reminder for all us contemporary Christians to boldly proclaim the truth of the gospel, even when faced with resistance or skepticism.
The phrase “the things concerning the kingdom of God” refers to the central message of Jesus’ ministry and the early Christian church.
The kingdom of God encompasses God’s sovereign rule and reign over all of creation, as well as the establishment of righteousness, peace, and salvation for humanity through faith in Jesus Christ.
Paul’s preaching and persuasion about the kingdom of God would have included teachings about Jesus’ identity as the Messiah, his death and resurrection, and the persistent call to repentance and faith in him for salvation.
The symbolism of Paul’s three-month ministry in the synagogue also carries significance as well.
In biblical numerology, the number three is often associated with divine completeness, such as the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and the three days of Jesus’ burial before his resurrection.
Paul’s extended time in the synagogue demonstrates his thorough and his comprehensive approach to teaching and explaining the kingdom of God to the Jewish community in Ephesus.
Overall, Acts 19:8 from the King James Version captures the boldness, and the persistence, and commitment of the early apostles in proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ.
It also highlights the importance of engaging with different audiences and communities, regardless of any resistance or opposition encountered.
This verse serves as a powerful example and inspiration for contemporary Christians to boldly and faithfully share the gospel of the kingdom of God in their own spheres of influence.
Preaching the Kingdom of God
It was impossible to be in Paul’s company for very long without hearing from him about one subject: the kingdom of God.
When he arrived at a new city and, as was his custom, sought out a Jewish synagogue in which to begin his proclamation of Jesus Christ, it was the kingdom that was his theme.
When he was under house arrest in Rome, he welcomed visitors and seized the opportunity to talk to them (Acts 28:30-31).
In this, Paul was following his Lord, who, when He began His public ministry, preached, “The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).
But what is the “kingdom of God”?
When thinking about this kingdom, the Jewish mind looked for the overthrow of their Roman oppressors, the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple, and the establishing of justice.
Yet Paul knew that wasn’t the story.
He knew that the kingdom of God had been realized in the kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ. The oppressor He had defeated was far worse than the Romans.
The access to God He had secured was far more wonderful than that enjoyed at the temple. The justice He guaranteed was greater than anything yet seen in this world, and it lay in the future, awaiting His return to make all things new.
Yet the kingdom was and remains not only a future reality but a present one in the lives of those who have bowed the knee to its King.
Paul routinely spoke about the kingdom of God to people who were concerned about oppression and justice.
If we’re not careful, we can present people with the claims of Jesus in such a way that we give the impression that we don’t, and He doesn’t, actually care about any of the issues of our day.
But people should have real questions about the troubles of this world—and we should have answers.
When faced with such questions, we shouldn’t respond with superficial, triumphalist statements.
Simplistic Christianese platitudes aren’t going to cut it.
Our answer should be to say,
“Yes, I am concerned about oppression.
Yes, I am concerned that people in the world are subjugated.
Yes, I am concerned about justice.
The Bible has a lot to say about these things.”
Then we need to show people the answer to our world’s frictions and fractures is ultimately found in King Jesus,
who overturns oppression and sets captives free and abolishes the dividing wall of hostility and makes a new people who are committed to justice in this world without forgetting that there is a world to come
—one of perfect justice and one that has only one entry point: faith in Jesus Christ.
Is our view of the kingdom big enough?
How well do we see that it is not just as a future reality but also as a present one, changing everything as it moves, transforms what men and women believe and how men and women live?
Will we live as members of that kingdom, proclaim that kingdom, as Paul did?
In the name of God, the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit …..
Praying ……
Psalm 40
Thanksgiving and a Cry for Help
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
1 I waited patiently for the Lord,
and he turned to me and heard my cry for help.
2 He brought me up from a desolate[a] pit,
out of the muddy clay,
and set my feet on a rock,
making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and they will trust in the Lord.
4 How happy is anyone
who has put his trust in the Lord
and has not turned to the proud
or to those who run after lies!
5 Lord my God, you have done many things—
your wondrous works and your plans for us;
none can compare with you.
If I were to report and speak of them,
they are more than can be told.
6 You do not delight in sacrifice and offering;
you open my ears to listen.[b]
You do not ask for a whole burnt offering or a sin offering.
7 Then I said, “See, I have come;
in the scroll it is written about me.
8 I delight to do your will, my God,
and your instruction is deep within me.”
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
see, I do not keep my mouth closed[c]—
as you know, Lord.
10 I did not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I spoke about your faithfulness and salvation;
I did not conceal your constant love and truth
from the great assembly.
11 Lord, you do not[d] withhold your compassion from me.
Your constant love and truth will always guard me.
12 For troubles without number have surrounded me;
my iniquities have overtaken me; I am unable to see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my courage leaves me.
13 Lord, be pleased to rescue me;
hurry to help me, Lord.
14 Let those who intend to take my life
be disgraced and confounded.
Let those who wish me harm
be turned back and humiliated.
15 Let those who say to me, “Aha, aha!”
be appalled because of their shame.
16 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you;
let those who love your salvation continually say,
“The Lord is great!”
17 I am oppressed and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my helper and my deliverer;
my God, do not delay.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 