27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
03 Acts 09 32-43 THE MINISTRY OF PETER 08 Acts 09 35 The task of the church
📖 Acts 09:32-43
08 – Wed05Jun2024 – *The task of the church* - _Acts 09:32-43_ – THE MINISTRY OF PETER – _II Corinthians 05:18-20_
_Acts 9:35 So all who dwelt at Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord._
The people in that region turned to the Lord. This is the heart of God.
_Psalms 22:27-28 All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. (28) For the kingdom is the LORD's, And He rules over the nations._
*God rules over nations.* We see the rule of the devil over the nations presently, and this is by deception and proxy. The devil was never given the authority to rule over the nations/earth but that position was given to Man. _Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; *let them have dominion* over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, *over all the earth* and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."_
Yet, because of our sin, the devil can control the earth. We became his prisoners and are being held in bondage to the devil. This is one of the reasons why Jesus died, was buried and rose again. He did this to set us free from the clutches of the devil. _Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) *and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage*.
Even when the Lord was on earth, the devil challenged Him. _Luke 4:5-6 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (6) And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish._
That is an audacious statement. The devil was speaking to the Creator, Owner and Sustainer of all the earth and was telling Him that the authority over the nations was given to him, the devil. This is false.
The authority over the nations was given to Man. _Psalms 8:3-6 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, (4) What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? (5) For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And *You have crowned him with glory and honor. (6) You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,*_
God has crowned Man. This shows us that our authority is royal. Through the blood of the cross, the Lord is reconciling and restoring all things to their original place and position. _Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, (20) and *by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross*._
The devil has kept the people of the world blinded from knowing this Truth. We are to open their eyes and bring them to the Truth. _Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, in order *to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God*, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.'_
This task has been entrusted to the church. _II Corinthians 5:18-20 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God._
*As we complete the task entrusted to us, the nations of the world will remember and turn to the Lord. All the families of the nations will worship before Him. For the kingdom is the LORD's, And He rules over the nations.*
_Revelation 21:23-26 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. (24) And *the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it*. (25) Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). (26) *And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it*._
We must see the glorious conclusion. Knowing the end of all things, we must take heart that we are moving to a glorious destination in Christ as the church. We have much to accomplish in the short time that the Lord has placed us on earth for we bring this message of reconciliation with God, to the nations. _I Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, *always abounding in the work of the Lord*, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord._