Bible Study with David Hathaway (TV Audio Podcast)

Acts 16 details the missionary journeys of Paul and his companions, highlighting several key events and their impact on the spread of Christianity. Throughout this chapter, the story demontrates the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Gospel to transform lives, and the resilience and faithfulness of Paul and his companions amidst persecution. 'About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, ‘Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!’ 'The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ 'They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptised. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God – he and his whole household' (Acts 16.25-34, NIV).

Acts 15 Key Themes: Salvation by Grace: The council affirms that salvation comes through grace, not adherence to the Mosaic Law. Unity and Diversity: The early church grapples with integrating diverse cultural practices and beliefs while maintaining unity. Guidance by the Holy Spirit: Decisions are made through prayer, discussion, and reliance on the Holy Spirit’s guidance. 'Peter got up and addressed them: ‘Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles should hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are. 'The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.' (Acts 15.7-12, NIV)

Our faith is not in things nor in people, it’s not in the preacher or the evangelist. Our faith has to be directly IN GOD and His promises! We have to emphasise this when we talk about faith. Too many people look to me, and think I’m some healer… No! God is the Healer. I explain this in every evangelistic meeting before I pray for the sick, “I am NOT a healing evangelist! Jesus is the Healer, He’s the One you have to ask!” And I teach them how to call on Him for their healing, and that’s why the miracles follow. Have faith in God! 'Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of His grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders... They gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.' (Acts 14.3, 27, NIV.) Acts 14 recounts the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas to various cities in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). In Iconium, they face opposition but continue to preach boldly, performing miracles that lead to some conversions. However, a plot to stone them forces them to flee to Lystra and Derbe, where they continue to spread the Gospel. In Lystra, Paul heals a man, leading the locals to believe they are gods. When Paul and Barnabas try to correct this misunderstanding, the crowd turns against them, and Paul is stoned and left for dead. However, he survives and moves on to Derbe, where they continue preaching. Afterward, they backtrack through the cities they visited, encouraging and strengthening the believers. They appoint elders in each church before returning to Antioch, where they report their journey to the church, recounting how God had opened doors for the Gentiles to believe.

'While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.' (Acts 13.2-3, NIV.) Acts 13 details the start of Paul's first missionary journey: Commissioning of Paul and Barnabas: The chapter begins with the church in Antioch commissioning Paul and Barnabas for missionary work. The Holy Spirit directs this decision. Preaching in Cyprus: Paul and Barnabas travel to Cyprus, where they preach the word of God in synagogues. They encounter Bar-Jesus, a false prophet, whom Paul rebukes for trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Preaching in Pisidian Antioch: They journey to Pisidian Antioch and preach in the synagogue there. Paul gives a powerful sermon recounting Israel's history and how Jesus fulfills God's promises. Many Jews and Gentiles believe, but some Jews oppose them, leading to their expulsion from the region. Turning to the Gentiles: Paul and Barnabas turn their focus to the Gentiles, spreading the Gospel throughout the region. The message spreads rapidly. Opposition and Perseverance: Despite facing opposition and persecution, Paul and Barnabas continue to preach boldly, relying on God's strength. The chapter concludes with Paul and Barnabas departing from Pisidian Antioch, shaking the dust off their feet as a symbolic gesture against those who reject the Gospel, and moving on to preach in Iconium.

Acts Bible Study Chapter 12: I learnt how to pray in that prison, I learnt to know God better there than in any Bible College or church meeting. I found a new reality, a new relationship with Him. All my life, it has been a journey, step by step. It was first in my teenage cry for God, then in my throat cancer, then in my prison that God touched my life and gave me a new power. Without that year in a communist prison, I would not have the ministry or the Authority I have today in the Russian-speaking countries.

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Acts Bible Study Chapter 11: In Acts 11, we see a significant shift in the early church's understanding of its mission, as it embraces the inclusion of Gentiles and expands beyond its Jewish origins. At Pentecost the Gospel began with the Jews, but Jesus came to save the world. We are intructed by Jesus in the Great Commission to bring salvation to all people. Jesus told the parable of the Wedding Feast: the invited guests didn't enter into the celebration, so we Gentiles have been invited. During the ministry of Jesus He healed the Centurion's servant; from this we can understand that Jesus came to save the whole world, just as He said in John 3.16, 'For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.'

Acts Bible Study Chapter 10: This passage recounts the significant event where Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, receives a vision from God that challenges his understanding of who can be included in the Christian community. In the vision, Peter sees a sheet descending from heaven containing various animals, both clean and unclean according to Jewish dietary laws. A voice commands Peter to kill and eat, but Peter refuses, citing his adherence to Jewish customs.

'As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon. (Acts 9.32-43)

Acts 9.1-31 is a pivotal chapter in the New Testament, showing the dramatic transformation of Saul from a persecutor of Christians to one of the most influential figures in Christianity. It also emphasises the power of God's grace and the role of believers in supporting and accepting one another. 'I will show him how much he must suffer for my name,' (Acts 9.16): We mustn't be afraid of suffering for in the moment of your greatest tragedy, in the moment of your greatest suffering, when you’re hurting more than you’ve ever hurt before, Jesus is there. He’s not forgotten you, He’s walking nearer to you. Jesus said, ‘I will be with you always.’ Every day, every hour, in the middle of every storm, in the middle of every sickness, even in a hospital bed, Jesus will always come. Whatever the crisis, there’s never a moment when He’s not there. Suffering is identification; in taking up our cross, we identify with Jesus, and He identifies with us. Jesus said, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.'

'At that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.... Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.... And there was great joy in that city.' (Acts 8.1-8, KJV.) The Acts of the Apostles, with its challenges and miracles, demonstrates to us the work of the Believing Church, to prepare for and bring about the Kingdom of God on earth by sharing the Good News – the Gospel – in Power. Deliverance from sin and miracles of healing were the tools Jesus used. These, and the power of prayer, supported by our faith in God’s infallibility, the Holy Spirit working in and through us, are the Mission of the Church and you as part of God’s Mission! I was recently evangelising in Poland to Ukrainian refugees. In the Saturday evangelistic meeting, we had 100 orphan children aged 14-18, bussed in by their Christian carers; over 150 refugees repented, we saw miracles of healing – testimonies were given on the platform, and others were shared on the buses as they went home. The pastors and missionaries who took part in this event shared their powerful memories of my ministry in Ukraine, Crimea, Belarus and Russia. They told of miracles which I didn’t know: that after my meetings in Gomel, Belarus, in 1994, they opened 50 new churches; in Evpatoria, Crimea, among the many outstanding healings, they brought one man on crutches, unable to walk unaided – he threw away his crutches, gloriously healed, and walked 12 miles home! These men and women from my past are so on fire, they are already missionaries and, as a result of the war in Ukraine, are evangelising Europe! What I want to show you is this, from the terrible persecution and hardship caused by the war can come blessing: God is using the displacement of people for the furtherance of the Gospel, just as He did in Acts 8.

'And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.' (Acts 6.7-8, KJV.) These chapters are significant because they illustrate the challenges faced by the early Christian community, the importance of serving all members of the community, and the courage and faith of individuals like Stephen, who remained steadfast in their beliefs even in the face of persecution and death. Additionally, Stephen's speech in Acts 7 provides a concise summary of Israel's history, emphasising God's continual pursuit of His people despite their repeated disobedience.

Verses 1-11 highlight the importance of integrity within the Christian community. It emphasises the importance of sincerity, honesty and generosity in our dealings with God and fellow believers. Jesus taught that those who are faithful with little will be faithful with much. But the reverse is also true, if we are not faithful with what God has given us, we cannot be trusted with more. Faithfulness and trustworthiness are important virtues for the Christian. In verses 12 to 20, we witness the extraordinary power and presence of God working through the apostles. The passage begins with the apostles performing many signs and wonders among the people. Gaining them great favour with the crowds. Despite the growing opposition from the religious leaders, the believers gathered in Solomon's Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord. Many were healed simply by being in their presence. The impact of these miracles was so significant, that people brought their sick out into the streets hoping that Peter's shadow might fall on them and bring healing. Multitudes of people from neighbouring cities, also gathered in Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits. Astonishingly, everyone was healed. In verse 31, Peter declares to the assembled council of religious leaders, that God exalted Jesus to His right hand as Prince and Saviour, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. He emphasises that they are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him. Peter's message is about the exaltation of Jesus by God, the opportunity for repentance, and forgiveness of sins, and the role of the Holy Spirit in confirming these truths to believers.

In Acts 3, Peter and John headed to the temple for prayer. They encounter a man who was lame from birth, begging for alms at the temple gate called Beautiful. Peter commands the man to rise up and walk in the Name of Jesus Christ. Miraculously, the man is healed and leaps up, walking and praising God. This causes a commotion among the people, who are astonished at the miracle. Peter seizes the opportunity to preach to the crowd, explaining that it was not his own power but the power of Jesus Christ that healed the man. He emphasises that the people had denied Jesus and called for His crucifixion, but that God had raised Him from the dead. Peter urges the crowd to repent and turn to God, promising forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit to those who believe. Many who hear Peter's message believe and join the early Christian community, which grows rapidly in Jerusalem. This chapter illustrates the power of faith in Jesus Christ to bring about miraculous healing and transformation, as well as the boldness of Peter and John in proclaiming the Gospel despite opposition.

'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.' (Acts 2.1-4, NIV.) Acts 2 describes the events of Pentecost, which occurred fifty days after Jesus' resurrection. The disciples were gathered together in one place when suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind filled the house, and tongues of fire appeared and rested on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them. A large crowd gathered because they heard the disciples speaking in their own languages, and they were amazed and perplexed. Some accused the disciples of being drunk, but Peter stood up and addressed the crowd, explaining that what was happening was the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy concerning the pouring out of the Spirit in the last days. Peter preached boldly about Jesus, his crucifixion, and resurrection, declaring him to be both Lord and Messiah. His words pierced the hearts of many in the crowd, and about three thousand people repented and were baptised that day. The believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. They shared everything they had, and signs and wonders were done through the apostles. The community grew in number daily, and they praised God together, finding favour with all the people. This chapter marks a significant moment in the early church's history, as it describes the empowering of the disciples by the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Christian church through the preaching of the Gospel.

All things are possible with Jesus: I began working in the Soviet Union in 1961. For thirty of these years, I worked under communism. In 1990 I was evangelising in Bulgaria; when I was invited to speak in a large church in Sofia, the pastor fled town, he was so afraid of what the communists might do to him afterwards! The next day, I was invited to speak in a church on the far side of Bulgaria, in Yambol. The building was packed out, and the Power of God was so strong, the young people under the Power of the Holy Spirit were speaking in pure English! Sensing the move of God, I got the idea to take a stadium to evangelise openly. The local pastors warned me it was impossible, nevertheless they went with me to ask for permission. Predictably the communist director of the stadium said, “It’s against our law to rent you the stadium.” But then he added, “There is nothing in our law to stop us giving it to you for free!” I shall never forget the dramatic and exciting evangelism we held in Yambol, Bulgaria, before communism finally fell there. It was August. The music group Vinesong and I arrived the day before the opening. What could we do? Nothing? No!!! So, without permission, we decided to hold an open-air service in the big square in front of the Communist Party Headquarters in Yambol! This city of 100,000 had never witnessed such scenes before! As darkness fell the beautiful worship music drew the crowds. But when Vinesong sang in Bulgarian, ‘I bow the knee to Jesus’ – the whole crowd, 10,000 strong, knelt in prayer with their hands raised in worship and acceptance of Christ! Even the communist police on duty took off their hats, and the Communist Party Flag, which until then had been fluttering bravely in the breeze, hung down limp as if it too was bowing before the Name of Jesus!

In Matthew 8, a centurion beseeched Jesus for his servant lying at home, sick of the palsy. He simply said, ‘I ALSO am a man under authority,’ – thus recognising Christ’s authority – ‘just speak the word!’ Once we accept the authority given us we can also become ‘men under authority’. The centurion said to Jesus, ‘I am not worthy that you should enter my house… but I am a man under authority, I say to my servant go and he goes.’ The centurion had AUTHORITY to COMMAND obedience! And he recognised this same authority in Jesus to command, when he said to Him, ‘Speak the word only and my servant will be healed.’ This is exactly what Jesus meant when, in Luke 9:1, He gave His disciples ‘power and authority over all demons and to heal diseases’. The centurion recognised authority, and demonstrated such great FAITH in Jesus and in His authority, it was enough even to heal his servant with one word! This is the secret of power over sickness and evil – authority – and I believe that we have this same authority that Jesus had. Look at Matthew 10:1 where He gave His disciples authority to cast out unclean spirits and heal all manner of sickness and disease, and at verses 7-8 where He says to them, ‘Preach… Heal the sick… Raise the dead!’ If we want to heal the sick, we need boldness and authority to cast out the sickness!

God works many different miracles. One time in Blagoveshchensk, Siberia, there was a miracle which was to be so outstanding, which not only blessed the whole city, but also the mayor, and it left an indelible impression on all our lives. “I’m not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!” If I weren’t living in the Power of this Gospel, if I weren’t preaching it and demonstrating it, I would be ashamed! How can you preach about something unless you really believe in it? I’ve seen so many miracles of healing. In my own life, I’ve been healed of cancer, miraculously, twice! In 1998 I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, they wanted to replace my hip. I didn’t even think about it, within days I was healed! What I am sharing with you, I live in the Power of it. We HAVE to live in the Power of what we preach!

I believe in prayer and in a God of miracles. Many years ago whilst driving to a preaching engagement some of my staff were with me in the car, and we were praying. I said to God, ‘I’m tired of talking about the miracle of my cancer and the miracle of my release from prison, I want a new miracle, a bigger one, NOW!’ Then I realised what I had said – and my staff remember – I cried out to God, ‘Oh God, hold me by the hand whilst I go through the suffering that will bring the miracle.’ Do you understand? Miracles do not come easy. When in my most recent healing miracle I had gone to the hospital with suspected lung cancer, one of my daughters who is a nurse and was with me at the time said, ‘Dad, don’t be afraid when they diagnose the cancer. Unless they prove that you have it, you will have no evidence of a miracle when God heals you!’ God said to me, ‘David, you’ve got a mountain in your life that you’ve got to move, and that mountain is to get that cancer out from your lung. I didn’t go to a healing evangelist, I went to the Word of God and God completely healed me – no operation, no treatment – I only had God and the Bible, and that’s all I needed to confound the doctors. They were shocked, they didn’t believe God. But I do, I believe in a God of power, of miracles.

I want you to understand the power of prayer, and the power which Jesus has. I spent my youth searching for God, not because I was not a Christian, since I became a Christian when I was 8 years old. But when I became a Christian, I didn’t want to be a ‘normal’ Christian – I was searching for the truth, the reality, the Power and Glory of God! I wanted to find the God of the Bible, the God of Heaven, I wanted to KNOW Him! All my life I have searched for God’s Power and His Glory! It was the dream of David the shepherd boy to see the Glory of God here, on earth! It’s my dream too!” 'When Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralysed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralysed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, ‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, ‘Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralysed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up, take your mat and walk”? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So he said to the man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’ (Mark 2.1-12, NIV.)