They took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead.

 Good morning. After the incident with the magician, Acts now denotes it as Paul and his companions, instead of putting Barnabas first. It says that John leaves them and returns to Jerusalem. They reach a place and enter the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sit down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it. Wow, what an opening! Like Stephen did, Paul begins with the children of Israel in the land of Egypt and what God did for them. He continues on until he gets to King David. From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, after John had proclaimed before His coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. John admitted that he was not the One who was coming. To us the message of this salvation has been sent. For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked that He be executed. They took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead. He then appeared to many who are now witnesses to the people. We will continue this next time. Father make this a glorious week for us. Guide and protect us every day.

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