“Acts gives the reader a theology of suffering that is exemplified by the life and work of Paul. Clearly suffering is a major force in the gospel’s expansion. It is a rare thing for the Way to spread without it. Various summaries in the text point to this conclusion (8:4; 9:16; 14:22; 20:22-24; 21:13; etc.), as does the flow of the book’s last nine chapters. Certainly the gospel moves, but never w...  Read More

Overview of the Sermon:From a young age, Paul’s parents taught him that the God of the Bible is a Deliverer. In Acts 22-23, we see the Lord faithfully deliver Paul through every trial. Paul proclaimed that Jesus delivered him from his sin, and sent him to proclaim the gospel to the gentiles, which resulted in a great uproar. By keeping Christ in view, Paul brilliantly silences both Jewish and Roma...  Read More

Sermon Overview:Anarchy! A riot swiftly erupts in the Jerusalem temple as Paul is suddenly slandered, beaten, and dragged out of the temple by a devilish mob stirred up by unbelieving Jews. Seeking ordered justice, a military tribune arrests Paul, delivering him from the violent horde, and escorts him in chains into the soldiers’ barracks to hear his plea for innocence. An unwavering Paul rises to...  Read More

Sermon Summary:After leaving Ptolemais, Paul and a group of disciples go to Jerusalem to deliver an offering to the Jewish Christians from their Gentile brothers. Once there, James and the elders expressed concerns about Paul’s coming, namely that his arrival will create problems for the Jewish Christians who still value the Law, and asked Paul to undergo purification with and publicly support fou...  Read More

“If we rest in the wise and good providence of God in all our plans, we will be confident people, and peaceful. Because we will know that whatever details of our plan don't happen, God's merciful providence holds sway. Because of the pervasive providence of God, Christians can be joyful in the gospel, sacrificial in our love, fearless in our witness, and confident in our planning.”  John Piper...  Read More

“The pulpit is the setting for drama. The gospel itself is dramatic. We are not speaking of the sense of drama as a contrived performance or as a make-believe world of play-acting…The preacher doesn’t make the gospel dramatic-it already is…I urge students, when they read a biblical text, to look for the drama.” R.C. Sproul“Keep in mind that the divide between Jews and Gentiles was not small or sim...  Read More