Sermon Overview:In Acts 19, Paul meets a group of disciples from ‘John’s baptism,’ who know nothing of Jesus Christ. Paul shares the gospel with them, and upon hearing, they believe and are baptized. This is followed with a ‘mini-Pentecost’ moment when the Spirit uniquely evidences their new birth with signs and gifts. Some Jewish exorcists try to use Jesus’ name to cast out a demon from a possess...  Read More

Summary:Acts 18 moves the gospel’s stage from global advancement to next door neighbors. While Actsdetails critical events in the life and development of the early church, those developmentsinvolve many individual lives changed through Jesus. We see the effects of the gospel in theselives as it moves forward one person at a time; the gospel does this by producing threequalities: community, hospita...  Read More

“Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this… We belong to one another only through and in Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means, first, that a Christian needs others because of Jesus Christ. It means, second, that a Christian comes to others only through Jesus Christ. It means, third, that in Jesus Christ we have be...  Read More

Sermon Overview:As we engage in our secular culture, Paul through the text in Acts 17, gives us insights for Gospel mission. First, we must view all things from a God-centered perspective which helps us find gospel conversation opportunities with our neighbors. Second, we must have a gospel worldview that will help us understand out of place allegiances. Knowing that God is the sovereign creator o...  Read More

Sermon Overview:In this passage, the resurrected Jesus appears to His startled and skeptical disciples. He speaks peace to them and shows them His wounds. He opens their minds to perceive who He is. This Easter, we can rejoice because our Savior has opened our minds to see Him, too. We see Him as the all-sufficient Savior who has met our greatest need and conquered death.Discussion Questions:In v....  Read More

“Our faith is strengthened when we realize that the first disciples are skeptics too at first. They do not naively believe that Jesus has conquered death. When they first hear about the resurrection, they doubt it could be so. But Jesus gives them concrete evidence that he has truly risen.” -Thomas Schreiner “This is the great mystery of the gospel in the blood of Christ, that those who sin every ...  Read More