Archives for March 2023

Sermon Overview: First Peter 5:8-11 gives us a glimpse of the person behind the persecution of the church in ActsSatan. Not only should we be aware of his evil efforts in our lives, but his strategies during the time of the early church are often the same today. In light of this, Peter tells us what we should do: be sober-minded, watchful, and resist him. Peter also remin...

"The Christian message has been expounded through these chapters of Acts in a variety of contexts, sometimes at considerable length. It was to receive significant restatement and further elaboration in the later New Testament writings. In the two millennia to follow, it would become the source of voluminous compositions and counter-compositions, both learned and popular, o...

"For a full understanding of the early church we need to read The Acts of the Apostles and The Book of Revelation side by side. Both tell much the same tale of the church and its experience of conflict, but from a different perspective. Luke in the Acts chronicles what unfolded on the stage of history before the eyes of observers; John in the Revelation enables us to see t...

Sermon Overview: In Acts 17:1-5, Luke uses two cities to display the relationship between the pulpit and the pew that God uses to advance his mission. In Thessalonica, Luke highlights Paul's teaching and interpreting of the Scriptures that was met with a Jewish mob and false accusations. Paul explained and reasoned with the Jews in Thessalonica, and many Gentiles believed...

"We never move on from the cross, only into a more profound understanding of the cross." -David Prior "I've come a long way since I heard the gospel in a drug-induced high. I've traveled many miles in this journey of faith. But by His grace I've never moved on from the cross of Jesus Christ. And I never want to." -CJ Mahaney "These accusations missed the mark, as Paul ha...

Sermon Overview:Paul and Silas inspire us how to suffer well in Acts 16:16-40. While they are bringing the gospel to Philippi, a demon tries to interrupt their witness though a possessed slave girl. Paul casts out the demon after a few days, but this enrages the girl's slave owners as they lose their profit. The result is that Paul and Silas are beaten and jailed with fals...

"Many writers briefly mention suffering or persecution in Acts. Very few, however, explain its significance at length" Paul House "In short, Acts has no purpose, no plot, no structure, and no history without suffering. Therefore proper interpretation of Acts depends in part on the commentator's grasp of suffering's importance in Acts." Paul House "It will have included t...

"Authentic turning points in history are few. But surely among them that of the Macedonian vision ranks high. Because of Paul's obedience at this point, the gospel went westward; and ultimately Europe and the Western world were evangelized. Christian response to the call of God is never a trivial thing. Indeed, as in this instance, great issues and untold blessings may dep...

Sermon Overview: The new Gentile Christians in Antioch are troubled by men coming from Judea andteaching that Gentile Christians must follow the law of Moses in order to be fully accepted into the Christian faith. This leads to a debate in Jerusalem where Peter demonstrates that Gentile conversion is God's work and choosing, and that cleansing was through faith and not th...