From your Pastors

"Even though Peter has been taught personally by Jesus, has received the Spirit, has powerfully preached the gospel, and has performed miraculous signs in the name of Jesus, taking this next step in the kingdom challenges him to the core of his being. To be Jewish meant to follow strictly the code of what to eat and what to avoid. An entire chapter of Leviticus spells thes...

Sermon Summary: In this passage, the gospel finally comes to the Gentiles through Peter. The ancient wall that stood between the Jews and the gentiles has been demolished. Peter's heart is changed after seeing a vision from the Lord declaring all things clean. The invitation from Cornelius opens the door of the gospel to go beyond Judea and Samaria. Peter's acceptance of ...

"In this chapter we will explore how to read and preach the most prevalent genre in the Bible. Narrative is not the most important genre just because it is the most prevalent, but if you do not understand the basics of this genre, you will be greatly limited. Completely limited! For even the non-narrative parts of the Bible take their place within the overarching metanarra...

Overview of the Sermon: Luke recounts two miracles that closely reflect two of Jesus' very own. First, a paralyzed man (Aeneas) who lived outside of Jerusalem, is told by Peter that Jesus Christ heals him! Upon this man's healing, many of the locals turn to the Lord Jesus. Then, even further from Jerusalem, in Joppa, Peter is sent to raise a woman named Tabitha from the d...

"Sandwiched between two of the most dramatic passages in Acts-Paul's conversion and Peter's vision on the rooftop-these verses often do not receive the attention they deserve." Brian Vickers "Both apostles (despite their different callings) had a key role to play in liberating the gospel from its Jewish clothing and opening the kingdom of God to the Gentiles. Luke therefo...

"As applied to our Lord, then, the title 'Son of God' marks Him out as the true representative of the Israel of God and as God's anointed king, the promised Messiah; but it is no merely official title. As He Himself used it, it reflected His unique relationship and fellowship with the Father, and His function as the revealer of the Father" F.F. Bruce "The effect of this p...

Overview of Sermon: Acts 9:20-31 describes what Saul did after his conversion. Immediately, Saul begins to preach the very gospel he persecuted others for believing, and the Lord uses Saul's conversion to grow the church. Saul's story illustrates the centrality of Christ in presenting the gospel, the importance of friendship and community in conversion, and God's personal...

Overview of Sermon: Saul, a violent enemy of the church, goes to Damascus to persecute Christians. But on the way there, God blinds him with a light from heaven. In a surprising turn of events, the seemingly "unsavable" Saul encounters the risen Lord and is radically transformed. Then, God sends an ordinary Christian to open Saul's blind eyesAnanias. Ananias courageously ...

"Frances Thomson's early life was one dead end after another. He studied for the priesthood but did not complete the course. He studied medicine but failed. He joined the military but was released after one day. He finally became an opium addict in London. But he could not get away from God's persistent love for him. In the midst of his despondency Thomson was befriended b...

"The book of Psalms was the hymnal of ancient Israel, in which the people of Yahweh turned to him in every kind of experience. Because the psalms grow out of the full range of life, from the most tragic to the most delightful situations, for nearly three thousand years they have taught believers how to approach God no matter what they may be facing. God's people will never...