January 8, 2017
December 25, 2016
God intends to take all of the discord and sadness of this world and somehow weave it back into his eternal melody. And the life of Jesus from the manger to resurrection is like the first notes of the resolution, the beginning of eternity.
December 24, 2016
God intends to take all of the discord and sadness of this world and somehow weave it back into his eternal melody. And the life of Jesus from the manger to resurrection is like the first notes of the resolution, the beginning of eternity.
December 18, 2016
Luke concludes the book of Acts (Chapter 28) by emphasising that the gospel will go out unhindered.
December 11, 2016
Back in Acts 9, Ananias (not the high priest in 24:1) baulked at going to lay hands on Paul immediately after his Damascus Road conversion. Yet Ananias was told, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." (Acts 9:15-16). This final unit in the book of Acts shows Paul proclaiming Christ to the Romans and their 'kings', beginning at Jerusalem and moving ultimately to Rome.
December 4, 2016
Acts 21 pivots to the next section of Luke's account of the first 30 years of the Christian church. By now, we are used to Paul's miraculous escapes from opposition and persecution. A new kind of pathway now opens up for Paul, the missionary apostle.
November 27, 2016
Paul and his team are now journeying towards Jerusalem, carrying with them a very generous gift of aid for the Christians there. On their way by boat, they make a brief stop at Miletus where they meet with the elders of the churches at Ephesus and surrounding areas. In Acts 20 Luke recounts Paul's specific message of encouragement and direction for these elders.
(Please note, bible study questions relating to the sermon can be accessed by clicking on the paperclip icon, found on the right).
October 30, 2016
The book of Acts has so far followed the program established by Jesus' words in Acts 1:8. The apostles had become his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and since Acts 10, had begun a mission to the gentiles which would indeed stretch to the ends of the earth. But this rapid expansion and generous welcome of gentiles into the Christian faith was not without its problems. Soon a faction was demanding that gentiles must become circumcised Jews before they could become Christians. The Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) was called to resolve this issue. Both the decision made, and the process followed, profoundly shaped the way in which Christianity changed the world over the following centuries. (Please note, bible study questions relating to the sermon can be accessed by clicking on the paperclip icon, found on the right).
September 25, 2016
The giving of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost launches the mission Jesus gave to his disciples in Acts 1:8. His work in and through every believer, empowering them for their role in the mission, marked the beginning of the last days.' After Peter's sermon, three thousand were saved. But this success is not credited to Peter's skill as a preacher. Rather, salvation is always the work of the Holy Spirit in response to the hearing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.