One of the questions that comes to mind when reading the final section of Acts is: “Why does Luke take so much time to get Paul to Rome?” Yet while we may not know every reason why certain passages are included in Scripture, we can know many of them. Knowing that the Bible is all […]
In Acts 25-26, the story of Paul as witness on trial for the gospel comes to an epic conclusion before he reaches Rome. Everything has been building up to this moment where, in the providence of God, he gives the reason for his hope before the rulers of all Judea. Paul bears witness that King […]
When Paul stood before the high priest and the Jewish council, he said: “It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial” (Acts 23:6). Over and over, Paul makes this same assertion in his defense speeches in Acts. But why did he understand his all his […]
In the last major section of the book of Acts, from chapters 21-28, Luke devotes a significant amount of space to the imprisonment, court appearances, and defense speeches of the Apostle Paul. Why? Because Scripture is not only concerned with showing us Paul as missionary, church planter, and encourager of the saints, but also as […]
One of the greatest difficulties that the early church faced was the sharp division that existed between Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles). When we read our Bibles, it’s often hard for us to grasp just how serious this separation was. We certainly know what division looks like and estrangement feels like, however; just consider the year […]
The church is described throughout Scripture with several images, such as the family of God, the body of Christ, and the temple of the Spirit. As Paul bids farewell to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20, he uses another familiar picture of the people of the triune God: we are his flock, “the sheep of […]
Luke’s account of the Acts of the risen Lord Jesus reveals much about the nature of church. Here, we discover how the church is to be joyfully devoted to doctrine, fellowship, and prayer; that it is a miraculous community confirming the truth of the gospel; and how it is built only by King Jesus through […]
The book of Acts is not just the story of how the risen Lord Jesus built and established his church, but also how he continued to build up and strengthen his church through his Word of grace. We see this especially in Paul’s ministry of encouragement as be would revisit the churches he had planted […]
In America today, the temptation is to think that if we can just get the right candidate elected, the right justices appointed, and prayer back in school, then we would be “one nation under God.” But how is the church to make a difference in the world for God’s glory? What do we find in […]
Christians are those who believe that Jesus is the risen King. He was enthroned on a cross through the suffering of death yet was raised in victory three days later. Now, exalted as Lord and Savior, he grants forgiveness and eternal life to all who call on his name in faith; by grace, he welcomes […]
The kingdom of God, under the saving rule of Jesus Christ, is the reality to which all history is headed—a new heaven and earth, and a redeemed humanity experiencing the blessing of fellowship with God and one another forever. But this kingdom is also a present reality. The saving rule of Jesus is experienced today […]
Whether in the church, in ministry, or in everyday life, we seem to always encounter problem after problem. We’re often left wondering what God could possibly be doing in all our difficulties and trials. The early church wasn’t without its share of problems either, yet Luke recorded them under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit […]
In a world darkened by division and hostility, and while our nation is proving to be anything but “indivisible,” the church of the risen Lord Jesus is to be a radiant light of reconciliation, unity, and love. This is because Christians are a people united by saving grace (see Ephesians 2). However, it is all […]
The greatest problem we face, and the most important question anyone can ask, is this: “How can we be saved?” This is the problem that every religion attempts to solve, yet it’s a question many refuse to ask because we don’t want to accept all that it implies. The early church wrestled with this issue […]
What is grace? Simply put, grace is unmerited favor, and the grace of God is his love for the undeserving. And Scripture is clear that all things—from our election in Christ before the world began to our enjoyment of eternal life—is all to the praise God’s glorious grace. In Acts 13:48-51, Paul concluded his message […]
