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 […]
With the ascension of Jesus and outpouring of his Spirit upon the church, we find ourselves living between the 1st and 2nd comings of Christ. At his first coming, Jesus won the decisive battle of the war against the kingdom of darkness. Now, God’s kingdom is advancing throughout the world, bringing forgiveness and joy to […]
Throughout the book of Acts, we see followers of Jesus both going and staying for the sake of the gospel. Some travel thousands of miles to preach Christ and establish churches; they go to give. Others remain in a local community of faith in order to encourage and equip the saints; they stay to strengthen. […]
Two thousand years ago, before Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, he promised his disciples: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Though the […]
While it is clear that we are living in an increasingly secular age, it is actually quite religious. More and more people desire a spiritual identity that gives them purpose and meaning in this life, and seek to fill the void left by religion with a host of idols such as entertainment, self-expression, romance, wellness, […]
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 […]
