Luke concludes the book of Acts with Paul a prisoner in Rome, yet still “proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:31). Though he was held captive by Rome, and many of his hearers were held captive by unbelief, he knew that God’s […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
When reading the OT prophets we can often wonder: “What does any of this have to do with me?” As we hear God’s Word to his wayward people faced with the choice to be faithful to him or to reject his Word, we are reminded of who we all are by nature, who God is […]
The persecuted church in Jerusalem had been scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, preaching the Word as they went. Philip the evangelist had gone to Samaria, where the city received the gospel with joy. But Luke also includes a specific incident involving a Samaritan sorcerer name Simon. This story serves to illustrate a profound truth related […]
To worship God is to give him all honor and glory for who he is and what he has done. Yet this worship must be offered rightly, since God alone defines what worship is acceptable to him. Today, however, many understand worship to be nothing more than performance based on emotion. Worship is simply the […]
Who are the people of God today? Who can say, “The Lord is our God and we are his people”? Scripture declares that, after the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, God graciously chose a people for himself out of all the nations of the world to be his treasured possession, obeying his […]
In Acts, the power to heal was given by the risen Lord Jesus to his apostles to lay the foundation of the church (Acts 2:43; Eph. 2:20). These miracles were redemptive signs that accompanied the preaching of the gospel and validated their message. And like all signs, they pointed to something else; they pointed to […]
