Category: Sermons
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Unwavering Kingdom Commitment
Luke narrates the ongoing history of the first mission to the Gentiles by presenting two patterns, a pattern of missionary opposition and a pattern of apostolic perseverance. Through placing the apostle’s perseverance in preaching against the backdrop of persecution he causes their model to stand out in bold relief. Instead of changing the mission or…
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Responding To The Word
A call to a solemn hearing of the word formed the conclusion to Paul’s synagogue sermon. In what follows in verse 42 Luke illustrates the appropriate response to the word as he highlights the believing gentile response in contrast to the unbelief of most of the Jews. Luke’s testimony teaches faith confirmed as genuine by…
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John The Baptist, Forerunner of Christ
Some people think that they are just too smart and too educated to believe the Christian message. But often such people reject what they don’t know or understand. Paul seeks to head off such a knee-jerk rejection to his claim that Jesus is the savior brought to Israel by God through appeal to an indisputable…
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A Divinely Brought Savior
As the first intentionally planted Gentile congregation, the church of Antioch was uniquely blessed by the Lord. Not only did the Lord favor these former pagans with the light of the gospel but He also gave them a multitude of godly leaders and teachers. The result of such an outpouring of grace was that this…
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Overcoming Missionary Opposition
It would be quite understandable if Barnabas and Paul were experiencing a tinge of triumphalism as they set sail from Seleucia for their first missionary journey. They have been prayed over, sovereignly selected and set apart by the Spirit for mission, and sent off by laying on of hands by the church. Surely these tokens…