As we travel through the book of Acts together, we now come this Sunday to chapter 13, verses 13-52.  In order to understand Luke’s inclusion of Paul’s sermon in this account, we find wonderful guidance in a literary framing of the passage (a literary framing device is when the text itself contains verbal clues as [...]

This Sunday, we intend to return to our exposition of the book of Acts.  Usually in my sermons, I start with the broad picture and work into the details, but this Sunday, I hope to address one detail of the passage on Saul’s experience on the road to Damascus in Acts 9. Therefore, in preparation I [...]

Up to this point in Acts, we have seen the Gospel of Jesus Christ bring salvation to numerous people at a time.  It has demonstrated to us that the Kingdom of God is expanding and the grace of God is active through the Holy Spirit.  Now, the Scripture focuses upon three accounts of individuals, starting [...]

In this passage, we see that the Gospel is now being proclaimed in Samaria by God’s sovereign design.  As discussed last week, it was the persecution against the believers that scattered them, leading Phillip to Samaria. Phillip is performing signs by the Holy Spirit to an astonishing degree, attesting to the truth of the Gospel and [...]

This Sunday, we looked at the snippet of information contained in this passage that Saul witnessed Stephen’s martyrdom. As the Jews removed their garments so that they might better throw stones at Stephen, they laid them down near the feet of Saul, who was in hearty agreement with putting him to death.  The text goes [...]

The text for the sermon this Sunday was Acts 7:54-59, in which Stephen is granted a glorious vision of the risen Lord, for whom he is suffering death as a witness of His lordship.  This vision gives Stephen perfect joy, strength, and resolve to stand firm, facing their persecution against him. I. Howard Marshall writes concerning [...]

This Sunday, we looked at Stephen’s boldness in proclaiming the Gospel and the glorious New Covenant of Jesus Christ.  As we noted yesterday, this is a beautiful fulfillment of the words of our Lord and of the prayer for boldness by the Church.  Note: Luke 12:11-12: When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers [...]