King Herod (one of many Herods in the Bible) has the apostle James killed and tries to kill Peter also. But Peter escaped from prison due to an angel's help - and prayers of the church. At the end of the story, Herod does get what's coming to him. The last in a series in chapters 8-12 of Acts.
"The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch" (v. 26). The church in Antioch does seem to be a model to look toward in many ways. They had five preachers at one point, many converts, and were able to send charity to Christians elsewhere. Part of a series in chapters 8-12 of Acts.
The apostle Peter has a literal revelation: non-Jews are equal to Jews and worthy to be saved also. Part of a series in chapters 8-12 of Acts.
The apostle Paul comes down hard on people that are poisoning the church - and wants Titus to do the same where he is. Part of a series in the book of Titus.
The apostle Peter heals two people in two different but nearby cities (Lydda and Joppa). In both cases, it seems that the church has spread there already and Peter is visiting existing converts. Part of a series in chapters 8-12 of Acts.
As Paul warned the elders of Ephesus in Acts, we must be alert to the reality that Satan seeks to destroy our faith through deception. In this lesson, we consider three critical ways a person can allow themselves to drift down a path to a hardened heart
In chapter 1 of Titus, Paul writes to Titus of qualities a man must possess to be appointed into a role that is called by many names, including Elder, Pastor, Bishop and Overseer. Rather than just being titles, these words each describe something of the nature of the role and the work involved in it. In this lesson, we consider the importance of appointing qualified men as Overseers, and the nature of the qualifications listed in verse 8-9. Part of a series in the book of Titus. [Administrative note: last month's lesson on verses 6-7 did not record.]
Imagine a foreign terrorist renouncing his ways and then becoming a senator in your country. This is basically the story of Saul (later named Paul). A man who eagerly sought and killed Christians literally sees the light and becomes one of the greatest heroes of the early church. Part of a series in chapters 8-12 of Acts.
A well-known conversion story in the book of Acts. An unnamed (but high-ranking) man from Ethiopia has a providential encounter with Phillip (the disciple from chapter 7). Part of a series in chapters 8-12 of Acts.
Continuing a multi-year series in the book of Acts. This year we are looking at the chapters in Acts that take place in Judea and Samaria. We begin with the story of Simon the Sorcerer, who is allegedly a convert to Christianity.