Marketing Miracles
Acts 19:11-12 (HCSB) 11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by Paul’s hands,12 so that even facecloths or work aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. Years ago, a friend of mine in college was a “prayer partner” for […]
In the Way
Acts 19:8-10 (HCSB) 8 Then he entered the synagogue and spoke boldly over a period of three months, engaging in discussion and trying to persuade them about the things related to the kingdom of God.9 But when some became hardened and would not believe, slandering the Way in front of the crowd, he withdrew from […]
Baptism in the Spirit
Acts 19:1-7 (HCSB) While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” “No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” “Then with what ⌊baptism⌋ were you baptized?” he asked […]
The Death of Discipleship
Acts 18:24-28 (HCSB) 24 A Jew named Apollos, a native Alexandrian, an eloquent man who was powerful in the Scriptures, arrived in Ephesus.25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught the things about Jesus accurately, although he knew only John’s baptism.26 He […]
When Good News and Hubris Meet
Acts 18:5-6 (HCSB) 5 When Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with preaching the message and solemnly testified to the Jews that the Messiah is Jesus.6 But when they resisted and blasphemed, he shook out his clothes and told them, “Your blood is on your own heads! I am clean. From […]
Footnotes in History
Acts 18:1-4 (HCSB) 1 After this, he left from Athens and went to Corinth,2 where he found a Jewish man named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul came to them,3 and being of the same […]
Ignorance is bliss
Acts 17:30-31 (NIV) 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the […]
Finding God
When Paul began explaining God to the people in Athens, he told them the Lord brought them to this point in time: “27 so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. 28 For in Him we live and […]
JXSW (Jesus by Southwest)
Acts 17:19-21 (HCSB) 19 They took him [Paul] and brought him to the Areopagus, and said, “May we learn about this new teaching you’re speaking of? 20 For what you say sounds strange to us, and we want to know what these ideas mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners residing there spent […]
A Reasonable Faith
Acts 17:16-17 (NIV) 16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. […]
The Gospel According to Wikipedia
Acts 17:10-12 (NIV) 10 As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to […]
Mobs, riots, and the Truth
Acts 17:5-9 (NIV) 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not […]
