Acts
Early Church Persecuted for their Faith
This chapter records the first persecutions of the early church. In the Gospels we find great opposition coming from the Pharisees. However, As Peter and John were speaking to the people they were confronted by a group of Sadducees and arrested (vv. 1-4). In Acts it is the Sadducees …
Abraham’s Promised Descendents
The picture of Abraham is followed by the picture of Joseph. As the Sanhedrin rejected Jesus, the sons of Jacob united to get rid of Joseph. Both were motivated because of envy (v. 9). Joseph was rejected by his brethren, sold for the price of a slave, handed over to Gentiles, and made to suffer …
Ethiopian Eunuch Evangelized by Philip
This portion of Scripture shows the importance of being sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading to be in the right place, at the right time. Philip who was engaged in a very successful evangelistic work in Samaria, was prompted by the Spirit of God to interrupt this ministry and go to the Gaza Road …
Festus Consults Agrippa
Festus was in a difficult position. He knew that Paul was innocent. Festus could have set Paul free with a promise to stay away from Jerusalem and Judea in the future. He could have given him a military escort to the boarder. But Paul had appealed to Caesar, and so Festus had to write a report …
Paul’s Journey to Troas
After the riot in Ephesus, Paul gathered the disciples to say farewell and to encourage them (v. 1). He then departed for Macedonia. It’s likely that this was when he evangelized the province of Illyricum, on the Adriatic Sea across from Italy (Rom. 15:19). From Macedonia, Paul traveled …
Truth Brings Conviction to Agrippa
Paul gave a vivid description of his conversion on the road to Damascus (vv. 12-18). Light from Heaven had sone around him and his companions, and they all fell to the ground. Paul alone had heard voice of the Savior reprimanding him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?†(v. 14) …
Peter’s Message of Repentance
Peter exhorted the people and the leaders by telling them they had acted in ignorance because they didn’t recognize who Jesus is. However, Christ being crucified was a fulfillment of prophecies. Peter’s message: It begins with a note of mercy and warning c …
Paul Preaches the Gospel of the Resurrection
Paul told the people of Antioch (both Jews and God-fearing Gentiles) how God had sent a Savior, but how the rulers in Jerusalem had put him to death, and God had raised Him from the grave (vv. 26-37). Since he was addressing a synagogue congregation, he used Old Testament Scriptures to …
Miracles Performed by Paul for Authentication
Ephesus was known for its magic, and apparently the Christians had not yet put away all such evil practices (vv. 11-12). However, we need to take note that these were special miracles (v. 11) and not to be duplicated by others. There was no New Testament in existence in those days, so God …
Saul (Paul) Confronts a Sorcerer at Cyprus
Paul and Barnabas took another young man, John Mark, with them, and they sailed for the island of Cyprus, arriving on the eastern costal village of Salamis (v. 4). They went from synagogue to synagogue where they preached the Word of God (v. 5). Day after day they walked, stoppin …