Acts Bible Study: Day 25 Today’s passage: Acts 15:36–41 Focus verse: They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. (Acts 15:39) The church has successfully dealt with a theological disagreement without causing division. But there’s another dispute. This one isn’t theological, but personal. The outcome is different. After working a while with the church […]
Acts Bible Study: Day 24 Today’s passage: Acts 15:1–35 Focus verse: Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, “The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to keep the law of Moses.” (Acts 15:5) Until now, the church has enjoyed much unity. They’ve gotten along, just as […]
Acts Bible Study: Day 23 Today’s passage: Acts 14 Focus verse:Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. (Acts 14:9–10) After Paul and Barnabas preach to the Gentiles about Jesus in Pisidian Antioch, […]
Acts Bible Study: Day 22 Today’s passage: Acts 12:25 to Acts 13:52 Focus verse: While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” (Acts 13:2) Our narrative of the early church now returns to Barnabas and Saul, […]
Acts Bible Study: Day 19 Today’s passage: Acts 11:19–30 Focus verse: The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:26) After Stephen’s martyrdom, Jesus’s followers travel to tell others about him—just as he told them to do. But, aside from Peter, they’ve only shared his good news with other Jews. That’s about to change. […]
Acts Bible Study: Day 15 Today’s passage: Acts 9:1–31 Focus verse: “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 9:17) Think back to when the Jews stoned Stephen to death. Remember who […]
Acts Bible Study: Day 8 Today’s passage: Acts 4:32 to Acts 5:11 Focus verse: Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord?” (Acts 5:9) In Acts 2:42–47, we read about a biblical model for church. Remember that this is a description of what happened and not a command for […]
Paul and Barnabas Respond to Hostile Nonbelievers with Boldness and Perseverance In the Old Testament, the Israelites, God’s chosen people, are a set apart nation. They are to keep separate from the other nations around them and if they will, God promises to bless them. They also look forward to a promised king who will […]
When We Don’t Get Credit for What We Do As a child someone told me that Paul wrote the book of Hebrews. This has stuck with me, and I still consider Paul as the book’s most likely author. But as I look for confirmation of this early lesson, I find little support. Though initially attributed […]
Everyone Deserves a Second Chance A person who keeps resurfacing in the Bible is a man with two names. Sometimes he is Mark, and sometimes he is John. For clarity, Luke often refers to him as John, also called Mark, John Mark for short. Let’s explore the failure and the comeback of John Mark. John […]