Category: Bible Study

RISING EXPECTATIONS

“Philip, for example, went down to the town of Samaria and there proclaimed the Messiah.” –Acts 8:5 Philip the deacon is an Easter saint. He shows us that because of the risen Christ: whole cities can be converted (Acts 8:14ff; see also Acts 9:35, 42), even the “least likely” people, like Samaritans, will enter God’s kingdom, persecuting the Church will build it up, and every member of the family not only can keep the faith, but also lead in spreading the Gospel (see Acts 21:8-9). The risen Christ transforms whole cities, Samaritans, a persecuted Church, the members of our families,...

WHO WILL DIE?

“Those who listened to his words were stung to the heart.” –Acts 7:54 At the first Christian Pentecost, many who heard St. Peter preach were cut to the heart by his words and the convicting power of the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:37). Three thousand of them repented, were baptized, and received the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:38, 41). After St. Stephen preached, the people hearing him were cut to the heart (see Acts 7:54). Nevertheless, they did not repent. Rather, “they ground their teeth in anger at” Stephen (Acts 7:54). “The onlookers were shouting aloud, holding their hands over...

STAYING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

“The Stephen already spoken of was a man filled with grace and power, who worked great wonders and signs among the people.” –Acts 6:8 Stephen was described as “a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). After being falsely accused, threatened, and having people grind their teeth in anger at him (Acts 7:54), Stephen was still described as “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:55). Many of you reading this have been filled with the Holy Spirit through Baptism and Confirmation. You may have been renewed in the Holy Spirit through the Life in the Spirit Seminars,...

IGNORANCE AIN’T BLISS

“Yet I know, my brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did.” –Acts 3:17 Contrary to the old saying, ignorance is not bliss. What you don’t know will hurt you. God’s people perish for lack of knowledge (Hos 4:6). Of course, the Lord is merciful and will even make excuses for us in our ignorance: “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34). Nevertheless, there comes a time when there’s no excuse for our ignorance of God, His Word, and His plan of salvation. “God may well have overlooked bygone periods...

WHEN SHEEP MAKE SHEPHERDS

Look around among your own number, brothers, for seven men acknowledged to be deeply spiritual.” –Acts 6:3 “They presented these men to the apostles.” –Acts 6:6 Did you notice that the leaders of the early Church placed the responsibility for finding deacons on the “community of the disciples”? (Acts 6:2) That’s us! We need to be on the lookout for those who would make good leaders in the Church. This was new for the early Christians. Jewish priests and Levites were born into their positions. The apostles were called and chosen by Jesus Himself. The early Church, however, called the...