Paul and Barnabas head into Lystra, and when the locals watch a lame man get up and walk in the power of God, they try to make sacrifices to them, thinking they are gods. Paul preaches to them, but before long, hostility arises and Paul is stoned and left for dead.
Peter is sitting down to eat lunch one day, when he falls into a trance and sees a heavenly vision about eating unclean animals. After the vision, some unclean men arrive at the door asking him to come with them. The Lord instructs Peter to go with them “with no doubts.” And he ends up in the home of a Romans centurion. The “bridge” that is the church of God is starting to come together in Christ!
Stephen is recognized publicly in the church as a man full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. He is put in a position of leadership, but becomes known more for the great wonders and signs he was doing among the people. He ends up on trial in front of the Sanhedrin, and this time they can't handle the truth, and he becomes the first Christian martyr.
The church in Acts continues to grow, is marked by generosity and is experiencing the grace and favor of God at every turn. But when a certain husband and wife try to play games and get in on the favor, God acts in a unique and decisive way to make sure everyone knows – God will not be mocked.
The women arrive at the tomb on Sunday morning to take care of Jesus' body, only to find he is gone. Some angels remind them that he said this would happen. What implications does Jesus' resurrection have for us today?
Walking out our faith looks like taking Jesus’ words and putting them to action. Forgiveness, for example. Serving, for example. It’s where the rubber meets the road.
After warning his disciples about hypocrisy, Jesus warns them about greed – an inordinate desire to have an abundance of possessions. He tells them there is a better place to invest in the future than stockpiling resources.
Our foundation for everything we need to know about God and about ourselves and about the world is the inspired Word of God – the 66 books of the Old Testament and New Testament.
Inviting his son to look carefully at the ant, the father in Proverbs points out several life lessons that promote wisdom in making the most of every opportunity.