Archives: Messages

While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, 
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.

Acts 7:59-60 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this,
he died. And Saul approved of their killing him. That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.

Acts 7:58-8:3 (NRSV)

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them
bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you 
persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, 
and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who where traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; 
so they led him by the hand and brought him 
into Damascus. For three days he was 
without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Acts 9:1-9 (NRSV)

Saul was awestruck by the All-Powerful Jesus!

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

Acts 9:10-16 (NRSV)

Jesus never promises that life will be easier.
He promises that life will be better.

So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,
and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Acts 9:17-19 (NRSV)

Saul proclaimed Jesus was the Messiah

Are you awestruck? TODAY IS THE DAY!

Peter looked straight at him, as did John. 
Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Acts 3:4-10 New International Version (NIV)

Holy Spirit Boldness

THE ENCORE TOUR

He [Jesus] said to them [the disciples], “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, 
but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Mark 16:15-16

THE ENCORE TOUR: To Share the Good News of Jesus

The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 
They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 
But many who heard the message believed; 
so the number of men who believed grew to
about five thousand.

Acts 4:1-4 (NIV)

If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, then know this,
you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

Acts 4:9-10 (NIV)

JESUS IS
“‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:11-12 (NIV)

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:40 (NIV)

You will be hated by everyone 
because of me, 
but the one who stands firm 
to the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:22 (NIV)

If you were arrested 
for being Christian,
would there be enough evidence to convict you?

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 1:1-5 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.”

Acts 1:1(NRSV)

Theo: God  // Philus=to love

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, 
and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 (NRSV)

GOING VIRAL!

When he had said this, as they were watching, 
he was lifted up,
and a cloud took him out of their sight.

Acts 1:9 (NRSV)

Pentecost – Feast of Harvest
50 (penta) days after Easter

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Acts 2:1-13 (NRSV)

SHOWTIME!

“You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, 
as you yourselves know — this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, 
you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be hold in its power…

“This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, 
he has poured out this that you both see and hear…

“Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, 
this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Acts 2:14-36 (NRSV)

So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Acts 2:41-42 (NRSV)

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 
Awe come upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, 
as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their numbers those who were being saved.

Acts 2:42-47 (NRSV)

Are you ready for Jesus’ ENCORE in your life?