Atlantic Gospel Chapel Messages

We continue our series in the Atlantic Gospel Chapel Statement of Faith.  This morning, we consider the fourth article of our Statement of Faith: "We Believe – the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, and during this age, to convict those without Christ as their Savoir of their sin and regenerate the believing sinner. He also indwells, guides, instructs, and empowers the believer for godly living and service." In this lesson, we consider both the Person and the work of the Holy Spirit.  Who is He?  How does the Holy Spirit communicate with the believer?  What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer? We thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We invite you to examine our statement of faith online at, https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/. May God bless you through the teaching of His Holy Word.

Many of us remember a time as children when the preview of the latest Star Wars movie  installment aired on television.  The trailers left us with the eager anticipation of the promised event.  We often wished the date would come much sooner than the actual date. In today's lesson, we take a look ahead at what is to come.  In last week's lesson, we considered the first part of the third article of our statement of faith, "We Believe – Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Further, He arose bodily from the dead..." This morning, we consider the second part of this article, "He ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of God the Father, He is now the Head of the church and intercedes for all believers. In the future, He will take the Church – both the dead and living believers – to be with Himself. Later, He will come to Earth to establish His Kingdom." We thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We invite you to check out our statement of faith online at, https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/. May the Lord bless you through the teaching of His Word.

Today's lesson represents part one of two considering the third point of the Atlantic Gospel Chapel Statement of Faith. We Believe – Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Further, He arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven, where at the right hand of God the Father, He is now the Head of the church and intercedes for all believers. In the future, He will take the Church – both the dead and living believers – to be with Himself. Later, He will come to Earth to establish His Kingdom. What does it mean that Jesus is True God and True man?  Why is this such a critical point in the Christian faith. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.  Again, we invite you to check out our statement of faith at https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/.  

In today's lesson, we finish our look at that portion of the Atlantic Gospel Chapel's Statement of Faith dealing with the ordinances of the church. We Believe – for the believer, the Lord's Supper and water baptism by immersion are ordinances to be observed by the church during this present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as a means of salvation. Like 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-27; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 2:8-9. Last week, we focused upon the Lord's Supper in the life of the church.  Today, we examine the role of baptism in the life of the believer. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.  And again, we invite you to examine our Statement of Faith at https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/.

In today's lesson, we continue our look at the Atlantic Gospel Chapel Statement of Faith.  Today, we begin a look at the two ordinances of the church, the Lord's Supper and Baptism. From our Statement of Faith, "We Believe – for the believer, the Lord's Supper and water baptism by immersion are ordinances to be observed by the church during this present age. They are, however, not to be regarded as a means of salvation." Like 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-27; Matthew 28:19; Ephesians 2:8-9.  In today's lesson, we consider the Lord's Supper and why it is important in the life of the church and the life of the believer. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.  We also invite you to examine our full statement of faith on our website at, https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/.

We continue our look at the doctrine of the Trinity.  We examine more Scriptural evidence for this central doctrine of the church.  We consider the development of the doctrine within the church, which has its beginnings in the teachings of the Apostles and carried into the first and second centuries by those who studied with them.  We also consider errors associated with the Trinity. Thank you for listening to this lesson.  We invite you to visit our website and check out the Statement of Faith of the Atlantic Gospel Chapel at https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/

In today's message, we continue through the Atlantic Gospel Chapel Statement of Faith.  "We Believe – there is one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14."  Today we examine the doctrine of the Trinity and consider the implications for the believer today. Thank you for listening to today's message.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word. We invite you to examine our Statement of Faith by visiting our website at https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/.

We continue our look into the first article of the Atlantic Gospel Chapel Statement of Faith.  Here we take a further look into the Bible itself to gain a deeper understanding into how we received the Bible in its current form.  How was it determined which books were the Word of God and which were not. We invite you to read our Statement of Faith in its entirety at https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/. Thank you for listening to this lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

In today's lesson, we begin a series on the Atlantic Gospel Chapel Statement of Faith.  Each week, a member of the leadership team will expound upon each of the articles in our Statement of Faith. Today, we examine the first article, We Believe – the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, to be the inspired Word of God; without error in the original writings; the complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men; and the Divine and final authority for all Christian faith and life. 2 Timothy 3:16,17. You can read our Statement of Faith in its entirety at https://atlanticgospelchapel.com/statement-of-faith/. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

A recent video posted online asked the question, "Why do we celebrate Christmas?"  Then answers seem to reflect the modern, American culture as regards the Christmas season.  We celebrate because there are presents.  We celebrate time with family and friends.  But only one of the responses shown indicated a Biblical understanding of Christmas as the time we remember and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But what does this truly mean?  As believers, do we really dig into the depths around the wonder and glory and truth of Christmas?  As one put it, "Jesus had the birthday but we got the gift."  In today's lesson, preached on Christmas morning, 2022, the Atlantic Gospel Chapel leadership team examines four aspects of the Incarnation: The Pre-Incarnate Christ The Old Testament prophecies which foretold the birth of Jesus The Event of the birth of Jesus What this all means for us Thank you for listening to this special message.  May you be blessed as, together, we consider the awe and wonder of Immanuel, God with us.

As we continue in Acts 17, we find Paul in Athens addressing the men of the Areopagus to answer questions aroused by his preaching in the market place.  And just as we are today, we find that the people of Athens in Paul's day were very religious by nature.  But in our sin we worship things that are not God, who is the only One deserving of our worship. As Paul presents his case before the council, he presents God as the creator of all things.  He presents God as the self-existent One who does not depend upon anyone or anything for His existence, but instead gives to all life, breath and all things. Thank you for listening to today's message.  And as we consider the God who is, my you be blessed by the teaching of God's Holy Word.

As we enter into the Christmas season, our thoughts often go to all things Christmas.  The trees and decorations, the lights and presents.  Sunday School programs rehearse the Christmas story, and we return to passages such as Matthew 1, or Luke 2.  But what we don't often associate with Christmas is the story of creation. When John opened his Gospel in John 1, he wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”  Later in John 1:14, he wrote, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us..."  The Second Person of the Trinity, the One who created the universe, became a man.  This is the story of Christmas. So, as we look back to Genesis 1 at the story of creation, may we get a glimpse at eternal character and nature of God.  And may this cause us to stop and wonder, as David did, “When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have established; What is man that You remember him, and the son of man that You care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4 NASB) Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed as we consider who God is and what He has done for us through His Son.

In our modern world, the idea that life should be ordered on Scriptural principles is  often seen as a silly notion.  Belief in God is seen as quaint; but to believe that God's Word should play a part in public life is seen as dangerous.  And to insist on belief in the Bible is to de-legitimize other religious beliefs and is therefore a bigoted view.  The COEXIST bumper stickers, on which each letter is formed from a symbol representing a different major religion, is the mantra of the day. When Paul entered Athens, we read in Acts 17:6, "his spirit was being provoked within him as he was observing the city full of idols."  In other words, Paul ran right into a culture not that different than our own modern culture.  He observed a very religious culture with objects of worship abounding.  And to make sure their bases were covered, they even included an altar to an unknown god.  And when Paul began to speak to the crowds in the Athenian market place, he received the same response Christians receive today, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" As we look at Paul's response to the culture of his day, what lessons can we draw to help us respond to the culture of today? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

As a city in the ancient world, Corinth could be compared to Las Vegas of today.  A port city, and an important city within the Roman Empire, this city was a mecca of idolatry and moral corruption.  To find a church in this city was, in many ways, a miracle in itself. Sadly, the church in Corinth was a church with many problems, not the least of which were the divisions which existed.  What lessons can we gain from this church and Paul's handling of the issues which plagued this local body of believers? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Thanksgiving is something that should mark our whole life.  How often do we thank God for our existence or His many blessings in our lives?  Or how often do we thank God for our jobs or our fellow believers?  The list of things for which we should be thankful becomes a rather lengthy one. In today's lesson, we conduct a survey of what Scripture has to say on the topic of giving thanks. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed as we consider who God is and what He has done.  And may our hearts, minds, and lives pour out in giving thanks to God.

In his play, "The Crucible," Arthur Miller made this comment, "Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."  It is easy for us to cast stones at many of the characters of Scripture.  And perhaps one of the characters attracting the most condemnation of believers is Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Most of what we know about Lot comes from the account in Genesis, beginning in chapter 12, where we find Lot joining his uncle as Abram leaves his land following the Lord's call.  And from the Scofield notes, we would conclude that Lot ended his life in a completely back-slidden state. But the most important things we know about Lot comes from 2 Peter 2:4-9, in which we read that Scripture counted Lot as a righteous man whose heart was tormented by the wickedness of Sodom where he dwelt. As we consider the character of Lot, what applications can we make to the life of the believer today?  What encouragement, as well as warnings, can we draw from this man's life? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Most of us have likely heard messages such as, "Five Things That Prove the Resurrection of Jesus."  In tonight's lesson, however, we turn this on its head.  Rather than looking at the evidence for the resurrection, we consider, "Six Things the Resurrection of Jesus Proves."  While there are more than these items, we focus on the following things which the resurrection prove: The truth of the Old Testament Scripture All authority in heaven and earth belong to Jesus Jesus will return to judge Salvation God's wrath is satisfied Death is not the end Thank you for listening.  May you be encouraged by the Word of God and the truth and power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

There are those today who act as if Christians should not quote Scripture.  One reason is the fear that people will find us silly.  Another reason being that Scripture no longer has the power to convict. But what does the Word of God say?  In today's lesson we continue with Paul and Silas and Timothy into Thessalonica.  Having been driven from Philippi, Acts records how they next came to this city, where Paul spent three Sabbaths in the synagogue, reasoning with them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.  The result is many believed; both Jew and Gentile. The Jewish leaders in Thessalonica, jealous of the response to the Gospel, stirred up the city to drive out Paul and his companions.  Those who knew the Word of God best, rejected the very Scripture they claimed to uphold. Exiled, Paul and his companions next come to Berea and again enter the synagogue of the Jews.  By contrast, the Jews in Berea are described as, "more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica."  For when they heard the Gospel preached from the Scriptures, rather than reject it, they, "received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily whether these things were so." The truth is, Scripture always draws a response.  And in a world where the Word of God is rejected, the believer always runs the risk of seeming silly.  But we must also remember that the Word of God is powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Life is full of questions.  Most of the questions are trivial in nature; what cereal should I have for breakfast?  Other questions, while they may have more depth, we treat them as trivial; such as, "Who are you doing?" to which most of us answer, "Fine," even if we are not.  Some questions are life changing, "Will you marry me?" to which the answer may change the trajectory of our lives.  And still others are life or death questions, "What is your blood type?" which if answered incorrectly may result in death. But there is one question which has eternal consequences, "What must I do to be saved?"  In today's lesson we continue our study in Acts 16 in which a Philippian jailer is faced with that question.  How would you answer the question? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Lamentations is one of the least preached books.  And to be honest, it is a depressing book.  Lamentations deals with the Lord's treatment of Judah, specifically, Jerusalem, for her continued rebellion to Himself and His laws.  And following an 18 month siege of the city by Babylon, Jerusalem is devastated beyond belief. But the lessons of Lamentations are just as relevant for us today as they were during the time the events of this book took place.  First, we must come to grips that our sin deserves judgment, and the position in which Jerusalem finds itself is the direct judgment of God.  But we also see that God is righteous in His judgments and we learn what happens when God's people cry out in repentance. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

Lamentations is one of the least preached books.  And to be honest, it is a depressing book.  Lamentations deals with the Lord's treatment of Judah, specifically, Jerusalem, for her continued rebellion to Himself and His laws.  And following an 18 month siege of the city by Babylon, Jerusalem is devastated beyond belief. But the lessons of Lamentations are just as relevant for us today as they were during the time the events of this book took place.  First, we must come to grips that our sin deserves judgment, and the position in which Jerusalem finds itself is the direct judgment of God.  But we also see that God is righteous in His judgments and we learn what happens when God's people cry out in repentance. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

"In the year of King Uzziah's death..."  King Uzziah strengthened the nation both politically and religiously, seeking after the Lord God.  King Uzziah reigned for 52 years in Jerusalem, so when he died, this time of relative peace and stability came to a crashing stop.  What would become of the nation?  Uncertainty gripped the nation as well as God's prophet, Isaiah. In the midst of this uncertain time, Isaiah goes to the temple in Jerusalem, where he is given a vision of the Lord on His throne with the train of His robe filling the temple.  It is a magnificent vision to behold with seraphim calling out to one another, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts." But then a thought grips this prophet.  This prophet whom God called to pronounce judgments, woes, upon the nations and the religious leaders for their rebellious hearts, how stood before a Holy God and he realizes that he is just as deserving of God's judgment as these wicked nations. Join us for this lesson as we explore man's place before a Holy and Righteous God, and the Lord's reaction to and provision for our sin. Thank you for listening.  May you be richly blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

During the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts 15, the early church affirmed that salvation did not depend upon adherence to the Mosaic Law, but solely upon accepting, by faith, the grace shown to all through the atoning work of Christ on the cross.  Anything else only served to add burden to believers. Following this Council, Paul set out to revisit the churches established during his first missionary journey in order to encourage and strengthen these churches.  He also planned to enter into Asia to bring the Good News of this Gospel message to more people. It is here, in Acts 16, where Paul first encounters Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who believed the Gospel, and a Greek man.  A young man of high character, Paul brought Timothy along on the journey; finding in him a kindred spirit for the work of the Gospel.  But despite Paul's intentions, the Holy Spirit had other plans, closing doors to bring Paul into the European continent. In today's passage, we see the importance of close bonds with those of like faith, of passing down the Gospel to future generations and the wisdom in setting aside our own preferences and liberties for the sake of the Gospel.  We learn that God is the ultimate missions director, closing doors we sought to open while opening doors we may have never considered.  And finally, we learn that it is God who changes the heart.  And while our words are not what brings salvation, the Holy Spirit honors us with using us to reach the lost. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be encouraged and blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

As Paul closes out his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, he does so by encouraging to live lives in light of the Gospel and in the hope of the soon return of the Lord Jesus.  This hope is the certain expectation based upon the faithfulness of who God is and what He has done for us in His Son, Jesus Christ. Join us for today's lesson as we explore living life in light of the Gospel, drawing four lessons from today's passage. The Corporate Life of the Believer The Individual Life of the Believer The Dynamic Life of the Believer The Power to live the Life of a Believer Thank you for listening to today's message.  May the Word of God richly bless you.

Today's lesson is the second and last lesson on Romans 8:28-30, sometimes referred to as the Golden Chain of Redemption with each of its five links holding us to Jesus Christ.   In the first part of this series, we considered the first two links of this Golden Chain: Foreknown Predestined That is, that those whom He foreknew he has predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. In part two, we consider the remaining three links: Called Justified Glorified This "Golden Chain of Redemption" encourages us with the truth that our salvation is not dependent upon us, nor is our security dependent upon us.  Rather, it is God who is the One who save and ensures that our salvation is brought to its full completion. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be richly blessed as we consider God's intimate knowledge of us, His creation and His purpose to conform the believer in Jesus into the image of His Son.

When we look at the Bible as a whole, we can think of it as a great symphony of a rescue story, of how God saved a people to Himself.  All of the Bible is about who God is, what He has done and what He is going to do.  This rescue story is a story of which we are a part.  But we must also remember that we are not the center of this story; rather we are the ones requiring rescue. Today's passage has been referred to as the Golden Chain of Redemption, with each of its links holding us to Christ.  It is the central theme of the rescue story of Scripture and fixes our gaze upon the subject of this story...God the Father working through God, the Son, Jesus Christ. In part one, we will consider the first two of the five "links" which make up this Golden Chain: Foreknew Predestined Called Justified Glorified Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be richly blessed as we consider God's intimate knowledge of us, His creation and His purpose to conform the believer in Jesus into the image of His Son.

Immediately following His baptism by John, the Gospels record that the Spirit led, or better drove, Jesus into the wilderness for forty days.  We know little of that time other than he fasted those many days alone; a time which echoes the forty years Israel spent in the wilderness following their exodus from Egypt.  In a sense, Jesus fulfilled in the wilderness what Israel could not. It was at the end of these forty days that the Devil came to Jesus in order to tempt Jesus.  At each of these temptations, Jesus' response was the Word of God, "It is written..."  In the end, Satan failed in his attempt to keep Jesus from going to the cross.  It was this temptation which led the writer of Hebrews to conclude, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all thing as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15 NASB) Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed and encouraged by our Great High Priest who is solely qualified to take our place in judgment.

Those of us who have been on a flight through a storm know the anxiety this produces.  The turbulent, bumpy ride of this sort would make anyone nervous.  But then, as the pilot flies the plane above the storm we find peace.  The sun, previously hidden from the storm, still shines brightly and beautifully above the storm.  It can be like that for us in turmoil when all we see is the storm...but the sun is still there even when we cannot see it. This is also true for us spiritually.  We had no hope, but what we find is that the Son has always been there, so that now, through the obedience of the One, many will be made righteous.  Jesus made the way for us to be reconciled to God.  Now, if we will receive that gift, we have a glorious and abundant future in heaven awaiting us; a place, as it were, above the clouds of this earth and all the trials and temptations that bring us so much turmoil. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

When we read about the heroes of Scripture we do not see heroes larger than life who can do no wrong.  Instead, we see people like us used mightily by God to do extraordinary things.  But what Scripture does not do is gloss over the imperfections of its heroes.  Instead, we see imperfect characters, warts and all.  Life is messy and we as human beings are messy people.  Scripture shows that God's people are still messy people and that there are still fights and differences between us. Paul and Barnabas were close companions who took the Gospel beyond the region of Palestine into Asia Minor, planting many churches.  When the issue of the role of circumcision in salvation, Paul and Barnabas confronted this false teaching together.  But when Paul approached Barnabas about a second missionary journey, a great difference arose between these two close friends regarding the inclusion of John Mark in the journey.  In the end, this disagreement proved irreconcilable, and the two parted ways. We will see from today's lesson that God works even in these circumstances.  We also see the importance of discipleship in Christian ministry; it's not just about winning converts to the faith. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Psalm 73:1, "Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart."  As Asaph wrote Psalm 73, he opened reminding himself of God's promises to Israel.  But, as he looked around, he saw something which seemed to contradict God's certain promises; for it appeared the wicked prospered rather than the righteous.  This observation nearly caused this man, a worship leader within the church, to stumble; that is until he entered the Sanctuary of God. Upon entering the God's Sanctuary, he sees first who God is.  And perceiving God's person, he then understands the ultimate end of the wicked. Just like Asaph, we may be tempted to look around and wonder, why do I keep working so hard to please the Lord?  What good does it do when the wicked have it better than me?  May today's lesson be a comfort and encouragement to us as we consider the person and character of God. Thank you for listening.

Following the spread of the Gospel in Jerusalem and Judea, we read in Acts how the Gospel came to the Samaritans through Philip.  This follows the Lord's instructions to His disciples in Acts 1, to take the Gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the world.  Therefore, following the introduction of the Gospel into Samaria, an angel of the Lord instructs Philip to a desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza. As Philip obey's the Lord's guidance, he has a "chance" encounter with an Ethiopian eunuch in which Philip finds him deep in the study of Isaiah 53.  Invited into the chariot, "Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him." From this passage, we learn three important truths: There are no chance meetings The importance of preaching Christ from Scripture The right response to what Christ has done Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May God richly bless you and encourage you in the work of the Gospel from His Holy Word.

One of the themes throughout Paul's first letter to the church in Thessalonica is the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  As he continues this letter, he takes time to answer some concerns of the believers there.  Of great concern was the fate of loved ones in Christ who had died.  When Jesus returns, which they fervently believed would be at any time, what will happen to those who have died?  Will they share in the blessings of eternal life with Jesus? Paul's answer to this question was likely a great comfort to the believers there, just as it is a great comfort to believers today.  There is good reason why this passage, particularly 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is often read at funerals, because if we are honest with ourselves, we are concerned about the fate of our loved ones in Christ who have passed. As we study this passage, we will focus on three main points: The Certain Hope for the believer  The Certain Judgment for the world The Certain Foundation of the believer Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you are blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

It may be hard to fathom, but even in the first century, mere decades after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, teaching which was not in line with Scripture or the Apostles' teaching began to creep into the church.  The earliest of these challenges to the church focused upon the issue of circumcision; for certain men from Judea, Pharisees who had believed, began to teach, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved" (Acts 15:1 NASB).  At the core of this teaching was the addition of works to faith to ensure salvation.  However, this teaching was clearly at odds with the Scriptural teaching of salvation alone by grace alone through faith alone. This teaching represented the first great challenge to this still young church.  So much so, that Paul and Barnabas, "had great dissension and debate with" these teachers.  The Jerusalem Council convened to determine the response to this question.  It is a question which goes to the very heart of the Gospel message, "What is necessary for salvation?" From today's passage we draw three key points when it comes to false teaching in general and this false teaching in particular: How false teaching is confronted? Why is this false teaching so deadly? What is the basis by which judgment is made regarding this false teaching? Thank you for listening to today's message.  We pray that this teaching from God's Holy Word will encourage you in your own faith.

Scripture is clear that there is a coming day when the trumpet shall sound and those who are in Christ, the dead first, then those who remain, will be caught up in the air and so we shall be with Him for all eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  The question becomes, then, are you ready for when the trumpet sounds?  Where will you spend eternity? In today's lesson we explore the question put forth by the writer of Hebrews, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3, KJV).  What awaits the one who rejects the free gift of salvation secured by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  It is our prayer that you would be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.  More importantly, if you do not know the Lord Jesus as Savior, it is our fervent prayer that you would understand the implications of today's lesson, "How shall we escape?"

Most of us likely remember those times growing up when our parent's announced that company was coming.  Be it grandma and grandpa, or friends of the family or coworkers, this announcement was soon followed by several days to prepare the home for the anticipated visitors.  Floors would be swept and mopped, furniture was dusted and we even had to make sure our rooms were cleaned. In Exodus 19, the children of Israel find themselves in a similar position.  They are only a few days removed from their exodus from Egypt.  They have witness the wonders of the Lord as He judged Egypt and their gods, now bringing them to the foot of Mount Sinai.  And the command is clear, "consecrate yourselves."  For they also anticipated the arrival of the God of the Universe.  This very same God whom they witnessed in the plagues poured out upon Egypt.  This very same God who parted the Red Sea and provided water from the rock.  And this divine appointment with the creator of the universe bears infinitely more consequences than the arrival of family or friends. We learn two key principles from Israel's encounter with the Lord at Mount Sinai.  First, we must be ready to meet the Lord.  Second, we learn that no one can come into the presence of Yahweh uninvited.  To do so brings judgment from the Lord.  This is why, when the Lord spoke from the mountain, their response was, "Moses, you talk to us.  But don't let the Lord speak to us any more or we will perish." And just like the children of Israel, we find ourselves in similar straits.  To approach God on our own merit brings judgment and wrath.  So how can we approach such a holy God?  How do we apply today's reading and lesson to our lives today? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

The recent decision handed down by the United States Supreme Court striking down Roe versus Wade has resulted in much discussion and controversy within our nation.  As Christians we are bound by the Word of God.  As we consider the topic of abortion, as Christians we must begin by asking, what does God have to say about this subject?  Our understanding of this cannot come from our preferred political party; from either side.  Rather we must think about this a people who are bound to the word of God. But isn't this topic a political discussion?  On the one hand, this is a political discussion, but the political discussion is down stream from the religious discussion.  The problem is that the political discussion is trying to answer religious questions by contemplating whether or not to follow what the Word of God says on this topic. This is a difficult discussion; but it is a discussion from which we as Christians cannot and must not avoid. Thank you for listening to today's message on this very timely topic.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

"It's a free country!" is a refrain many of us has heard here in the United States of America.  This response often comes when someone's speech or actions are challenged.  The implication, of course, being that as a free country, we are free to say and do whatever we please.  The problem, however, comes in the fact that independence cannot really be freedom from all law or my freedom will endanger the freedom of others within the community. As the nation prepares to celebrate its independence, how do we as Christians view our freedom and independence.  From what and to what have we been freed?  And how can we claim independence when Paul, and other writers of scripture, assert that we are now slaves to righteousness? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Word as we consider the freedom we have in Christ.

Peter spent roughly three years with Jesus, during the Lord's earthly ministry.  He witnessed unimaginable signs and wonders.  He witnessed the Lord walking on water.  He was there when the Lord raised the dead and when He healed the blind and lame.  But as the Lord reached His darkest hour, praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter couldn't keep his eyes open for even an hour.  And as the Lord was arrested, Peter fled; even denying to have known Jesus at all, despite his boasts, "even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be;" (Mark 14:29 KJV), and again, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" (Mark 14:31 KJV).  These were his confident assertions when the Lord warned all the disciples that they would desert Him, and Peter would deny Him. One question that comes to mind is, how can someone who spent so much time with the Lord Jesus find themselves in a place so far from Him?  In today's lesson, we consider five steps which resulted in Peter calling down curses upon himself and swearing he never knew the Lord.  And as we consider these steps we are reminded that we are also prone to follow the same path as Peter. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Following Paul's preaching in Pisidian Antioch, the Jews plotted to stone Paul and Barnabas.  Learning of this plot, they fled for the cities of Lycaonia; Lystra and Derbe, where they continued to preach the Gospel. In Lystra, they encountered a man lame from birth.  Through faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, Paul was enabled to heal this man.  The response was misplaced credit for this miracle; attributing this healing to the work of their gods and assuming Paul and Barnabas to be Hermes and Zeus visiting their city, even going so far as to prepare sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas. Aghast, Paul and Barnabas rush to stop this idolatry.  Beginning with the fact that they are just men, Paul makes great effort to preach the Gospel, beginning with the foundation of general revelation which points to the One True God, who is the creator and Lord of All. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Wherever the Gospel is preached there is a response to it.  In some cases, the response is overwhelmingly positive.  Sometimes, the response is violent opposition.  And other times, the response is indifference.  But in each of these cases, God is still accomplishing His purposes through His Word; as we are reminded in Isaiah 55:10-11, "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." As we continue our study of the book of Acts, we pick up with Paul and Barnabas in Pisidian Antioch, where Paul has preached the Gospel.  The response is what we would expect; some overwhelmingly accept the good news, others are violently opposed to the message of the Gospel, and still others are indifferent.  But regardless of the response, we are called to preach the Word. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be richly blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

As Jesus approached the time of His crucifixion, He spent time to prepare His disciples for what was to come.  In John 15, He introduces His disciples to a level of relational intimacy with God through Jesus Christ.  Using imagery with which they were likely familiar, Jesus relates the Christian life to the vine and the vine dresser. In today's lesson, we get a glimpse at the True Vine and see how the vine dresser cares for us in order to bring about increased fruit in the life of the believer. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Picking up in Acts 13:16, Paul gets into the meat of the Gospel.  As we saw last time, Paul preaches nothing new, but the same Gospel which the other apostles have preached all along.  And this Gospel is not rooted in any new information or in human invention; rather it is rooted in the Scriptures.  So as Paul preaches to the Jews and the God fearing Gentiles in the synagogue, he brings them to the Scriptures.  Rehearsing their own history, Paul recalls that Jesus is the fulfillment of the magnificent promises made to their forefathers centuries prior; the fulfillment of the promises made to David. He reminds them of John the Baptist, of whom this group must have heard the stories coming out of Israel.  John, the prophet who came after 400 years of silence, pointed to the one who would come, "the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie."  John pointed to Jesus, but when Jesus did come, the rulers recognized "neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him" without cause.  But God raised Him from the dead, after which He appeared to many. This is the Gospel Paul preached.  It is the Gospel to which the prophets pointed centuries before.  And it is the same Gospel which has been preached for nearly two millennia.  And so as we consider this same Gospel, may we be emboldened to preach the Gospel, turning to Scripture as the basis and foundation for our teaching. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.  

As we pick up with Paul in Pisidian Antioch during his first missionary journey, we find Paul doing exactly what he has been doing since the time of his conversion; he is preaching the gospel.  As became his practice, in each city he visited, he went to the Jews first in the synagogue.  In fact, it was the fact that he was already doing the work of an evangelist and missionary which allowed him to be set apart by the Holy Spirit for this journey to take the Gospel to the Gentiles in Asia. Now in Pisidian Antioch, he again preaches the Gospel.  And as he does so, his method becomes a model for us to follow, for we see that in his preaching, Paul: Preaches nothing new; his message is the same message he, and the other apostles have preached. Paul appeals to Scripture, the Old Testament, throughout his sermon, and not to human opinion or philosophies He ends his message with a call to faith, as well as a warning for those who will not believe. We also see, that just as Paul was called to preach the Gospel, we are called to the same mission.  Therefore, let us preach the Gospel. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May the Lord bless you through the teaching of His Holy Word.

The book of Acts follows God's set plan for His church.  As the Lord commissioned the Apostles, they were to take the Gospel from Jerusalem into Judea, Samaria, and finally to the remotest parts of the earth.  In other word's, God's plan was that the church would be a global religion; not just the religion of Israel. Acts records how, at the Holy Spirit's leading, the church expanded from Jerusalem into the countryside of Judea, eventually reaching into Samaria.  And now the focus of Acts changes from Jerusalem as the center of the the church to Antioch as the base camp for the expansion of the Gospel into Asia Minor.  The Gospel had reached the continental divide as it prepares to leave the region of Palestine and reach into the remotest parts of the earth. In today's lesson, we see how the Holy Spirit set aside Saul, now referred to as Paul, along with Barnabas for the work of bringing the Gospel to the gentiles.  We learn principles associated with God calling workers for ministry.  We see how the enemy seeks to resist the work of the Gospel.  But we also see how God works in wonderful ways, greater than we can imagine, to bring people to salvation. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Word.

Today's culture has reduced motherhood to one who is a "birthing person."  In other words, the role of the mother is a purely physical one.  But this view of motherhood diminishes the Biblical view of motherhood, which endows the mother with both value and importance in the work of the Gospel. In today's lesson, we survey the many roles a mother plays and discover a mother is so much more than the modern view of motherhood.  From comforter and protector, to planner and referee, mothers work in ways which shape the family and therefore have tremendous opportunity to impact the world for the Gospel. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Word.

Throughout Paul's letter, he has overflowed with praise for this young church.  He has been impressed by their faith in the face of persecution.  Despite their young status, this church already distinguished itself as an example of faith and love to the churches in Macedonia and Achaia, that is, Greece. But now Paul moves on to so-called practical matters.  Answering questions as well as addressing issues within the church, Paul starts by noting their faithful walk with God, encouraging them to excel still more.  And Paul starts in an area which has the potential to deeply influence the church, both then and today; the area of sexual immorality.  This is a topic which affects us today, drawing away both young and old from a faithful walk with the Lord. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May the Lord bless you through the teaching His Holy Word.

For those with children, especially thinking of fathers, there is nothing sweeter to the ear than to hear your young child call to you, "Daddy!"  We remember the days when, after a long day of work, we walk into the door to excited exclamations, "Daddy's home!!" and often to the relief of a weary mother.  An ideal picture for us might be sitting at the breakfast table, coffee in hand, and have your child come in and say, "Good morning, Daddy!" But as we get older, most of us stop calling our father, daddy; opting instead for the simple Dad, or Father.  Why is that?  And why do we not approach our heavenly Father in the same way, opening our prayers with, "Good morning, Daddy."  Many of us cannot imagine this, as it sounds too irreverent.  And certainly, we must approach the Lord with awe and reverence, recognizing His holiness and power.  But is there a place for this kind of intimate language, approaching our Heavenly Father as Daddy. In the New Testament, various passages, for example, Romans 8:15, point to the fact that we have "received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father'".  Most of us recognize, "Abba" as being the Aramaic equivalent of "Daddy".  And what we find, in a survey of just a few New Testament passages, is that approaching God as Daddy: Reminds us of how we can relate to God the Father How God the Father relates to His Children The position we have as His Children through Christ Jesus' own position before His Father Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

For those with children, especially thinking of fathers, there is nothing sweeter to the ear than to hear your young child call to you, "Daddy!"  We remember the days when, after a long day of work, we walk into the door to excited exclamations, "Daddy's home!!" and often to the relief of a weary mother.  An ideal picture for us might be sitting at the breakfast table, coffee in hand, and have your child come in and say, "Good morning, Daddy!" But as we get older, most of us stop calling our father, daddy; opting instead for the simple Dad, or Father.  Why is that?  And why do we not approach our heavenly Father in the same way, opening our prayers with, "Good morning, Daddy."  Many of us cannot imagine this, as it sounds too irreverent.  And certainly, we must approach the Lord with awe and reverence, recognizing His holiness and power.  But is there a place for this kind of intimate language, approaching our Heavenly Father as Daddy. In the New Testament, various passages, for example, Romans 8:15, point to the fact that we have "received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father'".  Most of us recognize, "Abba" as being the Aramaic equivalent of "Daddy".  And what we find, in a survey of just a few New Testament passages, is that approaching God as Daddy: Reminds us of how we can relate to God the Father How God the Father relates to His Children The position we have as His Children through Christ Jesus' own position before His Father Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Happy Easter and thank you for listening to today's lesson. In today's lesson, the leadership of Atlantic Gospel Chapel share the pulpit to consider Easter considering four factors: Who is Jesus? Why does the life of Jesus matter? Why did Jesus have to die? What does the resurrection accomplish? We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Most of us have experienced loss of one sort or another.  This includes the loss of money and possessions, the loss of position or job, or even the loss of friendships and the loss of loved ones.  For many, these times of loss, times of suffering, become a true struggle as we try to reconcile the concept of a loving God with the reality of suffering. During these times, many questions arise.  If God is all powerful, all knowing and all loving, why does he not intervene to prevent suffering?  How can a loving God allow suffering to exist in the world?  Does God even care? These are real questions which which we must wrestle.  Fortunately, Scripture has much to say regarding suffering.  As we consider the themes around the central verse of today's lesson, Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (NASB), we find that God is indeed working through suffering to accomplish His purposes.  We find there is comfort in a sovereign God.  Further, there is great comfort in Jesus' promise to His disciples in Matthew 28:16-20, that all authority is given to Him and that He is present with us always, even to the end of the age. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Many of us grew up on stories told in books and movies in which we imagined what it might be like to live in that world.  The world of George Lucas in a galaxy far, far away, where we imagine what it might be like to be a Jedi knight, or perhaps a smuggler.  Or perhaps it was the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, where we imagine ourselves in Middle Earth, joining the fellowship to destroy the one ring of power in the fires of Mount Doom.  Who would we be in these stories?  What would be our purpose? While these are the things of fanciful imaginations, there is a story in which we have a part and a purpose.  This is God's story, set in the world He created, and we are its characters.  Today's lesson is the second part in our look at "Living in Light of the Risen Lord," in which we discover we are part of God's continuing story of the Gospel.  And we not only have a part to play, but also a purpose. What is our purpose?  As the Lord met with His eleven remaining disciples in Galilee, He instructed them to go.  Go and make disciples of all nations.  But what does it mean to be a disciple?  And does this apply to us today? Thank you for listening to today's message.  May you be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.