Podcasts about in acts

2025-06-29: In Acts 10, God brings two very different people, Peter and Cornelius, into the same story to show that faith was never meant to be lived in isolation. Obedience for one unlocks breakthrough for the other, reminding us that God often moves through community, not just in individuals. This passage isn't just about personal faith, it's about shared transformation. If you're trying to follow Jesus alone, you might be missing half the miracle.

In Acts chapter one, Jesus told His followers they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses. They did indeed receive power, and that power to be a witness is not only essential but available still today. We've just begun a new series in Acts, and pastor Al will share the second half of his introductory message today. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1425/29

The early church wasn't just a crowd of believers—it was a spiritual family, shaped by the message of Jesus. In Acts 2, we see a community marked by unity in purpose and diversity in background, all centered on Christ. We explore how Jesus redefines what family means, and how the beauty and power of spiritual family isn't something we manufacture—it's something God creates when we respond to His message.

In Acts 12:1–19, the church faced a crisis when Peter was imprisoned, but their problems became an invitation to fervent prayer. God responded by giving Peter peace in the middle of danger and providentially sending an angel to deliver him. Pastor John uses this story to encourage us to share answered prayers as a testimony to God's faithfulness. Our problems are invitations to prayerPrayers bring God's peace and providenceShare answered prayer Life Group Discussion:What are some situations in your life right now that could become opportunities to lean into prayer rather than worry?In what ways can consistent prayer reshape our perspective on difficult circumstances?Why is it important to share when God answers prayer, even in small ways?

In Acts 12:1–19, the church faced a crisis when Peter was imprisoned, but their problems became an invitation to fervent prayer. God responded by giving Peter peace in the middle of danger and providentially sending an angel to deliver him. Pastor John uses this story to encourage us to share answered prayers as a testimony to God's faithfulness. Our problems are invitations to prayerPrayers bring God's peace and providenceShare answered prayer Life Group Discussion:What are some situations in your life right now that could become opportunities to lean into prayer rather than worry?In what ways can consistent prayer reshape our perspective on difficult circumstances?Why is it important to share when God answers prayer, even in small ways?

In Acts 16, we saw how Paul and Silas worshipped their way through the darkest of nights. Their situation was hopeless by all accounts, but they didn't wait for a victory to start worshipping. They worshipped before they saw anything change. And when they did, the ground shook, chains broke, and lives were changed.Some of us are in a midnight moment right now, and this week's message was a reminder that midnight praise still works. It may not feel like the time to lift your hands, but those might be the moments that matter most. God loves your worship when it's costly. When it's not convenient. When you choose it anyway.We unpacked all of this in this week's message called “Worship at Night.”Join us for service online or in person every Sunday at 8am, 9:30am, 11am, & 12:30pm (PST).If you want to share how God is moving in your life through this ministry, please let us know at info@captivatesd.com!Decided To Follow Jesus? Sign up to receive a copy of our “I Have Decided” booklets - https://shorturl.at/GymIkGet plugged in!Next Steps - captivatesd.com/next-stepsVisit - captivatesd.com/visitCommunities - captivatesd.com/communitiesIf you would like to support Captivate financially you can give online through our website by clicking here captivatesd.com/giving Need prayer? Please let us know! - https://captivatesd.churchcenter.com/people/forms/597023For more information about Captivate Church, visit captivatesd.com or follow us on our social media platforms below.Instagram - Instagram.com/captivatechurchsdFacebook - facebook.com/captivatesdWatch More Messages: youtube.com/@CaptivateChurch/videos

In this first week of the “Being the Church” series, Andy Saperstein considers what it means to bear witness to our faith in the world among friends and family, neighbors, strangers and enemies alike. In the early verses of Acts, Jesus declares that once the Spirit has fallen on the church, we will be his witnesses both near and far, from our own homes to the ends of the earth, as we fulfill our identity and calling as the people of God. To have a genuine encounter with Jesus and to be filled with the Holy Spirit qualifies us to be his witnesses; listen to this week's talk to consider what that might look like in your own life.- Series Description -Among the most compelling stories in the Bible is contained in the Book of Acts, written by the humble and gentle physician, Luke. In Acts, Luke tells the story of the birth and expansion of the church in the early decades following the Lord's death, resurrection, and ascension. He tells the story of the coming and work of the Holy Spirit, the ministry of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and of other early saints. He tells the story of early opposition to the faith, of the first martyrs, and of the courage of early Christians in the face of resistance and even death. At the beginning of the book, the Christian community is limited to Jewish believers mostly in and around Jerusalem; by the end of the book, the church is growing and expanding among Jewish and Gentile communities throughout the Mediterranean world and beyond. Come out for this 8-week series, “Being the Church,” bring a friend, and join us in living out in our own day and time what it is to be the church together.

Joel Wood June 22 2025In a world filled with confusion, brokenness, and spiritual darkness, how does real transformation happen? In Acts 18–19, the Apostle Paul enters two very different and very diffit cities — Corinth, known for its global commerce, rampant immorality and cultural corruption, and Ephesus, a hub of spiritual idolatry, magic, and political power. What happens next is nothing short of miraculous: people come to faith, lives are changed, and communities are impacted — not through flashy programs or celebrity preachers, but through the simple, powerful, personal method of discipleship. Walking with people. Teaching truth. Clarifying faith, and boldly speaking the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. No matter who you are or what you do, God has placed you where you are for a reason. And as you walk faithfully with Jesus, He will use you to help others do the same and be a part of transforming lives and communities.

In Acts, as the good news spreads and produces people who live differently, it causes tension in Jerusalem. One of the key leaders of this new church, a man named Stephen, gives a speech that really kicks the hornets nest, and it gets him killed. In this message, Pastor Julie examines this speech and the story that surrounds it. The speech goes through the history of the people of Israel and how old, sinful patterns continue to resurface, especially in how the people in his day treated Jesus and now the news of God's kingdom. Tensions and resistance still exist today. But God works in the midst of them, and he sometimes even uses it as an important way the good news spreads, and in this passage there is encouragement that Jesus stands by us even in the midst of our own challenges to live and preach the good news.

Where does courage come from—especially when fear feels overwhelming? In Acts 21, the Apostle Paul faces a future full of warnings, danger, and suffering. Yet he doesn't back down. Why? This message explores how true courage is born out of deep conviction—conviction about who God is, what He's called us to, and how the Holy Spirit empowers us to stand firm. Whether you're facing hardship, tough decisions, or uncertainty, you'll walk away with hope and clarity about how to move forward in faith, not fear.Todays message focused on ACTS 21:1-17Welcome to Calvary Community Church!We're so glad you're here. Whether you're joining us online or checking us out for the first time, we'd love to get connected with you.

What's your main mission in life? If you could achieve just one thing, what would it be? In Acts 16:1-15, we observe Paul and his team set out on an important mission, remaining firm in the gospel but flexible in their practice. Find out how God can work through you in similar ways, as we follow their example.

In Acts 4, we're given a powerful glimpse of a church that didn't grow through clever strategy or political favor but through deep commitment to God and one another. Fresh off experiencing persecution, the early believers didn't panic; they prayed. They didn't hoard their resources; they gave. They didn't tear one another down; they encouraged each other. Their courage, generosity, and unity weren't signs of ideal circumstances but of Spirit-filled conviction. This kind of church continues to change the world. The early church experienced God's growth not in strategy but in surrender to God's plan and call.

What do the sermons in Acts reveal about the early Church’s belief in the Resurrection? Where was Tabitha before her resurrection in Acts 9:40? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, we explore deep theological questions about Christ's human nature during His death, how to explain Original Sin to students, and what good—if any—can come from eternal suffering in Hell. We also address how to explain the mystery of the Trinity to someone from a Latter-day Saints background. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 04:06 – Do the sermons in the Book of Acts offer early references to the Resurrection similar to the creedal formulations in Corinthians? 12:26 – In Acts 9:40, where was Tabitha before her resurrection? Could it have been Limbo, Purgatory, or another state? 17:12 – During the time Christ was dead, was His human nature still united to the Second Person of the Trinity? If so, how is that explained? 22:59 – What are effective ways to explain Original Sin to students who struggle to understand the concept? 37:12 – If God allows suffering to bring about some good, what possible good can come from the eternal suffering of souls in Hell? 45:55 – How can the doctrine of the Trinity be explained to someone from the Latter-day Saints tradition who wants to understand it?

In Acts 9, we read about the radical transformation of Paul after his encounter with Jesus. He goes from being a ruthless persecutor of early Church to being persecuted for declaring that Jesus is the resurrected Son of God. What we learn through Paul's transformation is that we can think we are following God's will but be completely missing what he is actually doing. We need to see the world with His eyes. We can only gain this new way of seeing the world through a personal encounter with the gracious love and presence Jesus.

By Mary Lindow Hello to all of you who are listening via podcast today or who are reading this message! I just finished being a part of our weekly prayer gathering this evening, and I have to tell you, the presence of the Father was so absolutely strong and evident in our time together! I am literally to the point that I anticipate all day long on Thursday evenings, getting together with the group that we pray with.    We have been blessed week after week, month after month with the sweet and strong presence of God as we intercede for our nation, for the globe, and for so many other things that the Lord lays on our hearts to pray about.   I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE PODCAST THAT I HAD TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. I am still trying to get it to compile and come together and I know that if I rush this, I will not share it in the light of how the Lord wants it to be presented properly.   BUT, I HAVE BEEN HAVING ANOTHER MESSAGE AND WORD FROM THE LORD STIRRING DEEP WITHIN MY SPIRIT, AND SO THAT IS WHAT I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY. Hearing God accurately in the mess and chaos that the world is in right now, is of huge importance!  May the Lord continue to use you all to proclaim and speak truth, no matter what the cost. It is so worth being called a servant of the Lord during hard and challenging times.   TODAY, I'M GOING TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE IN A PLACE OF SAFETY, A PLACE, OR A “HAVEN” OF BEING SHELTERED BY THE LORD. Especially during very, very difficult and hard times. I'll share how to discern and hear His voice in the chaos of the nonstop noise the dark world bombards us all with. It's ratcheted up to crazy levels, and shouts loudly to attempt to distract us from discerning the times, and hopes to discourage us and knock us off balance with fear, and then rob our peace.   IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE EARTH IS IN ONE MASSIVE UPHEAVAL, AND NO MATTER WHERE YOU TURN RIGHT NOW, THE CRISES CONTINUE TO MOUNT AND BOIL! And so, people begin to put aside spending time in the word of God, and certainly in his presence, to spend time with the love of the Internet and scrolling through their telephones through social network information and high charged doomsday podcasts and videos. This can absolutely create stress and anxiety, and it also creates a terrible problem with comparing ourselves to other people and where we are at in life.   PRAYER IS NOT A BORING HARD THING WHEN YOU REALIZE  THAT YOU ARE FACE-TO-FACE, OR LITERALLY,  “PRESENCE TO PRESENCE” WITH THE FATHER.   A tremendous man who walked daily in the Presence of God, Andrew Murray, said in a book that he wrote,  “It's one of the terrible marks of the diseased state of the Christian life in these days that there are so many that are content, and remain passive and content, without the distinct occasion of having experienced answered prayer. They pray daily, but know very little of direct, definite answers to prayer as the rule of their daily life.”    Psalm Thirty verse four says, “I sought the Lord and he answered me.”   We must understand that it's the Father's will that WE SEEK HIM OUT to daily have dialogue with his will, and it's his will to have his children to listen to him and then, he listens to his children and agrees to their requests. It's his will that we should come to him day by day, with specific requests, and he will every day, do for us great and wonderful things! What we ask sometimes might be a case where the specific answer is that he refuses our request, but our Father lets us know when and why he can't give us what we request. It's like his Son Jesus, and so we will withdraw our petition or our request.   When did Jesus do that? Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, “If this cup could pass from me, but not my will, but your will be done.”  He said this to the Father.   WHETHER OUR REQUEST IS ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL OR NOT, GOD WILL BY HIS WORD AND BY HIS SPIRIT, TEACH THOSE OF US WHO ARE TEACHABLE, and he will give us time to withdraw our requests if they're not according to God‘s mind or purposes.   LET'S PRESS IN. LET'S JUST STAND FIRM UNTIL THE ANSWER COMES! PRAYER IS GIVEN TO US TO OBTAIN AN ANSWER! It's in prayer and its answer, that the exchange of love between the Father and we his children takes place.   MY QUESTION IS, “ARE YOUR  PRAYERS BEING ANSWERED?” During the last hours of the age that we're in, there will be two opposing groups or alliances in the world.    The First group are those whose hearts are absolutely overwrought with bitterness, resentment and hatred.   The Second group is those whose love has actually increased, and are experiencing the power of the Kingdom of God, now!   Jesus told us about this in Matthew in chapter 4:10-13. He said, “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.  Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” And then in Matthew 24:14 he added, “This gospel (good news) of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations and then the end shall come.”   SO, THE BIG QUESTION IS... ...“WHAT IS THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM?”  It's the whole truth Jesus came to bring, not only that part that saves us from our sins, but also that part which creates us in his image! It's the full message, the full good news with all its requirements and all of its rewards!  It's is the full price for the full power! It's the most glorious pearl that a person can possess. The presence of God in His glory, revealed, made known within and among us!   IF WE WANT TO GAIN THIS GREAT LOVE, WE WILL CONTINUALLY BE FORCED TO MAKE CHOICES TOWARD MERCY, OR, TOWARD UNFORGIVENESS, and if we don't walk in a forgiving attitude, we will certainly become prey to an embittered spirit, if it's in fact, God‘s plan to allow wickedness and holiness at the same time,  so they grow to full maturity.   We must guard our hearts ahead of time from reacting in bitterness or unforgiveness because the increasing anarchy will certainly give us occasions to lose love, with the attempt to make us hard so we can survive in this cruel world.   WE OFTEN WITHDRAW FROM THE GENUINENESS OF PURE LOVE! We can't choose cautious, selective love, and also walk in the power of God's kingdom, my friends! To defy pain, we sometimes unconsciously shut down our love, because after all, its love that makes us vulnerable.   GOD WANTS US TO BE A PEOPLE WHOSE LOVE IS GROWING HOT, NOT COLD. Jesus didn't say that we had to trust our enemies, but he did say that we had to love them anyhow. You might be asking why!  One reason God allows difficulties is to test us! ( I know! I know! We don't want to hear that! ) He wants to see if our Christianity is just an intellectual pursuit or just thoughts and feelings of the mind, or if following him is truly the highest passion of our hearts. So, he tells us in Matthew 5:44, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Wow!    SOME OF YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH REJECTION AND BETRAYAL MOST LIKELY. The Lord says to you today, “You did not fail, you have continued to love, and although you went through great pain, yet you have forgiven, those who have hurt you.”  My friends you have passed the test.   THERE ARE HOWEVER, SOME OF YOU LISTENING OR READING THAT STILL HAVE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR LIVES THAT YOU HAVE NOT FORGIVEN, AND WHOM YOU DO NOT LOVE.  Maybe you're right, they don't deserve your forgiveness, but what you don't realize is the consequence of your anger. You see, as long as we refuse to forgive, a part of this is trapped in the past where you will always be reminded of your pain, and until we forgive, we will not be fully released to go on with our life. Even the time of year in which you were hurt will bring depression.   THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY WE CAN HAVE TRUE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND THAT IS IN THE HERE AND NOW, RIGHT NOW, LIVING IN THE PRESENT. But if our mind is in conflict with others, we're neither here nor in the present. When we live in the past, we are cut off from God! What people did to us to hurt us is over! It's done; it doesn't have any real existence or life of its own, except in your mind.   SO THERE WITHIN US, THE DEED CONTINUES TO LIVE AND FESTER AND AS LONG AS IT LIVES, WE'RE STILL BEING HURT BY IT. The person or the people who wounded you may have long since died. They can't be blamed because it's us who keeps our wounds alive. Not only is the quality of our spiritual life affected, but often our physical health pays a price as well!   As long as we keep holding onto the burden of what someone has done to us, every time we think about it or think about that person, the stomach acids start to churn and anxiety increases, and then of course our body is continually put under stress.   If we don't forgive those who have hurt us, we lose a measure of our capacity to love and whether they deserve forgiveness or not, we deserve a better life! God wants to give you a better life but you can't enjoy abundant life and carry unforgiveness, because we're shackled to something that was hurting us. Did you know that our own unforgiveness tortures us?   SO HOW DO YOU GET OUT OF THAT PRISON?  HOW DO YOU FIND THE PROTECTION OF GOD FOR YOUR SOUL?    Well, God calls us to forgive. You have to see the hands of God reaching to you in the midst of your pain. He wants to redeem that conflict using that specific crisis or hardship to develop and perfect character in you. It will be this experience that he will use to make you like Jesus. To become like Jesus is to dwell, to live, in the place of rest and the safety of God. Every time we say, “Father, I choose to love. I choose to forgive. I choose to forget and not hold it against this person”, we are taking on the nature of Jesus. Friends, rejoice that Jesus is taking over your heart. You are entering into the strong, safe haven of God's shelter.   I DO MANY THINGS THAT THE LORD HAS ASSIGNED ME TO DO IN LIFE NOT ONLY AS A MINISTER, BUT ALSO AS A PASTORAL COUNSELOR. I also host and facilitate a group called “The international Prophetic Women's Mentoring Council.” This is a group of women from all walks of life several cultural groups and different backgrounds. We meet through zoom video sessions and individually. The thing that is “the glue that bonds us” is the fact that each of us have been called into ministry, and each of these women flows in a different expression of the prophetic gift. This past week we had a zoom session and our conversation and subject matter was regarding, the power of intercession and what it takes to approach the Face of God, in a right attitude.   One of the things that stood out so strongly in our time of dialogue and accountability to one another was the fact that in order to hear clearly from the Spirit of God, we need to have the inward witness, or the “inside part of us that communicates with God”, clearly in a place of submission and humility before him, and, that we first come into a place where we have asked the Lord to cleanse us. That means cleanse our hearts before we try to come to Him in prayer.   MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD. They seek it through quick daily devotionals, or they seek the voice of God through other people every day, instead of seeking the Lord himself. The scripture tells us clearly in John 10:4-5, “His sheep know his voice, and strange voices, they will not follow.”   SO WHAT ARE THE STRANGE VOICES? The voices from the external world that are constantly pumping us full of data, fear, rhetoric and forced compliance to social conditioning. If we choose to listen to the voice of strangers, then we move further away from being sheep in the pasture of the Lord.   SO HOW DO WE KNOW HIS VOICE? How do we discern that it's him? The number one thing, is that God always speaks life. He always speaks truth. And when God speaks, it brings peace, even in the midst of hard difficulties or hard decisions. An absolute solid peace comes and says, “This is the way, and this is what you have to do!” Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, "This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. That's Isaiah 30:21.   THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN YOU. God absolutely wants to direct your life through your decision-making. The Holy Spirit guides us in our spirits (not through our physical body). The Number One way The Holy Spirit leads and guides us is through what the Bible calls, the “Inward Witness.” Proverbs 3:6 says,  “Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”   WHAT IS AN INNER OR INWARD WITNESS? An inner witness is an impression, or a sense or perception on the inside of you. Romans 8:16 tells us, “For his Spirit joins with our spirit, to affirm, to confirm, that we are God's children.” Jeremiah 7:23-24 says this to us,  “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you shall walk entirely in the way which I command you, so that it may go well for you.'  Yet, they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked by their own advice and in the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and they went backward and not forward.   AS KINGDOM PEOPLE, WE'RE NOT LED BY OUR SENSES. We're not led by our ears or our eyes. We're led by our spirit. When we talk about hearing God, we're not talking about hearing God with our physical ears. We're talking about hearing Him in our spirit.  Here's a great example:  The Apostle Paul had been arrested and he was headed to his trial. Before he took the journey he sensed something in his spirit. He wasn't the captain of the ship, but he sensed something in his spirit.  In Acts 27:10, Apostle Paul said, "Men, I perceive we're going to face a disaster and heavy losses on this voyage. This disaster will cause damage to the cargo and the ship, and it will affect our lives." It wasn't long before the ship hit a cyclone, but an angel appeared and guaranteed Paul that everyone would make it, and they did! What was it that what Paul said in the beginning? “I perceive".   This is what we're looking at right now. We're talking about being led by the Spirit of God, no matter what circumstance or difficulty we might encounter.   BEING A PERSON WHO IS CALLED TO A PROPHETIC MINISTRY, I AM CLEARLY AWARE OF THE FACT THAT 90% OF WHAT I DO, ALSO COMES FROM TEACHING PEOPLE FROM THE WORD OF GOD REGARDING HOW TO  “HEAR” THE VOICE OF GOD.   My job is not to be a telephone for people to connect to God with, nor simply through prophesying. This is not going to change lives long term if the word of God is not taught and also if people don't act on it and obey it.   I HAVE HAD SOME STRANGE ENCOUNTERS WITH PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT I HAVE SOME KIND OF HOTLINE OR SATELLITE CONNECTION TO GOD TO HELP THEM GET ANSWERS. They need something or want to hear what the Lord has for them by asking me for a prophetic word. My friends this is not how the prophetic word of knowledge or word of wisdom works!  I had a lady when we were Pastoring a local fellowship come up to me after the service and she asked me if I would please, “do whatever I do, do that thing that I do”, and see if God would show me where she had put her wedding ring. She had lost it. I remember feeling very uncomfortable and a cold chill went through my body! My thought process was, “this woman wants me to be like a palm reader, or a magic eight ball! She wants me to use divination to find her wedding ring!“ Very kindly but firmly I told the woman, “You can ask the Lord to show you where it is yourself, or just simply go on looking for it. Pray that the Lord would lead you to it, but to ask me to ask the Holy Spirit to show me where it is, is basically trying to use another voice to speak to God for you when you can speak on your own to him.”   THERE ARE TIMES, WHEN GOD WILL SPEAK A WORD, AND IT IS DONE THROUGH A PROPHETIC UTTERANCE, and it gives us a word of knowledge about something or a word of wisdom about a specific event where we need to have insight, but it will always confirm with the Spirit of God what he has already put down on the inside of us that we can't seem to quite untangle, until the prophetic word comes and brings a clarity to it.   SOMETIMES THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL HAVE SOMEONE BRING A PROPHETIC WORD THAT COMES IN THE FORM OF LOVING CORRECTION, BUT IT IS STILL CORRECTION, AND PEOPLE GET ANGRY AND SHOUT, “HOW DARE YOU JUDGE ME! Who are you to judge me?!”   Of course what this is a reaction to being caught out in bad behavior or hidden sin, and the Lord gently, lovingly, brings a word of warning.   ALL OF US KNOW WHEN WE SLIP AWAY FROM SPENDING TIME IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. We know when we slack off from reading the scripture and from meditating on it, letting the Holy Spirit speak through the word to us. This is where the areas of bitterness and lack of purity in our walk with the Lord get all tangled up.   FRIENDS.  ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO TEACH YOU HOW TO BE LED BY HIM. (By the way, you might need a refreshing of your commitment to only follow his voice.) You don't need a prophet to hear from God for you, or have a constant prophetic word to make decisions. Simply say these words. “Holy Spirit, teach me how to be led by you.” Then, before you make any major decisions, acknowledge God. Say, “God, this is what the situation is,  >  insert your situation  

"Have you noticed that God often moves in the margins before He moves in the mainstream? In Acts 8–10, God explodes the gospel beyond Jerusalem in ways nobody expected: through a sorcerer, an Ethiopian eunuch, a persecutor named Saul, and a Roman soldier named Cornelius. These three chapters mark a major turning point in church history—the gospel breaking every cultural and religious barrier to fulfill Jesus' promise in Acts 1:8: “You will be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”  

Texts:  Genesis 11; Acts 2:1-11, 37-39   Man's Arrogant Defiance to God's Reign (Gen. 11:1-4) In Babel, there was unity without obedience to God and ambition without submission to God. In Babel, man's goal was self-exaltation, not God's glory.   God's Authoritative Response to Man's Pride (Gen. 11:5-9) God condescended to earth to see the “big” tower that man had constructed. God confused their language and scattered them throughout the earth.   God's All-Encompassing Blessing to the Nations (Gen. 11:10-32; Acts 2:1-11, 37-39) In this list of Shem's descendants, we see God's unfolding promise to bless the nations through Abraham's lineage. Despite Sarai's barrenness, God's plan to bless the nations would not be thwarted. In Acts 2, we see God's plan to bless the nations in the proclamation of the Gospel in everyone's language.

Pastor Lawson Perdue shares how the Holy Spirit changes lives! In Acts 2, God poured out His Spirit, and people spoke in tongues and felt great joy. Lawson tells how […] The post Live Empowered by the Holy Spirit's Outpouring – Lawson Perdue appeared first on Charis Christian Center.

Brandon Fisher | Jun 15 2025How can we seek to be effective in reaching a 21st century world? On a more manageable level, how can we seek to be effective in simply reaching our neighbors, friends, and family members who don't know Jesus? In Acts 17 we get a glimpse into how the apostle Paul sought to both know and proclaim the scriptures and know and understand the audience he was speaking to. While it may be unlikely that any of us will ever stand in front of a group of philosophers and skeptics to deliver a sermon, we can learn valuable insights into how we can grow in our own effectiveness and ability to communicate the gospel to others through what we discover in Acts 17.

Join Pastor Robert Schuller for this online service every Sunday at 8am PT.  Today we read In Acts 3- Peter heals a man with paralysis and shares with us how we be refreshed.  The same can happen for you.  

In Acts 8 through the actions of Philip speaking with the Ethiopian eunuch we see the Holy Spirit leading in unexpected ways and to unexpected people. What is our answer when the Spirit calls? Are we willing to be disturbed by the Spirit? Who are those we may assume don't want to hear the word of God by are actually hungry for it?

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches why we need to have right motives.Ananias and SapphiraIn Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira sell property and donate a portion of the money to the church. Ordinarily, this would be an honorable thing to do, but the couple lied about their contribution. They had every right to donate only some of the money, but they told the church that they gave the entire amount. Their motivation was to appear more generous than they really were. God is not fooled by this display, and he strikes both husband and wife dead on the spot.Let God be your motive, not the recognition.By lying to the church, Ananias and Sapphira were essentially lying to God. They did this because they desired the praise and approval of men more than the approval of God. If they desired to please God, they would have been honest about the amount donated. When you do good deeds, is it to be seen by men or by God? If you seek the praise of other people, Jesus said that will be your only reward. If you seek to please God, not caring about human attention, your reward will be in heaven.Let truth be your motive, not lies.Some people struggle greatly with telling the truth. The bible emphasizes the importance of truth and honesty all over the place. For the Christian, therefore, honesty should be a life goal. To walk in the truth is God's desire for us, because God is truth. How can you become a more honest person in your daily life? What would it look like to live in the truth? 

In Acts chapter 10, after a vivid and unsettling dream about eating food that was forbidden by Jewish Law, Peter goes to meet a Roman centurion, who had already been instructed by God to look for Peter. The result of this encounter was salvation for the first non-Israelite who believed that Jesus was the messiah. Through this story, Pastor Cheryl invites us to explore the themes of consistent prayer and endless wonder as we consider our approach to God.

Sunday June 8th, 2025: Isaiah 62 calls us to be builder sons, those that restore paths and gates. In Acts 12, Peter walks through prison doors that open on their own, then reaches a door that requires a knock. Both are grace. Some doors swing wide open with no effort. Others demand persistence. Sons know the difference and respond accordingly. The beauty is, even our knocking and persistence is not from ourselves, but is a withdraw on deposited grace and empowerment through Holy Spirit. You have all you need to see every door intended to open, be opened.

In Acts three, we see some pretty amazing things take place. A lame man is healed, the people are astonished, and Peter reminds them that the lame man's healing was a word of God through His Holy Spirit. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/621/29

What is it that a church does when it meets together? In Acts 2, the church commits itself to teaching, fellowship, communion, and prayer. These have often been called the four marks of the church. We look at the importance of these marks and how they shape who we are as a church.

In a world filled with idols—both ancient and modern—how do we stay faithful to the one true God? In Acts 17, Paul steps into a city full of worship but lacking truth, and boldly proclaims that God is not unknown. He has revealed Himself through creation, through His nearness, and ultimately through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This message challenges us to recognize the idols that shape our culture, remember the truth we've been given, and renew our commitment to share the good news with those around us. The gospel demands a response—how will you respond?Support the show

A Spirit-filled life speaks — because what's in you is meant to come out. In Acts 4, Peter and John spoke of what they saw and experienced. What can we learn from them? Join us as we jump straight in with both feet!

When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, it wasn't quiet. Wind filled the room. Fire rested on each person. It was powerful, personal, and a little messy. But it was more than a moment—it was the beginning of a movement.In Acts 2, we see what happens when heaven touches earth. The Spirit fills a room and fills individuals. He transforms hearts and empowers lives to make Jesus known. This outpouring wasn't just for then—it's still happening now.In this message, we explore what it means to be a Spirit-filled church today. What does it look like to walk in the power of the Spirit—not just remember it? How do we live lives that carry both His presence and His purpose?Join us as we press into the ongoing outpouring of the Holy Spirit and rediscover the fire of Pentecost.

Lies, Miracles, and a Jailbreak? Oh yeah—it's that kind of chapter.In Acts 5, the early church gets a reality check as a couple named Ananias and Sapphira try to pull a fast one on the apostles—and God. Spoiler alert: it does not end well for them.

When in Rome - "All About the Gospel" - Romans 1:15-17 The apostle Paul had a unique relationship with Rome, or more accurately, the church in Rome. In Acts 19:21, Paul declared, "I must go on to Rome!" This wasn't a sightseeing tour; Paul had a nudge from the Holy Spirit. In Acts 23:11, following his arrest in Jerusalem, the Lord comes to Paul. The verse says, "That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, 'Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.'"

In Acts 2:42-47, the early church demonstrated a profound commitment to authentic community, as believers devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, and sharing meals together. Their unity and generosity were powerful reflections of God's Kingdom, as they gave selflessly, meeting each other's needs. This passage reveals that true community demands vulnerability, sacrificial love, and a willingness to share our lives with others, challenging the individualism that often dominates our culture. The early church's example calls us to embrace deep, committed fellowship, reflecting God's heart through genuine, life-on-life relationships.

In Acts 2:1-13, the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost was a new and fresh outpouring of God's Spirit. Welcome to Wesley Memorial Church! We are a grace-filled, loving and warm-hearted congregation that is firmly rooted in the classic and orthodox Wesleyan stream of Christianity. Click SUBSCRIBE above! LIke and comment on this video. subscribe to our podcast on iTunes - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wesley-memorial-church-high-point-nc-sermons-podcast/id1473843839 For prayer request, to learn more or to make your own decision for Jesus Christ, visit wesleymemorial.org Follow us on: facebook.com/wesleymemhp instagram.com/wesleymemhp x.com/wesleymemhp Enable our Alexa skill. Just say, "Alexa, enable Wesley Memorial Church." To play the latest sermon, just say "Alexa, play Wesley Memorial Church." #church #churchonline #watchchurchonline #christianity #biblestudy #sermons #inspriationalmessages

Kyle Kauffman | Jun 8 2025 We've all likely come across (or used) the phrase “Jesus saves.” While that can easily become a cliché, those two words seek to communicate a powerful reality: Jesus is the only one who can save people AND he is the one who is still at work in this world saving people. In Acts 16 we get a glimpse into how Jesus continues to work through his disciples to save people. This is one of the only places where Acts gets very specific in describing to us the types of people that Jesus saved and how Jesus saved them. It should be an encouragement to us that Jesus can save all types of people, and he can save them in all sorts of different ways even as he uses us as part of his work to save them.

Every story needs some event that kicks off the plot. In Toy Story it's Andy getting a Buzz Lightyear toy for his birthday. In Harry Potter it's an owl showing up at Harry's house to tell him he's invited to Hogwarts. In Acts, it's the Holy Spirit being poured out on Jesus's friends and followers at what we now call Pentecost. In this message, Pastor Joel unpacks why Pentecost matters so much, specifically because of the way it “hyperlinks” to other passages in the Bible that help explain the groundbreaking nature of this crucial moment in the church's history. The biggest hyperlink in today's message is the way God's power breaks down barriers between humans to create a global and diverse church.

In Acts we hear how the coming of the Holy Spirit led to the birth of the Church, this morning we asked how this same thing could lead to the rebirth of the Church 

We all tend to overestimate our abilities. For example, 93% of drivers think they're above average drivers. But what's that based on? How do we arrive at these conclusions? Similarly, do we overestimate our ability to know and understand how God works? Maybe we've defaulted to think God works in predictable ways. Or, maybe we think God doesn't, can't, and won't work in other ways. In Acts 9, the Lord spoke to Ananias in a dream and tells him to visit and pray for Saul. Ananias is understandably resistant to the idea that he is supposed to go and visit someone who was authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord. Ananais chose to do what God wanted him to do, even though it went against what he knew to be true. God is always doing a new thing—moving in surprising and unexpected ways.

This Sunday is Pentecost—a day to remember when the Holy Spirit stirred among the disciples and the church took its first bold steps into the world. In Acts 2, we witness a moment of transformation, connection, and courage.What might it look like when the Spirit nudges us beyond our comfort zones? Join us for a message about movement, mystery, and the surprising ways God continues to work in and through us.

In Acts 1, we are reminded that Jesus came to begin God's saving work in the world, and one day he'll return to finish it. But, through the power of his Holy Spirit, His plan for how to continue this work in the meantime is to work through you. If you prefer to listen, stream, and/or watch, join us and subscribe on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kingwoodmethodist

As the early church grows, so do the needs—and the Apostles can't meet them alone. In Acts 6, the community responds with Spirit-led service. And what begins as a practical solution becomes a powerful picture of the church: each person serving with purpose, growing in humility and faith—as the body of Christ. 

What if every Christian prioritized sharing the Gospel?  The Gospel didn't stop in Jerusalem, and it's not meant to stop with us. In Acts 11, the Apostle Peter describes how God broke down cultural barriers to reach new people through vision, obedience, and the power of the Holy Spirit. If God's heart is to reach all people, then sharing the Gospel isn't optional for us—it's essential.  As believers, we're called to advance the Gospel together in a world that desperately needs Jesus.  

Following Jesus isn't just for the easy, mountaintop moments — it's a journey that calls for resilience through both joy and hardship. In Acts 17:5–14, Paul faces fierce opposition in Thessalonica, and yet he presses forward, refusing to give up. Drawing from 1 Thessalonians 3, we'll explore how Paul encouraged the young church to stand strong in the face of suffering.This message reminds us that we are all destined to face trials, all tempted to give up, and all desperately in need of encouragement and prayer. God calls us to a faith that endures whatever it takes — not because we're strong on our own, but because He strengthens us to keep going.Support the show

In Acts 2, we find a body of believers devoted to the apostles' teaching, each other, the breaking of bread, and prayer. In a world of consumption, do those characteristics still define the Church today? The Church does not exist for itself – it exists to advance God's Kingdom on Earth and to reveal His love to people who are not yet part of it.

In Acts 15, we see the first real case of church drama hitting the church… and if they did not handle this case of division the way they did, we might not be here today. There was division, but how did the early church handle it?The truth is there is a lot of division in the church today. It's not hard to find. Media loves it. Sometimes we love it. But God hates it. This Sunday we unpacked what really divides the church as we touched on subjects like politics, alcohol, homosexuality, and even Dodger fans. Tune into this week's message called, “Drama Hits The Church.”Join us for service online or in person every Sunday at 8am, 9:30am, 11am, & 12:30pm (PST).If you want to share how God is moving in your life through this ministry, please let us know at info@captivatesd.com!Decided To Follow Jesus? Sign up to receive a copy of our “I Have Decided” booklets - https://shorturl.at/GymIkGet plugged in!Next Steps - captivatesd.com/next-stepsVisit - captivatesd.com/visitCommunities - captivatesd.com/communitiesIf you would like to support Captivate financially you can give online through our website by clicking here captivatesd.com/giving Need prayer? Please let us know! - https://captivatesd.churchcenter.com/people/forms/597023For more information about Captivate Church, visit captivatesd.com or follow us on our social media platforms below.Instagram - Instagram.com/captivatechurchsdFacebook - facebook.com/captivatesdWatch More Messages: youtube.com/@CaptivateChurch/videos

Kyle Kauffman | June 1 2025It is often said that defense wins championships. In Acts 15 we also discover that defense preserves the gospel and the mission of the church. In Acts 15 we read about one of the first major threats to the gospel. It is inevitable that the true gospel will be threatened through addition, subtraction, or simply assumption. Often these threats come from within the church rather than outside the church. We must be prepared to recognize threats to the gospel and to defend and preserve the truth gospel of grace. If we lose the message that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, then we no longer have a mission that is worth pursuing. But if we hold fast to this true gospel that has been passed onto us and remain unified around it, then we have every reason to continue in the mission to spread this gospel to others.

What if the mission Jesus gave us can't begin with action—but with waiting for power? In Acts 1, we're sent to go, but only after we've been filled.

With a biblical view of work established, now we tackle opposition. In Acts 19:23-41, The riot in Ephesus shows how faith in Christ disrupts economic and cultural systems that oppose God's kingdom.May 25, 2025: Carlos Sims

In Acts 6 we turn a new leaf. Peter has been doing a lot of preaching, but we now get into an aspect of how some important matters were handled in the early, Messianic community. Listen to learn of how the Apostles actually took their cue here from the Torah.