Last week, Acts 9 was broken into three sections. In order to make light of that I attempted to make a three point message out of the scripture even though the discourse didn't exactly fit the bill. This week as we enter Acts 10, once again, we see three sections to the chapter and this time it does work out pretty well for a three point sermon. We got a mention of Peter last week at the end of the chapter. This week its all about the man as were made aware that he has been on a little cross country trek that brought him to the villages of Lydda and Joppa He is in Joppa now and is about to find out how God can use him no matter where he is at, and no matter who he is speaking with in the moment.  Isn't is easier for us when we get to pick and choose who we want to associate ourselves?  The lesson we get to learn through the eyes of Peter is that our understanding of who we should speak with and affiliate ourselves with is usually off base. The Jewish people have been ra...

Last week we entered Acts 9 to see the conversion of Saul and that's really all we analyzed. We didn't truly dissect the passage and take it apart or get too deep theologically. We simply focused on the moment of salvation and made an effort to find some similarities between Saul's experience and our own. So, we are going to cover the whole chapter today. You'll notice that it is broken into three parts. We get a mention of Peter in the last section, which is pivotal, because these two major pillars of the church will eventually meet up. What we will attempt to do this morning is pull a major point out of each section and bring it to a head as we wrap up. But, it may not be that simple. There is much to read and see and understand. I'm just preparing you. I may get sidetracked here and there.  First off, lets reiterate what we know.  Saul gets a wake up call. He thinks he is doing God's will. He finds out he is not. But, instead of it all going south...

  Of the many themes and images that break out of the book of Acts, the most memorable might be where we find ourselves today as we enter Acts chapter 9.  The church has been scattered and dispersed. The work has begun. The church is growing and becoming what Jesus intended this movement of fishermen and tax collectors who dropped everything and followed. Everyone needs a unique moment they can call their own when it comes to discovering Jesus. Peter and Andrew have their own. John and James have intereacted with Jesus and have stories to share. All of the twelve have something in one way or another that they could say about their relationship and experience with the Messiah. What's it like to be walking down the road one minute and next be flat on your back looking up? To be completely overwhelmed by the call and plea coming from heaven? One man would know that. While many could draw some similar thought about Jesus coming into their lives only one man can say that Jesus actu...

  As we enter chapter 8 of Acts, we begin to see the group and the movement begin to be tore, moved, sent in different directions and taken to different places. The stoning of the disciple Stephen has just happened. Some times a tragic, horrific event is just what is needed to get things moving and have people go to find new places to be. Yes, I'm suggesting the stoning of Stephen was part of the overall plan. The church needed to get moving into the world. Many times it is the shocking, tremendous moments around us that get us into the "doing" where we should be headed.  Acts 8 is broken into 4 sections. I could have spent 4 weeks here, but that seemed like "spinning the wheels" a bit. There's no reason to get stuck here for a whole month. Also, I was thinking about my favorite restaurant, for some reason, as I entered Acts 8 to read it over. The 4 sections had me thinking about good down home cooking the way it's supposed to be. And, today's title ...

  The 7th chapter of Acts is quite long. 60 verses. I hope you'll take the time to read all of it.  I have broken it into three pieces and posted it in the course of the message for this morning. You'll recall from last week that Stephen has been taken by the Jewish religious leaders and brought before the Sanhedrin, the large group of Jewish rulers from every city in the land. They have accused Stephen of saying all kinds of horrid things against the Temple, against the Judaism, against Moses & God. Now Stephen stands before the high priest. It is eerily similar to another moment in which we are familiar. Matthew 26:57 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Before the Sanhedrin 57  Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. Just as in the instance of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, there are people who speak up in false pretenses. We noted last week, there were several who spoke up with th...