Acts 6 and 7 detail the story of Stephen, the first follower of Jesus martyred for his unwavering boldness in proclaiming Jesus as Lord. Despite the rejection Stephen faced, he remained firm in his gospel witness to those in the Sanhedrin. Recounting the stories of the Old Testament, Stephen declared God’s faithfulness to bring the Messiah into the world,...

Acts 6 relays a time when a complaint within the church led to an opportunity for delegation and good deeds. As the apostles continued spreading the word of Jesus and His resurrection, more people began to believe the good news and the church grew in number. Amid this growth, the task of caring for the Hellenistic widows was being...

In Acts 5, we find the apostles performing many signs and wonders through the power and grace they received from the Holy Spirit. The healing power of the Holy Spirit displayed through Peter, in particular, was so compelling that people laid the sick in the path of his shadow. United in purpose, the apostles also continued their mission to...

Paul’s letter to believers in Rome serves as one of the Bible’s clearest examples of evangelism. The words of Romans 10 bring us back to the essence of gospel truth: we must place our faith in Jesus to receive salvation from sin. However, in order to receive the gospel, we must first hear its words. From this essential truth,...

One of Scripture’s most prominent warnings against false motives comes to us in Acts 5: the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Amid the church’s unity and generosity in the previous chapter, the husband and wife’s scheme stands in stark contrast. Though this couple sought to appear generous before others, the Holy Spirit unveiled their treachery so that the church...

In Acts 4, we encounter Peter’s Spirit-led boldness and the religious leaders’ inability to stop the gospel’s power at work. Despite the danger they faced, the church remained steadfast in their prayers and proclamations, being filled with the courage and conviction that would become their legacy.  What truths did the early church cling to amidst such great persecution and...