John Piper in a sermon, “Jesus Still Turns Things Around” brings this encouragement from Acts 9, our reading for today: Luke drives this home by showing the persecutor becoming the persecuted. First, in verse 23 Luke tells us that the Jews in Damascus plotted to kill him. The hunter becomes the hunted. And he escapes … More Jesus turns things around
John Piper, in a sermon “Overflowing Grace for All Who Believe”comments on the conversion of Saul in Acts 9, which we read today. This is the kind of person that no one expects to be converted. His opposition is too deep and too articulate. So much of his life would be threatened if Christianity were … More God’s mercy and power are not limited. Period.
John Piper in a sermon, “The Leading of the Lord in Personal Evangelism” from Acts 8:26-40 …. the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch teaches us one of the ways God uses to evangelize the world. I say “one of the ways God uses” because it is clear from the book of Acts that … More God-given Direction
Acts 8:1-4 And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off … More Spreading through persecution
We read today: Acts 7:39-60 Did you notice the repetition of the word “hands?” In 7:41, he mentions how in the incident of the golden calf, Israel rejoiced in the work of their hands. In 7:48, “However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands.” In 7:50, “Was it not My … More Hands and hearts
John Piper, in a sermon from Acts 7, The Story of a Stiff-Necked People: So in Acts 7:1 the high priest gives Stephen a chance to defend himself, “Is this so?” he asks. And Stephen does a very strange thing. He tells a story—a condensed version of the history of Israel. He starts with Abraham … More History as a defense
God is sovereign and His Spirit leads us to the right opportunities for ministry. We see this in Acts 16:6-10…. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared … More “…concluding that God had called us”
Acts 5:17-21a But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, “Go … More God’s power- not ours
John Piper, in a sermon “Be Like Barnabas, Not Like Ananias!” Ananias and Sapphira stand for the exact opposite, namely, people who have not really been changed on the inside by being satisfied with all that God is for them in Christ, but who still want some place in the visible church. The reason they … More John Piper: faking faith in the presence of God is a fearful thing.
When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the … More Five Reasons This Prayer Is Relevant for Us
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