Romans 2:1-24 We cannot live without making judgments. We daily make moral judgments about what is right and wrong, and we constantly make judgments about how to spend our lives. Further, we constantly evaluate others based on our understanding of truth. Romans 2 points out that all these judgments may be incorrect and even when they are accurate, we may be guilty of the very judgments we make of ...

Romans 1:18-32 God is a God of grace and justice. He has done all that is necessary for eternal life and calls people to a relationship with him, while at the same time standing against sin and wickedness. As we consider God and draw near to him, we need to keep both attributes in mind. God’s grace is evident in that “what may be known about God is plain.” God has generously revealed himself to th...

Romans 1:1-17 Where have you seen God’s work in your life in the past and where do you see it today? Most of the Bible is looking back to what God has done. Whether we are reading of creation, the Exodus, entering the Promised Land, or Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, Scripture looks back to what God did in the past. These stories are meant to transform our present. We need to dust off their...

Acts 28:1-31What is the last book you read or movie you watched with a surprise ending? A story where there was a twist, unanswered question, or a lack of resolution at the end? The book of Acts is like this. It ends with Paul in prison in Rome and we are left to wonder, what happened next?We may not be satisfied with the ending, but it is perfect. The final verse reads, “Boldly and without hindra...

Acts 27:21-44 When things go wrong in my life I am tempted to panic. At times I do panic, and it is probably fair to assume that some of you are in the same boat (or should I say wrecked ship!!!). If everything is going well in our lives, it is relatively easy to trust in the Lord. Unfortunately, there are times when we encounter major obstacles to our faith.Paul faced all the challenges we face, ...

Acts 27:1-20 What are the consequences of not being a good listener? After Paul’s travel adventure put him on an Alexandrian ship for Italy, God revealed to him that disaster was going to occur. They were sailing too late in the season and needed to stop. After Paul communicated this to the centurion, we are told that “instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of...

Acts 26:1-32 How strong is your hope? Is your hope able to fill you with joy and an eternal perspective regardless of your present circumstances? Does your hope provide confident assurance that God's future is better than today's best?As Paul recounted the reason for his imprisonment for Agrippa, Felix, and Bernice, he stated, "It is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I...

Acts 25:1-27 We live with our feet in two worlds. We live in America, but we also live in God's kingdom. How should we balance these two things? St. Augustine wrote a classic book on this very topic called the City of God roughly 1500 years ago. He described the reality of living with dual citizenship. Paul found himself wrestling with this very same idea in Acts 25. Paul knew that God was his ult...

Acts 24:1-27 How much do you value truth? Are you willing to speak it, stand up for it, and suffer for it? Paul consistently did all three of these things during his lifetime. Paul found himself imprisoned for two years in Caesarea. The reason for this lengthy prison stay was largely Paul’s unwillingness to back down from the truth. Paul’s first appearance before Felix is summarized for us. We see...

Acts 23:11-35 What brings you courage? Courage is defined as "the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear." Can you face the most difficult/painful of circumstances and say that you are able to do it without fear? This is what God tells Paul to do in the face of his imprisonment and death threats. He tells him to "take courage" and not t...

Acts 22:17-23:10 Do you ever feel like your past keeps you from serving God in the present? Do you ever feel like you have committed too many sins to be used by God? The life of Paul is a powerful reminder that your past never disqualifies you from living for Jesus in the present. In recounting how Jesus transformed his life, Paul does not whitewash any of his past. He told the crowd of how he had...

Acts 21:37-22:16 Every moment is an opportunity to share Jesus with someone. Whether you are in line at the grocery store, sitting on your lanai, on a walk with friends, or for Paul even immediately after being arrested, it is never a bad time to talk about Jesus. So, how often are you talking about him?We have seen people use a number of different methods to share Jesus throughout Acts. Stephen r...

Acts 21:18-36 When a friend shares good news with you, what is your response? Do you celebrate with them, give them a hug or high five, or to be honest, maybe you just kind of shrug your shoulders? When Paul came to the church in Jerusalem, he shared what God had done among the Gentiles and their response was to praise God.When the church heard good news, they praised God. They recognized that eve...

Acts 21:1-17 How do you discern God’s will? When you do not know what to do, what is your decision-making process? We often equate God's will with the path of least resistance. If it seems easy, then this must be what God has for me. Though this may sometimes be true, we see in the life of Paul and the early disciples that this is often a lie. Paul was told that traveling to Jerusalem would lead t...

Acts 20:1-38 Where are you intentionally serving? Where are you using your gifts to advance God’s kingdom and with whom are you serving? When we look at the pattern of ministry in Acts, it is normally a community of people serving God together. Do you have that in your life? Acts 20 describes Paul traveling with Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, and Trophimus. Luke is not m...

Acts 19:13-41 Do your ever trivialize God? Do you ever forget his true power, greatness, and glory? Many in our culture minimize God by using his name in vain or thinking of him as simply some distant, unconcerned deity, if he even exists. It is critical that we always remember God’s power and that he is not to be used for our own purposes.The seven sons of Sceva loved to impersonate the apostles ...

Acts 18:23-19:12 The examples of Peter, Paul, Silas, Barnabas, Phoebe, and others in the book of Acts are people who are ecstatic about Jesus and sharing him with others. So, how excited are you to do this? Acts 18 introduces us to Apollos. He is a man identified by two important characteristics. First, he had a heart for truth. He is described as having a “thorough knowledge of the Scriptures.” H...

Acts 18:1-22 What causes you to be quiet when you have an opportunity to share Jesus? Are you worried about what people might think, feel like you do not have all the answers, or something else? We need to get to a place where we see every conversation, every relationship, and every moment as a great opportunity to share Christ. Paul’s mentality is described in Acts 18:5. “Paul devoted himself exc...

Acts 17:1-34 Twice in Acts 17 we are told that Paul “reasoned” with people and particularly his statements in Athens provide two helpful pointers for us as we share our faith. Paul began his conversation in Athens by finding common ground with his audience. They were religious, acknowledged the existence of gods and recognized their need to worship something greater than themselves. After starting...

Acts 16:16-40How do you respond to hardship? Do you see it as an opportunity to serve God and mature, or something to flee? Paul and Silas continued their ministry in Phillippi, where they were identified as God’s servants by a demonpossessed slave woman. After driving out the spirit, they were thrown in prison after false accusations from the woman’s masters. Savagely beaten, tightly bound, and u...