God Goes To the Gentiles

Conrad Hilario
Acts 13:1-49

Paul's first missionary journey spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and Antioch. Paul preached salvation through Jesus. A defense of modern missions is discussed.

The Fiery Furnace

Ryan Lowery
Daniel 3:1-30

Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego, three Jewish boys exiled in Babylon, show bravery by demonstrating a willingness to suffer in order to remain loyal to the true God of the Bible. Their worldview is put to the test when King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue is commanded to be worshiped. They took a stand on God's word, refusing to be subservient to the culture that believed in many gods. And God rescued them from death.

Nebuchadnezzar's Dream

Ryan Lowery
Daniel 2:1-45

Nebuchadnezzar is a king who desperately wants an answer for a disturbing dream. He demands his wise men should know what his dream is, without him telling it and he wants an interpretation of the meaning of the dream. The wise men don't know what the dream was or what it was about. Daniel asks God for insight and interpretation. God reveals the dream, using Daniel as a witness to show authentic spiritual truth to Nebuchadnezzar. Although the king was a wicked man, God wanted to reach him.

Bright Lights in a Dark Culture

Ryan Lowery
Daniel 1:1-20

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem and demanded the best of the Jewish boys to be trained in Babylonian culture. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the boys to be assimilated. Although they each had a name change, they requested to continue obeying God's Law by not partaking of the king's assigned meals. They obtained permission to follow their dietary laws and ended up healthier than the rest. The boys choose to be a light in another culture by being like the Babylonian culture when they could but choosing to be separate where it counts.

Biblical Introspection

Ryan Lowery
2 Corinthians 13:5

Paul defends himself against lies charged to him as he calls the Corinthians to look inward and consider what they really believe. Are they willing to respond to God's truth and His promptings for change? Or are they willing to accept lies? Introspection can lead to paralysis by analysis, but we're called to serve others by looking inward at how God wants to grow and challenge us.

Stephen's Defense

Dennis McCallum
Acts 6:7-7:60

Stephen is brought before the Sanhedrin and gives a history lesson, stating God rejects sacred space, has worked and is working outside of Israel, and still decries His people as stiff-necked, unwilling to change, and murderers of His Messiah.

The Spiritual Battle, Part 2

Ryan Lowery
Luke 4:1-13

How do we arm ourselves in this spiritual battle against God's enemy, Satan? Paul describes how we must take our thoughts captive, carefully considering what we choose to believe. In order to combat the lies of the world, we must know God's Word.

The Spiritual Battle, Part 1

Ryan Lowery
Genesis 3:1-5

In this section, Paul describes spiritual warfare, a battle not fought with physical weapons, but with ideas and arguments. There are two sides, each presenting itself as the origin of truth: God and his enemy Satan. The implications of this battle extend beyond physical life and death, so we must decide if we will choose to believe God and His truth, or rebel against Him.

Committed Christianity

James Rochford
Acts 2:41-47

The early church was the most dynamic group ever! Luke explains the seven traits that made this group of people vibrant and that the church today can have this too.