Draw Me Close: Podcast - A Ministry of Whitestone Christian Fellowship, with Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Acts 2:22-41 captures Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost. In the beginning of the chapter, he refutes claims that the disciples are drunk by explaining they are experiencing the prophecy of Joel. He is calling for complete attention so that the reason for quoting Joel can be properly explained. He testifies about Jesus’ life, crucifixion, and resurrection, to show proof and to demonstrate God&...

At the end of the last week’s teaching, we read in Acts 2:41, that 3,000 individuals were added to this fledgling First Christian Church of Jerusalem. This week we witness what can only be described as a foundation for a Christian cliché. We have all heard it at some point:  “Walking into a Church, does not make you a Christian.” Just as the Holy Spirit manifested Himself . . .

Forty days after the Resurrection, Jesus left His disciples with a mission and a promise. For ten more days after Jesus ascended to heaven, the believers prayed together and prepared. Then came the Jewish feast day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is poured out as promised and Scripture tells us that they (believers) were all filled with the Holy Spirit. With the sound of a rushing mighty wind, and w...

Peter’s initial words in today’s passage,  “Ye men of Israel…”  seem to indicate that he is addressing the Leaders of the Jews which took part in the plot to get Jesus out of the way, regardless of where they had come. Leaders from all of Jewry would have made sure they arrived early to Passover at Jerusalem . . .

Last Sunday, we began our new study in the Book of Acts. To re-cap, in Acts 1:1-15, Luke chronicles Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples, His bodily ascension into heaven, and the followers' return to Jerusalem. Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit and outlines their mission to be witnesses to the ends of the earth, before returning to an upper room to pray. We finished up chapte...

As we read the first several verses, we should be amazed at the numbers of people, and the diverse nations that are represented by those present at this first Pentecost after the Resurrection of Jesus. The Apostles had yet to go out on a single evangelistic journey, yet so many were here. . .

Having met Theoplilus twice now (in Luke 1 and Acts 1), Luke continues the storyline of the work of Jesus Christ, now continued by His Apostles, after His Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. It is Peter who stands up before the disciples to remind them of the fulfilled prophecy . . .

Today's study in Acts 1:1-15, covers the final instructions of the resurrected Jesus, His ascension into heaven, and the early church's preparations in Jerusalem. It transitions from Jesus's earthly ministry to the global mission of His followers, who gather in prayer and replace Judas Iscariot as they wait for the Holy Spirit. 

Luke has given us back ground for why and to whom he is writing, not only in his Gospel account, but again in the Book of Acts of the Apostles. He writes his Gospel as a letter to his friend named Theophilus. In the Greek, the name means “lover of God.” The introduction to Theophilus in Luke’s Gospel is noteworthy: “Most excellent Theophilus,” (Luke 1:3) It tells us that Theophilus is a man of hig...

Our last study together unfolded the mighty victory that came to the king of Persia when Mordecai, now installed as Prime Minister of the kingdom, accomplished the deliverance of the Jews and thus saved the kingdom from destruction. But the last section of the book serves a very important purpose. It is designed to teach us the need to remember, to be thankful and to celebrate the God who saves!

The events in the Book of Esther cover about twelve years of the history of Persia. Esther’s husband King Xerxes was the son of Darius the Great, ruler of Babylon. Xerxes reign over Persia was only about 20 years, October 486 – August 465 BC, according to . . .

In this week's study, Esther 9 details the vindication and triumph of the Jewish people. On the 13th of Adar, the Jews successfully defended themselves across the empire, killing 75,000 of their enemies (but taking no plunder). In the capital of Susa, they eliminated 500 attackers, including Haman’s ten sons, who were later hung.  At Esther’s request, the Jews in Susa were granted an additiona...

Esther 8 is a pivotal chapter of divine reversal , where the king promotes Mordecai, replaces Haman's genocidal decree with a new law empowering the Jews to defend themselves, and brings widespread celebration, honor, and light to God's people.

Adar 13, the Jewish date stands out among the Jews yet today as the day appointed by Haman’s edict in Persia, that every Jew in the Persian Empire was to be attacked and killed: men, women, and children. From a modern viewpoint, this is a racial cleansing, the genocide of a whole race of people, about 500 years before Christ. The edict was . . .

Haman was hanged because of his plot to destroy God’s people in the 127 Provinces of the Persian Empire. After the Babylonian Captivity, the Jews knew that there was nothing left of their homeland, Jerusalem, nor the Temple there, for the Babylonians had destroyed them, and taken the Jews into captivity. Seventy years later . .

At the second banquet of Esther, the queen finally makes her request to the king – to save herself and her people from death. She also reveals Haman as the enemy and Haman is hanged on the gallows that he had made for Mordecai. The tension has been building over the last few chapters. When Esther first appears before the king unbidden, he asks her what she desires and promises to grant her request...

Today, we shall read of Haman’s demise. Descended from Agag, King of the Amalekites, we also learn more about the hatred harbored against the Jews by the race of Amalekites. We first read of Amalek in Genesis 36:16. He is a grandson of Esau, in the bloodline of Isaac. This was that Esau of twins Jacob and Esau, of which Jacob “stole” the blessing of the first-born from his brother Esau. You will r...

In a book full of reversals, chapter 6 is the pivotal point at which the fortunes of the Jews (in the person of Mordecai) take a sudden turn for the better, while the enemy of the Jews (in the person of Haman) begin to fall. The end of the previous chapter sees Haman in a cheerful mood, seemingly honored by the king and queen, and building a set of gallows to hang Mordecai. By the end of this chap...

Secular history describes the events in The Book of Esther during the reign of Ahasuerus. So, we must remember that Ahasuerus is simply a title meaning “King.” History accredits the Biblical history to Xerxes the first, King of Persia, son of Artaxerxes, in timing and in order of occurrence. For those that doubt scripture’s historical truth. . .

This morning we enter into chapter five, the three days of fasting are over. It is the third day, the fast is over, and Queen Esther bravely approaches King Ahasuerus unsummoned to stop Haman's plot.  She is welcomed by the king, finds favor with him and receives his promise to fulfill her request. She hosts two banquets for the King and Haman to delay her reveal. A furious Haman, annoyed by M...

“Ahasuerus held out his golden sceptre…"   It was the law in ancient Persia, that no one could approach the King without being invited to do so, not even his queen! But Queen Esther dutifully humbled herself, and waited for the King to notice her, and acknowledge her. After all, her husband had unwittingly joined in Haman’s plan to kill all the Jews in His kingdom. . .

This week, in chapter 3, we are introduced to the nasty villain, Haman. Haman was a proud and ambitious man who demanded that everyone bow down to him as a sign of respect. Those refusing, well, we will see just how far this hateful man is willing to go to punish the offender. When Mordecai refuses to bow, citing his identity as a Jew, this triggers Haman's fury, exposing his true nature and h...

Among the most ancient of lands, the Land of Elam takes us back to the days following the Flood of Noah. Genesis 10 lists the name Elam as a son of Shem, and a grandson of Noah. Elam’s descendants inhabited that land after the flood, beginning about 2,000 BC (Genesis 10: 21,22). That’s 19 generations before even Abraham came from that same bloodline of Shem. . .

Esther Chapter 4 is a sad chapter. We are about to see that the Jewish people, Mordecai, and Esther experience crippling fear. The villain of this story - Haman - has figured out a way to pass a law requiring that the entirety of the Jewish people in all of the 127 provinces of Persia be murdered on a certain day. This caused confusion throughout the city of Susa, which was the capital city at the...

Proverbs 26:27  says,  “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.”  This quote seems like an appropriate passage in the aftermath of the Resurrection story. It applies to Adolph Hitler’s 3rd Reich, as well as today’s look at Haman the Agagite. It applies to what has happened in Gaza, and in Iran currently: in Lebanon in the near future, and anywh...