Exploring the Bible with Scott & Ken

Ken Travis leads today's lesson from Acts 20:7-38. On his way to Jerusalem at the conclusion of his multi-year third missionary journey, Paul stops in Miletus and summons the elders of Ephesus for final words. Paul reminds them that over many months he has faithfully proclaimed, taught, led, and warned them. Paul had uncertain days ahead, but he was ready to commit himself and the church to God's...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Acts 9:8-20. Paul continues his third missionary journey by returning to Ephesus after revisiting the cities closest to Antioch. A two-year ministry flourishes with confirmation in the form of miraculous healings and power over evil spirits. When a family of unbelieving Jewish exorcists tries to leverage Paul and Jesus against demonic forces, everyone learns a...

Scott Allen leads today's study from Acts 18:1-11, 18-21. Paul travels south from Athens to share the gospel in the busy trade city of Corinth. We get a peek behind the scenes as Paul leverages the support of his teammates to make more and more of an impact in the center of Greece (Achaia). Although Paul again encounters fierce resistances from Jews unwilling to accept Jesus as the Messiah, we see...

Ken Travis leads today's lesson from Acts 17:22-34. Paul has travelled south from Philippi into Achaia (Greece) as he continues his second missionary journey. Arriving in the famous city of Athens, he seeks to connect with a city obsessed with spirituality but knowing nothing of the true and living God. His speech at the Aeropagus demonstrates that the hope and truth of the gospel has universal qu...

Ken Travis leads today's lesson covering Acts 16:11-40 which encourages the church, as Paul did, to take every opportunity to reach out to those around us. There may be repercussions from those who oppose the gospel message. Still, we know many households will find hope and salvation as we maintain a positive witness in the community though all the ups and downs of representing Christ.

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Acts 15:36-41 and Acts 16:1-10. After the all-important council of Jerusalem, Paul begins his second missionary journey. From the start, he has to navigate common ministry challenges including contention, controversy, and confusion. As Paul overcomes these challenges, we learn about the who, the how, and the where of ministry. For followers of Jesus, these ans...

Ken Travis leads today's lesson from Acts 15:7-31. Upon Paul's return from his first missionary journey, controversy arose about whether Gentile believers had to follow the Jewish law of Moses to obtain salvation from Christ. Was circumcision necessary? A conference was assembled, and the unanimous conclusion of the Spirit-filled believers was that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone,...

Scott Allen leads today's study from Acts 14:8-23. Paul completes his first missionary journey by visiting Lystra and the Derbe, then returning to confirm the new believers in each recent city on his way back to Antioch in Syria. But a roller coaster of events awaits Paul as he preached along the countryside of Lystra. First a miracle, then a mistaken identity, then a misappropriation of God&#...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Acts 13:42-52. After sharing the message about Jesus at the Jewish synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia in modern day Turkey, Paul and Barnabus manage several twists and turns due to varied reactions. When most of the town gathers for the next Sabbath day, we see how Christians can navigate these varied responses and serve the Lord with joy in the face of perse...

Ken Travis teaches today's lesson from Acts 13:1-12. God calls Paul and Barnabus to begin their first missionary journey. We look at the context, the commissioning, the deployment, the opposition, and the success of their journey to preach the gospel to the Gentiles in areas far north of Judea and Galilee.

Ken Travis leads today's lesson from Acts 12:6-18. A new Herod family member comes to power and curries favor with Jewish leaders by killing James, brother of John. Next, Peter is imprisoned and faces a dubious trial. But the church prays and in the eleventh hour, God provides an amazing deliverance. We see how the answer to prayer is given, how the answer is doubted, and finally how the answe...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Acts 10:34-48 and the preceding verses. The church at Jerusalem was growing, and the message was spreading from region to region. Some church members were Hebrew Jews and others were Hellenistic Jews, but membership was still entirely Jewish. But God had always intended to bless and save people from every nation, tribe, and tongue through the Messiah Jesus. It...

Ken Travis leads today's lesson from Acts 9:32-43. God uses miracles to confirm his messengers and get people's attention, and God continued to perform miracles through Peter. Two stories are shared about Aeneas and Dorcas. We see the problem, the answer, and the response. The end result was that many turned to the Lord and believed in Him. God works to grow His church and impact lives.

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Acts 9:1-16. Saul has established himself as the arch-enemy of the church. How will the church respond as Saul wreaks havoc, imprisoning and threatening believers with full authority from the Jewish leaders in Jewish communities in Judea and even beyond? Yet it is God, not Saul, who is sovereign over the affairs of men. The Lord Jesus himself interrupts Saul's...

Ken Travis leads today's lesson leading up to the story in Acts 8:26-39. A divine opportunity is given. The gospel is explained. An affirmative response is given. An important ordinance is followed. Let all believers be ready and obedient to share the gospel as God directs us.

Scott Allen leads todays lesson from Acts 6:1-15. Internal strife arose in the growing church. The apostles took a balanced and wise approach that paved the way for unhindered ministry and service opportunities for believers like Stephen. Things were going so well that an old enemy began to stir up trouble. Stephen's life began to parallel that of Jesus, which is the ultimate compliment for an...

Ken Travis leads todays lesson from Acts 5:12-42. The cost of discipleship is high, but it is worth it. Disciples who witness about Jesus need persistence, display obedience, can expect opposition, exhibit boldness, experience suffering, and gain satisfaction.

Scott Allen leads an in-depth discussion of Acts 4:36-37 and 5:1-11. An exemplary believer named Barnabas is contrasted with the short but disturbing story of a married couple named Ananias and Sapphira. Why was this believing couple judged so severely by God when their actions were so similar to others? And what was the root cause of their willingness to employ deception, lie to church leaders, a...

Ken Travis leads today's lesson from Acts 4:1-22. The healing of a cripped beggar at the temple gates has brought pushback from a sect of religious leaders called the Pharisees who denied the resurrection of the dead and could not accept the news about Jesus being alive. The apostles led by Peter demonstrated bold but considerate behavior as they responded to the Sadducees' opposition befo...

Scott Allen leads today's lesson out of Acts 3:12-26. Through a long-crippled man, God provided a golden opportunity for Peter to share the gospel with those attending the daily prayer times at the temple in Jerusalem. God used another miracle to get the people's attention, and Peter was ready to point people to the redeemer, share an offer of restoration, warn about a day of reckoning, an...

Ken Travis leads today's lesson on Acts 2:41-47. As the church at Jerusalem grows over ten-fold, we see qualities among these early believers that healthy churches hope to emulate even today. Our churches should be growing, learning, living, praying, worshiping, and witnessing.

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Acts 2:5-16, 36-41. 50 days prior all Jews had gathered for Passover. Outside the city gates 3 thieves were crucified, but unknown to many, one of them was the Lamb of God. Now at the next required religious feast of Pentecost, the crowds once again flowed into Jerusalem. Soon an unexpected and miraculous occurrence made the crowds realize this was no ordi...

Kern Travis leads today's lesson from Acts 1:1-11, 23-26. Who wrote the book of Acts? What were Jesus' instructions to the believers gathered at the time of His ascension? What did the church need to set a successful foundation? We learn the answers to such questions as we begin a study of the book of Acts.

Scott Allen leads today's lesson from Genesis 50:15-26. Jacob has died and his family has travelled from Egypt to bury him with Isaac and Abraham near the oaks of Mamre in the land of Canaan. Upon returning home, Joseph's brothers fear that Joseph will repay them for how they mistreated him during his youth. How will Joseph respond? These verses show us how Joseph's faith in God's...

Ken Travis leads today's lesson from Genesis 45:1-15. Joseph's brothers return to Egypt a second time seeking food during the famine. Joseph reveals himself graciously, keeps a God-centered perspective, and acknowledges a divine purpose over the events of his life. Thus Joseph sets a prime example of Biblical reconciliation based on a willingness to forgive.