The Cross and the Crown

In part I of this passage, we examine the role of Philip in the early church. What does he have to teach us today?

In this episode from 2018, we will explore the book of Haggai, placing it within the larger context of Scripture.

In this episode from 2018, we will explore the book of Malachi, placing it within the larger context of Scripture.

In this episode from 2018, we will explore the book of Zechariah, placing it within the larger context of Scripture.

In this episode from 2018, we will explore the book of Zephaniah, placing it within the larger context of Scripture. 

In Acts 8, we see the gospel spread to Samaria… as promised. There, we meet a man named Simon. What can this unfortunate tale tell us about our own hearts?

Kolby walks us through the story of the stoning of Stephen- the first Christian martyr. 

Stephen's speech in Acts 7 exposes three idols in the hearts of his audience. How does Stephen's history lesson point us to the beauty of the gospel he was willing to die for?

What about Stephen's message is so important that he was willing to die for it? What about the message was so divisive that the leaders in Jerusalem were willing to kill for it? Link to a wonderful message and deep dive on this topic: ( https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/stephens-crime-jesus-will-destroy-the-temple  

As the early church grew, problems arose. These problems placed the wisdom of the apostles and the grace of the early church on display. 

  1. Be Guardians of and Gracious with the Gospel 2. Be Guardians of and Growing in Sound Doctrine 3. Be Guardians of and Gracious to the Church (We are interconnected) 4. Be Guardians of and Faithful  in Christ's Call to Missions          

Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15-23 is both enlightening and challenging. How does this prayer shape our desires and purpose in life? 

What does it mean to fear God? What does it mean to rejoice in suffering? How can we live as the apostles in our world today? 

In this message on Psalm 1, Zach Pratt unpacks the role of meditation in growing and persevering in holiness. 

What does the story of Ananias and Sapphira teach us about unity, radical giving, deception, and divine judgement? 

The early church cries out with one voice in prayer to the Lord who is sovereign. Their appeals are founded upon the character and attributes of God throughout their prayer. What if the church prayed that way today?

As persecution broke in upon the early church, Peter stands boldly before leaders and testifies to the name of Christ. 

After the healing of the man in 3:1-11, Peter delivers yet another sermon saturated in the Scriptures, pointing to how Jesus was the culmination of the entirety of the Old Testament canon.

What does gospel-centered giving look like? How do we refute common objections to giving to the poor? In this episode, we will pull from two wonderful resources that cover the issue of Christian charity. Below are two links for a free dive into this vital topic: Jonathan Edwards: Christian Charity https://www.biblebb.com/files/edwards/charity.htm Tim Keller: The Gospel to the Poor https://www.theg...

In this episode, we will tour dozens of Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation in order to see the depth and consistency regarding God's thoughts about the issue of poverty. 

In this episode, we will examine a few of the big ideas surrounding the issue of poverty. 

In this episode, we will examine several statistics regarding poverty. 

Acts 3:1-11 is an illustration of the signs and wonders mentioned in 2:42-47. What is the purpose of miracles? How does the miracle in 1:1-11 give a platform for the message of Peter that followed?

In this aerial view of chapters 3 and 4, we see that these are simply illustrations of the description of the Spirit-filled Church in 2:42-47. The benefits of reading Scripture for breadth is on full display in this short narrative.  

Justin Martyr provides us with a historical gold mine in regards the 2nd Century church. How does it stack up against the 1st century church? Do we resemble the early believers today?