Tomball Bible Church

July 28, 2024 We find ourselves once again in the turbulent waters of uncertainty as a nation. Peace and calm are hard to find as wave after wave of news reports and speculations roll over us. The Bible provides the help we need to navigate through life’s uncertainties. God has provided everything we need to remain anchored in Him and respond with hope and perspective in a polarized society.  Deut...

July 21, 2024 In Acts 28:17-31, Paul fulfilled what he was called to do. When he arrived in Rome, he first sought out the Jewish leaders to share the hope of Christ as was his practice. Unable to go to a synagogue, Prisoner Paul invited the Jewish leaders to come to him. After most rejected his message that Jesus was the Hope of Israel, he turned his attention to the Gentiles. Despite all the suff...

July 14, 2024 In Acts 28:1-16 Paul completed his voyage to Rome. After the shipwreck on Malta, Paul and the 275 other survivors were met with unusual kindness by the islanders. God preserved Paul’s life in front of them after he was unaffected by a viper’s bite (the second piece of evidence of Paul’s evidence in a Roman court). Our focus this week will be on one key value that can make all the dif...

July 7, 2024 Every Christian is declared innocent before God by God. This is the beautiful, undeserved truth of the gospel message. In an amazing, 2-part account of Paul’s final sea voyage in Acts, we find Luke providing the first of two proofs of innocence that vindicate the Apostle Paul and his claims about Christianity before his accusers. In part one, we focus on the One who holds the burden o...

June 30, 2024 Communion (also known as The LORD’s Supper) is for Christians only.  It is a small meal of bread and wine, which is primarily a solemn and joyous memorial celebration of Jesus’ death, and a reminder of His future return.  It is a celebration filled with symbolism.  Why do we celebrate communion?  To remember Jesus’ death, proclaim Jesus’ death, rejoice in the benefits of Jesus’ death...

Acts 25:13-26:32 contains Paul’s longest defense and testimony in the book of Acts. The anchor point of his testimony is that Jesus Christ is the light of salvation to everyone, everywhere. He told his testimony by openly declaring his sin(s) against Jesus and the Church, his conversion story when he encountered Christ, and his task to give to witness to Christ to everyone, everywhere. His approac...

June 16, 2024 Well aware of his rights as a Jew, a Roman, and a citizen of God’s kingdom, Pau modeled godly citizenship. He faithfully demonstrated a first-allegiance to Christ that was applied to his rights of earthly citizenship. In many instances, Paul denied his rights for the sake of others he served. Other times, such as his appeal to appear before Caesar in Acts 25:1-12, show Paul making fu...

June 9, 2024 Have you ever knowingly done the right thing only for the result to make things worse for yourself? It is understandable to expect good outcomes when good deeds are done. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes, not. As Christians, we can't assume that living righteously will result in an easier life. So how do we respond when faithfulness results in hardships? This is our aim as we ex...

June 2, 2024 Have you ever been unexpectedly hindered when just trying to get home? You have your intended destination. You know that if you can just get to where you’re going, it will be well with your soul! And then…life. We often get disrupted by outside forces that seem to just sweep us away like being carried away by a swift-moving current. When this happens (which honestly happens a lot!), i...

May 26, 2024 Paul returns to a second, volatile hearing before the Sanhedrin at the request of the Roman tribune, which leads to a sharp confrontation with the high priest before it descends into a violent dispute about the resurrection of the dead, spirits, and angels between the Pharisee and Sadducee factions. This leads the tribune to have soldiers remove Paul to for his safety. That night, Pau...

May 19, 2024 This is the first of two instances where the apostle Paul will tell God's story of redeeming him in the first person. In this account Paul recalls his former life and upbringing, he tells of his Damascus road experience, and what the Lord was doing in his life up to a point. What should leap off the page to you is that Paul has zero desire to actually answer the accusations that...

May 12, 2024 After agreeing to the Elders’ request to join four Jewish Christians in completing an OT Nazarite purification, for the purpose of calming irate Jews in Jerusalem, a riot was instigated in the Temple courts by some Jews from Asia, who shouted accusations about Paul, alleging Paul was guilty of various heresies.  They grabbed Paul, dragged him out of the Temple court, and began beating...

May 5, 2024 Sometimes accusations are wrongfully made against us. This week’s text shows how the Apostle Paul was wrongfully accused by the Jewish community in Jerusalem of teaching that the Mosaic law was no longer to be followed. When Paul was made aware of these accusations, he stayed humble and abided by the church leader's wishes, yet did not go against any Christian doctrine. This examp...

April 28, 2024 As Paul arrived in Palestine at the end of his third missionary journey, he received stern warnings about what he would face if he entered Jerusalem. Fellow believers directed by the Spirit pleaded with him not to go. Yet, also being led by the Spirit, he pressed on to Jerusalem. This challenging passage contains much-needed truth for the Church today, particularly for counting the...

April 21, 2024 Goodbyes are never easy, especially goodbyes that are permanent. The Apostle Paul gave and received numerous goodbyes throughout his ministry, yet the one that hit the hardest for him was his goodbye to the elders of the church in Ephesus. This passage is full of deep affection and care from Paul to this church and yet in it is also an incredibly loving warning to these elders. Paul...

April 14, 2024 Acts 20:1-16 tells of Paul’s ministry in Philippi, Troas, and a pit stop in Asia before heading to Jerusalem. The passage shows us a glimpse of his pastoral and teaching ministry as he shared in Passover and taught the Scriptures diligently before he departed the area. (It was a killer Bible study!) Luke also provides the names of those throughout the Roman provinces who will travel...

April 7, 2024 The Church has an Enemy, and the two are in constant opposition. People are a common weapon manipulated by Satan who are used to undermine the Church. Acts 19 gives readers a glimpse into the hardships brought against the Church by those opposed to Jesus. Yet, despite Satan’s efforts to use people for his ends, God’s purpose was not stopped. The Lord is the One who fights for His glo...

March 31, 2024 Christ Jesus has risen from the grave! Through the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, we have peace with God, freedom from the shackles of our sins, and the promise of eternal life. Because He lives, we too may live with resurrection power and hope. This is truly the greatest news there could ever be. Today, we celebrate and cheer for the One who has given us life by giving up His...

March 14, 2024 "Peace on earth!" was declared by angels at the announcement of His birth. "Peace in heaven!" was declared by people at the announcement of His entry. Jesus Christ is the rightful King of Peace on earth and in heaven. As the people temporarily sang His praise, Christ wept knowing what was in their hearts as well as the future destruction of Jerusalem. Despite the...

March 17, 2024 Acts 19 is the story of God working in incredible ways in the city of Ephesus. Acts 19:11-20 is one of the wildest stories though in the Bible, dudes are just trying to make a buck doing some tricks and yet the Lord has “concern for his holy name” as the prophet Ezekiel would say. So God exalts himself by not allowing these exorcists to misuse his name rather they run out “naked and...

March 10, 2024 Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Adventist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Episcopal, and Non-Denominational churches (just to name a few) are all around; each having its doctrinal and practical distinctives. Some even add cult groups such as Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witness to the list of Christian denominations. How are we to know and test what is genuine Christianity and what is not? Whe...

March 3, 2024 The 2nd mission trip finished out, with Paul leaving Silas and Timithy to lead the church in Corinth, and leaving Aquila and Priscilla to start a church in Ephesus, while Paul set sail to return for a respite at his home church in Antioch.  Paul didn’t stay long, and soon after began the 3rd mission trip, heading west back to Ephesus, encouraging the churches along the way.  Meanwhil...

February 25, 2024 Paul’s ministry continues to Corinth where new ministry partners are found along with new believers and continued opposition to the Name of Christ. At the heart of Acts 18:1-17 is a vision Paul received from Jesus to not fear or be silent but to continue proclaiming the gospel trusting in God’s protection. God’s people are entrusted with the same message and called to the same wo...

February 18, 2024 Paul’s speech on Mars Hill in Athens, Greece is one of the most important sections in the book of Acts. With only Gentiles in his audience, Paul models presenting the good news of Jesus using words and images that would relate to his hearers. While the delivery method is different, the message is the same. All people everywhere are accountable to God to receive or reject Christ a...

February 11, 2024 Having rushed out of Thessalonica due to persecution, Paul and his companions travel to Berea in Macedonia. Here, they start, as was their custom, by preaching in the local synagogue. Instead of jealousy, as they ran into in Thessalonica, the Bereans were much more noble and examined the Scriptures that Paul taught. This sets an example for us to examine God’s Word, test the teac...