Word was spreading around Ephesus of Paul's ministry and Jesus' power. But Jesus was not like the gods the Ephesians worshipped and manipulated. It was a lesson a group of exorcists learned through error. By their humiliation, the church was turned toward deeper repentance and holiness. 

Luke offers two stories of disciples who needed more: Apollos, who needed a better education in the word, and the Ephesian disciples, who needed the full baptism of the Spirit. We look at how these two stories offer images of the Word and Spirit and why it's the power of both at work in our lives that guides us into a better faith. 

Luke's short summary of Paul's transition from his second missionary journey to his third comes in just a few simple verses. It's an easy passage to skip, but Luke sets up important events and helps us learn to recognize how God works in the seemingly unimportant details of this moment to prepare us for things to come. 

As we come to the close of Paul's second missionary journey, we look at his ministry in Corinth. Paul stayed in the city for a year and a half. So much about his trip had been unexpected. The Spirit led him to go, and the Spirit led him to stay. We explore how God uses seasons in our own lives as well. 

As we celebrate Easter, we take a look at Paul's famous speech in Athens. At the center of his message was the proclamation that Jesus had died and been raised. But the resurrection was not a popular idea in the ancient world. Still, Paul made it the focus of his preaching. We take a closer look at why the resurrection matters in a world that continues to reject its claims. 

As Paul continued his missionary work in Macedonia, Luke records the response of two cities. The comparison gives us insights into why some respond to the gospel positively, and others respond negatively. It also offers a lesson in how we discern the truth and define success. 

Having stirred up the city, Paul and Silas were thrown in prison, but even in their suffering, the Spirit was at work. Their time in prison would lead to the miraculous conversion of a prison guard, along with his whole family. Pastor Barry Kinzer shares from the passage. 

As Paul and his companions set foot in Macedonia, they found themselves in a new position. They had no place to start. But the Spirit had called them and soon led them to their first convert. But where the gospel is preached, there is also opposition and disruption. 

Paul began his second missionary journey with modest goals. His desire was to visit churches he had already planted. But while traveling, the Holy Spirit began to close doors and change Paul's plans. The Spirit also gave Paul a vision of greater work than he had previously envisioned. We take a closer look at how the Spirit leads us through our own open and closed doors. 

Acts 15 contains one of the greatest depictions of church unity yet; Luke includes in the same chapter one of the most trivial disagreements of the New Testament. We look at what caused the separation between Paul and Barnabas and recognize how it helps us think about our own church experiences and the work God is doing.