The gospel of grace is polarizing! Good news for one group angered another. How do you respond to the message of salvation in Christ alone?

The Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. Instead of condemning her he offers her protection, redemption, and direction. But he doesn’t let the Pharisees off the hook. He challenges them to look into their own lives and recognize that they are in need of a savior as much as the woman caught in adultery.

With encouraging teaching and good leadership, the church in various places was growing and glorifying God. A church cannot grow without good leaders: leaders that are committed to the Lord and the church.

As the Antioch church leaders worshiped, the Holy Spirit asked them to send out their best! When we worship, we HEAR from God. Some go and some send, but all are involved.

As 1st Century persecution intensified, Christians fled and shared the gospel far and wide. The new believers in Antioch heard about a pending need in Jerusalem, and gave generously, even though they were brand new Christians themselves. True believers and encouraging and generous.

The coming of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles led to conflict and even anger in the church. Could the Jewish Christians accept that God was doing something new in their day?

As the early church grew rapidly, racial tension arose. Thankfully, the church’s leadership recognized the problem and resolved it by appointing respected, Spirit-filled, wise leaders. Can we let those same kinds of leaders speak into our church and our lives today?

One of the habits of the new believers in the 1st Century Church was a dependence on corporate prayer. How dependent are we on prayer, and how can we become more prayer-powered?

The devotion of the first believers resulted in signs and wonders, generosity, praise and salvation. But essential to their development was their commitment to thriving connected community. Connection is still necessary and powerful.

Jesus' gracious encounter with a Samaritan woman reminds us that we are not only to plant the seed of the gospel, but sent out to gather in the harvest. The harvest is ready for us - will we go and bring it in?