Pastor Stone -Emeritus- gave the Ash Wednesday message.

In the face of eminent persecution, how do -would- you cope- In this text, we see some surprising reactions from Peter, but what promises does this account hold for us-

How do we respond to crises within the Church- Prayer- Action- Withdraw--- In this text, we learn of john's brother, James' martyrdom and Peter's arrest. We consider some aspects of how the church reacts to internal tragedies and disappointments.

This message depicts God's providence over the Church at Antioch, the ministry of Paul and the apostles. Is this a picture of discipleship-

Some precepts of the Christian faith are regarded as -tough teachings- because they are hard to understand and some because they difficult to apply. Occasionally, however, we are confronted with truths from scripture that demand a change at the root level of our daily lives.. these we really regard as -tough teachings-. Peter's report to the Church in Acts 11 is one of these moments. How do we respond to -tough teachings- when they come-

It is tempting for even Biblical Christians to -expect- God to do one thing or another, or act in some particular way. Some have even stated that, -God always does- this or -God never does- that.- Peter was no stranger to God's sovereignty or leading evangelical services, but in today's text, God reminds him -and us- that while we are instruments of His Grace, we are not the means of His Grace.

You might explain -winter driving- techniques differently to someone from Florida then you would to someone from Alaska. When witnessing, we call such a variation of rhetoric -contextualization-. Contextualization can be a dangerous business when applying it to the Gospel. In this text, Peter tailors the Gospel message to a unique audience...and dose so without comprising its truth or completeness.

In this message we see a turning point for both Peter and Cornelius. Peter had to accept that God's invisible Church is larger then he had though and Cornelius had to learn that the Kingdom is somewhat more homogeneous. What such turning point do we need in our walks today-

Some say that, -the way to a man's heart is through his stomach-. In this message, a very hungry Peter gets an unusual food based vision, but what does it really mean- God has an important lesson for Peter... and for us.

Who is Cornelius and what does he want with Peter who is 40 mi away- -Does God have purpose in putting these two together- -What does this have to do with us- -Give a listen and find out.