In honor of Pastor Rob and Paula's 20th Anniversary of Ministry at Oak Lawn Bible Church, we were privledged to hear a message from Brady Lipscomb, Pastor's long-time friend.

Jesus' command to 'go and make the disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of te Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit' is put into practice.

Throughout Acts we’ve seen an escalation in persecution. At first the Apostles were intimidated and told to stop preaching the gospel, then they were arrested and beaten, then Stephan was martyred. Now in the 8th chapter the entire fellowship of believers are attacked. Persecution has a way of progressing in intensity and violence.

The message of Stephen: God is faithful even when man is not.

In the church that has been described thus far in Acts as united, of one accord, together, etc.; now there’s a problem. Rather than letting the problems fester and distract them from their primary mission of preaching the Word, the Apostles take decisive action.

The miracles and signs the apostles performed were to authenticate that they were messengers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The miracles were done by the power of God – not the power of men! Not one apostle could perform one miracle apart from God’s resources.

When we are together in a church body of believers, we should all strive to promote oneness. One of the clearest ways unity is expressed is through caring for one another as needs arise. Luke records for us how the early church cared for one another’s needs. However, even in caring for one another’s needs there can be right motives and wrong ones. Today we’re going to see accounts of both.

As our nation was being formed, in a speech one of our founders said the following; “If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately.” That speaker was Benjamin Franklin. He made this statement as he prepared to sign the Declaration of Independence. He understood the importance of unity in the face of opposition. If Franklin understood this in the undertaking of forming a nation, how much more important is it for us to understand in continuing to build God’s kingdom. Just as the founding fathers had to be united and show courage, God’s church must do so even more – for what we pursue is eternal.

God's elect fulfill the Great Commission by first submitting to all human authority for the Lord's sake; submitting to the government, submitting to your employer, submitting to your husband, and sacrificially and tenderly loving your wife in reverent ear of God. And second, through suffering for Christ's sake.

God's great mercy, expressed in your salvation, a living hope and eternal inheritance, purchased by the precious blood of Christ for God's elect, so that through faith, you would live in obedience to the truth.