ORBC Podcast

Jesus is the answer to all of the promises that God made to his people, from Abraham through David and to the present day.

Philip was an effective evangelist because he allowed the spirt to guide direct and empower him. In order for the church to regain its evangelistic power we must be guided, empowered and directed by the holy spirt.

False doctrine is dangerous and it must be dealt with decisively. There were two false doctrines that the early church delt with in this story. We still deal with false doctrine and we must be just as decisive as the apostles in dealing with it when it arises.

The gospel to enabled the early church to overcome persecution through transformation. The gospel is disruptive and transformational. It is a catalyst that allows us to change and become what is necessary for the spread of the kingdom. I believe that the early church had hit its limit in Jerusalem. They had a large group of several thousand dedicated to living together and yet for all its success it had become comfortable and inward looking. The persecution that broke out forced the church out of its comfortable environment and forced the members of the church into fields that were white for the harvest. The truths of the gospel trans formed them into the men and women that were able to capitalize on the new opportunities that they had been given.  As a church we must allow the gospel to transform us so that we can reach the harvest God has prepared for us.

Stephen is an ordinary man that God fills with the holy spirt and uses in an extraordinary way and that service results in his death Somewhere in our consumer Christianity we got the idea that following Christ is safe and comfortable. The reality is that doing the will of God can be incredibly dangerous and often it costs people their lives. God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways but if we would be used we must accept the extraordinary risks.

The apostles were able to face down the anger, and jealousy of the ruling Sanhedrin because they knew that God was sovereign over every human power. There was no weapon forged against them that could prevail and so when the time of testing came they stood firm and spoke the truth. When the beating came they took it like men and returned to their community rejoicing. Nothing can destroy a church that has its eyes firmly focused on the greatness of God.

God Equipped his church for its mission by first baptizing and then filling its members with the holy spirit.