Fall is the time to come back to our core mission and purpose, as individuals and as a church. In this passage, Paul is forced to articulate his life mission, message, and his motivation for it all.

A prophet graphically foretells that Paul’s ministry career will end with arrests and accusations, yet he seizes every opportunity to share his story, and the good news about Jesus with countless leaders and crowds.

As Paul says goodbye to believers in Ephesus, he reflects on this ministry career, and leaves the next generation of leaders with encouragement to guard and protect God’s flock.

Paul stayed in Ephesus longer than anywhere else, and his message triggered a massive, culturally disruptive spiritual awakening in a city deeply saturated with superstition, sorcery, and witchcraft.

Loose morals, pagan temples, and rampant materialism made the thriving, turbulent cosmopolitan metropolis of Corinth a fascinating and intimidating place for Paul to bring the Gospel message.

When Paul reached Athens, he was deeply disturbed by idols and inscriptions to an “Unknown God.” He earned the invitation to speak with the Greek philosophers and used his sermon on “Mars Hill” to introduce the Creator they worship without knowing.

When his prayer to set a woman free lands Paul and Silas in prison, their worship and prayer causes the earth to quake, chains to break, and the jailer and his whole household come to faith in Jesus.

The Holy Spirit leads Paul and Silas into Europe, where they find a woman by the riverside, whose heart is open to their message.

There are moments when the deep convictions held by two Christians may differ so significantly that they have to separate, not because one is “right” and the other “wrong” but because each must be faithful to The Lord’s direction.

From the start, The Church has faced moments of sharp disagreement around beliefs and practices. Acts 15 represents the first “council” of Christian leaders, who worked through their differences, and provided unified direction.