The church in Antioch senses the Spirit's leading and sends out Barnabas and Paul to reach Gentiles for Jesus. The sail for Barnabas' home (Cyprus) where Paul leads the governor…
James is arrested and killed by Herod. Peter is arrested and Herod's plan is to kill Peter. But after the Passover, which Herod attends and appears to celebrate with Israel…
As Peter calls us aliens and strangers in 2:11-12, he explains what that looks like in the main areas of our life in 2:13-4:11 (government, work, family and church family)…
Peter describes believers as aliens and strangers in 1 Pet. 2:11-12. What does he mean by that? From God's perspective, as citizens of heaven, we no longer 'belong' here yet…
There's a good reason Herod isn't found in our Nativity sets! Yet, he is part of the birth narrative of Jesus Christ. Jesus wasn't born in a perfect world and…
Hanukkah recalls a great victory from Israel's past from a tyrannical ruler. Amazingly, God predicted this ruler would come and torment Israel in Daniel 8 and 11. Yet when Jesus…
The book of Nahum is a small, not well known book in the prophets that deals with judgment against the Assyrians. God graciously sent Jonah to preach repentance to the…
Saul's threats and conversion help us understand why God allows and uses persecution to grow His church. While never pleasant when we understand why it happens we'll be more equipped…
Jesus' plan for gospel outreach was stated in Acts 1:8 but the disciples had stuck close to Jerusalem. So God used persecution to disperse them to Judea and Samaria and…
Stephen is arrested and falsely charged with wanting the temple destroyed and changing Moses' laws. Ironically, Stephen explains using Scripture that God has always been worshipped in many places other…
