Bent Oak Church
Episodes
503 episodes
Paul Before the Kings and Rulers (Acts 25)
Paul had been told that he would bear witness before kings and rulers. As Felix was removed from power, Paul found himself transferred to the control of Festus, who was soon joined by Herod Agrippa II. Luke takes a whole chapter to set up the s...
The Courage of a Clear Conscience (Acts 24)
Held before Governor Felix, Paul once again offered a defense against the Jewish charges. But Felix made no decision. For two years, he held Paul, continuing the conversation. Felix even felt the conviction of Paul's preaching, but he would not...
Who Knows What God Might be Doing (Acts 23:12-35)
A plot was discovered to assassinate Paul. But overnight, Paul was moved to Caesarea. His case would be heard by the Judean Governor. Paul must have wondered what God was doing as he found himself locked up in a Roman cell. But his suffering be...
Take Courage, God Can Use This Too (Acts 22:22-23:11)
Paul carried two callings. He felt called to preach the gospel in Rome, but he also sensed the Spirit calling him back to Jerusalem, where he would face suffering. Imprisoned by the Romans, it must have felt like Rome was further and further aw...
Faith is Not a Life of Risk Management (Acts 21:27-22:24)
Paul's plan failed. He was spotted in the temple by his opponents and quickly seized. I riot formed, and Paul was dragged out of the temple. But after the Romans intervened, Paul was given a chance to offer a defense. He did not defend himself ...
Doing Good Doesn't Always Work (Acts 21:1-26)
Paul finally arrived in Jerusalem. While the believers there celebrated his work, there was danger. Rumors were spreading that Paul was teaching people to abandon the Jewish law. Paul decided to go to the temple in an act of piety to prove them...
Paul's final advice for the church in Ephesus (Acts 20:17-38)
On his return to Jerusalem, Paul stopped in to say goodbye to the church in Ephesus. He explained that they would not see him again, as the Spirit had confirmed that he would face suffering and arrest in Jerusalem. Luke records Paul's goodbye s...
A Long Sermon and A Resurrection (Acts 20:1-16)
On his return to Jerusalem, Paul stopped in for a brief visit at Troas. There he preached long into the night. But there was an ancient and a young man who died. Paul paused his service, raised the boy to life, and went back to ministering. We ...
Religion, Riots, and Greed (Acts 19:21-41)
While Paul was still in Ephesus, a major disturbance broke out. Led by a silversmith, the city was concerned that Paul's teaching was jeopardizing the worship of Artemis. But Luke recognizes a deeper concern. The town is worried it will affect ...
Miracles of Repentance (Acts 19:11-20)
Word was spreading around Ephesus of Paul's ministry and Jesus' power. But Jesus was not like the gods the Ephesians worshipped and manipulated. It was a lesson a group of exorcists learned through error. By their humiliation, the church was tu...
We need the Word and the Spirit (Acts 18:24-19:7)
Luke offers two stories of disciples who needed more: Apollos, who needed a better education in the word, and the Ephesian disciples, who needed the full baptism of the Spirit. We look at how these two stories offer images of the Word and Spiri...
The Future is in the Details of the Present (Acts 18:18-23)
Luke's short summary of Paul's transition from his second missionary journey to his third comes in just a few simple verses. It's an easy passage to skip, but Luke sets up important events and helps us learn to recognize how God works in the se...
Recognizing the Seasons of Life (Acts 18:1-17)
As we come to the close of Paul's second missionary journey, we look at his ministry in Corinth. Paul stayed in the city for a year and a half. So much about his trip had been unexpected. The Spirit led him to go, and the Spirit led him to stay...
Why the resurrection matters for today (Acts 17:16-34)
As we celebrate Easter, we take a look at Paul's famous speech in Athens. At the center of his message was the proclamation that Jesus had died and been raised. But the resurrection was not a popular idea in the ancient world. Still, Paul made ...
Two Cities, Two Responses (Acts 17:1-15)
As Paul continued his missionary work in Macedonia, Luke records the response of two cities. The comparison gives us insights into why some respond to the gospel positively, and others respond negatively. It also offers a lesson in how we disce...
Paul and Silas in Prison (Acts 16:25-40)
Having stirred up the city, Paul and Silas were thrown in prison, but even in their suffering, the Spirit was at work. Their time in prison would lead to the miraculous conversion of a prison guard, along with his whole family. Pastor Barry Kin...
The Gospel Disrupts (Acts 16:11-24)
As Paul and his companions set foot in Macedonia, they found themselves in a new position. They had no place to start. But the Spirit had called them and soon led them to their first convert. But where the gospel is preached, there is also oppo...
Open and Closed Doors (Acts 16:6-10)
Paul began his second missionary journey with modest goals. His desire was to visit churches he had already planted. But while traveling, the Holy Spirit began to close doors and change Paul's plans. The Spirit also gave Paul a vision of greate...
Division and Contradiction (Acts 15:36-16:5)
Acts 15 contains one of the greatest depictions of church unity yet; Luke includes in the same chapter one of the most trivial disagreements of the New Testament. We look at what caused the separation between Paul and Barnabas and recognize how...
A Request to Gentile Believers (Acts 15:22-35)
Last week, we saw the churches gathering to settle disagreements. In this week's sermon, we're looking at the letter that emerged from their meeting and the requests the Jewish believers had for the Gentiles. Their advice turns out to matter fa...
The Church Meets to Answer Questions (Acts 15:1-21)
As the gospel continued to spread amongst the Gentiles, the church faced questions about how to welcome these new believers. Returning to Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas helped guide the first church council and its celebration of what God was doi...
The Crowd Shifts in Lystra (Acts 14:19-28)
While the citizens of Lystra had seen a miracle and been moved to worship, it didn't take much to shift their passions to violence. As the crowd turned, Paul was stoned and left for dead. He used it as a chance to demonstrate the strength and f...
We are not gods (Acts 14:1-20)
As Paul and Barnabas continued on their first missionary journey, they came to the city of Lystra. After a lame man was healed, the town was convinced that Paul and Barnabas were gods. Paul pleaded with them to turn their attention instead to t...
Jesus is the Message (Acts 13:13-52)
As Paul's first missionary journey continues, they arrive in Antioch in Pisidia. Paul steps forward in the synagogue to speak. His sermon parallels earlier sermons in Acts. By this speech, Luke highlights the unchanging center of the church's m...
Overcoming Opposition to the Gospel (Acts 13:4-12)
Acts' first missionary journey begins with opposition as Paul and Barnabas take the gospel to Cyprus and confront a Jewish false prophet who resists the truth. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Paul exposes this deception and demonstrates that the s...