Who is Lord, Caesar or Jesus? As the book of Acts finishes, Paul is under house arrest in Rome and for two years he preaches the gospel to all. In the heart of the empire controlled by Caesar–the high priest & king–Paul shares the good news that Jesus the true priest and king is savior and Lord.

In Acts 26, Paul is brought in chains before Governor Festus, King Agrippa and all the leading men of the Caesarea. Instead of a defense, Paul shares his testimony–how the gospel transformed him and how he now desires all to be transformed too.

On his journey to Jerusalem, Paul meets with the leaders of the Ephesian one last time and shares his heart for them and the church he helped to found.

As Paul and the early church sought to carry out the mission of Christ they began with prayer. Seeking the Spirit they were directed into action, bringing the gospel into Europe and seeing the transformation of rich and poor, slave and free, Jew and Gentile–God’s plan through Christ to make for himself one people of all nations of the earth.

On Confirmation Sunday, Bishop John Guernsey shared 8 marks of the church in Antioch from Acts 11 that should be cultivated in every church community.

Unfortunately, the audio files were corrupted so this secondary recording is not as clear as usual.

How does the gospel not only challenge our implicit bias and prejudices, but also call us to active love for and interaction with those with whom we most disagree? As Peter discovers in Acts 10, the gospel is not for any one race or culture–it is good news even for the Gentiles. The gospel is the message of Christ dying for sinners–it is a salvation by grace. It is a gospel of astounding inclusion because it is radically equalizing.

Saul was a brilliant young Rabbi–a success by every metric of his culture. And he knew God, or so he thought. Until, on the road to Damascus he met the Risen Jesus, and all of his assumptions and categories were overturned. He met the Real God–the crucified savior–Jesus, whom both the very very good and the very bad need.

After a great persecution broke out the disciples were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Philip went to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the gospel in word and deed–and many came to faith in Christ and there was joy throughout the city.

God’s heart for the city, because they are filled with people, is central to the calling of the church and disciples. God desires us to love the City, to love and serve the people with whom we live and work and play.

Peter and John return from a night in prison and threats at the hands of the Religious Authorities in Jerusalem and together with the disciples they pray for boldness to continue to speak the word of God and for God’s power to heal and perform signs in Jesus name. At the threat of persecution, they are motivated by trust in the sovereignty of God and the power of the gospel to love even those who are hostile.

On the day of Pentecost, just days after the risen Jesus ascended into Heaven, the disciples were gathered in the upper room and the Holy Spirit fell upon them. They joyfully and boldly went out into Jerusalem declaring the mighty works of God in unlearned languages, and Peter, who just weeks earlier denied Jesus preached a sermon to the crowds–that this Jesus was crucified is risen and is both Christ and Lord. The giving of the Spirit on all believers ignited a gospel movement that spread through the Roman world and continues to this day.

After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples for 40 days teaching them about the kingdom of God. He called them to spread his kingdom as his witnesses, living out sacrificial love, to the ends of the earth.