Acts by Conrad Hilario (2025)

The Book of Acts is the beginning of and the commissioning of the Church to go forth and make disciples of all peoples.

Four principles for effective witness are to appeal to the mind, explain the good news in light of the bad news, rely on God to do His part and explain how to receive Christ.

Luke's thumbnail sketch of the early church paints a picture of Christians in deeply relational, God- and truth-centered fellowship that was authentic, outreaching and generous.  What prevents us from having this kind of experience today?

Whenever a Christian attempts to do the work God has for him to do, he can count on the enemy counter attacking in various ways such as temptation or persecution.

Stephen gives a defense for Christianity, explaining the connection between the Old Testament and Jesus, who offers a new way of relating to God. Rather than approaching God through rituals, believers in Christ can now approach God through the Holy Spirit. 

God gives Christians a mission to share His message of forgiveness. His method of doing this is for us to rely on the Holy Spirit, be equipped, and to battle against our own prejudice and discomfort to create unity under Christ. 

Saul has a dramatic encounter with Jesus that changes the trajectory of his life. After accepting Christ as his savior, Saul focuses his zeal into becoming a Christian radical. Saul's dedication challenges us to radically commit our lives to Christ. 

Determining God's will can be difficult in some circumstances. If we want to live life God's way, we must seek out guidance from Him and fellow belivers when making big decisions. 

Prayer represents personal communication with God. The early church teaches us through this narrative that it's important to remain persistent in prayer, to pray within God's will, and to keep returning to God in prayer rather than neglecting prayer due to guilt. 

In a world struggling with meaning, God's message provides both forgiveness and a purpose for our lives. Through sharing the gospel, we have the opportunity to impact eternity. 

True faith is based on evidence. God gives a firm foundation of evidence for belief in Him, but it is our own choice how we respond. 

There are 4 spiritual realities that we learn from this section of Paul's journey: there will be conflict even in fellowship, God will sometimes call us to waive our rights to complete His will, we are engaged in spiritual warfare, and we must fight for an attitude of joy amidst suffering. 

Paul immersed himself in the culture of Athens and contextualized the gospel to what they already knew. Paul received mixed results, but a few came to know God. While it's hard to measure the impact we make for God, we are not responsible for how others react to God's message. 

From Paul's time in Corinth, we can gather five lessons of evangelism: those who seem furthest from God are often the most receptive to the good news, live with integrity, move on if people are unreceptive, share the gospel boldly, and show loving patience towards others.

God sparked many spiritual movements throughout the book of Acts. Today, we must prepare for God to cause a spiritual movement in our community by getting equipped, growing our character, and dedicating our lives to God. 

In Paul's goodbye to the Ephesian leaders, we learn several things about Paul's leadership: he set an example for them, spent time with them, courageously spoke truth, made grace the central focus of teaching, set boundaries, and exhibited a deep and genuine love for them. Those aspiring to church leadership should take after Paul's example. 

As Paul faces chaotic situations such as riots, illegal trials, and assassination attempts, he continues to preach the gospel. Following God's calling often causes conflict and suffering in our lives. Nevertheless, God's approval, rather than human approval, should determine our actions. 

In the conclusion of Acts, Paul continues to sacrificially serve those around him amidst a shipwreck. Because of God's sovereignty, Christians can have confidence in God and exhibit flexibility and a willingness to serve even amidst suffering.