Maryville Moms

This section introduces us to Stephen.  He was the first Christian martyr.  Before violent persecution began, the church was already the source of social ostracism.  Jews who loved Jesus were usually shunned and cut off from families.  As a result, believers depended on each other for support.  They shared homes, resources and food.  Because there [...]

So… it’s been a while since I blogged on the book of Acts.  I would like to say that I’ve spent the last 4 months studying these verse to come up with something incredible, but that would be a big fat lie.  Read Acts 6:1-7 and join me back here. The church has been growing [...]

The Jewish leaders are clearly jealous of the popularity and the power of the apostles.  They were freaking out because someone else was in the spotlight, not because they felt like God was being misrepresented.  The leaders were simply jealous.  So the apostles were arrested because the high priests had on their super-whiny-pooty-pants and were [...]

First things, first.  Read Acts 5:12-16.  Since it’s so short, maybe you should read it twice. We just read about God’s swift judgement of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11.  When God does something that seems dramatic to us like with Ananias and Sapphira or when He performs miracles, it is always with a purpose. [...]

This entry has been delayed because I have been digesting it for a while now.  We’re looking at Acts 5:1-11.  This is the story of Ananias and Sapphira.  I’m going to back track just a little because it’s been over a week since my last post. In Acts 4:23-37 we studied a beautiful expression of [...]

At this point, the body of believers consisted of about 5,000 men.  I would guess that the total is more than 10,000 folks (including women and children).  These folks were living together beautifully and sharing everything they had.  We usually have very different opinions, especially within a large group.  In this case, the different personalities [...]

Read Acts 4:25-26. The believers are quoting from Psalm 2:1-2. Depending on your version you may read against his “Anointed One” or against His “Christ.” Both mean “Messiah.” Let’s read all of Psalm 2. The believers would have known the complete Psalm and rejoiced at seeing how the current persecution and rejecting of Jesus was [...]

Acts Chapter 4 1:21 Read Acts chapter 4 1:21… go ahead; we’ll meet back here when you’re done. Good reading, right?  This is a summary for those of you who didn’t really read it. The Saduccees whole system was in danger because of Peter and John’s preaching.  They  were members of a small but very [...]

Acts 3:11-26 The beggar has just been healed in the name of Jesus Christ and he is clinging to Peter and John.  The people who saw this were acting a lot like a seventeen-year-old-girl at the red carpet premier of Eclipse.  The masses were running to them and Peter capitalized on the situation.  He had [...]

Read Acts 3:1-10 and join me back here when you are finished.  Go ahead!  I’ll wait…..   There is a man who has been crippled since birth sitting outside of a gate called “Beautiful.”  Significance:  This man has been crippled since birth.  People often thought that illness and physical ailments were a result of sin [...]

So the Holy Spirit has been sent.  The Apostles started speaking in tongues that everyone understood in their own language.  The Festival of Weeks attendees thought they (the Apostles) were drunk.  I don’t know about you, but I have never met anyone who could instantly pick up a new language after a few drinks.  Peter [...]

Pentecost was also called the Feast of Weeks and was one of three major feasts.  To read more about this particular feast, check out Leviticus 23:15, 16.  The Holy Spirit came during Pentecost, 50 days after the resurrection, ten days after the ascension.  Just before the Holy Spirit came, there was a sudden sound like [...]