Cover-to-Cover

Acts 21:1-14 In Acts 19:21, Paul gives his itinerary, saying, “after I have been there (Jerusalem), I must also see Rome.” Paul knew by the Spirit of God that God was taking Him to Rome, a city where Jews were told to leave. Along Paul’s journey to Jerusalem, he found some Christians, and stayed with them. While with them, they knew by the spirit that something bad would happen to...

Acts 20:17-38 The remainder of chapter 20 is Paul’s late address to the Ephesian leaders. Paul is coming closer to his imprisonment, and he seems to know it. We see his heart for the people, not only from the words he spoke, but from the actions he took. We see him warning the leaders to guard the church from wolves that would divide the church family (verse 29). Paul also...

Acts 20:1-16 Paul continues the third missionary journey as he goes into Greece, Troas, and Miletus. In verse 7, in Troas, Paul spoke with them a message until midnight. One young man was listening from the window in the upper room. He fell three stories when he fell asleep from staying up listening to the message. He died upon his fall. Paul embraced the man, allowing the anointing from his...

Acts 19:21-41 Paul’s ministry was hurting the idol-making business. People in Ephesus were receiving Jesus Christ and doing away with idols. A silversmith named Demetrius was upset about his financial loss, so he gathered together others in the same occupation and started a riot against Paul. We should not be shocked when someone opposes us for Christ’s sake. That doesn’t mean we should be a jerk and instigate opposition. It’s...

Acts 19:1-20 Paul found Christians who had not been baptized in the Spirit, only water baptized for salvation. We see the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate work from salvation. In verse 6, when they laid hands on the Christians, they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Paul stayed in Ephesus for two years so that all who lived in Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the message of...

Acts 18 Paul continues his second missionary journey by traveling to Corinth. He meets Aquila and Priscilla, tentmakers. Aquila is a Jew that had recently relocated because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome in AD 49. It was a tumultuous time for the Jews underneath Roman rule. Paul also was known to make tents to help support himself as he traveled and ministered. He was not opposed to...

Acts 17:16-34 Paul is in Athens, waiting for Silas and Timothy to arrive from Berea after the persecution of those violent, legalistic Jews coming over from Thessalonica. Paul sees that the people of Athens are largely involved in idol worship, so he goes into the synagogue and marketplace to speak to people about worshipping God. Philosophers challenged Paul, bringing him to Mars Hill, or Hill of Ares, or the Areopagus,...

Acts 17:1-15 Paul, Silas, and Timothy went to Thessalonica into a Jewish synagogue. Part of Paul’s calling was to the Gentiles, but it was also to the Jews. Understanding Judaism and having the revelation of Christ, Paul knew how to speak to Jewish people. Many followed after Paul in Thessalonica. The Jews who did not believe in Christ came after Paul and Silas. They went to the house where they...

Acts 16:16-40 In verse 16, we see that Paul and his team started the day off in prayer. As they were going to pray, a fortune teller was following them, mocking who they were, annoying them, and bringing attention to herself. Paul, irritated with the spirit, cast it out of the woman so she would stop with the harassment. The people of that day were not much different from today,...

Acts 16:1-15 Paul begins his second missionary journey with Silas. On his first journey, Paul had encountered angry, violent men who were passionate about stopping the spread of Christianity. Why would Paul take the risk to go back a second time? One reason is the love Paul had for God. Another reason is the understanding and zeal Paul had to spread the message of salvation in Jesus Christ and build...

Acts 15:22-41 Christianity is a Jewish religion that started in Jerusalem, and in Acts 15, when the apostles were still in ministry and the city was still standing, leaders got together to make a decision that concerned Judaism and the Gentiles. Paul did not feel the Gentiles should be forced into Jewish regulations, but Barnabas did (Galatians 2:13). The leaders decided that Gentiles would not have to be circumcised, but...

Acts 15:1-21 Gentiles were being saved through Jesus, the Jewish Messiah that had been prophesied to save Israel for thousands of years. Even Paul and Peter had to have supernatural encounters with God to be convinced that Jesus was the way of salvation for everyone, for Jews and Gentiles alike. To the Christian Jews, they were deeply rooted in the Mosaic Law with its laws and regulations. In the past,...

Acts 14 Saul and Barnabas won many to the Lord, Jew and Gentile, but they leave Antioch in Pisidia shaking the dust off of their shoes. This act was a sign against those who rejected their message. When someone shook the dust off their feet, they want to leave that place behind, not taking even a speck of dust with them as they move on with their mission. Saul and...

Acts 13:23-52 Paul’s first missionary journey after his commission is found in chapters 13 and 14. In chapter 13, he preaches in the synagogue in that city and holds revival at Antioch in Pisidia. After Paul ministers, the Gentiles ask if he would come back and speak to them. The next Sabbath, almost the entire city came to the synagogue to hear Paul preach. Certain Jews became furious that Gentiles...

Acts 13:1-22 A group in Antioch were in prayer, ministering to the Lord, fasting. Out from this time of spiritual seeking God, God calls Saul (Paul) and Barnabas to be sent out to reach more people for Christ. The group laid hands on them and sent them out. When laying hands on them, they were transferring anointing, an impartation for ministry, and commissioning the men to go. In verse 4,...