As opposition to the early church grew, it was only a matter of time before it turned to violence. And in this dramatic portion of Acts we're introduced to two men who would have a significant impact on the history of the church. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, who preached a powerful sermon even as stones were hurled at him, and Saul, a passionate persecutor of the church whose story was just beginning.

As the message of Christ spread like wildfire through the land, troubles began brewing. And not just external troubles, but internal troubles as well. But the response of the disciples to these growing troubles shows us a church with Christ at its heart. We'll look to learn from their wisdom in today's message.

With as large and as organized as the church has become in this day and age, it's easy to forget its humble beginnings. Today we'll look at the fellowship of the early believers. We'll consider how we can be bold witnesses for the risen Christ even today.

Peter is one whose story could easily have ended in tragedy. On the night before Jesus died, Peter denied even knowing the man he had come to recognize as Savior and Lord. But his story doesn't end there and here in the beginning of Acts he preaches a powerful sermon that struck the hearts of many. We'll consider God's forgiveness and the power of His Word.

Jesus promised His disciples that even after He returned to heaven, they would not be alone. Jesus would sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit to guide and teach believers in this new age. And in Acts chapter 2 we see the dramatic entrance of the Holy Spirit. And we'll consider what this amazing gift means for us today.

After His resurrection, Jesus returned to heaven. But not before leaving His disciples with some last words and a mission to change the world. Join us as we look at Jesus' final days on earth and consider how important it was that there were so many eyewitnesses to Jesus' miraculous power.

Though betrayed and crucified, the story of Jesus doesn't end in a garden tomb. Three days later, the tomb was empty! Jesus' resurrection was a defining moment in the relationship between God and man, and a miracle that many believe is too good to be true. What do you believe?

There were two who betrayed Jesus. Judas had planned his betrayal. But Peter's betrayal came only hours after he boldly proclaimed that he would never disown Jesus. In this episode we'll be reminded that all have sinned, and all contributed to the weight Jesus bore on the cross. But just when the last candle is extinguished and darkness overtakes the world, the Son rises anew bringing mercy and hope to sinners everywhere.

Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? It's true, and we read about it in the Gospel of John. In the hours before His death, Jesus spent much time on His knees in prayer for those who would be restored to the Father through the death and resurrection of the Son. Find out more about what Jesus prayed for you in this episode.

Jesus knew that He would return to heaven soon. And in comforting His disciples, He revealed to them and the world a great truth: That the Holy Spirit of God would someday enter into the lives of believers. Jesus takes this opportunity to help us understand just a little of the regenerating power of the Spirit at work in our lives.

Even if you don't memorize much Scripture, there's a good chance you have John 11:35 memorized: "Jesus wept." Today we'll look at John 11 and death of Lazarus that brought Jesus to tears. And in the miracle that follows, Jesus not only gives us a glimpse of the future, but a sobering look at the hardness hiding in the hearts of some.

Why do you follow Jesus? Different people have different answers. And even while Jesus walked the earth, those who followed Him had reasons of their own. In talking to them, though, Jesus reminded them, and us, of the only actions we can take that really matter for eternity.

If you could ask Jesus just one question, what would it be? Nicodemus must have thought about this, because when he had the chance to talk to Jesus one night long ago, he asked a question that allowed Jesus to reveal the very heart of God. Follow along as we learn about God's great love for you and for me.

Among the first four Gospels, John's Gospel stands out above them. Though John skips over any discussion of Jesus' birth, he begins with one of the most beautiful, concise descriptions of Jesus and His ministry. Join us as we are introduced to Jesus, the Word who took on flesh.

By now you should understand that Jesus wasn't just some random guy who had some compelling things to say 2,000 years ago. The life, death, and resurrection and Jesus was part of a grander plan put in place by God and foretold by the prophets. And Jesus Himself understood this. We'll look at some places in Luke's Gospel where Jesus plainly describes His purpose on earth.

Miracles don't happen every day. And miracles accompanied by a choir of angels are even more rare! We'll follow along with Luke as he describes the birth of Jesus and be reminded that this was a miracle so important, it would define the way we would look at history to this very day.

"I saw it with my own eyes" are some of the most powerful words we'll hear from a friend. They can help us believe something we might not have before. So when Luke opens his Gospel by telling His readers that he compiled and collected the eyewitness reports of the life of Jesus, we can trust that his words are true.

Even though Mark was not one of the disciples, his Gospel is an important part of the record we have of Jesus. And even though it is the shortest of the four, it stands as a powerful reminder of the divinity and grace of Jesus Christ. We'll take a quick overview of this fast-paced account of Jesus' life and be reminded of His call to all of us to be "fishers of men."

During His ministry, Jesus told His followers what they could expect of believers in the future. We'll see how Jesus' statements fit in with Biblical prophecy. And while we wait for His return, we'll be reminded of the Great Commission we have all been given as believers.

As Jesus travelled, He spoke a stirring message: A message that stirred the hopes of an oppressed people, and a message that stirred the anger of the oppressors. We'll take a closer look at Jesus' most famous sermon, The Sermon on the Mount, and consider the disciples who followed Him.

Matthew, the beginning of the New Testament, and the first of four Gospels, starts out with a miracle that would change the world. God sets the stage for the future by sending His Son Jesus to earth as a baby born to Mary and Joseph. We'll look a little closer at God's plans and Jesus' early years.

The Pharisees and Scribes of Israel were frequent targets of Jesus' criticism. But they didn't emerge out of nowhere. Find out more about the origins of these important sects in Israel's society in this episode.

As you turn the pages in your Bible from Malachi to Matthew, only a second passes. But for Israel, 400 years of silence pass. We'll take a brief look at these years and see how God was preparing the world for Jesus.

The prophets performed an important, and often unappreciated, role in Israel's history. Many of their writings have been preserved for us in the Old Testament. We'll take a brief look at the warnings and promises God sent to His beloved nation of Israel.

The Bible contains some of the most beautiful poetry ever written. And the wisdom of Solomon is relevant even today. We'll learn more...

The Old Testament of the Bible teaches us a lot about the History of the nation of Israel. Today we'll take a closer look at the...

It's not hard to miss: The Bible is a big book! But you can know more about it. We'll take a closer look at the foundational books of the...

Everything the Christian does is based on the bible. So why do Christians hold the Bible in such high regard? Learn some important facts...

Just becoming a Christian doesn't mean that life turns rosy. But even though we'll still experience ups and downs like everyone else,...

Some Christian words like "propitiation" are almost never heard. But you can hardly go a day watching the news without hearing about...