Sermon Reflections
Sermon Reflection Questions on 1 Peter 1:3-5
As you spend this week in private and family worship I wanted to supply you with a few questions that might help you and your family to reflect upon our sermon from last Sunday (“Doxology of Hope” 1 Peter 1:3-5). I recommend taking 1-2 questions each day as you have time rather than trying to cram it all into one session. Discuss examples from Peter’s life that reflect an impulsive personality. He seems to be frequently caught up in present circumstances without…
Receiving Comfort from the Doctrine of Divine Impassibility
The doctrine of divine impassibility is best illustrated by considering the problem of human passibility. This past Sunday, we looked at Acts 14. The first missionary journey included a stop in Lystra where the people thought Paul and Barnabas were gods after they witnessed the healing of a man crippled from birth. The people were prepared to offer sacrifices to Zeus (Paul) and Hermes (Barnabas) when the apostles tore their garments and declared, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like…
Overcoming Hesitation: Your Mission, Should You Accept
What I find interesting about Saul’s conversion experience is that Luke spends almost as much time writing about Ananias (Acts 9:10-17) as he does Saul (Acts 9:1-9, 18-19). Ananias had an important role to play as the agent through whom God healed and commissioned Saul. But Ananias hesitated to accept that role (Acts 9:13-14). Of course, no one can really blame him for questioning the sincerity of Saul’s conversion. He had a reputation for being ruthless as he himself would…
The Radical Impact of Saul’s Conversion Experience
The conversion experience of Saul of Tarsus was as significant as it was shocking. Derek Thomas suggests that the spiritual transformation of Saul “ranks among the most significant events in world history.”1 Paul’s missionary journeys took the gospel beyond the regions of Judea and Samaria, to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The letters of the Apostle Paul account for nearly a quarter of the New Testament. Only Luke wrote more than Paul.2The man who sparked a great persecution (Acts…