Atlantic Gospel Chapel Messages

As Paul returned to Jerusalem, he faced charges from Jews of heresy, of teaching things contrary to Moses and the Law.  This charge led to threats of flogging.  For those who would hold to salvation by grace through faith, we may face the same kind of accusations the the culture. As Paul addressed the crowd, he assured them that the Gospel he preached was not contrary to the law, but instead fulfilled the Law.  His response included three parts: Paul was where the crowd was in belief Paul was called by God Why Paul was called. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

Throughout Jesus' ministry he frequently encountered people with questions.  In some cases, these questions were intended to trap Jesus in a logical or theological error.  In other cases, however, people came with genuine interest seeking genuine answers.  In today's passage we see both. Regardless of the intent, God ensured these questions were recorded in Scripture for our benefit.  These questions sometimes challenge us, and in the Lord's response we find the answers to the questions we have. We thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

A post on Facebook once cited a study which suggested that, on average, we swallow four spiders per year in our sleep.  People shared the related posts and the story spread.  The problem was, the supposed study was, itself, was part of a study to see how quickly information can spread on the internet.  What we do see through these types of interactions is how quickly lies spread; but they also highlight our propensity to not just tell lies, but to believe them. When Paul was in Jerusalem, Jews from Asia spread lies about him to their countrymen, asserting Paul had even brought Greeks, filthy Gentiles, into the temple.  Naturally, the Jews in Jerusalem were all too willing to believe these falsehoods, throwing the city into an uproar with Paul's life in danger. Despite these blatant lies about Paul, we see his overarching desire to preach the Gospel to the very crowd seeking his life.  In examining Paul's response to such hostility, we can get a glimpse into our own attitude toward the enemies of the cross.  Is our attitude one of love, seeking the salvation of the lost?  Or are we more prone to strike back. Than you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

One of the most common terms used to describe the salvation experience is to be "born again."  As Christians, we commonly refer to ourselves as, "born again believers."  However, even within Christendom, this idea of being born again as a requirement to enter into God's kingdom is frequently a point of contention.  For those outside the church, it becomes a point of ridicule and disdain; connected with accusations of being too narrow-minded. But how much do we truly understand being "born again?"  How does one become born again?  When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, this leader of the Jews struggled with this very statement from Jesus, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3 (LSB). Thank you for listening to today's message.  If you are unsure about your standing before God, we pray this will help you to understand what it means to be born again and why it is necessary for coming into the presence of a Holy God.  We pray you will be encouraged through this teaching from God's Word.

Throughout Paul's second letter to the church in Thessalonica, we have drawn lessons regarding God's righteous judgment.  We considered His righteous judgment toward those who believe in Jesus Christ and toward those who reject Jesus as savior.  We considered His righteous judgment regarding the end times in the final condemnation of Satan and those who deny Jesus, as well as in the final consummation of the believer into eternal rest with the Lord. Now, in 2 Thessalonians 3, we consider God's righteous judgment within the body of believers.  From this study, we will draw three lessons: The Lord's attitude toward the body The believer's attitude toward the body God’s righteous judgment toward the believer who disregards the body We thank you for listening to today's lesson and pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

One of the battle cries of the reformation was salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.  The corollary to this is that we are no longer under law but under grace. But is there a proper relationship between the believer and the law.  And if so, what is it.  We remember that Jesus, Himself, proclaimed, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law of the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." (Matthew 5:17, LSB) Join us for today's lesson as we catch up with Paul returning to Jerusalem following his third missionary journey.  He arrived facing charges from Jewish Christians that Paul was teaching the Gentiles to put away the Law of Moses.  Paul's response to this group of believers serves as a valuable tool to inform our relationship to the Law. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

When Valentine's Day rolls around, we are deluged with messages of love.  Notes between husbands and wives extol their love for one another.  A suitor sends roses to demonstrate his love for his beloved or betrothed.  Even school children share cards with each other in honor of the day.  But how sad would it be if a wife left a card for her husband only to have it ignored?  Or if a woman sang of her love to her love with no response? In many ways, God leaves love notes for us, in creation, in each other, in the pages of Scripture, and above all, in His Son.  But how closely do we pay attention to the love of God poured out toward undeserving sinners? Join us for today's lesson as we explore what Scripture says about the nature of love, our love for God and His inexhaustible love toward us. Thank you for listening.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Imagine living in a world without light.  Light is used in so many different ways within our world making life without light nearly impossible to navigate.  We use light for communication; think traffic lights, airport landing strips, or the warning lights on the dashboard to alert us to issues with our vehicles.  Light is used to reveal or highlight defects, such as inspecting dents in a car.  Imagine a surgeon operating without the proper surgical lighting.  And of course, light helps us to see in dark places, such as the headlights used to illumine the roadways at night, or flashlights or candles in a room without power. Scripture speaks of another light, the True Light which, "coming into the world enlightens everyone" (John 1:9 LSB).  If life without physical life is nearly impossible, life without the Light of the world is holds eternal consequences. Join us for today's lesson as we examine what the Scripture has to say about Jesus Christ as the Light of the world and the implications for us. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

As Paul prepared to go to Jerusalem, a journey which was sure to mean persecution and even arrest, he continues to do what is most characteristic for him; he seeks to encourage and build up the body of believers in the churches he visited. Before his return to Jerusalem, Paul met with the Ephesian elders: Speaking of what was during his time with those believers Warning about what is coming Encouraging with what will be helpful In speaking this way to these elders, Paul speaks as one shepherd to another; serving in selflessness and through strong connection with this church with whom he spent considerable time. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

A saying emerged among bombers during World War II, "the flak gets heavy over the target."  In other words, the closer the bombers came to enemy territories and targets, the stronger the resistance.  In many ways, this is the experience of a church that is faithful in proclaiming the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Following the riot in Ephesus, the church despaired due to the extreme, even violent, resistance to the Gospel.  But Paul, showing his singular devotion to God and His people, made it his aim to encourage and build up the church. Join us as we continue through the book of Acts as Paul makes preparations to go to Rome, ultimately through Jerusalem.  May you be encouraged through Paul's example to the saints and through the wonderful truth of the Gospel. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.   We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Word.

When Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, he was writing at a time roughly 25 years from the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.  These first century believers were certain the Lord would return in their lifetime. But to a church facing intense persecution, when some proclaimed that the day of the Lord had already come, this led to confusion and concern.  Had they missed the return of the Lord?  Why were they not then in the Lord's presence?  And what about all the evil and suffering still going on in the world. In today's lesson, we continue our examination of Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians; continuing the theme of God's righteous judgment, this time as it pertains to the end times.  In doing so, we will draw out three lessons: How we view the timing of the Lord's return Future judgment of the lawless on the day of the Lord’s return The future hope of the believer at the Lord’s return Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

Considering some of the key doctrines of the faith can seem to be a daunting task.  The word, "theology," tends to be met with groans; considered to be something reserved only for the extreme scholar. But sometimes it is necessary, and helpful, to consider such topics.  As good nutrition must include eating our vegetables, so our growth as believers must include consideration of concepts which seem to be out of our grasp. In today's lesson, we continue to consider the Scriptures as God's Word and the implications this has on our lives. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

The teaching of God's Word results in a variety of responses.  One response is to exaggerate the commands of the Lord.  This was the response of the Pharisees, but was also seen in Eve's response to the serpent in adding to God's command, "If we eat from the tree in the midst of the garden, or touch it, then we will surely die."  Another response is to deny the truth of God's Word altogether.  This is the response of the serpent in Genesis 3, and is the same response of those modern readers who reject God's Word, or deny the validity of the Scripture. The Scriptures are key to the Christian life.  In today's lesson, we take a brief look how the Bible came to be.  We will learn that the ultimate author of the Bible is God, the Holy Spirit, who spoke through faithful men.  We will also learn that God expected the writings of these men to be kept, copied, shared and taught.  Finally, we will see that God preserves and protects His Word throughout the generations. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

In John 8, we read the story of a woman caught in the very act of adultery.  Seeking to put Jesus to the test, the pharisees bring her before Him for His verdict.   Scripture is clear, "The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23).  Therefore, Jesus would be fully just in condemning her to death according to the Law.  However, once the crowd is dispersed, Jesus' question and comment to the woman is, "Is there no one to condemn you?  Neither do I condemn you."  How can this be?  How can Jesus maintain the holy, just and righteous demands of the Lord, while at the same time offer the sinner mercy, grace and forgiveness. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

To know Jesus is to know God.  The deity of Christ is one of the central doctrines of the church; a doctrine which has profound implications for believer and unbeliever alike.  However, many people today, including in the church, teach that Jesus was many things, with many claiming that Jesus was just a rabbi, a great moral teacher, and nothing more.  Some will teach that the church is wrong to think of Jesus as Yahweh, claiming that the early church didn't even believe that. But what is the testimony of Scripture?  In today's lesson, we will see that the actions of Yahweh in the Old Testament, such as creation, etc., are also said to be the actions of Jesus. We thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Most of us are familiar with the fable of the boy who cried, "Wolf!"  The phrase, "Crying Wolf," is understood as a call of warning for a danger that simply isn't present. In both the ancient world of Israel, as well as in our own day, we often treat warnings from Scripture regarding God's coming judgment as crying wolf.  Peter speaks of the scoffers that will come in the last days saying, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?  Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:4, LSB). But the teaching of Scripture is clear...God is faithful in ALL His promises, both the bless and to judge.  So in Lamentations, as the prophet sees Jerusalem destroyed, he recognizes the hand of the Lord in executing His judgments upon a rebellious people.  But this promise also leads us to the greater judgment for sin carried out upon the very Son of God, who took upon Himself our sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). Thank you for listening to today's teaching.  We pray you will be convicted, blessed and encouraged by the teaching of God's Holy Word.

During his second missionary journey, Paul stayed more than two years in Ephesus, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This great message was attested to by great signs and wonders, showing the power of God and His authority granted to Paul in the message.  The passage summarizes the result this way, "the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power." (Acts 19:20 LSB) But as with any preaching of the Gospel, there are a variety of responses.  Some accept the message gladly, resulting in a changed life.  Others become stubborn and resist the message of the Gospel, even intending violence against the messengers.  And still others, enamored by the power, or notoriety, which accompanied the message, seek to capitalize on the movement for their own purposes. See what happens when seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, attempt to drive out demons, "in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches."  They quickly learn that without the saving work of Jesus in one's life, and the indwelling Holy Spirit, there is no authority present. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul answers those who would claim that there is no resurrection of the dead.  If there is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised.  "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:17, LSB).  Therefore, one of the key tenets of the Christian faith is the fact that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead.  This is, as some have said, the Father's "Amen" to the Jesus' offering of Himself upon the Cross. But as we celebrate Easter Sunday with Christians all over the world, there are still those who will try to claim that Easter is of no importance.  With this in mind, the Atlantic Gospel Chapel leadership team share in this Easter message to answer the following questions. Who is Jesus? Why does the life of Jesus matter? Why does the death of Jesus matter? How do we respond to Jesus in light of the resurrection? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Often in ministry, the focus of our efforts turns to converting souls, preaching the Gospel so that more will believe and be added to the kingdom.  And while this is the first step, we must not be satisfied with simply making converts, but must also add to our strategy training disciples what it means to follow Christ. Continuing in our study of Acts, Paul leaves Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus.  It is there they are introduced to Apollos, a man of Alexandrian birth; eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures.  But he did not yet know the complete truth about Jesus.  Together, Priscilla and Aquila teach and mentor Apollos, through which he "powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be richly blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

As we pick up again in our study of Acts, we find Paul, in the midst of his second missionary journey arriving in Corinth, having left Athens.  Like Athens, Corinth is a major city within the Roman empire.  It is a center for commerce and trade, resulting in great wealth, along with a multicultural flavor due to people arriving from all over the empire.  Only Athens, Alexandria and Rome were larger than Corinth in the Roman Empire.  By all accounts, it was a very modern city for its time, and would likely fit in well in our modern world; think of a city like Chicago.  But while Athens was considered a hub for intellectualism, Corinth was a hub for hedonism.  To be called a "Corinthian" was to be associated with low moral character. With such widespread immorality, it would be expected that the Gospel would experience enormous obstacles from a pluralistic society.  And while this is true, the first hurdle Paul came up against was the religious elite; from his own Jewish countrymen, who counted on their own works-based righteousness to earn favor with God. Join us as we consider how Paul responded to the obstacle of religion and how this applies to our own treatment of the Gospel. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.