For years, these people in Jerusalem had sung David’spsalms. They’d heard the prophecies. They’d celebrated the feasts that pointed forward to God’s coming salvation. They knew the promises, but they didn’t realize that all those promises had been fulfilled right in front of them, in Jesus of Nazareth.
YOU THINK GOD NEEDS YOU TO BE ABLE, HE WANTS YOUAVAILABLE.Peter wasn’t speaking in theory, he was speaking to realpeople, in real time, who had seen Jesus crucified. He reminded them that the One they thought was defeated by death had been raised by God Himself. Death did not have the final word. Sin did not have the final word. The hope of God’speople had been fulfilled in ways that were tangible, historical, and eternal.And here’s the connection for us today: the same Spirit thatempowered Peter is with us. Acts 1:8 reminds us that God doesn’t call us to witness in our own strength. We are empowered by the Spirit to speak the truth of Jesus into our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities. The resurrection is our message. Boldness is our strength. And faithfulness is our response.The question then becomes, how do we respond personally and corporately to this truth? Peter’s sermon calls for repentance, faith, and turning back to God.
God fulfills His promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit
Waiting for things is hard. Especially those things we are excited or even nervous about. When it comes to our faith, it's hard to wait for Jesus' return. It's hard because we do not really know what to do with ourselves while we wait, so we just keep living, but not necessarily living with purpose or intention.This is an encouragement to live our lives in the in-between like the Disciples did.
Many have asked me how Pathway wants to respond to the Charlie Kirk assassination. As pastors, we decided to sit down and have a conversation about how we understand the Scriptures and Church history call us to respond to evil and tragedy in our world.
Jesus encourages His disciple's one last time to be bold in the face of persecution and to wait for the coming of the Spirit.News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/newsGiving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway
Continue in the study of Acts as we look at how important missions to the nations is. News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/newsGiving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway
Why Study Acts You might wonder, “Why study a whole book of the Bible, especially one this long?” Here’s why: Acts meets us wherever we are in our faith journey. For the new believer: Acts shows what Christianity looks like in practice: baptism, prayer, fellowship, and witness. It makes clear that ordinary people were used by God to accomplish extraordinary things. In our culture, we often assume you need credentials, talent, or influence to be useful. Acts says the opposite: God works through ordinary people, filled with the Spirit, to accomplish His purposes. For the reconnecting believer: Acts reminds us that the church is not an institution but a Spirit-led family on mission. It shows that even those who fail—like Peter denying Jesus or John Mark abandoning Paul—are welcomed back into God’s mission. We often privatize faith, thinking it’s just “me and God.” In Acts, faith is never private—it’s communal. Believers share meals, resources, prayers, and mission. Christianity is not just about reconnecting with God; it’s about reconnecting with God’s people. For the long-term believer: Acts won’t let us get comfortable. It shows that the gospel is always expanding outward, and that the Spirit keeps pushing believers into new places and new challenges. We often equate success with stability, control, and efficiency. Acts turns that upside down—success in God’s kingdom is Spirit-led obedience, even when it looks messy or risky. For the whole church together: Acts unites believers across generations. Everyone—new, returning, or seasoned—has a place in God’s story. We like to read Scripture as if it’s just about “me.” But Acts is written for a community. It’s a story we are all invited into, together.
Forgiveness is a difficult thing. Many have been deeply wounded by the action of others in a life altering way and the idea of forgiveness can be crippling. Joseph gives us an Old Testament example of how to forgive when someone seeks it and is a foreshadow of the forgiveness we receive from Jesus.
God's presence guides us to integrity, even in hardship and temptation.
Joseph's story is often taught like a children's drama: "The Boy with the Colorful Coat". But Genesis 37 is actually a theologically rich text showing how God moves history forward through broken people, jealousy, betrayal and suffering.
Jacob and Esau is an account that shows us the importance of pursuing the covenant that God has given us and how seriously He looks at our relationship with Him. News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/newsGiving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway
God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham, despite his love for Isaac, prepares to obey, demonstrating his faith and fear of God. At the last moment, God intervenes, providing a ram as a substitute sacrifice. This event is understood as a test of Abraham's faith and a foreshadowing of God's eventual sacrifice of Jesus.
In a time of moral confusion, Sodom and Gomorrah offer a clear Biblical example of a society that crossed God's moral boundaries. Both the prophets and Jesus himself reference this narrative as a warning.
God's covenant with Abram is a key moment in human history. God choosing him to be the Patriarch to His people was important then and still has meaning for us today.News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/newsGiving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway
Babel is an account of human pride mixed with a hatred for God's commands. This combination is dangerous and will lead to God intervening in order to see His will be done.News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/newsGiving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway
The story of the flood is one that every culture in the world has an account of. It is a powerful image of God's distaste for sin and His grace in saving humanity.News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/newsGiving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway
Genesis chapter four is full of firsts. What can we learn about serving the Lord in all we do from this chapter that has so much?News | https://www.pathwaycc.net/newsGiving | https://www.pathwaycc.net/give Website | https://www.pathwaycc.net/Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing! Social Media Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway
We see the depth of the Fall through its ancient Near Eastern context, understand humanity’s ongoing temptation to usurp God’s authority, and see how Jesus is the promised Redeemer who restores us to right relationship with God. Why does all this Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) background to Genesis 3 actually matter? Here is why it is deeply significant for Christian discipleship, biblical understanding, and spiritual formation: 1. It Restores the Bible’s Original Voice Genesis 3 was not written in a Western worldview. Understanding the ANE context helps us hear the Bible the way its first hearers did. That is crucial for interpreting it faithfully. 2. It Deepens Our Theological Understanding of Sin If sin is merely rule breaking, the gospel becomes just a legal fix. But Genesis 3 shows that sin is relational rebellion, a rupture in trust, and a rejection of God’s kingship. That means salvation is not just forgiveness—it is restoration of covenant, reconciliation, and the reestablishment of sacred presence. 3. It Makes Jesus’ Role Clearer Understanding Genesis 3 in its ANE context magnifies Jesus' work. You cannot fully grasp the Gospel as good news until you have seen the depth of the bad news in its original theological framework. 4. It Refutes Pagan Lies with Biblical Hope Genesis 3 reclaims and rewrites ANE myths. Where ancient stories blamed women, glorified chaos, and accepted divine capriciousness, the Bible dignifies humanity, limits evil, and shows a just, relational God. 5. It Transforms Discipleship When we teach Genesis 3 rightly, we are not just saying, "don’t eat forbidden fruit." We are saying: Trust God’s wisdom over your own Live as image-bearers, not usurpers Follow Jesus into restored intimacy with God That is a very different discipleship invitation than moralism or fear-based religion.
When we open our Bibles to Genesis, most of us—especially as Westerners, bring a question to the text: "How was the world made?" We want mechanics, timelines, and blueprints. However, that is not what the original audience was asking. They were not modern scientists—they were ancient worshipers, living in a world full of temples, gods, and cosmic drama. Genesis 1 was written into that world—a world filled with creation myths from Egypt, Babylon, and Canaan. Today, I want to walk us through the creation account in Genesis 1 and 2 through Ancient Near Eastern eyes, so we can hear what they heard, feel what they felt, and worship the way they would have.