Preaching That Cuts to the Heart

Why was Jesus sent to the Jews first? How does the church relate to Israel now? In Acts 3:12-26, Peter continues to unravel for the “Men of Israel” how Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises made to the Patriarchs, Moses, and the Prophets. In this episode, Michael Horton, Bob Hiller, Justin Holcomb, and Walter Strickland discuss Peter’s second sermon, how Christianity and Judaism became their own distinct religions, and how the preaching of the gospel calls for the religious and irreligious alike to repent and have faith in Christ.

In Acts 7, we see Stephen’s sermon before the Sanhedrin. What did he say that enraged those he was speaking to and how can we model his posture of forgiveness in the face of persecution? Hosts Michael Horton, Walter Strickland, Bob Hiller, and Justin Holcomb trace Stephen’s redemptive historical tour de force that ultimately culminates in his martyrdom and ask how we can model our own lives and ministries after his example.

In Acts 13:16-41, we encounter the newly converted Paul preaching at the synagogue in Antioch. In this episode, Michael Horton, Bob Hiller, Walter Strickland, and Justin Holcomb discuss what happened between Stephen’s death and Paul’s conversion, and what uniquely transformed Paul from a law-abiding Pharisee to preaching “[freedom] from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.”

On this Easter Sunday, we join Paul at the Areopagus in Acts 17. Hosts Michael Horton, Justin Holcomb, Walter Strickland, and Bob Hiller dive into Paul’s apologetic approach as he speaks to his pagan audience and how on Easter we will, like Paul, be mocked by some for preaching the resurrection of the dead, while others will want to hear more about its hope and promise.

Paul describes the teaching of the gospel—all that is needed for salvation—as “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Our kids need that counsel, too. Read through Acts with them! Explain the stories. Help them see the goodness, power, and love of the God who made them and sent his Son to die for them.

Following sound doctrine requires our eyes to remain fixed on Jesus. It also requires that our faith rests in him. Faith opens the door to God’s plan and allows us to accomplish his will for our lives. It does so chiefly because it fosters a heart that yields to the counsel and leading of God. In this way, we remain on the road of truth.

The Prophets are not just abstract apocalyptic literature, included in the canon of Scripture because of their audience or subject matter. No, they—like the rest of Scripture—are the divinely inspired word of God. They are included in the unfolding of God’s redemptive plan and written within the covenant context of God and his people for a theological purpose, reflecting a specific historical and geographical context.

The church today finds itself amidst a revived trend of advocating for hearing God speaking to his people apart from his word. While there are new figures in this movement, the content of their message is hardly original. One can think of late medieval mysticism’s emphasis on a mystical encounter with God […]