In Jesus' final public teaching in the Gospel of John (10:22-42), the people of Jerusalem tried to pin him down. They wanted him to declare openly who he was. In keeping with his indirect public style, Jesus pointed them to his words and works. He also boldly declared, "I and the Father are one." This statement sent them looking for rocks to stone him, since they thought he was a man who made himself out to be God. They grasped that he claimed identity with God, but they got things exactly backwards. (sermon notes)
The explosive growth of the church in Jerusalem led to the first threat of division between two groups, as recorded in Acts 6:1-7. Wisely...
There is a stubborn fact of history that no one has been able to disprove, although many have tried. Jesus’ tomb was empty, and...
God delights to bring deliverance through unlikely people and in surprising ways.