Berean Christian Fellowship

Contending for the Faith; Acts 15

Acts 15 is in the center of the book of Acts and recounts a huge historical moment in the early church. The first church council. Luke recounts how there was no small dissension and dispute, as Paul and Barnabas stood against the Judaizers. Where is the place for council and where is the place to stand? What do you stand on? 

Verses Used:

Acts 15:1-35

Proverbs 11:14

Proverbs 12:15

Proverbs 15:22

Proverbs 20:18

1 Kings 13:1-32

Mark 13:1-13, 21-23

Matthew 23:15

Galatians 4:17

2 Peter 2:1-6

1 Kings 22:4-25

John 16:33

2 Timothy 3:1-3

Romans 1:16-17

Romans 3:27-29

Romans 4:5-8

Matthew 7:24-27

Acts 15:15-19

2 Peter 1:19-21

Psalm 11:2-4

Jude 1-4

 

Giving Thanks, 1Thess 5:16-18

In this sermon, Pastor Kohl dives into the topic of Thanksgiving. The Bible talks a lot about giving thanks. What does the bible say? Pastor Kohl covers why we as Christians should give thanks and some of the dangers of not giving thanks in this powerful sermon on Thanksgiving. 

Verses Used:

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Matthew 26:27

John 11:41

Matthew 15:36

Revelation 4:9

Revelation 7:11-12

Revelation 11:16-17

Psalm 50:14

Genesis 4:13-14

John 6:41-43

Exodus 16:2-3, 8

Numbers 14:26-30

Deuteronomy 28:47-48

1 Corinthians 10:6-11

Exodus 15:2

Psalm 8:2

Psalm 18:2

Psalm 33:16-18

Deuteronomy 8:11-20

Psalm 78:9-11

2 Peter 3:1-8

Psalm 106:11-15

Romans 1:21

Hebrews 10:22-25

Philippians 2:14

Matthew 22:37-38

Psalm 16:8-10

Psalm 119:11

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Hebrews 13:15

 

Blackboard After Sermon:

 

Acts 14: Caring for God’s People

In this sermon, Pastor Kohl speaks on Acts 14. Acts 14 contains the tale of Paul's struggles and the persecutions he endured in the area of Galatia and the first mention of the church office of elder. In this chapter, we see the natural tendency of man to fall back into broken human ways and we also see God's design for church government begin to play out. What does the Bible say about Elders? What is the purpose of Elders? What can we learn from God's definition of a mature "Elder" Christian? 

Verses Used:

Acts 14

Galatians 5:1-3

Galatians 3:1

2 Timothy 3:10-15

Acts 14:23

Ezekiel 34:1-6

John 10:11-14

Psalm 23:1-4

Acts 6:1

Acts 6:2-4

Ephesians 4:11-16

1 Corinthians 12:12-19

Titus 1:5-9

Titus 1:10-14

Titus 2:1

Philippians 3:4-6

1 Timothy 3:1-7, 8-13

1 Timothy 5:17-22a

James 3:1

Ephesians 4:11-16

John 21:15-17

John 3:16

1 Corinthians 13:1-10

 

Acts 13:38-42; The Gospel Divide

In the end of Acts 13; we see the differing responses people have to Paul's Gospel presentation. In this sermon, Pastor Kohl delves into this part of Acts. What can we learn from Paul's experience recounted in Acts. What causes this divide? Is it the fault of the messenger? What is our response to the Gospel? 

Verses Used:

Acts 13:38-42

Mark 4:3-9

Romans 10:14-15

Hebrews 4:11-12

John 10:16, 27

2 Timothy 4:2

1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Matthew 5:21-30

Matthew 22:36-38

Psalm 51:3-4

James 2:10-11

Matthew 9:12

Malachi 1:6-7

Malachi 2:17

Malachi 3:7-8

Matthew 19:25-26

Acts 13:30, 40

Matthew 10:34-39

Acts 9:3-4

Acts 13:48

Hebrews 4:12

Romans 10:14-15

 

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Acts 13:13-41; The Book of Shadows

How are we supposed to look at the Old Testament? In this sermon, Pastor Kohl speaks on Paul's sermon in Antioch; Acts 13:13-41. Paul uses the Old Testament extensively in his sermon, to point to Jesus Christ. The ceremonies and stories of the Old Testament are a shadow, but the substance is of Christ who is the reality to which the shadow points. Let us cling to Christ. 

Verses Used:

Acts 13:13-41

 Acts 15:36-41

2 Timothy 4:11

Colossians 4:10

Philemon 1:24

Acts 13:18

Hebrews 3:16-19

Hebrews 4:7-11, 14-16

John 5:39

Luke 24:25-27

Colossians 2:16-17

Hebrews 8:3-6

John 3:18-20

Acts 1:6

Luke 13:28-29

John 1:43-51

Genesis 28:10-13

Genesis 32:24-28

Psalm 22:14

Mark 15:2

Galatians 4:1-5

Hebrews 10:1, 5-10, 19-23

 

Blackboard After Sermon:

Acts 13:4-12; A Question of Love

In this sermon, Pastor Kohl speaks on Acts 13. Where Paul and Barnabas are withstood by a Jewish Sorcerer named Elymas who seeks to keep people from listening to the gospel message.  Opposition does and will come to a Christian who seeks to follow Christ.  What do we learn from Paul's response?

Verses Used:

Acts 13:4-12

John 8:34-44

Acts 26:19-23

Acts 7:37-43

Amos 5:25-26

2 Kings 21:1-7

John 11:48

Romans 10:19

Galatians 5:19-21

John 16:1-3

Mark 14:20-21

Matthew 16:21

2 Corinthians 4:7-10

Matthew 23:37

Romans 9:3

Hebrews 12:15-17

2 Timothy 4:1-5

Galatians 2:11-18

Acts 13:2, 7, 9, 13

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

 

Blackboard after Sermon:

Acts 13:1-5; A Question of Faithfulness

In this sermon, Pastor Kohl speaks on the passage of God separating out and sending Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-5). The story of human history is the story of God calling out His own. God's people are His treasure and He will gather them. His promises are sure. His faithfulness unfailing. He will never forsake His own. 

Verses Used

Acts 13:1-5

Acts 1:1, 8

Matthew 28:19-20

John 17:18

John 17:1-5

John 10:16

Ezekiel 34:11-16

Revelation 13:7-8

John 15:16

Hebrews 6:13-20

1 Peter 5:6

Romans 9:22-24

Psalm 9:10

Psalm 18:30

Psalm 36:5

Psalm 37:28

Psalm 40:10

Psalm 89:1-5, 8, 14, 24

Isaiah 51:5-8

Philippians 1:6

2 Timothy 2:13

Isaiah 42:1

2 Corinthians 1:20-22

Galatians 6:16

Romans 11:26

Genesis 15:1

Matthew 28:20

 

 

 

Acts 12:1-24; Two Ways to Live

In Acts 12, we learn how King Herod attempted to kill Peter, after he had killed James, but God miraculously delivered Peter. Later we read how Herod is struck down by God. Pastor Kohl focuses on the radically different approach to life Peter and James had, in contrast to Herod's approach. What is our definition of success? What do we live for? What will our end look like? 

Verses Used:

Acts 12:1-24
Matthew 2:1
Mark 6:14
Acts 25:26
Psalm 73:1-9, 12-14
Matthew 6:24-25
1 Peter 5:7
Proverbs 14:32
Psalm 116:15
Psalm 72:12-14
1 Corinthians 15:18-20
Psalm 37:25
Philippians 1:12-18, 21-25
Acts 12:20-24
2 Timothy 3:16-17
Hebrews 4:12
Isaiah 55:10-11
Matthew 24:35
2 Corinthians 4:7-14 

 

What God has cleansed; Acts 10:1-11:19

In this sermon, Pastor Kohl continues delving into the story contained in Acts 10 and 11 of Peter's vision of unclean animals and how he was commanded to go share the gospel and baptize Gentiles who were not circumcised. In Peter's vision, God says "what God has cleansed you must not call common (unclean)." This was a pivotal moment in church history. God baptized Gentiles with the Holy Spirit. What does it mean to be cleansed by Jesus? What is baptism? What defines a Christian? Do we treat people who God has cleansed as "unclean"? 

Verses Used:

Acts 10:1-11:19

Isaiah 5:7-9

Proverbs 1:5-6

Proverbs 25:2

Matthew 13:9-11

1 Corinthians 2:13-16

Romans 2:28

Romans 9:6-8

Acts 10:10-15, 34-43

Matthew 3:15, 17

Leviticus 8:6

Numbers 8:21

Acts 11:16-17

Hebrews 9:10

Ephesians 5:26

Titus 3:5

Matthew 28:19

Jonah 1:1-3

Jonah 3:10

Matthew 5:43-44

Ephesians 4:32

Colossians 3:13

Matthew 18:21-22

Hebrews 9:24-28

Romans 7:21-25

Romans 8:31-35

1 Corinthians 4:2-4

Isaiah 1:18

Psalm 103:11-13

 

Blackboard After Sermon:

Peter and the Sheet; Acts 10:1-16

This sermon begins to look at the story of Cornelius and how God showed Peter through a vision of a sheet filled with unclean animals that he shouldn't call any man common or unclean. This was a massive turning point in the history of the church as the church began to turn away from the Jewish nation and began to go to the Gentiles. What makes a people, God's special people? Was this point in history God replacing His people, Israel, with a new group? Or is it the same thing that makes a person God's today, as made a person God's own in the past? 

Verses Used:

Acts 10:1-16
Acts 28:23-31
Isaiah 6:3-13
Romans 10:21-11:5
Matthew 23:15
2 Samuel 11:2-3
Ruth 1:15-16, 22
Joshua 6:25
Matthew 1:5
Exodus 12:38
Esther 8:17
Malachi 1:2-3
John 2:19-22
1 Corinthians 6:19
Romans 9:6-8
Exodus 19:5-6
Deuteronomy 9:5-7
Genesis 17:12-14
Romans 8:8-9
Isaiah 9:6-7
1 Peter 2:9-10
Acts 2:38-39
John 1:12-13
Isaiah 8:18
John 6:39
1 Corinthians 2:9-10

Blackboard After Sermon: