"Afraid Not" - a Message from Acts 5:17-42

Hello Friends!

Have you ever stood down rather than stand up to defend the Gospel?  Have you ever not taken advantage of an opportunity to speak up for Jesus?  Can anyone say they are never intimidated by others when it comes to giving witness to the Lord?

Most Christians struggle regularly with boldness.  Yet Peter and the apostles, having been transformed by Holy Spirit on Pentecost, are boldly proclaiming the Good News even in Jerusalem...even in the Temple...even in the "hangout" of the religious leaders (the Sanhedrin) at the Temple. Their boldness is a good example to every disciple of the power of God working through average people.

Listen to this message. As Holy Spirit speaks, respond to his grace.  And may God empower his church to new heights of Boldness in Jesus' name!  - Kirk McCormick

 “Afraid Not!”

Acts 5:17-42

  

Vignette 1 – The Obstacles of Courage

(Acts 5:17-20)

Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.  They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.  But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. ‘Go, stand in the temple courts,’ he said, ‘and tell the people the full message of this new life.’”

Principle: God will allow nothing to stand in the way of the proclamation of his gospel and the expansion of his church.

Application: God sets us free (not from a “Public, Earthly Prison”, but

Opening the First Six Seals of the Scroll - A study of Revelation 6:1-17

Hello friends,

At our "Bible for Dummies" class at Royal Palm, we continue, now, in our study of the Book of Revelation by opening Revelation 6.

Revelation 6 reveals the first six (of seven) seals (think judgments) that God will bring on the world in the End Times.  I've provided an outline for you (below) so you can follow the teaching.

As always, this Book is complex, so there are sometimes different interpretations of the same passage. The point of the book, though, is to prepare God's people for the Final Days.  So my prayer is that God will help us all to prepare well, and to share the inevitable with those who need it most.

Let me know if you have any questions or comments. Thank you for allowing me to be your teacher! God bless, Kirk McCormick

Revelation 6:1-17

Six of Seven Seals are Opened

** To Recap:

·      

      John sets the scene by establishing his writing in a historic context (Chapters 1-3)…by writing words from Jesus to the 7 Historic Churches of Asia Minor

·      

Then, Chapter 4 begins the Vision/Revelation:

o   Starts with a vision of the Throne Room of God

§  4 creatures protecting the throne

§  24 elders (Tribes of Israel and Apostles) sitting around throne worshipping

§  Angelic realm after that, with saints of people – worshipping Father

o   God is holding a scroll – the contents of which have never

"Why Opposition?" - a message from Acts 4

Hello friends,

Have you ever felt the persecution of people who are opposing Jesus?  Sometimes we take it personally, but the truth is, when we stand for Jesus we risk being persecuted, ridiculed, demeaned.  Yet, how can we remain silent when the world, and perhaps some misguided person in the church, oppose the things and ways of God.

Unbelievers, "christians", denominations, secular institutions all bear the same burden when they go against God's way - it is the burden of the guilty conscience.  So how are we, those seeking to please the Lord according to his Way, respond to the opposition?  Well, I trust and pray that this message will be a blessing to you.

Let me know what you think.  And check out the outline, below, as I think it will be helpful as you listen.

Thank you for sharing God's message to those who might need it.  - Kirk McCormick

“Why Opposition” – Part 2

Acts 4:13-35

Why does the world have such a strong reaction to or rejection when Jesus is mentioned?

Or why do they try to demean him by calling him just a prophet (Islam), or denying his eternal divinity (Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses), or reducing his name to a swear word?

** We should remember…Jesus predicted the world’s response to US because we belong to Him.

John 15:18 - “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.”

John 15:20b – “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”

John 16:33 – “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Key Verse #1: Acts 4:14

“But since they could see the man who had been healed

standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.”

“Nothing they could say”… so why did they speak?

Quote: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and

Bible for Dummies Class - Revelation 5

Hello all,

Here is the latest installment from my Wednesday night class at Royal Palm. I am teaching through The Revelation, and in this lesson we look at Revelation 5.

In Revelation 5, Jesus becomes the center of attention as he is revealed as the One who is Worthy to open the scroll which contains the detailed happenings of the End Times. Until John received this vision, no one knew what was going to happen. But now it is available for all who have an open ear to hear the Word of God.

If you have any questions or comments, let me know:  drkirkmccormick@gmail.com ... or post them here. Also, use the notes below as you listen to the lesson. My hope is that the Lord will bless you and draw you even more closely into his blessings as you study his Word.

Peace, Kirk McCormick

Introduction

** Chapter 5 continues the Vision of The Revelation.  From Chapter 4 – 22…this is what we have to anticipate.

Ezekiel 2:9-10 – “Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.”

Note: Chapter 5’s center lies in the three hymns (vs. 9, 12, 13). These are addressed to the Lamb. They beautifully combine the worship of the Lamb (hymns one and two) with the worship of the one who sits on the throne (hymn three, which is addressed to both God and the Lamb).

…but what makes Chapter 5 pivotal is how it