There was persecution in Jerusalem! The whole city was in an uproar. The Jewish leaders wanted to stamp out Christianity! When that persecution broke out, the Bible says that the Christians in Jerusalem were scattered abroad. Well, instead of cutting out what they perceived as cancer, the Jewish persecutors only served to scatter the Christian message throughout the land. Christians went everywhere preaching the Word. “Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them” (Acts 8:5 NKJV). What did Philip preach when he “preached Christ” to them? We meet Philip earlier in the Book of Acts. He was a partner with Stephen who was killed in the Jerusalem persecution. We call Stephen the first Christian martyr. Philip and Stephen, and five other men, were chosen by the church to oversee the daily distribution the church was collecting for and giving to poor,  needy widows. Philip also had been given the power to work miracles. God gave the early church such gifts as these in order to confirm the message that they were preaching—the message of Christ. Acts 8:5 says that Philip preached Christ to the Samaritans; what does it mean to “preach Christ”? Acts 8:12 tells us more about Philip’s preaching. “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized” (Acts 8:12). The result of Philip’s preaching is summed up in the words, “both men and women were

Have you ever read Colossians 2:14? It reads, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross…” According to the Bible in Psalm 19:7, God’s law is perfect, converting the soul. Why then is it written in the New Testament that it was “nailed to the cross”? What was nailed to the cross? Was it this perfect law of God? The perfect law of God that converts the soul was given by Moses and witnessed in the Old Testament. The apostle Paul wrote that this law was a tutor to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24-25 ESV.) In New Testament days, a “tutor” ( “schoolmaster,” KJV) was the servant who was charged with the safe delivery of the master’s children to the schoolhouse where the Master teacher would be waiting. Today, we call them bus drivers! The law then was a bus driver to deliver us to the Master teacher, Jesus Christ. Paul said that Timothy had known the Holy Scriptures from his youth and that those Scriptures, found in the Old Testament, were able to make men “wise unto salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15 KJV). Just as students need to go to the first grade before entering the second, or just as students need to finish high school before entering the university, so it is that people needed the instruction found in the Law and

You might ask, “Why is your God better than other gods?” The God of the Bible makes history make sense! The God of the Bible also makes the future make sense! The Bible says: Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm

In the year A.D. 404, a Christian man named Telemachus visited Rome for the first time. While in Rome, someone persuaded him to attend a gladiator fight in the Coliseum. Telemachus was so shocked at the cruelty he was witnessing that he jumped over the rail into the arena and tried to stop the gladiators from fighting by saying, “In the name of Christ, Stop!” The Christian man stood his ground and tried to stop the contest, but the gladiators would not stop, and in the fight,  they also killed Telemachus. Do any of us have the courage of that Christian man? Telemachus did not die in vain. The Roman witnesses to his sacrifice were moved in their consciences and put pressure on the emperor to end the bloody gladiatorial contests. In that instance, it took one man’s courage to move a nation away from wickedness. Courage ought to be found in every Christian. In fact, Jesus’ apostle Peter says that Christians should add to their faith, and the first thing to be added is “virtue.” “Virtue” in 2 Peter 1:5 means “courage.” Peter knew that it would take more than faith to help the Christian obtain Heaven. That’s right! A Christian must not only believe in the Lord, but he must live for the Lord, and that takes courage. Jesus predicted the spiritual fight that Christians would have. In Jesus’ Parable of the Sower, He predicted that some Christians would be like seed sown in rocky soil. The seed

Why should you allow the Bible to direct your life? There are critics who ridicule people who live by principles found in the Bible. The critics mock Bible believers calling them by prejudicial names—names like “Bible-thumpers,” “stupid,” “ignorant,” “judgmental” and perhaps the most despised name of all, “intolerant.” When I choose to believe in the Bible as a guiding principle of my life, then I risk being called by these names. However, why should I allow an ancient book to direct my life? Why should you? People who genuinely believe in the Bible as God’s Word want to live by the Bible’s principles. These people believe that the Bible’s principles have come from God. When people practice Bible principles, they become the finest examples of human behavior anywhere in the world! That’s right! That is a good reason to follow the teachings of the Bible because they are the best principles in the world by which to live. Jesus’ half-brother James put it this way: Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial