Stories of Change
From the Book of Acts
27 February 2022
The Gospel to the Philosopher
Acts 17:16-34
by Tan Huai Tze
Acts 17 gives us a model for bringing Jesus into our world. British theologian Daniel Strange points out that there are 4 steps: entering, exploring, exposing and evangelising.
20 February 2022
The Gospel to the Businesswoman, Slave Girl and Prison Warden
Acts 16:11-40
by Tan Huai Tze
The Gospel reaches the business woman, it brings fulfillment to the deepest longings of the heart. When it reaches the slave girl, it brings freedom from oppressive forces. When it reaches the prison warden, it brings a joy unhinged from life’s circumstances. And to all of them, the gospel makes all of them children of God and gives the gift of family.
6 February 2022
The Gospel to the Polytheists
Acts 14:8-23
by Tan Huai Tze
When Paul the apostle brings the gospel to simple, earthy folks who worship many gods, he brings with him compassion, clarification, connection and commitment. For those to whom fear outweighs love in their relationship to divinity, the gospel shows that God makes love outweigh fear in the suffering of Christ for us.
30 January 2022
The Gospel to the Devout Centurion
Acts 10
by Tan Huai Tze
In this passage, we see the gospel crossing over decisively beyond the Jews and Samaritans to the Gentiles. Cornelius is a military leader and also a devout man. He is a "God-fearer". As he encounters the gospel, the true authority of God, the acceptance his heart has been longing for, and the only true path to forgiveness of sins and a clean heart. Neither ethics or devotion can do this, only faith in Jesus brings forgiveness and cleansing.
23 January 2022
The Last Apostle
Acts 9:1-19
by Aaron Akins
In Saul's conversion, we see how helpless we are to save ourselves, but also just how powerfully Jesus can work to save us, including through faithful Christians showing love.
16 January 2022
The Gospel to the (Noble) Eunuch
Acts 8:26-40
by Tan Huai Tze
As the gospel lands on the Ethiopian eunuch, he discovers that the one seeking is being sought by God, and that the path to true inclusion among God's people is through the exclusion of Jesus Christ when he died on the Cross for our sins.
9 January 2022
The Gospel to the (Great) Magician
Acts 8:4-25
by Tan Huai Tze
The gospel reaches Samaria through the preaching of Philip. In Samaria, Philip encounters the powerful magician Simon who seems to believe in the gospel, but actually doesn't. Through that encounter, we learn what true greatness, true power and true belief is.
2 January 2022
The Gospel to the (Religious) Jews
Acts 2:12-39
by Tan Huai Tze
In this series, we will see how the one gospel reaches and changes different groups and individuals. In this passage, we see how it reaches the devout Jews. For this group to truly experience the power of the gospel, they had to see that the true purpose of all Scripture is to reveal Christ. And, they had to have Christ at the centre of their lives.