Atlantic Gospel Chapel Messages

When we look at the Bible as a whole, we can think of it as a great symphony of a rescue story, of how God saved a people to Himself.  All of the Bible is about who God is, what He has done and what He is going to do.  This rescue story is a story of which we are a part.  But we must also remember that we are not the center of this story; rather we are the ones requiring rescue. Today's passage has been referred to as the Golden Chain of Redemption, with each of its links holding us to Christ.  It is the central theme of the rescue story of Scripture and fixes our gaze upon the subject of this story...God the Father working through God, the Son, Jesus Christ. In part one, we will consider the first two of the five "links" which make up this Golden Chain: Foreknew Predestined Called Justified Glorified Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be richly blessed as we consider God's intimate knowledge of us, His creation and His purpose to conform the believer in Jesus into the image of His Son.

Immediately following His baptism by John, the Gospels record that the Spirit led, or better drove, Jesus into the wilderness for forty days.  We know little of that time other than he fasted those many days alone; a time which echoes the forty years Israel spent in the wilderness following their exodus from Egypt.  In a sense, Jesus fulfilled in the wilderness what Israel could not. It was at the end of these forty days that the Devil came to Jesus in order to tempt Jesus.  At each of these temptations, Jesus' response was the Word of God, "It is written..."  In the end, Satan failed in his attempt to keep Jesus from going to the cross.  It was this temptation which led the writer of Hebrews to conclude, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all thing as we are, yet without sin." (Hebrews 4:15 NASB) Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed and encouraged by our Great High Priest who is solely qualified to take our place in judgment.

Those of us who have been on a flight through a storm know the anxiety this produces.  The turbulent, bumpy ride of this sort would make anyone nervous.  But then, as the pilot flies the plane above the storm we find peace.  The sun, previously hidden from the storm, still shines brightly and beautifully above the storm.  It can be like that for us in turmoil when all we see is the storm...but the sun is still there even when we cannot see it. This is also true for us spiritually.  We had no hope, but what we find is that the Son has always been there, so that now, through the obedience of the One, many will be made righteous.  Jesus made the way for us to be reconciled to God.  Now, if we will receive that gift, we have a glorious and abundant future in heaven awaiting us; a place, as it were, above the clouds of this earth and all the trials and temptations that bring us so much turmoil. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

When we read about the heroes of Scripture we do not see heroes larger than life who can do no wrong.  Instead, we see people like us used mightily by God to do extraordinary things.  But what Scripture does not do is gloss over the imperfections of its heroes.  Instead, we see imperfect characters, warts and all.  Life is messy and we as human beings are messy people.  Scripture shows that God's people are still messy people and that there are still fights and differences between us. Paul and Barnabas were close companions who took the Gospel beyond the region of Palestine into Asia Minor, planting many churches.  When the issue of the role of circumcision in salvation, Paul and Barnabas confronted this false teaching together.  But when Paul approached Barnabas about a second missionary journey, a great difference arose between these two close friends regarding the inclusion of John Mark in the journey.  In the end, this disagreement proved irreconcilable, and the two parted ways. We will see from today's lesson that God works even in these circumstances.  We also see the importance of discipleship in Christian ministry; it's not just about winning converts to the faith. Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May you be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Psalm 73:1, "Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart."  As Asaph wrote Psalm 73, he opened reminding himself of God's promises to Israel.  But, as he looked around, he saw something which seemed to contradict God's certain promises; for it appeared the wicked prospered rather than the righteous.  This observation nearly caused this man, a worship leader within the church, to stumble; that is until he entered the Sanctuary of God. Upon entering the God's Sanctuary, he sees first who God is.  And perceiving God's person, he then understands the ultimate end of the wicked. Just like Asaph, we may be tempted to look around and wonder, why do I keep working so hard to please the Lord?  What good does it do when the wicked have it better than me?  May today's lesson be a comfort and encouragement to us as we consider the person and character of God. Thank you for listening.

Following the spread of the Gospel in Jerusalem and Judea, we read in Acts how the Gospel came to the Samaritans through Philip.  This follows the Lord's instructions to His disciples in Acts 1, to take the Gospel to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the world.  Therefore, following the introduction of the Gospel into Samaria, an angel of the Lord instructs Philip to a desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza. As Philip obey's the Lord's guidance, he has a "chance" encounter with an Ethiopian eunuch in which Philip finds him deep in the study of Isaiah 53.  Invited into the chariot, "Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him." From this passage, we learn three important truths: There are no chance meetings The importance of preaching Christ from Scripture The right response to what Christ has done Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  May God richly bless you and encourage you in the work of the Gospel from His Holy Word.

One of the themes throughout Paul's first letter to the church in Thessalonica is the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  As he continues this letter, he takes time to answer some concerns of the believers there.  Of great concern was the fate of loved ones in Christ who had died.  When Jesus returns, which they fervently believed would be at any time, what will happen to those who have died?  Will they share in the blessings of eternal life with Jesus? Paul's answer to this question was likely a great comfort to the believers there, just as it is a great comfort to believers today.  There is good reason why this passage, particularly 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is often read at funerals, because if we are honest with ourselves, we are concerned about the fate of our loved ones in Christ who have passed. As we study this passage, we will focus on three main points: The Certain Hope for the believer  The Certain Judgment for the world The Certain Foundation of the believer Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you are blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

It may be hard to fathom, but even in the first century, mere decades after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, teaching which was not in line with Scripture or the Apostles' teaching began to creep into the church.  The earliest of these challenges to the church focused upon the issue of circumcision; for certain men from Judea, Pharisees who had believed, began to teach, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved" (Acts 15:1 NASB).  At the core of this teaching was the addition of works to faith to ensure salvation.  However, this teaching was clearly at odds with the Scriptural teaching of salvation alone by grace alone through faith alone. This teaching represented the first great challenge to this still young church.  So much so, that Paul and Barnabas, "had great dissension and debate with" these teachers.  The Jerusalem Council convened to determine the response to this question.  It is a question which goes to the very heart of the Gospel message, "What is necessary for salvation?" From today's passage we draw three key points when it comes to false teaching in general and this false teaching in particular: How false teaching is confronted? Why is this false teaching so deadly? What is the basis by which judgment is made regarding this false teaching? Thank you for listening to today's message.  We pray that this teaching from God's Holy Word will encourage you in your own faith.

Scripture is clear that there is a coming day when the trumpet shall sound and those who are in Christ, the dead first, then those who remain, will be caught up in the air and so we shall be with Him for all eternity (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).  The question becomes, then, are you ready for when the trumpet sounds?  Where will you spend eternity? In today's lesson we explore the question put forth by the writer of Hebrews, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" (Hebrews 2:3, KJV).  What awaits the one who rejects the free gift of salvation secured by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  It is our prayer that you would be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.  More importantly, if you do not know the Lord Jesus as Savior, it is our fervent prayer that you would understand the implications of today's lesson, "How shall we escape?"

Most of us likely remember those times growing up when our parent's announced that company was coming.  Be it grandma and grandpa, or friends of the family or coworkers, this announcement was soon followed by several days to prepare the home for the anticipated visitors.  Floors would be swept and mopped, furniture was dusted and we even had to make sure our rooms were cleaned. In Exodus 19, the children of Israel find themselves in a similar position.  They are only a few days removed from their exodus from Egypt.  They have witness the wonders of the Lord as He judged Egypt and their gods, now bringing them to the foot of Mount Sinai.  And the command is clear, "consecrate yourselves."  For they also anticipated the arrival of the God of the Universe.  This very same God whom they witnessed in the plagues poured out upon Egypt.  This very same God who parted the Red Sea and provided water from the rock.  And this divine appointment with the creator of the universe bears infinitely more consequences than the arrival of family or friends. We learn two key principles from Israel's encounter with the Lord at Mount Sinai.  First, we must be ready to meet the Lord.  Second, we learn that no one can come into the presence of Yahweh uninvited.  To do so brings judgment from the Lord.  This is why, when the Lord spoke from the mountain, their response was, "Moses, you talk to us.  But don't let the Lord speak to us any more or we will perish." And just like the children of Israel, we find ourselves in similar straits.  To approach God on our own merit brings judgment and wrath.  So how can we approach such a holy God?  How do we apply today's reading and lesson to our lives today? Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.