Atlantic Gospel Chapel Messages

When Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, he was writing at a time roughly 25 years from the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.  These first century believers were certain the Lord would return in their lifetime.
But to a church facing intense persecution, when some proclaimed that the day of the Lord had already come, this led to confusion and concern.  Had they missed the return of the Lord?  Why were they not then in the Lord's presence?  And what about all the evil and suffering still going on in the world.
In today's lesson, we continue our examination of Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians; continuing the theme of God's righteous judgment, this time as it pertains to the end times.  In doing so, we will draw out three lessons:
How we view the timing of the Lord's return
Future judgment of the lawless on the day of the Lord’s return
The future hope of the believer at the Lord’s return
Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

Considering some of the key doctrines of the faith can seem to be a daunting task.  The word, "theology," tends to be met with groans; considered to be something reserved only for the extreme scholar.
But sometimes it is necessary, and helpful, to consider such topics.  As good nutrition must include eating our vegetables, so our growth as believers must include consideration of concepts which seem to be out of our grasp.
In today's lesson, we continue to consider the Scriptures as God's Word and the implications this has on our lives.
Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

The teaching of God's Word results in a variety of responses.  One response is to exaggerate the commands of the Lord.  This was the response of the Pharisees, but was also seen in Eve's response to the serpent in adding to God's command, "If we eat from the tree in the midst of the garden, or touch it, then we will surely die."  Another response is to deny the truth of God's Word altogether.  This is the response of the serpent in Genesis 3, and is the same response of those modern readers who reject God's Word, or deny the validity of the Scripture.
The Scriptures are key to the Christian life.  In today's lesson, we take a brief look how the Bible came to be.  We will learn that the ultimate author of the Bible is God, the Holy Spirit, who spoke through faithful men.  We will also learn that God expected the writings of these men to be kept, copied, shared and taught.  Finally, we will see that God preserves and protects His Word throughout the generations.
Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

In John 8, we read the story of a woman caught in the very act of adultery.  Seeking to put Jesus to the test, the pharisees bring her before Him for His verdict.  
Scripture is clear, "The wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23).  Therefore, Jesus would be fully just in condemning her to death according to the Law.  However, once the crowd is dispersed, Jesus' question and comment to the woman is, "Is there no one to condemn you?  Neither do I condemn you."  How can this be?  How can Jesus maintain the holy, just and righteous demands of the Lord, while at the same time offer the sinner mercy, grace and forgiveness.
Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

To know Jesus is to know God.  The deity of Christ is one of the central doctrines of the church; a doctrine which has profound implications for believer and unbeliever alike.  However, many people today, including in the church, teach that Jesus was many things, with many claiming that Jesus was just a rabbi, a great moral teacher, and nothing more.  Some will teach that the church is wrong to think of Jesus as Yahweh, claiming that the early church didn't even believe that.
But what is the testimony of Scripture?  In today's lesson, we will see that the actions of Yahweh in the Old Testament, such as creation, etc., are also said to be the actions of Jesus.
We thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Most of us are familiar with the fable of the boy who cried, "Wolf!"  The phrase, "Crying Wolf," is understood as a call of warning for a danger that simply isn't present.
In both the ancient world of Israel, as well as in our own day, we often treat warnings from Scripture regarding God's coming judgment as crying wolf.  Peter speaks of the scoffers that will come in the last days saying, "Where is this 'coming' he promised?  Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:4, LSB).
But the teaching of Scripture is clear...God is faithful in ALL His promises, both the bless and to judge.  So in Lamentations, as the prophet sees Jerusalem destroyed, he recognizes the hand of the Lord in executing His judgments upon a rebellious people.  But this promise also leads us to the greater judgment for sin carried out upon the very Son of God, who took upon Himself our sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Thank you for listening to today's teaching.  We pray you will be convicted, blessed and encouraged by the teaching of God's Holy Word.

During his second missionary journey, Paul stayed more than two years in Ephesus, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This great message was attested to by great signs and wonders, showing the power of God and His authority granted to Paul in the message.  The passage summarizes the result this way, "the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power." (Acts 19:20 LSB)
But as with any preaching of the Gospel, there are a variety of responses.  Some accept the message gladly, resulting in a changed life.  Others become stubborn and resist the message of the Gospel, even intending violence against the messengers.  And still others, enamored by the power, or notoriety, which accompanied the message, seek to capitalize on the movement for their own purposes.
See what happens when seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, attempt to drive out demons, "in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches."  They quickly learn that without the saving work of Jesus in one's life, and the indwelling Holy Spirit, there is no authority present.
Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul answers those who would claim that there is no resurrection of the dead.  If there is no resurrection, then Christ has not been raised.  "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:17, LSB).  Therefore, one of the key tenets of the Christian faith is the fact that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead.  This is, as some have said, the Father's "Amen" to the Jesus' offering of Himself upon the Cross.
But as we celebrate Easter Sunday with Christians all over the world, there are still those who will try to claim that Easter is of no importance.  With this in mind, the Atlantic Gospel Chapel leadership team share in this Easter message to answer the following questions.
Who is Jesus?
Why does the life of Jesus matter?
Why does the death of Jesus matter?
How do we respond to Jesus in light of the resurrection?
Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.

Often in ministry, the focus of our efforts turns to converting souls, preaching the Gospel so that more will believe and be added to the kingdom.  And while this is the first step, we must not be satisfied with simply making converts, but must also add to our strategy training disciples what it means to follow Christ.
Continuing in our study of Acts, Paul leaves Priscilla and Aquila in Ephesus.  It is there they are introduced to Apollos, a man of Alexandrian birth; eloquent and mighty in the Scriptures.  But he did not yet know the complete truth about Jesus.  Together, Priscilla and Aquila teach and mentor Apollos, through which he "powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.
Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be richly blessed and encouraged through the teaching of God's Word.

As we pick up again in our study of Acts, we find Paul, in the midst of his second missionary journey arriving in Corinth, having left Athens.  Like Athens, Corinth is a major city within the Roman empire.  It is a center for commerce and trade, resulting in great wealth, along with a multicultural flavor due to people arriving from all over the empire.  Only Athens, Alexandria and Rome were larger than Corinth in the Roman Empire.  By all accounts, it was a very modern city for its time, and would likely fit in well in our modern world; think of a city like Chicago.  But while Athens was considered a hub for intellectualism, Corinth was a hub for hedonism.  To be called a "Corinthian" was to be associated with low moral character.
With such widespread immorality, it would be expected that the Gospel would experience enormous obstacles from a pluralistic society.  And while this is true, the first hurdle Paul came up against was the religious elite; from his own Jewish countrymen, who counted on their own works-based righteousness to earn favor with God.
Join us as we consider how Paul responded to the obstacle of religion and how this applies to our own treatment of the Gospel.
Thank you for listening to today's lesson.  We pray you will be blessed through the teaching of God's Holy Word.