Posts by Josh Moody

Exodus 13-15, Psalm 28, Matthew 12:22-37, Acts 17:16-34 Acts 17:16-34: We come now to Paul’s famous sermon on Mars Hill. What can we learn from it? First, that Paul was observant. He noticed the idols. If we want to understand the culture around us, it is important that we observe what are the idols which dominate our particular…

Exodus 10-12, Psalm 27, Matthew 12:1-21, Acts 17:1-15 Acts 17:1-15: Two cities with different responses to the gospel, and lessons for us to learn from both. In Thessalonica we learn: Paul’s ongoing custom of going first to the synagogue. Paul began with God’s people and moved on only once the message was rejected. There is a great need…

Exodus 7-9, Psalm 26, Matthew 11:20-30, Acts 16:16-40 Acts 16:16-40: Paul and Silas in prison—a remarkable story with much to teach us. First, the power of Jesus over evil spirits. This woman was possessed, and through that possession claimed to predict the future. What the evil spirit was saying about Paul and Silas was true—they were telling people…

Exodus 4-6, Psalm 25, Matthew 11:1-19, Acts 16:1-15 Acts 16:1-15: Three wonderful stories with three sets of important lessons. First, we have the decision to circumcise Timothy. Here seems a strange thing. Why would Paul do this? He’s just delivered a letter from the Jerusalem Council saying it wasn’t necessary for Gentiles to be circumcised. Now he goes…

Exodus 1-3, Psalm 24, Matthew 10:21-42, Acts 15:22-41 Acts 15:22-41:   “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” One of the most famous beginnings to a novel ever written—and in some ways appropriate to this passage in front of us today.   On the one hand, we have the wonderful fruit of wise governance and…

Genesis 50, Psalm 23, Matthew 10:1-20, Acts 15:1-21 Acts 15:1-21: We come now to the famous Council of Jerusalem. Basically, there were some people going around saying that unless the Gentile Christians were circumcised, they could not be saved. Paul and Barnabas realized that this stipulation undermined the whole Gentile mission, and so there was a major conflict.…

Genesis 49, Psalm 22:12-31, Matthew 9:27-38, Acts 14 Acts 14: We come now to the second half of Paul’s first missionary journey. What do we learn from this part of his ministry? First, we learn again that opposition to the gospel is an expected part of Christian witness—and especially that of preaching the gospel. Paul and Barnabas were…

Genesis 48, Psalm 22:1-11, Matthew 9:14-26, Acts 13:26-52 Acts 13:26-52: We come now to the second half of Paul’s sermon and its impact. Paul preaches the “good news” with boldness and clarity. The result is that many of those who heard responded by following them and wanting to know more, and Paul urged them to continue in the…

Genesis 46-47, Psalm 21, Matthew 9:1-13, Acts 13:1-25 Acts 13:1-25: We have already seen the remarkable nature of this church at Antioch. Here we see this godly church take a momentous step forward. It sets aside Barnabas and Paul for missionary work. We will consider that and their ministry in Cyprus, leaving the ministry of Pisidian Antioch (a…

Genesis 44-45, Psalm 20, Matthew 8:23-34, Acts 12 Acts 12: This is a famous story for good reason. We learn the following from it. First of all, we learn that God is sovereign even when painful things occur. James is killed. Peter is not. Why? There is no evident answer to this question given in the text, and…