While many believers today are praying for a “Jesus Movement”—an incredible work of the gospel—in our generation, to truly grasp what it means to be a Jesus follower, we need to understand the first believers, and it all begins at Pentecost. The impact of Pentecost is just as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago in the upper room. Pentecost began the Jesus Revolution. One might say that we must go backward to go forward, so let us journey back in time and learn how the context of Pentecost matters.

Context is essential to provide clarity to this “Grand Central Station of the Christian Faith” especially because communion is the central act of worship in the church. But it just so happens that the context of communion is more often what is missing.

There’s an uncommon, entirely Biblical approach to studying Scripture that illuminates the Book in a radically different light. It also explains the rise of Gnosticism, denominationalism and just about every ‘non-essential’ doctrinal disagreement in the modern church.

Jesus is one of Israel’s own. He was born in Israel. He lived in Israel. And on Passover in Israel (Nisan 14), Jesus gave His life on the cross for the sins of the world. He resurrected in Israel. He ascended to Heaven from Israel. His first followers were descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And He is returning to Israel to establish His Kingdom.

Evangelistic preaching is challenging because it must remain relatively simple. The temptation is to be clever, but it's best to keep an evangelistic message direct and clear. 

My conviction is we ought to invite people to “do something great” every time we get together. And the greatest thing we can ask people to do is to give their lives to JESUS. 

Life is like riding a bike. You need to keep peddling. Endurance is essential. But what do you do when you don’t feel like peddling, when you’re demoralized and lack strength? The author of the book of Hebrews was speaking to a group of Jewish followers of Jesus who did not feel like “peddling”. Why? It wasn’t that they didn’t believe in Jesus anymore, it was because they were discouraged due to intense cultural upheaval, personal suffering, persecution and exploitation. (Heb. 10:32-36) But a divine strategy was given to encourage them to keep moving forward in their faith and to grow to their full potential. If you’re discouraged, hear this!

Social commentators, both within and outside of the Jewish community, have many theories about this, but they leave out what I believe is the most critical reason of all. Antisemitism is the devil’s invention! 

In the latest and most egregious example of attempted government overreach, California legislators have proposed a bill that would dictate what pastors preach from the pulpit.