Few things expose what is really in a person's heart like good news they did not expect. Paul preaches a sermon tracing the whole story of Israel straight to the forgiveness of sins through Jesus, and the town splits down the middle, the Gentiles overjoyed and others filled with jealousy. Rejection in one place simply pushed the gospel on to the next, and the messengers shook the dust off their feet and left full of joy rather than bitterness. This chapter speaks to anyone whose witness has been met with a closed door.

The Rev. Gem Gabriel, pastor of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Norwalk, CT joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 13:26-52.

To learn more about St. Peter Lutheran, visit stpeternorwalk.org.

The book of Acts picks up where the Gospels leave off. Jesus has risen. He has ascended. And now what? Acts answers that question. Luke tells the story of how the Holy Spirit built the Church from a handful of frightened disciples in Jerusalem into a movement that reached Rome itself. Along the way, you get Pentecost, the first sermons, the first martyrs, the conversion of Paul, the first church councils, shipwrecks, riots, and the persistent, stubborn work of God through Word and Sacrament even when His people didn't have a plan. If you've ever wondered how we got from Easter morning to the Church you sit in today, this is the book. Tune in for this new series on Thy Strong Word with Pastor Phil Booe and guest pastors as we open up the Book of Acts.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.