Thy Strong Word from KFUO Radio

The Rev. Christopher Amen, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pipestone, MN, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 12:25-13:12.Barnabas and Saul return from delivering the famine relief to Jerusalem, and the Antioch church sends them off on their first missionary journey. Led by the Holy Spirit, they encounter sorcery, opposition, and even a conflict with a false prophet. However, they also witness the power of God as Saul, now known as Paul, confronts and temporarily blinds the sorcerer.The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.

The Rev. John Lukomski, co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 11:27-12:24. Find Wrestling with the Basics at kfuo.org/WrestlingWithTheBasics. When a prophecy of a dire famine looms, the unity and compassion of the Antioch community will be put to the test while the early church is faced with a cruel wave of persecution led by King Herod himself. Peter, one of the pillars of the burgeoning faith, finds himself shackled and imprisoned, cast into the very jaws of danger. As he awaits his grim fate, the prayers of the church rise as one, a ceaseless plea to the heavens. In an extraordinary twist of divine intervention, Peter is miraculously delivered from his chains by an angel of the Lord.The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.

The Rev. Joe Cox, Director of Curriculum and Education at Lutheran High School South, St. Louis, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 11:19-26.In the aftermath of persecution, a ripple of faith unfurls across the lands, transforming the city of Antioch into a beacon of hope. From these scattered seeds of belief, a new wave of Christianity takes root, penetrating the hearts of both Jew and Gentile alike. Amidst this divine awakening, Barnabas, a beacon of encouragement, fans the flame of faith, and the city thrives as a stronghold of new believers. In Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians.The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.

The Rev. Dr. Matt Richard, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minot, SD, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe for Free Text Friday.In the paradise of Eden, Adam and Eve enjoyed an idyllic existence, at peace with God, nature, themselves, and each another. But this blissful harmony was shattered by their sin and rebellion which led to death, giving rise to guilt and fear that have enslaved mankind ever since. How does Christ's redemption liberate us from this bondage, transforming us from slaves of fear into God's own children? This episode compares and contrasts the life of spiritual slavery with the joyful freedom experienced as a baptized child of God.

The Rev. Dr. Michael Nielson, pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Barron, WI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 10:44-11:18.God makes clear that any barriers between Jews and Gentiles are no more in a divine display of impartial love. As Peter, a devout Jew, is compelled by divine revelations to preach to the Gentile household of Cornelius, the Holy Spirit descends upon all much to the amazement of Peter and the circumcised believers with him. Yet, when Peter returns to Jerusalem, he must face the skepticism and criticism of the other Jewish believers.The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.

The Rev. Roger Mullet, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Buffalo, WY, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 10:9-43. Peter, praying on a rooftop, is granted a vision where God challenges Jewish dietary laws, symbolizing the breaking of boundaries between Jews and Gentiles. Meanwhile, Cornelius's messengers arrive and invite Peter to Caesarea. In this groundbreaking encounter, Peter proclaims that God shows no partiality, preaching the Gospel to these Gentiles. As he speaks, the Holy Spirit descends upon all who are present, just as it did at Pentecost, affirming that salvation through Christ is not limited by race or nationality.The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.

The Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in Pine Lawn, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 9:32-10:8. Peter, one of Jesus' closest disciples, performs miraculous healings, drawing attention in the regions of Lydda and Joppa. Meanwhile, in Caesarea, a devout Roman Centurion named Cornelius experiences a divine vision, commanding him to send for Peter. As these two worlds begin to converge, a groundbreaking event is set in motion that will transcend cultural and religious barriers, paving the way for the Gospel to spread among the Gentiles. The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.

The Rev. Dan Eddy, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Beloit, WI, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 9:1-13.Saul, the fierce persecutor of Christians, embarks on a journey that will forever alter the course of his life and the Christian faith. En route to Damascus, a divine encounter with Jesus leaves him blinded. Guided to the city by his companions, a faithful disciple, Ananias, steps forward to restore Saul's sight and spirit, baptizing him in the name of the Lord. Transformed and rechristened as Paul, he sets forth to preach the word of God, the very faith he once sought to dismantle.The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.

The Rev. Steven Theiss, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Wells, MO, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 8:26-40.Following the events in Samaria, Philip is guided by an angel of the Lord to a lonely desert road heading south. There, he encounters an Ethiopian eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of the Queen Candice’s treasury, who is returning from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Despite his devotion, the eunuch struggles to understand a passage from the book of Isaiah he is reading in his chariot. Philip, prompted by the Spirit, approaches him and explains the gospel of Jesus, interpreting the Scripture the eunuch was reading as prophecy of Christ's sacrificial death. This results in the eunuch's confession of faith and his immediate baptism in a nearby water source.The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.

The Rev. Nabil Nour, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hartford, SD and fourth vice president of the LCMS, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Acts 8:4-25.In the wake of Stephen's martyrdom and scattered by persecution, the early Christian believers begin to evangelize beyond Jerusalem. One of these apostles, Philip, finds himself in Samaria, a region historically at odds with the Jews. Against all odds, his preaching and miracles resonate faith within the hearts of many. Simon the Magician, renowned for his own sorcery and influence, is amongst the many converts. But his subsequent actions reveal a misconstrued understanding of the Holy Spirit.The Book of Acts takes us back to the earliest days of Christianity, unveiling the incredible acts of the apostles and the growth of the early church. Acts offers a firsthand account how the Apostles and Jesus’ disciples respond to his death and resurrection. It makes us witnesses to the beginning of fulfilling Jesus’s command to spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth. We encounter miracles and wonders, we see the church struggling to organize itself in the absence of Jesus, and we learn of the trials and tribulations the early Christians faced in a world that rejected them.