Alan Smith‘s Podcasts

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 99 - Chapter 18 - Paul's Journey Letters

Acts 18 comes alive with practical wisdom for real life. This lesson follows Paul after the courtroom scene in Corinth and into the next stretch of his journey, from public conflict to steady ministry steps.

Key moments include the beating of Sosthenes before Gallio and what that teaches about contempt, public disputes, and the cost of standing too close to someone else’s fight. There’s also clear counsel for believers living in tense times, keep your speech peaceable, tell the truth without exaggeration, don’t repay insult with insult, and trust God with outcomes you can’t control.

The study also tracks Paul’s vow, his disciplined private devotion, and the travel notes that show how long-term faithfulness works, teach, endure, leave well, follow up, repeat. Paul reaches Ephesus, reasons in the synagogue, then moves on with purpose, leaving truth behind and returning when God allows.

#Acts #Paul #BibleStudy #BookOfActs #ChristianDiscipleship

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 98 - Chapter 18 - Gallio - Part 2

Paul in Acts 18 hits a pressure point, and God uses Gallio’s courtroom to keep the gospel moving. This lesson stays close to the text (Acts 18:12-17), showing how a legal precedent can protect ministry, even when the charges are framed as “law” instead of religion.

You’ll also hear a practical warning about chasing “deep” spiritual topics without the understanding to match. The gospel is simple and strong, and it’s easy to lose the point when pride or curiosity takes the lead. The call is clear, stick to the mission, keep the message plain, and let truth shape a steady witness.

If you want Bible teaching that connects Acts to everyday Christian life, subscribe and follow the series. New lessons are posted regularly.

#Acts #Paul #Gallio #BibleTeaching #ChristianSermon

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 97 - Chapter 18 - Gallio - January 5, 2025

Obedience comes before empowerment. In this lesson from Acts 18 (Lesson 97), see how Jesus’ words in Luke 24 set the pattern: start where he says, move when he says, and trust God to meet you there.

This session follows Paul in Corinth as he faces rejection, keeps preaching, and receives a night vision that gives him clear direction: don’t fear, speak up, and stay steady because the Lord is with him. You’ll also see why Paul remained in the city for a year and six months, and how the mission of the Great Commission brings unity to the church when it stays central.

The teaching closes with Paul brought before Gallio, a tense moment that shows how fast pressure can rise, and why accusations, suspicion, and religious games can’t be allowed to steer the church off course.

#BookOfActs #ApostlePaul #Acts18 #BibleStudy #ChristianTeaching

The Mission - December 28, 2025

Last Sunday of the year, one clear word for 2026, the Church has a Mission. This message calls Christians back to the Great Commission, not as a slogan, but as the daily work of making disciples through the power and presence of Jesus.

You’ll hear a direct challenge to stay on mission, keep unity tied to the mission, and measure success by faithfulness, not a scoreboard. The message also shares a practical next step for our Church family, including expanded Sunday morning classes and a proposed building addition to support discipleship, prayer, baptism, and ministry for the next generation.

If you’re hungry for a focused, Bible-shaped view of Christianity and what the Church is meant to do, this is for you.

#Mission #Christianity #Church #GreatCommission #Discipleship

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 96 - Chapter 18 - Paul at Corinth

Acts 18 puts you on the road with Paul as he leaves Athens and arrives in Corinth, a city known for wealth, trade, and open sin. This teaching tracks the second missionary journey, the move from synagogue preaching to a growing Gentile mission, and the key people God used along the way, including Aquila and Priscilla.

You’ll also see how Acts connects with Paul’s earliest letters. From Corinth, Paul writes 1 and 2 Thessalonians, giving the church clarity on holy living, steady hope, and the difference between the day of Christ and the day of the Lord. The message lands close to home too, sin still has patterns, and the call to live set apart still stands.

#Acts #Paul #Corinth #BibleStudy #BookOfActs

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 95 - Chapter 17-18 - Athens - Part 2

Christmas service teaching from the Book of Acts with Paul in Athens at Mars Hill (Acts 17:29-34). This message covers repentance, God’s patience and grace, and why the resurrection of Jesus brings real accountability before God. You’ll also hear a prayer for healing and protection as sickness spreads through the community, plus a clear warning about trading moral responsibility for intellectual excuses.

The teaching closes by setting the stage for Acts 18, Paul’s move from Athens to Corinth, and the early foundation he laid for new believers.

#Acts #Paul #Jesus #BibleStudy #ChristmasService

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 94 - Chapter 17 - Athens

The presence of God is not a theory in the Bible, it is meant to be a daily reality. In this message from the book of Acts, we look at how God’s presence, grace, and power work in the mind and spirit of a believer. Learn why awareness of His presence matters more than outward behavior, how fear of God keeps our hearts clean, and why the early church in Acts is the pattern for our walk with Jesus today.

We also walk through how Acts links Israel, the church, and the Holy Spirit, why the Holy Spirit is the mark of this age of grace, and what it means to wait on God instead of chasing spiritual shortcuts. If you long for a deeper encounter with Jesus and a clearer sense of His presence in your daily life, this teaching will help you anchor that desire in Scripture and truth.

If this message helps you, share it with a friend and subscribe for more verse-by-verse teaching through the Bible.

#Acts #BibleTeaching #HolySpirit #Jesus #PresenceOfGod

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 93 - Chapter 17 - Thessalonica - Part 6

Discover what Paul’s sermon on Mars Hill means for the church today and for this Christmas season. In this message from Acts 17, we look at the “unknown god,” the joy of Christ’s coming, and what it means to live with a clear “expected end” from God.

Pastor Alan traces how DL Moody’s devotion to the Word, the meaning of the word “Hamas” in the Bible, and the future of Israel all tie into God’s plan to judge the world by Jesus Christ. We see how Paul reasoned with the thinkers of Athens, how God made all nations of one blood, and why changing biblical terms slowly weakens an entire people, like the frog in the pot.

This teaching also shares vision for the local church: growing with purpose, carrying the presence of God, and raising our expectation so high that those living in sin or deep hurt are convicted and healed simply by being among God’s people. If you want a stronger faith, a higher view of Scripture, and a deeper hunger for God’s presence, this message will help reset your focus.

Like, subscribe, and share if this teaching from Acts and the life of Paul helps you love the Bible and the God of the Bible more.

#Acts17 #BibleTeaching #ApostlePaul #ChristianSermon #MarsHill

A Thankful Heart - November 30, 2025

Joy is more than a feeling; it is the inheritance of every Christian. In this Thanksgiving weekend message from our King of Kings series, Pastor Allan teaches how a thankful heart sharpens our spiritual eyes, unlocks our God-given authority, and strengthens our spiritual and physical “immune system.” Learn why gratitude is central to the will of God, how thanksgiving shifts us from darkness to light, and how a Church filled with joy becomes a beacon to a joyless world.

If this message helps you grow in a thankful heart and deeper joy in Jesus, share it with a friend, subscribe for more Bible teaching, and tell us in the comments what you’re thankful for this season.

#Christian #Church #Thankful #JoyOfTheLord #Thanksgiving #KingOfKings

A Study of the Book of Acts with Paul's Writings - Lesson 92 - Chapter 17 - Thessalonica - Part 5

Paul’s second missionary journey brings him to Athens, the heart of pagan worship and Greek philosophy. In this teaching from Acts 17, we trace his path from Berea and Thessalonica to Mars Hill, where he faces Epicurean and Stoic thinkers and points them to the “unknown God” they’ve missed. We look at the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and even the full-scale replica in Nashville, and talk about how a city filled with idols mirrors the idols of our own culture today.

You’ll see how Paul adjusts his message for Jews in the synagogue and Gentiles in the marketplace, why human wisdom can’t replace God’s word, and how the resurrection confronts both religion and philosophy. Most of all, this message calls us to see unbelievers as spiritually blind, approach them with kindness, and lead them toward Jesus with truth and compassion.

If this study in Acts helps you grow in understanding and love for people far from God, share it with a friend and subscribe for more verse-by-verse teaching.

#Acts17 #PaulAtAthens #Thessalonica #BibleTeaching #ChristianSermon #MarsHill