Thematic Bible: Effective
Thematic Bible
Preaching » Effective » By paul
And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: "This one is the Son of God!"
So Paul stood up, and motioning with [his] hand, he said, "Israelite men, and those who fear God, listen! The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people during [their] stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. And for a period of time [of] about forty years, he put up with them in the wilderness. read more.
And [after] destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave their land [to his people] as an inheritance. [This took] about four hundred and fifty years. And after these [things], he gave [them] judges until Samuel the prophet. And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, [for] forty years. And [after] removing him, he raised up David for their king, about whom he also said, testifying, 'I have found David the [son] of Jesse [to be] a man in accordance with my heart, who will carry out all my will.' From the descendants of this man, according to [his] promise, God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus. Before {his coming} John had publicly proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. But while John was completing [his] mission, he said, 'What do you suppose me to be? I am not [he]! But behold, one is coming after me of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of [his] feet!' "Men [and] brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who fear God--to us the message of this salvation has been sent! For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, [because they] did not recognize this one, and the voices of the prophets that are read on every Sabbath, fulfilled [them] [by] condemning [him]. And [although they] found no charge [worthy] of death, they asked Pilate [that] he be executed. And when they had carried out all the things that were written about him, they took [him] down from the tree [and] placed [him] in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, who appeared for many days to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem--who are now his witnesses to the people. And we proclaim the good news to you: that the promise that was made to the fathers, this [promise] God has fulfilled to our children [by] raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son; today I have fathered you.' But that he has raised him from the dead, no more going to return to decay, he has spoken in this way: 'I will give you the reliable divine decrees of David.' Therefore he also says in another [psalm], 'You will not permit your Holy One to experience decay.' For David, [after] serving the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and {was buried with} his fathers, and experienced decay. But he whom God raised up did not experience decay. "Therefore let it be known to you, men [and] brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all [the things] from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses, by this one everyone who believes is justified! Watch out, therefore, lest what is stated by the prophets come upon [you]: 'Look, you scoffers, and be astonished and perish! For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you would never believe [even] if someone were to tell [it] to you.'" And [as] they were going out, they began urging [that] these things be spoken about to them on the next Sabbath. And [after] the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them [and] were persuading them to continue in the grace of God.
And [after] destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave their land [to his people] as an inheritance. [This took] about four hundred and fifty years. And after these [things], he gave [them] judges until Samuel the prophet. And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, [for] forty years. And [after] removing him, he raised up David for their king, about whom he also said, testifying, 'I have found David the [son] of Jesse [to be] a man in accordance with my heart, who will carry out all my will.' From the descendants of this man, according to [his] promise, God brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus. Before {his coming} John had publicly proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. But while John was completing [his] mission, he said, 'What do you suppose me to be? I am not [he]! But behold, one is coming after me of whom I am not worthy to untie the sandals of [his] feet!' "Men [and] brothers, sons of the family of Abraham and those among you who fear God--to us the message of this salvation has been sent! For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, [because they] did not recognize this one, and the voices of the prophets that are read on every Sabbath, fulfilled [them] [by] condemning [him]. And [although they] found no charge [worthy] of death, they asked Pilate [that] he be executed. And when they had carried out all the things that were written about him, they took [him] down from the tree [and] placed [him] in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, who appeared for many days to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem--who are now his witnesses to the people. And we proclaim the good news to you: that the promise that was made to the fathers, this [promise] God has fulfilled to our children [by] raising Jesus, as it is also written in the second psalm, 'You are my Son; today I have fathered you.' But that he has raised him from the dead, no more going to return to decay, he has spoken in this way: 'I will give you the reliable divine decrees of David.' Therefore he also says in another [psalm], 'You will not permit your Holy One to experience decay.' For David, [after] serving the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and {was buried with} his fathers, and experienced decay. But he whom God raised up did not experience decay. "Therefore let it be known to you, men [and] brothers, that through this one forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and from all [the things] from which you were not able to be justified by the law of Moses, by this one everyone who believes is justified! Watch out, therefore, lest what is stated by the prophets come upon [you]: 'Look, you scoffers, and be astonished and perish! For I am doing a work in your days, a work that you would never believe [even] if someone were to tell [it] to you.'" And [as] they were going out, they began urging [that] these things be spoken about to them on the next Sabbath. And [after] the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and the devout proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking to them [and] were persuading them to continue in the grace of God.
Preaching » Effective » By philip
And he got up [and] went, and behold, [there was] a man, an Ethiopian eunuch (a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury) who had come to worship in Jerusalem and was returning and sitting in his chariot, and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Approach and join this chariot." read more.
So Philip ran up to [it] [and] heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet and said, "So then, do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "So how could I, unless someone will guide me?" And he invited Philip to come up [and] sit with him. Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer [is] silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his {descendants}? For his life was taken away from the earth." And the eunuch answered [and] said to Philip, "I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this--about himself or about someone else?" So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him [about] Jesus. And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water--Philip and the eunuch--and he baptized him.
So Philip ran up to [it] [and] heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet and said, "So then, do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "So how could I, unless someone will guide me?" And he invited Philip to come up [and] sit with him. Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer [is] silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his {descendants}? For his life was taken away from the earth." And the eunuch answered [and] said to Philip, "I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this--about himself or about someone else?" So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him [about] Jesus. And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water--Philip and the eunuch--and he baptized him.
And Philip came down to the city of Samaria [and] began proclaiming the Christ to them. And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, [as] they heard [him] and saw the signs that he was performing. For many of those who had unclean spirits, they were coming out [of them], crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. read more.
And there was great joy in that city. Now a certain man {named} Simon had been in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. They were all paying attention to {him}, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'" And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with [his] magic. But when they believed Philip [as he] was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized.
And there was great joy in that city. Now a certain man {named} Simon had been in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. They were all paying attention to {him}, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'" And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with [his] magic. But when they believed Philip [as he] was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized.
Preaching » Effective » By azariah
Now Azariah the son of Oded--the Spirit of God came upon him. And he went out before Asa and said to him, "Hear me, O Asa and all of Judah and Benjamin! Yahweh [is] with you while you are with him. And if you will seek him he will be found by you. But if you forsake him he will forsake you. Now Israel [has been] without the true God many days, and without a teaching priest, and without law, read more.
but at its trouble he returned to Yahweh, the God of Israel. They sought him, and he was found by them. And in those times there was no peace for the one going out and the one coming in, for great tumults [were] upon all the inhabitants of the lands. Nation was crushed by nation, and city [was] against city, for God threw them into confusion by all [sorts of] trouble. But as for you, be strong and let not your hands be weak, for there is reward for your labor." And when Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the vile idols from all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, and from the cities that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim, and he repaired the altar of Yahweh that was in front of the portico of Yahweh. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those sojourning with them, from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for many had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that Yahweh his God [was] with him. And they were gathered [at] Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they sacrificed to Yahweh on that day from the war booty they brought back: seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And they entered into a covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and with all their inmost being, but all who will not seek Yahweh the God of Israel should be killed, from young to old, from men to women. And they took an oath to Yahweh with a great voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with horns. And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they swore with all their heart. And they sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and Yahweh gave rest to them all around.
but at its trouble he returned to Yahweh, the God of Israel. They sought him, and he was found by them. And in those times there was no peace for the one going out and the one coming in, for great tumults [were] upon all the inhabitants of the lands. Nation was crushed by nation, and city [was] against city, for God threw them into confusion by all [sorts of] trouble. But as for you, be strong and let not your hands be weak, for there is reward for your labor." And when Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the vile idols from all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, and from the cities that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim, and he repaired the altar of Yahweh that was in front of the portico of Yahweh. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin and those sojourning with them, from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for many had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that Yahweh his God [was] with him. And they were gathered [at] Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. And they sacrificed to Yahweh on that day from the war booty they brought back: seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. And they entered into a covenant to seek Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and with all their inmost being, but all who will not seek Yahweh the God of Israel should be killed, from young to old, from men to women. And they took an oath to Yahweh with a great voice, with shouting, with trumpets, and with horns. And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they swore with all their heart. And they sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and Yahweh gave rest to them all around.
Preaching » Effective » By peter and other apostles
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them, "Judean men, and all those who live [in] Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words! For these [men] are not drunk, as you assume, because it is the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: read more.
'And it will be in the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. And even on my male slaves and on my female slaves I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. And I will cause wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun will be changed to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. And it will be [that] everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.' "Israelite men, listen to these words! Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, just as [you] yourselves know-- this man, delivered up by the determined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed [by] nailing to [a cross] through the hand of lawless men. God raised {him} up, having brought to an end the pains of death, because it was not possible [for] him to be held by it. For David says with reference to him, 'I saw the Lord before me {continually}, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. For this [reason] my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced greatly, furthermore also my flesh will live in hope, because you will not abandon my soul in Hades, nor will you permit your Holy One to experience decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with gladness with your presence.' "Men [and] brothers, it is possible to speak with confidence to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us until this day. Therefore, [because he] was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat {one of his descendants} on his throne, [by] having foreseen [this], he spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned in Hades nor did his flesh experience decay. This Jesus God raised up, of which we all are witnesses. Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out this that you see and hear. For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ' Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt, that God has made him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified!" Now [when they] heard [this], they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "What should we do, men [and] brothers?" And Peter [said] to them, "Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all those [who are] far away, as many as the Lord our God calls to himself." And with many other words he solemnly urged and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation!" So those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.
'And it will be in the last days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. And even on my male slaves and on my female slaves I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. And I will cause wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun will be changed to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. And it will be [that] everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.' "Israelite men, listen to these words! Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, just as [you] yourselves know-- this man, delivered up by the determined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed [by] nailing to [a cross] through the hand of lawless men. God raised {him} up, having brought to an end the pains of death, because it was not possible [for] him to be held by it. For David says with reference to him, 'I saw the Lord before me {continually}, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. For this [reason] my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced greatly, furthermore also my flesh will live in hope, because you will not abandon my soul in Hades, nor will you permit your Holy One to experience decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with gladness with your presence.' "Men [and] brothers, it is possible to speak with confidence to you about the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us until this day. Therefore, [because he] was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat {one of his descendants} on his throne, [by] having foreseen [this], he spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he abandoned in Hades nor did his flesh experience decay. This Jesus God raised up, of which we all are witnesses. Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out this that you see and hear. For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ' Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt, that God has made him both Lord and Christ--this Jesus whom you crucified!" Now [when they] heard [this], they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "What should we do, men [and] brothers?" And Peter [said] to them, "Repent and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all those [who are] far away, as many as the Lord our God calls to himself." And with many other words he solemnly urged and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this crooked generation!" So those who accepted his message were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.