Belle Glade Alliance Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
Belle Glade Alliance Church
Each week on the Belle Glade Alliance Church podcast, you will hear the most recent teaching from Pastor Kevin Kroitor. These expository sermons will help you dig deep into the Scriptures, understanding their context, their meaning, and their relevance for Christ-followers today.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on John 3:14-21, demonstrating that God desires to pour out grace and mercy on sinful people.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Proverbs 3:1-26, contrasting the "human wisdom" we are prone to and the "Godly wisdom" we are called to.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Hebrews 4:14-16. While Christians face trials, temptations, hardships, and persecution, we must hold firmly to the faith, remembering that because Christ is our advocate before the throne of God, we have all that we need to endure.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, highlighting God's will that believers be sanctified, being set apart from sin and set apart unto God.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Deuteronomy 6, highlighting the responsibility of parents to teach their children about God and the life He calls them to. Christians are called to raise up the next generation in the knowledge of God and the truth of the gospel. The Bible is full of examples of the perils of ignoring this important command.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Psalm 51 in light of David's grievous sin that prompted this repentant prayer to God. There is much in David's prayer that is instructive for Christians as they continue to wrestle with sin while in relationship with a God who is both just and merciful, holy and gracious.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 21:1-16, highlighting Paul's engagement with the believers at each port city he came to on his journey to Jerusalem. Several themes from the passage are explored, including Treasure the Body of Christ, Use Your Gifts in Service to Others, and Trust in the Lord Despite the Circumstances.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on John 20:19-31, highlighting the impact of Jesus' resurrection on the early disciples and arguing that Christ's resurrection has similar impact on our lives today.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor leads in an Easter celebration of our greatest hope of the Christian faith - Our Future Resurrection and the Life to Come. Despite the lesser things that Christians tend to hope in, the resurrection stands as the clear New Testament promise to be looked forward to, which ushers in the full inheritance that God has in store for Christ followers. Further, Jesus' death and resurrection make our future hope possible.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Mark 11:1-11, highlighting the reception Jesus received during his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. What were the expectations of the crowd? Who did they think Jesus was, and what did they expect him to accomplish upon arriving in Jerusalem? Pastor Kevin contrasts the expectations of the crowd with Jesus' intended purpose in visiting Jerusalem, to make atonement for sin and to rise from the dead.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor addresses the blinding assumptions of the Jewish religious leaders that caused them to reject Jesus as a blasphemer, instead of recognizing that He was, in fact, the long awaited Messiah. Pastor Kevin highlights the fact that there are many blinding assumptions about Jesus in our modern Western culture as well that keep people from hearing and responding to the gospel. As Christians seek to share the good news with the current generation, they need to be aware of and prepare to engage with these caricatures of Jesus that blind people from the truth.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor highlights the significance of the Easter season, focusing in on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Why is Jesus' death and resurrection important? How do we know Jesus really died and that his death acquired our salvation? How do we know Jesus really rose from the dead? In preparation for the Easter season, Pastor Kevin encourages believers to Celebrate, Proclaim, and Defend the gospel.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 20:13-38, focusing on the later portion of Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian elders. He warns them (again) that "savage wolves" are coming to devour the flock. False teachers will come in from the outside and rise up from within, and the elders must be on their guard, teaching sound doctrine and refuting false doctrine. This responsibility is still relevant today, as is the warning that false teachers and false teachings constantly threaten the church.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 20:13-38, highlighting Paul's final meeting with the Ephesian elders, summarizing the emphases of his ministry and exhorting them to continue in what they have learned as they lead the church.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 19:23-20:6, highlighting three types of non-Christian response to the spread of the gospel in Ephesus. There were those who were directly offended by the gospel, those who were indirectly offended by the gospel, and those who were indifferent to the gospel. The same is true in our context. How do Christians proclaim the gospel well in light of these various responses? What ought Christians to do when they face persecution because of the gospel? How does Paul's experience in Ephesus inform our mission today?
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 19:1-22, demonstrating that Paul's miraculous ministry in Ephesus resembled the ministry of Jesus. The common theme between Jesus and Paul's proclamations and miracles is the Kingdom of God.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 18:18-28, highlighting God's provision for the churches of Ephesus and Corinth after Paul was forced to move on. God both raised up new leaders to continue the work that Paul began and used the members of the local church to minister one to another and to continue the proclamation of the gospel in these two important cities.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 17:16-34, highlighting Paul's approach to the proclamation and defense of the gospel before the philosophers in Athens. The passage provides important details on Paul's approach to evangelism that Christians today should aim to emulate.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 17:1-15, highlighting the contrast between the gospel's reception in Thessalonica and Berea. After being flogged and imprisoned in Philippi, Paul and the new believers in Thessalonica endured persecution in this city as well, leading to this important question... What if the hardships Paul faced kept him from moving on in his missionary journey? What if fear kept him from continuing? A recent poll by Cru has demonstrated that the number one reason Christians don't share the gospel is because of fear. How can we live out our faith in obedience to the Great Commission in the face of the ever-constant temptation of fear?
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 16:16-40, highlighting the impact of Paul and Silas' worship and witness in the midst of hardship.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 16:11-15, highlighting three significant observations from the passage. The first is that God is on mission. As opposed to being called to "go and do something for God," Christians are called to join God in what He is already doing. The second observation is that the mission is often in the margins. In fact, some of the most receptive people are those who are hurting, broken, scared, looked down upon, in need of help, etc. Third, great things have humble beginnings. Human beings often have a hard time seeing past the limits they set for themselves, but God can accomplish far more than we can even ask or imagine.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Luke 2:1-21, highlighting the announcement of the angel that Jesus' birth is good news that will bring great joy. However, many in Jesus' day and since then have not considered Jesus' arrival to be good news and have not experienced great joy. However, as John 1:12 says, "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..." For those who received the greatest gift of Jesus Christ, his arrival is good news that brings great joy forever.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor continues his Christmas series by teaching on Isaiah 8:19-9:7, highlighting that God's promises of light replacing darkness were only partially fulfilled with Jesus coming into the world 2000 years ago. The best is yet to come, when Jesus returns, establishes His Kingdom upon the earth and does away with darkness forever.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor continues a Christmas series by preaching on John 1:1-18, highlighting the fact that Jesus is the light that has come into the world.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor kicks off the Christmas season by teaching on Philippians 2:1-11, highlighting the greatest mystery of Christmas--the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Not only was the incarnation of Jesus an important aspect of history with eternal consequences for his followers, but it is also a model for believers to put others above themselves in ministry and mission.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 16:6-10, highlighting the fact that God invites his people to join him on mission, that people are desperate for the gospel (whether they know it or not), and that it's not too late to join the mission.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 16:1-5, explaining the apparent contradiction between Paul's message and actions in circumcising Timothy. Pastor Kevin highlights that Paul and Timothy were willing to do whatever it takes to further the gospel among both Jews and Gentiles.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor addresses the issue of Doubt in the context of our Life with Jesus. Doubt is intrinsic to humanity. Yet, many churches and Christians look down upon doubt and doubters, causing many to hide their doubt instead of dealing with it honestly before the Lord and in the presence of faithful brothers and sisters in Christ. What does the Bible have to say about doubt? Would we be surprised to learn that many of our biblical heroes experienced doubt? Perhaps, the biggest issue is not whether or not we doubt, but what we do with our doubt.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor continues his series on Life with Jesus by demonstrating that this Life with Jesus is meant to be lived within the context of the Body of Christ, the Assembly of Jesus, the Church. Christians are often very aware of the vertical relationship between them and God, but often don't recognize the responsibility of the horizontal relationship believers were intended to have with one another.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor continues teaching on our Life with Jesus, focusing specifically on the role of Jesus' Lordship in the midst of the relationship He has called us to.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor continues his series on Life with Jesus, by highlighting that a Life with Jesus will be on that grows in a willingness to join God on mission in the world.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor continues his series on Life with Jesus, focusing in on the fact that in the context of our Life with Jesus, we grow in our desire to be obedient to God and to be transformed by Him.
Pastor Kevin continues his series on Life with Jesus, highlighting the significance of God's love for us and our love for Him.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor continues his series on Life with Jesus by highlighting an aspect of that relationship--our dependence on Him. Exploring 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 and other passages, Pastor Kevin demonstrates that, in a culture that values independence and autonomy, we must commit ourselves to dependence on Jesus.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on the Life with Jesus that we are called to and that we often neglect. By "Life with Jesus," he means that mutual and intentional relationship between us and Christ, through which we continually grow in our understanding and experience of his love, in our desire to be obedient to Him and to be transformed by Him, and in our willingness to be on mission with Him.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor teaches on Acts 15:36-41, investigating the situation that caused Paul and Barnabas to part ways. Paul's mission was too important to have an unreliable and untrustworthy worthy with them (i.e., John Mark). Likewise, the church's mission today is important and requires all believers to be "all in" together. Pastor Kevin challenges the church to live "Life Together, on Mission, for the Glory of Christ."
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 15:1-35, exploring the conflict between Paul and Barnabas and the antagonists from Judea. The conflict was over the nature of the gospel and what was expected of those who come to faith in Jesus. Pastor Kevin defines and defends "the gospel," calling Christians to be discerning about false gospels that exist in our day. The gospel has three essential elements: Jesus' (1) Lordship, (2) Death, and (3) Resurrection. The gospel is always about our problem and God's solution. Finally, the gospel is always received by grace through faith. Anyone who proclaims the Gospel PLUS or the Gospel MINUS, are preaching a false gospel.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 15:1-2, providing the context for the conflict that arose between Paul and others over requirements placed on new Gentile believers. This is not the first conflict that Acts records in the early church, and conflict has existed in the church throughout church history. How should churches handle conflict when it arises? Pastor Kevin provides practical application based on biblical teaching.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 14:8-28, highlighting the many choices that Paul made to honor Christ and live obediently to the Great Commission--despite great personal harm--which resulted in many coming to faith in Christ.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 14:1-7, highlighting some of the reasons for both the Jewish and Gentile persecution of Paul and Barnabas as they proclaimed the gospel. Their experience provides insight for the opposition to the gospel that Christians face today, as well as a model for what to do when persecution comes.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 13:13-52, highlighting the trajectory of the gospel first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Even as Paul lives this out during his first missionary journey, he highlights both God's faithfulness to the Jews, as well as his concern for the salvation of the Gentiles.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 12:25-13:12, demonstrating that the real protagonist of the narrative is the Holy Spirit, who gifts the church, raises up missionaries, sends them, equips and empowers them. Thus, the victory always belongs to the Lord. However, believers must be willing to be used of Him.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 12, highlighting questions that arise regarding the trouble Christians face and the persistent instances of evil set against God's people and God's plans. Are there answers to our very real questions concerning evil in this world? What has Jesus said concerning such evil, and can we have hope despite the persistence of evil in this world?
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 11:19-30, highlighting the power of the Gospel to transform in amazing ways, specifically the Gospel's ability to transform worldviews, to bring forgiveness and reconciliation, and to foster concern for others.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 11:1-18, highlighting the tension that faced Peter after his encounter with Cornelius. The transition of the gospel from the Jews only to the entire world was one that was met with confusion and concern. In fact, the earliest Christians had a blind spot about what God was doing, not recognizing God's plan of the inclusion of the Gentiles as full participants of the covenant in Jesus Christ. Pastor Kevin highlights the fact that Christians today also have blind spots, leaving walls between people and obstacles to the gospel. The church must be intentional about overcoming these blind spots.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 10, highlighting the breakthrough of the gospel to the Gentiles. In the encounter between Peter and Cornelius, Pastor Kevin draws out important implications for the advance of the gospel in our day.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 9:32-43, highlighting the similarities between Peter's miraculous healings and those performed by Jesus during his earthly ministry. Peter's ministry reminds us that Christians must do as Jesus did, advance the gospel, and love the detested and marginalized.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 9:17-31, demonstrating the transition between who Paul used to be and who he had become. God is a God of transformation. This is evident in Paul's journey and is true in the life of all who encounter Jesus. Pastor Kevin demonstrates from the Bible that all Christ-followers experience transformation, that transformation is both initial and ongoing, and that--while God is the power behind the transformation--all believers have a role to play as well.
Pastor Kevin teaches on the death of Jesus--both Jesus' understanding of the event and the perception among those who rejected him. Pastor Kevin contrasts the welcome Jesus received at his "Triumphal Entry" in Matthew 21:1-11 with the response of the crowds at his trial before Pilate, shouting "Crucify Him!" What changed and why? How do we know that Jesus' crucifixion accomplished what he claimed?
Pastor Kevin introduces the first in a three part Easter series, teaching on Matthew 26:17-30 and highlighting the role of Jesus as our Passover lamb. It is not a coincidence that Jesus' last supper took place at Passover or that it was the cup after the meal that was used to proclaim that Jesus' blood is the blood of the New Covenant. At this meal, Jesus unveiled the significance of what his death would accomplish just a short time later.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 9:1-19, highlighting the biblical and cultural forces that forged his worldview and zeal, leading him to war against the early Christian movement to protect Israel from--what he believed--was a dangerous teaching. Pastor Kevin highlights two important conclusions from Paul's story: (1) We should never assume that someone is beyond God's reach. (2) God redeems and sanctifies broken people.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 8:26-40, demonstrating that the mission to spread the gospel to the world belongs to the Lord. It is his mission, and Christians are privileged to be invited to join God on mission. In this sermon, Pastor Kevin examines Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, seeing both God's role and Philip's role in this encounter.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 8:4-25, demonstrating the difference between those who believed the gospel and surrendered to the Lordship of Christ in Samaria and "Simon the Sorcerer," who believed but failed to surrender to the Lordship of Christ. What does it mean to be a Christ-follower? How can we know if we are truly Christ-followers?
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 8:1-4, highlighting the trajectory the gospel was intended to go (i.e., from Jerusalem to all of Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth). However, thus far, the early church had not left Jerusalem. God caused or used the persecution that broke out against the church as means of advancing the gospel as it was intended.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 6:8-8:1, following the events leading up the martyrdom of Stephen. Stephen served as an example of one who lived as Christ had lived, and in doing so, he put Christ on display in several significant ways. Pastor Kevin emphasizes how human beings were created in the image of God in order to "image God," to put Him on display before all of creation. While the fall has tarnished humanity's ability to image God well, part of Christ's redemptive work is the restoration of the image of God in the redeemed. Therefore, Christians carry the high calling of imaging God well before the world.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 6:1-7, highlighting how the apostles dealt with a conflict within the early church by empowering others as leaders to serve the church in critical ways. Pastor Kevin demonstrates that the lessons of leadership we see in the early church continue to set important precedents for the church today.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 5:12-42, highlighting the apostles' participation with Christ, both in doing the things Jesus did during his earthly ministry, as well as suffering for Christ, as they advanced the gospel in Jerusalem.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 5:1-11, addressing the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, as well as God's strong actions in response. Pastor Kevin answers three important questions related to this passage. What is going on here? Why did God respond so strongly? What ought we to take away from this event?
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 4:32-37, emphasizing the extreme generosity of the earliest Christians in the support of the advance of the gospel and in providing for the needy among the early church.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Luke 2:1-21, demonstrating how the Christmas story is more than just a reflection on the past, but a promise for the future.
Pastor Kevin continues his Christmas series, "Christmas List," with a discussion of To Do Lists. Our lists reveal what is most important to us, what we prioritize. An examination of Luke 2:22-40 demonstrates that Simeon and Anna had their priorities in order, as they desperately awaited the coming of the Messiah and ordered their "lists" according to that which was most important. The question then stands, "Do our lists reveal a commitment to Christ or less important things?"
Pastor Kevin begins his Christmas series, "Christmas List," with a discussion of God's Gift List. Who was the Christmas blessing for? To whom did Jesus come, and what promises were made to Mary by the angel Gabriel? Pastor Kevin teaches on Luke 1:26-38, denoting the longstanding promises that God fulfilled in Jesus' first coming, as well as the promises he will fulfill in Jesus' second coming.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 4:23-31, highlighting the nature of the church's prayer when faced with tremendous obstacles that stood in the way of them accomplishing their mission. Trusting in the sovereignty of God, they recognized they had been entrusted with a task they could not accomplish on their own. Yet, they knew God would empower them to overcome the dangerous obstacles in fulfilling their mission. Christians today face difficult obstacles while carrying on the Great Commission, and God is still sovereign.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 4:1-22, highlighting Peter's evidence for the truth of the gospel and his assertion of the exclusivity of the gospel. Christians need to be people of the gospel, who have responded to it, who live in light of it, and who can articulate it to others in fulfillment of the Great Commission. Pastor Kevin articulates the gospel in three steps: Problem, Solution, Receive.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 3:11-26, highlighting how God's faithfulness, love, and promise-keeping are clearly demonstrated through how He has engaged with his people in the past. This serves as an important reminder for Christians today that God is faithful, even when we are unfaithful.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 3:1-10, highlighting the role of signs and wonders among the apostles in the spread of the gospel. As the church engages in its mission today, what signs can it provide to demonstrate the truth of the gospel?
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 2:42-47, highlighting the unity that the earliest church had, as they were devoted to the community, its functions, and its mission. By contrast, the modern American church is plagued with disunity. Can the unity of the earliest Christian community be reclaimed?
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 2:22-41, highlighting Peter's proclamation of the truth, his defense of the truth, and his invitation for others to receive the truth. The call on believers has not changed in the past two thousand years. Christians are called to proclaim the truth of the gospel, to provide reasons why people should believe the truth of the gospel, and invite them to respond to the truth of the gospel.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 2:14-21, highlighting the meaning behind Peter's use of Joel's prophecy regarding the Last Days and the role of the church in this period of time between Christ's first and second coming.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 2:1-13, highlighting the importance of Pentecost as the culmination of the Feast of Weeks, which is why so many Jews from around the Roman world were present as the Holy Spirit filled Christ's followers and the gospel began to be proclaimed.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 1:12-26, highlighting the unique ministry of the twelve apostles, as well as how their eyewitness testimony formed the core of Christian belief today.
Pastor Kevin teaches on Acts 1:1-11, highlighting the spiritual and physical aspects of the Kingdom of God, as well as the roles of the Holy Spirit and God's people.
Pastor Kevin Kroitor introduces our new sermon series on the Book of Acts, highlighting the author's purpose in writing (i.e., so that his reader may have certainty in the truth of the gospel). This sermon covers Acts 1:1-3.