Day 35 — Stephen's Defense: The Temple (Acts 7:44-50) | May 30

Day 44 — Ananias' Mission (Acts 9:10-16) | June 8

God's next assignment for an ordinary disciple named Ananias sounded like a death wish: go find the man who's been arresting and killing Christians, lay hands on him, and welcome him into the family. Ananias pushed back. He had every reason to be afraid. But he brought his fear to God instead of letting it make the decision for him. In this episode, we meet one of the unsung heroes of the New Testament, a man whose courage changed the trajectory of the entire church. Without Ananias, the most prolific missionary in Christian history might have been sidelined by suspicion. Sometimes the most important thing you can do is show up when God's assignment terrifies you.

Day 43 — The Road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9) | June 7

Saul was breathing threats like a dragon exhaling fire, hunting Christians all the way to Damascus. Then heaven interrupted. A light brighter than the midday sun knocked him to the ground, and a voice asked the question that would rewrite the rest of his life: "Why are you persecuting me?" In this episode, we watch the most dangerous enemy of the early church come face to face with the risen Jesus on a dusty road outside Damascus. Everything Saul believed collapsed in a single moment. His blindness became the beginning of his sight. And the story of the gospel's most unlikely convert reminds us that no one is too far gone for God's relentless grace.

Day 42 — Philip and the Ethiopian: Baptism (Acts 8:32-40) | June 6

The Ethiopian was reading Isaiah 53. Who is the prophet talking about? Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with that Scripture, told him the good news about Jesus. The suffering servant. The Lamb led to slaughter. Isaiah was pointing to Christ, and Philip connected the dots. They came to water and the Ethiopian said, Look, there is water. What would keep me from being baptized? As a eunuch, he had faced barriers his whole life. Now? Nothing kept him from belonging. They went down into the water together. When they came up, the Spirit carried Philip away. The Ethiopian looked up, his teacher was gone, but he went on his way rejoicing. Church tradition says he became a missionary to Ethiopia. One divine appointment on a desert road, and an entire continent begins to be reached.

Day 41 — Philip and the Ethiopian: The Encounter (Acts 8:26-31) | June 5

Samaria was exploding with new believers. Then an angel showed up with strange instructions. Leave this thriving city and go to a desert road. No explanation. Philip got up and went. He found a divine appointment. An Ethiopian official, treasurer to the queen, traveling home from Jerusalem. As a eunuch, he couldn't fully participate in temple worship. Yet there he sat, still reading Isaiah, still hungry for God. The Spirit whispered to Philip: go and join that chariot. Philip ran. He arrived at exactly the right moment and heard the man reading Isaiah aloud. Do you understand what you are reading? How can I, unless someone guides me? A divine setup. One person willing to be interrupted. Another ready to receive truth.

Day 40 — Peter and John in Samaria (Acts 8:14-25) | June 4

News reached Jerusalem that Samaria had received the word of God. The apostles sent Peter and John to investigate. The Samaritans had believed and been baptized, but the Spirit had not yet visibly fallen on them. When Peter and John laid hands on them, something visible happened. Simon the magician saw it and made an offer. He wanted to buy the power to give the Spirit through laying on of hands. Peter's response was fierce. May your silver be destroyed with you. Simon's heart was wrong before God, poisoned by bitterness, bound by wickedness. Simon asked Peter to pray so that nothing bad would happen to him. Afraid of consequences but never convicted of sin. Grace cannot be purchased. It can only be received.