Episode Details

Day 11: Acts - The Rise of the Early Church

In this episode of Immerse, we journey through the book of Acts, focusing on the days following Jesus' resurrection and ascension. We explore the instructions Jesus gave to His apostles through the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Holy Spirit's arrival, and the apostles' mission to spread His teachings. Key events include the selection of Matthias to replace Judas, the powerful occurrence of Pentecost where believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in various languages, Peter's impassioned sermon leading to the conversion of 3000 people, and the miraculous healing of a lame man by Peter and John. The episode also covers the rapid growth of the early Christian community and their clashes with Jewish religious leaders, emphasizing the transformative power of faith and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies through Jesus Christ.

00:00 Introduction and Overview
00:11 Jesus' Ascension and Apostles' Mission
02:20 Choosing a Replacement for Judas
03:58 The Day of Pentecost
05:26 Peter's Sermon and the Early Church
10:14 Healing of the Lame Man
13:52 Peter and John Arrested
14:22 Conclusion

Immerse contains the full text of the New Living Translation with brief introductions to each book. Nothing has been added or removed from the Bible text. Click here to look inside.

Welcome to Immerse: Messiah!

Messiah is the first of six volumes in Immerse: The Bible Reading Experience. Messiah takes the reader on a unique journey through every book of the New Testament. Each section of Messiah begins with one of the Gospels, and together they combine to provide a life-changing reading experience centered on Jesus.

This fresh arrangement of the books highlights the depth of the New Testament’s fourfold witness to Jesus the Messiah. The Son of God, who fulfills all the longings and promises of the collected Scriptures, can be experienced in Messiah through the rich variety of lenses provided by the books of the new covenant.

QUICK START GUIDE - Download from the One Million More Bibles initiative at https://onemillionmore.bible/one-million-more-resources/
3 ways to get the most out of your experience

1. Use Immerse: Messiah instead of your regular chapter-and-verse Bible. This special reader’s edition restores the Bible to its natural simplicity and beauty by removing chapter and verse numbers and other historical additions. Letters look like letters, songs look like songs, and the original literary structures are visible in each book.
2. Commit to making this a community experience. Immerse is designed for groups to encounter large portions of the Bible together for 8 weeks—more like a book club, less like a Bible study. By meeting every week in small groups and discussing what you read in open, honest conversations, you and your community can come together to be transformed through an authentic experience with the Scriptures.
3. Aim to understand the big story. Read through “The Stories and the Story” to see how the books of the Bible work together to tell God’s story of his creation’s restoration. As you read through Immerse: Poets, rather than ask, “How do I fit God into my busy life?” begin asking, “How can I join in God’s great plan by living out my part in his story?”

4 Questions to get your conversations started:

1. What stood out to you this week?
2. Was there anything confusing or troubling?
3. Did anything make you think differently about God?
4. How might this change the way we live?

The Immerse Bible Series is the proud winner of the prestigious Bible of the Year award from the ECPA Chr