Whitestone Christian Fellowship

10/23/2026

For Sunday, October 25, 2026

Bobservation:
Reading: Matthew 16: 15-18
Message: Acts 11: 19-30 “ Repentance Unto Life ”

Bobservations –
The title of today’s message is the last verse from last week,
Acts 11: 18.
Jesus’ offering of salvation cost Him everything of His life on Earth. As the Apostles and Disciples traveled and moved to distant places, world evangelism had begun. The world, at any given time, is the "Known World," and that was the Roman Empire, for the most part. Heaven had opened to the Gentiles, whom the Jews considered to be unclean dogs.
Meanwhile, those still back in Jerusalem, ministered to the Jews of Jerusalem and Judea, by showing them “a more excellent way”
(1 Corinthians 12: 31). A more excellent way to what, one may ask… Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” It is the way of Jesus; the way to the Father, who gives eternal life; the way to heaven, peace, and joy for all eternity.
This is the whole purpose of the entire Bible. As we have strayed from our Maker, our Maker has annointed and inspired some men to teach, and to guide us back to our Maker, through His own words. It is yet another of God’s gifts to those He has created and loves. The Bible is God’s love story written to those who desire a way back to Him. (The Book of Hosea exemplifies the Love that God has for His Creation.)
The Jews thought that it was a privilege reserved for them, by following the Levitical Law and its Ordinances. But the Apostles knew from watching Jesus during His ministry on Earth that this new “way” was for the Gentiles as well as the Jews, and it was by faith, not the works of the Law. The Jewish view of humanity was “Gentiles vs. Jews,” because of their being His Chosen People. But “chosen” for what?
Genesis 3:15 speaks of a battle between the serpent, and “the seed of the woman.” At its foundation, this is the war between good and evil. And mankind must choose whom they want to follow. And the battle boiled down to “our Redeemer, or our enemy. We are told that “God so loved the world, that He gave us His only begotten (human born) Son. They were chosen to bring the seed of the woman into the world, for all mankind, and point us back to the Father, via the Word that became flesh.

Ephesians 4: 5
“One Lord, one faith, one baptism…”

10/23/2026

Good afternoon!

Welcome to Whitestone Christian Fellowship. As always, we invite you to join us for our worship service Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If you are hungry for truth, desire to know God's Word and enjoy in depth bible study, this is the place for you. Our address is on our website. If you are in the area, we'd love for you to join us.

Also, we encourage you to visit our website, where you will find our weekly audio messages, the weekly Bobservations' Column along with many, many other resources. To access, just click on the link below.

We are continuing our study in the book of Acts which gives us the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it.

There is nothing like CONTEXT to calm controversy.

The WORLD frequently prioritizes "confirmation" bias through social media and instant emotional validation over truth, history, and context. Jumping to conclusions without the facts is reckless and creates division.

What happens when it goes on in the church?

Have you ever been falsely accused by people who know should know better?

Peter now finds himself in a tricky situation. What he has done comes to the attention of the other apostles and believers throughout Judea. As far as they can tell, Peter has broken a key tenet of God’s law. How could he do such a thing? There must have been quite a bit of upset and hurt feelings, a sense of broken trust—and Peter’s leadership must have been undermined by the perception that he had gone against God’s Word.

Notice what Peter doesn't do; he doesn't lash out. He doesn't play the victim demanding apologies and reparations. But instead, he tells the story, the whole story, from the beginning. Context.

Peter’s retelling of his encounter with the Lord and Cornelius changed the minds of the Jewish believers by proving that the inclusion of the Gentiles was entirely initiated by God, not by human choice.

Faced with the undeniable evidence (repeated vision of the sheet; divine orchestration of events; verification of witnesses; the Gentile Pentecost) that God had bypassed traditional rituals (like circumcision) to save the Gentiles, the Jewish believers' objections were completely silenced. They praised God, famously concluding: "So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life."

Sunday Morning Message:
Acts 11:1-18 - "Contentions and Visions"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

For the last couple of weeks, we’ve been talking about the interaction between Peter and Cornelius. If you missed it, you’re in luck, because Luke, the author of Acts, spends a lot of time on this. The studies in Chapter 10 (first part here and second part here) tells in detail how God brought about this meeting and then what happened at the meeting itself.

Bobservations Column Titled - "Contentions and Visions" Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz Peter’s vision of the sheet comes back into play thi...

10/16/2026

Good rainy morning to you all! Better rain than snow, right?

Welcome to Whitestone Christian Fellowship. As always, we invite you to join us for our worship service Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If you are hungry for truth, desire to know God's Word and enjoy in depth bible study, this is the place for you. Our address is on our website. If you are in the area, we'd love for you to join us.

Also, we encourage you to visit our website, where you will find our weekly audio messages, the weekly Bobservations' Column along with many, many other resources. To access, just click on the link below.

We are continuing our study in the book of Acts which gives us the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it.

As we continue our study in the book of Acts, the one thing that stands out is our Lord's mandate to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen - Matthew 28:1-20

We finished up chapter 10 last Sunday. One of my favorite things about Jesus is that He shows no partiality. That means He loves you just as much as He loves me. When the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,” it means that He loved all of us enough to send His Son to die for us—both you and me.

The same gospel that’s true for me is true for you, too. It’s the same for our pastors, parents, friends, and even our enemies. God loves us all the same, and that’s good news. It means every promise in the Bible is true for me (and for you).

Because Jesus doesn’t have favorites, we can confidently share the gospel with others, knowing it’s as true for them as it is for us.

Sunday Morning Message:
Acts 10:34-48 - "Grace Within The Law"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

The statement “God is no respecter of persons” means that God does not show favoritism or partiality. In other words, the free offer of the gospel is available to all—Jew and Gentile alike (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:24).

In the Old Testament, God established a covenant relationship with Israel (Deuteronomy 7:6). This led many Jews to believe that Gentiles were “unclean” and beyond the reach of God’s saving grace.

Peter’s vision and subsequent encounter with Cornelius shattered the Jewish notion of exclusivity. God revealed to Peter that His redemptive plan included Jews and Gentiles (cf. John 10:16). Peter’s declaration that “God is no respecter of persons” affirms that the gospel of Jesus Christ is available to all, irrespective of nationality or social status. This profound truth breaks down national barriers and unites people from diverse backgrounds (see Ephesians 2:11–22).

Bobservations' Column Titled - "Grace Within The Law" Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz Peter’s vision of the sheet coming down with all mann...

10/09/2026

Good afternoon, saints.

Welcome to Whitestone Christian Fellowship. As always, we invite you to join us for our worship service Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If you are hungry for truth, desire to know God's Word and enjoy in depth bible study, this is the place for you.

We encourage you to visit our website, where you will find our weekly audio messages, the weekly Bobservations' Column along with many, many other resources. To access, just click on the link below.

We are continuing our study in the book of Acts which gives us the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it.

As we continue our study in the book of Acts, the one thing that stands out is our Lord's mandate to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen - Matthew 28:1-20

After the resurrection of our Lord, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we see the apostles taking this mandate and running with it.

If you have ever wondered what your real purpose is in the world, this is the end of your confussion. Our purpose is to make disciples of all the nations. The risen Jesus Christ gave this command to His apostles just before He ascended to the Father, but He intended it for all of us, every believer. This is why these verses are known asthe Great Commission - it is the mission of the church.

Sunday Morning Message:
Acts 10:1-33 - "Cornelius the Centurion"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Hidden prejudices exist in all of us. Because of our fallen nature, our tendency is to think of ourselves as somehow above others, better than others. We look at the cultural differences, outward appearances, opposing ideologies and religions, and we judge accordingly. While we justify ourselves, we condemn others. Yet don't we need to look at others as individual human beings on equal par with us, all sinners who need God's grace and gift of salvation?

In order to be effective witnesses for Christ's kingdom, those hidden prejudices must be broken down.

Bobservations' Column Titled - " Cornelius the Centurion" Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz The end of Chapter 9, last week, seemed rather ant...

10/02/2026

Well, good afternoon everyone!

Welcome to Whitestone Christian Fellowship. As always, we invite you to join us for our worship service Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If you are hungry for truth, desire to know God's Word and enjoy in depth bible study, this is the place for you.

We encourage you to visit our website, where you will find our weekly audio messages, the weekly Bobservations' Column along with many, many other resources. To access, just click on the link below.

We are continuing our study in the book of Acts which gives us the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it.

Have you ever been headed in one direction, totally convinced you knew what you were doing and where you were going, and then all of a sudden, everything changes? We can all relate to that, right?

Spiritually speaking, those crazy turns are not random, they are providential, a divine intervention and part of God's plan. Those are the moments when God is breaking into our lives to redirect us, to save us, and to transform us.

Last time we talked about Saul’s road to Damascus experience. He was on this mission to cleanse the earth of those Christians. While he was running from house to house rounding up Christians to haul them off to prison, something happened that he did not plan on. Jesus!

Instead, Jesus knocked him to the ground and blinded him, asked why he was persecuting Him and told him to go into the city and wait for further instructions. Then He sent a Christian to heal his sight, baptize him. Saul is by faith is saved. He has a new heart, a new mind and a new purpose in life. Saul was the biggest enemy of the church; he had devoted his life to destroying it. But now Jesus had saved him, and rather than using all his energy to destroy the church, he was now putting all his energy into spreading the Gospel.

This was not going to be easy for him. His former friends and religious leaders would reject him. In fact, they would conspire to kill him. And the church, well, they just didn't trust him. While Saul is under deep suspicion, Barnabus intervenes. He advocates for him before the apostles, testifying to Saul’s authentic vision of Jesus and his subsequent bold preaching in Damascus. With the plot to murder him brought to light, Saul will have to flee by ship back to his hometown of Tarsus.

What a turn of events. We’re all going to face moments when we need to believe God knows what He’s doing—even when we don’t. Just like Saul, we have been called out of this world and redirected to greater things. To proclaim the hope of Christ to a world that desperately needs hope. You’ve been chosen to bring peace to a world that doesn’t have peace. You’ve been forgiven so you can offer that forgiveness to others.

Sunday Morning Message:
Acts 9:26-43 - "Saul's Assimilation"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

I love this study in the book of Acts. To be able to read the biblical and historical accounts of the early Christian church is so uplifting and inspiring. But, with that comes some deeply grievous observations and questions. Contrasting today's modern Christianity with the early church one has to wonder where we have gone wrong?

It was said of early Christians that they “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6), but could the same be said of the church in our generation? A realistic assessment would have to concede that the opposite has occurred—the world has turned the church upside down, and Christians have allowed it to do so.

What is the real difference? In a word, "walking." These early converts walked their talks. It was just something they believed in their heads, the believed with the whole heart and acted on it.

Bobservations' Column Titled - "Saul's Assimilation" Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz The Jews and the Christians were both suspicious of Sau...

09/25/2026

Good afternoon, saints!

Welcome to Whitestone Christian Fellowship. As always, we invite you to join us for our worship service Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If you are hungry for truth, desire to know God's Word and enjoy in depth bible study, this is the place for you.

We encourage you to visit our website, where you will find our weekly audio messages, the weekly Bobservations' Column along with many, many other resources. To access, just click on the link below.

We are continuing our study in the book of Acts which gives us the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it.

The conversion of Saul/Paul is one of the most dramatic stories in the Bible. His conversion stands as a model to teach us that anyone can come to Christ. That there is no sin too bad, no evil too wicked, that can prevent us from receiving the grace of Christ—if, like Paul, we repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sunday Morning Message:
Acts 9:1-25 - "Saul's Extended Ministry"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

I would say that the conversion of Saul is perhaps one of the miraculous stories of human history. Outside of the work of our triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I don't know of any greater influence in the church.

Saul, whose name becomes Paul, is the author of most of the New Testament books, thirteen to be exact. He is the inspired author of the New Testament books that shape all our theology, and all of our understanding of the gospel.

Bobservations Column Titled - " Saul's Ministry Expanded" Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz The Lord expands Saul’s outreach, in spite of Saul...

09/18/2026

Good afternoon!

It's a beautiful day here in upstate New York.

Welcome to Whitestone Christian Fellowship. As always, we invite you to join us for our worship service Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If you are hungry for truth, desire to know God's Word and enjoy in depth bible study, this is the place for you.

We encourage you to visit our website, where you will find our weekly audio messages, the weekly Bobservations' Column along with many, many other resources. To access, just click on the link below.

We are continuing our study in the book of Acts which gives us the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it.

That said, Have you ever found yourself at a strange point in life and wondered how you got there? Have you looked back at the coincidences and happenstance that brought you together with others in a particular place and time? That feeling of gratitude for God’s careful direction is one of the reasons that this week's study is so wonderful. The text describes a story about a lonely road, a deacon named Philip, and an Ethiopian eu**ch. While the Bible mentions eu**chs many times, the most memorable eu**ch is the one who was baptized by Philip in Acts 8.

Sunday Morning Message:
Acts 8:25-40 - "The Eu**ch of Ethiopia"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Last week we looked at Acts 8:1-24 and saw the outbreak of severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem following the martyrdom of Stephen. Saul was a major figure in this persecution and was even going house to house to find believers and drag them off to jail. In Acts 22:4 he even said that he had persecuted them to death. The result was that believers fled from Jerusalem into the regions of Judea and Samaria. The goal of the persecution was to destroy the church, but the actual effect was to spread and expand the church for, as verse 4 states, “those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.”

https://www.whitestonecf.com/2026/09/morning-message-eu**ch-of-ethiopia.html

Bobservations' Column Titled - "The Eu**ch of Ethiopia" Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz Back in Jerusalem again with Peter and John, Philip ...

09/14/2026

Hello,
Since advancing up our "Bobservations" column into the overall website podcast, we are please to let you know that our online congregation has grown.

For any that are having trouble finding the podcast of our weekly Sunday Service teachings, as well as Pastor Bob's accompanying Column, there are several choices of podcasts that you can type into your browser, and tune in.
Apple Podcasts: DRAW ME CLOSE: podcast
Amazon Music/Podcasts: DRAW ME CLOSE: podcast
Spotify: DRAW ME CLOSE: podcast
Anchor: DRAW ME CLOSE: podcast
iHeart: DRAW ME CLOSE: podcast
Castbox: DRAW ME CLOSE: podcast
Mixcloud: DRAW ME CLOSE: podcacst
Pocketcasts: DRAW ME CLOSE: podcast

And of course, you can always listen in on our website:
www.whitestonecf.com
Join us on any of these for the weekly teachings !
Blessings too all who are searching for Jesus, and His salvation.

-Pastor Bob

A MORE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR SAVIOR ~ VINDICATION FOR OUR SIN ~ A NEW IDENTITY...REVELATION 2:17

09/10/2026

Good afternoon, saints.

Welcome to Whitestone Christian Fellowship. As always, we invite you to join us for our worship service Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If you are hungry for truth, desire to know God's Word and enjoy in depth bible study, this is the place for you.

We encourage you to visit our website, where you will find our weekly audio messages, the weekly Bobservations' Column along with many, many other resources. To access, just click on the link below.

We are continuing our study in the book of Acts which gives us the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it.

Satan seems to be doing everything in his power to discourage these new believers, cause them to fear and quit the faith. Their leader, Stephen, has just been unjustly accused of blasphemy and killed by the Jewish leadership. Saul has made it his priority to persecute Christians and goes so far as forcing his way into their homes, pulling men and women out and throwing them into prison. Yet in spite of all of that, the church is growing, the gospel is spreading, and Acts 1:8 is being fulfilled. When believers receive the Holy Spirit, there is no mistaking His power. Boldness was one of the first characteristics the Holy Spirit imparted when He came to indwell believers after Jesus ascended into heaven.

Sunday Morning Message:
Acts 8:1-17 - "The Safety of Samaria"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Many of you may have heard the rather famous story of the five missionaries who lost their lives while attempting to bring the gospel to the Huaorani people. The Huaorani were a tribe deep in the Amazon rainforest and were commonly called the Aucas, which means “savages,” because they were so violent—and not just violent toward outsiders but even toward members of their own tribe. In fact, there were so many revenge killings within the tribe that it threatened the tribe’s very survival. But five missionaries with the Alliance church—Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, and Roger Youderian—decided to engage this tribe with the goal of bringing the gospel to them. So they began by dropping gifts to the Huaorani from an airplane. Then, when those gifts were reciprocated time after time, the missionaries established a camp close to the Huaorani settlements. However, on January 8, 1956, the Huaorani people—for some reason that’s still a bit unclear—speared the five missionaries, killing all of them. And at first, it’s difficult even to think about how great of a tragedy this was, especially when you consider the fact that each of these men left behind wives and children. How could these seemingly senseless killings have any purpose or accomplish any good?
Continue reading . . .

Bobservations' Column Titled - "The Safety of Samaria" Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz After Stephen had been put to death, some believers w...

09/04/2026

Good afternoon, saints!

Welcome to Whitestone Christian Fellowship. As always, we invite you to join us for our worship service Sunday mornings at 10 AM. If you are hungry for truth, desire to know God's Word and enjoy in depth bible study, this is the place for you.

We encourage you to visit our website, where you will find our weekly audio messages, the weekly Bobservations' Column along with many, many other resources. To access, just click on the link below.

We are currently in the book of Acts which gives us the history of the Christian church and the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as the mounting opposition to it.

This week, finishing up Acts 7 is the record of Stephen’s testimony, which is perhaps the most detailed and concise history of Israel and their relationship to God of any in Scripture. Stephen was not concerned about his earthly existence, determining instead to stand firmly on the side of Jesus Christ, no matter the consequences. God inspired him to speak boldly, rightly accusing Israel of their failure to recognize Jesus, their Messiah, rejecting and murdering Him, as they had murdered Zechariah and other prophets and faithful men throughout their generations. Stephen’s speech was an indictment against Israel and their failure as the chosen people of God who had been given the law, the holy things, and the promise of the Messiah. Naturally, these accusations, though true, were not well received by the Jews.

Though Stephen’s ministry is recorded in only two chapters of Acts, his role is crucial in the unfolding story of redemption. More importantly, his life directs our attention not to himself but to Christ. Stephen stands at a pivotal moment in the history of the early church. Before Jesus’ ascension, He promised that the Holy Spirit would empower His disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Through Stephen’s ministry and martyrdom, that promise begins to advance beyond Jerusalem. The persecution that followed Stephen’s death scattered believers throughout Judea and Samaria, leading to the further spread of the gospel.

This should encourage us. God graciously used a man whose entire ministry is summarized in only two chapters to help advance His kingdom. Outside of Acts 6 and 7, Stephen is mentioned only a few more times in the book of Acts. Yet his influence was profound because God delights to use ordinary believers for extraordinary purposes.

The words of Colossians 3:2-3 could have been written about the life of Stephen, even though they are applicable to all believers: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Stephen’s life—and even more so his death—should be an example of how every believer should strive to live: committed to the Lord even in the face of death; faithful to preach the gospel boldly; knowledgeable of God’s truth; and willing to be used by God for His plan and purpose. Stephen’s testimony still stands as a beacon, a light to a lost and dying world, as well as an accurate history of the children of Abraham.

Sunday Morning Message:
Acts 7:42-60 - "A 'Priestly' Exchange"

Summary, Additional Commentary & Definitions:

This week we are finishing up Acts 7. In verses 42-60, Stephen concludes his defense before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high council). What began as a historical recital of Israel’s ancestry turns into a sharp indictment of the council's ongoing rebellion against God. . .

Bobservations' Column Titled - "A 'Priestly ' Exchange" Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz Steven enters into a dialog with at least one of t...