The Book of Acts Folk Musical

My mind wanders back to  the summer of 2024. I decided to go on a bicycle tour across the United States on the Lewis and Clark Trail. I simply  needed to go on a long journey, take a break from the daily grind, seek the Lord, and go on a bicycle adventure. I had just finished The Rising Son musical and book, and then I drove up to Washington D.C. to start the trail in Georgetown. I didn't know what the open road had in store for me, but I knew the adventure would make me stronger physically, mentally, and spiritually. I just felt like this type of epic adventure was what I needed to free and refresh my mind. Indeed, the journey led me back to a mountaintop of life. I grew closer to the Lord, and experienced the joy of independence like I have never experienced before. Most importantly, I exercised my faith and learned to wait on the Lord. God allowed me to mount up on wings like an eagle. I fell in love with the journey, the challenge, the joy, the adventure, the sights, the s...

Who is the Rising Son? This musical seeks to answer that question. The Rising Son tells the story of a humble man full of boundless love and joy: Jesus of Nazareth. He is humanity's Sunrise Hope. Jesus, undeniably and indisputably, saved the world from sin and eternal damnation. If you seek Him wholeheartedly, God will reveal the truth of the Sunrise Hope to you. Only God can open your eyes to this truth. So, what is the truth? The truth is the Word of God. The entire Bible points to Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of the world. The immaculate conception is real: Jesus is both fully man and fully God. God, the Creator of all things, planted a seed in Mary's womb without the involvement of Joseph. God can do anything. Thus, Jesus was born of a virgin. He lived a life just like ours, yet without sin. He was perfect, and His actions reflected pure love for His fellow man. Jesus came to save humanity from sin, performed miracles, and revealed salvation to all who would repent and...

The Sunrise Hope Presents The Book of Acts - Act 1: The Great Commission The Book of Acts is a folk musical telling the story of the New Testament book of Acts from the Bible. This is the first act. This is the story, told in the genre of folk music, of the start of the Christian church after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. In act one, Jesus has resurrected from the dead and reveals himself to his doubting disciples, encouraging them to carry out the Great Commission: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:18 -20). After Jesus ascends to heaven, the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples during the day of Pentecost, signaling the start of the Christian church. The disciples speak in tongues, begin telling others about the Gospel of Je...

The Sunrise Hope Presents The Book of Acts - Act 2: The Early Church The Book of Acts is a folk musical telling the story of the New Testament book of Acts from the Bible. This is the second act. This is the story, told in the genre of folk music, of the start of the Christian church after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. Starting in Act 2, apostles Peter and John heal a crippled beggar who is over forty years old. They tell onlookers that their power comes from the Holy Spirit and the resurrected Christ. They take this opportunity to share the Gospel with all of the people in Solomon's Colonnade. Peter and John are then brought before the Sanhedrin against their will, and they are forced to explain how they healed the man who was lame. They take the time to share the Gospel with all the members of the sanhedrin, and then the high priests warn the apostles never to speak in this name again. The apostles join together in believer's prayer and they decide to continue...

The Sunrise Hope Presents The Book of Acts - Act 3: Ray of Light The Book of Acts is a folk musical telling the story of the New Testament book of Acts from the Bible. This is the third act. This is the story, told in the genre of folk music, of the start of the Christian church after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. In act three, Saul is blinded by the Lord on the road to Damascus. God instructs Saul to go into the city and find a Christian man by the name of Ananias. Ananias placed his hands on Saul, and Saul's vision was restored. Saul, then, was baptized and became part of the Christian fellowship that places their hope, faith, and trust in Jesus. Immediately, Saul starts spreading the Gospel in Damascus, and the people can't believe what they are hearing and seeing, as Saul used to persecute the Christians. Paul must escape Damascus because the Jews plot to kill him because of his faith in Jesus. Barnabas takes Paul to the other apostles, but they doubt that ...

The Sunrise Hope Presents The Book of Acts - Act 4: A Wanderin' Man The Book of Acts is a folk musical telling the story of the New Testament book of Acts from the Bible. This is the fourth act. This is the story, told in the genre of folk music, of the start of the Christian church after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. In act four, Paul is a traveling disciple delivering the truth of the Gospel of Christ to Jew and Gentile. Paul and Silas go to Thessalonica to preach, but the Jews there start a riot. Paul shakes the dust from his feet and goes onward to Berea, Athens, and Corinth, teaching the Gospel to anyone willing to listen. Wherever he goes, the Jewish leaders stir up trouble. He finally has enough and decides to reach out more so to the Gentiles. So, Paul delivers a message to the Corinthians and the Athenians. Many gentiles are saved, which stirs up hatred among the Jews. Paul travels and sails to many distant lands spreading the Gospel wherever he and the d...

The Sunrise Hope Presents The Book of Acts - Act 5: Rome'n Around The Book of Acts is a folk musical telling the story of the New Testament book of Acts from the Bible. This is the fifth and final act. This is the story, told in the genre of folk music, of the start of the Christian church after the ascension of Jesus to heaven. In act five, Paul is arrested by a Roman commander after a riot breaks out in the city. The Jews want Paul dead! Paul asks the commander to speak to the crowd. He then tells the crowd his testimony concerning his meeting with Jesus, the Light, on the road to Damascus. The crowd breaks out into a riot again after Paul proclaims Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. Fearing for Paul's life, the commander orders Paul to be taken into the barracks. He then finds out that Paul is a Roman citizen, and he wants to figure out why the Jews want to kill Paul. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhe...