Acts - The Story of the Church

DATE: May 19, 2024

THEME: Romans

SCRIPTURE: Acts 20:1-3a

After Paul hears the good news of the repentance of the Corinthian Church and is dedicated to go to Corinth, he first travels up to Illyricum (today's Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia), then down to Corinth where he stays for 3 months. During this visit, Paul encourages the Church and heals relationships, even probably the broken relationship with the divisive brother. He hears word from Priscilla and Aquila who have returned to Rome after Nero has opened the city back up to the Jewish people. It is here in the winter of AD 57 that Paul writes his famous letter to the Church in Rome, known as "Romans." In this teaching, we discuss the themes, purpose, and outline of the letter to the Romans and its power in the life of the Church then and today.

DATE: May 12, 2024

THEME: Endure Through the Breakthrough

SCRIPTURE: Acts 20:1-3a

Paul leaves Ephesus and travels to Macedonia as he planned and in the midst of being there he receives word from Titus that the Church in Corinth has received his scathing letter and they have repented, dealt with the divisive brother, and recognize Paul as Apostle. To which Paul then writes "Corinthians D" (aka 2 Corinthians) as a letter of encouragement and hope. Paul goes from ministering in the midst of depression and emotional turmoil to ministering from a heart encouraged by the breakthrough of God in the life of the Church in Corinth.

DATE: May 5, 2024

THEME: Pray & Be Alert

SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:21-41

A spiritual battle descends upon Ephesus between the true God, Yahweh, and Artemis, goddess of Ephesus, the “divine feminine”, and “queen of heaven.” In this world, we are surrounded by spiritual battles being fought in the spiritual realm. They are pretty content to leave the Church in relative peace…until their livelihoods and spiritual strongholds over cities and regions becomes threatened. Paul understood this battle, and he spent his life preparing and equipping the Saints in Ephesus to fight…not against people, but against the authorities, principalities, and evil forces of the enemy in the unseen realm. This is the basis of the end of his later letter to the Church in Ephesus. In this part of Acts, we see the protection and power of God against such forces.

DATE: April 21, 2024THEME: Bless to Build UpSCRIPTURE: Corinthians C

As Paul spent over 2 years in Ephesus, many things occurred, including his writing of several letters to the Corinthian Church, preaching and training in the Hall of Tyrannus and sending missionaries throughout Asia (“This went on for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.” Acts 19:10), as well as a traveling around the region. The Corinthian Crisis continued from where we were last week, and in this teaching, we get insight into how Paul handled conflict and opposition within the Church itself. This part of our journey through the story of the Church shows us how we in the Church can have differences and conflict and yet not hurt one another. It requires supernatural patience and God’s powerful love. We Bless to Build Up not the body (Eph 4).

DATE: April 14, 2024

THEME: God’s Church has Problems, God’s Grace Fixes Problems

SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians

During Paul’s 2 years in Ephesus, he gets word a few times from people from Corinth about the problems the Church is having and asking Paul to speak into those issues and also to help guide the Corinthians in some of the questions and struggles. Paul sits down to write a response to them. He writes Corinthians A (a letter we do NOT have) and then sits down later and writes Corinthians B (which we know as 1 Corinthians. What is the Father’s heart for the Corinthian Church, and what is the Father’s heart for His Church today? How do we walk in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ? How do we experience and extend God’s grace in the Church today?

DATE: April 7 , 2024

THEME: Rest in His Presence, Wrestle by His Glory

SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:11-20

In a world where there are so many “prophecies” and predictions about world events and the future, creating so much anxiety and confusion, and sowing seeds of doubt of God’s great power and goodness. The Bible teaches us that OUR God, Yahweh, is God Most High…and that nothing can separate us from God’s love, favor, power, and grace. He has been there and watched the rise and fall of every nation since the beginning of time. His has sustained and blessed His people through it all. In Acts 19:11-20, we see the incredible acts of God through Paul, that handkerchiefs and aprons that touched him were taken and healed people, that the powerful name of Jesus was recognized by everyone in Ephesus because of the misguided desire for power of the 7 sons of Sceva, and the incredible works of God as the magicians, sorcerers, and practitioners of witchcraft were coming to faith and greatly sacrificing their magic arts, books, and resources because of their faith in Jesus. This account shows us that God’s desire for His people is for us to Rest in His Presence and Wrestle in this world against powers, forces, and authorities in the unseen realm by the power of His Glory.

DATE: March 24, 2024

THEME: Know the Gospel, Live the Gospel, Teach the Gospel

SCRIPTURE: Acts 19:8-12

Paul arrives in Ephesus and begins, as usual, in the synagogue, then when they started to slander and persecute the Way, Paul went to do ministry to the Greeks. He established himself in the Hall of Tyrannus to preach the gospel, train Church leaders, and establish a firm and enduring foundation for the gospel ministry in the region. Paul teaches us the importance of the gospel ministry and biblical literacy in our lives and churches. We have been entrusted with a powerful faith and great resources, and we need to use the time in this life and the resources we’ve been given to further the gospel and establish a strong gospel ministry in our region.

DATE: March 10, 2024

THEME: Build the Body

SCRIPTURE: Acts 18:24-28

After Paul travels from Achaia through Asia, back to Judea, and ending up in Syria, we pan back to Asia to Ephesus, where we're introduced to a new and major figure in the New Testament Church, Apollos. He proclaimed the gospel powerfully, but he needed help with the rest of the gospel of Jesus Christ, so Priscilla and Aquila took him aside to teach him the gospel more fully. They came together so that Apollos would continue to be a powerful and effective force for the gospel. In this way, we see the culture of the Church in Asia and Achaia building up the body and strengthening the saints.

DATE: March 3, 2024

THEME: YOLO; You Only Live Once, so Who You Gonna Live For?

SCRIPTURE: Acts 18:18-23

YOLO => "You Only Live Once"...so who you gonna live for? Paul gave us a powerful example of a life lived under submission to and for the glory of God and for the flourishing of God's creation. Whether we feel like our lives have a massive impact or not, never underestimate the power and impact our lives can have through the empowering of God at work through our lives.

DATE: February 25, 2024

THEME: Bright Hope for Tomorrow

SCRIPTURE: 2 Thessalonians

Paul heard back from the Church in Thessalonica at the return of Silas and Timothy who took his first letter to the Church and brought news back to Paul of their confusion about the second coming of Christ and there seems to have been someone saying that Jesus had already come, so they had questions. They were also still suffering greatly and in need of assurance that God was a just God and that their suffering would be vindicated. During this Sunday, we read through the 3 chapters of Paul’s 2nd letter to the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica and receive encouragement from the Lord that He gives “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”