Acts - The Story of the Church

DATE: February 18, 2024

THEME: The Strength of Jesus & One Another

SCRIPTURE: Acts 18:1-17 & 1 Thessalonians

Strength...Endurance...Fortitude...these are the elements that make up the substance of the Church because of the essence of our great Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. While Paul was in Corinth, Silas and Timothy brought word to him from the Church in Thessalonica, that they were still holding strong to the faith, though he was only there for a short time, his work there was not in vain, and in fact their faith was motivating and encouraging the churches across the entire region to stand strong in the faith. Because of the good report, he wrote a letter (1 Thessalonians) to encourage them and to help articulate our beliefs in the Church about death and our future hope of resurrection. He also taught them to "seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, so that you may behave properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone," (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). During the sermon, we read the entire book of 1 Thessalonians in one sitting to hear the words of Paul to our early brothers and sisters, and to receive them ourselves as though Paul were writing US a letter today.

DATE: February 4, 2024THEME: The Power of Jesus and One AnotherSCRIPTURE: Acts 18:1-17

Paul is joined by Silas & Timothy in Corinth and Paul remembers who he is and what he is called to do and HOW he was called to fulfill his ministry. He immediately shifts his strategy and sees great power through the preaching of the Word of God, people coming to faith, the Church growing, and people’s lives being change. He even is freed to receive a vision in the night from Jesus Himself by the Spirit that tells him to stay because Jesus has many people in Corinth. He then stays for over a year and a half in Corinth and sees incredible fruit! There is power in and through Jesus Christ and great power in the relationships we have with one another in the Church with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

DATE: January 28, 2023

THEME: The Encouragement of Jesus and One Another

SCRIPTURE: Acts 18:1-17

Paul arrives in Corinth where he will stay for over a year and a half, the longest of his second missionary journey so far. This will become a prominent church in the Roman Empire and for years to come. This is the first of 3 messages on the Church in Corinth, and in this teaching, we explore the culture of Corinth in depth, we're introduced to Aquila and his wife Priscilla who will become major figures in the life of the Church and lifelong ministry partners with Paul.

DATE: January, 21, 2023THEME: Faith is PowerSCRIPTURE: Acts 17:16-34

Paul goes to Antioch, the center of Greek culture and religion. He went, as usual, to the synagogue and also went around the town having discussions and dialoging with the philosophers. He caused enough of a stir in the city that they took him before the Areopagus, the high cultural and religious council to hear about this “new idea” or this “new foreign deity” that Paul was preaching. He gave a very articulate and convincing gospel message before this council, and it was somewhat effective! Several people became followers of Jesus and walked with Him and Paul formed them into a body of believers and a church, an outpost for the kingdom of Heaven was formed in one of the darkest and spiritually oppressive cities in the Roman Empire. The gospel’s entrance into such an intellectual culture proves that “Knowledge is not power, FAITH is power.”

DATE: January 14, 2023

THEME: Rejoice in the Truth

SCRIPTURE: Acts 17:10-15

Biblical literacy and desire to read the Word of God is so vital for our lives and faith, and yet many Christians struggle to pick up our Bibles during the week outside of the church. Paul encountered a group of worshipers of Yahweh in Berea that LOVED the Scriptures and were EXCITED to hear that the Messiah had come and they wanted to know MORE! They passionately searched the scriptures to see if their hopes that their message were founded in Truth...and they were!! Many of them, including the God-Fearers and Prominent women and also men came to faith in Jesus! This was truly an incredible joyful and fruitful season in Paul's ministry. ......until the jealous Jews from Thessalonica come and put and end to it with their jealousy and the riot they started. Paul fled to the next city, following Jesus' instructions to move on to the next city in Matt 10:23. Our brothers and sisters in Berea proclaim to us a powerful exhortation to be people to SEEK the Truth, FIND the Truth, and REJOICE in the Truth.

DATE: January 7, 2024

THEME: Fruitful & Faithful

SCRIPTURE: Acts 17:1-9 & 1 Thessalonians 1-2

After a very difficult time in Philippi; Paul, Silas, and Timothy moved on to Thessaloniki. Their ministry there was relatively short, especially according to their normal method of staying 3-6 months in each city, they only stayed there for about 2 weeks before moving on because of several oppression. However, we see the quality of the Church in Thessaloniki was great! The faith, hope, and love the Lord produced in and through this Church was spectacular. We can glean the call of our God on us, that He desires us to be fruitful by being faithful to Him and one another.

DATE: December 24, 2023

THEME: Do What is Right

SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:16-40 (v.35-40)

Paul and Silas demanded justice and they got it…because it was right. They suffered injustice at the hands of wicked men and it wasn’t right. Paul gives us a picture of our calling…do what is right now matter if others are doing what’s wrong. It’s better to suffer for doing what is good than for doing that which is evil. We get our authority to live and love from the authority of Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, not from other lesser authorities. This is one of the reasons for the incarnation & virgin birth of Jesus, “the government will be upon His shoulders...of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:2-7).

DATE: December 17, 2023

THEME: The Secret to Strength & Fortitude

SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:16-40 (v.26-34)

We all have crises that occur in our lives. How do we prepare for them and how do we endure them before, during, and after they occur? Do we allow the peace/shalom/flourishing of the way, truth, and life of Jesus Christ to guide and guard our hearts in all times and seasons of life or do we try and take control or trust other things than Yahweh? We experience peace on earth by having peace with God.

DATE: December 10, 2023

THEME: Fulfilling Purpose

SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:16-40 (Focus on v.19-29)

Paul & Silas are dragged before the authorities, severely beaten, put in jail, and chained and their feet put in stocks. This situation would affect many people in a variety of ways. Many would be fighting against the injustice, or resting to recuperate after being severely beaten and injured during their assault, or they may be preparing for their appearance before the authorities the next day...but...what do we find Paul & Silas doing? Praying and worshiping the Lord Jesus! What is this joy they were experiencing and how can we walk in this joy?

DATE: December 3, 2023

THEME: Hope of Healing - Part 1

SCRIPTURE: Acts 16:16-40 (v.16-24)

In this first advent week of December, we break down the narrative of the arrest of Paul & Silas in Philippi through the lens of their encounter with the Young Virgin epithet of Apollo with a Python spirit who is distorting the gospel message of Paul & Silas. They were facing, as we still face today, 3 different malevolent powers that were attempting to hinder the gospel message and method that Paul & Silas came to accomplish in Philippi. Through this passage we engage with the idea that the Hope of Healing is a Heart that is Whole. God desires to bring hope by bringing freedom. This is what the gospel of Jesus Christ accomplishes as the Word goes out.