The power of God through Jesus Christ breaks down the hardest of hearts. In Acts 9 we are told of the conversion of Saul: a religious terrorist who will go on to become one of the greatest instruments of God’s mercy the world has ever known. Is your heart hard toward the Gospel? Christ can break through. Is your heart hard towards those who are resistant to the Gospel? Christ can break through.

The Book of Acts is viewed by many church plants and churches as the script for building a healthy church. There are many scenes in Acts that leave the church of today with a desire for the same thing to happen. The way in which the early church grew is the same way God builds His church today—by the preaching of the Gospel. As the church preaches the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will form healthy hearts
in a congregation that is distinct from the world as it displays the greatness of God.

Growing churches are targets for spiritual attack. Satan will use any means necessary to distract and destroy the church: whether external pressures or internal tensions. The church in Acts 6 faced it, and from this passage we learn not only to expect tension, but how to remain healthy through it.

There is no such thing as a perfect church, and that is due to the fact that it is made up of imperfect people. One way our imperfections reveal themselves is our attempting to take what rightfully belongs to God, namely His glory. In this passage we see God’s jealousy for His glory when His people try to rob Him of it, but we see His love and grace toward the church in the midst of its sin as well.

When the Holy Spirit accompanies the preaching of the Word, conversions take place. Gospel conversions bring Gospel community, and Gospel community brings hope and healing for those in that community. But, as we discovered in Acts 4, the advance of the Gospel brings persecution as well. When the persecuted church
prays for strength to continue proclaiming the Gospel, God answers those prayers, and the church flourishes with outward deeds of love and mercy. Acts 4:32–37 is a visible demonstration of church health in the midst of persecution.

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To learn more about Cahaba Park Church, visit our website, and follow our social media: 

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The people in Matthew 21:12-22 tell us a great deal about the main message. It’s a curious story, filled with contrasts. The blind, lame, and broken are made healthy while a healthy-looking fig tree is made to wither. The children and uneducated outcasts of society get it right while the professional religious folks and disciples get it wrong. God is telling us that no amount of good works will earn us good standing with God. Instead, the belief we need is a gift.

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