CCF Sunday Messages

As we enter Acts 16, Paul is setting out on his second missionary journey, and due to his falling out with Barnabas, he is taking Silas with him this time. They meet Timothy a young believer at Lystra, who Paul also includes in their journey, and from the language, we believe Luke, the writer of Acts joins them as well. It is at this point that they seem to hit opposition to their plans and directions. Instead God seems to have a plan for them to go over to Greece and bring the gospel into the continent of Europe. Pastor Steve teaches through this passage the importance of listening to God and being able to submit ourselves to his plans, even giving up good or godly plans that might just not be *God's* plan for us!

In the closing sections of Acts chapter 15 we see the final result of the Jerusalem council--drafting a letter that will share their decision with all the churches, and then Paul, Barnabas, and Silas return to Antioch bringing the good news as well as continuing to teach, exhort, and build up the body there. It's at this point that we see a relational conflict that divides Paul and Barnabas over the status of John Mark on their next journey. Listen in as Pastor Steve teaches through this section, finishing up Acts chapter 15.

In the closing sections of Acts chapter 15 we see the final result of the Jerusalem council--drafting a letter that will share their decision with all the churches, and then Paul, Barnabas, and Silas return to Antioch bringing the good news as well as continuing to teach, exhort, and build up the body there. It's at this point that we see a relational conflict that divides Paul and Barnabas over the status of John Mark on their next journey. Listen in as Pastor Steve teaches through this section, finishing up Acts chapter 15.

Acts chapter 15 opens as Paul and Barnabas have returned to Antioch from their missionary journey, and now some Jews have come and started to teach that Gentile believers must be circumcised and fall under the law of Moses to be saved! Of course this flies in the face of what Paul and Peter have experienced in God pouring out his Spirit on Gentiles, and so a council is convened to deal with this rift and difficulty in the early church made up of Jews and Gentiles. Pastor Steve teaches a message of grace using this first big test of the early church as a backdrop. Grace is what will make us the church that God wants us to be, working together and giving grace to one another as we do God's work in unity.

Acts chapter 15 opens as Paul and Barnabas have returned to Antioch from their missionary journey, and now some Jews have come and started to teach that Gentile believers must be circumcised and fall under the law of Moses to be saved! Of course this flies in the face of what Paul and Peter have experienced in God pouring out his Spirit on Gentiles, and so a council is convened to deal with this rift and difficulty in the early church made up of Jews and Gentiles. Pastor Steve teaches a message of grace using this first big test of the early church as a backdrop. Grace is what will make us the church that God wants us to be, working together and giving grace to one another as we do God's work in unity.

David Barton, president of Wallbuilders, an organization dedicated to preserving America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious, and constitutional foundation, presented a message titled "Know Your Bible" showing the incredible familiarity with the Bible and its content that was assumed and expected at the time of the foundation of our country. Dr. Barton called for the church to reinvest themselves in knowing God's Word, challenging them to read it from cover to cover each year as many of our founding fathers did.

David Barton, president of Wallbuilders, an organization dedicated to preserving America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious, and constitutional foundation, presented a message titled "Know Your Bible" showing the incredible familiarity with the Bible and its content that was assumed and expected at the time of the foundation of our country. Dr. Barton called for the church to reinvest themselves in knowing God's Word, challenging them to read it from cover to cover each year as many of our founding fathers did.

Moving on in Acts 14 through Paul's first missionary journey, they have arrived at the city of Lystra. After teaching there, Paul is led to heal a lame man, which leads the people of the city to think that Paul and Barnabas are gods worthy of worship! After convincing the locals not to worship them as gods, the Jewish resistance shows up and convinces the crowds to stone Paul! Instead of dying as they thought, Paul awakens outside the city and he and Barnabas return to the city before going on to Derbe. The chapter ends with them retracing their steps through all the cities, strengthening the young believers in each place and appointing elders to care for these small new churches in each town.

Moving on in Acts 14 through Paul's first missionary journey, they have arrived at the city of Lystra. After teaching there, Paul is led to heal a lame man, which leads the people of the city to think that Paul and Barnabas are gods worthy of worship! After convincing the locals not to worship them as gods, the Jewish resistance shows up and convinces the crowds to stone Paul! Instead of dying as they thought, Paul awakens outside the city and he and Barnabas return to the city before going on to Derbe. The chapter ends with them retracing their steps through all the cities, strengthening the young believers in each place and appointing elders to care for these small new churches in each town.

In this message, one of our elders, Todd Giszack, encourages us to consider the corporate blessing of our individual salvation. God's plan for the church is clearly seen in Scripture, and while the Lord calls us to Himself one by one, as Christians we should recognize that we are also members of this corporate, worldwide body of Christ called the church.