Acts 20:17-38 preached by Pastor Jon Needham

Big Ideas

1. Biblical eldership
Knowing that he would never again visit the Ephesian church, Paul offers his final instruction and encouragement to the elders, whom he charged to shepherd the flock (Acts 20:28). This model of Church leadership is consistent throughout the entire New Testament. Local churches are to be governed by a plurality of biblically qualified men entrusted with their oversight (1 Timothy 3:1-7).

2. The whole counsel of God’s Word
It is not uncommon for Christians to think that the Old Testament is not for them. After all, isn’t Christianity a New Testament thing? Well, yes and no. Jesus does show up in the New Testament, but the Old Testament from beginning to end testifies to Jesus (John 5:39). This is why Paul was committed to teaching the entire Old Testament to the early Church. The whole Bible is for the whole Church.

3. Beware of the wolves
Paul knew that wolves—false teachers pretending to be Christians—would attack the Church, attempting to teach erroneous doctrine. This is exactly what happened to the Ephesian church, which lead Paul to write 1 Timothy (1 Timothy 1:18-20). The Church must always be on guard against wolves. This begins with elders who are deeply committed to sound biblical theology and unafraid to call out false teachers and teaching when necessary.

Study Questions

1. What is the biblical model for Church leadership in this text? How is it similar to or different from other models of Church leadership you are aware of or have experienced?

2. What parts of the Bible are most confusing or intimidating to you and why? What does this text teach you about those parts of the Bible?

3. What is a wolf and what do they do? What wolves or false teaching is threatening the Church today?

Pastor Kim Highfield teaches on how men's identities ought to be formed by the person and work of Jesus.

Does the Bible have anything to say about my career and my workweek? In this episode of Bible Thoughts, Pastor Rusten looks at the beginning of the Bible story when God first creates humanity in his image. At that point, God gave them a vocation that fit that image, what many theologians call "the cultural mandate" or "the dominion mandate." This has profound implications for our careers and labors.

You are invited to join us for our midweek class on the book of Revelation. We will be gathering on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. Classes will run from January 25 through March 15, take a short break, and resume for the Spring Session.

Acts 20:1-16 preached by Pastor Jon Needham

Big Ideas

1. Teaching, teaching, and more teaching
Paul was a prolific teacher. In this text, he provided teaching and instruction for believers, through the night and well into the early morning hours. Even after one person fell asleep and fell from a window, narrowly escaping death, Paul continued. Not only was Paul a teacher, but the Church had an appetite for and commitment to biblical teaching and instruction.

2. The necessity of encouragement
When we think of Paul, we tend to think of writing, teaching, preaching, and church planting. Of course, he did all of those things, but in this text, we are also told about how he encouraged Christians. While sound doctrine and proper theology are absolutely vital for the life of the local church, we also need a consistent diet of encouragement.

3. Kids and Church
We do not know how old Eutychus was, but we do know that he was young and present for Paul’s late-night teaching marathon. Many of us grew up believing that “Church” was for adults and that the kids belonged in a special age-appropriate ministry environment. These “environments” follow individuals well into their college years. What we know from this text and others such as Ephesians 6, is that kids were present for worship with their families and were expected to participate in weekly worship.

Study Questions

1. Why is Bible teaching so important for the Church? How have you grown through biblical instruction?

2. How have you been blessed by the encouraging words or presence of a friend? How can you encourage those around you?

3. What, if any, experience did you have as a kid in the Church? Why is it important to include kids in weekly worship? What reasons exist for not having kids present for corporate worship on Sundays?

In the Bible, God uses normal people like Paul and Elijah as instruments in his mission. We may think that Paul and Elijah were invincible, but they struggled with despair and the pressures of their task. But in these moments, we see God graciously comfort and strengthen them. In this episode of Sermon B-Sides, Pastor Jon and Pastor Rusten look at the story of Paul in Corinth and Jesus' promise that Paul would not be harmed there.

Acts 19:11-41

Big Ideas

1. Naked and ashamed
In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul wrote that we battle “against the spiritual forces of evil” (Ephesians 6:12). Satan is real. Demons are real. The battle is real. However, Jesus is Lord over everything, even dark spiritual forces. The demons actually know that (James 2:19)! This truth is powerfully demonstrated in the text. Those who seek to confront dark spiritual forces in their own power and for their own personal gain will only be left naked and ashamed. Apart from Jesus, we have no power over or protection from demons.

2. Jesus, idols & riots
Because the Gospel proclaims the absolute lordship of Jesus over everything, it always draws a line and brings division (Luke 12:51). It doesn’t just call us to believe something privately in our hearts. It calls all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Some believe and repent, while others dig in their heels. In this text, the transformation taking place in the city turned people away from idolatry, which was a lucrative business. In other words, Christianity was hurting the bottom line of those who profited from idolatry. Consequently, those who lost business stirred up a riot in an effort to intimidate the Christians.

3. Unavoidable conflict
Conflict is a constant theme throughout the book of Acts. It always arises because of preaching and teaching the Gospel. This conflict is not initiated by the Church. Rather, the rebellious world reacts to the Gospel with disdain, opposition, intimidation, and sometimes riots. This kind of conflict is unavoidable. Many of us have been taught to avoid all conflict at any cost. We assume that a lack of conflict is the greatest sign of Christian maturity. The book of Acts invites us to rethink how we understand and relate to Gospel conflict.

Study Questions

1. Why were the sons of Sceva powerless against the evil spirit in this text?

2. What do you think motivated the riots at Ephesus? To what were the people truly devoted?

3. How do you relate to conflict? What is the difference between healthy and unhealthy conflict? What will avoiding conflict cost you?

What happens when the Gospel confronts the cultured pagans of Athens? In this episode of Sermon B-Sides, Pastor Jon and Pastor Rusten look at Paul's address to the Areopagus. In this passage, Paul shares the Gospel with people who are not familiar with the Old Testament. We can learn from Paul's example here; while he sought to make the Gospel understandable, he did not soften the claims of the Gospel that the Athenians found offensive.

Women's Training: Christ-Shaped Identity taught by Kelly Highfield

How does God's Word instruct women to live? Coram Deo member Kelly Highfield teaches about the model we find in Proverbs 31 and instructs ladies in how they can be shaped into the likeness of Christ as they find their identity in him.