Not every disagreement is a reason to leave.

Carl Trueman calls the automobile the most damaging invention in the history of the Western church, not because cars are evil, but because for the first time, an ordinary Christian could drive past a dozen good churches looking for the one that suits them best. Church stopped being the body you were placed in and started being a product you shop for. C.S. Lewis saw the same danger coming decades earlier. In The Screwtape Letters, a senior demon advises sending a churchgoer "all over the neighbourhood looking for the church that suits him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches," making him a critic instead of a pupil.

This message walks through Acts 15:36-41, where two of the most respected leaders in the early church, Paul and Barnabas, have a real and painful disagreement and go their separate ways. It's an unlikely text to answer the question of when a church split is legitimate, and when we're just running from ordinary friction dressed up as conviction.

In this sermon:

Christians Can Disagree. Why the disagreement over John Mark wasn't a sin issue, how theological triage helps us know the difference between what's worth fighting over and what isn't, and why mature, Spirit-filled believers can look at the same situation and land in different, defensible places.

Christians Can Separate. What made Paul and Barnabas's parting different from how most church splits happen today, why they were "commended to the grace of the Lord" rather than accused, and how their broken partnership was eventually restored.

Christians Must Commit. Why consumerism, disappointment, and even real hurt aren't good enough reasons to leave a church, what Matthew 18 actually calls us to do instead, and how the friction of being in real relationship with imperfect people might be exactly what God uses to disciple you.

Also covered: the difference between a unity built on truth and a false unity built on avoiding conflict, a 2004 quote from an Episcopal bishop who chose to prioritize institutional peace over doctrine, and why Jesus, who never treated His church like a consumer, is the only reason we're able to stay and forgive instead of leave.

ABOUT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HAW RIVER

At First Baptist Church, we want to encourage you to know Christ, grow in Christ, and go for Christ. The Church is not a building, but a family of born-again believers who commit to loving one another by gathering together regularly for worship and running alongside one another as we know, grow, and go in Christ. We, at FBC, have been a church who loves and lives out the gospel in downtown Haw River, North Carolina, near Burlington, Graham, and Mebane since 1892. We would love to meet you on a Sunday at 11:00 am at 508 E Main St, Haw River, NC 27258.

Website: https://www.fbchawriver.org/

Plan a visit: https://www.fbchawriver.org/plan-a-visit

How can I be saved: https://www.fbchawriver.org/good-news

Give: https://fbchawriver.churchtrac.com/give

Preached by Justin Stevers, Lead Teaching Pastor

Series: Looking Back to Look Forward, a study through the book of Acts

Scripture: Acts 15:36-41 (ESV)

#Acts15 #BookOfActs #ExpositorySermon #HawRiverNC #BurlingtonNC #GrahamNC #MebaneNC #Sermon #Preaching #ChurchUnity #ChristianLiving

Grace alone saves.

500 years ago, Martin Luther heard a friar named Johann Tetzel selling forgiveness for a coin, and his blood boiled. It was a false gospel of Jesus plus money. But in Acts 15, we see the very first time the church had this exact same fight. Men came to Antioch demanding Jesus plus the Old Testament law. Paul and Barnabas realized this was a fight they couldn't back down from.

This message walks through Acts 15:1-22, 30-31 and asks what we do when the core of our faith is threatened. We cannot earn our way up to God. Salvation comes from outside of us, and it is given entirely by grace.

In this sermon:

Protect the gospel. Why the early church fought against the "Jesus plus" mentality, the difference between what we fight over (the gospel) and what we fight for (unity), and how the enemy uses internal division to stall a church when external persecution fails.

Present the testimonies. How Peter used his experience of God saving the Gentiles, why we must always calibrate our subjective experiences against the objective truth of God's Word, and how to exercise the muscle of sharing what God is doing in your life.

Pursue the mission. Why the Jerusalem Council's four requirements weren't a new law to earn salvation but a call to Christian liberty used in love, and how a church that is clear on grace is free to stop bickering, start rejoicing, and reach the outside world.

Also covered: the danger of falling into the two ditches of legalism and antinomianism, the story of Lazarus as a picture of our spiritual deadness, and how Acts 15 is the real-time fulfillment of Jesus' High Priestly prayer for unity and truth.

ABOUT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HAW RIVER

At First Baptist Church, we want to encourage you to know Christ, grow in Christ, and go for Christ. The Church is not a building, but a family of born-again believers who commit to loving one another by gathering together regularly for worship and running alongside one another as we know, grow, and go in Christ. We, at FBC, have been a church who loves and lives out the gospel in downtown Haw River, North Carolina, near Burlington, Graham, and Mebane since 1892. We would love to meet you on a Sunday at 11:00 am at 508 E Main St, Haw River, NC 27258.

Website: https://www.fbchawriver.org/

Plan a visit: https://www.fbchawriver.org/plan-a-visit

How can I be saved: https://www.fbchawriver.org/good-news

Give: https://fbchawriver.churchtrac.com/give

Preached by Justin Stevers, Lead Teaching Pastor

Series: Looking Back to Look Forward, a study through the book of Acts

Scripture: Acts 15:1-22, 30-31 (ESV)

#Acts15 #BookOfActs #ExpositorySermon #HawRiverNC #BurlingtonNC #Sermon #Preaching #Gospel #SolaGratia

The point of God's power is his praise.

In Lystra, Paul heals a man who has never walked a day in his life. The crowd sees it, calls Paul and Barnabas gods, and shows up with oxen and garlands. They saw real power and completely missed the point. Days later the same crowd picks up stones. This message walks through Acts 14:8-23 and asks what we do when God puts his power on display. God has the power to heal. God has the power to save. And every bit of it exists so that he gets the praise, not us.

In this sermon: God displays his power. Why the miracles in Acts cluster at the big turning points, how to tell the difference between a passage that describes something and a passage that commands it, and what it looks like to pray boldly for healing while still saying not my will but yours. God deserves his praise. Herod took the applause and it destroyed him. Peter refused it. Paul and Barnabas tore their clothes and pointed the crowd to the living God. Living for the approval of people is building your life on shifting sand. God delivers his peace. Paul is stoned and left for dead, gets up, walks back into the same city, and keeps preaching. The safest place to be is in God's will, but that has never meant physically safe. It has always meant eternally safe. Also covered: the parallel with the lame man in Acts 3, Jesus forgiving sins in Mark 2, why church membership is essential and not just nice, and how to be ready to share the good news when the moment comes.

ABOUT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HAW RIVER At First Baptist Church, we want to encourage you to know Christ, grow in Christ, and go for Christ. The Church is not a building, but a family of born-again believers who commit to loving one another by gathering together regularly for worship and running alongside one another as we know, grow, and go in Christ. We, at FBC, have been a church who loves and lives out the gospel in downtown Haw River, North Carolina, near Burlington, Graham, and Mebane since 1892. We would love to meet you on a Sunday at 11:00 am at 508 E Main St, Haw River, NC 27258.

Website: https://www.fbchawriver.org/

Plan a visit: https://www.fbchawriver.org/plan-a-visit

How can I be saved: https://www.fbchawriver.org/good-news

Give: https://fbchawriver.churchtrac.com/give

Preached by Justin Stevers, Lead Teaching Pastor Series: Looking Back to Look Forward, a study through the book of Acts

Scripture: Acts 14:8-23 (ESV)

#Acts14 #BookOfActs #ExpositorySermon #HawRiverNC #BurlingtonNC #Sermon #Preaching #Gospel

What is the tenth commandment really about, and why can't we stop wanting more? In this final message of our Ten Words series through the Ten Commandments, Pastor Justin Stevers walks through Exodus 20:17, "You shall not covet," and shows that our deepest problem is not that we want too much, but that what we want is too little. Learn how the sins of covetousness, envy, jealousy, grumbling, and complaining reveal a restless heart, and discover three biblical medicines that fight discontentment: contentment in Christ (Philippians 4:11-13), sacrificial love for others (Romans 12:15), and joy in God (Luke 7:36-50). Whether you are exploring Christianity or have followed Jesus for years, this sermon points to the only One who can satisfy the human heart.

Ten Commandments Series - Exodus 20:17 - Pastor Justin Stevers

6/28/26 fbchawriver.org

Are you running away from God or trying to earn His love through your own good works? In Luke 15, the parable of the Prodigal Son reveals that while sin leaves us empty and pride keeps us distant, the Father is always waiting with open arms for us to simply surrender and come home.

Stand Alone Sermon - Luke 15:11-32 - Michael Guiton 7/26/26 fbchawriver.org

Sermon Overview: Whether you feel like you have ruined your life through rebellious choices or you are exhausting yourself trying to earn God's favor through moral performance, Jesus offers a better way. In this message on Luke 15:11-32, guest speaker Michael Guiton breaks down the famous Parable of the Prodigal Son. Discover how sin always takes us further than we want to go, how the Father eagerly welcomes returning sinners before they can clean themselves up, and why religious self-righteousness is just as dangerous as outward rebellion.

Key Takeaways:

• Point 1: Sin Leaves Us Empty (Luke 15:11-16) — Sin overpromises and underdelivers, leading from temporary pleasure to hitting spiritual rock bottom.
• Point 2: Grace Welcomes Us Home (Luke 15:17-24) — Repentance begins when we come to the end of ourselves and realize God meets us with grace, not condemnation.
• Point 3: Pride Keeps Us Distant (Luke 15:25-32) — Trying to earn right standing with God through good behavior creates resentment and blinds us to the joy of salvation.

What do you do when you are trapped in a 3 a.m. mental loop of anxiety and God feels distant? In Psalm 77, Asaph shows us how to stop drowning in our "what ifs" by making a holy pivot, revealing that we must shift our focus from our pain to God's past faithfulness to find true peace.

Stand Alone Sermon - Psalm 77 - Pastor Jonathan Jenkins

7/19/26 fbchawriver.org

Your words are never neutral. When we think of the ninth commandment, we often reduce it to a simple rule: "Do not lie." But by commanding us not to "bear false witness," God targets the courtroom of our everyday lives. From flattery and gossip, to half-truths and strategic silence, we constantly use our words as weapons to protect ourselves and destroy others.

In this message on Exodus 20:16, we look at why we bend the truth, how Jesus- the only truly innocent man- allowed Himself to be condemned by false witnesses, and how the grace of the cross transforms our lying lips. Discover how the Gospel takes the weapon out of our mouths and gives us a true witness in its place.

Ten Commandments Series 2026 - Exodus 20:16 - Pastor Justin Stevers 7/12/26 fbchawriver.org

Are you a giver or a taker? In Exodus 20, "you shall not steal" cuts far deeper than shoplifting, exposing the greed in every heart and pointing us to the God who became poor so that we could become rich.

Ten Commandments - Exodus 20:15 - Pastor Justin Stevers

7/5/26 fbchawriver.org

Is God trying to keep you from joy, or trying to protect it? In Exodus 20, "do not commit adultery" reveals that God's boundaries are not a cage but a fireplace, guarding the good gift of marriage and pointing us to a faithful Bridegroom who buys back His unfaithful bride.

Ten Commandments Series 2026 - Exodus 20:14 - Pastor Justin Stevers

6/28/26 fbchawriver.org

Have you ever really broken the sixth commandment? In Exodus 20, "do not murder" reveals that we are worse than we think and worth more than we can imagine, exposing the hatred in every heart while pointing us to the blood of Christ that speaks a better word.

Ten Commandments - Exodus 20:13 - Pastor Justin Stevers

5/21/26 fbchawriver.org