REVIEW:

1. The Will of God is Directional

2. The Will of God is Relational

3. The Will of God Often Includes Suffering

4. The Will of God Requires Courage

5. The Will of God Is Personal

6. The Will of God Begins with Surrender to Jesus

HEAD / HEART / HANDS

Head: Obedience to Jesus is the true measure of success.

Heart: Following Jesus is worth every cost.

Hands: Speak Christ boldly wherever you are.

“Nothing can happen to a man outside the will of God.” — A.W. Tozer

Five More Observations On Acts 21:

7. The Will of God Requires Humility.

Obedience will cost you approval.

8. The Will of God May Not Protect You from False Accusation.

“When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Expect opposition when you live for Jesus.

Obedience often looks offensive to those who are comfortable.

9. The Will of God Redefines Success.

Success in God’s economy is obedience.

10. The Will of God Is Sovereign Over Chaos.

“Paul shows greater courage in chains than others show in freedom.” - John Chrysostom

11. The Will of God Gives You a Testimony.

Spiritual authority flows from spiritual surrender.

Acts 21:1-20 (ESV)

1. The Will of God is Directional

Less drift and more go.

2. The Will of God is Relational

“The practice of walking with a traveler to the outskirts of the city was traditional; yet the practice of kneeling on the shore together for prayer was uniquely Christian.”

Encouragement strengthens obedience.

“A Christian man should be a comforter with a backbone.” - Charles Spurgeon

3. The Will of God Often Includes Suffering

The gospel advances through sacrifice.

4C Christian Parents - prepare your kids for a faith that costs something.

Ephesians 2:10 – God designed people for assignments.

“Before God can use a man greatly, He must wound him deeply.” - A.W. Tozer

4. The Will of God Requires Courage

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” -Corrie ten Boom

5. The Will of God Is Personal

Discernment vs. avoidance

6. The Will of God Begins with Surrender to Jesus

You cannot obey God fully until you first surrender to Jesus.

Spiritual maturity sounds like this: “The will of the Lord be done.”

My One Sentence So What? ______________________________________________________.

Acts 20:13–38

1. A GODLY LEADER LIVES A LIFE WORTH WATCHING (vv. 18–21)

Paul doesn’t say, “Remember my sermons.” He says, “Remember my life.”

You can fake gifting for a season, but you cannot fake godliness for a lifetime.

Your life is the sermon they remember.

2. A FAITHFUL SERVANT OBEYS GOD NO MATTER THE COST (vv. 22–24)

Prison is coming. Affliction is coming. Pain is coming

Paul: “My life is not about my comfort—it’s about my calling.”

Christianity in America says: “Follow Jesus and He’ll make your life easier.”

Paul says: “Follow Jesus and He’ll make your life count.”

3. A TRUE SHEPHERD FEEDS THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD (vv. 25–27)

If a pastor only preaches what’s popular, he’s not a shepherd—he’s a hireling.

Paul says, “I’m innocent of your blood.”

Why? Because he told the truth—even when it hurt.

You don’t need softer sermons. You need truer ones.

4. THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE CHURCH COMES FROM WITHIN (vv. 28–31)

Before you watch others—watch yourself.

Savage wolves will come from outside. False teachers will rise from inside.

The church belongs to God. It was bought with blood.

Shepherding is not a job—it’s a sacred trust.

Untested leadership is dangerous. Authority without holiness is lethal.

5. GOD’S GRACE—NOT MONEY—SUSTAINS GOD’S SERVANTS (vv. 32–35)

Paul doesn’t ask for money. He doesn’t build a brand.

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Leadership in the kingdom is not about what you can take—it about what you leave.

A greedy leader disqualifies himself. A generous leader reflects Jesus.

6. GOSPEL GOODBYES ARE FILLED WITH HOPE AND TEARS (vv. 36–38)

This isn’t a cold theological meeting—this is family.

They don’t grieve like people with no hope and no future.

The gospel creates bonds that death itself cannot break.

Faithful ministry leaves scars—but they’re holy scars.

Is your life worth watching?

Are you feeding on the whole truth—or just the parts you like?

Are you guarding your heart?

Are you giving your life away?

Acts 20:1-6 

Acts 20:7-12

1. Eutychus leaned out spiritually while others were leaning in.

- Everyone else is leaning toward the Word.

- Eutychus is leaning toward the edge.

- Spiritual leaning determines spiritual stability.

2. Eutychus separated himself from a positive influence in his life.

- Distance always precedes disaster.

- Isolation is never neutral. It’s always directional.

3. Eutychus placed himself in an obviously perilous position.

- Luke tells us it’s the third story. That matters.

- The higher the window, the greater the fall.

- If you live on the edge long enough, gravity will do the rest.

4. In one sense his crisis was fueled by perfectly natural tendencies.

- He is tired. Nothing sinful here.

- Natural weakness becomes dangerous when paired with spiritual carelessness.

- Tired souls need guardrails, not windows.

- Sleep isn’t the enemy. Sleepiness toward God is.

5. His crisis was solved by supernatural intervention expressed through a concerned church.

- Paul goes down, embraces him—echoing Elijah and Elisha.

- Notice: God works through the church.

- Paul doesn’t scold. The church responds with faith, urgency, and love.

- Grace runs faster than gravity.

6. His first steps after his touch from God was returning to the very service that once lulled him to sleep.

- This is stunning: After the miracle, the service continues.

- Eutychus doesn’t run away embarrassed. He goes back to the table.

- The same gathering that exposed his weakness becomes the place of his healing

7. His testimony became a source of joy for those who knew him.

- “They were not a little comforted” = Joy exploded.

- One young man’s restoration strengthened the whole church.

- This isn’t a sermon about a sleepy teenager.

- This is a sermon about a church that stayed awake long enough to see resurrection.

Get off the window.

Get back to the center.

Stay awake.

There is much joy to be had.

Ephesians 2:1–10

1. Our Condition: Spiritually Dead (Eph. 2:1–3)

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins…” (Ephesians 2:1)

- Not sick. Not struggling. Not confused.

- Dead.

- Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good.

- He came to make dead people alive.

2. God’s Intervention: “But God” (Eph. 2:4–6)

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead… made us alive together with Christ.”

- Salvation is not God responding to your effort.

- Salvation is God responding to your helplessness.

- Jesus lived the life we couldn’t live.

- Jesus died the death we deserved to die.

- Jesus rose again to give us new life.

3. The Means of Salvation: Grace Through Faith (Eph. 2:8–9)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

- Grace means: You don’t earn it. You don’t deserve it. You can’t repay it

- Faith is not trying harder. Faith is trusting fully.

- If salvation were by works, heaven would be full of bragging.

- Because salvation is by grace, heaven will be full of worship.

4. The Result: A New Life With Purpose (Eph. 2:10)

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…”

- Good works don’t save us—they follow salvation.

- We don’t work for acceptance. We work from acceptance.

Common Reasons People Reject Salvation — and Biblical Responses

1. “I’m a good person.”

- The standard isn’t “better than others.”

- The standard is God’s holiness.

2. “I’ll clean my life up first.”

- Like saying you’ll lose weight before going to gym – backwards.

- You don’t get clean to come to Christ.

- You come to Christ to be made clean.

3. “I’m too sinful—God wouldn’t want me.”

- You are not disqualified by your sin.

- You are the reason He came.

4. “There are too many hypocrites in the church.”

- Jesus warned there would be hypocrites (Matthew 23).

- Hypocrisy in others does not excuse unbelief in you.

- The church is not a museum for saints. It’s a hospital for sinners. Sinners are here.

5. “I’ll deal with this later.”

- “You do not know what tomorrow will bring.” (James 4:14)

- Delayed obedience is disguised rejection.

- You are not promised tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation.

6. “There are many ways to God.”

- “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

- If there were another way, the cross was unnecessary.

- The resurrection declares Jesus is enough.

7. “Disappointment or hurt has left me suspicious.”

- God is not offended by your grief— He shares your hatred of death.

- If anyone could say, “The wrong person died,” it is God the Father.

- God is not asking you to trust Him from a distance.

- He is asking you to trust Him as One who has buried His Son.

- Grief and anger → welcomed

- Refusal to trust → dangerous

Acts 19:21-22

Acts 19:23-27

Acts 19:28-34

Acts 19:35-41

How Idols Worked Then And Still Work Today

1. Idols Promise Security and Joy Apart from God

Idols say: “If you have me, you’ll be okay.”

Test: If you lose it and are sad, it may have been a “good thing.” If you lose it and are devastated, it may have become a “god thing” to you.

2. Idols Engage Our Deepest Emotions

Threaten Artemis → people riot.

Diagnostic questions: What makes you panic?

What makes you despair?

Who can you not forgive?

3. Idols Must Be Protected

Irony in Acts 19: The “protector” goddess needs protection.

Modern examples: Marriage → obsession or fear of missing out

Kids → control or anxiety

Money → inability to give

Reputation → hypersensitivity to criticism

4. Idols Demand Sacrifice

Idols always say: “If you want me, you must sacrifice.”

What gets sacrificed: Integrity, Obedience, Family, Faithfulness

Good things become cruel masters when they become ultimate.

5. Idols Are Not Just Psychological—They Are Spiritual

Behind idolatry are spiritual forces.

Same old lie: “If you obtain this, you’ll be like God and you won’t die.”

HOW THE GOSPEL DESTROYS IDOLS

The True God Alone Gives Life

Not made with hands

Creator, sustainer, and satisfier

The True God Does Not Need Protection—He Protects You

God is: Rock, Refuge, Fortress, Strength

You can rest instead of obsess.

The True God Offered Himself as the Sacrifice

Other gods say: “If you fail me, you’ll be destroyed.”

Jesus says: “You failed me—and I was destroyed for you.”

At the cross, Jesus took our shame and idolatry.

Acts 19 challenges people who talk about Jesus but don’t actually belong to Jesus.

Acts 19:1-10 

1. Right Doctrine Matters

Paul meets disciples who had received John’s baptism—repentance without the fullness of Christ.

- Paul explains Jesus fully: crucified, risen, reigning.

- They are baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

- Repentance without resurrection power produces good people, not bold witnesses.

- Right theology fuels real experiences.

- The Holy Spirit is not an add-on. He’s the engine of change and power.

Acts 19:11-20 

2. Authority Comes from Relationship, Not Vocabulary

- Demons do not fear Christian phrases.

- They fear Christ-filled people

3. The Holy Spirit Produces Fear of God, Not Self-Promotion.

- This was not private repentance—it was costly obedience.

- True revival always costs something.

4. Authentic Faith Trumps Religious Activity

- The sons of Sceva were active—but not authentic.

- Jesus does not outsource His authority: You either abide in Him, or you don’t.

5. The Holy Spirit Is Not an Add-On

- Acts 19 shatters the idea that the Spirit is optional. The Spirit:

- Christianity without the Spirit becomes moralism or performance.

6. True Encounters Produces Radical Repentance

- They burned spell books, sources of income, tools of identity

- They didn’t just stop doing evil—they destroyed access to it.

- Question for today: What would repentance cost you?

If you’ve been near Jesus but not surrendered—repent.

If you’ve known religion but not power—ask for a fresh filling of the Spirit.

If you’ve kept hidden idols—burn them.

“So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.” (Acts 19:20)

That’s what happens when real Jesus meets real repentance through real power.

2026 can be better than 2025. Really.

The Lord doesn’t promise that 2026 will be easier than 2025.

There is no full experience of “my good” without “His mission.”

Acts 18:18-23

Paul: Celebrate Success, Strengthen What Is Good, Keep Pressing On

Paul doesn’t slow down after success.

He keeps moving, keeps teaching, keeps strengthening disciples.

He honors a vow, submits to Spirit-leading, and revisits churches to strengthen them.

What disciples can learn from Paul

Maturity means consistency, not novelty.

Obedience matters even when unseen or misunderstood

God’s work often advances through long obedience in the same direction

For 2026: Faithful trumps flashy.

Paul reminds us that spiritual growth is not about dramatic resets but steady faithfulness.

A better year likely is less about grand resolutions, and more about renewed obedience.

Acts 18:24-26

Aquila & Priscilla: Initiate a Connection and Have Meaningful Conversations

Want to walk in your divine purpose in 2026?

Initiate hospitality and start meaningful conversations.

It is THE most repeated model in Acts for world-changers.

What disciples can learn from Aquila & Priscilla

Mature faith is teachable and relational

Discipleship often happens in living rooms, not spotlights

Correction is required; when given with humility, it can multiply leaders

For 2026: God uses quiet faithfulness to shape future leaders.

A better year may come through investing deeply in just one or two people.

Acts 18:27-28 

Apollos: Being Teachable Precedes Being Truly Powerful

Apollos is gifted, eloquent, knowledgeable—but incomplete.

Instead of resisting correction, he receives it.

Once refined, God uses him mightily to refute error and strengthen the church.

What disciples can learn from Apollos

Spiritual maturity requires humility before accuracy

Passion must be shaped by truth

Growth accelerates when correction is welcomed

For 2026: ‘Sudden breakthroughs’ usually follow multiple tweaks made over time.

God may not need to give you more zeal. He may want to refine what you already have.

Thoughts on His mission:

No single hero. No one does everything.

Mission advances through a community of maturing disciples, each faithful in their role.

Thoughts on My Good:

A better year doesn’t flow from circumstances changing.

It flows from my maturing.

The longer you entertain in your life what is not from God, the longer you postpone what is.

“So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.” (Acts 19:20)

Rome claimed a savior, a son of god, and a gospel — but first Christmas revealed the real one.

The world didn’t need another religion — it needed a true King.

I. ROME’S GOSPEL VS. GOD’S GOSPEL

Julius Caesar died, a comet appeared, and Rome said: “He has become a god.”

Augustus—his adopted son—took the title:

Divi Filius (Son of God)

Savior

Bringer of Peace

Lord of the World

Luke 2:1-2 

II. THE “BUT GOD” MOMENT

Galatians 4:4-5

Rome flexed. God humbled Himself.

III. THE ANGELS DECLARE WAR — WITH WORDS

Luke 2:10–11

“I bring you good news… a Savior… who is Christ the Lord.”

Luke is saying, “Caesar, you don’t own these titles anymore.”

IV. REDEFINING POWER, PEACE, AND PEOPLES

Rome: Peace through domination, Unity through fear, Salvation for citizens only

Jesus: Peace through reconciliation, Unity through the Spirit, Salvation for all people

Luke 2:13-14

V. CHRISTMAS DEMANDS A DECISION

You must decide what you will do with Jesus Christ.

Christmas is not cute—it is confrontational.

You don’t get to ignore Jesus.

You either crown Him—or reject Him.

Rome rejected Him.

History crowned Him.

What are you doing with Jesus?

VI. GOD IS STILL STEPPING IN

Ephesians 2:4–5

Christmas is God interrupting your false saviors.

Christmas is God offering you true peace.

Jesus does not save the world by staying put.

He saved it by coming to earth as a baby.

He saves it by sending people out to continue his work.

He will save it, fully, by coming back to earth at the end of time.

Act 18:1-17

1. PAUL TRAVELS TO CORINTH — LOVE MOVES TOWARD HARD PLACES.

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.” (v.1)

Paul doesn’t go to Corinth because it’s easy.

Love goes where the lost are.

Disciples don’t just complain about culture — they move into it with the gospel.

2. ORDINARY PEOPLE WITH A BACK STORY – GOD USES THEM TO MAKES HIS LOVE KNOWN.

“And he found a Jew named Aquila… with his wife Priscilla… because Claudius had commanded

all the Jews to leave Rome.” (v.2)

Aquila and Priscilla are on the move because of political realities.

God uses their displacement to build His church.

God often uses interruption and inconvenience as the engine of mission.

3. PAUL PREACHES, IS OPPOSED, AND DOES NOT BACK DOWN – COMPELLED BY LOVE.

“Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.…” (v.4)

Paul engages the culture. He proclaims Jesus as Messiah.

The opposition intensifies: “Your blood be on your own heads!” (v.6)

Love speaks truth clearly and lets people decide.

4. JESUS MEETS PAUL ON THE JOURNEY – LOVE AS “PRESENCE.”

“Do not be afraid… for I am with you.” (vv.9–10)

Advent Love is God with us — on the road, in exile, in danger, in opposition.

If God sends you, He stays with you.

5. GOD USES LEGAL SYSTEMS WITHOUT FEARING THEM – LOVE IS BIGGER THAN POLITICS.

“Gallio… refused to judge the case.” (vv.12–17)

God is bigger and works within systems to accomplish His purposes.

Christians do not need to panic about governments.

Rome thought it ruled the world but God was planting churches under its nose.

6. WEEK 4 OF ADVENT FOCUSES ON GOD’S LOVE - LOVE THAT TRAVELED TO US.

Love traveled from heaven to earth. The gospel moves because love moves.

Disciples today must ask:

Where is God calling you to go?

Who is God calling you to engage?

What comfort might love require you to leave behind?

God does not love from a distance. He loves by drawing near.

The God who came to you now sends you to others.