Fusion Christian Church

This is part 12 of "The After Party," our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches that God can turn and use evil situations for good purposes.

God can turn it for good.

The bible is full of stories where God takes a terrible situation and flips it around for the good of his people. Acts chapter eight is one of those stories. The church began to face its first real wave of persecution following Stephen's death, scattering the believers. As it happened, this scattering forced Christians to carry the gospel outside of Jerusalem. The result was that people in neighboring cities began to hear the good news and Jesus' kingdom began to spread. We see that God can turn things around for good, but what are some ways in which he does it?

God turns grief into joy.

When we picked up our story in Acts 8, we saw a church that was mourning the loss of Stephen, one of its leaders. By the time we reach the end of the passage, however, we see great joy in Samaria because of the gospel being brought there. Just like the early church, modern Christians are not immune to sorrow. The promise of God is that sorrow is not the final word, and that when we enter his presence there will be fullness of joy. 

God turns opposition into open doors.

We have already seen that God arranged for the gospel to be preached because of the scattering of believers. God does the same sort of thing now. Often we complain about any opposition we face, but if we remain patient, we may see God work wonders. Make it up in your mind to wait on God and trust that he will be faithful through our trials!

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches about Stephen, the first martyr, and how we can stand to the end like he did.

Ask God for His Wisdom.

Before his death, Stephen answered every question with God-given wisdom. Both the old and new testaments advise us to ask God for wisdom and tell us that if we seek it we will find it. Christians are to use wisdom in all that we do. Seek wisdom from God, the source of it all. 

Let your light shine.

When Stephen sat before the Sanhedrin, his face shone like an angel. In the same way, Christians are to shine the light of God's grace in our daily lives. The gospel is a light to all who hear it, and Christians who don't share it through word and deed are neglecting their responsibility. Make sure to let your light shine for all to see!

Know where you’re headed.

When Stephen knew his life was over, he was able to remain at peace because he knew what his destination was. Stephen knew that he was on his way to the arms of Jesus, and that emboldened him at the end. When you know the future is secure and your hope is in heaven, you can live confidently for Christ. 

Take no grudges to the grave.

With his last words, Stephen asked God to forgive the very people who murdered him. Like Jesus on the cross, Stephen did not harbor any bitterness toward his enemies, but instead forgave them. Stephen's desire, even in death, was that his enemies would repent and that God would forgive them. We, too, should live our lives free from grudges and bitterness. When we let go of our grudges, it frees us to live the way Christ wants us to.

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches about the importance of having christlike servants in the church. There are three key ways Christians need to be Christlike in order to take the church to the next level.

Christlike Culture

To understand how the culture of a church should be Christlike, first we should see two major obstacles to this. The first major obstacle is division. A divided church will never be able to maintain a Christlike culture because a house divided cannot stand. Jesus prayed for unity among his followers, and if we promote disunity and division we will never live up to the calling Christ has for us. The second major obstacle is complaining. Complaining is a critical killer of Christlike culture because it keeps our focus on anything but Jesus and his mission for us. There is no purity in complaining, and we need to avoid it if we are to have Christlike culture.

Christlike Character

All Christians are meant to have character like Christ (hence the name "Christian!"), but this becomes even more important as the church grows. The church will never be corporately what it is not individually, so the individual must seek Christlike character in order for the church to have it as a whole. Christlike character consistently does the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right reason. On the flipside, bad character consistently does the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong way for the wrong reasons. As a follower of Jesus, you can choose to be like him in character through the power of the Spirit.

Christlike Competence

God has gifted every believer with certain abilities, and we are called to use them to serve the kingdom. Christlike competence means that we use our skills and talents in order to build up the church. What are you competent in? How can you use that knowledge and ability to benefit God's people and his kingdom?

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches why we need to have right motives.

Ananias and Sapphira

In Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira sell property and donate a portion of the money to the church. Ordinarily, this would be an honorable thing to do, but the couple lied about their contribution. They had every right to donate only some of the money, but they told the church that they gave the entire amount. Their motivation was to appear more generous than they really were. God is not fooled by this display, and he strikes both husband and wife dead on the spot.

Let God be your motive, not the recognition.

By lying to the church, Ananias and Sapphira were essentially lying to God. They did this because they desired the praise and approval of men more than the approval of God. If they desired to please God, they would have been honest about the amount donated. When you do good deeds, is it to be seen by men or by God? If you seek the praise of other people, Jesus said that will be your only reward. If you seek to please God, not caring about human attention, your reward will be in heaven.

Let truth be your motive, not lies.

Some people struggle greatly with telling the truth. The bible emphasizes the importance of truth and honesty all over the place. For the Christian, therefore, honesty should be a life goal. To walk in the truth is God's desire for us, because God is truth. How can you become a more honest person in your daily life? What would it look like to live in the truth? 

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches us about how we can live in the power of the Spirit both individually and communally.

Walk in the power of unity.

In the early church, the believers were all of one heart and mind. If Christians today are to be the same, we must make every effort to promote unity ourselves. Promoting unity means that we refuse to give in to divisive attitudes or indulge in toxic behaviors. A healthy Christian community refuses gossip, slander, backbiting, envy, and bitterness. Saying "no" to these behaviors and emotions will keep divisiveness to a minimum and foster community within the church. This means not only refusing to engage in them yourself, but speaking up when others try to fall into them around you.

Walk in the power of generosity.

Often a church's potential is limited solely by a lack of generosity from its members. If the whole body of Christ maintained a godly sense of generosity, there would never be a need left unmet in the church. Sometimes the temptation for individual believers is to think that generosity is not our responsibility, but this is not so. God calls all Christians to be generous because generosity is a beneficial character trait for every person. We are to be generous not merely because others have needs, but because there is a need in our own hearts to develop generosity. When God gives opportunities for generosity, he is helping us grow. Truly it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Are you a Barnabas?

Barnabas means "son of encouragement." In the bible, Barnabas was a generous servant who built people up wherever he went. Are you an encourager? Are you generous? Are you a unifier? If not, you should not expect to be the church to be something you are not.

With all of this in mind, how can you embody unity and generosity in your life this week?

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches us about the name (Jesus) that is above every name, and how the name of Jesus is specifically above your name.

Jesus is the name of your healing.

Jesus has the power to heal anyone of anything, and Christians can often see his miraculous power working. However, the most important healing that Jesus offers us is the spiritual healing we receive when we believe. When we become Christians, God works in our hearts to regenerate our spirits and bring from death to life. Physical healing is temporary, but the spiritual healing brought by Jesus through the gospel is eternal. One day, those who receive this spiritual healing will also receive new bodies like our present ones, but free of all weakness. This is accomplished when Jesus returns.

Jesus is the name you obey.

Many people want Christ's healing, but they have no interest in submitting to him. When it comes to God's kingdom, if you are only in it for the perks, you are not truly in it at all. Jesus said that those who love him keep his commands. To ignore God's rules is not the way of the Christian. Christ came to transform us into new men and women, not merely to grant us wishes. If we are to be transformed, we must keep his commands to the best of our ability.

Jesus is the name you build on.

The first stone laid in any building project is the most important one, because it orients everything that comes after. When the bible calls Jesus a "capstone" or "chief cornerstone" it means that he is the foundation for our faith and our lives. Is your life built on Jesus? Have you been trying to build on another foundation? If you make Jesus your cornerstone, it will orient everything else in the right way.

Jesus is the name of your salvation.

Christianity is exclusive. The gospel is available to all people, but there is not another gospel. When Jesus said he was the way, he meant it. All who call on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved, and there is no other name in heaven or on earth by which we are saved. Call upon the name of Jesus for your salvation.

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Matt teaches about what caused the early church to explode in growth and why God cares about the numbers.

God Cares About the Numbers!

Sometimes churches and the people in them become too caught up in the numbers, but the opposite can be just as much a problem. At Fusion Christian Church, we care about how many people attend because each one of those "numbers" represents a person who Jesus died for. God loves people, and by reaching more people we show God's love to more people. If we stop caring about the "numbers" altogether, we limit how many people we can love on God's behalf. We do not want high numbers simply to have them, but because numbers represent real people who need the gospel.

A Church that Gives God the Glory Continues to Grow.

God draws people to himself when Jesus Christ is lifted up. This means both that Jesus draws people through his death on the cross, and that Christians can help with this. When we glorify our God, we lift up Jesus and point our attention toward him. This helps direct others toward the one who can save them, and the Father draws them into the church.

A Unified Church Continues to Grow.

Unity does not mean that we agree on everything, it means we agree on the most important things and are gracious in everything else. Many people confuse unity with uniformity, thinking that because Christians are not completely uniform in all things, we are not united. This is not the case. Complete uniformity is usually the sign of a cult group, whereas true unity accommodates a wide range of practices and beliefs. If we believe in "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all" (Eph. 4:5-6) then we have unity on the essentials.

A Generous Church Continues to Grow.

One thing that united the early church was their willingness to give what they had to provide for others. Generosity is a tangible expression of the love Christians should have for everyone, but most of all for each other. When we give to the church, we help ensure that its needs are provided for. Giving to the local church is a primary way to facilitate this.

A Church that Gathers both Corporately and in Small Groups Continues to Grow.

The early church would meet regularly both in large and small gatherings. They met daily in homes, but also met in larger groups at the temple. Both types of gatherings are valuable for the health of the church. Those who go only to large meetings and not small groups are unable to develop the close relationships that help bind the church together. Those who only go to small groups and not large meetings miss out on the larger vision of the church.

Every person in the church is essential. When you are not active in your church body, not only are you missing out on the church, but the church is missing out on you! You have something to offer God and to offer the church. Don't deprive the rest of the body of Christ of your unique gifts and abilities!

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches from Acts 2 about the four elements that make a church healthy.

Be unshakeably devoted to God's word.

The early church committed to learning what God had spoken through the apostles. They received the Old Testament from their ancestors, but received new revelation from the apostles, now recorded in the New Testament. Because they knew God had spoken in this way, they were attentive to his word and determined to learn what they could from it. This sets an example for us to follow today. We should study and learn God's word both as individuals and within our church community.

Be devoted to authentic fellowship.

Fellowship is more than simply "hanging out." Fellowship is when the body of believers lives out their common faith in Jesus. When we fellowship with other Christians, our faith expresses itself in our relationships and interactions with each other. Love should be demonstrated above all when we fellowship.

Be devoted to breaking bread with others in the church.

Breaking bread is closely bound with fellowship, but is two-fold in expression. We should both eat together with other Christians and develop our relationships in that way, but also take communion together regularly. In the early church, these two often went hand in hand, as communion would often be taken as part of a larger communal meal. However we choose to partake in these two activities, they are important for our spiritual development as individuals and as a church.

Be devoted to personal and corporate prayer.

The church will never be corporately what it is not individually. This means that if we desire a church that prays, we need individuals who pray. Prayer is an undeniably crucial aspect of a healthy Christian life, and we must discipline ourselves to pray consistently. If we do not pray, the church will suffer as a result. How can you help yourself to become more disciplined in your prayer?

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this sermon, Pastor Zac teaches about how the Holy Spirit empowers believers and how the Last Days are upon us!

The Holy Spirit empowers the coward - and he can empower you.

Most of Acts chapter two is a sermon from Peter the apostle. Peter, the same man who abandoned Christ and denied him three times, is now giving a sermon in front of thousands of people. Through the Holy Spirit, God is able to empower believers to be bold and courageous where before they were cowardly. If God can make Peter into a pillar of the church, he can certainly use you!

The last days have begun— the countdown is real – are you ready?

According to the bible, the "Last Days" are the period between Jesus' first coming and second coming. This means we are in the last days right now. Knowing this, we all have to ask ourselves if we're ready for Christ's return. Are you living the way you should knowing that Jesus will be coming soon?

The Holy Spirit was poured out and is yours to receive.

In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit briefly enabled people to accomplish tasks. In the New Testament, in the "Last Days," the Holy Spirit lives inside of believers. The same power that led heroes of the Old Testament to do mighty deeds in God's name now lives inside every Christian. This means that God is always with us and that through him we can do great things to grow his kingdom.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

To receive the Holy Spirit, you must accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and submit to him as Lord. This promise is for everyone, because everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. If you repent and believe, you will be saved.

"The After Party" is our series at Fusion Christian Church on the book of Acts. Follow along as we explore what happened to the church after Jesus ascended to heaven. In this message, Pastor Zac teaches about the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost and what it means for us today.

Your first fruits always belong to the Lord.

God chose to initiate the church at Pentecost because of what the day meant in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, Pentecost was the day that Israel would bring in the "firstfruits" of their belongings as an offering to the Lord. In the New Testament, Pentecost was the day that God took the firstfruits of the church. The 3,000 people saved in Acts 2 represent the first part of the whole of God's people, whom God has been bringing to himself out of every nation since that day. Just as Israel brought in their firstfruits, we, too, should offer the first of all we have to God.

You must surrender your heart to God.

Fifty days after the first Passover, Moses went to meet God at Mount Sinai. Fifty days after Jesus' death (at Passover), God sent the Holy Spirit to meet the church. Moses brought the law on stone tablets, but the Holy Spirit came to write the law on our hearts. When we surrender our hearts to God, the Holy Spirit fills us and gives us the ability to uphold God's commandments. Before we have the Holy Spirit, no good thing we do provides any spiritual benefit. Through the Holy Spirit we are enabled to do spiritual good and to truly love God.

Jesus has reversed every curse.

Through the gift of tongues given at Pentecost, the church is able to reverse the curse of Babel. At the tower of Babel, God confused the languages because the people were united against him. Now, in the New Testament era, God has given the gift of tongues to his church so that people of every nation, tribe, and tongue could be a part of his people. Instead of humans being united against God, we can now unite in exalting God.

The reversing of this curse is also the firstfruit of all other curses to be broken by Christ's power. For the believer, no curse cannot be overcome through the power of the Spirit. Whatever sin or curse is in your past has been nailed to the cross and you need bear it no more. Surrender to Christ and be freed from the bondage of sin and death.