Heritage Hill Sermons

When Jesus Saves His Enemies

Acts 9:1–19

This sermon was originally preached by Pastor Aaron Boswell at The Trails Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of a verse-by-verse series through the book of Acts.

In this sermon, Pastor Aaron walks through one of the most dramatic conversions in Scripture: Jesus stopping Saul on the road to Damascus and transforming a persecutor of Christians into a disciple of Jesus.

But Acts 9 is not primarily a story about Saul finding his way to God. Saul wasn’t searching for Jesus at all. Jesus came after Saul.

Saul was actively opposing Jesus, convinced that he was doing what was right, when the risen Christ interrupted his rebellion. What follows gives us a powerful picture of the sovereign grace of Jesus: He pursues His enemies, exposes their rebellion, saves them by grace, brings them into His family, and sends them out on His mission.

Saul’s conversion also confronts the way we sometimes look at people around us. The man Christians would have considered an enemy—and perhaps the person least likely to believe—becomes a brother because Jesus is powerful enough to save anyone.

Acts 9:1–19 reminds us that salvation is not ultimately the story of people finding their way to Jesus. It is the story of a gracious King who seeks and saves people who could never rescue themselves.

And that means no one is beyond the reach of His grace.

Who have you quietly begun to believe is too far gone for Jesus to save?

The Promise: Good News of Great Joy

Luke 2:8–14

This sermon was originally preached by Pastor Aaron Boswell at The Trails Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of The Promise, a Christmas series tracing the arrival of Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises throughout Scripture.

In this sermon, Pastor Aaron walks through the angels’ announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2:8–14 and considers why heaven responds to the arrival of Jesus with an announcement of “good news of great joy.”

God sends this announcement to an unlikely audience: ordinary shepherds watching their flocks outside Bethlehem. And the news they receive is not simply that a baby has been born, but that a Savior, Christ, and Lord has come.

Each of those titles helps us understand who Jesus is and why His birth is such good news. He is the Savior who has come to rescue His people, the promised Christ Israel had been waiting for, and the Lord who deserves our worship and allegiance.

And when heaven announces this news, the angels respond with worship: “Glory to God in the highest.”

Luke 2:8–14 shows us that the good news of Jesus moves us in two directions: upward in worship and outward in witness. The news that filled heaven with praise is the same news Christians have been entrusted to enjoy and share.

Good news of great joy is meant to be enjoyed—and shared.

The Promise: Every Promise Finds Its Yes in Jesus

Luke 1:26–38

This sermon was originally preached by Pastor Aaron Boswell at The Trails Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as the first message in The Promise, a Christmas series tracing the arrival of Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promises throughout Scripture.

In this sermon, Pastor Aaron walks through the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary in Luke 1:26–38 and shows that this quiet moment in Nazareth is actually a turning point in the whole story of Scripture.

A quiet town. An unexpected young woman. A messenger from God. And the announcement that the long-promised Messiah is finally coming.

The promises God made to Abraham, to David, and through the prophets all point forward to Jesus. The child Mary will bear is the promised King whose kingdom will never end. Every promise finds its “yes” in Him.

And Mary’s response shows us what faith looks like when we encounter the promises and purposes of God: “Let it be to me according to your word.”

She doesn’t know every detail of what lies ahead. But she trusts the God who does.

Luke 1:26–38 invites us to see Christmas as far more than an isolated moment in a manger. It is the arrival of the One toward whom the whole story has been moving—and it calls us to respond to God with the same humble trust.

Faith doesn’t require knowing all the details. It means trusting the One who does.

When Egypt Creeps Back Into Your Heart

Acts 6:8–8:3

This sermon was originally preached by Pastor Aaron Boswell at The Trails Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of a verse-by-verse series through the book of Acts.

In this sermon, Pastor Aaron walks through Stephen’s bold witness before the Sanhedrin, his retelling of Israel’s history, and the first Christian martyrdom recorded in Acts.

Stephen’s sermon exposes a pattern running throughout Israel’s story: God remains faithful, while His people repeatedly turn their hearts back toward Egypt.

They return to old sins, old idols, and self-rule rather than submitting themselves to God. And Stephen warns the religious leaders that they are repeating the same pattern—resisting God’s Word and ultimately rejecting Jesus.

But Stephen’s own life gives us a very different picture. Though he wasn’t an apostle, he was an ordinary believer filled with the Holy Spirit, shaped by Scripture, courageous in his witness, and committed to Jesus to the very end.

Acts 6:8–8:3 therefore confronts us with an important question: Where is “Egypt” still gaining ground in our hearts?

This passage calls us away from stiff-necked resistance and back toward soft hearts that receive God’s Word, repent quickly, treasure Jesus above everything, and depend upon the Holy Spirit for ordinary, courageous faithfulness.

Where might God be calling you to stop looking back toward Egypt and faithfully follow Jesus instead?

Acts 6

This sermon was originally preached by Pastor Aaron Boswell at The Trails Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of a verse-by-verse series through the book of Acts.

In this sermon, Pastor Aaron walks through Acts 6 and asks: What do you do when the needs around you are bigger than your capacity?

As the early church rapidly grew, so did its needs. Widows were being unintentionally overlooked, tension was developing, and the unity of the church was threatened. But the apostles didn’t ignore the problem or assume they simply needed to work harder.

They recognized their limitations, involved the whole church, and raised up Spirit-filled servants to meet the needs among them.

Acts 6 reminds us that the church doesn’t flourish when a few people do everything. It flourishes when the whole church takes responsibility for caring for one another and uses the gifts God has given them.

And the result is striking: needs are met, unity is protected, the apostles remain devoted to prayer and the ministry of the Word, and the Word of God continues to increase and disciples multiply.

This passage challenges us to notice the needs and people around us, acknowledge our own limitations, and consider how God might use each of us for the good of His church and the advance of the gospel.

Where might God be calling you to step in and serve?

This sermon was originally preached by Pastor Aaron Boswell at The Trails Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as part of a verse-by-verse series through the book of Acts.

In this sermon, Pastor Aaron walks through Acts 5:12–42 and asks a simple but searching question: What do you value most?

The apostles are arrested, threatened, and beaten for continuing to proclaim Jesus—and yet they leave rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name.

How could they respond like that?

Acts shows us that believing in Jesus had completely reordered what these early Christians valued. They devoted themselves to God’s Word, fellowship, prayer, and one another. They generously opened their homes and possessions to meet the needs around them. And now, when following Jesus threatened their reputation, security, comfort, and safety, they continued to obey.

Jesus had become more valuable to them than everything they could lose.

This passage challenges us to consider what we treasure and what happens when following Jesus comes into conflict with our comfort, reputation, relationships, opportunities, or security.

Do we treasure Jesus above everything else?

In this sermon from Acts 4:5–22, Aaron looks at Peter and John standing before the most powerful religious leaders in Israel and being commanded to stop speaking about Jesus.

Instead of backing down, they boldly proclaim that salvation is found in Christ alone and offer grace to the very men who had opposed Him. When they are threatened and told to remain silent, their answer is simple: they cannot stop speaking about what they have seen and heard.

But their courage did not come from personality, confidence, or natural strength. It came from the Holy Spirit and from having been with Jesus.

As we share these earlier sermons during the planting season of Heritage Hill, our hope is that they help shape the kind of church we pray to become: a people who know Jesus deeply, depend on His Spirit, and speak about Him with humility, clarity, and courage.

Two questions to consider:

1) Where are you tempted to stay quiet about Jesus because of fear or pressure?

2) What would it look like for the people around you to recognize that you have been with Jesus?

Two ways to pray:

1) Ask the Holy Spirit to give you courage to speak about Jesus with both boldness and love.

2) Pray that Heritage Hill would be known as a church filled with people who have been with Jesus and are unashamed to make Him known.

In this sermon from Acts 3:1–4:4, Aaron looks at what happens when an ordinary day becomes an unexpected opportunity for the gospel.

Peter and John are simply on their way to pray when God interrupts their plans. A man is healed, Jesus is proclaimed, opposition begins to rise, and thousands hear the good news.

This passage reminds us that God often works through the moments we didn’t schedule. The interruptions, conversations, and needs right in front of us may be opportunities to love people, speak about Jesus, and trust the Spirit to work through ordinary obedience.

As we share these earlier sermons during the planting season of Heritage Hill, our hope is that they help shape the kind of church we pray to become: attentive to the people around us, dependent on the Spirit, and ready to see everyday moments as opportunities for the mission of Jesus.

Two questions to consider:

1) How do you normally respond when your plans are interrupted?

2) Are you paying attention to the people and opportunities God may be placing right in front of you?

Two ways to pray:

1) Ask God to make you attentive and willing when He redirects your plans.

2) Pray that Heritage Hill would be a church of ordinary people ready to follow Jesus wherever He opens a door.

In this sermon from Acts 2:42–47, Aaron looks at the first church in Jerusalem and asks a simple question: what marks a healthy church?

Luke gives us a beautiful picture of a church devoted to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. Their life together was marked by generosity, worship, hospitality, joy, and a shared commitment to Jesus and one another.

This passage reminds us that a healthy church is about far more than a Sunday gathering. It is a people shaped by God’s Word, committed to one another, devoted to prayer, sharing life together, and living with open hands for the sake of others.

As we share these earlier sermons during the planting season of Heritage Hill, this passage captures much of what we pray will mark our church: deep roots in Scripture, genuine life together, joyful generosity, persistent prayer, and a shared desire to make Jesus known.

Two questions to consider:

1) Am I approaching church primarily as something I attend, or as a people I am committed to?

2) Which of these marks of the early church—God’s Word, fellowship, prayer, generosity, hospitality, or worship—most needs to grow in my own life?

Two ways to pray:

1) Ask God to make you deeply devoted to His Word and to the people He has placed around you.

2) Pray that Heritage Hill would become a healthy, joyful, generous church where people are known, loved, challenged, and equipped to follow Jesus together.

In this sermon from Acts 2, Aaron looks at one of the great turning points in the story of redemption: the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the New Testament Church.

After Jesus’ disciples waited for the promise He had made, the Spirit comes in power. God’s people are filled with His presence, empowered for His mission, and sent out with the good news of Jesus.

Acts 2 is more than a fascinating moment in church history. For every Christian, this is part of our story. The same risen Jesus is still building His Church, the same gospel is still being proclaimed, and the same Spirit empowers God’s people to live as His witnesses.

As we share these earlier sermons during the planting season of Heritage Hill, our hope is that they give you a window into the kind of church we pray to become: dependent upon the Holy Spirit, serious about the mission of Jesus, and committed to making the gospel known in the ordinary places God has put us.

Two questions to consider:

1) Do you see the ordinary places God has put you—your neighborhood, workplace, school, and daily routines—as places where He has sent you?

2) Are you depending on the Spirit’s power in everyday life, or simply trying to follow Jesus in your own strength?

Two ways to pray:

1) Ask God to empower you by His Spirit to speak about Jesus boldly and love the people around you faithfully.

2) Pray that Heritage Hill would be a church that carries the good news of Jesus into homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities throughout our area.