Dr. Justin Dancer continues through the book of Acts, focusing on Acts 16:11-40.

Worship is not reserved for good times. It is a choice we make regardless of our circumstances. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were beaten, shackled, and thrown into a Roman prison, yet at midnight they were praying and singing hymns to God. Their worship preceded the earthquake, the broken chains, and the jailer's salvation. Worship is a response to who God is and what He has already done, not what He might do in the future. When we fix our eyes on the greatness of God, our problems begin to look smaller. And when others see us praising God in the middle of pain, our worship becomes a powerful witness to the reality of our faith.

Dr. Justin Dancer continues through the book of Acts, focusing on Acts 16:1-10.

**Audio issue for about 5 minutes at the beginning, but it does resolve.*

A church thrives when every member finds their place and serves faithfully, much like a V8 engine running on all cylinders. Acts 16 shows us Paul and Timothy fully committed to the mission, and the early church growing not weekly or monthly, but daily. That growth was fueled by two things working together: God's constant faithfulness and the collective faithfulness of His people. In Montgomery County alone, roughly 93 percent of people are not in church on any given Sunday, which means the need is urgent and real. Every believer has been given a spiritual gift, and leaving it unused is like receiving a handcrafted present and never opening it. God guides us through open and closed doors, and even the closed ones are part of His direction. The call to serve does not require perfection or a grand plan. It simply requires faithfulness with what God has already placed in your hands.

Dr. Justin Dancer continues through the book of Acts, focusing on Acts 15.

Conflict is unavoidable, but how we handle it matters deeply. Acts 15 gives us a front-row seat to one of the earliest and most significant disputes in church history, where the very foundation of the gospel was at stake. The early church worked through disagreement in three stages: dispute, dialogue, and decision. Their process was grounded in Scripture, informed by the Holy Spirit, and shaped by godly counsel. The core truth they contended for was that salvation comes through Jesus alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. Fighting for right doctrine matters, but so does fighting for the unity of the body of Christ. Both require courage, humility, and a willingness to lay down personal preferences. When we fight right, we reflect the grace of the God we represent.

Dr. Justin Dancer continues through the book of Acts, focusing on Acts 14.

Life will bring trials, pain, and hardship. The question is not whether hard things will come but how we stand when they do. Acts 14 gives us a vivid picture of courageous faith through the lives of Paul and Barnabas, who faced beatings, rejection, and even stoning, yet kept going. True courage is not the absence of fear. It is choosing to stand in dependence on Jesus when everything in you wants to run. Three anchors help us stand: depending on God rather than our own strength, grounding ourselves in the truth of Scripture, and staying committed to the mission of making disciples. And when life gets hard, we were never meant to carry it alone. The local church exists as a gift from God to help us bear one another's burdens and find strength we could not manufacture on our own.

Dr. Justin Dancer continues through the book of Acts, focusing on Acts 13:13-52.

The gospel is not just the starting point of the Christian life. It is the foundation of everything. In Acts 13, Paul traces God's faithfulness from the Old Testament all the way to Jesus, making clear that Christ is the fulfillment of every promise God ever made. Through Jesus, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed and believers are freed from everything the law of Moses could never accomplish. Life has a way of pushing the most important things to the background, and the gospel is no exception. Preaching the gospel to yourself daily is one of the most practical and powerful habits a follower of Jesus can develop. Joy is always the fruit of receiving and walking in the gospel, not a shallow happiness tied to circumstances, but a deep and settled joy that comes from knowing Jesus. The gospel is not just the door you walked through to begin your faith. It is the foundation you stand on every single day.

Dr. Justin Dancer continues through the book at Acts, focusing on Acts 13:1-13.

God is not silent. He speaks through His Word, His Spirit, and the needs around us. In Acts 13, the early church at Antioch models what it looks like to listen, surrender, and respond to the mission of God. Through fasting and prayer, the church heard from the Holy Spirit and willingly released their two strongest leaders, Barnabas and Saul, to be sent out. Being set apart is not just about purity; it is about being intentionally removed for a greater purpose. The gospel encountered real spiritual opposition, but the truth of Jesus Christ prevailed, and a powerful Roman official was astonished into belief. The same gospel that amazed him is just as powerful today. The question for every follower of Jesus is whether we are still filled with wonder at His grace, and whether we are willing to give up something good to pursue something greater for His kingdom.

Dr. Justin Dancer continues through the book at Acts, focusing on Acts 11:19-29.

Acts 12 is a dramatic account of persecution, miraculous escape, and the unstoppable advance of God's mission. Herod Agrippa had every earthly advantage, yet none of it was enough to hinder what God was doing. Peter was freed from prison through miraculous intervention while the church prayed fervently on his behalf. Three foundational truths emerge from this chapter: God's power cannot be denied, God's people cannot be defeated, and God's plan cannot be doomed. Whether a believer experiences deliverance like Peter or goes home to be with the Lord like James, both outcomes are victories in Christ. The church is called to pray with wholehearted, fervent, stretched-out prayer rather than casual or passing requests. Apathy is one of the greatest threats facing believers today, and the antidote is staying hungry for God, His Word, and His presence. These truths are not just for the early church. They are for every follower of Christ today.

Father's Day Sermon from church planting resident, Matt Koehler, on James 1:21-25.

Living out your faith requires more than hearing God's Word. It demands an honest look in the mirror and a willingness to act on what you see. Four key actions shape faithful living: admitting what is true, submitting to God's authority, committing wholeheartedly to Jesus, and transmitting that truth to others. Your identity in Christ is not based on your performance but on the finished work of Jesus on the cross. That identity should shape how you lead your home, raise your children, serve your church, and conduct yourself at work. Satan actively attacks your sense of who you are in Christ, but the shield of faith stands against every one of those lies. The question is not whether you have heard the truth. The question is what you will do with it today.

Dr. Justin Dancer continues through the book at Acts, focusing on Acts 11:19-29.

God's hand is woven throughout Scripture as a picture of His power, deliverance, guidance, and even righteous discipline. In John 10, Jesus makes a stunning promise that no one can snatch His people out of His hand, grounding our security entirely in His grip rather than our own. The early church in Antioch experienced this firsthand, as ordinary, unnamed believers proclaimed Jesus into a pagan city and saw a great number turn to the Lord. Barnabas arrived and called them to remain faithful with a resolute heart, holding fast to the One who was already holding fast to them. The church God blesses is one where every member ministers, grace is chosen over criticism, the Word is faithfully taught, and generosity flows freely. God's hand is not distant or passive. He is actively holding you, and the invitation is to hold fast to Him in return.

Dr. Justin Dancer continues our series in Acts, teaching from Acts 10:1-11:18

The story of Cornelius in Acts 10-11 demonstrates the powerful collision between God's sovereign grace and human sincerity. Cornelius was a good, God-fearing man who prayed continually and gave generously, yet he still needed to hear and believe the gospel for salvation. When Peter shared the message of Jesus Christ, Cornelius received it with eagerness and hunger. This account reveals that God is sovereignly pursuing people on a rescue mission, working through the hospitality of believers like Simon the Tanner. The story emphasizes that being religious or moral isn't the same as being saved - salvation comes only through personal faith in Jesus Christ.

https://sermons.hopemontgomery.com/sermon/hopechurchmontgomery/hope-church-livestream-06072026