Mercy Hill

In Acts 8, God calls Philip to leave what appears to be a booming ministry among the Samaritans and head toward a remote desert road. We aren’t told what Philip initially thought, but I know what my reaction would have been: “What? Why?” Yet despite the strangeness of the request, Philip obeys.

Now imagine the scene. Philip is standing alone beside this empty desert road when, in the distance, he sees a chariot approaching. He draws near and discovers that the man inside, a high-ranking official from Ethiopia, is reading from the prophet Isaiah. What are the chances? God is orchestrating every detail in a remarkable way.

This Sunday we’re in Acts 8:4–25, where the gospel begins to move in a surprising direction—to the Samaritans. What starts as persecution and scattering turns into something God uses for good. As believers are pushed out, they carry the message of Jesus with them, and suddenly, people who were once seen as outsiders are experiencing the joy and power of the gospel.

Through Philip’s ministry, we see lives changed, barriers broken, and a reminder that the good news of Jesus isn’t limited to a certain kind of person—it’s for everyone.

But this passage also challenges us. As the gospel spreads, it confronts pride, exposes false belief, and calls for genuine faith—not just fascination with what God can do.

It leaves us with a question worth wrestling with:

Are we open to God working beyond our expectations—and even through us—to reach people we might overlook?

As Christmas gets closer, the anticipation starts to build—lights go up, plans come together, and there’s a quiet excitement about the gifts we’ll soon unwrap. Advent invites us to pause in the middle of all that and remember something deeper: God’s greatest gifts don’t always arrive the way we expect.

This Sunday, we’re looking at Luke 1:57–80 and the birth of John the Baptist. It’s a story that feels both joyful and surprising. After years of waiting, Elizabeth and Zechariah finally hold their promised child—but this son isn’t just a long-awaited answer to prayer. He’s a messenger, sent ahead to prepare the way for something—and Someone—even greater.

John’s life reminds us that sometimes the gift isn’t the destination—it’s the direction. He was born with a purpose: to point people to Jesus.

What’s just as powerful is how God chooses to work through this story. Zechariah and Elizabeth weren’t famous or influential by the world’s standards. They were ordinary, faithful, and patient in the waiting. And yet, God used their lives in a pivotal moment of His redemptive story. When Zechariah finally speaks again, his words overflow with praise and prophecy—declaring that God is visiting His people and bringing salvation.

It’s a moment that invites us to ask:

• Are we open to the ways God might be working differently than we expected?
• Are we willing to be used—even in ordinary ways—to point others to Jesus?

Because the truth is, God is still writing stories like this. He’s still using everyday people to prepare the way—through conversations, invitations, acts of kindness, and faithful presence.

As we continue through Advent, this passage reminds us that the greatest gift is already on the way—and we get to be part of helping others see it.

This week in our Advent series, we step into a quiet but powerful moment in Luke 1:39–56—when Mary visits Elizabeth. It’s a simple scene on the surface: two women, a shared embrace, and a conversation. But underneath it is something much bigger—the joy of God’s promises coming to life.

Mary has just received unbelievable news—that she will carry the Son of God. Before anything is visible, before the world sees the miracle, she goes to visit Elizabeth. And the moment she arrives, everything shifts. Elizabeth’s baby leaps, she’s filled with the Holy Spirit, and she declares what Mary may still be trying to fully grasp: God is doing exactly what He said He would do.

What follows is Mary’s response—often called the Magnificat. It’s not polished or performative—it’s a heart overflowing. She praises God not just for what He’s doing in her life, but for what He has always been like: faithful, powerful, and mindful of the humble. Mary sees her story as part of a much bigger one—God’s long track record of keeping His promises.

This passage invites us to wrestle with a simple but deep question:

Can we trust God’s promises before we see the outcome?

Mary and Elizabeth remind us that joy doesn’t have to wait for the finished miracle. It can begin right in the middle of uncertainty—rooted in who God is and what He has already said.

As we continue through Advent, this moment calls us to slow down, to notice God’s faithfulness, and to respond with trust and worship—even when we’re still waiting.

The story in Luke 1:26–38 is a familiar one. God sends the angel Gabriel to Mary, a young virgin betrothed to be married, to deliver astonishing news: she will conceive and bear a child unlike any other who has ever been born. Seeing an angel would be overwhelming enough, but hearing that she would become pregnant without intercourse—and before marriage—must have been even more unsettling. I can only imagine how Mary’s head must have been spinning.

Yet the most remarkable part is that Gabriel’s mysterious message to Mary is actually good news for us. It’s the “good news of great joy” that we celebrate during the Christmas season. I’d love for you to join us this Sunday as we unpack the hope and wonder in Gabriel’s announcement.

Have you ever found yourself caught in the grind of religion or the ruts of life? Have you somehow lost that sense of wonder and awe that we serve a God who is able? Well, you may discover you share quite a bit in common with the people in this story from scripture.

Have you ever been in a high-pressure situation—maybe facing a tight deadline at work or having to make an unexpected, high-stakes decision? It’s often in those moments that we discover who we truly are.

Last week, we met Stephen, a leader in the Jerusalem church. He was chosen to help care for widows and preserve unity within the church. In Acts 6:8–7:60, Luke tells us more of Stephen’s story. Like other church leaders of his day, he is falsely accused, arrested, and put on trial. When questioned, he courageously stands firm in his convictions, even though doing so only intensifies the danger around him.

The situation escalates quickly, and a furious mob stones Stephen. Talk about a high-pressure moment.

Conflict happens. It is a part of all human relationships. Thriving marriages, booming businesses, and close friendships all experience conflict. Churches aren’t any different.

In Acts 6:1–7, we see the first recorded church conflict. And no—it wasn’t about the color of the carpet or whether deviled eggs are appropriate for a church fellowship meal.

So what happened?

The church had been generously giving to meet needs, including providing food for widows. But a problem arose: the Greek-speaking widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, while the Aramaic-speaking widows were receiving their food. What seems like a simple oversight that could easily be remedied began to grow into a much larger issue.

How did the early church respond? And what can we learn from their example about handling conflict within the body of Christ?

Over the past few weeks in our study of the book of Acts, we’ve seen how the early church practiced radical generosity. This week brought two pressing areas of need to the forefront—one global and one local. This is a great opportunity for our church to follow the example set in Acts and respond with generosity.

Global Need:

Hurricane Melissa has caused devastating damage across the Caribbean, particularly in Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti. Our partners at Send Relief are responding by providing power generators, meals, clothing, and temporary shelter. There is an urgent need for 1,000 water filters, and we can help meet that goal.

A gift of $25 to Send Relief supplies one water filter. Would you consider serving our global neighbors by helping provide clean water?

You can give here, just be sure Send Relief is selected in the dropdown.

Local Need:

Many of our neighbors will soon be impacted by the suspension of SNAP benefits. We’ve reached out to our partners at Storehouse Ministries, Dowell Elementary, and Cheatham Hill Elementary to identify how we can best serve. We’ll keep you updated as specific needs arise, but for now, Storehouse has a critical need for peanut butter.

We’re asking every family, college student, young adult, and senior adult to bring at least one jar of peanut butter this week to help meet that need.

In the book of Acts we see the early church explode onto the scene. There were powerful sermons, miracles, and life transformations taking place daily. But what marked the early church wasn’t just their preaching or miracles — it was their radical generosity.

As we continue through Acts, we’ll look at how the gospel didn’t just change what believers gave, but who they were. Join us as Pastor Mike teaches from Acts 4:32–36 on how Gospel Generosity transforms hearts, builds unity, and points the world to Jesus.