Morningview Sermon Podcast

When the Apostle Paul's ship comes into port for several days at Miletus, he takes the opportunity to send for the elders of the church at Ephesus so he can have one last visit with these beloved leaders. As he shares his heart with them, we behold his own example in ministry as well as the charges he gives to them. Both of these points have strong application for the church and for the two men we will ordain to pastoral ministry this morning.

Being made in God's image, we are made for relationship. We are made to relate vertically with God, but we are also made to relate horizontally to our fellow man – to flourish in the love of a spouse, in the love of family, and the love of friends. Indeed, living life with one another is meant to enrich us in innumerable ways. In this text, we see how Paul's life was beautifully enriched by friends as he followed God's will toward great affliction and imprisonment.

Pastor Robert looks at the example of Jephthah to see the Bible's teaching that our circumstances both come from the Lord and are designed to make us more like Jesus.

Pastor Robert examines Paul's exhortation to be in prayer for all, especially those who are in authority over us. 

As we continue our study through the book of Acts, we come to the first healing of the church era. Through this display of Christ's power, the door is opened once again to the gospel of Jesus Christ being proclaimed in the temple courts. Through this event and Peter's subsequent sermon, we leanr not only what Christ imparts to those who trust in Him, we learn what characterizes true, biblical ministry.

Is church a place where you go, or a community of God's people in which you have invested yourself? Is worship a weekly event that you merely attend, or is it a gathering of family where you delight to express your adoration of the Lord of glory? These questions must be asked because there is still a consumerist mindset plaguing modern Christianity. In this passage, we look at the character of the first church and see the purity of their devotion and fellowship as God was mightily at work.

As we pick up with the second half of Peter's sermon, he offers his Jewish brethren both warning and hope. Though they acted in sinful ignorance in killing the Messiah, they were not beyond God's grace. As the prophets foretold, it was God's will that His servant Jesus suffer to accomplish the salvation of His people. Now, if they would believe, they could receive forgiveness, they could be prepared for Christ's return, and they would receive the promised covenant blessings.

Pastor Robert examines Paul's exhortation to be in prayer for all, especially those who are in authority over us. 

As we continue our study through the book of Acts, we come to the first healing of the church era. Through this display of Christ's power, the door is opened once again to the gospel of Jesus Christ being proclaimed in the temple courts. Through this event and Peter's subsequent sermon, we leanr not only what Christ imparts to those who trust in Him, we learn what characterizes true, biblical ministry.

Is church a place where you go, or a community of God's people in which you have invested yourself? Is worship a weekly event that you merely attend, or is it a gathering of family where you delight to express your adoration of the Lord of glory? These questions must be asked because there is still a consumerist mindset plaguing modern Christianity. In this passage, we look at the character of the first church and see the purity of their devotion and fellowship as God was mightily at work.