Redemption Hill Church

As the early church grew quickly, some complaints rose up within the church family. The Apostles, filled with the Spirit, led with wisdom, though, and didn't allow things to fester. An all-church meeting was called to roll out some new structures to accommodate the needs of the growing church. This passage is essential for us. It shows us that the church is one body with many members, and that the opportunity for and burden of ministry falls on all of us together. It also shows us some of the foundations for the structures of the church that we carry through to today.

This passage shows the Apostles brought back in front of the Sanhedrin to be questioned, for a second time. The council was in a rage and ready to kill the Apostles, just like they had killed Jesus. Peter stood boldly, though, and an older Pharisee named Gamaliel spoke up with some prophetic words of caution. This passage will show us why Christians can rejoice even in the midst of real opposition and suffering.

This Sunday we will pause our series in Acts, picking that up next Sunday. Pastor Chris Bennett, who leads Renewal Church in Memphis, and is speaking at our Men's Conference, will preach from Lamentations.

The Holy Spirit moved through the early church to shape it with great grace and great fear. In this week's passage, we see that the power of God was not limited to stay within the already-existing community that had formed. This new community, the Church, took ministry to the streets. There was a public-facing witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That also doesn't mean it was easy or unopposed. This week's text will help us to better understand the role and calling of the church in public life.

This passage shows a massive contrast in the early church. It was a community shaped by the gospel of Jesus Christ that showed off the grace of God beautifully. Still, in those earliest days, people tried to take advantage of the community and elevate themselves to notoriety. That's right, the first Sunday after Easter we're jumping into the story of Ananias and Sapphira. This passage shows us the stark contrast between true gospel Christianity and self-centered religiosity. Let's lean in and learn from it together.

Friday and Saturday give a powerful picture of our reality, and the waiting anticipation to see if God will work in our clouded grief. The sorrow of Friday and the silence of Saturday look ahead with a building anticipation to the celebration on Sunday. The grave could not hold Jesus, He was raised from death to life! This Easter’s sermon will come from 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 as we see the bold historical claim that Jesus resurrected from death to life and look at the implications for us.

After Peter and John stood boldly in the face of their own arrest and questioning at the hands of the men who had killed Jesus, they were set free. This passage shows us that they went straight to their friends and church family, and that they all gathered together to pray. It's a helpful passage because it shows us how we can pray together in the face of massive opposition and suffering.

After Peter healed a crippled beggar at the Temple gate, and preached a sermon showing how all of Scripture points to Jesus, he and John were arrested. They were dragged in front of the same group of religious leaders who condemned Jesus to death just a couple of months earlier. Peter, who abandoned Jesus the night of his arrest, and denied even knowing him in the High Priest's courtyards, is back in the place of his denial. He is faced with his greatest failure and pressed to stop proclaiming Jesus. This time, though, filled with the Spirit, he is bold and clear. This Sunday we see, in Peter, that the Spirit empowers us to boldness.

Last week we saw Jesus heal a crippled beggar at the gateway into the Temple courts, through the Apostle Peter. That healing created a ruckus. Everyone knew that old crippled man and were shocked that he was walking around on strong legs. As a crowd gathered on a covered porch in the Temple called Solomon’s Portico. The once shy Peter stood and preached his second sermon in Jerusalem since the Holy Spirit came on the Apostles in power. This passage is that sermon. In it we see the overwhelming centrality of Christ and understanding who Jesus is, along with a beautiful promise and assurance to us through Him.

This passage transitions us from the day of Pentecost to the earliest days of this newly formed, Spirit-empowered community. A shocking event occurred one day in the Temple courts, as Peter and John strolled through the gate into the Temple grounds. Peter healed a crippled beggar in the name and by the power of Jesus Christ. This surprised everyone who saw it, just like it would surprise us today. So, we will spend time together exploring miracles and healing. The same Spirit who worked through the Apostle Peter is at work through God’s people today.