Stapleton Baptist Church

Today we move into Acts 1:6-11 and find the foundational command for the book of Acts: to be witnesses for Jesus Christ. This command given to the disciples is a command still for us today. How are we living on mission right where God has placed us? All you need to be a witness for Jesus is a relationship with Jesus. 

This week we begin a new study through the book of Acts. In Acts we will discover how the first Christians and churches operated, but most importantly, we will see how Jesus Christ continued his work through the Holy Spirit and his apostles. Jesus is alive today and still at work through us!

A faith that stands firm, regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in, is a faith that recognizes the realities of the Kingdom of God and His provision. Jesus teaches us how to pray so that we abide in His Kingdom, trusting in His provision.  As we finish 2020 and look begin 2021 with an emphasis on prayer and fasting, let's learn from Jesus about abiding in God through prayer.

This week we fast-forward to the New Testament to Luke 1:39-56 to see the meeting between Mary and Elizabeth. This meeting is not just a happy reunion of two relatives. This meeting is the first meeting of the two covenants. John, the last prophet of the old covenant, leaps for joy in the womb at the presence of his Messiah cousin, Jesus. This Jesus will usher in a new covenant under which God's people will no longer need a prophet, priest, or king because Jesus fulfills all those roles!

This week we open to Isaiah 9:6-7 to see what kind of Messiah God will send. Isaiah's prophecy describes a Messiah who is unlike any other person. He isn't just a powerful, skillful man; he is God himself! God tells us exactly what kind of Messiah he is giving us. He is a wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, and a prince of peace!

This week we begin our Advent series - A Thrill of Hope. At its core Christmas is all about hope. It's about hope in an ancient promise that can be traced all the way back to the Garden of Eden. From the moment that Adam and Eve sinned, God initiated a plan to redeem his humanity. We find hope in the curse. That hope is still true for us today.

This week we wrap up our series on money by looking at what and how God expects us to give to his church. An honest look at the Bible shows that followers of Christ don't give out of obligation or duty, but are invited  and motivated to give back to God out of a love and gratitude for him. We can give cheerfully, generously, and regularly!

This week we continue the series entitled Treasure by considering what the Bible teaches about generosity. From 2 Corinthians 8, we see that generosity is an act of God's grace: a generous heart is something God gives. Generosity is evident in the gospel, in the self-giving of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, Christian generosity is God's providential plan for meeting needs in the body of Christ.

This week we kick off a new series entitled Treasure. God cares about our money because he cares about our hearts. Money isn't just some green paper and metal coins in our pocket. Money can either be a tool used to glorify God or a slave master that drags us away from God. Jesus makes it clear that how we use our money and how we think about money reveals what we truly treasure.

This week we finish our study of John by looking at a final conversation between Peter and Jesus. In this conversation Jesus is restoring Peter, but we also find three keys to the life of a disciple. The Christian life is a life of continual restoration, obedience, and focus.