If we oppose God’s kingdom, we will lose. If we align ourselves with God’s kingdom we have already won, despite our material circumstances.

##A Tale of Two Kingdoms

* Persecution by Herod (vs. 1-5)
* Rescued by God (vs. 6-19)
* A clarifying conclusion (vs. 20-25)

God’s mission is to draw people from all nations to himself in Christ. He calls us and empowers us to be a part of that mission.

##God’s salvation in Christ comes to the nations (Acts 9:32-11:30)
* Groundwork (vs 9:32-10:33)
* Salvation event (vs 10:34-48)
* Affirmation (va 11:1-30)

God’s miraculous calling for his people is clear and it has major implications for how we should live.

##The Calling of God

* The miraculous calling of God (vs. 1-19a)
* The results of our calling (vs. 19b-31)

God changes us as we appreciate the beauty of the gospel.

##The beauty of the gospel (Acts 8):
* The gospel tells a better story (vs. 1-13)
* The gospel is given on God’s terms (vs 14-25)
* The gospel saves the marginalized (vs 26-40)

In order to confront hardness of heart, look to the risen Jesus in faith.

##Confronting hardness of heart
* The strategies of a hard heart (vs. 6:8-7:1)
* The pattern of hardness of heart (vs. 7:2-60)
* The response of a hard heart (vs. 7:54-60)

Trust God to provide for the spread of his word in us and in others.

##The word spreads despite opposition
* Prison does not stop it (vs 5:17-26)
* Beatings and warnings do not stop it (vs 5:27-42)
* Challenges of community care do not stop it (vs 6:1-7)

##Summary
Like the Spirit-led early church community, in response to God’s grace, we are to be a community characterized by generosity, holiness, and mission!

##The Spirit-Led Church Community:
Generosity in community life (vs. 4:32-37)
Holiness in community life (vs. 5:1-11)
Mission in community life (vs. 5:12-16)

##What Time Is It?
1. God’s Time (vs 1)
2. A Gifted Time (vs 2-8)
3. A Glorious Time (vs. 11a)

God takes us through many different times in our lives. Ecclesiastes 3 gives us insights into some of those times. It also reminds us that God makes everything beautiful in its time.

##The Church’s Response to Witnessing God’s Work (v. 23)

##The Lord is Sovereign Over:
1. Creation (v. 24)
2. Hostility of Opposition (vv. 25-26)
3. Conspiracy Against Christ (vv. 27-28)
4. The Believer (vv. 29-30)
5. The filling of the Holy Spirit (v. 31)

Because of God’s Sovereignty, we are BOLD in our prayers and witness for Christ!

##Our Response
1. Trust
2. Pray
3. Care
4. Share
5. Dare

In response to God’s work of grace in us, we are to witness Jesus to others.

##Witnessing God’s Work of Grace
* A clear proclamation (vv 1-12)
* A commitment to witnessing (vv 13-20)
* The results of the witness (vv 21-22)