The Trails Church

The scenes of Acts 12:1–24 depict a roller coaster of critical events in the life of the early church: heartbreaking loss in the death of the Apostle James, wonder at the supernatural deliverance of the Apostle Peter, and the chilling end of King Herod. The chapter opens with the church experiencing subtraction but ends with multiplication; it begins with sorrow but concludes with joy. Through it all, we hear the call of Samuel Stone’s hymn: “Shall the Church Now Faint or Fear, when the comforter is near.” Today, I hope to show you three reasons why we should not faint or fear in the Christian life: 1. Our God is Sovereign Over Suffering, 2. Our God is Sovereign Over Salvation, 3. Our God is Sovereign Over All.

Acts 11 contains three different “Reports of Gospel Growth.” Each report presents pictures of the early church as they grew in understanding the mission of God in the world, and their role in it. As the gospel of Jesus Christ reoriented the lives of these early believers, remarkable things took place. We will organize these “Reports of Gospel Growth” under three headings showing how the church both practiced and grew in: 1. Gospel Unity, 2. Gospel Ministry, and 3. Gospel Generosity.

Acts 10 is a pivotal chapter not only in the book of Acts but also in the storyline of Scripture. Here for the first time, we see the gospel spread to the Gentiles. Through a series of events the gospel is proclaimed, and a group of Gentiles gladly receive the good news and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord. This chapter truly is, “A Vision from and of Heaven.” It not only includes visions from God but also a vision of what the kingdom of God looks like – a people from many nations, tribes, and tongues – joined together and made one in Christ. We will cover all these verses under three headings: 1. A Divinely Orchestrated Plan, 2. A Glorious Gospel Proclaimed, and 3. A God-Ordained Response.

Acts 9:32-43 describes two scenes and details two remarkable miracles performed by Jesus through the Apostle Peter. These miracles serve as powerful testimonies to the presence and power of God leading many to believe in the Lord. This passage teaches us that both in the book of Acts, and even today that Jesus is working through his people to accomplish his mission. We will see “The Life-Giving Mission of Jesus” at work first in 1. The Healing of Aeneas, and 2. The Resurrection of Tabitha.

Acts 9:19–31 continues to tell the story of how the gospel of Jesus Christ transformed every part of Saul’s life. Over the course of one chapter, he goes from being a violent persecutor of Christians to a passionate preacher of Jesus Christ. In the early days of his new life in Christ, we find multiple accounts that help frame the rest of the apostle’s days: a passion to proclaim the good news of Jesus with others, serious opposition various people groups, and the gospel expanding through his ministry – and the ministry of his fellow believers. These verses present A Glorious Calling that God placed on his life, a life that included: 1. A Call to Proclamation, 2. A Call to Persecution, and 3. A Call to Multiplication.

Acts 9:1–19 contains one of the most significant moments in the history of the Christian faith: the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Here the man who had been utterly committed to the persecution of Jesus’ disciples becomes a disciple of Jesus himself. This is the story of “A Glorious Conversion” marked by the matchless grace of Jesus from first to last. This was true not only for the Apostle Paul, but also for you and me.

Through Psalms 58, 59, and 60, we discover a constant pattern that we've come to expect in these Psalms of David: Problems, Prayers, and Promises. Problems never seem to be far out of reach in David's life, leading him to prayerful dependence on God, where he rehearses the promises of God to him while standing in God's faithfulness and on His Word. David's life is a parable. It's a picture of the Constant Christian Life. I want us to look at these three chapters under three very simple headings that I think we'll find in our lives as well: (1) Constant Problems, (2) Constant Prayer, and (3) Constant Promises.

Romans 12:1–2 describes the Christian life as one of living worship. The Apostle Paul pleads with believers to see how the gospel provides everything we need: a secure position before God, the mercy to daily follow Jesus, and the power necessary to grow in Christ. Yet, this call to view all of life as an act of “Living Worship” is only possible as our lives are 1. Built on a Gospel Foundation, 2. Fueled by Gospel Motivation, and 3. Filled with Gospel Transformation.

Psalm 57 is the song of a heart beating with passion for God’s glory. David packs a list of reasons he must sing to the Lord in his introduction, repeats more reasons in his chorus, and keeps giving reasons for songs to be sung all the way to the crescendo. Because of the countless ways God had shown and proven himself, David had “10,000 Reasons to Sing.” And because of Jesus Christ, so do we.