The Trails Church

Acts 2:42-47 presents a flourishing vision for biblical community. One of the primary characteristics of New Testament Christianity is God-focused, Christ-given, Spirit-enabled fellowship with other believers. Our faith comes with a family. Today we will look at this early snapshot of the church again and learn what it looks like to be “Devoted to the Fellowship.” There are three realities to this fellowship I want us to understand: 1. Commitment of the Church, 2. The Community of the Church, and 3. Commission of Church.

The opening eight words of Acts 2:42-47 highlight the primary characteristic of the first church in the New Testament. Every other detail about their life together followed from their devotion to the apostles’ teaching. From this starting point we will seek to understand what it means for us to be a church “Devoted to the Word.” We will show that this early church – and by extension every healthy, biblical, church must be devoted to 1. Knowing the Word of God, 2. Loving the Word of God, and 3. Living the Word of God.

In Acts 2:37–41 we find that when someone believes in Jesus Christ as their Savior, what naturally follows are repentance and baptism. The act of baptism is rich with layers of meaning and significance for the Christian life. Behind each of the aspects we care able to observe with our physical eyes are spiritual realities that have occurred in the heart. From these verses we will show that baptism is 1. A Sign of Belief, and 2. A Sign of Repentance.

In Acts 2:14-41 we find the first Christian sermon recorded in the New Testament. The Apostle Peter offers an exposition that explains what Scripture says while also explaining what it means to his listeners. At the center of his message is the glorious gospel of Jesus. The sermon concludes with a clear and compelling invitation that teaches us that the good news also demands a response from every heart. We will look at the sermon under three headings: 1. An Exposition of Scripture, 2. A Proclamation of Christ, 3. An Invitation to Respond.

In Acts 2:1-13 we arrive at the promised day of Pentecost. This unrepeatable yet remarkable scene details what happened at a significant moment in redemptive history that forever changed the way God would relate to his people as he filled and empowered them to live as his witnesses in the world. Here we will highlight two activities found both in this passage and repeatedly through the book of Acts: 1. The Spirit Fills the Church and 2. The Mighty Works of God are Proclaimed.

Psalm 6 contains the typical features we find in nearly every Psalm of lament. It is a prayer in pain that leads to trust. As we walk with King David through this sorrow, we will notice how he has left us markers along the path that teach us the practice of biblical lament. Here are the four steps we can take as we learn to lament: 1. Cry Out to God in Prayer, 2. Bring Your Burdens to the Lord, 3. Ask for God’s Help, and 4. Continue to Trust.

In Acts 1:12-26 we journey between the mountaintop experiences of the Ascension and Pentecost to learn valuable lessons in the valley of ordinary life. The simple practices of obedience, being with other believers, waiting on God, and prayer are hallmarks of the Christian life. While we will discover how it came to be that “Again There Were Twelve,” we will also see what we might glean spiritually and practically from these early disciples. I would like to shape our study with three hallmarks we see in these early believers as we find them: 1. United in Prayer, 2. Rooted in Scripture, 3. Guarding the Church’s Witness.

The "Ascension of Christ” recorded in Acts 1:9-11 details one of the most significant events in the life of Jesus. This occasion has massive implications on the church through ages past, in our lives today, and even our future. As we study “The Ascension of Christ” we will focus on its reality, its meaning, and finally, the comforts that come with it.

The Book of Acts tells the story of “The Continuing Work of Christ.” Following Jesus’s death, resurrection, and ascension, the Father’s plan is continued through the Son as the Spirit empowers his disciples for gospel ministry. From the opening verses of the Book of Acts we are met with certain programmatic themes that are crucial to the entire book. As we set our course today, we discover three of those: 1. The Certainty of Christ’s Continuing Work, 2. The Promise of the Holy Spirit, 3. The Advancement of the Gospel.