This past Sunday we saw that even in the midst of deep conflict, re-direct after re-direct, and human barriers, the Gospel of Christ goes forth into new lands and new hearts. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 15:36 - 16:10
TITLE: Gospel Mission Unobstructed
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: The Gospel mission is unobstructed by human failure and barriers and advances in power.

POINTS:
I. Gospel Mission Unobstructed by Conflict
II. Gospel Mission Unobstructed by Barriers
III. Gospel Mission Redirected by the Holy Spirit

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”The context of the conflict is while on Gospel Mission. The heart of the conflict is serious. The nature of the conflict is stark - sharp disagreement! And the result of the conflict is grievous - separation. YET… as difficult as the conflict was, there is a SURPRISE greater result - the conflict leads to Gospel advance - The Gospel is persistent!”

“I think it’s worth recalling the resolve of these Gospel missionaries - these first-century saints. Church history here in Acts reveals moxie - the determination - of the evangelists. REAL pain in conflict and disappointment and maybe even regret did not stop these men from getting back on mission!”

“At times, “Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing” calls for various barriers to be removed for the sake of making a way for the Main Thing.”

“The Spirit is at work in power moving, speaking, directing, coordinating, carrying out, silencing them, barring them, and calling them. It is clear… The Holy Spirit is the one that is advancing the mission exactly the way He has determined!”

“Our sin has caused a GRAVE conflict with God! BUT He did not “sail away!” He came through the conflict and innumerable barriers through His son Jesus! He has sent His Son Jesus as your ONLY WAY of salvation. It’s true - Christians have been in deep conflict throughout the ages and their plans have been frustrated and in the wisdom of Christ it was for your benefit! Turn to Christ. Believe in Jesus Christ as God’s Son. Turn away from your sin you will see the glory of heaven.”

QUOTES:
I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day Lyrics-
”I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
’There is no peace on earth,’ I said,
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, goodwill to men.
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, goodwill to men."

Kent Hughes - “So the unthinkable happened, and Paul and Barnabas agree to disagree and went their separate ways of ministry for Christ… the relationship between two great men of God had failed… The omission of a harmonious conclusion indicates the unstated but undeniable failure of two greatest souls the church has ever known.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 9:19-21
Isaiah 61:1-3

APPLICATION:
As a church…
Q. Do I truly believe that God is powerful enough to strengthen our church in the face of - even in or after -deep conflict? Do I believe that He will turn beauty to ashes in these difficult situations? Am I able to trust God to grant grace and strength for this? Can we be so resolved, have a spine, granted only by God to respond in loyalty and love toward others?

Q. What happens in our actions and our faith, and our conversations when conflict breaks out? Where does conflict take us? Do we lose hope? Are we hindered for too long from believing that God is at work even in this?

Personally…
Q. Are we willing to be honest about our own ability to do just like they did… turn from brothers/sisters and sail away? REMEMBER OUR SAVIOR NEVER TURNED AWAY FROM US IN SIN. Let THAT truth be ground for your remaining.

Q. How quick are we to respond to God’s redirection?

Q. Do we see that interruptions to our plans are God at work redirecting our plans into His perfect will?

The text we are looking at today – the clarity that God brought to His Churches - God has used in a powerful way for generations. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 15:1-35
TITLE: The Main Thing
PREACHER: Tim Lambros

POINTS:
I. The Threat
II. The Defense
III. The Effect

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”God is helping this small but growing group of Churches get clarity on a most important question – how do people get saved? How do sinners receive forgiveness of their sins? How do sinners get reconciled to God, accepted by God?”

“What’s at stake here is of huge importance. The question – how are people saved?  What does God call us to in order to be forgiven of our sins, reconciled to God, and accepted by Him? One group is teaching it’s Jesus plus the law. Paul and Silas in Gentile regions are teaching you’re saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.”

“Formerly Gentiles would become part of the people of God by being incorporated into the Jewish community, get circumcised and begin practicing the law. NOW, people are getting saved apart from the law – apart from their works of obedience.”

“The main thing here is to keep the main thing the main thing. In other words, Peter is saying VERY CLEARLY we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. When it comes to the fundamental question of how we are saved Peter says IT IS NOT Jesus plus the law. It’s not grace/faith/Jesus plus Moses. He’s saying don’t test what God is doing in Gentile regions by putting this yoke around their necks. It’s very clear that God is saving people apart from the law.”

“Why do you think there’s this inherent desire for mankind to want to somehow change the gospel of grace to the gospel of grace plus the law?”

“Christ didn’t die on the Cross to improve our good works so they’d be acceptable to God. Christ didn’t endure a horrific death because God’s holiness standard is kind of a high bar and grace means Jesus lifts us up so we can reach the bar! NO! Emphatically NO!”

QUOTES:
C.J. Mahaney - “Legalism is seeking to achieve forgiveness from God and acceptance by God through obedience to God.”

William Plumer - “Justification is an act. It is not a work, or a series of acts. It is not progressive. The weakest believer and the strongest saint are alike equally justified. Justification admits no degrees. A man is either wholly justified or wholly condemned in the sight of God.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Galatians 1
Genesis 17:9-14

APPLICATION:
2 ways to keep the main thing the main thing:  

1. Grow – Don’t assume. You must work at keeping the main thing the main thing.  You and I must grow in our understanding, appreciation, and passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Suggestion – build yourself a top 10 list of single verses that preach the gospel (i.e. 2 Corinthians 5:21). Then build a list of your favorite paragraphs. Then build a list of your favorite gospel narratives. Don’t think you are immune from gospel drift!

2. Guard – Guard your heart from the inner legalist that lives in you. If you quietly  live with low-grade guilt in your Christian walk … if you lack joy in your Christian life…you might have what I call “morphed legalism.” Morphed legalism is when you confess that your position and standing with God is by grace through faith in  Christ alone but your daily practice of Christianity is filled with language like “I should be …” A morphed legalist isn’t clear on the difference between justification and sanctification. If that’s you immediately drop everything you’re doing in your  Christian life until you study and get clarity.

Sunday’s passage encouraged us to share Jesus through thick and thin, and to be Hopeful in our witness, come what may. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 14
TITLE: Through Thick and Thin
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. The Gospel that Saves Divides
II. The Gospel that Saves Clashes with the Culture
III. The Gospel that Saves Puts You at Risk

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”People turn to many things to cure what ails them, but only the gospel meets people right where they are, speaking to their deepest need in a powerful and transforming way.”

“God saves people through evangelism. He is the GREAT Evangelist. Though we don’t know WHO He will save, we know HOW He saves—through hearing the good news of the gospel. So, we tell others about Jesus.”

“The gospel divides because there is no neutrality when it comes to Jesus. You either believe in him or you don’t. And to not believe in Jesus is to reject him as the only mediator between sinful man and a holy God.”

“Amid serious division and opposition, they kept preaching Christ boldly. How convinced was Paul that Christ was everything and the gospel was the only message of salvation?!”

“It is important to note that these men are not running scared. Their life mission is telling others about Jesus and planting local churches. They are filled with the Spirit and armed with the gospel. Paul and Barnabas are not retreating; they are advancing the gospel mission. “

“They didn’t know the Jewish Scriptures that taught them about the eternal God who created all things. So, Paul and Barnabas used their world to help them understand. They confronted and connected their culture and their ideas and stories and perceptions and philosophies and worldview—to the existence of a living God. That’s where the gospel begins— The existence of a holy God who created all things, so all things are accountable to Him.”

“We do mission in a confused culture today, don’t we? Our gods might not be called Zeus and Hermes, but they are there:

• Sexual and gender identity

• Leisure and pleasure

• Freedom of choice at the cost of human life

• Individualism

• Relativism”

“The Gospel will clash with our culture. But as the gospel was effective in the confused culture of Lystra, it is effective today as we claim it boldly, clearly, and in the power of the Spirit into our confused culture.”

“Paul’s resolve and courage in Christ were astounding. He knew Christ sacrificed his life for him, so there was no sacrifice too great that he could make for Christ. Eternity was at stake. Cities were filled with sinners and he had just what they needed—A Savior.”

“Imagine with me for a moment, if each one of us embraced God’s way, trusted in His faithfulness, and shared Jesus with just one person this week; imagine the stories we could tell!”

APPLICATION:
- How convinced are you that Christ is everything and the gospel is the only message of salvation?

Two realities surface that fueled Paul and Barnabas’ courageous witness through the Thick and Thin of their mission. I want to point them out by way of application:

1. Embrace God’s Way—read verses 21-22, Don’t be surprised by division, opposition, or cultural clashing. Living for Jesus and telling others about Jesus will ALWAYS bring a measure of opposition and persecution. But it’s God’s way so embrace it and share.

2. Trust God’s Faithfulness—read verses 24-27, We are reluctant ambassadors, but God is the Great Evangelist. Trust His faithfulness to build His church through your imperfect witness.

As believers, when we see how grievous our sins really were… and in our sin, we did scoff at and revile Jesus… NOW finding our sins have been forgiven, then our Savior, Jesus, becomes all the more precious to us! He bore our sins on his body and died and rose again! We are forgiven. We are Free! And now we see the beauty of the Lamb of God - Jesus!

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 13:13-52
TITLE: Jesus - The Savior Just as God Promised
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: We have been longing for only what Jesus can provide and God has sent Him to us just as he promised!

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Do you know your history? Are you aware that all of it points to Christ? Your history is God’s history. It belongs to Him and He has ordained it to point to Jesus just as He Promised.”

“The sorrow, the disappointments, the valleys of death, the heights of exhilaration, the celebrations, the gravesides, the weddings, the weakness, the panic, the happiness, the community groups, the parenting, our childhood, the hurt, the healing, the singing, the sobbing, the church picnic, the baptisms, the communion, the nights of darkness, the joys in the morning, the friendships, the job, when we were young, now we are aged, yesterday, today, and tomorrow… ALL OF IT… is God’s history right now and will one day culminate in the exaltation of Jesus.”

“Paul declares beginning with “Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham… to us has been sent the message of the salvation” - He calls the content of his sermon “the message of salvation.”… And Church, this is what WE have been given and sent by God - THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION. ”

“THEY KILLED GOD’S PROMISED ONE, BUT “GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD! From the tomb, God raises Jesus! Jesus’ death and resurrection is the glorious fulfillment of God’s promise. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the very means by which we are forgiven. Jesus’ death and resurrection is how we are now freed!”

QUOTES:
Stuart Townend, "How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” -

“Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Revelation 5:13-14

APPLICATION:
1. Do we have such a high view of Jesus and the word of God about Him that we are willing to finally make it clear that they are facing God’s judgment and we WILL NOT be part of their rejection?
2. Have we reviled Jesus?

The Lord stands up to the blitz on your soul and He will never, never, never give you up! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 12:24-25
TITLE: God’s Unyielding Work
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: The unyielding work of God is the salvation of His people and our exaltation of Jesus through the Local Church… and nothing is going to stop it!

POINTS:
I. God’s Work through the Local Church
II. God’s Work Opposed
III. God’s Work Unyielding

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”There are three things revealed in verses 1-3 about the nature and character of this Church at Antioch: they were dependent on God, obedient to God, they were sent by God to proclaim the word of God.”

“God disposes of the opposition to His Work and He MOVES IN POWER against Satan and representatives. In a divine sense - God raises His voice and declares: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER!”

“God blinds the false prophet in utter darkness - and what is shocking is that in God’s judgment, MERCY is present! He is blinded “FOR A TIME” and he is left alive. [possibly blinded so that LATER he might see!] This is NOTHING BUT UNDERSERVED GRACE! The opposition might one day believe in Jesus!”

“God’s work in salvation is not delayed. It is not deterred. It is not put on hold. It is perfectly timed. There is no divine anxiety, no slowing down, no speeding up. It will not be rescheduled. His work of salvation is delivered faithfully on the sinner being saved. There is no hiccup, no bump in the road, no skid marks, and no back peddling. There is no rethinking nor going back to the drawing board. God does not have a Plan B! God’s unyielding work of salvation is the only plan and it is divinely carried out in absolute perfection!”

QUOTES:
Winston Churchill - “But for everyone, surely, what we have gone through in this… period of ten months this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 8:31-37

APPLICATION:
1. Do you see God’s work?
2. Are we willing to do God’s work when he calls us?
3. Do we truly believe that the Local Church is God’s foundational means of carrying out His Gospel Work in the world? Do we value the local church to the extent that it is also primary in our plans… in our future decisions?
4. What keeps assaulting your faith?

We are kicking off this new era in Acts with a look at our own missiology, which you will find in the coming weeks, comes from what we see right here in Acts—planting local churches. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Matthew 28:16-20
TITLE: The Great Commission And The Local Church
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: When God invades the world with the glory of Christ, He begins and ends with the local church.

POINTS:
I. Our Mission
II. Our Strategy for the Mission
III. Our Confidence in the Mission

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”A disciple is someone who is sold out for another person, someone who is committed to following the words and ways of someone else. In true discipleship, there is no room for a half-hearted, take it or leave it kind of attitude. A disciple is ALL in!”

“Our mission as a church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. HOW are disciples made? There are three verbs in the text that describe the HOW of our mission: GO, BAPTIZE, and TEACH.”

“Every believer here is called to GO to the lost. The mission is not—Be ready when the lost comes to you. The mission is GO to the lost around you and tell them the good news of Jesus. The sense of GO in context is not—Get out of dodge and begin something new. It’s primarily—Where you already GO, GO with Jesus”

“For some GOING takes them away into foreign lands. But, for most of us, the GOING is everywhere God has us every day already. In the coming months, we are going to bring a greater focus to this aspect of our mission together.”

“This baptism doesn’t save anyone. That said, it is a public expression of one’s salvation that marks and celebrates their new life as a disciple of Christ.”

“Someone asked one time—What does discipleship look like around here? A GOOD question. Each of the contexts I just mentioned, beginning with Sunday morning preaching, are expressions of discipleship meant to teach us how to love and live for Jesus in joy and obedience.”

“The Great Commission NECESSITATES the centrality of the local church. And it’s the local church that is at the heart of our Strategy for Mission.”

“I submit a Fully Orbed Mission, according to the word looks like this: The Gospel + The Believer + The Local Church = Missions”

“The Great Commission demands the local church, which is at the heart of the mission, to go, baptize, and teach. When we remove the local church from the equation, it’s like an ambassador without an Embassy.”

“In the call to mission, [Jesus] promises to be with us in ALL authority. He is with us in power and purpose. That promise guarantees the success of our gospel mission. Not our size. Not our prospects. Not our affiliations. Not our creativity. Not our missional resolve. It’s the unwavering resolve of Christ to transform sinners into disciples, build his church, and return for his bride—with all authority—ensuring our gospel mission is unstoppable.”

QUOTES:
George Peters - “The primary historical significance of the Great Commission lies in the fact that it gives to the church the pattern and purpose of missions. It defines and delineates the missionary task. We have in the Great Commission a compass, a charter, and a plan”

Dave Harvey - “Church planting is the New Testament method for proclaiming and applying the gospel. Armed with the good news, the disciples would penetrate new regions with a goal of both communicating God’s word and creating God’s community. In contrast to traditional missionary enterprises which often centers primarily upon proclamation, church planting establishes a mission base for proclamation, integration and expansion”

APPLICATION:
We are part of something much bigger than ourselves, but it all begins with local churches planting local churches. Maybe you are not feeling like you are part of something bigger:

• If you give to this church—You are!

• If you are praying God will use our church beyond these four walls—You are!

• If you are committed to your local church with your gifts, giving, and presence—You are!

• If you are wondering about joining a SG church plant—Perhaps you will be in a very unique way! I encourage you to speak with one of your pastors.

Do you get BORED with what God is doing in here - your church? If so, you may need to evaluate your understanding of what God wants to do out there.

We all GO every day. The question is, How much of my GOING is for Jesus? 

The Great Commission begins and ends with the local church. Begin with your commitment HERE, and if God is leading you to something OUT THERE, talk with a pastor so he can faithfully shepherd your soul.

In Acts, the church kept preaching the gospel and teaching God’s Word—come what may—and as they did, the word increased and multiplied in the form of growing, maturing believers. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 12:24
TITLE: A Sure Strategy
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Our greatest weapon for our glorious mission is words - the very words of God given to us in the Holy Word of God.

POINTS:
I. The Word of God Increases and Multiplies Because It is Preached
II. The Word of God Increases and Multiplies Because It is Profitable
III. The Word of God Increases and Multiplies Because It Protects

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”…if you are a Christian, your life, your marriage, your family, your job, your money, your dreams, your purpose, is entirely wrapped up in God’s mission to build His church for His glory. So, what a powerful encouragement from the Spirit these eight words are, that remind us the imperishable Word of God in the hands of the Spirit and the hearts of God’s people, will accomplish God’s purposes.”

“…the difference between heaven and hell is not believing God exists and He is powerful (demons believe that in James 2), it’s personally believing His Son Jesus, the Eternal Living Word, alone can save. And this saving message is found in one place—Bible.”

“God is a holy and just God. We are born sinful. Therefore, we are deservedly under the wrath of God and are absolutely unable to do anything about it. But in the mercy and wisdom of God, Jesus made himself our propitiation, that is, he willingly gave Himself as a sacrifice on a cross that turns God’s wrath away from all who have faith in him so they now know only God’s unfailing love, grace, and pleasure—That’s the gospel—What Scripture itself calls ‘of first importance!’”

“In Acts, the church kept preaching the gospel—come what may—and as they did, the word increased and multiplied in the form of sinners saved.”

“God’s Word not only leads us to salvation, but it also equips us and makes us fruitful as individual believers and collectively as the church.”

“Most [worldly stories, messages, and philosophies] have no real bearing on our lives, and the fact we can’t even remember most of them is evidence that they are, for the most part, USELESS INFORMATION.”

“In other words, pastor Timothy, whatever happens to and in the church, above all things, Preach the Word! Preach Christ! Teach truth! Fulfill your ministry and PROTECT your church by preaching the Word of God—no matter what!”

QUOTES:
Scott Hubbard - “At every stage of the kingdom’s advance from Jesus to his apostles to the church—the lie of the garden dies by the truth of the gospel. Teaching wins back the world… So, in the church’s global mission against the gates of hell, words are our greatest weapons”

Jerry Bridges - “The gospel is not only the most important message in all of history, it is the only essential message in all of history”

James Montgomery Boice - “We need to be taught, and it [God’s Word] teaches us—about God, ourselves, and the way of salvation. We need to be rebuked, and it rebukes us—about our sin and unrighteousness. We need to be corrected, and it corrects us—showing us the way we should go, the way of blessing. We need to be trained in righteousness, and it trains us—through daily application of its teachings”

Derek Thomas - “But the Word of God increased and multiplies.” So identified were these people with what they did—spending time in God’s Word—that Luke equates the growth of the church with the growth of the Word. It is not friendship, or buildings, or discipleship groups first and foremost, but the centrality of the Word. This is church growth, New Testament style! They had no demographic research, no statistical analysis of the most likely elements of society to respond to the gospel, no evangelism training, no extensive campaigns of any kind; and yet, under the blessing of God, and in the midst of persecution that had seen the execution of one of their most prized leaders, they grew!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
God is Revealed in Nature - Romans 1:20, Psalm 19:1-2, Acts 14:17
Salvation is Found in the Word - 2 Timothy 3:14-15
Gospel Passages in Scripture - Isaiah 53:4-6, Romans 3:21-26, Romans 4:4-5, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Galatians 3:13-14, Ephesians 2:1-10, Philippians 2:6-8, Colossians 1:19-20, Colossians 2:13-14, Titus 3:4-7, Hebrews 2:14-17, 1 Peter 2:22-25
The Word Equips Us - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The Power of God’s Word - Isaiah 55:11
The Power for Growth - Hebrews 4:12
Preaching the Word - 1 Timothy 4:11,13, 1 Timothy 6:2, 2 Timothy 2:1-2, 2 Timothy 4:1-2
The Word Protects - Philippians 4:6-7, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 2:1-10, The Book of Psalms

APPLICATION:
-We all have areas we are not growing spiritually. The first question shouldn’t be—Why isn’t God growing me? The first question should be—Am I allowing God’s Word to inform and have authority in this area of my life?

In our mission to advance God’s kingdom, words are our greatest weapons -
1. Jesus, the Living Word, is the life-giving heart of the written Word—When you read the Bible, look for him on every page.
2. The Word will be fruitless in you if the Spirit is not with you. Before you approach the Word, ask for the Spirit’s fresh filling for your spiritual understanding.
3. Preaching is God’s preferred weapon—Hold high, not the preacher, but the preached Word in your church.
4. When you share Jesus, show them Jesus—with your Bible

In the power of the Spirit, don’t allow the anxiety of the unknown, the tyranny of what’s seen, or temporary suffering to derail your faith. We know how this ends—Christ is victorious! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 12:18-25
TITLE: Getting Reacquainted With The King Of Glory, Part 2
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God is always in control, always for our good.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Herod stood before the people as though he was God, paraphrasing John Calvin—Plucking God out of His seat. And God struck him down.”

“Plucking God out of His seat comes naturally to us. Learning to give glory to God, in ALL things at ALL times, is a discipline we must all be intentional about. Money, possessions, talents, health, position, favor, wisdom, and achievements. From spiritual salvation to earthly successes, it all comes from God.”

“how do we stay humble? Above all things, I submit we cultivate God-honoring humility to the degree we live with an awareness that God is holy, I am a wretched sinner, and Jesus alone can bridge the gap. Staying close to the cross cultivates humility in the heart.”

“Did persecution and hardship cease? No, just keep reading. And it won’t until the imminent return of Christ. But God’s Spirit-empowered gospel mission through His church always triumphs.”

“If you are new around here, we are careful about how the news intrudes this pulpit. We avoid over-contextualizing the gospel for the sake of perceived cultural relevance. We preach biblical truth, not American politics. Our hope is in the goodness and wisdom of a sovereign God and the power of a risen Christ—and nothing else!”

“That’s exactly what Peter’s rest on death row, the church’s prayers in a dark hour, and Herod’s gruesome death REACQUAINT us with—the unchanging truth that God is always in control as He brings about His UNSTOPPABLE purposes for His ETERNAL glory and HIGHEST good for His redeemed people. That’s why we should be HOPEFUL in our Christ-centered, Spirit-empowered mission—God is UNSTOPPABLE!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Daniel 4
Pride: Romans 12:3, Galatians 6:3, Proverbs 26:12
Humility: Isaiah 66:2, James 4:6
Psalm 46
Where our hope rests: Romans 3:25-26, Colossians 2:13-15, 1 John 4:4, Romans 8:28, Revelation 22:12, Psalm 73:17-19, Matthew 16:18

APPLICATION:
STAY ON MISSION:

• Keep praying

• Keep resting

• Keep gathering

• Keep evangelizing

• Keep fellowshipping

• Keep obeying

• Keep serving

• Keep giving

• Keep enduring

• Keep persevering

• Keep showing mercy

On Sunday we learned that SAME power that miraculously rescued Peter from prison is the same power that gave strength to Peter for REST and the church to PRAY despite Herod’s might and means. Let us reacquaint ourselves with this POWER. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 12:1-17
TITLE: Getting Reacquainted With The King Of Glory
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God is always in control, always for our good.

POINTS:
I. People’s Prayer
II. Peter’s Sleep

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”James is dead. Peter is locked down on death row. A tremendous BLOW personally and corporately for the church. The mission has been on cruise control in Antioch. One can imagine the anxiety, fear, hopelessness, and sense of senselessness that must have come over the believers. …Have you been there? Are you there now? The early believers were there.”

“In a situation where most people would panic in powerlessness, Luke reacquaints us with true reality by showing us how the power of God gives strength to His people in two particular ways.”

“On the one hand, Herod is carrying out his seemingly unstoppable wicked assault on the church, while on the other hand, Luke wants us to see there are two forces here—God’s people are praying their hearts out for the power of God.”

“Peter knows his friend’s fate is soon to be his own. The last thing one would think Peter could do was sleep. And he is SOUND asleep. Like, snoring sleep. In 7, not even the light of an angel woke him and the angel had to strike him and say, Get up! Peter is at complete peace in the Lord.”

“Christians have been set free, made heirs with Jesus so we can follow him wherever he leads, and trust him in whatever he brings, knowing that at the end of the day we will be with him forever. How much more will he not care for you every moment until then?”

“It’s so easy for us to lose sight of the MAGNITUDE and GREATNESS of the God we belong to. In times of trial, suffering, and uncertainty, we are prone to MINIMIZE His greatness and power by MAGNIFYING our trial. The result is instead of running to an All-powerful God, we run from an all-powerful God. Prayer gives way to panic. Rest gives way to anxiety. But God’s desire for us, and He gives grace for this, is to trust Him in our trials.”

“We are jars of clay. We are fickle in nature. We are prone to unbelief. But take heart, God is supremely faithful, even when your faith is severely lacking.”

QUOTES:
John Stott- “What could the little community of Jesus in its powerlessness do against the armed might of Rome. Here then were two communities, the world and the church, arrayed against one another each wielding a weapon, the church turned to prayer which is the only power the powerless possess.”

Charles Wesley’s Hymn “And Can It Be” -
Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray;
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth, and followed thee

Eckhard Schnabel - “Trust in God implies the confidence that God will give strength to endure suffering, courage to endure persecution, and boldness to be a witness of God’s power and grace right to the end…Believers express their faith, they formulate their hopes and wishes in prayers, they acknowledge God’s sovereignty to do as he sees fit, and they leave their fate in his hands”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Peter 5:7
Hebrews 12:3-4

APPLICATION:
-Is that your view of prayer—The power of the powerless? We live in a society that increasingly views prayer as a sign of impotence and weakness. Prayer is the power of God’s people to tap into the power of their God who is infinitely greater than any power in this world. Do you need to REACQUAINT yourself with prayer?

- Peter didn’t PANIC, he RESTED in the providence and sovereign power of God. Perhaps Peter remembered that transforming moment not too long ago when he watched Jesus sleep in the boat as the storm raged. Perhaps it was this moment in Acts 12 that led Peter to write some 20 years later to a group of beleaguered churches in 1 Peter 5:7—Cast all your cares on Him, because HE cares for YOU. Do you need to REACQUAINT yourself with gospel rest today?

- In light of this text, what do you need to do right now? In your circumstance, what is wisdom right now for you? 

• Panic less and PRAY more?

• Take your anxious thoughts captive and REST in Christ’s righteousness and forgiveness?

• Stop compromising your faith to appease your oppressor out of fear and stand firm, speaking the truth with humble courage in faith?

• Put off doubt and put on praise to God for His unwavering faithfulness?

Tucson is Antioch! And we are here now - Let’s go! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 11:19-30
TITLE: Grace in Antioch
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: God's grace saves, strengthens, and marks the Church.

POINTS:
I. The Grace of God to Antioch through His Word Proclaimed
II. The Grace of God to Antioch through Grace-gifted men
III. The Grace of God to Antioch through Christians

SERMON EXCERPTS:

“What has been your private reaction to the news? - Multiply that out by God’s incalculable divine reaction! And now you and I can begin to understand, even to a small degree, God’s revulsion to Antioch’s depravity.”

“How is it possible for US citizens of Tucson to be forgiven by a Holy and just God? How is it possible that the Lord in His just wrath would not cause Mount Lemmon to give way and fall on top of us?! The answer is the same - MERCY. MERCY IS THE ONLY ANSWER!”

“Important note on the providence of God - God’s grace is revealed in that it was Saul that led out in the violent persecution of the church. The church was scattered. And in the scattering, some saints land in Antioch and preach Jesus! And NOW Saul, of all people, will be coming in loving, caring for, and teaching this church! This can only be the amazing grace of God! Barnabas gets Saul to help, and it changes world history!”

“I should be looking for evidences of God’s grace in the church - where do I see Jesus preached faithfully? Where do I see “the hand of Lord” that is at work in the church?”

“The character and lives of these growing Gentile saints were so changed and shaped by the Grace of God through the means of discipleship and instruction that even the non-believers took notice. The change was so stark and real that they lived totally differently… now living out their new life in Jesus Christ”

“God has now made a third kind (race) of people. Not Jews… not Gentiles… Jesus people - ‘Christians.’”

QUOTES:
Martin Luther- “If the Word is spoken, all things are possible!”

Derek Thomas - “What emerged in Antioch, a pagan, Roman city, was a community in which Christian values and zeal were so palpable that the unbelievers could see it, even if they derided them for it… Such an environment sifted the wheat from the chaff. Only true Christianity could survive in such an environment. Sooner or later, nominal Christianity will accommodate itself to the pagan culture; it will adopt its values and conform to its levels of acceptability… What showed itself in Antioch was something entirely countercultural. In such an environment, there is no mistaking the true church. When its members are truly committed to Christ, the result is something that shines brightly. It may prove costly to shine for Jesus in a godless society, but in doing so we become the beacons of hope for a dying world. Nor should we underestimate the way such a light can be a draw for those whose lives are engulfed by darkness.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 5:13-15, 17
Hebrews 8:12
Galatians 5:16, 19-24
Mark 5:18-20

APPLICATION:
-Do I see my pastors' and brother/sister’s love and care for me in their words of encouragement and exhortation?

- Are we so changed by the Holy Spirit that we are known for being ‘other’ than the world? Is there any marked difference in our nature and character that would be evident even to those outside of the Church - that we would be “Christian?” In today’s culture, to be Christian is not an endearing label anymore. YET they need this GRACE… they need the Grace of God revealed in true Christians that are beacons of hope shining light into the darkness. 

-Christian, do you see the Mercy of God to Tucson in the fact that He has called you, saved you, is changing you? He is with you in the power of the Holy Spirit - do you see this as the GRACE of God to our city? Do you see that the MERCY of God has come to Tucson by holding back his wrath and instead planting this Church in this city? We are HIS means of grace to this desperate city!