This last Sunday we learned that Jesus is our King and we belong to Him. He is with us even now calling us to GET BACK TO IT and never give up no matter what may come! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 5:12-42
TITLE: Go and Stand Firm
PREACHER: Guest Pastor, Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: The Church is commissioned in the Gospel of Jesus that will advance in power no matter what!

POINTS: 
1.  The Church’s Gospel Mission Advances In Power   
2. The Church’s Gospel Mission Advances In Opposition
3. The Church’s Gospel Mission Advances In Suffering

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
James 5:7-11 - Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

QUOTES:
Kent Hughes - “All of these died knowing that God can deliver his people anytime he wants. Scripture says that when waves of persecution or trial come, God can deliver us if he so wills. No matter how dark or oppressive the wave, he can rescue us. Believe it!”

Charles Spurgeon’s sermon “A Happy Christian” - “The worldling blesses God while he gives him plenty, but the Christian blesses him when he smites him: he believes him to be too wise to err and too good to be unkind; he trusts him where he cannot trace him, looks up to him in the darkest hour, and believes that all is well.”

John Newton: “Are not you amazed sometimes that you should have so much as a hope, that, poor and needy as you are, the Lord thinketh of you? But let not all you feel discourage you. For if our Physician is almighty, our disease cannot be desperate and if He casts none out that come to Him, why should you fear?”

APPLICATION:

1. Obey GOD rather than man! The rage, the opposition, the suffering is just waiting for us. But, we are called to obey God rather than man! There are situations in which we will be called to be Shadrach Meshach and Abednego - so moved by obedience to God that they MUST do so no matter if He delivers them or not!

2. Get Back To It! - Obedience that is met with God’s power
   Church, we are called to get back to it! Get back to the proclamation, back to the witness, back to “this life!” 

3. Never Give Up In It! - Perseverance that sustains 

   “Stand “ Firm - Hold Your Ground - Vs. 20
   “Every day” - do not stop preaching that the Christ is Jesus!!!! Vs. 42
   “Counted worthy to suffer” - Get back to it - NO MATTER what may come - opposition, suffering is worth it because Jesus is worth it.

Sunday, we looked at the twin realities of the church: The Church is shaped by grace and marked by holiness. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 4:32-5:11
TITLE: The Day God Killed People At Church
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: The church is a community shaped by grace and marked by holiness—And God will have it no other way.
OPENING ILLUSTRATION: Is He safe? Safe? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King; I tell you—The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis)

POINTS: 
1.   The Church is Shaped by Grace    
2.   The Church is Marked by Holiness

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:

Joshua 7:1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel. 

Titus 2:9-10 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. 

1 Peter 5:6-9 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Hebrews 3:12-13 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

APPLICATION:

1. Stay humble by celebrating grace as often as possible—in your life and others. It’s all too easy to forget that it’s all by grace. This is the difference between holy humility and sinful pride.

2. Never allow others to think more highly of you than they ought. Correct the record and deflect the glory to God.

3. Identify areas of sin you tend to commit while thinking to yourself—I know God will  forgive me. At that moment, you aren’t living in the fear of God; you are living as if you don’t fear what God thinks about your sin.

4. Read The Joy of Fearing God by Jerry Bridges.

It’s here! A brand new year. As it begins, I pray your hearts are filled with gratitude for the abundant grace and goodness of the Lord in 2021. What the new year has for you, only God knows. But here’s what you do know as a Christian: Whatever role, season, or situation God has you in, nothing you do in 2022 will be more important than prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17), preaching the gospel to yourself (Colossians 3:1-4), and reading the Bible (Psalm 1:1-3). 

For this reason, I encourage you to consider Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Bible reading plan. Mr. M’Cheyne was a nineteenth-century Scottish pastor. The Lord took him home just a few weeks before his 30th birthday. Though his life and ministry were short, his impact has lasted centuries, mainly through his annual bible reading plan. 

A foremost passion for himself and his church was reading the Bible with great intentionality and purpose. One gets a sense of this in his encouragement: 

You read your Bible regularly, of course; but do try and understand it, and still more to feel it. Read more parts than one at a time. For example, if you are reading Genesis, read a Psalm also; or if you are reading Matthew, read a small bit of an Epistle also. Turn the Bible into prayer. Thus, if you were reading the First Psalm, spread the Bible on the chair before you, and kneel and pray, “O Lord, give me the blessedness of the man”; “let me not stand in the counsel of the ungodly.” This is the best way of knowing the meaning of the Bible, and of learning to pray.

Wherever you are in your bible reading, right now is a great time to start reading or rereading the Bible. And let’s do it together. Let’s talk about it on Sunday mornings in the lobby. Let’s share our time in the Word in the home, on the double-date, or that one-on-one coffee. In the hands of the Spirit, God’s Word is active and alive, transforming our hearts and lives to live another year in the good of the gospel and for the glory of our King!

For your convenience, I have included three ways (taken from The Gospel Coalition) you can join us this year:

1. Bible Reading Plan. Read the entire Bible according to Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s plan, which takes you through the entire Bible in a year (including the New Testament and Psalms twice). Download the PDF reading plan

2. Daily Newsletter. This daily email contains Don Carson’s devotional reflection, along with related articles and links to go deeper in each day’s Bible readings. Subscribe here.

3. Podcast. This podcast contains audio reading of Don Carson’s For the Love of God,a daily devotional commentary that follows the M’Cheyne plan: podcast (Apple | Stitcher | Spotify).

Happy New Year and Happy Bible Reading all year!

“Jesus is the reason for the season!” How many times have we heard that phrase?!

Every year, amidst the joyfully hectic hustle and bustle of December, we gather together as a church to pause and remember the birth of Jesus. We don’t do this simply to remind each other, our friends, and neighbors of a cute story about a baby in a barn. But to remind us of where our hope and joy truly belongs, not only in this season but in all of life - THE GOSPEL. The life and death of our precious Savior. A baby in a barn is only a piece of that story!

This year will be no different! And we invite you to join us this Christmas Eve at 6:00 PM for our annual Candlelight Service. There will be paper invitations for you in the lobby on Sunday, however, feel free to screen-shot the image below to share the details that way! The Gospel will be preached!

“Tell me what you eat, and I’ll tell you what you are.” - Iron Chef Japan

The world’s most coveted culinary title is BACK.

Sovereign Grace Church’s Iron Chef 2021.

Unexpected? It’s time to get used to the unexpected! Join us New Years Eve for this epic annual showdown. Show your audience - and the professional judges! - just what it takes to be a master of the culinary arts (or simply what it takes to make your dishes taste good with the unexpected surprise ingredient of caramel corn thrown in…thanks Pastor Derek!)

This is a great opportunity to invite family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, your favorite greeter at Wal-Mart - to compete or join us the audience! Snacks and plenty of fellowship will be included!

The Iron Chef positions fill up fast so mark your calendars, sharpen your knives, grab a sous chef, and be prepared to sign up in the church lobby on Sunday, December 12th.

Sunday, we began a series in the Book of Acts titled Hopeful. Hopeful for what? Hopeful God will work in us, for us, and through us as we testify to the person and work of Jesus individually and collectively in all we do and say. From the opening verses, we learned:

We are hopeful because our mission is centered on Jesus.

Our mission is not built on an ancient philosophy or new idea. Our mission is centered on the person and work of Jesus. Really, our mission IS Jesus, the living and ascended Christ who promises to return for us one day.   

We are hopeful because our mission is rooted in history. 

Biblical hope is not about wishful thinking; it’s about certainty. The life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus are as sure as the screen you are looking at right now because Jesus is a historical figure. That means our faith is built on proven fact!

We are hopeful because our mission is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

God, Himself is at work saving sinners and building His church through the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel. Who can thwart God? Anyone or anything? No, not even the gates of hell!

Two thousand years have passed since the believers in Acts set the world on fire with the gospel. But two thousand years later, the mission remains the same: the Church as Holy Spirit-empowered witnesses for Jesus. As we spend time seeing and marveling at how God built His church through the Spirit and His people in the first century, may hopefulness spring forth in our hearts for our mission that is like no other mission right here in Tucson, AZ!

With that in mind, please join your pastors as we commit to praying for the Spirit’s work in our church through this series in the following ways:

1. A deeper desperation for the presence and power of the Holy Spirit

2. A stronger conviction of the privilege, obligation, and implications of being witnesses  for Jesus

3. A greater hope for what God can do in this city through our church

Proverbs 22:6 and Ephesians 6:4 declare the goal of every parent—Train your children in the truths of God and the Gospel. If you are a parent (or a grandparent like me), you know how frustrating it can be to find good books for your child's spiritual benefit. Finding a biblically sound, gospel-centered book that is relevant and readable for your child can be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

For this reason, I am grateful to people like Marty Machowski. Marty has been a pastor for years at Covenant Fellowship, our sister church in Glen Mills, PA. He has been a blessing to his church, our family of churches, and beyond in the area of parenting and Children's Ministry. One way the Lord has gifted him is his ability to communicate sound doctrine and the clear gospel message to children through writing.

So it is with much excitement, I share a list of all the books Marty has written for children over the years. I pray the Lord uses it as a means of grace as you walk in the privilege of parenting for the glory of God!

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AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER

Angels on Your Side

Picture Book
For Preschool - 2nd Grade

FORTHCOMING NOV 1, 2021 This picture book is written to help young children combat their fears and point them to God’s protection. It introduces them to God’s angels, who he sends to watch over and protect all but Christ. While Jesus could have called down an army of angels, he did not. He gave up his life for us that we could be reconciled to God. All those who turn from their sin to trust in Jesus are welcomed into God’s family and enjoy his Fatherly protection.

Buy on Amazon

Brave and Bold

Bible Study
For Men

This Bible study is written for young men who have grown up in our computer gaming culture. It is designed to challenge them toward courageous biblical manhood. The devotions are short and easy to read. Each devotional begins with a military or sports-themed story to introduce the topic of the day. It is designed to clearly articulate the gospel and Christ as the true source of our courage and strength.

Buy on Amazon

Don’t Blame The Mud

Picture Book
For Preschool - 2nd Grade

This picture book is designed to teach our children about sin and our need for the gospel. The main character of the story disobeys his mom and then tries to hide his sin.

Buy on Amazon

Dragon Seed

Gospel Allegory
For Middle Schoolers

Dragon Seed is a fictional allegory the expands the biblical allegory of the dragon found in Revelation 12:3-5. Dragon seeds are synonymous with pride. Once a dragon seed sprouts, it sends its black roots deep down. If plucked out quickly, it dies. But if left to grow and send its black roots down, it turns a person into a dragon. The book ends with a Bible study on humility entitled “The Antidote.”

Buy on Amazon

God Made Boys and Girls

Picture Book
For Preschool - 2nd Grade

This book is designed for our youngest children to build into them two critical biblical truths. First, our gender is a good gift from God, and second, our gender can never change. With so many promoting gender fluidity, it is essential to teach these two important truths to our youngest children. Building a solid foundation of truth in our children is the best way to help them combat the lies and deceptions of our day.

Buy on Amazon

God Made Me For Heaven

Picture Book
For Preschool - 2nd Grade

This picture book provides a biblical view of heaven to include Jesus’ return and remake the earth and live with us here. The book also helps children who have lost a loved one to deal with that loss

Buy on Amazon

The Gospel Story Bible

Children’s Bible
For Preschool - 3rd Grade

This children’s story Bible follows the 156 stories covered in the Gospel Story Curriculum. The last paragraph of each OT story answers the question, “Where is Jesus?” Each NT story answers the question, “Where is the gospel?”

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

Gospel Story Curriculum

Children’s Ministry Curriculum
For Preschool - 6th Grade

A biblical theology survey of the Bible for three age groups - Preschool, early elementary, and upper elementary. Each of the 78 OT lessons answers the question, “Where is Jesus?” Each of the 78n NT Lessons answers the question, “Where is the Gospel?” The devotionals, Long Story Short and Old Story New, follow the same scope and sequence so that parents can disciple their children at home in concert with the children’s ministry Sunday lesson. The Gospel Story Bible also follows the same scope and sequence, providing a family devotional resource for younger children.

Buy on Amazon

Leading Your Child to Christ

Minibook
For Parents

This booklet helps parents relate to their children’s response to the gospel. Unlike many profession-centered approaches. This book emphasizes the need to observe repentance and fruit, following Paul’s model from Acts 26:20 - “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.”

Buy on Amazon

Listen Up

Family Devotional Parables
For Preschool - 6th Grade

This family devotional on the parables of Jesus is designed to provide a 12-week family introduction to the parables of Jesus. The Sovereign Grace Children’s album, Listen Up, was created to follow the lessons in the Listen up book and companion curriculum.

SHOP CURRICULUM HERE

Listen Up Curriculum

Children’s Ministry Curriculum
For Preschool - 6th Grade

This 12-week children's ministry curriculum follows the same scope and sequence as the book of the same title so that parents can follow the classroom lesson in their family devotions.

Buy on Amazon

Long Story Short

Family Devotional Old Testament
Gradeschool

This Old Testament devotional is designed to follow the scope and sequence of the first half of the Gospel Story Curriculum, providing 18 months of five devotions per week. The goal is for the devotions to take 10 minutes per day to make them easy for parents to use.

Buy on Amazon

Old Story New

Family Devotional New Testament
Gradeschool

This New Testament devotional is designed to follow the scope and sequence of the second half of the Gospel Story Curriculum, providing 18 months of five devotions per week. The goal is for the devotions to take 10 minutes per day to make them easy for parents to use.

Buy on Amazon

Parenting First Aid

Topical Study
For Adult - Parents

This parenting book is designed to help parents see the importance of partnering with the Lord in parenting. Each study begins with a true-life parenting story. Not all of these stories have a happy ending, but all point to the help we receive from Christ in our parenting trials. This is a great book to give to parents of struggling teens.

PURCHASE STUDY GUIDE HERE

Parenting First Aid - Study Guide

Study Guide
For Adult - Small Group, Parents

This small group study follows the book of the same title.

Buy on Amazon

Prepare Him Room

Family Advent Devotional
Preschool - 6th Grade

This family advent devotional includes a family Bible study of the Old Testament Christmas prophecies and their corresponding fulfillment in the New Testament. In addition to the Bible study, it includes activities, crafts, and a fictional Christmas story. The companion Sovereign Grace Christmas Album of the same title is designed to be used with this book.

PURCHASE CURRICULUM PACKAGE HERE

Prepare Him Room Curriculum

Children’s Ministry Curriculum
For Preschool - 6th Grade

This children's ministry advent curriculum follows the family devotional.

COMING SOON…

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Teach Them Jesus

Ministry
For Adults

FORTHCOMING OCT 4, 2021 This book, co-authored with Deepak Reju is designed to be a comprehensive children’s ministry manual focusing on both the practical and theological priorities in leading a children’s ministry.

Buy on Amazon

Teaching Your Child About Money

Minibook
For Adult - Parents

This booklet helps parents teach biblical stewardship to their children.

Buy on Amazon

The Ology

Systematic Theology
For Preschool - 3rd Grade

This picture book systematic theology for children incorporates creative analogies to communicate complex theological ideas. It includes a study in the back for older children.

Buy on Amazon

Wise Up

Family Devotional Proverbs
For Preschool - 6th Grade

This family devotional on the book of Proverbs is designed to provide a 12-week family introduction to the book. The book was designed to incorporate the Walking with the Wise Sovereign Grace Children’s Album.

PURCHASE CURRICULUM HERE

Wise Up Curriculum

Children’s Ministry Curriculum
For Preschool - 6th Grade

This 12-week children's ministry curriculum follows the same scope and sequence as the book of the same title so that parents can follow the classroom lesson in their family devotions.

Buy on Amazon

Wonderful

Bible Study Psalms
For Preschool - 3rd Grade

Wonderful follows the same layout as The Ology and includes illustrations by the same illustrator. This picture book Bible study of the Psalms teaches children how to read the psalms and use them to guide our prayers. The book includes a fictional story woven through the Bible study. The story focus is on a boy whose grandfather is dying. He learns how his grandfather finds comfort in the psalms and learns how to use the Psalms for his own comfort. The story is designed to provide an illustrated application of the psalms as an example.

In a fallen world, suffering and hardship come in all shapes and sizes. Jesus promised it; history proves it. Right now, there are many suffering in the wake of destruction left by hurricane IDA. 

Please pray for them. Pray for our sister churches in New Orleans and Covington. Pray God would give the leaders wisdom to lead the church as they care for one another. Pray the Lord would keep people safe, keep families together, and most of all, opportunities for the gospel would abound.

Of course, if you would like to GO help physically or GIVE financially, Sovereign Grace Churches has provided a way. Please read the brief update report below and click the link provided for details.

Whatever you do, we are grateful for our partnership and have confidence in God’s grace as we serve one another!

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“Greetings friends,

I hope you're enjoying the grace of the Lord today.

As many of you know, New Orleans has begun the process of recovery from Hurricane Ida. We have been in contact with our friends at Lakeview Christian Center and Christ Community Church and have learned that a number of their members are without power and some have experienced significant home damage from the storm.

Information about ways to support these churches can be found here and we will update this page as new support opportunities arise.

These are the moments where I am freshly grateful for the affection and generosity of our partnership. May the Lord give us grace to care for each other well!

Grace to you all,
Jon Payne
On behalf of the Leadership Team

On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness—Psalm 145:5-7

God is good. He is infinitely good! As a local church, we see and experience His goodness in so many ways. I encourage you, take a moment and ponder what God’s abundant goodness looks like in your life today. Marvel in it and marvel at Him for it. 

I also encourage you to take a moment to read about God’s abundant goodness around the world. God is using our small family of churches to make Himself known. From the Sovereign Grace Pastors College in Kentucky to the rural villages of Latin America to the Down Under in the Pacific, God is at work doing the good work of saving and sanctifying sinners. 

Click the images and arrows below to check it out and be AMAZED!

EMERGING NATIONS

PODCAST LAUNCH IN AUSTRALIA

TRANSLATING THE STATEMENT OF FAITH

WELCOME PC CLASS OF 2022

In May, we introduced (and gave you one as a gift for the Fifth Sunday book) the inaugural edition of the Sovereign Grace Journal.  A compilation of articles written by Sovereign Grace pastors, the journal exists to enlarge our thoughts about God and help us treasure Christ with our mind, affections, and life (Ephesians 1:16-21). We trust as you have taken the time to read through the articles, you have indeed grown closer to Jesus. 

We are excited to announce another journal is here! Listen to Sovereign Grace Executive Director Mark Prater’s description of the newest edition: 

“Titled, A Christ-Centered People, this issue is a treasure. I can't wait for you to read these articles. In the introduction, I wrote: ‘The gospel, which shapes the culture in our family of churches, declares what Christ has accomplished for us through his death and resurrection. Based on the finished work of Jesus Christ that we receive by faith, we are a people who joyfully respond to this good news by walking in him, living for him, and staying centered on him. Colossians 2:6-7 says, Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him. Because the gospel is for all of life, there isn’t an area of our lives where we aren’t centered on Christ—whether that is parenting, politics, living the single life, or our involvement in missions. This edition of the journal speaks into each of these areas and more.’"

As a local church passionate about growing in Christ, we encourage you to read the new edition. To view the PDF for free or order on Amazon, just click here. From corporate worship to parenting in the home, we pray this journal will build you up in Christ for your good and His glory!