We may not be arguing the importance of Jewish heritage or circumcision, but the truths of this passage are still pertinent today! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 11:1-18
TITLE: A Gospel-Centered Response To A Gospel-Centered Work
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: In the Church, people don’t have to become like us to be one of us. They know Jesus, and that makes them one of us.

POINTS:
I. A Fallacious Accusation
II. A Godward Argument
III. An Appropriate Acceptance

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”This morning is not about evangelism. It’s about life in the local church. And though the issues in our text aren’t really relevant to us today, the heart of the matter and the message is extremely relevant for us today.”

“…the gospel changes everything. Cornelius and his family didn’t come to God through Israel by becoming Jewish. They weren’t part of the church because they embraced the rituals and traditions of Judaism. Cornelius was baptized, not circumcised. These Gentiles came to God through faith in Jesus alone.”

“God saves people as they are. They didn’t need Jesus PLUS Judaism. They didn’t need to become a Jew to be a child of God—they had Jesus and Jesus was enough.”

“When they heard what the Lord had done, they fell silent. Criticism ceased. Objections dropped. Accusations halted. Praises began. Gentiles in the church. It wasn’t what they expected. It wasn’t what they preferred. But God did this.” 

“…when we treat [secondary and tertiary doctrines, all of them good] like the gospel, we in effect, communicate to others they have abandoned the gospel and are being unfaithful to God, when they haven’t. That’s legalism. It leads to condemnation. And God hates it!”

“You will probably never say—If you want to be a Christian you’ve got to be circumcised. But we are all vulnerable to subtly turning the gospel of grace into the gospel of assimilation by making our personal convictions and preferences the essence of the gospel. Confessionally —No. Functionally—Yes.”

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “We do not have this exact problem today, but we do have something like it. We are glad to have other people join us as long as they become like us.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Galatians 6:14-15

APPLICATION:
-What Christian perspectives, convictions or preferences do I allow to refuse, limit, or part company with a fellow believer because they don’t share them?

-That’s what it means to be a Christian—boast in the cross of Christ and nothing else. A word of application: 

1. Non-Christian friend: Jesus is all you need!

2. Visitors: One thing defines SGC—The gospel!

3. Fellow believer:

   1. Be sensitive to the Spirit’s work of conviction in your heart

   2. Pursue company with those who are different than you

   3. Discern when to fall silent

   4. Be most passionate about the gospel

This past Sunday was a special Sunday in the life of our church: we had the privilege of ordaining Tom Wilkins. If you are unfamiliar with the term ordination, it simply means to publicly set apart or appoint. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: 1 Peter 5:1-4
TITLE: Peter, Pastors, and Barbecue: A Special Sunday in the Life of SGC
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. A Pastor’s Charge
II. A Pastor’s Heart
III. A Pastor’s Motivation

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”These four verses have ENORMOUS implications for pastors. But what it powerfully preaches to pastors, has TREMENDOUS implications and applications for YOU because in focusing on the pastors, Peter is equipping the churches.”

“The NT uses pastor, elder, and overseer as interchangeable terms—three terms, one office. We see the interchangeable nature of these terms in Titus 1, 1 Timothy 3, Acts 20, Philippians 1, Ephesians 4, and right here in 1 Peter 4.”

“Scripture teaches the KEY to the Christian life is KEEPING your eyes on Jesus—namely his sacrifice and his return. And that begins with pastors in their own lives and in their pastoring. A pastor has one message to proclaim, one song to sing, one motivating force—Jesus Christ!”

“These are the sacred tasks of governing—feeding, caring, protecting, leading.”

“A pastor is called to sacrifice himself to the will of God, the gospel of Christ, and the mission of the church because he is convinced in his heart God has called him to just that.”

“Should pastors be paid? According to 1 Corinthians 9 and 1 Timothy 5, if at all possible, YES! But when money becomes the motive, temptations and partiality hinders the gospel mission, reviles the Word of God, and slanders the name of Christ.”

“…pastoral authority is God’s design. We know that because it is patterned in the Trinity, enabled through the gospel, and clearly prescribed in the Scriptures through commands, imagery, and implication.”

“It's paramount pastors remember they are shepherds. Peter doesn’t call pastors ranchers. Ranchers rawhide cattle into corrals. Pastors are shepherds, gently feeding, caring, protecting and leading sheep toward the Great Shepherd, as we ourselves pursue the Great Shepherd.”

“The reason I will wear the unfading crown of glory before God is because the Chief Shepherd wore a crown of thorns for me.”

QUOTES:
John Stott- “The best sermons we ever preach to others are those we have first preached to ourselves.”

Alexander Strauch - “Shepherding is the figurative expression for governance, while overseeing is the literal term”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Acts 13:2
Acts 14:23
2 Timothy 4:1-2
Hebrews 13:17
Acts 20:28-30
Acts 6:1-6
2 Timothy 2:2
Ephesians 4:11-16

This coming Sunday, May 15, is a very exciting and important Sunday! During the service, Tom Wilkins will be ordained as a pastor here at Sovereign Grace Church! Our church has already benefited from his IT knowledge for the last decade and he has been joyfully serving this church as a full-time pastor since April 1. We are excited to see how the Lord continues to use him and his wife Lisa in the lives of those in our church!

To continue the celebration we will be having a BBQ in the parking lot following the Sunday morning service. There will be good food, fun activities, and even better fellowship! Friends and family are welcome to come and join in on the festivities!

The cross of Jesus has leveled the playing field. Without exception, all have sinned, and all need a Savior, and Jesus is calling all men everywhere without distinction to repent and be saved, and “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name!” Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Acts 10:1-48
TITLE: Cornelius the Centurion is Saved
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins

POINTS:
Day 1 - Caesarea – God prepares the sinner for the Gospel
Day 2 – God prepares the evangelist by the Gospel
Day 3 – ANYONE who believes in Jesus will be saved

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”In the Gospels, Jesus goes where no good Jew would go. Time and time again he would break through social barriers. He went to the outcasts, the prostitutes, and tax collectors. He goes to the demon-possessed, touches lepers, and into Samaria to an adulterer. He advanced the Kingdom to God in the hearts of men and women no matter who they were or where they were from.”

“Luke slows the narrative down for the next two chapters allowing for the details needed to understand this ever-important moment in the history of the Church.”

“Here we have a pagan Gentile hear what will be the beginning of his unstoppable salvation - God is on His gracious move in this sinners life - ‘Cornelius!’ Though he was far off, he is now being ‘brought near.’”

“Redemptive History is unfolding a major turning point!”

“The “dividing wall of hostility” between the Jew and Gentile has been broken down. The cross of Jesus has “killed the hostility.” There are Gentiles about to rock the Apostle’s world and knock on his door, and without the needed paradigm shift in his heart, Peter will leave the door closed on the Gospel advance to the Gentiles.”

“We are clean in Christ!… and this should shock us when we just begin to understand how repulsive we really are! When God – who is Holy – looks down on the whole compass -“four corners”- of the earth, our sinfulness is indescribable filth - justified abject divine repulsion. And yet He has set his affection and love on repulsive sinners like me and made me clean!” 

QUOTES:
Kent Hughes - “We write off whole churches simply by what we have heard about them. We shut out whole ethnic groups because of a bad experience with one person or family. We mentally excommunicate those who do not agree with us on one secondary issue or another. Our sheets easily fill with educational, racial, cultural, and spiritual rejects, and we cry, ‘By no means, Lord - they are not my type!’”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 2:12
Ephesians 2:14
Revelation 7:9-12

APPLICATION:
- Who would fill your “sheet”?
- Who has become repulsive to you?
Sovereign Grace Church, you are sent: to speak the Good News to all men and women both near and far!

For 22 years this month, we have attempted to faithfully work out our mission of building a Church that proclaims and demonstrates the power of the gospel. We have helped a lot of people who transferred into this Church to benefit from a robust gospel-centered approach to preaching and ministries. We believe God is calling us to be more involved with the lost. We believe over the next few years God wants to SEND us into the lives of more and more lost people. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Acts 9:32-35
TITLE: The Power in a Powerful Gospel
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: The advancing gospel displays the power of God.

POINTS:
1. The Healing of Aeneas
2. The Resurrection of Tabitha

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”It doesn’t matter if it’s Peter in Jerusalem, Stephen getting stoned or Phillip or Saul the point is all the same – the power of God is in the gospel and it’s advancing and powerfully transforming people and adding people to the Church.”

“Gospel advance allows us to participate in something amazing. Way bigger than anything individual we could do. God uses the unnamed saints in that town, Peter as an apostle, and Aeneas as the recipient of God’s healing power. The gospel advances through people.”

“Death has reared its ugly head on the earth since the garden and because Jesus was raised up from death on the Cross, NOW in an instant, the power of the gospel is on display overcoming death.“ 

“God is not just about some evangelistic outcome. No, He works in our hearts along the way.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Luke 5:17-26 & Mark 2:1-12
Romans 1:16
1 Corinthians 15:56–57
Ephesians 1:15-23

APPLICATION:
Church, God is positioning us for more evangelism. It’s time for a gut check.
- Do you really believe there’s power in the gospel to arrest people right where they are at and transform them into disciples of Jesus Christ? 
- Do you confess a powerful gospel but functionally live like its powerless to really transform and change people?

In Galatians 6:2 Christians are called to “Bear one another’s burdens” and Church, you have and continue to do just this. And the grace of God at work in you is evident as you continue to pray for baby Everett Wilkins. The Lord has revealed His mercy in answering your prayers for Everett’s life and healing.

Thursday this week was a big day for this little boy. While he has been progressing slowly daily, meeting various benchmarks in his development and healing, Thursday marked the day that his intubation vent was removed, and he is now only on nasal oxygen support. His reconstructed heart is pumping away and so far, his lungs are getting stronger. This was a huge step forward for him and the removal of the vent tubing now reveals his precious face all the more. Scottie and Melody are thrilled as they also can now hold him in their arms. The Lord has been so merciful to Everett and his mom, dad, and big brother, Joel! The Lord has also provided their next temporary place to live in the L.A. area. Thank you for your prayers for the Wilkins family and please continue to pray that Everett can now remain off the ventilator and that his digestive system will heal and mature as they introduce and test nutrition changes. Finally, please continue to pray for the medical team that works tirelessly day after day in their treatment, therapy, and care for him.

We thank God for you!

Paul’s conversion, as unique as it was, reminds us of a universal truth for every conversion— the moment you are saved, you are a new person with a new purpose. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Acts 9:10-31
TITLE: The Glorious Consequences of Conversion
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: When the Savior of glory takes hold of you, there will necessarily be glorious changes in you.

POINTS:
1. A New Purpose
2. A New Family

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”It’s tempting for us to think of the Christian life as a makeover or remodel. It’s not—It’s a redo. Conversion isn’t an addition or improvement to your life. It’s a replacement of your old life that comes with an entirely new purpose.” 

“What gets us up in the morning is no longer fickle and fleeting pursuits, but the glory and praise of God as we bear the name of Christ in all we do and say.”

“The very ones [Saul] once hunted down like dogs fellowshipped with him. Protected him. Defended him. Labored in the gospel with him. Embraced him as a brother in Christ. Such is the power of the gospel that reconciles us to God AND one another. Such is the wisdom of God in His plan of salvation.”

“Thank God for Ananias and Barnabas who embraced Saul and welcomed him into the church, his new family. They are as someone once said—Forgotten heroes of the Christian Church.  Just imagine how different church history would be if they had not. And what will our church history be like if we don’t follow in their footsteps.”

“Paul’s conversion is a reminder that God can save anyone at any time. And If God can save anyone at any time, like Ananias and Barnabas, we must be ready to receive anyone he saves at any time.”

QUOTES:
William Cowper - “God moves in mysterious ways His wonders to perform”

John Stott - “There is an urgent need for Ananiases and Barnabases who overcome their scruples and hesitations, and take the initiative to befriend newcomers.”

Derek Thomas - “Praise God for the willingness of Ananias to go and see Saul of Tarsus! He truly is one of the forgotten heroes of the Christian Church. It took courage for Ananias to show kindness to Saul, and it is not difficult to imagine that some may have been critical to the gesture. Are you, like Ananias, ready to give your hand of welcome to those whom the Lord has converted, no matter what their past may include?”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Corinthians 11:22-33
2 Corinthians 5:17
Galatians 1:17-18
Ephesians 2:1-10

APPLICATION:
- Is there someone in this church you are hesitating to embrace because of their past or their current lifestyle?

- What do you see most in your fellow believer?

A risen Jesus is a trustworthy Jesus. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Luke 24:1-12
TITLE: Easter and the Art of Remembering
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: REMEMBERING is a key part of REDEMPTIVE LIVING!

POINTS:
1. God is in Control
2. Jesus can be Trusted

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”This morning is about REMEMBERING, not merely for the sake of remembering, but for joyful, faith-filled, to the praise of God’s glory living.”

“From the Garden to Golgotha, nothing Jesus experienced was an accident—It was the eternal plan of the sovereign God. Sovereign meaning God was in control. He acted in the place of authority. Nothing about the cross happened apart from God’s ordained purposes.”

“The empty tomb is God’s way of standing before the universe applauding His Son and declaring—What has been finished by my Son has been fully accepted by Me, all according to My plan, for the praise of My glory!”

“Jesus was crucified, buried, and RAISED to life on the third day—Just as he said. A risen Jesus is a trustworthy Jesus.”

“Most importantly, because the tomb is empty, we can believe that Christ’s work on the cross is sufficient and sufficiently binds us in an unbreakable union with Christ that we will share together for eternity in the loving and glorious presence of a gracious and merciful God.”

QUOTES:
Martyn Lloyd-Jones - “The death of Christ on the cross was not an accident, ultimately it was not even something achieved by men; it was part of the plan and purpose of God…It was God who contrived the cross. The cruel hands of men actually knocked in the nails, but it was by the predetermined counsel and foreknowledge of God”

Paul Beasley-Murray - “The powers of evil did their worst, but they did not, and never will, have the last word.”

C.S. Lewis - “He would have been deceived or a deceiver. But His most amazing promise has come true, so how can we not depend on and live by all the rest of His promises?”

Phillip Ryken - “We are to believe in the resurrection on the basis of what Jesus said (Bible). The empty tomb is not self-explanatory. There is a word that explains the deed, and this word is the gospel message that Jesus not only died, but also rose again with a glorious and everlasting body that would never die again”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Acts 2:23-24
1 Corinthians 15:14-21
Matthew 11:28-30

APPLICATION:
Go from here, REMEMBERING what Jesus has told you. Tell it to yourself and tell it others knowing the God who raises the dead to life is in control and the Jesus who said I will dies and yet live is trustworthy.

Whether this is the first time you’ve ever read this passage, or you have encountered Christ in the garden many times, our task is to consider what our Savior embraced the night before His death. To go into Friday and Sunday marveling at the wonders of the garden. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Luke 22:39-46
TITLE: Christ’s Agony in the Garden
PREACHER: Brett Overstreet
BIG IDEA: In the garden, Christ embraces our cup so that we might drink of a new cup.

POINTS:
1. An Unfamiliar Scene
2. An Unimaginable Cup

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Jesus is not simply heading into the other room to pray. What we are about to see unfold is pulling Him away, even bringing Him to the precipice of death – according to His own words.”

“There is a rare medical condition where extreme anguish and physical stress can cause your capillary blood vessels to burst and mix with sweat. There are some accounts recorded in history of this happening to men on the battlefield. But whether you think it is literal or metaphorical, the point that Luke is making cannot be denied: Jesus’ inner struggle, His agony was so great that manifests itself in great physical trauma.”

“Jesus is using the image of a cup in His prayer because this was a familiar image used throughout the Old Testament. It essentially referred to someone’s portion, whether positive or negative but it most commonly referred to the judgement of God.”

“The undeniable reality is that this cup that Jesus stares into is our cup. This cup is reserved for sinners like you and I. Every single drop in this cup of horror and desolation is the just and righteous response of a Holy God to my sin, to your sin.” 

“And over course of the next 24 hours Jesus would be stripped naked, mocked, spit upon, laughed at – he would be denied by Peter, put on trial and falsely accused, beaten nearly to the point of death and then hung on a criminals cross in the most humiliating, painful death we could imagine. And yet, none of the physical suffering would compare to what experienced when He would drink our cup on the cross.” 

”Do you live in the goodness of this reality? Do you live aware, grateful, amazed that the cup you drink is full of God’s love and blessing. Ephesians 1 tells us God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Do you live each day, not just aware, but grateful and satisfied in the reality that the cup you deserve to drink is a cup of God’s unmitigated wrath, yet the cup you drink is full of His eternal favor. When we talk about preaching the Gospel to yourself or rehearsing the Gospel… this is what we mean.”

QUOTES:
CJ Mahaney- “When we look at Jesus in the pages of the unfolding Gospels - allowing ourselves to walk closely alongside Him through those three exciting years of ministry - words like authoritative, assured and fearless truly describe Him. He’s unfailingly steady and controlled. But there comes a moment, as we follow Him into “a place called Gethsemane,” when all is radically changed. Suddenly we encounter a Savior we’re unfamiliar with. What we observe is foreign and frightening.”

Charles Spurgeon - “Since it would not be possible for any believer, however experienced, to know for himself all that our Lord endured in… mental suffering and hellish malice, it is clearly far beyond the preacher’s capacity to set it forth to you. Jesus Himself must give you access to the wonders of Gethsemane: as for me, I can but invite you to enter the garden.”

Jonathan Edwards - “[Agony] implies no common degree of sorrow, but such extreme distress that His nature had a most violent conflict with it, as a man that wrestles with all his might with a strong man.”

John Calvin - “…because He had before His eyes the dreadful tribunal of God, and the Judge Himself armed with inconceivable vengeance; it was our sins, the burden of which He had assumed, that pressed Him down with their enormous mass… and tormented Him grievously with fear and anguish.”

Donald Macleod - “The wonder of the love of Christ for His people is not that for their sake He faced death without fear, but that for their sake He faced it, terrified. Terrified by what He knew, and terrified by what He did not know, he took damnation lovingly.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Hebrews 2:17
Isaiah 51:17
Psalm 75:8
Psalm 11:6
Ezekiel 23:33-34
2 Corinthians 5:21
John 3:36

APPLICATION:
As we head into this weekend where we will celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday - Consider the Garden. Consider what Christ embraced for you. Consider the unimaginable He drank. Consider the undeserved cup you now drink.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved—Acts 2:42-47

What a compelling picture of life in Christ! God’s people knitted and being knitted together in every aspect of life, spiritually and practically. Though 2000 years later, it looks different in many ways, what remains unchanged is the godly desire to live the gospel life out with one another. 

While life in Christ together has many expressions, none is dearer than gathering as a church. For your calendar and prayers, we have listed upcoming events we hope you will consider.

Good Friday

Easter

April Offering

Guest Luncheon

Ordination Sunday

Woven

April 15 + Good Friday Service
Join us as we remember what Jesus experienced at the cross on our behalf. The service is from 6-7 pm (no childcare provided).

April 17 + Easter Service 
Invite your friends and family as we celebrate God’s exclamation point on the gospel—the empty tomb from the Gospel of Luke.

April 24 + April Offering
We serve a generous God who has given us all things in His Son Jesus. In response to His divine generosity, we have the privilege of worshipping Him uniquely with our wallets. Please pray how God would have you participate in the April offering and come on the last Sunday of April ready to give with joy, faith, and generosity. 

April 24 + Guest Luncheon 
If you are not a member at SGC, please join us for lunch following the service. Specifically designed for you, this luncheon is an opportunity to meet the pastors, ask questions about the church, and learn what the next step toward membership is. You can register now at our website sovgracetucson.org.

May 15 + Ordination Sunday
This will be a significant Sunday in the life of our church as we officially ordain Tom Wilkins as a pastor. We will continue our celebration with a barbecue immediately following the service.  

May 21 + Woven Brunch: A Celebration of Christian Women
Ladies (and daughter's youth age and up), please join us as we celebrate Christian women in all seasons of life. It will be a wonderful time of encouragement, fellowship, and prayer. Oh yeah, and great food catered by our own Chef John Hohn!

A converted heart will be evidenced by a converted wallet. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

APRIL OFFERING 2022
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11
TITLE: True New Testament Giving
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: A converted heart will be evidenced by a converted wallet.

POINTS:
1. Two Types of Givers
2. One Generous God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Whether it’s regular tithe, Fifth Sunday or the April offering, we know generous giving is never about a budget goal—It’s about grateful hearts for the gospel and a passionate desire to see the gospel mission advanced through the local church.”

“If you want to know what God expects from His people as it relates to giving, look no further than 2 Corinthians 8 & 9. At the heart of Paul’s instruction isn’t a percentage or amount but an attitude, an attitude of GENEROSITY.”

“Generosity is the fruit of faith in God, that He is able to sufficiently supply for one’s needs and contentment in how He supplies for those needs. Generous, cheerful, faith-filled giving. That’s the NT focus and if that’s you today, thank God today by saying: I get the joy of giving…God gets all the glory in the giving!”

“If God never gave you another good thing in this life, salvation in Jesus would still be enough to be the basis and motivation for every penny you give in grateful worship for what He has done for you in Christ.”

“God generously gives to us, not so we can live our best lives now, but so we can generously give to His mission.”

QUOTES:
John Piper - “To give sparingly is to give from a heart that deep inside wants to hold back. There are enough external constraints and pressures to make us give something. But the real feeling of our heart is not to think how much can we give, but how much can we keep”

ESV Study Bible - “God will provide for the Corinthian's needs so that they can continue generously meeting others' needs and giving resources to advance the gospel”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Luke 21:1-4
Acts 8:1-15
Psalm 37:25
Philippians 4:19

APPLICATION:
The point is not to Give all your money to the April offering because it’s sinful to spend money on yourself. The point is God wants us to view His generosity toward us not primarily for our sole benefit and enjoyment, but for His redemptive purposes.

In light of 2 Corinthians 9:6-11, from the poorest to the wealthiest in the room, would you prayerfully consider how God is calling you to give on the last Sunday of April from a generous, cheerful, faith-filled heart for the sake of our gospel mission together and the pleasure and glory of God.

For the last couple of weeks, we’ve had a front-row seat to the salvation of UNLIKELY candidates. Such is the mercy of God and the power of the gospel! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 9:1-10
TITLE: An Unlikely Candidate
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
Now that Jesus has Saul’s attention, he does three things-
1. Questions Saul
2. Reveals Himself to Saul
3. Commissions Saul

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Remember what Jesus taught his disciples—If they receive you, they receive me. If they reject you, they reject me. Such is the union between Christ and his people—What you do to Jesus’ people you do to Jesus.”

“Jesus knew Saul before Saul knew Jesus. Same with you—Before you knew Jesus, He knew you. Before you had affections for Christ, He set his affections on you.”

“If you’re not a Christian, whatever you think you need—you need Jesus more right now. If you are a Christian, allow amazing grace to amaze you once again.”

”HUMANELY speaking, none of us are LIKELY candidates to live for and be used by God. But God is infinite in wisdom and sovereign in salvation. He has supreme power and authority in the work of saving people from their sin.”

QUOTES:
John Calvin - “Saul was an untamed beast who was a rabid, blood-thirsty enemy of the church.”

Justin Holcomb - “Just as Paul had shattered the lives of many of God’s people, God shattered Paul’s pride and self-sufficiency, forcing him to seek as a blind supplicant the mercy of the people he hated”

John Piper - “God’s mercy and power are not limited to people who have been set up for Christianity by a good family or a church association or a clean moral track record. The chief of sinners was converted. And that means hope in evangelism and in your own faltering walk with the Lord”

Derek Thomas - “Paul was arrested in midflight, breathing murderous thoughts! This should give us cause for great hope about those who appear to be utterly indifferent, hostile toward the gospel. There is no telling what God can do, in an instant”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Deuteronomy 21:23
Galatians 3:13
Isaiah 6
Colossians 1:21
Titus 3:3
Ephesians 2:1-3
Romans 5:8,10
2 Corinthians 5:21

APPLICATION:
Who is the UNLIKELY candidate God has put in your life? Is there someone you aren’t sharing the gospel with, not because of fear, but for one reason - you don’t think they would ever believe on account of their:

• Lifestyle and sexual choices

• Politics

• Past conversations—values and philosophies of life

• Religious upbringing

Somewhere out there, sometime this week, God has people waiting for us. Because the gospel mission is God’s mission. Salvation is His plan. Building the church is His responsibility. Are we listening when he says, “GO!” Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 8:26-40
TITLE: God’s Plan, Our Participation
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God has a plan—Are we listening?

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”As important as it is to live for Jesus, people must hear about Jesus. We must open our mouths and tell of the good news of Jesus. Faith comes by hearing, not watching. And how will others hear if we do not open our mouths and tell? Live for Jesus by all means. But don’t stop there—let’s open our mouths and tell others about Jesus.”

“When they ask, Can I, Do I move people’s questions about God and the Bible to the good news of the Gospel? Whether it’s Creation. End Times. Genealogies. Good morals. Can I, Do I connect it all to Jesus?”

“Key to our sanctification and witness, like Phillip, is allowing our lives and well-laid plans to be interrupted and directed by the Spirit for the sake of the salvation of others—yes, even spontaneously.”

“For some of us, our personalities may make it more difficult, but it never ABSOLVES us from obeying the voice of the Lord. And when we use personality, busyness, or effectiveness as an excuse, we end up quenching the Spirit in the moment and missing opportunities to experience His grace and witness His glory.”

QUOTES:
Eckhard Schnabel - “Christians must not miss the promptings of God’s Spirit to initiate spontaneous conversations in unforeseen circumstances”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Isaiah 55:8
Isaiah 52:10
Isaiah 54:10
Isaiah 55:1-3
Isaiah 56:3-8
Luke 24:27
Proverbs 16:9

APPLICATION:
Three simple ways to prepare your heart to listen and speak:
1. Remind yourself—Whatever reason you are where you are, the GREATEST reason is to bear witness to Jesus.

2. Pray—Lord, fill me with your Spirit to be your instrument, use me as you will.

3. Engage redemptively—More than your sympathetic ear, enthusiastic interest, or stimulating conversation, they need Jesus. Listen and connect the dots.

Have you given up sharing the gospel with someone—child, spouse, co-worker? Have you become skeptical about the power of the gospel or lost heart in your call to evangelism because you don’t see fruit? Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 8:9-25
TITLE: Remaining Faithful
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Hope for our mission is not in what we see, it’s in what we know—The gospel breaks all barriers!

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”…while we might not shell out cash, we all have a little Simon in us. It’s easy and subtle to make our relationship with God about getting something we want—respect and success, sense of belonging and purpose, impressive family and model marriage. No one is immune from using God as Simon tried to.”

“The gospel is breaking barriers. But not through the power or influence of man. The power of God isn’t a commodity. The gospel is breaking barriers through bold preaching, the Spirit’s regenerating work, and repentance and faith.”

“Three principles from this story that should encourage us in and produce hope for our gospel mission:

1. The Gospel has broken all barriers, but not every heart is broken by the gospel—Simon wasn’t saved but Samaritans were, just as God promised. 

2. We are called to be a faithful witness to others, not the Savior of others—Phillip preached to Simon but he couldn’t save Simon. He had to trust Simon to God to DO what God alone can do.

3. God’s kingdom is still being built, we are not in heaven YET—So as it says in vs. 25, we keep preaching the unstoppable gospel that gives joy and life to the world around us.“

QUOTES:
John Stott - “The most natural explanation of the delayed gift of the Spirit is that this was the first occasion on which the gospel had been proclaimed not only outside Jerusalem but inside Samaria….The delay was only temporary, however, until the apostles had come down to investigate, had endorsed Phillip’s bold policy of Samaritan evangelism, had prayed for the converts, had laid hands on them as a token of fellowship and solidarity, and had thus given a public sign to the whole church, as well as to the Samaritan converts themselves, that they were bona fide Christians, to be incorporated into the redeemed community on precisely the same terms as Jewish converts”

Bryan Vickers - “Even in the midst of a dramatic move in the trajectory of the gospel [salvation for Samaritans], an obstacle arises, a reminder that the church is moving toward the fulfillment of the kingdom but has not yet reached it fully”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Acts 1:8
John 4:9
Ephesians 1:13-14
Ephesians 5:18
Psalm 139:23

APPLICATION:
Have you given up sharing the gospel with someone—child, spouse, co-worker? Have you become skeptical about the power of the gospel or lost heart in your call to evangelism because you don’t see fruit? God is at work saving and sanctifying sinners, building His church, and spreading His glory. THEREFORE, Remain FAITHFUL remembering: Hope for your mission is not in what you see, it’s in what you know—The gospel breaks all barriers!

In his outstanding Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem explains three reasons God wants us to pray: 1) Prayer expresses our trust in God 2) Prayer is a way to fellowship with God 3) Prayer is a means to participate with God in His kingdom work. Regarding the latter, Grudem says:

In prayer, God allows us as creatures to be involved in activities that are eternally important. When we pray, the work of the kingdom is advanced. In this way, prayer gives us opportunity to be involved in a significant way in the work of the kingdom. 

This is the profound nature and privilege of prayer—an invitation from God to participate in His purposes that take us beyond the temporal. As you join God’s kingdom work in this unique way, please consider the requests below. Above all, may God meet you in your prayers, graciously granting you comprehension of the breadth and length and height and depth of the love of Christ for you and all his saints according to Ephesians 3:18-19. May God mercifully answer our prayers for our good and His glory!

Sovereign Grace Church Local

• Pray that Scottie and Melody Wilkins will be anchored in the love and sovereignty of God, encouraged by the Word, strengthened by the Spirit, and filled with wisdom for practical decisions (medical, house, church) as they prepare for the birth of Everett. 

• Pray the Parenting Weekender (3/25-26) and upcoming Men’s Retreat (you heard it here first—May 5-7). Pray for God’s favor in the planning, His power through the teachings, and His grace in our relationships. 

• Pray for Heidi Aranda’s continued recovery from brain surgery. Pray for abiding trust in the Lord, an acute awareness of His daily mercies, and wisdom from the Spirit as they navigate the practical implications for their daily life.   

Sovereign Grace Churches National

• Pray that God would continue to provide financially for Sovereign Grace Churches so that we can fund the numerous gospel opportunities He is giving us as a family of churches.

• Pray for Sovereign Grace Pastors College students as they enter the final three months and prepare to begin ministry in local churches here at home and abroad.

Sovereign Grace Churches Global

• Pray for Christians in Ukraine, asking God to protect them and use them to offer gospel hope as the war continues in that nation.

• Pray for the Belarusian pastors that Kyle Huber (Sr. Pastor of our church in Egg Harbor Township, NJ) is working with and caring for. Pray for God’s power as they minister the gospel and His protection to prevent their men from being forced to join Russia against Ukraine. 

• Pray for 4 Sovereign Grace church plants that we have planned in the Asia-Pacific part of the world over the next 24 months: Cavite—Philippines (2022/23), Bonbon—Philippines (2022/23), Negros Occidental—Philippines (2022/23), Kathmandu—Nepal (2022/23).

With our text on Sunday, begins a NEW CHAPTER in the history of the church—The Book of Acts: Part Two. It is transitional in two ways: it introduces Saul, the main character from here on out in Acts, and launches the gospel into the known world. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 8:1-8
TITLE: An Odd Couple
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God ordains and uses the persecution and suffering of His people to bring the eternal blessing and joy of salvation to others.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Saul wasn’t content to merely harass or upset the church. He set out to viscously and utterly destroy them“ 

“If you didn’t know any better, you would think the story is over. It’s not. There are 20 more chapters in Acts. This disturbing report of THAT DAY and the days that followed miraculously lead to the same AMAZING results of the prior four progress reports.”

“It’s An Odd Couple for sure, persecution and joy, but it’s God’s infinite wisdom to build His eternal kingdom”

“This is the work God wants to do in us—Make His Son more precious to us than any amenities or pleasures this world offers.”

“Persecution is not the church’s greatest enemy; prosperity and convenience are. God uses persecution to serve his gospel mission, including purging the church (us) of anything that hinders that mission. God is most concerned with His glory, not our convenience.” 

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Acts 22:4-5, 20 - I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished….And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him

Acts 26:9-11 - I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities

Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth

Luke 21:12-13 - But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness

APPLICATION:
Are we ready when the opportunity arrives?
Two principles for our readiness:
1. Remember God Alone is God
When you suffer on account of your faith, in the classroom, the workplace, the neighborhood, or the family, remember—God Alone is God! History is His divine script to establish His eternal kingdom and in that glorious mission, He is unstoppable.
2. Remember Jesus is our joy
Is he mine? Can I increasingly say (not just with my lips, with my life)—Once I was lost but now I see, and I owe it all to Jesus, who is my eternal treasure worth suffering and even dying for:

• Jesus is more precious than my job

• Jesus is more precious than my hobbies

• Jesus is more precious than my spouse

• Jesus is more precious than my kids

• Jesus is more precious than my house

• Jesus is more precious than my reputation

• Jesus is more precious than the praises of my neighbor

• Jesus is more precious than my comfort and convenience

After some thought and consideration, we've made the decision to close down our church's library, "The Library". There are two main reasons for this decision:

1) The Library wasn't utilized often
2) More importantly, we need to make space for another office as we will welcome a new pastor, Tom Wilkins, to our church in April.

We are so grateful for the books that many of you donated over the years and since we will be shutting the library down, we would like to give you a chance to take some books that you would like to read! We will be officially "closing" the library after Sunday, March 13th, and before then there will be three different days you can come and take some books:
- This Sunday, March 6th, before or after church
- Wednesday, March 9th, between 9am-5pm
- Next Sunday, March 13th, before or after church

As a note, please only take books that you think you will read and keep in mind that other church members might want some books as well.

For those of you who borrowed books from The Library, we hope that you were blessed in the past by the books you borrowed, and we are hopeful that you will be blessed by taking home some books before it's officially closed! We are grateful that we can use the space The Library is currently using to make room for a new pastor!

Spiritual Revival is an inward work before it’s an outward reality. And the inward work needed is highlighted in the last stand of the first Christian martyr in Acts. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 7:54-60
TITLE: The Lord is Doing Something
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS: 
1.  Filled With The Spirit
2. Fixed On Christ
3. Centered On God

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Chances are, none of us in this room will have the door of heaven opened like Stephen did. Yet, by faith his vision is our vision. We too live and breathe and witness and serve, toil and suffer in the glorious realities of eternity with Jesus.“ 

”Christian perseverance is anchored in an eternal perspective. Where it’s not, vulnerability to losing heart is sure.”

”The opposition shouldn’t surprise us. Doing the right thing doesn’t guarantee a good outcome. But don’t lose heart. The Lord is doing something, including filling your eyes up more and more with Jesus who has already done the greatest thing at Calvary!”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Daniel 7
Luke 9
Matthew 25

QUOTES:
Derek Thomas - “There could hardly be a greater contrast in the way Luke described what happened following Stephen’s sermon. The Sanhedrin became irritational, hot with rage, murderous in their thoughts, utterly consumed with anger. Stephen was contemplative, calm, and seraphic”

Kevin DeYoung - “It is for this reason: He has stood to receive Stephen’s testimony and to be his advocate. He has stood that he might come forward to be the judge of those who will trample upon God’s prophet. Jesus is rising from his throne to come to Stephen’s defense and to judge his persecutors”

APPLICATION:
Is my first impulse to invite the Spirit to work in and through me?

Three habits God uses to cultivate Eternal Perspective:
- Visit your testimony often—Preach Christ to yourself more and listen to yourself less
- Read about heaven regularly—Heaven on the heart puts earthly troubles on the run 
- Prioritize your church—The gathering is a heavenly oasis here on earth 

When it comes to those who oppose you for your faith, which are you more aware of: what they are doing to you or what God will one day do to them?

Jonah was the odd prophet who got published for his disobedience. But through the lens of the Gospel, we see that the Lord uses his life to teach us something very important! Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

TEXT: Jonah 2
TITLE: Deep Work
PREACHER: Guest Pastor Ron Boomsma
BIG IDEA: God is doing a deeper work helping us understand who we are in Christ and who we are as a church. He is giving us a deeper understanding of our mission - the real purpose that God has for us on this earth for these few short years. 

POINTS: 
1. Jonah 2 - Deep Work
2. Four Ingredients of A Deep Work
A. Jonah’s Unique and Deep Gratefulness
B. Jonah Could Recognize God at Work
C. Jonah Returned to God’s Word
D. Jonah Looked to the Temple
3. You Know God has Done a Deep Work in You When…
A. You can look in the mirror and say, “salvation belongs to the Lord”
B. You can look at your life and see God at work
C. Your Bible is a living book
D. When you look to the Cross as your greatest hope and security

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 18:4-5 - The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.
Psalm 42:7 - Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”We have a man who rejected his calling, his purpose in life; a man who thought God’s plan wasn’t a good plan; a man who thought that his plan for this life was the better plan. He was going to decide where he was going to live and work, who he was going to speak and interact with, not God. But as the book unfolds, we realize that his disobedience came from somewhere. Yes, his disobedience was a problem, but it turns out it was the problem beneath the problem. The problem beneath the problem was that he did not truly grasp the grace of God.” 

”The genuine realization that our sins call for our death but that we did not die but instead have been saved, this is the beginning of a deep work. You know God is doing a deep work when you are truly grateful to be saved. And you know you are in need of a deep work when you aren’t.”

”When the divine perspective influences you more than the human perspective, you know God is doing a deep work in your soul.”

”You know you need a deep work of God in your life when his words carry less and less weight in your life; when other voices, other narratives, become the predominant influences in your life. Our mission in our generation will stand or fall depending upon how much of God’s word controls the narrative of our lives.” 

In Acts this past week, Stephen highlights key men and key moments in Jewish history. And two themes dominate his argument: God’s active presence isn’t limited to a Temple and God’s people have a history of rejecting Him. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 7:1-53
TITLE: A History Lesson for the Ages
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: Jesus is Everything. Jesus is Supreme. Jesus is Sufficient. Jesus is Everything.

POINTS: 
1.  Stephen’s Argument
a. Abraham and the Promise
b. Joseph and the Famine
c. Moses and the Exodus
d. David and the Temple
2. Stephen’s Accusation

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Genesis 12-25
Genesis 37-50
The Book of Exodus

APPLICATION:
How will you respond to truth?

1. Assurance. Is my faith and hope for this life and the life to come in the person and work of Christ? If the answer is yes, have assurance, you are on the right side of history. You need nothing else. You have Jesus!

2. Warning. John Calvin said The heart is an idol factory. He was right. Every believer struggles with worshipping the created instead of the Creator. We all reject God and resist His Spirit for the little golden calves in our lives. Whatever that is for you, yield to the merciful and gracious sanctifying work of the Spirit.