This Sunday, we have the privilege of introducing new members to our church. We hope you will be able to join us on this special day! If you have ever wondered why membership is such a priority at Sovereign Grace Church, keep reading…

If you have been around Sovereign Grace Church for any length of time at all, you have probably heard the following statement: While you can’t find the phrase “church membership” in the Bible, church membership is thoroughly biblical. Or, in the words of Mark Dever*, “It is everywhere implied.”

It’s true. Whether it is theological, historical, or practical, personal identity with and commitment to a local church is clearly God’s design and desire for all He saves by His grace.  But don’t take my word for it. Grab your Bible this week and let the Scriptures below do the talking. You might be surprised at what you find!

A biblical argument for local church membership:  

1. Obvious pattern of the NT (Most Epistles were written to specific local churches)

2. Intimate metaphors for the church (Human body—1 Corinthians 12:27; Flock—Acts 20:28; Household—1 Timothy 3:15)

3. Clear practice of the early church (Acts 2:42-47; 4:32-37; 5:12-14)

4. Call to submit to leaders (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5)

5. Command of church discipline (Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-12)

6. Charge for pastors to care for and govern the flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-5; 1 Timothy 5:17)

7. Sobering reality of a pastor’s accountability to God (Hebrews 13:17)

* Mark Dever has served as the senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church since 1994 and as president of 9Marks (a ministry to churches and church leaders) since its founding in 1998. Mark has authored a number of books, including 9 Marks of a Healthy Church.

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?

Last weekend, I was looking for my BBQ grill tools. For the first time in months, I went into my camping trailer. The trailer smelled. It smelled wonderful! It smelled of good memories, relaxation, and rest. It seemed to call out “Get away!”  Our lives have been crazy over the past months, and this summer brings with it hope for refreshment. Lisa and I love to get away but the funny thing is that after a summer getaway, we are wiped out. We did rest, we were refreshed, and the memories remain rich but in the end, these getaways do not completely deliver a lasting refreshment. I think it’s right to admit that they cannot deliver. Not yet. 

In his article “Setting Our Minds on Things Above in Summer” John Piper wrote the following to his church on, May 31, 1995:

“Every season is God’s season, but summer has a special power.” “God made summer as a foretaste of heaven, not a substitute. If the mailman brings you a love letter from your fiancé, don’t fall in love with the mailman. That’s what summer is: God’s messenger with a sun-soaked, tree-green, flower-blooming, lake-glistening letter of love to show us what he is planning for us in the age to come — ‘things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him’ (1 Corinthians 2:9).” “Jesus Christ is the refreshing center of summer. He is preeminent in all things (Colossians 1:18), including vacations, picnics, softball, long walks, and cookouts. He invites us in the summer: ‘Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest’ (Matthew 11:28). This is serious summer refreshment.”

Jesus truly “is the refreshing center of summer.” Yet we forget this. A Christless summer will not satisfy. Please, don’t get me wrong. Vacations, park days, ball games, camping, fishing, riding, and hiking are all wonderful and can be God-glorifying if done right. We do enter the summer season weary and heavy-laden and we hope for a break. But if we approach this season without keeping Christ and His church in view, then we will soon find regular devotions give way to busy travel schedules. Our tithes give way to those summer expenses. Study and prayer get lost at the beach. We find ourselves physically spent and suddenly church gatherings are neglected. Piper nailed it when he said, “Jesus Christ is refreshing, but flight from him into Christless leisure makes the soul parched.” “Don’t let summer make your soul shrivel.”

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!

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