What do one pastor’s farewell words to other pastors have to do with us? Turns out…everything. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 20:17-38
TITLE: A Farewell to Remember
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. He Testifies to God’s Grace in His Ministry
A. “I served humbly”
B. “I preached diligently”
C. “I sacrificed continually”
II. He Charged Them in Their God-Given Ministry
A. Pay careful attention to yourself
B. Pay close attention to all the flock

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”The church in Ephesus was dear to Paul. He spent over two years there—the longest time spent in any city—preaching the gospel and building the church. So Paul, knowing this would be the last time he sees them, had a burden to personally minister to the pastors in Ephesus. There was no way he was going to let jet lag or the long road ahead to get in the way of encouraging his friends and co-laborers in Christ.”

“Paul served in a way that people wouldn’t say—What a great pastor Paul is!, rather, What a great Savior Paul serves!”

“It didn’t matter where Paul was or who you were—he preached to you.”

“Paul spent himself for the sake of Christ. Whether it was his personal safety or practical needs, Paul let nothing stand in the way of what God was calling him to do. He was unselfish, not wanting to be a burden to anyone, but to everyone a means of gospel grace.”

“He [Paul] didn’t identify himself as a celebrity influencer, but a servant leader being poured out, spent, used up for the sake of others and ultimately Christ.”

“From cleaning the church to preaching in the church, it’s FOR Him! It’s not for our pleasure. It’s not for our sense of worth. It’s not for our personal validation. Wherever, however, and whoever you serve, it’s from God. It’s for God. It’s to God.”

“Paul says—Your God-given role as a pastor doesn’t begin with those you are called to pastor—it begins with you. Keep your lives upright. Keep your lives centered on the gospel. Keep your lives rooted in the Word. In other words, before a man is a pastor, he’s a sheep.”

“When your pastors shed tears over you—and we do—it’s because of this—he obtained you with his own blood. When your pastors carry a burden of concern for you—and we do—it’s because of these words—he obtained you with his own blood. When your pastors labor in the Word and prayer for your sake—and we do—it’s because of these words—he obtained you with his own blood. When your pastors encourage you—and we do—it’s because of these words—he obtained you with his own blood. When your pastors correct you–and we do—it’s because of these words—he obtained you with his own blood.”

“If you are searching for purpose and meaning. If you are looking for a sense of value and worth. If you are longing for validation and acceptance, here you go—the God of the universe obtained you with His own blood. We all long for something new to try—but what we need is something TRUE.”

QUOTES:
Richard Baxter - “If Christ had but committed to my keeping one spoonful of his blood in a fragile glass, how curiously would I preserve it, and how tender would I be of that glass….Every time we look upon our congregations, let us believingly remember that they are the purchase of Christ’s blood, and therefore should be regarded by us with the deepest interest and the most tender affection.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Timothy 4:6-7
1 Timothy 4:16
Colossians 3:1
Hebrews 13:17

APPLICATION:
If God has entrusted you to your pastors, are you allowing your pastors to pastor you? 

• Through trials and relational conflicts

• In big decisions 

• Discerning worldly wisdom from biblical wisdom

• Theological confusion

Don’t go through the Christian life alone. God has designed so many means of grace—His Word, His people, and yes, your pastors! If you want to thrive in your walk with Lord, let His under-shepherds care for your soul.

Everyone is listening intently to Paul as he preaches, God’s people are gathered to receive His truth and celebrate the life and death of Christ – this is a celebration! A celebration interrupted by a tragic incident. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 20:1-12
TITLE: Eutychus and An Unforgettable Sunday
PREACHER: Guest Preacher, Brett Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”…all along the way, Luke tells us that Paul is encouraging the churches as he passes through. Luke doesn’t give much detail other than the fact that Paul was an encourager – we would do well to learn from Paul – may we be quick to encourage our fellow saints.”

“I’m sure there were some amazing stories from Paul’s time traveling back through the churches he helped plant, but Luke doesn’t record any of that. Now, in verses 7 – 12 he slows way down and takes the same amount of verses, 136 words to cover the span of hours. This whole travel report is leading up to this moment in Acts 20. The fact that this is where Luke, under the inspiration of the Spirit, chooses to stop and record should tell us to pay attention to what is being said.”

“What would you do if I told you that I was about to preach a 5-hour sermon? This might be a mind-boggling amount of time for us to consider sitting and listening to a sermon, but it wasn’t that way for these believers. They would have been hungry and eager to hear God’s word preached. They would have longed to spend as much time as possible with Paul on his final night with them. We shouldn’t let our “fast-paced, time is money, on to the next thing” western culture impact how we see this evening. In fact, we could learn this group of believers in Troas. How is it that I can sit down and watch a 4-hour football game, binge-watch a TV show or stare mindlessly at my phone but I struggle to make it through a 90-minute church service with 45 minutes of preaching? I don’t think this group of people minded that Paul went on until midnight, I think they were overjoyed to hear and receive God’s word.”

“Luke actually clues us in on some details with that word in verse 9, sank. In the original Greek tense, that word gives the sense of being gradually overcome by sleep. And so, we can almost imagine him slowly dozing off, maybe at times startling himself back awake until he finally is overcome by the sleep and then he plummets from the third-story window.”

“Some people dispute whether or not Eutychus actually died, but I do not think that Luke, a physician, who was there would be confusing with his words. If the doctor said he was dead, we should take it as meaning that Eutychus fell out the window and died.”

“You might think they would throw a party for Paul and Eutychus but notice what they do: they get right back to church. See nowhere is God or His Spirit mentioned at all in our passage, but we know that this miracle wasn’t really Paul – it was God’s work. Do you remember back in chapter 19? Verse 11 tells us that God is doing extraordinary miracles and He does that here in raising Eutychus to life.”

“As exciting as this story has been to this point, this right here is the drama of the text. The power of God, stronger than death itself! An extraordinary God doing extraordinary things.”

“This text does have to do with sleep, but perhaps not the sleep we think. As we consider its meaning and application, I believe this scripture is here for this reason: To warn us of the dangers of spiritual slumber and remind us that only the gospel can breathe life into our souls.”

“Church this text offers us both a warning and a hope. It warns us about the dangers of our spiritual slumber, but it offers us the hope of the Gospel. My prayer is that we leave here seeing that this humorous story has cosmic implications for us.”

“Ephesians 2:5 says even when we were dead in our trespasses, He made us alive together with Christ! It is GOD who does this work as the Gospel message goes out and encounters dead, miserable souls it gives a wellspring of hope and joy and life to even the darkest and most miserable souls you can find. Our extraordinary God does extraordinary things.”

“Even for the believer, there is a warning here this morning. We believe scripture teaches that you cannot lose your salvation and so nothing I am about to say is a fatal slumber. But I do believe there is a second warning for us to consider this morning – there are those here who are asleep because you have drifted from the Gospel.”

“How often do we do this in our own lives, church? Our attitude toward sin is too often to be nibblers. I’ll nibble a little bit here, a little bit there, but I’ll never feast. But what ends up happening is we slowly drift. Sometimes over weeks, sometimes over months, sometimes over years, we drift into a life of sin that we never thought possible. There is a warning for us about the danger of this spiritual slumber. When we drift toward sin and the world, then necessarily we drift away from Christ and the Gospel. We drift away from the message that we once received with joy and drift into a lazy, spiritual slumber.”

“Church, have you fallen asleep? If so, come back to the cross of Christ. For if we truly behold the spectacle of the cross, if Christ truly fills our gaze, it is impossible for us to sleep. Not because our eyes are strong, not because of our own willpower, but because: Christ is that wonderful. Christ is that satisfying. Christ is the light that has shown into the darkness of our spiritual depravity.”

QUOTES:
C.J. Mahaney - “There is no miracle greater than the miracle of regeneration.”

Charles Spurgeon - “…when we come into God’s house, and we hear the old familiar story of the cross, and it does not charm us, let us mournfully say, “I Sleep.” When others are ready to dance before the Lord with exultation while singing the solemn psalm, if we ourselves feel no devout gratitude, let us cry self complainingly, “I perceive that I sleep,” and when at the table the chosen emblems of the bread and wine do not bring the Master near to us, and we go away as hungry as we came, because we have not fed on His body and blood, then let us say again, “Alas, I sleep, I sleep, for these things would be most sweet and nourishing to me if my spiritual faculties were as they ought to be.” If we fail to enjoy the banquet of our Bridegroom’s love it must be because a deadness is stealing over us, and we are not so thoroughly alive and awake as we were in days gone by, and this is a condition to be deplored as soon as it is perceived.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 2:1-3
1 Peter 5:8

APPLICATION:
- Nothing was going to stop these early Christians from being together. Is that our attitude when God’s people gather? First and foremost, on Sunday mornings, but even as we think about community groups, SGU, outreach events… you name it. Are we only interested when it’s convenient for us and fits into our schedule or when it meets our expectations? Do we settle for livestream because COVID has made that easier? Or are you someone who can’t be kept away when God’s people gather together?”

- If you are wondering, how do guard against this – how do I assess my own spiritual slumber? I think one of the most helpful questions we can ask ourselves is, “Have we become familiar with the Gospel?” Have Christ and His cross lost their charm to me? Am I more captivated by what is going on out there – work, sports, even family – than I am by what goes on when God’s people gather together?

- Church as we read the story of Eutychus and that Unforgettable Sunday, as we see an extraordinary God doing extraordinary things, may it draw our eyes away from this world that so easily lulls us to sleep, and may they be fixed on a Savior who is too wonderful for words.

This city firmly in the clutches of the demonic will now hear the Good News of Jesus Christ the risen Lord through the heavenly power of the Holy Spirit and will begin to be set free from its bondage to evil. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 19:8-41
TITLE: Jesus Exalted In Ephesus
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: Where the Kingdom of God is preached, Jesus is exalted, and evil will NOT prevail.

POINTS:
I. The Kingdom of God is preached in Ephesus
A. The Kingdom of God is preached boldly
B. The Kingdom of God is preached in time and space
C. The Kingdom of God is preached through rigorous effort
II. Jesus is Exalted
A. Jesus is Exalted in “extraordinary miracles”
B. Jesus is Exalted through the Fear of God
C. Jesus is Exalted through remarkable repentance
III. Evil will rise but it will not finally prevail

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”He [Paul] refused to give up even when he was refused. He just kept going, looking for every opportunity, looking for every way to get back to that which he was called - to get back to THAT PLACE and to THOSE PEOPLE making disciples and baptizing them in Jesus!”

“The ‘real-time and real place’ nature of the text clearly helps us see that it is right where we are, and it is right now that we call are called to speak and teach of Jesus.” 

“He humbly but clearly acknowledges that he poured himself rigorously into the labor of the Gospel - AND HE CREDITS IT ALL TO THE GRACE OF GOD ALONE and for the purpose of preaching Jesus!”

“…remember WHO is actually doing the miracles (Vs 11) - GOD is doing the miracles “by the hands of Paul.” - God is the Miracle Worker, Paul is the mediator of God's extraordinary work, and Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons functioned as “symbols” of the man… symbols that pointed to and validated Paul much like the rod of Moses.”

“These extraordinary miracles juxtaposed with the following hair-raising failed exorcism reveals that the REAL power… the TRUE power belongs to God and His Son Jesus and not to foolish worldly Exorcists!”

“There was a real and evil power that they had no control of and in God’s providence, they witness the demonic manifestation that had a rippling effect seemingly making it everyone in Ephesus! Jesus is exalted in such a way that it is clear that only he has the power and authority over the Darkness… over every demon… over Satan. THE FEAR OF GOD MOVED THEM TO EXTOL/EXALT JESUS!!! And this leads many to a remarkable repentance.”

“…this “Dark Castle” will begin to crumble as person after person is rescued from this darkness and brought into the marvelous Light of Heaven - King Jesus the Lamp of God - King Jesus the LAMB of God who takes away our sins… even these sins!”

“The scriptures reveal that at key moments in the proclamation and advancement of the Gospel, of the Kingdom of God, evil rises up against it.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 15:9-11
Ephesians 1:3-23
Matthew 10:28

APPLICATION:
- What do we need to bring to the “burn pile”?

Jonah is a book about a man with bad theology. His theology can be summed up as: “You get what you deserve”. But there’s good news here in Jonah 3. More than anything else, it teaches us about a God whose mercy exceeds your wildest imaginations. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

EVANGELISM SERIES
TEXT: Jonah 3:1-10
PREACHER: Guest Pastor Kyle Houlton
BIG IDEA: Your church exists for more than your Sunday gathering.

POINTS:
I. Go Into Your City
II. Speak To Your City
III. Behold God’s Mercy To Your City

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”In chapter 3, Jonah has confrontations with pagans, just like he did on the ship to Tarshish. And in both instances … he looks worse than the pagans. Both instances show that he doesn't know how to talk to/relate to the unbelievers God’s put into his path.”

“You have to understand. Jonah was a devout Jew. He was a commissioned prophet of God. When he was around his people, he probably lit up. If he lived in modern times, he would be the Sunday preacher, blog for the Gospel Coalition, and had been an even better small group leader than Scott Mcleod. But put him into a context with a bunch of wicked pagans, a bunch of unbelievers, and he was worse than me at a networking event.”

“Friends. If you live in Tucson, you’re here because God has you here. In the city of Tucson. God has purposefully put you in your city. And you might love your church. You’re fine being called to your city because you love your church. But if Jonah is symbolic of us, the local church, then Jonah 3 tells us that your church exists for more than your Sunday gathering.” 

“The rhythms of church life are a tremendous means of grace. Small groups. Fellowship with believing friends. Sunday gatherings. All GOOD things. But sinners have the remarkable ability to twist good things. In other words, we can use fellowship with believers like it’s a ship to Tarshish. As a way to hide from God’s call to the city He’s called us to.”

“But there’s good news here in Jonah 3. More than anything else, it teaches us about a God whose mercy exceeds your wildest imaginations. A God merciful enough to save your neighbors despite your leanings toward Tarshish. And a God merciful enough to use you even if you’ve begun to exist for Sunday mornings alone.” 

“…know what’s happening in the city, attend community events. Volunteer at local nonprofits. Know the needs and meet the needs. Don’t stand on the border. Consider this question: are you standing on the border in Tucson?”

“…when we are actually pouring ourselves out - our time, our money our love, into the lives of the suffering and the poor - oddly enough, that's when they SEE the Gospel embodied. You don't believe like they do, yet they see you pouring yourself for them, using the resources of your faith to help their estate; You're impoverishing yourself in order that they be brought up ... that's when they see the love of Christ!” 

“The sermon he preaches in 3:4 is this, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh will be overthrown!” That’s it. A sermon which in the original Hebrew, is only 5 words. Jonah preached short and Jonah preached judgment. Why Jonah said so few words – it’s not explained. All we know is that Jonah didn’t say much … BUT he spoke. That’s the point. In our cities, God has called us to proclaim His message. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. The point isn’t how good you are at speaking it. The point is that you speak.”

“Now, nothing wrong, as we’ve established, with getting out into our cities and getting our hands dirty. But there is everything wrong with the suggestion that we’ve filled the tank of Gospel proclamation to capacity. If we cease to proclaim the Gospel within and outside of our church, we cease to be the church at all.”

“He was a prophet. He should have known that when God’s judgment is proclaimed, it is invariably followed by His mercy. In fact, in the book of Hosea, God names the daughter of Hosea’s unfaithful wife “No Mercy”, symbolically warning Israel, God’s unfaithful bride, that if they continue in their unfaithfulness, the result will be no mercy … judgment. But that warning is not an announcement of a foregone conclusion. But in itself a stroke of mercy. A severe mercy if you will. Intended to prick their conscience and lead them to repentance.”

“let’s be entirely honest with ourselves. How much do we expect that God will show our neighbors mercy? That’s one of the primary questions the Holy Spirit is asking of us through the book of Jonah. But you say, “yea, but I’ve never seen God move a whole city to repentance. How do I know that this wasn’t just one instance where God just decided to be merciful?” The cross of Christ assures us that being merciful is not just what God does, it’s who He is.” 

QUOTES:
Tim Keller - “When the world only sees us evangelizing those outside the church, they don't see it as the greatest act of love we could possibly do. They just see us being selfish, trying to increase the size of our congregations, and budgets and influence.”

Tim Keller - “Am I saying that loving your neighbor in other ways than evangelism is more important than evangelism? No. But it is an inseparable, though lesser responsibility of the church.”

Colin Smith - “Don’t confuse providence with permission.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
2 Corinthians 8:9
Hosea 2:23
2 Peter 3:9
Romans 9:15
Ephesians 2:4

APPLICATION:

• If your calendar is full of the church calendar, don’t confuse that with permission to retreat from your city; from the messiness of your neighbors

• If you don’t have any unbelieving friends, don’t confuse that with God giving you permission not to move toward the lost with mercy and compassion in your city

• If you live outside far from the neighborhood of the church, don’t confuse that with God giving you permission not to go into your city and extend the love of Christ to those neighbors!

Not calling you to relieve all the suffering in your city. To befriend all your unbelievers. Just go. Just start. When you leave this service today. Determine what it would look like to GO into your city. 

What I am asking you to do is to cast yourself on God’s mercy. Jonah only went into the city to speak to the city once he had experienced God’s unexpected, undeserved mercy. … and then be compelled by that mercy to have a courageous conversation with that unbelieving neighbor. If you don’t know how to interact with your unbelieving neighbors, your merciful God is with you. 

We believe God wants to raise the temperature of evangelism in our Church. How does God to this? Individually in our lives and corporately as a Church community. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

EVANGELISM SERIES
TEXT: Acts 18:9-11
TITLE: Raising the Evangelism Temperature
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: We exist to glorify God through the proclamation and demonstration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

POINTS:
I. Don’t Fear But Go
A. Defining Evangelism
B. Evangelism as a Discipline
C. Evangelistic Motivation
II. Don’t Fear But Be Comforted
III. Don’t Fear But Be A Means

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”Today we are going to re-visit that scene from Acts 18 where God visited Paul in his moment of weakness. We learned a few weeks ago in that text how fear had gripped Paul. The question was asked, “what are you afraid of?” The main truth from that section of Scripture is that God is able and faithful! Therefore, we can be hopeful in our evangelism and not give in to fear or believe evangelism is just for the super Christians.”

“So how did God “raise the evangelism temperature in Paul’s life?” The same way God works in our lives, in the life of this Church to raise the evangelism temperature.”

“God uses Paul’s life as an example because Paul’s life is every Christian’s life. Whether you’re Paul or Jim Donohue or the most extraverted or the most “people person” you know – Paul’s example speaks loud and boldly that all of us can and will face fear when it comes to our call to speak the truth about God and the gospel. Paul’s experience now becomes every believer’s experience.”

“Every believer is called to go. There are no super Christians in this plan – the call to go is God’s plan for every one of us. The reality of fear will be part of us going. You may never get a personal visit and word from God, but you will always have Paul’s example to know what to do.”

“Evangelism is proclaiming the truth about Jesus, so people repent and put their faith in Jesus. Relationship building, loving on people, and inviting people to a Bridge Course or over for hospitality are all important but evangelism involves proclaiming the truth about the gospel. That’s the content of evangelism.”

“We believe it’s best to approach evangelism as a spiritual discipline. It’s not a separate ministry just for those who have evangelistic gifts. It’s like Bible reading, prayer, worship, etc. We are all called to grow in these areas and so too we are called to grow in our evangelism.”

“Scripture gives us many ways to be motivated at the heart level. Simple obedience to the call positions us for grace. The reality of hell for family and friends we love should motivate us. The future eternity with Christ is helpful to motivate. But at the deepest level, I think we must meditate on the glory of Christ.”

“Church, I submit to you that the way we overcome our fears is that we so meditate on the glory of Christ that it becomes personal to us. WE FEEL IT WHEN GOD DOESN’T GET THE GLORY HE DESERVES.”

”Doctrine helps in evangelism! Doctrine, what the Bible teaches about any given topic, is meant to function in our ways. In evangelism, it’s meant to comfort us. …Knowing God is at the center of His plan to seek and save the lost helps us overcome our fears. Doctrinal knowledge is meant to FUNCTION in our life - bringing comfort, overcoming fear, and inspiring us to action”

“God uses means. Could God save people in Corinth using another means? Maybe have the gospel message miraculously appear in the sky? Sure, God is capable of doing anything. Part of our Biblical understanding is that God uses normal people like you and me to proclaim the message that Jesus came and died on the Cross so we could be reconciled back to Him.” 

QUOTES:
Tico Rice - “The closer you get to Jesus – the more you read of Him in the Bible and see Him at work in your life – the more glory you will see, and the more you will long for Him to be treated as He deserves.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 28
Acts 1:8
Romans 1:5–6
3 John 7
Isaiah 53
1 Peter  2:24 
Acts 17:16
John 15:18–20

APPLICATION:
Here’s your practical application DON’T FEAR BUT BE COMFORTED. Where is your pain line with this particular person God has put in your life? Get to know when you are tip-toeing up to the pain line. Be honest and confess that I don’t like the idea that this friend or family member or coworker might think I’m a fool if I invite them to a Bridge Course. Let’s honestly begin to evaluate our fear, get familiar with the pain line and allow God’s Word, God’s plan, and God’s character to move us past the pain line. Why? Because we will never find out those who are HUNGRY if we back down the moment we experience the pain line (a little mocking, someone views you as “one of those,” etc.).  

First, embrace your role as a means of grace to those God has brought into your life.
Second, begin to pray that God fills you with the Spirit to push through your pain line.
Third, take small moments of boldness.

How can we worship with joy on Sundays, but keep good news to ourselves the rest of the week? How can we love the gospel as much as we do, but not share it with others? Why is evangelism so difficult for us, but so easy for Jesus? Why is it such a struggle for us, but so natural for Christ? Why is reaching the lost at the center of Savior’s life but so often on the side for us? Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

EVANGELISM WEEKEND
TEXT: Luke 15:1-7
TITLE: What The Savior Sees
PREACHER: Guest Pastor Jim Donohue

POINTS:
1. The Savior Sees the Danger
2. The Savior Sees the Value
3. The Savior Sees the Joy

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”[Saving Baby Jessica] was one of the greatest rescues of all time. It’s a great example perseverance, sacrifice and compassion. And that is what this parable is about.  We see the extraordinary heart of God to rescue lost men and women, who weren’t like Baby Jessica who was innocent and helpless, but sinners rebelling against God. And yet God came after us and rescued us.”

“Sinners were those who didn’t even try to follow the law. The tax collectors were possibly the most despised and rejected in Israel. These people were the farthest from God and yet they are being drawn to the One who is closest to God.”

“Aren’t you glad that sinners can draw near to the Savior? Sinners drew near to Him as love poured out of Him. But something very different was pouring out of the Scribes and Pharisees. They were grumbling and judging, despised and rejected these sinners. This was preposterous to them. Jesus was not only showing compassion to these outcasts, He was receiving them, befriending them and welcoming them. As if they could be part of God’s family! As if they could be included in God’s kingdom. This was not the God that [the pharasies] served. So Jesus tells them this parable to show them that this indeed was the heart of God.”

“The shepherd (who represents Christ) clearly sees the danger. Which is why (in vs. 4) he goes after the lost sheep without a second thought. A lost sheep was a dead sheep.”

“Apart from Christ men and women are pitifully helpless and utterly lost. But we often don’t see the danger when it comes to the lost. With someone like baby Jessica the danger is crystal clear. It’s real and it’s right in front of us.  We can see it, hear it and touch it. But the danger that awaits the lost is far worse than what Jessica faced or anything that we can imagine.”

“This is not easy to talk about. It’s uncomfortable. I wish we didn’t have to talk about people going to hell. But if we love Jesus and we love lost people the way He did. We won’t be afraid to look Hell in the eyes.”

“We wave to our neighbors, interact politely to the waitress, chat kindly with unsaved relatives, and rarely think about the eternal danger that awaits them. They don’t seem like lost sheep or a helpless child stuck in a pipe. But they are. They’re actually far worse.”

“This is the heart of God - to go. To rescue men and women. The Father saw the danger. He saw that we were lost and He took action. He willingly crushed His only Son on our behalf. He exhausted His full wrath on the Savior in our place. This is the heart of God and the heart that He calls us to have.”

“God is going to help us. He loves to help us and to make us more like Christ. God is helping us to see what he sees. All for our good and for His glory.”

“A shepherd would give his entire life to care for the sheep. People, even unbelieving people, have great value to Jesus. That’s why He saved us! The Savior has immense compassion and love for the lost in their desperate plight…. We were enemies of God. Rebellious, defiant, disobedient, ungrateful, insubordinate and arrogant. And despite these things God chose to value us (make us own children). This says much more about God than about us. He doesn’t value us because we deserve it. He values us because of who He is.”

“I can see unbelievers as interruptions, messy, uncomfortable and inconvenient. I can, at times, be self righteous and self focused. When I do this, I fail to value and love people the way Christ does. When we see value in something it moves us to sacrifice and to persevere.”

“Do you realize that God has dropped us right where He wants us? Like Mark and Amy God has put us into the exact homes we are in so that can reach our neighbors. God wants to connect us with people who need the gospel and He wants to reward even small steps with great fruit. We simply need to value the people around us enough to reach out and share the hope of Christ.”

“There is nothing in this world that will bring you more joy than seeing someone rescued from the wrath of God. Yes it can be hard work. Yes it can be scary. Yes it takes time. Yes it takes sacrifice. But there is a joy that awaits. An inexpressible joy.”  

“[Jesus] did what no one has ever done and what no one could ever do. He endured the beating and mocking. Drank every drop of the cup. He was willingly forsaken by the Father. He paid the greatest price imaginable to rescue us. And it was all for joy set before him that He endured the cross, scorning its shame. He sacrificed for joy and He is calling us to do the same. He wants us (you) to share in the joy of proclaiming. The greatest news that has ever been told: the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “We often say of the angels that they rejoice over one sinner that repents. I doubt not that they do, but the Bible does not say so. The Bible says, ‘There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.’ What means the presence of the angels? Why, that the angels see the joy of Christ when sinners repent. Hear them say to one another, ‘Behold, the Father’s face! How he rejoices! Gaze on the countenance of the Son! What a heaven of delight shines in those eyes of his! Jesus wept for these sinners, but now he rejoices over them’”

Charles Spurgeon - “If you are eager for real joy, such as you may think over and sleep upon, I am persuaded that no joy of growing wealthy, no joy of increasing knowledge, no joy of influence over your fellow-creatures, no joy of any other sort, can ever be compared with the rapture of saving a soul from death, and helping to restore our lost brethren to our great Father’s house.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Luke 16:22-24
Revelation 20:15

As significant as this story in Acts 19 is in redemptive history, its significance reaches into our lives today with two questions for our application. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 19:1-7
TITLE: Almost
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”The visible church is filled with people who look and sound like Christians, but they aren’t. They know some about the Bible. They’ve been baptized. They call themselves disciples. But they are missing the key ingredient to Christianity—Christ and His Spirit.”

“…it’s really difficult to question the genuineness of someone’s faith. But, if someone’s faith needs to be questioned, we need to humbly and graciously question it—because eternity is at stake.”

“Here are three reasons why I don’t believe these men were believers and therefore this event does not teach a second theological experience: the men told Paul what kind of disciples they were, these men didn’t know the Holy Spirit, and what happens next in the text.”

“These men knew stuff—but they didn’t know Jesus. They didn’t know the true meaning of the gospel. …Jesus was the missing ingredient. To borrow a phrase, they were ALMOST Christians.”

“…here’s the good news in our text: These ALMOST Christians became bona fide believers. Paul told these men Jesus had come and all he had already done—they got saved. The gospel was powerful enough to overcome their confusion and ignorance. They believed. And they were baptized.”

“If you didn’t speak in tongues and prophecy when you first believed in Jesus, don’t panic. That’s not the norm. Acts 19 is not formulaic.”

QUOTES:
Derek Thomas - “Ephesus marks the transition from the world of the old covenant and John’s baptism, to the world of the new covenant and the Spirit’s baptism that comes from Christ.”

Burk Parsons - “Our Father is the source of our assurance, Christ is the ground of our assurance, and the Spirit is the sustainer of our assurance. And our assurance is not established on the strength of our faith but on the object of our faith, Jesus Christ.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 3:11
Romans 8:9
Matthew 7:21
Revelation 2:4

APPLICATION:
1. Are you an Almost Christian? Or we could ask it this way: What is the object of your faith?
Do you always feel like you are trying to be a good Christian? But no matter how hard you try, you always feel like an outsider? It’s because you are. You don’t know Jesus and possess his Spirit on the inside. Here’s the good news—You can know Jesus today!

Eager to learn more about a personal relationship with Christ? SIGN UP FOR OUR BRIDGE COURSE! Contact Tim Lambros for more information and how to sign up - 520.403.3984

IMPORTANT: That’s not to say a True Christian will never feel like an Almost Christian. In the words of John Piper—Sanctification is not a straight line. Christians can struggle with desiring the Lord at times! Anchored in the preserving power of the gospel, talk to your pastor, CGL, or friend so the church can help you!

RECOMMENDED READING: “When I Don’t Desire God” by John Piper

2. Are you an Almost Witness? What is the subject of your witness?
Does your witness get to Jesus? Is it centered on the gospel? If it never quite gets around to Jesus, sin, and repentance, it’s an Almost Witness. If you never quite get around to Jesus, your Almost Evangelism may be leading people to become an Almost Christian. What is the subject of your witness?

Paul and Apollos were both blessed by the Lord to be mighty preachers. Both would help you see what repentance from your sins looks like. Both would help you see what faith in Jesus looks like. And BOTH would have given ALL the glory to Christ. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 18:18-28
TITLE: The Church Strengthened
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: Jesus’ Church is strengthened and helped by servants that He has strengthened and helped.

POINTS:
I. Strengthened Mightly by Paul - Vs. 23
II. Greatly Helped by Apollos - Vs. 27

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”In the scriptures, Paul will call himself a ‘slave of Jesus.’ A devoted and willing and submitted ‘bondservant to Jesus.’ The very One he so hated in the beginning, was now that very one whom he loved with all of his heart!”

“In our minds, OUR will, OUR plans, OUR forecasts, OUR futuristic thoughts, OUR predictions, OUR forethought, OUR tomorrow - rules our world. BUT, in reality - our future is ruled by “IF GOD WILLS” - every single ‘zeptosecond’ of our past and our present are the result of HIS sovereign will.”

“Apollos was humbly teachable. He receives the instruction, the correction, in humility, and he went on and preached Jesus!”

“Apollos had some serious game, but what was critical was that he preach Jesus and now so more accurately. The healthy preacher of Jesus is always growing in His knowledge of Jesus!”

“Paul did not let fear stop him - he received Jesus’ encouragement, applied it, and continued on! Apollos did not let pride stop him - he received the correction and applied it and continued on!”

“The congregation is always growing in their knowledge of Jesus! THIS makes them a healthy church! A church that is greatly helped grows all the more in strength - a healthy, humble preacher builds the church up in Christ and against the wilds of Satan! Evildoers may be set against the church and will come against it, but they will be readied by Jesus who makes the preacher and them ready!”

“Both of these servants would tower over us - but they are pointing us to Jesus - they strengthened and helped the Church by pointing her to Jesus. The gift of leadership IS a powerful thing, but in the end, it will be pointless if we have not been pointed to Jesus. Jesus saves - Paul does not. Jesus saves - Apollos does not. There is no better Gospel - other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified!”

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “Dear friends, do not imagine that God will bless one preacher only, or one denomination only. He does bless some preachers more than others, for He is Sovereign; but He will bless you all in your work, for He is God. I shall never forget one day, when my dear old grandfather was alive, I was to preach a sermon. There was a great crowd of people, and I did not arrive, for the train was delayed; and therefore the venerable man commenced to preach in my stead. He was far on in his sermon when I made my appearance at the door. Looking to me, he said: “You have all come to hear my dear grandson, and therefore I will stop that you may hear him. He may preach the gospel better than I can, but he cannot preach a better gospel. Can you, Charles?” My answer from the aisle was: “I cannot preach the gospel better; but if I could, it would not be a better gospel.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 2:1-3
1 Corinthians 9:20
2 Timothy 4:17-18
1 Timothy 4:6-16
Philippians 1:3-11
1 Corinthians 3:4-9

APPLICATION:
There is no better Gospel - other than Jesus Christ and Him crucified! What great comfort this should be as we go and tell others of this great Gospel. Fear is pushed back! Pride pushed back! GO with renewed courage that is granted by God and grounded in the words of the Gospel. 

Paul was no super Christian. In fact, our text reveals just how despondent he was when he went to Corinth. The Lord had to personally minister to Paul with a vision from heaven. Through this vision the Lord ministers to us about one of the greatest hindrances to our walk with the Lord—FEAR. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 18:1-17
TITLE: What Are You Afraid Of?
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: God is able and faithful. So we can be Hopeful and keep going. Keep sharing. Keep caring. Keep serving.

POINTS:
I. God’s Word For Us
II. God’s Promises To Us
A. His Presence
B. His Protection
C. His Power

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”If you are thinking to yourself right now—Good for Paul pastor, but I’m, no super Christian—reject the condemnation and take heart—there is no such thing. Even Paul, who had so many reasons to be encouraged in ministry, found himself gripped by fear and discouragement. And his despondency was acute when he went to Corinth.”

“Fear Not. That was the Lord’s word to Paul. It’s hard to believe, but Paul was afraid. The man who stared down a stoning, bared through a beating, and sang God’s praises in prison was paralyzed by fear in Corinth.”

“We are pros at crossing the river before we reach it, aren’t we? And the tragedy is that too often the result is fear that paralyzes us from following God. And to not follow God is to deny His glory.”

“Here’s the thing about fear—its natural. Its natural because in our flesh we are weak. The world frowns on weakness. But in God’s economy, weakness is the strength of His people.”

“To be tempted to fear is not the problem. Being ruled by fear is the problem. But the gospel speaks to this in two ways:
1. Salvation: Jesus removed the only thing we truly have to fear—God’s wrath
2. Sanctification: Fear can actually be our friend if we allow it to drive us to Jesus who is our strength, sufficiency, and faithfulness.”

“So if you are feeling scared about proclaiming Christ to a neighbor or talking truth to a co-worker because of the potential trouble it could cause you, praise God, take heart in the one whose perfect love in and for you casts out your fear, cast your fears on Jesus, and boldly do what God is calling you to, for, and because of His glory!”

“In his time of fear and discouragement, this is what God reminds Paul of—Do not be afraid. WHY? I am with you! Not, you got this or You were born for this. The promise is not proper equipping or sound discernment in the moment. It is the presence of God—I am with you.”

“This is where studying God’s attributes is important. THAT God I goes before and behind you. He is under and over you. He is in you. Do not be afraid—Keep going—I am with you.”

“…how comforting was this to Paul? Paul doesn’t know who or when. He just knows God will build His church in Corinth through gospel preaching. And this is not because Paul is such a great evangelist. But because there are people in Corinth that God set His redeeming love on before the foundations of the world. People He has chosen to hear the gospel with their hearts supernaturally opened so they willingly and irresistibly run to Jesus in repentance and faith.”

“There is never a moment where God is not with you. God’s presence and protection never means we are free from all difficulties. Jesus promised we would face difficulties. But it does mean whatever God allows us to face, we will not face it alone and it will not overcome us. It will not separate us from the love of God. God will keep us for Himself because greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.“

QUOTES:
James Montgomery Boice - “However, I cannot help but think that if God has placed us in a particular place, it is because he has a work for us to do there, and for that very reason we should be encouraged and stay on and do it to the best of our ability. It is not because he does not have many people in our neighborhoods or cities but because he does. Our job is to keep on keeping on, knowing that God is with us”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Corinthians 2:1-3
2 Corinthians 12:9
1 John 4:18
Hebrews 13:5

APPLICATION:
We don’t need to be afraid. Not because we are super-Christians, but because we belong to the supreme God. 

This week, as you are out there in your city, whether it is:
1. Telling others about Jesus
2. Persevering through a personal trial 
3. Trying to live righteously in the face of opposition

Do not be afraid. Keep demonstrating and proclaiming the gospel. God is with you. H will keep you. And no matter what, your gospel efforts will not be in vain.

Do I love my city to see it for what it truly is and tell it what it desperately needs to hear? Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES: Hopeful: The Book of Acts
TEXT: Acts 17:16-34
TITLE: Loving Our City
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
I. What Do You See?
II. What Do You Say?

SERMON EXCERPTS:
”We can be sure the beauty was not lost on Paul. But what he saw above all things was a city drowning in idolatry. And the effect of this raw paganism was—this is Luke’s word in verse 16—his spirit was provoked. Paul was deeply troubled. Seriously grieved. As he observed a city submerged in idolatry, his heart filled with righteous indignation.”

“Like Athens, Tucson is submerged in idols. That is the fundamental problem with society and our city—idolatry. As Romans 1:23 clearly reveals, we have exchanged the glory of the Creator for the glory of the created—IDOLATRY. Tucson might not be the cultural and intellectual center of the world like Athens was, but like Athens, the idolatry and paganism are raw.”

“…like Paul, as those redeemed by Christ, indwelt by Christ, and an ambassador for Christ, our greatest zeal is for Christ. And when we see Christ being denied his rightful place in the lives of others, it should affect us. Move us. Provoke us.”

“As Paul was provoked, he didn’t fall into despair. He didn’t curse the city. He didn’t throw his hands up in surrender. He opened his mouth.”

“If we listen closely and observe carefully, we realize our neighbors, co-workers, and classmates are searching for the diamonds of life. Our city is searching for purpose, meaning, and relevance beyond themselves—it’s why everyone likes a cause. The folks we rub shoulders with daily try to make sense of their existence and experiences. They are looking for a philosophy or worldview to fit it all into. “

“Listen, the doctrine of God is part of the gospel. It is the necessary backdrop to the gospel. It answers why the gospel is necessary. Why Jesus had to come. Why we need a Savior. The doctrine of God is the rest of the story that fills the gospel out.”

“The gospel is not trivial, it is essential. But just as salvation makes no sense apart from judgment, the gospel needs to be set in the context of a Holy God who created all things and will one day judge all things.”

“Paul proclaims an entirely different worldview centered on God and rooted in Christ: God is the Creator of all things, God is the Sustainer of all things, and God is the Ordainer of all things.”

QUOTES:
John Stott - “What Paul saw was a veritable forest of idols. There were more gods in Athens than in all the rest of the country. There were innumerable temples, shrines, statutes, and alters. In the Parthenon stood a huge gold and ivory statue of Athena, whose gleaming spear-point was visible forty miles away. Elsewhere there were images of Apollo, the city’s patron, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Bacchus, Neptune, Diana, and Asclepius. The whole Greek Pantheon was there, all the gods of Olympus. And they were beautiful. They were made not only of stone and brass, but of gold, silver, ivory, and marble, and they had been elegantly fashioned by the finest Greek sculptors”

Henry Martyn - “I could not endure existence if Jesus was not glorified; it would be hell to me, if he were to be always dishonored”

John Stott - “Many people are rejecting the gospel today not because they perceive it to be false, but because they perceive it to be trivial”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Isaiah 42:8

APPLICATION:
-As Christians, how do we respond to what we see in our city? 
-Some mocked, and the conversation was over. Others were open but cautious and the conversation continued. But hallelujah, the Lord opened the hearts of some and they believed. So be Hopeful this week as you go love your city like Paul loved Athens!