The Acts of the Spirit

Sermon Notes

Once again, Paul is in Jerusalem—and once again, conflict follows not far behind him. Too many Jewish believers distrust Paul for there not to be conflict. The leaders of the church have a plan to keep the peace, but will it work? Or will it backfire in their faces? Join us for “The Purification” from Acts 21:17-26!

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We all want to be open to God’s leading. But what if it seems like God’s direction is taking someone we care about – or maybe us – through pain and difficulty? Can that really be God’s plan? Join us as we look at “The Prophecy” from Acts 21:1-16.

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You could call it Paul’s “Farewell Tour.” As he make his way back to Jerusalem, he knows he won’t see any of these churches or these leaders again. If you had a chance to give one last speech to people you love, what would you say? Join us for “The Elders” from Acts 20:17-38 for Paul’s last words to a group of leaders and the churches they represent!

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On his way back to Jerusalem, Paul uses his travel itinerary as an opportunity to connect with churches and followers of Jesus all over the Mediterranean. And knowing his time is short, in one port city he teaches all night long…so long that one of his younger hearers falls asleep and falls right out of the window. But why does Luke tell us this story? Just for a little “flavor”? Or is there a deeper reason? Join us for “The Fall” from Acts 20:7-16 for the rest of the story!

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Once again Paul has to flee town, facing persecution. He heads towards Jerusalem, strengthening churches he’s planted and taking with him a diverse group of friends. What does this short passage tell us about the growth of the gospel and how God uses us in others’ lives? Join us for “The Companions” from Acts 20:1-6.

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This week we see Paul’s time in Ephesus come to an abrupt close with a riot triggered by the changed behavior of the believers in the area. This story gives us many insights into the culture of this thriving Greco-Roman city and the way Paul worked within it. It also provides a snapshot of Paul’s time in Ephesus which included both great success and oppressive trouble. Join us as we look at this story and our own stories which are often a mix of joy and sorrow.

Sermon Notes

The church in Ephesus is flourishing and the gospel-centered lives of the disciples there are beginning to make an impact on the surrounding culture. So much so that some see an opportunity to tap into the Jesus Movement to line their own pockets, including seven brothers all in the same trade: exorcism. But what happens when they try to use the power of Jesus to serve themselves? Join us for “The Sons” from Acts 19:11-20 to find out!

Sermon Notes

Though the gospel message has been authenticated and a church is beginning to take root and grow, the Way of Jesus still comes under attack. But with favorable support from Greeks nearby, Paul works so long and so effectively in Ephesus that Luke can say, without irony, that “all Asia” heard the gospel. What about us? And Indianapolis? Join us for “The Hall” from Acts 19:8-10 as this short passage inspires us to walk the way of Jesus for the sake of those wandering without Him!

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Last week we met Apollos; this week he’s moved on from Ephesus. And when Paul arrives there, he runs into a dozen of Apollos’s “half-converts,” men who have repented, but not yet believed. What happens when Paul finishes the story for them? Join us for “The Baptism” from Acts 19:1-7 as once again the gospel message is confirmed in people’s lives!

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Though the gospel has not yet taken root in Ephesus, there’s a witness to Jesus there: someone we’ve never met before, named Apollos. But he only knows half the story! He’s helping people move toward Jesus, he can’t get them all the way to Jesus. What about us? Are we just like Apollos? Join us for “The Teacher” from Acts 18:24-28 to wrestle with this question for yourself!

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In just a few short verses Luke wraps up Paul’s second missionary journey, gets him home to report, and sends him off again on a reunion tour, revisiting all the churches he had helped plant on his first journey. Is there anything we can learn from this summary of Paul’s activity? Join for “The Reunion” from Acts 18:18-23 and we’ll explore it together!

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Moving on from Athens—the intellectual center of Greece—Paul heads to Corinth, into a culture more like the Vegas of the ancient world. When he’s rejected by his own people, he changes his focus to reach the Greek Corinthians. And even in the darkest, most debauched cultures, the gospel gets a hearing, and Paul ministers for a year and a half. Join us to meet “The Corinthians” from Acts 18:1-17!

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In what may be considered as the climax of the book of Acts, we see Paul making his defense before the council at the Areopagus. In this “Paul on Trial” moment in time, Paul defends his position and his beliefs about Jesus and his Resurrection by appealing not to the Old Testament, but according to the long-held beliefs in gods throughout the Hellenistic world. What will the response be?

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This week’s passage finds Paul in the center of the glory of ancient Greece, Athens herself. But in a world where the idols grow as thick as trees in a forest, how is Paul to make headway with the gospel? And what comes next after he’s accused of introducing “foreign divinities,” the same accusation that led to Socrates’s execution all those years before? Join us for “The Philosophers” from Acts 17:16-21 as we watch Paul go toe-to-toe with the intellectual elites of his day…only to wind up in court yet again!

Sermon Notes

Once again, Paul and his team are run out of town—this time by the angry, jealous leaders of the Jewish synagogue. As they move on to the next town, they must have wondered if they would receive the same reception as before. But they’re about to be pleasantly surprised when they meet “The Bereans” in Acts 17:10-15. Join us for a new twist on the familiar story as Paul heads west!

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As Paul and company move further into the Greek world, opposition continues to rise from every side. But the gospel is undaunted, even as it upends social, religious, and political systems and structures everywhere it goes. Join us this weekend for “The World-Turners” from Acts 17:1-9 as we watch the Greek world begin to turn upside-down!

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Paul and Silas sit in prison – wrongly accused and unjustly treated for following Jesus – when God shakes the earth and opens the prison doors! Their response says a lot to us about responding to unjust treatment and persecutors. Join us as we look at “The Jailer” from Acts 16:25-40.

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With progress made, Paul and his team begin their regular ministry in Philippi, meeting weekly with the Jewish women who gather to pray. But their steps are dogged by a young woman possessed by an evil spirit, shouting confusing messages about ‘God’ and ‘salvation.’ When Paul can’t stand it any more, his actions set off an explosive series of events that will quickly land him on the blacklist and in prison. Was it worth it? Join us for “The Slavegirl” from Acts 16:16-24!

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With their mission now well underway, Paul and his team are looking for opportunities to share the gospel. They head to Philippi, a strategic city center, but without much of a Jewish presence or understanding of who God is. But that doesn’t stop God from working! Join us for “The Businesswoman” from Acts 16:11-15!

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After an argument with Barnabas that sends Paul in a different direction, God seems to close doors for Paul’s ministry. How do we make sense of God saying “No” to good things? Can the mission and the message go forward through us when we’re bewildered? Join us as we look at “The Call” from Acts 16:6-10.

• No discussion questions are provided for this sermon.

Sermon Notes

Paul and Silas are headed out, on their first missionary journey together. They’re going to visit some churches from Paul’s first trip, but after, they plan to keep going, evangelizing in new territories. To help, they recruit a young Jewish believer named Timothy. But in what looks like a complete reversal of everything he’s argued against in the last couple of chapters, Paul has Timothy circumcised! Is Paul changing his mind about the role of the Law in a believer’s life? Join us for “The Compromise” from Acts 16:1-5!

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With the decision made and controversy behind them, Paul and Barnabas decide to re-visit all the churches from their previous journey. But when Barnabas wants to bring along an old companion who abandoned them the first time around, Paul refuses. How do these two men handle their conflict? More importantly, what does the Holy Spirit do in the Church when conflict can’t be resolved? Join us for “The Tour” from Acts 15:36-41!

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The apostles address a difficult issue that could produce conflict and division. Instead, their response produces joy, unity, and encouragement. What do we learn from them, and how does the Spirit guide us in conflicts and disagreements? Join us as we look at “The Response” from Acts 15:22-35.

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The early church had to wrestle with an important issue that challenged the way they think about God, the way he works, and the kinds of people he loves. Those are still questions for us to work through! Join us as we look at “The Debate” from Acts 15:6-21.

In Cut for Time, Jeff referred to a resource to support navigating differences among believes when it comes to politics. Here it is:

Sermon Notes

They’re back! After almost two years on the road, Paul and Barnabas have returned, only to find out that the gospel they preached—that Jews and Gentiles are equally welcomed in to God’s family through faith in the Messiah—is up for debate. Do Gentiles have to become Jews before they can become Christians? Are there two families of God, or two levels of relationship with God? In this sermon, we watch the debate boil over into “The Dissension” from Acts 15:1-5.

Sermon Notes

Paul shares the good news of Jesus – and is almost killed for it. Instead of backing off or turning away, he heads back to the places where he faced opposition to encourage new believers to keep following Jesus in spite of opposition. Join us this Sunday as we look at “The Challenge” from Acts 14:19-28.

Sermon Notes

In a thoroughly pagan city with no Jewish influence, we get to watch as Paul and Barnabas work a miracle. And just like previous miracles, this one, too, engenders a faith response in the people who see it. Except this time, their faith is in the wrong gods! Join us for “The Gods” from Acts 14:8-23 to see how the gospel is uniquely preached in this pagan environment.

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Sunday we welcome another guest speaker to the pulpit; this time, one of our own elders: Tom Waltz! Tom will explore Acts 14:1-7 with us. And though this seems like just another every-day scene in Barnabas and Paul’s work in the Greco-Roman world, we’ll watch as their ministry and message split the town in two. Join for “The Division” as we discover how the gospel confronts us still today!

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We’re excited to welcome John North, the Australia National Director for Ambassadors for Christ International, to share from Acts 13:44-52, “The Turn.” Though Paul and Barnabas make it their mission to preach the gospel first to Jews in the synagogues, wherever they go, in Pisidian Antioch they experience extreme opposite responses to their message. Some Jews and devout Gentiles believe that Jesus is the Messiah—others band together to drive them from the city. Was this part of God’s plan? Join us as we watch the gospel turn to the Gentiles!

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The gospel expands to Asia Minor as Paul gets to share the good news of Jesus in a synagogue worship service. Join us for “The Message” from Acts 13:13-43 as we also get to hear about the God who works in his own time and unexpected ways to fulfill all his promises and good purposes.

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It’s begun! The first missionary journey of the first formal, official missionaries starts on the island of Cyprus. Barnabas and Saul travel the island, preaching the good news of Jesus, before ending up on the west coast in the capital city of Paphos, where the city’s governor is interested in hearing more. But there’s a magician, an astrologer, a Jewish false prophet standing in the way… Join us or “The Prophet” from Acts 13:4-12 as we watch the gospel conflict with the powers of the age!

Sermon Notes

We’re back in Acts! After taking off for Lent, we’re picking the story back up where we left off. The church has faced trials from without and conflicts from within, followers of Jesus have been scattered across the known world, and the center of missionary activity in the Church has shifted from Jerusalem to Antioch. And it’s in Antioch that the Holy Spirit shows up, calling out two of the best teachers to start traveling to spread the gospel and plant churches among non-Jewish people. Join us for “The Commissioning” from Acts 12:25-13:3, as the gospel turns to the Gentiles!

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At first glance, this story seems unnecessary. Herod Agrippa has only just come on the scene, and already Luke narrates his demise? But there are fascinating contrasts between this story and the previous one—most interestingly, contrasting how the Church responds to Herod’s oppression and how the people of Tyre and Sidon respond. Ultimately, Herod’s power is nothing compared to God’s, and the Church continues to flourish in spite of opposition. So join us as we study “The Blasphemy” from Acts 12:20-25!

Sermon Notes

After following the action to Antioch, this week we’re back in Jerusalem. Public sentiment has turned against the Jesus Movement, and local authorities aren’t above capitalizing on public opinion to bolster their own political ambitions. With one apostle killed and another imprisoned, is the church in Jerusalem about to be destroyed? What will God do next to rescue his people? Find out as we explore “The Deliverance” in Acts 12:1-19!

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The good news of Messiah Jesus has spread beyond Jewish believers to the Gentiles, and now to the birth of a cross-cultural, multi-ethnic church in Antioch. That congregation becomes the center of gospel expansion to the Roman world. Why? What makes them so unique and important that we can learn from? Join us as we look at “The Church” from Acts 11:19-30.

Sermon Notes

We hear again that God welcomes Gentiles into the community of his people. Why does this offend the Jewish believers? What convinces them that God has done something they need to accept and adjust to? And what does that have to do with us? Join us this Sunday as we look at “The Report” from Acts 11:1-18.

Sermon Notes

When last we looked at the adventures of the early church, we were with Peter in Caesarea, on the coast, after he experienced a revelatory vision from God teaching him that no one is outside the reach of God’s grace. Immediately after, messengers from a Roman soldier named Cornelius showed up, saying Cornelius too had received a vision with instructions to get Peter! How does the story end? Find out as the church expands to “The Gentiles” in Acts 10:34-48!

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It’s finally happening, and yet it still comes as a shock. From this end of the story, we know it was inevitable that the good news of the kingdom would extend beyond the Jewish people. But Peter didn’t see it coming. Join us for “The Visions” from Acts 10:1-33, as we see God preparing two very different men to discover that Jesus makes them brothers.

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Having finished with the story of Saul (at least to this point), Luke shifts his focus back to Peter. We find Peter on a pastoral tour of little churches in little towns north of Jerusalem, preaching and ministering the good news of the kingdom of God in Messiah Jesus. Healing—and even a resurrection!—follow, as the risen and exalted Jesus is at work bringing new life to his people. And that’s not all, as Peter will soon find himself deep in a new controversy in the near future when a prominent Gentile comes to faith in Jesus. Is this where the church is going? Join us for “The Healings” as we see Peter marching toward a watershed moment in the history of the early church!

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Saul returns to Jerusalem for the most difficult reunion ever – he wants to join the group he was trying to kill, but that group wants nothing to do with him, and the group he used to be part of wants to kill him. How is God going to work in all that mess and what will come from it? Join us as we look at “The Reunion” from Acts 9:26-31.

Sermon Notes

Though viewed with suspicion, Saul immediately begins explaining how everything he had hoped and dreamed for the people of Israel had been fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah. And in what will become a pattern in his ministry, he almost immediately starts to cause trouble. Join us for “The Escape” from Acts 9:19-25, as we dig into the less-than-auspicious beginnings of this great missionary’s ministry!

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Is this the most dramatic conversion in the entire New Testament? Maybe…it’s certainly the conversion with the most dramatic impact. But that was part of the plan from the beginning, as God had a plan for Saul that would send him to the ends of the earth, living and witnessing to the life of Christ. Join us for the beginning of it all with “The Conversion” from Acts 9:10-19!

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Saul, the great persecutor of Jesus’ followers, is literally knocked to the ground and blinded — in order to help him see his blindness and heal his heart. What does Saul’s story say to us about our need for Jesus and how God works through “severe mercy” in our lives? Join us as we look at “The Persecutor” from Acts 9:1-9.

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So far in our study of Acts, we’ve seen the gospel shared with large groups but now, Luke shares the accounts of conversion of three individuals: a foreigner from Ethiopia, Saul, and Cornelius. These passages remind us of the need for us to look for ways to share our faith in Christ with our families, our friends, and the world around us. We are all called to “go and make disciples,” but sharing our faith with others is becoming harder to do in the world we live in. In this sermon, we will be reminded of the ABCs of life-to-life evangelism and be encouraged to go where the Spirit leads us to share the good news of Christ.

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Luke has shown us God’s amazing power at work to heal, save, deliver, and change lives. Wouldn’t it be great if we could direct God’s miraculous power ourselves? But is God’s power the kind of thing we can control and manage? Join us as we look at “The Power” from Acts 8:9-25.

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With the killing of Stephen and the persecution that follows, the Jesus Movement faces its biggest challenge yet. Almost all the believers in Jerusalem are forced to flee. Will this be the end of the church? Or a whole new beginning? Join us as we study “The Scattering” of the early church, and how God uses opposition to expand the kingdom!

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Even as Stephen is being killed for being a faithful witness of Jesus, he prays for the people killing him. What enables Stephen to respond in such a Christ-like way? What do we learn from him that helps us when we’re tempted to strike back or get even? Join us as we look at “The Stoning” in Acts 7:54-8:1a.

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He’s been accused of rejecting the Law, disparaging the Temple, and blaspheming Moses—and God. Now is his chance to defend himself, but Stephen doesn’t. Instead, he goes on offense, telling the story of Israel to show how those in charge keep missing God’s work in the world. What does that have to do with us? Join us for “The Speech” from Acts 7:1-53 and find out!

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Stephen, one of the seven chosen to meet needs in the church, faithfully serves, heals, and shares the good news of Jesus with others. Instead of blessings and recognition, Stephen’s “reward” is hostility, arrest, and slander. What does Stephen’s experience teach us about what it means to follow Jesus? Join us as we look at “The Accusation” from Acts 6:8-15.

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Jesus’ new community has faced threats from persecution and corruption. Now they’re challenged by the potential for division through distraction and disunity. What does their response say to us about the new kind of community God shapes by his Spirit? Join us as we look at “The Tables” from Acts 6:1-7.

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From conflict inside the church Luke takes us to conflict outside the church, in the form of an arrest, trial, and beating of the church’s leaders by the religious authorities. Desperate to stop the Jesus-movement, they inadvertently embolden the apostles, who are thrilled that they get to suffer for the name of Jesus. What about us? Are we willing to suffer for Jesus? Join us for “The Rescue” from Acts 5:12-14, and we’ll ask ourselves what we’re willing to sacrifice for the name of Jesus.

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As the early church begins to grow, some leaders are appointed because of their character and qualifications, while others try to buy their way in to leadership. But this new Jesus-movement has no room for manipulation and false piety. In this sermon, we’ll dig into Acts 4:32-5:11, the famous story of “The Field,” and consider what this story says about our church, today.

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After being explicitly told not to preach about new life in the name of Jesus, the early followers of Jesus gather to pray—not to pray for persecution to stop, but to pray that they would be bold to proclaim Jesus in the face of opposition. Do we want that same boldness? Join us for “The Prayer” from Acts 4:23-31 as we learn what this prayer has to teach us today!

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A good deed done in Jesus’ name leads to a message about Jesus being the promised Savior. Why does all this seem threatening to the authorities? What happens when the power and the message of the gospel clash with unbelief? And what does that have to do with us? Join us as we look at “The Council” from Acts 4:1-22.

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What are the essentials of what came to be called Christianity? Following the healing of a beggar at the temple gate who was “lame form birth,” Peter addressed the gathering crowd with not only Gospel essentials, but by building a case that who Jesus is and what Jesus did is the fulfillment of the entire Jewish Scriptures. Illustrating from Abraham, Moses, Samuel, and “all the prophets” Peter declared that God’s plan of blessing for Israel and the future hope for “all the families of the earth” is centered on Jesus through his death and resurrection. Read all of Acts 3 in preparation for this message from Acts 3:11-26, The Call.

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Will wonders never cease? It seems that way, as we watch the Peter who preached in the power of the Spirit now heal in the name of the Son. The good news that the Kingdom of God has come in Jesus the Messiah is authenticated in a miraculous healing, a healing that not only restores physical health, but spiritual health as well. Join us for “The Beggar” from Acts 3:1-10!

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Peter preaches the good news of Jesus’ resurrection and forgiveness, and 3,000 people come to faith – now what? What do these people do together? What defines the faith community they create? And what does that mean for how we “do” church? Join us as we look at “The Community” from Acts 2:42-47.

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Have you ever had a sudden revelation, a change of perspective that shifted everything you thought you knew? The worshipers in Jerusalem realize they’ve gotten everything about Jesus wrong – now what? What difference does it make when we see Jesus for who he really is? Join us for “The Response” from Acts 2:36-41.

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With a rushing wind and tongues of fire proving that God now dwells with his people, that heaven meets earth in the brand-new church, Peter stands up to address the world-wide crowd of Jews attracted by the noise. This is how the kingdom of God begins, with the first sermon of the first church. Join us for “The Sermon” from Acts 2:14-36!

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And now the action begins! The apostles, with their number newly refilled, are anxious to start the mission of the kingdom of God. But they can’t do this on their own. As Jesus promised, they need power—and now the power comes, and the results are astonishing. Join us for “The Tongues” from Acts 2:1-13!

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What a story! But why is it in our Bibles? Just for the shock value of what happened to Judas? Or is there more to the story? Join us for “The Twelve” from Acts 1:12-26, as we explore the connection this story has with Israel in the past and the kingdom of God in the future!

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If Acts is the continuation of Jesus’ work, that means his earthly ministry was not just a prelude to the cross, but was the pattern for his rule – graciously healing, restoring, and saving as a preview of Jesus’ ultimate victory over sin and evil. In this sermon we look at “The Kingdom” from Acts 1:6-11.

Sermon Notes

This series is our study of the origin story of the church—the book of Acts! In this series we are exploring how the gospel spreads throughout the ancient world, and how it continues to spread around our world today. The whole time, we’ll keep asking ourselves this one question: who and where is the gospel sending me today?