Each week our pastors study diligently to deliver practical, thought-provoking messages from the Word of God.
God is a God of order; that is clear in creation. He expects there to be order in the church. However, the church is not a business, and if you remove the Holy Spirit, the church becomes worthless. We must be both organized and Holy Spirit filled. We must be people of God who walk with God, and we must get our hands dirty in the service of the church. The church will be hurt by a neglect of the spiritual and the organizational. We all must do both, and we all must do our part.
Read MoreChrist suffered indescribably agony to be loyal to us. In the face of such willingness to be loyal to us, should we not strive to be loyal to Him?
Read MoreThe miracles of the early disciples were done within the context of sharing the gospel. Multitudes of people found healing, and this healing gave opportunity for preaching. All of Jerusalem was filled with the doctrine of the early church. This preaching of the gospel led to imprisonment by the religious establishment on multiple occasions. However, the early church was determined to obey God rather than man and they went right back the preaching the gospel, which is what had led to their imprisonment in the first place. God has given the church a singular mission, and it is vital that we keep the main thing the main thing.
Read MoreGod takes issue with concern for self over concern for the group, especially within the context of the church. Shared purpose and mission has as its by-product a deeper fellowship and unity. To act selfishly is to distance ones self from the church and, therefore, to fail to accomplish the mission the church has been given by God to accomplish.
Read MoreWe live in an egalitarian, ecumenical age that holds to a relative view of truth. However, Christianity espouses a different view, and to hold to Christianity places you at odds with the age. If we are not facing resistance from the culture, there’s something wrong with our Christianity.
Read MoreThe home is the place where love can be seen, taught, and felt. No one in the home should ever be in doubt concerning the love of another member.
Read MorePeter in the healing the lame man of Acts 3 was acting under Christ's authority and was doing what Christ would do in that same circumstance. Peter simply gave of what he had to help the man in need. It was this act of kindness on the part of Peter that led to the lame man praising God. Sometimes an act of kindness needs to precede the declaration of a truth. Kindness draws people to the sound of the gospel, and the truth keeps them and makes them disciples.
Read MorePerhaps one of the most interesting social developments in the 20th century was the development of a unique social group between children and adults called "teenagers." This created a new interlude of social development and self-defining for young people. This new demographic of teenager lowered expectations for young people. We all rise to the expectations set for us and these new lower expectations keep teenagers from becoming what they potentially could be. Teenagers are young adults; they ought to act like young adults. However, they do face unique challenges that we would be naïve to ignore.
Read MoreOur concept of the individual has been greatly affected by our culture. Historically speaking, people have thought of themselves as part of a larger whole, part of a community. However, modernity has led to an emphasis on self over against community. The idea that a person would be a Christian and grow spiritually apart from commitment to a local church community is a cultural idea not a biblical one. Church is a big deal. Gathering together faithfully is a big deal. And it is not optional.
Read MoreIn this powerful sermon of Peter's, he unapologetically presents Christ in masterful fashion. The Holy Spirit, through Peter's preaching, pricked the hearts of those who heard, leading to over three thousand souls being saved. We must never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit to change a life through the simple preaching of the Word of God.
Read MoreA "strong-willed-child" is kind of a misnomer. Such a child actually demonstrates a lack of will to master self. Misbehavior is a product of self-indulgence. It is the responsibility of parents to train their children in self-restraint. It is the responsibility of parents to train their children to be strong-willed.
Read MoreThe mission initiated in Acts 2 is supposed to be continuing today, and the same power is available to accomplish that mission. This fundamentally verbal ministry of proclaiming the gospel is simple; we are commanded to speak and the Holy Spirit uses our language to work in the hearts of people.
Read MoreThe starting place in parenting is to look in a mirror and examine our own character and discipline before we impose something on our children. If we can't ask our children to emulate us, we have a problem. We ought to desire to be the chief influence in the lives of our children. The hope of the future is not our children but those who are training them. Failure to restrain and train ourselves and our own appetites is the root of most problems in parenting. Your children need you to be what they are not so that one day they can be what you are.
Read MoreUsing an administrative detail in the early church, Luke reminds us of the story of Judas and teaches as invaluable lessons. Evil and treachery did not catch God by surprise, but no doubt, Judas likely never thought his treachery would lead to his demise.
Read MoreOf utmost importance in raising children is the environment they are brought up in. The Bible gives us the deliberate analogy of archery. Through discipline and training you can point an arrow at a target and hit the mark. Wishing and hoping will not help you in hitting that goal. God’s grace notwithstanding, children will hit the target they are pointed at. If an arrow fails to hit the target, we rarely blame the arrow; we look elsewhere—as we must in parenting. It is exceedingly hard for a child to become what a parent is not and for a child to behave in a way in which they have not been trained. Parenting must be done on purpose.
Read MoreThe ascension of Christ was a spectacular, awe-inspiring event that left the disciples dumbfounded, both because of the glory of it…and because of the let down. Christ their constant companion, teacher, and leader for three years was now gone. His earthly ministry had culminated in this moment and now—silence. They were standing gazing into heaven, but the work was only just beginning. They were left for a purpose. They should have been going. How many of us have been guilty of gazing instead of going?
Read MoreThe Christian church is to be the organization in the world that exists for non-members. It is vital that our church have as its goal, from the book of Acts, reaching outside our walls to affect change in our world.
Read MoreActs is a continuation of the story of Christ. He promised to give His power to His disciples so that His work could continue. His work continues to be accomplished through His disciples. For our part, that work is still ongoing and incomplete. We are to accomplish a work outside our borders in Christ's power.
Read MoreTo whom much is given (in terms of grace), much is required (in terms of grace). God does not intend His grace to be poured into a bottomless pit. He intends for us to grow in the grace He has given us. As people who should grow in grace, in all of its various forms, Paul emphasized the need to grow in giving. Giving can be something that has a negative connotation, but Paul presents it as an opportunity in light of all that God has given us. Giving is a demonstration. We have, in giving, an opportunity to demonstrate our love for Christ.
Read MoreEvery institution that doesn't give effort to staying on course, will not. The book of Acts tells the church where it came from and what it is supposed to be doing. The book of Acts is a history of the Church. We need to ask ourselves, "Do we share the early church's power, enthusiasm, and mission?" Acts is about God and His intent to work through you by the Spirit to be an agent of change in this world. It's not just about us doing what's right, but what is right by the power of His Spirit.
Read More
