The Ripple Effect
The Beginning of the End
The book of Acts closes without a true ending. At first glance, one would think that there was a mistake made, but upon further inspection, it is apparent that Luke was using a type of literary device similar to what we would call a cliffhanger. The non-ending is intended to leave us with the feeling that there is more to the story and that is absolutely true. Every generation of believers is tasked with the challenge of continuing that which Jesus…
Shipwrecked & Snake Bit, But Heaven Sent
The title of this message is “Shipwrecked & snake bit, but heaven sent” and it’s all about how Paul obeyed the call of God on his life no matter what the cost was. It has been 30 years since Christ ascended into heaven and the Gospel has reached much of the known world, but Paul wasn’t satisfied until he could take the message to Rome and hopefully even Spain. His means of getting there wouldn’t have been Paul’s first choice,…
When Trouble Comes Our Way
Christians are not immune to troubles as we live out a gospel-centered life, but we can learn that God is faithful to bring us through them all. Acts 19 tells the story of Paul and his traveling companions facing a potential threat to their lives as a riot broke out over the fact that the message of Jesus was turning people away from serving idols. The real problem that the men who stirred up the angry mob had was the…
Miracle – Mercy – Message
Acts 16 tells a powerful story of how Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten, and thrown into prison for their faith in Christ. While they were in the deepest part of the dungeon they began to sing songs of praise and worship to God. What happens next is simply something that you aren’t going to want to miss out on hearing. This sermon ultimately shows how God uses miracles, mercy, and the message of the Gospel to transform people’s lives.…
Disagree to Agree
It has been 20 years since Christ ascended into heaven and 10s of thousands have become believers in Jesus as the Gospel continues its ripple effect throughout the known world. A disagreement arises over whether the new Gentile converts should have to become Jews before they could be Christians.In this message, we look at the painstaking process that the leadership took to bring this dispute to a peaceful resolution. In the final analysis, we are reminded that salvation is never based…
The First Sent Ones
In this message, we explore the continuation of the ripple effect that began with the ministry of Jesus and in fulfillment of Acts 1:8 has moved from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria. The Holy Spirit now uses the church at Antioch to begin the process of taking this same gospel message to the ends of the earth. Barnabas and Saul were separated out from the culturally diverse local ministry team in order for them to be sent out as apostolic…
Seeing God’s Grace
Acts 11:23 “When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose,” In this message, we see two powerful examples of the grace of God at work in the early church. One such case is Antioch becoming the first church where Gentiles and Jews worshipped together. The other was when Peter was miraculously released from prison by angels and reported to a disbelieving group of believers…
No Favoritism with God
Do you have a vision for people who are unlike you – who, “in your opinion” are unlikely candidates for your love and the gospel message? See how favoritism can prevent us from seeing people as God sees them and loving them with the love of Christ. This message is part of our series “The Ripple Effect.” The purpose of this series is to learn more about the life of Jesus and the story of the early church through the…
Mission is a Mindset
The Book of Acts tells of the spread of the kingdom of God as the apostles and saints spoke the gospel message with signs and wonders following. God still works in the same ways to change peoples lives as we love, listen to, and pray for those around us. God challenges us to take a risk, stretch out our hands, and affect the world around us. This message is part of our series “The Ripple Effect.” The purpose of this…
Spotlight Tag
Saul was a ravenous persecutor of Christians until Jesus revealed Himself to him. In this message we look at the anatomy of Saul’s conversion and how it is an example for all of us of how our lives should radically change when we become believers in Jesus Christ and the privilege we have of walking with others as they experience the same transformation. This message is part of our series “The Ripple Effect.” The purpose of this series is to learn…
- 1
- 2