Unstoppable: The Book of Acts
We face roadblocks and obstacles all the time and it can be easy for us to assume there are things that hinder God's kingdom from expanding in this world (such as countries closed to Christian missionaries or hard-hearted people or martyrdom), but this is false. Here in the end of Acts, we see that the Gospel of the Kingdom goes forth without hindrance and is continuing to do so. Paul's chains and Israel's rejection of their Messiah don't stop God from saving sinners around the globe and expanding His kingdom. This means we can rest confident that God will save sinners through His Word and boldly share it trusting God no matter what.
Sometimes it looks like the circumstances in our lives and on the world scene are chaotic, random, and unguided, but nothing could be further from the truth. God is providentially guiding all things for the glory of His Son Jesus Christ and the good of His own. We can be encouraged as we read of Paul's dangerous journey aboard a ship in the Mediterranean Sea that through all the wild and unexpected events on his journey, God was guiding him along to testify before the emperor Nero Caesar.
Jesus had told Paul at his conversion that he was to stand before kings and bear witness (Acts 9:15). Well, now Paul gets that opportunity as he stands before King Agrippa II. Both the Roman governor Festus and the Jewish King Agrippa declared Paul innocent of any wrongdoing. Paul shares the Gospel message with boldness and love and we learn from Christ's words to him what our role is in bringing people to faith in Christ in the same way.
More than forty men had plotted to kill Paul in ambush and vowed not to eat or drink till he was dead. Yet God, in His providence, allowed their plot to be revealed and Paul was spared. Instead of being killed by these forty men, 470 Roman soldiers escorted Paul and His gospel ministry to its next destination: Caesarea. We can be encouraged that no plot of man can override the providence of God in our lives.
Nobody wants to go to court, especially if they must stand on trial without a good defense attorney. In the last 7 chapters of Acts, Paul is in such a position as he is put on trial four times (like Jesus) for his faith. Here we learn from this scene in Paul's life the way to bear witness for Christ before an accusing world.
"The safest place to be is in the center of God's will." But how do you know what is God's will when given lots of advice from godly people? And what if otherwise godly people advise you to 'play it safe' when it is clear the Lord has called you to do something risky like serve Him among the unreached overseas or go off to seminary and live just above the poverty line for years? In Acts 21, Paul is a man of risky boldness, willing to even die if need be in Jerusalem. However, Paul is also a man of humble submission, following the voice of godly leaders in the church when they are guiding him with right motives.
What is the job of the pastor? In this message, we learn from the Apostle Paul that the role of a elder/pastor/overseer involves guarding the sheep, feeding the sheep, and leading the sheep. Join us as we consider the pastor's watchfulness, usefulness, and godliness according to Paul's message to the Ephesian elders.
What is healthy pastoral leadership? Join us in this message as we consider the first half of Paul's farewell speech to the Ephesian elders. We are each encouraged to examine what we define as healthy pastoral leadership and align with what God's Word says on it. We are then called to pray for this sort of leadership at WBC and in every church.
Most of us have been guilty of dozing off in church from time to time. In this message we consider the somewhat comical scene of the boy who fell asleep under Paul's long-winded sermon only to fall from the window to his death as a result. Join us as we consider the resurrecting power of God and what it means for the local church as we gather.
May 30, 2021- "The Impact the Gospel Makes"- Acts 19:21-41
Sometimes we falsely assume that the Gospel cannot make much of an impact on the world around us. But in this text, we see that even pagans acknowledge the impact the Gospel makes on the community.
May 23, 2021- Will Salter- Acts 19:1-20
In this message, Will Salter continues our study of Acts by reminding us of the danger of relying on another person's faith. He challenges us to trust Christ ourselves and have a strong walk with God that goes beyond a mere piggy-backing faith. We see also see God's greater power over the Evil One as many are converted under Paul's preaching.
May 16, 2021- "A Vision for the Mission"- Acts 18
We all need a vision for the mission we're on, but only a vision of Christ will strengthen us for the mission at hand. What we learn from this story of Paul's time in Corinth is that Christ gives all we need for the Great Commission on which he's sent us.
May 9, 2021- "Changing Culture- Unchanging Gospel"- Acts 17:16-34
Do you have a mother's heart toward our wayward world full of idols? Paul did and so must we if we plan to reach them. How can we reach this changing culture with our unchanging Gospel? Join us as we consider what God's Word has to teach us about reaching Ancient Athens and modern day America.
April 25, 2021- "A Call for Berean Christians" -Acts 17:1-15
Whenever the Gospel message goes forth, lines are drawn in the sand. People will either receive it as the word of man or the Word of God. We must ensure that we are humbly receiving God's Word and not arrogantly thinking we know better.
April 18, 2021- "The Gospel Reaches Philippi"- Acts 16:11-40
When the Gospel comes to town, lives are changed forever. Here we meet three fascinating people that are as different from each other as night and day, yet each are brought into the same local church by the power of sovereign grace. Join us as we consider how Jesus still carries on His mission of opening hearts, setting captives free, and saving sinners by faith in Him alone.
April 11, 2021- "The Work Must Go On"- Acts 15:36-16:10
Sometimes when we make plans to serve the Lord in some form of ministry, it seems like the kingdom of darkness launches an all-out attack on our efforts and some crisis or change of schedule leaves us feeling we cannot maintain the mission. How can we serve the Lord in the way He has called us when we face disagreement, dilemmas, and divinely closed doors? Join us in this message as we consider what God's Word says we must do.
February 14, 2021- "Conflict in the Church"- Acts 14:24-15:35
"And they all lived happily ever after" is a familiar closing line to many children's nursery rhymes, but we all know this seldom is the case in real life. Conflict is part of living in this broken world, but how do we deal with conflict within the church? Join us as we consider this important topic in our continued study of Acts.
February 7, 2021- "Through Many Tribulations"- Acts 14:1-23
"God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life" is a popular line in many gospel presentations, but can be misleading. We are misleading people if we don't call them to count the cost of following Christ and remind them that this is a call to suffer with Jesus. Join us in this message as we consider why suffering persecution for Christ is part of what it means to follow Christ.
January 31, 2021- Responding to Jesus- Acts 13:13-52
How are you responding to the message of Jesus? There can be no greater question. We are all either going to respond in faith and repentance or foolish rebellion. As we present this life-giving Gospel to others, we must remember that God is in charge of the outcome and we need only be faithful to share.
January 24, 2021- Sent Out by the Holy Spirit- Acts 13:1-12
Why is it so important that we take the Gospel message to foreign lands? Because God loves the lost, calls us to go, and sends us out empowered by His Spirit to spread His glory. Join us as we consider why our church's sending capacity is more important than our seating capacity.
January 17, 2021- The Power of a Praying Church- Acts 12
In this exciting scene in the book of Acts, we encounter the second of three jail breaks in the book. Peter is dramatically escorted from prison by an angel...and it is all because the church prayed. In this message, we are encouraged to be a people of earnest, expectant prayer, believing God's Word will triumph in the end, no matter the forces that stand against it.
January 10, 2021- The First Gentile Church- Acts 11:19-30
How did the non-Jewish church come about? We may be surprised to discover that it was persecution which fueled the spread of the Gospel to these pagan places. The church in Antioch was birthed as a result of persecuted believers scattering for their lives while they scattered the Gospel seed as they went. The church at Jerusalem didn't see the church at Antioch as a competitor, but came alongside them to bless them. In turn, when affliction visited the church in Jerusalem, it was the church in Antioch that gave financial assistance. The biblical model here of churches helping churches shows us how God intends for us to work with one another.
October 18, 2020- Refusing to Stand in God's Way- Acts 10:1-11:18
Most of us would never want to stand in God's way and yet oftentimes we are doing just that. What does it mean to stand in God's way? According to Acts 11:17, we stand in God's way whenever we treat certain people as "unclean" or "unsavable." In this message, we're encouraged to treat all people as image-bearers of God, freely share the Gospel with all people, and pray for/rejoice over their salvation.
October 11, 2020- Obstacles or Opportunities?- Acts 9:19-43
People often ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Yet such a statement assumes two things the Bible denies: 1) people are not really good and 2) whatever we deem bad, God often uses for the good of His people...this is seen most clearly in the cross: a very bad event and yet God used it for our good. In this message, we see how God uses affliction, ailment, and anguish for the good of His children and the spread of His Gospel.
October 4, 2020- Saul's Conversion
The conversion of a soul is a miracle of God's grace and reveals His awesome power. In this message, we are encouraged to trust God to save any and all, no matter how hardened or lost they may be.
September 27, 2020- To Samaria & Beyond!- Acts 8
Just like the first disciples, we sometimes get a little too comfortable with the Gospel for our culture and forget that it is for all cultures. In this sermon, we consider just how vital it is that we share this life-giving Good News with every culture.
September 20, 2020- Stephen: The First Christian Martyr- Acts 6:8-8:4
Do you have enemies? Certainly it isn't good to have enemies for the wrong reasons, but if everyone is on your side, it might mean you aren't being a bold witness for Christ as you ought. Stephen gives us a picture of Christ-like love for one's enemies and a willingness to speak the truth to them in love and endure whatever consequences may come. For Stephen, being a witness meant paying the ultimate price, but probably not so for the rest of us. We can learn from Stephen that Christ-like love has enemies and yet lays down one's life for them.
September 13, 2020- Growing Pains- Acts 6:1-7
Every child experiences growing pains in life, usually occurring during transitional phases, such as moving out of the toddler stage or moving into the pre-teen years. Every church that is growing will experience such growing pains as we see in the early church. We need willing, godly, and unifying servants who will assist in seeing the church through such awkward and important phases of growth.
September 6, 2020- We Must Obey God Rather Than Men- Acts 5:17-42
At what point is it right for Christians to exercise civil disobedience? This is a question we are going to need to be willing to answer as God's people in a rapidly changing culture. We must as God's people be willing to stand for Christ no matter the cost.
August 23, 2020- Lying to God- Acts 4:32-5:16
Studies show that one great way to ensure a child is developing properly is the strength of their lying. As we grow, we only get better at lying. Yet God sees through the veneer of our lies and calls our bluff. Here we see the generosity of some in the early church, the hypocrisy of others, and the judgment of God which falls on them. We learn an important lesson in fearing God and striving for honesty in our worship.
August 16, 2020- We Cannot But Speak- Acts 4:1-31
A 2019 survey conducted by Lifeway Research found that of 2,500 evangelicals, over half (55%) had never shared with another person how they can be saved. We often don't even share the Gospel when there isn't persecution looming over us, let alone when we are threatened. Yet in Acts 4 we see the early church's witness unmoved by arrests and threats. Join us as we consider what advice Peter, John, and the early church would give to us 21st Century Christians to increase our boldness in evangelism.
August 9, 2020- A Sign, A Sermon, & The Savior- Acts 3:1-4:4
What can we do to bring true and long-lasting healing to the poor and downtrodden of this world? And how can we do so without drawing attention to ourselves? In Acts 3, we learn that compassion for the helpless drives us to bring a holistic healing of both body and soul, all in the name of Jesus Christ.
August 2, 2020- The Devoted Community- Acts 2:42-47
Every organization stands upon certain core values. It is the same with the church. What we have in the early church is a church devoted to certain core values and we see just how that welcomed God's blessing on their gathering.
July 26, 2020- Birthday of the Church- Acts 2:1-41
In perhaps the most important text in the New Testament, we see the church is brought into being by the Holy Spirit. This event has major implications for our lives and reminds us of the necessity of total dependence on the Holy Spirit in all we do.
July 19, 2020- The Waiting Community - Acts 1:12-26
What should mark the community of faith that is God's people? Here we see five clear marks of the early church as they waited on the Lord's promise of the Holy Spirit.
July 12, 2020- The Mission- Acts 1:1-11
In this message, we begin a new series in the book of Acts considering the mission which we've been given as the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Join us as we consider just how unstoppable this Gospel is in our lives, our church, and the world around us.