The Trails Church

In Acts 6:1-7, we encounter a pivotal moment in the life of the church, where dissention and distraction threatened to disrupt its unity and mission. Our passage illustrates what happens when local churches are filled with people who understand the important part each person plays in order for the congregation to experience “Flourishing Gospel Ministry.” The three lessons we can learn from are 1. The Blessing and Threat of Church Growth, 2. The Grace and Good of Shared Ministry, and 3. The Joy and Reward of Gospel Priorities.

There are 105 verses in First Peter, and we are going to look together at 3 of them this morning. We won't come close to capturing the breadth of what Peter has to say in this letter, but in this small window that we’re focusing in on, we will see the full picture of the gospel, how we are born again to a living hope.

The main theme of Ephesians 2:4–7 is bracketed off from the rest of our text drawing our eyes and our attention to one glorious truth: by grace you have been saved. This summary of the gospel message shows us that it is the grace of God, his unmerited favor, that has saved us from first to last. There are three brief truths I would like to call to your attention this morning: 1. The God of Grace 2. The Gifts of Grace 3. The Glory of Grace.

Luke 24:1-12 proclaims the greatest news ever told. These verses bridge the darkest night in history to its brightest morning. On Good Friday, the disciples' hopes were buried in the tomb with the Lord himself, On Easter Sunday their hope sprang eternal with the good news of his resurrection. This Easter morning we will look not only at the reality of the resurrection of Jesus, but also what it means. I want to shape our sermon with three truths that might fill our hearts and lives with “Resurrection Hope.” Those truths are: 1. The Tomb is Empty, 2. The Promises are True, 3. The Work is Done.

Acts 5:27–42 begins and ends with the apostles proclaiming the name of Jesus, yet the space between details the most severe persecution we have seen so far in our study. Despite their message being rejected, and their bodies beaten, the apostles rejoice in suffering and praise God that they were “Counted Worthy to Suffer.” With our bibles open and Judson’s letter ringing in our ears, let see how the apostles were willing to suffer: 1. For the Sake of the Name (27-32), 2. For the Sake of Souls (33-39), and 3. For the Joy of Being Counted Worthy (40-42).

In Acts 5:12-32 we read a report of how the Lord is at work in a local church planted in a city of vast lostness, and real threats, yet a steadfast commitment to proclaim Christ. Our verses cover a wide range of elements: days of church growth, a night in prison, a mini-sermon, and opposition. Through it all we find a thread of what might be described simply as, “Authentic Ministry.” Yet, in this update provided by Luke, we find patterns that are not only meant to be true of the ancient church, or global churches, but our church right here right now. We will think about this kind of Authentic Ministry with three signs to look for (three things to pray for): 1. Gospel Transformation, 2. Gospel Persecution, and 3. Gospel Proclamation.

In Acts 5:1-11, we are met with the first recorded sin in the New Testament church. After witnessing what seemed like ever-increasing unity and joy over the first four chapters of the book, from now on what we'll see is not only external persecution, but internal corruption. At the heart of this story, what we see most clearly is God's passion for, and His commitment to, the purity of the church. There are three lessons in this passage that instruct us on how a local church can pursue purity and fight hypocrisy: 1. Stand in the Truth, 2. Walk in the Light, and 3. Live in the Fear of the Lord.

The grace-filled description of the Jerusalem Church in Acts 4:32-37 contains a compelling picture of how the gospel recalibrates the very heart and soul of a local church. The picture we witness is one of authentic Christianity that moves us from living with self and our own agenda at the center, to a new way of living with Christ and his kingdom at the center. While this passage may seem foreign to us in some ways, it is certainly meant to feel like home in others. We will observe our passage under two headings that serve as windows through which we study this church marked with “Great Grace:” 1. Gospel Unity and 2. Gospel Generosity.

In Acts 4:23-31, we have the privilege of walking into a prayer meeting of the early church. As these believers experience their first taste of persecution, their reflex is to fly to God in prayer. In what may have been “Only A Prayer Meeting,” the description of this occasion contains helpful lessons on prayer itself and its role in the life of each local church. Here we learn something of: 1. The Practice of Prayer, 2. The Posture of Prayer, and 3. The Power of Prayer.

In Acts 4:13-22, Peter and John stand before the most powerful people in Israel and boldly proclaim the name of Jesus. The miracles they had seen and the truths they had heard from Jesus turned their entire lives upside down and caused them to be bold gospel witnesses. Here we find a pattern of living not only meant for these apostles, but for each of us who follow Christ. Since “They Had Been With Jesus,” their hearts were willed with gospel boldness and their lips with gospel witness.

In Acts 4:1–12, Peter stands before the most powerful men in Israel and boldly proclaims that “No Other Name” can save except the name of Jesus Christ. There are four marvelous truths we learn about Jesus from this passage: 1. Jesus, the Name that Divides, 2. Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, 3. Jesus, the Cornerstone, 4. Jesus, the Only Name that Saves.

In Acts 3:11–26 we find the summary of “A Christ-Centered Sermon,” the second sermon preached by Peter in the Book of Acts. After the sign of Pentecost in Acts 2 and now following the sign of the lame man healed in Acts 3, we learn how these signs set the stage for sermons, wonders made way for the Word, miracles led to the message. The sermon shows that the sign itself was not the point but was meant to point to Jesus Christ. We will outline our sermon with four points that we first find in Peter’s sermon: 1. The God of Israel, 2. The Gravity of Sin, 3. The Glory of Christ, 4. The Gospel of Repentance.

In Acts 3:1-10, the apostles Peter and John encounter a lame man begging at the temple gate. When the man asked them for money to help his situation temporarily, the apostles saw his greatest need and gave him more than he ever imagined. That day, the man who had never known use of his legs went, “Walking, and Leaping, and Praising God.” The main idea of the passage emphasizes the power of Christ at work in and through his apostles as evidence that the kingdom of God had not only come but would continue to advance.2 We will explore these ten verses from two different angles. First, The Story, then The Sign.

Among all the characteristics that describe the first New Testament church in Acts 2:42-47, the final words reveal how they were Devoted to the Mission. The church which had been built on the gospel through evangelism understood their call to spread the gospel through evangelism. From their example, I want to show you three features of the mission of the church from Acts 2:47 that I pray will strengthen our witness together. Our heading will highlight that we have been given: 1. A Dependent Mission, 2. A Shared Mission, 3. A Continuing Mission.

In Galatians 4:4-7, the Apostle Paul highlights not only the wonders of the incarnation and the reality of our redemption, but ultimately points to the adoption we have received through Christ. This spiritual adoption we have experienced gives a us a new identity, draws us into an intimate relationship with God, and transforms how we live in the world. We will explore our subject under two headings: 1. The Story of Our Adoption, and 2. The Blessings of Our Adoption.

Galatians 4:4-5 not only highlights the plan of God that would unfold in the fullness of time, but also shows the purpose of God in sending his Son. Jesus came at the appointed time to redeem us from the law, sin, and death. With his life he fulfilled the law of God and then he died for those of us who never could. This is the heart of the Christmas message. This truly is good news of great joy: that God has brought us “Redemption” through his Son. We will continue our study of this passage by focusing on the next phrase, and from it continue to fill out our doctrine of Christ. We look first at Christ the Promised Redeemer and secondly at Christ the Perfect Redeemer.

While the truths of Galatians 4:4-7 may take less than a minute to read, they offer a lifetime fruitful study. The Apostle Paul shows how the coming of Christ was neither early nor late but came to pass according to God’s eternal plan and purpose. The opening verse reveals what uniquely qualified Jesus to bring salvation to his people once and for all. Our Advent exploration of this text begins where the Apostle himself does, with “Incarnation.”

In our text this morning, we are not going to be examining gratitude and thanksgiving. Instead, our focus will be on the Godly fruit of gratitude and thanksgiving—our focus will be on Christian generosity—particularly as demonstrated in the early church. This morning, we will examine the idea of Christian generosity under three points: ● GENEROSITY DEFINED ● GENEROSITY DEFEATED ● GENEROSITY DEMONSTRATED And as we walk through these points this morning, I encourage you to keep this question in the front of your mind: What evidence of Christian generosity do you see in your life?

At the center of the characteristics found in Acts 2:42-47 is a church “Devoted to Worship.” The early church practiced a rhythm of worship as they grew in doctrine and devotion to Christ. They gathered to worship, to encourage, and to proclaim the mighty works of God together. As we look to their example, we find rhythms of worship from Scripture that we aspire to know and grow in as a church. First, we will highlight how the church Gathered to Worship. Second, we will detail the Acts of Worship listed in our passage. Finally, we will see the impact of their Evangelistic Worship.

Acts 2:42-47 presents a flourishing vision for biblical community. One of the primary characteristics of New Testament Christianity is God-focused, Christ-given, Spirit-enabled fellowship with other believers. Our faith comes with a family. Today we will look at this early snapshot of the church again and learn what it looks like to be “Devoted to the Fellowship.” There are three realities to this fellowship I want us to understand: 1. Commitment of the Church, 2. The Community of the Church, and 3. Commission of Church.