Watermark Sunday Messages

The book of Acts ends with Paul in chains, but the gospel continues to advance without hindrance. That same mission continues today through the Church, empowered by the same Spirit and called to proclaim the same gospel. As we close our study of Acts, we're invited to carry forward the commitments of the first-century Church and consider whether our lives reflect the mission Jesus has entrusted to us.

Through Paul's journey to Rome in Acts 23–28, we see that God is sovereign over every detail of our lives, including the delays, detours, and difficulties we don't understand. Despite imprisonment, opposition, and suffering, God accomplished his plans for Paul in his power and at his pace. The same is true for us. While Satan seeks to distract and discourage us, we can trust that God's plans are good, even when they look different from our own. As we surrender to Jesus, we can experience greater intimacy with him and be used for his purposes in every season.

As Paul stands before King Agrippa in Acts 26, he shares how Jesus transformed him from an enemy of the Church into a bold witness for the gospel. His story reminds us that no one is beyond God's saving power and that salvation is always a miracle. Like Paul, every follower of Jesus is called to share the gospel, trusting in God's help rather than our own abilities. As we near the end of Acts, this message challenged us to consider whether we've grown in Spirit-led missional living and are taking intentional steps toward reaching those who don't know Jesus.

In this sermon, Jonathan Linder, Director of Men’s Community, walks through Acts 22 and shows us what it looks like to be prepared to give a defense for the hope we have in Jesus, even in the face of opposition. Paul’s response reveals a passion for people rooted in the gospel, a testimony that points to Jesus, and a willingness to follow wherever the Spirit leads. Like Paul, we are called to live on mission, trusting God with the results and taking faithful steps to share the hope we’ve found in Christ.

God’s will can feel blurry when we don’t know what is next, but Scripture gives us clarity about what God is doing in every season: making us more like Jesus. Through Paul’s journey toward Jerusalem, we see that God’s will is revealed by the Spirit and requires us to live with open hands. Rather than waiting for God to conform his will to ours, we can trust him with what we cannot control, surrender what we are holding onto, and believe that even in waiting or suffering, Jesus will meet us there.