In Acts 6:8-7:60, we see Stephen, one of the deacons appointed earlier in chapter 6, brought before the Sanhedrin. As he stands before them, he rebukes them for being like their fathers: stiff necked and having uncircumcised hearts. As a result, the council drags Stephen out of the city and stones him.
Read MoreIn Acts 6:1-7, the early church is faced with a conflict. The 12 apostles, remaining faithful to their calling as ministers, delegate some of the day to day tasks of caring for church members to 7 men, full of the spirit, who would come to be known as deacons.
Read MoreIn Acts 5:12-42 the apostles appear before the Sanhedrin, counting it all joy to be subject to punishment for following God’s commands.
Read MoreIn Acts 4:32-5:11, we hear how the early church is becoming a supportive community, and we learn from the example of Ananias and Sapphira about the significance of God’s holiness.
Read MoreIn Acts 4, we see the apostles filled with the Holy Spirit, who gives Peter and John the courage to give their defense to the high priest trying them for healing the lame man.
Read MoreIn Acts 3:1-4:4, we see Peter and John heal a man born lame, sparking faith in the man and all who were witness to the sign. Because of their attribution to the resurrected Jesus, the apostles are imprisoned by the Pharisees.
Read MoreIn Acts 2:42-47, we see the example of the early church being lived out. Pastor Tom walks through the passage and offers ways that we can live that example out even today.
Read MoreAfter Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, the people who heard his message respond with the question “What shall we do?” Peter’s tells the people to repent and be baptized, a call that still applies to us today.
Read MoreAs the Apostles await the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they trust in His power as they choose the disciple who will replace Judas as one of the twelve.
Read MoreIn the first sermon of a new series on The Spirit and the Church, Pastor Tom digs in to the first chapter of Acts, honing in on the Spirit promised to the apostles and the way that promise has been passed down to us.
Read MoreDeacon John Lotter presents Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 4 that the church be unified in Christ.
Read MoreDespite all of the troubles of this world, in Jesus we have a King that can redeem all things.
Read MoreBecause of the gift of Christ, we can be forgiven and brought back into relationship with our God.
Read Moren Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus teaches his disciples the lengths to which they must go in showing mercy to those who have sinned against them.
Read MoreWhen you look at the world, do you see the opportunities for the Gospel that Jesus sees? And before you blame the smallness of our churches on society, have you considered that the real problem is that we are not sending enough people out?
Join us for worship this Sunday as we hear the word of Christ in Matthew 9:35-38, orienting us to look upon the world with His vision.
Read MoreCan Jesus really bring us back from dead? Can our sins truly be forgiven if we are united with him? Any positive answer to these questions requires us to have faith - to trust Jesus beyond what everyday realities reveal to us. But that trust can only find solid grounding if it is built on what Jesus reveals to us in the course of his earthly life. Matthew tells us that Jesus healed many who were stricken with diseases and demons and that he even brought the dead back to life. We see faith at the center of these episodes. These miracles come to those who have faith. It's under these conditions that Jesus is preparing us to see the relationship between faith and the greater miracle of our salvation that he is offering. Listen as Pastor Tom takes us into Matthew 9:18-34.
Read MoreIf you can admit you're messed up, then Jesus is for you. He won't leave you that way, but make no mistake, he's telling you to come to him right now, just as you are. When the church shoos people away because they don't have their act together, they are essentially missing the point of what Jesus is doing - and maybe even drowning the grace they themselves need with their self-righteous arrogance. Jesus explains his mission in Matthew 9:9-17.
Read MoreCan you be forgiven? Everyone wants to be forgiven, but we are close-handed when it comes to offering it to others. In fact, if you say someone can be forgiven, you might just get shouted down by angry mobs! They say you can't offer that to so-and-so. And on your own, maybe they are right. But what about Jesus? Can he offer forgiveness? Can we share with others what He offers? Listen as we find our answer in Matthew 9:1-8.
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