Acts 29 - The Continuing Story
Written by Ed Allen
Sunday, 31 August 2008 09:00
Sermon Notes
Acts 29 is you and I - the continuing story of the church.
Today, we are going to have three mini-sermons to conclude our summer series on the book of Acts: "Acting Out".
1. It is Friday, but Sunday's comin'!
- Three "I don't get it. What did we do wrong? I give up!" incidents:
- Acts 6:1 - the Grecian Jews were complaining against the Hebraic Jews. There was "complaining" in the church.
- Acts 12:1-4 - Some of the church leaders were put to death by King Herod. Peter was then imprisoned for a second time.
- Acts 15:1-2 - the Judaizers came to Antioch and were causing disputes within the church.
- Two "You've got to be kidding me. I quit!" incidents.
- Acts 8:1-3 - the persecution of the church begins and believers are scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Jesus' death - They killed Jesus on Friday, but Jesus rose again on Sunday.
- As long as we are proclaiming the great story of God's love for us demonstrated in Christ, we're not off and we can't quit.
- Because this is something God is doing! (see Philippians 1:6)
- Because it's Friday, and Sunday's comin'! (see 2 Corinthians 1:7-9)
2. We aren't a pool; we're a river!
- Acts 1:8 - Jesus commands us to be His witnesses, to share the Good News with the world.
3. (we'll cover this one at a later date)
4. There is no "I" in success; but there is an "us"!
- Acts 2:42-47
- The essential life of the early church was about meeting together regularly in the context of small groups of people who who cared so deeply for one another that they sacrificially gave of their own resources so taht no one among them would have any need.
“Let's not let our lives be run by the culture around us. Let's try to figure out how let our lives be run by the culture above us.”