There is a well known phrase in religious circles where someone is said to be “preaching to the choir.” The inference is that the choir members are not the sort of people who need to hear that particular message. The choir, as we all know, being the most zealous for the church. And yet I have known some pretty degenerate choir members in my day, so I’m not sure how well that idea really stands up. But to some extent, any congregation that comes out at 8am on a Sunday morning, especially if you happen to be on vacation, sort

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The most popular message in Christianity today is perhaps best captured in the title of a book by the pastor of the largest protestant church in America, entitled, “Your Best Life Now,” by Joel Osteen. That book stayed at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for 200 weeks. His sermons are televised to over 7 million viewers in over 200 countries. His church services in Texas are held in a former sports arena which held 56000 people at it’s dedication. His net worth is estimated to be 56 million dollars and he lives in a 10.5 million

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As we have been looking at the formation of the first church in our study of Acts, we have seen that various demonically inspired attacks on the church were occurring through persecution, through hypocrisy, and through intimidation. But in each situation we have seen that rather than these attacks defeating the church, it only served to make it stronger, make it increase, and make it more effective. We see the church becoming as a result of various trials more united in doctrine, more purified in spirit, more bold in preaching the gospel, and more effective at winning the lost. Now

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As we have been studying the book of Acts, much has been said about the work of the Holy Spirit. He was the One who the apostles were told to wait for, and His coming was what inaugurated the new church in Jerusalem in a baptism of divine power. Jesus said in John 16:13-15 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me,

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We looked last week at persecution against the church and how paradoxically persecution actually benefits the church. We found that persecution produces identification with Christ, it produces proven faith, persecution produces allegiance to God, not man, persecution produces effective praying, and so forth. Basically, we showed that persecution tends to strengthen the church and increase fruitfulness in the church. History reveals that persecuting the church only causes the church to become purer and more powerful and more effective. Now, as we will see illustrated in this passage, Satan changes his strategy. If direct attacks do not destroy the church, he

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None of us would willingly invite persecution, would we? Our instinct towards self preservation is so ingrained in us that our natural tendency is to avoid anything that might cause us pain or discomfort. If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time praying that God would deliver you from whatever trial you might be encountering. But the fact is that God often uses persecution and trials for His plan.   What seems injurious to us, is often used by God to conform us in the image of Jesus Christ. That is why James says in chapter 1 vs. 2,

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Today, all over the country, in fact, all over the world, religious people are attempting to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. There are all kinds of religious rituals and ceremonies being conducted by millions and millions of people in celebration of Easter. But the question I would raise today, is what is the significance of the resurrection for us today, besides the obvious historical nature of it? What is the effect of this day of remembrance? I’m afraid that the resurrection represents just a holiday to most people, a holiday that has no power beyond simply remembering an event that

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Today I want to talk to you in a different manner than in the way I normally preach. As you know, I usually exegete a passage, going verse by verse. But today I want to share some things that have been on my mind lately, ideas which are promoted by this passage, but not necessarily found through the exposition of each verse. This week I have found my soul distressed by several different circumstances that I have heard about, that I might term “failures of the faith.” Not that the true faith of God can fail. God cannot fail, and

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Someone once said that every miracle in the New Testament is a parable, designed to illustrate physically what God can do spiritually. Today we are looking at such a miracle in this passage in Acts. It certainly wasn’t the only miracle that was done in those days. And yet Luke singles out this particular miracle to illustrate an important spiritual principle. We know that it wasn’t the only miracle because in the previous chapter, Acts 2:43 it says that “many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.” And looking ahead, we see in chapter 5 vs. 12 it

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There is much misinformation in Christian circles today as to the nature and purpose of the church. Many books and articles have been written on the subject of church growth. Many different strategies have been proposed for the building up of the church. And as a result I think that in the last generation the church has changed more than at any other time in history. However, I’m afraid that it has not always been for the better. I’m sure that many of the great ecclesiastical leaders of history would not approve or even recognize what is happening in many

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