Sermons

The transforming power of the gospel shines through in this story of two women from vastly different backgrounds. Remarkably, the first convert in Europe was a female Asian business leader—a powerful reminder that God’s grace reaches across every boundary.

For many, religious rules are comforting. But the gospel invites us into a radically healthy but utterly paradigm-shifting freedom from old rules and regulations. The church is meant to be the beating heart, the epicenter, of that message of freedom.

What makes for a healthy church in a large city? What we see at the first-century church at Antioch, the third-largest city in the Roman empire at the time, is a beautiful case study: people coming to faith in Jesus, healthy dedicated leaders, Christians trained to be faithful disciples, and uncommon generosity–all marks of God’s gracious hand at work.

Traditionally, it was assumed that the good news of Jesus was reserved exclusively for the religious. But God gives vision to both a religious man and non-religious man to correct the cultural understanding of who this good news was for.

Should the church be a place that welcomes outsiders? In this remarkable story, we see Christianity crossing geographic, cultural, ethnic, and national boundaries. But that’s only part of it. It’s also the story of a man who was spiritually curious yet had almost certainly been wounded by religious people.

Certainty and faith, fear and calling – the story of Saul’s transformation and encounter with Jesus has it all. The perspectives of Saul and Ananias give a great challenge for today’s church in regard to the mindsets of religion.

The church’s inclusive invitation and exclusive truth claims have prompted resistance from religious and secular alike. When it comes time to prove the power of this message, however, the ancient church’s evidence is the same as ours: healed lives.

Data shows that wonder is powerful. It can improve our sense of self, make us more kind and wise, and infuse us with purpose. Where do we find it? Curiously, wonder is one of the refreshing characteristics of the church in its earliest days. Reflecting on an encounter early followers of Jesus had with a disabled man, we’ll consider where wonder can be found and how we cultivate it in our daily life.

It’s understandable that today many have jaded views of the church. As we imagine the future of our church, what can we learn from the earliest days of the church? It was refreshingly dynamic, characterized by personal transformation, vital community, authentic spirituality, radical generosity, and contagious hospitality.

Moving into our new facility is a unique chance to relaunch. This sermon begins a season of pre-launch preparation for us. By looking at the first generation of the church, we’re affirming that the path to our future runs through this ancient past. In this episode, the mission of the church is set before us in a way that both challenges and empowers us to embrace the opportunity ahead.