To Infinity and Beyond…Jerusalem!

In this series, you'll learn how the early church responded to real tension and growing pains—not with division, but with wisdom, humility, and Spirit-led leadership. You'll see how God's people handled complaints in a way that preserved unity and honored both truth and grace. This sermon teaches us that healthy churches don’t ignore conflict—they face it with biblical clarity, appointing the right people for the right roles. Most of all, you'll be invited to view service not as an obligation, but as a divine invitation to participate in God’s Kingdom work. When we walk in unity and faithfulness, God multiplies His Word and His people.

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Sermon notes

Acts 6:1–7, The Choosing of the Seven

Introduction

Have you ever met a chronic complainer before? I mean, you just can’t get anything done because it’s just complaint after complaint? Day in and day out. It’s too cold outside, it’s too hot, it hurts to stand up, it hurts to sit down. The government does too much, the government doesn’t do enough. My job is so hard, I don’t get paid enough. Mortgage rates keep climbing. I can’t believe stores are open on Sundays and they have ball games on Sundays. I don’t see my kids enough, I hate that my kids keep me up and I don’t have time to do anything. I wish people would spend more time building community instead of on their phones, I hate this traffic and having so many people out and about. These eggs cost too much money. Well go ahead and get one fertilized mother goose and see how much it costs then! My porridge is too hot, my porridge is too cold, well ok goldy locks let’s get it together and figure this one out! we need to get back to the good old days. Those are just the complaints I could free hand in under 2 minutes.

What do we do about complaining in church though? I mean, what would other churches do, because that would never happen here at Friends Church. So I wrote a portion of today’s sermon for a hypothetical church. This is a sermon for West Poorland Exvangelical Enemies Church in Mauvaismont County, in the middle of the Indian ocean. Which by the way, is the exact opposite of East Richland Evangelical Friends Church in Belmont County, Ohio because complaining would NEVER happen here, right? The truth is my friends, complaining happens all the time and there is no such thing as a perfect church this side of heaven. It’s been said if you find a perfect church, don’t join it, you’ll ruin it! We are all figuring this life out and how we Love our God more, and how we love people more. Luckily the bible talks about how the first complaint in church went and how it was dealt with.

V1

We pick up in verse one where it says now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. Acts 6:1 So this frames our whole text today as to why the Apostles find it necessary to solve this. What’s the problem? Why is there complaining? Well, the disciples are increasing in number. The church is growing and things are changing. They face the same problems every church faces: They had a way of doing church and found great success in it when there was just Jesus and 12 people. Then they had to change when Jesus started sharing the gospel and their church 10x’d and now there are 120 people. It was getting cozy in the upper room. Then 3,000 get saved when they almost 30x in size! Then they almost double again after that massive explosion of gospel filled Holy Spirit empowered preaching, teaching, and sharing. And now, more people are coming in, it’s affecting all of their resources- their time, talents, and treasures. All of it. Let me teach you how to complain this morning and how to field complaints. Here are 4 categories of complaints a friend put together for 9Marks:

Preference – Preferences are subjective commitments that have no moral consequence. The truth is, we all have things we’re passionate about, things that matter deeply to us. Complaints often surface in the church when we start believing that my things should matter more than your things. The tricky part is, it’s not always clear who’s right or wrong in these situations because sometimes, neither side is clearly wrong. And most times, neither side is clearly right because, interestingly enough, Paul tells us to look to the interests of others. Different doesn’t mean bad, it means what it means, different. We are not all gifted in the same way and thank God! We have different gifts so we can accomplish more for the kingdom of God, together.
Opinion – Reasoned conclusions that shape our Conscience. This shapes your moral code of conduct. In the church, believers experience the highest potential for conflict around opinions. Most often, discord arises when one side looks down on those who abstain, while the other side judges those who partake (Romans 14:3). Let me clarify: opinions aren’t merely preferences. They’re deeply held moral convictions formed by a biblically-informed conscience, and violating these convictions is sin (Romans 14:14). Believers often differ in their opinions, particularly regarding Christian liberty. There’s clearly right and wrong here, but it’s frequently relative to each person’s conscience (Romans 14:23).
Conviction – The objective truths that form our doctrine. They’re the non-negotiable foundations of our faith (Jude 3)—God’s truth that’s always worth fighting for (1 Timothy 6:12). Convictions represent the core beliefs that unify us as Christians. If someone abandons these convictions, they step away from the faith itself (1 Timothy 4:1-3), becoming an immediate threat to the spiritual health of the entire body. The Bible repeatedly addresses this issue, placing it in an entirely separate category from opinions or preferences. When false doctrine threatens the unity of the church, our response must be swift and decisive. Here, there’s a clear and absolute right and wrong. We have to be very careful that we do not assume our preferences and opinions as conviction.
Attitude– A voluntary posture of the heart toward others. Despite having different preferences and opinions, every believer must maintain a godly mind (Philippians 4:2). Even though we naturally have different interests, every believer must maintain a godly mindset which is seen in our attitude (Philippians 4:2). In Philippi, Paul calls out two women by name because they didn’t have this same mind, or attitude. Notice something crucial: Paul doesn’t say, “Ladies, here’s who’s right.” Instead, he acknowledges that their differences are legitimate, maybe even necessary. But what he clearly doesn’t accept is the kind of quarreling that disrupts harmony in the church. On this point, there is an obvious right and wrong, and usually, both sides need to repent.

Some Christians think grumbling is just being discerning. It’s almost as if admitting things are good might mean you’re being tricked somehow. You know how it goes. asking a simple “how are you?” can sometimes open a floodgate of complaints you weren’t prepared for or didn’t ask for. Attitudes are tough to change, but here’s what’s most important: don’t let someone else’s bad attitude become your own. Maybe the best thing we can do is model the behavior we want to see in others. Listen carefully because here’s how we field complaints: ask thoughtful questions, and pray that God would reveal the harmful impact of complaining both to the complainer and to anyone tempted to join in. Keeping unity and peace has always required hard work that’s why Jesus calls us to be peacemakers. Difficult personalities are unavoidable, but how we respond determines if things get better or worse. Rather than escalating conflict or pretending it doesn’t exist, identify what kind of complaint it is and respond with biblical wisdom to help align each person with God’s standard. And remember, when it’s our turn to complain, let’s be open to that same correction ourselves.

I can only assume from my decade of pastoral ministry that some of the questions that are being asked fall into one of the 4 categories. Here are the top complaints in most churches: Why are we spending money in these areas, why are we changing the way we do certain things, the music: it’s too loud or it’s too quiet depending on what generation you’re from, where we sit: in a chair in a different building or in “my pew”, what we wear: too formal or too casual, and who we allow in this joint: we will tolerate a certain amount of sin in here but make sure it’s hidden, we don’t want the open sinners like the smokers, the gays, and you know the people who need Jesus but really LOOK like they need Jesus like the poor and mentally ill. Because if it ain’t broke, say it with me, IF IT AINT BROKE- don’t fix it. Right? Well what if it is SO broken that it’s become our new normal? See if it’s not one of the areas of preference, or attitude, then it’s probably an opinion. And that’s ok, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I’d just encourage and challenge you to allow The Holy Spirit in to formulate your opinion. Because here is where we become dangerous. When we assume that our preferences, our opinions, and our attitudes are convictions. That God is on my side in all of these things and if God’s on my side then He is not on your side. I am right, you are wrong, and we aren’t making peace because it’s my way or the highway. Don’t allow anything and everything to fall into this category of conviction. You have to realize, conviction is not “fluid” or “on a spectrum.” The Holy Spirit is in charge of conviction. This is the job description of the Holy Spirit as defined by Jesus:

“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:7-15

So God is going to do this work of conviction. This is why it is so crucial when we read Acts 6 to see how they responded. What category does the first complaint of the church fall into? Let’s work it out. You have hellenists. These are the Jews that are typically not originally from Jerusalem and so they don’t speak Hebrew. Language very much so builds into our culture. And then you have the Hebrew Jews who are those native to Jerusalem and speak Hebrew. This is foundational for the conversation and complaint because most speak some Greek since it’s the common language, but not all spoke Hebrew. So there seems to be a bit of an ethnic battle stewing. I need you to take off any other hat you may wear today and put on your Holy Spirit filled, Jesus mindset, bible provoked and produced, Christian hat. The reason for this, is, in 2025, our world is super-charged by some of these terms, but you cannot allow yourself to be convinced of anything if it is not the word of God. Are you with me? For our notes today, one theologian put it this way: Ethnicity = is about a common culture, history and Heritage. Race = bases hierarchy in a location upon physical characteristics. These are 2 portions of Christians with a common culture, history, and heritage that aren’t speaking the same language and so their culture is off. The minority culture is an immigrant culture of Greek speaking Jews that are overlooked. And this is what happens in any community, we make things happen from the majority and dictate to the minority. It leads their widows to be neglected. Let’s take it down to something we can consider for ourselves today in church. I’ll use myself as an example: I would consider myself highly extroverted. So would the Myers Briggs personality test, and every person I’ve ever met. I’m a 90% tigger, 10% pooh bear sort of individual. Now when we map out how church feels and I’m involved in the conversation, I want it to be highly engaging so people shake hands, and they’re talking, and they’re hugging, and do all of the things that I like to do because I’m an extrovert. If you are an introvert, for this analogy, we will consider you the minority in church. It is easy to overlook these needs and an introvert’s needs could potentially become invisible in church because no one in leadership is thinking on that level. Back to Acts 6, the Apostles are Hebrew Jews. The needs of the Hellenist Jews widows are invisible to them. They didn’t mean to do this, they’re resources are taxed and they are just trying to survive serving thousands of people. For this reason, people will read Acts 6 and think the whole point is to carry the load. The point of Acts 6 isn’t to divide labor and build a system. That’s the byproduct of what they are trying to do. Acts 6 is about the church eager to maintain the unity in the Spirit in the bond of peace as they solve an ethnic problem they are facing. This means that this first complaint is a really good one. Satan loves to use an unintentional wrong to begin a conflict. The Hebrews were right in their hearts, and the Hellenists were right in their facts. These were perfect conditions for a church-splitting conflict. It’s preference, we think that our widows should get fed. It’s opinion, we believe the bible says we should take care widows and it doesn’t say just the ones who speak Hebrew. It’s attitude, and this is a big one because they do not share the same mind in Christ Jesus right here, it’s what forces the complaint. There is neglect. And it is also conviction. They knew the command of God in the Old Testament- Exodus 22:22-24:

You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.

Later on, Jesus’ half brother James would write to the church in Jerusalem and say this, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27

So this is a defcon 4 level complaint! Get the Apostles on the phone, put them in the situation room, and resolve this church crisis, right?! Well that’s exactly what happens.

V2-4: The Apostles’ Response:

“It’s not right for us to give up preaching the word to serve tables.”
“Pick from among yourselves seven men to appoint—men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom.”
“We’ll devote ourselves fully to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

I’ll be honest, when I first read their response, here’s what I heard:

“We aren’t dealing with your problems. Let’s delegate out the real work so we can stay comfortably in prayer and teach everyone else what they’re doing wrong.”

I think many of us read it similarly on the first pass. Why? Because culturally, we struggle with leaders who set boundaries around their resources- Their time, talents, and treasures. We instinctively resist the idea that someone’s boundaries might inconvenience or disadvantage us. But here’s what we need to understand: The church doesn’t exist just to serve you. We all exist within the church to serve one another. When we sense that someone else might have an advantage, or that we might face a disadvantage, we tend to assume the worst. We start reading situations through suspicious, negative eyes. But let’s pause and really see what’s happening here. This isn’t about shirking responsibility or pushing off tasks; it’s about clarity, focus, and stewardship. It’s about recognizing that not every task is meant for every person. It’s about ensuring the church thrives by empowering the right people for the right roles.

This brings us directly to the heart of delegation. Delegation isn’t Obligation- Delegation is Invitation. What you need to see clearly is that delegation is an invitation, not an obligation. When Jesus delegated His work to the apostles—and by extension, to all of us, His church—He wasn’t saying, “Here’s the heavy burden of ministry. I’ll wait up here in heaven until you all figure it out!” Instead, He was inviting us into something incredible: the privilege of giving ourselves fully to the greatest mission imaginable- the Kingdom of God. In the same way, when the apostles delegated responsibility to these seven in Acts, it wasn’t merely handing off tasks; it was extending an invitation. One thing I’ve learned about delegation is this: when you find the right person, they recognize delegation as a privilege to embrace, not a burden they’re obligated to carry.

V5-6

In verses 5 and 6, we encounter something incredible: the seven men selected don’t have Hebrew names- they all have Greek names. Why does this matter? It’s as if God is showing us something significant: unlike Israel, who once chose their king based on outward strength and appearance, the early church was committed to finding the right people. These were leaders uniquely suited to address the specific need, people who could bridge cultural divides and handle the practical ministry with sensitivity, wisdom, and skill. Once these men were identified, the church affirmed them publicly through prayer and the laying on of hands. This act wasn’t just a formality- it was the people of God bearing witness and giving approval to what the Holy Spirit was already doing among them. Today, we share in that same honor and responsibility. When we lay hands on our deacons and commission them for ministry, we’re actively recognizing and affirming the Holy Spirit’s work in equipping and empowering His people for service. Right now, as Friends Church, we face two unique needs, two areas where we deeply need gifted deacons to step in and serve. First, we’re looking for leadership and oversight for our facilities. God has entrusted us with an incredible campus, and along with it, an extensive roster of buildings and grounds. Stewarding this well isn’t just practical- it’s spiritual. It’s about caring for what God has given us as a platform for ministry. Second, we’re sensing a clear call toward prayer. We believe it’s time to birth a prayer team and prayer ministry that truly reflects God’s heart and makes a tangible impact in our community. History shows us that whenever the church experiences genuine growth or revival, you can always trace it back to intentional prayer. Twenty years from now, my prayer is that we’ll look back together and say with awe, “Look at what God did when we committed ourselves wholeheartedly to prayer.” Today, we believe God has clearly identified the right people to lead us in these two important ministries. At this time, I’d like to invite Mike Chedester, Joan Lepic, and Heidi Berk to join me on stage, along with our Elders, as we lay hands on them and commission them into this vital work.

Conclusion:

Verse 7 gives us a beautiful and powerful picture of God’s blessing on a church that handles conflict biblically and commissions people wisely. Because the apostles and believers didn’t allow their differences and preferences to fracture their unity- but instead humbly addressed complaints and empowered the right people for ministry. The Word of God flourished. Disciples multiplied. Even priests, once openly opposed to Jesus, became obedient to the faith. Imagine that here at Friends Church: God’s Word taking deeper root, more lives transformed, more hearts surrendered, and even the hardest hearts among us turning toward Christ. So here’s our invitation today: Let’s commit ourselves afresh to biblical unity, to humility in how we handle complaints, and to eager participation in the mission God invites us into. Let’s embrace delegation not as obligation but as a divine invitation to be part of something eternally significant. And let’s long for the day, years from now, when we’ll look around and say together with awe, “Look at what God did here- look at how He blessed Friends Church because we chose unity, humility, and prayer. Look how He increased His Word, multiplied His disciples, and brought even the most unlikely people to faith in Jesus Christ.” God, may it be so among us today.

Acts 6:8-17, Sean Frazier

Opening Scripture reading:

Acts 6:8-15

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council, and they set up false witnesses who said, “This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law, for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.” And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Sermon

(2Co 5:14-21 ESV)

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

(1Pe 3:8-11 ESV)
Finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

(2Co 2:15 ESV)
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

Henry Cloud (Christian Author & speaker)

We have a responsibility to influence the people in our lives to be the best possible people they can be: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thess. 5: 11). – Henry Cloud

(Eph 4:29 ESV)
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. • MICHAEL HYATT – (Author and former Christian Book publisher) The right word spoken at the right time can make all the difference in building people up. Choose well.

(Gal 5:22-23 ESV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

(Luke 6:43-45 ESV)

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Stop giving your testimony and start living it.

Let your words encourage and build up.
Bear the fruit of a transformed life.
Be a living testimony of God’s grace and mercy.
As Paul said in Ephesians 4:1, “Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”
Don’t share your testimony – Live your testimony. Show the world what a life with Jesus truly looks like.

Palm Sunday, Pastor Jeremy Davis

Matthew 21:1-11 | The Unexpected King

INTRO

Hey, does anyone know the population of St. Clairsville? Around 5,000. Now can you picture this with me? I need you to imagine what it would be like for the 5,000 people to crowd the downtown area in St. Clairsville. That would be pretty congested right? Well, now I want you to picture what it would look like for that population to increase 10x the size. So we are looking at 50,000 people flooding the streets of St. Clairsville. That would be pretty insane right? I mean we are talking every street, sidewalk and open space packed with people. Leaving public services stretched and local infrastructure under considerable strain. Where would people stay? Where would people eat? Would this city be able to withstand that many people at one time? To tell you the truth I don’t know. But what I do know is that is exactly what the city of Jerusalem had to deal with every year for the Passover festival.
Jerusalem normally had a population of around 50,000 people. But during Passover, Jewish people from all over the Mediterranean world would travel to the city—swelling the population to nearly 500,000. The story behind Passover is found in Exodus 12 where God told the Israelites to Sacrifice a spotless lamb, paint its blood on their doorposts, and stay inside. That night, God passed through Egypt, striking down the firstborn in every home–except those with blood of the lamb. The angel of death “passed over” those homes, and this was the final blow that broke Pharaoh’s grip, and the Israelites were finally set free. So then fast forward to the 1st century, Passover was a week-long festival held in Jerusalem celebrating how God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt. The streets were packed, the energy was high, and the entire city was buzzing with expectation. This is what people had come to Jerusalem to remember–how God had delivered them through the blood of the lamb. Perhaps this Passover was a bit different. Because there was a bit of added anticipation–Jesus of Nazareth was about to arrive and change everything. Just not in the way they thought. And that’s what we get to talk about today. That Jesus came to Jerusalem in an unexpected way, with unexpected humility, as an unexpected King. So as we begin today, let’s not rush past that. Let’s not miss him. Let’s slow down. Prepare our hearts to hear from the same King who rode into Jerusalem humbly… to save us fully. Let’s pray.

SCRIPTURE

Read Matthew 21:1-11

So when Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem, Jesus already knew what was waiting for him. Matthew 20:18-19:

“See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Point 1: Jesus came deliberately and on purpose, even though the cost would be great.

Jesus knows what is waiting for him. And he is trying to communicate that to his disciples but no one is understanding fully what he is saying. And I think it is so important for us, as we are reading this, to understand what an act of courage this is. Like Jesus, the sinless man. The Messiah for the Jewish people. Is stepping onto the biggest stage, at the most important time of year. The time of year where everyone knew what it meant, everyone knew what Passover was. The Roman government, in other words, the gentiles knew how big of a deal this was. Like this wasn’t some small thing, okay, I hope we know that by now. We are talking about one of the greatest events in Israel’s history. God saved his people through Moses who were being oppressed in Egypt. And don’t you think a lot of the Jews in Jerusalem were thinking like this is our Exodus. This is where God is going to save his people through Jesus who were being oppressed in Rome? Do you understand the anticipation, excitement, and expectation the Jewish people were probably having for Jesus? This was it for them. Listen to what William Barclay had to say about this:

“Jesus could not have chosen a more dramatic moment; it was into a city surging with people keyed up with religious expectations that he came.”

And you have to know how different this was for Jesus. This isn’t how he usually operated. For most of his ministry, he was concerned about keeping things on the down low and keeping things quiet. But this time was different. He was coming to the biggest stage of his ministry, and he was doing it publicly. He wasn’t coming in secret and he wasn’t hiding. And it is because this was the moment where he would fulfill all things. The time was now for people to discover what he was really here for. Don’t get me wrong, he was hyped up. Jesus was considered great among the people at this point. The harsh reality to that was he wasn’t what they were expecting. Jesus didn’t want to be known as a miracle worker or a great teacher. He was those things, absolutely. But he wanted to be known–and received–as King. Not the king we expect. The King we need. In verse 2, Jesus gave very specific instructions for the disciples to go into the village and find a donkey and a colt tied there, and bring them to Him. This wasn’t an off-the-cuff decision. It was a deliberate move to fulfill Scripture in Zechariah 9:9. Jesus planned it all so that He would fulfill this exact and specific prophecy. That’s not accidental. That’s sovereignty. That’s Jesus orchestrating every detail so that there would be no mistaking who he was. And if he was intentional then–about how he showed up, when He showed up, and why he showed up–then maybe we shouldn’t be surprised when He still does the same in our lives today.

Let me ask you–when did Jesus show up in your life unexpectedly, but in exactly the way you needed? Jesus has a way of showing up in the mundane, everyday life. And that’s powerful. He shows us that there is value in those parts of life. The ordinary is necessary. It’s sacred. But he also shows up in the special seasons of life–like this week. This is Holy Week. This is one of those special seasons where we take time to remember, reflect, and receive. Could it be that Jesus wants to meet you right now, right where you’re at? We miss so much of what He wants to do because we’re too busy looking in other places. Don’t let that happen this week. Be willing to see him. Because he’s seeking after you. We cannot overlook Jesus when He chooses to come and meet us in these moments. Because when He shows up the question we have to ask ourselves: are we ready to receive Him? Because the Jews were expecting to receive him differently than the way he came. And that could be the case for us at times too.

Now we have to look at that, how does Jesus choose to enter Jerusalem? What does He ride? How does He present Himself? Let’s look closer at how Jesus came—not with fanfare or force—but with unexpected humility.

Point 2: Jesus came in peace and humility, not with force or intimidation.

Jesus had walked all throughout His ministry. From town to town, village to village, he walked. That was normal for him. He walked from Galilee to just outside of Jerusalem–a distance of about 90 miles.

And then suddenly… He stops. And for the first in his ministry, he rides. Not a war horse like you would see from a conquering King, but a donkey. And not just any donkey–a baby donkey. He didn’t do this because he was tired. He did it to fulfill the prophecy that we talked about earlier that is mentioned in verse 4 (Zechariah 9:9). And then verse 5 shows us the reality of this versus the expectation of this whole situation. Let me give you three different ways Jesus could have entered Jerusalem, maybe in the ways that should have made more sense according to the people watching this unfold:

Secretly – That’s what he had often done. Moved quietly, behind the scenes. So the people may have expected Him to show up that way. Kinda showing up unannounced.
Walking – Again, His usual mode of travel. No one would’ve been surprised to see Jesus simply walk into Jerusalem with His disciples.
Boldly, on a war horse – this was probably the most expected entrance. As the Messiah coming to save Israel, to overthrow Rome, and restore the kingdom–he should’ve looked the part. But instead, He comes on a baby donkey.

It’s fascinating that Matthew is the only one out of the Gospel accounts who shows us two animals–both the colt and its mother. The donkey was so young it probably needed its mom to guide it. That’s not very intimidating, is it? Now in ancient Eastern culture, a king on a donkey was still a king–but one who came in peace. A king on a horse was coming for war. Jesus wasn’t weak, but he was purposeful. He came to bring peace, with humility, and with intentionality.

Now let’s flip it and hear it from Rome’s perspective. Rome was likely nervous at first. This was Passover week–an already tense time. But add to the mix hearing of some new potential King or Messiah of the Jews. And then you have Pontius Pilate who was the Roman governor or prefect of Judea and he was also there in Jerusalem at this time. That alone tells us the Romans were on high alert. They knew the crowds would be huge, and they were ready to put down any hint of rebellion or uprising. So imagine this conversation: “Prefect, the man they’re calling Messiah has arrived.” “Okay well what’s he riding?” “A colt.” “A colt? Really? Well what about his army?” “He doesn’t have an army. Just his disciples which consist of some fisherman and tax collectors.” You can imagine Pilate chuckling. “This is your king? This is the so-called Messiah. This is the best you’ve got?” But here’s the thing–Rome was thinking too small. They were thinking in temporary, materialistic terms. They couldn’t see beyond the surface. Rome felt invincible. They believed they couldn’t be conquered–because they were the conquerors. But in truth, they were already defeated. They were already conquered. Why? Because they did not receive Jesus when he came. And here is the more wild part about it, Jesus didn’t come to condemn Rome–or anyone else for that matter. He came to save them. Rome included. His mission was not temporary political liberation, but eternal spiritual restoration. He wasn’t after thrones or territories—He was after hearts. Hearts that were hardened by sin. Hearts that were broken by shame. Hearts that had no idea how much they needed a Savior. And His salvation wasn’t selective. It wasn’t for the privileged, the powerful, or even just the pious. It was for all. For the Jew and the Gentile. For the sinner and the religious. For Romans, for the rebellious and for you.

But what about us? What do we expect out of Jesus? Do we expect Him to ride in as a war hero, to put our nation on the top, to push our own agendas and to support our causes? Do we expect Him to come as a culture-warrior? A miracle vending machine? A life coach? Or do we see Him as the Prince of Peace, who comes not just to fix things around us but to reign inside us? He didn’t just come to challenge governments—He came to rule hearts. He’s not just trying to improve your circumstances—He’s trying to transform your soul. Don’t miss Him because He doesn’t match your expectations. Open your heart to who He truly is.

Now we’ve seen how Jesus came deliberately and humbly. But how did people respond? What did the crowd do when their expected King didn’t look like the King they imagined? Let’s look at the kind of King Jesus truly is.

Jesus is the King we didn’t expect—but exactly the one we need. Look at what the crowd does in verse 10. They lay down their cloaks. That was a big deal–it meant honor, surrender, and allegiance. That’s the same kind of action we see in 2 Kings 9, when Jehu was being honored. Laying down garments was a way of saying, “We believe this man is king.” They wave palm branches–John’s Gospel tells us that. Palm branches were symbols of victory. Like waving your nation’s flag in the air. The crowd was shouting Hosanna. Which means save now. And calling him the Son of David, which was a clear Messianic title. They were saying: This is our King. This is our Saviour. This is our Messiah. This is our moment. He’s going to save us from the oppression of Rome. And Jesus receives and welcomes their praise. Because this was the time. This was the day the Lord had made. The appointed time had come. Now Jesus not only received this praise–He orchestrated the moment so the praise would be undeniable. This wasn’t just Jesus accepting worship. This was Jesus making sure no one could mistake what was happening. At this moment, Jesus was forcing a choice. He was presenting Himself so clearly that people could no longer remain neutral. You either received Him or rejected Him. And yet… it’s still not what they expected. They wanted a conquering king. A messiah who would destroy Rome and restore Israel to power.

Instead, they got a suffering servant. A king who would conquer sin and death. And they didn’t like that. You know why? Because they didn’t fully understand it. They didn’t like that Jesus didn’t fit into their ideology or they’re interpretation of what a Messiah should look like. And so they killed him for it. And we’re not so different, are we? Have you ever thought about that before? That maybe some of us may have it wrong too. We want Jesus to be a king who fits our image. A king who affirms our political views. A king who we keep on the shelf and only bring out on Christmas and Easter. Or maybe just Sunday or Wednesday. Like you can have half of my week, but I want to be king of the rest of my week. You can be king a few times out of the year, but I want to be king over the rest of my schedule. Or you can be king over my family, but not over my work. You can be king over my friendships but not over my hobbies and habits. You see where I am getting at? If we follow Jesus, we can’t have him to be king on our terms, we need him to be King on his terms.

And for Jerusalem, they just didn’t see that. They wanted a king to fit their agenda. And that’s what makes this whole triumphant entry thing a bit ironic. Wouldn’t you say? Like there is not much triumph in coming in town on a baby donkey, with no army, and with no intention of defeating the nation that is oppressing your people, right? But this is why it’s a triumphal entry. Because even though it didn’t look like victory on the surface–it was. It was the triumph of: humility over pride | grace over law | seeming weakness over seeming strength | self-sacrifice over human domination | it was the triumph of the love of God over the hatred of man. You see, Jesus didn’t come to defeat one empire in one era. He came to defeat sin and death once and for all. That’s the reality and that’s exactly what he did.

So how do you respond when Jesus comes to you as King?

Now it’s hard for us to imagine this fully for what it was then cause let’s be real. We are not really in a culture that involves kings and kingdoms so if we are all real, we can sometimes miss that important cultural piece of what it means for Jesus to be called King. But the reality is when you encounter a king, everything changes. You talk differently. You act differently. Your attitude changes and you give your best. Why? Because he is the king and you are not. And Kings deserve respect and honor. ……AND Kings demand obedience.

And we see King Jesus come in an unexpected way, with unexpected humility, as THE unexpected King. And he still comes to us in unexpected ways today.

And as I invite the worship team up and as we close, we have to understand we are not just talking about some feel-good story here. That’s not what this week is about. We’re talking about King Jesus here. That is Jesus Christ. He is like many things, but on this day, Palm Sunday, don’t miss that he is King. And when the Bible gives us a multifaceted look at who He is—we don’t get to pick and choose the parts we like best. Our job is to receive him for who he is. As KING! In verse 11 we see the people stirred up when Jesus draws near. Are you stirred up when King Jesus draws near to you? Are you moved?

Jesus knew exactly what was coming. He knew the city that was praising Him today would be shouting “Crucify Him” just days later. He knew the crowds were fickle, and the leaders were plotting. He knew the judgment that was coming—not just on Jerusalem, but on Himself, as He would bear the full weight of humanity’s sin. He accepted their praise, yes. But when He wept, He wept alone. Not because He was surprised, but because His heart was broken. He longed to gather them in like a shepherd gathers sheep, but they refused to see Him for who He truly was. That moment of weeping was a glimpse of what He would soon experience on the cross. He would be rejected. He would be alone. He would take on the punishment we deserved. That’s the cost Jesus paid to be our King. And following Him comes with a cost too. It means surrendering your pride, laying down your expectations, and giving Him full reign over your life. But hear me on this—you will never be the loser. The world may think you’re giving something up, but you’re actually gaining everything. You’re not losing freedom—you’re finding it. You’re not giving up purpose—you’re stepping into it. Because when you receive Jesus as King, you receive life that never ends and peace that never fails.

Are you ready to receive Jesus? Even when he shows up unexpectedly? Receive him as king today. Let’s worship.

Easter Sunday, Witnesses

Intro:

Good morning and Happy Easter, Friends Church! I don’t know about you, but I woke up this morning with one phrase echoing in my heart, like Jesus is asking us: Can I get a witness? Now I know some of you just heard that and thought, “Oh no, Pastor Aaron’s about to get real churchy on us.” You’re right. I am. Because today, we’re not just celebrating a tradition, we’re celebrating a testimony. The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive. And that changes everything. Luke 24 gives us front-row seats to the most important moment in human history: the resurrection of Jesus. But here’s the thing, this isn’t just a story to admire from a distance or reminisce about once a year. This is a moment we’re meant to witness. Not just with our eyes, but with our lives. So today I want to walk us through this moment with one big question: Can I get a witness? I’m not just talking about the people who were there 2,000 years ago. I’m talking about you. Your life. Your voice. Your “yes” to Jesus. We’re going to talk about 3 main points:

What did they witness?
Why did they witness?
Who is a witness?

And by the end of this service, after the Word has been preached, after the gospel has been shared, some of you are going to respond by standing in your faith or clapping or singing louder, but there are others who will be walking into the water of baptism and declaring to the world: I’ve seen enough. I’ve heard enough. I believe. I am a witness. So here we go. Luke 24. Let’s open it together. Let’s take a fresh look at the empty tomb. And let’s ask the question together: Can I get a witness? If you have your bibles with you, would you turn to Luke 24. Let’s stand for the reading of God’s word.

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

So let’s talk about it, what did they actually witness that morning? Let’s be clear, the resurrection didn’t happen in a vacuum. These women weren’t stumbling upon a magic trick. They had lived the story. They had seen Jesus with their own eyes. They were witnesses to His life, His ministry, His death, and now, shockingly, His resurrection.

They had seen Him love the unlovable, restore the broken, and confront the proud. They’d watched Him calm storms with a word, open blind eyes, cast out demons, feed thousands, raise the dead, and teach with authority like no one ever had. They followed Him through towns and across deserts. They listened, they wept, they worshipped.

Then they watched Him suffer. They saw the betrayal. The arrest. The false trial. The torture. The cross. All of it! The silence of Saturday must have been so mind numbingly loud. And now… here they are at the tomb, expecting to anoint a dead body, because that’s what death does. It steals, it silences, it stops things. And they were ready for that reality. No one is ever ready for that reality; what we know is that they are present. But what they witnessed was something entirely different. An empty tomb. Angels with a message. A declaration that would echo through history to us in Belmont county, Ohio on April 20th, 2025:

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” -Luke 24:5-6

We don’t seek living things in dead things. We don’t look down for the living, we look up. He. Is Risen. This is a tradition we’ve had as a church for a long time. When I say, “He is risen.” you say, “He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!”

This is the gospel: Jesus really lived, He really died, He really rose again, and He really paid for your sin. And every piece of it matters. You can’t just skip to the good part. because the good part only makes sense in light of the whole story. They witnessed the fulfillment of everything He said. They saw that death didn’t win. Sin didn’t win. Rome didn’t win. The enemy didn’t win. Jesus won. And they were now living in a world that had been turned right-side-up by resurrection power. I believe that there is someone here that needs to hear that this morning: Your world can be turned right-side-up by resurrection power today. You can live in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ today. I believe that for you today!

Maybe this feels impossible today. Maybe you’re thinking I would need a miracle for that to happen. Well thank God! Today we are reminded that it is a miracle that raised Jesus from the dead. It is a supernatural act of God that raised Jesus from the dead! You are in the right place today and I believe that resurrection power is exactly what you need. Let me ask you this morning: Have you witnessed the gospel? Not just heard about it, not just sung about it at Easter, but have you actually seen Jesus for who He is? Because once you witness this, His life, His cross, His victory, you can’t go back! You’re never the same. And that’s what Easter is really about: not just knowing the story, but being changed by it. Being a witness of the gospel. This is real power.

Now let’s ask a deeper question: Why did they witness this?

I mean, really, couldn’t God have just raised Jesus quietly, wrapped up the story, and sent Him straight to heaven? No empty tomb. No angels. No running back to tell the disciples. Just resurrection, credits roll, the end. But that’s not what God did.

Because God’s plan has always been invitation, not isolation. The resurrection wasn’t just something for Jesus to do, it was something they were meant to see, carry, and proclaim. Because this isn’t just His story, it’s our story now too. They witnessed it because God wanted them in on it. Jesus could have pulled the ultimate power move, rise from the dead in a blaze of glory, chariots of fire, thunder from heaven, but instead, He let a group of faithful women show up early in the morning and see it first. He let them be the ones who remembered His words. He let them be the ones who ran back with the good news. Why? Because that’s what God does- He pulls us into His story. Jesus is the main character. It’s His life, His death, His glory. AND He shares it. He includes us. That’s what Paul was talking about in Philippians 3 when he said, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…” Not just observe it from a distance, but live in it. Live in His story. So when the women ran to tell the disciples, and when Peter sprinted to that tomb, it wasn’t just about checking facts, it was about stepping into a whole new reality. The gospel shaped reality. In this reality death doesn’t get the final word. In this reality shame doesn’t define you. In this reality, resurrection isn’t just something Jesus did, it’s something you walk in and live in.

Let’s get to the brass tacks today. Can I ask you a pressing question in church? Why are you here today? Maybe you were invited and you’re curious about faith: I’m honored to have the privilege to speak to you. Maybe this is the rhythm of your life, you come to church on Easter. Maybe you were dragged in and didn’t want to be here, I’ve been there, that’s what Jesus brought me out of into church. If you’re here just to remember what happened back then, that’s good, I’m here for it. Let’s remember. But God’s inviting you to more than a memory. He’s inviting you to a mission. He’s inviting you to be His witness. To be someone who walks in resurrection power, right here, right now. The bible says, today. Today is the day of salvation. Surrender your life to Jesus today and believe in the good news that Jesus paid everything so you can live in His freedom.

The day I said Yes to Jesus the day I became a witness

So Who is a witness? The resurrection wasn’t just for a select few. It wasn’t reserved for the religious elite, the theologically trained, or those who “have it all together.” Who was there first? The women. Mary Magdalene. Joanna. Mary the mother of James. The others with them. The ones who had followed Jesus not just in the spotlight, but in the shadows. The ones who stayed at the cross when the world walked away. They were the first to witness the empty tomb. Here’s the kicker, they didn’t keep it to themselves—they went and told the others. They brought the news to the disciples. And at first, the men didn’t believe them. Scripture says “these words seemed to them an idle tale.” But one of them—Peter—ran to the tomb. He had to see it for himself. And when he got there, it says he stooped down, looked in, saw the linen cloths, and went home marveling at what had happened. Peter didn’t have all the answers yet. He didn’t even fully understand what he saw. But he couldn’t ignore it. That’s the point: Something had happened. And that moment started to shift something in him. He was becoming a witness now to the resurrection. And when the book of Acts opens just a few pages later, guess what Jesus tells His followers? “You will be My witnesses…” – Jesus

Not might be. Not try to be. You will be. You and me—we’re part of that same calling. Witnesses. Not just with our words, but with our whole
lives. How we think—with minds renewed by resurrection hope. How we act—with lives marked by grace, generosity, and courage. How we speak—with love, truth, and boldness about who Jesus is and what He’s done. And the beauty of this? You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to say, “I’ve seen Him. I believe. I’m following.” So let me ask you… Can we get another witness today? Not just someone who claps along on Easter. Not just someone who sings the songs. But someone who lives it. Someone who steps forward. Someone who says, “Count me in. I’ve decided to follow Jesus. I can’t ignore it, I’m all in!”

Today there is an invitation for you to be a witness. To stand for truth, to stand by faith, to stand in Christ Jesus. When you stand today be reminded that our God is for you, He is not against you. That there is a great cloud of witnesses that stand with you praising God for how He has worked in your life. Stand and witness the resurrection power of God in your life today!

So here’s the question again, one more time: Can I get a witness today? Not just in theory. Not just in theology. But right here, right now. something in your heart has been stirring. You’re realizing, “I’ve seen enough. I’ve heard enough. I know it’s true. Jesus is alive. And I believe.” And now you’re wondering… what do I do with that? You do what witnesses do. You testify. You respond. You go public. You step into the water and say, “This is my story now too. His life is my life. His death paid for my sin. His resurrection is my hope. I’ve decided to follow Jesus—and I want the world to know.” We have everything ready for you. Towels. Shirts. Shorts. Hair dryers if you need one. No excuses, just an invitation. You don’t have to wait to get your life together. That’s not the gospel. The gospel is that Jesus gave His life so you could have new life today.

I want to invite up our worship team and all of those who have signed up for baptism previously to head out into the hall to get ready for baptism. So if God’s been moving in your heart—if you’re ready to say “I believe, and I want to be a witness”—then I’m going to invite you as well to come and be baptized. We’ve got a team ready to walk with you, pray with you, and help you get baptized today. We made sure the water is heated for you today. This is your moment. Are you a witness today? Then come. Step forward. Follow Jesus. And let’s celebrate resurrection power together—because He is alive, and so are we.

Acts 6:8 - 7:60, Stephen

Announcement:

We are about 85% complete with a little bit of a face lift in the grand concourse and foyer. I want to give a sincere thank you to one of our amazing couples in our first service who gave the majority of the finances towards this update. I thank you for your generosity, love, commitment to the kingdom of God and a desire to see Friends Church reach more people as we love God and love people until this whole valley knows. If you are asking why we did this, the main purpose is so that we can create spaces where we can share a conversation, share a cup of coffee, and share the gospel. So please, don’t run off to cracker barrel. Stick around and share together as Friends. We had a few key items that have been donated in memory of beloved Friends throughout the years. I want you to know that we are designating the hallway near the social room as our “Heritage Hall” where we will have all of those pieces hanging. We have an original pew back home in the Friends Center, and the other, which was unfortunately breaking, has been restored and is seated in the Heritage Hall.

Read 6:8-15; 7:51-60

V8-10

We just left an amazing Easter celebrating the witnesses of Christ’s resurrection, and now, we meet one of the greatest witnesses of Christ in all of Scripture: Stephen. And it begs the question: What does it cost to follow Jesus? Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, was appointed as a deacon to serve. A Hellenistic Jew, he likely came to faith at Pentecost when Peter preached. Maybe only months, maybe up to a few years before this moment. And yet, look at what we learn about him: “Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.” (Acts 6:8) They couldn’t withstand the wisdom and Spirit with which he spoke (Acts 6:10). Church, I want nothing more for your life than to be full of grace and power. How does that happen? By being so loved by God, so enamored with His story, that love becomes your only response, and your life is shaped by this love as revealed in His Word. This is why we are committed to teaching the Bible expositionally here at Friends Church, that Christ would be magnified in all we do.

What does it cost to follow after Jesus?
First, it will cost you the illusion that you’re the main character. We live in a culture obsessed with the “Greatest of All Time” the GOAT whether it’s athletes, influencers, or entrepreneurs. The lie is that you’re just one viral post away from being great. But the Gospel reminds us: Jesus is the Greatest of All Time. There’s no story greater than His. No King greater than Him. And following Him isn’t adding a little Jesus to your decent life. It’s surrendering your whole life to His. It’s admitting: I have real sin, real need, and I need a real Savior. The cost is submitting everything to Him. Your ideas. Your identity. Your story. All of it. And letting God make much of Himself through you. See, Stephen starts a commotion at the synagogue of the Freedmen, a place of worship with Greek-speaking Jews like him. He shares Jesus boldly, and accusations rise:

Blasphemy against God
Blasphemy against Moses
Speaking against the temple
Speaking against the law

His theology, culture, reputation, all on the line. And yet, Stephen’s face shines like an angel: a reminder that when you speak for God, you carry His presence, even in the face of death.

What does it cost to follow Jesus?
This point matters as you walk with Jesus because you are going to realize that part of what following Jesus is going to cost you is your reputation, or what people think about you. You may catch it in a few areas. Here are the most common areas I’ve heard: That person is no fun anymore because they are a christian. Or, That person couldn’t cope with their life anymore so they turned to God and use that as a crutch now. Or how about this one, that person isn’t smart so they believe in God. What’s the attack here? You don’t act like they do and they don’t like it, you don’t speak like they do any they don’t like it, and you don’t think like they do and they don’t like it. Can I encourage you today dear brothers and sisters in Christ? Please, for the sake of the kingdom of God, keep living your life for Jesus in all holiness and reverence to your God. Because what you’ve done is traded in a reputation that may be good or bad depending on your past for a godly reputation. You now get to offer the world what it needs through your life, an inside peek at the kingdom of God. you get to show them that there is another way to live this life. They say you’re not fun, you’re saying you don’t need any other substance to have fun. They say God is a crutch, and the answer? Absolutely! Who doesn’t lean on someone for help sometimes? You lean on the greatest help the world offers. They say you aren’t smart so of course you believe in God. We confess we lack wisdom and God gives us wisdom. It takes great intelligence and maturity to finally say, I don’t have this all figured out. Your reputation matters in the kingdom of God so much. Keep representing Jesus. The high priest asks him in Chapter 7 verse one, Are these things so? -Acts 7:1

He starts off by telling his audience that He is one of them by calling them brothers and fathers. This is super respectful for the situation he is put in. It reminds me of proverbs 15 that says a soft answer turns away wrath. He is inviting them to actually hear what He is saying. That’s the beauty of it. He isn’t trying to stick it to them, or “just speak truth.” There is love in his words as he wants them to be able to hear the words of Scripture and come to know Jesus. His entire speech can be broken down this way- Stephen’s Speech:

The Call of Abraham (7:2-8)
The Story of Joseph (7:9-16)
The Birth of Moses (7:17-22)
Moses’ Failure to Deliver Israel (7:23-29)
God’s call of Moses (7:30-43)
The Tabernacle and The Temple (7:44-50)
The Conclusion (7:51-53)

I want to walk you through the highlights of this and draw your full attention to the conclusion. If you’ve read through the entire Old Testament before, you’re going to realize that he summarizes almost the entire story into Acts 7. So for my readers in the room, I’m going to need you to have the entire Old Testament read by next week so we can verify. For my non-readers, can we get you to listen to someone read you this whole chapter of Acts and we’ll compare notes? I’m kidding it’s all good, we just don’t have 6 hours to knock this out today.

He’s sharing the story of Israel’s salvation. How God is working through them.

Call of Abraham (Acts 7:2-8):

Stephen kicks off his defense by reaching all the way back to Abraham the father of their faith, the beginning of their story. And what’s his focus? Two big things: God’s promises and Abraham’s obedience.

First, notice how many times Stephen mentions the land, five times in just a few verses. It’s like he’s underlining it in bold for us: God promised Abraham an inheritance. But, and this is key, Abraham never owned an inch of it while he was alive. He trusted God’s word, even when he didn’t see the fulfillment. His entire life was built on faith in a future he couldn’t fully grasp. Second, Stephen reminds them that God warned Abraham: “Your descendants are going to suffer.” Four hundred years of slavery were part of the plan. That’s not exactly a motivational speech! But even in the suffering, God promised to deliver them, and, even more, that they would worship Him through it.

Here’s the takeaway:

God’s relationship with His people has always been built on grace, not achievement, not status, not geography.
His obedience wasn’t tied to a location or a building. It was tied to a person: God Himself. Stephen’s audience put a huge emphasis on the temple and the land, but Stephen is reminding them that following God has never been about where you are, it’s always been about who you trust.

The Story of Joseph (Acts 7:9-16)

After Abraham, Stephen shifts to Joseph: and you have to catch how important this move is. Joseph is a living, breathing example of what it costs to obey God when everything falls apart, right? Joseph’s own brothers, the ones who should have loved and supported him, betrayed him out of jealousy. They sold him into slavery. But here’s Stephen’s point: even when Joseph lost his family, his freedom, and his future, God never left him. In fact, God was with him every step of the way: in the pit, in the prison, and finally in the palace. Joseph’s life screams a hard truth: Following God might cost you everything you thought you needed. relationships, dreams, reputation, but it will never cost you the presence of God which far surpasses it all. And look at how God uses Joseph’s suffering. Not only does Joseph survive, he ends up saving his entire family, the same brothers who betrayed him, and the entire nation of Egypt during a devastating famine. Stephen is connecting the dots for them, and for us: Just like Joseph, obedience to God can look like losing before it looks like winning. Just like Joseph, you might be betrayed, forgotten, mistreated, but God is doing something bigger that you can’t see yet. Joseph reminds us: It costs something to follow God. Stephen is slowly tightening the grip here. He’s saying to the council, “You’re so focused on your temple and your tradition, but have you forgotten? This whole story was always about trusting God, his grace upon us, no matter where we are, even when we were in Egypt.” So, Stephen continues to underscore God’s presence and blessing existing with His people wherever they are apart from a particular plot of land or specific building.

The Birth of Moses (Acts 7:17–22)

Now Stephen moves from Genesis to Exodus. and the heart of his speech really begins. The main themes from here to verse 43 are clear: the people’s repeated rejection of Moses and their disobedience to God’s law. This is important: Stephen isn’t just giving a history lesson, he’s answering the charges against him. They had accused him of speaking against Moses and the law, but Stephen is showing that Israel had a long history of rejecting both. First, Stephen reminds them that God’s plan was still unfolding: “As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham…” (7:17). This is a massive shift. Seventy-five people had come into Egypt with Joseph. Now, they had multiplied into a nation. But notice: blessing quickly turns into suffering. A new king arose who didn’t know Joseph — and instead of honoring God’s people, he oppressed them. It’s at this low point, when the suffering seemed overwhelming, that Moses was born. Stephen doesn’t explicitly say “God sent Moses,” but it’s obvious. The way he frames it shows God’s sovereign hand:

He uses the word kairos (“time” in Greek) — not just any time, but God’s appointed time. Moses’ birth wasn’t random; it was strategic. It was purposeful.
Moses is described as being “beautiful in God’s sight” set apart from the very beginning for God’s rescue plan.
He’s raised in all the wisdom of Egypt, trained, educated, and prepared, powerful in both speech and action.

And don’t miss this subtle but important connection: Stephen describes Moses with the same words used to describe himself, full of wisdom and power (compare 6:8 and 7:22). Stephen is quietly tying his life to Moses’, a servant of God sent to rescue, rejected by the very people he came to help. In this section, Stephen is setting the stage: God was working through suffering. God was raising up a deliverer. But as we’ll see, the people would still resist him- just like they are resisting Stephen now.

Moses’ Failure to Deliver Israel (Acts 7:23–29)

Stephen now zooms in on a critical moment in Moses’ life, one that would have stung the Sanhedrin to hear: The people rejected their greatest prophet. Moses, now forty years old, makes a deliberate decision: “He decided to visit his own people.” (7:23) But don’t think of this as Moses just dropping by for a family reunion. The word Stephen uses for “visit” is loaded, it implies stepping down from his privileged position in Pharaoh’s palace and identifying with his suffering people, taking action to help. Moses believed his people would recognize what was happening, that he was there to rescue them. Stephen says, “He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand.” (Acts 7:25) But they didn’t. Instead, when Moses tried to intervene in a dispute between two Israelites, they shoved him off with biting words: “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?” (7:27, quoting Exodus 2:14) It’s not a casual insult, it’s a full rejection of Moses’ authority and calling. And here’s the deeper sting: they rejected Moses before Moses was even officially commissioned by God. Moses’ first attempt to rescue his people fails spectacularly. Not because he lacked passion, wisdom, or ability, but because the people refused to see what God was doing through him. Stephen is threading this very carefully: Moses’ rejection wasn’t because he wasn’t sent, it was because the people were blind to God’s salvation plan. The same thing, Stephen is implying, is happening again, right now, with Jesus. Moses’ rejection foreshadows a long pattern in Israel’s history: when God sends a rescuer, the people often push him away. And as we’ll see, even after God officially sends Moses back, the rejection doesn’t stop.

God’s Call of Moses and Israel’s Rebellion (Acts 7:30–43)

Stephen now turns to Moses’ encounter with God at Mount Sinai; a major turning point not just for Moses, but for all of Israel’s history. It starts with the burning bush. Where Moses meets not just an angel, but the voice of the Lord Himself (7:31). God declares: “I am the God of your fathers” (7:32) tying the entire story back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Stephen’s point is clear: the same God who called Abraham is the one now sending Moses. There’s no disconnect between the old story and what’s happening now. Stephen moves quickly: God commissions Moses to rescue His people (7:33–34), skipping over Moses’ initial reluctance to keep the focus on Moses’ power and calling, and by extension, the power and calling of Jesus. And then Stephen tightens the argument even more. He keeps repeating it: “this Moses” (houtos in Greek).

This Moses — the one they rejected, God appointed as ruler and deliverer (Acts 7:35).
This Moses — the one who performed signs and wonders in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness (Acts 7:36).
This Moses — the one who told them that God would raise up another prophet like him (Acts 7:37).

Despite all this, the miracles, the leadership, the prophetic promise, Israel still rejected him. Stephen doesn’t sugarcoat it:

“Our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him” (7:39).

And the rejection wasn’t small. While Moses was on the mountain receiving the very words of God, Israel was at the bottom building a golden calf, offering sacrifices to what their hands had made (7:41). It wasn’t just one bad day either. Stephen ties this moment of idolatry to a larger pattern of rebellion stretching from Sinai to the exile, quoting the prophet Amos (7:42–43). The golden calf at Sinai and the worship of Molek later in Israel’s history were the two darkest moments, the clearest evidence that Israel’s story was not just about faithfulness and covenant, but also about deep-seated disobedience. Stephen is showing us something you can’t miss this: Israel’s rejection of God’s leaders and God’s law isn’t new- it’s part of the tragic arc of their entire history. And now, standing before the Sanhedrin, Stephen implies that history is about to repeat itself once again.

The Tabernacle and the Temple (Acts 7:44–50)

Stephen now turns to the symbols of Israel’s worship: first the tabernacle, then the temple. He reminds them that Moses gave Israel the “tabernacle of the covenant law” (7:44) — literally, a tent of witness. This was the mobile meeting place where God’s presence would dwell among His people. Inside it, they carried the ark of the covenant, which held the Ten Commandments, a reminder of God’s promises and God’s expectations. The tabernacle moved with Israel. Joshua brought it into the Promised Land. It stayed with them through generations, all the way to the time of David. David, longing to honor God, asked if he could build a permanent house, but it was Solomon, his son, who eventually built the temple (7:46–47). Yet even at its dedication, Solomon knew something critical:

“The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!” (1 Kings 8:27)

Stephen is tracing the point: From tents to temples, God was never contained by human hands. The true dwelling place of God was never a building — it was among His people, by His Spirit. He seals this idea with the words of Isaiah “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Has not my hand made all these things?” -Acts 7:49–50

In other words:

God’s glory is too big for walls.
His presence isn’t confined to structures.
True worship was never about a location. It was about hearts that belong to Him.

And right here, Stephen sets the stage for his final, devastating conclusion: The religious leaders had made an idol of the temple, the very thing Solomon warned about. They worshiped what their hands had built, instead of the God who made them.

The Conclusion (Acts 7:51–53)

After walking carefully through Israel’s story, Stephen finally drops the hammer. He moves from shared history “our ancestors” to direct accusation: “You stiff-necked people!” It’s a dramatic shift. No more “brothers and fathers.” No more “we” and “our.” Now it’s you. pointed, personal, unavoidable. Stephen’s charge pulls directly from the Old Testament: “stiff-necked” — a phrase God used repeatedly to describe Israel’s stubborn, rebellious heart.

But Stephen presses even deeper: “Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised.” Despite all their outward religious appearances — temple worship, law-keeping, status, their inner lives remained unchanged and defiant before God. He charges them with this: “You always resist the Holy Spirit.”-Acts 7:51 just as their ancestors had, and persecuting the prophets, just like before. Their story, sadly, is not one of faithfulness but of rebellion: Their fathers killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One. And they, the children, have now betrayed and murdered Him. Stephen’s final accusation cuts even deeper: “You who received the law given through angels but have not obeyed it.” (7:53) They prided themselves on being guardians of the law but failed to live it. They prided themselves on the temple, but rejected the God who cannot be contained in it. They prided themselves on Moses, but rejected the One Moses promised would come. In this moment, Stephen turns the entire trial upside down: He is not the one guilty of blaspheming Moses or the law. They are.

And by resisting Jesus, the Righteous One, they have placed themselves squarely in the tragic pattern of Israel’s history: rejecting God’s messengers, rejecting God’s word, rejecting God’s salvation. My fear is, as modern Christians, we can fall into this same trap. As we hear Stephen’s bold accusation, it’s tempting to think, “How could they have missed it? How could they have rejected Moses, the prophets, and even Jesus?” But if we’re honest, brutally honest, we have to admit: we’re not immune to the same danger. The tragedy Stephen exposes isn’t just Israel’s history, it’s human history. It’s the pattern of religious people who become so committed to their traditions, their structures, their expectations, that they can no longer hear God’s voice when He speaks freshly, clearly, and sometimes uncomfortably.

They resisted the Righteous One- and if we’re not careful, we can too.

When we value comfort over obedience.
When we prefer being right over being righteous,
When we cling to institutions rather than intimacy with God,
When we harden our hearts against the Spirit’s conviction,
When we silence the voice of God because it demands more than we are willing to give.

We are not much different. We can polish the outside: church attendance, Bible knowledge, social respectability, and still have uncircumcised hearts and deaf ears before God.

This speech marks a turning point:

It explains why the gospel will now expand beyond Jerusalem.
It shows that the resistance against the gospel isn’t a new betrayal, it’s the latest chapter of an old story.

The Death of Stephen (Acts 7:54–60)

Stephen’s words hit their mark, and the Sanhedrin has no answer. There’s no rebuttal. No defense. Only rage. “When they heard these things, they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him.” (7:54) They don’t debate him, they destroy him. In their fury, they drag him out of the city and stone him to death, a brutal, illegal execution. But even as stones fall, Stephen’s eyes stay fixed on heaven. And what he sees is stunning: “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (7:56) Catch that: standing. Throughout Scripture, Jesus is usually described as seated at the right hand of the Father- the position of authority, judgment, and completion. But here, Jesus stands. He stands to welcome Stephen home. He stands as Stephen’s true Judge, overturning the false judgment of earthly courts. He stands to honor the first martyr of the Church, the first to follow Jesus all the way into death. The Sanhedrin thought they were the judges that day. But in reality, the true Judge of heaven and earth was standing, not to condemn Stephen, but to receive him with honor. Stephen dies just like his Savior: Praying for his enemies: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (7:60) Committing his spirit into God’s hands: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (7:59) His death is not a defeat, it’s a victory crowned by the standing ovation of heaven. And Church, be encouraged: The same Jesus who stood with Stephen stands with you today. When you’re rejected for your faith, when you suffer for doing good, when you walk the costly path of following Jesus,

You do not stand alone. Jesus stands with you. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) He stood for Stephen. He stands for you.

Stephen’s speech, brutal as it is, serves not just as a condemnation of the past, but as a warning for the present. A heart that resists Jesus is not shaped by time or geography. It’s shaped by pride, fear, and a refusal to surrender everything to the One who demands it all. It costs everything to follow Jesus. And if we are unwilling to lay it all down, our comfort, our reputations, even our religious accomplishments, we risk repeating the same tragic story. The call today is the same as it was then: Don’t resist Him. Don’t cling to lesser things. Don’t just admire the tradition, surrender to the Truth. And then, be reminded that the one who paid everything stands with you.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 3:15)

Acts 8, The Gospel in Samaria

Read Acts 8

Introduction

I absolutely love Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Some people have defined Jiujitsu as the art of folding clothes with people still inside them. I’ve learned a lot of submissions and about submission through jiujitsu.

I would watch a ton of really high level and flashy artists do some crazy cool things. My professor wasn’t showing me all of those cool techniques and it was killing me. We’d drill the arm bar, the triangle, and the kimura. Over and over and over. I’d find myself in competitions with the basics and finally winning. There is a great need to stick to the basics. Last week we posed the question, what does it cost to follow Jesus. I want to pick that back up and deal with something that matters so deeply to the way in which you follow Jesus, Today I want to deal with two of the most important words in our bible in how we follow Jesus, which are simultaneously 2 words that have been so damaged in today’s culture and we are told they are a bad thing. Submission and Obedience. And Here’s my question to you point blank: Are you living a life of submission and obedience to Jesus? This is how those words are defined if you give them a google.

Submission: the action or fact of accepting or yielding to a superior force or to the will or authority of another person. Obedience: compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority. These words are all over your bible, but why does it matter? Well, if Jesus didn’t submit to the father and obey His commands, we wouldn’t have salvation. Getting down to the brass tacks, If we do not submit to Christ we are not saved. Plain and simple. If we do not obey Him we have no witness before man. Here’s what I’m saying: Obedience is doing what God says; submission is yielding your will to His authority. To understand this, we have to understand what He says through His word. It’s not rocket science, but it is hard work. It’s His mission before my mission which is submission. So what is His mission? What has He commissioned us to do?

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. – Matthew 28:19-20

This is the marching orders of the church. This is our call. We cannot say we live on mission with God without knowing the mission. This is it. This is what we do. Jesus then prophecies how it will happen in the beginning of Acts. In Acts 1:8 Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 8 is the next fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy as the Gospel goes out to Samaria. But how does it get there?

V1-4 shows us how it left Jerusalem.

It’s not a pretty story. There’s a man by the name of Saul. This man we will deal with in quite an in depth way next week. But for now, what we know is he is a young man named Saul. He’s a Jew who believes that these early christians are blaspheming God and so it is his personal vocation to bring them to justice. When Stephen was killed he held their coats so they could kill Stephen. And now he is persecuting and ravaging the church. Dragging people out of their own houses and putting them in prison. This is actually what causes the Christians to scatter, all but the apostles into Judea and Samaria. What we will soon find out is this is exactly the sort of opposite thinking of the world that causes gospel expansion. What do I mean? You’d think if you kill them and persecute them they’d just stop. But the gospel continues to expand its reach and cross cultural boundaries and geographical boundaries the more it is attacked. That’s actually how God intended it to happen. God is using Saul, the proto-deacon Philip, Stephen’s death, and every Christian who believed in the good news of Jesus, all of them to advance the gospel. Can I tell you something? God is still using every Christian who believes in the good news of Jesus, and all things, to advance the gospel and the kingdom of God. Are you a part of that today? Are you obeying Jesus and submitting to His will? Are you taking the great commission as your commission to share what you believe with those God has called you to reach? My prayer is that you will see that great need in our world and obey God today. Because verse 4 happens when that happens: Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Acts 8:4 Notice that it’s not just the pastors or the elite Christians. The Apostles aren’t even there! It is every Christian’s responsibility and great privilege to preach the word. Share of the good news of Jesus. Let’s see what happens when we do this and take it seriously.

V5-8 We now hone in on Philip.

This is now the second of the 7 men the church recognized in Acts 6 as they laid their hands on them and commissioned them for the work of the ministry. He is now in Samaria. Now, Samaria has a deep and complex biblical history politically, theologically, and culturally. It plays a major role in both the Old and New Testaments, often representing the tension between true worship and compromise, faithfulness and division, and ultimately, outsiders being invited into the Kingdom of God. 1 Kings 16:24 – Samaria is first mentioned as a city founded by King Omri of Israel:

“He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver, and he fortified the hill and called the name of the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer…” 1 Kings 16:24

It became the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel (10 tribes), rivaling Jerusalem which is the capital of Judah, the southern kingdom.

Samaria in the Old Testament

Capital of apostasy:

Under Omri and especially Ahab, Samaria became a center of idol worship, particularly of Baal (1 Kings 16:29-33).

Confronted by prophets:

Elijah and Elisha regularly prophesied in or around Samaria, often condemning its corruption.

Assyrian conquest (722 BC):

Samaria fell to the Assyrians. Many Israelites were exiled, and the Assyrians resettled the area with foreigners (2 Kings 17:24), leading to a mixed race and mixed religion.
After this, the Samaritans emerge as a distinct group. They accept the first 5 books of the bible but that’s it. They built a rival temple on Mount Genezerim because they refused to worship in Jerusalem.

Samaria in the New Testament

Racial Tension:

Jews and Samaritans hated each other by the time of Jesus. Jews often avoided traveling through Samaria.

Jesus Loves Them and Ministers to Them:

In John 4, Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at the well, offering living water. This shatters social and religious taboos and reveals Him as Messiah. Luke 10:25–37 – The Good Samaritan parable uses a Samaritan as the model of neighborly love. Luke 17:11–19 – Of ten healed lepers, only the Samaritan returns to thank Jesus. Here’s the bottom line- Samaria represents both the compromise of God’s people and the surprising reach of God’s mercy. Though it was once a capital of rebellion and spiritual adultery, it became a key location in the unfolding story of redemption. It’s reminding us that no people are too far for the gospel to reach. Do you believe that today? Because we are located geographically, in Jesus’ words of Acts 1, in the section of “the ends of the earth.” We have got such an opportunity to walk in obedience to Jesus and share the gospel. Because like I said this is the beauty of what happened in Samaria: When we walk in obedience to Jesus and Jesus is proclaimed, people are healed and there is much joy in the city. This may not be a promise in your bible, but it is a beautiful thing to see the result of the people of God walking in obedience to Jesus and submitting their political, geographical, cultural, and religious biases to God and allowing Him to work in and through them.

V9-13 shows us two contrasts we have to take into account.

The first is this: But there was a man named Simon. This is significant because we are seeing a direct contrast to what it looks like to walk in obedience to Jesus. Like we talked about last week, you can try and be the main character or take your shot as “the greatest of all time.” Simon had himself fooled and quite the lot of this city fooled that he was great and even “the power of God called Great.” Which I believe is the ancient world’s way of saying He’s the GOAT. It’s like there is nothing new under the sun; go figure. Notice what’s drawing them: He amazes them. They are looking for something to wow them. Everything looks amazing until it’s put up against the real thing, right? The second contrast is in verse 12: But when they believed Philip… Acts 8:12 You see now they are confronted with the real greatest of all time, the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. He mentions both of these. And if I’m going to tell you about submission and obedience, I’d like for you to have a clear understanding about it so here I go:

The Kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus’ preaching. It’s not merely a place, but the active rule and reign of God. It is God’s sovereign authority breaking into human history to bring redemption, restoration, and righteousness through His Messiah. When Jesus declared, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15), He was proclaiming that God’s promises, long foretold in the Old Testament, were now being fulfilled in real time. This kingdom had been anticipated by prophets like Isaiah (Isaiah 9:6-7) and Daniel (Daniel 7:13-14), who spoke of a coming King and an everlasting dominion that would never pass away. The good news of the kingdom is that through Jesus, God is reclaiming His rightful rule over a world marred by sin, not just over individuals, but over all creation (Romans 8:19-21).

The kingdom of God is both already and not yet. It is already here, as Jesus casts out demons (Luke 11:20), heals the sick, forgives sins, and welcomes sinners, all signs of God’s reign being reestablished. It is not yet fully here because sin, death, and evil still persist. Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), signaling that while the kingdom is present wherever God’s will is obeyed, it will not be fully consummated until Christ returns (Revelation 11:15; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28). To proclaim the kingdom of God is to call people to surrender to God’s rule, to turn from self-centered living, and to align their lives under the kingship of Jesus.

To preach the name of Jesus Christ is to proclaim who He is, what He has done, and what He offers. In biblical language, a person’s name represents their character, authority, and mission. The name Jesus means “Yahweh saves” (Matthew 1:21), and Christ is not a surname, but a title “the Anointed One” the promised King from David’s line (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Psalm 2). Preaching the name of Jesus means proclaiming that He is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, and the rightful Lord of all (Acts 2:36). It means announcing His perfect life, sacrificial death on the cross for sin, and His victorious resurrection from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). It also means calling people to believe in Him for salvation: “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The name of Jesus carries divine authority. In Acts, people are baptized in His name (Acts 2:38), healed in His name (Acts 3:6), and suffer for His name (Acts 5:41). To trust in His name is to entrust your life to Him, believing He alone can reconcile you to God (John 14:6). His name is exalted above every name (Philippians 2:9-11), and one day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. To believe in the name of Jesus Christ is to recognize that salvation, lordship, healing, forgiveness, and eternal hope are all found in Him AND in no one else. It is so real, that even the guy who thought he was great was amazed by this.

V14-17 So the work of the Lord is happening.

These people in Samaria believe in Jesus. And something unique happens. The Apostles come out to lay hands on them so that they receive the Holy Spirit. It seems that the reason they come to Samaria is to show us that they are real Christians. The Samaritans are just as much a part of this thing as anyone else from Jerusalem. I’d like to summarize a lot of the Holy Spirit into a few key takeaways deduced from the book of Acts. In every case where the Holy Spirit comes or is received in the book of Acts, there are clear, visible effects. Something you can point to and say, “He’s here.” We see people speaking in tongues, prophesying, praising God freely, walking in boldness, witnessing with power, and living in obedience to the Lord. Here’s the bottom line: whether Luke sees these things happening at conversion, or in a separate baptism of the Holy Spirit afterward, or through a repeated sequence of fresh fillings, or some blend of the three, one thing is absolutely consistent: The Holy Spirit shows up in a real, undeniable encounter with the living God. It’s not just something you reason out or logically conclude from your own decision. And while Acts never promises that everyone who receives the Spirit will speak in tongues or prophesy, Acts 1:8 gives us a clear promise for every believer: when the Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power. In that power, you will be equipped to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. That promise isn’t reserved for a few. It’s for everyone the Spirit comes upon.

V18-25 A dramatic shift happens in Simon the magician.

He wants that power for himself and he thinks he can buy it. Simon wasn’t truly saved even though Luke told us he believed. He may have followed the crowd, gone through the motions, and even got baptized, but his heart wasn’t changed. Peter makes it plain:

“You have neither part nor lot in this matter. For your heart is not right before God.” -Acts 8:21

That’s not just a rebuke, it’s a line in the sand. His heart wasn’t right before God. He still needed to repent. He was still chained to bitterness and bound by sin. He wasn’t free. He wasn’t saved. And history backs this up. The early church tradition unanimously points to Simon as a man who went on to lead others astray, a heretic, not a true follower of Jesus. His story is a sobering reminder that outward signs don’t always equal inward transformation. But why? Here’s what you might want to think about the opposite of submission and obedience. You might want to think that the opposite of submission and obedience is just a Christian who isn’t growing. Right? You’re just not submissive and disobedient. If you believe the story of Jesus, like it makes sense to you, and you get baptized, and maybe you’re like Simon the magician and you think, well I’ve seen what God’s doing in others and I need a bit of that Jesus juice in my life, but you don’t have submission and obedience, you do not have salvation. This isn’t a good christian vs. bad christian thing. This is a, I’ve accepted payment for my sin or I have declined payment for my sin kind of thing. This is a restored relationship with God or an enemy of God sort of thing. This is a heaven or hell thing. This is a “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (Submission) and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Obedience), you will be saved” -Romans 10:9 sort of thing. Faith can absolutely begin the way it did with Simon the Magician: I see that and I want it, I hear the story and I think it’s true, I’ll be baptized and that’s fine too, but it definitely cannot stay there. It has to become submission and obedience. It has to bear fruit. The gospel is not just news, it is Good news. It becomes good news when you finally realize your sin is bad news. Without the submission under Jesus’ Lordship and obedience to what He says, there is no good news. If you are here today, and this is where you are at, heed the words of the Apostle Peter: Repent and pray for forgiveness. There is no other way. V25 tells us that they return to Jerusalem and continue to share the gospel to many villages.

V26-34 Submission and Obedience to Jesus is crucial.

There is an African Eunuch who serves the Queen of the Ethiopians and is a high up official who oversees all of her treasure. He’s big time. He was in Jerusalem worshipping and is now taking his chariot back home. An angel of the Lord, maybe the same prison break angel of Acts 5, tells Philip to go down to the road and join the eunuch. Philip ran and was listening to him read Isaiah the prophet, the scroll of Isaiah. I love that he knows his bible so well that he can hear it being read and says, “ah! That’s the book of Isaiah!” I pray we all get to know our bibles that well. He asks him a very important question, he says, “Do you understand what you are reading?” – Acts 8:30 Have you ever felt that way before? You open your bible and start reading and go man, I’ve got no clue what’s happening? Well, I believe one of the main reasons is because we haven’t done a good job as pastors of teaching and guiding you through the bible. Look at the Eunuch’s response: “How can I unless someone guides me?” -Acts 8:31 It is a true gift to teach you the bible. To offer you an expositional teaching of the bible for understanding and for your joy and faith. I’d like to take a healthy pastoral crack at a solution to reading your bible. Would you consider these steps in your submission and obedience to Jesus? When reading your bible:

Pray – Ask the Author of the bible to teach you.
Read in Context– Read that verse in its chapter. Read that chapter in its book.
Ask for Help – God has given the church teachers for your benefit.

As the Lord would have it, the Ethiopian Eunuch is reading from Isaiah 53 about Jesus! And he is truly wrestling with the text. He can’t nail down who Isaiah is talking about. So Philip opens his mouth in full submission and obedience to God and shares the good news of Jesus Christ from Isaiah’s prophecy. This is why it is essential that you read and understand your bible, so that you may respond to the mission of God in full submission and obedience. It is not for the elite, it is for all of those who want to please their heavenly Father with a life well lived. Philip is so obviously in tune with the mission of God how do I know: He goes, step one, to make disciples of all nations, even the Ethiopian, he teaches all that Jesus commanded including the teaching of baptism, which leads him to then baptize in the name of Jesus. I love that the Ethiopian leaves rejoicing in his salvation and Philip continues on mission with God wherever he is taken, even if that happens by an odd Holy Spirit teleportation. It is a curious life when we submit and obey God. Acts 8 ends with Philip in Caesarea. What we see here is that Philip wasn’t just preaching to Samaritan towns, he was already stepping into Gentile territory, like Caesarea. This is the first glimpse of the gospel starting to break beyond the familiar, reaching toward the ends of the earth, just like Jesus laid out in Acts 1:8. And it makes sense that Philip is the only person in the New Testament who’s actually called “the Evangelist” (Acts 21:8). That title wasn’t just a label, it matched his life in submission and obedience to Jesus. Years later, he’s still in Caesarea, still doing the work, still sharing Jesus and we’ll pick that up in Acts 21 down the road.

Conclusion:

You and I are living on the other side of Acts 1:8. We are the “ends of the earth.” And the call has not changed. The Great Commission is still our mission. The power of the Spirit is still available. And the command of Christ still stands: Go. Make disciples. Teach. Baptize. Obey. That’s not just for missionaries or pastors, that’s for every follower of Jesus. And that’s where submission and obedience collide. Submission is when you say, “Jesus, You are Lord. Not me.” Obedience is when you follow that confession with action. If your life is missing that, today is the day to repent and return. Today is the day to surrender, not just in theory, but in practice. So let me leave you with a question: Are you living a life of submission and obedience to Jesus? Not just belief. Not just proximity to church things. Not just inspired by the stories of others. But you, personally, living like Philip. Going. Sharing what God says. Trusting that when Jesus is proclaimed, joy comes. That’s the kind of life I want. That’s the kind of church we want to be. So let’s walk in it. Let’s trust the Spirit. Let’s obey the Word. And let’s live lives that preach Jesus with every word and every step.

more series messages

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February 16, 2025

The Birth of the Church

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January 12, 2025

To Infinity and Beyond…Jerusalem!

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Sermon notes

Introduction

V1

V2-4: The Apostles’ Response:

V5-6

Opening Scripture reading:

Acts 6:8-15

Sermon

Stop giving your testimony and start living it.

Matthew 21:1-11 | The Unexpected King

INTRO

SCRIPTURE

Point 1: Jesus came deliberately and on purpose, even though the cost would be great.

Point 2: Jesus came in peace and humility, not with force or intimidation.

Intro:

Scripture: Luke 24:1-12

Announcement:

Read 6:8-15; 7:51-60

V8-10

Call of Abraham (Acts 7:2-8):

Here’s the takeaway:

The Story of Joseph (Acts 7:9-16)

The Birth of Moses (Acts 7:17–22)

Moses’ Failure to Deliver Israel (Acts 7:23–29)

God’s Call of Moses and Israel’s Rebellion (Acts 7:30–43)

The Tabernacle and the Temple (Acts 7:44–50)

The Conclusion (Acts 7:51–53)

The Death of Stephen (Acts 7:54–60)

Read Acts 8

Introduction

V1-4 shows us how it left Jerusalem.

V5-8 We now hone in on Philip.

Samaria in the Old Testament

Capital of apostasy:

Confronted by prophets:

Assyrian conquest (722 BC):

Samaria in the New Testament

Racial Tension:

Jesus Loves Them and Ministers to Them:

V9-13 shows us two contrasts we have to take into account.

V14-17 So the work of the Lord is happening.

V18-25 A dramatic shift happens in Simon the magician.

V26-34 Submission and Obedience to Jesus is crucial.

Conclusion:

more series messages

Early Growth and Challenges

The Birth of the Church

The Church’s Mission

Love God. Love People. Until the whole valley knows.

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Love God. Love People.
Until the whole valley knows.