Get In the Act

A Series on the Book of Acts

Key theme: Early Church Expansion History

Key verse: Acts 1:8

April 11^th

Sermon One      “The Faith of the First Christians” 

Acts 1:8

The Book of Acts is also the account of the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the church. The Gospel of Luke records what Jesus “began both to do and teach” in His human body, and the Book of Acts tells us what Jesus continued to do and teach through His spiritual body, the church.

Even today, congregations can learn much about church life and ministry from this book, and this even includes the business meetings! In this chapter, we see the believers taking care of “unfinished business” and getting ready for Pentecost. What they said and did reveal to us the faith of the church.

April 18^th

Sermon Two      “Power from Heaven”

Acts 2:1-4

The early church had none of the things that we think are so essential for success today—buildings, money, political influence, social status—and yet the church won multitudes to Christ and saw many churches established throughout the Roman world. Why?

Because the church had the power of the Holy Spirit energizing its ministry. They were a people who “were ignited by the Spirit of God.” That same Holy Spirit power is available to us today to make us more effective witnesses for Christ. The better we understand His working at Pentecost, the better we will be able to relate to Him and experience His power. Acts 2 helps us understand the Holy Spirit by recording four experiences in the life of the church.

April 25^th

Sermon Three   “In the Name of Jesus”

Acts 3:6

When somebody says, “You can use my name!” you sincerely hope the name is worth using. If an order is given in the name of the President of the United States, those who receive the order know that they are obligated to obey. If I were to issue orders at the White House nobody would pay much attention because my name has no official authority behind it.

But the name of the Lord Jesus has all authority behind it, for He is the Son of God (Matt. 28:18). Because His name is “above every name” (Phil. 2:9-11), He deserves our worship and obedience.

The great concern of the first Christians was that the name of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, be glorified; and believers today should have that same concern. 

May 2^nd

Sermon Four        “Persecution, Prayer and Power”

Acts 4:17-18

The early church had none of the “advantages” that some ministries boast of and depend on today. They did not have big budgets provided by wealthy donors. Their pastors lacked credentials from the accepted schools, nor did they have the endorsement of the influential political leaders of that day. Most of their ministers had jail records and would probably have a hard time today joining our churches, let alone leading them.

What really was the secret of their success? This chapter provides the answer: the Christians of the early church knew how to pray so that God’s hand could work in mighty power. 

Prayer is not an escape from responsibility; it is our response to God’s ability. True prayer energizes us for service and battle. Once again, the focus of attention is on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 4:7, 10, 12, 17-18). In this chapter, we see what three groups of people do with His name.

May 9^th                 Mother’s Day

Sermon Five       “Know Your Enemy”

Acts 5:3

Satan had failed completely in his attempt to silence the witness of the church. However, the enemy never gives up; he simply changes his strategy.

His first approach had been to attack the church from the outside, hoping that arrest and threats would frighten the leaders. When that failed, Satan decided to attack the church from the inside and use people who were a part of the fellowship.

We must face the fact that Satan is a clever foe. If he does not succeed as the “devouring lion” (1 Peter 5:8), then he attacks again as the “deceiving serpent” or an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:3, 13-14). Satan is both a murderer and a liar (John 8:44), and the church must be prepared for both attacks.

May 16^th

Sermon Six         “Brace for Impact”

Acts 5:40-42

After Pentecost, the message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ spread rapidly in Jerusalem as Spirit-empowered witnesses shared the Gospel with the lost. Signs and wonders accompanied the preaching of the Word, and no one could deny that God was at work in a new way among His ancient people.

But not everybody was happy with the success of the church. The “religious establishment” that had opposed the ministry of Jesus, and then crucified Him, took the same hostile approach toward the Apostles.

It was the age-old conflict between living truth and dead tradition. The new wine could not be put into the old wineskins nor could the new cloth be sewn on the worn-out garments (Matt. 9:14-17).

May 23^rd

Sermon Seven  “On the Move”

Acts 8:4

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is much more than an idea. The Gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). It is God’s “dynamite” for breaking down sin’s barriers and setting the prisoners free.

Its time had come and the church was on the move. The “salt” was now leaving the “Jerusalem saltshaker” to be spread over all Judea and Samaria, just as the Lord had commanded (Acts 1:8). Four men demonstrate how that gospel changes us.

May 30^th              Family Sunday

June 6^th

Sermon Eight       “Confronted by God”

Acts 9:4-5

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus, the leading persecutor of the Christians, was perhaps the greatest event in church history after the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost. The next great event would be the conversion of the Gentiles (Acts 10), and Saul (Paul) would become the apostle to the Gentiles.

God was continuing to work out His plan to bring the Gospel to the whole world. The account of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus is given three times in Acts, in chapters 9, 22, and 26. According to the text, Saul experienced four meetings that together transformed his life.  His is a pattern for all believers.

June 13^th              Father’s Day

Sermon Nine       “The Greatest Miracle of All”

Acts 10:34-35

What is the greatest miracle that God can do for us? Some would call the healing of the body God’s greatest miracle, while others would vote for the raising of the dead.

However, the greatest miracle of all is the salvation of a lost sinner. Why? Because salvation costs the greatest price, it produces the greatest results, and it brings the greatest glory to God. In these two chapters, we find Peter participating in all three miracles: he heals Aeneas, he raises Dorcas from the dead, and he brings the message of salvation to Cornelius and his household.

June 20^th

Sermon Ten         “Our Daily Miracle”

Acts 12:11

Imagine waking up to a miracle!  That’s what happened to Peter when he was in prison for the third time, awaiting trial and certain death.

Years later, when he wrote his first epistle, Peter may have had this miraculous experience in mind when he quoted Psalm 34:15-16, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil” (1 Peter 3:12).

That quotation certainly summarizes what God did for Peter, and it reveals to us three wonderful assurances to encourage us in the ministry of the church.