Sermon Notes - January 23, 2022

“Pandemic Joy?” – Pastor Paul

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” 

– James 1:2-4

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – January 16, 2022

Series Title: The Church Needs Leaders

Today’s Title: Athens – The Nonsense of the Gospel

Today’s Text: Acts 17:16-34

The best of man-made religion, philosophy, and institutions share a common goal: to live as well we can for as long as we can, delaying the unavoidable sting of death as long as possible. What Christ did for us was to take death head on. By overcoming death’s sting, He built a path for us to follow that worldly wisdom thinks foolish. Godly wisdom reveals that path; it’s a path that teaches us to lose to find, to go last to be first, to serve to be great, and to die to live.

GODLY WISDOM REVEALS THAT….

• GOD DOESN’T NEED ANYTHING, HE GAVE US EVERYTHING (v24-25)

• THE ONE GOD BEGAN LIFE WITH THE ONE MAN (v26-28)

• WE DIDN’T DESIGN GOD, GOD DESIGNED US (v29)

• THE WAY TO CHANGE YOUR VIEW OF GOD IS TO CHANGE YOUR VIEW OF DEATH (v30-31)

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – January 2, 2022

Series Title: The Church Needs Good Leaders

Today’s Title: “they… examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true”

Today’s Text: Acts 17:1-15

What God in Christ has done for all humanity is good news, great news, the best news! This news transcends time, culture, and all man made barriers because Jesus came to us “full of grace and truth”. (John 1:14)

Full grace overcomes every obstacle because it’s based upon full truth. Not everyone is ready to believe that a death on a cross can produce good news. The unbelieving heart does not give up without a fight. But in the end, grace and truth win because the Gospel of Christ lives!

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS REASONABLE & SCRIPTURAL (v1-3)

O.T. Scriptures predicting the death & resurrection of the Messiah

            - Psalm 16

            - Psalm 22

            - Isaiah 53

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS APPEALING TO ALL PEOPLE GROUPS (v4 & 12)

            - Jews

            - God-fearing Greeks

            - Prominent women

            - Greek men

OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST CAN ONLY DEPEND ON LIES AND DECEPTION, NOT ON TRUTH (v5-9)

THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST WITHSTANDS NOBLE EXAMINATION (v10-15)

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – December 26, 2021

Series Title: “The Church Needs Leaders”

Today’s Title: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved”

Today’s Text: Acts 16:16-40

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. – Galatians 5:1

WHO WAS SET FREE IN THIS STORY?

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – December 19, 2021

Series Title: The Church Needs Leaders

Today’s Title: “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily”

Today’s Text: Acts 15: 36-16:15

“The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.” - John Stott

GOOD LEADERS OVERCOME DIVISION (15:36-41)

 “They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.”

Barnabas - 1 Corinthians 9:6

Mark - Colossians 4:10, 2 Timothy 4:11, 1 Peter 5:13

Silas - Acts 15:22, Acts 15:32

GOOD LEADERS TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS (16:1-5)

Timothy - 1 Corinthians 4:17,16:10, Philippians 2:19-22

GOOD LEADERS LET GOD LEAD THEM (16:6-10)

Prompting from the Spirit

Visions from the Spirit

Luke is now with Paul (“we” 16:10)

GOOD LEADERS BREAK BOUNDARIES (16:11-16)

• women gathered a at “place of prayer”
• Lydia:

- a dealer in purple cloth.

- a worshiper of God.

- The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 

- And she persuaded us.

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – December 12, 2021

Series Title: The Church Needs Leaders

Today’s Title: “The apostles and elders met to consider this question.”

Today’s Text: Acts 15

GUARDING THE GOOD NEWS IN THE GOSPEL

• BEWARE OF GOSPEL ADDITIVES (v1)

          Galatians 1:6-9

• BEWARE OF THE BAIT & SWITCH OF LEGALISM (v5)

Romans 3:19-20

• GOD LOVES “THEM” JUST AS MUCH AS “US” (v8-11)

Romans 3:21-24

• PEREFECTIONISTS ARE FAR FROM PERFECT (v10)

Romans 8:1-4

• THE PROBLEM WAS THE VENUE, NOT THE MENU (v19-21)

2 Corinthians 6:14-16

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Outline – December 5, 2021

Series Title: Acts Part 5 – Breaking Boundaries and Overcoming Resistance

Todays’ Title: “Effectively Communicating the Gospel" 

Today’s Text: Acts 14

EFFECTIVE PREACHING LEADS TO BELIEF (v1-4)

(but not without resistance)

EVEN WHEN THREATENED, THEY KEPT ON PREACHING (v5-8)

HEALING REQUIRES FAITH (v8-13)

(but can be easily misunderstood)

THE DIFFICULTY OF CORRECTING MISPLACED FAITH (v14-18)

MISPLACED FAITH IS EASILY TURNED AGAINST TRUTH (v19-20)

EVEN WHEN PHYICALLY BEATEN, THEY KEPT ON PREACHING (v20-21)

RETURNING TO THE PLACE OF PAIN (v21-23)

RESUMING, REPORTING, AND RESTING (v24-28)

1 Peter 3:15-16

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Notes – November 28, 2021

Series Title:  “Breaking Boundaries and Overcoming Resistance” – Acts Pt. 5

Today’s Title: “the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord”

Today’s Text: Acts 13

Christ provided “us” with bridge to overcome the gap between us and God. Much to our surprise, He built a bridge to “them” as well.

What in the World is God Doing?

Calling & Sending (v1-3)

-             Barnabas – an encourager, a mediator, a prophet, a teacher

-             Saul – a leader, a teacher, a prophet

              - Acts 9:15

              - Romans 1:16

Confronting Opposition (v4-12)

-             John (Mark) “was with them as their helper” (v4)

-             “Saul” is now known as “Paul” (v9)

-             Bar-Jesus (Elymus) an influential Jewish sorcerer and false prophet

-             Through Paul, God inflicted upon Elymas what Paul had received in               the road to Damascus – blindness

-             John 9:39

Reaching People through His Story with Us (v13-43)

“Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!”

              SLAVERY, FREEDOM, LAND (v17-20)

              FROM JUDGES TO DAVID (v20-22)

              FROM DAVID TO JOHN THE BAPTIST (v23-25)

              A RESURRECTED MESSIAH FOR EVERYONE! (v26-31)

              WHAT GOD PROMISED HAS COME TRUE! (v32-37)

              WHAT THE LAW CAN’T DO, JESUS DID! – BELIEVE IT!! (v38-41)

              PEOPLE WERE REACHED! BOTH JEW & GENTILE (v42-43)

Enabling Us to Endure Rejection (v44-51)

Filling the Hearts of the Faithful with Joy (v52)

Rev. Paul J. Miller – Sermon Notes – November 21, 2021

Series Title: The Gospel for Everyone

Today’s Title: “The church was earnestly praying to God for him”

Today’s Text: Acts 12

Acts 12:1-19 – Peter’s Prison Escape

• Herod Agrippa reigned in Judea 41-44 AD
• James, the brother of John put to death
• Peter put in jail a week before Passover
• The church was “earnestly” praying for him
• An angel appeared in the cell and leads Peter out
• The house of Mary, the mother of Mark
• Many people had gathered and where praying
• Rhoda, the servant girl, leaves him at the door!
• Those praying for Peter, can’t believe that it is Peter!
• Tell James what happened – James, the brother of Jesus

              - Galatians 1:19 – Paul identifies James as the Lord’s brother

              - 1 Corinthians 15:7 – Jesus appeared to James

• Peter leaves Jerusalem, James takes charge

                            - Peter is not mentioned again in Acts 15, 7-8 years later

Acts 12:20-23 – Herod Agrippa’s Death

• The Herod’s were Jews, but they knew how to work their way into power and stay in the good graces of several Caesars
• A Herodian theatre called Caesarea Maritima, a place where emperor worship was common, even expected.
• Agrippa dies a horrible death (Josephus said it took days)

Acts 12:24-25 - The Church Moves On!

• The word of God continued to spread and flourish.
• Mark joins Barnabas & Saul

Acts 12 Applications:

• Prayer can help ___________________________________

• God can do more __________________________________

• Who the leader is _______________________matters more than who the leader is

• Worship of people, including ourselves, _________________

• God is constantly __________________________ to keep His church moving!

Acts 11 - Change & Growth

As the church carries the message of Christ into this ever changing world, we should not view change itself as an enemy. Our God does not change, but our view of God must remain open to change. Otherwise, we’ll never personally develop or transform; and the church won’t grow.