Sermon Central
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Acts
Contributed by Brad Beaman on Mar 31, 2022 (message contributor)
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1. A Time To Wait, A Time Not To Wait
Contributed on Feb 4, 2022
The believers were instructed to wait in Jerusalem. They were not ready, but why not? They were absolutely convinced of the resurrection, but still not ready to launch out and take the Gospel to a lost and dying world. Wait for the power of the Holy Spirit.
We gain a lot by studying the book of Acts. We learn about how the church grew in its infancy stage. Now over twenty percent of the world’s population claim to be true disciples of Jesus. But we are starting here with one hundred and twenty loyal believers huddled together in one room. It helps us ...read more
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2. Preaching At Pentecost,
Contributed on Aug 11, 2008
The world calls it foolishness. The preaching of the Gospel is the power of God.
It is a foolish thing to preach a sermon. When you stand up and tell people that they are lost and that their only hope of salvation rests in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus that in the world’s way of thinking is foolishness. Not that standing before people and talking is foolishness. ...read more
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3. The Pentecost Sermon
Contributed on Jan 18, 2022
The Pentecost sermon is the sermon that explains the cross, the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. This sermon sees three thousand believe in Jesus Christ and get baptized. This sermon marks the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.
Context of Pentecost sermon This sermon is what we can call the greatest sermon ever preached. Why do we not call the Sermon on the Mount the greatest sermon? Many others say Sermon on the Mount is the greatest. The reason is that his sermon, the Pentecost sermon is the sermon that explains the ...read more
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4. More Than Silver And Gold
Contributed on Jan 4, 2008
Here is a man born crippled. In his whole life he has never walked. Suddenly he is healed and he is walking and leaping and praising God!
The reports were astounding. There were so many professions of faith, baptisms and new house churches that formed that it seemed to come right out of the pages of Acts. I was more than happy to lead the team of twelve researches tasked to better understand how the gospel was moving so rapidly. We ...read more
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5. The Author Of Life – Killed
Contributed on Jan 12, 2008
This message set some people free and made some people furious. Peter claiming they are sinners responsible for crucifying the Messiah.
Some times things are just not good. There is the picture of the man at the psychiatrist’s office and his psychiatrist puts things in layman’s terms. Your mind is like a bicycle, your pants got caught in the sprocket and the chain came off. Not good! In Acts 3:11-26 Peter tells a crowd of ...read more
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6. When The Church Is Shaken
Contributed on Feb 14, 2008
We are glimpsing the early church at a very turbulent and emotional time. How do they respond in such a time of crises?
The Highlands of Scotland are known for their shy and reserved temperament. Just how that became the temperament is not known. Some suggest it is the cold weather and long winters with very little daylight. The reserved nature is part of their culture and that reflects itself in every area of life, ...read more
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7. The Serious Side Of Sin
Contributed on Jun 4, 2008
Yes they were hypocrites, pretending to give all but in actuality only giving part. But how could they receive a death sentence just for that?
There are two approaches to presenting the gospel. One is a positive approach and the other is a negative. An emphasis on the positive is good for making a long term impact. The negative side sometimes instills a more reactive response. This passage is about the negative side of sin. It is a harsh ...read more
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8. Stephen's Sermon
Contributed on Jan 21, 2022
Stephen is called a man full of God’s grace and power, and he performed great wonders and signs among the people. It was this context that opposition arose and Stephen was at the center of the opposition.
Context of Stephens sermon Acts Chapter 6 The context and background of Stephen’s message is found in Acts chapter 6. We are introduced to Stephen in Acts 6 who is chosen among the seven. The first mention is Stephen that he was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. After the choosing of the ...read more
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9. Philip's Preaching
Contributed on Jan 21, 2022
May we like Philip be ready to go when and where the Spirit leads. May we be prepared to boldly speak the gospel of Jesus Christ for his glory.
Context of Philips preaching Acts 6-7 Acts 6 is where we first find out about Philip. He is one of the seven chosen to help smooth over the division in the church between the Hellenistic Jews and Hebraic Jews. Philip is a Greek name. As a result of the seven the disciples increased rapidly in ...read more
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10. Peter Explains Gentiles Coming To Faith
Contributed on Jan 31, 2022
This sermon of Peter in Acts 11 is the mark of victory for grace of the Lord Jesus. The Pentecost experience happened three times. It happened in Act chapter 2 with the Jews. It happened in Acts chapter 8 with the Samaritans. Now in Acts Chapter 10 with the Gentiles.
Context of Peters message Acts 10 explains the events of what makes up Peter’s Acts 11 message. The news about Cornelius travelled fast and in no time the leaders in Jerusalem wanted an explanation from Peter what was happening in Caesarea. Peter himself knew he was breaking Hebrew traditions by ...read more
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11. The Power Of Discipleship
Contributed on Feb 4, 2022
Disciples are formed not informed. Jesus did not just teach the disciples. They learned in the situations like witnessing to the woman at the well. The impressions burned in their mind. This is the “Organic Discipleship” process.
The gospels record many occasions when Jesus addressed large crowds. But when we take an overview of the Gospels we discover that his speaking to the large crowds is not what made the lasting impact. What carried the ministry of Jesus after his death was the time he invested with small ...read more
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12. Paul’s Pisidian Antioch Sermon
Contributed on Jan 22, 2022
This sermon became a turning point for the gospel going to the ends of the earth. The gospel would be preached to all for the gentiles to receive .
Context of Paul’s Pisidian Antioch sermon This message to Pisidian Antioch came well into the journey after the Holy Spirit told the Antioch church to set aside Barnabas and Saul for the work for which He called them. This journey of Paul and Barnabas began and ended in Antioch of the Syrian ...read more
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13. Jerusalem Council Sermons
Contributed on Jan 24, 2022
We need to live by the wisdom of the Jerusalem council. Never make if difficult for anyone turning to the Lord. The death burial and resurrection of Jesus is available as a free gift to all who put their faith in Christ.
The background to the sermons preached at the Jerusalem council. We read in acts chapter 6 verse 7 that the word of God was spreading and the number of disciples increased rapidly and that a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. So we realize as we move on through the book of Acts ...read more
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14. Paul’s Mars Hill Sermon
Contributed on Feb 23, 2022
What's going on here? Paul preaches a message without using Scripture? He quotes from an inscription on a pagan shrine? No follow up for the new believers in Athens? We better take a closer look at Paul's Mars Hill sermon.
The context of Paul’s Mars Hill Sermon When we look at Paul’s Mars Hill sermon given in Athens in Acts 17, he is well into his second missionary journey. His plans were changed early in the journey when the Holy Spirit kept him from preaching the word in Asia and then he received his Macedonian ...read more
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15. Paul Addressing The Ephesian Elders
Contributed on Feb 3, 2022
Paul is ready to pass the baton of leadership to the elders of Ephesus. Paul mentioned he had invested three years at Ephesus. Paul was handing off full responsibility to elders with very little experience. He did need to send Tychicus and then Timothy later to help the elders.
Background of Paul addressing the elders This discourse of Paul addressing the Ephesian elders takes place near the end of his third journey. He already spent two years at the hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus. He mentions that in total he poured into the elders for three years (Acts 20:31). This exit ...read more
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16. Paul To Crowd At Jerusalem
Contributed on Feb 5, 2022
Paul had run an amazing race from the time he met Jesus on the Damascus Road to the time he addressed the crowd in Jerusalem, that wanted to kill him that day. His goal was to faithfully finish the race.
Context of Paul’s message at Jerusalem Acts 21:37-40 This message occurs at the conclusion of Paul’s third missionary journey. Paul had met with his key leaders to prepare for his exit and the conclusion of his third journey (Acts 20). He was ready to begin the next segment of his ministry, ...read more
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17. Paul Preaching To The Sanhedrin
Contributed on Feb 6, 2022
Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem marked a new term of his work. He completed his third Journey and now his next Journey from Jerusalem to Rome would be in chains. He would address powerful leaders, the High Priest, Felix, Festus, King Agrippa and on to appeal to Caesar.
Context of Paul to Sanhedrin Paul had finished his third missionary journey and was in Jerusalem and explaining to the Jerusalem leaders all that had happened through the Lord to the gentiles. Paul was led to Jerusalem by the Holy Spirit, but Paul was also anticipating troubles in Jerusalem ...read more
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18. Paul’s Message Before Governor Felix
Contributed on Feb 9, 2022
We see that Paul is faithful to Jesus Christ in whatever his circumstance. He faced numerous attempts on his life. He was on trial and struck in the face. In all these hardships Paul remained steadfast and whenever he had the chance, he shared the gospel with Governor Felix.
The Background of Paul before Felix Here we find Paul in Caesarea standing before Felix the governor. Paul recently completed his third missionary journey and now he is beginning his Jerusalem to Rome ministry. Right before he went to Jerusalem, he stopped in Caesarea to visit Philip the ...read more
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19. Paul Before King Agrippa
Contributed on Feb 12, 2022
Paul was ready to give his testimony of how he went from a persecutor of Christians to a follower of Christ. Paul was bold to confront King Agrippa with the claims of Christ. Paul even gave an invitation to Agrippa to become a follower of Christ.
Background The context of this message is that Paul had recently finished his third missionary journey and went to Jerusalem. When he got to Jerusalem, he told James the brother of Jesus and all the church leaders what happened in his ministry where the gentiles turned to God. The Jerusalem ...read more
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20. Paul’s Message In Rome
Contributed on Feb 19, 2022
Paul was telling the Jewish leaders in Rome about the kingdom of God from the law and the prophets from morning to evening. Some of these Jewish leaders were convinced that Jesus is the Messiah others refused to believe. Are we convinced that Jesus is the Christ, or do we refuse to believe?
Background to Paul’s message in Rome After his third missionary Journey Paul went to Jerusalem. There he was arrested at the Temple and falsely accused of bringing Trophimus a gentile into the temple (Acts 21:29). He was sent to Caesarea because of the plot to kill him if he was taken to ...read more
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21. The Ethiopian Eunuch
Contributed on Jul 7, 2023
There is no doubt that the Ethiopian Eunuch had the joy of salvation and he would be sharing to the ends of the earth what he learned from the prophet of Isaiah and what he experienced in his new life in Christ.
The Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8:26-40 The story of the Ethiopian Eunuch is a pivotal passage for many reasons. One of those reasons is that it is considered the fulfilment of Acts 1:8. At the coming of the Holy Spirit the gospel would go to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. ...read more
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22. The Power Of The Holy Spirit
Contributed on Nov 10, 2023
In the brief record of Luke made about the Holy Spirit’s activities in the Antioch church we find out about the power of the Holy Spirit.
One of the most fascinating stories in the Bible is Ezekiel’s account of the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14). Ezekiel says the hand of the Lord is upon him and the Lord sets Ezekiel in a valley of dry bones. The Lord told Ezekiel to preach to the dry bones and tell them God says, “I will ...read more