Sermon Central
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Lessons From The Early Church
Contributed by Michael Luke on Jan 8, 2004 (message contributor)
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1. Getting Ready
Contributed on Jan 8, 2004
Christ’s return is inevitable. We need to be ready for His return.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 1:1-11 TITLE: ‘GETTING READY” INTRODUCTION: A. A fresh graduate from Bible college was in the pulpit in his first church. He was extremely nervous because he was attempting to preach ...read more
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2. Principles For Choosing Leaders
Contributed on Jan 12, 2004
Leadership is the most important function in the church. The church will never rise above its leadership. Therefore, selecting the right leaders is vital to be an effective, Christ-honoring, and scriptural church.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 1:12-26 TITLE: “PRINCIPLES FOR CHOOSING LEADERS” INTRODUCTION: A. A man is driving with his wife at his side and his mother-in-law in the back seat. The women just won’t leave him ...read more
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3. Restoring The Power Of The New Testament Church
Contributed on Feb 2, 2004
The New Testament church operated in power not weakness. So many congregations are failing, weak, troubled, and dying because they’re operating out of human power and not the power of the Holy Spirit.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 2:1-13 TITLE: “RESTORING THE POWER OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH” INTRODUCTION: A. A mechanic in Mangum, Oklahoma, answered the distress call of a woman motorist, whose car had stalled. ...read more
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4. Restoring The Preaching Of The New Testament Church
Contributed on Feb 12, 2004
Preaching is indispensible to Christianity. Both its form and function are important. Using Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, we look at the fundamental aspects of New Testament preaching.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 2:14-41 TITLE: “RESTORING THE PREACHING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH” INTRODUCTION: A. Several years back, the Dallas Morning News did a report on Elvis impersonators. When Elvis was ...read more
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5. Living Life Above The Circumstances
Contributed on Jun 13, 2004
Every life has good and bad circumstances. As Christians, we live life above those circumstances.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 6:8-15 TITLE: “LIVING LIFE ABOVE THE CIRCUMSTANCES” INTRODUCTION: A. Some of you may have heard of Wilma Rudolph. She was a successful Olympic athlete in the 1960’s, but most do not know ...read more
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6. Taking A Good Look
Contributed on Jul 13, 2004
A message about how Stephen’s message to the Sanhedrin in the 1st century applies to Christians in the 21st century
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 6:8-8:1 TITLE: “TAKING A GOOD LOOK” INTRODUCTION: A. Throughout the course of life there are certain people who seem to stand out from the pack. These are people like Washington, Lincoln, ...read more
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7. Some Tips On Sharing Your Faith
Contributed on Jul 31, 2004
Using Phillip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, we can find some important instruction on how to share our faith with another individual
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 8:26-40 TITLE: “SOME TIPS ON SHARING YOUR FAITH” INTRODUCTION: A. What gets you excited? --Someone: “You cannot kindle a fire in any other heart until it is burning in your ...read more
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8. The Needs Of A New Christian
Contributed on Aug 10, 2004
The essential needs of new converts are discussed using this account describing the events that immediately followed the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 9:19-31 TITLE: “THE NEEDS OF A NEW CHRISTIAN” INTRODUCTION: A. One criticism of the church-at-large is that when we produce new Christians, we “dunk ‘em and drop ‘em” ...read more
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9. A Tale Of Two Beds
Contributed on Aug 18, 2004
Healing is still available to those who place their trust in what Jesus Christ can do in their lives - healed spirits and healed souls
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 9:32-43 TITLE: “A TALE OF TWO BEDS” INTRODUCTION: A. Most of you are familiar with the classic Charles Dickens story, A Tale of Two Cities, which begins: “It was the best of time, it was the ...read more
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10. A New Name
Contributed on Sep 14, 2004
The importance of the name "Christian" and its attributes as demonstrated in Antioch.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 11:19-30 TITLE: “A NEW NAME” INTRODUCTION: A. What is in a name? 1. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet asks that very question: a. ...read more
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11. An Example Of A Great Church
Contributed on Sep 20, 2004
A look at the church in Antioch of Syria and what made it a great church
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 11:19-29; 12:25-13:3; 14:26-28; 15:1-3 TITLE: “AN EXAMPLE OF A GREAT CHURCH: 9 Marks of a Great Church as Exemplified in the Church at Antioch” INTRODUCTION: A. What does being “great” mean? ...read more
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12. God's Dramedy
Contributed on Sep 27, 2004
In strife or in humorous situations, God is still in control.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 12:1-25 TITLE: “GOD’S DRAMEDY” INTRODUCTION: A. Are you confused by the title of this message? 1. It’s probably because you’ve never heard the term dramedy ...read more
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13. Facing The False Prophet
Contributed on Oct 5, 2004
Saul of Tarsus transforms into the apostle Paul whil preaching the true gospel and facing a false prophet: what the 21st century church can learn about confronting false teaching from the 1st cenutry example
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 13:1-12 TITLE: “FACING THE FALSE PROPHET” INTRODUCTION: A. Would you hire this man? A member of the pulpit committee at a certain church was ...read more
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14. Be Encouraged
Contributed on Oct 11, 2004
Scriptural reasons to be encouraged in our walk with Christ
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 13:13-43 (Read with points) TITLE: “BE ENCOURAGED” INTRODUCTION: A. Andor Foldes was a great Hungarian concert pianist. He once recounted a kiss that changed his life. He was 16 years ...read more
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15. Thoughts On Living With Thanksgiving
Contributed on Nov 16, 2004
Learning about thanksgiving from Paul and Barnabas’ experience in Lystra
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 14:8-20 (read with points) TITLE: “THOUGHTS ON LIVING WITH THANKSGIVING” INTRODUCTION: A. In certain regions of Mexico, hot and cold springs are found side by side. Because of the ...read more
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16. Faithful In The Face Of Persecution
Contributed on Nov 18, 2004
Learning about faithfulness through the examples of Paul and Barnabas
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 14:1-7 TITLE: “FAITHFUL IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION” INTRODUCTION: A. At a retirement home in Florida, a group of residents were discussing their ailments: "My arms are so weak I can ...read more
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17. When Christians Disagree - Part One
Contributed on Nov 28, 2004
Principles for dealing with doctrinal disagreements
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 15:1-35 TITLE: WHEN CHRISTIANS DISAGREE – PART ONE” INTRODUCTION: A. Benjamin Franklin: “Many a long dispute may be thus abridged: ‘It is so; it is not so.’ ‘It is so; it is not so.’” ...read more
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18. Leading The Church Of God
Contributed on Jun 4, 2005
Essentials of leadership given by Paul to the elders of Ephesus
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 20:17-32 TITLE: “LEADING THE CHURCH OF GOD” INTRODUCTION: A. Acts 20:17-32 – “From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: ‘You know ...read more
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19. Understanding Corporate Worship
Contributed on Jun 4, 2005
A lesson in worship exhibited in the first century.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 20:7-12 TITLE: “UNDERSTANDING CORPORATE WORSHIP” INTRODUCTION: A. Worship is important 1. Back during the days when people would travel by sailing ship, a young boy ...read more
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20. Trapped In Idolatry
Contributed on Jun 4, 2005
Examining the idols in our lives, we see what keeps us from receiving God’s blessing
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 19:23-41 TITLE: “TRAPPED IN IDOLATRY” INTRODUCTION: A. The dictionary definition of “idol”: “an object of excessive devotion or admiration” --Fails to capture the biblical sense ...read more
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21. God Can!
Contributed on Jun 4, 2005
When things seem impossible to us, God can!
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 19:8-20 TITLE: “GOD CAN!” INTRODUCTION: A. Three boys who lived in the same neighborhood got to bragging one day. None of the three could top the other two until they started bragging ...read more
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22. Knowing The Way More Fully
Contributed on Jun 4, 2005
When we think we know it all, there’s always something that God can teach us.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 18:24-19:7 TITLE: “KNOWING THE WAY MORE ADEQUATELY” INTRODUCTION: A. When you visit a place you’ve never been before, you tend to follow the directions very closely. The more you travel ...read more
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23. Finding Ways To Build Your Strength
Contributed on Jun 6, 2005
Growing stronger in service and faith.
SERIES: ACTS 18:1-11 TEXT: ACTS 18:1-11 TITLE: “FINDING WAYS TO BUILD YOUR STRENGTH” INTRODUCTION: A. Maltbie Babcock: Be strong! We are not here to play, to ...read more
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24. Words Of Importance
Contributed on Jun 6, 2005
Expository message on passage
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 18:12-23 TITLE: “WORDS OF IMPORTANCE” INTRODUCTION: A. We live in a society where what we say is not intended to be what we mean 1. Several years ago, this phenomenon was given the title the ...read more
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25. Journey To Jerusalem
Contributed on Jun 6, 2005
A lesson on the will of God
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 21:1-36 TITLE: “JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM: A Lesson on the Will of God” INTRODUCTION: A. When Courtney was 3 or 4 years old, we made a trip to King’s Island. There was a children’s ride ...read more
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26. Paul: My Encounter With The Risen Christ
Contributed on Jun 12, 2005
Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ transformed him from fervent persecutor to passionate missionary.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 21:37-22:21 TITLE: “PAUL: MY ENCOUNTER WITH THE RESURRECTED CHRIST” INTRODUCTION: A. You might remember a news story from several years ago where 18 men and 12 women committed mass suicide ...read more
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27. When Christians Disagree - Part Two
Contributed on Mar 2, 2008
Part One concerned disagreement over doctrinal issues. Part Two deals with disagreement over personal issues.
TEXT: ACTS 15:36-41 TITLE: “WHEN CHRISTIANS DISAGREE: Part Two” OPEN: A. Last week, we talked about conflicts that arise over doctrinal differences 1. Tonight, we want to look at conflicts that arise over personal conflicts 2. David Eubanks, ...read more
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28. Facing The New Year In A New Way
Contributed on Mar 2, 2008
God promises to do a new thing within us. Here are four new things we can look forward to in the new year
TEXT: ACTS 16:1-15 TITLE: “FACING THE NEW YEAR IN A NEW WAY” (updated for 2008) OPEN: A. It’s almost February. Why are talking about the New Year? --Isn’t the newness of the new year kind of wearing off? 1. I’ve found that talking about the new ...read more
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29. Who Do You Serve?
Contributed on Mar 2, 2008
We are destined to serve somebody or something. Do you really serve the true God?
TEXT: ACTS 16:16-34 TITLE: “WHO DO YOU SERVE?” OPEN: A. A preacher meets an old friend from Bible college while at the North American Christian Convention. The old friend asks the preacher, “How many members are in your congregation?” The ...read more
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30. A Church That Serves
Contributed on Mar 5, 2008
Congregations are not spiritual spas. They’re places where needs are met and people are served.
SERIES: “LESSONS FROM THE EARLY CHURCH” TEXT: ACTS 6:1-7 TITLE: “A CHURCH THAT SERVES” OPEN: A. A number of years ago, a team of white-jacketed scientists marched with clipboards in hand into the barnyard and sat down outside the chicken coop. They were ...read more