Sermons on Acts

Sermons on Acts

Participation in God’s Work

We’ve spent four out of the first five Sundays of 2024 planting our feet in our PBCC Family Values, the commitments we believe in and hold ourselves to as followers of Jesus Christ. We have one more left to explore: “Participation in God’s Work”. Join us as we reflect on how participating in God’s work might just win us the favor of the world.

Life in the Spirit through Grace

On the day of Pentecost, the Apostles received the Holy Spirit and were empowered by Him to be Christ’s witnesses to the ends of the earth. The evidence of this empowerment was the miraculous gift of tongues: The Apostles began speaking in all kinds of languages. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit among those who believed the Apostles’ message was no less miraculous: They began to love one another. Join us as we continue our series on the PBCC Family Values and reflect on what it means to live in the Spirit through grace.

Discipleship through Relationships

When Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” fame accepted a lifetime achievement award in 1997, he used his time in the spotlight to redirect it onto the people in his life and in the lives of everyone in attendance who helped them become who they are. “All of us have special ones who have loved us into being,” Rogers said. “Would you just take along with me 10 seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are […]?” No person is an island — a universal truth, but one especially applicable when it comes to being a Christian. Join us as we resume our series on the PBCC Family Values with a reflection on our commitment to “Discipleship through Relationships”.

Devotion to the Word

Having planted our feet in our mission of “Knowing Jesus & Making Him Known”, we turn now to the primary way we receive this knowledge: Devotion to the Word. Many churches claim to be devoted to the Word of God — our own middle (ish) name is ‘Bible’ — but what does this look like in practice? How do we bring our whole selves in devotion to the Word of God? Join us for the second installment of our series on our PBCC Family Values!

Knowing Jesus & Making Him Known

Sunday, January 7, 2024 Music: Kevin Patao and TeamHost: Becca SingleyMessage: Eugene Kwon “Knowing Jesus & Making Him Known”Selected Texts from Acts 2:1-41 Announcements Every Sunday: Sunday AM Prayer Meeting 8:30amEvery Sunday: Body Life in Mandarin 10:30amEvery 2nd/4th Sunday: Church-Wide Prayer 7amEvery Wednesday: Intercessory Prayer 6:30am (Zoom)Jan 7th: Life Together: “What is the Gospel?” Second ServiceJan 26th-Jan 28th: Women’s Retreat Call to Worship: Psalm 9:1-2, 13:5-6  (NIV) 9:1     I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart;             I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.2        I will be glad and rejoice in you;             I…

Rome at Last: The End of the Beginning

Acts 28:1-31 This week we come to the conclusion of Dr. Luke’s two-volume work Luke/Acts. It has been a long, adventuresome journey, especially following Paul’s relentless energy and patient endurance, as he spread the gospel over 10,000 miles, visiting 29 cities, 8 provinces and 2 continents. With great skill, Luke has captured our imagination and held us in suspense through Paul’s countless trials and shipwrecks, wondering how will it all end. Will Paul make it to Rome? Will he get his day in court? Will Paul be vindicated or martyred? On the surface, Luke’s ending seems inconclusive, leaving our questions unanswered. But on closer examination, it fits his purposes perfectly, pulling us into the drama in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Acts 28:1-31

Shipwrecked!

Acts 27:1-44 Have you ever been in a situation when a family member, colleague, or company you worked for was at a potentially dangerous crossroads, and you had the foresight to know the right course of action, but your advice was not heeded and the result was a disaster? It’s even more painful when the consequences impact you and your loved ones, and you can’t do anything about it. That’s the situation Paul finds himself in as he begins his voyage from Caesarea to Rome and ends up shipwrecked. Like Paul, poor choices of others can plunge us into the dark depths beyond our control, making us feel like prisoners to complex social entanglements that put our calling and lives at risk. What do we do? Come Sunday to find out. (Note: Because of the length of the text, it will not be in the worship guide. I encourage everyone to read it before Sunday.)

When Justice is Delayed…Endlessly

Acts 24:1-27 In this week’s text we continue the theme of “Paul and politicians.” Last week we observed how a Roman tribune, who was governed by rules of law, was the instrument God used to rescue Paul from three riots and transport him safely to Caesarea. Having been escorted by half of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem must have encouraged Paul that God was confirming his promise that he would soon testify to God in Rome. But in Caesarea Paul’s hopes are dashed when his case is turned over to Felix, the Roman governor. Felix has no interest in being a servant to the people nor in justice. Rather than giving a ruling on Paul’s case, he vacillates, postpones, manipulates and finally puts his ruling on hold endlessly. What do followers of Jesus do when faced with corrupt officials and the justice due us is delayed with no end in sight?

Paul and Politicians: Before the Sanhedrin

Acts 22:30-23:35 How ought we think about how we relate to structures of power in society? If Jesus is reigning as Lord of the world, what does that imply about how we relate to the authority structures in society? Both Paul and Peter seem to be very clear in their writings that we are to “be subject to the governing authorities” (Rom 13:1-5; 1 Pet 2:13-15). But is it really that simple? What happens when those institutions become corrupt instruments of evil and our submission enables further injustice? In the aftermath of WWII, we condemned those who carried out Hitler’s abominations with the excuse that they were just doing what they were told. So there must be more to our responsibility to governing authorities than mere submission. This Sunday we will get a glimpse at how Paul thought about the structures of power in society, and discover how the kingdom advances in a very imperfect and, in some cases, corrupt world. Acts 22:30-23:35

Riot, Arrest and Defense in the Temple

Acts 21:27-22:29 Having completed our series “Does it Matter,” we will now turn our attention back to the hair-raising drama in the book of Acts, which by divine coincidence puts flesh and blood on many of the themes we explored over the summer. If you were with us in the spring, you may remember Paul’s boundless energy, evangelizing and planting churches throughout most of Asia Minor and Greece. But when Paul arrives in Jerusalem, his whole career abruptly changes. He is assaulted, arrested, brought to trial and endures five trials that transport him from Jerusalem to Caesarea and finally to Rome. Paul the evangelist now becomes Paul the apologist, giving a defense concerning the revelation he has received and the integrity of his character. The fact that Luke devotes six chapters (nearly 200 verses) to these trials is a clue to their theological importance both then and now. Perhaps we should title this section, “Do Apologetics Matter?”

Why is Coming Home So Difficult?

Acts 21:1-26 In our text this week, Paul makes his historic return to Jerusalem. Historic because he has representatives from all the churches he has planted traveling with him, along with a significant amount of money collected from each church for the poor in Jerusalem. The gifts are the first fruits of his ministry among the Gentiles and symbolize the unity of the church. Like a college graduate returning home, not just with a degree, but with money to pay his parent’s back for his or her education, one would think the homecoming would be one of unadulterated joy. But there are disturbing warnings in every port that serious trouble awaits him, but Paul refuses to be deterred. The text addresses some key questions: How do we discern God’s will when both parties believe the Spirit is guiding them? And why is “coming home” often so difficult?