The Growth of the Church (Acts 3:1-4:4)
Mark Pitman, January 12, 2020Part of the Growing in grace and knowledge series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
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« Opportunities for Growth | None | Persecuted Yet Many Believed » |
Acts 3–4:4 (Listen)
3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
4:1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
(ESV)
Date | Series | Sermon | Scripture | Special Events |
5-Jan | Inclement Weather Day – No Services | |||
12-Jan | Living Life Together | Why Are We Here, Where Are We Going, and How Do You Fit In? | Ephesians 3:14-21 | |
19-Jan | Living Life Together | Living Together As the People of God | Exodus 1:1-2:10, 23-25 | Sanctity of Human Life; Baby Dedication |
26-Jan | Inclement Weather Day – No Services | |||
2-Feb | Living Life Together | Living Life Together Through a Growing Knowledge of Our God | Exodus 3:1-15; 4:1-17 | |
9-Feb | Living Life Together | Living Life Together by Selecting the Right God | Exodus 5:1-6:13 | |
16-Feb | Living Life Together | Living Life Together in the Joy of Our Redemption | Exodus 11:1-12:41 | Valentine’s Day |
23-Feb | Living Life Together | Living Life Together by Trusting Our Mighty Deliverer | Exodus 14 | |
2-Mar | Inclement Weather Day – No Services | |||
9-Mar | Living Life Together | Living Life Together by Rejoicing in a Shepherd Who Provides | Exodus 16 | Daylight Savings Time Begins; Gideon Speaker |
16-Mar | Living Life Together | Living Life Together by Joyful Obedience to Our Covenant | Exodus 19 | |
23-Mar | Guest Speaker | Chris Gendron | ||
30-Mar | Living Life Together | Living Life Together in Celebration of the Mercy of God | Exodus 32 | 5th Sunday; BCC 101 |
6-Apr | Friend Request | Joining the Celebration | Philippians 2:1-18 | Camp Selah |
13-Apr | Friend Request | The End of Blah, Blah, Blah | John 12:1-19 | Palm Sunday |
20-Apr | Friend Request | When You Give and Receive Nothing in Return | Matthew 26:42-56 | Easter |
27-Apr | Friend Request | Who’s Got Your Back? | 1 Samuel 18:1-16, 19:1-7, 20:1-42 | |
4-May | Friend Request | Strength in Numbers: Praying for One Another | Colossians 4:2-4 | |
11-May | Friend Request | Hospitality for Busy Lives | Romans 12:1-13 | Mother’s Day |
18-May | Friend Request | When You Need a Friend – Because Two is Better Than One | 1 Peter 1:-2:3, 3:13-18, 4:1-10, 12-19 | Congregational Business Meeting |
25-May | Guest Speaker | Scott Towers | Memorial Weekend | |
1-Jun | Friend of God | An Outrageous Possibility | James 2:14-26 | Honor Graduates |
8-Jun | Friend of God | God Dwelling With Us | 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 | Communion |
15-Jun | Friend of God | God Ruling Us – Coming to Grips with Jesus as Our Benevolent King | Romans 10:9-13 | Father’s Day; Baby Dedication |
22-Jun | Friend of God | God Loving Us | Romans 8:31-39 | |
29-Jun | Friend of God | God With Us | Isaiah 7:1-16 | 5th Sunday |
6-Jul | Friend of God | God Interceding For Us | Romans 8:12-27 | Independence Day |
13-Jul | Friend of God | God Our Father | Romans 8:12-17 | |
20-Jul | Friend of God | God Preparing For Us | Revelation 21:1-22:5 | Communion |
27-Jul | Living Life Together | Living Life Together Because Our Family Had a Great Beginning | Acts 11:1-11, 2:1-16 | |
3-Aug | Living Life Together | The Message That Draws Us Together | Acts 4:1-36 | VBS Day |
10-Aug | Living Life Together | Handling Our Finances with Generosity and Integrity | Acts 5:1-16 | |
17-Aug | Living Life Together | Proclaiming the Name | Acts 5:12-42 | |
24-Aug | Living Life Together | Solving Problems Quickly | Acts 6:1-7 | Baptism and Family Night |
31-Aug | Living Life Together | Facing Pressure Courageously | Acts 6:7-15, 51-60 | 5th Sunday |
7-Sep | Living Life Together | When Times Are Hard | Acts 8:1-40 | |
14-Sep | Living Life Together | Amazed by God’s Grace | Acts 9:1-31 | |
21-Sep | Living Life Together | Celebrating Everyone’s Place On The Team | Acts 9:32-42 | Communion; SYATP |
28-Sep | Living Life Together | Praying With Hearts of Faith | Acts 12:1-25 | |
5-Oct | Living Life Together | Properly Fulfilling the Mission | Acts 13:1-16, 38-52 | Hayride—Fall Party |
12-Oct | Living Life Together | Discerning God’s Will As A Family | Acts 15:1-35 | |
19-Oct | Living Life Together | Experiencing the Power of God | Acts 15:36-16:34 | BCC 101 |
26-Oct | Guest Speaker | Scott Towers | ||
2-Nov | Living Life Together | Making a Difference That Can’t Be Ignored | Acts 17:1-15 | Daylight Savings Time Ends |
9-Nov | Stewardship | LLT by Taking the Next Step in Your Financial Earning | Col 3:22-25 | |
16-Nov | Stewardship | The Next Step in Spending | Luke 12:13-33 | Thanksgiving Dinner |
23-Nov | Stewardship | The Next Step in Giving | 2 Cor 8:1-15; 9:14 | Communion |
30-Nov | That Crazy Family of Yours | Tis the Season for OCD | Philippians 3:1-16 | 5th Sunday |
7-Dec | That Crazy Family of Yours | Too Much Sugar, Too Many Presents | Deuteronomy 6:1-9 | |
14-Dec | That Crazy Family of Yours | Fixing Your Focus | Matthew 2:1-12 | Children’s program |
21-Dec | That Crazy Family of Yours | Loving Your Outlaws | Genesis 2:18-25 | |
24-Dec, Wednesday | That Crazy Family of Yours | Christmas Has Always Been Crazy | Luke 2:1-20 | Christmas Eve |
28- Dec | That Crazy Family of Yours | The Biggest Bill Has Been Paid | Colossians 2:1-15 |