Biblical Places: Pastor Joe Fuiten

Missionaries to Everyone

March 16, 2022 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 13

Antioch was the western terminus of the Silk Road which had recently opened up trade with China. Camels arrived there bearing spices, silk and other exotic goods from beyond the Himalayas. Antioch's command of north-south and east-west roads contributed greatly to its growth and prosperity. The city was also called "Queen of the East" because of its mixed population of Romans, Persians, Indians and even Chinese. Given its religions and ethnic mix it was quite cosmopolitan and earned the reputation of being an immoral city. If the Gospel was to become a world-wide religion that included Gentiles, Antioch was the right place from which to launch it. The “revival” that took place in Antioch was a clear signal that God intended his Gospel to reach all people.

With Jesus in Holy Week

April 13, 2022 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten

I am going to suspend my regular study of Acts and do a study called "With Jesus in Holy Week." We will show 76 pictures of various sites that go along with the places where Jesus was from Palm Sunday through Easter.

Acts of God Against Acts of Tyrants Against Acts of the Apostles

February 16, 2022 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 12

That is a lot of acts! I have taught the book of Acts with chapter 12 several times over the last 51 years. Teaching it in 2022 offers new insights on current politicians. Nations long governed by laws enacted by representatives of the people have reverted to patterns that existed before the English Revolution of 1688 and the American Revolution of 1776. Under the guise of an “emergency,” principles of liberty articulated by John Locke in “On Civil Liberty” and held as basic to governance for over 300 years have been overthrown in favor of monarchial rule by petty tyrants at all levels of government.

Acts 10 • Ceasarea

January 26, 2022 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 10

Caesarea is one of my favorite places to visit in Israel. I covered a good bit of the city in my teaching about three years ago to go with my tour notes.

Acts 11 • Quality Leaders Matter

February 2, 2022 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 11

When you know that people are critical of a certain thing, you are able to address it. In the work of the Lord, it is helpful to know what people are criticizing because often they are lacking a bit of information that would not only silence the criticism but allow them to become supporters of the church in a given matter.

Biblical Places: Damascus, From the Light of Paul to the Dark Future

January 19, 2022 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 9

The attacks of Saul against the church are representative of how the devil has hounded the church for the past 2,000 years. Nothing has changed in our world today. Christians are still the most persecuted group on the planet even though we are also the largest and fastest growing religion. We will hit some highlights of this persecution as it relates to the city of Damascus.

Biblical Places: Heavenly respect for Stephen • Philip went to Samaria

December 15, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 8, Acts 7

Acts chapter 7 ends with the death of Stephen. Before we proceed to chapter 8 I would like to pay attention to what Stephen saw as he was about to die. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Biblical Places: Growing Pains

November 17, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 6

You would think that in a place where God is moving in mighty ways that everything would be perfect. You would also think that people full of the Holy Spirit would not make mistakes. As this chapter will show us, even spiritual people have things to overcome. We will also see that desiring to overcome discrimination can lead to a new set of problems

Biblical Places: True and Fake Piety

October 27, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 4—5

Giving is important but the motive for giving is even more important. Jesus taught this in the Sermon on the Mount when he talked about almsgiving. Almsgiving was not to be done with fanfare but quietly unto the Lord.

Biblical Places: The Church resists authoritarian mandates

October 20, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 4

The miracle of healing the crippled man brought a great preaching opportunity for Peter and John which they seized upon to great effect including annoying the political and religious elites. In this chapter we have the pushback trying to silence Christians and how they responded. The story might indicate how Christians in other times might respond to political and religious oppression and mandates.

Biblical Places: Beautiful Gate and the Golden Gate

September 22, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 3

Biblical Places: Mount of Olives and Acts 1

June 16, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten • Acts 1

Biblical Places: Sinai • its Place in Taking the Promised Land

May 26, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten

In these recent Wednesday nights we have looked at the battle for the Promised Land. There is one underlying theme through it all. That is that Israel would only be successful if they obeyed all that God had commanded them. This is repeated several times. First, it was the premise at the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai. Then it was the condition God gave to Joshua at the start of the campaign. After the initial campaign was over and the land was being divided among the tribes at the end of Joshua’s life, he again reaffirmed the necessity of obedience to God’s law. Tonight I want to go back and revisit these instructions and then look to the connection which these have to Pentecost which we will be observing this Sunday, May 23rd.

Biblical Places: Sinai • its Place in Taking the Promised Land and as Prelude to Pentecost

May 19, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten

In these recent Wednesday nights we have looked at the battle for the Promised Land. There is one underlying theme through it all. That is that Israel would only be successful if they obeyed all that God had commanded them. This is repeated several times. First, it was the premise at the giving of the law at Mt. Sinai. Then it was the condition God gave to Joshua at the start of the campaign. After the initial campaign was over and the land was being divided among the tribes at the end of Joshua’s life, he again reaffirmed the necessity of obedience to God’s law. Tonight I want to go back and revisit these instructions and then look to the connection which these have to Pentecost which we will be observing this Sunday, May 23rd.

Biblical Places: Joshua in the Promised Land • Wasted opportunities

April 28, 2021 • Pastor Emeritus Joe Fuiten

I have taught and preached this text several times in the last 40 years I have been at Cedar Park. I taught it once to the Sunday School teachers around 1980 at least a year and a half before I became the pastor. George Johnson, the founding pastor had asked me to do the session even though he didn’t know me well. I was just a district guy attending his church. He apparently liked it because after that he gave me opportunity to fill in for him when he left for vacation every month of August. In my travels around the state I used it in several churches to present the vision of dividing the work. It was also my first sermon after becoming Pastor on May 1, 1981. Thereafter I preached it every few years on my anniversary of ministry at the church.