The Kingdom of Christ Over the Sovereignty of Self [Acts 13:1-12]

Passion Creek Church

The Kingdom of Christ Over the Sovereignty of Self [Acts 13:1-12]

September 1, 2024 • Caleb Martinez • Acts 13:1–12

In Acts 13, Paul confronts a Roman governor and a Jewish sorcerer. Both of these men have power. One has magic, the other has politics. But neither of these powers is strong enough to keep the power of God’s Kingdom from spreading. Paul demonstrates this Kingdom power, and the gospel continues to spread. As followers of Jesus, we must respond to Jesus as a King who comes to earth announcing a Kingdom. But just like the men that Paul confronts, this Kingdom directly clashes with the kingdoms of the world and the kingdoms of our souls. How do we respond to Jesus’ Kingdom? Do we leave the world’s kingdom like Sergius? Do we cling to our own rule and reign like Elymas? Are we ready to face the worldly and personal kingdoms in conflict like Paul?

Paul vs. The Philosophers

October 13, 2024 • Caleb Martinez • Acts 17:16–34

In https://ref.ly/acts%2017;csb?t=biblia, Paul finds himself in a city very different than what he’s used to. Grand temples, pagan altars, and false idols fill the great city of Athens. When he begins sharing the good news of Jesus with the people of the city, he’s mostly ridiculed. But eventually, he’s invited to share his beliefs in front of a small crowd in the Areopagus court. As Paul explains who the true God really is, he confronts and dismantles the pagan idolatry that fills that city. He proclaims the good news that God is bigger than any temple, can’t be contained in any statue, but is also nearer to us than our very breath. Today, our world is the same as Athens. We can be tempted, like the Athenians, to share devotion that solely belongs to God with other worldviews, religions, and ideologies that oppose the way of Jesus. But to truly seek first the Kingdom means we too must confront and dismantle the idols in our lives and give all of our worship and devotion to the King.

The Making of a Model Church

October 6, 2024 • Trey Van Camp • Acts 17:1–15, 1 Thessalonians 1:1–8, 1 Thessalonians 2:13

As a church planter, Paul was always on the lookout for “foxes” that can ruin the good soil of the Kingdom — things like cynicism, gossip, and bitterness. But when he meets the Thessalonians and the Bereans, he encounters something different. Rather than brushing him off or blindly accepting his message, the Bereans model healthy skepticism. They are students of God’s Word who orient their lives around His truth. Similarly, the church in Thessalonica is later commended by Paul because of their response to the gospel. Rather than simply believing the right things, they commit to living the right way. Today, we can learn from both the Bereans and the Thessalonians. Being students of God’s Word means we have the right theology and the right practice. By reorienting our daily lives in response to the gospel, we too can become a model healthy church free of evil “foxes.”

A Businesswoman, A Slave Girl & A Jailor

September 29, 2024 • Acts 16:15–40

In https://ref.ly/acts%2016;csb?t=biblia, Paul and Silas finally reach Europe. As they arrive, they encounter three different people in different seasons of their lives, yet all in need of the gospel. Lydia, a successful businesswoman, reorients her wealth and resources toward God and his Kingdom. A demon-possessed Slave Girl is set free by the power of Jesus. A Roman Jailor about to take his own life finds both physical and spiritual salvation. In each of these encounters, the outcome is the same: the Kingdom breaks into their everyday lives and changes everything. Like these three people, all of us are in need. Some of us need literal and physical saving, and others of us simply need hope. Regardless of our status, financial situation, or season of life, Jesus promises to meet our needs. But to allow him to do this requires us to surrender our lives, our needs, and our resources to him.