The Slow Work of God

June 23, 2024 • Trey Van Camp • Acts 9:19–31, Galatians 6:9, Galatians 1:17–18, Galatians 2:1

In Acts 9, Paul experiences his moment. He encounters the risen Jesus in an instant and his life is forever changed. But then, Paul begins his marathon. Rather than jumping straight into the work of the ministry that we know him for, Paul spends years cultivating a slow, gradual, and deep relationship with God. From Paul’s life, we learn that God always works slowly in us before working extraordinarily through us.

But God won’t force His work in us.

Like Paul, we must learn to trust in the slow work of God, yielding more and more of our idols, passions, and desires to him in surrender. Only by letting go of our expectations and accepting God’s grace can we slowly grow into mature disciples of Jesus who greatly impact those around us.

Peter's Progress

June 30, 2024 • Trey Van Camp • Acts 9:32–43, Acts 10:1–23, 1 Peter 3:15

As one of Jesus’ disciples, Peter knew what it meant to reorient his life around the love, lifestyle, and leadership of his Rabbi. He led like Jesus, and he lived like Jesus, but Peter still had to learn how to love like Jesus. In https://biblia.com/bible/csb/acts%2010, Peter is confronted with his next marathon: overcoming his prejudice. As a Jew, Peter believed that the gospel was only good news for his own people. But when God reveals the global scale of the gospel by showing him that Gentiles are just as loved by God as Jews are, Peter must confront his prejudice. Like Peter, all of us have biases. We classify, exclude, and judge people based on ethnicity, social status, or political tribe. But to follow Jesus means we must love everyone the way Jesus did, even when we disagree with them. Just like Peter, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we too can participate in the marathon of overcoming our biases and extending the gospel to all people.

The Moment A Murderer Became a Minister

June 16, 2024 • Trey Van Camp • Genesis 15:6, Psalm 106:28–31, Acts 9:1–19, Philippians 3:4–9, 2 Corinthians 12:9

In Acts 9 we meet Saul, a murderer and enemy of the new Christian movement. Saul has built his life around what he believes is the righteous way of God: zealously eradicating evil from the world. But then, in a moment, Saul is transformed. He meets the risen Jesus and learns that the righteousness of God doesn’t come by our earthly power, violence, or force. Instead, it comes through Christ. God in human flesh, coming to take our punishment and suffer violence on our behalf. We can learn from Saul by accepting our own brokenness and inability to achieve righteousness. Like Saul, we learn that to be a follower of Jesus is to let him be a warrior for us against sin and evil. Jesus is our only hope and confidence. Acts 9:1-19 CSB

A Eunuch, a Deacon, and a Baptism | Acts 8:26-39

June 9, 2024 • Caleb Martinez • Acts 8:26–39

Acts 8:26-39