It's always bittersweet for me when we close out a series. On the one hand, I have loved walking through this with you and have learned so much. I have hope that we have been shaped as a church to be more Spirit-led and to see our part in the story God is writing as the Word advances through the church of Jesus Christ. On the other, it's hard to say goodbye. - Pastor Bill
Rome at Last
August 4, 2019 • Pastor Bill Riedel
In this passage, Paul makes it to Rome at last. That doesn't mean it was easy, though. When we left off, he and the others aboard the ship had made it safely to land after a shipwreck. We see that they had landed on the island of Malta. There are clear themes of hardship and hospitality throughout this section. In all of it, we will see that God's promises bring us freedom, and our ability to trust His promises will free us to live life to its fullest.
Shipwrecked
July 21, 2019 • Pastor Bill Riedel
This passage is the most detailed nautical narrative in any ancient literature. It is a gripping story of sailing, a storm, disagreements on board, and an eventual shipwreck. Through it all, Paul shows an incredible sense of calm, focus, decisiveness, and confidence. He had faith that Jesus would bring him to Rome, even if it wasn’t quite the path he, or anyone else, imagined. This is an important passage for us. There is an important interplay of faith and action, trust and wisdom, in our lives.
Nothing to Lose
July 14, 2019 • Pastor Bill Riedel
In this passage, Paul encounters his 5th trial and interrogation. This time it is in front of King Agrippa. We will focus in on Acts 26:13-32. In the face of intimidating circumstances, Paul is strikingly bold and focused. He is also incredibly winsome, taking the opportunity to proclaim the Risen Savior Jesus to Festus, Agrippa, and all who will listen. It's an incredible example of what it looks like to live life as a Christian with nothing to lose. So, we have the chance to consider what it is that holds us back from similar boldness and allow God's Word to challenge us to live with greater abandon.
Faithful Presence
June 9, 2019 • Pastor Bill Riedel
Last week we saw Paul on trial before the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, and transferred to a Roman court in Caesarea. This week we will see what happens when he stood on trial before Felix, and later Festus. Two years later. That's right. The Apostle Paul sat in prison in Caesarea for two whole years awaiting a decision on baseless charges. It can't help but feel like a waste of his incredible giftedness as a pastor and church planter. Paul's posture and approach throughout his imprisonment will help us as we wrestle to understand God's timing in our own lives and circumstances.
Take Courage
June 2, 2019 • Pastor Bill Riedel
Leading up to this passage, Paul was attacked by a rioting crowd in the Temple courts. The Roman guards came through to save his life, but still arrested him. In this passage, Paul is put on trial before the Sanhedrin, a religious council that is the very council that was responsible for the death of Christ. Paul was thrown back into prison and as he sat alone in the middle of the night, Jesus met him and called him to take courage. This passage shows us that in our darkest, loneliest moments, Jesus doesn't abandon us. He is not distant or unaware of what we face. He stands by all who are His.
Good News for Culturally Heated Times
May 12, 2019 • Pastor Bill Riedel
Paul finally made it to Jerusalem and stepped into a culturally divided context where the heat was getting turned up. As he tried to navigate the tensions of the day, it ended up being personally costly, but he was able to speak the beauty and hope of good news into a culturally heated context. There is massive crossover for us as we navigate the divides of our time and see the realities that we must understand if we are going to join God in His good work in our city.
Walking in the Spirit
May 5, 2019 • Pastor Bill Riedel
This Sunday we will jump into the fourth and final section of the book of Acts. The major theme of this section is that The Story Continues. The same Spirit continues to advance the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are part of the story God has written and continues to write. Acts 21:1-16 starts off Paul's journey back to Jerusalem. It's a crazy section. People around Paul claim to be hearing from the Holy Spirit and do some bizarre things, like tying themselves up with his belt. Paul continues on in the face of it. We are going to take time on Sunday to approach the question of what we do when Christians come to different conclusions while pursuing the will of the same Spirit of God. How do we deal with disagreement? How do we walk in step with the Spirit, or with any confidence that we are actually following Him?
