PUC Sermons

Connecting three big themes from Acts to the life of Plymstock United Church

Four key themes that dominate the book of Acts - a final reflection on the series

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."

.

.

If I could get my head around God, then I would either have a very small God ...or a very big head!

.

.

.

.

.

.

Why did women buy spices late on a Saturday evening? And why does Mark finish his Gospel on a cliffhanger?

Palm Sunday declares that Jesus is King. But is that true in our own lives?

Four examples of Paul's truth-filled words making a powerful difference - sometimes for others, but also for his own life!

What's a helpful way of being better prepared to tell the story of how Jesus became central in our lives?

Rumours and assumptions are a danger to the church - divisive tools of "the Father of Lies". So what can we learn from how the church in Acts addressed the problem?

Connecting the church as a community of Christians, and raising children who know the Holy Spirit - these are key features of the growing church in the book of Acts.

What is the role of Elders in Jesus' church? Paul uses the imagery of shepherds who feed, lead and protect the sheep (not carrying them around), while reminding them that both the call and the church are God's.

St Paul's desire was to know God's call on his life, and he was committed to pursuing that cause whatever the cost. He kept in step with the Spirit, even when the Spirit warned him of dangers ahead.

What's our attitude towards preachers and preaching? And what place do encouragement and generosity have in our lives as followers of Jesus?

Who are the people who speak sense into our enthusiasm? And what sinister undercurrents do we need to be aware of as we seek to follow Jesus?

Without the Holy Spirit none of the book of Acts would be written. He is the vital link between what God did then and what God continues to do now. "The most desperate need of the nation today is that men and women who profess Jesus be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Billy Graham).

Growing as disciples of Jesus includes facing the question: is my faith inadequate? Apollos was teachable and his faith became more adequate. And as Paul journeyed to strengthen disciples in their faith, what would that involve?

When mission has been frustrating we can still be faithful to the task of mission. But still there are times when it's right to walk away, even though it's a life-and-death scenario. And when people do come to faith in Jesus, then there is the need to help them grow...

How was a 12-year old Jesus equipped for in-depth discussions with religious leaders? And what focus is he aware of for his life?

How did an old man and an old woman respond to the baby Jesus?

Mary is told about her *awkward* pregnancy and the significance of her baby.

A childless couple are told their own son will herald the arrival of The Son.

Ancient promises of hope point towards the coming of Jesus

What is misplaced hope, and how can we make sure that our hope is based on something dependable?

Am I bothered about those who do not know Jesus? How do we build bridges for communicating the Good News to people who have a different view of life, the universe and everything?

When the message is said to be eternally significant, how do we work out whether it's really true, or if it's a lie?

What happens to our worship when times get tough? And how would we respond when someone asks what they should do to be saved?

Guest speaker Rev Gavin Calver, CEO of the Evangelical Alliance

Unclean spirits - fact or fantasy? What does it mean to say that an evil spirit was cast out from a slave girl? What's behind the story? Is this really something that we should expect to see happening in the 21st century church?

As the Good News of Jesus reaches European soil we see the church raising up new leaders, staying in step with the Holy Spirit and taking the Bread of Life to those who are spiritually hungry.

What lies at the heart of Harvest? It's a regular feature of church life and part of the annual rhythm of worship in the Bible. Gratitude, generosity and intentionality should be key characteristics at the heart of our celebrations.

How did the early church build the Body of Christ when there was so much chance of division? Care in communication, maintaining family manners and encouraging words all help with Body building.

How does a growing church make decisions that shape the future? Watch what the Holy Spirit is doing, check what the Scriptures say, and don't make it difficult for people to come to faith in Jesus.

What difference does our view of the world make to our faith and exepctations of what the Holy Spirit might do? And how is this relevant when telling others about Jesus?

How is Jesus different from Israel's greatest king, and who should we bother telling?

When the Holy Spirit speaks as people pause to pray, the church is guided into fresh mission and may face strong opposition.

Do we expect prayer to make any difference? Are we bothered enough to make time, persevere and actually ask God to intervene?

Whoever they are, we should rejoice with new believers, encourage other believers and share fellowship with all believers.

When the Holy Spirit acts and the church takes note, then we can be united to go in the same direction - God's direction!

Can we step out in faith when we don't have the full picture? What's the message, and who gets to hear it?

How does a dinnercloth laden with forbidden food change the mission focus of the church?

One was nicknamed 'The Encourager' and another was popular because of her good deeds as encouragement, kindness, Bible and Spirit come together.

How readily do we hear and obey visions that come from the Holy Spirit? And what does it take to persuade someone to believe Jesus is the Messiah?