Sovereign Grace Church of Lawrenceburg

Acts 12 contains a story where God moved in a miraculous way to deliver one of His saints from persecution and certain death. In this story we find many lessons that will both encourage and teach us how to view and respond to persecution when it comes.

Acts chapter 11 details the birth and growth of the first Gentile church in Antioch.  In this sermon Brother Tracey examines several aspects of this first Gentile church and looks at what we can learn from them.

In this passage that contains the second half of the story of the conversion of Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, we see God sovereignly bring salvation through faith in the gospel of Christ. As Brother Tracey breaks down this story he looks at many applications this story has for our own life and walk, including the essential elements of a gospel presentation.

Acts chapter 10 details the very important story of Cornelius, the first gentile convert of the church. In this first part of the story, we see how God sovereignly brings a bout Cornelius's salvation by sovereignly preparing both Cornelius and Peter ahead of time. In this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at the many lessons we can learn from these stories of divine preparation.

God built His church by working in a mighty way through His servants, the apostles. They were effective in their ministry because God's power was working through them.  However, in following Peter in his personal ministry in this passage we can also see some aspects of Peter's ministry that helped make him effective. No doubt, it was God and His that ultimately made his ministry effective, but we can learn a lot from Peter as we examine how he went about doing the ministry God gave him.   Peter can teach us a lot about how to  be an effective servant.

The life of Saul after his conversion is completely different than his life before his conversion. Because God had done a work in Saul, these differences were definite evidence of that work. In this passage that describes Saul's  life right after his salvation, Brother Tracey looks at the features of Saul's transformed life that should also be  manifest to some degree in the life of all Christians if they have been truly converted.

We are all called to be evangelists in that we are to be witnesses of the gospel of Jesus Christ. By looking at the characteristics of Philip the evangelist which we see in this passage as he leads the Ethiopian Eunich to salvation, we can all learn how to be better witnesses of Christ ourselves.

When the gospel is faithfully preached it will many times produce both true and false converts. In this passage, Simon the magician is an example of the false conversion. He believes and gets baptized, but he shows that is views and beliefs have major errors. In this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at these areas of crucial error in belief.

In the description of what took place when Stephen was martyred for his faith, one can easily see a very stark contrast between the persecutors and the persecuted. One can be only described as darkness and the other as light as then contrast so greatly when looked upon against each other in this passage. In this sermon Brother Tracey looks at the ways one can easily see this stark contrast. *The first few minutes of this sermon was unfortunately not recorded. We apolologize.

Even though the story of Stephen in Acts is very brief, when compared to other giants of the faith, his life and ministry are no less significant and influential. He was a man of great character and faith. In fact, Stephen's life emulates Christ as much as any other figure in the New Testament. In this sermon,  Brother Tracey looks at the ways Stephen was like Christ.

In this passage, the potential for discord and disunity in the early church surfaces for the first time. In this sermon Brother Tracey looks at how the apostles solved the problem in a way that would not take them away for their most necessary work of studying the word and prayer.

In today's passage, the apostles are miraculously set free from prison, and the return immediately to the temple and continue teaching the gospel message for which they were arrested previously. Once again, they are arrested, and this time they are flogged. The leave, rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ. In this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at this account, and the example set before us that we are to rejoice in suffering for Jesus Christ, and boldly proclaim the gospel message in every circumstance.

We are experiencing some trying times in our culture. The prevailing attitude is one of fear. However, we see in scripture that God has not given us a spirit of fear. Since He is sovereign, we know we have nothing to fear. Brother Tracey takes us to Psalms this week to remind us of this truth.

Immediately following God's swift and sudden discipline of Ananias and Sapphira for their sin, we are given another overall picture of life in the church. By looking at the life of the church given in this picture, we can see the results that this discipline had on the church.

in this passage we see God bring swift and sudden judgement upon a husband and wife in the church for their sin. In this sermon, Brother Tracey examines the sin, its judgement and the lessons God wants us to learn from them.

For the second time in the book of Acts, Luke gives us an overall picture of the church after it is filled with the Holy Spirit. In this sermon, Brother Tracey look at the fruits of the Spirit as they re displayed in the overall life of the church.

In this second part of a two part series Brother Tracey continues to look at how Peter and John responded to the first persecution brought upon them. By looking at their example we learn how to properly respond to persecution when it comes.

For the Christian who desires to live godly in Christ Jesus, persecution is a promised reality. But how do we respond when it comes? In Acts chapter 4 Peter and John give us an excellent example of how to respond to persecution. In this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at these responses and how we should learn from them.

In the second half of Peter's sermon to the crowds at the temple, he gives a call to repent. In this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at this vital aspect of any gospel sermon by looking at the meaning of repentance and the promised results of repentance.

After the healing of the lame beggar drew a crowd, Peter begins to preach the gospel of Christ to them. In this passage we have the contents of that sermon and, therefore, a great model for what biblical gospel messages and sermons contain. In this sermon Brother Tracey looks at the necessary aspects contained here in Peter's sermon that should be a regular part of all gospel messages.

During the time of the apostles, great signs and wonders were not uncommon. In Acts chapter 3 we have an example of one of those miracles in the healing of the lame beggar. However, in these miracles God sometimes is doing more than simply showing His power and verifying His word being preached. While those are certainly among His purposes, God often gives us a picture of a spiritual realities through these miracles. In this sermon Brother Tracey looks at how this miracle of healing actually gives a picture of the world and what the world's true need for the church is.

In the final part of this four part sermon series, Brother Tracey looks at the final 4 characteristics of a Spirit filled church found in this very important passage that describe the early church.

In an examination of a passage that describes the life of the early church, Brother Tracey continues to look at the characteristics of a Spirit filled church. In this third part of a multi-sermon series we see the characteristics of a devotion to Christ-centered worship and prayer.

This passage describes what the church looked like in the very beginning when it was a Spirit filled and Spirit ruled church.  As we look at this description we see a church that is as close to God's ideal church as we have ever seen. Therefore, we can learn much about w hat God desires His churches to look like and how He desires them to function. In this sermon, Brother Tracey continues to look at the characteristics of a Spirit filled church in this second part of a multi-sermon series.

This passage describes what the church looked like in the very beginning when it was a Spirit filled and Spirit ruled church. As we look at this description we see a church that is as close to God's ideal church as we have ever seen. Therefore, we can learn much about what God desires His churches to look like and how He desires them to function. In this sermon, Brother Tracey begins to look at the characteristics of a Spirit filled church in this first part of a multi-sermon series.

In this passage we are given the description of how 3,000 souls were saved and brought into the church after hearing Peter preach on the Day of Pentecost. In this sermon Brother Tracey looks at the marks of genuine salvation that can be seen in this description of their conversion to Christ.

After opening his sermon with an explanation for the pouring out of the Holy Spirit that his Pentecost Day crowd was witnessing, Peter now turns to the main focus of his sermon. Beginning in verse 22 Peter now spends most of his time giving undeniable proof that Jesus Christ is Israel's Messiah and therefore God  has made Him both Lord and Christ. In this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at the 4 ways Peter shows that Jesus is God's Messiah.

In this passage we see Peter step forward on the day of Pentecost and deliver the first sermon ever preached after the birth of the church. The focus of Peter's sermon is to make Jesus known as Lord and Savior. However, in the beginning of his sermon, Peter first explains to his audience what they are witnessing and why they need to give heed to his words.

In this second sermon on the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church, Brother Tracey looks at the results of the birth, as he addresses the question, what exactly happened to the apostles and the other believers on that Day of Pentecost?

In this passage we have the description of what took place when the church was born. In this first of a two part sermon, Brother Tracey explores the timing and the nature of that birth and then looks at the conclusion that this should lead us to.

In this second of a two part sermon, Brother Tracey continues to look at the principles we can learn and use for filling an ordained office in the church.

In this passage we see the description of how the church filled a very noticeable vacancy, that being the office of apostle left empty by Judas. In this first part of a two part sermon Brother Tracey looks at how the church must be in constant and united prayer before they attempt to fill a vacant office in the church.

The first part of this two part sermon covered the mission itself that Christ gave His apostles and the church for all generations, as Brother Tracey looked at what it truly means to be Christ's witnesses. In this second part Brother Tracey looks at the different aspects of the mission that we as believers must understand if we are to carry it out.

In the opening passage of the book of Acts, The Holy Spirit through the author Luke gives the mission statement for the church for all ages. In this first of two sermons on this passage, Brother Tracey begins by looking at the mission itself and then carefully defines it so that there is no confusion with the followers of Christ as to what they are called to do.

At the end of Exodus we find the long expected result of the completion of the tabernacle.  God would descend in a cloud of glory and fill the tabernacle so that He could dwell with His people. In this sermon Brother Tracey looks at what God's descension in glory teaches and how it should apply to us.

Brother Chris Williams returns to the pulpit for the first time in several years. He shares how God has been working in his life through his health issues, and how God has used his suffering to draw him into a closer walk with Jesus. Brother Chris affirms, through the passage in Romans, that we will have suffering, and ultimately its purpose is to grow us and glorify God, and therefore is worth it in the end.

In this chapter the high priestly garments that Aaron and his descendants would wear as the high priest of the tabernacle are described in detail. In this sermon Brother Tracey looks at how we can see Christ and His work as our true high priest in these garments.

In this passage that gives a detailed accounting of the precious treasures that the Israelites brought and used in the making of the tabernacle, Brother Tracey looks at the spiritual truths that can be seen in the physical richness described for us.

All of the tabernacle is designed to foreshadow our salvation in Christ. This is most certainly true of the altar and the laver in the courtyard of the tabernacle. In this sermon Brother Tracey expounds on the different aspects of our salvation that these two pieces reveal and portray.

In this passage the Golden Altar of Incense is described. Brother Tracey looks at how this altar and it's function in the tabernacle reveal to us that God is  God who hears the prayers of His people and this calls His people to pray to him.

The golden lamp stand placed in the holy place provided the only light for the tabernacle. Without this light, the priest would have not been able to see at all and therefore would have been unable to move and minister as he should. In this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at how this lamb stand points to God Himself being the light we need to see spiritually and to therefore be able to move and walk in this live as we should.

In this passage giving the description of the Table of The Bread of Presence, Brother Tracey looks at how this table that stood in the tabernacle reveals God to be a God of provision and relation ship and how that applies to us as Christians today.

The ark of the covenant built by the Israelites represented the throne of God on earth, the very place God's presence would dwell. In this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at how this ark and representation of God's throne reveals much about the God who would sit on it.

In this passage we see the beginning of the detailed description of the tabernacle for the second time in Exodus. in this sermon, Brother Tracey looks at the things God is highlighting through this almost verbatim repeat of Exodus chapter 26.