Valley Alliance (Loving God.. Loving People)

Times, customs, and cultures change. However, the Gospel remains the same. Continuing in our series, “Through the Book of Acts”, Pastor Shane picks up where we left off last week in Chapter 17. The philosophies present in the hearts and minds of the Athenians can be considered closely analogous to people in our culture today. Philosophy in and of itself is not bad. However, if it stands in the way of the Gospel message, or the way the Gospel is meant to impact our worldview, it is something that needs to be addressed. Valley Alliance 317 Luzerne Avenue West Pittston, PA 18643 570-654-2500 valleyalliance.church

Just because you believe in something does not make it true. Pastor Shane in this message presents us with the challenge of being able to reason through the scriptures to support our beliefs. As we continue our journey through the book of Acts, in chapter 17 we find Paul engaging those in the synagogue located in Thessalonica to consider all of the scripture that points to Jesus being the Christ. Although they may have been familiar with all of the miracles that Jesus performed, they required the support of scripture to be able to accept that He is the Messiah. Pastor Shane confronts us with the need to be able to explain the reasons we have confidence in who Jesus is and what He has done.

Jesus is our cornerstone. He is what our lives are supposed to be built upon. Pastor Shane in this message encourages us to listen to God’s word as it is expressed in the Bible as well as it is spoken by the Holy Spirit directly into our hearts. Not only are we to trust God as the very foundation of our lives, but we are tasked with seeking out others who will hear the Gospel and trust in Jesus so that they too can become living stones that God chooses to “build into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Taking a break from our series in Acts, Pastor Shane encourages us to take the gifts God has given us and take them into our local community. We are to be demonstrating God's love in practical ways as we share the Gospel with our friends, neighbors, and family.

Church is not meant to be like a funeral. Jesus is alive! Why do we go to church to just talk about Him like He is not even there? Since He is alive, we can gain His perspective on our lives, both individually and corporately as a church, by talking directly to Him. In this challenging sermon, Pastor Shane explains that prophecy is for today. God can speak directly to us, addressing the specific situation we are in. It is true that He speaks through the Bible, but there are times that we need a word directly from Him. Yes, it is true that we should measure prophecy against the Bible, which no word from God would contradict.

We do not always understand why the events of our lives unfold the way they do. However, we can be sure of God’s character and faithfulness in even the direst of circumstances. As Pastor Shane continues the series, “Through the Book of Acts”, we are confronted with the question, “Will we allow God to use us as He sees fit?”. In order to be used of God, we must know what He would have us be doing. Living a Life of faith requires us to trust God with our entire lives.. It requires us to trust Him more than ourselves.

What is required to be saved? Is it adherence to God’s law as expressed in the Old Testament? In particular, “Do the Gentiles need to be circumcised to be a Christian?” What is the evidence of salvation? These were some of the questions that the early church faced as explained in our key passage of Acts 15. In this sermon, Pastor Shane Nichols discusses how the early church tackled these extremely important questions and what impact this has on us today. He also elaborates on what it means when we speak about the inerrancy of scripture and how our living out of scripture, as enabled by the Holy Spirit, allows us to experience God’s Kingdom now.

Pastor Shane Nichols in today’s message challenges us to consider the areas of our lives that hold us back as followers of Jesus. Many of these things are not necessarily sinful in and of themselves, but it is the place that they hold in our hearts. Anything that we place above our relationship with God is sin. Let us head God’s direction to lay aside all things that encumber us and enjoy the freedom that is available to us in Jesus.

We need to be guided and directed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not an it but is a person. Are our hearts sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit as it speaks? Are we willing to obey what God is telling us as we go about our everyday lives? Pastor Shane Nichols continues our study in Acts beginning in Chapter 13. The challenge to go on mission is proposed to the church.. Will we answer?

In this sermon, Pastor Shane Nichols explains many misconceptions concerning the prophetic gift. Although there are many that believe that the gift of prophecy is no longer needed, scripture does not support this notion. It is true that some have stumbled into a disposition of emotionalism and have placed God's spiritual gifts above the fruit they are intended to produce. Let us explore the book of Acts together and see what God's word says about this very important topic.