Columbus Baptist Church's Podcast

Title: Missionaries for the Mission Text: Acts 16:1-10 FCF: We often struggle with uncertainty when prompted to share the gospel. Prop: Because God providentially prepares both the missionary and the mission, we must forsake every hindrance while following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 16. In a moment we’ll read starting in verse one from the legacy standard bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last week we saw an unfortunate conclusion to chapter 15’s story of church unity and peace. Paul and Barnabas part ways when they cannot find unity regarding who they would take with them on another missionary journey. But we pointed out last week that God providentially works to make magnificence from this mess. He establishes two mission teams who go to two places for the sake of the gospel. Today, Luke follows the missionary journey of Paul. But even here, his point is clear. God is the one

Title: Pride and Providence Text: Acts 15:36-41 FCF: We often struggle disagreeing with mercy and grace and pursuing unity with one another. Prop: Though God providentially uses even our sinful disagreements over upright things, even so we must pursue unity in truth and love. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 15. In a moment we’ll read starting in verse 36 from the Legacy Standard Bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or in the version you prefer. There is no question that Luke is beginning a new section in his book with this text. However, the themes that begin this new section connect in a contrasting way to what we have been discussing for the last 6 chapters. In the last six chapters we’ve seen the slow build of the church mission to advance beyond the Jews and go to even pagan gentiles. In culmination of that gospel work the Jerusalem council delivers the definitive word on the subject of the Jewishness of the New Covenant. In short, those who are united to

Title: In All Things Charity Text: Acts 15:22-35 FCF: We often struggle using our freedom to serve one another. Prop: Because God unifies His church on truth and love, we must celebrate a liberty that is used to love and serve one another. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts 15. In a moment we’ll read starting in verse 22 from the English Standard Version. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. I want to extend my thanks to Gary Montgomery for filling in for me while I was away. I was blessed by his sermons and I hope you were too. As we turn our attention back to the book of Acts, we are in the midst of a controversy of the highest order. It centers on 1 question with two applications. What place does the ceremonial law of Moses have in Christ’s church? And in answering that question we must look both before and after salvation. I’ve included some review already in the main portion of the sermon today so we won’t go deeper at the moment.

Title: In Essentials: Unity; In Non-Essentials: Liberty Part 2 Text: Acts 15:7-21 FCF: We often struggle being unified under truth in the bonds of love and peace. Prop: Because God has purified a people from many nations by faith, we must pursue unity, liberty, and peace. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 15. In a moment we’ll read from the Legacy Standard Bible starting in verse 1 and going through verse 21. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. The tag line of this preaching series reveals the entire message of Acts. It is all about the church, empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit to be united and triumphant. Well here in Acts 15, that unity and triumph faces its greatest test yet. Last week was part 1 of this pivotal moment in church history. Around 15 years after the ascension of Christ the church finds itself debating two deceptively complex and challenging questions regarding the nature of the ceremonial law and its bearin

Title: In Essentials Unity; In Non-Essentials Liberty” Part 1 Text: Acts 15:1-6 FCF: We often struggle handling differences of opinion within the church. Prop: Only when a doctrine or practice is essential must it be held without compromise, so we must always pursue church unity. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 15. In a moment I’ll begin reading from verse 1 in the Legacy Standard Bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or whatever version you prefer. Chapter 15 is a rather important chapter. First, it begins a new episode. The First Missionary Journey of Paul and Barnabas has been completed. Now a problem arises that the church must deal with. Chapter 15 is also a noticeable pivot point in the book. After this chapter we will never again read Peter’s name. After this chapter we will never again read Barnabas’ name. After this chapter we will see Jerusalem again… but only briefly. After this chapter we will no longer have any question about how the Gentiles

Title: The Home Run After Derbe Text: Acts 14:21-28 FCF: We often struggle growing while waiting for glory. Prop: Because God assures all those with saving faith will grow in their faith, we must disciple one another. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 14. In a moment we’ll begin reading starting at verse 21 from the Legacy Standard Bible. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Today we will close out the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. As we do we will officially pass the half way point of the book of Acts by verse count. Paul and Barnabas’s missionary journey to Cyprus, Pamphylia, and Southern Galatia has been full of ups and downs. Successes and perceived failures. Many have come to Christ, many have opposed Christ. We’ve seen the polarizing effect of the gospel, the natural wickedness of men, and the power of God to overcome it. And we’ve seen faithful men enduring great peril all for the sake of the Kingdom of God.

Title: 3 Strikes – We’re Out Text: Acts 14:8-20 FCF: We often struggle recognizing our depraved state. Prop: Because all men need the gospel, we must come by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts 14. In a moment we’ll read from the LSB starting in verse 8. You can follow along in whatever version you prefer. We are quickly coming to the close of the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas through Cyprus and Southern Galatia. We’ve seen the gospel go forward to great success, but more recently we’ve seen the gospel opposed… violently. In this text the opposition to the gospel will reach its climax. Today we’ll see what might seem like a major defeat for the missionaries. Please stand with me out of respect for and to focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: O Lord the God of Israel, Who is enthroned above the cherubim, You and You alone are the God of all the kingdoms of the earth; indeed You have made the

Title: Stand or Flee Text: Acts 14:1-7 FCF: We often struggle to courageously stand for the gospel without being foolish. Prop: Because the gospel’s polarizing effect leads to severe opposition, we must stand against false teaching but wisely preserve our life if we are permitted to. PG - Lycaonia (Lie; K; own; ya), namely Lystra (Lie; struh) and Derbe. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 14. In a moment we’ll begin reading in verse 1 from the LSB. You can follow along in the pew bible on page 1248 or in whatever version you prefer. Last week we saw the second leg of Paul and Barnabas’ missionary journey come to a close. After traveling to Cyprus and then to Pamphylia, they found themselves in the city of Pisidian Antioch, where they continued their practice of preaching to Jews in the local synagogue. However, things quickly went south as the Jews grew jealous of the influence of the Christians and incited prominent men and women to run them out of town. They tra