This week's Sermon @ First B Jackson February 2nd 2025

In one paragraph

This message walked through two parallel stories from Acts: Saul's early days as a new believer in Damascus and Jerusalem, and Peter's ministry in Lydda and Joppa. Pastor traced how God was clearly moving ahead of every human plan and every human fear. The two stories together make the case that the church grows when ordinary people trust that Jesus is actually doing what he said he would do. Saul...

Read together

1. Acts 1:8 Jesus tells his disciples they will be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts
2. Galatians 1 mentioned as a place to read about where Paul went after being sent to Tarsus
3. Luke 7 story of the Roman officer whose valued slave was sick and the Jewish elders begged Jesus to heal him

Talk about it

1. The pastor asked whether we are afraid that Jesus cannot redeem someone we know. Is there a person in your life you have quietly written off that way, and what would it look like to stop doing that?
2. Barnabas vouched for Saul to the apostles when nobody else would. Can you think of a time when someone took a risk to speak up for you, or when you had the chance to do that for someone else?
3. Peter was willing to stop what he was doing and go with the men from Joppa. What makes it hard to be interrupted for someone else's need, and what might help us stay open to that?
4. The pastor pointed out that Aeneas had done nothing to earn his healing, while Tabitha was described as always helping the poor, yet both were healed. What does that say to you about how God works?
5. The closing challenge was to present what you personally know of Jesus, whether as healer, provider, or savior, and tell that story. What part of your experience with Jesus feels most natural to share, and what holds you back from sharing it?