Sound Doctrine

You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria, and to the end of the earth. That’s the mandate that Jesus gave the disciples as He ascended in Acts. And that’s the same message that we are given now until He returns in the same way. As we look into one of the longest messages preached in the book of Acts, we discover what Stephen was sharing with the hard-hearted religious rulers of Jerusalem. Pastor Jeff breaks up Moses’ life and call into 3 key areas, and shows how that applies to us as well. With more, let’s open to Acts 7 for our time in Sound Doctrine. 

What was true of Abraham is true of the Christian today. Because Abraham believed God’s promise, God accounted his faith for righteousness. It wasn’t Abraham’s works or religiosity, but faith. The same is true for each and every Christian as well. As we as justified by our faith in Christ Jesus, God accounts righteousness to us just as He did Abraham. Pastor Jeff shows that while the Jewish leaders accepted Abraham as their father, they fought the shift that walking by faith presented with God. With more, let’s open to Acts 7 for our study titled, “Resisting Change,” for our time in Sound Doctrine.

The Bible says that the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. And when the religious leaders of the book of Acts who followed the letter of the law came into contact with the church, that was birthed by the Holy Spirit, there was conflict. Today Pastor Jeff shows how Stephen was giving the religious leaders a history lesson of Abraham receiving God’s promise by faith and not the law, and how we need to continue to walk by faith in Jesus Christ and not our own works. With more on our study titled, “Resisting Change Part 3,” let’s join Pastor Jeff in Acts 7. 

Confrontation can be unpleasant, awkward, and for some a little scary. When confronting a person it requires a mindset of love and conviction. But when Stephen confronted the religious rulers saying they were wrong in serving God by the law instead of faith required him to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pastor Jeff says that obeying the law is futile because we always break it. That’s why grace was given at the cross of Jesus Christ. With our third installment of the study titled, “Resisting Change part 1,” let’s join Pastor Jeff in Acts 7.

It’s been said, “Great things are done when men and mountains meet; this is not done by jostling in the street.” IOW when great men and great obstacles come into contact, God uses those as opportunities for change, growth, and a new work in people’s lives. Hebrews 12:11 says that we are “trained” by such challenges before us. Such was the case with Stephen. Pastor Jeff shares how Stephen has completely dedicated himself to the Lord as to the key to his effectiveness with the religious rulers.  And God calls each of us to be dedicated to the Lord as well, regardless of what our full time work may be. With more on that, let’s join Pastor Jeff in Acts 7 for our time in Sound Doctrine. 

In 1965 the Byrds had a hit song called, “Turn, Turn, Turn.” Based on Ecclesiastes 3 it describes the fact that change is a part of life. People, places, and things change all the time. Pastor Jeff says that while change happens all around us, the place where we find change most difficult is with religion and the church. And when change comes to those circumstances, the people who are walking according to tradition and religion will resist the most. But to be obstinate when it comes to changes that God wants to do in our lives means that a once vibrant relationship will turn to stale and dry habits. Join us as we learn more in our study titled, “Resisting Change” in Acts 7 with Pastor Jeff.

 Have you noticed that the climate for being a Christian in America has grown increasingly cold? The world is no friend to the believer. Yet Jesus warned us that if the world hated Him, it will hate us as well. And yet in spite of all that, the believer walks with a hope and a love that comes from God’s Spirit dwelling within us, and God’s call to us. Pastor Jeff says even more intense was the atmosphere of rejection that Stephen experienced. Yet for all that He was filled the hope of God even as he experienced suffering. With our final episode called, “To Walk with God,” let’s turn to Acts 6 for our time in Sound Doctrine.

Have you ever heard the phrase, “If it were easy everyone would do it,”? When it comes to difficult tasks in life that we undertake, we often remind ourselves of the worthiness with that saying. Jesus equated greatness with serving. And as we resume our studies in the book of Acts Pastor Jeff illustrates this principle of walking with God by showing those whose lives reflected that service to Him born from their personal walk. He shows that fears are understandable, but so is the boldness that God will give to those who take the steps of faith to serve Him. Join us as we look more at the study titled, “To Walk with God,” in Acts 6 with Pastor Jeff. 

Faith comes by hearing, and that by the word of God. And it is through Pastors and teachers who give out the Word line upon line can cause God’s people to understand it in its context. That’s the recipe for a healthy diet of growing in the Lord. As we continue to look at the factors of the leadership of the early church Pastor Jeff lays down the principles for the health of the church from God’s Word. For the church that offers a little Bible here and there, the result will be very little belief here and there. But what is healthy for a church is healthy for each believer. We invite you to carefully consider these foundational truths for our growth in the Lord. And join us in Acts 6 for our time in Sound Doctrine.

The early church had many opportunities for the believers to serve the Lord. And many opportunities for the enemy, Satan, to try and ruin what God was doing in the church. And as we take a look at those whom the Lord raised up to serve tables, Pastor Jeff says that those who serve the Lord with all their heart should also share the Lord with all their heart with their household as well. In doing so, our families are strong in the Lord and our church is strong in the Lord as well. With more on that, let’s join Pastor Jeff in Acts for our time in Sound Doctrine.