Category: 2019 Sermons

Sermon Audio: The Truth Will Set You Free
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 7:1-60
Duration: 24:33
Size: 12.1 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
The Truth Will Set You Free
Acts 7:1-60

Let’s look at 5 truths that come out in this account of Stephen’s sermon and execution.

I. The Truth about the Land of Israel (Acts 7:1-7)
God is universally accessible!
If you want to find an audience with God, let me assure you that you can get His attention by simply calling out to Him from wherever you are.

II. The Truth about God’s Leaders (Acts 7:8-41)
Those who reject God’s leaders are rejecting Him.
I believe in the priesthood of every believer, which means that we all can come to God, without needing someone else to act as a go-between.

The truth about God’s leaders is that He typically speaks through them in order to get the whole body of Christ to do His will.

III. The Truth about the Temple (Acts 7:42-50)
God is greater than our best idea of Him.
The temple was to be a place where God’s glory could be known by those who came to worship.

IV. The Truth about the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:51-58)
God will go to great lengths to show people the truth.
These leaders of Israel were stubborn and unwilling to change.

V. The Truth about Stephen (Acts 7:59-60)
A right relationship with Jesus brings freedom.
You could have bound him with shackles of iron, but he still would have been free.

In order for that to happen, we must come to see the truth about ourselves, that without Him, we are lost.

Sermon Audio: How to Deal with False Accusations
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 6:8-15
Duration: 25:03
Size: 12.0 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
How to Deal with False Accusations
Acts 6:8-15

With God’s help, we can respond appropriately to those who treat us badly.

I. Live a Life of Integrity
It is very likely that Paul (or his Hebrew name Saul) was a member of the Sanhedrin as Stephen stood before them.

When we are falsely accused about something, a life testimony of integrity, honesty, and faithfulness is the best witness in our case.

II. Be Faithful to Keep on Doing What God Has Called You to Do
Stephen was faithful to God and faithful to do what God had called him to do.

III. Seek to Stay Filled with the Wisdom and Power of the Spirit
Being filled with wisdom and the power of the Spirit does not keep opposition of false accusations away.

IV. Entrust Your Future with the One Who Holds It
Even so, we must live our lives in such a way that we are trusting in God for our future.

V. Be Willing to Forgive Those Who Wrong You
Bitterness and unforgiveness will eat away at your spirit until there is nothing left but the shell of who you were.

Sermon Audio: God’s Dream Team
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 6:1-7
Duration: 20:28
Size: 9.98 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
God’s Dream Team
Acts 6:1-7

God wants His people to work as a team as they go about His unstoppable work.

I. Team Players Must Be Willing to Step up and Help Meet the Need
Peter and the other apostles were doing their best to meet the needs, but the church by this time could easily have been 10,000 people strong.

I want to point out that we are all wired differently. God has gifted us all uniquely so that we can do certain things better than other things.

II. Team Players Must Recognize When It Is Time to Get Out of the Way
So, the apostles presented the idea to the church that they should select seven faithful men who would be able to serve the Lord by taking care of the food distribution.

III. Team Players Should Seek Qualities That Will Enable Them to Help Others
If you have asked God to forgive you of your sins and to be the leader of your life, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you.

VI. Anointed Team Efforts Result in the Growth of God’s Kingdom (Acts 6:7)
Someone said that a lot can be accomplished if nobody cares who gets the credit.

Only the Spirit gives life to spirit, and we need Him more than ever.