Freedom Church Chester

Sunday, 15 September 2019 | Acts 10:44-48 // Keith Cooper | God's confirmation // 1. Be filled with the Holy Spirit. You cannot be saved without him. But God pours out his Spirit willingly to all who come to him. // // In this filling we experience the love of Christ. He fills us with his joy. And we receive gifts. // // 2. God works according to his own sovereign will. He will fulfil his purposes in his way at his time. He does not have favourites and he cannot be contained. // // 3. God is still looking for Spirit-filled men and women of faith and action. People who live in complete dependence on the Holy Spirit, those who humble themselves before God. People who are hungry for him. We will never reach the end of God's resources!

Sunday, 8 September 2019 | Acts 10:23b-43 // Keith Cooper | To the Gentiles // God is changing Peter’s heart as he prepares him for ministry to the Gentiles. This involves overcoming a lifetime of teaching that the Gentiles were excluded from God’s plans. // // There is no salvation apart from Jesus. God in his good purposes chose Cornelius and Peter to be a key part of the plan, formed before the beginning of time, to bring the Gentiles into the family of God.

Sunday, 1 September 2019 | Acts 10:1-23a // Keith Cooper | Visions and Menus // This is a pivotal chapter, concerned with the grafting of the Gentiles into the Christian church. Peter was to be used sovereignly by God for this specific mission. This was a process spanning many years. God works according to his own timing and plan. We can trust his methods and timeline. His word will come to pass; no person can prevent this. // // Cornelius was a ‘model’ religious person. But he did not know Jesus as his Saviour. Here we are God plants the seeds of change and salvation in Cornelius. Religion could not save him. Only Jesus could – and in this story, we see that Peter was to be the one who would introduce Cornelius to Jesus. // // Meanwhile God was working in Peter to transform his preconceptions about what was clean and unclean. Just as God declared all food clean, he was now declaring that cleanliness was to be no barrier for the Gentiles: the Gospel was for everyone, not just for the Jews.

Sunday, 18 August 2019 | Acts 19:32-43 // Matt Banks | Gospel in Action // Aeneas had been paralysed for 8 years, completely dependent on others for all his needs. Tabitha had been devoted to the works of the gospel and yet suddenly died. Both experienced suffering, a fundamental aspect of living in this fallen world – suffering that can remain this case, even though we lean into God. We should not interpret suffering as God’s disfavour. // // Peter travels through their towns, bringing healing – resurrection, emulating the ministry of Christ. And this profound witness, showing God’s care, results in many putting their faith in Jesus. This gift of healing turns our attention, in the suffering, to the One who can bring relief from the suffering or comfort in the suffering.

Sunday, 11 August 2019 | Acts 9:19b-31 // Keith Cooper | A New Direction // Paul’s original mission to persecute Christians, was so well known that his change of heart caused great confusion. This confusion quickly turned into murderous intent. But Paul now considered it a privilege to suffer and be persecuted for the sake of Jesus Christ. // // Paul understood what he had been saved from. He valued the treasure that he had received: a relationship with Christ and the gift of eternal life and redemption. This drove his passion to preach and share his new faith.

Sunday, 4 August 2019 | Acts 9:1-19a // Andy Lawrie | A Transformed Life // Luke paints a beautiful picture of the transformation of Paul’s life through the direct revelation of Christ. In this, God answered the martyr Stephen’s prayer (chapter 7) not to hold the persecutors’ sin against them. No matter how bleak the situation, we should never underestimate how God responds to faithful prayers. The person who once hated and despised Jesus would now learn to call him ‘Lord’; to receive Jesus as his own Saviour.

Sunday, 28 July 2019 | Acts 8:26-40 // Keith Cooper | Divine Appointments // Philip willingly travelled to spread the gospel, despite persecution, because of the love God have given him for people’s souls. He listened well to the Holy Spirit’s direction and brought the enlightenment of the scriptures and the revelation of Christ to the people he met. And Philip obeyed God, going where he was sent and speaking as he was directed. // // As Philip explained to the eunuch, all of scripture points to Jesus. The passage confusing the eunuch could only be understood in the light of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, 21 July 2019 | Acts 8:1-25 // Elizabeth Linton | Gospel Effects // // Chapter 8 of Acts is a pivotal chapter. Death changes things. Stephen was the first to die, in a savage ‘mob rule’ attack. This changed the rules and the Christians became fair game. // // This may have seemed like a disaster, but God was building his kingdom and he would not be stopped. Christ has established his disciples with the Great Commission – to take the gospel to all nations. Signs and wonders – miracles – intensified. The cords of fellowship strengthened, that bound together the believers in fellowship. // // Simon the sorcerer thought he could buy all this and attain fame and power. He had no idea about the true meaning, purpose and self sacrifice inherent in the gospel. God looks at the heart, not on outward appearance.

Sunday, 14 July 2019 | Acts 7 // Keith Cooper | Stephen’s reply // Stephen delivers an empowered speech, in faith tracing the story of God’s grace to his people from Abraham onwards. An overriding theme was that God’s most devout followers made him the Lord of their lives. // // We see this in Joseph, who became the vessel of God’s salvation during a time of famine, and in Moses, who led the captive Israelites out of servitude in Egypt. Having led the Jews to safety, Moses was then rejected by the people, who turned to false gods. In a similar way, says Stephen, first century Jews were rejecting the Holy Lamb of God: Jesus, the one true Saviour and Lord. // // We must treasure Jesus, pursue him, fill our minds and hearts with his gospel. Whatever the cost, whatever the consequences, he is worthy and his way is the only way worth pursuing. There is no other name by which we can be saved

Sunday, 7 July 2019 | Acts 6 // Rob Pomeroy | Life Happens // // The gospel was being proclaimed, Christians were facing and dealing with issues of poverty, and persecution was among them. In this environment, God blessed and used the new church powerfully. In Acts 6 we learn: // // 1. We are to be prepared // 2. Our lives as Christians should be marked by good deeds (though these do not themselves gain salvation) // 3. We should not belittle our calling, whatever it may be // 4. We are accepted // 5. The results can be left to God alone

Sunday, 30 June 2019 | Acts 5 // Dave Brown | Fear and Persecution // The disciples, moving in the knowledge of God, were preaching of Christ and his sacrifice. The church was growing and reaching out into the entire community and Jewish places of worship. // // Ananias and Sapphira sold some land but attempted to deceive the apostles in relation to the proceeds of sale. They claimed they were handing over the entire sale price, but secretly, hoping for admiration and position, they held some back and lied about this. For this deception, in which they persisted when challenged, God slayed them. // // News of Ananias and Sapphira spread and unsurprisingly caused fear all around. At the same time, people were hearing the gospel and holding the disciples in high esteem for their message of peace, power and providence. The religious leaders jealously opposed and imprisoned the apostles, but God miraculously intervened, freeing and protecting them so that they could carry on preaching in his name.

Sunday, 23 June 2019 | Acts 4:23-37 // Keith Cooper | One Heart and Soul // The disciples' knee-jerk reaction to persecution was to raise their voices in praise to God. They recognised that God was fully in control and that his authority was delegated to them, to preach his hand and spread the gospel. // // Exercising our authority in Christ: // 1. The Word of God is warfare // 2. Authority is found in the name of Jesus // 3. Remind Satan the blood of Jesus Christ defeated him // 4. Stand in the power of the Holy Spirit // 5. Live together in God-given spiritual unity // 6. The word of our testimony is potent truth // // The foundational nature of prayer: // * Prayer means getting God's will done on earth, not man's will done in heaven. // * Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; ask for powers equal to your tasks. // * Pray ambitious prayers. // * Pray in unity. // * Pray in an attitude of surrender and in readiness to be changed.

Sunday, 16 June 2019 | Acts 4:1-22 // Andy Lawrie | No other name! // Scorn or salvation? // // The Spirit of God has moved, and here we see some of the fallout. Some people were curious and eager to see what God was doing. Others were outraged and stood in fierce opposition to the disciples and tut gospel spread. We should not be surprised then when we experience similar reactions. Jesus said that his word would bring division, that persecution would follow. // // Our reaction is important: we have a responsibility to the gospel. But this should not put us under pressure. We can lean into God and rely on him to guide us, to show us when to be silent and when to speak. And if it is to speak, he will give us the words to say. // // We need to be filled – continually filled – with the Spirit.

Sunday, 9 June 2019 | Acts 3 // Paul Jackson | Power in his name // Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples were then able to move in power. In Acts 3, we see the disciples Peter and John used to heal a lame man. And this healing was for purpose: not only to restore the lame man, but also to pave the way for the testimony of the gospel. // // As Peter says in verse 16, “And [Jesus’] name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.” And he continues, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out…” (verse 19).

Sunday, 2 June 2019 | Acts 2:42-47 // Emma Beddoes | Church Begins // They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.

Sunday, 26 May 2019 | Acts 2:14-41 // Keith Cooper | Gospel Preaching // God gives his Spirit to anyone who comes to Jesus Christ. So now in Acts 2, Peter extends that same mercy to the crowd that have gathered together on the day of Pentecost. But first of all he explains the what, the how and the why of what had just happened before their eyes...

Sunday, 19 May 2019 | Acts 2:1-13 // Dave Scotland | Promise Fulfilled (The Baptism In The Holy Spirit) // The Holy Spirit came with power on the day of Pentecost. God's Spirit blew and the fire fell on the believers who were radically changed and the Church was birthed.

Sunday, 5 May 2019 | Acts 1:1-11 // Rob Pomeroy | Witness // // The Acts of the Apostles picks up with the Gospel of Luke leaves off. Here we see Jesus ascending into heaven and promising to send the gift of the Holy Spirit, who will empower the disciples for purpose: their purpose to continue all that Jesus did and taught and to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth.

Sunday, 28 April 2019 | Ezekiel 47:1-12; John 7:37- 39 // Dave Fellingham | Being an authentic Christian // The mark of authenticity is the quality of the believer’s life, empowered by the Holy Spirit. We are in relationship with the living God!

Resurrection Sunday, 21 April 2019 | Esther 9-10 // Keith Cooper | A World Turned Upside Down (Jesus the better reversal) // // The story of Esther demonstrates that the power of death can be overcome. There is a picture here of a God who fights for his people, who will not abandon them. The devil’s efforts to eliminate God’s chosen people will always fail. // // On Resurrection Sunday, we see clearly that the threat of death must give way to Almighty God. Crucifying Jesus was the biggest mistake Satan ever made. Jesus is now and always will be our Saviour.