Gospel Grace Church Sermon Audio

Isaiah 53:1-12 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - In the days when Jesus walked the earth, people looked for a king with a scepter, a deliverer with a crown of gold. Our Lord however wore a crown of thorns. His scepter was reed shoved into his hand by soldiers who mocked him. He had no throne on this earth, only an old rugged cross. And do you know why? It’s because he didn’t come to display military might or win some political victory. Jesus came to conquer sin and crush the works of Satan. He came to seek and to save the lost. As you prepare for our Good Friday service, take some time to reflect on the cross. Remember that Jesus’ death was your payment for sin. He was condemned so you wouldn’t have to be. He was forsaken so you could be forgiven. On Good Friday we’ll gather to declare and delight in the saving death of Christ. We’ll celebrate communion, sing about his cross-work on our behalf, and glory in the cross of our Lord.

Acts 22:30-23:35 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - Acts 23 recounts Paul’s final days in Jerusalem. He stands before the Sanhedrin and explains his hope in the resurrection of the dead. But that infuriates many of the council members such that he’s nearly torn apart. Thankfully, God delivers him from the lion’s mouth, so to speak, and Paul is safely transported to Caesarea where his trial continues. The text challenges us to stand up for Christ even in the face of danger. And if we do, Jesus will stand by us all the way to the end.

Acts 21:15-22:29 - Speaker: Jotham Manoranjan - This week, we enter a pivotal moment in the life of the Apostle Paul. As he returns to Jerusalem, we witness a man walking knowingly into suffering. Paul would live out the rest of his life as a prisoner. With rumors flying, tension brewing, and the fragile fabric of Jew-Gentile relations under strain, Paul agrees to a plan that inadvertently leads to his arrest. Why? Because for Paul, gospel clarity and church unity were worth the cost—even his freedom. This week we will be challenged by Paul’s humility, his discernment of what matters most, and his desperate love for the very people who sought to destroy him.

Acts 20:1-21:14 - Speaker: Jon Kopp - In Acts 20–21, we find several narratives of Paul’s travels, complete with lists of various names and places. Nestled within these accounts is a lengthy and heartfelt message from Paul to a group of elders whom he deeply loves. It seems to be a randomly assembled collection of Paul’s activities and teachings as he finishes his third missionary journey. But, our text today is far from random. One activity ties it all together. From the beginning of our text and all the way through, Paul is gathering Christians to minister to them. This is a unique turn in the Book of Acts. Up to this point, the predominant focus hasn’t been on Christians. It has been on telling those who aren’t Christians about Jesus. Paul has been in synagogues with Jews and in public places with Gentiles proclaiming the gospel. He has had great success, and he has suffered. But, the primary focus of the accounts has been on his evangelism. But now as we come to Acts 20, Paul’s focus has changed. And as

Acts 19:1-41 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - In Acts 19 we get a picture of what Paul’s ministry in Ephesus was like. Luke gives us three little vignettes to help us understand the city and the people. Paul meets 12 (likely Jewish) men who hadn’t ever heard of the Holy Spirit. He hears about 7 exorcists who try to use a second-hand version of Jesus and get beat up as a result. And finally, Paul is in the middle of a city riot because the idol-makers don’t like the impact Christianity is having on their sales. Ephesus was a huge city with the cult of Artemis right in the center. But they desperately needed the gospel of the grace of God. What we discover in our text this weekend, is that the word of Lord prevailed. May it prevail in our hearts and our city as well.

Acts 18:1-28 - Speaker: Will Galkin - In Acts 18, we see that God is faithful, and the gospel is fruitful even amidst opposition. God sovereignly provides gospel partners like Aquila and Priscilla, turning negative circumstances, such as Emperor Claudius’s expulsion of Jews from Rome, into opportunities for ministry expansion. Despite initial rejection by the Jews, Paul’s ministry bears remarkable fruit, reaching unlikely converts like Crispus, the synagogue ruler. Furthermore, God protects Paul through the unlikely means of Roman governor Gallio’s indifference, granting Paul freedom to preach without fear of persecution. Ultimately, Acts 18 emphasizes God’s faithfulness in preparing new laborers, as evidenced by the rise of Apollos, who was discipled by Aquila and Priscilla and powerfully carried the gospel forward.

- Speaker: Will Galkin - Christian parenting begins with the end in mind. Children must eventually leave their parents so that they, too, can participate in the creation and Christian mandate. Notice how Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 in Ephesians 5:31, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is why Christian parents must be intentional in prepping their children for adulthood.

Mark 1:15 - Speaker: Bill Kelly -

- Speaker: Lukus Counterman - A Mobilizer is someone who connects God’s people to God’s purposes for the nations.

Acts 17:16-34 - Speaker: Lukus Counterman - To the unbelieving world, riddled with skepticism, anti-supernaturalism, rationalism, mysticism, and the vacuous despair each produces, Christianity offers the only message of hope. There is a God, who is both the creator of the universe and its sovereign ruler. Not only does he exist, but he is knowable and has revealed himself in his inspired and incarnate Word. Jesus came and lived a perfect life, he died a substitutionary death, and he victoriously rose from dead to offer life to all who believe. May we turn from the emptiness of idolatry and embrace new life found in the living and loving Savior, Jesus.