Acts – GaryCombs.org

The Blessing of Living Generously

January 12, 2020 | Acts 20:32-35 | generosity

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How many of you are experiencing this life of being more blessed like Jesus described? Do you realize how much more happiness is in store for you when you learn to be a giver?

In the book of Acts, the apostle Paul reminded the elders of the church of Ephesus of Christ’s words that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We can understand why Jesus said that it is more blessed to live generously. Why it is more blessed to live generously?

Doing Life Together

August 18, 2019 | Acts 2:42-47 | community, community groups, fellowship

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The truth is we need God and we need one another. We are created for relationship. That’s why Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God and love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27). We were made to love God and one another. We were made to do life together!

In the book of Acts, Luke recorded how the first century church was devoted to doing life together as the body of Christ. We can be devoted to doing life together as the body of Christ.

Look for God’s Presence

July 7, 2019 | Acts 16:6-15 | evangelism

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Have you been frustrated or afraid to share your faith in Christ? Perhaps you view it as a burden or a duty that you really don’t want to carry. But when we begin to pray for God to prepare the heart of our “one,” He not only hears our prayers for them, He begins to do a work in us too. We begin to feel God’s heart for the “one” to whom He has called us. Then, when we begin to look for God’s presence already at work in this “one’s” life, we begin to feel the adventure of being on mission with God. Witnessing becomes life’s greatest adventure!

In Dr. Luke’s record of the early church called the Acts of the Apostles, he recorded how the apostle Paul and his missionary team continually followed after God’s presence so they might join the Father where He was already at work. As a result, the Lord called them to carry the gospel to Macedonia where the Lord had prepared the heart of a woman named Lydia to hear the gospel and so become the first European to believe.

Following God’s Plan

June 23, 2019 | Acts 4:23-31 | evangelism, prayer

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Surely we, both as individuals and as a church, must take Christ’s commission to take the Good News to the nations seriously, and we do. But sometimes focusing on the many can cause us to overlook the importance of going after the one! Yet, God never overlooks the one.

Luke the physician wrote Acts as a historical record of the early church. This first century church was marked by God’s presence and power in such a vital way that they literally turned the world upside down for Christ. What was their secret? They followed God’s plan. In Luke’s book of Acts, he recorded how the early church followed God’s plan to be His witnesses.

A Shared Focus

August 26, 2018 | Acts 2:42-47 | community groups, prayer

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In the book of Acts, Luke described the “authentic community” of the first century church. He said they were marked by four “devotions.” They were: a shared faith, a shared family, a shared food, and a shared focus. We can experience this authentic community when we pursue these four devotions. Today, we’re going to focus on the 4th devotion, “A Shared Focus.”

A Shared Food

August 19, 2018 | Acts 2:42-47 | community, community groups, food, Lord's Supper

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There’s something about shared food, a shared meal that leads to real community. The same was true of the first century church. In the book of Acts, Luke described the “authentic community” of the first century church. He said they were marked by four “devotions.” They were a shared faith, a shared family, a shared food, and a shared focus. We can experience this authentic community when we pursue these four devotions. Today, we’re going to focus on the third devotion, “A Shared Food.”

A Shared Family

August 12, 2018 | Acts 2:42-47 | community, community groups

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Sin causes us to be separated from God and from each other. But when we come to Christ, He reconciles us to God and to one another and causes us to be devoted to God and one another. This is what we see in the book of Acts. Luke described the “authentic community” of the first century church. He said they were marked by four “devotions.” They were a shared faith, a shared family, a shared food, and a shared focus. We can experience this community when we pursue these four devotions. Today, we’re going to focus on the second devotion, “A Shared Family.”

A Shared Faith

August 5, 2018 | Acts 2:42-47 | community, community groups

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While communities based around politics, sports, BBQ and regional accents may help us find people to associate with as friends, they fall far short of the authentic community that God has in mind for us. In the book of Acts, Luke described the “true community” of the first century church. He noted that they were marked by four “devotions.” We can experience this authentic community when we pursue these four devotions.

A Shared Focus

August 28, 2016 | Acts 2:42-47 | community, prayer

The early church had a shared language–– it was the language of prayer. It was a shared focus, one that focused on spending time together talking to God in prayer. How are you doing in this area? Do you pray? Do you pray with your spouse, with your kids? Do you pray with your family? How about with other believers? Are you devoted to praying together with God’s family? We can experience the same devotion to prayer that the early church did.

A Shared Food

August 21, 2016 | Acts 2:42-47 | community, food

There’s something about shared food, a shared meal that leads to authentic community. Every culture has its own distinct food. So does the family of God. However, isn’t the physical, but the spiritual food that makes for an authentic Christian community.