We’re all prone toward prejudice in some form or another. By nature, we put up all sorts of barriers to people who are different to what we are. God must break our prejudices. The story of the gospel spreading beyond Jewish boundaries toward the Gentiles teaches us from the life of Peter that …

God purposes are expansive. He breaks down prejudices so the message of Jesus moves beyond the Jews to the Gentiles.

 The result of the story is that today you and I who are Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the church with the Jews, and we share in the promise of Jesus through the gospel.

 

 God's Expansive Purposes [40:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (15)

 

 God's Expansive Purposes: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (41)

Speaker: L-T Hopper 
Passage: Acts 9:1-25 

We have already been introduced to Saul at the stoning of Stephen. He was there giving approval. We know what is attitude to Jesus is. One of hatred and opposition. Here we learn about not only his conversion but also his commissioning. Jesus turning him around and giving him a job. Luke records this 3 times in Acts. WHY? Because Paul plays a key role in the unstoppable message going from Jerusalem to the rest of the world.

 

 A Surprising Conversion [34:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (29)
 A Surprising Conversion: Download (33)

Speaker: L-T Hopper

Luke moves from the city of Samaria where we were told about the whole city. Or that Samaria has accepted the word of God. The whole is on view. The unstoppable message is having an impact on the whole. BUT the whole is made up of individuals. God is personal and comes to individuals. We see this in Jesus. He had crowds following. Crowds that grew and grew. But along the way he stops and took time with individuals. People who had names and who are named in the Gospels about Jesus.

 

 The Story od One [33:16m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (12)
 The Story of One: Download (45)

Speaker: L-T Hopper

“We just finished a major part of the story of Acts and the unstoppable message. The focus was the growth of the message in Jerusalem. Today we start into a new section which focus’ on the growth of the unstoppable message in Samaria. It’s the crossing of a great divide that brings two groups of people together because the Gospel is for everyone.

We will see that the message of Jesus for everyone. The question for us is do we believe the message is for everyone so that we share with everyone?”

 

 Race is no barrier [42:25m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (30)
 Race is no barrier: Download (27)

The end of the story of the unstoppable message in Jerusalem comes to an abrupt and tragic end with the first martyr and the scattering of the disciples.

Speaker: L-T Hopper

However in God’s purposes this leads to the next stage in completing Jesus’ promise of the message going to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Persecution leads the message spreading. This not because of a church plan that is approved and put into action by the leaders but because ordinary believers take the opportunities God gives them to share the message of Jesus wherever they go.

Opposition in one place means opportunity for others in another place.

 

 Death is no barrier [42:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (32)
 Death is no barrier: Download (42)

Speaker: L-T Hopper

“Church disunity always has the potential to slow down the flow of the gospel, as a fractured church is rarely missionary in focus and evangelistic in orientation.” David Cook. In this passage we see how a prompt dealing with a complaint so the ministry of the Word can continue results in the progress of the Gospel.

 

 Keeping the main thing, the main thing. [35:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (31)
 so the word of God spread: Download (37)

Speaker: L-T Hopper

As we have seen right through Acts here is the presence of the sovereign hand of God at work protecting his servants so his unstoppable message goes on.

 

 Persecution no Barrier [37:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (22)

Speaker: Bill Forgeard

The ongoing work of Jesus has been unstoppable so far in the Book of Acts. Last week, external opposition and persecution was proved powerless! But in this next episode, will the ongoing work of Jesus be interrupted by the insidious corruption of sin from inside the church? Is sin a barrier to the unstoppable gospel?  This is a passage about the unity and fellowship of the young church. Will the the church withstand the attack of human sin?

 

 Sin is no Barrier [31:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (27)
 Sin is no Barrier: Download (44)

Jesus has gone. The Holy Spirit has come to continue the work of Jesus. What is the work? The preaching of the message of Jesus. We are in a time of amnesty. The last days before Jesus returns is a time to turn to God. Own up to the wrong, stop doing it and you won’t punished. The right response is people turning to him as Lord and Christ.

 

 The ongoing work of Jesus [36:08m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (18)
 The ongoing work of Jesus: Download