Category: 2020 Sermons

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:36 — 11.3MB)

Sermon Audio: A Tale of Two Lives
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 12:18-25
Duration: 24:35
Size: 11.5 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
A Tale of Two Lives
Acts 12:18-25

In fact, the house of Herod would make shows like Desperate Housewives or the worst Soap Operas look pretty tame. There was incest, betrayal, adultery, and many other gross sins.

I’d like to borrow two opposing thoughts from Psalm 1 that will provide a framework for discussing our scripture. Psalm 1:6 says, For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

I. The Lord Watches Over the Path of the Righteous
The physical welfare of the righteous is linked to the purposes of God.

If you struggle with this whole idea of how to reconcile suffering, sickness, and death with God’s care for us, it helps to remember that He alone is sovereign and knows what He is doing.

II. The Path of the Wicked Leads to Destruction
Josephus, a Jewish historiographer, writes about this same event, giving us a few more details than Luke does.

Now, here was Agrippa willing to commit the same kind of sin that Great Grandpa had fought so hard against.

I don’t know what you are going through today, but I am hoping and praying that you will come to a place where you can turn your life completely over to God, and start doing things His way.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:45 — 16.3MB)

Sermon Audio: Prison Break
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 12:1-17
Duration: 23:44
Size: 16.3 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
Prison Break
Acts 12:1-17

We might feel like we are locked in our problems and life situations.

The Lord rescues and delivers those who put their trust in Him. How is such a prison break possible in our lives?

I. Bound by Two Chains
No doubt those were two physical chains used to restrain Peter from escape, but let’s look at two things that the chains could represent.

They wanted him to be bound up, not only in physical chains, but in emotional chains of hatred and despair.

II. Strengthened through a Praying Church
God often burdens others to pray for us, and sometimes He even uses them to help meet our need.

As we will see next, prayer not only brought comfort and freedom to Peter’s heart and mind, but it also brought about his physical freedom.

III. Rescued by a Loving God (The chains fell off!)
God wants us to be free…free from sin and bondage and free to do His will.

IV. Astonished by God’s Miraculous Deliverance
Have you ever been surprised by God? Has He ever worked so quickly and powerfully in your life that you were astounded?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:16 — 14.6MB)

Sermon Audio: An Encouraging Word
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 11:19-30
Duration: 21:16
Size: 14.6 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
An Encouraging Word
Acts 11:19-30

The thing I like most about Barnabas is that he lived up to his name: Son of Encouragement.

Every believer who is part of God’s church should be a source of encouragement to others.

I. Encouraging Words Help People Turn to Jesus (Acts 11:19-21,24)
I believe that we need to invite people into our own lives before we try to get them to invite Jesus into their lives.

II. Encouraging Words Help People Stay True to Jesus (Acts 11:22-24)
There’s no greater joy or excitement than when someone becomes a true Christian.

Your influence may be just what they need to help them stay true to the Lord.

III. Encouraging Words Help Believers Become More Like Jesus (Acts 11:25-26)
I’m sure they didn’t just talk about it, but they prayed it and lived it.

IV. Encouraging Words Often Require Loving Actions (Acts 11:27-30)
These new Christians at Antioch had been encouraged by Barnabas and Paul through discipleship and had built close relationships with one another.

If each of us, according to our ability, decide to provide help when we hear about someone in need, then our actions will speak louder than our words.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 23:39 — 11.6MB)

Sermon Audio: Doing Things God’s Way
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 11:1-18
Duration: 23:39
Size: 11.6 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
Doing Things God’s Way
Acts 11:1-18

Those who want God’s results in their lives, will persist in doing things His way.

How can we guard against doing things our own way or using somebody else’s way to try to get results?

I. Those Who Do Things God’s Way Can Expect Criticism
People matter to God, and when we are willing to do things God’s way to help them find the Lord, there is a very good chance we will face criticism.

II. Those Who Do Things God’s Way Must Respond
At first glance, we might think, “I shouldn’t have to explain myself when I’m only doing what God wants me to do!”

Peter made certain that God had confirmed His will, and then he humbly related it to his Jewish brothers.

Peter now knew beyond any doubt that God was doing something new, and he was able to welcome it and cooperate fully with God.

We can learn to live and move in tandem with the heart of God. We can align our actions with what God is doing.

III. Those Who Do Things God’s Way Rejoice When They See Him at Work
These Jews were so impressed by the vastness of God’s love for all of mankind (including the unclean Gentiles), that they began to influence one another to recognize God’s greatness.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:14 — 14.3MB)

Sermon Audio: You’ve Got Mail
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 10:23-48
Duration: 26:14
Size: 14.3 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
You’ve Got Mail
Acts 10:23-48

God has specific messages for each of us, if we will just open our mail and read it each day.

Let me read some excerpts from your mail that tell us some important things God wants you to know about His Son.

I. Jesus Was Sent into Your World by God (Acts 10:36-38)
Jesus was sent into your world because God cares about you.

II. Jesus Wants to Help You (Acts 10:38)
There is a little 5-letter word called GRACE.
Grace refers to help or kindness that is given but not deserved.

III. Jesus Died to Pay the Penalty for Your Sins (Acts 10:39)
There is no other way to get to heaven or be right with God than through faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross.

IV. Jesus Rose Again to Give You Life (Acts 10:40-41)
This stuff is in your mailbox! Will you open it and read about it?

V. Jesus Will Be Your Judge (Acts 10:42)

VI. Jesus Wants to Forgive You (Acts 10:43)
If we believe in Jesus–that He really is the Judge of all people–then we will ask Him to forgive us for all the wrong things we’ve said and done.

Your mail–God’s message to you–says that Jesus was sent to your world to help you.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:36 — 13.0MB)

Sermon Audio: Accepted
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 10:1-23
Duration: 27:36
Size: 12.9 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
Accepted
Acts 10:1-23

Every believer is a living telegram of God’s love and acceptance.

Let’s look at 4 observations that will help us understand how God meets the deepest needs of a person’s life.

I. Even Good People Need Jesus
To sum it up, Cornelius was a really good man. However, he did not yet know Jesus.

II. Even Godly Leaders Need to Adjust their Thinking
With God it is a heart issue, and Peter had to make a major adjustment in his thinking.

So, Godly leaders and indeed all believers sometimes need to adjust their thinking, and let God use them to accomplish His agenda.

III. God Wants Believers to Accept Others the Way He Does
In other words, Peter was saying, “I accept you because God has accepted you.”

The ground at the foot of the cross is level.

IV. Obedience Is the Appropriate Response to the Good News
When God speaks to us about going to see someone and sharing His love and acceptance with them, we need to purpose ahead of time that we will just do it!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:31 — 13.8MB)

Sermon Audio: The Need-Meeting God
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Acts 9:32-43
Duration: 28:31
Size: 13.7 MB

Acts: Life In The Spirit
The Need-Meeting God
Acts 9:32-43

God wants to reveal Himself to people by meeting the needs in their lives.

I. The Good News about Jesus Can Meet Physical Needs (Acts 9:32-34,36)
It is amazing who you might find when you are looking for needs to meet.

Sometimes there is no better way to show God’s love than to help meet someone’s need.

II. The Good News about Jesus Can Restore Life (Acts 9:36-41)
The Bible tells us that the devil came to destroy life, but Jesus came to give life.

III. The Good News about Jesus Can Change an Entire City (Acts 9:35,42)
If we believe it is possible for the good news about Jesus to change an entire city, then we must ask, “Why not our city?”

Not just anything, however; we need the power of God working in and through our lives!

The good news about Jesus is the only thing that can produce lasting change in our lives and in our community!