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What if most of what we call church would keep running even if the Holy Spirit left the building? Acts 19 hits that nerve. We unpack Paul’s return to Ephesus, the twelve “disciples” shaped by John the Baptist, and the moment they step into the fullness of the gospel—baptized into Christ, born again by the Spirit, and empowered for mission.

We walk through the difference between the Spirit’s indwelling and the Spirit’s empowering, showing why regeneration is a one-time new birth while power for witness is a recurring grace. The text opens into big questions many avoid: Are tongues just hype or part of a larger biblical pattern? Do all believers speak in tongues? Are the gifts still active today? With Scripture as our guide, we trace Luke’s purpose across Acts—from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth—where Spirit-given languages signal a global family and dismantle second-class Christianity. We name the misuse without abandoning the gifts, and we center the aim: bold proclamation of Jesus that builds the church and reaches the world.

Along the way, we share a personal journey from skepticism to hunger, offer practical clarity on spiritual gifts, and highlight the core evidence of Spirit power: courage to witness. If you’ve treated the Holy Spirit like the family “weird uncle,” this conversation opens the door to biblical balance—eager, discerning, and mission-focused. Lean in for a clear look at regeneration, empowerment, and how ordinary believers can carry the gospel with confidence.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a review with one takeaway you’re going to act on this week.

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God desires to use every believer to accomplish His work in the world. In Acts 18:18–28, we see that being used by Him isn’t about talent or position but about the posture of our hearts. God uses the heedful like Paul who follow His will, the humble like Apollos who receive correction, and the honest like Priscilla and Aquila who speak truth with courage. When every member of the church plays their part, the song of the Gospel becomes powerful and beautiful.

In this sermon, we talk about heedfulness first: the courage to follow God’s call when it costs time, sleep, or applause. Paul’s weary yes challenges our preference for comfort and invites us to serve wherever needed, even in quiet roles that keep the body healthy.

Then we lean into humility—Apollos receiving correction from Priscilla and Aquila. It’s a vivid picture of teachability: intellect bowing to truth, platform yielding to Scripture. Communities thrive when feedback is welcome and growth outpaces ego.

Speaking truth and honesty is the last featured virtue. Speaking truth in love is never easy. Jonah shows the price of silence, while Paul shows the cost of clarity. But a church that refuses hard words soon loses its voice. We frame honesty as courageous compassion: naming sin to restore, preaching Jesus as the way with tenderness, and trusting God with the outcomes.

If this stirred something in you, take the next step: subscribe, share this with a friend who’s ready to serve, and leave a review telling us where you plan to jump in this week. Your story might be the spark another listener needs.

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Fear isn’t supposed to haunt a giant of the faith—and yet Paul trembles in Corinth until a midnight word steadies him: “Do not be afraid… for I am with you.” We open Acts 18 and watch a weary apostle discover that courage grows where grace meets personal limits.

When we feel like giving up, we can find courage in the same truth: God is still with us, He still provides, and He still has a purpose for our lives.

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We explore why Jesus’ promise to build his church invites more than attendance. The call is to move from “common law” faith to covenant membership, rooted in Scripture, shaped by consecration, and lived out in a visible, local body.

• defining church through Matthew 16 and Peter’s confession
• the local church as the New Testament norm
• essential new birth and the call to consecration
• different traditions naming the second experience
• covenant as God’s pattern in Scripture and Communion
• marriage vs cohabitation as a membership analogy
• Catholic vs Protestant views on rock and reception of grace
• the visible church and formal membership as covenant
• soldier vs civilian: duty, care, and perseverance
• an appeal to move from attendance to covenant belonging

Please don’t be in common law relationship with the bride of Christ, but enter a covenant

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What does it take to reach a culture that's increasingly hostile to Christianity? In Acts 17, we discover how the Apostle Paul engaged the intellectual elite of Athens with the gospel.

Athens in Paul's day mirrors our own post-Christian society in striking ways. The city was the cultural and intellectual hub of the ancient world, filled with idolatry and competing philosophies—much like our modern, secular ideologies and spiritual confusion. Yet Paul engaged this challenging environment with remarkable wisdom and effectiveness.

Through examining Paul's approach at the Areopagus, we uncover three essential components for reaching our broken culture. First, we must "feel something"—developing genuine compassion for those separated from God. Second, we must "do something"—actively engaging with people rather than isolating in Christian bubbles. And third, we must "say something"—sharing the unchanging gospel in ways that connect with our cultural context.

The response to Paul's message reminds us that our responsibility isn't to convert everyone but to faithfully proclaim the truth. Some mocked, some wanted to hear more, and some believed. This should encourage us as we engage our own culture—not everyone will respond positively, but God will use our faithful witness.

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In Athens, Paul saw a city full of idols and was deeply moved—both angered and broken—for the lost around him. Rather than retreat or assimilate, he went to the heart of the culture, the marketplace, to engage people where they lived, listened to their beliefs, and shared the hope of Jesus.

Today, we live in a rapidly changing, post-Christian culture. Like Paul, we are called to care about the world around us, understand the cultural narratives people trust, and bring the Gospel to a restless, idol-filled society. True cultural change doesn’t come through politics, philosophy, or self-improvement—it comes through the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.

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How do we turn a broken world right side up? Against a backdrop of school shootings, political division, and cultural darkness, this question burns in the hearts of believers everywhere. The answer isn't found in political revolution but in spiritual revival.

Looking at Acts 17, we discover four ordinary men—Paul, Luke, Timothy, and Silas—who were accused of "turning the world upside down" as they traveled through Macedonia. Despite facing a corrupt religious system and the oppressive Roman Empire, they transformed communities through the message of Jesus Christ. Their example offers us a powerful three-part framework for meaningful change.

First, transformation must begin personally. Before his Damascus Road encounter, Paul tried changing the world through religious tradition and moralism. But outward conformity to rules never addresses the heart. Only when Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit did he become an agent of true change.

Second, personal transformation must lead to Gospel proclamation. Paul didn't shake his fist at Roman authorities or start a political movement. Instead, he preached Christ as King from city to city, facing rejection but persevering because some would always receive the message. America isn't broken because of any political party but because too many Christians have outsourced kingdom work to politicians while neglecting the Gospel.

Finally, turning the world right side up requires discipleship. Jesus didn't call us to make converts but disciples. Throughout Acts, Paul strategically left trusted people behind to nurture new believers, teaching them to continue Christ's work.

Rather than passively "waiting on the world to change," as the John Mayer song laments, let's become agents of revival. When we focus on transformation, proclamation, and education, we participate in the only change that truly matters—the change that turns our world right side up.

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See the Study Guide Here: https://myrealchurch.org/teaching/acts/acts-part-30-praising-god-in-the-midnight-hour/

Nothing good happens after midnight—or so the saying goes. It's when our defenses crumble, our resolve weakens, and our problems loom largest. But what if midnight isn't just a time of vulnerability, but an opportunity for extraordinary spiritual breakthrough?

This look into Acts 16 follows Paul and Silas in surely a very dark hour—beaten, stripped, and imprisoned with their feet fastened in stocks for simply doing God's work.

Their response? Midnight praise and prayer that shook the foundations of their prison.

Listen to see why our response to opposition matters. When we're persecuted for our faith—whether through social media attacks, workplace discrimination, or cultural pressure—how we react reveals our spiritual maturity. The story of Paul and Silas demonstrates that praise rooted in Jesus rather than circumstances creates a joy that can never be taken away.

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