The Latest Sermons at Highland Park Assembly

March 29, 2020

Sermon 6: JESUS...ALL BOLDNESS, NO HINDRANCE!

Acts 28:31 (CSB) Proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

The last verse in the Book of Acts declares what the early church lived out 24/7/365. These same words are true for us today, and continue to guide the 21st century church into new horizons of ministry. As the kingdom of God continues to expand, you and I can impact our world by

Being the Church

The people of God live out the Gospel through their words, actions and attitudes.

2 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV) You show that you are a letter from Christ, …written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Connecting with others

Jesus went to where people were; we also must connect with people where they are.

Luke 14:21-23 (NIV) 21 “‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.’”

Sharing the Gospel

The first Believers shared Jesus everywhere they went and every chance they got.

Step in front of a video camera, instantly go “live,” and share your story virtually anywhere in the world.

Matthew 24:14 (ESV) “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Staying on mission

Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

We are on a mission.

We have the Gospel, a message of hope in Christ.

We know people all around who need to hear this message.

We are Christ’s ambassadors, sent by God and empowered by His Spirit.

Conclusion: “There is still room.”

Jesus still loves you, and wants to save you.

Believe in Him, and He will transform your life.

Then tell someone else about Jesus and His power to save.

The Church is still here, alive and well. #wearestillhere

There is still room for more to believe. #thereisstillroom

March 22, 2020

Sermon 5: BELIEVE AND BE SAVED!

In Acts 16, Paul and his team traveled through northern Greece, in a region called Macedonia. In the city of Philippi, Paul and Silas were imprisoned for casting out an evil spirit from a servant girl. While in prison, Paul and Silas were praying and singing to the Lord when an earthquake shook the prison, and the doors opened and chains fell off the prisoners; but Paul, Silas and the prisoners did not escape. The jailer, realizing that God had done this, humbled himself and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” (verse 31)

IN OUR PRESENT SITUATION, EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER, A CURE FOR THE CORONAVIRUS. THE ANSWER TODAY IS STILL THE SAME THING THE JAILER HEARD THAT DAY: BELIEVE!

1. BELIEVE.

16:31 And they answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and your household as well.”(Amplified Bible)

• “Believe” means to trust not in ourselves but to entrust ourselves into the keeping of someone else.
• Have faith, confidence in something greater than ourselves.
• Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40

2. THE LORD JESUS

16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus,…”

• Do not be misdirected in your believing.
• 1 John 4:1-2 1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God,… 2 Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,…
• It is Jesus Christ who is LORD! He is worthy of our trust!
• Jesus saves us, protects us, fights for us, stands with us!
• He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
• Stand firm in your faith, believing in Jesus; He is with us!

3. BE SAVED.

16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

• Salvation comes only from the Lord.
• Salvation from sin for our eternal soul.
• Salvation from diseases for our mortal bodies. (divine healing)
• Salvation for our family, when they see what great things God does in us.
• God has promised salvation and healing to those who believe in the Name of His Son, Jesus.

CONCLUSION: HAVE YOU BELIEVED IN JESUS? WHY NOT ENTRUST YOURSELF TO HIM TODAY?

God is shaking our nation and the world like He shook the jail where Paul and Silas were. God is bringing judgment on the world for its evil deeds, and God is cleansing the Church from its sins. In the middle of the chaos, Paul and Silas said, “We’re still here!” May the Church stand firm in Christ in this hour of shaking and say, “WE’RE STILL HERE!” We all need to repent and return to holiness. Without holiness, no one will see God.

Psalm 68:19-20 says:

¹⁹ Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
²⁰ Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

March 15, 2020

sermon 4: TRUSTING GOD IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

Acts 6, 7 & 8

Acts 6 – With increasing numbers of believers came the need for administrative leadership. Stephen was one of the newly selected leaders leaders but his powerful preaching of Jesus as the Messiah attracted negative attention. He was falsely accused and arrested.

Acts 7 – Stephen gave a most eloquent defense but was ultimately stoned to death.

Acts 8:1 And Saul approved of their killing him.

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.

Introduction: The early believers faced a crisis of persecution which led to separation. Today, amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, we too are facing a crisis of being pursued by an invisible sickness that has led to "social distancing" at a time when we need each other the most.

1. SHARE THE WORD OF GOD.

The Word of God is life. It brings comfort and peace in the middle of panic. Wherever you go, people need to hear God's Word from you, His representative.

2. BE THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

Stephen gave his life, but he never gave up his testimony. Peter, John and the other Apostles all stood firm in Jerusalem, where the greatest persecution was dealt. We too, need to stand as God's People, sure, certain, stable and faithful in the middle of our crisis. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

3. SEE THE HAND OF GOD.

Just as the early Believers saw the hand of God deliver and defend them, so too, the church of today needs to see and know that God's Hand is on our side. He will protect and heal us. Isaiah 54:17 says: “No weapon forged against you will prevail,…This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,” declares the Lord.

CONCLUSION:

The President has declared March 15, 2020 as a National Day of Prayer. Let us pray for God to move in our behalf, to heal everyone affected by this disease and to keep the virus from infecting any more people. Amen.