What do you do when someone criticizes your faith? How do you handle the snide or disparaging comment when someone finds out that you are one of those “Christians”? What do you say, and how do you handle it without feeling guilty or ashamed? How do you confront a friend that thinks they are religious but are holding onto false teachings, or worse, their own version of salvation? It may not happen daily, but when it does it can be challenging. Today we learn from Jesus how to handle such situations, as Peter and John face their first confrontation with boldness and confidence in Acts 4:1-22.
To receive 250-word devotions on Acts 4:1-22 this week, Monday – Friday,
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A Lenten devotion by Pastor Randy Hunter
Transfiguration. Today we recall a day in Jesus’ life when he was with his disciples, Peter, James and John, on a mountain and, according to Matthew’s record, "he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.” Two giants of the Old Testament also appeared there, Moses, the giver of the law and Elijah, the great prophet. Imagine the boost this gave to the apostles who would soon see Jesus betrayed, beaten, and crucified. You wonder how many times during those days they recalled, “But on the mountain…” Let this event do the same for you. This week marks the beginning of the season of Lent, a time to rehearse and remember Jesus’ suffering and death for the world, for you. Until we make it to the empty grave of Easter, recall as they did, “But on the mountain…”
To receive 250-word devotions on Acts 3:11-26 this week, Monday – Friday,
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Waiting for a miracle? Does that describe you? If it hasn't, or doesn't, it will. In the section of Acts we’re encountering today, the author Dr. Luke records Peter and John meeting a man who had been praying for a miracle for decades. Then healing came. Let that man's suffering and healing open your eyes to a biblical view of your suffering and healing.
We hope you can join us next Thursday or Sunday for the conclusion of this story. In Acts 3:11-26, Dr. Luke records Peter’s explanation what happened to the man. Let Peter's explanation open your eyes to how God uses miracles—then and today.
What do Spirit-filled people do? Early in Dr. Luke's record of the seedling Christian church he recorded the fulfillment of Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit. But then what? What happens next? Spirit-filled flapping of arms and fainting from being overcome by the presence of God? No. Here's how "spiritual" people became when the Holy Spirit filled them: they hung out together. There's more, of course, but people who are filled with the Spirit look for reasons and find ways to be together…like you…like right now…together.
To receive 250-word devotions on Acts 2:42-47 this week, Monday – Friday,
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It is sometimes called the sermon that launched the Christian Church. Jesus launched his church, but we get an amazing picture of how God uses his children. In the moments following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter stands boldly and preaches of Jesus and the forgiveness given by Jesus. What takes Peter from a terrified, timid fisherman to a bold proclaimer of the faith? It is the same gospel God has placed in your heart! Today, learn from Peter's first sermon how to proclaim Jesus and the means by which God gives his grace.
To receive 250-word devotions on Acts 2:14-41 this week, Monday – Friday,
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Burning but not burning out: There's a fine line between the two, isn't there? You pour yourself into your job, sport, or some hobby so fully because it fills you. You get energy from it. But if you're not filled, the time comes when you burn out. In Acts 2, Jesus keeps a promise to fill his church with energy, the Spirit. He's still doing that for you. The Spirit's work of filling you with purpose, grace, and gifts is the difference between burning out and burning for a lifetime. We’re glad you’re here because the Spirit promises to do that work through the Good News of Jesus. Let him light you up and keep you burning.
To receive 250-word devotions on Acts 2:1-13 this week, Monday – Friday,
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What do you do while you're waiting? Delete old messages? YouTube? Tap your fingers? Nobody likes waiting, but we all do it. And some do it better than others. (Did you really honk the horn while waiting in the car . . . in the garage? Really?) Last week we began our worship series on the Book of Acts. Jesus inspires us with his commission to go and be his witnesses. But then he says, “Wait.” Today, learn what earlier followers of Jesus did when they waited. We’re all waiting for something. What separates us is what we do while we’re waiting.
To receive 250-word devotions on Acts 1:12-26 this week, Monday – Friday,
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Every book of the Bible is about Jesus. Although some Bibles title the fifth book of the New Testament "The Acts of the Apostles," it's still about Jesus. Today we begin our study of that book, Acts. We're not going to study it as just scholars, but we're going to study it also as soldiers. Scholars and soldiers tend to be the ones who study history the most. Scholars tend to look at what people used to do; soldiers tend to look for what remains to be done. One is for information, the other is for mission. We will study the Book of Acts for both. Pick up your copy of the Acts Study Booklet before worship today. It's a way for us to consider a recent translation, the English Heritage Version, and a place for us to write notes, questions, prayers, etc. Like the grace of God, it's yours to keep. Also like the grace of God, it's free because someone else paid for it. If you’re a guest, this booklet is our gift to you, too.
We've rounded the corner on the shortest day of the year. Our days are finally getting longer; we have a bit more light each and every day. Jesus' arrival announced the good news of God's grace wasn't just for those of Jewish descent, but for all people. Today we learn from the Magi of what it is to stand in awe of Christ, the Light to the gentiles.
To receive 250-word devotions on Matthew 2 this week, Monday – Friday,
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On the last day of the year, countless memories flood our minds—some we treasure and some we repress; some memories we’re glad to hold on to and others we’re glad to get rid of. Through all, we remember and hold to Christ. His unchanging grace and presence has sustained us in the past and will define our future. He is the Lord of history and he is the Lord of our future. He is the One we worship tonight.
Please Skip to 1:25 for the start of the Sermon. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Not all were thrilled with the birth of Jesus. Not all were prepared for what it would mean in their own lives. Today we see the reality of what happens when God’s mercy in the flesh, collides with the worst of atrocities that hide in the darkness of the heart. Yet, we stand in awe of Christ, who is mercy incarnate.
To receive 250-word devotions on Matthew 2 this week, Monday – Friday,
go to st-andrew-online.org/devotions.
Stand in Awe of Christ, who is Immanuel
Emmanuel or Immanuel? We see it both ways throughout the Christmas prophecies and accounts. The difference is the language it was written in, Hebrew or Greek. Either way it has the same incredible meaning, God with us! This Christmas we stand in awe of Christ, who is God with US!
We pray you enjoy the sights, food, family, and gifts of this season. They’re gifts from God. But there’s more, infinitely more, to enjoy. This Christmas, stand in awe of Christ. Because of the miracle of Christmas, blessings overflow into your life. That’s why we worship him. We’re glad you’re joining us to do so.
If you ever think, I wish I knew what God was like, look at Jesus. If you ever think, I wish I knew what God would say, listen to Jesus' words. That's what God says. There's one God, and Jesus, his one and only Son, makes him known. People all around us are groping in the dark trying to find God. Look at Jesus, and you’ll find him. If you were lost in dark woods and saw a light in the distance, you'd know that if you could just get to that light, you'd be home. Here’s the point of our worship: we fix our eyes on Jesus and trust he will lead us home. We’re glad you’re with us.
To receive 250-word devotions on John 1:14 this week, Monday – Friday,
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What's the most common reaction to seeing the glory of God throughout the Bible? You'd think it would be joy, elation, awe, and wonder, right? "And they were terrified" is actually the most common reaction people have when in the presence of the glory of God. Yet, there in the manger, we gaze into the glory of God, not with terror, but with awe that God took on flesh for us! Today we stand in awe of Christ as we gaze upon his glory and see how he's given his glory to us!
To receive 250-word devotions on John 1:14 this week, Monday – Friday,
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Come, stay with me. To how many people would you quickly say that? A hunch is, not many for a host of reasons, both obvious and nuanced. The Apostle John describes Jesus as God who became flesh and then adds, "he made his home with us." He came to us. Some of the meaning behind that is obvious. Jesus is God with us. But some of it is deeply nuanced. May the Spirit bless you through is revelation of God today. The goal isn't to become smarter (although that happens), the goal is, this Christmas, to stand in awe of Christ.
To receive 250-word devotions on John 1:14 this week, Monday – Friday,
go to st-andrew-online.org/devotions.
Welcome to Advent, a season of preparation. Our worship for the next four weeks will not only anticipate the reality of Christ’s return, but our worship will also help us prepare for the real Christmas. There is a kind of Christmas that's too easy, too shallow, and too trite. But there's another kind that would fill the Grand Canyon with life-changing truth. That's the kind we're after. This Advent season, prepare to stand in awe of Christ this Christmas.
To receive 250-word devotions on John 1:14 this week, Monday – Friday,
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Imagine that you gave a magnanimous gift to someone: a house, a car, a kidney! In response, the person casually mentioned to another that he felt some vague sense of general gratitude. That wouldn't be enough. Even though you didn't give the gift to receive something in return, that kind of gratitude wouldn't be enough. We have received from God the greatest possible gift: forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. The gift was only possible because he gave up his Son for you. More than that, we receive daily evidence of God's grace. That's why Christians have more than some vague sense of general gratitude. Christians thank the giver. We seek evidence of God's grace and receive a tool to help us thank the Giver . . . daily.
Letters to the Seven has been a series where we hear from Jesus what he wants from his Church. He wants us to hold to our first love, to not give up amid suffering, to hold to the truth and not false doctrine, and to hold fast to his grace. The message we receive this week as we close out the series is to be on fire for the gospel and have an identity founded in Christ. What does that look like? Today learn from Jesus what he expects and how he promises to provide it to you.
To receive 250-word devotions on Revelation this week, Monday – Friday,
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The ancient Greeks had a proverb, pathemata mathemata, suffering is education. You've seen it. But it's not automatic. Suffering can make you more human or less human, more caring and compassionate or more hardened and bitter. What accounts for the difference? That's what Jesus taught the Christians in Philadelphia (not the home of the Eagles, but an ancient city in what is now Turkey.) We have a copy of the letter in Revelation 3:7-13. Through it, Jesus teaches us to endure and gives us what it takes to endure. We’re glad you’re with us today to receive good things from Jesus’ letter.
To receive 250-word devotions on Revelation this week, Monday – Friday,
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Twenty years Jim Collins wrote the bestseller, "Good to Great." Collins and his team researched companies that performed better than most for a prolonged period and determined the main reasons they became great. It caught on beyond the traditional audience of business books because, well, who doesn't want to be great? Jesus has something to say about that, too. In his letter to us, originally sent to the Christian church in the Turkish city of Sardis, Jesus tells us how his love and power explode in our lives. By any definition, that's greatness. We are thrilled you’re here to encounter Jesus today and pray for God to bless your worship.
To receive 250-word devotions on Revelation this week, Monday – Friday,
go to st-andrew-online.org/devotions.
Is tolerance loving? When a child decides she will dress herself for the day and her style is a mismatched hot mess, but at least she’s dressed, I'd say tolerating her choice is loving. If I tolerate the same said child's choice to then ride her bike down the middle of a busy street, I'm no longer loving. I'm reckless and have endangered her life. Sometimes love is intolerant. Today as we celebrate the Reformation, we hear from Jesus as he helps us understand how love means holding to the truth and sometimes being intolerant.
I know where you live. That sounds like the creepy voice of a menace in a horror movie. But it's also what Jesus says to Christians in the third of the seven churches he writes to in Revelation. Jesus didn't intend for it to cause horror; he wanted it to bring comfort. He knew the difficulty of remaining faithful to him in a place like Pergamum—and a place like your town. He doesn't need Google Maps to find your address, and he doesn't need a newsfeed to tell him what's going on. He knows. He knows what it's like where you work, live, and go to school. He encourages us to remain faithful to his name and he offers repentance for the times we aren't faithful to his name and Word. Believe his promise …and get a white stone.
To receive 250-word devotions on Revelation this week, Monday – Friday,
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A paradox is a statement that seems to say two opposite things. Less is more. I'll say it again, I never repeat myself. If you're not here, raise your hand. Jesus' message to the church in Smyrna (Revelation 2:8-11) is a paradox. Things are worse than they seem. Things are better than they seem. It's his message to you, too. But he's not just employing some clever literary device, he's telling the truth. We’re glad you’re here today to learn from Jesus' message to the second of the seven churches in Revelation. It's as real, powerful, and true for us as it was for them. Even if it is a paradox.
To receive 250-word devotions on Revelation this week, Monday – Friday,
go to st-andrew-online.org/devotions.