The People Share Everything – Acts 2:1-47
January 14, 2024
Hello Kingdom Family,
Welcome to our Jesus-centered community. We are glad you are listening to today’s message.
Our purpose statement is “We are People Helping People Experience a Jesus-centered Life.”
This six-week series examines the remarkable spread of the gospel and the kingdom of God from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the world. Jesus has commissioned every one of his followers to be his witness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Despite challenges from outside and within, the kingdom of God continues to advance. Today, we continue to be his witnesses and have a vital role in the continuing story of Jesus’s unstoppable kingdom.
We are in week two of our New Year message series titled “Unstoppable.” Today we unpack Acts 2:-1-47, and how the unstoppable movement of the disciples and Holy Spirit got started. Our scriptures today are some of the most relevant and powerful in the entire Bible.
On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were together in one place when the Holy Spirit descended as Jesus promised (vv. 2–3). Verse 4 states that all the disciples became filled with the Holy Spirit. A great crowd of people gathered to see what all the commotion was. Peter then proclaimed the gospel to the masses, and three thousand people were saved (vv. 14–40). Thus, the church was birthed in Jerusalem. What did life look like for these new believers? Verses 42–47 provide a glimpse of what the early church valued and practiced. Their culture and circumstances influenced the structures that they employed.
What is more relevant to us is what they valued and practiced as disciples of Jesus: devotion to God and his Word, fellowship with one another, radical generosity and sharing, and praying and worshipping together.
Here is the link to the Frances Chan video I referenced in the message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8EwH0Burlc
Here is the link to the video I referenced of Nala Yusuf I referenced in the message: https://vimeo.com/675809012
As a result of Christ-centered values and spiritual practices in the early church, two powerful effects took place. First, the church had a tremendous influence on those around them. Verse 47 states the disciples were “enjoying the favor of all the people.” Followers of Jesus were impacting their city by embracing the life and teaching of Jesus. Second, God brought people into his kingdom. Verse 47 ends by declaring, “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Through the disciples’ courage, faith, good works, and reliance on the Holy Spirit, God added to the church daily. The kingdom was growing!
As believers today, we too can have a powerful influence on the world around us. Again, our goal is not to copy and paste the exact structure of how the early church functioned into our present-day structures. Rather, we can learn how the first disciples related to God, one another, and the world and apply those undergirding principles to our context. As we love God and obey his Word, walk in deep community with one another, give selflessly, and pray continually, we will once again change the world by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Before you listen to the message, you are encouraged to go to our website and download the lesson bulletin for this message, dated January 14, 2024. The publication contains questions to reflect on as an individual, couple, or small group. You can find them on the home page by clicking the Bulletins and Lesson Plans tab. Today’s message is “The People Shared Everything.”
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Happy New Year,
Hill-Tran Ministries
- Harold Long
- Unstoppable
- Acts 2:1-47
- Disciples
- Discipleship
- Evangelism
- Faith Community
- Frances Chan
- Generosity
- Giving
- Holy Spirit
- Jesus
- Jesus the Christ
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-centered Community
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-looking God
- Nala Yusof
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
The Promise, Ascension, and New Disciple – Acts 1:1-26
January 7, 2024
- Harold Long
- Unstoppable
- Acts 1:1-26
- 2023
- 2024
- Acts
- Acts of the Apostles
- Baptism
- Baptism of Fire and Spirit
- C.S. Lewis
- Christianity
- Filled With The Holy Spirit
- Helper
- Holy Spirit
- Jesus
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-looking God
- Matthias Replaces Judas
- Paul
- The Ascension of Jesus
- The Promise of the Holy Spirit
- Theophilus
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Some of you are glad the door on 2023 has closed, and others are still celebrating a successful and memorable 2023. Some of you have BIG Plans for 2024, and some may be apprehensive about the new year. Either way, life continues, and we want to get off to a fast and Jesus-centered start. A lot of change is coming in 2024, and we’ll all be a part of that change. To what extent is up to us? We are all linked together like a chain. You must ask, “Am I a weak or strong link in the chain?”
God’s Presence Propels Us – Christmas Day – Sermon By Harold Long
December 25, 2023
- Harold Long
- 2023 Advent Series
- Christmas
- Exodus 12:1-30
- Exodus 3
- Ezekiel 34:11-12;23
- Genesis 4:21-30;37
- Jeremiah 3:14-15; 10:21; 23:1-8; 50:6-7
- John 10
- Luke 2:8-20
- Matthew 2:3-8;16-18
- Micah 5:2
- Psalm 23
- Samuel 16
- Abel
- Abraham and Sarah
- Advent
- Christ
- Christmas
- David and Bathsheba
- Elizabeth and Zachariah
- Gabriel The Angel
- Jeremiah
- Jesus the Christ
- Jesus the first born
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-centered Christmas
- Jesus-centered Community
- Jesus-Centered Faith
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-centered Motherhood
- Jesus-looking God
- John The Baptist
- Joseph
- King Herod
- Mary and Joseph
- Merry Christmas
- Moses
- Shepherds
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
In today’s message, we continue in our Advent Series, “Emmanuel, God With Us.” With our time today, we dive into The Shepherd’s Story and Ours. We unpack Luke 2:8-20 and discover how to experience “Emmanuel, God With the Us” from those lowly servants called shepherds.
God’s Presence In The Flesh – Christmas Eve 2023 – Sermon by Harold Long
December 24, 2023
- Harold Long
- 2023 Advent Series
- Christmas Eve
- Luke 2:1-7
- Matthew 1:22-23
- Abraham and Sarah
- Angels
- Christmas
- Christmas Eve
- David and Bathsheba
- Doubts
- Elizabeth and Zachariah
- Immanuel
- Incarnation
- Jesus
- Jesus is the Light
- Jesus Revolution
- Jesus the Christ
- Jesus the first born
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-centered Christmas
- Jesus-centered Community
- Jesus-Centered Faith
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-looking God
- Mary and Joseph
- Merry Christmas
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
In today’s message, we continue in our Advent Series, “Emmanuel, God With Us.” With our time today, we dive into God’s presence in the flesh. We unpack Luke 2:1-7 and Matthew 1:23-24 and discover how to experience “Emmanuel, God With the Us” from Mary and Joseph. For centuries, God’s people waited for God’s good and just King to arrive.
Waiting on God’s Presence – Advent Series 2023 – Sermon By Harold Long
December 17, 2023
- Harold Long
- 2023 Advent Series
- Luke1:5-25; 57-80
- Abraham
- Advent
- Angels
- Bathsheba
- COVID-19
- David
- Doubt
- Elizabeth and Zachariah
- Emmanuel
- Flesh
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-Centered Faith
- Jesus-centered life
- John The Baptist
- Joy
- Joy to the World
- King David
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Today we unpack the Gospel of Luke Chapter 1 and the story of Elizabeth and Zachariah. We learn how the impossible becomes possible when an old married couple beyond their years of childbearing finds themselves pregnant with the great John the Baptist.
God’s Presence for Sinners and Sufferers Alike – Sermon by Harold Long
December 10, 2023
- Harold Long
- 2023 Advent Series
- 2 Samuel 11
- 2 Samuel 12
- 2 Samuel 7:13
- Matthew 1:7
- Bathsheba
- David
- David and Bathsheba
- Forgiveness
- Healing
- Jesus
- Jesus the Christ
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-centered Christmas
- Jesus-centered Community
- Jesus-Centered Faith
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-looking God
- King David
- Salvation
- Sozo
- Wholeness
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
In today’s message, we unpack 2 Samuel 11 & 12. We look at the life of David and Bathsheba, focusing on the sin of David and the need for healing by Bathsheba. We wrestle with why it’s important for forgiveness and healing to take place to experience Emmanuel, God, with us. We also learn how Emmanuel, God with us, means that as Christians, we are Jesus with skin to the world.
Reconciling The Holidays – 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
November 26, 2023
- Harold Long
- Reconciling The Holidays
- 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
- Amends
- Charles Dickens
- Christ
- Church
- Faith Community
- Hellen Keller
- Home
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-Centered Faith
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-looking God
- Love
- Love and Service
- Ministry of Reconciliation
- Parable: The Abbot and The Hermit
- Peter Scholtes
- Reconciliation
- Reconciling The Holidays
- They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love
- Transforming Love of Christ
- Work Place
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Today’s message focuses on 2 Corinthians 5:11-22, where Paul shares the transformative love of Christ with the people of Corinth. Paul is in defensive mode due to false teachers, accusers, haters, and wicked people attempting to taint the gospel message and the character of Paul.
I Have Overcome The World
November 19, 2023
- Harold Long
- The Gospel of John
- The Gospel of the Kingdom
- John 16:25-33
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-centered Community
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-looking God
- Kingdom of God
- Love Our Enemies
- principalities and powers
- Satan
- Self-Centeredness
- Self-reliance
- Selfishness
- The Great Commission
- The Kingdom of God
- The World System
- Trust
- Trust in God
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Today’s message focuses on John 16:25-33 and the promise that Jesus has conquered the world. Jesus prepared the disciples for his death, resurrection, and second coming. First, he uses parables, but now he speaks to them in plain language. Jesus prepared them for all the tough times ahead, knowing their souls would experience distress, but he reminded them that he had overcome the world.
The Prodigal God – The Prodigal God Mini-Movie – Sermon VI of VI
October 29, 2023
- Dr. Tim Keller
- The Prodigal God
- Luke 15:11-32
- Dr. Tim Keller
- Elder Brother
- Feast
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-looking God
- Moral Law
- Parables
- Repentance
- Resurrection
- Righteousness
- Salvation
- The Parable of the Lost Coin
- The Parable of the Lost Sheep
- The Parable of the Prodigal Son
- The Tale of Two Sons
- Tim Keller
- Timothy Keller
- True Elder Bother
- Transformation UMC
Today, we conclude our new message series, “The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith,” by showing “The Prodigal God” mini-movie. This mini-movie is message VI of VI and is a masterpiece dramatization of the entire message series. Dr. Keller unpacks Luke 15:11-32 (NIV), the most popular of the three parables in Luke 15, which included the first two parables, The Parable of the Lost Sheep and The Parable of the Lost Coin. This message should shock and move every person engaging in the scripture and teaching.
The Prodigal God – The Feast of the Father – Session V of VI
October 22, 2023
- Harold Long
- The Prodigal God
- Luke 15:11-32
- Elder Brother
- Feast
- Jesus
- Jesus the Christ
- Jesus-Centered
- Jesus-centered Community
- Jesus-Centered Faith
- Jesus-centered life
- Jesus-Centered Living
- Jesus-looking God
- Reconciliation
- Restoration
- Salvation
- The Parable of the Lost Coin
- The Parable of the Lost Sheep
- Tim Keller
- True Elder Bother
- Younger Brother
- Hillsboro UMC
- Transformation UMC
Today, we conclude our new message series, “The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith.” Our message is titled “The Feast of the Father.” This sermon is V of VI and sets the stage for the rest of the series. We unpack Luke 15:11-32 (NIV) and unpack the most popular of the three parables in Luke 15, which included the first two parables, The Parable of the Lost Sheep and The Parable of the Lost Coin. This message should shock and move every person engaging in the scripture and teaching. In our message today, we look at the true elder brother, Jesus the Christ. We are all called to be true elder brothers, and the question is, can we be humble and honest enough to own it and, even more importantly, do something about it? Before you listen to the message, you are encouraged to go to our website and download the lesson bulletin for this message, dated October 22, 2023.