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Text: Acts 11:19–30 The gospel does more than change what we believe; it changes who we are. In Acts 11, we encounter the remarkable story of the church in Antioch, where ordinary, largely unnamed Christians shared the good news of Jesus Christ across cultural boundaries. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, people came to faith, were nurtured in Christ, and grew into a community defined by their belonging to the Messiah. On All Saints' Day, this passage reminds us that the life of the Church is built not merely upon famous saints and extraordinary leaders, but upon faithful Christians who preach the gospel, encourage one another, and care for those in need. Like Barnabas and the believers in Antioch, we are called to receive the gospel, grow in Christ, and then go out into the world, trusting that it is the Lord who brings the growth.

Text: Acts 11:1-18   When the world seems increasingly uncertain, it's easy to respond with fear. But in Acts 11:1–18, Peter's encounter with Cornelius reminds us that God is at work even when his plans challenge our expectations. This sermon for Trinity XXI explores how God prepares, calls, and transforms his people through the Holy Spirit—and why Christians can live with confidence in Christ rather than fear of the world around them.

Text: Acts 10:44-48 Guest Preacher: The Rev. Nathan Hale When the gospel is preached, things happen. Through Acts 10 and stories from his own life and ministry, Father Nathan reflects on how God pours out his Spirit, transforms unlikely lives, inspires gratitude, and draws people into an ever-expanding household of faith.

Text: Acts 10: 34-43 In Acts 10:34–43, Peter recognizes that God shows no partiality and that the good news of Jesus is for every nation. Jesus is Lord of all: God’s anointed Son, the one who brings peace, died and rose again, and will judge the living and the dead. Through him, everyone who believes receives forgiveness of sins. The sermon closes with an invitation to stop trying to hold everything together and rest in Christ, whose salvation and peace are God’s work.

Text: Acts 10:23–33 Synopsis: In Acts 10:23–33, Peter enters Cornelius’s home and finds a gathered household eager to hear from God. Peter’s humility before Cornelius, his willingness to cross old social boundaries, and Cornelius’s expectant faith show how the Holy Spirit prepares both the messenger and the hearers. This sermon calls Christians to resist both isolation and self-importance, trusting Christ to bring the gospel to people he is already preparing.

Text: Acts 10:9-23a   In Acts 10:9–23, God prepares Peter to bring the gospel to Cornelius by challenging his understanding of clean and unclean. Even an apostle needs correction, and Peter’s first act of hospitality shows how God’s Word reshapes both our thinking and our behavior. This sermon calls the Church to hold firmly to biblical holiness while welcoming those Christ has cleansed, trusting that his grace reaches people we may have assumed were beyond hope.

Text: Acts 10:1-8   Acts 10:1–8 introduces Cornelius, a Roman centurion who seems an unlikely candidate for faith but whose life shows that God has already been preparing his heart. As God readies Cornelius, Peter, and the church for the gospel to cross old boundaries, this passage encourages Christians to trust that the Holy Spirit prepares both those who proclaim the gospel and those who hear it.

In Acts 9:36–43, the death and resurrection of Dorcas confront us with the real grief of loss and the greater hope of the gospel. Dorcas’s quiet life of charity shows what ordinary Christian faithfulness looks like, while the mourning widows remind us that lament is right and good. Yet her restoration to life points beyond itself to Christ, who alone has defeated death and promises resurrection to all who belong to him.

Text: Acts 9:32-35   This homily on Acts 9:32–35 centers on the truth that God often works extraordinary grace through the Church’s ordinary faithfulness. Peter’s simple journey to visit, encourage, correct, and remind scattered Christians of the gospel becomes the setting for Aeneas’s healing. The sermon emphasizes that Peter is not the source of the miracle—Jesus is—and that the physical healing ultimately points beyond restored mobility to the greater gift of new life and salvation in Christ. It then applies this to a weary congregation: Christians are called not to be isolated, but to bear one another’s burdens through everyday acts of care—a hug, helping with a child, carrying something for someone—and, above all, continually pointing each other to Christ. The central encouragement is that our hope cannot rest on circumstances or “if only” outcomes; Christ is the lasting hope and comfort, and he can use ordinary moments of love and service to draw others to himself.

Text: Acts 9:26-31 In this sermon, we see Saul arrive in Jerusalem. Naturally, the disciples there are nervous to welcome him into their community; after all, he had tried to destroy them not that long ago. But Barnabas welcomes him into the community, where he preaches boldly. One of the central themes of the passage is that of fear and fearlessness. We start with the disciples in Jerusalem being fearful of Saul, then Saul is fearless and preaches the gospel, just as he had in Damascus. We end with a vision of the whole church adopting a better kind of fear: the fear of the Lord which empowers them to something better. This passage reminds us of how, if we fear the right thing - that is, if we fear the Lord - there is nothing in this life for us to fear, because the one who is mighty is on our side.

Text: Acts 9:19b-25 As we look at the newly converted Saul, we see him enjoying the fellowship of those he had intended to kill, but the true nature of his calling is quickly revealed. He immediately starts teaching in the synagogues. This shift is incredible, but underneath it, we realize something else: Saul was uniquely equipped for what God had called him to. Saul trained under Gamaliel, who we briefly met in chapter 5, a teacher of the law who was held in honor. This was like attending the most academically rich and theologically sound seminary of our day; he had permission to teach in the synagogues. Then the scales fell from his eyes, he was baptized, and given the Holy Spirit. Because of this equipping, he was able to reason and prove that Jesus is the Christ. It is incredibly encouraging to know that God uniquely equips his saints for the tasks that they have been called to.

Text: Acts 9:1-19 Acts 9:1-19 is one of the most dramatic and well-known moments in Acts. As Saul heads to ravage the church in Damascus, Christ confronts him with a bright light and asks him Why are you persecuting me? As blindness sets in and Saul sits, fasts, and prays, another person is introduced: Ananias. In many ways, Ananias represents active Christians, challenged by their enemies' conversion. He has the same hesitancy that we might, yet he never questions God's prerogative to extend Saul grace. The passage invites those who feel too lost to enter God's grace, while challenging believers to welcome them as brothers and sisters.

Text: Acts 8:25-40 After an incredible evangelistic moment, God calls Philip to go to a desert road. This is a surprising move, but Philip is obedient. On that road, Philip meets an Ethiopian Eunuch, a man who ran the royal treasury. This is a fascinating moment in the history of the church. What is most notable is that, despite being an outsider, the man also seemed to be a devoted believer. As we see how God works through Philip, it is clear that God is the one who calls, redeems, and makes new the new believer. Philip is simply being obedient to God in this. This is incredibly encouraging for us.

Text: Acts 8:9-25 This week's lesson is incredible. As Rev. Nninda pointed out last week, we are starting to see the Great Commission truly fulfilled. As the Christians are scattered, Phillip, one of the seven deacons, makes his way to Samaria. Samaria was Israel's estranged cousin, somehow worse than the Gentiles. At one point, John even asked if Jesus wanted to see one of their cities destroyed, yet they received the gospel. But there was a man named Simon, a great magician; he was revered. He even accepted the gospel and was baptized. But then, seeing the power of the Holy Spirit, he wanted to be given the gift of an apostle, and the temptation was too great for him. This passage reminds us that there may come, or has come, a time when we have to give up something valuable to us because Christ loves us. This calling may seem hard, but Christ has trampled down the demons. The gospel frees us, the gospel is free, but it is often costly.

Text: Acts 8:4–8 Driven from Jerusalem by persecution, the early Christians did not abandon their mission: wherever they were scattered, they continued proclaiming the gospel. Philip carried the good news across cultural and religious boundaries into Samaria, demonstrating that the gospel is for every people and every nation. The same Holy Spirit who strengthened the first believers continues to lead Christ’s Church beyond comfort, fear, and weakness. As Christians go in the strength God has given them, the gospel changes lives and produces a joy deeper than temporary happiness—a joy rooted in Christ’s presence, promises, and victory.