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They locked them up overnight. By breakfast they were back in the temple, teaching. Then they were flogged and left rejoicing. In Acts 5:12–42 we see why opposition doesn’t stop what God is doing. It often comes along with it. We look at three things. Power provokes opposition. God’s word can’t be locked up. God’s plans can’t be overthrown. On the way we meet the Sadducees’ jealousy, Gamaliel’s cautious fence-sitting and the apostles’ surprising joy, and we ask what the cost of following Jesus will reveal in us this week: fear, or joy?

This week at Mosaic Church Harlow we welcomed Steve McVeigh from New Life Church, Tunbridge Wells, continuing our series through Acts, To the Ends of the Earth. Peter and John are arrested and ordered to stop speaking about Jesus, but they won’t be silenced. When they return to the church, the believers don’t pray for protection; they pray for boldness. The place is shaken, they’re filled with the Holy Spirit, and their shared life overflows in generosity so that no one is in need. Then the story takes a sobering turn with Ananias and Sapphira, a reminder that a Spirit-filled church is also called to be an honest one.

He expected a coin. He got something nobody saw coming. For forty years a man lame from birth sat begging at the Beautiful Gate while people walked past him on their way to meet God. Then two men stopped, looked him in the eye, and gave him what they actually had. In this message from our Acts series, To the Ends of the Earth, Ben Norris asks: what if the most loving thing the church can give isn’t always what people expect from us? In this episode: What We Actually Have (v.1–10) Whose Power, Whose Glory (v.11–16) What the Wonder Calls For (v.17–26) “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6, ESV) This week: Who are you walking past every day, and what do you actually have to give them?

Pentecost, the Feasts, and the Gifts of the Spirit | Acts 2:1–13 Ian Remfry unpacks the day of Pentecost through the lens of Leviticus 23's feasts, showing how it fulfils the Feast of Weeks and reverses the confusion of Babel — this time bringing unity as the gospel is understood in every language. He addresses common questions around the baptism of the Spirit and speaking in tongues, then offers two pastoral warnings: about pop-culture pictures of spiritual warfare, and about grieving or quenching the Holy Spirit — closing with an invitation to ask, do I eagerly desire the Spirit's gifts?

Acts is a strange book — it doesn't really end. Paul is left in Rome, under house arrest, preaching "with all boldness and without hindrance," and then Luke simply stops writing. No verdict, no resolution. That's because the story was never meant to end on the page — it was meant to continue in us. In this opening message of our new series through Acts, To the Ends of the Earth, we look at why Jesus tells His disciples to wait before He sends them out. God never sends us on a mission without first giving us the power to accomplish it, and He teaches us to wait for that power through prayer, Scripture and trust. We walk through Acts 1:1–26 in three movements: the promise of power, the patience of God's timing, and the practice of godly waiting. Along the way we ask what it looks like to stop relying on our own competence and start depending on the Holy Spirit — and what it would mean for Mosaic to become a church that waits on God's power before rushing into God's work.

The doors are finally open. God pours out His Spirit, welcomes anyone who calls on Him, and promises to live with His people forever. The final message in our series through Joel — three promises fulfilled as history moves toward final justice and redemption: the Spirit for everyone, salvation for everyone who calls, and refuge that becomes a forever home. Joel 2:28–3:21 · Week 3 of our series through Joel.

Phil Bradbury brings us a message from Joel 2:12–27 with a simple but powerful truth at its heart, our hope is not found in the depth of our repentance, but in the character of God. He does not merely forgive repentant people, He restores them. In this episode, Phil explores: Why genuine repentance means rending our hearts, not just our garments Why repentance is both a personal and a communal call How God's character, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love, gives us real hope God's promise to restore what has been lost, including the years the locusts have eaten How God removes shame and renews joy Whether you are feeling lukewarm, carrying regret over wasted years, walking through spiritual darkness, or simply need to hear that restoration is possible, this message speaks to you.

The Day of the Lord Is Coming | Joel 1:1–2:11 (Joel, Week 1) Every smoke alarm trains us to silence the noise before we check for the fire. Joel asks what happens the day the alarm is right — and the thing you silenced by instinct was trying to save your life. That's the book of Joel. God pulls a fire alarm on his own people through a devastating locust plague, and refuses to let them treat it as just a disaster to get through. Behind the ruined fields lies something far greater: the Day of the Lord. In this first message of our series Joel: Messenger of Warning & Hope, we trace the tension from a present catastrophe to a coming reckoning — through five movements: the wake-up call, a nation's spiritual complacency, the coming Day of the Lord, why that day is unavoidable apart from repentance, and why the alarm was always an act of mercy. We stop deliberately at Joel 2:11 — "who can endure it?" — right where the question has no answer yet. Big idea: God uses present crises to awaken us to eternal realities. Don't waste seasons of shaking. Let them drive you toward God, not away from him.

Ordinary People, Extraordinary Gospel (Romans 15 & 16) Nobody stays to watch the credits — but without those names, there is no film. Paul ends the greatest letter ever written by rolling the credits: twenty-seven names, most unknown to history, all known to God. In this final message of our Romans series, we meet the four kinds of people who make the church: the people who go (15:14–21), the people who carry (16:1–2), the people who risk and work (16:3–16), and the people who stay watchful and worship (16:17–27). Along the way: the woman God trusted with the most influential letter in history, why fast Bible reading shows you Florida but slow reading feeds you, and a dangerous little prayer to take into your week. The church isn't made by the people on the poster. It's made by the people in the credits — and your name is in there.

After eleven chapters of doctrine — sin, justification, adoption, the Spirit — Paul turns to the room and asks: now what? Romans 12–14 is his answer. Four points: serve together with your gifts, love radically across every boundary, engage the world as dual citizens, and hold your convictions with grace rather than using them as weapons. One of the most practically demanding passages in the New Testament, and one of the most beautiful. Includes the story of the Charleston church shooting survivors and what forgiveness actually looks like when the gospel is working.

How does God bring about His purposes in our lives, in the church, and in the world around us? In this inspiring message from Genesis 1, Mike Betts explores how God works in the midst of uncertainty, weakness, and apparent lack. Looking at the creation account, he shows how God brings order out of chaos, life out of emptiness, and fulfilment out of promises that may seem impossible. Mike encourages us to trust God's timing, recognise the work of the Holy Spirit, and remain faithful in the small steps of obedience that often lead to God's greater purposes. Whether you're facing personal challenges, waiting on God's promises, or seeking to understand His plans for your life, this message offers practical wisdom, biblical insight, and fresh encouragement. Scripture: Genesis 1:1-5 Topics covered: • God's purposes and how He fulfils them • The Holy Spirit's work in creation and transformation • Faith when circumstances seem impossible • The church as God's presence on earth • Trusting God's timing and rhythms • Finding hope in seasons of uncertainty

When God called Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, Moses responded with a series of doubts, fears, and excuses. Yet God's answer remained the same: "I will be with you." In this message from Exodus 3:9-4:14, we explore Moses' struggle with inadequacy, God's patient responses, and how this story ultimately points us to Jesus. Discover why God's calling is never primarily about our ability, but about His presence. Whether you're facing a challenge, wrestling with self-doubt, or sensing God leading you into something new, this message will encourage you to trust not in yourself, but in the God who promises to be with you. Key Theme: It's not about our ability, it's about God's presence. Passage: Exodus 3:9-4:14