 In Acts 17 the believers are accused to "making trouble all over the world" or "turning the world upside down." From the changes we see happening in our world, we understand the feeling - we see people and groups that we feel are doing just that. How do we go about turning the world upside down for Jesus? Note: Reading Kavin Rowe's World Upside Down contributed to my thinking on this text.

Pursuing Jesus

Turning the World Upside Down

 After being beaten and thrown in jail, what do Paul and Silas do? They pray and sing praises to God. How do we become the kind of people who can sing in jail - or when our world is falling apart in other ways?

Can You Sing in Jail?

 Paul and Silas were willing to give up their own freedom so a slave girl could be free. (Acts 16)

The Price of Freedom

 In Acts 16:1-15, we see Paul and his mission team:1. Completing the team membership 2. Discerning their next steps 3. Entering new territory

Adventuring with Jesus

 We can learn at least three things from Jesus's experience of anxiety in the Garden of Gethsemane:1. Own our anxiety, don't hide it 2. See the things that make us anxious in a bigger context 3. Don't go it alone

Confronting Anxiety

 When we consider the Ten Commandments and God's commands in context - the context in Exodus 20 and in the rest of the Bible, we see that God's commands are meant for our good.

The Joy of Discipline

 In Acts 6 we see the early disciples growing in multiple ways. They grew in numbers. They grew in crossing cultural boundaries. They grew in their relationship with Jesus.

Some Dimensions of Growth

 Do we trust God enough to invite him to examine us closely?

Overcoming Secret Sin

 When we let God work in us and through us, God will do things that cause the people around us to ask questions. When they ask questions, we can point them to Jesus.

Boldness for Christ

 When Peter and John went to the Temple to pray, they SAW a man in need. They couldn't give him what he wanted, but they gave him what he needed.

Working With What We Have

Submission is very unpopular - except maybe when we're the ones being submitted to. What's the Bible have to say about it? When we consider the whole picture we see both the usefulness of submission and the ways God challenges it.

Submission

Abraham didn't know where he was going or exactly what was in store for him. He went with God anyway.Matt Mooneyham preaching

Not Knowing Whither He Went

Messages preached at First United Methodist Church, Pittsburg, Texas. Most are by Dr. Richard Heyduck.

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Pursuing Jesus

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