Acts Series Podcast

Pastor Joel and Luke discuss Acts 5 and the story of Ananias and Sapphira, emphasizing the sobering physical reality of death and the heart-level call to truly surrender to Jesus. They contrast being filled with the Holy Spirit, with jealousy and greed, and explore how small steps toward self-preservation, perception-management, and partial truths can lead to deception. The conversation addresses why lying feels like a default, how grace and accountability belong together, and why God’s judgment at the start of the New Testament church protects the church’s foundation from manipulation. They encourage honesty, confession, and vulnerability in Christian community, urging listeners to share their struggles, seek help, and live to promote Christ rather than self, anchored by the memory verse: “We must obey God rather than men.” Grab your Bible, download your study guide at https://www.chapel-pointe.org/acts/, and subscribe today to join the journey!

Pastor Joel and Luke discuss Acts chapter 4 as a foundational passage for the New Testament church, emphasizing boldness, unity, transformation, and the empowering work of the Holy Spirit. They explore how tens of thousands came to faith and how the early believers’ shared focus on Jesus produced uncommon unity and courage that unsettled society and religious leaders. The conversation distinguishes between the Spirit’s indwelling and empowerment, describing empowerment as surrender and humility rather than hype or overproduction. They highlight Peter and John’s consistent, simple preaching—pointing to who Jesus is, what was done to Him, and Old Testament fulfillment—and challenge to prioritize daily rhythms of prayer, scripture, and speaking what they’ve seen and heard. The episode closes with a call to pray for the Holy Spirit's boldness, dependence, and lives “shaken” toward Jesus. Grab your Bible, download your study guide at https://www.chapel-pointe.org/acts/, and subscribe today to join the journey!

Pastor Joel and Luke discuss Acts 3 and the healing of a man, lame from birth, who had begged for alms for 40 years, highlighting that spiritual blessings in Jesus outweigh material help and transform a life. They explore living in the tension between the spiritual and physical, and caution believers not to lose their awe of what God can do. They note that this miracle occurred after Jesus’ ascension and Peter credits Jesus alone, then boldly confronts the crowd, calling them to repent and turn back so sins are “blotted out” and “times of refreshing” come. The episode challenges believers to stop returning to past sin, embrace healing and joy, and share Jesus without fear. Grab your Bible, download your study guide at https://www.chapel-pointe.org/acts/, and subscribe today to join the journey!

Pastor Joel and Luke invite listeners to become a movement-ready church by going verse by verse through Acts 2:42–47, emphasizing how devotion to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer fosters a Jesus-centered life that leads to awe. They discuss "devotion drift," the shaping influence of the world, spiritual laziness, and how truth softens hearts, using parenting and daily rhythms as practical examples. Highlighting the early church’s boldness, generosity, and Peter’s preaching following persecution, they point out that true transformation is rooted in recognizing personal brokenness and Jesus’ centrality. They emphasize that the Holy Spirit works not only in dramatic "earthquakes" but in everyday faithfulness—a "slow drink"—and close with prayer and a challenge to "just keep preaching" through worship, community, prayer, and generosity. Grab your Bible, download your study guide at https://www.chapel-pointe.org/acts/, and subscribe today to join the journey!

Pastor Joel and Pastor Luke discuss what it means to live a Holy Spirit-empowered life rather than relying on self-empowerment, comfort, or busyness. They explore how to evaluate whether choices are Spirit-led by looking back and asking if they were life-giving or life-taking, and they challenge listeners to pursue Christ-exalting obedience even when it is hard. Connecting these themes to Acts 1, they highlight the promise of receiving power from the Holy Spirit to be witnesses, the early believers’ disciplined unity and prayer while waiting, and the expectation of persecution for a life that truly represents Jesus.