The Book of Acts

1/29/2023 Some Christians feel powerless—struggling to have victory over sin, unable to be bold in their witness, tired of running the race, wondering if there is more to the Christian life than just biding their time until Jesus returns.Maybe this describes you, and maybe it’s all because there is an absence of God’s power without the fullness of the Holy Spirit.Join Pastor Gary as he teaches from Acts 1 about the person and power of the Holy Spirit available to all Believers, and learn what it means to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. 00:00 - Introduction 00:09 - Overview of The Book of Luke 00:20 - Writer: Luke (only Gentile writer of the Bible) 00:39 - In some ways, Acts is a continuation of Luke’s gospel; it’s the sequel 00:45 - Luke was a physician (Col. 4:14) and he became a traveling companion of Paul 01:55 - Written sometime between 60-69 A.D. 01:59 - Acts and the Gospel of Luke both addressed to Theophilus ("lover of God") 03:37 - Ideally this book could be called “Acts of Jesus through the Apostles” 09:51 - Acts 1:8 19:46 - 3 Things about who the Holy Spirit is 19:59 - 1) The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity; one God who reveals Himself in a plurality of three persons: God the Father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:26,27) 21:15 - 2) The Holy Spirit has always existed being co-equal and co-eternal with God because He is God (Gen. 1:2) 22:01 - 3) The Holy Spirit is not an “it” or just a “force”; He has all the attributes of personality: Mind (1 Cor. 2:11); Will (1 Cor. 12:11); and Emotion (Eph. 4:30) 23:25 - How do you get the Holy Spirit and the power that comes with the Holy Spirit? 24:30 - John 14:16-17 25:20 - Greek word for “with, near, around” 27:24 - Greek word for “in” 32:55 - Greek word for “Upon” ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

2/05/2023 The followers of Jesus, who numbered about 120, were told to wait in Jerusalem until the “Promise” of the Holy Spirit. When the Day of Pentecost came, God poured out the Holy Spirit on all who had gathered in that Upper Room. It was an AUDIBLE, VISIBLE, and VERBAL event—the sound like a rushing wind, the sight of flames of fire lighting on each person, and people speaking in “tongues.” In today’s study, Pastor Gary gives the history of Pentecost and covers the AUDIBLE and VISIBLE aspects of what happened when God’s Spirit was poured out in Acts 2. 00:00 - Introduction 00:27 - Three Topics Paul warns us NOT to be ignorant about 00:34 - Israel and the place of the Jews in history & prophecy (Rom. 11:25) 00:47 - The Rapture of the Church and End Times events ( 1 Thess. 4:13; 16-17) 00:57 - The Holy Spirit and Spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:1) 12:06 - Three phenomena associated with Pentacost (Acts 2) 12:13 - Audible - sound as a mighty,rushing wind 12:20 - Visual - like tongues or flames of fire lighting on each person 12:30 - Verbal - people speaking in other languages (aka, tongues). 12:48 - Why Pentecost? Why did God choose the Feast of Pentacost as the day to pour out His Spirit in this way? 17:22 - Pentecost = (Hb. Shavuot or “Feast of Weeks”) 17:33 - 7 full weeks after Firstfruits (the day Jesus rose from the dead) plus one day for a total of 50 days. 17:46 - “Pentacost” in Greek just means “50th” Day 17:56 - Historical background on Pentacost 18:07 - 1) to Commemorate the giving of the Law that Moses received from God on Mt. Sinai 25:28 - 2) to Celebrate the end of the wheat harvest by offering at the Temple two loaves of wheat bread made with yeast. 28:19 - Audible - sound as a mighty, rushing wind 29:49 - Visual - like tongues or flames of fire lighting on each person 31:16 - Verbal - people speaking in other languages (aka, tongues). ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

2/12/2023 In today’s study, Pastor Gary teaches about one of the gifts of the Spirit that manifests in Acts 2 known as “tongues.” Tongues is a known language, except to the person speaking, that God gives a Believer for the purpose of prayer and/or praise to God. But is it still available today? Should all Believers speak in tongues? And why would God give the gift of a language to people who cannot understand it themselves? Pastor Gary addresses these and other key questions in today’s teaching on the gift of tongues. 00:00 - Introduction 04:51 - Three phenomena associated with Pentecost (Acts 2) 05:02 - Audible (v.2) the sound as a might, rushing wind 05:47 - Visual - (v.3) like flames of fire lighting on each person 06:21 - Verbal - (v.4) people speaking in other “tongues” (languages) 09:15 - What exactly is “tongues”? 09:29 - Tongues is a known language, except to the person speaking, that God gives a Believer for the purpose of prayer and/or praise to God. 12:20 - Was the gift of tongues limited to just the first century Church, or is it still available for Believers today? 13:01 - When will the gift of tongues end? 18:22 - 1 Cor. 13:10 refers to the perfection of the Believer, NOT the completion of the Bible. Which means, all the gifts are still available today. 22:09 - If the gift of tongues is still available today…why would God give the gift of a language to people who cannot understand it themselves? 30:53 - Am I supposed to speak in tongues? 32:01 - Is tongues THE evidence for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? 35:33 - THE evidence for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is LOVE (1 Cor. 13) ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

2/19/2023 In 1869, the tallest lighthouse in America was built in Cape Hatteras, NC. It was built ½ mile from the coast, but after more than a hundred years of beach erosion, the Army Corps of Engineers had to relocate the lighthouse another ½ mile inland.The erosion threatened the foundation of the lighthouse.In a similar way, the Church is to be like a lighthouse—guiding people, warning people, and helping people to get safely home to Jesus.But unfortunately, there has been a slow erosion of some of the foundational elements of the Church that threaten the Church’s ability to be that beacon of light that we are called to be.In Acts 2:42, we learn about four foundational elements that defined the Early Church—things that should still define the Church today.Find out what they are and how our church endeavors to stay on solid ground. 00:00 - Introduction 09:20 - Four Foundations of the Church 11:46 - 1) The Apostles’ Doctrine (Bible) 21:55 - 2) Fellowship (Gk, koinonia) 28:23 - 3) Breaking of Bread (Communion) 33:31 - 4) Prayer 38:41 - Communion ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

2/26/2023 At some point every Christian’s faith will be tested in the area of conscience and duty—to see whether you will have the courage to obey God rather than man wherever man’s law and authority contradicts the higher law and authority of God. The Early Church practiced civil disobedience wherever that contradiction existed. We have been living in a time more recently when government and/or employer policies, laws, and ordinances are increasingly at odds with God—with God’s policies, laws, and ordinances. And Christians in America are having to decide who is really Lord? And whom will you obey—God or man? Christians should be the best citizens, living in subjection to governing authority, praying and respecting our leaders. But where the contradiction exists, may God help us to say as the Early Church did—“We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29) 00:00 - Introduction 24:41 - When is civil disobedience acceptable to God? 24:47 Answer: When man's law or authority contradicts the higher law or authority of God. ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

3/19/2023 The Early Church was united around common beliefs and common burdens—the belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and the burden of being persecuted by those who opposed them. Jews in the first century who believed in Jesus as Lord and Savior were killed at worst and cancelled at best.As a result of facing such real persecution, the Early Church pooled their resources and shared them with each other as needed.It was not socialism, it was survivalism.In addition, when God struck down Ananias and Sapphira for their deception, the Early Church learned quickly that “the Church pure is the Church powerful” (as G. Campbell Morgan once said).They developed a healthy “fear of the Lord” and walked in holiness before God.The Early Church serves as good examples for the Church today. 00:00 - Introduction 10:56 - Lessons from the Early Church 11:00 - 1) The Early Church was not practicing Socialism; they were practicing SURVIVALISM. Socialism is not taught in the Bible; hard work is. 22:33 - 2) The Early Church was not mandated by the law to give, they were motivated by the heart 26:36 - 3) The Early Church had to learn that “the Church PURE is the Church POWERFUL” (G. Campbell Morgan) 28:56 - 4) The Early Church walked in the “fear of the Lord” ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

3/26/2023 The first martyr of the Early Church was a man named Stephen. He was killed defending his faith in Jesus Christ. His life and death serve as a great example for Christians today and also challenges us with three questions: (1) Do I love God more than my own life? (2) Do I forgive others who have wronged me? and (3) Am I prepared to see the Lord when I die? Pastor Gary teaches through these questions today and encourages us to pray for the same courage and boldness that Stephen had. 00:00 - Introduction 10:25 - Stephen Recalls 1100 years of Jewish History 10:28 - 1) Patriarches (7:2-19) - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph 10:44 - 2) Prophets (7:20-43) - Moses 10:56 - 3) Place (7:44-50) - The Temple 11:57 - It’s about a PERSON - Jesus the Messiah 15:31 - 1) Do I love God more than my own life? 23:40 - 2) Do I forgive others who have wronged me? 28:08 - 3) Am I prepared to see the Lord when I die? ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

4/16/2023 Have you ever battled bitterness? It’s not that uncommon. Bitterness usually sets in after one painful or disappointing event, or series of events, that rob people of the joy they once had.Sometimes bitterness is expressed outwardly—people who are mean, angry, moody, and negative.But sometimes bitterness is internal—people who are suffering on the inside but smiling on the outside.Whether external or internal, God wants to heal us of bitterness and restore the joy of our salvation.In today’s teaching, Pastor Gary shares six common causes of bitterness and then prays for God to heal those who want to be free of bitterness. 00:00 - Introduction 20:53 - 6 Common causes & characters of bitterness 21:36 - 1) Envy and jealousy about what others have that you don't 22:42 - 2) The disappointments of life 23:52 - 3) Betrayal and rejection by other people 26:34 - 4) The Hardships and misery of life 27:43 - 5) Personal loss and the death of loved ones 29:07 - 6) Personal failure 30:43 - Bible verses on how to get rid of bitterness ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

4/23/2023 One of the most dramatic conversion stories is recorded in Acts 9 when Saul (Paul) meets Jesus on the road to Damascus. This encounter will forever transform his life.Paul will go from being a persecutor and murderer of Christians to becoming a Believer himself who will, next to Jesus, have the most profound impact on the world for Jesus.It is a testament to the transforming power of Jesus and how He can radically change a person from the inside. Pastor Gary shares Paul’s conversion story and how it applies to all of us today in a similar way because Jesus is still transforming lives! ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel

5/14/2023 Some people believe they are relatively good and don’t really need God. Others believe they are too bad for God to forgive them.Truth is, it doesn’t matter what we think about ourselves. What matters is what God thinks.And what God thinks is that everyone needs a Savior because no one is good enough to get to Heaven on their own or bad enough to be excluded. Jesus died for all that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 00:00 - Introduction 06:42 - Background on Cornelius 09:32 - 1) Being “good” is not good enough; we all need a Savior - JESUS 16:45 - 2) Whatever a person’s tribe, tongue,race or nation, Believers are one people under the Lordship of Jesus Christ 18:13 - 3) Rituals and Regulations have been fulfilled in Christ and are no longer necessary to keep (Col 2:16-17) 24:15 - 4) We don’t worship people,pray to people, or get to God through people; Jesus is our direct access to God and HE alone is worthy of worship 27:38 - Romans 10:12-13 ABOUT US: https://cornerstonechapel.net/hello GROW: If you made a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior text "I have decided" to 703-844-9969. We'd love to rejoice with you and to send you a bible! For next steps on how to grow in your relationship with Jesus check out https://cornerstonechapel.net/grow/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/cornerstonechpl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cornerstonechpl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cornerstonechapel Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cornerstonechapel/albums #Cornerstonechapel #GaryHamrick #CalvaryChapel