King's Cross Church South Bay

We come to Antioch, where Jesus' followers were "First Called Christians" (Acts 11). The more I've studied this passage, the more convinced I am that it is a case study for what a church should be. So we're going to tap the brakes a little and spend a couple of weeks on this passage, considering the marks of the church. However, the beauty of Antioch is that there is no lecture format here. Instea...

We continue our series in Acts with the conversion of Cornelius, a centurion & Gentile. Aside from Paul's conversion, this is the only event that is told three separate times in the book of Acts. Why is it so important? The Gospel is breaking through to the Gentiles. And that's a problem for Peter: what about Kosher laws? Can he even go to a Gentile house? Doesn't that make him unclean? The beauty...

We continue our series in Acts with the resurrection of Dorcas (Acts 9:36-43). "She was full of good works and acts of charity" - and yet she became ill and died tragically. The church calls for Peter, who comes and raises her back to life. If that happens in our church today, that is not something I can do for you. So what is the hope of life this passage is offering us? Obviously, Dorcas died ag...

Our series in Acts comes to the most famous conversion story in all of Christian history - Saul the Pharisee becomes Paul. However, several features of this event run directly contrary to what many think constitutes a conversion. Who is seeking whom? Was the change instantaneous? How does this event actually bring about such drastic change? Jesus came to 'set the prisoners free' and give 'life to...

We come to one of the most beautiful pictures of Gospel outreach in the book of Acts - Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39). Let's talk about how "Knowing Jesus Changes a Eunuch" - and why that's good news we need today, too.

Philip encounters Simon Magus - a magician who sees the power of the Holy Spirit affecting people's lives and wants to buy that power. The Apostles rebuke him, yet it is what God is doing among the Samaritans that makes them so excited. How might God similarly surprise us with his joy in 2022? Let's celebrate the Good News that you “Can’t Buy Me Love" (Acts 8:4-25).

Let God’s promise set our priorities and push us through obstacles and opposition. Haggai 1:4-9; 13-15; 2:20-23

On this particular Sunday many of the children sang for us during the service. In addition to Scripture readings and carols about the coming of Jesus, Russ brought a brief Christmas message. For unto us a child is born!

We consider an often overlooked Christmas persona: Herod. In modern renditions of the Christmas story, Herod rarely plays more than a footnote role to the wise men who come seeking Jesus. You'd be hard-pressed to find Herod in a standard nativity set. Why do we seem to gloss over this king who has a significant role in the biblical account of Jesus' birth? Because... it's violent. It's horrific. I...

Advent means “arrival” or ”coming”. This season is about God's people longing for God to come, but on Sunday we’ll look at someone who is much more skeptical about the coming of the messiah: Joseph. He does have good reason to be skeptical. After all, isn't there a much simpler explanation for what has happened with Mary? And accepting this 'story' threatens to ruin Joseph's reputation. If properl...

While brief, the book of Ruth has been highly regarded as a fine piece of literature - even by those who aren’t Bible-people. It’s a great love story. The patterns and themes reveal the character of God, His control through chaotic times, and His lovingkindness towards those whom He is buying back. Let’s enjoy the story together and worship our Redeemer.

We are looking at the life of Stephen - or, more particularly, why he gave his life. We don't know that much about him, and yet he gives the longest speech in the book of Acts... and it gets him killed. What exactly does he say that is so offensive? Why don't we find those things as anger-inducing? Even so, we do live in a society that is marked by outrage and even mob violence. So we are well awa...

We come to the New Testament commissioning of deacons in Acts 6. And while it raises interesting implications for church government, the bigger surprise in this passage is how the Gospel forms and shapes the early Church's response to an emergent need. Some widows are being overlooked. Mercy monies are being distributed unfairly. And there is even a question of prejudice. But instead of simply hav...

Jesus' followers are beginning to experience purposeful persecution. As church history demonstrates, persecution was a pervasive reality for the first few centuries. Publicly acknowledging or professing what they believed could get them jailed or killed. However, for most American Christians, this is almost incomprehensible. We tend to complain about our most minor discomforts, without ever knowin...

We come to Ananias and Sapphira. For those who thought it was only the 'Old Testament God' who strikes down people in judgment, this passage is shocking. What did they really do - especially that would warrant such an extreme act of God? As we look closer, this judgment is not so much about money as it is about being phony. But someone says, "phoniness? Really?! That is worth God striking someone...

We come to Acts 4, where Peter says there is "No Other Name" than Jesus for salvation. This claim was incredibly offensive at the time, but it certainly is unpopular today as well. Yet two things strike me: Despite the offensiveness of such a claim, some people still hear it as good news. Also, the group most clearly upset by such a claim appears to be the religious establishment - even to the poi...

After Peter performs a miraculous healing, people gather; so he takes the time to explain what the healing means. And while the healing itself is what draws immediate attention, the greater joy is the much richer, underlying hope Peter is preaching. That hope is life-altering but rarely is your life "altered" without some pain involved. As has been said: "It hurts like heaven - which is more than...

We come to a miraculous healing passage. Peter and John are going to the temple to pray when a man calls out to them. He has been "lame from birth," and he asks for alms. But Peter and John have no money, so they give him something even better. Stories like this invite the thought: does the Church still have something better to offer today? This man began with very low expectations (and probably a...

We come to a famously ideal picture of the early church. Everyone had "Everything in Common" (Acts 2:42-47). Virtually every Christian denomination sees this passage as a model for what church life should be. And yet, so few of us seem to experience that. What are we missing? Well, for starters, the rest of Acts - the church struggles and fights... but we shall get there in the coming weeks. For n...

Even as Peter calls people to repentance, he says the promise of God is for "all who are far off." There are few more encouraging thoughts than a Love that pursues us even when we abandon it or find ourselves in a terrible place. What is God's heart for wayward people like us? And how does knowing that help change our wandering hearts to become more like his pursuing one? Discussion Questions What...

Discussion Questions Do you tend to celebrate the good fortune of others (Good for you!)? Or do you find satisfaction more often over someone getting justly punished (Take that!)? In the Kate Middleton story, were you happy about where she ended up or did you feel more contempt for her oppressors? The Holy Spirit puts a spotlight on our sin. Describe a recent time when this happened? Are you grate...

Is God in control of bad things, too? The pandemic, the hurricane, the 20th anniversary of 9/11, my family member's death... That is certainly not how I would have done it! How could a good God allow such things? And if he does, what comfort does God offer us in our suffering? Let's talk about what Peter says in Acts 2:22-24 ("Not the Way I Planned It"). Discussion Questions Do you remember any vi...

Last week we began to look at Pentecost. We saw the Holy Spirit come down, and how He immediately affected the disciples. But what does it mean for God to pour out his Spirit on his people? If this is Pentecost, what makes a church... "Pentecost-al"? Let's talk about the marks of a church where the Holy Spirit is active - where God says, "I Will Pour Out My Spirit" (Acts 2:12-21). Discussion Quest...

Last week we saw the disciples waiting and preparing. This Sunday we see the fire of the Holy Spirit coming down upon them. If you stop and think about it, the imagery of Pentecost is startling. Rushing wind. Tongues of fire. On their heads. Why does God do it this way? And why would it matter to us right now? This event changed them. They had been hiding in an upstairs room. Suddenly they poured...

As we continue our series in Acts, we come to the choosing of a "replacement" apostle. It's just a weird passage with a sense of "what's next?" after Jesus has commissioned them and departed... which has all kinds of wonderful echoes for our immediate situation as a newly commissioned church. How do we prepare for what Christ has next? Let's talk about the tools and the tasks of preparing: "Waitin...