Redemption Hill Church Sermons

Acts 19:1-20 (Part 1): Paul finally arrives in Ephesus, the gateway city to Asia. He finds disciples who only knew John's baptism. "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They hadn't even heard of the Holy Spirit. Paul explains: John pointed to the one coming after him, that is Jesus. They're baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul lays hands on them. The Ho...

Week 54 in Acts. Baptism Sunday! Acts 18:18-28: Paul is "in transit," traveling from Corinth through Ephesus, Caesarea, Antioch, and back through Galatia. A bridge text. But Luke is showing us something profound: discipleship in motion. Paul takes Aquila and Priscilla with him. He greets the church (encouraging them with stories of God's faithfulness). He strengthens disciples wherev...

Week 52 in Acts! Halfway through the book. Acts 18:1-17: Paul leaves Athens and arrives in Corinth—a city so steeped in debauchery that "to live like a Corinthian" became Greek slang for moral corruption. The church wasn't planted in a place that degenerated—it was planted in the cesspool itself. There Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla, the New Testament's most beautiful picture of...

Acts 17:16-34: Paul waits for Silas and Timothy in Athens. His spirit is provoked by the city drowning in idols. A Roman satirist once said, "It was easier to find a god than a man in Athens." Paul reasons in the synagogue, in the Agora, and finally at the Areopagus (Mars Hill), invited by Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. This is a masterclass in subversive apologetics. Paul uses the St...

Acts 18:1-17: Paul leaves Athens and arrives in Corinth, a city so steeped in debauchery that "to live like a Corinthian" became Greek slang for moral corruption. The church wasn't planted in a place that degenerated, it was planted in the cesspool itself. There Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla, the New Testament's most beautiful picture of unified marriage. Always mentioned toget...

Pentecost Sunday! Acts 17:1-15: Paul and Silas arrive in Thessalonica where there's a synagogue. For three Sabbaths, Paul reasons from the Old Testament scriptures, explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead . Over 1,000 Old Testament prophecies converge in one man, Jesus. Yet the Jews wanted a warrior-king, not a carpenter from Nazareth. They wanted conquest,...

Acts 16:16-24: Paul and Silas meet a slave girl with a spirit of divination. She's making her owners rich through fortune-telling. Demonically possessed, she follows them for days shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God who proclaim the way of salvation!"Theologically accurate. But unhelpful. Paul commands the spirit: "In the name of Jesus, come out of her."...

Acts 16:16-24: Paul and Silas meet a slave girl with a spirit of divination. She's making her owners rich through fortune-telling. Demonically possessed, she follows them for days shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God who proclaim the way of salvation!" Theologically accurate. But unhelpful. Paul commands the spirit: "In the name of Jesus, come out of her."...

Acts 16:1-15: Paul and Silas continue the second missionary journey. In Lystra, they meet Timothy, son of a Jewish believer and Greek father, well spoken of by the brothers. Paul circumcises Timothy (not for salvation, but for gospel access to Jews). As they deliver the Council of Jerusalem's decision, churches are strengthened and grow daily. Then something unexpected: Forbidden by the Holy S...

Picking up from last week: Who are we as God's people? Verse 9 : You are a CHOSEN RACE, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, a people for God's own possession—THAT YOU MAY PROCLAIM His excellencies. Called out of darkness into marvelous light. Verse 10 : Once NOT a people, now GOD'S PEOPLE. Once had NOT received mercy, now HAVE received mercy. Verses 11-12 : Live as SOJOURNERS and EXILES...

Second Sunday of Easter + 12th Anniversary of Redemption Hill Church!1 Peter 2:1-12: Growing up into salvation as living stones built into a spiritual house. Peter transitions from WHO we are in Christ (chapter 1) to HOW we should live. The indicatives lead to imperatives. Because of what God has done, NOW what? PUT AWAY (v.1): Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander. These are community-killers....

Matthew 21:1-11: The Triumphal Entry. Jesus orchestrates the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9—riding on a donkey signals "Your king has come."Not the first time a king rode a donkey (Solomon rode David's mule in 1 Kings 1). Jesus = greater than Solomon, son of David. Passover was like a fair—familiar + surprise. Up to 2 million in Jerusalem. Buzz in the air. Jesus disrupts the liturgy. C...

Acts 15:32–41After the Council of Jerusalem settled the gospel question (salvation by grace alone), the church sends Judas and Silas to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas to deliver the letter. Judas and Silas encourage and strengthen the believers, then return to Jerusalem. Paul proposes a second missionary journey to revisit the churches they planted. But a sharp disagreement erupts: Barnabas wants...

Acts 15:1-21: The first church council. False teachers from Judea: "Unless you're circumcised according to Moses, you cannot be saved." Paul and Barnabas have "no small dissension and debate" with them. Is salvation by grace or by works of the law? It cannot be both. The Council of Jerusalem gathers. Peter stands: "Why put God to the test by placing a yoke neither we n...

Acts 14:1-18: Paul and Barnabas driven from Antioch arrive in Iconium. A great number believe—both Jews and Greeks. But unbelieving Jews poison minds against them. Instead of retreating, they stay "a long time speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders."Eventually driven out again, they flee to Lystra. There Paul heals a cripple—a...

Taking a break from Acts to address giving and generosity. 2 Corinthians 9:6-15: Paul's clear New Testament metric for Christian giving. Paul urges the Corinthian church to complete their promised offering to the persecuted church in Jerusalem. The Macedonian church — far poorer — gave "beyond their means" and begged to participate. Now Corinth must follow through. The New Testament...

Acts 13:26-52 (Part 3): The climax of Paul's first sermon and the doctrine of election in plain view. Paul proclaims the gospel clearly: Jesus' perfect life, death, burial, and resurrection FOR us and IN our place. He warns the Jews not to fall into the error of Esau, thrusting aside their birthright. The whole city gathers. Some rejoice. Some revile. Then comes verse 48: "As many as...

Acts 13:13-52: Paul's first recorded sermon in the Book of Acts. After arriving in Pisidian Antioch, Paul stands in the synagogue and preaches the gospel. He traces redemptive history from Moses through David to John the Baptist, then connects it all to Jesus. "Of David's offspring, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, according to His promise. "What's the message of sa...

Acts 13:13-52: Paul's first recorded sermon in the Book of Acts. But before we get to Paul's message, we need to see WHO is sending him. Acts 13:1 names the church at Antioch: Barnabas, Saul, Simeon called Niger (likely Simon of Cyrene who carried Jesus' cross), Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen (lifelong friend of Herod). This isn't random, Luke is highlighting DIVERSITY from day one. Ethnic diversity...

A short devotional on God's sovereignty based on this week's lectionary readings: Amos 3, Psalm 139, Matthew 4, and 1 Corinthians 1.Amos 3: "Can two walk together unless they be agreed?" Nothing happens by chance, everything occurs by God's decree. God is sovereign over all creation and history. Psalm 139: God is sovereign over your life personally. He knit you together, know...

Back to Acts after Advent & Christmas! Acts 13 picks up with Barnabas and Saul being sent out on their first missionary journey—not by the church, but by the Holy Spirit. We see worship and service unified. We see the laying on of hands. We see a bittersweet sending—joyful but sad to see brothers leave. Most importantly, we see that this is CHRIST'S mission, not ours. Along the way, Paul c...

Epiphany Sunday: The Baptism of Jesus from Matthew 3:13-17. Why would the sinless Son of God submit to a baptism of repentance? John the Baptist resists: "I need to be baptized by YOU. Why are you coming to ME?" But Jesus insists: "Let it be so now, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. "At His baptism, we witness the Trinity in full display: The Son is baptize...

Second Sunday of Christmas: The Boy Jesus at the Temple from Luke 2:41-52. This isn't the manger scene, it's 12 years later when Jesus' family loses Him at the Passover feast. Mary and Joseph panic. They lost GOD IN THE FLESH. They had one job: raise Him so He could accomplish the unthinkable. And they LOST Him. Three days later, they find their 12-year-old boy in the temple courts, no...

First Sunday of Christmas: What's the theology of Christmas? It's right here in Galatians 4:4-7. When the fullness of time came, God sent His Son, not as an example, but to REDEEM us. Born of a woman, born under the law, to free us from the law's curse. The law exposes our sin but can't fix it. We need Christ's righteousness, His perfect life, death, burial, and resurrection do...

The Return of the King concludes with Psalm 24, a liturgical song sung as King David brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. But this isn't just ancient history. It's a prophetic shadow pointing to Christ's ascension and ultimate return. Who is worthy to ascend the hill of the Lord? Only one: Jesus Christ. He alone has clean hands, a pure heart, and has never lifted His soul to...