Big Idea: Good elders reveal glimpses of God's grace.

Paul’s farewell message to the Ephesians elders does a lot more than just teach us what the leaders of the local church should look like. His words and witness reveals the grace and glory of God shining through good elders. Therefore, this message is more than a mere explanation of ecclesiology, it is more of a meditation on the goodness and grace of God.

Sermon Outline

1. What is an “elder”?

2. Good Elders Reveal God’s Grace in the Past

3. Good Elders Reveal God’s Grace in the Present

4. Bad Elders Reveal We Must Rely On God’s Grace for the Future

Sermon Text: Acts 20:17-38

Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. And when they came to him, he said to them:

“You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all. And there was much weeping on the part of all; they embraced Paul and kissed him, being sorrowful most of all because of the word he had spoken, that they would not see his face again. And they accompanied him to the ship.

Applications Questions

• What are ways you have seen evidence of God’s grace in His elders?

• How do the descriptions of elders in Acts 20:18-35 agree with the roles and qualifications of elders in 1 Timothy 2:8-3:7, Titus 1:5-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-5?

• How have you seen God use His word to care for Embassy Church?

• What are ways you have seen God’s people humbly serve others and follow Jesus’ example?

• How does Jesus’ humble sacrifice impact your soul and how you live?

• Do you know the many ways that God has loved, served, and sacrificed Himself for YOU?

• What are ways God has worked in and through your life and those around you for your good and His glory?

• What are some bible passages that communicate God’s love for you?

• In what ways have you observed that it is better to give than to receive?

• How does Ephesians 4:8–12 help us further understand job of a shepherd and the leaders of the church?

• What are some ways that God’s Word has built you up?

• How have you the seen elders in our church lead well by using and relying upon God’s Word?

• How does a church discern when an elder is a good or bad elder?

Big Idea: We gather to be comforted by Jesus’ resurrection, not to become comfortable Christians.

This week’s message argues that Jesus’ resurrection should comfort us, but not the modern sense of “comfort” or “comfortable.” Instead, the original meaning of the word “comfort” means to strengthen or fortify. Acts 20:1-16 comforts us with resurrection words, resurrection food, and resurrection time.

Sermon Outline

1. Comforted by Resurrection Words

2. Comforted by Resurrection Food

3. Comforted by Resurrection Time

Sermon Text: Acts 20:1-16

After the uproar ceased, Paul sent for the disciples, and after encouraging them, he said farewell and departed for Macedonia. When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece. There he spent three months, and when a plot was made against him by the Jews as he was about to set sail for Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days.

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.

And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.

But going ahead to the ship, we set sail for Assos, intending to take Paul aboard there, for so he had arranged, intending himself to go by land. And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and went to Mitylene. And sailing from there we came the following day opposite Chios; the next day we touched at Samos; and the day after that we went to Miletus. For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he might not have to spend time in Asia, for he was hastening to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.

Applications Questions

• How does knowing the biblical definition of comfort help us know what God offers to us and encourage our hearts?

• How does this passage help us see the message being shared and what we should follow?

• How do the story and words of this passage encourage your soul?

• How could you have more teaching of God’s Word in your life?

• What is the importance of breaking bread throughout Scripture and in our lives on a regular and weekly basis?

• How do 1 Corinthians 11, Jude, and Acts 2 help us further understand the purpose of breaking bread?

• How does this passage encourage intimacy within the body of Christ?

• How does this passage challenge you to change your plans and to live for the resurrection of Jesus?

Big Idea: We see Jesus by looking at the work of HIS hands.

This sermon examines Acts 19:21-41 from a context that many of us are familiar with but find it difficult to admit: How can we see Jesus when we literally cannot see Him? By going through the whole passage, we come to see that the seeming absence of Jesus is not His absence, but His presence and work among us, especially when opposition to the Gospel seems to win the day. The Hand that seems absent has been carrying and shielding us all along.

Sermon Outline

1. HIS Hand Rouses (vv. 21-22)

2. HIS Hand Reveals… (vv. 23-34)

   1. …Idolatry and Greed (vv. 23-28)

   2. …Violence and Chaos (vv. 29-34)

3. HIS Hand Rescues (vv. 35-41)

Sermon Text: Acts 19:21-41

Acts 19:21–41 (ESV)

²¹ Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” ²² And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

²³ About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. ²⁴ For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. ²⁵ These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. ²⁶ And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. ²⁷ And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

²⁸ When they heard this they were enraged and were crying out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ So the city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s companions in travel. ³⁰ But when Paul wished to go in among the crowd, the disciples would not let him. ³¹ And even some of the Asiarchs, who were friends of his, sent to him and were urging him not to venture into the theater. ³² Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. ³³ Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, for about two hours they all cried out with one voice, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ And when the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “Men of Ephesus, who is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone that fell from the sky? ³⁶ Seeing then that these things cannot be denied, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither sacrilegious nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ If therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you seek anything further, it shall be settled in the regular assembly. ⁴⁰ For we really are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.” ⁴¹ And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

Application Questions:

• Vv. 21-22: Where do you see God working in your life right now, even if you don’t clearly “see” or feel His presence?
  What might His Spirit be doing beneath the surface?

• Vv. 21-22: The sermon says that our desires and the direction of our lives can reveal the Spirit’s work in us.
  What are some things that currently “rouse” or motivate you each day? What do they reveal about what you value?

• Vv. 23-28: Demetrius claimed to be concerned about Artemis, but his deeper concern was losing money.
  What are some modern-day “idols” that can disguise themselves as good or normal things? How can we recognize when something has begun to control our hearts?

• Vv. 29-34: The sermon says, “What would make us lash out if we lost it?”
  How can our reactions to disappointment, loss, criticism, or not getting what we want expose hidden idols or areas of greed in our hearts?

• Vv. 35-41: The Ephesian mob looked chaotic and dangerous, yet God quietly rescued Paul and his companions through the city clerk.
  Can you think of a time when God answered a difficult situation in an unexpected or seemingly ordinary way?

• Vv. 35-41: The sermon reminds us that Jesus is present even when His hand is difficult to see.
  What would it look like for you this week to intentionally “look for His hand”—in your circumstances, your relationships, Scripture, or the ways He is shaping your heart?

Big Idea: The Word is THE Way the LORD Wins!

Our next sermon in our studies through the book of Acts examines two episodes in the city of Ephesus. First, Paul attempts to preach the gospel in the synagogue until his message is rejected and he is forced to teach in a sort of school hall for the next two years. Second, the miracles that God did through Paul’s hand were so powerful that an ironic twist of events leads to the whole city of Ephesus fearing the power of Jesus. These two episodes are very different on the surface, but Luke makes it very clear that the Word of the Lord is what wins. The miracles are great, but the victory of the gospel is the reason God blessed Paul’s hand with miraculous power.

Sermon Outline

How can the Word of God spread all over Chicagoland?

1. Part 1: Six Steps for Revival?

2. Part 2: The Reals Steps for Revival

   1. Saturate Ourselves with the Sufficiency of Scripture

   2. Submit Ourselves to the Supremacy of Scripture

Sermon Text: Acts 19:8-20

And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Application Questions

• Do you want there to be revival in Chicagoland? If so, how does this happen?

• How do we know that the Word of God wins, not by strategy or technique?

• How is it helpful to know the work of the Spirit is like the Word?

• How has the Word of God left caused you to fear and tremble in your own life?

• What could help you to grow in your study and hunger for God’s Word?

• What contributes to people not choosing the Word of God and studying with others? How could our lives change to make the Word a priority?

• How might Acts 19:8–10 challenge you to study God’s word more?

• What does it look like to grow in submission to God’s Word?

• What is the significance that Paul is not active in this passage?

• How has God’s Word led you and others to confess sin?

• In what ways are you wasting time and/or giving your time to something or someone who is more dear than Jesus?

• How have you been blessed by submitting to Jesus?

• How does your life reflect submitting yourself to God’s Word?

• In what ways could you grow in learning from the Word through Embassy?

• How can our conversations grow in reflecting our love of the Word of God?

Big Idea: Disciples of Embassy Church are to be most excited about Jesus.

This week’s message compares two different disciples of John the Baptist. Apollos only knew the baptism of John but he did know some things about Jesus. His greatest need was to be discipled and receive more of Jesus. Then, in the next story in Acts, a group of twelve men also only knew the baptism of John, but they knew nothing about Jesus. Their greatest need was to become a disciple of Jesus, receive the Holy Spirit, and be baptized. In the same way, the greatest need for everyone at Embassy Church is to become disciples of Jesus and spend the rest of their lives growing more and more excited about knowing Him.

Sermon Outline

1. Acts 19:1-7 - The disciples of John should be most excited about Jesus.

2. Acts 18:24-26 - The disciples of Paul, Priscilla, or Aquila should be most excited about Jesus.

3. Acts 18:27-28 - The disciples of Apollos should be most excited about Jesus.

Sermon Text: Acts 18:24-19:7

Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. There were about twelve men in all.

Big Idea: I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

One of the most well-known and quoted bible verses comes from Philippians 4:13. The apostle Paul states that he is able to do all sorts of things because of the strength he receives from Jesus Christ. The often overlooked context of Philippians 4 clarifies what Paul means by “all things.” He explains that he can endure various trials and situations because of the power of Jesus’ promises. This is clarified even further by the historical context of the events that are recorded in Acts 18:1–23.

This week we pick up where we left off our in our series through the book of Acts by examining the church planting efforts of Paul in the city of Corinth. The story that the author, Luke, records for us recounts the various things Paul is able to do and endure because of the promises Jesus gives him. Therefore, the goal of this message is to receive the same strength that Paul received by listening to and trusting in the promises of Jesus.

Sermon Outline

1. “I can do all things” (Acts 18:1-8)

2. “Through him” (Acts 18:9-10)

3. “who strengthens me” (Acts 18:11-23)

Sermon Text: Acts 18:1-23

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.

When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.

And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. But when Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him before the tribunal, saying, “This man is persuading people to worship God contrary to the law.” But when Paul was about to open his mouth, Gallio said to the Jews, “If it were a matter of wrongdoing or vicious crime, O Jews, I would have reason to accept your complaint. But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.” And he drove them from the tribunal. And they all seized Sosthenes, the ruler of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal. But Gallio paid no attention to any of this.

After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. And they came to Ephesus, and he left them there, but he himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you if God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus. When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. After spending some time there, he departed and went from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Discussion Questions

• How have you seen God use you to accomplish amazing things for his kingdom?

• How has God given you strength when you have been weak?

• How have you seen God provide partnerships in life and ministry in surprising ways?

• How does Philippians 4 (and the message of Philippians as a whole) help us better understand God’s provision and teach us to trust him regardless of our circumstances?

• Tell someone about a time when God provided generously for you or for the church.

• What are some practical ways we can give generously to the work of God?

• How have people responded when you have shared the truth about sin and the gospel with them?

• How has God worked through fear in your life to accomplish his work?

• How does God’s presence enable us to do hard things?

• In what ways has God’s Word shown you, in the midst of difficulty, that he provides protection, power, and his presence?

• In what ways do we fall into the mindset that the church exists to serve us? How is God calling us instead to serve him and others?

• What does it look like to trust God when you cannot see what he is doing and are experiencing opposition?

• How does 1 Corinthians 1:1–2:5 help us better understand Acts 18:1-23 and God’s sovereign work through the seemingly foolish act of proclaiming the gospel?

“I have loved you,” says the Lord.

But you say, “How have you loved us?”

“Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”

If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’ ”

Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

Sermon Summary

Our final message in The Book of the 12 series comes from Malachi, the final book of the Old Testament. A book that explicitly states that God hates people, divorce, and despises half-hearted worshippers. How can we say that Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me that God does hate some people? The goal of this message is to address this question in such a way that you will be able to say “Yes, Jesus loves ME, for the Bible tells me so!”

Sermon Outline

Main Point: Jesus loves you!

1. How can you know that Jesus loves you if the Bible says God hates Esau? (Malachi 1:2-5)

2. How can you know that Jesus loves you if the Bible says God hates divorce? (Malachi 2:10-16)

3. How can you know that Jesus loves you if the Bible says God hates half-hearted worshippers? (Malachi 1:6-2:9)

Discussion Questions

• How do you know that Jesus loves you?

• How does God’s promises prove His love for His people?

• How has looking at the promises fulfilled in Christ revealed God’s love for you?

• How does Romans 9:1-13 help us further trust in God’s promises?

• How do you respond in difficulty? Do you trust Him by turning to His Word? What keeps you or others going to His Word?

• How does the book of Malachi help us see trusting in God affects our relationships?

• Are there areas of your life that you are not trusting God?

• How does the book of Leviticus help us further understand the problem with the animal sacrifices that are talked about in Malachi?

• Have there been times when you worshiped and obeyed God even when you didn’t feel like it? How did it strengthen your faith?

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Sermon Summary

The book of Micah begins and ends with a question, “who is like God?” This week’s message takes a hard look at Micah 6:8, one of the Bible's most well-known scriptures about what God wants. Pastor Phill suggests that the three commands are actually really one command all about engaging in a personal relationship with God.

By looking at the broader context of the courtroom drama in Micah 6 (God's case against Israel, their failed bribe of empty sacrifices) it becomes apparent that real worship isn't about giving God stuff, but giving God our heart. However, the only way that is possible is through Jesus, the one who was born in humble Bethlehem, as God’s chosen Shepherd-King who lived out justice, mercy, and humility perfectly and enables us to do the same when we trust and follow him.

Sermon Outline

Main Point: When you know what God wants, you will know there is no one else like Him.

1. God wants you to focus on ONE LAW (Micah 6:8 — The law of love)

2. God wants you to follow ONE LEADER (Micah 5:2-5) — The Lord Jesus).

Discussion Questions

• What do you see Micah 6:8 is saying God wants of you?

• What does it look like to live justice out in your life?

• How does a person love steadfastly?

• How does God’s word direct us to live humbly?

• How does loving God with all yourself lived out all of what God wants in your life? What does it look like?

• In what ways are you tempted to engage in false worship by earning God’s favor?

• What areas of your life are you struggling to give yourself completely to God?

• In what ways are you tempted to give affections to other things?

• In what ways is it difficult to love God?

• How has Jesus helped you grow in your love for God?

• In what ways has Jesus showed that He is worth following? How has He demonstrated for us to love?

Sermon Summary:

Habakkuk struggles to reconcile God's ways and God's plans with his situation and understanding of God. God reveals to him that the righteous person will live by their faithfulness and reminds him that there are only two choices: faith in God or arrogant pride. When Habakkuk asks God to revive the knowledge of His ways, God reveals Himself in great power. This renewed view of God brings a renewed trust and conviction that settles Habakkuk's heart.

Sermon Outline

Main Point: The righteous man will live by his faithfulness…

1. Despite Faith’s Seeming Contradiction (Hab. 1)

2. Remembering Faith’s Stark Contrast (Hab. 2)

3. With Faith’s Settled Conviction (Hab. 3)

Discussion Questions

• Habakkuk brought his confusion straight to God instead of venting to others or walking away from Him. When life doesn’t add up for you, where do you tend to take your questions first — to God, to other people, or nowhere at all? What would it look like to bring your “how long” and “why” questions directly to Him this week?

• God’s answer to Habakkuk wasn’t what he expected or wanted — it didn’t resolve the contradiction, it just called for trust. Can you think of a time God’s answer to your prayers made things feel more complicated rather than less? How did you respond?

• In chapter 2, God boils life down to just two options: live by pride (power, possessions, reputation, pleasure) or live by faith. Which of those pride-driven pursuits (power, accumulation, self-promotion, pleasure) is the one you’re most tempted to build your life on right now? What would it look like to trade that for simple faithfulness this week?

• By chapter 3, Habakkuk’s circumstances hadn’t changed at all — only his view of God had. What’s one situation in your life right now where nothing has changed, but you sense you need a bigger view of God rather than a change in circumstances?

• Habakkuk ends by saying that even if everything is stripped away — crops, flocks, income — he will still rejoice in the Lord (3:17–18). Is there something specific you’re holding onto that you’d struggle to say that about? What would help you get to Habakkuk’s place of trust regarding it?

• Habakkuk 2:14 says the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, and chapter 3 pictures God marching out for the salvation of His anointed. How do you see that hope find its fulfillment in Jesus — the truly righteous One who lived by faithfulness, was crushed on our behalf, and now reigns as the one whose glory will cover the earth? What difference does it make that your faith isn’t ultimately in an idea, but in a person who has already secured your salvation?

Sermon Summary

This week’s message offers an overview of the second half of Zechariah (chapters 9-14). These chapters provide prophetic pictures of the Messiah and when the smaller snapshots come together they create a mosaic of a uniquely majestic shepherd-king. Therefore, there is one thing we MUST do in response…we must marvel at His majesty.

Sermon Outline

Main Point: Marvel at the mosaic of the Messiah’s majesty.

1. Marvel at the Humility of Your Highness (Zechariah 9:9-10)

2. Marvel at the Slighting of God’s Shepherd (Zechariah 11:4-17)

3. Marvel at the Piercing of Our Protector (Zechariah 12:10-14)

Discussion Questions

• How does Zechariah 9-14 cause you to marvel in awe?

• What would it look like for us to also rejoice in God’s judgment (Zechariah 9:9)?

• How do you marvel at Jesus through His afflictions?

• Why should we marvel at a shepherd who is rejected by his own people (Zechariah 11:4-17)?

• What keeps people from repenting of their sin and mourning over the death of Jesus? Or what keeps us from marveling at the majesty of Jesus Christ?

• Have you ever mourned for Jesus death because you knew it was your sins that led him onto that tree?

• How does Zechariah 9-14 point to Jesus? Where in the New Testament do they quote or reference the book of Zechariah?

• How should we respond if we understand and abelieve that God allowed us (humanity) to kill His Son?

Sermon Summary

The book of Zechariah begins with a report that the whole world is at peace, yet the angel of the Lord laments when he hears it.

Why would good news be bad news?

Because it's peace built by human power, without God’s presence. This week’s sermon challenges our assumptions about success, peace, and power. While the world seeks security through strength, prosperity, and human achievement, God reveals that true and lasting peace comes only through His presence, His promises, and His Spirit.

The book of Zechariah encourages a weak and discouraged people to trust that God's kingdom will advance not by human might or political power, but by God's sovereign rule, sanctifying grace, and Spirit-filled work. All of which is climactically fulfilled through Jesus Christ and the Spirit-empowered church. Embassy Church, we need to remember that what appears weak in the eyes of the world is often the very means God uses to accomplish His eternal purposes.

Sermon Outline

An angelic patrol reports total peace on earth, but the angel of the Lord weeps instead of celebrating. Why?

1. Answer 1: Peace Without Presence

2. Answer 2: Might Without Mercy

3. Answer 3: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit” (Zech. 4:6)

Discussion Questions

• If the whole world had lasting peace but Jesus was never worshipped, would that actually be good news?

• Where have you settled for peace without God’s presence? Or what is a comfortable circumstance that lacks any real sense of God’s spirit?

• Is there an area where you’re outwardly going through the motions but haven’t truly returned to God in your heart?

• Joshua was cleansed before he cleaned himself up. Is there something you’re trying to fix first, before you feel you can come to God?

• The 120 in Acts 1–2 had no status or power, yet became history’s greatest movement. Where are you relying on your own strength instead of trusting God’s Spirit?

• The pattern of worship is to receive first and then achieve by His Spirit working through us. What’s one way God is urging you to step up and serve as a response to what you’ve already received in Christ?

Sermon Summary

Zephaniah exposes a fatal contradiction in Josiah's Judah — the nation looked revived on the outside, yet actually rotting on the inside, proving that godly leadership and individual faithfulness can’t ultimately guarantee the faithfulness of God's people, and that the city of man always finds a way to take root even in seasons of revival. The crackdown on the surrounding nations in chapters 2–3:8 ends with the gut-punch of 3:2-5, where Jerusalem is unmasked as just another Babel — no different from Nineveh. This city traded the glory of God for self-glory, and the love of God for the love of gold, flesh, and power. But 3:9-20 delivers the stunning reversal: the Day of the Lord that should have destroyed Jerusalem instead destroyed Jesus, the true and better Josiah, who absorbed the judgment of 1:14-18 on the cross, rose to dwell forever among His people, and will one day purify the nations, reverse the curse of Babel, and fill the New Jerusalem with His glory forever.

Sermon Outline

1. A Domestic Crackdown (Zeph. 1:1-18)

2. An International Crackdown (Zeph. 2:1-3:8)

3. A City of Refuge and Rejoicing (Zeph. 3:9-20)

Discussion Questions

1. The Josiah Problem: Josiah was one of the most faithful kings in Judah’s history, yet his personal obedience couldn’t reverse the nation's spiritual rot. Where in your own life are you tempted to presume upon the faithfulness of godly leadership — whether a pastor, a spouse, or a parent — rather than examining your own heart before God?

2. Private Rot, Public Revival: Jerusalem’s outward spiritual revival masked deep inward compromise. What are the “foreign attires” — the subtle ways we conform to the city of man — that are easiest to hide during seasons when the church seems to be thriving?

3. Augustine’s Two Cities: Owing to Augustine’s framework of the city of God and the city of man coexisting in tension, where do you feel that tension most acutely in your daily life in Chicagoland — and what does it look like practically to live as a citizen of the city of God while embedded in the city of man?

4. The Babel Diagnosis: With Babel as the archetypal city of man — humanity uniting around self-glory through gold, flesh, and metal—where do you see the shadow of Babel in your own heart, and what are the modern towers you are most tempted to trust for identity, dignity, and security?

5. Judgment as Rescue: The Day of the Lord rescues by cracking down — that God’s discipline and refining are acts of love, not abandonment. Have you experienced a season of painful pruning or discipline that, in hindsight, proved to be God’s presence rather than His absence? How does that reframe how you read difficult seasons now?

6. The Better Josiah: Jesus is the better Josiah — where Josiah’s faithfulness could only reform the surface, Christ’s faithfulness goes all the way down, absorbing judgment and rising to dwell forever among His people. How does the finished work of Christ free you from the anxiety of your own spiritual inconsistency, and what does it look like to seek His righteousness and humility in the week ahead?

Sermon Summary

In this week’s message from the Minor Prophets we allow the book of Nahum to answer a question every human being instinctively tries to answer. Where do you draw the line between who deserves mercy and who deserves judgment? The answer Nahum provides is that only God has the character, the knowledge, and the authority to draw that line. Too often our own attempts to draw these lines end up conveniently landing in our own favor. The good news is that God already drew the definitive line in Jesus Christ, who stood in the place of condemned sinners so that the church could stand with Him to herald His news to anyone who will listen.

Sermon Outline

1. Only God Has the Character to Draw the Line (Nahum 1:1-8)

2. Only God Has the Knowledge to Draw the Line (Nahum 1:9 - 2:13)

3. Only God Has the Authority to Draw the Line (Nahum 3:1-19)

Discussion Questions

• Should we draw lines between who receives God’s mercy and God’s judgment? Why or why not?

• Why does Nahum begin with God’s character instead of Nineveh’s sin? What part of God’s character encourages or challenges you most?

• How does Exodus 34 help us understand Nahum 1?

• How has God been a refuge for you during difficult times?

• What are some ways we justify or excuse our own sin?

• How do we know what is good, right, and just?

• How has God’s Word changed the way you think or live?

• What does pursuing holiness look like in everyday life?

• How does Nahum portray God’s sovereignty, and why is that comforting?

• In what ways can success become a spiritual danger?

• When have you been more like Jonah than Nahum when someone sinned against you?

• How has God exposed pride or self-righteousness in your life?

• How does Nahum bring comfort to those who are suffering?

• Why is God’s judgment good news for God’s people?

• Why is it important to trust God’s authority rather than our own judgments?

• How does Nahum help us see where God draws the line between humility and pride?

• How can we know whether we are submitting to God rather than opposing Him?

• What sins of the heart does God want you to confront and put to death?

Sermon Summary

Main Point: God is the motivation for our work.

This sermon from Haggai calls God’s people to consider who they are truly working for by confronting their apathy, addressing their disappointment, and pointing them to faithful leadership under God’s purposes. Though God had given them everything needed to rebuild His house, they neglected His work while prioritizing their own comfort, resulting in spiritual and material drought. Yet when confronted, they responded in obedience, encouraged by God’s promise that His presence remained with them—even when the work seemed small or unimpressive compared to the past.

Ultimately, the sermon shows that work done without God’s presence is futile, but faithfulness in God’s work, no matter how ordinary it seems, participates in a greater future reality fulfilled through Christ, the true temple and King. Therefore, believers are urged to move from apathy to action, working for God with the confidence that their labor now will result in something far more glorious than they can presently see.

Sermon Outline

1. Consider: Apathy (1:1-15)

2. Consider: Disappointment (2:1-9)

3. Consider: Leaders (2:10-23)

Discussion Questions

• Where in your life are you most tempted toward apathy when it comes to God’s work right now?

• What are some “good” things (work, comfort, personal goals) that might be distracting you from prioritizing God’s kingdom?

• Have you experienced a season where you were busy but spiritually unfulfilled? What was driving you at that time?

• Where are you currently feeling discouraged or disappointed in your walk with God or ministry? How does God’s promise, “I am with you,” speak into that?

• What would it look like this week to intentionally work for God rather than for yourself? Be specific.

• Is there an area of your life where you need to not just “do more,” but actually turn your heart back to God? What step of repentance or obedience is needed?

• What is one small, faithful action you can take this week to build up God’s “house” (His people, His church)?

Sermon Summary

What do you do when God reveals the ruin around you or in you?

In this week’s sermon from Amos 7–9, we observe five symbolic visions that God revealed to the prophet Amos. God’s x-ray-like vision of our souls always cuts through our confident exteriors and exposes what is really underneath the surface. He sees a coming destruction, hidden rot, and total devastation. Therefore, we should seek to respond the way Amos did: with humble prayer, bold proclamation, and courageous trust. This is possible because our God takes initiative to rebuild what we ruined. , Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s renovation will be bigger and better than before!

Whether you find yourself in Amos's seat or Israel's, the message is the same: humbly pray, boldly preach, and trust the one who already started rebuilding the world.

Sermon Outline

1. When God reveals the COMING ruin, will you love and pray like Amos?

2. When God reveals the HIDDEN ruin, will you listen and preach like Amos?

3. When God reveals the TOTAL ruin, will else can you do but trust God’s promises?

Discussion Questions

• What does Amos 7:1-6 teach us about intercessory prayer?

• Read Amos 8:11-12. Why is silence from God even more dangerous than physical suffering?

• In what ways can modern comforts and personal successes blind us to our actual spiritual state?

• Describe the difference between Amaziah’s attempts to manage sin in Amos 7 and God’s plan to destroy sin in Amos 9?

• How bad must our sin and its effects be if God must tear things down before He rebuilds them?

• What are some of the ways that Amos 7-9 anticipate the person and work of Jesus Christ?

Sermon Summary

This week’s message through the first part of the book of Amos confronts a common misconception about God: is He merely soft and comforting, or is He the roaring Lion of Scripture?

Amos 1–6 reveals that God roars to declare His sovereign rule, warn sinners of coming judgment, and call His people to run to Him for refuge rather than away in fear.

The message traces how Israel ignored God’s warnings while hiding behind religious activity, even as injustice, oppression, and corruption filled the land. Yet beneath the thunder of judgment is the heart of a Shepherd who desires repentance, restoration, and life for His people. Ultimately, the paradox of this sermon is the paradox of the Bible’s story: the Lion who roars is also the Shepherd and Lamb who lays down His life to rescue His sheep!

Sermon Outline

1. Why does God roar like a lion?

   • Because He is the sovereign King who rules over all the earth.

2. Why does God roar like a lion?

   • Sin is leading people into a trap and God is calling them to repent before judgment comes.

3. Why would anyone run towards the roar of a lion?

   • Because Lion of Judah is the good Shepherd who runs to rescue His people.

Discussion Questions

• When you picture God speaking through His Word, do you tend to imagine Him as soft and comforting or as a roaring lion? Why?

• Why does Amos present God as a roaring lion? What does His roar reveal about His rule, authority, and relationship to the world?

• In what ways does the book of Amos challenge modern ideas about sin, worship, justice, and accountability?

• What does it practically look like to “run toward the roar” instead of away from God?

• Amos exposes empty religion and outward worship without repentance. In what ways are people tempted to trust religious activity while their hearts drift from God?

• How should God’s sovereignty and accountability shape the way we live, repent, and respond to His Word?

• Amos describes God’s people spreading sin like a disease rather than healing it. How can God’s people today either spread corruption or display holiness and justice?

• Amos 2:6–16 condemns oppression, greed, sexual immorality, and abuse of power. Where do you see similar patterns in our culture today, and how should Christians respond differently?

• The repeated refrain in Amos 4 is, “Yet you did not return to me.” In what ways might God use hardship, conviction, or discipline to wake people up and call them back to Himself?

• How does knowing that God continues to pursue wandering people encourage or challenge you personally?

• Why is God’s justice both frightening and comforting at the same time?

• Joel 3:16 says that the Lord “roars from Zion” and yet is also “a refuge for his people.” How can God be both terrifying in holiness and safe as a refuge?

• Amos repeatedly calls people to “seek the Lord and live.” What does seeking the Lord actually look like in daily life?

• C.S. Lewis described Aslan by saying, “He’s not safe, but he’s good.” How does that idea help us better understand the God of Amos?

• Amos 3:11–12 portrays God as both a lion and a shepherd who rescues His sheep. Why is it important to hold both images together?

• How does the Bible’s picture of Jesus as both Lion and Lamb (Revelation 5) help explain why sinners can run toward God instead of hiding from Him?

Sermon Summary

In this short book, God uses his judgment towards the kingdom of Edom as an example of His holy justice: he humbles the proud, judges those who revile His people, and brings about a Day when all will be put to right, a Kingdom that belongs fully to the LORD.

Sermon Outline

1. Setting the Stage (v. 1)

2. Esau’s Day (vv. 2-9)

3. Jacob’s Day (vv. 10-14)

4. God’s Day (vv. 15-18)

5. God’s Day of Restoration (vv. 19-21)