Refuge Church Byhalia is a new nondenominational evangelical church located in Byhalia, MS that exists to share the hope of Jesus, grow together, & love our neighbors in Byhalia, Marshall County, Lewisburg, & surrounding areas. Below is a sermon outline from our Launch Training on 2/5/25. From Acts 18 titled, ‘A Strengthened & Encouraged Church’ that was part of our ‘Preparing to Launch’ series where we are learning what the church should be & do.
Intro
- Good Morning
- Welcome again to Refuge Church Byhalia
- My name is Michael & I serve as the Planting Pastor here at Refuge Church.
- It is a joy to be with you today and a joy to open up the Word
- But before that, as we are rapidly improving and finalizing our renovation
- A huge thank you to the many who have been helping
- But in particular today I want to say thank you to Daniel & Allan Burley
- Daniel, if you didn’t know is a jack of all trades framing master
- And he took a few nights this week and worked hard on most of the trim carpentry in the new Sanctuary
- He put jobs he could make money from on pause and knocked out the window casing and a ton of the baseboard work.
- Y’all let Daniel know you’re appreciative of by clapping in appreciation for him.
- And secondly, Allan Burley, whom you guys have seen around a lot since November has been working hard with the electrical work. He, in his retirement years has been tirelessly working ot get all of our new outlets, new lights, new audio/visual connections set up for success.
- If you haven’t gotten to talk to Allan, say hey to him. He loves the Lord and God has been at work in him and in his life for a long time.
- Y’all thank Allan and show some appreciation.
- Now we are still not done with the reno work
- Plenty to be done, but it’s coming together nicely.
- And we are working hard to get ready for a grand opening celebration on March 30th.
- Between now and then we will be knocking on doors, doing outreach events, calling friends, family, & coworkers and inviting them to celebrate the grand opening Sunday
- And more importantly inviting them to hear more about the Jesus who rescued us.
- And in this season we are trying to learn what the church should be and do from the accoutns of the early church in the book of Acts.
- At the same time we are also polishing our skills and passions to serve the church & our neighbors
- Learning how to greet visitors well, learning how to help with the RC-Kids ministry.
- Learning how to usher & lead musical worship
- Learning how to keep the place clean
- Which will get so much easier when we finish the renovation work.
- All so we can make it easy for guests to come, make a meaningful connection, & hear the Gospel without distractions or inconveniences.
- And in our study in Acts we’ve been following Paul on his 2nd missionary journey
- And 2 weeks we saw him be extremely skillful in his conversations with the Athenians
- Paul was extremely relatable
- And a few things we tried to learn from that was how to be relatable by learning how to interact and talk with the neighbors around us
- And in many ways that means to be culturally relevant
- Take this reminder from Paul Washer
- ‘Look like your culture except where your culture contradicts the scriptures.’ -Paul Washer
- And what might that tangibly look like?
- And some tips we had were to avoid interrogation,
- Pray for others already talking with a visitor or guest,
- & trust God with the outcome, don’t keep saying the same thing or asking the same questions, let the HOly Spirit work in the souls of our neighbors
- And then last week we talked about how Paul, did not care the ‘quality’ of where he worked
- He knew the great commission and he fully went.
- Because God has sheep of every tribe tongue and nation,
- So until Paul reached the ends of the earth or he died, he was gonna go
- And go according to the great commission
- Laboring hard to make disciples, baptize them, & teach them all that Jesus commanded
- SO what’s next for Paul as he kept going
- Well open your Bible’s to Acts chapter 18 and we will check in & see how Paul concludes his 2nd missionary journey
- If you don’t have a Bible you typically use or one on your phone, I want to invite you to use one of those Blue Bibles around you. We want everyone to be able to see and hear the Word of God whether its your first or millionth time opening a Bible.
- So to do that we put the page numbers on the screen for the Blue Bibles & you can follow along.
- Acts chapter 18 and today we are walking through verses 18 through 23.
18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of xthe brothers3 and set sail for Syria, and with him yPriscilla and Aquila. At zCenchreae ahe had cut his hair, for he was under a vow. 19 And they came to bEphesus, and he left them there, but che himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to stay for a longer period, he declined. 21 But on taking leave of them he said, “I will return to you dif God wills,” and he set sail from Ephesus.
22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he ewent up and greeted the church, and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time there, he departed and fwent from one place to the next through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, gstrengthening all the disciples.’
Let’s Pray –
Opening Points
- So here we have Priscilla & Aquila going along with Paul
- And I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again
- You (me, you, the person near you) need the church & the church needs you!
- Going through life alone is not the way God designed the Christian life.
- We need people with us.
- And we need to be with people.
- Warren Wiersbe of Paul’s friends says this ‘(Friends) made it possible for Paul to serve the Lord effectively. His Christian friends, new and old, encouraged him at a time he needed it most.’
- Paul’s ministry was powered by the Holy Spirit and immeasurably aided by brothers & sisters in Christ.
- And Refuge already is a church full of friends who make ministry happen
- Friends who serve at the front door
- Friends who serve by setting up the cafe
- Friends who serve in RC-Kids
- Friends who serve with their musical talents
- Many helping all over the property to make sure the Gospel gets out.
- Just likePriscilla and Aquila
Then we see an odd moment, Paul gets a haircut
- Which is really interesting to see that recorded in the Bible
- But it is
- And some will think that Paul was going through this vow in order to earn or maintain his salvation
- But that is not the case.
- Paul knew, as he states elsewhere in his letters, that religious ritual would not get him ‘more saved’
- It’s important to remember the process of salvation described in Romans 8:29-30 Page ___.
‘29 For those whom he jforeknew he also kpredestined lto be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be mthe firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also njustified, and those whom he justified he also oglorified.’
- Our salvation is entirely in the hands of God. (Rom 8:29-30)
- He Forknew
- He Predestined
- He Called
- He Jusitified
- He Glorified.
- So Paul wasn’t doing something to maintain or enhance his salvation
- His salvation wasn’t secure
- God gets all the glory – all the praise for Paul’s salvation
- God gets all the glory for my salvation
- And God gets all the glory for your salvation
- So Paul’s vow that led to this haircut, which was likely a nazarite vow, had no bearing on his salvation
- Paul makes it clear – any sort of ‘effort’ to he made did not
Philippians 3:7-9 Page ___. ‘7 But awhatever gain I had, bI counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of cthe surpassing worth of dknowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I ehave suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having fa righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but gthat which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—’
- Its all about Jesus
- He’s the hero
But after this significant but insignificant haircut
- We see Paul go and do what he’s known for doing
- He goes and discusses, he goes and reasons in the synagogue
- Laboring to make it known that Jesus was the long promised Messiah
- Paul was working to tell people that Jesus,was the very son of God
- Who knew no sin
- And therefore obeyed the entire law of God perfectly
- Jesus not deserving death
- But Was on mission, to redeem, to rescue, to save all that His father, would give him.
- And Jesus therefore went on and laid down his life, willingly
- Dying the death we deserve
- And bearing the wrath of God
- And Jesus stayed dead for 3 days
- But on that 3rd day he didn’t stay dead
- As the old hymn goes, ‘up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph over His foes, Hallelujah Christ arose.’
- But why say hallelujah, why be happy
- Why be excited about this Jesus guys’ death and resurreciton from the dead
- Well rising from the dead is a big deal
- And Jesus’ resurrection meant that sin and death – were conquered
- He paid the bill in full for all who would ever believe in Him and submit to Him as boss of their life
- Jesus paid for my sin, I know it to be true
- Do you know that Jesus paid for your sin?
- This was the reasoning that Paul was doing.
- Some responded to Paul’s message
- Have you responded?
- Have you said yes I believe that Jesus really did live, really did die, and really did rise from the grave
- And he did it for me
- Even though my sin was and is great
- My lying, my stealing, my worship of created things instead of the creator of the universe
- All of it gone
- Have you trusted in what Jesus did?
- And then in response to what He did for you, demonstrating amazing love,
- Have you said – Jesus, from now on, what you say goes?
- This is what it means to trust in Jesus – give your past to His work on the cross, and give your present & future to His guiding & commands.
- I would love to talk to you about this truth, you can come see me after I wrap up today or circle salvation on the bottom of your care card and turn it in today.
- Take a step with jesus today, there’s nothing better you can do.
- Now Paul again, he’s sharing this news.
- Paul is never missing a chance ot share the hope of Jesus
- Pastor & Theologian matthew Henry reflecting on this passage challenges us by saying, ‘Let us earnestly seek, in our several places, to promote the cause of Christ, forming plans that appear to us most proper, but relying on the Lord to bring them to pass if he sees good.’
- Earnestly desire to share the hope of Jesus
- Make plans & follow through with them to reach out to your friends, family members, coworkers, & beyond – in a relatable & skillful way
- And then Trust God with the outcome
- This was Paul’s habit
- Let it be ours at Refuge Church Byhalia
- SO that heaven can be filled with many who are currently far from God in Byhalia, Barton, & beyond!
- Now as Paul was in Ephesus many here were happy to hear this news
- No mob chasing Paul out of town this time – no threats to his life
- In fact they asked Paul to stick around
- But Paul was on a mission a mission to get back to Antioch, his sending church
- And here we see Paul say something that is a driving theme for his life
- Paul’s every step
- Paul’s every mission
- Paul’s every conversation
- Were in the hands of God
- So he says in verse 20 of Acts 18, as he departed Ephesus ‘I will return if God wills.’
- How often do we think like that in our lives?
- I know in my obsessive controlling mind, I don’t often enough put my plans before God
- I often think well if I just work harder, put a little more elbow grease in it, spend more hours on this that or the other thing
- It will work out
- When in reality, I need to put all things in God’s hands, trust Him with the outcome rather than my own abilities or work ethic.
- There’s a guy named James who echoes this thought in his letter to some scattered jewish Blievers,
- James was the half brother of Jesus and he wrote this in James 4:13-15 Page ___ it says ‘13 Come now, you who say, s“Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For tyou are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, u“If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”’
- Do you do this?
- Do you say ‘If the Lord wills, we will live & do this or that.’
- How often do you put your plans into the sovereign hands of God.
- And if I’m honest, I put my head down and say of myself, yes the preacher guy
- I don’t do it enough.
- Let Paul’s example, speak to us about any plans we make.
- Let Paul’s example, challenge us to remember that God is in control.
- And I find this interesting because what the people in Epehesus requested, was a good thing.
- Yes Paul please stay with us and tell us more about Jesus the rescuer.
- But his time there for now was done. Paul believed that to be true.
- Paul was ready to get back to Antioch
- And so he said, if God wants me back, I’ll be back.
- Paul put his plans into the sovereign hands of God.
- Matthew Henry says ‘Our times are in God’s hand; we purpose, but he disposes…’
- I hope you find peace in that truth.
- Look, God isn’t surprised by what happened to you this week
- God isn’t surprised by the sin you struggled with this week
- God isn’t going to be surprised this week.
- And His love is still going on and on and on for you
- Find peace their Christian.
- Our times are in God’s hand; we purpose, but he disposes…
- Now finally today
Paul makes it to Antioch
- And then after a bit he departs
- And it says he strengthens and encourages the church
- ANd i love that phrase
- And I’m challenged by that phrase.
- You all need to expect to be strengthened and encouraged by the leaders.
- All the team leads at Refuge Church
- And by me as the planting pastor
- You should expect a buffet of nourishing time in the Word & living out of the one another commands as you exist around Refuge Church Byhalia
- Especially if you join arms with us
- You should be able to talk to us on the phone on a saturday afternoon about a terrible situation, and we show up
- You should be able to be strengthened by your Refuge Family
- Challenged by them
- And yes even sometimes corrected by your Refuge Family
- But also that means – on Sundays whether it is me or someone else preaching
- Have high expectations that the Word of God will be opened, explained in a way you can understand, and applied to your life.
- A distinctive of Refuge Church Byhalia that will allow us to be strengthened and encouraged regularly is Expository Preaching
- Pastor & Theologian Mark Dever defines Expository Preaching as this, ‘Expositional Preaching is preaching that takes for the point of a sermon the point of a particular passage of scripture.’
- I and the other elders are charged to teahc the whole counsel of God
- And we believe the best way to do that is to walk through books of the Bible for the most part
- And expose the meaning of the various passages
- And then apply it to our lives
- But not in some boring lecture type way
- But in an inspirint and motivinating and encouraging way!
- Another Pastor & Theologian that is helpful for me is a guy named John Piper and he wrote an article on expositional preaching years ago and said this
- The aim of this exposition is to help you eat and digest biblical truth that will
- make your spiritual bones more like steel,
- double the capacity of your spiritual lungs,
- make the eyes of your heart dazzled with the brightness of the glory of God,
- and awaken the capacity of your soul for kinds of spiritual enjoyment you didn’t even know existed.
- My aim is to do this for you Refuge Church
- May you be strengthened & encouraged
- As we keep preparing to launch
- Through expositional preaching
- The placement of plans into the hands of God
- And a regular focused effort to share the hope of Jesus
- Doing these things will make Refuge Church Byhalia Strong & Encouraged
- Doing these things will make the members of Refuge Chruch Byhalia Strong & Encouraged
- And remember – it’s all for God’s glory.
- Let’s Pray.
- Now as we close today
- We really do think God has a Next Step for all of us.
- Maybe that’s trusting jesus for the first time
- Or joining arms officially with Refuge Church
- Of stepping out in faith and discussing Jesus with a neighbor
- Whatever step He has for you, mark it on the card, and then take a step of faith, and come talk with me about it after service or drop you card off in the box.
- Now if you will stand
- Let’s go love some neighbors & share the hope of Jesus.
- We are dismissed.
Matthew Henry
- Our times are in God’s hand; we purpose, but he disposes; therefore we must make all promises with submission to the will of God; not only if providence permits, but if God does not otherwise direct our motions.
- A very good refreshment it is to a faithful minister, to have for awhile the society of his brethren.
- Disciples are compassed about with infirmity; ministers must do what they can to strengthen them, by directing them to Christ, who is their Strength.
- Let us earnestly seek, in our several places, to promote the cause of Christ, forming plans that appear to us most proper, but relying on the Lord to bring them to pass if he sees good.
Warren Wiersbe
- ‘If God will’ was more than a religious slogan with Paul; it was one of the strengths and encouragements of his life and ministry.
- Paul decided that it was God’s will for him to leave Corinth and return to his home church in Antioch.
- Luke does not tell us how long Paul was in Ephesus, but the time was evidently very short. The Jews there were much more receptive to the gospel and wanted Paul to stay, but he wanted to get to Jerusalem and complete his vow, and then to Antioch.
- Christians are at liberty to follow their own conscience so long as they do not judge others or cause others to stumble. Also keep in mind Paul’s personal policy with regard to these matters of Jewish practice as found in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.
- He visited the churches and strengthened the believers.
John MacArthur
- After he became a Christian, Paul realized the worthlessness of all the efforts at self-salvation by ritual, tradition, legalism, sincerity, and external goodness compared to the true righteousness and knowledge of God that came through knowing Christ (Philippians 3:7-9).
Mark Dever
- Expositional Preaching is preaching that takes for the point of a sermon the point of a particular passage of scripture.
John Piper
- Expository means that preaching aims to exposit, or explain and apply, the meaning of the Bible. The reason for this is that the Bible is God’s word, inspired, infallible, profitable—all 66 books of it.
- The preacher’s job is to minimize his own opinions and deliver the truth of God. Every sermon should explain the Bible and then apply it to people’s lives.
- The preacher should do that in a way that enables you to see that the points he is making actually come from the Bible. If you can’t see that they come from the Bible, your faith will end up resting on a man and not on God’s word.
- The aim of this exposition is to help you eat and digest biblical truth that will
- make your spiritual bones more like steel,
- double the capacity of your spiritual lungs,
- make the eyes of your heart dazzled with the brightness of the glory of God,
- and awaken the capacity of your soul for kinds of spiritual enjoyment you didn’t even know existed.
- Preaching is not the totality of the church. And if all you have is preaching, you don’t have the church. A church is a body of people who minister to each other. One of the purposes of preaching is to equip us for that and inspire us to love each other better.