Have you ever wondered how much your faith can actually change the world around you?
Sometimes we think of faith as private or passive. But Scripture shows us faith that acts, a faith that steps into situations others ignore and transforms lives in a single moment.
Today, we’re looking at a story that is radical, countercultural, and Spirit-empowered: Acts 3:1–10.”
You are a deeply devoted person. Everyone around you already knows what you’re devoted to, they can see what you are devoted to in how you spend your time, your energy, your conversations. In fact, sometimes others notice your devotion before you do.
In Acts 2, we see a picture of people whose lives weremarked by a devotion to the things of God, to His Word, His people, His presence and His mission.
There is a big difference between "confession" and "repentance". Jesus calls us into repentance in obedience to Him and to live a new way of life.
Peter finishes up his sermon to the people explaining what it was they were seeing: An outpouring of the Holy Spirit on people who were saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.
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For years, these people in Jerusalem had sung David’spsalms. They’d heard the prophecies. They’d celebrated the feasts that pointed forward to God’s coming salvation. They knew the promises, but they didn’t realize that all those promises had been fulfilled right in front of them, in Jesus of Nazareth.
YOU THINK GOD NEEDS YOU TO BE ABLE, HE WANTS YOUAVAILABLE.
Peter wasn’t speaking in theory, he was speaking to realpeople, in real time, who had seen Jesus crucified. He reminded them that the One they thought was defeated by death had been raised by God Himself. Death did not have the final word. Sin did not have the final word. The hope of God’speople had been fulfilled in ways that were tangible, historical, and eternal.
And here’s the connection for us today: the same Spirit thatempowered Peter is with us. Acts 1:8 reminds us that God doesn’t call us to witness in our own strength. We are empowered by the Spirit to speak the truth of Jesus into our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities. The resurrection is our message. Boldness is our strength. And faithfulness is our response.
The question then becomes, how do we respond personally and corporately to this truth? Peter’s sermon calls for repentance, faith, and turning back to God.
God fulfills His promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit
Waiting for things is hard. Especially those things we are excited or even nervous about. When it comes to our faith, it's hard to wait for Jesus' return. It's hard because we do not really know what to do with ourselves while we wait, so we just keep living, but not necessarily living with purpose or intention.
This is an encouragement to live our lives in the in-between like the Disciples did.
Many have asked me how Pathway wants to respond to the Charlie Kirk assassination. As pastors, we decided to sit down and have a conversation about how we understand the Scriptures and Church history call us to respond to evil and tragedy in our world.
Jesus encourages His disciple's one last time to be bold in the face of persecution and to wait for the coming of the Spirit.
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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!
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Continue in the study of Acts as we look at how important missions to the nations is.
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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!
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Why Study Acts
You might wonder, “Why study a whole book of the Bible, especially one this long?”
Here’s why: Acts meets us wherever we are in our faith journey.
For the new believer:
Acts shows what Christianity looks like in practice: baptism, prayer, fellowship, and witness.
It makes clear that ordinary people were used by God to accomplish extraordinary things.
In our culture, we often assume you need credentials, talent, or influence to be useful. Acts says the opposite: God works through ordinary people, filled with the Spirit, to accomplish His purposes.
For the reconnecting believer:
Acts reminds us that the church is not an institution but a Spirit-led family on mission.
It shows that even those who fail—like Peter denying Jesus or John Mark abandoning Paul—are welcomed back into God’s mission.
We often privatize faith, thinking it’s just “me and God.” In Acts, faith is never private—it’s communal. Believers share meals, resources, prayers, and mission. Christianity is not just about reconnecting with God; it’s about reconnecting with God’s people.
For the long-term believer:
Acts won’t let us get comfortable. It shows that the gospel is always expanding outward, and that the Spirit keeps pushing believers into new places and new challenges.
We often equate success with stability, control, and efficiency. Acts turns that upside down—success in God’s kingdom is Spirit-led obedience, even when it looks messy or risky.
For the whole church together:
Acts unites believers across generations. Everyone—new, returning, or seasoned—has a place in God’s story.
We like to read Scripture as if it’s just about “me.” But Acts is written for a community. It’s a story we are all invited into, together.
Forgiveness is a difficult thing. Many have been deeply wounded by the action of others in a life altering way and the idea of forgiveness can be crippling. Joseph gives us an Old Testament example of how to forgive when someone seeks it and is a foreshadow of the forgiveness we receive from Jesus.
God's presence guides us to integrity, even in hardship and temptation.
Joseph's story is often taught like a children's drama: "The Boy with the Colorful Coat". But Genesis 37 is actually a theologically rich text showing how God moves history forward through broken people, jealousy, betrayal and suffering.
Jacob and Esau is an account that shows us the importance of pursuing the covenant that God has given us and how seriously He looks at our relationship with Him.
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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!
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God commands Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Abraham, despite his love for Isaac, prepares to obey, demonstrating his faith and fear of God. At the last moment, God intervenes, providing a ram as a substitute sacrifice. This event is understood as a test of Abraham's faith and a foreshadowing of God's eventual sacrifice of Jesus.
In a time of moral confusion, Sodom and Gomorrah offer a clear Biblical example of a society that crossed God's moral boundaries. Both the prophets and Jesus himself reference this narrative as a warning.
God's covenant with Abram is a key moment in human history. God choosing him to be the Patriarch to His people was important then and still has meaning for us today.
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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!
Social Media
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Babel is an account of human pride mixed with a hatred for God's commands. This combination is dangerous and will lead to God intervening in order to see His will be done.
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Here's the deal, Pathway Community Church cares about one thing more than anything else: Jesus Christ. Pathway is a family of individuals that have found life in Jesus, and simply want as many people as possible to experience that exact same thing!
Social Media
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/wearepathway
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/wearepathway