In this message from Acts 6–7, Pastor Jake Myers walks through a pivotal turning point in the book of Acts — the moment the gospel begins its journey outward from Jerusalem to the rest of the world. At the center of this transition is Stephen, not a pastor or apostle, but an ordinary church member appointed to serve in food services. Stephen was chosen because he was known — described as a man full of faith, wisdom, and the Holy Spirit. His faithfulness in a simple role set the stage for something far greater than he could have imagined.

When Stephen is brought before the Sanhedrin on false charges, he delivers a powerful sermon tracing God's work through Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, ultimately pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of all Scripture. He boldly declares two revolutionary principles: God works outside of Israel, and His presence is no longer tied to the temple. As Jesus said to the woman at the well, "the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23). These truths enraged the religious elite, and Stephen was stoned — becoming the first Christian martyr. Yet even in death, he mirrored Jesus, praying, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60).

Pastor Jake closes with a challenge to the congregation: be known and get involved, choose forgiveness even when it's hard, and write down the name of someone who needs to hear the message of forgiveness. Stephen was just a church member serving food — and God used him to open the door for the gospel to go to the ends of the earth. The same God who used Stephen is at work in each of us today.

In episode 17 of season four of the Hope Church Sunday Extra podcast, Pastors Jeremy, Brian, Luke, and Jake gather to discuss Luke's sermon from Acts 3–5. The big idea of the sermon is that the Spirit-filled church is bold in both its mission and its commitment to holiness. Luke walks through five scenes from the text: Peter healing a lame man and pointing the crowd to God's glory, Peter and John modeling obedience before the Sanhedrin, the church responding to opposition with prayer and unity, God exposing the hidden sin of Ananias and Sapphira, and the church pressing forward with rejoicing. The sermon closes with two pointed questions for every listener: "Are you willing to take God seriously?" and "Whose name are you living for?"

Though away on a ministry trip, Pastor Matt chimes in via a recorded segment to expand on the communal sharing described in Acts 2:42–47. He is careful to address a common misreading of the passage, explaining that what we see in Acts 2 is not a Biblical case for communism or socialism, but rather Spirit-produced, voluntary generosity flowing out of transformed hearts. He draws a helpful contrast: communism is forced by the state and driven by an external system, while what happens in Acts 2 is a spiritual movement — people filled with the Holy Spirit loosening their grip on possessions because they understand that Jesus gave everything for them. Matt also draws from his Old Testament reading, reflecting on the life of King Asa from 2 Chronicles 13–16, whose early faithfulness to God gradually gave way to self-reliance — a sobering reminder that starting well does not guarantee finishing well.

Luke then adds what he didn't have time to cover on Sunday, diving into the significance of Solomon's Colonnade — the very place where Jesus declared "I and the Father are one" in John 10:23–39 — as the location where Peter preaches his second sermon. He also unpacks the rich names Peter uses for Jesus in Acts 3–5, including Servant, Holy and Righteous One, Author of Life, the Prophet Moses spoke of, and the Christ of Nazareth, showing how Peter is making the unmistakable case to his Jewish audience: don't miss Jesus again. The episode wraps up with a candid conversation about the three battlefields of spiritual warfare — the world, the flesh, and the devil — and a personal, honest discussion around what it really looks like to take God seriously and live for His name in everyday life.

Pastor Luke walks through Acts 3–5, centering the sermon around one big idea: the Spirit-filled church is bold in mission and serious about holiness. He opens with the healing of a lame man at the Beautiful Gate, where Peter declares, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). Pastor Luke emphasizes that the miracle wasn't done in Peter's authority but in the name and power of Jesus — a theme that echoes throughout all three chapters. Rather than basking in the crowd's amazement, Peter seizes the moment to point to God's glory, calling the people to repent and turn back so their sins might be blotted out.

As the church faces growing opposition from the Jewish leaders, Pastor Luke highlights how the early believers responded not with fear or retreat, but with prayer, boldness, unity, and open-handed generosity. Acts 4:29 captures their prayer well: "Grant your servants to speak your word with all boldness." This Spirit-empowered boldness stands in sharp contrast to the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira, who lied to the Holy Spirit about the proceeds of their land. Their story serves as a sobering reminder that the same Holy Spirit who unifies and emboldens the church also brings judgment against hidden sin and corruption.

Pastor Luke closes by pressing the congregation with two searching questions: Am I willing to take God seriously? and Whose name am I living for? Drawing on Proverbs 3:5–6 and 1 John 1:9, he calls believers to courageously confess their sin, live holy lives, and boldly exalt the name of Jesus — even in the face of opposition. Like Peter and John, who declared "we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20), the church today is called to rejoice in suffering and keep proclaiming the name that is above every name.