Grace Church Eden Prairie

This sermon teaches that God’s grace doesn’t just save us—it actively shapes every part of our lives. Using Acts 4:32–37, Pastor Juan shows how the early church was transformed by grace into a community marked by supernatural unity, deep love for others, bold gospel witness, and radical generosity. Their shared belief in Jesus created a powerful unity across cultural and social differences, and their new identities in Christ drove them to care for one another sacrificially. Grace also empowered them to proclaim the resurrection with courage, letting their transformed lives become their testimony. Ultimately, the passage calls believers today to examine how God’s grace is shaping their unity, their stewardship, their boldness, and their everyday identity. The grace that saves us is also meant to reshape us into people who reflect Jesus to the world.

Pastor Troy Dobbs contrasts theory and reality, demonstrating that while many Christians view persecution as theoretical, the early church and many believers today experience it as a daily reality. In Acts 4:23–31, after being threatened, the disciples responded by praying not for safety, but for boldness to keep proclaiming Jesus. Their prayer began with recognizing God’s sovereignty, was rooted in Scripture, and reflected deep confidence in His control over all things. God answered by shaking the place where they prayed and filling them with the Holy Spirit, strengthening them to speak with courage. The message reminds us that God’s sovereignty means nothing is random or beyond His power, even in the midst of suffering. Because of this, we can rest in His control and, like the early church, pray for strength and courage rather than comfort and ease.

Pastor Troy Dobbs discusses how the Holy Spirit inspires boldness in believers. Drawing attention to the fact that because John and Peter were in close proximity to and believed in Jesus, they had the Holy Spirit within them. Pastor Troy Dobbs also encourages believers to reflect on what contributes to their silence when it comes to sharing their faith and the gospel with others. He encourages them to spend time with the Lord so they, too, can speak with boldness.

Pastor Steve Harrison’s message for ENGAGE Sunday reminded us that nothing can stop the power of Jesus’ name. He walked us through Acts 4, where Peter and John boldly preached about Jesus’ resurrection even after being arrested — and how the Holy Spirit gave them the courage to stand strong. Pastor Steve encouraged us to expect challenges when we live out our faith, but to keep trusting that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. At the heart of it all, he reminded us that Jesus is our cornerstone — there’s no other name that saves, and He’s worth sharing with the whole world.

Pastor Troy’s sermon compares binge-watching long TV series to the unfolding story of the early church in Acts, both draw people in through growth, depth, and development. He highlights how Peter healed a lame man not by his own power but through Jesus’ name, showing that miracles exist to point people to Christ, not to glorify humans. Peter’s message to the amazed crowd centers on three truths: Jesus’ glory, humanity’s sin, and the call to repent. He boldly declares Jesus as the promised Messiah, the Holy and Righteous One whom the people rejected and crucified, yet whom God raised from the dead. Though the crowd was guilty, Peter offers hope: if they repent, their sins will be wiped away, and they will experience spiritual refreshing. Pastor Troy concludes that ignorance won’t excuse unbelief; God has revealed Himself through creation, Scripture, and Christ, and the only right response is to repent, believe, and be renewed by Jesus.

Pastor Troy Dobbs discusses the story of the beggar at the front of the temple who was miraculously healed when Peter the apostle spoke the name of Jesus Christ over him. Even though the beggar had no faith, God used Peter's faith to showcase His incredible power. Pastor Troy Dobbs also cautions Christians against various false gospels, such as the prosperity gospel and the word of faith movement.

Pastor Troy Dobbs speaks about the biblical example for how churches should operate. He emphasizes that the early church’s growth and spiritual life came from their devotion to God’s Word, fellowship, prayer, generosity, and evangelism. Faithful churches today must follow the same model, anchoring everything in Scripture, living in community, worshiping and praying together, and sharing resources freely out of love, not obligation. The church should be a place where lives are transformed, and Jesus is continually lifted.

Pastor Troy Dobbs talks of Peter’s first sermon in Acts 2 showing that Pentecost fulfilled Joel’s prophecy as God poured out His Spirit on all people. This means everyone, young and old, men and women, rich and poor, can know God personally and share His gospel boldly. Peter declares that the Spirit’s arrival also marks the beginning of the last days as we await Christ’s return. He points to the finished work of Jesus: His life of miracles, His death according to God’s plan, His resurrection that death could not hold, and His exaltation at God’s right hand. The people are cut to the heart, and Peter calls them to repent, be baptized, and receive forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. That day, about 3,000 believed, reminding us that Pentecost was not the finish line but the starting line for the Spirit’s ongoing work through us.

Pastor Troy Dobbs explains Pentecost as a historical event, occurring 50 days after the ascension of Christ. On this day, the Holy Spirit came down upon the ten dozen Christ followers and allowed them to speak in various foreign languages so that those who came to Jerusalem could understand the gospel and bring it back to their home countries. He then goes on to describe the polarizing nature of the gospel and how it is written that those who believe in it and share it will be hated and persecuted. 

Pastor Troy continues the Acts series with a message that highlights what it means to wait well on God. He explains how after Jesus' ascension, the disciples stayed united, devoted themselves to prayer, and trusted God’s sovereignty — even in the fallout of Judas’ betrayal. When choosing Matthias to replace Judas, they modeled how decision-making should flow from Scripture, prayer, reason, decision, and trust in God. The message reminds us in a very practical way that prayer not only deepens our relationship with God and one another, but also keeps us aligned with His unstoppable mission and greater plan.