Mark Driscoll Audio

I AM LOVED by Mark Driscoll Ministries

I AM REWARDED by Mark Driscoll Ministries

I AM VICTORIOUS by Mark Driscoll Ministries

No matter who you are, every one of us will feel the sting of sickness and death. Someone you know, someone you love, is suffering right now, and perhaps you are, too. In Acts 9:32–43, we find the stories of two miraculous events: a paralyzed man walks and a dead woman lives once again. As Pastor Mark Driscoll explains, these events reveal the coming kingdom of God. This is a glimpse of life as it was meant to be, and life as it will be for those who are in Christ.

There’s a difference between a biography and a testimony. Which one are you living for? In this sermon on Acts 9:19b – 31, Pastor Mark Driscoll discusses the differences, and shares his desire for the people of Mars Hill Church to grow in humility and godliness, starting with him. His prayer is that our lives would not be a biography of what we’ve done, but a testament to what Jesus has done so that others would come to know him.

Paul was a tall poppy, a towering giant in the history of Christianity. He went from persecuting Christians to becoming a persecuted Christian—a murderer of church leaders to becoming the church’s preeminent leader who was murdered for his witness. And the Christian church exists today in large part because of his ministry.

Christians are like sheep, pastors like shepherds, and the church like a pen of protection. What do you do when wolves come in packs, devour flocks, and attack shepherds? Trust that Jesus, our Good Shepherd, will empower us by his Spirit to face them, as he did for Stephen.

We can’t make something ripe. It takes time, especially one’s spiritual life. We have to lovingly, patiently wait until the time is right. Then we tell them about Jesus, love them, serve them, and instruct them. It’s only then that their hearts will open to Jesus as he’s been preparing them.

We love to present ourselves as having it together, and getting it all right, and getting it all right the first time. If we don’t get it right the first time, then we’ll get it right eventually—and that’s the story we tell. You have failed, you are failing, and you will fail. The question is, what are you going to do?

The Holy Spirit is coming to empower Jesus’ church to be witnesses for Jesus to the whole world. This requires God’s followers to take their faith and their ministry public, which will create opposition and criticism. Today, as in the days of the early church, there is no benefit to being open about one’s faith. This is why we need the power of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is working, people are loved, people are saved, people are healed, and people are delivered from Satan and sin.

In Acts 2, Jesus’ promise is fulfilled: the Holy Spirit descends on his disciples, readying them to go and proclaim the gospel to all nations. He does this by giving them the gift of tongues, a symbol of the fact that barriers of location and language have now been removed. What is this gift? Can every Christian get it? Is it for today? What happens when its private use goes public?

Jesus says that people are prone to worship God or money. Money, perhaps along with sex, is the most pernicious, pervasive idol in our culture today. Despite whatever the Bible has to say about it, it’s a topic that’s met with the greatest resistance. This sermon looks at what God’s word has to say about issues of stewardship, and greed versus generosity.

The church moves forward against an increasingly strong headwind of suffering, persecution, and opposition, and this text is a case study of why Christians suffer and how they should. It’s important to remember that when Christians and non-Christians disagree, they’re disagreeing on the issue under the issues: whether or not the Bible is the very word of God. Amid persecution, do you have Christian friends to pray with? How do you keep trusting in God’s sovereignty?

Peter stands up in front of his adversaries and proclaims that the Jesus whom they killed was indeed the suffering servant and the Christ—the long-awaited Messiah, come to save them. Christian, despite inevitable backlash, follow Peter. Speak and the Holy Spirit will give you that courage. And by doing so, you’ll be helping bring people to God and bringing God much glory.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus was regularly approached by people asking for healing, and he healed them. The question is, can he do the same today? This sermon explores others as well: Why is there sickness? Does healing replace traditional medicine? Is all healing from God? Why does God heal? Can everyone receive healing in this life? When will all of God’s people receive healing? And more.