Chapel Hill Bible Church - Sermons

Last Sunday, we looked at the big picture of Acts as we returned to Acts 2:42–47 to ask a simple but searching question: What does it look like for our church to continue the story of Acts? The early church wasn't complicated—it was committed. They were devoted to learning, fellowship, prayer, and mission. But as we'll see, the gap between knowing what a healthy church looks like and actually wanting it is a matter of the heart. We examined the "defeater beliefs" and hidden fears that keep us at arm's length from deeper devotion, and we considered what renewal—real, Gospel-driven renewal—looked like for each of us and for our church together.

Last Sunday, we arrived at the final chapter of our journey through the book of Acts. In Acts 28, we find Paul shipwrecked on the island of Malta, eventually making his way to Rome itself—all the while proclaiming Christ with the same unshakable boldness that has marked his ministry from the beginning. From crushing the head of a viper on a remote island beach to teaching the Kingdom of God under house arrest in the capital of the world, Paul embodies the great theme of the entire book: the Spirit of God empowers ordinary people to keep proclaiming Christ. Even in suffering and rejection, darkness is doomed and light shines again. As we close this study, we will face the question that Luke leaves hanging in the air for every generation of the church that follows: When it comes to the city where God has placed us—when in Rome and when in Chapel Hill—will we follow suit?

Last Sunday, we entered one of the most gripping, surprising, and "Odyssey-like" chapters in all of Acts: Acts 27, the account of Paul’s shipwreck on his voyage to Rome. In a story full of howling winds, desperate sailors, and a prisoner who somehow becomes the most trusted voice on the ship, we will discover that God never wastes a storm. He uses them to purify, prepare, and save. The promise of this text is that the same God who guaranteed Paul’s safe arrival in Rome holds your story just as firmly.

Last Sunday, we continued our journey through Acts by studying Acts 25–26 and Paul’s defense before Festus and Agrippa. In the midst of imprisonment, accusation, delay, and uncertainty, Paul displays an unshakable confidence rooted in one central reality: Jesus Christ is truly risen and truly alive. Together, we considered how a deep-seated belief in the resurrected Christ transforms how we view our time, our reputation, our suffering, and our witness. As Paul boldly proclaims the Gospel before rulers and authorities, we are invited to ask ourselves a searching question: Do we truly believe that Jesus is present with His people through the Holy Spirit—and what would change if we lived like it?

Paul is on trial for proclaiming and believing the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise it holds for His followers. But is it a logical belief? And if so, how does it actually shape and form the life of the believer? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is still on trial today, and we do well to examine it and to live in light of the verdict.

If you have ever been falsely accused, misunderstood, or pressured to keep your faith quiet, this passage is for you. This week we continue our journey through Acts with Paul's dramatic arrest in Jerusalem and his harrowing transfer to Caesarea under Roman guard (21:37-23:35). Beaten by a mob, hauled before the Sanhedrin, and targeted by a conspiracy of forty men sworn to kill him, Paul faces accusation and trial at every turn — and yet the gospel advances at every turn. From his powerful testimony before the Jerusalem crowd to the Lord's midnight word of courage in the barracks, we see that accusation is not the end of the story, but an unlikely stage for God's faithfulness.

In Acts 21:1–36, we follow Paul as he walks knowingly toward hardship, refusing to turn aside from the path God has set before him. In a culture that instinctively avoids cost and discomfort, this passage confronts us with a deeper question: what would we do if we clearly knew obedience to Jesus would be difficult? This sermon invites us to see our lives through the lens of the gospel—where suffering is not meaningless, but often the very path God uses to advance His purposes. As a church, we need this reminder to live not for comfort or approval, but for the pleasure of God, trusting that faithful obedience opens doors for the gospel in ways we may not yet see.

In Acts 20:1–38, we step into one of the most personal and moving moments in Paul’s ministry—a chapter marked by deep friendship, earnest encouragement, and a tearful farewell. As Paul journeys toward Jerusalem, we see how the shared mission of the Gospel knits hearts together across miles, hardships, and even the hardest seasons of goodbye. This past Sunday, we explored how Gospel-shaped friendships are formed in mission, strengthened in worship, and sustained through faithful shepherding. Especially in a transient community like ours, this passage invites us to build relationships that are not only meaningful for today, but that endure into eternity.

HE IS RISEN!!! This Easter Sunday, we will be looking honestly at honest life — crushing debt, fractured marriages, illness, loss, and grief — and asking a question that may surprise you: What does the empty tomb have to do with any of that? Drawing from 2 Corinthians 4:16–18, the message — An Eternal Weight of Glory — takes us to the heart of what the resurrection actually changes for real people in real pain. Paul's audacious claim is that our present sufferings, however crushing they feel, are "light and momentary" when set against the eternal glory that the resurrection of Jesus is even now preparing for us. This is not escapism or empty optimism — it is the kind of hope that enabled so many simple disciples to say they would not trade their suffering for anything in the world. Join us this Easter as we discover that the resurrection doesn't just give us a reason to celebrate — it gives us a completely new way to see our whole story.

This Palm Sunday, we will witness one of the most surprising moments in all of Scripture: a dying criminal's cry for mercy and Jesus' stunning response: "Today you will be with me in Paradise." Drawing from Luke 23:32–43, we will trace the biblical story of Paradise given, Paradise lost, and Paradise regained—from the Garden of Eden to the cross of Calvary. Along the way, we'll be confronted with an honest question: Are we more like the first criminal, trusting in our own self-sufficiency to get what we want out of life, or are we willing to see Jesus as he truly is—battered, crucified, and dying in our place?

This week we look at Acts 19:21-41. One of the exciting parts of this message is we’re going to relate it to the ordination of J.W. Ruff. I love preaching ordination sermons and this is a great text to frame JW‘s pastoral ministry. It will call us and call this soon to be pastor to preaching the gospel in such a way that idols are dethroned and Christ is exalted.

Now that Paul is in Ephesus, he has a battle before him. His primary tool—one in which he believes deeply—is the Word of Christ: the Good News. For two years, he taught, explained, and reasoned with both Jews and Gentiles—people he loved, many of whom were held in bondage by the dark spiritual realities rampant in Ephesus. As Paul proclaims, Jesus moves in. And whenever Jesus moves into occupied enemy territory, there is a confrontation. From vivid miracles and a humorous "reverse exorcism" to the power of the Gospel to change lives once deeply enmeshed in the occult, this is an encouraging and powerful text. It shows us the real Jesus bringing real cleansing and renewal through the path of costly discipleship!

What does it look like when God leads you beyond what you currently understand? Acts 18:18-19:7 invites us into that journey. Three stories: We see Paul, faithfully making plans yet surrendering every step to God’s sovereign will. We meet Apollos, a passionate and powerful teacher with incomplete understanding that humbly learns about Jesus. And we encounter a group of disciples who move from seeking to becoming fully Spirit-filled believers. Their stories remind us that following Jesus is not just about going somewhere new, it’s about growing from partial understanding into a fuller, deeper faith through the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever been in a job, a volunteer position, a location, or a relationship that felt like it was time to end? Why did you want to call it a day? Was it God-centered or, truth be told, driven by more self-centered reasons? Last Sunday’s passage, Acts 18:1–17, is a beautiful picture of a tried-and-tested pastor, Paul, who learned the secret to contented perseverance—not by his own strength of will, but rather by the promises of God. How did he experience those promises, and what were they?

We are back in Acts 17:16–34 this Sunday. This is a well-known passage that shows us how the Apostle Paul engaged the high-minded Greek culture of his time. Before presenting the Gospel, he met the leaders and philosophers of Athens on their own terms; then, Paul pointed them toward the true God and the real logic of the world. While this method is helpful and I pray it informs us, my deeper prayer is that we come to love God as Paul did. The reason Paul gave the best of his mind to share the Gospel with these academics is that he was simultaneously provoked by their empty idolatry and moved by compassion for them. I pray that we put this passage into practice because we love the honor of God.

Who are the people that God is redeeming unto Himself? What hints and hopes do we see in the Bible and in the world around us that one day all the families of the nations will worship before the Lord?

Andrew Ginsberg serves as the President/CEO of Operation Mobilization, an international missions organization with over 6,000 missionaries working to develop vital communities of Jesus followers worldwide. A graduate of Duke University and Cambridge, Andrew has a deep professional background in executive leadership, previously serving in senior advancement roles for The Navigators, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and BioLogos. Having led teams across six continents, he brings a global perspective rooted in his local history as a former leader and longtime member of Chapel Hill Bible Church. Andrew and his wife, Marnie, are currently transitioning to Georgia as they continue their mission to reach the least-reached and empower the global church.

What is unique about the God of Psalm 22 (and of the whole Bible) that makes Him worthy of ruling all the nations? And what are the implications of that as we consider God and as we make Him known to others? Join us this Sunday as we look at Psalm 22 and consider the LORD who all families of the nations will one day worship.

Friendship is not sentimental companionship—it is one of God’s primary means of shaping wisdom, character, and faith. Proverbs teaches that friends are never neutral; they either form us toward righteousness or deform us toward folly. This Sunday, we’ll see how friendship was woven into creation, fractured by sin, restored through Christ, and ultimately fulfilled in Him—the truest Friend who stays closer than a brother and lays down His life for the undeserving. In Christ, friendship becomes fellowship, and fellowship becomes something eternal—growing sweeter, truer, and more beautiful forever.

How ironic is it that our passage this Sunday is on the importance of gathering and the fellowship of the local church and it's looking quite possible that we're not gathering due to snow/ice storm?!? God knew! The Greek work for fellowship in the New Testament is "koinonia" which is a legal term meaning two parties are in partnership to the extent that they share in both assets and liabilities. So, question... are you in that kind of fellowship with a local church??? If you want to be a stubborn disciple of Jesus (i.e. keep following), you must be a churchman (or church-woman)!

Prayer is, at its core, fellowship with God—and it is also one of the most powerful ways we fellowship with one another as believers. In Luke 18 is a parable in which Jesus presses us to examine our false views of God and our false assumptions about the moment we’re living in. As those misconceptions are exposed, we begin to see the true God and the true nature of our circumstances—and prayer comes into clearer focus. Prayer is hard, but it is not complicated. The real obstacles are matters of the heart. When those are addressed—often through a gracious but firm spiritual jolt, like a well-aimed parable—prayer begins to flow more naturally, more frequently, and more joyfully.

Right now, truth be told, is your life marked by ownership or stewardship of your finances? What are some specific ways you would love Jesus to grow you in generosity in 2026... include your time and talent? Eternal life is found in following Jesus, forsaking the financial gods our world tempts us with. Today’s passage reveals just how dangerous the love of money is and how it can quickly define our lives and even the state of our souls.

In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, Jesus teaches us that God’s massive heart for us transcends all human ideas about fairness. Though it sounds appealing on the surface, this is a difficult truth, confronting us on the ways live for our own prestige and compare ourselves to others. In this passage, we will come face to face with a generous God who invites us into a new vision of what it means to be His people in a world where status and competition rule the day.

In Ephesians 3:14–21, Paul pulls back the curtain on how he prays for the church—and it may not be what we expect. Rather than focusing on circumstances or outcomes, Paul prays for inner strength, deep roots in Christ’s love, and a growing grasp of the immeasurable riches of God’s grace. This prayer reveals what truly matters for the health and maturity of God’s people. As we listen in on Paul’s words, we learn not only what to pray for a church, but how God delights to work powerfully within His people for His glory and their good.

For our last Sunday in Advent, we looked at Jesus as our Savior in the birth narrative in Matthew. It is a brief passage and one that contains the whole Bible in a sense. Jesus is our promised, incarnate, Savior, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

This third Sunday of advent, we focus on Joy and the work of Christ as our King. God had told Israel they could have a king, but the catch is he had to be totally different than the kings of the nations. He had to be a pastoral king, a fatherly king, the king that served the purposes of the kingdom. Kingship is a really big theme in the Bible, and unfortunately in the Old Testament there are a lot of broken examples. But at the end of the day, they pointed to the perfect King. And we will revel in Him this Sunday.

This second week of Advent, we now look at the picture called Priest. Christ is our Great High Priest and that changes everything. We will look at Hebrews 7 as the author paints for us the Old Testament origins of the priesthood and its goodness but also its incompleteness. We need a perfect priest and a priest who finished the work of purification, once and for all. So, we see that Jesus is and always was the ultimate and forever priest who not only leads but actually is the purity of God's people. And, among other things, that brings PEACE (the theme of the second Sunday of advent), forever peace, powerful peace, experienced peace.

This week begins our Advent Series. Picture the series as four paintings, side by side. I know there are things called triptych, a 3 panel painting, but I am not sure if there are quadtychs? These paintings reveal a different facet of our Christ. One is the Prophet (this Sunday). One is the Priest. One is the King. And the final one is the Savior. We will trace how these four offices were promised in the OT, fulfilled in Jesus, and then what that means for us today and for Advent as we not only gaze into that paintings, but discover we are one of the characters God has painted into the frame.

God loves to right side His people by turning them upside down. This Sunday we will study Acts 17:1-15 and see the gospel turning people and communities upside down and thus right side up! We'll look closely at the Bereans and how they were eager and examined the Scriptures daily to see the connections and conclusions about Jesus that Paul was teaching them. God blessed that. Many were saved.

We continue with the Apostle Paul as the gospel breaks forth into Europe. The Lord is accomplishing His purposes and building His kingdom through faithful gospel proclamation. This is not without opposition, and though we find Paul and his team persecuted greatly, their demeanor, posture and persistence serve as an example to us and a demonstration of Christian contentment in every joy and trial.

Has a door closed on you lately? Has a chapter come to an end, and you did not exactly invite that? To boot, were you trying to serve God when the door closed or the chapter ended? Endings are hard. Really hard. But the things is, God does some of His clearest leading by funneling us by closing doors and then opening new ones. Every closed door leads to a new open door, and a beautiful door. God does not have dead ends. This Sunday's text will remind us of these truths of God's sovereign grace as it leads by way of closed relationships, closed opportunities, and yet new relationships and new opportunities. At the end of the day, we will see that the whole point of our lives is to make Christ known and the only doors we should want are the one's God has planned. What a solid and encouraging place to be.

Legalism is like the Applebee's menu. It promises so much and yet never delivers (apologies to you Applebee's fans 😉). Legalism is not debatable, though. Adding anything to Jesus as the ground of salvation is wrong and it robs us of life. Legalism never relents, it manifests itself in all times and in all cultures. The church in Acts 15 responds swiftly, clearly, and graciously in how it dealt with it in its own time and I think we have a great example of how to respond, teach, and disciple the church on how to reject legalism, all the while embracing the way of Jesus Alone love, which may involve choosing to avoid certain things for unity sake. Legalism is the forcing of unbiblical commands. Love is the choosing to give over rights for the sake of the common good. I think Sunday will be helpful to all of us as we seek to live by grace and truth together. 

The text this week is a summation of the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. It lists a bunch of important and basic things these missionaries did as leaders in local churches. We will take the seven marks of a healthy church this Sunday and look at them. It might be helpful for folks looking at joining CHBC and hopefully it will help us value the basics more as a church, to long for growth in each of these reasons, and to see how we can help with our spiritual gifts in the growth of these health markers.

The passage this week has a lot to say about a couple things. First, is gospel clarity. Paul and Barnabas go to great lengths with their word and actions to make people clear on what they represent - the heavenly gospel, not an earthly worldview gospel. To that end, they push glory and honor away. Paul is then physically tortured because of this clarity, almost to death. But, with gospel power and hope, Paul gets back on his feet and heads right back onto mission? How? The dude was scared for life, physically. Well, because he knew he was in Christ and so lived like Christ, he believed his scars would lead to glory. May we feel reminded and anchored in that hope, for our own gospel scars, this Lord's Day as we sit under the good and loving Word.

A new chapter. A new city. But the calling is the same. Regardless of their location, we see Paul and Barnabas the proclamation of the good news to the Jews and to the Gentiles alike. In doing so, God bears witness to the word of his grace by signs and wonders (good works) done by the apostles. The text invites us to consider how we too can boldly share the gospel, join God in doing good works, and remain faithful to that calling regardless of where we are.

I confess that I often struggle to step out into my spheres of influence, even as a pastor, because I am fearful of the response. Preaching is intimidating, for instance. It never ceases to be so. What if the congregation rejects this? How clear should I be about what is in the passage? What if I have to teach a culturally unacceptable truth? This week's passage was a reminder. It was the Holy Spirit saying to me: "Jay, this is for you, too. Take care of the depth, and I will take care of the breadth." CHBC, this is the Word of the Lord for you, too. I bet there is a place in your spheres of influence you are hesitant to step forward in because you are not sure about how it will be received. Based in the passage this week, you can do it, because God has sovereignly planned out the result, both the fruit and the fall out. You can trust Him with that and this week we study the depth of that.

I love the Bible. I trust it as totally true, the very words of God. I hope you do, too. But, the Bible can actually get in the way of faith if we don't understand what God is trying to do with it. The religious leaders of Israel would have sworn by their allegiance to the Scriptures but Jesus rebukes them sternly about their faith-killing way of relating to God's Word. He says in John 5:39, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me." The Jews had lost sight of the point of the Bible. It had become an end to itself and it had become the means of their justification. From the beginning, God's Word was pointing God's people to the Messiah, and that Messiah is Jesus of Nazareth. When you get that, the Truly True Bible comes alive. It is all of grace. It is all of love. The whole Bible is whole Gospel showing us whole salvation through the Holy Savior. I say all that because we see Paul preaching the Word, showing the people Christ, knowing that is what the Spirit uses to save. And we should follow suit.

A key aspect of missional faithfulness is to confront with the gospel, not just contextualize and invite with it. Put another way, our mission field is occupied territory. Our enemy, the devil, does not have actual claim on the world, but he thinks he does and he will fight for it. Acts 13 is Paul's initial ministry on his first missionary journey and, unsurprisingly, it involves an encounter with evil. We will witness the missionary apostle rebuke and proclaim the gospel in one fell swoop. Evil is judged and new life is imparted.

This has been a hard week with news of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Regardless of the political nature of his voice and organization, Charlie was a clear and animated Christian and his death is appalling and saddening. What to make of something like this? How do hold both the sin and accountability of the murderer in one hand and the sovereign and glorious purposes of God in the other. We must. Acts 12 has a lot to say to us in the moment, as well as in general about suffering, the Christ who will not be thwarted, and the increase of the Christian movement with the blood of martyrs.

Grace is scandalous. It ruins our well laid plans that legalism affords us. Don't eat. Don't touch. Do this. Vote this way. Affirm that. Identify as such. Jesus +. So, it is not a surprise that as the grace of God is given to the Gentiles, the Jewish believers were surprised and even perturbed. But, the Spirit's work and the Scriptural truth was clear. The gospel is gift. Jesus ALONE is the way. And, so grace among the Gentiles was and is a beautiful thing. Are we a Jesus ALONE church? Are there any ways our church, and our personal lives, still have some Jesus +?

Acts 10 is our upcoming passage as we get back into our exposition of Acts. This is a pivotal passage in Acts and in the entire NT! It is the longest narrative of Acts because of its purpose - to describe and explain that God wants the nations to know Him and worship him. The gospel crosses a threshold to to tends of the earth (Acts 1:8). This passage is designed to convict the believer that there are people who we consider unclean and we avoid them, but God has planned to save them - and He wants to use us to do that. And, this passage is a powerful word to God-fearers today, seekers if you will, that still need to know that the Almighty God is known in Jesus.

We are back to the book of Acts and this launch Sunday we will reorient ourselves back to it with Acts 2:42-47, a key passage in Luke's account of the early church. In that passage we see the basics of a healthy and fruitful church, basics that are just as true today, than ever. Maybe these basics are especially true in this day of distraction, decadence, and information overload. The basics can be internalized with the acronym FLOW: fellowship, learning, outreach, worship. Those four things are what God is calling us to do most of the time, as best we can, by his grace. If we do, the gospel is going to advance. It just might surprise us how powerfully it advances, too.

This Psalm of ascent encourages the singers and worshippers to lift their eyes to the maker of heaven and earth, the one who is our helper. Join us as we conclude our summer series on the Psalms with this beautiful song of hope.

What do you do when you have sinned against the Lord and others? How do we seek genuine repentance and renewal? Psalm 51 provides us with a wonderful example of coming before the Lord and trusting in his mercy to forgive and his ability to cleanse us of our sins.

One of the best known and most beloved Psalms of all time, Psalm 23 evokes beautiful imagery of the Lord caring for us as His sheep and as His guests. Join us to explore anew the grace of God towards us as our Good Shepherd.

What drives sincere praise? Psalm 8 shows how we were in need of redemption, how He accomplished our redemption and ends giving us a picture onto that day when we will see that redemption being consummated. It is this journey through the redemption story that prompts in those who belong to Him a life in awe and surrender for the glory of the majesty of His name.

Psalm 110 says that Christ’s people will offer themselves freely on the day of His power in worship and obedience. How can that promise become more real in our lives with Christ today? The key is to see, by faith, who God is in Jesus Christ. Christ is our better king, better priest, and better judge. As we apprehend Him by faith, we are empowered to offer ourselves joyfully, freely, and entirely in obedience to God.

This week we turn to Psalm 3, wherein David seeks the Lord’s help as his enemies pursue him. We can join with the voice of the Psalmist in singing and praying for God’s judgement and righteousness to fill the earth, as we long for his peace and goodness, and labor to proclaim Christ to all who don’t know him. But how do sing and pray these seemingly difficult cursing Psalms? Psalm 3 gives us both vocabulary and posture to long joyfully for God’s righteous judgement.

What does it mean to trust in the Lord? What is true about the confident, content Christian, who delights securely in Christ? In Psalm 16 we are given words to sing, pray and aspire to as we grow in our trust. Those who trust in Christ alone, find joyful contentment and eternal satisfaction.

In Psalm 130 we’re given a song to cry out the Lord. Whether it is from a place of pain, suffering, chaos, shame or sorrow— the Lord receives our cry and bids us trust in him. May the Lord use Psalm 130 to teach us to bring our cares to him, knowing that he listens. And may we wait upon the Lord in trust and submission.