Episodes
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Hope for the Hopeless (Acts 27)
Feeling fine on the outside but hopeless underneath? You’re not alone and Acts 27 meets you right there. When Paul warned against setting sail and the majority ignored him, a violent storm stripped away every visible reason for hope. In this message, Matthew shows how God has not lost His word…
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Can We Move On? (Acts 26)
Have you ever felt stuck in a season that just won’t end and quietly prayed, “Lord, can we move on?” In Acts 26, Paul stands in chains before King Agrippa and Governor Festus after years in custody, yet he still considers himself fortunate and refuses to waste the room in front of him. In this...
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God is Still at Work (Acts 25)
When we left Paul at the end of Acts 24, he had spent two years in custody—and Felix left him there as a political favor. We can read past those two years in a few seconds. Paul had to live every day of them. Maybe you’ve asked the same question: Why am I still here? In this situation. In this...
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The Damning Danger of Spiritual Procrastination (Acts 24)
In a world where procrastination touches nearly every area of life, from taxes to health, the greatest danger lies in delaying a response to God. Felix, the Roman governor in Acts 24, knew about the Christian faith yet repeatedly put off a decision, hoping for a more convenient time. In this...
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Who is the Hero of Your Story? (Acts 22)
If you had a chance to speak to people who hated you, what would you say? In Acts 22, Paul gets that chance on the steps of the barracks in Jerusalem, and he does not attack, defend his reputation, or retell their version of the story. He tells them how Jesus found him. In the message, Pastor...
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What if obedience to Jesus cost you something? (Acts 21)
Most of us want to know God’s will, but we would also like to review the consequences before we agree to it. Acts 21 follows Paul toward Jerusalem, where warnings, tears, rumors, and chains surround the path God has marked for him. In this message by Pastor Matthew, we confront a question deeper...
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Physically Present. Spiritually Asleep. (Acts 20)
Message: Physically Present. Spiritually Asleep. Scripture: Acts 20 You can show up wide awake, coffee in hand, and still be spiritually asleep. In Acts 20 a young man named Eutychus sits in a third-story window while Paul preaches past midnight, falls, and is taken up dead. This text is not a...
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When Jesus’ Name is on the Loose (Acts 20)
This chapter is not really about ancient magic or an ancient riot, though it has both. It is about what happens when the actual name of the Lord Jesus gets loose in a city and starts rearranging everything that city assumed was solid. Watch the Name move through Acts 19: people are baptized into...
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Faithfulness Where You Are (Acts 18)
Corinth was not the obvious place to build a gospel movement. It was crowded, influential, morally confused, spiritually resistant, and full of pressure. Yet Paul did not retreat. He stayed, worked, preached, partnered with others, and kept speaking the truth—even when fear and opposition made...
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God Made Known (Acts 17)
Most people say they are spiritual. Far fewer go to church. That gap describes our culture, and it described Athens too. Paul preached the same gospel in three cities and got three different responses. In Thessalonica, jealousy started a riot. In Berea, people examined the Scriptures every day…
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The Disrupter (Acts 16)
The Gospel doesn’t ask permission. It disrupts. In Acts 16, the unstoppable message of Jesus crashes into a missionary’s carefully made plans, a successful businesswoman’s closed heart, a demonic economy built on exploitation, and a desperate man’s midnight despair. Four disruptions. One powerful...
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Is the Pure Gospel Worth Fighting For? (Acts 15)
In Acts 15 the early church faces a deadly internal threat as sincere men demand circumcision and the law be added to faith in Christ—yet Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and James stand firm that God has already cleansed Gentile hearts by faith alone and that salvation is through the grace of the Lord...
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Through Many Tribulations (Acts 14)
In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas move from bold preaching in Iconium to a stunning miracle in pagan Lystra, only to be stoned and left for dead—yet the living God raises Paul and sends him back to strengthen the very churches that cost him so much. This message confronts our modern hunger for an…
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Open Hands (Acts 13)
In Acts 13 the Spirit moves the church from local safety in Antioch to global mission, sending Barnabas and Saul after worship, fasting, and prayer. In this message, Matthew talks through how the gospel advances through a unique leadership team, Spirit-directed obedience, and direct confrontation...
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What Will You Do Under Pressure? (Acts 12)
In Acts 12, deadly political pressure crashes into the early church as Herod Agrippa I executes James and locks Peter in maximum-security prison with a public spectacle scheduled right after the feast. While the apostle sleeps between two soldiers, the church gathers for earnest, stretched-out...
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Can God Really Use Me? (Acts 11)
In Acts 11, ordinary, nameless believers—scattered by persecution—stepped into Antioch, crossed cultural lines, and preached the Lord Jesus to Hellenists, and “the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord” (Acts 11:21, ESV). These were not apostles or...
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No Partiality (Acts 10)
In Acts 10, we witness one of the most decisive turning points in the New Testament as the gospel bursts beyond the Jewish world into the Gentile nations through God's sovereign initiative. God tears down the deepest barrier of the early church—not by human strategy, but by preparing both...
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Here I Am, Lord (Acts 9:10-31)
This message from Acts 9:10–31 gives the powerful moment when Ananias responds to God’s call with, “Here I am, Lord,” and how his simple obedience becomes part of Saul’s dramatic transformation into the apostle Paul. Through this passage, we see how God’s providence is at work in ordinary places,...
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The Overpowering Grace of God (Acts 9:1-11)
In Acts 9:1–11, we witness the dramatic conversion of Saul, a man breathing threats against the church, when the risen Jesus confronts him on the road to Damascus. Matthew talks through how God’s overpowering grace interrupts rebellion, exposes spiritual blindness, and reveals the glory of…
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Outsider and a Desert (Acts 8)
In “Outsiders and a Desert Road” from Acts 8, we see how God expands His mission by exposing false faith and pursuing unlikely people. From Simon the magician’s corrupted motives to an Ethiopian eunuch’s life-changing encounter with Jesus, this passage confronts our hearts and widens our vision....
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What are We Doing Here (Acts 6)
In this message, Dan Busch walks through Acts 6 and explains how the early church faced its first growing pain over neglected widows. Greek-speaking believers complained that their widows were being overlooked in the daily food distribution. Rather than neglect prayer and the ministry of the…
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The Danger of Playing Church (Acts 5)
This message from Acts 5 reveals the danger of “playing church” while hiding a dishonest heart. In this passage, Matthew talks through how the Holy Spirit is not a spiritual accessory but a holy, searching presence who guards the integrity of Christ’s bride. God sometimes exposes sin dramatically...
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Costly Boldness (Acts 4)
In this message, "Costly Boldness", believers are called to a costly, Spirit-empowered boldness that refuses to go silent about Jesus, even when obedience draws fire. Tracing Peter and John’s arrest, trial, and Spirit-filled response, we see that opposition isn’t a sign God has left; it’s often...
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More Than the World Has to Offer (Acts 3)
In Acts 3:1–11, we see a man who spent his life begging at the gate encounter something far greater than silver or gold—the transforming power of Jesus Christ. In this message by Pastor Matthew, we look at what the church uniquely carries that the world cannot replicate: not just resources, but...
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Pentecost Powered Sermon (Acts 2:22-47)
This Pentecost-powered sermon unpacks the first Christian message that ignited a movement and still transforms hearts today. Walking verse by verse through Acts 2, we see Peter boldly proclaim Jesus as the crucified, risen, and reigning King. This isn’t a safe or polished message—it’s a...
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When Heaven Breaks Loose (Acts 2:1-21)
Waiting seasons aren’t empty; they are where God does some of His deepest work in His people, just like He did with the 120 in the upper room in Acts 1:12–26. In this message by Pastor Matthew, “What to Do While You Wait,” we walk through how the early church responded between Jesus’ ascension…
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What to do While You Wait (Acts 1:12-26)
Waiting seasons aren’t empty; they are where God does some of His deepest work in His people, just like He did with the 120 in the upper room in Acts 1:12–26. In this message by Pastor Matthew, “What to Do While You Wait,” we walk through how the early church responded between Jesus’ ascension…
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Born for This Moment (Acts 1:1-11)
The first command the risen Jesus gives His disciples after forty days of resurrection appearances isn't "go." It's "wait." In this message from Acts 1:1-11, we sit in that tension and ask why the gap between what God has called us to and what we're currently experiencing often comes down to one...
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The Risen King Who Walks Beside You
On the greatest day in history, two disciples walked away from Jerusalem convinced they had lost everything — and the risen Jesus quietly joined their road. In this Easter Sunday message, we journey through Luke 24 and discover that the resurrection is not just the promise of life after death…
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It is Finished
On the cross, Jesus did not whisper a defeated goodbye; He cried out a clear word of victory, “It is finished.” In this message from John 19, we step onto Golgotha and listen as the Lord of Glory declares that the debt of our sin is fully and finally paid. We see why the cross was absolutely...
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5 Years of Building on the Rock (Matthew 7:21-27)
“5 Years of Building on the Rock” is our 5-year anniversary message, a celebration of grace and a sobering look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:21–27. In this sermon, we explore why it is possible to be busy for Jesus and never actually belong to Him, and why only a life built on Christ will stand...
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Which Gate Will You Enter? (Matthew 7:13-20)
This sermon from Matthew 7:13–20 explores Jesus’ sobering picture of two gates, two roads, and two eternal destinations. We confront the illusion of a safe middle lane and hear Christ’s uncompromising call to enter the narrow gate by grace through faith. We’ll also examine how to spot false...
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The Measure You Use (Matthew 7:1-12)
Matthew 7:1–12 shows Jesus pressing on four major heart issues: how we judge others, how we discern, how we pray, and how we treat people, all under one Kingdom “measure.” In this sermon we walk line by line through “Judge not…,” “do not throw your pearls before pigs,” “ask, seek, knock,” and the...
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Kingdom Calm Over Worldly Anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34)
Kingdom Calm Over Worldly Anxiety is a sermon from Matthew 6:25–34 about how Jesus confronts our age of anxiety with a better way to live. The message contrasts a world where one in three adults wrestle with anxiety and depression with the calm Jesus offers as we trust a Father who feeds the…
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The Danger of Divided Devotion (Matthew 6:19-22)
In this message, Pastor Matthew unpacks Matthew 6:19–24 and exposes the subtle but deadly danger of divided devotion. We see how our treasure, our vision, and our master are all connected, and how what we love most will always shape how we live. This passages causes us to examine our spending…
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Righteous Theater (Matthew 6:1-15)
In this message from Matthew 6, we walk through Jesus’ warning against “theatrical righteousness” and His invitation into a hidden, authentic life with God. We’ll look at giving, prayer, and fasting, how the same practices can either be a performance for people or an offering to the Father who...
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Oaths, Revenge, and Enemy Love (Matthew 5:33-48)
In this message from Matthew 5:33–48, Pastor Matthew walks us through Jesus’ radical call to a deeper righteousness—one that transforms our words, our response to wrongs, and even how we treat our enemies. Whether you’re wrestling with unforgiveness, struggling to tell the truth consistently, or...
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Lust and the Worth of a Soul (Matthew 5:27-32)
In this message, Pastor Matthew walks through Jesus’ hard but hope-filled words on lust, divorce, and the way we see other people and ourselves. In a culture saturated with sexualized images and built-in comparison, Jesus exposes more than outward behavior; He goes after the heart that turns...
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A Killing Anger (Matthew 5:21-26)
Killing Anger is a message from Matthew 5:21–26 that explores how Jesus links anger, insults, and contempt to the same heart-root as murder and calls His people into urgent reconciliation instead of quiet resentment. In this sermon we look at explosive and suppressed anger, why dehumanizing…
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Jesus and The Word (Matthew 5:17-20)
Join us in our "Sermon on the Mount: Living the Way of Jesus" series as Pastor Matthew unpacks Matthew 5:17-20. In this message, "Jesus and The Word," discover how Jesus doesn't abolish the Old Testament but brings it to its glorious fulfillment, calling us to a deeper, heart-level righteousness...
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Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-16)
In this powerful message from our series "Living the Way of Jesus," Pastor Matthew Thrower dives into Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV), where Jesus declares His followers as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Discover how we're called to preserve truth amid moral decay and illuminate grace in…
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The Beatitudes: A Kingdom Manifesto (Matthew 5:1-12)
Join us for the kickoff of our new 8-week series, "Living the Way of Jesus," as we dive into the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7 (ESV). In this first message, "The Beatitudes: A Kingdom Manifesto" (Matthew 5:1-12), we explore Jesus' upside-down blessings that shatter worldly expectations and...
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Be Strengthened (2 Tim. 2:1-13)
In this message from 2 Timothy 2:1–13, Pastor Matthew unpacks Paul’s final charge to Timothy from a Roman prison: “be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” Paul calls believers to live as soldiers, athletes, and farmers in a real spiritual war, refusing distraction and…
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The Light Has Come (Isaiah 9:1-7)
In this Christmas message, Pastor Matthew explores Isaiah 9:1–7, the breathtaking prophecy that announced hope to a people surrounded by fear, war, and despair. Long before a manger in Bethlehem, God promised a Child who would shatter oppression, conquer death, and reign forever as Wonderful...
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Final Warning (Galatians 6:11-18)
In this week’s message, Pastor Dan wraps up our study through Galatians by reminding us of the simple gospel: Jesus is enough. Galatians 6:11–18 calls us to stop adding man-made requirements to the message of grace. Paul reminds the church that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for...
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Don’t Grow Weary (Galatians 6:1-10)
Join us for our sermon from Galatians 6:1-10, where we look at the call to persevere in doing good. Pastor Matthew explores the context of living in the Spirit, the principle of sowing and reaping, and the powerful exhortation in verse 9: "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due…
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Life by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16–26)
What does it really mean to “walk by the Spirit” so that you “will not gratify the desires of the flesh”? In this sermon from Galatians 5:16–26, we explore the radical reality of belonging to Jesus Christ, that those who are His have “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires,” and are…
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Freedom to Set Us Free (Galatians 5:1-15)
Christ has set us free—now what do we do with that freedom? In this message from Galatians 5:1–15 (ESV), we explore how the gospel frees us from both legalism and licentiousness, and calls us into a life of love-motivated obedience. We’ll see why “Jesus + anything” is not the gospel, how the law...
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Who's Your Mother? (Galatians 4:21-31)
Galatians 4:21-31 draws a sharp line between two ways of relating to God: striving by human effort or resting in His promise. Through the story of Hagar and Sarah, Paul invites us to pause and quietly consider the question, “Who’s Your Mother?”—that is, are you living out of the spiritual lineage...
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Don't Go Back (Galatians 4:8-20)
Are you going back to chains Jesus broke? In this message on Galatians 4:8–20, we confront both the subtle and dramatic ways believers drift from gospel freedom back to forms of spiritual slavery—be it through performance, religious rules, approval-seeking, or addiction achievement. Paul’s urgent...
About this show
Welcome to our podcast where you can listen to our latest sermons and other helpful content. We hope this podcast will help you Know Jesus and Make Him Known. To learn more, visit us at www.refugecitychurch.com.
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