Last Sunday we finished off our series in Acts for the year by looking back over Acts 1-10. We saw the big picture of Acts is that Jesus is still at work building His church through His witnesses among all nations. As we near the end of 2025, Jesus is still at work in our lives today; He is still building His church at All Nations and around the world; and His gospel still rests on the foundation of eye-witness testimony from people who saw Jesus live, die, and rise again to save sinners like us. This week, take some time to look back over your 2025. How has God been at work in your life this past year? Give thanks to God for the work that He has been doing in 2025. Then, pray and look for more opportunities to speak to other people from all nations about the good news of Jesus this Christmas season.

Last Sunday afternoon, we heard from Acts 10:44-48 together. In this passage, the Holy Spirit is poured out even on the Gentiles, and they speak in tongues. We saw that this passage is a great encouragement to us: as believers, the same Holy Spirit is poured into our hearts today, so God is with us even in the mess of our lives. But should we still expect to speak in tongues? When we step back and look at Acts as a whole, we see that tongues are not the ordinary experience of ordinary believers in Acts, but instead tongues serve as a special sign confirming the spread of the gospel first to the Jews (Acts 2), then to the Samaritans (Acts 8), and finally to the Gentiles (Acts 10). Although we shouldn’t expect to miraculously speak in different languages today, we can still use our tongues and our own native languages to honor the Spirit by worshiping God and witnessing for Jesus Christ. This week, take some time to thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit and look for ways to use your tongue to worship and witness for Jesus.

Last Sunday afternoon, we heard from Peter’s sermon to the Gentiles in Acts 10:34-43. We especially saw that Peter focuses on Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to save sinners like us. In the process, we saw that the message of Christianity is not that we need to do lots of good works in order to be saved; instead, the message of Christianity is that Jesus has already done everything to secure our forgiveness. We receive the free gift of forgiveness simply by believing in Jesus: coming to Him with empty hands, confessing our sin, and trusting in His perfect work in our place. Yet, as forgiven Christians, we should not just live however we want. Instead, as those who have received God’s love and forgiveness in Jesus, we can strive to do what is right and acceptable to God as a sign of our thankfulness for all that God has already done for us. This week, take some time to thank God again for all that Jesus has done to save us. Then, prayerfully consider if there is some area of your life where you have been ignoring God’s law and living for yourself, rather than living in thankful obedience to your Savior.

Last Sunday afternoon, we heard from Acts 10 together. We saw that this chapter marks a major turning point, not just in Acts but also in church history. In Acts 10, for one of the very first times, the gospel goes to the Gentiles. We saw that the whole chapter is especially highlighting the significance of this moment. God sends the message of the gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile soldier. God also sends a vision of a sheet full of animals to Peter, symbolizing not only that all food is now clean but even more that the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles is being torn down. Convinced by the vision, Peter preaches about how Jesus brings salvation to both Jews and Gentiles alike. As the crowning proof of this new moment in history, God pours out the Holy Spirit even on the Gentiles. This week, take some time to thank God for bringing salvation to both Jews and Gentiles alike. Pray for God to call even more people from all nations to faith in Jesus. And ask for God’s help to see other Christians who you sometimes struggle to love as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.

On Sunday afternoon, we considered the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:16-26. Paul describes the Christian life like a battle. On the one hand, we are sinful people who want selfish and evil things. On the other hand, we have the Holy Spirit living in us, and we want things that honour God and make us more like Jesus. We used to live in ways that only benefitted us, giving into our desires and leading to division with others. Now, due to God's work, we can produce fruit that builds others up and honours God. Paul encourages us to understand that we can cultivate this fruit, we can pray and encourage others and listen to God's word and take part in the sacraments. We should resist temptation and work on godly fruit. This is possible for us, and it is all God's work that makes it possible. Take time to reflect on sins you often find yourself doing. Ask God for help with them. You can say no. Work hard on becoming more godly, and remember that God loves to work through His Spirit to do this.

Last Sunday afternoon, we heard from Acts 9:32-43 together. We especially saw that Peter healed a paralyzed man and raised a dead woman to new life. Yet ultimately it was not Peter’s power that healed the sick or raised the dead; these miracles were signs of the power of Jesus Christ. These miracles are not promises that Jesus will physically heal us from all our sickness right now, but they are signs that resurrection life is coming. Because Jesus has risen from the dead, one day all who trust in Him will also rise to new life in resurrection bodies where sickness and death are gone forever. This week, take some time to thank God for the promise of resurrection life in Jesus Christ and pray for many more to come to trust and believe in this message.

Last Sunday afternoon, we heard from Acts 9:19-31 together. This passage shows us the church growing, especially through the ministry of the persecutor turned preacher Saul. We saw that Jesus builds His church by preaching (as we hear the good news of Jesus, the Son of God and Savior of sinners), by persecution (as even the opposition of unbelievers cannot stop the spread of God’s Word), by partnership (as different people with different gifts work together for the gospel), and by preparation (as God slowly works on our hearts to prepare us to serve Him both now and in the future). This week, take some time to thank God for the work that He is doing in your life and in the life of our church. Then, prayerfully consider how you can make the most of the tools from Acts 9 to continue to grow in your faith.

Last Sunday afternoon, we looked at Simon the magician in Acts 8:4-25 together. Simon reminds us that there are powers at work in this world that we cannot see. Satan is real, he has real power, and he is really our spiritual enemy. Yet, Acts 8 also reminds us that as Christians, we do not need to fear Satan, for Jesus has far greater power. Jesus came into this world to destroy Satan and his works, and Jesus has already triumphed over Satan by His death and resurrection. Yet, the blessings that Jesus brings are only for those who repent and believe in Jesus. And as Simon warns us, it is possible to say we believe without actually trusting Jesus in our hearts. This week, take some time to consider your own relationship with Jesus—is it simply something you say with your lips, or is it truly something you believe in your heart?

Last Sunday afternoon, we finished off our prayer day by hearing from Habakkuk 2:1-4 together. We especially saw that to deal with the agony of unanswered prayer, we need to learn how to wait. Although we like to get everything we want right away in our modern world, often prayer requires us to wait in faith for God to act, because God’s timing is different from ours. Habakkuk’s prayers were not answered until 15 years and 60 years after he prayed. Habakkuk may have actually died before he saw the full answer to his prayers. This encourages us to continue praying and trusting in God’s perfect plan and timing, because God may choose to work in 15 or 60 years later, or even long after we are dead. Even when we do not see the full answer to our prayers right now, our prayers ultimately make us wait for the return of Jesus Christ, when all will be made right and the agony of unanswered prayer will be over forever. This week, take some time to ask God for a patient, trusting heart to wait for God’s perfect timing, to persevere in your prayers, and to wait for the return of Jesus Christ.