The third attack on the church comes from within. This threat goes deeper than grumbling and has much to teach the church about how to face the challenge of having people from differing ethnicities and culture in a congregation. Outline--I. A case of apparent discrimination-II. A threat to unity-III. A creative solution-IV. A surprising breakthrough

We get our second look into the life of the early church in this text and see a unified and generous community. But Satan attacks and seeks to cripple the church in its infancy.

The healing of the lame man greatly annoys the religious leaders of Israel. This is the first of several expressions of opposition that face the church. We are instructed how we should respond when we are threatened. Outline--I. The story-II. The speech-III. The sequel

The miracle of the healing of the man crippled from birth reveals God's plan to restore the entire world to its original pristine state. This is the beginning of the section C3 through 6 where we see Satanic opposition arise to the advancement of the church. Outline--I. The joy in the healing-II. The joy that comes through Jesus-III. The way to this joy

What would happen if a local church firmly gripped the gospel and understood its implications- Luke shows us the blessings that we are meant to experience in our shared life.

Christmas is a time of traditions. They can help us celebrate the Advent of Jesus but they can also undermine a deeper appreciation for what God is doing. When we get past the traditions that surround this text we find a surprising message.

Matthew relates the disruptive birth of Jesus in Joseph's life. As the story unfolds, we see both the identity and the destiny of Mary's child. Outline--I The Birth of the Child-II The Child's Identity-III The Child's Destiny-IV What difference does it make-

Matthew's genealogy is an invitation to join God's family. Surprisingly, it speaks to our deepest longings. This passage gives us two of the reasons we have to celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus. Outline--I- Jesus is the King we long for-II- Jesus is the King we need