Acts is the continuation of God’s Story of Redemption. It is a story about how God’s people are empowered by God’s Spirit for God’s mission to take the gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, bringing salvation to all who would believe and forming local churches to display his glory. But the mission continues today as the same Holy Spirit empowers and sends us to take God’s Story from the neighborhood to the nations, seeing people who are enemies of God become citizens of his eternal kingdom (Acts 1:3; 28:31). This is a grand and glorious calling God has chosen for us to take part in: building his church one brick at a time through the power of his Spirit.

The life of everyday faith is a marathon, not a sprint. Hebrews 12:1-2 makes clear that our faithful life looks to a faithful Savior, who went before us as the founder and perfecter of our faith.

All of us are looking for satisfaction. Self-help books abound about how to get a great marriage, budget, and even success. But eventually, all of these things leave us empty. In Philippians 4, Paul tells the Philippian church he has learned the secret of contentment, a contentment that outlasts every circumstance. Like Paul, we must learn that satisfaction in Jesus leads to contentment in every circumstance.

We often find ourselves in situations where we don't know what we're doing. But the problem of evil and suffering in the world makes us wonder if God knows what he's doing. Romans 8:28-30 addresses this with an overwhelming answer: God does know what he's doing. In fact, those things that are painful and sorrowful are how he accomplishes his great purposes for our lives. So we can be confident even in our suffering that God knows what he's doing.

It's been said that many people believe in the truth of the Great Commission but fail to live as if it's true. But Jesus' final words are not a "I'll get to it" command, but a true command required of all Christians to make disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching. But it will take more than sheer willpower to accomplish it. Fulfilling the Great Commission requires submitting to the authority of Christ, walking in obedience to Christ, and relying on the presence of Christ.

We live in a world that is fractured, whether it's over politics or small quarrels. It can be easy for Christians to become like the world as we wait for Jesus to return. But the call of Jeremiah 29 is a call to live in the world of exile. It's not a promise for college graduates or that everything in our lives will go well. It's a call to live in such a way that will require bearing faithful witness and faithful presence while resting in and waiting upon our faithful King.

There are moments in the life of any church when one must take a step back to remember the goal and foundation of the church. In his final exhortation, pastor Josh reminds us that the goal of the Christian life is faithfulness to Jesus.

As we journey through many familiar passages in the Bible, one verse stands alone as the most familiar passage: John 3:16. But just as it is the most familiar passage, it is also the most misunderstood. It is here in a single verse that we find the sum and substance of the gospel.

How can Christians maintain everyday faith when life gets hard? When we grow weary? Rather than being a simplistic band-aid, Isaiah 40 offers a rock-solid hope that when we look to God, we will find renewed strength to keep going.

There can be a danger when reading a well-known passage like Psalm 23. The danger lies in ripping it out of context and applying it to people who don't truly know Jesus as the Good Shepherd. But for the believer, this Psalm offers the lasting hope that God is our shepherd: leading, comforting, inviting, and pursuing us all the days of our lives.