Revelation 12 provides the cosmic perspective behind earthly persecution. The Messiah has come, he has defeated Satan, and is reigning. Satan is thrown down from heaven and is raging against the people of God.

Prayer is placed alongside the other practices as a core activity of the church. Prayer is what confesses and lives out our dependence on God for everything.

A reveiw of the basis for Studying Revelation, chapters 1-11, and a preview of this semester's study.

Acts 2:42 shows us that fellowship is much deeper than social, it is a shared life centered around the cross, which the Lord’s Supper repeatedly brings us back to.

Acts 2:42 gives us the Spirit-formed practices that were the priority of the early church. We seek to understand these practices to give us the why behind what we do, starting with being devoted to the apostles’ teaching.

How do we live a faithful life in between Sundays, in between the highs and lows of life, and in between Jesus’ advent and his return?

Matthew 2 presents three responses to Jesus’ kingship. These aren’t just historical reactions but reveal how the human heart responds to Jesus.

Luke 2 provides the royal announcement that God has moved and the promised King has come. Our response to this news is joyfully receiving it in humility, experiencing the peace, and proclaiming the news because of what God has done through Christ.

Peace is the theme of the 2nd week of Advent. We see in the story of Mary how an interruption of her life plans could have destroyed her peace, but her surrender led to peace. And through her surrender, God was preparing to send the King to the world.

Advent invites us to look back at God’s fulfilled promises, which give us hope as we look forward to his promises to be fulfilled.