Are we willing to trust what we cannot see when life feels dark, confusing, or disappointing?

Stephen walks us through the encounters around the empty tomb, showing how Mary, the disciples, and Thomas all move from confusion and fear toward trust as they meet the risen Jesus in different ways. Seeing matters, but this chapter shows that faith grows not just through evidence, but through being known, called by name, and met with peace in locked rooms and honest questions. The invitation is to keep looking, listening, and opening the story again, trusting that life and hope can grow even when understanding comes slowly.

Are you aware of how the culture around you is quietly shaping what you believe, how you live, and who you think you are?

Jason challenges us to see ourselves as people living in a place that does not share our values, much like Daniel did, and to choose faithfulness without withdrawing from the people around us. We are reminded that culture is not accidental but carefully formed over time, and it constantly presses us to redefine truth, purpose, and identity. The pressure works by reshaping how we see the world, pulling us away from supportive relationships, flooding us with new ideas that go unquestioned, and slowly relabelling who we are.

The antidote is staying grounded, staying connected to others who share our convictions, and letting a steady, trusted source shape our thinking rather than the noise of the moment. Daniel’s story shows that it is possible to live with integrity, clarity, and courage even when everything around us pushes the other way.

As we step into a new year, we are invited to examine where we may have drifted and to choose, again and deliberately, to live as a clear, steady light for the people around us.

Sermon Notes:

- Slide: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/4-Jan-2026-Daniel-1.pdf

How do you feel about being asked to say yes to something you don’t fully understand? Jason shows us through Mary’s story that saying yes to a call bigger than ourselves can bring confusion, awkwardness, and even rejection, but it also opens the door to extraordinary experiences and purpose. Our willingness to trust and act, even when the details are unclear, can shape lives, bring unexpected fruit, and invite us into a story larger than we could imagine.

Do You Know Him? and do you see Jesus as He truly is,  rather than through the distorted perspectives we often carry? Maria shows how the shepherds and the wise men show that Jesus meets people right where they are—whether overlooked, uncertain, searching, or full of questions—with welcome, dignity, and joy. And she invites you to seek him with the same honesty and openness, trusting that when you do, he brings courage, peace, hope, and a whole new way of living.

When we know Jesus:

Fear is replaced with steady assurance.

Anxiety gives way to a deep sense of peace.

Disappointment turns into fresh expectation.

Sadness is lifted by real joy.

Despair is exchanged for hope.

Even the finality of death is overshadowed by life.

If an alien landed in the UK at Christmas and wrote a report, it might read like this:• Humans make a remarkable number of lists.• They buy presents—often with money they don’t actually have.• They gather with relatives and play strange games they avoid the rest of the year.• They cook more food than usual and eat even more than that.• They decorate the outside of their houses with lights and bring trees inside their houses.• They hang up socks for a man they openly admit doesn't exist.• They eat pies that contain no mince, bake men made of gingerbread, and listen to songs they only play in December.• They love pictures of snow, but if it actually snows, they abandon all the above.And in the middle of all this bustle, they often miss the very person the whole celebration is about.

Have you really met the one whose arrival Gabriel announced — not just as a familiar story, but as a living presence who can reshape your life? Stephen shows us Jesus through Gabriel’s eyes: the eternal one who steps into human frailty, the long-awaited child who removes the barrier between God and his people, and the king whose kingdom never ends. If you allow this Jesus to draw close, you may find that the barrier you’ve lived with is no longer standing.

Sermon Notes:

- Poem - Do you Know Him?: https://www.goldhill.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Do-You-Know-Him.pdf

Have you ever felt that your mistakes make you unworthy of God’s love? Jason shows that Jesus meets us not with condemnation or careless tolerance of sin, but with compassionate conviction, drawing us out of shame and into a new life. Like the woman caught in adultery, we are met in our brokenness, shown the truth of our situation, and empowered to live differently through God’s grace. This means that no matter where you are or what you’ve done, Jesus invites you to experience His love, be set free, and walk in the life He redeems for you.

Have you ever wondered what it truly means to follow Jesus in the midst of trials? Stuart reminds us that Jesus, fully aware of his mission and secure in his identity as the Son of God, endured anguish, betrayal, and the weight of our sin so that we could be reconciled to God and never walk alone. As we behold his faithfulness and walk with him through our own “valleys of the shadow of death,” we are invited to trust his guidance and courageously follow where he leads.