Line Upon Line

The fourth message in a Christmas series answers "Why Christmas?" by showing that Jesus came to give abundant life, which is the unmitigated and perfect experience—now and forever—of the fullness of God's presence, summed up in the word "joy." Pastor Miles connects the angels' announcement of "good tidings of great joy" to the believer's call to carry that good news to all people.

The third message in a "Why Christmas?" series argues that Christmas matters because life is precious to God—who is life, gives life, and loves life. Because death is a foreign agent introduced by humanity's fall, the gift-giving God came in the person of Jesus Christ to abolish death and bring everlasting life.

A Christmas teaching on why God gave Jesus, tracing the "hints" (prophecies) God left throughout the Old Testament about His perfect gift for a broken world. From Genesis 3:15 forward, God progressively revealed who the Messiah would be, where He would come from, and what He would do.

Opening a Christmas series, Pastor Miles walks through Genesis 1–3 to show that God is a generous, gift-giving Creator whose "very good" world was broken by sin. The fundamental answer to "Why Christmas?" is that the world is broken, and Christ's coming addresses that brokenness.

Drawing from Ephesians 5:15 and its surrounding context, Pastor Miles teaches that believers must walk carefully and wisely, "redeeming the time," because we live in evil days and have a God-given purpose to fulfill. He contrasts the world's self-indulgent, "do whatever you want" mindset with the Spirit-filled life evidenced by worship, thanksgiving, and submission to one another.

In this closing study of Romans, Paul gives a series of parting exhortations: mark and avoid those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to sound doctrine, become well-versed in what is good so the counterfeit is easily detected, and rest in the promise that the God of peace will crush Satan under the church's feet. The teaching ends with Paul's great doxology, that God alone is able to establish believers according to the gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ.

A study of Romans 16, showing first how God grants "honorable mention" in eternity to ordinary, faithful servants whose names are written in the Book of Life, and then how the church is to identify, avoid, and admonish those who cause divisions while remaining established by the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the closing personal section of Romans, Paul affirms his confidence in the Roman believers, attributing all their goodness to God in them, and explains his calling as a frontier missionary to the Gentiles whose aim is to preach the Gospel where Christ has not been named. The teaching emphasizes that salvation, sanctification, and all good works are God's work for which He alone gets the glory.

Drawing from Romans 15:1-13, this teaching calls believers to reject the world's "survival of the fittest" mindset and instead follow Christ's example of self-denial—bearing with the weak and pleasing others for their growth. As ambassadors of God's kingdom, Christians may face the same reproach Christ endured, but they lay hold of joy, peace, and hope by faith and live united so that Jews and Gentiles alike glorify God with one voice.

Working through Romans 14, Pastor Miles teaches how Christians should handle "gray areas"—doubtful, nonessential matters the Bible does not directly address. Rather than judging or despising one another over differing convictions, believers are to receive one another, walk by faith, and pursue righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.