Sometimes the hardest part of sharing our faith is knowing how to start the conversation. We'll be talking about the beginning of the conversation. 

What does Christ calming the storm have to do with our faith and sanctification? 

In this sermon, we see another mystery revealed that has been wrapped up in prophecy and allegory for centuries, but then revealed by Paul. Starting in Matthew 8, we are introduced to a Roman Centurion whose faith reveals that things are "heating up." 

In this sermon, we contrast Jesus' rabbinical ministry with that which the Jews were used to. We then see how revolutionary his encounter with a leper was and how deeply rooted this experience was in God's redemption story.

It's easy to believe easy things, and such does not bring a whole lot of meaning. The hard, uneasy, even impossible things in the Bible give us the opportunity to actually glorify God with our faith. 

Today we take King David as an example of how "testifying of what we have seen and heard" is actually form of worship, not just a Christian privilege for the sake of multiplication and discipleship. 

It will be astonishing to see how many great Christians, renowned even, will be missing from heaven. This is a matter of foundational matter. What is yours made of? Your house might look the same as your neighbor's, but what are you founded on? 

As we draw near the conclusion of Christ's great sermon, we see Him sealing the sermon with words of grace, meant for the protection of the sheep. He urges us to find His words authoritative, and to give no heed to those who would, through deceptive tactics, have us walk the broad path which leads to destruction. 

Do you make new year's resolutions? The new year is a great time to reflect on the past year and set goals for the future. But before you do, consider what the Scriptures say about resolve. 

Christ coming to this earth to save sinners was (and is) a great act of grace on God's part. God doing what we could never do, nor deserve to receive. But sometimes we act as though the Grace of God acted in regards to our salvation, but then the rest of our life is lived in relative agnosticism - "who knows if God is part of all of this?" 

But the Scriptures make it clear that God wants His grace to infiltrate our entire life, not just the moment of our conversion.