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After Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus, Barnabas and his protégé Paul settled as down as part of the church at Antioch in Syria. The church was doing what came naturally - praying and worshipping God. But God chose them and moved them on from there to take a journey. They headed for Cyprus and then on towards what is now central Turkey. Bear in mind that they didn't have the Book of Acts as a reference - they didn't know what could or might happen. So for Barnabas and Paul, the trip presented a series of shocks.

Philip was one of the seven deacons appointed to minister in the fledgling church in Jerusalem. Also in that number was Stephen, who is recorded as the first of the Church martyrs. The Jewish outrage over what Stephen had to say brought about a scattering of the believers. Some remained on in Jerusalem, but many - like Philip - were forced to leave. It was this unwelcome pressure that created the momentum for the Gospel to move out from Judea, into Samaria and beyond. The outward journey of the Gospel, described by Jesus in Acts 1:8, was underway, and it was driven by persecution.

Gold...Frankincense...and Myrrh. Anyone who has wrapped their youngster in a tea-towel and dressing-gown for the Christmas play knows the scene well: The visit of the Magi. It was an unusual pilgrimage for these Gentile dignitaries to make, and all sorts of traditions and legends have grown up around their characters. But what do we make of their journey? What was the significance of their visit? When strangers arrive bringing extravagant gifts, it makes sense that they are also bringing a message of some sort. It was a journey from the east, to see the House of David Adored.

Ezekiel, the prophet to the exiles in Babylon, saw in a vision that the Glory of God had departed from the Temple in Jerusalem. Imagine how the Jews watched and waited for news of His return. Five centuries later, there were still men and women of faith who patiently waited for the day, and watched for God's blessing to fall on the Holy City once more. When Mary took her infant son Jesus to the Temple, the wait was finally over. And at least two people - Simeon and Anna - were there to mark the occasion.

Nearly six hundred years before Jesus was born, Jerusalem was toppled and King David's descendants no longer reigned there. But that didn't mean that the line of eligible Davidic kings was broken. While governors and puppet kings kept the throne warm, David's line went on in humble obscurity. Only someone from David's line had a legitimate claim to be King of the Jews, and all the Jewish people were looking for The House of David to rise once more. That put the little town of Bethlehem - not even big enough to be called a clan village, let alone "royal David's city" - right in the middle of the map in terms of Messianic expectations. Mary and Joseph were only following Roman orders by travelling there, but their journey meant the revival of the House of David.

We aren't told the names of many of the angels; in fact the Scriptures don't tell us much about them at all. They simply step into the narrative of the Bible without any back-story. But there is one whose name is quite familiar to us... Gabriel. It was Gabriel who was there in Babylon to explain Daniel's strange visions. It was Gabriel who was sent to bring remarkable news to an old priest named Zachariah, and astonishing news to a young virgin by the name of Mary. It seems when God had an important message that would be hard to understand, and might need some explaining, Gabriel was heaven's Missionary Angel.

It was Resurrection Sunday, but news of the Resurrection had not been widely heard or believed, even among the followers of Jesus. That afternoon two of them were making their way home from Jerusalem to Emmaus when they were joined along the road by a fellow-traveller. What they heard on the journey would change everything for them. From confusion to clarity; defeat to victory; from despondency to exhilaration. That conversation would gather together an amazing picture out of all the pieces of the puzzle that had been scattered over the previous few days. How does the story of the Cross fulfil the story of the Old Testament? Cleopas and his companion found out from the source.

The Gospel of Luke records a specific moment when Jesus determined it was time to go to Jerusalem for the last time. The narrative of that journey occupies a significant portion of the middle of Luke's history. Clearly the things that were said and done on that journey are of great importance, since they speak to us today not only about Christ's obedience to God's will, but also our own commitment to following Him. For Jesus, this journey would end in Jerusalem and culminate in the Cross. For us, obedience to Christ's call has its own costs, and the decision to journey with Him is not to be taken lightly.

Samaria - the belt of land between Galilee in the north and Judah in the south - wasn't generally considered a place of welcome for the Jews of Jesus' day. There were longstanding grudges and dissentions between the Jewish elite in Jerusalem and the Samaritans, who continue to worship at Mount Gerizim even to this day.

So for Jesus to travel there, and even to rest there and start up a conversation, would be unexpected. Especially with a woman whom even the Samaritans would consider to be on the fringes of decent society. But that conversation revealed as much about our human nature as it did about God's plan of redemption. We can't deny or avoid our thirst, and we can't ignore Jesus' offer to quench that thirst.

When something important has to be said, it is helpful to choose the right place. The setting helps the message. So what was significant about Caesarea Philippi? It was far from Jerusalem and had little or nothing to do with Judaism. Jesus took His disciples there to teach them the most important truth they would need to know, the truth that would be the foundation for the building of the church. As was often the case, Jesus taught His lesson by asking questions. And Peter's answer would become the guiding star of the Christian faith.