The world's peace is always temporary. Nations may draw truces, but they aren't forever. Someone might be nice to you if it's your birthday, but you can experience hostility from that same person a week later. We really can't fathom an eternal end to conflict and war. But as Pastor Dan teaches you today, that is exactly what you can expect when Jesus comes again. Peace and joy aren't just nice things to sing about at Christmas time. They are real, tangible experiences that you will have in the future!

The best chess players can see several moves ahead. Every movement of every piece serves a purpose in the overall strategy of the game. And when the time is right, the checkmate is delivered. All throughout history, God has been moving pieces into place. Generation after generation, everything came into alignment until the time was right to send Jesus into the world. Today Pastor Dan shows you that history is God's plan playing out. He knows exactly what he's doing, and he never makes a wrong move.

A tapestry makes no sense from the back. It's just a mess of thread and knots, with no indication of what is being depicted. It looks chaotic, and it may even seem like the weaver messed up their work. But when viewed from the front side, it all makes sense. Every thread and knot is placed in exactly the right place, coming together just the way the weaver intended. This world may seem like a mistake. It may all feel like a lost cause. But today Pastor Dan reminds us that God has a plan and a purpose for it all.

When you are just a small part of a big plan, it can be difficult to see how your work matters. What does one life matter in the span of all human life? How can one person's 70, 80, or 90 years of life make a difference for eternity? It's easy to become discouraged when you have a short-term vision. But today Pastor Dan encourages you: the work you do for the Lord does matter. Every day is an opportunity to move the mission of the Lord forward. Run your race well! Don't just start strong, finish strong.

Have you ever been on the receiving end of an insincere apology? An apology for show or to appease someone else doesn't really mean much. In fact, it may have been better if the offender never offered any apology at all. In today's teaching, Pastor Dan shows us that Israel gave God an insincere apology. They put on a good show, fasting and lamenting for 70 years. But ultimately, they weren't sorry for the right reasons. God wanted their heart more than their apology.

Jesus’ work on the cross was so profound. Most of us are members of that “far off” group – Gentiles unfamiliar with Judaism and God’s chosen nation. We don’t quite fathom just how big of a deal it was for Jesus to do what He did. His death on the cross was a sacrifice for all people – He made way for Jews and Gentiles to be rescued from sin and made righteous. As Pastor Dan will point out in today’s message, for the Jews, the Messiah was for them, not for the Gentiles, but Jesus tore down that barrier.

Jesus’ work on the cross was so profound. Most of us are members of that “far off” group – Gentiles unfamiliar with Judaism and God’s chosen nation. We don’t quite fathom just how big of a deal it was for Jesus to do what He did. His death on the cross was a sacrifice for all people – He made way for Jews and Gentiles to be rescued from sin and made righteous. As Pastor Dan will point out in today’s message, for the Jews, the Messiah was for them, not for the Gentiles, but Jesus tore down that barrier.

A lamp, powered by oil, gas, or electricity, requires fuel. Without the oil, the plug in the wall, or some power source, it serves little purpose other than decoration. In today’s message, Pastor Dan will draw our attention to this illustration in the book of Zechariah. As believers, we are lampstands – designed to project light in a dark and lost world. But, we need fuel. As hard as we try, without the Holy Spirit’s infilling, we can’t light up the dark under our power.

As a believer, you aren’t saved, filled with the Spirit, then left to just coast on the power of that one event till you join Jesus in Heaven. When you accept Jesus, you’re stepping into a life of nearly constant repentance and renewal. As Pastor Dan continues our study of the book of Zechariah in today’s message, he’ll explain that filling the Holy Spirit is something we need daily. It’s not a one-time thing. It requires diligently seeking Him with an open heart.

We all want to earn our place. This desire is rooted in our pride. Our culture highly values the drive and ambition in individuals. You can likely think of a few examples of influential, famous people who have a rags-to-riches story – people who “pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.” Pastor Dan will explain in today’s message that this isn’t a value in God’s Kingdom. In His Kingdom, we must rely on Him to pull us up, and we’re encouraged to lean on each other for support.