Fully Pleasing to God - As the gospel transforms us from the domain of darkness into saints standing in the light, our lives are meant to be fully pleasing to God. Disciples strive to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.

Paul recognized the Colossian church as a group of disciples who had been changed and yet were still being changed by the gospel. As disciples, the gospel should be continually bearing fruit and increasing within us and through us.

Samuel remembered God’s faithfulness in the past to help him go forward. As individuals and as a church, it is important to celebrate his activity in the previous year as we anticipate his work in the coming year.

Herod felt threatened when his throne was challenged by Jesus’ birth. There is only room for one king on the throne of your life, and you cannot experience peace until Jesus sits upon it.

The Book of Revelation reveals a different perspective that happened at the birth of Jesus.  While the enemy comes to bring chaos, Jesus has come and will come again to bring peace.

Joseph thought he had been betrayed by Mary and yet surrendered his personal feelings to obey God’s commands.  In our relationships, we must submit to God’s Word to experience God’s peace.

When the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, they told them that peace on earth had come.  As we look around us, how do we reconcile this supposed peace with the state of the world?

The Word: All Things New (Rev 21:1-8) - What once was broken will be made right again. Jesus is making all things new.

Priests could never sit down in worship because sacrifices would always need to be offered. Once Jesus offered himself, he sat down at the right hand of God for the task was finished once and for all.

In Paul’s description of the Church, he explained that Jesus’ cross broke down sinful, ethnic boundaries we established. How are we to combat racism within the Body of Christ?