The average person hears and reads millions of words every year and the words that ring the clearest in the mind and are lodged the tightest and deepest in the soul will have the greatest impact. So, in 2019 let the word of Christ dwell in you richly!

What kind of a church was this that “no one dared to join”? It was a church in which a supernatural God was active and moving among the people! Just before this statement we are given the story of Ananias and Sapphira lying about their giving to the church and then falling dead at the feet of Peter. And that is followed immediately by many signs and wonders being performed among the people.

Advent is for worship. When Jesus came into the world, the hearts of those who God revealed him to exploded in worship.

The message God has for us this morning is that he wants to put joy in your heart through his Messiah Jesus! God said, “Rejoice greatly! Shout for joy! Your king is coming!"

We need a more full understanding of Jesus and all his death and resurrection means. And we need to know more about the Holy Spirit and to receive him and experience his powerful effect in our lives.

Christians are commanded to give thanks to the Lord in response to his generous and amazing love toward us through the Lord Jesus Christ.

If the things we hold most dear, are fragile, like homes, careers, finances, even family, then we become fragile, insecure people. If the things we truly value most, are unshakable, like peace with God, and acceptance with God, Jesus Christ’s presence with us by his Spirit; if that is what we value most, then we become unshakable people.

In order to live faithful to God and his truth and faithful to people in a world of competing worldviews, we need to look to Paul in Athens. He saw Athens was full of idols, felt provoked to jealousy for God's glory and the people's good, and confronted the idolatry with truth.

The message of Jesus Christ is a message of good news! For those who receive it, it brings forgiveness of sins, peace with God, inward joy and peace, satisfaction to your soul. And it also brings upheaval and conflict wherever it goes. It always has and it always will.

Paul and Silas bring the gospel to Philippi and we meet some of the first European converts to Christianity.