The Moody Church Sunday Morning Podcast

What's Christmas really about? Watch as our Children's Chorus shares the true meaning of Christmas.

Why do we tell the story of advent every year? In this passage in Luke, we learn that the meaning of Jesus' arrival as a baby signals the beginning of a new age, where the good news of the gospel overcomes all fear, fulfills all promises, and saves all peoples. As the angels proclaimed, it's truly good news of joy to the world.

 

Luke 2:8-11

Where does our hope come from? On this Sunday of Advent, we learn about the hope of world foretold in Isaiah 40, a great comforter, the glory of God revealed. As Christians, our hope is forever tied to the revelation of God's glory through His son, Jesus. With God's help, let's live in that hope, and share it joyfully with others. Isaiah 40:1-5

Our instinct is to protect the things we love. Do you love the church enough to protect it? In this passage, Paul discusses the need for Christians to take an active role in protecting the church from internal and external threats. As the bride of Christ, God will defend and protect His Church. But it's also our responsibility to join in that mission by conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. Acts 20:28–32

Diversity is something to be celebrated within the church, whether it's generational, ethnic, socio-economic, or preferential. But what happens when diversity in the congregation leads to disunity? When the church exhibits disunity, it dishonors Christ. In this passage, we find three keys to unity within the body of Christ: embracing God's grace, realizing our identity in Christ, and practicing sacrificial love. Acts 15:1-21

Human nature tends towards exclusion, a mindset of "us" and "them". This disposition existed in the time of the early church, where the gospel of Jesus first came to the Jews and was yet to be communicated to the gentiles (non-Jews). In this passage, we see Peter struggling with prejudice towards gentiles; but God miraculously revealed to him that the message of Jesus was meant for all people, even them. Acts 10:1-48

Is anyone beyond saving? The gospel is the power of God to save anyone. In this passage, we see Paul converted from a persecutor of Christ's Church to its champion. If God can change the heart of Paul, He can change anyone. Paul's story illustrates three important lessons: God can save anyone, God can use anyone, and God desires to save everyone. Acts 9:1-22

How did Christianity spread in the early church? In this passage in Acts, we see that for the church to grow, God's people must go. The message highlighted three essentials for our approach to evangelism: we must rely on the Spirit, we must discern the core needs and struggles in our listeners, and we must guide our conversations towards the Savior. Acts 8:26-39

When push comes to shove, would you stand up for Jesus? Is He worth the cost you may have to bear, even to the point of death? In this passage, we see the martyrdom of Stephen. We learn three important points about how to respond to persecution: Jesus is the message, Jesus is the model, and Jesus is the motivation. Acts 6:8-7:60

Throughout the ages, the early church met incredible resistance and persecution, yet it prevailed. What was responsible for its success? In this passage, we learn how the modern church can maintain unshakable commitment to advancing the gospel, no matter the circumstances, all the while experiencing a joy that can only be found in God. If the Church was something built by man, it would've failed a long time ago. The Church will not fail because Jesus will not fail us. Acts 5:17-42