Acts 25:1-12 Festus replaced Felix as procurator of Roman Judea, and the Jews tried to take advantage of a new ruler looking to gain favor with his subjects. But Paul outmaneuvered them by appealing to Caesar; using his rights (as a Roman citizen) to advance the Gospel. We should be reminded to use our own rights while we still have them rather than only fighting to keep them.

Acts 24:22-27 During his mission to preach the gospel in Rome, Paul was held under house for 2 years. Paul seemed kind of stuck, but was willing to wait it out in limbo. He had to be patient, trust God, and be faithful. Sometimes as we live our lives faithfully for God, it doesn’t always move fast - it involves waiting patiently on God’s timing

Acts 23:1-11 Paul receives his calling to bring the Good News of Jesus' resurrection to Caesar in Rome, setting off one of the greatest missionary trips in all of history.

John 20:19-23 After the greatest comeback in history, Jesus breathed the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit onto his disciples.

John 7:33-39 At the festival of tabernacles Jesus would say ”Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” The rivers of living water flowing in us are the Holy Spirit, and Jesus is the source. The Holy Spirit becomes our ever-flowing, constant source of life that connects us to Jesus. He fills, sustains, and refreshes us.

Matthew 12:22-32 There is a battle between good and evil; a battle between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Jesus attributes the healing of the demon-possessed man to the Holy Spirit, thus the Spirit of God brings the Kingdom of God. But the Pharisees attributed the work of the spirit to Satan. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is the direct refusal to acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 4:14-21 Isaiah (61:1-2) talks about the anointed one (Messiah) bringing salvation. When Jesus quotes Isaiah in the temple, He takes the passage from talk into action. Jesus’ focus is on troubled people - the poor, prisoners, blind, and oppressed. The Spirit moves Jesus to fulfill the Isaiah passage and restore broken people to their rightful place.

Luke 4:1-13 As we find ourselves in the wilderness of life, the holy spirit lights our way to help us navigate its terrain. As we embrace and follow the leading of the spirit we can become a beacon of light and hope for others who are in the wilderness with us. As we look at how Jesus handles being tempted by Satan it sheds light on how we too can rely on the Holy Spirit to get us through our wilderness.

Luke 3:21-23a Jesus does not start his ministry in his own timing, but rather waits for the Spirit to come upon him. The Spirit coming down like a dove implies the kind of ministry Jesus is going to do - one of reconciliation, not one primarily of judgment. And along with the voice from heaven, the coming of the Spirit shows God’s approval of Jesus for the role to which He was called.

John 16:7-15 Paraclete is the word used for “comforter, helper, counselor, advocate” - some of the roles the Holy Spirit plays. The Spirit also comes to lead into all truth.

Psalm 18:43-50 When God exalted David, David responded out of gratitued and exalted God in his praises. We are called to do the same.

Psalm 18:25-36 God was gave David confidence through His character, providing a fortress for David that went with him wherever he went. He does the same for us through Jesus, who is "surely with us always, to the very end of the age."

Psalm 18:16-24 God takes hold of us in the chaos, God delights in us, and God cares for us.

Psalm 18:6-15 God hears our cries and responds, and is awesome - He brings it! When we need Him, God will do something. He will advocate for us.

Psalm 18:1-5 Masada was a desert fortress used by Herod the Great as a palace. However, there is a good chance that hundreds of years before Herod built his palace, David used the location as a fortress site as well. “Masada” comes from the Hebrew word “Masud” which in Psalm 18 gets translated “fortress”. God is our fortress, and as a church we are called to be a “Masada” where people can find refuge.

Luke 1:5-22 We are quick to offer prayers to God, but what is our reaction when God answers prayer? Many times it is thanksgiving, however, there are times when it is disbelief. What have been the times that God has answered your prayers and you didn’t believe it? *Note - we experienced some audio difficulties for the few half of this sermon. Our apologies for the choppy audio.

Joshua 1:1-9 Guest Pastor Brian Vriesman brings encouragement for 2024 with three promises given to Joshua as the Israelites prepared to take the promised land.

Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born! Jesus’s birth brought about the advent of a New King, a king unlike any that had ever come before or after him. Pastor Brett Vriesman explores who Jesus is as king and how his ruling transforms the way we live our lives.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 In Christ we are given a new purpose, to be His ambassadors who live with intention. Just as Jesus’ birth is a key moment in God reconciling the world to Himself, our new intention is the ministry of reconciliation: letting others know that in Christ, God does not count our sins against us. Our whole lives are to be lived with the intention of communicating that message.

John 1:9-13 Because the light of the world came to us and conquered death, we are given the opportunity for a new identity. Those who believe in Him are given a new identity as a child of God. But what was our identity before and why does it matter? Christ in our lives transforms us from a slave to sin, to a child of God. Instead of shackles we have freedom, instead of death we have life.