Prayer is making requests of God from faith, seeking His glory and the greatest good. Growth in prayer begins by praying in the Spirit, which requires new birth in Christ and growing maturity through God’s Word. The Spirit gives God’s perspective, shaping our motives and desires so we ask rightly. We pray with confidence because Jesus opened the way to God’s throne of grace, where mercy and grace await us, not condemnation. Our confidence rests in Christ, not ourselves. Prayer must also be consistent, a daily priority like Daniel’s faithful example (Dan 6:10). Finally, we pray biblically, letting God’s Word guide our requests so they align with His will. As we abide in Christ and His Word, this makes prayers fruitful, God-centered, effective.

Getting the Basics Right calls believers to spiritual growth by mastering the fundamentals. The sermon highlights the priority of God’s Word as the foundation for a fruitful Christian life. Psalm 119 shows that Scripture purifies our hearts, brings joy, provides guidance, and gives practical wisdom for daily decisions. God’s Word helps us evaluate our lives, obey quickly and joyfully, and experience God’s goodness even through discipline. It equips us to live skillfully, avoid destructive paths, and grow in discernment. Like a lamp lighting our way, Scripture shows us how to live and helps us know God. When we read, meditate on, and obey God’s Word from a heart of love for Him, we will grow.

This sermon challenges believers to examine whether their faith is truly bearing fruit. Through the withered fig tree and the cleansing of the temple, Jesus confronts a faith that looks healthy on the outside but lacks real obedience and transformation. Leaves without fruit represent spiritual busyness, routine, or religious appearance without repentance or dependence on God. Jesus reminds us that worship, prayer, and obedience must come from sincere hearts, not convenience or comfort. The sermon calls believers to remove anything that hinders prayer, witness, or devotion to Christ. True fruitfulness grows as we abide in Jesus through Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and sharing our faith. Rather than settling for outward religion, believers are invited to pursue lives marked by genuine repentance, spiritual growth, and faithfulness that honors Christ daily.

Guest speaker John Nance reminds us that as believers, we enter a new year by looking back with gratitude and moving forward with hope. Reflecting on God’s mercy, not with regret or pride, allows us to see His faithfulness through every season. Drawing from Scripture, John emphasizes three truths: God has been faithful and deserves our gratitude, we must commit to walking in faith and obedience today—not later—and we can rest in the assurance that God will finish the work He began in us. Our hope is not in resolutions but in Christ, whose mercies are new every morning. As we step into the new year, we are invited to respond in repentance, surrender, and renewed devotion to the Lord who never fails.

This sermon invites us to rediscover the wonder of Christ’s birth by looking closely at Bethlehem. God’s sovereign plan guided Mary and Joseph’s difficult journey, reminding us that obedience often requires faith when God’s purposes disrupt our own. Jesus’ humble birth—in a stable, laid in a manger—reveals a King who came not with power and prestige, but in weakness and humility, accessible to all, especially the lowly. The shepherds’ visit shows that the good news of Jesus first reached those who knew their need for a Savior. Through ordinary people and unlikely circumstances, God revealed His glory and opened the way for peace with Him. The proper response is faith, obedience, and joyful proclamation of what God has done.

This sermon explores why the Savior had to become fully human. Humanity was created to represent God and rule His creation, but sin entered through Adam and separated all people from God. Because God is perfectly just and holy, sin could not be ignored. Yet because He is gracious and merciful, He made a way to save sinners without compromising His character. Jesus became human so He could uphold God’s justice while extending mercy through a substitutionary sacrifice. As a sinless man, Christ alone could pay the penalty for human sin. By sharing in our flesh and blood, Jesus defeated sin, death, and Satan, freed us from fear, and made atonement for our sins. The cradle of Christmas ultimately points to the cross—and to our redemption.

This sermon calls us to rediscover the wonder of Jesus by returning to John 1, one of the clearest declarations of who He truly is. While the world holds many opinions about Jesus—teacher, prophet, historical figure—Scripture presses the ultimate question: “Who do you say that I am?” John answers by revealing Jesus as the eternal Word of God, fully God and fully man, existing with the Father before creation. Through Him all things were made, and He is the source of both life and light for humanity. The eternal Word became flesh so we could know God personally, be rescued from sin and spiritual darkness, and receive true, abundant life. Christmas invites us to respond with faith, awe, and worship.