Acts 1:12-26 takes place after Jesus' ascension. The apostles are called to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the promised Holy Spirit. However, this waiting isn't unproductive. Peter strengthens the group by calling them to trust in God's sovereignty and to fulfil Scripture by appointing a replacement apostle for Judas. This episode teaches us that whatever period of staying or waiting we may experience in life, there is always opportunity to both trust and obey God.

In Proverbs 2, a father sits down with his son and explains the importance of pursuing wisdom. Wisdom reveals the One true God and rescues us from wicked and destructive paths.

We're prone to being sidetracked in all sorts of ways in life. The same is true with the mission we've received to share the good news of Jesus. Instead of scolding, Jesus gives two assuring words to put us back on track: 'witness' and 'return.' 

God's wisdom is personified as a woman who calls everyone to listen. Wisdom is made publicly available, but many refuse it. All who ignore God's wisdom are choosing judgement. Yet, for all who would listen to wisdom's appeal, they will receive security and live without dread of disaster.

The launch of the most significant religious movement in history is without fanfare. Yet, this launch gives insight into how Jesus built, continues to build and will build His Church: by God's Word and by God's Spirit. 

We are surrounded by many voices in this world. Who do we listen to? The voice of our peers are enticing, but they are not wise. It's only in God's voice that we hear the voice of wisdom.

In Proverbs 1:1-7, wisdom is defined and its audience identified. Wisdom is living in harmony with reality; it is living corum deo - before the face of God. Wisdom calls to the simple, the youth and the wise to the right fear of God as the governing principle of our lives.

The apostles are interesting because of their ordinariness. They weren't the smartest, wealthiest or most influential people. Yet, they were purposefully and deliberately chosen by Jesus to be His messengers and witnesses. The ministry of the apostles gives us certainty regarding the gospel and clarity regarding the makeup and mission of the local church.

The Lord's Day often comes with a variety of questions. Is there a Christian Sabbath for the church? If there is, how does Jesus' Person and work influence how we keep it? Are there things permissible and not permissible? Things encouraged or discouraged? In these two Sabbath accounts, Jesus (who is Lord of the Sabbath) provides us with answers.

Fasting is not something we often think about. The idea of depriving oneself in a self-gratification obsessed culture seems ridiculous! However, is fasting an appropriate activity for a Christian? In Jesus' answer to this question we find gospel principles not just for fasting, but for any act of devotion and service to God.

In the calling of Levi we are exposed again to our greatest need. Jesus is the Great Physician who came to heal the sin-sick. Similar to Levi, our calling as Jesus' disciples is to praise God for His salvation and point others to Jesus.

Jesus' healing of the paralytic exposes our greatest need: God's forgiveness. It also reveals that Jesus came to reconcile sinners to God and bring them into His eternal kingdom through taking the penalty we deserved for our sin. Our response to God's forgiveness in Jesus is living in humble adoration and in godly awe of His grace and mercy.

The opening chapters of the Bible provide the context for what we celebrate at Christmas. Here, God's big story to save sinners through Jesus begins. We meet the villains - Satan and a humanity that had rebelled against God. We hear the curses - suffering, death and judgement. We rejoice in the hero - God preaches the gospel in Genesis 3:15 that a hero would come to undo the curse and reconcile men and women to God. It's because of this that we can rejoice with the angels who announce in Luke 2 that in the birth of Jesus a Saviour had been born.

Psalm 25 is an acrostic poem with each line beginning with a subsequent letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It is structured this way to aid in memorisation. David understood that when we are distressed, we often forget the basics. This psalm provides us with a GPS in our trouble. We're taught to come to God praying, "Guide me; pardon me; secure me."

In Jesus, we have a treasure of surpassing worth. It's in knowing Jesus that we can have contentment - no matter our circumstances. All our needs are provided for from the riches we have received in Christ. His grace is what settles our spirits.

Looking at the state of the world, the church and even our own lives, there is cause for worry. If we know the Lord Jesus, however, we have peace with God. Experiencing this peace in our lives is a result of adding 3 'r's: reconciling with brothers and sisters in the Lord, rejoicing in all circumstances and reflecting on the gospel.

December can be a busy and difficult month. We find ourselves stressed and low on energy. It can be easy to lose sight of what is most important. What we most need is the real, living Saviour who empowers us through the gospel. Jesus is the One, even in the hectic ending of the year, who energises us to press on, walk straight and remember home.

Paul explains that it’s only when you consider everything a loss and Christ alone as your gain that you can have true confidence in your acceptance before God. False confidence is jamming our good works into our credit column and will collapse before God’s righteousness. True confidence is found when Jesus alone is in our credit column. It's this true confidence that gives us certainty amidst the uncertainty of life and enables us to rejoice in the Lord whatever the circumstance.

After giving the call to have the same mindset as Christ and to work out our own salvation, Paul gives models of those instructions in Timothy and Epaphroditus. They display a selfless sympathy, side by side service and sacrificial sending that is to characterise all who know and love the Lord Jesus.

As we have received a new mindset in Christ (others before ourselves), we are now called to work out our salvation. To work out our salvation refers to the process of sanctification: working out what God works in. Instead of grumbling and disputing, in living out the gospel we shine like stars and hold fast onto the gospel.