As we turn the page to Matthew 2:13–23, Pastor Mike Skedeleski helps us to see the sovereign hand of God guiding and protecting us according to His redemptive plan, even when it seems to lead through danger, displacement, and sorrow. We learn that Joseph is obedient when told to take Mary and baby Jesus and flee to Egypt. What appears chaotic is actually fulfillment. God is retracing Israel's story and proving Himself, through Jesus, to be the True and Promised Deliverer.

Matthew shows us that even in heartbreaking tragedy, God's purposes prevail. From Egypt to Nazareth, every movement fulfills prophecy and demonstrates that God remains faithful to His promises. Pastor Mike reminds us that God's guidance requires our trust, even when we don't understand. God leads us step by step, and our calling is to obey with faith. In every season, whether marked by clarity or confusion, we can rest in the assurance that God is directing our path toward His greater purposes and ultimate redemption.

As we look into Matthew 2:1–12, we meet the wise men and their lengthy journey which teaches us about true worship. Set against the backdrop of political tension and fulfilled prophecy, the passage contrasts three responses to Jesus: hostility, indifference, and wholehearted worship.

Herod, a self-proclaimed king, responds to the news of Christ's birth with paralyzing fear and self-preservation. Though he knows the prophecies concerning the Messiah, he refuses to surrender his throne. The chief priests and scribes possess biblical knowledge and can quote Micah with precision, yet they remain unmoved. Close to the truth, yet cold-hearted and unwilling to seek the Savior. In contrast, the wise men travel hundreds of miles at great cost, seeking the King not for power or information, but for worship.

Pastor Maiola explains the difference between looking for what is merely intriguing and instead choosing to focus on what is truly important. While many details of the star and the magi spark curiosity, the central message is clear: God sovereignly guides seekers to Christ. Maiola challenges us to pursue Christ wholeheartedly and to offer Him worship that is costly, sincere, and filled with joy.

Matthew 1:18–25 draws our attention to the faith and obedience of Joseph when God unfolds the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. As Joseph faces the shock of Mary's pregnancy, Scripture reveals a righteous man who chooses to show mercy rather than condemnation. God calls Joseph to believe what is humanly impossible and to obey at great personal cost. His humble response demonstrates that faith is not merely intellectual agreement, but courageous trust expressed through obedient action.

In this message, we'll explore why affirming the virgin birth is essential to Jesus' identity as Savior and King. We see that through Joseph's willingness to receive Mary as his bride and to name the child Jesus, the legal lineage of David is preserved, and God's redemptive plan advances exactly as promised.

Pastor Maiola challenges us to believe that God is worthy of our trust and obedience, even if His calling disrupts expectations, invites misunderstanding, or requires sacrifice. Like Joseph, we are called to walk in faithful obedience, confident that God is always at work fulfilling His promises for His glory and our good.

In our series on Matthew, we take a look at the genealogy of Jesus and how it is far more than a list of names. This list itself is a declaration of God's sovereignty, faithfulness, and saving purpose throughout human history. Unlike other Biblical genealogies that trace descendants forward, Matthew's genealogy deliberately points toward one person, revealing that all of history finds its fulfillment in Jesus.

Despite a family history marked by failure, scandal, and brokenness, Matthew's genealogy reveals a story of grace. Names like Judah, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, David, and Solomon remind us that God's redemptive plan is not hindered by human sin, weakness, or failure. Instead, God works through flawed people to accomplish His perfect purposes and to keep His promises.

Pastor Maiola's message concludes by emphasizing that through Joseph, Jesus holds the legal right to David's throne, and through the virgin birth, Jesus is free from Adam's sin nature. The genealogy in Matthew ultimately reminds us that our past does not define us, God's promises never fail, and that Jesus is the answer, giving us hope despite our own brokenness.

In The Why?, Pastor Paul Gates explores the central motive behind all of Scripture, creation, and redemption. Drawing from Matthew 20:28 and 1 Corinthians 1:4–9, Paul invites us to look beyond the surface questions of who, what, when, where, and how, and instead confront the deeper question that runs through the entire Biblical narrative. Why did God send His Son? And why did Jesus give His life for humanity?

Paul reveals that love is not only the reason for salvation but the catalyst for a life that awaits eagerly for the return of Christ. The heart posture of waiting expectantly flows from a restored relationship with God. It is to desire Jesus Himself. To long for face-to-face communion with the One whom we love.

We learn that waiting is not passive. It is the outward expression of an inward work of God. A heart being filled by Christ and overflowing with His life. As believers are filled by Jesus, they are able to live ready, watchful, and faithful lives marked by His own love.

In the last Return of Christ Conference session, the focus turns to a hope that never disappoints. A hope anchored not in circumstances or emotion but in the unchanging promises of God. Drawing from Proverbs 13, Psalm 130, and the New Testament, Pastor Waxer reminds believers that while people and situations often let us down, God never will.

Through Scripture, Biblical hope is not denial of suffering, but confident trust rooted in the faithfulness of God. Because salvation has been secured through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, believers possess a living hope - an imperishable inheritance given to us by God Himself. This hope enables us to wait, endure, and persevere, even when our present circumstances feel heavy or uncertain.

Believers are called to live with expectancy, readiness, and watchfulness—not in fear or frantic anticipation, but in faithful obedience, moral clarity, and surrendered devotion. Readiness is not perfection, but presence—a heart aligned with God, hands faithfully stewarding what He has entrusted, and eyes lifted toward the coming King. This is a hope that will not let us down, as we echo the final prayer of Scripture: "Come, Lord Jesus."

One of the most commonly misunderstood questions in modern Christianity is: "Can I lose my salvation?" Pastor David Blevins makes a critical distinction between losing salvation unintentionally and intentionally rejecting salvation, a reality the Bible identifies as apostasy. Drawing from the Old Testament history of Israel, the warnings of Jesus, the writings of Paul, and the strong language of Hebrews 6, the message shows that apostasy is not God revoking someone's salvation, but rather people turning away from covenant loyalty to Him.

Salvation is framed not as mere religious affiliation or intellectual belief, but as loyalty to the King and His Kingdom. David warns of the growing pressures of fear, deception, and false teaching in the last days. The ultimate protection against apostasy is not emotional assurance, but a faith that continues to grow into greater hope; a hope that remains captivated by salvation and actively pursues the Savior.

In the fourth session of our Return of Christ Conference, Pastor Maiola calls us to develop a ready faith - a faith that actively prepares for the return of Jesus Christ rather than passively waiting or becoming distracted by speculation. He reminds believers that the purpose of end-times teaching is not curiosity about signs, but transformation of life. Paul's instruction to the church in Thessalonica makes clear that readiness for Christ's return is expressed through obedience, sanctification, and faithful living.

Readiness is not found in staring into the sky, abandoning responsibilities, or disengaging from the world, but in faithfully obeying Christ in everyday life. Maiola emphasizes that true faith produces real fruit. Salvation is not merely intellectual belief or simply praying the sinner's prayer, but a life-altering trust in Jesus that leads to repentance, growth, and obedience. Sanctification is God's will for every believer - a joyful process of becoming more like Christ as we prepare to meet Him.

As we wait for the Lord's return, we are encouraged to live as a bride eagerly preparing for her Bridegroom—marked by holiness, love, faithfulness, and mission. As believers fix their hope on Christ's return, they are called to live awake, obedient, and ready, echoing the prayer of the early church: "Come, Lord Jesus."