In the first message of our series entitled "Christmas Surprises," we learn of one of the greatest surprises we could imagine. This shocking surprise is a baby with a sword.

Thomas' great confession teaches that belief is more than simply giving mental assent to Jesus, it's committing everything you have to Him.

There are many people who believe that Jesus existed and that he was a good man or a good teacher. However, Jesus didn't leave the door open to believe that. Jesus' claims about himself force us all into an all-or-nothing choice.

While it's tempting to look past the greeting in 1 Thessalonians to get into the "meat" of the letter, to do so would cause us to miss some powerful truths - including the effect that faith, love, and hope has on followers of Jesus.