Title: The King Who Came to Us?
Key Verses: John 11:43–45; John 12:12–19
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

The King Who Came to Us

Palm Sunday is one of the most powerful and revealing moments in all of Scripture. It is the day Jesus entered Jerusalem as King. Crowds gathered, palm branches waved, and voices shouted, “Hosanna!” But this moment was far more than a celebration. It was a revelation. The King had come, and the question was simple: would people receive Him, or would they miss Him?

The Miracle That Set Everything in Motion

Before Jesus ever rode into Jerusalem, He stood outside a tomb and called a dead man back to life.

“Lazarus, come out.”

For four days Lazarus had been dead. His body had begun to decay. There was no hope left. And yet, with a single command, Jesus proved that He had authority over death itself.
This miracle changed everything.

Many believed in Jesus because of what they saw. Others, especially the religious leaders, were filled with fear. Instead of surrendering to what was clearly the power of God, they began to plot against Him. Their decisions were driven not by truth, but by fear.
And that is still true today.

When fear leads, we rarely respond the way God desires. Fear causes us to ask, “What if?” But faith declares, “Even if.” Even if things do not go the way we expect, God is still in control. His plans are not shaken by our circumstances.

The Prophecy Being Fulfilled

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the scene looked spontaneous, but it was anything but.
Hundreds of thousands of people filled the city for Passover. When they heard Jesus was coming, they ran to meet Him, waving palm branches and shouting, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

What they did not fully realize was that this moment had been prophesied centuries earlier.
The prophet Zechariah declared that the King would come riding on a donkey. And that is exactly what Jesus did. Every detail was intentional. Every step was fulfillment.
Jesus was not caught in the moment. He was carrying out a plan that had been set in motion long before.

The King They Didn’t Expect

The people were ready for a king. But they were expecting the wrong kind.
They wanted a conqueror. Someone who would overthrow Rome. Someone who would restore political power and national strength. But Jesus came differently.

He did not ride in on a war horse. He came on a donkey.
He did not come to take a throne. He came to carry a cross.
The people wanted external freedom, but Jesus came to bring internal transformation. He came to conquer sin, death, and the human heart.

And because He did not meet their expectations, many of them missed Him.
That is the danger for us today. We can want Jesus to fix our circumstances while missing the salvation He came to provide.

Fascination vs Faith

The crowds were amazed by Jesus. They had seen miracles. They had heard His teaching. They were fascinated.

But fascination is not the same as faith.

Even the disciples did not fully understand what was happening at the time. It was only later, after Jesus was glorified, that everything began to make sense.

Many followed Jesus because of what He did. But true faith is about trusting who He is.
So the question is not: do you like Jesus?

The question is: Is He your King?

The King Who Came to Die

Palm Sunday looks like a celebration, but it is actually the beginning of a journey to the cross.

Every step Jesus took into Jerusalem was a step closer to His death.

He knew it. He was not surprised by it. He came for it.

Centuries earlier, Isaiah prophesied that He would be pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. Jesus did not come to avoid the cross. He came to embrace it.
Most kings come to conquer by taking lives.
Jesus came to conquer by giving His.

The greatest enemy we face is not a government or a nation. It is sin. And the only way to defeat sin is through sacrifice.

That is why Jesus came.
Don’t Miss the King
Within a few days of Palm Sunday, everything changed.
The same crowd that shouted “Hosanna” would cry out “Crucify Him.”
The same city that welcomed Him would reject Him.
Why?
Because He was not the king they wanted.
But He was exactly the King they needed.
And that leads us to the most important question:
Will you receive the King who came to you, or will you miss Him?

Jesus did not wait for you to come to Him. He came to you. He stepped into our brokenness, our sin, and our need. He came to bring salvation.

As He told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”

That is the hope of the gospel.
And that is the invitation of Palm Sunday.

Title: Who Are You Searching For?
Key Verses: John 6
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Who Are You Searching For?

There are few things we understand more instinctively than hunger.

Skip a couple meals and your body starts letting you know real quick. Your energy drops. Your focus fades. Your stomach reminds you that it needs something to keep going.

But there’s another kind of hunger that runs even deeper.

A hunger of the soul.

It’s that quiet feeling that something is still missing. That even when life looks good on the outside, something on the inside still isn’t satisfied. And most people spend their lives trying to fill that hunger with things that were never meant to satisfy it. Success. Money. Relationships. Comfort. Experiences.

And yet the hunger always comes back.

Because what sustains us spiritually is not what we consume. It is who we trust.
 
In John 6, Jesus steps into that reality and makes one of the most powerful statements in all of Scripture:
“I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
 
To understand what He means, we have to look at the moment leading up to it.

The day before, Jesus had just fed over five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. It was a miracle that left everyone amazed. But the next day, the crowd came looking for Him again. Not because they understood who He was, but because they wanted more bread.

They wanted what He could give them. But they didn’t yet want Him.

And in response, Jesus shifts the conversation from temporary provision to eternal life.

1. Physical Provision Cannot Satisfy Spiritual Hunger

When the crowd finds Jesus, He immediately exposes their motive.

They weren’t seeking Him for who He was. They were seeking Him for what He provided.
Another miracle. Another meal. Another moment of comfort.

But Jesus challenges them:
“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life.”
He draws a clear line between two types of food.

One satisfies temporarily. The other satisfies eternally.

The people would have immediately thought about manna in the wilderness. God had miraculously provided bread from heaven every single day for Israel. But even that provision had limits. They had to gather it daily, and eventually, everyone who ate it still died.

And Jesus makes a bold claim. That bread was never the point.
It was pointing to Him.

Because physical provision can sustain your body, but only Jesus can sustain your soul.
And if we’re honest, we still fall into the same pattern today. We want Jesus to fix things. To bless things. To provide comfort. But often, we want the gifts of Jesus more than we want Jesus Himself.

The crowd wanted bread for a day.

Jesus came to offer life forever.

2. Faith Is Dependence, Not Performance

After Jesus tells them to pursue eternal life, the crowd asks a revealing question:
“What must we do?”
 
They want steps. A checklist. A system.

Because that’s how we naturally think. We assume if something is valuable, we must earn it.
Be good enough. Try hard enough. Do enough.

But Jesus flips that mindset completely:

“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
 
The work is faith.

And faith is not performance. It is dependence.

Think about bread. Bread only helps you if you eat it. You don’t admire it. You don’t study it from a distance. You take it in because you need it.

That’s what it means to believe in Jesus.

To depend on Him fully.

To trust Him for forgiveness. To trust Him for life. To trust Him with your future.
Scripture makes it clear:

Salvation is not something we achieve. It is something we receive.

The bread of life is not something we earn. It is someone we trust.

3. Jesus Is the Only Source of True Life

Jesus doesn’t just say He gives life.

He says, “I am the bread of life.”
 
This is one of the defining statements in the Gospel of John.

He is not one option among many. He is not a path. He is the path.

Eternal life is not found in a system. It is found in a person. Jesus.

And then He makes it even more clear how this life would come:
“The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
 
He is pointing to the cross.

Jesus would give His body. He would lay down His life. He would take the punishment that sin deserved so that we could live.

The bread of life would be broken so that we could be made whole.

But this is where many people walked away.

They loved the miracle. They loved the provision. But they weren’t ready for the cost of true faith.
 
And that same tension still exists today.

It’s easy to follow Jesus when life is comfortable. When prayers are answered quickly. When blessings are obvious.

But real faith follows Jesus even when it costs something.

Even when it’s hard.

Even when it doesn’t make sense.

So What Are You Really Searching For?

At the core of this passage is a question every one of us has to answer:
Do we want Jesus… or do we just want what Jesus gives us?

Because everyone feeds their soul with something.

Success. Comfort. Approval. Control.

But none of those things can truly satisfy. They fill us for a moment, and then the hunger comes back.

But Jesus offers something different.
He offers Himself.

And when we stop chasing temporary things and start trusting Him, we discover something powerful:

What our souls have been searching for all along was never a thing.

It was a person.

It was Jesus. 

Title: Living Water
Key Verses: John 4
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Living Water

We all know what it feels like to be thirsty.

Spend a little time outside in the desert, go through a tough workout, or forget to drink water for a few hours, and your body starts telling you something is wrong. Your mouth gets dry. Your energy drops. Everything in you starts craving something to satisfy that thirst.
But in Gospel of John chapter 4, Jesus shows us there is another kind of thirst. One that water cannot fix.

It is a soul thirst.
A thirst for meaning.
A thirst for love.
A thirst for forgiveness.
A thirst to finally be satisfied.
And the truth is, most people spend their entire lives going from one well to another trying to fill it.

1. Jesus Pursues the Thirsty

John 4:4 says something easy to miss:

“He had to pass through Samaria.”

Jesus did not accidentally end up there. He intentionally went there because there was a woman He needed to meet.

This matters.

Jews avoided Samaritans. Religious leaders avoided women in public conversations. But Jesus walked straight into both barriers because He was not avoiding broken people, He was pursuing them.

This woman shows up at the well in the middle of the day, the hottest time. That alone tells us something about her life. She was likely avoiding people. Carrying shame. Living in isolation.

And when she arrives, Jesus is already there.
She was not looking for Him.
But He was looking for her.
That is the story of salvation. We do not find God. God finds us.

2. Earthly Wells Will Never Satisfy

Jesus tells her something that applies to every one of us:

“Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again.”

That is not just about physical water. That is about everything we run to for fulfillment.
Success.

Relationships.
Money.
Comfort.
Experiences.
Even religion.

For a moment, they seem to work. But the thirst always comes back.

This woman had been searching for satisfaction through relationships. Five husbands, and now another relationship that still was not fulfilling her. Each time hoping, “This one will be different.”

But every well ran dry.

Before we judge her, we need to recognize we do the same thing.
We just choose different wells.

And many of our insecurities are tied directly to this. We look to people or things to fill what only God can fill. When they fail, we feel empty, insecure, and lost.

Temporary wells will never satisfy an eternal soul.

3. Jesus Offers Living Water

Jesus does not just expose the problem. He offers the solution.

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.”

This is the heart of the gospel.

Jesus is not coming to shame her. He is not trying to embarrass her. He is revealing the source of her emptiness so He can offer something better.
Living water.

Not temporary relief.
Not behavior modification.
Not religious performance.
Real life.
A new heart.
A restored relationship with God.
When the woman tries to shift the conversation to religion, asking where people should worship, Jesus redirects her:

True worship is not about location. It is about transformation.

You cannot look like a Christian on the outside while remaining empty on the inside. That kind of life is exhausting because it is not real.

Jesus is offering something deeper than religion. He is offering Himself.

4. A Transformed Life Leaves the Old Behind

One of the most powerful moments in the story is simple:

“The woman left her water jar…”

That jar represented everything she had been relying on.
And she left it behind.

Some of us are trying to follow Jesus while still carrying the very things He is calling us to lay down. We keep picking up the past, the shame, the identity that God already set us free from.

But real transformation means leaving the old well behind.

She goes back into the same town, to the same people who knew her past, and says:

“Come see a man who told me everything I ever did.”

She was no longer defined by her past. She was defined by the One who saved her.
When you are truly satisfied in Christ, you stop caring about how people define your past, because Jesus has already redefined your identity.

5. Satisfied People Tell Others Where They Found Water

The result of her encounter with Jesus?

People came to faith because of her testimony.
A woman once marked by shame became a messenger of hope.
That is what happens when someone encounters living water.
If you are not sharing Jesus, it is worth asking: am I truly satisfied in Him?
Because satisfied people naturally point others to the source.

The Deeper Reality: Jesus Became Thirsty for You

Later in the gospel, as Jesus is on the cross, He says:

“I thirst.”

The One who offers living water became thirsty.

Why?

So that we could be satisfied forever.

A Final Question

What well are you drinking from right now?
Is it actually satisfying you?
Or do you keep coming back, over and over again, still thirsty?

Jesus is still offering living water today.
Not temporary relief.
Real life.
Forgiveness.
Purpose.
A new identity.

You can keep running from well to well.
Or you can finally lay it down and come to Him.

Title: You Must Be Born Again
Key Verses: John 3:1-21
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

You Must Be Born Again

There are moments in life when we realize that what we thought would satisfy us simply does not. Many people spend years chasing things they believe will finally bring fulfillment. Success, experiences, money, or travel. Yet even when those things are achieved, they often leave us feeling empty.

John chapter 3 introduces us to a man who experienced that same realization.
Nicodemus had everything spiritually. He was a Pharisee, a respected teacher of Israel, and a ruler among the Jews. He was moral, disciplined, and deeply religious. By every outward standard, Nicodemus looked like someone who had it all together.

Yet one night he comes to Jesus with questions.

Instead of giving him religious advice, Jesus gives him a radical truth.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

Jesus makes it clear that religion is not the same as new life. Nicodemus did not need more knowledge, more discipline, or more religious effort. He needed rebirth.

Being born again means being made new by God. Christianity is not about becoming a better version of yourself. It is about becoming a new creation. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us, anyone in Christ becomes new.

Jesus also explains that this new birth is a work of the Spirit. Just as we cannot control the wind, we cannot manufacture spiritual life. Only God can awaken the heart and give new life.

That new life comes through believing in Jesus.

Jesus points Nicodemus to the gospel by referencing an event from the Old Testament when Moses lifted up a bronze serpent so that anyone who looked upon it would live. In the same way, Jesus would be lifted up on the cross so that anyone who believes in Him would receive eternal life.

This leads to one of the most well known verses in all of Scripture:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Salvation is not something we earn. It is something we receive. God loved, so He gave. We believe, and we live.

But the passage ends with a challenge. Jesus says the light has come into the world, yet many people love darkness instead of light because darkness hides sin.

Walking in the light means surrendering to Christ and allowing Him to transform our lives.

So the question John 3 leaves us with is simple but powerful.

Are we merely religious, or have we truly been born again?

The good news of the gospel is that while we are more sinful than we often want to admit, we are also more loved than we could ever imagine. Jesus lived the life we could not live and died the death we deserved so that we could have eternal life.

Not whoever improves.
Not whoever performs.
But whoever believes.

And when that transformation happens, it changes everything.

Title: Testimony Of John The Baptist
Key Verses: John 1:19-28
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Testimony Of John The Baptist

Tn John 1:19 to 28, we step into a tense and defining moment.

A delegation of priests and Levites has been sent from Jerusalem to confront John the Baptist. He has gained attention. Crowds are gathering. Something significant is happening in the wilderness, and the religious leaders want answers.

They ask him plainly, “Who are you?”

It is not a casual question. It is an identity question. And it is asked under pressure.
John’s response is immediate and unmistakable.

“I am not the Christ.”

Before he tells them who he is, he makes sure there is no confusion about who he is not.

He is not the Messiah.
He is not the Savior.
He is not the One who fixes everything in Israel.

They press further.

“Are you Elijah?”
“I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
“No.”

Interestingly, Scripture connects John to both roles. In the Gospel of Luke 1:16 to 17, the angel says John will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. In the Gospel of Matthew 11:9, Jesus calls him more than a prophet.

So why does John say no?

Because he refuses to let them define his identity by their categories. He will not grab titles that might shift the spotlight from Jesus onto himself.

When they demand a clearer answer, John finally says,

“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

He reaches back to Book of Isaiah 40:3.

Not a hero.
Not a headliner.
A voice.

From that self description, we see three clear truths that shape the entire passage.

1. John Refuses to Be the Hero

John had influence. Crowds were coming. A movement was forming. He could have easily allowed people to project their hopes onto him.

Instead, his first instinct is to get out of the way.

“I am not the Christ.”

John understood that the moment ministry becomes about the messenger, it stops being about the message.

Many of us live under pressure because we are trying to be the hero in our own story. We try to rescue everyone. Fix everything. Hold it all together.

But you are not the Christ.
You are not the Savior of your family.
You are not the Messiah of your workplace.
You are not the answer to every problem.
And that is good news.

2. John Refuses Borrowed Glory

When asked about his authority to baptize, John does not defend his platform. He does not list his spiritual résumé.

Instead, he says,

“I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know… the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

In that culture, untying sandals was the work of the lowest servant.

John had popularity. He had momentum. Yet when he compares himself to Jesus, he declares himself unworthy of even the lowest task.

All the glory belongs to Christ.

John understood that his calling, influence, and effectiveness were not ends in themselves. They were given to him to prepare the way for Someone greater.

He was not the Light.

He was a witness to the Light.

3. John Knows Who He Is by Knowing Who He Is Not

Clarity often begins with humility.

“I am not the Christ.”

John’s identity was not built on titles or achievements. It was rooted in his relationship to Jesus.

He knew his role. He was a voice.

A voice carries a message and then fades. The point of a voice is not itself. It is the One it announces.

Our culture constantly pressures us to answer the question “Who are you?” with titles and accomplishments. What do you do? What have you built? What platform do you have?

Those things may be gifts and callings, but they are not your core identity.

Your deepest identity is not what you do.

It is whose you are.

The passage closes by noting that these events took place in Bethany across the Jordan. A real location. A real moment in history.

God’s redemptive work unfolds in real places with real people. And it continues to unfold today in our cities, our neighborhoods, and our homes.

So the question remains for us.

Are you content to be a voice?

Are you willing to step aside so that Jesus is seen more clearly?

John shows us that true greatness in the kingdom of God is not found in claiming titles or building platforms.

It is found in faithfully embracing the role God has given you and using it to point people to Christ.

“I am not the Christ.”

And that is exactly where freedom begins.

Title: The Word Became Flesh
Key Verses: John 1:1-18
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

The Word Became Flesh

The Gospel of John begins differently than the other Gospels. John does not start with a genealogy or a manger scene. He starts before time itself.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Before creation, Jesus already was. That is the foundation of everything we believe.

1. Jesus Is Eternal

Jesus was not created. He was not promoted into divinity. He has always existed.
“All things were made through him.”

If He created everything, He cannot be part of the created order. Christianity rises and falls on this truth. Our faith is not built on inspiration. It is built on revelation. Jesus is not just a good teacher. He is eternal God.

2. Jesus Brings Light Into Darkness

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Darkness represents sin, confusion, and separation from God. But darkness does not overpower light. It retreats from it.

You do not remove darkness by trying harder. You introduce light.

Jesus did not come to condemn you. He came to illuminate you. The closer you walk with Him, the freer you become.

3. Jesus Was Rejected But Offers Grace

“He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.”

The Creator entered creation and was rejected. Yet the very next verse says:

“But to all who did receive him… he gave the right to become children of God.”

Salvation is not earned. It is received. You bring nothing to the table. Jesus brought everything. And He gave everything.

4. The Word Became Flesh

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

God did not stay distant. He moved in. He experienced hunger, rejection, pain, and temptation, yet without sin. He lived the life we could not live and died the death we deserved to die.

Full of grace and truth.

5. Grace Upon Grace

“From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

Not grace once. Grace again and again. Grace when you first believed. Grace when you failed. Grace when you returned.

God came near so you would not have to stay in darkness.
The question is not simply who Jesus is.

The question is: will you receive Him and walk in Him?

Because when you do, darkness loses its grip and grace rewrites your story.

Title: The Heart Behind Effective Discipleship
Key Verses: Ephesians 1:15-23
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

The Heart Behind Effective Discipleship

On a recent Sunday at Emmaus Church, we had the joy of welcoming Bradley Lincoln, Discipleship Strategist with the Nevada Baptist Convention. Bradley serves alongside nearly 170 churches across our state, helping leaders cultivate healthy, disciple-making churches. And his message fit perfectly into our current series: Faith in Action.

Throughout Scripture, we see bold moments of faith. David stepping toward Goliath. Peter stepping out onto the water. The woman reaching for the hem of Jesus’ garment. These are dramatic, unforgettable examples.

But faith in action is not only found in the extraordinary. It is found in everyday obedience. It is found when we resist sin. When we step up to serve. When we share the gospel. And one of the clearest ways we put our faith into action is when we make disciples.

Jesus said in Matthew 28, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples.” When we respond to His authority with obedience, that is faith in action.

Bradley pointed us to Ephesians 1:15–23, where the Apostle Paul reveals his heart for discipleship. From that passage, we see three characteristics of effective disciplemakers.

1. Grateful for the Salvation of the Lost

Paul begins by thanking God for the believers in Ephesus. He had heard of their faith and their love for one another, and he “did not cease to give thanks” for them.
Effective disciplemakers are marked by gratitude.

Paul never lost his wonder at salvation. He never got over what Jesus had done in his own life. That gratitude fueled his desire to invest in others. He was not content to celebrate conversions from a distance. He mentioned believers by name in his prayers.

For a young church like Emmaus, where we have seen salvations and baptisms over this past year, this is a powerful challenge. Are we just applauding moments, or are we consistently thanking God for specific people? Are we investing in them because we are deeply grateful that God saved them?

When gratitude fades, discipleship becomes someone else’s responsibility. But when gratitude is alive, it compels us to action.

Communion itself is meant to rehearse this gratitude. Every time we remember what Christ has done, our hearts should be stirred again. A grateful heart becomes an active heart.

2. Dependent on God for Spiritual Growth

Paul does not simply celebrate these believers. He prays for them.

In Ephesians 1:17–18, he asks that God would give them wisdom and revelation, that the eyes of their hearts would be enlightened. That language is intentional. It reminds us that spiritual growth is ultimately God’s work.

We can teach. We can model. We can encourage. But only God opens eyes.

This is true in parenting. It is true in mentoring. It is true in church leadership. We are responsible for obedience, but we are dependent on God for transformation.

Even Jesus made this clear. In Matthew 16:17, He tells Peter that it was not flesh and blood that revealed truth to him, but the Father in heaven.

Effective disciple-makers understand this. They work diligently, but they pray fervently. They trust that the same Spirit who saves also sanctifies.

Discipleship is not behavior modification. It is spiritual formation empowered by the Holy Spirit.

3. Passionate for Others to Experience All That Is Theirs in Christ

Paul’s prayer reveals his passion. He wants believers to fully experience what they already possess in Jesus.

He highlights three realities:

In Christ, There Is Hope

Biblical hope is not wishful thinking. It is confident expectation. It is the certainty that what awaits us in Christ outweighs any hardship we face now.

Like an athlete training for a future reward, believers endure because they know something greater is coming. As Peter writes in 1 Peter 1, we have a living hope and an inheritance kept in heaven for us.

Paul wanted believers to live with that hope shaping their perseverance.

In Christ, There Is Wealth

Earlier in Ephesians, Paul speaks of the inheritance believers receive. But in 1:18, he shifts perspective. He speaks of God’s glorious inheritance in the saints.

Astonishingly, we are part of what brings Him glory. Our lives, redeemed and transformed, display His greatness.

That truth changes how we see ourselves. We are not insignificant. We are glory bearers. Our spiritual growth magnifies Him.

In Christ, There Is Power

These believers lived in a culture filled with opposition, temptation, and spiritual pressure. Paul reminds them that they have access to the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

The power that exalted Jesus above every authority is at work in His church.
We are not called to make disciples in our own strength. We are empowered by the risen Christ.

Grateful. Dependent. Passionate.

Bradley summarized it this way:

• Effective disciplemakers are grateful for the salvation of the lost.
• They are dependent on God for spiritual growth.
• They are passionate to see others experience all that is available to them in Christ.

Discipleship flows from having experienced Christ personally. When you have tasted hope, you want others to have it. When you know the assurance of belonging to Him, you want others to know it. When you’ve experienced His power, you want others to walk in it.
Emmaus Church, this is how our faith moves from belief to action. We do not need dramatic moments to prove our faith. We put our faith into action every time we intentionally help someone else follow Jesus.

Because all authority belongs to Him.

And based on that authority, we go and make disciples.

Title: David and Goliath
Key Verses: 1 Samuel 17
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

David and Goliath


Jesus doesn’t want your performance.
He doesn’t want your voice, your hands, or your résumé.
He wants your heart.

That truth sits at the center of worship, and it sits at the center of faith. As we finish the Armor of God series, our attention naturally turns to David—not because he was impressive by human standards, but because his faith was active, surrendered, and anchored in God alone.

David’s story in 1 Samuel 17 is not about courage or skill. It’s about what faith looks like when it moves.

Giants Are Real—but Fear Doesn’t Have to Win

Every one of us faces giants. Not always physical ones, but real ones all the same.
Some giants shout lies—fear, intimidation, opposition.
Others whisper quietly—doubt, insecurity, shame, or discouragement.

For forty days, Goliath stood in the valley mocking Israel. The army wasn’t defeated because they were weak. They were defeated because they were afraid. They had seen God move before. They carried His presence. Yet fear kept them frozen.
Then David arrived—not as a soldier or a king, but as a shepherd.

He didn’t bring credentials. He brought faith.

Faith Sees the Battle Through God’s Perspective

When David spoke up, it sounded reckless to everyone else.
“Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?”
That wasn’t arrogance. That was perspective.

Faith rooted in God sees differently. What looks like a mountain becomes an opportunity. What feels overwhelming becomes a place for God to show His power. Everyone else saw a giant. David saw a God who had already proven Himself.

David remembered the lion. He remembered the bear. He remembered the faithfulness of God.

Fear makes us forget. Faith remembers.

Trusting God’s Assignment, Not Human Armor

When Saul tried to dress David in armor, it made sense. It looked safer. It looked wise. It looked strong.

But it didn’t fit.

David refused to fight God’s battle in someone else’s strength. He didn’t need borrowed armor. He used what God had already placed in his hands—a staff, a sling, and a few smooth stones.

God often accomplishes extraordinary victory through ordinary obedience.
You don’t need to be someone else to be used by God. You don’t need new strategies or better plans. God doesn’t need your brilliance—He wants your surrender.

If He called you to the battle, He already equipped you for it.

Faith Moves Forward in Confidence, Not Fear

When the Philistine advanced, David didn’t hesitate. He ran toward the battle.
That moment matters.

Faith is not passive. It doesn’t wait for fear to disappear. Faith moves because God is present.

David didn’t defeat the giant with superior strength. He defeated him through complete dependence on God. There was no sword in David’s hand so there would be no confusion about where the victory came from.

God sometimes places us in situations where success feels impossible because He wants us to say, “I couldn’t have done this without Him.”

The Giant Fell After David Stepped Forward

God didn’t remove Goliath before David entered the valley. The giant fell after David moved.

That’s often how God works.

We pray for obstacles to disappear, but God invites us to trust Him in their presence. Faith doesn’t deny the giant. Faith declares that the giant is not in control.
Some of us are standing at the edge of the valley right now.

Fear.
Uncertainty.
Temptation.
Discouragement.

Faith doesn’t ask, What if I fail?
Faith asks, What if God is faithful?

David didn’t know how the battle would end. He just knew who God was.
And when faith moves forward, the enemy always falls at the feet of Jesus.

Measure Your Faith by the Size of Your God

Faith in action isn’t measured by how brave you feel. It’s measured by who you trust.

When God is in charge, your life begins to move as if victory is already yours—because it is.
So what step do you need to take today?

Where is God calling you to move forward instead of stepping back?

Let your faith be visible.
Let your trust be active.
And let your life declare that you belong to the winning team.

Title: Protected by Christ, Armed with Truth
Key Verses: Ephesians 6:16-17
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Protected by Christ, Armed with Truth

Some of the most powerful moments of worship do not happen in a sanctuary. They happen in living rooms. People gathered close. Scripture open. Songs sung simply. Hearts focused on Jesus.

Those moments are a reminder of what the early church looked like. They did not have much, but they had Christ. And when Jesus is present, victory is already at work.
As we finish our series on the Armor of God in Ephesians 6, Paul reminds us of something we often forget. If you belong to Jesus, you are not only protected by Him. You are equipped by Him.

The armor is not something we create. It is something God gives. And it is given before the battle ever begins.

Victory Before the Battle

Paul begins by telling believers to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. That distinction matters. The Christian life is not lived by self effort. It is lived by dependence.

Scripture tells us that victory comes through Jesus Christ. Not through endurance. Not through willpower. Not through proving ourselves.

If you are in Christ, you are not fighting for victory. You are fighting from it.

When we forget that, we live reactive lives. We walk anxious. We carry the weight of outcomes that were never ours to carry. But the gospel reminds us that the battle may be real, yet the result is already settled.

The Shield of Faith - Trusting Christ Daily

Paul tells us to take up the shield of faith in all circumstances. Not just when life is good. Faith is not optimism or positive thinking. Faith is confidence in Christ alone.

The enemy attacks through accusation. He whispers lies about your past, your failures, and your worth. He wants you to believe you are disqualified or unforgiven.

The shield of faith extinguishes those lies by shifting our focus away from ourselves and back to Jesus. Faith fixes its eyes on Him.

Living by faith requires daily surrender. It means laying down trust in self and choosing trust in Christ again and again. When we humble ourselves before God, even broken places can become places of renewal.

Faith reminds us of three unchanging truths. Christ is enough. Christ is faithful. Christ has already won.

So the question is simple. Are you living as though you have already won?

The Helmet of Salvation - Resting in What Is Finished

Next Paul tells us to take the helmet of salvation. The helmet protects the mind because the enemy loves to attack assurance.

When we are tired, discouraged, or struggling, doubt creeps in. We begin questioning whether God has really saved us or whether we can truly stand secure.

The helmet of salvation reminds us that salvation is a gift of grace. We are saved by faith, not by performance. God finishes what He starts. We are adopted as children and kept by His power.

Good works do not earn salvation. They flow from it.

When we rest in Christ’s finished work, we stop living on spiritual life support. We stand up again. We walk with confidence. We remember that our security is not fragile.

The helmet does not belong on a shelf. It belongs on your head.

The Sword of the Spirit - Living by the Word

Paul ends by pointing us to the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. It is the only offensive weapon in the armor.

God’s Word does not just defend us. It exposes lies. It strengthens faith. It reveals truth. It points us to Jesus.

When Jesus faced temptation, He responded with Scripture. The Word was His weapon, and it remains ours today.

Scripture is living and active. It shapes us. It corrects us. It aligns our lives with truth. We do not wield it for our own glory. We proclaim it because it testifies to Christ.

Anywhere our lives differ from God’s Word, we are invited to change.

Christ Is Our Armor

At the heart of the Armor of God is this truth. Christ Himself is our armor.

He is our defender. He is our righteousness. He is our peace. He is our salvation. He is the living Word.

The call of the gospel is not to try harder, but to trust fully.

Victory is not found in standing in our own strength. It is found standing behind Jesus, dependent on Him, confident in Him.

Walking in victory does not mean avoiding storms. It means walking straight through them without fear, knowing the outcome is secure.

So put on the full armor of God. Take up the shield of faith. Guard your mind with the helmet of salvation. Hold fast to the Word.

Every day you are hitting replay.

Victory is already yours in Christ. Walk in it.

Title: Faith of 12 Ordinary Men
Key Verses: Romans 6
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Faith of 12 Ordinary Men

Faith looks different for every person. Some carry deep confidence shaped by years of walking with God. Others are still learning what it means to trust Him in the middle of uncertainty. Scripture never presents faith as a one size fits all experience. Instead, it invites us to step into the story and see ourselves in it.

In Mark chapter 6, the disciples find themselves in a familiar place. A boat. A storm. And a moment where their faith is tested. Jesus has just fed thousands with only a few loaves and fish, one of the most extraordinary miracles recorded in Scripture. Yet immediately after, He sends the disciples into a boat while He stays behind to pray. What should have been a short journey turns into hours of exhausting struggle against the wind.

Mark tells us something surprising about this moment. The disciples were terrified when they saw Jesus walking on the water. Then comes the explanation that stopped their small group discussion cold: they had not gained insight from the miracle of the loaves because their hearts were hardened.

These were not unbelievers. These were men who had walked with Jesus for over a year. They had healed the sick, cast out demons, and watched lives transformed. And yet exhaustion, grief, and unmet expectations had dulled their spiritual vision. Sometimes faith is not lost because God is absent. It is weakened because life is heavy.

Matthew’s account adds another layer. Peter steps out of the boat and walks on the water toward Jesus. But when he notices the wind, fear takes over and he begins to sink. Jesus immediately reaches out, saves him, and asks a question that still speaks to us today. Why did you doubt?

The moment that changes everything comes when Jesus enters the boat. The wind stops. And for the first time, the disciples worship Him and declare that He truly is the Son of God. Not just a teacher. Not just a miracle worker. God Himself, present with them in the storm.
That realization reshapes faith. The disciples begin to understand that Jesus does not simply solve problems. He rules over creation. The same God who multiplied bread and calmed the sea was sitting in the boat with them. That truth changes how storms are faced.
Life has a way of hardening hearts. Fatigue, grief, distraction, and misplaced trust can quietly weaken faith. Even strong believers doubt at times. The solution is not striving harder but returning daily to God’s Word. Scripture has a way of settling the waves and reminding us who Jesus truly is.

We are all in different places when it comes to faith. Some feel confident. Others feel weary. But every believer shares this truth: Jesus is in the boat with us. And when we remember who He is, faith begins to rise again.

Faith grows not when the storm disappears, but when we recognize the One who commands it.

Title: Ready to Move
Key Verses: Ephesians 6:14-15
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Ready to Move

Most of us do not wake up thinking we are stepping into spiritual battle. We wake up thinking about work, family, finances, and whatever the day might bring. Yet Scripture reminds us that the battle is often not around us, but within us. That is why Paul does not describe the armor of God as something we grab in emergencies, but something we put on daily.

In Ephesians 6, Paul points us to two pieces of armor that protect what matters most. The breastplate of righteousness and the shoes of the readiness given by the gospel of peace. One guards the heart. The other stabilizes our steps.

Righteousness Protects the Heart

The breastplate covers what is vital. The heart is the center of who we are, and the enemy loves to attack it with shame, accusation, and reminders of the past. But righteousness is not something we earn. It is something we receive through Jesus.

Scripture tells us that Christ became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God. That means our past no longer defines us. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. When we put on His righteousness, our hearts are protected from lies that try to pull us backward.

At the same time, righteousness is something we walk in daily. Not to earn salvation, but to guard our hearts. Yesterday’s walk with God is not enough for today. A daily rhythm of prayer, Scripture, and obedience keeps our hearts aligned and spiritually healthy.

Peace Stabilizes Our Steps

After the heart, Paul moves to the feet. Roman soldiers wore footwear designed to keep them from slipping in battle. Paul connects that image to the gospel of peace.

Biblical peace is not the absence of conflict. It is confidence that our relationship with God is secure. When our eyes are fixed on Jesus, we are not easily shaken by circumstances. Scripture reminds us that God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are stayed on Him.

Anxiety makes us unstable, but the gospel of peace helps us stand firm. When peace rules our hearts, we stop reacting to life and start walking with confidence.

Readiness Moves Us Forward

Paul describes these shoes as producing readiness. The gospel of peace does not make us passive. It prepares us. When we know who we are in Christ and walk in His peace, we are ready for whatever the day brings.

Readiness shows up in everyday life. It looks like peace in our homes, grace in hard conversations, forgiveness instead of bitterness, and living as ambassadors for Christ. God’s peace does not stop with us. It moves through us.

When our hearts are protected by righteousness and our steps are grounded in peace, we can stand firm in the battle and walk confidently in our calling. Victory does not come from running from problems or running from God. It comes from walking closely with Him.

“The Lord will bless His people with peace.”

Title: Belt of Truth, Guarded & Girded
Key Verses: Ephesians 6:14-15
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Belt of Truth, Guarded & Girded

Without the power of the Lord and without His truth, the church cannot stand. Programs cannot sustain it. Creativity cannot protect it. Even the most impressive things humanity can build cannot hold a believer together the way God’s truth does. What steadies the church is the same thing that steadies every follower of Jesus. Truth.

In Ephesians 6:14, Paul commands believers to stand firm by fastening on the belt of truth. Before he talks about swords or shields, he begins with what holds everything together. Truth is the foundation that allows us to stand. When life feels heavy, when exhaustion sets in, when burdens pile up, the problem is often that we are trying to stand on our own version of truth. Our culture celebrates personal truth, but Scripture teaches us that real freedom is found only in God’s truth. Truth can be uncomfortable. It confronts us when we are headed in the wrong direction. But Scripture is clear. Truth sets us free. You cannot bake a strawberry cake with vanilla ingredients. In the same way, you cannot live a victorious Christian life without fastening yourself to God’s truth.

Jesus Himself said that those who hear His words and live them out are like a wise builder who built his house on the rock. Victory does not come from avoiding hardship. Victory comes from standing firm in the middle of it. David said he walked through the valley, not that he lived there. God’s plan is not for His people to remain stuck in the valley but to walk forward in His power. Truth stabilizes us. When our beliefs are rooted in cultural opinions rather than Scripture, they eventually fail. God’s truth anchors the soul and keeps us from being shaken when the storms come.

Truth also guards us from drift and deception. The greatest threat to a church is rarely open opposition. It is slow compromise. Drift happens when truth becomes optional and conviction gives way to convenience. When culture shapes us more than Scripture, we begin to lose our footing. Satan does not need to destroy the church overnight. He only needs believers to loosen their grip on the truth little by little. Scripture reminds us that the enemy is the father of lies, and part of our sanctification journey is learning to discern truth from deception. The more we are rooted in God’s Word, the more clearly we can recognize what is false. Without truth, believers become reactive, easily confused, and spiritually isolated.

This is why the local church matters. Scripture never presents spiritual growth as a solo journey. Iron sharpens iron. Accountability matters. Isolation is exactly where the enemy wants believers to live. Truth protects us not only personally but corporately. Growth without truth always leads to compromise. A church led by God’s Word rather than human personalities becomes a place where humility, repentance, and obedience can flourish.

But truth is not only something to believe. It is something to live. Paul tells us to fasten the belt of truth, an intentional and active choice. Truth is not a decoration. It is something we wear every day. James reminds us that hearing the Word without obeying it leads to self deception. Transformation happens when truth sinks deep and shapes the way we live. Without application, even the most inspiring messages fade quickly. God’s truth is meant to anchor us, guide us, and define our daily walk.

At its core, truth is not merely a principle. Truth is a person. Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life. Before we can put on the armor of God, we must belong to the God of the armor. Many people look the part on the outside while remaining empty on the inside. God is not interested in surface level religion. He transforms from the inside out. Victory begins with surrender. When we confess Jesus as Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we receive new life. The belt of truth is not about moral effort or religious performance. It is about surrender to Christ.

As a church, our commitment is to keep God’s truth first and foremost. But the more personal question remains. Are you walking in truth today. Have you surrendered to the truth of the gospel. At some point, every person reaches the place where they realize they are not enough on their own. We need a Savior who is perfect, loving, and faithful. Jesus finished the work we could never complete. Victory is found when we release control and place our lives fully in His hands.

Truth holds the church together. Truth holds the believer steady. And truth, when fastened tightly, leads us forward into the life God has promised.

Title: Stand Firm
Key Verses: Ephesians 6:10-13
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Stand Firm

As we begin this new series, The Armor of God: Equipped for Victory, Paul reminds us of a simple but powerful calling: stand.

Standing Begins With Dependence on God

Paul opens Ephesians 6 by saying, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” This is not a call to rely on ourselves. It is an invitation to surrender control and depend fully on God. Standing firm is not about personal toughness. It is about spiritual dependence. When we admit our weakness and trust Him, God supplies the strength we need.

Standing Means Recognizing the Real Battle

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. The battles we face are spiritual. When we misunderstand the enemy, we misuse the armor. The enemy’s schemes are often subtle, leading us toward compromise, distraction, and discouragement. God calls us to stand firm in faith, resist the enemy, and remember that the goal is not to avoid hardship, but to experience victory through it.

Standing Requires Preparation

Armor is not something we put on when the battle starts. It is something we wear daily. Spiritual maturity is proactive, not reactive. When we walk closely with Jesus before the pressure comes, we are able to stand when it does. Sometimes victory looks dramatic. Other times it looks like quiet faithfulness.

Victory Looks Like Faithfulness

Not giving up is a victory. Obedience is a victory. Remaining faithful under pressure is a victory. Sometimes the most powerful testimony we have is this: by God’s grace, I am still standing.

As we step into the year ahead, the question is simple. Are you standing? And are you standing in the Lord, or in your own strength? True victory comes when we surrender control, stand firm in faith, and trust God to supply the strength we need.

Title: Trusting God in Every Season
Key Verses: Ecclesiastes 3:1–13
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Trusting God in Every Season

The New Year rarely arrives with noise or fanfare. There is no trumpet blast, no dramatic announcement. Just a calendar turning and time quietly moving forward. And yet, something shifts inside of us.

We carry the weight of the year behind us. The moments we never expected. The prayers that changed us. The ones that still feel unanswered. Some of us step into a new year hopeful. Others step in cautious. Some are simply grateful to have made it through.
The truth is, we do not all begin a new year from the same place.

That is why Ecclesiastes 3 meets us right where we are. It reminds us of something we desperately need to hear at the start of a new year. Life moves in seasons, and God is faithful in every one of them.

This is not about making promises to God. It is about learning to trust Him, whatever season lies ahead.

1. Trust God with the Seasons You Are Leaving Behind

Solomon begins by reminding us that life unfolds in seasons. There is a time to be born and a time to die. A time to build and a time to tear down. A time to laugh and a time to weep.
Some seasons are joyful. Others are painful. Many are beyond our control.

As we step into a new year, we must acknowledge an important truth. Not every season ends neatly on December 31st. Grief does not follow a calendar. Healing does not happen overnight. Growth often carries over longer than we expect.

Some seasons linger.

Yet Ecclesiastes also reminds us that no season lasts forever. If the past year included loss, God saw every tear. If it included waiting, God was still working. If it included failure, God is not finished with you.

Trusting God in a new year begins by releasing the illusion that we must fully understand the old one. Trust allows us to step forward without dragging yesterday’s weight into tomorrow.

2. Trust God with the Limits You Will Face

Solomon then asks an honest question. What gain does the worker have from all his toil?
A new year tempts us to believe we can control more than we actually can. We make plans. We set goals. We imagine the version of ourselves we want to become. None of those things are wrong. But Ecclesiastes reminds us that we are still limited.

We do not know what the year will hold. We do not know which prayers will be answered quickly. We do not know what challenges lie ahead.

And that is okay.

Our limitations are not obstacles to trust. They are invitations to it. The New Year does not call us to self confidence but to God confidence. Trust means holding the year ahead with open hands, inviting God into our plans instead of asking Him to bless plans we have already made.

3. Trust God to Make the Coming Season Meaningful

Solomon closes with hope. God makes everything beautiful in its time. Not immediately. Not easily. But faithfully.

God is already present in the year you are stepping into. He has placed eternity in our hearts, which is why we long for purpose and meaning. Yet He also calls us to walk by faith and not by sight.

Scripture reminds us that joy, peace, and contentment are gifts from God. Joy is not something we earn. Peace is not something we perform. Contentment is not something we manufacture.

Trust says, God, I do not understand every season, but I receive today as Your gift.
This matters deeply at the beginning of a new year. Some will spend the year anxious about what might happen. Others will miss the year by waiting for it to become something else. Ecclesiastes invites us to trust God enough to live fully right now.

We do not wait for the perfect year to live faithfully. We do not postpone obedience until circumstances improve. We do not delay joy until life feels settled.

A Year Marked by Trust

A new year is not a promise of ease, but it is an opportunity for trust. God is not done with you. God is not surprised by what lies ahead. God is faithful in every season.

So instead of asking, What will this year bring, we ask a better question.

Will I trust God, no matter the season

Because for everything there is a season, and in every season, God is worthy of our trust.

Title: The Birth of the Ancient of Days
Key Verses: Luke 2
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

The Birth of the Ancient of Days

The birth of Jesus is not a standalone Christmas story. Luke presents it as the fulfillment of centuries of promises. From the Old Testament through the Gospels, Scripture tells one unified story of God’s plan to rescue a broken world. Humanity could not save itself, so God promised to come near. That promise is fulfilled in Jesus.

Luke begins the birth narrative with a Roman census, but what looks like political power at work is actually God moving history toward redemption. Caesar believed he was shaping the future, yet God was fulfilling prophecy. Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem was not accidental. God had promised long before that a king would come from David’s line and be born in Bethlehem. Every detail unfolded exactly as God said it would.

The Ancient of Days entered history right on time. God is never late. What He promises, He fulfills. That truth still matters for us today. The God who kept His word then can be trusted with what we are waiting for now.

Jesus was also born in humility, just as the prophets foretold. There was no palace or crown, only a manger. The Savior arrived not in power, but in vulnerability. From the beginning, Jesus identified with the lowly, the rejected, and the broken. The manger pointed toward the cross, showing that God’s rescue plan would come through sacrifice.
The announcement of Jesus’ birth was first given to shepherds, people on the margins of society. God revealed His salvation to the humble, just as He promised. Light broke into darkness, and peace became possible, not through force, but through the presence of a Savior.

Luke chapter two is a reminder that God keeps His promises. The promised King came in the promised way at the promised time. This Christmas, do not miss the Messiah. The greatest gift God offers is His Son, and He still invites us into a restored relationship with Him today.

Title: Making It Real For His People
Key Verses: Hebrew 8
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Hebrew 8 Making It Real For His People

God’s Promises Made Real

Advent reminds us that God did not simply speak promises. He fulfilled them. Hebrews 8 shows how God moved from shadows and symbols to something real and personal through Jesus Christ.

For generations, God’s people lived with rituals that pointed forward. Priests, sacrifices, and laws all revealed God’s holiness, but none of them could fully bring people into His presence or remove sin. They were good, but they were not complete.

In Jesus, everything changes.

A Real High Priest

Hebrews 8 begins with a powerful declaration. We have a High Priest who is seated at the right hand of God. Unlike the priests of the old covenant, Jesus does not enter an earthly tent once a year. He enters the presence of God once and for all on our behalf.
Because of Christ, God is no longer distant. He is Emmanuel, God with us. Advent celebrates that the eternal Son came near so we could draw near to God with confidence.

A Better Covenant

Jesus also brings a better covenant built on better promises. The old covenant revealed sin but could not change the heart. The new covenant promises that God will write His law on our hearts.

This is not external religion or self effort. It is internal transformation. Obedience becomes the overflow of a changed life rather than a burden we carry alone.
Through Christ, God did not improve the old system. He fulfilled it by offering a living relationship with His people.

Full and Final Forgiveness

At the center of the new covenant is forgiveness. God promises to remember our sins no more. Through Jesus, sin is not simply covered. It is removed.

Believers are not tolerated by God. They are welcomed. Christ has secured a clean conscience, a restored relationship, and a confident future.

Living in the Reality of Advent

Advent is not only about remembering Christ’s birth. It is about remembering why He came.

Jesus made God’s presence real so we can draw near.

Jesus made transformation real so we do not rely on willpower alone.

Jesus made forgiveness real so we no longer carry what He already carried.

God did not send a better system. He sent His Son. In Jesus, the promises of God are no longer distant. They are real for His people.

Title: Messiah for the Magi
Key Verses: Matthew 2
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Matthew 2 Messiah for the Magi

Every December the world begins to search. Some search for the perfect gift. Others search for the perfect moment. Still others search for a little peace in a season that feels loud and chaotic. We all know this feeling because at one time or another we have all been searchers.

I think about the night I proposed to Emily. It was Christmas Eve. I was dressed as Santa, surrounded by a cheap snow scene made from a baseball pop up chair, and I nervously sang her the song I promised I would write for the woman I would marry. It was embarrassing and beautiful all at the same time. She cried. I asked. She said yes through prayer and fasting. And then her grandmother looked at me and said, “Isn’t that telling you something.” I was searching for something that night, something that would change my life forever.

Matthew 2 tells us about another group of searchers. The magi traveled hundreds of miles across kingdoms and deserts because they believed a King had been born. Their journey reminds us that nothing we search for in this world compares to the life changing truth of the gospel. Nothing transforms the heart like a relationship with Jesus.

Advent is the story of a God who draws seekers. Jesus did not come only for shepherds or for Israel. He came for the nations. He came for anyone who would call on his name. And through the magi, Matthew shows us what a real search for Jesus looks like.

A Hunger the World Cannot Satisfy

Matthew begins with an unexpected detail. The first people to look for Israel’s Messiah were Gentile scholars from the east. They were not priests. They were not scribes. They were not rulers. They were pagan sages who recognized the king of kings while the religious leaders of Israel stayed home.

They had knowledge but no truth. They had wisdom but no peace. They had wealth but no savior.

The magi show us something important. God awakens a hunger in people that the world can never satisfy. Many people search for success, comfort, healing, or answers. But every true search for God begins with a hunger for God himself. Not for his blessings. Not for what he can give. For God alone.

If we are honest, the reason many believers never fully fall in love with Jesus is because we are still hungry for the things of the world. We cannot be filled with Christ when we are full of everything else. Advent asks a question: what are you hungry for?

And Advent gives good news. God still draws seekers. For the friend who is uninterested in faith, God draws near. For the one who has drifted, God draws near. For the person you have prayed for year after year, God draws near. Do not stop praying. Do not stop seeking. When we search for God with all our heart, Scripture says we will find him.

A World Opposed to God’s King

Verses 3 through 8 give us another picture. Herod panics at the announcement of a newborn king. Jerusalem trembles. The religious leaders quote Micah 5 through 2 yet refuse to move six miles to Bethlehem.

They know the Scriptures, but they will not bow before the Savior.

Herod represents hostility to Jesus. He fears losing control. Many people today resist Christ not because they doubt his truth but because they are afraid of surrender.

The religious leaders represent indifference. They know the right answers. They can quote the right verses. But knowledge without movement is truth without response. They know the Messiah has come, but they do not seek him.

The magi, on the other hand, remind us that the only correct response to Jesus is movement. Faith moves. Obedience moves. Worship moves. Advent invites us not just to admire the story, but to enter it, to follow Jesus wherever he leads.

So the questions come to us.
Are you seeking Jesus or only learning about him?
Are you moving toward Christ or simply talking about him?
Does your heart need revival?
Do you need a fresh hunger for the things of God?
If you seek his face, he will bring healing. Revival begins not outside the church but within the hearts of God’s people.

A Joy That Cannot Be Contained
When the magi leave Herod, the star appears again. Matthew says they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. Four different expressions for joy. It is as if words cannot capture the celebration happening in their hearts.

Why such joy? Because God himself was guiding them. They followed the light they had. They kept moving even when the path was dim. And when God lit the star again, their worship exploded.

We have all had moments like that. Times when we seek God in the dark, when the answer is unclear, when the sign is not visible. Then suddenly the light comes on. Strength returns. Joy rises. Hope wakes up again. That is what God does for those who seek him.
God is not playing hide and seek with his people. If anything, we are the ones who hide. But God guides through Scripture, through circumstances, through providence, and through the quiet leading of his Spirit. Sometimes the light is bright. Sometimes it feels dim. But if we stay faithful, he will lead us to Jesus every time.

The Invitation of Advent

As we enter this season, the magi remind us of three simple truths.

Seek Jesus with real hunger.
Not for what he gives, but for who he is.

Move toward Jesus with real obedience.
Knowledge becomes power only when it becomes action.

Rejoice in Jesus with real worship.
Let joy overflow as you follow the light he gives.

Advent is not just a season to admire the Christmas story. Advent invites us to step into the story, to rise, and to pursue the King who still draws all people to himself.

May we be a people who seek, who move, and who rejoice in the presence of Jesus. May our hearts be awakened with a hunger that only he can satisfy. And may we, like the magi, follow the light until we find the King.

Title: God's Witnesses in the Coming Tribulation
Key Verses: Revelation 11
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Revelation 11: God's Witnesses in the Coming Tribulation.

Revelation 11 is one of the most sobering and hope filled chapters in all of Scripture. It pulls back the curtain on a future moment when the world will face a darkness it has never known. Yet at the very same time, it reminds us that God is in control, God is at work, and God always has a witness.

Pastor Jon opened the message by reminding us that life is not getting easier. Technology promises convenience but cannot fix the brokenness of the world. From national tragedy to the daily pressures we carry, the truth remains the same. When the world feels shaky, God remains steady. When chaos rises, God’s purpose continues. And when darkness grows, God always places light right in the center of it.

Revelation 11 gives us that picture. In the middle of the coming tribulation, God raises up two extraordinary witnesses. These men stand in a world completely opposed to truth, and they preach the gospel with courage that cannot be stopped.

A Rebuilt Temple and a Turbulent Time

John is told to measure the temple of God. This points to a literal rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, something Scripture has spoken of for thousands of years. Even today, preparations for that future temple are happening in Israel. Revelation speaks clearly. The outer courts will be trampled for forty two months, marking the second half of the seven year tribulation. Pressure will fall on Israel like never before, yet God will still be working.
The message is simple. God is always in control even when the world feels completely out of control.

The Two Witnesses: God’s Messengers in the Darkest Days

These two witnesses minister for one thousand two hundred sixty days. They preach in sackcloth, a sign of repentance. Their message is unmistakable. God still saves. God still calls. God still shows mercy. Many believe these witnesses may be Moses and Elijah because their miracles mirror the Old Testament. Fire. Drought. Plagues. Power that exposes every lie of the antichrist.

Why such power? Because during the tribulation deception will be global, persuasive, and overwhelming. God answers it with truth that cannot be ignored.

These two men preach with courage, but they are eventually killed by the antichrist. The world celebrates their death, just like the world once celebrated the death of Jesus. Yet after three and a half days, God breathes life into them. They stand on their feet. A voice from heaven calls, “Come up here.” And they ascend before the eyes of the world.

Death does not win. Evil does not win. God gets the last word.

The Seventh Trumpet: The King Will Reign Forever

As the seventh trumpet sounds, heaven shouts the victory of Jesus. The kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of the Lord and of His Christ. Christ will reign forever. The nations rage but God reigns. The world resists but Jesus returns.

The heavenly temple opens and the ark of the covenant is seen. It is a reminder that God always keeps His promises. People will fail you. Systems will fail you. Leaders will fail you. But God never breaks His word. His mercy is real. His judgment is real. His return is real.
What This Means for the Church Today

Pastor Jon closed the message with four challenges for every follower of Jesus.

1. Be a witness right now.

The two witnesses stood boldly in the darkest season the world will ever know. If they could stand firm then, surely we can stand firm now. God has placed people in your life who need the hope of Jesus. Be a witness to them today.

2. Do not let the world silence your voice.

Truth is not always welcomed. Holiness is never applauded. But rejection does not change your assignment. God has given you a platform. Use it for His glory.

3. Trust the sovereignty of God.

Your life is in His hands. The witnesses were untouchable until their mission was complete. You are the same. God holds your days, your calling, and your future.

4. Live expectantly.

Live like Jesus really is coming again. Live like God can still save people in this valley. Live like your life has purpose. Do not tiptoe through faith. Walk in freedom. Walk in boldness. Walk with anticipation that God wants to do great things through your life.

The Door Is Still Open

The end of Revelation 11 is a warning, but it is also an invitation. There will come a day when the door of salvation closes. But that day is not today. Jesus still invites. Jesus still saves.

Jesus still calls people to Himself.

Pastor Jon reminded us that eternity begins the moment we take our first breath. The question is not if we will live forever. The question is who we will live forever with.
Jesus is trustworthy. Jesus is undefeated. Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness. Now is the moment to believe, to surrender, and to follow Him with your whole heart.

A Final Encouragement

The world may get darker, but the church must shine brighter. God is in control. God wins in the end. And until He calls us home, we live as His witnesses.

Let us witness boldly.
Let us stand firmly.
Let us hope joyfully.
Let us live ready.

Because one day the voice of heaven will call, “Come on up here,” and our King will welcome us home.

Title: All In
Key Verses: Mark 12:41-44
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Mark 12:41-44 All In

This past Sunday, Pastor Ricky from Sovereign City Church brought a needed and powerful word to Emmaus. His message centered on one of the most beautiful portraits of love in the New Testament. It is a story not about the size of a gift, but about the state of a heart. The passage came from Mark 12 verses 41 through 44, where Jesus observes people giving their offerings in the temple.

Many brought large gifts. Their coins clanged loudly as they dropped into the metal trumpets of the treasury. The noise drew attention and admiration from the crowd. But Jesus was not impressed.

Then a poor widow came forward. She carried almost nothing in her hands. She had two small copper coins, both together worth just a penny. When she dropped them in, they barely made a sound. Yet Jesus saw something in her gift that far outweighed everything given before her.
She did not give what was comfortable. She did not give what was convenient. She did not give what required no faith. She gave all she had.

And Jesus said she had given more than all the others.

Jesus Sees What We Give

Pastor Ricky reminded us that Jesus was not casually observing that day. He was watching with intention and purpose. The word used in the original language means to watch as a focused spectator. He was not looking at the amount. He was looking at the heart.
Many gave large amounts, but they gave out of their abundance. Their lives were not changed by their giving. Their sacrifice barely brushed against their bottom line.

The widow gave from her poverty. She gave what she needed to survive. She gave out of love, devotion, faith, and trust. Her gift made no noise in the temple, but heaven noticed.
Jesus always sees what we overlook. He sees the unseen. He honors the forgotten. He recognizes the costly yes. He hears the quiet faithfulness that no one else applauds.

Jesus Sees Why We Give

Pastor Ricky pressed into the heart of the message. The value of a gift to Jesus is not the amount given, but the cost behind it. God cares less about the outward action and more about the inward attitude. If He has your heart, He will have everything else.

Real generosity is not measured by numbers. It is measured by trust.

The widow placed her entire life in God’s hands. Jesus says she gave all she had to live on. The phrase means she laid down her whole life. Her giving was a reflection of her faith and her surrender.

Many people say, “I want to give, but I do not have much.”

The widow reminds us that God is not looking for equal amounts. He is looking for equal sacrifice.

Place what you have in the hands of a faithful God and watch Him multiply it.

True Generosity Begins With Understanding

Pastor Ricky also reminded us that biblical generosity flows from understanding four truths:

1. Everything we have belongs to God.
   Every possession, every blessing, every paycheck is from Him.
2. God entrusts some of it to us.
   We are not owners. We are stewards.
3. What God entrusts to us, we are called to use for Him.
   Our resources are meant to serve God, bless others, and advance His kingdom.
4. A grateful heart becomes a generous heart.
   Gratitude destroys entitlement. It shifts our focus from “I deserve more” to “God has already given me more than I deserve.”

A Picture of Jesus Himself

At the end of the message, Pastor Ricky pointed us to the greater truth in this story. The widow is not the main character. She only reflects the One who came after her. Jesus is the greater example of sacrificial giving.

There was another who gave all He had.

There was another who held nothing back.

There was another whose life was considered small by the world but held infinite value in heaven.

Jesus laid down His whole life.

He gave everything to give us salvation.

He paid it all so we could live.

It is impossible to be saved by the generosity of Christ and then live with closed hands. A stingy believer is a contradiction of the gospel.

The Question for Us Today

When Jesus looks at your life, your time, your gifts, your resources, your obedience, and your heart, is He pleased?

Are you giving Him what is comfortable or what is costly?

Are you offering Him your leftovers or your life?

There is a Savior who sees what you give.
There is a Savior who sees why you give.
There is a Savior who has given everything for you.
And He invites you to trust Him with everything you have.

May we be a church that withholds nothing from Jesus.

May we give Him our hearts, our lives, our time, our service, and our resources.

May we live with open hands because our Savior opened His hands for us.

Title: The Battle Behind the Battle
Key Verses: Revelation 12
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Revelation 12: The Battle Behind the Battle

There are moments in life when you feel something pressing on your soul that you cannot fully explain. It is not physical. It is not tied to circumstances. It is a heaviness or uneasiness that seems to come from nowhere. Scripture tells us why moments like this happen. There is a battle behind the battle, an unseen war that Revelation twelve pulls into view.

This past week our team returned from Peru. God moved there in incredible ways as we shared the gospel in remote villages. At the same time many of us were physically stretched and spiritually pressed. In one moment while preaching I suddenly could not read the words on the page. My vision blurred completely. Yet God brought the scriptures to mind and people responded to the gospel. A few minutes later I found out why I was feeling so strange. A parasitic infection had hit my body. The moment I understood what was happening, everything made sense.

Life often works that way. You feel the resistance before you ever understand the reason. Revelation twelve tells us that behind every earthly pressure there is a deeper spiritual reality at work. A real enemy. A real war. And a real Savior who has already won.

A Sign in Heaven and a Reminder of Salvation

Revelation twelve opens with a radiant woman clothed with the sun. She represents the people of God through whom the Messiah came. She is crowned in glory yet in the pains of labor. It is a picture of creation longing for redemption.

Then comes the dragon, the enemy of God, waiting to devour the child. The male child born to rule the nations is Jesus. In one sweeping verse we see the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. The dragon cannot touch the plan of God.

The woman then flees into the wilderness where God cares for her. This is a picture of the church today. We are protected even in seasons that feel dry or difficult. The wilderness does not mean abandonment. It means God is sustaining us in places where we feel weak.

The War in Heaven and the Victory of Christ

Next the vision shifts upward. A war breaks out in heaven. Michael and the angels of God defeat the dragon and cast him down. This is not a future event. It is the result of Christ triumph on the cross.

Once Jesus rose from the grave the enemy lost the power to accuse the children of God. He can speak lies but he cannot speak truth. The victory cry of heaven declares that salvation and authority now belong to Jesus alone.

Verse eleven gives the strategy for our victory. Believers overcome the enemy by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. Not by personal strength. Not by religious performance. By Jesus and by the story of what Jesus has done.

The enemy accuses day and night. Jesus redeems day and night. One voice seeks to shame you. One voice seeks to free you. If your life is filled with constant accusation, you are listening to the wrong voice.

The Dragon Rages but God Protects

When the dragon realizes he has lost his place in heaven he turns his fury toward the people of God. That is what spiritual warfare feels like. You think the struggle is ending and then something hits you again.

But the woman is given wings like an eagle. She is lifted above the reach of the enemy. God always gives what his people need to endure.

Even when the enemy pours out floods of lies and pressure, the earth helps the woman. God restrains evil. If God removed his hand entirely the world would collapse under its own brokenness. The fact that we experience moments of grace and protection is proof that God is working even when we cannot see it.

The Victory of the Lamb

Revelation twelve is not a chapter of fear. It is a chapter of confidence. It places four truths in front of us.

First, the gospel is the center of history.

The world is not driven by chaos. It is driven by the redemptive plan of God. Jesus stands at the center of everything.

Second, the church lives in tension.

We live between a victory already won and a final victory still to come. This is why life holds both joy and hardship. This is why faith requires endurance. Light shines brightest in darkness.

Third, our victory is in Christ, not in ourselves.

We do not overcome the enemy by talent or discipline. We do not overcome by willpower. We overcome by the blood of Jesus and the testimony of what he h
as done.

Fourth, suffering is not wasted when we suffer with hope.

The early church understood this. They did not cling to comfort. They clung to confidence in Christ. They knew that death itself had already been conquered.

The Call for Today

Revelation twelve invites the church to remain surrendered to Jesus. To stand firm in truth. To cling to worship as a weapon. To speak our testimony boldly. To refuse the voice of accusation. And to keep walking even when the wilderness feels long.

Your life is part of a story much bigger than you see. Someone may be waiting years to respond to the gospel because of your obedience. Someone may come to know Jesus because you refused to walk away during a season of tension.

God is working far beyond your sight.

The dragon will be defeated. The church will be victorious. The lamb has already won.

So remain faithful. Stay surrendered. Walk in victory today.

Because victory is in Jesus alone.

Title: Revelation 10
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Revelation 10: The Pause Before the Final Trumpet

This week’s message took us through Revelation 10, a short but powerful chapter that reminds us that God’s Word is both sweet and sobering—sweet because it is His truth, and sobering because it reveals the reality of judgment and the urgency of repentance.
Before diving into the passage, Pastor Tere walked us back through the unfolding events of Revelation 8 and 9. We have seen the seals and trumpets released, plagues covering the earth, demonic forces unleashed from the abyss, and the tragic truth that even after all of this, many still refused to repent. Over half of the world’s population is gone by this point in John’s vision. Yet Revelation 10 gives us a moment of pause, an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets, where God reminds John, and us, that there is still more to proclaim.

The Mighty Angel and the Little Scroll

John describes a mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud with a rainbow above his head, one foot on the land and one on the sea. This image shows authority, that God’s rule extends over all creation. Some believe this angel represents Jesus, but as Pastor Tere pointed out, the angel swears by the One who lives forever and ever, meaning it cannot be Christ. Instead, this angel carries a message from the Lord, a small open scroll representing prophecy yet to be fulfilled.
When the angel roars, seven thunders speak, but John is told not to write down what they say. There are mysteries of God that remain sealed, even to those who receive revelation. Not everything is for us to know, but everything we are told points to the same truth: God is sovereign and in control.

The Sweet and the Sour Word

John is told to take the scroll and eat it. It tastes sweet like honey, but it turns sour in his stomach. God’s Word is always good, always true, and always life giving, but for those who reject it, it brings sorrow. The sweetness represents the joy of hearing from God, and the bitterness represents the grief of knowing that judgment will fall on those who refuse to repent.

This same imagery appears in Ezekiel 3, when the prophet is told to eat a scroll before proclaiming God’s message to Israel. Both Ezekiel and John are commissioned to speak truth to people who will not listen. Revelation 10 reminds us that prophecy is not meant to scare us, it is meant to wake us up. God reveals what is coming so that people might repent and turn to Him before it is too late.

The Mystery of God Will Be Accomplished

Verse 7 says, “But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished.”

That mystery is the fulfillment of God’s plan, the day when Christ will reign on the earth for a thousand years, restoring His rule and reigning in righteousness. The same God who began His work with Israel will complete His work through Christ, establishing His eternal kingdom.

Throughout Revelation, there is a repeated pattern: lightning, thunder, rumblings, and earthquakes appear at the seventh seal, the seventh trumpet, and the seventh bowl. These all point to the same climactic moment, the day when heaven’s power and God’s justice collide with earth’s rebellion.

The Urgency of the Gospel

At the end of the message, Pastor Tere brought this back to where it all matters most, our response.

Every person will one day stand before God. Revelation 20 describes the Great White Throne Judgment, where all whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will face eternal separation from God. But the good news is simple and sure: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

God does not desire that anyone should perish. That is why He gives us time and opportunity now, to repent, believe, and share the message of salvation while there is still time. He calls His Church to live with urgency, to proclaim His name boldly, and to remember that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Living in the Pause

Revelation 10 may feel like a pause in the action, but it is not a break in God’s plan. It is a reminder that He is still working. Just as the scroll was sweet and sour, we also hold both the joy of salvation and the burden of truth. Until that final trumpet sounds, our mission remains clear: to tell the world who Jesus is.

Title: Missions Sunday "The Fruit of Obedience: Expanding the Kingdom"
Main Scriptures: Acts 1:8, Matthew 28
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

The Fruit of Obedience: Expanding the Kingdom

God is alive. He’s moving in our lives personally, and He’s moving powerfully in our church. On our first-ever Missions Sunday, we took time to pause, look back, and celebrate all that God has done through Emmaus Church and to look forward to what He’s calling us to next. Because when we stop and celebrate, we remember: every story of impact, every open door, every changed life, is the fruit of obedience and the power of God at work through His people.

The Mission Begins with Obedience

When Jesus gave His final words in Matthew 28:18–20 and Acts 1:8, He gave both a command and a promise. He told us to go to make disciples, baptize, and teach and He promised to be with us always. Our role isn’t to change lives or find perfect opportunities. It’s simply to say “yes” to God’s call and go where He leads.

That’s exactly what Emmaus Church has done since day one. Before we ever launched, we were serving our city feeding teams, prayer walking neighborhoods, and loving schools in the name of Jesus. And because of that obedience, God opened doors no strategy could have planned. In 2024 alone, over 900 people were reached through community events, sports camps, and school partnerships. Teachers were fed, families were blessed, and students were prayed over all because people said “yes” to God.

The Power Comes from the Spirit

In Acts 1:8, Jesus said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.” Every step of kingdom expansion is powered by the Spirit of God not by human strength or clever planning. That truth has been evident again and again throughout 2025.

From our Valley View Sports Camp, where 75 kids heard the gospel, to our Englewood and Living Hope mission teams who prayer-walked our neighborhoods, God has shown His power through simple obedience. We’ve seen lives transformed families like the Bookers and the Carlsons who came to Emmaus because someone took the time to invite them. They met Jesus, were baptized, and are now introducing others to Him. That’s multiplication. That’s the Spirit of God at work.

This year we’ve also partnered with ministries that reach into places many of us can’t like The Lovewell Center, where we served over 150 meals, and our outreach to Brookdale Assisted Living, where residents heard the gospel from Pastor Mike. Each story is another glimpse of God’s power and compassion moving through His people.

The Goal Is Kingdom Expansion

Our mission isn’t to build a crowd it’s to build the Kingdom. Jesus didn’t just call His followers to gather; He called them to go. As believers, we must constantly fight the pull toward comfort and inward focus, and instead keep our eyes on the horizon where the harvest is waiting.

What started as a handful of families saying “yes” to God has now impacted over 5,000 lives in just two years. That’s incredible. But it’s only the beginning. Every Fall Fest guest, every teacher served, every kid at a camp they’re all part of a bigger story God is writing through Emmaus Church. He’s building His Kingdom, and we get to be a part of it.

The Work Isn’t Finished

As we look ahead to 2026, our mission remains the same but expands in scope. God is calling Emmaus to live on mission locally, nationally, and internationally partnering with ministries and missionaries who are already advancing the gospel in powerful ways. This year, that begins with our first-ever international mission trip to Peru. We’re joining Pastor Todd and his team as they bring the good news to a new part of the world, stepping into what many church plants never attempt in their first three years.

We’re also deepening local partnerships with The Hub, The Gideons, and other gospel-centered organizations to keep serving Henderson and beyond.

Just the Beginning

When we obey, God moves. When we celebrate, our faith grows. And when we go, the Kingdom expands.

So we celebrate not what we’ve accomplished, but what God has done through His people. Because every act of obedience plants a seed of eternal impact. The fruit of obedience is always Kingdom expansion.

Let’s keep saying “yes.”

Title: When The Trumpets Sound
Main Scriptures: Revelation 8-9
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

When the Trumpet Sounds

If you could describe the book of Revelation in one word, what would it be? For Pastor Jon, that word is urgency. Every passage, every image, every trumpet blast carries a message to the church: get up and do something.

We are not called to be world critics who sit on the sidelines and point out what is wrong. We are called to be world changers, people who step into the work of God and move forward in faith. Revelation reminds us that time is running short and eternity is drawing near. There is no room for passivity in the kingdom of God.

The Sound That Demands a Response

In Revelation 8 and 9, seven trumpets sound in heaven. Each one carries both warning and mercy, God’s call to wake up before it is too late. In ancient Israel, trumpets signaled battle, worship, or danger. They were never background noise. When the trumpet sounded, everyone stopped and listened.

The first four trumpets strike creation itself: earth, sea, rivers, and sky. Each judgment removes something humanity depends on, such as food, water, light, and stability. It is as if God is saying, You have trusted in creation instead of the Creator. Let me show you how fragile your foundations truly are.

Yet even here, God’s wrath is measured. Only a third is destroyed. Why? Because His purpose is not to wound but to warn. His judgments are controlled, meaningful, and redemptive. He is giving the world one more chance to turn back before the end comes.

Mercy in the Midst of Judgment

When the fifth trumpet sounds, the scene shifts from the natural to the spiritual. Darkness rises. Demonic torment is unleashed. The destroyer reigns for a time, yet even in this chaos, God sets limits. They can torment, but they cannot kill. Their time is short.

Even when humanity rejects Him, God’s mercy restrains the full weight of judgment. He holds back wrath so that more people might repent. He is still saying, Turn back. Come home. There is still time.

But Revelation 9 gives a sobering truth. Even as the world unravels, most still refuse to repent. They cling to their idols, their sin, and their pride. The same sun that melts wax hardens clay. The longer we resist God, the less we recognize His voice.

Urgency for the Church

This is our moment. We are living in a season of grace. The trumpet has not yet sounded its final call, which means there is still time to reach those who do not know Jesus.

We are not the change agents. Jesus is. Our calling is simply to introduce people to the One who transforms lives. Like the woman at the well, we can say, He told me everything I ever did, and watch others run to meet Him.

Sharing the gospel is not complicated. Tell your story. Tell how God found you, saved you, and changed you. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.

Four Reminders for the Church

1. God’s Judgment is Real
   The trumpets are not symbolic stories. They are real warnings of what will come. Just as the flood came in Noah’s day, judgment will come again. God’s patience is purposeful to lead us to repentance.
2. The World’s Stability is Temporary
   Every foundation outside of Christ will fail. Creation itself is fragile, economies can collapse, and life can change overnight. Our hope must be in Christ alone.
3. Prayer Matters
   The trumpet judgments begin only after the prayers of the saints rise before God’s throne. Your prayers move heaven. In the silence, God is listening.
4. God’s Mercy Still Calls
   Even in wrath, God’s heart remains redemptive. The trumpet blasts are thunder-wrapped mercy, warnings meant to awaken the world before the final trumpet sounds.

When the Trumpet Sounds

One day, another trumpet will sound louder than any before it. For the believer, that sound will mean glory. For the unbeliever, it will mean judgment.

First Corinthians 15:52 says, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed.”

That moment will come faster than a heartbeat. There will be no time to decide later. The question is simple: Will you be ready?

Pastor Jon shared that his greatest urgency is not for statistics or buildings. It is for people. For his own daughter. For families in our city. For the ninety-three percent who still do not know Jesus. Every day we have breath, God is sounding the alarm through His word, His Spirit, and His church. He is not trying to scare us into salvation. He is drawing us toward Himself in love.

Live Ready

God’s desire is that we would be His mouthpiece before the final trumpet calls. Every act of generosity, every conversation, every invitation card is another chance for someone to encounter Jesus.

Do not pray for opportunities, pray to see them. They are already around you. Be ready. Live with urgency. Share the hope of Jesus while there is still time.

Because one day the trumpet will sound, and for those who belong to Him, that moment will be glory beyond compare.

Title: Worthy is the Lamb & The Opening of the 6 Seals
Main Scriptures: Revelation 5, 6
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

Worthy is the Lamb & The Opening of the 6 Seals

Live With the End in Mind

Revelation lifts our eyes toward eternity. It teaches us to live, speak, and think with the end in mind. Romans 12:2 calls us to resist the patterns of the world and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Let Scripture form your thinking, not the world.

The Scroll in the Father’s Hand

John sees a scroll in the right hand of God sealed with seven seals. A mighty angel asks who is worthy to open it. No one is found worthy until the Lamb appears. The scroll represents God’s redemptive plan and His righteous judgments. God gives light for the next step so that we learn trust and dependence. There is no plan B. He rules history and holds your future.

The Lion Who Is the Lamb

An elder proclaims the Lion of the tribe of Judah. John turns and sees a Lamb who was slain. Jesus conquers through sacrifice. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture reveals that Jesus alone is worthy because His blood ransomed a people for God. The cross is the key to God’s redemption. Christ’s atonement gives Him authority to unfold history.

Our Response: Worship

When the Lamb takes the scroll, heaven erupts in a new song. Worship is our right response. It is more than singing. It is offering our whole lives. Work as worship. Serve as worship. Let your daily obedience be praise to Christ. This worship is personal and global, from every tribe and language and people and nation.

The Seals and God’s Judgment

In Revelation 6 the Lamb opens the seals. The first four reveal conquest, war, famine, and death. Even in turmoil Christ remains in control. Suffering exposes our need for salvation. It turns our hearts from self to the Savior. Without Christ there is pain without purpose. With Christ there is hope that outlasts every trial.

John then sees the souls of martyrs crying out for justice. Their perseverance reminds us that faith may be costly, yet victory is already won in Christ.

The Sixth Seal: Who Can Stand

A great earthquake, a darkened sun, falling stars, a vanishing sky, and global terror follow. The great and the small alike try to hide from the wrath of the Lamb. The day of the Lord is certain. No one can stand apart from Jesus. Put your security in Christ alone.

The Urgency of Salvation

Have you surrendered your life to Jesus? He took your place and offers forgiveness as a gift. Confess your sin. Believe in Him. Surrender to His lordship. Time is short. Today is the day of salvation.

Continue Forward

A young naval captain once carried sealed orders to open at the point of no return. When he finally opened them the message read, Continue forward. Reinforcements are behind you. The commander has already gone ahead of you. That is true for every follower of Jesus. Your Commander has gone before you. The victory is secured. Stay the course. Obey His word. Trust His plan. Live with the end in mind.

Title: The Throne
Main Scriptures: Revelation 4
Link to full Sermon: (click here)

The Throne

Community is one of the most powerful gifts God has given His people. It’s something the world tries to imitate through teams, schools, or clubs, but nothing compares to the family of God. The church is where true community is found, not because of anything we do, but because of the Spirit of God working through us. When we gather, pray, and serve together, we’re reminded that we belong to something far greater than ourselves.

As we continue through our Revelation series, we now reach chapter 4, a passage that shifts our focus from what is to what is to come. The letters to the seven churches have shown us both faithfulness and failure. But now, the curtain is pulled back, and John is given a glimpse of heaven itself.

The Door Is Still Open

John writes, “After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven.” (Revelation 4:1)

What a powerful reminder: the door to heaven is still open. There is still time for people to repent, to believe, to step into eternal life through Jesus Christ. But that door won’t stay open forever.

This truth should give the church a sense of urgency. We are called to share the gospel while there’s still time, to live lives that point people to Jesus. When we realize that heaven’s door is open today, we can’t sit back in comfort. We must move forward in obedience.

The One on the Throne

John describes a throne in heaven, with One seated on it. His appearance is like jasper and carnelian, brilliant and fiery, and around the throne is a rainbow like an emerald, a reminder of God’s promise.

That throne isn’t empty. It’s not shaking. It’s not threatened. It is occupied.
And the One seated there is Jesus.

We spend so much of our lives fighting for control, trying to sit on thrones that were never ours to begin with. But God reminds us that He alone reigns. He is sovereign, holy, and worthy of all glory, honor, and power. When our world feels unstable, when our plans fall apart, when our faith feels weak, the call is simple: look up.

The throne John saw is still there. It’s still occupied.

The Urgency of Heaven

From Revelation 4 onward, the focus shifts to the events that will take place after the rapture, the moment when the church is caught up with Christ. While people debate how and when that happens, the truth remains: Jesus is coming again
.
That means there’s still work to do. We can’t live as though this life is all there is. The world tells us things will get better. God tells us that things will grow darker—but that His light will shine even brighter through His people.

The message of Revelation isn’t meant to make us afraid—it’s meant to make us urgent. Every moment we have is an opportunity to point people to the hope of Jesus.

Worthy of All Praise

The scene in heaven crescendos with worship. Around the throne are elders and living creatures declaring,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)

And the elders fall down and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things.” (Revelation 4:11)

That’s the heart of this chapter: Jesus is worthy.

He’s worthy of our praise, our surrender, and our lives. Every crown, every achievement, every success we hold in our hands belongs at His feet.

So when life feels unstable, look up. When worship feels weak, look up. When hope feels distant, look up, because the same throne John saw is still occupied. The King still reigns.
Let’s live and worship as if heaven is a real place, because it is. And one day, for those who belong to Jesus, we’ll stand before that same throne and join in the song that never ends:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.”