The Revelation of Jesus in the Midst Revelation is no doubt one of the most challenging books in Scripture to unpack and understand. I believe part of the reason is that many people have tried to ascertain what was actually meant to apprehend them. It is not the book of Revelations—plural. It is the book of Revelation because it is about the unveiling of one Man: Jesus. The whole book is about the unveiling of Him. Today, rather than trying to move through the entire book from beginning to end, I want to pause and unpack a few pieces that feel especially important for us as a church family as we continue to steward what the Lord is pouring out in this house. John’s Exile Was Not the End of His Assignment In Revelation 1:9–11, John writes: “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches…’” John is having an encounter with the Lord, and the Lord makes it clear that this encounter is not just for John. What God is revealing to him is meant to transcend his own life and impact many others. That is still true today. There are things God releases in us that are never meant to stop with us. What makes this moment so powerful is the setting. John’s encounter did not happen during a peaceful retreat, on a beach, or in the comfort of home. He was on Patmos—a place of exile and punishment. It was rocky, harsh, and undesirable. Rome sent broken, dangerous, and fallen people there. John was there because of his faithfulness to Jesus. And yet, in the middle of exile, God was still speaking. John’s location did not cancel his assignment. In fact, the revelation he received there would reach far beyond his own life. Even now, we are still reading the words given to him in that place. Your hardship does not disqualify you from hearing God. Your wilderness does not mean your purpose has ended. Even in exile, Jesus still has something to say. Jesus Is in the Midst of His Church Revelation 1:12–13 says: “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man…” The churches John was writing to were under intense persecution. Many believers were falling away. False doctrine was creeping in. The early church was dealing with pressure, confusion, and compromise. And in the middle of all that, John sees Jesus in the midst of the lampstands. The lampstands represent the churches. They were meant to be lights in the world. And Jesus was not standing at a distance, observing from afar. He was right in the middle of them. This is crucial for us to understand: Jesus is not distant from His church. He is not detached from what is happening in our lives, our gatherings, or our struggles. He is in the midst. So many people live as though God has to be convinced to get involved. We pray as if He is far off, disinterested, or waiting for us to say the right words before He draws near. But Jesus is already present. The church belongs to Him. It is not possessed by a denomination, by a pastor, by a congregation, by a board, or by a set of preferences. Christ Himself owns the church. He said, “I will build My church.” He did not say He would advise people building their own churches. He said He would build His church, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. That is not defensive language. Gates are not weapons of attack. Gates are what stand in place until someone comes against them. Jesus is declaring that His church is meant to advance. We are not called to hide in fear. We are called to move forward in the authority and mission of Christ. The Church Is Built on Revelation of Jesus When Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded by saying that this revelation came from the Father, and “on this rock I will build My church.” The rock was not Peter as a man. The rock was the revelation of who Jesus is. The church can only be built as strong as its revelation of Christ. A weak or distorted view of Jesus will always compromise the strength of a believer’s life and the integrity of a church. If we do not see Him rightly, we cannot represent Him rightly. Many of the distortions that have happened in church history came from people trying to bend God into their own image rather than allowing their image to die in the presence of God. Whenever people use the name of Jesus to serve pride, politics, violence, control, or self-interest, it reveals a failure to truly know Him. The revelation of Jesus changes everything. It reforms how we think, how we love, how we lead, how we endure, and how we serve. John Knew He Was Loved One of the most powerful things about John is the way he identified himself. He called himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” That was not arrogance. That was revelation. The most significant thing about John’s life was not how much he loved Jesus, but how deeply he understood that Jesus loved him. That matters because to know that God loves you is to begin to truly know who He is. God is love. That love is not shallow or sentimental. Love corrects, rebukes, confronts, heals, restores, and transforms. But it is still love. The measure to which John saw how much the Father loved him was the measure to which he could walk in love toward God and others. Many people live trying to earn approval through better behavior, stronger discipline, or more impressive devotion. But love does not begin with our efforts toward God. It begins with His heart toward us. When we receive the revelation of how much we have been forgiven, loved, and pursued, it becomes possible to love from a healthy place. The truest revelation of Jesus transforms the way we live. Familiarity Must Never Replace Awe John had walked with Jesus for three and a half years. He had eaten with Him, traveled with Him, watched Him heal people, and listened to Him teach. He knew Jesus well. And yet when John saw Him in Revelation, he did not merely see the Jesus he had known on earth. He saw the glorified Christ. Revelation 1:13–16 describes Him: clothed in a long robe wearing a golden sash hair white like wool, like snow eyes like a flame of fire feet like burnished bronze refined in a furnace a voice like the roar of many waters John did not allow what he already knew about Jesus to limit what he could now discover about Him. That is a warning and an invitation for us. We must never become so familiar with holy things that we lose our sense of awe. It is possible to become familiar with church, worship, prayer, Scripture, and even the presence of God in a way that breeds carelessness instead of wonder. We can know the rhythms without remaining sensitive to the reality. We can sing songs without engaging our hearts. We can read Scripture without trembling at the beauty of what is on the page. We can attend services and never truly behold Him. But awe matters. If we lose awe, we eventually lose sensitivity. And when we lose sensitivity, we stop responding when God speaks. John teaches us to behold Jesus with fresh wonder. The Glorious Christ Every part of John’s description reveals something about who Jesus is. His White Hair The white hair speaks of purity and wisdom. Jesus is not confused. He is not surprised by your situation. He is not scrambling to figure out what to do next. He has seen the beginning from the end. He knows you fully and remains steady in His wisdom. His Eyes Like Fire His eyes see through appearances. They penetrate beyond masks and religious performance. He knows the difference between activity and surrender, between noise and worship, between image and truth. But those fiery eyes do not only expose; they also purify. He reveals in order to heal. He searches in order to restore. He sees every hidden place and still draws near. His Feet Like Burnished Bronze These feet speak of strength, stability, and judgment refined in holiness. The same feet once pierced on the cross now stand glorified in strength. He is not weak. He is not shaken. He is holy, victorious, and unmovable. His Voice Like Many Waters His voice is not just another voice among many. It is the voice above every other voice. Above fear, anxiety, confusion, culture, pain, opinion, and accusation, His voice roars. The question is not whether He is speaking. The question is whether we will listen. What We Need Most Is to See Him If we want to see God move, what we need most is not a better strategy, a bigger budget, a new song, an old song, a larger building, or more polished systems. We need to see Jesus. We need to see Him as He is. Some of us need to see Him again like we did in the beginning. Others need to see Him rightly for the first time, because some of the versions of Jesus we were given were not really Him at all. Some things spoken over people in the name of God were never the heart of God. Some burdens people carried were man-made armor, not the armor of God. That is why our invitation is not to fix our eyes on a pastor, a platform, or a personality. The invitation is to look at Jesus. To know Him. To be with Him. To be conquered by Him. To surrender to Him. Anything truly built by God must flow from a real revelation of Christ in the hearts of His people. When John Saw Him, He Fell Revelation 1:17 says: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last…’” John did not casually kneel in a polite religious moment. He fell as though dead. This is what happens when human strength encounters divine glory. In the presence of Jesus, everything we think we carry is put in its proper place. This is not mainly about a physical response. It is about what dies when we truly encounter Him. In His presence: pride falls self-righteousness falls ambition falls offense falls unforgiveness falls religiosity falls sin loses its grip false identity crumbles When we have a right revelation of Jesus, casual worship turns into holy surrender. Things we once carried casually no longer feel casual. The grudges we justified, the bitterness we protected, the wounds we used to define ourselves—those things cannot remain untouched when we truly behold Him. Jesus forgave from the cross, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” What if the pain others caused was real, but it no longer had the right to rule us? What if freedom does not mean pretending it did not hurt, but refusing to remain governed by what broke us? What if healing means coming under a new government—the reign of Jesus? We may need distance from what harmed us. But more than anything, we need nearness to Him. A Final Invitation Jesus is in the midst. He is in the middle of His church, in the middle of tribulation, in the middle of uncertainty, in the middle of your story. He is not distant. He is not uninvolved. He is not confused. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Living One. If we will see Him rightly, we will live differently. If we will behold Him, we will be changed by Him. If we will stop hiding, stop performing, and stop settling for familiarity without awe, He will meet us in truth and love. May we be a people who do not merely talk about Jesus, but truly see Him. May we be a church that does not just gather in His name, but lives from a revelation of His presence. And may everything that is not of Him fall away in the light of His glory. He is in the midst. Scriptures Revelation 1:8 (ESV) “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:9 (ESV) I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 1:10–11 (ESV) I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” Revelation 1:12–16 (ESV) Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. Matthew 16:18 (ESV) And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:15–17 (ESV) He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” 1 John 4:8 (ESV) Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. Luke 7:47 (ESV) Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little. Revelation 1:12–15 (ESV) Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. Revelation 2:7 (ESV) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Revelation 1:17–18 (ESV) When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Luke 23:34 (ESV) And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
God did not come to fit into our box, conform to our ways, or do things according to our preferences. He comes as Lord, and He does things as He sees fit. As His people, we are called to live in surrender, recognizing that His ways are higher than our ways.
King of Glory, Fill This Place There is a deep invitation at the heart of the Christian life: not to try harder, but to surrender more. So many believers live with a performance mindset, assuming spiritual growth comes from doing more, striving more, and proving more. But the sermon’s central message is this: transformation does not come through self-effort. It comes through surrender. The degree to which we surrender to God is the degree to which we become obedient to Him. What if the path to becoming more like Christ is not trying harder to be better, but learning to surrender better? Worship Is Not Performance When the church sings, “King of glory, fill this place,” those words are not meant to be detached lyrics or religious routine. Worship is not karaoke. It is an invitation to turn our attention and affection toward God—to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And when we ask God to fill “this place,” we are not merely asking Him to visit a church building. We are asking Him to fill His people. God does not simply want to influence a moment. He wants to inhabit His people. He wants to be Lord over every area of life: how we live, how we love, how we think, how we relate, how we lead, and how we walk through the world. The prayer is not merely, “God, visit our gathering,” but “God, fill every part of me.” This means inviting God into the places we often hide—our insecurities, our doubts, our fears, our inadequacies, and our shame. Rather than covering ourselves like Adam and Eve behind fig leaves, we are called to stand honestly before the Lord and pray, “Search me, renew me, purify my heart.” If God only fills a sanctuary, people may leave unchanged. But if He fills a people, transformation follows. The Glory of God Is His Goodness The sermon draws us to Moses in the wilderness. Though Israel stood on the edge of promise, Moses refused to move without God’s presence. He was not content to chase outcomes while neglecting communion. He wanted God Himself. When Moses asked to see God’s glory, God answered by declaring that His goodness would pass before him. In that moment, God defined His glory through His goodness. So when we pray, “King of glory, fill this place,” we are asking the King of all goodness to fill us. This matters because it is the goodness of God that leads people to repentance. Repentance is more than behavior modification; it is a change of mind. Real transformation happens as our minds are renewed by a revelation of who God truly is. Many believers remain trapped in cycles because they are trying to produce fruit apart from abiding in God’s presence. They want promise without presence, purpose without intimacy, and advancement without abiding. But fruit grows where there is communion. As Jesus taught, abiding comes first; fruit follows. Let Him Fill Every Room One of the sermon’s most vivid pictures is that of the temple. The temple had many rooms, and in the same way, the human heart has many compartments. It is possible to let God occupy one room while withholding another. Some reserve rooms for comfort. Others keep rooms locked by fear, shame, guilt, or self-protection. Still others hold back areas of ambition, identity, relationships, or pain. But partial surrender cannot produce full kingdom fruit. The call is to let the King of glory fill every room. This is not about emotional hype or religious activity. It is not about attending church in search of goosebumps and then returning home unchanged. It is about becoming a people who are so filled with God’s goodness that every hidden space is brought under His rule. Freedom From Performance The sermon returns repeatedly to this freeing truth: the Christian life is not “do more,” but “surrender more.” Many people are exhausted from trying to become holy through effort. But the gospel reveals that identity is received before it is expressed. In Christ, believers are made new. They are not defined by the flesh, but by the Spirit. They are not merely broken people trying to act righteous; they are new creations learning to live from what God has already done. That is why trying harder often fails. Self-effort cannot produce the life of the Spirit. Only surrender can. This does not mean works are irrelevant. Faith without works is dead. But empty works—works disconnected from trust, surrender, and dependence on God—bear no lasting fruit. The issue is not action itself, but action rooted in self rather than in abiding. Repentance Begins With Seeing Jesus Rightly If repentance feels difficult, the sermon suggests it may be because we have not fully seen the goodness of God. Faith is the response that flows from seeing Jesus rightly. When a person truly sees His goodness, His trustworthiness, and His perfect character, surrender becomes possible. God is not manipulative. He does not act out of lack or insecurity. He is complete in Himself. Everything He does is for our good and for our restoration into the people He created us to be. This is why the revelation of God’s goodness changes everything. It breaks the lie that we must earn His love. It frees us from the treadmill of performance. It teaches us that transformation begins not with striving, but with trusting. From Orphans to Sons and Daughters A major theme of the sermon is that Jesus came not only to save, but to reveal the Father. The disciples noticed something in Jesus that they wanted to learn. They did not first ask Him how to heal, preach, or build influence. They asked Him, “Teach us to pray.” Why? Because they saw that everything in Jesus’ life flowed from His relationship with the Father. And when Jesus taught them to pray, He began with these words: “Our Father.” That opening would have been revolutionary. Jesus was not only speaking of His Father—He was inviting His followers to know God as their Father too. This is essential to the Christian life. We cannot live in the fullness of the kingdom until we know we are sons and daughters. The Father’s affirmation over Jesus—“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”—reveals something foundational. Identity as a beloved child is not a side theme of the gospel. It is central. Children who know the Father’s embrace come back to Him, even when they fail. They are not fueled by fear, but by love. And the more they experience His embrace, the more they desire to honor Him. Grace is never permission to remain in sin. It is the power by which we are set free from it. Surrender Brings Wholeness The call of this sermon is comprehensive: give every room, every thought, every dream, every fear, every ambition to God. Let Him be King over all. This means surrendering not only obvious sins, but also personal agendas, anxieties, plans, and false identities. It means laying down the need to control outcomes. It means giving up the illusion that we are our own rulers. We do not make Jesus King by surrendering. He is already King. Surrender simply aligns us with what is already true. And when that happens, our lives begin to change. We think differently. We love differently. We walk with more humility, courage, compassion, and clarity. We stop compartmentalizing faith from the rest of life. Everything becomes holy because everything is lived with Him. A People Filled With His Glory The sermon ends with a vision for the church: a people who are no longer marked by casual Christianity, routine religion, or outward activity without inward intimacy. Instead, God is calling His people to live as sons and daughters—filled with His presence, transformed by His goodness, and surrendered to His rule. This kind of life is anything but boring. It is bold, radiant, and deeply meaningful. It changes how we see ourselves and how we see others. We begin to recognize every person as someone made for the love of the Father. We become carriers of God’s light in a dark world. The prayer remains simple and profound: King of glory, fill this place. Fill every room of my heart. Fill every part of my life. Be King over it all. And in that surrender, true transformation begins. Scriptures Referenced(ESV) Genesis 3:7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Exodus 33:18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” Exodus 33:19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. Exodus 33:22–23 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” Romans 2:4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? John 15:4–5 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. James 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Genesis 25:26 Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau's heel, so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. Genesis 32:28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Genesis 1:26–27 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 1 Corinthians 2:16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Matthew 16:16–17 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” Luke 11:1 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” Matthew 3:17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 17:5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Luke 11:2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.” Matthew 6:9–10 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Revelation 4:10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Genesis 16:1–2 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. Revelation 19:16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Acts 5:15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. Matthew 5:15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Habakkuk 2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Matthew 28:19–20 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Implicit References These were not quoted as directly, but appear strongly echoed: 1 Corinthians 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 2 Chronicles 7:16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. Psalm 139:23–24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John 5:19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. Matthew 11:28–29 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Discover the meaning of Pentecost Sunday from Acts 2. Learn how God’s people wait on Him, receive the Holy Spirit, and are empowered for His mission.
A Launch Sunday reflection on Ezekiel 47 — God is still releasing rivers of restoration. Discover what it means to step into His flow and become carriers of His presence.
Palm Sunday: A King, A Process, and a Moment That Matters Palm Sunday is often celebrated as a moment of victory—Jesus entering Jerusalem to the praise of the crowds. But beneath the surface, it is far more than a symbolic parade. It is a prophetic announcement of kingship and a powerful reminder that God’s kingdom unfolds through process, not instant takeover . The people expected a political revolution. Jesus revealed a spiritual one. A King Who Comes Through Process Before this moment, Jesus shares a parable about a nobleman who leaves to receive a kingdom and entrusts responsibilities to his servants (see Gospel of Luke 19). This context matters. The message is clear: Authority is preceded by stewardship. Promotion is preceded by testing. Palm Sunday is not the culmination—it is the beginning of a decisive process that leads to the cross, the resurrection, and ultimately, the full revelation of Christ’s kingdom. The Pressing Produces the Oil In Scripture, oil represents anointing, purpose, and character. But oil doesn’t come without pressure. There is no oil without pressing. We often want the outcome without the process, the calling without the crushing—but spiritual maturity cannot be microwaved. It is formed. Pressure does two things: It produces character It reveals what’s inside us If we avoid the pressing, we forfeit the depth God is trying to develop in us. Surrender Determines the Outcome Process requires surrender. What you refuse to surrender in the process, you will forfeit in the outcome. God is not just trying to get something to you—He is trying to form something in you. Every test is an invitation to trust Him more deeply. Obedience Unlocks the Impossible When Jesus instructed His disciples to go and retrieve a colt, it likely didn’t make logical sense. Yet they obeyed—and everything unfolded exactly as He said. Obedience to God’s Word carries you where strategy cannot. You don’t need full understanding to move forward—you need trust. Don’t renegotiate what God has already spoken Don’t delay what God has already revealed His Word is enough. What’s in Your Hand Is Enough God often begins with what we already have. A colt. A few disciples. A simple act of obedience. When surrendered, the ordinary becomes powerful. Stop waiting for more. Start surrendering what’s already in your hands. Stewardship Leads to Increase The parable reminds us: what we’ve been given is not meant to be buried—it’s meant to be multiplied. Your gifts Your time Your influence Your opportunities Faithfulness with little leads to authority over much. But withholding leads to stagnation—and even loss. Don’t Miss Your Moment As Jesus enters Jerusalem, the crowds celebrate—but the city itself does not fully recognize Him. And He weeps. This moment is deeply sobering. You can be close to what God is doing and still miss it. Some breakthroughs are tied to recognizing your moment of visitation. Discern the season Respond with urgency Don’t delay obedience Missed moments can mean missed opportunities. Pressure Reveals and Refines Every trial reveals something: Deficits that need healing Growth that has already taken place Pressure is not your enemy—it’s your mirror. And in God’s hands, it becomes your tool for transformation. When You Don’t Know What to Do If you find yourself in uncertainty, here’s the anchor: Go back to the last thing God said. Return to Scripture Recall His promises Stay faithful to what has already been revealed Breakthrough doesn’t come from constant reinvention—it comes from consistent obedience. Final Thought Palm Sunday reminds us that Jesus is King—but not the kind of King the world expected. He doesn’t bypass process. He doesn’t avoid pressure. He doesn’t rush the outcome. Instead, He invites us into a journey of: Surrender Stewardship Obedience Awareness of the moment And through it all, He forms something far greater than temporary victory—He forms eternal transformation. If you’re in a season of pressure, uncertainty, or waiting, don’t lose heart. You’re not being overlooked. You’re being prepared.
At Connection Church, our vision for church life is not built around personalities, programs, or trends. Instead, it is shaped by biblical principles that reflect God’s heart for His people. The church is meant to be a living expression of His presence, His goodness, and His love working through a family of believers.
There's a question that quietly shapes everything about how we live, love, and follow Jesus — Who do you think you are?
Not in the sarcastic sense. In the most important sense.
In a recent message at The Connection Church, we dove deep into what Scripture says about the identity of every believer — and the answer is
When Feelings Aren’t Facts: Why God’s Goodness, God’s Word, and God’s Spirit Belong Together A lot of spiritual confusion starts in the same place: we build our lives on the wrong foundation. We let feelings, opinions, preferences, or even powerful experiences define what’s true—then wonder why we feel unstable, stuck, or unsure of who we are. In this message, the pastor lays out a clear progression: you don’t really know who you are until you know who God is , because “we’re created in his likeness and his image.” From there, he walks through a core belief that shapes the culture and mission of the church: our precepts are rooted in Scripture —not in performance, not in hype, and not in whatever feels right in the moment. Here are the key insights, along with a few memorable illustrations from the talk. 1) Identity Starts With a Rooted View of God’s Goodness Early on, the pastor makes the point bluntly: if we don’t get rooted in our hearts that God is good—and that his goodness is for us—we’ll live confused. Why? Because without that anchor, we default to performance. We start “trying to operate out of performance to get his approval,” forgetting the core of the gospel: “He loved us when we didn’t know how to love ourselves… while we were yet sinners, Christ died.” This isn’t framed as “warm, fuzzy Christianity.” It’s presented as essential doctrine that affects everything: how we relate to people, how we dream, what we contend for, and what we believe is possible. The pastor references the idea that God is able to do “exceedingly abundantly above” what we ask or imagine—and highlights that it works “according to the power of God that works within… us.” The practical takeaway: your view of God shapes your expectations, your confidence, and your behavior. If you believe God is good, you’ll stop negotiating for approval and start living from belovedness. 2) Repentance Isn’t Just Feeling Bad—It’s Changing How You Think One of the most helpful clarifications in the message is about repentance. The pastor emphasizes that repentance is not merely emotional regret. It’s transformation—“to change the way you think.” He ties it to the renewing of the mind: “God doesn’t want you to check your mind at the door… I just don’t want you to leave it the way that it is.” In other words, spiritual growth includes your intellect, your thinking patterns, and your assumptions. God’s goodness, he says, is what transforms the way we think—and as thinking changes, behavior changes too. Key takeaway: repentance is a mindset shift that leads to a lifestyle shift. It’s not ignoring reality; it’s learning to interpret reality through God’s truth. 3) Scripture Is the Final Authority (Not Feelings, Preferences, or Opinions) The third core belief is stated plainly: “We are a church whose precepts are rooted in Scripture.” And the pastor doesn’t soften what that means: “If the Bible says you must do it… you must do it.” “If the Bible says don’t do it… you don’t do it.” If Scripture gives direction without full clarity, it may be permissible—as long as it’s not against the Word—and you “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” The big idea is that God’s Word is revealed truth , and without it, we drift. Feelings and opinions can lead us “in all sorts of ways” to conclusions that may not even be for us—but “God’s word is for you.” He also drops a line that’s both convicting and freeing: “My feelings are not my facts.” He admits he doesn’t always feel secure or righteous—but what God says is still true. “Truth is truth whether you see it or feel it or not.” If you’ve ever felt spiritually whiplashed—confident one day, crushed the next—this is why. A life led by feelings will always be fragile. A life led by truth becomes steady. 4) Word-Heavy Without Spirit Gets Dry. Spirit-Heavy Without Word Gets Weird. One of the strongest sections of the message is the pastor’s critique of extremes. He describes one camp that’s “very word-heavy” but has “aborted any dependency upon the Spirit,” resulting in people who “know a lot about God, but… don’t know how to encounter God.” Then he describes the opposite: circles that are big on “the move of the Spirit,” where “all this stuff” happens—but when asked what God is doing and how they know, there’s confusion because it’s “not rooted in Scripture.” The result: encounters without sound doctrine that can send people “way off in left field.” His solution isn’t a “balance” (as if Word and Spirit compete). He calls it a marriage : “The move of the Spirit will never contradict the word of Scripture.” That line is a safety rail. If you want to know whether what you’re experiencing is trustworthy, he argues, Scripture sets the “parameters,” “guidance,” and “signpost.” 5) The Word Is Meant to Shape How You Live, Not Just What You Know This is where the message gets intensely practical. The pastor quotes James 1:22: “Be doers of the word… not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” He explains it with the mirror metaphor: the Word shows you who you are, but if you walk away and don’t do it, it’s like forgetting what you look like—“in other words, you don’t know who you are.” He takes it further: “Knowledge without obedience will always lead to a hardened heart.” That’s how people become religious, routine-driven, and resistant to God—like the Pharisees who could speak well but had hearts “far from me.” He frames lordship with another sharp line: “Lordship is not just a confession. It’s actually submission.” 6) A Seed, a Jalapeño Plant, and the Power of the Word One of the most memorable anecdotes is about his mother—who “was not a gardener,” and whose plants came to their house “to die… a sad, gruesome, lonely, crunchy death.” But she could grow two things: jalapeño peppers and banana peppers. The point isn’t gardening advice—it’s spiritual formation. A seed doesn’t need you to manufacture fruit. The fruit is already in the seed—if it’s planted in the right environment. “That’s the Word of God,” he says. “You don’t need to add to the Word… you don’t need to subtract… the Word of God is perfectly powerful to produce the fruit of its kind.” Our role is to create the right environment: a surrendered heart and obedient life. 7) Scripture Shapes Culture—and Culture Shapes Everything To close, the pastor argues that God’s Word isn’t just personal inspiration; it shapes a whole way of life. He references Deuteronomy 6:6–9: keep God’s words on your heart, talk about them at home and on the way, write them on doorposts. That’s not about having a “snark reply to every coworker’s opinion.” It’s about God’s truth being present in “every crevice” of life , shaping attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and ultimately the culture of a home and community. He challenges the tendency to let problems define culture—staring at bank accounts, arguments, disappointment—until we “can’t find God anymore.” But he insists heaven’s culture can invade earth, echoing Jesus’ prayer: “Thy kingdom come… on earth as it is in heaven.” Final Takeaway If you want clarity, stability, and growth: Get rooted in the truth that God is good . Treat Scripture as final authority , not a suggestion. Let the Word and the Spirit work together: truth revealed + truth experienced . Move from hearing to doing—because obedience is where maturity forms . If you’re rebuilding your faith, your home culture, or your inner life, start here: stop letting feelings lead, and let truth lead instead.
A message from Pastor Anthony Hall | Connection Church Core Values Series -
At Connection Church, we believe that the foundation of everything we do—how we worship, how we serve, how we relate to one another—is built on a few core values.
Last week, we kicked off this series by talking about being a presence...
