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Sep 27

Believing is Seeing and Believing is Life - The King We Need

Have you ever listened to a hymn or a piece of music that ends on an unresolved note? Rather than finishing with a tidy, comfortable chord, it leaves you sitting in a moment of tension and reflection. In today’s episode, we explore John chapters 18 and 19, walking through the final night and hours of Jesus’ earthly life—from his arrest in the dark of the Garden of Gethsemane to his trial before Pilate and his ultimate enthronement on Calvary. As we look at the powerful contrast between earthly power and divine authority, we wrestle with a central, challenging truth: The King we need is rarely the King we want. Jesus reigns not by conquering his enemies through force, but by laying down his life in self-sacrificial love. Key Takeaways & Highlights Authority in the Darkness: When a detachment of hundreds of Roman soldiers arrived in Gethsemane, Jesus stepped forward unarmed. At the simple declaration of His name—Ego Eimi ("I am He")—an army drew back and fell to the ground. Jesus was never a victim of circumstances; He maintained absolute authority to the end.The Temptation of Earthly Power: Peter’s impulse to draw a sword in the garden reflects our own constant desire for a king who flexes physical force and worldly dominance. When Jesus refused to fight according to human standards, Peter’s courage failed, leading to his denial in the high priest's courtyard."We Have No King But Caesar": Exploring the tragic turning point in John 19 where the religious leaders formally reject God as their ruler—echoing 1 Samuel 8—and choose allegiance to Rome’s power over the Kingdom of God.Enthroned on Calvary: Why the cross was not a moment of defeat or shame, but Jesus' crowning moment of glory, where He defeated sin and death once and for all.It Is Finished (Tetelestai): Understanding that Jesus yielded His own spirit; His life was not taken, but willingly given as an act of grace and redemption.Timestamps 00:00 – The power of an unresolved song & entering John 18–1903:15 – Scene 1: Light in the darkness – The arrest in the garden08:40 – "I AM HE" – Divine authority on display before 600 soldiers13:20 – Peter’s sword vs. Jesus’ cup: Why we crave a different kind of king18:05 – Standing before Pilate & the tragic declaration: "We have no king but Caesar"24:30 – The cross as enthronement: Global proclamation written in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek29:15 – "It is Finished" – Jesus yields His spirit33:50 – Reflections: Where in your life are you dethroning the King you need?Reflection Questions for the Week Where in your life are you tempted to demand a Savior who serves your personal agenda rather than bowing to the King of the Cross? How do we, as modern believers, subtly declare "we have no king but Caesar" when faced with earthly fear, politics, or cultural pressure? How does knowing Jesus retained total authority over His life and death give you peace in your current circumstances? Scripture References John 18:1–11 – The arrest of Jesus in the gardenJohn 18:15–27 – Peter’s denial & Jesus before the High PriestJohn 18:28–19:16 – The trial before Pontius PilateJohn 19:17–30 – The Crucifixion of Christ1 Samuel 8 – Israel demands an earthly kingConnect & SubscribeIf this message encouraged or challenged you, please leave a rating and review on Spotify, share this episode with a friend, and hit the Follow button so you never miss an episode!
Sep 20

Believing is Seeing and Believing Is Life - Unveiled Glory

In John 17 — Jesus's High Priestly Prayer, prayed on the night of his betrayal — I found a glory that looks nothing like the world's. Not palaces, crowns, or self-promotion. A cross. A protected mission. A unified church. In this message I walk through the three movements of Jesus's prayer: The glory of the sacrificial life (John 17:1–5) — why the cross is not "cosmic child abuse" but God giving himself, and why eternal life is something we're tasting right here, right now.The glory of protected mission (17:6–19) — what it means to hear Jesus praying for your protection, why we don't get the easy way of being scooped out of the world, and why we were never meant to hide out in holy huddles.The glory of missional unity (17:20–26) — the prayer Jesus prayed for us, looking straight down the ages, and why the church keeps splitting over things like flooring.Plus: the scene from The Return of the King that I can't get out of my head, the one where the King drops to a knee before the hobbits and says, "You kneel to nobody." And a closing challenge: tomorrow morning, when real life hits, where will your heart hesitate? 📖 Scripture: John 17
Aug 31

Believing is Seeing and Believing is Life - Abide

In this episode, we dive into John 15 and 16 to explore what it truly means to abide in the love of Christ. Walking through Jesus’ final upper-room instructions to His disciples, we break down two foundational principles—that God is sovereign and good and that reality is our friend. Discover how letting go of the myths of self-reliance, constant comfort, and instant gratification allows us to anchor our lives deeply in the Vine. Key Takeaways & Timestamps: – Two Family Mottos: Why embracing reality and trusting God's sovereign goodness sets the stage for deep spiritual growth. – Myth 1: The Myth of Self: Dismantling the culture of self-determination ("I am the captain of my soul") and embracing Jesus’ words that apart from Him, we can do nothing. – The Hardest Command: Why loving God feels manageable, but staying connected to the Vine through loving imperfect people in community is where real faith happens. – Myth 2: The Myth of Comfort: Why we shouldn't confuse God's pruning with His punishment, and how hardship often signals growth rather than disapproval. – Myth 3: The Myth of the Immediate: Overcoming our demand for instant fixes, resisting the urge to numb present pain, and leaning into the indwelling Holy Spirit. – "Take Heart": Living from the reality of Christ’s finished victory—He has already overcome the world. Scripture References: John 15:1–17 (The True Vine and loving one another) John 15:18–16:4 (The world’s hatred and the purpose of pruning) John 16:5–33 (The promise of the Holy Spirit and overcoming the world) Reflection Questions for the Week: Which of the three myths (Self, Comfort, or Immediate) do you struggle with the most? Are you currently experiencing a season of trial that might actually be God lovingly pruning you for greater fruitfulness? How can you practice abiding in Christ’s love through sacrificial love for someone in your community this week?
Aug 23

Believing is Seeing and Believing is Life - Not Lost, Not Alone

We don't live in an easy world. Jesus knew that — and he didn't pretend otherwise. In John 14, we find Jesus in the upper room with his eleven closest disciples on the darkest night of their lives. Judas has left. Death is coming. And into that weight, Jesus speaks words that are honest, tender, and durable: "Do not let your hearts be troubled." In this sermon, we sit with the questions that surface when life gets hard: Where will I go?How will I get there?What do I do right now?Am I alone?How can I have peace when everything is falling apart?Jesus answers every one of them — and his answers are better than anything the world offers. In this episode: Why "God has a wonderful plan for your life" often rings hollow — and what Jesus says insteadThe promise of the Father's house and what it means to have a future home to hold ontoJesus as the way, the truth, and the life — not just a theological claim, but a lifelineThe Greek word behind "another advocate" (allos) and why it matters that the Spirit is one of the same kind as ChristThe broken supports we lean on when life gets hard — and why we resist trusting the one who can actually hold usThomas à Kempis on following the way, believing the truth, and living the lifeKey Passage: John 14:1–6, 15–18, 25–27 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me." — John 14:1 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." — John 14:18 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives." — John 14:27 Referenced: Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of ChristThe Princess Bride (yes, really)
Aug 16

Believing is Seeing and Believing is Life - The Way Down

Jesus ties a towel around his waist and kneels at the feet of the man who will betray him. In this next installment of the John series, we step into the upper room — the last night, the last teaching, the last hours before the cross — and discover that the way of Jesus is rooted in a love that discomforts before it comforts. In this episode: Why John 13–17 is written for the church, not just for historyThe double meaning of "he loved them to the end" (John 13:1)What foot washing actually cost Jesus in an honor/shame cultureWhy Jesus honors Judas with the choicest bread at the table — knowing what's comingThe new command, and why "love one another" was never really newWhat Peter's failure (and restoration) teaches us about sacrificial loveScripture: John 13:1–38 Discussion questions: Who is the "Judas" in your life right now — someone you'd rather exclude than serve?Where have you swept a hurt under the rug instead of having the hard conversation?When has love cost you something real?Where do you need the same restoration Jesus gave Peter?Related: Catch up on the full John series — Believing Is Seeing, and Believing Is Life — wherever you found this episode.
Aug 9

Believing is Seeing and Believing is Life - Held

The world feels like it's spinning out of control — and fear is the natural response to feeling out of control. In this message, we close out Part 2 of our series through the Gospel of John ("Believing Is Seeing, and Believing Is Life") by looking at John 10–12, where Jesus reveals three ways His sovereign love drives out fear: Love gives us security in the face of the enemy (John 10) — including an uncomfortable look at who Jesus actually calls "thieves and robbers"Love gives us hope in the face of death (John 11) — Jesus weeps at Lazarus's tomb, and offers Himself, not an idea, as the resurrectionLove gives us belonging in the face of loneliness (John 12) — a single kernel of wheat, planted and multiplied into a peopleNext week, we step into Part 3 of the series: the glory of the cross. Scripture: John 10:1–18; John 11:1–44; John 12:20–26 Discussion Questions: Where have you experienced "insiders" — even well-meaning religious ones — creating fear or insecurity instead of grace?Jesus stayed away from Lazarus because He loved him. Where in your life have you mistaken God's delay for God's absence?Where do you feel isolated right now, and what would it look like to actually receive belonging rather than just agree with the idea of it?
Aug 2

Believing is Seeing and Believing is Life - Blind Spot

Episode Description: Jesus stands in the middle of the Feast of Tabernacles and claims both of its central images for himself — he is the living water, and he is the light of the world. In this message, we walk through John 7–9: the water-drawing ceremony and temple illumination that shaped the feast, Jesus's declaration to "let anyone who is thirsty come and drink," the woman caught in adultery and what her story exposes about selective grace, and the man born blind whose sight moves in stages from a name, to a prophet, to "Lord, I believe." Along the way we ask a harder question: where in our own lives has a rule or tradition become more important to us than the person standing in front of us? Scripture: John 7:37–52, John 8:1–30, John 9 Series: Believing Is Seeing, and Believing Is Life — a walk through the Gospel of John Show Notes: The two central images of the Feast of Tabernacles: the water-drawing ceremony at the Pool of Siloam, and the illumination of the temple's four golden lampstandsJesus's claim in John 7:37–38, and its connection back to the woman at the well in John 4The woman caught in adultery — a textual note on the passage's manuscript history, and what's conspicuously missing from the storyJesus's claim to be the light of the world (John 8:12) and the pushback it drawsThe man born blind — tracing his growing understanding of Jesus across four rounds of interrogationThe closing challenge: what rule, ritual, or tradition do we protect more than people? Related listening: Believing Is Seeing: The Long Walk from Cana to Capernaum (John 4:43–54) · Night and Day (John 3:1–21, 4:1–42)
Jul 26

Do You Want What Jesus Gives, or Do You Want Jesus?

Three signs. Three questions. One that actually matters. In this message, we take a big swing through John 5 and 6 together—the healing at the pool of Bethesda, the feeding of the 5,000, and Jesus walking on water—and land on the question underneath all of them: are we chasing Jesus, or just chasing what he can give us? We look at a man who'd been sick for 38 years and answers Jesus' question with reasons why healing is impossible. We look at a crowd that gets fed and comes back the next day looking for more bread, not more of Jesus. And we look at Peter, who stays when everyone else walks away, because "you have the words of eternal life." Along the way: why archaeology backed up a detail in John's Gospel skeptics doubted for years, why grace tends to collide with our religious rule-keeping, and a gut-check from C.S. Lewis about how easily we settle for less than we're offered. In this episode: The healing at the Bethesda pool and the question, "Do you want to get well?"Why the religious leaders missed the miracle and only saw a broken ruleThe feeding of the 5,000 and its ties back to the manna in ExodusJesus' hard teaching about eating his flesh and drinking his blood—and why people left over itPeter's answer: "Lord, to whom shall we go?"The real question: do you want what Jesus gives, or do you want Jesus?Scripture: John 5:1–15, John 6:1–15, 25–69 Quoted: C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

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The Acts 13 Network

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