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https://youtu.be/q9bs_jArVQ0?si=1R8u6nN7BVUDCw-mWelcome to week 4 of 30 Days of Purpose.

And today is Pentecost Sunday.

Pentecost Sunday

• 50 days after Crucifixion/Passover
• Acts 2 – The Holy Spirit is poured out
• Power for world-wide witness

The Spirit came with power.

But the power was not random, or goosebump feels.

In Acts 1 the resurrected Jesus makes His followers a promise.

• Jesus has defeated death.
• Jesus has risen from the grave.
• Jesus is preparing His followers for what comes next.

And He says in Acts 1:8:

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…”

Power for what?

• To be witnesses.
• Power for mission.
• Power for purpose.

The resurrected Jesus promises power, but He also gives purpose.

And that matters because sometimes we ask God for more power, but we have not discovered or surrendered to His purpose.

We want God to move.

We want Him to strengthen us.

We want Him to help us.

We want Him to open doors.

But if we are honest, we still let distractions lead.

That is not just a time management problem.

That is a purpose problem.

Stephen Covey popularized an idea called the Time Management Matrix.

It separates life into what is urgent and what is important.

Urgent means it demands attention now.

Important means it actually matters.

Notice…

• Important & Urgent
• Important but NOT Urgent
• Urgent but NOT Important
• NOT urgent & NOT Important

Here is what I want us to focus on.

A lot of the things that matter most are important, but they are not urgent.

Your kids are important, but they may not feel urgent until there is a crisis.

Your marriage is important, but it may not feel urgent until distance has already grown.

Your prayer life is important, but it may not feel urgent until your soul is running on empty.

Your health is important, but it may not feel urgent until your body starts breaking down.

Your purpose is important, but it may not feel urgent until you wake up one day wondering what your life has been about.

Important things rarely scream.
Urgent things always scream.

Your phone screams.

Drama screams.

Deadlines scream.

Notifications scream.

Other people’s expectations scream.

But God often whispers.

Your soul whispers.

Your family whispers.

Your body whispers.

Your calling whispers.

Your purpose whispers.

And if you only respond to what screams, you will miss what God is whispering.

And that is why I am calling today’s message:

Busy… but Not Building Anything.

There is a difference between having a full schedule and building a faithful life.

There is a difference between doing a lot and doing what matters.

There is a difference between being tired because you were faithful and being tired because you were distracted.

If you do not define what matters, urgency will define your life for you.

And God has a lot to say about this.
Let’s look at Nehemiah 6.

Nehemiah knew what mattered.
Nehemiah 6:1-4

Nehemiah was a Jewish man living far from Jerusalem, serving as cupbearer to the king of Persia.

That might sound like a nice royal job, but a cupbearer was basically a poison detector.

He tasted the king’s wine before the king drank it.

So Nehemiah did not start with a dream job.

He did not start in a perfect situation.

He was living under a foreign empire, working close to power, but still carrying a lot of pain.

One day, Nehemiah heard that Jerusalem was in trouble.

• The wall was broken down.
• The gates had been burned.
• The people were vulnerable.

And something broke inside him.

He cried.
He prayed.
He fasted.
He asked God for favor.

And eventually, God opened the door for him to go back and rebuild the wall.

But this was not just a wall.

It was restoration.
Protection.
Identity.

Purpose.

Nehemiah knew what mattered.

And if you have ever felt like God put purpose in you, but you can never find the time to build it, pay attention to Nehemiah.

In Nehemiah 6, the wall is almost finished.

No gaps are left.

Something terribly destructive happens… He gets a note from surrounding leaders who opposed the work send Nehemiah a message… Read these terrible words…

Nehemiah 6:2
“Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.”

Doesn’t seem terrible or destructive. Seems friendly and neighborly.

They request a meeting.

It sounds harmless.

Just a meeting.

Just a conversation.

Just come down for a minute.

Nehemiah says they were scheming to harm him. …but I don’t even want to focus on that… I want to point out this…

They wanted him to stop what was important and busy himself with something that was urgent but not important.

Do you see this? This is more destructive than you realize.

They invite him to Ono, and Nehemiah basically says:

“Oh no.”

I am not coming down.

When the urgent tries to steal the important we need to say Oh no.

When distraction tries to interrupt obedience Oh no.

When people pressure you into something God did not assign you… Oh no.

Here is how Nehemiah responded.

Nehemiah 6:3
“I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.”

Nehemiah knew what mattered.

He knew what he was building.

He knew the work would stop if he came down.

So he refused.

Not every invitation is an assignment.

Not every opportunity is your opportunity.

Not every urgent request deserves your yes.

Not every good thing is a God thing.

When you know what matters, you can recognize distraction.

I am doing something important!
And I can’t meet with you at this time.

Nehemiah 6:4
“Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.”

How many times? Four times.

The distraction came back.
The pressure came back.
The invitation came back.

Important work is not just about one big decision.

Important work is about repeated obedience.

Distraction is repetitive, so obedience must become repetitive.

The habit was not just building the wall.

The habit was also refusing to be distracted.

The apostle Paul says like this in Ephesians 5:

Ephesians 5:15-16
“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Be careful how you live.

Your time matters.

Your attention matters.

Your yes matters.

Your no matters.

Your wall matters.

So let’s make this practical.

What is your wall?

Nehemiah had a wall. What is yours?

What is the good work God has put in front of you in this season?

Not your whole life.

Not ten years from now.

This season.

What matters right now?

Your walk with Jesus?
Your family?
Your marriage?
Your kids?
Your health?
Your calling?
Your recovery?

Your serving?
Your peace?
Your obedience?

Call to Action: Don’t Let Urgent Steal Important

Today, I want you to take three steps.

If you do not name what matters, urgency will name it for you.

1. Write it.
I’m building ______, so I will not come down for ______.

Pray over that answer.

Do not just write something down. Ask God, “Is this what You are calling me to build?”

Then keep it somewhere you will see it.

Put it on your mirror.
Put it in your Bible.
Put it on your dashboard.
Remind yourself of your purpose.

2. Start a conversation about your calling. (fill out a Connection Card)

Use your connection card to start a conversation.

Give us your prayer request.
Learn more about your next step.

Turn that card in today.

3. Come pray.

Prayer is important.

But a lot of us only pray when it becomes urgent.

Today, make prayer important before life makes it urgent.

If you need God to show you what matters, come pray.

If urgency has been running your life, come pray.

If you know what matters but need strength to stay faithful, come pray.

We have people ready to pray with you.

The resurrected Jesus promised power for purpose.

Come pray and ask the Holy Spirit for power to build what matters.

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30 Days of Purpose – Make Every Day Matter

There’s a quote often attributed to Mark Twain that says:

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you discover why.

I’ve thought about that a lot as a pastor.

Some of the hardest phone calls I take are from people who need something.

They need rent money.
They need a bill paid.
They need help with a crisis.
They need a relationship fixed.
They need a door to open.

And I want to help. I have helped.

But one painful thing I’ve seen over and over is this:

Often they get the thing they asked for… but they are still empty.

We don’t just need something to get through the week. We need a reason to live.

The money helped, but it did not heal them.
The object solved a problem, but it did not give them purpose.
The relationship brought comfort for a moment, but it did not become a reason to live.

Are You Running on Empty or Filled for a Purpose?
Welcome-
3rd week of our series 30 Days of Purpose.

I have a counterintuitive thought for us today.

Meaning grows when your life flows outward.

We assume more money, more comfort, more entertainment, more attention, and more convenience would make us more alive.

But we are one of the most comfortable, entertained, wealthy cultures in human history… and we are still falling apart.

Anxiety is rising.
Depression is rising.
Loneliness is rising.
Meaninglessness is rising.

More comfort does not always mean more peace.
More entertainment does not always mean more joy.
More connection online does not always mean more belonging in real life.

Maybe the problem is not that we lack more.

Maybe the problem is that too much of life only flows inward.

Instead of giving you more statistics and studies for a minute… let me show you one of the most fascinating geographical places on earth.

It’s a place where almost nothing lives.

No fish.

No plant life.

Almost nothing survives there.

And what’s strange is…

it’s not small.

It’s not dry.

Water constantly flows into it.

It is called the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea only flows in. Nothing flows out.

The Jordan River flows into the Dead Sea… but nothing flows out.

The Dead Sea sits over 1,400 feet below sea level, making it one of the lowest land formations on earth.

Water flows in continually… but because it has no outlet, the water evaporates and leaves massive amounts of salt behind.

The salt concentration becomes so extreme that almost nothing can survive there.

That is why it is called the Dead Sea.

It receives… but it never releases.

There is a lesson here:

What only flows inward eventually becomes lifeless.

If life becomes consume, comfort me, entertain me, protect me, serve me, and bless me, eventually something starts dying inside of us.

And honestly, church can become that too.

If church becomes consume, comfort me, entertain me, protect me, serve me, and bless me, eventually something starts dying inside of us.

Nothing that God created to live and flourish can survive

We were created to let life flow outward.

This is exactly what Jesus taught us.

John 7:37-38
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Jesus does not give us a pond, pool, or puddle.
He gives rivers.

Jesus fills you with life, so life can flow through you.

He does not fill us so we can become spiritual Dead Seas.
Mark 10:45:
“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…”

Jesus did not come to be served… We see Jesus serve others constantly.

Followers of Jesus hear me… we are not here to be served, but to serve.

The fullest life ever lived was a poured-out life.

Jesus healed.
Jesus served.
Jesus fed the hungry.
Jesus protected the abused.
Jesus washed feet.
Jesus carried the cross.

Jesus poured Himself out for us.
Every day of his life his life was poured out for others.
On the cross water & blood poured from his side.

The life of Jesus is known today because he poured himself out for others.
Not known for looks, riches, family name…

Meaning grows when your life flows outward.

What does this mean for you?
Even if you are not known for your looks…
Even if you are not known for trophies…
Even if you are not known for fancy riches…
You can be known and meaningful because you are refusing to just receive but to release.

Let the life of Jesus flow!

Where does your life need to flow outward?

• Start small. Serve someone.

Everybody can do this.

Encourage someone.
Pray for someone.
Help someone.
Show up for someone.

• Start bigger. Start something.

Maybe God is calling you to do more than one moment of kindness.

Maybe there is something in your heart that needs to begin.

A small study.
A prayer group.
A ministry idea.
A community outreach.
A way to help people.
A place where lonely people belong.

Don’t wait until you feel fully ready.

Purpose often starts small, but it has a habit of growing when you start flowing.

• Start huge. Lead something that outlives you.

This is where purpose gets powerful.

Not just:
“What can I accomplish?”

But:
“What can continue blessing people after me?”

Lead a ministry.

Disciple people.

Build something meaningful.

Raise up others.

Invest in kids.

Develop leaders.

Create something that keeps flowing long after you are gone.

That’s living water.

That’s purpose.
Jesus has FILLED you for a purpose, but you must let that purpose FLOW.

And let’s be honest about what Jesus is talking about here.

When Jesus said: “Rivers of living water will flow from within them…”

He was talking about the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of God living in people.
The Spirit of God flowing through people.

Some people have had an experience with God… but nothing has flowed in years.

Some people believe in Jesus… but they are spiritually stagnant.

Jesus did not say: “Barely survive spiritually.”

He said rivers.
Flow.
Movement.
Life.
Power.

We do not just need the Spirit around us.
We need the Spirit flowing through us.

Spirit Flow… into our homes.
…into our prayers.
…into our serving.
…into our conversations.
…into our leadership.
…through our church.

We want to be a church full of the Spirit of God and flowing with the Spirit of God.

So let’s be that kind of Church.
Let’s be those kind of Christians.

Come Grow, Come Flow

Step 1 – Repent & refuse the world’s pattern

Repent of the Dead Sea way of life.
Repent of living only to consume.

More for me.
More comfort.
More entertainment.
More attention.
More control.

Repent of that and ask Jesus to help you flow.

Step 2 – Make a commitment

Start small. Serve someone.
Start bigger. Start something.
Start huge. Lead something that outlives you.

Make a commitment to starting something.

Step 3 – Take a faith-filled step

Maybe you really need prayer?
Maybe you need to come and receive

Maybe you need to fill out a connection card with your prayer need and next steps.

Maybe you need to ask God to fill you with His Spirit and surrender yourself to worship.

And maybe for some of you… this may be your first real step toward Jesus.

Your first faith-filled moment.

Jesus is still inviting thirsty people to come and drink.

So don’t stay stagnant. Come.

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Welcome to Week 2 of 30 Days of Purpose.

Last week: Why am I even here? Made on purpose, for God’s purpose.

Today is Mother’s Day, and we are talking about a pressure that hits all of us.

When You Feel Like You’re Not Enough

Personal pressure: pastor, husband, dad, leader, counselor, problem solver, encourager, planner, fixer.

Sometimes I can do a lot…and still think: “I don’t know if I’m enough.”

Not because I do not care.
Not because I am not trying.
But because the needs are bigger than me.

Mother’s Day can bring that feeling right to the surface.

Mother’s Day can be beautiful and complicated

For some, today is joyful.

For some, today is painful.

Some are celebrating their mother.

Some are missing their mother.

Some are grieving a relationship that was never what it should have been.

Some are waiting, wanting, or praying to become a mother.

Some are exhausted from invisible work nobody sees.

Some are comparing themselves to another woman, another family, another home, another version of life.

Culture often responds with a phrase that sounds encouraging: “I am enough.”

I am Enough

“I am enough” is not just a phrase anymore. It is an industry.

Buy it – shirt, mug, bracelet, sticker,
…probably a throw pillow, and maybe even a scented candle.

I understand why people like it.
It can help people push back against shame, comparison, and criticism.

“I am enough” sounds encouraging, but it can become exhausting

Eventually life will hand you a moment where the mug is lying.

You are not enough for every situation.

… to fix every person.

…to meet every need.

…to carry every burden.

…to save yourself.

You are not enough to be God.

And that is not shame. That is grace.

The Bible does not say, “You are enough for everything.”

The Bible says, “God’s grace is sufficient for you.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

The Bible does not say, “You are the whole body.”

The Bible says, “You are a part of the body.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)

The Bible does not say, “You are the source of light.”

Jesus says, “You are the light of the world,” because your light comes from Him. (Matthew 5:14)

The Bible teaches this…

Jesus is enough. His grace supplies what I lack.

That is freedom.

I do not have to be everything. I do not have to fix everything.
I do not have to carry everything. I do not have to be God.

I just need to be faithful with what God gave me.

Scripture Gives Us Something Better

1. You Are Not the Whole Body, but a designed part

1 Corinthians 12 – Paul talks about a Boby.
Your 1 body has many parts. It takes a lot of parts to make up 1 body.

Paul uses this to talk about the Body of Christ – the Church.
The Church is made up of a lot of parts.

1 Corinthians 12:12&14

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Paul is saying…

You are not the whole body. You are a part. (1 Corinthians 12)

That is not an insult. That is freedom.

Paul does not say, “You are the whole body of Christ.” He says, “You are a part.”

You are not called to be everything.

You are called to be faithful with the part God gave you.

A mom is not called to be God.

A dad is not called to be God.

A pastor is not called to be God.

A leader is not called to be God.

A friend is not called to be God.

Needed? Yes.
Gifted? Yes.
Valuable? Yes.
Everything? No. And that is grace.

God placed the parts just as He wanted them

Your part is not random.

Your gift is not an accident.

Your role is not a social construct.

Your personality is not a product of evolution.
It is all created by God… created in you.

Your ability to encourage, organize, serve, pray, lead, help, teach, create, give, comfort, or notice what others miss is not random.

It is PURPOSE!

Purpose begins when you stop trying to be every part and start being faithful with your part.

Scripture Gives Us Something Better

1. You Are Not the Whole Body, but a designed part

2. Jesus Calls You Light

Is Jesus the light of the world? Yes – John 8:12
Are you the light of the world… tempted to say no… But Jesus says yes!

Matthew 5:14-1614 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Notice what Jesus does not say:

You are the light when your house is clean.

You are the light when your kids are perfect.

You are the light when your emotions are stable.

You are the light when your calendar is under control.

You are the light when you finally have it all together.

He says: You are the light of the world.

Light has one job.
Light just has to shine.

Light does not have to be loud.

Light does not have to be impressive.

Light does not have to be what others desire.

Light just has to shine.

Your light shines through good deeds, not to glorify you, but so people glorify your Father in heaven.

We shine in different ways…

Serving, forgiving, creating, listening, encouragement…
Hospitality, raising children with love, helping, giving…
Staying faithful when it feels no one notices.

You do not have to be everything. But you do have to shine.

God’s design is for you to shine. 3 Steps

1. Name the Script

What “not enough” script have you been believing?

I am not a good enough mom.

I am not spiritual enough.

I am not successful enough.

I am not organized enough.

I am not strong enough.

I am not doing enough.

Name it, because a lie you never name gets to keep talking.

Replace it with truth: I do not have to be enough for everything.
Jesus is enough. His grace supplies what I lack.

2. Find Your Part

You have a part to play!

What has God actually given me?

What do people come to me for?

What do I notice that others miss?

How do I naturally help people?

Where do I bring life?

What gift has God placed in me?

And help others find their part!
Your family plays a part… does your family know this?

Family Purpose Conversation

1. What is one thing God has made each of us good at?
2. Who around us needs encouragement, help, prayer, or kindness?
3. What is one thing our family can do this week to shine?

This week, have a family purpose conversation.
We printed slips with these three questions. Grab one on the way out.

“What is one thing God has made each of us good at?

Who around us needs encouragement, help, prayer, or kindness?

What is one thing our family can do this week to shine?”

3. Shine This Week

Encourage one person.

Pray for one person.

Serve one person.

Invite one person.

Help one person.

Tell someone about Jesus.

Use one gift on purpose.

This week, do not try to be everything.
Just be faithful with what God gave you.

This body needs you. This world needs you.

You are a part of the body of Christ. We need you.
We don’t require you to do everything… we just need you to be you.

You are the light of the world. This world needs you to shine.
Wherever you go – you are needed!

What if we accepted the call of Jesus to walk in purpose?

What if we stopped comparing gifts and start celebrating them.

What if mom’s were not crushed under impossible expectations.

Imagine a church where women are honored, men are faithful, children are loved, singles are seen, seniors are valued, and families live on purpose.

Lord let us be a place where every person knows they have a purpose.

Not everyone has the same gift, role, or story, but everyone matters.

The body needs you. The world needs your light. God is glorified when you faithfully shine where He placed you.

You are not enough… and that is ok
Jesus is Enough

One of the best ways to recognize this is communion.

Deacons come – they bring the elements we need to take communion together.

All are welcome to take communion with us.
Raise your hand if you are needing the elements.

The gospel is not: I am enough.

The gospel is: Jesus is enough. His grace supplies what I lack.

Communion is where we stop pretending to be enough.

We do not come to Jesus saying, “Look how strong I am.”

We come saying, “Jesus, I need You.”

His body was given for us.
His blood was shed for us.
His grace supplies what we lack.

On the night Jesus was betrayed, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and said:

This is my body, given for you.

The body of Jesus was enough for our brokenness. Take and eat.

In the same way, after supper He took the cup and said:

This cup is the new covenant in my blood.

The blood of Jesus was enough for our forgiveness. Take and drink.

Jesus, thank You that we do not have to save ourselves.

Thank You that Your body was given and Your blood was shed.

Thank You that Your grace is enough for tired people, hurting people, striving people, and people who feel like they are not enough. Amen.

Communion reminds us: We are not enough to save ourselves, but Jesus paid it all.

Not some of it. Not most of it. Not only the part we could not handle. Jesus paid it all.

As we sing, this space is open for you.

If you need prayer today, come.

If you are tired from trying to be enough, come.

If you are ready to surrender your life to Jesus, come.

I am not enough. Jesus is enough. His grace supplies what I lack.

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https://youtu.be/-VkPX-_N9V0?si=_CUPOAwJg7AmJANK* NEW SERIES – Simple theme – Make Every Day Matter. * Stop living on autopilot. Start living with purpose.

Series Outline

• May 10 Mother’s Day: When You Feel Like You’re Not Enough
• May 17 Running on Empty – Filled for a Purpose – serving from God’s strength.
• May 24 Busy… but Not Building Anything – Jesus teaches us how to build a life that lasts.
• May 31 The Cost of Coasting – Grow Up. Go Out. – purpose moves outward into mission.

30 Day Purpose Plan

• We need a plan! Scan to download.
• One simple step each day: Scripture, thought, action step, prayer.
• Three minutes a day.
• This series is not just something to hear. It is something to live.

I have reached the end of my day and thought:

I was busy all day, but what did I actually live for?

• I got things done:
  • Answered messages
  • Handled problems
  • Made decisions
  • Showed up
  • Checked things off the list
• But underneath:
  • Is this it?
  • Is this what my life is supposed to be?
• Shows up:
  • Driving home tired
  • Scrolling and losing another hour
  • Full calendar, empty heart
  • Life looks fine outside, but inside you are not ok.
• This series – not just busyness… stress… bad habits…
  We are going after the deeper question:

Why Am I Even Here? – Made for More

We know this question.

• Wake up behind. Move through day reacting:
  • Phone rings
  • Text comes in
  • Meeting gets added
  • Bill is due
  • Kid needs help
  • Deadline moves closer
  • Schedule changes
  • Problem cannot wait

How we describe this…
“I’m just putting out fires.”

• Some fires have to be put out.
• If all we ever do is put out fires, we never build anything that lasts.
• If all we do is survive the week, we never ask:
  • What kind of life am I actually building?
• Most of us are not rebellious.
• We are not shaking our fist at God.
• We are busy, tired, distracted, and unsure how to get from the life we have to the life we were made for.

This Is a Widespread Problem

• 57% of Americans wonder at least monthly, “How can I find more meaning and purpose in my life?” More than 1 in 5 wonder that every day. (Lifeway Research)
• 89% of employees want purpose in their lives, but only 18% feel like work gives them the purpose they are looking for. (McKinsey)
• Only 59.2% of U.S. adults expected high-quality lives five years from now, the lowest level Gallup has measured in nearly two decades.
• CDC reports depression rose from 8.2% to 13.1% over about a 10-year span. Among adolescents ages 12-19, the rate was 19.2%.
• We are so focused on Achievement.
• Achievement is not bad. But achievement is not the same thing as purpose.
• Adults chasing achievement and unsure the future will be good.
• Young people looking at the same race and wondering if it is worth running.
• Maybe the problem is not that we need to achieve more.
• Maybe we have been chasing achievement without purpose.
• Deeper question: not “How do I get more done?” but “Why am I even here?”

Why Am I Even Here? – Made for More

• That is why I named today’s message Why Am I Even Here?
• But the answer is: You were made for more.
• If we want to know why something exists, ask the One who made it.

Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

• This verse answers: What was I made for?

God’s Purpose Timeline

Present tense – “You are God’s Handiwork

• Right now.
• Before you prove, perform, or produce.
• You are crafted by God.
• You are given – Giftings, strengths, personality, compassion, creativity, wisdom, encouragement, resilience, influence.
• God designed you!
• Everyone is a 10 at something.
  • FIND THAT THING – It is your purpose.
  • God put that thing in you.
• Past tense: Created in Christ Jesus.
  • Not self-improvement.
  • Not try harder.
  • New creation.
• Already done. It is finished.
  • God has already restored your purpose.
• Future: Good works prepared in advance.
  • God created you and has designed your future.
• Before God created you, He created good work for you to do.
• Purpose is not:
  • What do I want to do?
  • What will I decide to do?
• Purpose is:
  • What did God create me to do?
• Purpose is not invented. Purpose is discovered.
• When what God placed in you meets what God prepared for you, purpose comes alive.
• Past, present, future. 360-degree purpose in every direction.
• We should know what Jesus says about purpose.

Matthew 6:33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

• Matthew 6: Jesus talks about worry, food, drink, clothes, tomorrow.
• Stuff we chase, stress over, and think will secure us.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

• Kingdom is not empty religion:
  • Not denominationalism
  • Not rule-keeping
  • Not sitting in a church building Trying to keep all the religious rules

The kingdom is God’s reign in real life.

• God’s will and purpose as ruling the force in you:
  • Love
  • Hope
  • Peace
  • Plan
  • Purpose
• When forgiveness beats bitterness – that is kingdom.
• When generosity beats greed – that is kingdom.
• When service beats selfishness – that is kingdom.
• When obedience beats excuses – that is kingdom.
• When love beats fear – that is kingdom.
• When you fulfill what God made you to do – that is kingdom.
• Seek first. Not leftovers. First.
• All these things will be given.
  • Not earned.
  • Given.
  • Grace.
• World: Achieve first, then maybe you matter.
• Jesus: Seek first the kingdom, and let God take care of the rest.
• Jar, big rocks, small rocks.
• Small rocks first – big rocks do not fit.
• Big rocks first – small rocks settle around them.
• That is Matthew 6:33. Seek first.
• Big rock – Purpose
  • Faith
  • Parenting
  • Marriage
  • Health
  • Calling
  • Career aligned with purpose
• Small stones crowd out the big rocks:
  • Achievement chasing
  • Distractions
  • Errands
  • Notifications
  • Noise
  • Pressure
  • Small demands
• Decide what the big rocks are.
• Place purposeful things first.

So what do you do with this?

3 Steps Toward Purpose

1. Realize you have a purpose

2. We dismiss ourselves too quickly:

   • Not talented enough…
   • Not spiritual
   • Not experienced
   • Not outgoing
   • Too old
   • Too young
   • Too many mistakes
   • Do not know enough

Ephesians 2:10 does not say you are God’s handiwork if you feel impressive.

• It says YOU ARE God’s handiwork.
• Stop dismissing what God designed.
• You were not created to do someone else’s good works.
• Everyone is a 10 at something.

• Find that thing and use it for God.

• Notice your design

• Culture: You can be anything. You can achieve anything.

• Love the confidence, but not completely true.
• You were designed to be something specific and unique.
• LeBron: obvious basketball giftings – height, strength, coordination, durability.
• He could be anything he wants… not true!
• World champion horse jockey? That would be ignoring his design.
• Sometimes we ignore what God placed in us because we chase what looks impressive in someone else.

Ask better questions.

• Want to find your purpose… as these questions.
• What comes naturally to me that helps others?
• What breaks my heart or moves me?
• What do people come to me for?
• What gives me joy when I do it?
• ?? Encourager, hospitable, organized, creative, good with kids, good with people, compassionate toward hurting people – that can be purpose.

• Purpose is using what God placed in you to bless who God placed around you.

• Prioritize your purpose

• Purpose cannot stay a nice idea.

• It has to become first priority.
• Jesus said, Seek first.
• Not leftovers, someday, or after everything else.

DO NOT JUST PRIORITIZE GETTING THINGS DONE – PRIORITIZE YOUR SPECIFIC PURPOSE

• Church:
  • We need things done.
  • We do not want to plug you into a hole because something needs doing.
  • We want to help you find what God created you to do.

Find Jesus. Follow Purpose. Go Change the World.

• You may work in an office to pay bills. That matters.
• But where are you finding and fulfilling your purpose?
• Life is easier, more enjoyable, and more fruitful when operating in strengths.
• Easier because you are no longer fighting your design.

• Tools can help:

  • StrengthsFinder
  • Personality assessments
  • Spiritual gift assessments
  • Prayer
  • Conversation
  • Serving
  • Paying attention to joy
  • People who know you

• Prioritize your purpose

• Prioritize it. Make space. Talk about it. Pray about it. Try something. Take the next step.

Imagine if we lived on purpose.

• Imagine if we were not the 57% wondering every month how to find meaning and purpose.
• Imagine if we could say:
  • I know God made me.
  • I know God placed gifts in me.
  • I know God has good work for me to do.
• Imagine if we stopped chasing disappointing achievements and started walking in God-designed purpose.
• Imagine if families asked: What did God put in us, and how can we use it?
• Imagine if work became a place to carry kingdom purpose, not just pay bills.
• Church stops being something we attend. It becomes something God does through us.

LIVE ON PURPOSE

1. Pray

2. God, show me what You placed in me.

3. What good works have You prepared?

4. Where do You want me to take one step?

5. Start the 30-Day Purpose Plan

6. Scan QR code.

7. Download.
8. Start today.
9. Scripture, thought, action step, prayer.
10. Three minutes a day.

11. Space for what matters.

12. Start a Purpose Conversation

13. Connection card: Purpose conversation.

14. Online: leave a comment – Purpose conversation.
15. We will follow up, pray with you, dream with you, and help you take a next step.

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Welcome

I’ve had seasons where I worked really hard and felt like I had very little to show for it.

When Effort Stops Producing

• Did the right things
• Stayed consistent
• Kept showing up
• Kept trying
• Believed it would matter

Then… nothing

No breakthrough
No momentum
No return

That did something in me

• Stopped expecting
• Stopped believing
• Stopped reaching

I was tempted to quit… but didn’t quit

But I did… Level off. Give less. Believe less

That’s stagnation

Stagnation =

• Work without growth
• Effort without fruit
• Motion without movement

We know all about this, right?

We can get stagnant anywhere

• Career
• Relationships
• Health
• Spiritual

Stuck Stats & Silent Drift

• The American Psychological Association reports that over half of adults feel emotionally disconnected.

Doing life
Not feeling alive

• Gallup reports only about 3 out of 10 people feel engaged in their work.

The strong majority are just going through the motions.

We should change right… Change is hard!

Change Is Hard

• It takes about 66 days to build a new habit.

That means real change… takes longer than we feel like sticking with it.
We try.
We don’t see results.
We stop and drift right back to what’s familiar.

Stagnation =

• Work without growth
• Effort without fruit
• Motion without movement

Are you stagnant in an area of life?

Are we wasting out time at Church…?
Or does Jesus have something to stay for all of us who are stuck?

John 21 gives shows us.

And it is important, because Jesus does not meet the disciples at their best.

He meets them…

• In an empty night.
• In a familiar routine.
• In a moment of stagnation.

Here is the story.

THE MOST AMAZING THING JUST HAPPENED!

JESUS IS ALIVE

…but the disciples are not preaching.

Even though they had seen Jesus and spoken with him multiple times.

The disciples are fishing.

Back to what they know.
Back to what’s familiar.
Back to routine.

Because when we don’t know what to do next…
we go back to what feels normal.

That’s stagnation.

It pulls us into the familiar.

So here they are—
after resurrection, after hope, after everything Jesus has done—

in a boat,
working hard,
getting nowhere.

And that’s exactly where Jesus meets them.

John 21:3
“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

See that last line? That’s stagnation.

Working hard.
Getting nowhere.

Effort… No fruit.

Motion… No movement.

Doing something… But not progressing.

That is where a lot of us live.

We’re busy.
We’re tired.
We’re active.

But we’re not fruitful.

John 21:4
“Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.”

Jesus shows up in their empty night.

Jesus shows up in their frustration.

Jesus shows up when nothing is working.

They don’t even know it’s Him yet.

But He’s there.

That’s good news.

Because sometimes Jesus is closer than we realize.

John 21:5
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

No. Perhaps they mumbled.
But at least they were honest.

John 21:6

6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

These are professional fishermen…
Some guy on the shore suggests…

Kind of funny. Almost like… “I should have gotten out on the other side of the bed this morning.”

Same boat.
Same water.
Same nets.
Different side?

But one small shift… changed everything.

Nothing changed around them.

They do it.
They don’t argue.
They don’t analyze.
They move.

Can you do that?

They obey before they recognize Him.

The nets fill… too big to haul…

The miracle happens before they realize it’s Jesus.

Clarity didn’t come first. Obedience did.

We want to know first.

We want certainty.

“Jesus, prove it’s You… then I’ll move.”

But a lot of times—

Jesus says: “Move and then you’ll know it’s Me.”

John 21:7-8
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish

Peter doesn’t hesitate.

He doesn’t think it through.

He doesn’t stay in the boat.

He jumps and heads toward Jesus.

Which is not normal.

Fishermen don’t do that.

-Stay with the boat.
-Secure the catch.

But Peter?

He leaves the fish.
He leaves the nets.
He leaves the miracle.

Knowing it’s Jesus, matters more than what Jesus just did.

The miracle was big. But Jesus was better.

We get that backwards. We chase what God can do… and we miss God Himself.

You’ve been praying for a job..
Knowing it is Jesus… more important..

Praying for a miracle…
Knowing it is Jesus… more important

Right now…you may not recognize Jesus in your life.

But this week— when you obey… there’s going to be a moment.

“That was Jesus.”

And when that happens— Don’t stay in the boat. Run toward Him.

Lean into it.
Act on it.
Tell somebody.

Call me.
Call someone in this church.

“Jesus just moved in my life.”

So what do we do? Real steps.

Break the Stagnation

1. Name where you stopped growing

Where did it level off?

Career
Health
Relationships
Faith

You can’t change what you won’t name.

2. Stop hiding in routine

Have I confused familiar with fruitful?

Just because I’m doing something doesn’t mean I’m growing.

3. Pick one act of obedience

Not ten things. One.

Read, Pray, Move, Call, Join

4. Act quickly

They didn’t overthink it.

They moved.

Delayed obedience keeps us stuck.
Action creates momentum.

5. Get comfortable being uncomfortable

Growth won’t feel natural at first.

The other side of the boat felt strange…

But that’s where the breakthrough was.

It may not be dramatic.

Just a different step.

One act of obedience can break stagnation.

Now think about what happens if we actually live like this.

• Career starts growing again
• Health starts improving
• Relationships get stronger
• Faith comes alive

We’re not stuck

We’re not coasting

We’re not just going through the motions

We’re moving

We’re growing

We’re becoming fruitful

And as a church—

We’re not just attending

We’re not just hearing

We’re responding… doing what God says.

We don’t get there by thinking about it

We get there by moving.

MAKE A MOVE

#1 Do something different today

Come receive prayer.

Don’t leave the same way.

#2 Take a step toward connection

Don’t grow alone.

#3 Commit to a Next Step
(Fill out the connect card)

You are one step of obedience from changing everything.

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Welcome

I have watched relationships die…

• Slow… Painful
• Not one big moment
• Just distance

-Texts get shorter
-Conversations get colder
-Connection fades
-Until finally – nothing.

Some relationships don’t explode – they slowly lose oxygen.

You can be in the same room and still feel miles apart.

Some of biggest regrets are dead relationships.

Am I the only one?

This is not a rare problem.

Uh Oh… We Have a Problem

• 4 in 10 marriages end in divorce.
• 6 in 10 second marriages don’t make it.
• Fewer people are getting married.
• 1 in 3 feel lonely.

If you have a relationship problem – YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

We don’t just have a divorce problem
We have a dead relationship problem

We don’t even try to fix relationships anymore…

We know how to block, mute, cut off, move on, unfriend, unfollow, snooze.
We don’t know how to repair.

When the Relationship Is Dead – How to Start Again

God cares about this subject.
Jesus shows us how to repair relationships in John 21.

Before we read – understand the moment.

• Third appearance after resurrection
• Jesus alive, but something still broken

Peter:

• Denied Jesus 3 times. Hides..
• Calling? No – Goes back to fishing

How will Jesus respond to the denier who went back?

Jesus shows up on the shore.

Not with a lecture
Not with anger
With breakfast

Fish on the fire
Bread ready
A seat waiting

Jesus creates space for a conversation

He’s not coming to cancel Peter
He’s coming to restore him

John 21:15-17
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

Curious conversation.
Jesus is repeating himself…
Peter is repeating himself…
What is even going on?

4 THINGS JESUS DOES TO RESURRECT A RELATIONSHIP

1. Jesus made the first move

• Peter goes back
• Jesus shows up

Before Peter moved toward Jesus.
Jesus had already moved toward Peter.

Jesus Breakfast – Fish, Bread, Fire
Effort

Dead relationships don’t come back by accident
Someone makes a move

Jesus tries again, and again, and again

2. Jesus chose conversation over conclusion

• Three times: “Do you love me?” “Work with me… feed my sheep.” “I still want you Peter.”

Not:

• You blew it
• We’re done
• You had your chance

Jesus keeps talking… reaching…

We tend to jump to conclusions
We assume
We shut the door
We end the story

We close the case
Jesus opens the conversation

3. Jesus meets Peter where he is

• Peter – No more big talk – overpromise
  “I’ll never leave you…”
• Just honesty

Remember the strange conversation…?

Love Is Often Lost in Translation

• agapaō = committed, sacrificial love
• phileō = relational, brotherly love

This explains the strange conversation.

John 21:15-17 (altered)
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you agapaō me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I phileō you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you agapaō me?”|
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I phileō you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you phileō me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you phileō me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I phileō you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

3. Jesus meets Peter where he is

Jesus agapaō – Peter phileō

These loves are not the same…
Peter could not meet the level of love that Jesus had…

These loves are not the same… but HONEST
Jesus will receive the honest love you can give… and grow you from there

None of our love measures up to Jesus… but can we give honest love…? Allow him to grow us.

4. Jesus restores purpose

“Feed my sheep”

Peter messed up
God’s purpose didn’t. Calling. Gifting.

Peter failed
but Peter wasn’t finished

Grace is not just “you’re forgiven”
Grace is “you still matter”

That is how Jesus treated Peter… where do we start?

START HERE

1. Make the first move

• Jesus made the first move, so can you.

Do we realize how important making the first move is?

Matthew 5:23–24 (NIV)
23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

Israelites would travel to Jerusalem…

Leave your gift
Go make it right
Then come back

Reconciliation matters so much
Jesus says pause worship to fix it

Don’t sing like everything is fine
while avoiding what needs to be faced

2. Start up the conversation

• Stop assuming
• Stop writing stories in your head

You’ve had arguments
with people who weren’t even there

We do EVERYTHING BUT have the conversation.

Maybe the most spiritual thing you do this week is start the conversation

Not to win
Not to prove
Not to control

To open the door

Replace your made up story with a actual conversation

3. Restore someone

• If Jesus restored Peter, we must restore people

Someone around you thinks their story is over

Call them!
Speak life
Offer grace
Point them forward

Don’t treat people like they’re finished

Imagine with me…

• A church that makes the first move
• A church that starts conversations
• A church that restores people
• A church that sees purpose
• A church that heals relationships

People aren’t disposable
so relationships shouldn’t be either

• Maybe your relationship with God feels dead
• You drifted
• You failed
• You went back

But Jesus still shows up
Jesus still starts the conversation
Jesus still makes room

This is the Good news for youJesus died for your sin
Jesus rose again
Your failure is not final

This is your day.

If you’ve never confessed faith in Jesus, this is your day
If you’re ready to be free from your past, this is your day
If you’re ready to walk with Jesus, this is your day
Call to Action

1. Step out and reach out

• Prayer
• Salvation
• Burden

Not just new believers
Anyone who needs help

Don’t hold back if God is calling you forward

2. Start the conversation

• This week
• Honestly
• Humbly

3. Take your next step

• Use the Connect Card

Prayer requests
Next step
Start a conversation with the church

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Welcome!

God has spoken to me in clear moments

• What always followed? Doubt

Doubt says:

• Did God really say that?
• What if you’re wrong?
• What if this doesn’t work?

Shows up in:

• College decisions
• Career
• Ministry
• Health
• Trusting God

I am calling this message:
When Doubt Won’t Shut Up

Because Doubt just does not quit… it:

• Paralyzes me
• Robs me of obedience
• Stalls progress
• Takes my peace

Doubt doesn’t just show up in church.
We know that doubt shows up in life.

We Have a Doubt Problem

• 52% of Americans have experienced doubt about their religious beliefs.
  (Barna – barna.com/research/doubt-faith)

Doubt is not rare. It is normal.

• 85% have low self-worth.

Sounds like -“Something is wrong with me.”

• 70% have impostor syndrome.

Sounds like “Eventually, they’re going to realize something is wrong with me.”

SELF-DOUBT is a major issue.

• Research shows that rumination, replaying negative thoughts over and over, is strongly tied to anxiety and depression.

In other words – Doubt does NOT just visit – Doubts stays, loops, and will not shut up.

The Top Causes for doubting Christianity

• Suffering – 23%
• Hypocrisy – 22%
• Evil/conflict – 19%

NOT:

• Bible translation questions.
• Textual inconsistency (Mark 16).
• Not intellectual.

INTELLECTUALS YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE.

If doubt were primarily intellectual, better arguments would solve it.

But that is not the issue.

The majority of doubt is NOT intellectual, but:

• Emotional
• Relational
• Experiential

Here is what I know…

You’ve got a doubt…

• It keeps coming back.
• You don’t have an answer.
• It’s slowing you down.
• For some… it’s paralyzing you.

It’s showing up in:

• Your faith.
• Your career.
• Your future.
• Your relationships.

“Will this ever work out?”
“Will I ever succeed?”
“Will I ever own a home?”
“Will I ever have a happy ending?”

You’re not stuck because you don’t care.
You’re stuck because doubt is interrupting your next step.

If you don’t deal with doubt…
doubt will decide your direction.

So… What does Jesus do with doubters?

Let’s turn to John 20

Read about “doubting” Thomas

To be fair… All the disciples had self-doubt at the crucifixion.

• Questioned themselves.
• Hid and denied.
• Not confident.

They had self-worth and impostor syndrome.

This all changes when Jesus appears in a locked room. “The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord!”

KEY DETAIL

John 20:24 (NIV)
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

Thomas missed the moment

John 20:25 (NIV)
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Others saw Jesus – not Thomas.

Doubt gets loud when:

• You feel left out.
• Others have the story.
• You missed your moment.

Thomas’ statement – “I need evidence”

Sounds:

• Logical
• Intellectual

Doubt disguises itself as intellect

But underneath:

• Afraid (emotional)
• Lost Jesus (relational)
• Trauma, betrayal (experiential)

How does Jesus respond to Thomas’ doubt?

John 20:26-27 (NIV)
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

• Jesus shows up again.
• Speaks directly.
• Meets him personally.

He doesn’t cancel him.
He doesn’t replace him.
He doesn’t shame him.

Jesus comes back for him and meets him…

• Relationally
• Experientially
• Emotionally

Did it make a difference?

John 20:28 (NIV)
Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

• Doubt → Worship
• Resistance → Surrender
• Doubt → Revelation

Jesus didn’t win an argument.
He restored a man.

THE TRUTH – The majority of doubt is NOT intellectual.

Doubt is more likely rooted in experience, than ideas.

What should you do with your doubt?

1 Unmask the doubt

Doubt = disguise

Looks like:

• Logic
• Reasoning

But underneath:

• Fear (emotion)
• Disappointment (experience)
• Hurt (relationship)

Theologically deep tv show…

Stop arguing with the mask
Start naming what’s underneath

Unmask the doubt.

2 Bring the real thing to Jesus

Thomas didn’t pretend – He was real.

Bring the real:

• I’m afraid.
• I’m disappointed.
• I don’t know if I can trust.
• I don’t know if I have what it takes.

The Result – the Real Jesus doesn’t just answer – He meets you

3 Take one step

Faith does not mean 100% certain.
Faith does not mean zero doubt.

Faith is deciding who leads.
Does fear lead… or does courage lead?

Let faith lead and take one step today:

• Pray again
• Trust again
• Show up again
• Try again

Thomas never got a full explanation
He got Jesus

What is your doubt?
What is it really?
What is under the mask?

-Is it fear?
-Disappointment?
-Something that didn’t work out?
-Something or someone you lost?
-Something you prayed for… and it didn’t happen?

What is under the mask of doubt?
Imagine if we didn’t let doubt lead?

If you stopped letting doubt lead your faith?

• You’d pray again.
• You’d trust God again.
• You’d actually believe He hears you.

If you stopped letting doubt lead your future?

• You’d take the step.
• You’d apply for the job.
• You’d pursue the calling.

If you stopped letting doubt lead your relationships?

• You’d open your heart again.
• You’d forgive.
• You’d stop assuming the worst.

What if the thing holding you back is not your ability…
Not your opportunity…
Not your future…

…but the voice you’ve been listening to?

Action – Unmask your Doubt

1. Come meet Jesus – Pray

• Doubt is loud
• Bring it forward
• Don’t carry it alone
• And if you’ve never met Jesus…
  • This could be your moment.

2. Be with Jesus – Don’t rush. Worship.

• Not a song
• Encounter Jesus
• Be honest

3. Take your next step – Fill out your Connect Card

• Not ready?
• Fill out connect card
• Ask for help
• Baptism / follow Jesus

View Details

https://youtu.be/nzWe9M6kW30?si=9W3WaEUmFv8eo6aCI was racing to the Emergency Room…

If you will allow me to be real and transparent, it felt over.

I thank God every day that my son was revived.

And I also know some families do not get that outcome.

I’m sharing this story because I know what it feels like… when it feels too late.

Welcome to Easter at Redemption Church. We are glad you are here.

You heard one of the darkest stories of my life. I know We all have dark stories.

Stories where it felt too late.

Your stories may be present…

• Groceries and gas are up. Paychecks are the same.
• Debt feels permanent.
• A lost job, or hours got cut. Unstable.
• Health is trending the wrong way
• Relationship disasters
• A cold marriage
• Anxiety is constant, and exhaustion is real.
• Regret is heavy, and self-forgiveness feels impossible.

It feels too late.

“Too late” starts deciding

Too late does not just describe how you feel. It starts deciding what you do.

You stop trying.
You stop asking for help.
You stop praying with expectation.
You stop believing anything can change.

And that’s the problem with too late – it sounds like a conclusion.
The end of the story…
“Game over man… game over…”

But Easter is not game over…
The resurrection shows us that Jesus does not do dead ends.

Let’s go to John 20 to learn about the 1st Easter.

John 20 says Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark.

She was not headed to Church service, but a tomb.
She was not rejoicing, but morning.

The first Easter morning – and nobody is expecting a miracle.

Nobody woke up thinking today is the day everything changes.
Nobody showed up with faith that, Jesus is about to rise.

It felt over. Mary was coming to visit a dead body.

Mary sees the stone rolled away.
“Praise the Lord Jesus is alive…” Nope

She sees the empty tomb.
“God is so faithful…” Nope

She even sees two angels sitting where Jesus had been laid.
“She cries ‘they stole Jesus’ body.”

John 20:11-13 (NIV)
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb
12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

NOTICE THIS…
Mary is experiencing the Resurrection Story but does even realize it… because “TOO LATE” was making her decisions.

Stone rolled away. Empty tomb. Two angels…

And she is still in grief. Still confused. Still assuming the worst.

The Easter story was not driven by strong faith.
It was driven by a strong Savior.

This is not a story where everybody believed perfectly and then Jesus rose.
Jesus rose while they were still doubting.

Still grieving, confused, assuming it was over.

So if your faith is shaky today, hear me clearly.
You are in the right place.

If you came in barely believing, you are in the same story.
If you came in worn out, skeptical, disappointed, or numb…

Because the resurrection does not start with their faith.
It starts with His power.

Back to John 20

14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

It is starting to get ridiculous.
She sees the resurrected Lord… still nothing.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

So Mary is looking at Jesus… and her best guess is landscaper.

The resurrection story had already begun.
Mary had a front row seat.
But she still thought it was over.

God could be moving.
Doors could be opening.
Hope could be closer than we think.

When “too late” has been making your decisions, you do not interpret life through resurrection.
You interpret everything through loss.

I have a question for us.

When does the resurrection start for Mary?

Evidence? No.
Stone rolled away. Tomb empty.

Supernatural? No.
Two angels.

Here is when the resurrection starts for Mary.

John 20:16 (NIV)
16 Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni (which means Teacher).

That’s the moment.

Not when the tomb is empty.
Not when the angels show up.
Not even when Jesus is standing right in front of her.

The resurrection becomes real for her when Jesus makes it personal.
When He says her name.

That is what I want people to hear today.

Resurrection is not just an event you hear about.
It is a Savior who knows you.
And calls you by name.

Happy Easter… but here is the truth.

You do not need another Easter sermon.
You do not need another song.
You do not need another religious gathering.

You need to hear His voice.
Hear His Voice

Because the resurrection did not become real to Mary when the tomb was empty.
It became real when Jesus called her name.

Practice 1: Make room
You cannot hear a voice you never make space for.
This week: Five minutes. One prayer: Jesus, I am listening. Then sit in silence.

Practice 2: Get specific
General prayers rarely touch specific pain.
This week: Name the one place that feels too late. Pray: Jesus, speak life here.

Practice 3: Hear Him with people
God often uses community to turn the volume up.
This week: Don’t carry this alone. Ask for prayer. Get with people. That’s how Jesus brings life back.

What if it is NOT TOO LATE?
This is what life looks like on the other side of too late.

People start hearing Jesus again.
-stop pretending they are fine.
-stop suffering in silence.
-start taking one step at a time toward life.

Homes start to change.
Anxiety does not get the steering wheel.
Debt is faced with wisdom and support.
Relationships get honest.
Faith comes back online.

Resurrection Life can start for you right now.

CALL TO ACTION – RESPOND TO HIS VOICE

Jesus is alive. Do you feel him reaching out to you? Here’s what we’re asking you to do.

1) COME FOR PRAYER

If you need prayer for anything – anxiety, grief, addiction, marriage, finances, health – come forward when we open the response moment.
Do not leave carrying it alone.

2) SAY YES TO JESUS

If today is your day to follow Jesus – for the first time, or for the first time in a long time – come forward and tell someone on our team. We want to pray with you and help you take the next step.

And maybe you are not ready to come forward…

3) TAKE A CLEAR NEXT STEP BEFORE YOU LEAVE

If you are not ready to come forward, use the connection card. Check one box before you leave:

• I want to follow Jesus
• I want to learn about baptism
• I need prayer
• I want a phone call

Turn it in today. We will follow up.

View Details

https://youtu.be/QCAHgH8llEI?si=LWFFQBXnrUmhGDCXWELCOME
Follow along with us!Happy Palm Sunday. (Hosanna)
We’re really glad you’re here…

• Palm Sunday
  • Jesus, Jerusalem, Donkey.
  • People shouted, “Hosanna.”
    OK TO SHOUT IN CHURCH!
• Celebration – Jesus is King!
• Collision – (crowd had plans for Jesus).
• Struggle: Sunday school vs Real world SS – beauty/heaven
  didn’t always learn disappointment.

Real: death/evil/devil/enemies

If you were handed a “pretty Jesus” and a “pretty life,” disappointment can feel like betrayal.

WHEN GOD DOESN’T DO IT THE WAY YOU WANTED

Aria
We had plans, faith, belief

Plans: home/family footprint, trips/holidays/ordinary days.

Faith assumption: “God is going to heal her.”

Prayed/believed/asked.

Outcome: brain tumor / she passed.

We had plans. We had belief. We had faith. Yet, it didn’t go how we wanted.

It doesn’t just break your heart.
It changes what hope feels like.

Our story isn’t the only story in the room.

When God doesn’t do it the way you wanted, you start concluding things.

• God doesn’t care.
• God forgot me.
• God helps other people, but not me.
  It’s probably me.
• I’m the problem.
• It’s probably that I’m a sinner.
• It’s probably that I’m not worthy.

Disappointment doesn’t just hurt – it redefines.

It redefines… God, yourself, future.

You had plans. You had belief. You had faith.
And it still didn’t turn out like you wanted it to.

How does God address this in His Word?
Let’s look at it together on this Palm Sunday.

PALM SUNDAY THROUGH THE LENS OF DISAPPOINTMENT

1) They wanted a King + they were desperate

I want to read part of Luke 19.

Luke 19:36-38 (NIV) As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road… the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices… ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’

They’re not confused about what they want. They want a King.

And they’re shouting “Hosanna.”

Hosanna is a pain word that means Save Us.

It means: “Save us. Help us. Rescue us.”

The tension: they didn’t just want Jesus to save them.
They wanted Him to save them their way.

2) They wanted saving their way.

• Under Rome: wanted overthrow, centurions cut down, Israel free, war + win.

They had plans… belief… faith.
They assumed Jesus would execute their plan.

3) Jesus defines the kind of King He is

How did Jesus arrive in this story? (Donkey)

Don’t overlook it!
Reveals Jesus… fulfills prophecy.

Zechariah 9:9 (NIV)
See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey,

Matthew 21:5 says Jesus came “gentle” riding on a donkey.

Jesus is making a statement before He ever preaches a sermon.

I am King.
But I’m not the kind of King you can control.

Do we want God’s will to be done?
Or do we want God to do our will?

…God control my life?
…God come under the control of my life?

4) Root problem vs visible problem

They want Rome out. VISIBLE PROBLEM.
Jesus is going to the root: sin, death, shame, and the powers underneath it all. ROOT PROBLEM.

Empires cycle: Babylon → Persia → Greece → Rome. Remove one, another comes.

Jesus came to break the cycle at the source.

But they had other plans.

5) Did Jesus not care?

We think this sometimes…

Luke 19:41 (NIV) As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it…

Jesus wept.

He isn’t cold. He isn’t detached.
He sees what is, and He sees what’s coming, and it moves Him.

And Jesus says something else in Scripture that shows His heart:

Matthew 23:37 (NIV)
Jerusalem, Jerusalem… how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.

Jesus is saying…

“I wanted it different.”
“I longed for something else.”
“I had plans, belief, faith. Yet, it didn’t go how we wanted.”

6) Jesus knows disappointment.

Palm Sunday gives you a King with tears.
A Savior with compassion.
A God who understands.

What do we do with disappointment?

What do you do when God doesn’t do it the way you wanted?

Practice 1) Talk to God honestly (like Jesus did)

• Garden prayer – Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done”
• Can you trust God with that?

Jesus, here’s what I wanted.
Here’s what happened.
Here’s what I’m afraid to hope for again.
Help me trust You anyway.

Don’t edit your prayer. Bring the real thing.

The real hurt and disappointment…

Practice 2) Ask Jesus to reframe the story (before you finalize the conclusion)

• Name the default verdicts: I’m not worthy / I’m the problem / God is against me.
• Disappointment isn’t the whole story. Jesus, reframe my story.
• Aria reframe:
  • We wanted her home with us.
  • Weeping on a walk in the park… phone call…
  • “God wanted her home too – and God brought her home.”

That doesn’t erase grief.
It changes the shape of the story.

• Practice this prayer:
  • “Jesus, show me what You see.”

Practice 3) Bring it into the light (don’t do disappointment alone)

• Silence feels strong, but it usually isn’t healing.
• TALK TO SOMEONE! trusted friend, pastor, small group, counselor.

Resource: Patricia Muller podcast “Life Interrupted.”

Grief grows in isolation.
Hope grows in community.

Imagine the kind of church we could become if we lived this.

• A place where disappointed people don’t have to fake it.
• Where grief isn’t treated like weakness.
• Where questions aren’t treated like rebellion.
• Where we carry hope for each other until we can carry it again.
• A church where “Hosanna” isn’t just a word we sing.
  It’s a cry we can bring.

It is ok to cry out… Jesus save me.

Jesus save me…
…not how I want you to save me
…save me how YOU want to save me.

We had plans…belief…faith. And it still didn’t go how we wanted.

So here’s what we’re going to do – not later, not someday – right now.

I have 3 responses for you…

Respond to King Jesus. Respond to disappointment.

Worship team is coming back. We’re making a space for prayer.

Here is how to respond…

Step 1 – Talk to God honestly.

Jesus, here’s what I wanted.
Here’s what happened.
Here’s what I’m afraid to hope for again.
Help me trust You anyway.

Don’t edit… get real.

Step 2 – Don’t do it alone.

Pray.
Talk.
Counsel.

Step 3 – Invite one person to Easter and pray for them.

Name the person… Pray for them.

MAKE THE DECISION – invite them.

View Details

https://youtu.be/nSKmrRFOKNk?si=nr-Lo8SnBetwgZRIKey Scriptures: John 15:1-8, Mark 1:35-39
Big Idea: Burn bright comes from abiding, not grinding..

Welcome back to Redemption Church in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am glad to spend time with everyone in the room and everyone onlone.

We are in the final week of our series called Well Spent.

Every day we are spending something.

We spend
our money
our time
our energy

Today we are talking about how we spend our energy. The name of this message is Do Not Burn Out, Burn Bright.

I try to get things done.

I want to succeed.
I want to do what’s right.
I want to stay positive.
I want to get better, do better, keep moving forward.

And when I don’t accomplish it… you know what I do?

I work harder. WORK HARDER

That’s what we’re taught.

Pull yourself up by your bootstraps.
Work hard. Push through. Don’t quit.

We teach it to our kids.
We celebrate it in our culture.

And there is value in hard work.

But I’ve had seasons…
where I worked harder…
and ended up hurting.

Not succeeding.
Not thriving.
Just exhausted.

Because working harder is not always the answer.

Sometimes… you don’t need more effort.

You need a different source.

And this isn’t just me.

This is all of us.

We’re trying to keep up.
Trying to stay ahead.
Trying to hold everything together.

And we’re running out of energy.

We are living without margin.

We fill every hour.
Answer every notification.
Say yes to everything.

And then we wonder why we feel empty.

Burnout Burden Stats

• 77% of people say they have experienced burnout at their current job
• 57% say they feel burned out often or always
  (https://www.gallup.com/workplace/237059/burnout-symptoms-causes-cures.aspx)

That means most people around you are carrying this right now.

And it’s hitting the next generation even harder:

• Nearly 50% of Gen Z says they feel burned out frequently
  (https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/gen-z-mental-health-the-impact-of-tech-and-social-media)

And it’s not just about being tired.

• Burnout is linked to anxiety, depression, and physical health issues
  (https://www.apa.org/topics/healthy-workplaces/work-stress)

You don’t burn out because you’re weak.
You burn out because you’re overloaded and disconnected.

We’ve been taught: work harder.
Push more.
Do more.

But there’s a problem:

There’s not enough energy to always work harder.

God didn’t design you to live at 100% output with 0% connection.

If working harder could fix your soul…
you’d already be healed by now.

Jesus doesn’t offer you a better schedule.

He offers you a better source.

John 15:5 (NIV) “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you… …you will bear much fruit.”

Pause.

Because in burnout culture, we fill in that blank.

If you work harder…
If you do more…
If you push yourself…

Then you will bear much fruit.

But that’s not what Jesus said.

John 15:5 (NIV) “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

There are three things Jesus is teaching us here.

1) Fruit comes from connection, not pressure

Remain in me.

This is where the pressure of religion can get it wrong.

You can go to church… and still not connect with Jesus.

But Jesus says, apart from me… nothing.

Why do we worship?
So you can connect with Jesus.

Why do we preach about Jesus?
Because you need to connect with Him.

Why do we pray?
Because you need to connect with Jesus.

You need to connect with Jesus.

He’s the vine.
You’re the branches.

If a branch is cut off… it withers and dies.

Because the life is in the connection.

If you’re disconnected from Jesus…
you will burn out.

2) Jesus practiced withdrawal before He practiced power

This is a secret weapon. It is counter intuitive, but Jesus teaches us this.

Mark 1:35 (NIV) Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Very early… Jesus withdrew and prayed.
Jesus unplugged. He went somewhere solitary.

3) Jesus practiced withdrawal before He practiced power

Let me ask you:

Do you have that rhythm?

Or are you just running?

Running and running and running…

Do you ever pause before the next moment?

Do you ever bring Jesus into your day
before the day takes over?

Some of you don’t need to charge ahead.

You need to withdraw.

4) Staying connected is how you stay alive

Jesus didn’t say visit me.

He said remain in me.

Stay connected.

Not once a week.
Not occasionally.

Remain.

Because when you stay connected…

Life flows.
Strength flows.
Peace flows.

Disconnect… and you wither.

Let me ask you something.

You probably know your phone battery percentage right now.

You won’t let it hit empty without charging it.

But the truth is…

You probably don’t know the percentage of your soul.

And you let it run all the way down
before you even think about recharging.

Is your phone more important than your soul?

Here are three simple moves to recharge your soul.

Soul Recharge
1) Connect daily

You need to connect with Jesus daily.

Find a time. Build Him into your life.

And we want to help you with that.

We’ve got a 5-day challenge for you.

It’s going to be right here in the prayer space.

Grab one before you leave.

It will help you connect with Jesus every day this week.

2) Practice withdrawal

Stop charging ahead.

Pause.

Before the meeting.
Before the conversation.
Find a solitary space and pray.

“Here I am Jesus. It’s just you and me.”
“Jesus you are important and I will make time for you.”

3) Stay connected throughout your day

Not just a moment… a rhythm.

Talk to Him.

“Jesus, help me here.”
“Jesus, I’m with You.”

Remain.

And here’s what’s powerful…

These three things don’t just work with Jesus.

They work in every relationship.

You can connect daily with your spouse.
Withdraw and give someone your full attention.
Stay connected throughout your day.

This will strengthen every relationship in your life.

And if you’re here and you’re not sure about faith…

Try this.

Approach Jesus this way.

Connect. Pause. Stay aware.

See what happens.

From Burn Out to Burning Bright
CALL TO ACTION

Right now, here’s what we’re going to do.

#1 Take the 5-Day Challenge

Before you leave, go to the prayer space and grab one.
Online friends, we will share a link on our livestream – download it.

Don’t just hear this message.

Practice it this week.

#2 If you’re exhausted – recharge

Maybe what you need is rest.

As we worship…

Lift your hands.
Open your heart.

“Jesus, I want to be close to You.”

Just rest in His presence.

#3 If you’re disconnected – connect

Maybe what you need is connection.

You need someone to pray with you.

So make the move.

Come forward.
Let someone stand with you.

We’re going to worship right now.

And this is your moment.

Make the move.

View Details

https://youtu.be/1EtdSUGAS2A?si=9URmG_CtbSjug4HuSpeakers: Matt and Julie Hattabaugh
Scripture Focus: 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Timothy 1:7

Overview

This message is a powerful testimony of faith, healing, and transformation from Matt and Julie, who have served in Lebanon since 2018. Despite the significant ongoing conflict in the Middle East—including over 800 strikes in a single week and the displacement of a million people—the work of the Gospel is not only continuing but expanding. The core of the message encourages every believer to receive the Word of God as absolute truth and to act as a missionary in their own daily lives.

Key Takeaways

1. The Power of Receiving the Word

The sermon focuses extensively on 1 Thessalonians 2:13, emphasizing that we must receive God’s Word not as human words, but as divine truth.

• Action over Evidence: True faith involves believing and acting on God’s promises even when there is no visible evidence.
• The Example of Abraham: Just as Abraham carried God’s promise for 25 years before seeing it fulfilled, we are called to persistent, patient belief.

2. Rejecting the Spirit of Fear

In a region marked by violence, Matt describes fear as something that has no place in a believer’s life.

• A Sound Mind: By claiming 2 Timothy 1:7, believers can replace anxiety with a spirit of love, power, and a sound mind.
• Peace in the Storm: Like a passenger focused on their destination during a turbulent flight, we can remain calm by trusting in God’s ultimate plan.

3. Personal Evangelism is for Everyone

The mission field isn’t just in Lebanon; it is in your workplace, grocery store, and neighborhood.

• The Story of Ali: Matt shared how a simple, prompted invitation to a Starbucks cashier led to a life-changing conversion, proving that God’s power transcends cultural barriers.
• “Love, Grow, Serve, Go”: Every believer is called to be a “vessel” for God’s work, whether locally or internationally.

Ministry Milestone Timeline

| Date | Event / Activity | Notes | | 2018 | Partnership Established | Connection with Redemption Church began. | | Feb 28 | School Launch | Ministry training school opened with 21 children. | | Ongoing | Conflict Response | Ministry continues despite strikes and displacement. | | May 2 | Graduation | 61 ministry students graduating; 23 already serving. | | Future | Beirut Expansion | Plans to expand to 4 new locations in Beirut. |

Scriptural Application

| Reference | Key Message | Life Application | | 2 Timothy 1:7 | Spirit of power and love | Rejecting anxiety and fear. | | Galatians 3 | Redeemed from the curse | Walking in healing and freedom. | | 1 Thess. 2:13 | Receiving God’s Truth | Faithful acceptance leads to transformation. | | 2 Cor. 5:17 | New creation in Christ | Embracing a new identity in Jesus. |

Final Encouragement

The Word of God is alive and powerful. We are invited to identify with these scriptural truths daily—declaring “I am a new creation” and “fear has no place in me”—and to pray for the same transformative power to work in our communities as it is currently working in Lebanon.

View Details

https://youtu.be/b5rGKjOdcgQ?si=myKP93FOkvv8N090Follow along with us!

Welcome everyone. I’m really glad you’re here today – in the room and online.

We are in week three of a series called Well Spent.

The idea behind this series is simple but powerful.

Every day we are spending something.

We spend
our money
our time
our energy

The question is not if you’re spending your life.

The question is how you’re spending it.

We have a Toolkit and 30 challenge to help you reset your money, time, and energy.
Download it. Use it. Share it.

What you invest in shapes who you become.

In week one we talked about money.

Today we are talking about something even more valuable than money.
Because money can be earned again.
But time cannot.

So today’s message is called

Spend Your Time on What Lasts.

And I want to begin with something I have had to admit in my own life.

There have been seasons in my life where I was incredibly busy.

Running from one thing to the next.

And here is the uncomfortable truth.

Most of the things I was doing were good things.
Important things. Church things.
But I started noticing something.
Even though I was busy doing good things…
Sometimes I was missing the best things.
Moments with my family.
Time with Jesus.
Meaningful conversations.
Quiet moments where my soul could breathe.
And I had to face a truth that I didn’t want to admit.

BIG IDEA: Busy isn’t the same as meaningful.

You can fill your life with activity and still miss what matters most.

We know what this is like right?

The Age of Constant Distraction

We live in what could honestly be called the age of constant distraction.

The average person checks their phone 96 times a day.
(https://www.asurion.com/press-releases/americans-check-their-phones-96-times-a-day/)

that means:

• 672 times per week
• about 2,880 times per month
• over 35,000 times per year

Over a lifetime, that can easily become millions of interruptions.

Now combine that with another reality.

The average American spends around 7 hours of screen time every day. (https://www.magnetaba.com/blog/average-screen-time-statistics)

That means nearly half of our waking life can disappear into screens.

Harvard researchers discovered that 47% of our waking hours are spent thinking about something other than what we are doing.
(https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101111141759.htm)

Almost half of life… we are mentally somewhere else.

Distracted. Fragmented. Pulled in multiple directions.

We are busy.

But here is the deeper question.

If we are so busy… why do so many people still feel like their life lacks meaning?

Maybe the issue is not that we are busy.

Maybe the issue is what we are busy with.

And Jesus speaks directly into this.

Luke chapter 10 tells the story of two sisters.

Mary and Martha.

Jesus comes to their home.

Martha immediately begins preparing the house.

Cooking. Serving.Getting everything ready.

Luke says this.

Luke 10:40 (NIV) But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

Notice what the Bible does not say.

It does not say Martha was sinning.
It says she was distracted.
She was doing good things. Important things.
But Martha becomes frustrated.

And she says to Jesus,

Luke 10:40 (NIV) “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Notice something here.

Martha’s concern was not that she was too busy.
Her concern was that Mary was not busy like she was.
Martha did not think she needed to slow down.
She thought Mary needed to speed up.

That sounds familiar.

Sometimes when we feel overwhelmed we don’t question our pace.
We question why other people aren’t keeping up.
But Jesus answers Martha with incredible tenderness.

Luke 10:41 (NIV)“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things…

And then Jesus says something that might be one of the most important statements about priorities in the entire Bible.

Luke 10:42 “Few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Let’s pause right here.

Because this is where the message lands.
Jesus says Few things are needed. Indeed only one
So here is the honest question.

Do I believe Jesus?
Because if I believe Jesus…my life should reflect what He says.

Look at your calendar.
Look at your habits.
Look at how you spend your time.
Does my life look like few things are needed?
Or does my life look like everything is needed?

Few things are needed.

Indeed only one.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING?

So what is the one thing?

At its core, it is this – Being with Jesus.
Mary sat at His feet.
She listened.
She was present.
She chose relationship over activity.

But this truth expands beyond quiet prayer moments.

Because when you are truly with Jesus,
you begin to value what Jesus values.
You begin to love who Jesus loves.
You begin to prioritize what actually matters.

And what matters most in life has never been activity.

It has always been relationship.

WHAT IS THE ONE THING?

• Being with Jesus.
• Being with the people you love.
• Investing in these relationships.

Because at the end of your life, you will not wish you answered more emails.

You will not wish you attended more meetings.

You will not wish you checked your phone more often.

You will wish you spent more time with Jesus and with the people you love.

Few things are needed.

Indeed only one.

Choose the better thing.

So how do you actually live this out?
Let me give you three practical ways to start choosing the better thing.

• The First 10

Before your phone.
Before social media.
Before the chaos begins.

Spend the first ten minutes of your day with Jesus.

Scripture.

Prayer.

Quiet.

Center your heart before the world starts pulling at you.

Research shows that couples who share spiritual habits like prayer and Scripture together report stronger marriages and higher relationship satisfaction.

People who regularly engage Scripture also report greater peace and resilience in stressful seasons.

When you invest time in what matters most, your life begins to reflect that investment.

I challenge you to spend the first 10 with Jesus every day this week.

• The Better Part Block

Schedule one protected hour every week.

One hour where you intentionally invest in what matters most.

A meaningful conversation.

Prayer.
Family connection.
Encouraging someone.
Community.

This is why things like Connect Groups matter.

Because life transformation rarely happens in crowds.

It happens in relationships.
Mary chose the better part.
She slowed down.
She sat down.
She paid attention to Jesus.

Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is simply slow down long enough to be present.

• One Boundary

If something matters, protect it.
Build a boundary around it.
Protect your time with God.
Protect your family.
Protect worship.
Protect your church community.

Something always comes up that makes it easy to skip Church and family time.

You must build a boundary around what matters most.

“Few things are needed. Indeed only one.”

Are you ready to live differently?
Are you ready to live simply?

CALL TO ACTION

I want to give you three invitations.

• Return to the one thing

Maybe today you realize you have been running after many things.

Busy.
Distracted.
Fragmented.
And today Jesus is inviting you back to the better part.
Back to His presence.
Back to sitting at His feet again.

• Rebuild what matters at home

Maybe the change you need is relational.
Maybe it is time to pray with your spouse.
Read Scripture with your family.
Start spiritual conversations again.
Invest in the relationships that matter most.
Spend time on what matters with the people who matter.

• Reset your boundaries

Maybe today you need to draw a line around what matters.

Around worship.
Around time with Jesus.
Around the people you love.

Few things are needed.

Indeed only one.

Choose the better thing.

As our music team begins to play, this is a moment to respond.

One thing matters right now. Choose it!

View Details

https://youtu.be/qKX64lWUpXQ?si=UcJqFf35WhK80EDhFollow along with us!

Struggling with money stress?

Living paycheck to paycheck?
Wondering what the Bible actually says about budgeting?

You’re not alone.

Millions of people feel anxious about money — and many Christians quietly wonder how to manage their finances in a way that honors God without creating guilt or pressure.

In this message from Redemption Church, we walk through practical biblical budgeting principles that help you:

• Lead your money instead of being led by it
• Reduce financial stress
• Build savings with wisdom
• Give generously without fear
• Create a simple plan that reflects your faith

If you don’t lead your money, your money will lead you.

What Does the Bible Say About Budgeting?The Bible talks about money more than almost any other topic.

Not because God needs your money — but because money reveals your heart.

Here are four core biblical budgeting principles:

1. Your Money Reveals Your Priorities

   “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21

Your spending patterns reveal direction. And direction can change.

1. God Entrusts You With ResourcesIn Matthew 25, Jesus describes stewardship as managing what belongs to the Master.

Biblical budgeting begins with this mindset shift:

You are a steward, not an owner.

1. Faithfulness Starts Small

   “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” – Luke 16:10

Wealth is built on consistency, not hype.

1. Money Is a Tool — Not a Master

   “You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6:24

Money makes a terrible master and an excellent servant.

A budget is simply telling your money where to go.

A Simple Christian Budget Plan (Give, Save, Live)If you want a biblical starting point, evaluate three areas:

1️⃣ What You GiveGiving reveals trust.

Start somewhere. Give intentionally — not emotionally.

2️⃣ What You SaveSaving reveals wisdom.

Emergency savings protect your peace and reduce anxiety.

3️⃣ What You Live OnLiving reveals priorities.

Cancel drift. Review subscriptions. Stop unconscious spending.

Drift always costs more than direction.

Frequently Asked Questions About Biblical BudgetingIs budgeting biblical?Yes. Scripture consistently teaches stewardship, faithfulness, generosity, and wisdom in managing resources.

How do Christians budget money?A simple Christian budget often prioritizes giving, saving, and living — in that order.

What does the Bible say about money stress?Jesus teaches that money should not master us (Matthew 6:24). Financial peace grows when we align our money with God’s priorities.

How can I stop living paycheck to paycheck?Start by reviewing recurring expenses, creating a simple spending plan, building a small emergency fund, giving intentionally, and avoiding financial drift.

RESOURCES FOR YOUWell Spent Series HubContinue the full Well Spent series here.

Download the Well Spent ToolkitWe created a free Well Spent Toolkit, including a 30-day Well Spent Challenge, to help you:

• Get clear on your money, time, and energy
• Evaluate what you give, save, and live on
• Build a simple savings and spending plan
• Audit your calendar and commitments
• Reset daily rhythms so you don’t burn out
• Cancel financial drift and take practical next steps

Download it here.

Printable Sermon Handout (PDF)Follow along or use in your Connect Group.

Download the How to Budget Your Blessing sermon handout here.

Take Your Next Step at Redemption ChurchYou don’t have to figure this out alone.

Whether you’re exploring faith, returning to church, or looking for a way to serve, we’d love to walk with you.

Take your next step with serving, groups, outreach, giving, or sharing your story:

Start here.

Watch the MessageMessage TranscriptWell Spent 1 – How to Budget Your Blessing – Chris Fluitt at Redemption Church Plano, TxLearning how to manage money God’s way.Well Spent 1 – How to Budget a BlessingPastor Chris Fluitt – March 1, 2026
Key Scriptures (NIV): Matthew 6:19–21; Luke 16:10–13; Matthew 25:14–30
Big Idea: If you don’t lead your money, your money will lead you.

Welcome back to Redemption Church.

My name is Chris Fluitt, and I’m so glad you’re here.
If you’re in the room, we love you.
If you’re joining us online, we love you too. Let us know where you’re watching from. We are one church family.

Well Spent
Today we’re starting a brand new series called Well Spent.

Well Spent – Stop wasting. Start investing your time, money, and energy.Every single day, we are spending something.
We’re spending money.
We’re spending time.
We’re spending energy.

The question isn’t “Are we spending?”
The question is “Are we investing?”

Here’s where we’re going this month:

Well Spent Outline

March 8: Kingdom ROI – how to invest your life in what actually lasts forever instead of what fades by Friday. We will have special guests – Matt & Julie Hattabaugh, missionaries to Lebanon.

March 15: Spend Your Time on What Lasts – how to stop being busy and start being meaningful.

March 22: Do Not Burn Out, Burn Bright – Learn the rhythm of Jesus that keeps your soul strong instead of running on fumes.

Value Add – Well Spent Toolkit

Download the free Well Spent Toolkit with a 30-day challenge to reset your money, time, and energy.We built a free Well Spent Toolkit to help you live this out. You can download it today. It will help you with your money, your time, and your energy.

Today, we’re starting with money.

Today’s message is called:

How to Budget a Blessing.

Learning how to manage money God’s way.“Where did it all go?
Wasn’t there money in this account?
How did we spend that much there?”

I’ve had tough months.
Times where I struggled to get to pay day.
Januarys that felt hard because Decembers were expensive.

And I can tell you honestly, money stress steals peace.

There’s something about financial anxiety that just sits heavy.

We know what this is like. Right?

We know what it’s like to swipe the card and hope.
We know what it’s like to avoid checking the balance.
We know what it’s like to think, “If nothing unexpected happens this month, we’ll be okay.”

The $truggle Is Real Stats

• Around 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
• More than 50% cannot cover a $1,000 emergency without debt.
• The average household carries roughly $7,000 in credit card debt.
• Nearly 40% of adults have little to no retirement savings.
• 66% Americans say money is their number one source of stress.

This is not rare. Money is a real problem – and we don’t like to talk about it.

But that’s exactly why Jesus did talk about it.

Not because He needed their money.

Because He knew what money does to the heart.

I have 4 quick lessons from Jesus on money and how to stop wasting and start investing.

1. Your spending reveals your heart

Matthew 6:21 Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. We cannot compartmentalize our heart and our wallet.

They are in the same compartment.

If our treasure goes toward comfort, our heart leans toward comfort.
If our treasure goes toward the Kingdom, our heart leans toward the Kingdom.

We like to say we care about generosity.
But if our spending never reflects it, it’s just talk.

We like to say we’re disciplined.
But if the ledger says otherwise, something’s off.

Our bank account is not a verdict.
It’s not judging our soul.
It’s not saying God doesn’t love us.

Our spending is revealing direction.
And direction can change.

1. God has put you in charge of His money (stewardship)

Matthew 25:14 He entrusted his wealth to them. This is a parable… a story Jesus tells to reveal a spiritual principle.

The money in the parable never becomes the servant’s money. It always belongs to the master. The master’s money is entrusted to the servant. God is the master.

God has put us in charge of His money.

This parable has 3 servants, and they are all given different amounts from the master.

The real difference wasn’t the amount.
It was what they believed about the master.

The 2 faithful servants trusted the master and invested.

The one wicked servant (strong language) said – “I was afraid of you,” and buried the money.

What we do with our money reveals what we think about God.
Fear buries.
Trust invests.

What do you think about God?
Are you burying? Are you investing?

1. Faithfulness starts small and gets practical

Luke 16:10 Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. Wealth is built on boring consistency.

Not hype.
Not emotion.
Consistency.

If we can’t manage little, more won’t fix it.

Look back at the verse. God is looking for who can be TRUSTED with more.

We often pray for MORE.
Do we pray to be faithful and trustworthy?

More money does not solve our issues.
More faithfulness solves our issues.

1. Money is a tool or a master

Matthew 6:24 …You cannot serve both God and money Money makes a better servant than a king.

You cannot serve both God and money.

When money is master, anxiety rules.

When God is master, money serves.

A budget is telling your money what to do, and how to serve.

It’s not punishment.
It’s not stewed beans forever.

It’s declaring money is not my master.

And at the top of that budget should be God. Why?? Because HE is the master who has entrusted us with His money.

What does this mean for you?

Here’s the question.

Is your money well spent?

Is your money revealing the heart you want it to reveal?

Look at three areas this week:

What you give.
What you save.
What you live on.

Giving reveals trust. Saving reveals wisdom. Living reveals priorities.Let’s talk about what you give.

As soon as I say that, a voice in your head goes, “I KNEW IT. You greedy pastors just want my money…”

So let me calm that down.

This is not about boosting our offering.
We are not locking the doors and taking up a special offering.

This is not about squeezing more out of you.

Here’s what I actually want for you:

I want you to find a place to give that lines up with what you value and the kind of heart you want God to grow in you.

It doesn’t have to be here.

Give somewhere.

Give to a ministry that is feeding people.
Give to an organization that is reaching students.
Give to a person God puts on your heart.

Next week we have missionaries coming from Lebanon.
Prayerfully consider giving toward that.
That would be amazing.

But you don’t have to.

If you give here, if you give there, if you give somewhere else entirely…

What I care about is that you become a giver. HERE IS WHY.

Giving reveals trust.
Saving reveals wisdom.
Living reveals priorities.

Giving reveals trust. Saving reveals wisdom. Living reveals priorities.How are you doing? Most of us DO NOT KNOW… BECAUSE we cannot evaluate what we refuse to examine.

We have to sit down with the numbers.

And when we don’t, we become victims.

There are companies happy to keep us that way.

Some people are paying for duplicate subscriptions.
Streaming services never alert them.

Credit card companies profit when balances roll into the next month.

We are victims – but often of our own drift.

Drift always costs more than direction.

So this week:

Open your bank app.
Look at recurring charges.
Cancel at least one subscription.

And download the Well Spent Toolkit. Work it.

Imagine if we were a church that was well spent.

Imagine if our families were well spent.

Imagine teaching our kids how not to be victims in the marketplace.

Imagine living in such a way that we could help more people.

Imagine generosity that is planned, not pressured.

Remember what God the master told the servants who managed the money well… Well done, good & faithful servant.

Imagine God saying that about you.
Well done, good & faithful servant.

Well Spent ActionsYour money reveals your heart. This is deeply spiritual.

1. Repent

If we’ve drifted, let’s repent.
Wasting?
Not saving?
Not giving?

How we spend reveals our direction.
Repentance is how we change direction.

1. Make a Plan

Decide this week you will sit down with your numbers.

Stop burying, start managing.

1. Surrender

When we work on our money, we work on our heart.

Over the next few minutes, I want breakthrough.

If you need prayer about debt, anxiety, trust – come.

Spend the next moments worshiping and seeking God. This is time well spent.

“If you don’t lead your money, your money will lead you.”

Giving reveals trust. Saving reveals wisdom. Living reveals priorities.What you give. What you save. What you live on.
Giving reveals trust. Saving reveals wisdom. Living reveals priorities.

Download the free Well Spent Toolkit with a 30-day challenge to reset your money, time, and energy.Download the Well Spent Toolkit + 30-Day Challenge.

We don’t want this to stay just a Sunday idea.
The Well Spent Toolkit gives you:

• A guided look at your money, time, and energy
• A 30-day Well Spent Challenge
• Simple worksheets to track giving, saving, and spending
• Space to review your calendar and commitments
• Practical prompts to cancel drift and build healthier rhythms

Download the toolkit and work through it this month.

What Is Your Money Revealing?This isn’t about guilt.
It’s about direction.

If your money has been leading you instead of you leading it, today can be a turning point.

Consider these steps:

• Talk honestly with God about your money and your heart
• Make a simple plan for what you give, save, and live on
• Download the Well Spent Toolkit and start the 30-day challenge
• Ask someone you trust to pray with you and walk with you

If you’re local to Plano or joining online, you are welcome here.

If you need prayer, have questions about Jesus, want to join a group, or are ready to serve, you don’t have to wait.

Take your next step here.

Building real community in Plano

View Details

https://youtu.be/wlkQfejvaJg?si=7o7zLVmAXkLpqBcII am excited that next Sunday we are launching a brand new series called Well Spent. It is a challenge to stop wasting our time, energy, and money, but investing them in what actually matters. I really want you to be back with us for that, and I want you to start thinking now about who you can invite.

But today, I want to welcome you.

Welcome back to Redemption Church in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am happy to see you in the room and everyone watching online.

Follow along with us!

ME

Over the last few weeks we’ve talked about:

• Naming the chain
• Breaking shame
• Replacing lies with truth

And some of you have experienced real freedom.

But here’s what I know.

Some people get free… and drift back.

Not because they don’t love Jesus.
Not because they weren’t sincere.

But because freedom requires maintenance.

And some people get free… and stop there.

But Jesus never frees someone just to stabilize them.

He frees them to mobilize them.

I am calling this message:
Breaking Free + Helping Others Break Free.

Say this with me:
Lord, free me.
Lord, keep me free.
Lord, use me to free others.

It is not easy to stay free. We know this right?

Relapse Reality Stats

• Relapse rates for substance use are 40% to 60%.
  (https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/treatment-recovery)
• Alcohol addiction sees a 50% relapse within the first year
  (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16771894/)
• Relapse is likely when post-treatment support and engagement in daily activities were lacking. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10953711/)
• 75% of smokers relapse within 6 months without structured support
  (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8298987/)

That tells us something.

Freedom is real.
But freedom is fragile without support.

Now here’s what’s fascinating.

The Freedom Multiplier Effect

• People who actively help others in recovery are significantly more likely to remain sober
  (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15700515/)
• Peer Support Groups
  • Improve engagement
  • Increase retention
  • Reduce relapse rates
    (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5047716/)

In plain language:

Helping someone else stay free helps you stay free.

That’s not just spiritual language.

That’s behavioral science, and it completely aligns with what God says. Let’s look at 3 points about Freedom from God’s Word.

1. Freedom Must Be Maintained

Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”

The verse says – Stand firm.

Freedom isn’t passive.

You don’t drift into freedom.
You stand in it.

You don’t casually hold it.
You plant your feet in it.

Stand firm in the freedom Christ has given you.

And that should remind you of something we talked about last week.

John 8:31–32 “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Not visit the truth on Sundays.

Not agree with the truth occasionally.

Hold to the truth.

Stand firm in freedom.
Hold to His teaching.

And then Galatians comes back and says:

“Do not let yourselves be burdened again.”

That means you can drift.
You can fall back.
You can be burdened again.

And we know that because we’ve experienced it.

We’ve said, “Never again.”

And then slowly… we were burdened again.
Freedom is the work of Jesus.
Maintenance is the walk with Jesus.

You stay free by standing firm in freedom,
holding to His truth,
and walking with His people.

2. Freedom Is Meant To Multiply

Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…”

Why were you set free?

Not just to feel relief.

To live free and to help others walk free.

In Mark 2, the paralyzed man did not crawl to Jesus.

Four friends carried him, ripped off a roof and lowered him into the house. They were COMMITTED to bring their friend to Jesus.

When Jesus saw their faith… the faith of the 4 friends, the man was forgiven and healed.

Somebody carried you.

Somebody prayed for you.
Invited you.
Spoke truth to you.
Refused to give up on you.

Freedom came to you because someone multiplied it.

Freedom must be Maintained.
Freedom is meant to Multiply.

3. Free People Free People

Jesus tells Peter to “strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32) and to “feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17).

Peter fails.
Peter is restored.
Peter is commissioned.

Freedom restored becomes responsibility assigned.

Free people free people.

It is not just the pastor’s job to rescue people.

Ephesians 4 says pastors equip the saints for the work of ministry.

If you have been freed from something,
you have been assigned to someone.

Freedom must be maintained.
Freedom must be multiplied.
And Free People Free People!

Are there any free people here?
Free to worship without shame.
Free to pray without fear.
Free to lift your hands without apology.

Are there any free people here?
Free to love again.
Free to trust again.
Free to try again.

If you’re free, act like you’re free.
If you’re free, stand firm like you’re free.
If you’re free, help somebody else get free.

Breaking Free + Helping Others Break Free.
So let me ask you:

Are you maintaining your freedom
or drifting?

Are you multiplying your freedom
or sitting on it?

What if staying free requires stepping up?

What if serving in your church helps you keep coming to church?

What if being active in a Connect Group keeps you anchored in community?

What if helping someone fight the battle you used to fight strengthens your own resolve?

Consumers drift.
Contributors stay anchored.

Freedom that is only enjoyed eventually erodes.

Freedom that is maintained and multiplied becomes a lifestyle.

It’s a double win.

You help someone else stay free.
And in the process, you protect your own freedom.

Redemption Church…

We are not building a church of spectators.

We are building a church of carriers. Like the 4 friends who carried their friend to Jesus.

Musician

Imagine a church where:

• No one fights alone
• No lie goes unchallenged
• No struggler sits unnoticed
• Free people actively help other people get free

That is how chains break in a city.

Jesus sets you free so your freedom can be maintained and multiplied.

You stay free by walking in truth
and walking with people.

1 Bold Call to Action

Right now, we’re not going to rush out.
I’m not going to give you multiple things to do.

• If you’re in a small group, I want you to find your group and gather together and pray for one another.
• If you’re not in a group, find someone near you. Introduce yourself. Pray together.

Because freedom is not just a work that happens on a Sunday service.

Freedom is a walk that happens in community.

Some of you need the work of freedom today.

Some of you need the walk of freedom today.

You need truth.

You need people.

You need someone to carry you.

And someone needs you to carry them.

Let’s pray.

View Details

https://youtu.be/QYM3me5Go2w?si=RyyWhsGcXpVmAXbMBefore we ever fight a habit, we’re usually fighting a belief.

The enemy doesn’t just tempt behavior — he shapes thinking. And if he can shape what we believe, he can shape how we live.

In Part 2 of Breaking Chains: Freedom Without Shame, Pastor Chris Fluitt unpacks the lies that quietly lock us in — and the truth that sets us free.

If you’ve ever thought: “I’m stuck.” “I’ll never change.” “This is just who I am.” This message is for you.Resources for You

If today’s message connects with where you are, we want to make sure you have practical next steps and support.

Free Guide – Freedom Without Shame
A practical guide rooted in Scripture and neuroscience to help you understand why change is hard and how real freedom begins without shame.
👉 Download here:

Printable Sermon Handout – Name the Chain, Break the Shame
Follow along, take notes, and reflect on how this message applies to your life.

Explore the Breaking Chains Series
Find messages, tools, and support for breaking habits, addiction, and shame.

Plan a Visit or Get Connected
You don’t have to do this alone. We’d love to walk with you in person or help you connect to a group.
👉 Plan a Visit

Watch the MessageBreaking Chains 2: The Lies that Lock Us In
Pastor Chris Fluitt, Redemption Church Plano Tx, February 15, 2026

Message Transcript – The Lies that Lock Us InPastor Chris Fluitt – February 15, 2026
Key Scriptures (NIV): Genesis 3:1–5; John 8:31–32, 44; Romans 8:1–3; 2 Corinthians 10:3–5; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Hebrews 4:16
Big Idea: We cannot change the way we LIVE until we change what we BELIEVE.
The enemy locks us in with lies, but Jesus sets us free with truth.

Welcome back to Redemption Church in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am happy to see you in the room and glad everyone watching online is with us.

Need a handout? Follow along with us!

Let me make this personal.

Before I ever fought a habit, I was fighting a belief.

I believed bad things would always happen because I could never be good enough.

Like life was a test I kept failing — and God was keeping score.

I believed I wasn’t worth loving.

Not just that I had done something wrong — but that something was wrong with me.

And I believed my level of living was supposed to be low.

Supposed to struggle.
Supposed to be stressed.
Supposed to be behind.

When you believe that, you don’t fight chains.

You expect them.

You build your life around them.

The enemy didn’t have to chain my hands.

He just had to shape my beliefs.

Breaking Chains 2: The Lies That Lock Us In

Today’s message is called “The Lies That Lock Us In.”

“Belief” is not just spiritual talk. This is real life. This is measurable.

Real Life Thought Life Stats

• People average about 6,000 distinct thoughts per day. Because of negativity bias, the majority of our thoughts are negative.
  (Thoughts study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17255-9)(Negativity bias overview: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1037/1089-2680.5.4.323)
• 19.1% of U.S. adults had an anxiety disorder in the past year. About 1 in 5.
  (NIMH anxiety stats: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder)
• 48.7 million Americans age 12+ had a substance use disorder in the past year. 1 in 6.
  (SAMHSA NSDUH report: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-annual-national-report)

This is a widespread problem.

We are talking about our neighbors, our coworkers, our family, and sometimes us.

And behind a lot of destructive behavior is a short set of beliefs people replay:

“I need this.”
“I can’t.”
“I’m stuck.”
“This is me.”

Behavior is the fruit.
Belief is the root.

We cannot change the way we LIVE until we change what we BELIEVE.

Turn to Genesis 3 to see how the enemy works.

Genesis 3:1–5 (NIV)

NOTICE THIS…

The serpent did not get them hooked on drugs.
The serpent did not expose them to pornography.
The serpent did not teach them violence.
The serpent did not hand them a weapon.

He handed them a thought.

He introduced a new way of thinking about God.

Three lies from the snake (Genesis 3:1-5)

1. “Did God really say…?” – attack God’s Word.
2. “You will not certainly die.” – deny consequences.
3. “God knows…” – attack God’s goodness and motives.

A new thought changed everything.

The enemy still works the same way.

Jesus Makes a Massive Claim

John 8:31–32 (NIV):

That is a massive claim.

Jesus doesn’t say religion sets you free.
He doesn’t say information sets you free.
He says truth — His truth — sets you free.

He isn’t offering a philosophy.

He’s offering Himself.

Then in verse 44, He explains why this matters:

John 8:44 (NIV)

“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

There are lies that enslave.
There is truth that liberates.

And the battle is in what you believe.

No Condemnation

Romans 8:1–3 (NIV):

Context: Paul wrote these words to Christians in Rome who lived under pressure, accusation, and shame. Paul says, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ.”

Notice what it does not say.

It doesn’t say less condemnation.
It doesn’t say temporary condemnation.

It says NO condemnation.

God condemned sin — not you.

Jesus carried what should have crushed you. And Jesus won!

If you are in Christ, condemnation is off the table. Freedom is on the table.

And here’s the truth – power is also on the table.

You may feel like your thoughts control you.

But listen to what Paul says next.

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (NIV)

We take captive every thought.

The enemy tries to take you captive with lies.

In Jesus, you don’t just get forgiven.

You get authority.

You don’t just survive thoughts.

You capture them.

Freedom is on the table.

Power is too.

So what thought has been taking you captive — that you need to take captive?

THREE LIES THAT LOCK US IN

Lie #1 – “This Is Just Who I Am”

It sounds self-aware.

“I’m just wired anxious.”
“I’m just bad with money.”
“I’ve always been this way.”

Here’s why that’s a lie.

2 Corinthians 5:17 says: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Your struggle may be real.
But it is not your identity.

Struggle is something you face, not something you are.

Lie #2 – “I Will Never Change”

This one comes from exhaustion.

You tried. You failed. You promised. You fell again.

And eventually you start saying, “This is just how it’s going to be.”

But Philippians 1:6 says God finishes what He starts.

Philippians 1:6 He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Growth may be slow, but slow is not stuck.

Transformation is promised.

If God started something in you, He intends to finish it.

Lie #3 – “God Is Tired of Me”

This one sounds humble and spiritual.

“I know God loves me, but He’s probably exhausted with me.”

That lie keeps people from praying, worshiping, coming forward, asking for help.

But Hebrews 4:16 says we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.

Confidence.

Not crawling.
Not hiding.
Confidence.

God is not tired of you.

He already dealt with condemnation at the cross.

Bold Lies. Bolder Truth!

Your addiction makes promises.

“This will feel good.”
“This will calm you.”
“This will fix it.”

Maybe for a moment.

Then comes shame.
Regret.
“Why did I do that?”

That promise was a lie.

Anger promises power – it leaves damage.
Isolation promises safety – it leaves loneliness.

Here is another major lie we tell ourselves… “I don’t need prayer.”
“I’m fine.”

You barely survived this week.
You lost sleep.
You felt the pressure.
You almost didn’t come today…

You don’t need prayer? That’s a lie.

Every time we gather, we make space to pray and seek God. Do not miss your moment.

If the enemy works through lies…
and if behavior grows from belief…

Then what lie has been shaping your life?

What Lie Are You Believing?

What lie have you been rehearsing?

And what lie is driving the behavior of the person you love?

Stop fighting behavior.

Expose the belief.

Pray for truth.

Speak truth.

When truth replaces the lie, chains break.

Three Calls to Action

1. Identify the lie.
   Name it specifically.
2. Replace it with Truth. (Scripture)
   Not vibes. Not motivation. Scripture.
3. Respond with action right now.
   Pray. Come forward. Take communion.
   Do not sit in agreement with a lie one more Sunday.

Jesus did not die so you could live in a mental prison.

Truth is here.
Freedom is here.
Power is here.

So let’s stop agreeing with the lie.

View Details

https://youtu.be/DvnZ49wdr_M?si=nNbeRrRML0XiAAwgIn this message from the Breaking Chains series at Redemption Church, Pastor Chris Fluitt explores how real freedom begins by naming the chain and breaking the shame that keeps us stuck.

This message is for anyone tired of hiding, tired of pretending, and ready for real change that lasts.

Resources for You

If today’s message connects with where you are, we want to make sure you have practical next steps and support.

Free Guide – Freedom Without Shame
A practical guide rooted in Scripture and neuroscience to help you understand why change is hard and how real freedom begins without shame.
👉 Download here

Printable Sermon Handout – Name the Chain, Break the Shame
Follow along, take notes, and reflect on how this message applies to your life.

Explore the Breaking Chains Series
👉 Find messages, tools, and support for breaking habits, addiction, and shame.

Plan a Visit or Get Connected
You don’t have to do this alone. We’d love to walk with you in person or help you connect to a group.
👉 Plan a Visit

Watch the MessageName the Chain, Break the Shame
Breaking Chains – Freedom Without Shame
Pastor Chris Fluitt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvnZ49wdr_MMessage Transcript – Name the Chain, Break the ShameBreaking Chains 1: Name the Chain. Break the Shame.
Pastor Chris Fluitt, Redemption Church Plano Tx, February 1, 2026

Key Scriptures (NIV): Genesis 2:25, Genesis 3:7-10, John 8:31-36, 2 Timothy 1:16

Big Idea: You cannot heal what you are ashamed to name.
Freedom begins when shame loses its power.

Welcome to Redemption Church. My name is Chris Fluitt, and I’m really glad you’re here.

Our heart as a church is simple: to help people find and follow Jesus. We believe that happens best when we are honest about our struggles and bold about the hope we have in Him.

Today we’re starting a new series called Breaking Chains: Freedom Without Shame.

Breaking Chains – a sermon series from Redemption Church about addiction, habits, shame, and real freedom.If you feel stuck, tired, or unsure what’s next, I want you to hear this clearly: you are not alone, and you don’t have to stay where you are.

If you feel stuck, tired, or unsure what’s next… I have good news for you!
You are not alone.
You are in the right place.
You are in a NO SHAME zone.

Before we get into today’s message, here’s where we’re headed this month. No mystery, no guessing.

SERIES DIRECTION* Feb 8 – Super Bowl Party + Halftime Worship
Community on purpose. Invite people who would never come to a normal church service. * Feb 15 – Lies That Lock Us In
It’s impossible to LIVE different if you don’t BELIEVE different. * Feb 22 – Becoming Free + Helping Others Break Free
Freedom that lasts. Freedom that multiplies.

That’s our direction.
Mark you calendar. Make plans. Invite your friends!

BREAKING CHAINS GUIDEFreedom Without Shame – a free guide from Redemption Church to help you understand addiction, habits, and shame and take next steps toward real change.Alongside this series, we created a short Freedom Without Shame guide.

It’s science-informed and Scripture-aligned.

It walks through things like:

• Why willpower alone usually fails
• How the brain learns patterns and chains
• Why shame makes change harder, not easier
• Why environment, identity, and community matter so much

You’ll see a QR code on the screen.
Download the guide.
Take 10 minutes with it this week.
Share it with others.

We do not just want you inspired on Sunday.
We want you equipped for real change.

Let’s get into today’s message.

We’re calling today:

Name the Chain. Break the Shame.Name the Chain, Break the Shame – Week 1 of the Breaking Chains series at Redemption Church.Everyone has a chain.
Everyone knows shame.

Most people carry both in silence.

I want to start by saying this: I know what it is like to have chains and shame.

I’ve fought several addictions in my life.

And I’m not telling you that for shock value. I’m telling you that because I get it.

Fighting habits takes a lot of energy and focus.
You can white-knuckle it for a while. You can make promises. You can try harder.

But fighting shame is different.
Shame doesn’t just say, “You did something wrong.”
Shame says, “There’s something wrong with you.”

And once shame gets its hooks in, it pushes you into hiding.
It convinces you to stay quiet.
It tells you you’re the only one.
It tells you if people really knew, they’d walk away.
And sometimes it even tells you God is done with you.

And as long as shame stays in control, chains stay in place.

Let’s be real.

Most of us are not cruising through life. We’re coping.

Get Real Stats* 74% of American adults started the year trying to change at least one habit. Most people want to change something. * Psychologists estimate about 45% of our daily behavior is habitual. Almost half of what we do runs on autopilot. Habits run our life! * National health data shows 1 in 6 people have a substance use disorder. * The majority of people experience shame around their struggles and failures. Shame is one of the main reasons people hide instead of ask for help. * Confession and communication bring positive effects in the majority of cases. People who honestly talk or write about painful experiences often see measurable improvements compared to people who keep everything inside.

Now, it’s easy to hear those numbers and think,
“Yeah, that’s the world out there. But we’re Christians. We’re different.”

But being in church does not erase this struggle.

Followers of Jesus wrestle with habits, addictions, and shame too.

So this is not just a “them” problem.
It’s an “us” problem. Whether it’s obvious or hidden, each of us is dealing with a chain and a shame.

Does God have anything to say about this subject of chains and shame?

1. God’s original design – no shame

   “Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” (Genesis 2:25)

That was God’s design. God created the world and called it GOOD.

Adam and Eve were…
Fully seen. Fully known. Fully loved.
No hiding. No fear. No shame.

Shame was not part of God’s original plan. What changed?

1. When sin enters, shame follows. (Genesis 3)The serpent deceives.
   Adam and Eve disobey.
   And immediately everything shifts.

Genesis 3:7-10 shows the pattern:

• Their eyes are opened
• They realize they are naked
• They sew fig leaves together to cover themselves
• They hide from God

When God calls out, Adam says:
“I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” (Genesis 3:10)

Sin didn’t just break rules.
Sin broke relationship.

And shame was the immediate result.

Here’s the cycle:

Sin leads to shame.
Shame leads to hiding.
Hiding strengthens chains.

And if the enemy can keep you hiding, he can keep you stuck.

Fast forward to Jesus in John 8.

1. Jesus names chains without shaming people

   “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin…
   So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31-36)

Jesus does not minimize the chain.
He names it: slavery.

But He does not shame the person wearing the chain.

He acknowledges the bondage, then offers freedom.

Because Jesus knows something we forget:

Freedom begins with honesty, not pretending.

Throughout the Gospels we see this NO SHAME pattern:

No Shame Pattern* Jesus touches the unclean * He eats with sinners * He defends the woman caught in adultery * He restores dignity before He corrects behavior

Jesus never shamed broken people.
He exposed lies so people could be healed.

And on the cross, Jesus carries our shame.

Shame didn’t come from Jesus.
Freedom did.

1. When people are ashamed, they distance themselves

   “May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.” (2 Timothy 1:16)

In 2 Timothy 1:16, Paul talks about a man named Onesiphorus. Look at Paul’s description of Onesiphorus… He often refreshed me and was NOT ASHAMED OF MY CHAINS.

That line matters because it implies something else was happening too.

Paul was in jail for “the crime” of telling others about Jesus… Some people were ashamed of Paul’s chains.
Some people stayed away.
Some people looked the other way.
Some people did not want to be associated with him.

But Onesiphorus was different.

He didn’t pretend the chains weren’t there.
He didn’t ghost Paul.
He didn’t say, “Call me when you’re doing better.”

He showed up.

No embarrassment.
No distancing.
No avoiding.

That is a picture of gospel culture.

Not shocked.
Not judgmental.
Not stepping back.

Present.
Loving.
Honest.

So let me ask you gently but honestly:

What is the chain you have been hiding in shame? Maybe it’s:* porn you keep going back to and swearing you’re done with * the drinking you keep justifying * the weed you keep minimizing * the gambling you keep hiding * the anger you can’t control * the scrolling you can’t stop * the spending you keep covering up * the secret you hope no one finds out * the pattern you promised you’d never repeat * the lie you keep believing about yourself or about God

“Why do you have to make it awkward Pastor? Naming all of these things is awkward.”

Here’s the truth:

You cannot heal what you are ashamed to name.

Freedom doesn’t begin when you try harder.
Freedom begins when you stop hiding.

That does not mean you tell everyone everything.
It means you refuse to carry it alone.

Maybe your first step is to write it down.
Maybe it’s to say it to God in a raw, honest prayer.
Maybe it’s to share it with a trusted friend, a leader, or a Connect Group.

Hiding is not the path to freedom.
Confession and Communication is the path.

THE CULTURE WE ARE BUILDINGThis is a shame-free place.This is the kind of church we’re committed to being.

We are not ashamed of your chain.

We are not here to label you.
We are not here to gossip about you.
We are not here to keep you at a distance until you look put together.

You don’t have to be fixed to belong.
You don’t have to clean up before you show up.
You don’t have to pretend to be okay.

At Redemption, we believe:
Honesty is the doorway to healing.

So here’s what we practice:

• We create safe places to be real in Connect Groups
• We pray with people, not at people
• We tell the truth with grace
• We walk with people step by step, not shame them for still being in process

Chains lose their power when they are named in the presence of grace.

We’re not here to expose people.
We’re here to help people experience freedom in Jesus.

Who is ready to be free?
Who is ready to be a part of a SHAME FREE and POWERFUL church?
Who is ready to be prayed for by people who do not judge them?
Who is ready to pray freedom over someone else?

3 Shame Free Actions1. Name the chainIn prayer or in writing, name what you’ve been hiding. Call it what it is, not what you wish it was.

1. Break the silenceTell one safe person. A leader, a trusted friend, a spouse, a group. Refuse to carry this alone.

2. Step into freedomIn a moment we’re going to worship.

And while we worship, I want to invite you to do something brave.

Come for prayer.

Not because you’re the worst.
Because you’re done hiding.

We believe Jesus still frees people.
We believe chains still break.
We believe the Holy Spirit still transforms hearts.

So during worship, our prayer team will be ready.

Isolation strengthens chains.
Community weakens shame.
Jesus brings real freedom.

Download the Freedom Without Shame GuideReal change doesn’t come from shame. We created a free resource to help you take practical next steps toward freedom.

👉 Freedom Without Shame – A Practical Guide to Real Change
https://redemptionchurch.fillout.com/breakingchains

Ready to Take Your Next Step?If this message stirred something in you, we want you to know you are not alone.

Some people are ready to:

• Learn how to study the Bible
• Join a Connect Group
• Learn about baptism
• Ask honest questions about faith
• Get help breaking a habit or addiction

We would love to walk with you.

👉 Explore the Breaking Chains series
👉 Download the Freedom Without Shame guide
👉 Plan a Visit to Redemption Church
👉 Join a Connect Group

No pressure. No shame. Just real people taking real steps toward freedom.

Let’s talk about your Next Steps!

View Details

https://youtu.be/qxFUzcOPwtk?si=7kLQyP5YpcJCO4l1Are you waiting on God to show you the full plan before you move? In this message from our Start Here series at Redemption Church, Pastor Chris Fluitt teaches how God usually leads us one step at a time. Learn how to find your next step with God, walk by faith, and discover real direction for your life.

Helpful LinksLearn more about the Start Here series!

Learn more about our next series Breaking Chains!

Join a connect group!

Download the Message Notes!

Start Here #4 Find Your Next Step: Discover Your DirectionChris Fluitt January 25, 2026Key Scriptures: Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 9:23; Matthew 11:28–30; Psalm 119:105Big Idea: You do not need the full plan to take your next step with God.

Welcome to Redemption Church in Plano Tx.

Have you ever had someone try to give you directions and they give you way too much information?

“You go down this road for ten miles, then you will see a gas station, then a curve, then a big tree, then a red barn, then you turn left, then there is a bridge, then another light…”

About halfway through you are already thinking, “I am lost.”

In real life, most of us do not actually like full map plans.
Too much information makes us hesitate.
Too many details make us second guess.
We get confused and end up doing nothing.

In real life, full maps overwhelm us.
BUT LET’S BE HONEST… with God, we insist on having a full map before we move.

We say things like:
“God, show me how this will work out.”
“God, tell me exactly where this is going.”
“God, explain the whole plan, then I will obey.”

We struggle with direction.

Do we need the full plan, or just the next step?Do we need a full map plan?Or do we need a clear next step?A lot of us are living right in that tension.

• Debt – We know… but we do not know how it is all going to work, so we stay stuck and keep swiping the card.
• God is calling – We know… but we cannot see how it is going to turn out, so we avoid it and call it “waiting.”
• Get things right – We feel God nudging us toward a hard conversation, forgiveness, reconciliation, or honesty, but we cannot see the outcome, so we put it off again and again.

And we end up frozen, waiting on a level of certainty that God never promised.

God operates by faith. We think we require certainty.God operates by faith.We think we require certainty.While we wait for the full plan, we are missing out on the next step.

Days turn into weeks.
Weeks turn into months.
Now the year goes by and we have not taken the next step.

Start Here #4: Find Your Next Step: Discover Your Direction

Start Here #4: Find Your Next Step – Discover Your Direction

So how does Jesus lead people?

He gives them a step.

One step of obedience changes direction.1. One step of obedience changes direction.“Come, follow me, and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:18–22Jesus sees Peter and Andrew, James and John doing ordinary fisherman work… and Jesus says “Come follow me…”

That is it.
No long briefing.
No detailed future.

Just a step.

And they leave their nets and follow.

They do not know the whole story.
They only know the next move: follow Jesus.

One step of obedience changes direction.

1. A simple repeatable step“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23A simple, repeatable step.Following Jesus is not one dramatic moment.
   It is a daily step.

Deny myself today.
Pick up my cross today.
Follow Him today.

You do not need faith for the next twenty years.
You need faith for the next step.

1. A step toward peace & rest.“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28–30A step toward peace and rest.Notice the order.

Come to me.
Learn from me.
Then you find rest.

Some of us are waiting for life to calm down before we move toward Jesus.

Jesus says, “Step toward me first. Walk with me. That is where rest shows up.”

1. A lamp, not a floodlight“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105A lamp, not a floodlight.A lamp does not light the whole road.
   It gives enough light for the next step.

Step, then light.
Step, then light.

And sometimes, the church makes this harder than it needs to be.

People walk in for the first time and we give them the full map.

You need to know how to give.
You need to serve.
You need to get baptized.
How were you baptized before?
Let’s talk about repentance.
The Holy Spirit.
The 9 gifts of the Spirit.
End times and pre-mid-or post tribulation rapture.
Revelation.

And they think, “What is all of this?”

We are stuck in full map mode, when God is saying, “Help them take the next step.”

God has already given enough light for faith.

Not twenty-five things.
Just the next thing.

Step, then light.
Step, then light.

Lasting change starts today, not someday.So what does that mean for you, right now, at the end of this Start Here series?

It means this:

You do not need the full plan to take your next step with God.

You need to respond to the step God is already putting in front of you.

For some of you, your next step is spiritual:

• To say yes to Jesus as Lord and Savior
• To be baptized and go public with your faith
• To start opening Scripture and listening for God’s voice

For some of you, your next step is relational:

• To forgive someone you have been holding bitterness against
• To reach out and say, “I need prayer. I need help.”
• To join a Connect Group so you are not walking alone

For others, your next step is practical:

• To start serving instead of sitting on the sidelines
• To reach out for counseling, recovery, or accountability

Here is a helpful question:

Where do you sense the Holy Spirit drawing you forward, and at the same time fear is telling you to stay put?

That tension is often your next step.

The Holy Spirit pulls.
Fear resists.

You will not get clarity by standing still.
You get clarity as you follow.

As we close out this Start Here series, let’s make this simple.

3 Direction Steps#1 Name the step.
What is the step the Holy Spirit is drawing you toward, even though fear is pushing back?
Name it. Be real about it.

#2 Tell someone. (accountability)
If you are watching on livestream, put it in the chat.
Text us this week.
Fill out a connection card.
Reach out.

You do not have to do this alone.

#3 Let’s pray.
Right now, we are going to take a moment and pray together.

Invite God to be right in the center of every next step.

Ask God for courage where there is fear, clarity where there is confusion, and faith to obey.

And if you have a specific prayer need, go ahead and leave it in the comments.
We want to pray with you.
We want to believe with you.
We want to see God do great things in your life.

3 Direction Steps

View Details

https://youtu.be/aU7DnH-bhDk?si=g9uxEJeSp09gJuTYWelcome to Redemption Church in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt… That is who I am… but I am really excited about who you are and who God has called you to be.

Let me start with a confession.

I have failed at change more times than I can count.

I have made promises to God that were sincere, and then quietly broken them by Tuesday.

I have started strong, felt hopeful, and then drifted right back to old patterns.

Not because I did not love God.
Not because I did not want to grow.

But for other reasons…

I failed because my habits were pulling me in a different direction than my prayers.

Can you relate?

We have good intentions but bad results.

Good Intentions but Bad Result Stats

• Only 9% of Americans actually achieve their New Year resolutions.
• 27% of adults said lack of willpower was the biggest obstacle.
• Intentions account for only about 28% of our behavior. In other words, 72% of what we do is shaped by something other than willpower and good intentions.

I want to introduce the title of today’s message.

Why You Won’t Fail This Year – The Habit Fix.

And it is so good that you are here today, because this is one of those messages that really can change how you see yourself and how you move forward.

The issue has never been that you are dumb, weak or lazy.
It is not that you haven’t read enough books or listened to the right podcast yet.

The issue is alignment.

And if we work on our alignment today, something changes.
We become stronger people.
We become healthier people.
Our families get better.
Our faith gets deeper.

Not because we worked harder,
but because we aligned our lives with the purpose God already has for us.

God has a lot to say about this topic…

Jesus was deeply realistic about human weakness.

This happens the night before the cross. Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane. He asks His disciples to stay awake and pray with Him. They fall asleep. Jesus comes back and says:

(Matthew 26:41, NIV)

That is not condemnation.
That is compassion.
Jesus understands our weakness.

Jesus assumes weakness, and then He builds practices around it. He says…

• “Abide in me.” (John 15:4)
• “Watch and pray.” (Matthew 26:41)
• “Follow me.” (Matthew 4:19)

He is not telling you, “Summon more willpower.”
He is inviting you, “Stay connected.”

That is why Jesus used everyday pictures like vines and branches, daily bread, seeds in the soil, a lamp for the next step.

He is showing us…
Real change happens through slow, ordinary, repeated steps in the same direction.

When you keep taking those small steps, something happens to you.
You become a faithful person.
You become an aligned person.

That is alignment.

Your heart is pointed toward your goal, and your life is set up to follow.

Jesus came to invite you into alignment with Him.

Alignment with His peace.
Alignment with His presence.
Alignment with His love.
Alignment with His way of living.

That is what Christianity is about.

Christianity does not point you to a principle.
It points you to a person.

Jesus keeps saying, “Follow me.”
“Abide in me.”
“Come to me.”

Not so you can be more religious,
but so you can be more alive.

And when your life is aligned with Jesus,
Strength shows up when you need it.
Peace shows up when anxiety hits.
Wisdom shows up when decisions get hard.

That is alignment.

You see this in people like Daniel.

Daniel here is Daniel is known for…

• He prayed regularly.
• He paid attention to God’s word.
• He obeyed even when it was costly.
• He fasted and humbled himself before God.

Daniel is a prophet in the Old Testament. He is part of God’s people who were conquered and taken away from their homeland. That is what exile means. He is living in a foreign empire under pressure to fit in, to compromise, and to bow to other gods.

In other words, Daniel lives in a crisis.

Here is what Crisis Daniel looks like.

Crisis Daniel

• He prayed regularly.
• He paid attention to God’s word.
• He obeyed even when it was costly.
• He fasted and humbled himself before God.

Daniel & Crisis Daniel look the same…
Daniel had a pattern.

But then the crisis intensified.

In Daniel 6, a law is passed: you are only allowed to pray to the king, not to God.

Super Crisis Daniel (Same ole Daniel!)

Daniel keeps praying to God anyway. He is arrested. And as punishment, he is thrown into a den of lions. Literally. A pit where lions are kept. The expectation is that he will not make it out.

And this is probably the worst moment of Daniel’s life.

So what does Daniel do?

Does he say, “Oh my goodness, I need more willpower”?
Does he say, “I need to intensify my faith”?
Does he say, “I need to work harder, try harder, be stronger right now”?

No.

Here is what he does.
Super Dooper Crisis Daniel

He simply stays aligned.

As boring as that sounds, that is what he does.

He did in the lions den what he had already been doing in ordinary life.

And we know about Daniel because he made it through the lions den.

God shut the mouths of the lions. Daniel walked out alive.

That is what alignment does.

Alignment prepares you before the pressure hits.
Now bring that into your world.

Imagine being the kind of person who does not fall apart when life hits hard.

Not because you are tougher than everybody else.
Not because you have superhuman faith.

But because you already have a pattern.

You already have a plan.
You already have a system.
You already have habits that hold you up when emotions get loud.

So when the diagnosis comes, you do not collapse.
When the marriage gets strained, you do not drift.
When the temptation shows up, you do not get taken out.
When the pressure hits at work, you do not self destruct.
When anxiety spikes, you do not spiral.

Because you are not trying to become strong in the moment.

You have been aligning for weeks.
For months.
For years.

And that is what makes you steady when everybody else is scrambling.

Life will bring a lions den moment.

And what you do in that moment will be shaped by what you have been practicing in the ordinary.

So the question becomes, how do we actually live aligned like that?

Not in theory.
Not in church language.

But in real life, on Monday morning, when stress hits and old habits start pulling.

Modern habit research has discovered something Jesus has been teaching all along.

James Clear (Atomic Habits) describes habits as a simple four part loop. Whether you notice it or not, this loop is shaping your life every day.

1. Cue – What triggers the habit

This is the signal.

It might be stress, boredom, a certain time of day, a place, or a feeling.

2. Craving – What you want from it

Not the habit itself, but the feeling you hope it will give you.

Relief.
Comfort.
Control.
Escape.
Belonging.

The question is not if you crave.
The question is what you crave.

3. Response – what you actually do

This is the behavior.

You scroll.
You drink.
You snap.
You overeat.
You avoid God.

4. Reward – The payoff reinforcement

This is what keeps the loop going.

These are 4 steps to a habit…

And here is where most of us mess up. We try to rip out the habit, but we never address the reward.

Here is the shift.

You do not just break habits.
You replace rewards.

Jesus offers better rewards.

Rest for your soul.
Peace that lasts.
Joy that is not fragile.
A clean conscience.
Real connection with God.

It is like that song “Your Way’s Better” by Forrest Frank.
Listen to it this week. Sing it. Declare it.
“Your way’s better.” I hope you start to believe that.

Here is the framework we want everyone to use this week.
We will put this on the handout so you can write it down.
PRACTICAL HABIT FIX

When I notice (cue)__________,
I will choose (new response)__________,
because I want (better reward)__________.
To make this easier, I will change my environment by __________.

This is not about perfection.
It is about alignment.

Jesus is inviting you to arrange your life so that following Him becomes normal, not heroic.

So here is the invitation today.

Not to promise God more.
Not to feel guilty about the past.

But to build one pattern with God.

Before you leave, do these 3 Action Steps

1. Identify one habit you want to change.
2. Write the cue, response, and reward on your handout.
3. Right now – seek God in prayer and worship.
4. New cue. New craving. New response. New environment.

View Details

https://youtu.be/8kvCh8lXkC0?si=zToYXub3_R1o3C-WBurned Out on Resolutions? Small Steps, Lasting ChangeJanuary starts with big plans, but real life shows up fast. In this Start Here message, Pastor Chris Fluitt teaches how Jesus holds two things together: a big Kingdom vision and a daily plan for today. Through Matthew 6, the mustard seed parable, and the call to be faithful with a few things, you will learn Vision Stacking – a practical way to build lasting change through small, faithful steps at Redemption Church in Plano, Texas.

Start Here Resources– Start Here Hub – Learn about the full Start Here series and access resources.

– Download the Start Here Journal – A free 21-day, Jesus-centered journal designed to help you stay focused.

– Join the Start Here Facebook Group – A private community for encouragement and accountability.

Prefer to read or skim instead of watch?
Below is the full message manuscript for Start Here Week 2: Burned Out on Resolutions? Small Steps, Lasting Change. Use it for study, notes, or sharing with a friend.
If you are short on time, look for the Vision Stacking section – that’s the key framework.

Start Here 2: Burned Out on Resolutions? Small Steps, Lasting Change

Chris Fluitt January 11, 2026
Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:33-34; Matthew 13:31-32; Matthew 25:14-23 (key verse 25:21); Zechariah 4:10; Psalm 37:23; Psalm 90:12 Big Idea: Jesus gives us a big vision to live for and a daily plan to live by. God builds lasting change through small, faithful steps.
Tagline: Dream in years, plan in months, focus on weeks, live in days.

Start Here Week 2 – Burned Out on Resolutions? Small Steps, Lasting Change – Pastor Chris FluittStart Here 2: Burned Out on Resolutions? Small Steps, Lasting ChangeChris Fluitt – January 11, 2026
Key Scriptures: Matthew 6:33-34; Matthew 13:31-32; Matthew 25:14-23 (key verse 25:21); Zechariah 4:10; Psalm 37:23; Psalm 90:12 Big Idea: Jesus gives us a big vision to live for and a daily plan to live by. God builds lasting change through small, faithful steps.
Tagline: Dream in years, plan in months, focus on weeks, live in days.

Welcome to Redemption Church in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am thankful for everyone in the room and everyone online.

January starts with big plans.

This is the year I’m going to be consistent.
This is the year I’m going to get healthy.
This is the year I’m going to get my finances together.
This is the year my faith is going to grow.

And then real life shows up.

The calendar fills up.
The pressure comes back.
You miss a day. Then two.
Then that old feeling hits: I’m behind. I’m failing. I knew I couldn’t do it.

Most fail because the plan was too big to live on an ordinary day.

We talked about the plans that are too big last week… today let’s talk about the ordinary day.

Here is how the Bible talks about ordinary days.

Psalm 37:23 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.

Not the leaps. The steps.

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

God cares about your days.
God cares about your steps.

Do we care about our steps and days?
Or do we just want the end result… and we want it now!

We have the desire
We struggle with follow-through.

We are tired already… discouraged already… We are all or nothing…
We want it all right now… or nothing.

All or Nothing Stats

• Only 31% of Americans say they will make a New Year’s resolution or set a goal for 2026.
• 57% of Americans say they feel more pessimistic about the world in 2026.
• U.S. obesity is 40.3%, divorce around 50%, and the average household is about $136,000 in debt.

Fewer goals…
More pessimism…
Growing problems…

If you’ve felt stuck, tired, discouraged, or like you tried before and it didn’t work, you’re not crazy.
You’re living in the real world.

BUT Jesus has something to say about how real change actually happens.

Jesus teaches us how to hold two things together that we usually separate: big vision and daily focus.

Matthew 6:33 – Big vision “seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness”

Jesus says, seek first God’s kingdom.

That is not a small target.
That’s the biggest vision possible.

So what is the Kingdom of God?

In simple terms, the Kingdom is God’s rule and reign.
God’s ways. God’s will. God’s priorities.
Lived out in real life.

So Jesus raises the aim.

Your goal can be more than, I just want to be better.
Don’t you want to be part of something bigger than you?
Don’t you want your life to matter in God’s story?

That is big vision.
Seek first the Kingdom.

Matthew 6:34 – Daily focus“do not worry about tomorrow…”

Let’s say it clearly.
Jesus does not say, don’t worry about today.
He says, don’t worry about tomorrow.

Tomorrow will bring tomorrow’s concerns.
Today has enough already.
Today has a calling.
Today has a next step.

So Jesus gives us the balance:
Big vision – the Kingdom.
Daily focus – today.

We need a big vision and a daily plan.

But here is a problem…
Here is where we often get stuck.

We despise small daily things.We do not say it out loud, but we treat small progress like it doesn’t count.

• You lose five pounds, but you won’t mention it because you’re still thirty away, so five feels small.
• You read your Bible three days this week, but you wanted seven, so you call it failure.
• You started something new and get ten followers, but you compare it to a million-follower account, and you feel silly for being excited.
• You pay off one bill, but the bigger debt problem is still there, so you downplay the progress.

When you despise small beginnings, you stop building.

That’s why God says this…

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. (Zechariah 4:10 NLT)

In context, God’s people had returned from exile and started rebuilding the temple.

The people were down… God was excited!

We’re not rebuilding a temple, but we are rebuilding lives.
We are building something we want to last.
Faith. Health. Marriage. Peace. Discipline. Purpose.

God is excited about what you are starting!

God does not despise small beginnings, and neither should you.

Jesus backs this up in Matthew 13.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32 NIV)

He says God’s Kingdom… the BIG VISION… is like a tiny mustard seed.

Small at the start, but it grows into something that becomes a blessing.

Small prayers.
Small choices.
Small habits.
Small acts of obedience.
Small steps taken consistently.

Then Jesus lands this lesson in Matthew 25..

“Well done, good and faithful servant… you have been faithful with a few things.” (Matthew 25:21)

So let it land:

What if one of your biggest accomplishments this year was that you became faithful with a few things?Not hype. Not talk. Not a perfect streak.
Faithful with a few things.

And that’s the bridge into the practical.

RESEARCH AND REAL LIFEAnd what’s interesting is that research has caught up to what Jesus is teaching.

1) Daily action plans beat motivationResearchers: when people make a specific plan for the moment, goal achievement improves by about 65%.

They call it an if-then plan. It’s simple.

If this happens, then I do this.

It gives a 65% increase over motivation based plans.

Motivation-based: It’s 6 a.m. Do I feel like working out?
Daily action: It’s 6 a.m. I work out.

That’s what Jesus is teaching in Matthew 6. Big vision, yes. But you live it TODAY. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Stay faithful today.

2) Real change takes longer than you wantOne major study found it takes about 66 days on average for a new behavior to start feeling more automatic.

So if you’re on day 11 and it still feels hard, it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re forming.

And that connects to Jesus again. Jesus is saying: stop borrowing tomorrow’s pressure. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Take today’s next step. Stay in today long enough for faithfulness to take root.

research agreeS with Jesus: big vision, daily plan, small steps, over time.

Now let’s take the next step together.

Motivation is like a sugar rush. It feels amazing, and then it crashes. Because motivation makes you want to do all the things. New diet. New budget. New workout. New Bible plan. New everything.

But we don’t need a hundred new things. We need a simple system we can repeat.

I want to show you the most motivating, unrealistic, impossible plan for life I’ve ever seen. Ron Swanson calls it the Pyramid of Greatness.

Swanson Pyramid of Greatness video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIoSV-obhu4The Pyramid of Greatness – a funny picture of motivation overloadAlright. Just take a second and look at that.

That is an impossible goal. No amount of motivation can push us to achieve this “Pyramid of Greatness.”

And that’s why January burns people out. We start with a sugar rush of motivation and we try to do all the things.

So we’re going to do something different. We’re going to build a Jesus-centered system that’s actually livable.

We have…
The big vision: seek first the Kingdom.
The daily plan: don’t worry about tomorrow.

You live in today, but you’re walking toward tomorrow. This is the system.

James Clear talks about this system in his book – Atomic Habits. He calls this system – vision stacking.

Vision StackingVision Stacking – dream in years, plan in months, focus on weeks, live in daysVision stacking is how you take a big, God-honoring vision and turn it into a daily plan you can actually live.

Because here’s the truth:
You can’t obey God for the whole year today.
You can obey God today.

So let’s take an ambiguous goal and make it real.

A lot of people say, “this year I want to grow spiritually.”
That’s a great desire, but it’s too vague to live.
What does grow spiritually mean on a Tuesday morning?

So we vision stack it.

Year vision

Year vision example for spiritual growthBy the end of this year, I want to be a person who seeks God daily and trusts Jesus more than my worry.

90 Day Accomplishment

90 day goal example for spiritual growthIn 90 days, I will read all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

60-day next steps

60 day steps exampleIn the next 60 days, I want to be actively walking in faith with other believers, not just watching faith from a distance.
That means I take a next step. I join a Connect Group. I commit to serving. I let somebody know, I want to grow.

30-day win

30 day win exampleI want to have read the Gospel of Mark.
Not because it’s a magic number, but because I’m building a habit that feeds my soul.

This week

This week exampleI’m going to read Mark five days.
Not seven. Not perfect. Faithful.

Today

Start HereBefore I touch my phone, I touch my Bible.
Before I scroll, I seek.
Before I take in the world, I take in the Word.

Then I open Mark and read one section.
And I write one sentence: Here’s what Jesus is teaching me.

You can make it an if-then plan:
If I wake up, then I reach for God before I reach for my phone.
If I sit down with coffee, then I open Mark.
If it’s 9pm, then I write one sentence and I pray one honest prayer.

That is vision stacking.
You live in today, but you’re walking toward tomorrow.

Today is where it becomes real.

James Clear says it like this:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

Atomic Habits – goals vs systems (James Clear)Follow-up: “So the question isn’t just what do you want. It’s what’s your system. What’s your if-then plan.”

And I want you to hear this: this works for everything.
Relationships. Health. Finances. Career. Peace.

The point is not to do everything at once.
The point is to take the next faithful step.

[Biblical picture of vision stacking: Moses had a calling, but the weight was crushing him. In Exodus 18, Jethro tells him to build structure, layers, and shared leadership so the work can last. Big calling, wise steps, sustainable life.]

Vision StackingVision Stacking – dream in years, plan in months, focus on weeks, live in daysNow imagine a whole church that lived like this.

Not a church of New Year hype and February guilt.
A church of steady faithfulness.
A church that celebrates small beginnings.
A church that does not despise day one.
A church that keeps taking the next step.

That kind of church becomes a shelter.
That kind of church becomes a place where lives actually change.

Stack This Vision1) Choose one area for growthJust one.
Faith, relationships, health, finances…

2) Write your stackWrite it down:
Year vision.
90 days
60 days.
30 days.
This week.
Today.

3) IF: I have Heard God’s WordTHEN: I will respond in prayer & worshipThis is the moment to take a step.
This is the perfect time to ask for God’s help.

So as we worship, here’s what I want you to do:
Ask God to give you a Kingdom vision.
Ask God for grace to be faithful today.
Ask God to help you take the next step.

View Details

https://youtu.be/yxzCWzcn_Es?si=a7hLJaggY2CRHRuQEvery new year brings fresh hope, but for many people it also brings a familiar frustration – new calendar, same struggles. In this opening message of the Start Here series, Pastor Chris Fluitt explores what it means to feel stuck and how Jesus offers more than motivation. Through the story of Peter’s empty nets in Luke 5 and Jesus’ teaching on wise foundations in Matthew 7, this message shows how God gives direction, vision, and a new future to people who are ready to follow Him.

Start Here ResourcesStart Here Hub – Learn about the full Start Here series and access resources to help you stay focused this year.

Download the Start Here Journal – A free 21-day, Jesus-centered journal designed to help clarify direction.

Join the Start Here Facebook Group – A private community for encouragement and accountability.

Message NotesStart Here 1: Stuck Again? How to See and Move Toward Your Future
Chris Fluitt – January 4, 2026
Key Scriptures: Luke 5:1–11; Matthew 7:24, 26; Matthew 4:19
Big Idea: A new year doesn’t change your life. Direction does. When a goal has a plan, it becomes vision, and vision gives every area of life a foundation that can actually last.

https://youtu.be/TUg9QiuNMS8?si=IcsTPKK_7yQlZgmsLooking for a Message Handout?I want you to know where this series is headed.

Start Here: Tired of Resolutions? Build a Life that Lasts.

Start Here is our January Sunday afternoon series at Redemption Church in Plano with Pastor Chris Fluitt, helping you move past empty resolutions and build habits and vision that last.This series is called Start Here because most people want change, but they don’t know where to begin or how to keep going.

These messages build on each other, and I really want you to be here for the whole series.

The next weeks:

January 11 – Burned Out on Resolutions?Small steps are how lasting change actually happens.

January 18 – Why You Won’t Fail This Year: The Habit FixThe right habits remove the pressure to rely on motivation.

January 25 – Find Your Next Step: Discover Your DirectionClarity about where you’re headed makes the next step obvious.

Start Here Journal & Facebook Group

Download the free Start Here Journal and join the 21-Day Journey Facebook Group.To help you walk this out, we’ve created a Start Here Journal and a Facebook group to help you stay focused and accountable this year.

Today, I’m calling this message:

Stuck Again?: How to See and Move Toward Your Future

Start Here – Week 1: Stuck Again? How to See and Move Toward Your FutureEvery January starts with hope.

New year.
New goals.
New energy.

And for a lot of us, it also starts with a quiet thought we don’t say out loud.

Here we go again.

New calendar. Same patterns.
New intentions. Same struggles.

If that’s you, hear this clearly.

You are not lazy.
You are not broken.
You are not behind.

But you might be stuck.

And the question isn’t, “How do I fix everything?”
The better question is, “Where do I actually start?”

January exposes something about all of us.

We want change, but we struggle to sustain it.

Stuck Again Statistics
Most New Year’s resolutions fall into a few categories:

• 79% – health
• 61% – finances
• 57% – relationships/emotions
• 29% – relationship with God

(https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/01/29/new-years-resolutions-who-makes-them-and-why/)
(https://news.lifeway.com/2021/12/28/new-years-resolutions-focus-on-health-god-and-money/)

• 88% will abandon their New Year’s resolutions within the first two weeks.

(https://www.bcm.edu/news/new-years-resolutions-why-do-we-give-up-on-them-so-quickly)

• “Quitter’s Day” is the second Friday in January.
  • In 2026, that’s January 9.

(https://www.thereisadayforthat.com/holidays/various/quitters-day
https://reclaim.ai/blog/quitters-day)

Resolutions are not bad.

But most resolutions sound like this:
Try harder. Push more. Do better.

Trying harder doesn’t give you direction.

A resolution without a plan is just a wish.

You don’t just need effort.
You need direction.
And you need a way to take steps toward that direction.

You don’t just need effort.
You need direction.
And you need a way to take steps toward that direction.

That’s the difference between resolutions and vision.

Here is what Jesus says about how to build your life.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Matthew 7:24 NIV

“But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.”
Matthew 7:26 NIV

Jesus describes two people.

They heard the same words.
They had the same information.

You could even say it this way:

They both had the same New Year’s resolution.

But only one of them acted on it.

The difference wasn’t desire.
The difference wasn’t knowledge.

The difference was whether the words shaped how they lived.

Wisdom, according to Jesus, is not just hearing His words.
Wisdom is putting His words into practice.

Wisdom, according to Jesus, is not just hearing His words.
Wisdom is putting His words into practice.

And we see this play out in real life with Peter.

In Luke 5, Peter has been fishing all night.
Same lake. Same nets. Same effort.

Nothing to show for it.

Empty nets.

Jesus tells him to go back out and let down the nets again.
Peter obeys, and there’s a miraculous catch.

Jesus blesses what Peter was already doing.

Jesus wants to bless what you are already trying to do in life. (unless it is sin)

• Your work
• Your health
• Your relationships
• Your podcast, youtube channel, even a huge project like a movie

But He doesn’t stop there.

Jesus doesn’t just bless effort.He gives direction.He may bless what you’re doing now,
and still invite you into something new.

He says this to Peter:

“From now on you will fish for people.”
Luke 5:10 NIV

Jesus doesn’t just bless Peter’s effort.
He gives Peter a new direction.

Peter’s life doesn’t change because he caught more fish.
It changes because Jesus spoke a new future over him.

You want more money, promotion, better health, a house, smoother family vibes… You are working HARD for this… but Jesus has even better.

This is how Jesus leads.

He doesn’t just say, “Try harder.”
He says, “Follow me.” “Trust me.” (Mattew 4:19)

Jesus does not come with a binder filled with rules and regulations.
Jesus comes with an invitation and direction.

How YOU can Start HereThis is where vision becomes practical.

Not everything.
Not all at once.
Just a place to begin.

1. Clarify your direction

Before habits, before plans, ask this:

What do I want God to build in me this year?

Your faith.
Your family.
Your health.
Your finances.
Your relationships.

Not all of them.
One or two that matter most.

Direction comes before discipline.

2. Connect simple, repeatable actions to that direction

A goal without a plan is a wish.
A goal with a plan becomes vision.

This doesn’t mean complex.
It doesn’t mean heavy.
It doesn’t mean all-encompassing.

It means simple, repeatable actions you can actually live with.

Small steps aimed in the right direction.

3. Shift from “try harder” to “trust Jesus”

Resolutions say, try harder.
Jesus says, trust me.

This has been my prayer this week:

Jesus, I’m going to give You my effort.
I’ll show up.
I’ll take the steps I can take.
But I’m going to trust You with the outcome.

I can control my effort.
I can’t control the results.
But I can trust the One who leads me.

musicians

Who We Are Becoming This YearNow zoom out for a moment.

This isn’t just about what you do.
This is about who we are becoming together.

We are choosing depth over hype.
Direction over drift.
Practice over intention.

This year, we are becoming a people who:

• Follow Jesus daily, not occasionally
• Build our lives intentionally, not accidentally
• Trust Jesus with our effort and with the outcome

We’re not trying to do everything.
We’re trying to do the right things, faithfully.

And we’re doing it together.

How We’re Starting This Year TogetherHere’s how we’re responding as a church family.

#1: Decide your direction.

• Grab a Start Here Journal.
  Scan the QR code or pick up a printed copy.

#2: Take small, repeatable steps.

• Join the Facebook group.
  Find encouragement and accountability.

#3: Make a commitment.

• Sign up for a Connect Group.
  Start a Bible reading plan.

#4: Trust Jesus with the outcome.

Pray, Worship and place this year in His hands.

You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You just have to start here.

Next StepsExplore the full Start Here series on the Start Here Hub

Download the Start Here Journal

Join the Start Here Facebook Group

View Details

https://youtu.be/1-6Q1_OkWsM?si=oJIxfxaDCwrdaOrjThis is Redemption Church of Plano, Texas. We worship together on Sunday evening and we are seeing God do great things. My name is Chris Fluitt We are so glad you are here!

Follow along with us: https://tinyurl.com/33vpxvrk

Next week, we’re starting a brand-new series called Start Here.

A lot of people head into a new year with good intentions…but no real plan.

They want change, growth, clarity, peace – but they don’t know where to begin.

So instead of saying, “Try harder,”
we’re asking a better question:
Where do I actually start?

This series is about learning how to take one small, intentional step at a time and build a life that lasts – spiritually, relationally, and practically – with Jesus at the center.

Get out your phones and check out these two resources!

To help with that, we’ve created a Start Here eBook that goes along with the series.
It’s simple. It’s practical. And it’s designed to help you apply what we’re talking about week by week, not just hear it and forget it.

We’ve also created a Start Here Facebook group where people can walk through this together – encouragement, accountability, prayer, and real-life stories. Because growth happens better together than alone.

If you want to:

• Download the free eBook
• Join the Facebook group
• Share it!

No pressure.
No guilt.
Just an opportunity.

Alright – let’s jump into today.

Far scarier than “The Upside down” from Netfix’s Stranger Things… is your Calendar’s “The In-Between”

The In-Between

Christmas is over.
The New Year hasn’t started yet.

And most people drift in the in-between.

During Christmas to New Year, people slept 24 minutes more per day and sedentary time increased by 12 minutes per day.
(https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10928835/)

On New Year’s Eve, TV viewers watched 105 billion minutes of programming. The second-most viewed day of the year behind the Super Bowl.
(https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2024/tv-usage-rises-in-december-video-gaming-drives-big-gains/)

Christmas holidays are a high-risk period for physical inactivity and weight gain, and research shows that people gain about 1 to 2 pounds over the holiday season.
(https://www.lboro.ac.uk/news-events/news/2022/december/active-advent-bmj/)

Most people drift in the in-between.

But Jesus never invited people to drift.
He invited people to follow.

Jesus didn’t leave us guessing about what matters most.
He gave us a playbook for life.

We are calling today’s message

The Jesus Playbook: 3 Keys to a Great Year

Not complicated.
Not overwhelming.

Simple. Clear. Life-shaping.

Three great priorities that lead to a great year.

Why do we need a playbook?

Every year, people want the same things.

More peace.
More purpose.
Better relationships.
A stronger faith.

The problem is not desire.
The problem is direction.

If you don’t decide what matters most, everything competes.

Jesus shows us what to build around.

When you read the Gospels, Jesus doesn’t overwhelm people with hundreds of priorities.
He keeps bringing them back to what really matters.

There are moments where Jesus Himself uses the word great.
And there are moments where believers throughout history, looking back, recognized the greatness of what Jesus said and did.

So today, we’re going to look at three things Jesus revealed as foundational – things that shape the heart, the mission, and the daily walk of every believer.

GREAT #1 – THE GREAT COMMANDMENT(Matthew 22:37-40)

In Matthew 22, an expert in the law tried to test Jesus. He asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law.”

There are 613 laws in your Old Testament…
Ceremonial laws…
Civil governing laws…
Moral laws…
Laws that say DO THIS…
Laws that say DO NOT DO THIS…
It is complicated… and the question is which is greatest.

Jesus doesn’t flinch. Jesus isn’t caught off guard. He says this…

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
“And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
“All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37–40 NIV

Jesus calls this the greatest commandment.

Not two competing commands.
One great commandment with two inseparable directions.

Love God fully.
Love people genuinely.

You cannot separate them.

You don’t love God deeply while avoiding people.
And you don’t truly love people without God shaping your heart.

This is why faith was never meant to be lived alone.

Growth doesn’t happen best in rows.
It happens in circles.

You don’t need to know everyone.
But you do need to know someone.

This is why community matters.

When love is real, it moves us outward.

GREAT #2 – THE GREAT COMMISSION (Matthew 28:19-20)

Jesus had been crucified and buried.
Jesus rose from the dead.
And now moments before He ascends to Heaven in Matthew 28 he says these great words…

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

Jesus doesn’t say, “Sit and observe.”
He says, “Go.”

Faith that stays private eventually grows weak.
Faith that moves outward grows strong – it is fruitful and it multiplies.

God did not give you gifts and talents by accident.
He gave them on purpose.

Not just so you could attend church.
But so you could build it.

This is where purpose wakes up and faith comes to life!

Before Jesus sent people out, He invited them in.

GREAT #3 – THE GREAT INVITATION(Matthew 4:19)

What does it look like for Jesus to invite you in? Is it complicated or simple?

“Come, follow me.” -Matthew 4:19 NIV

Not follow rules.
Not follow religion.

Follow me.

Christianity is not behavior modification.
It is relationship transformation.

Following Jesus is daily.
Ordinary.
Faithful.

Not perfect.
Consistent.

Prayer.
Scripture.
Obedience.

One step at a time.

3 Greats – Commands to love, to Go serve and share, to follow…

As you look toward next year, don’t ask,
“What do I want to change?”
Ask, “What do I want to commit to?”

Because what you commit to shapes who you become.

Jesus gives us clarity.

• Love God and love people
• Go, serve, and share
• Follow Jesus daily

This is the Jesus Playbook.

Notice how simple it is?
Let’s stop making things so difficult…

Notice that if Jesus calls us to these greats… shouldn’t we do them?

What if we build 2026 on what Jesus calls great? (Call to Action)

What if this in-between season doesn’t end the way it usually does?

What if we don’t drift into the new year?
What if we don’t just sit, wait, and hope something changes?

What if we decide?

Because a great year doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s built on decisions.

And the number one decision that will shape your faith this year
is whether you do it alone or in community.

CONNECT GROUPS – THIS IS THE MOMENT

If you want a stronger faith this year,
you need people around you.

Jesus didn’t form an audience.
He formed a group.

This semester – January through April – we’re launching Connect Groups with a clear beginning and a clear end.

Not forever.
Not for life.
Just for a semester.

And today, we need three kinds of yes:

• Join a group
• Host a group
• Lead a group

All three matter.

The Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and the Great Invitation are lived out best in community.

What’s One Way You’re Deciding Not to Drift?

• Join a Connect Group
• Lead a Connect Group
• Host a Connect Group
• Join the Dream Team
• Take My Next Step with Jesus
• Share My Faith
• Give My Gifts to Make a Difference

HOW WE’RE RESPONDING TODAY

I’m inviting you to move.

In the prayer space, there are tables with notecards and pens.

When you come forward grab a card & pray.

Write:

• Your name
• And one decision you’re making so you don’t drift into this year

I’m done talking.

It’s time to move.

It’s time to decide.

It’s time to stop drifting and take up the Jesus Playbook.

Come.

View Details

Christmas is often presented as neat, quiet, and resolved. But for many people, December 25th comes and goes, and life is still messy. Problems don’t disappear overnight. Questions remain. Pain lingers.

In week three of our Messy Beautiful Christmas series, we asked a simple but honest question: Can I find hope in this mess?

Walking through the early life of Jesus, we see that the mess didn’t disqualify Him – it confirmed Him. God was at work through detours, disruption, and uncertainty, fulfilling His promises in ways no one expected. And that same hope is still available today, right in the middle of whatever you’re walking through.

Watch the Message Recaphttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/Y8JPOqcyQaECheck out our recap.

This video offers a brief recap of Sunday’s message and celebration at Redemption Church. We reflected on the baptism we celebrated and the message Can I Find Hope in This Mess? – a reminder that the mess didn’t disqualify Jesus, it confirmed Him. If you’re walking through a season that still feels unresolved, this message is for you.

https://youtu.be/GEUXZIZF_PU?si=LpfoVpz_iFrR3rzMMessage OverviewThis message was preached by Chris Fluitt on December 21, 2025, as part three of our Messy Beautiful Christmas series at Redemption Church. As you read through this message, our prayer is that God meets you right where you are and reveals the hope He is already working in your life. Blessings as you study God’s Word.

Hope doesn’t wait for life to get cleaned up. God meets us in the middle of the mess.

Message NotesThis is Redemption Church of Plano, Texas. We are so glad you are here!
It is amazing time of year and we are so glad to spend it with you. Merry Christmas!
My name is Chris Fluitt, and I pray blessings on every one of you.

Download the Message Handout: https://tinyurl.com/srjm7wxpI am going to start with something real…

For most of us… December 25th didn’t fix anything.

The calendar turned.
The decorations came down.
And the situation stayed the same.

You were hoping Christmas would bring relief.
Instead, it just reminded you how unresolved things still feel.

And that leads to a deeper question.

Can I find hope in this mess?

Can hope still work when nothing has changed?
Can hope hold when the story is unfinished?
Can faith stay alive when the mess hasn’t moved?

Because that’s where many of us are living right now.

Hope is Hard to Find

• For the first time ever, fewer than 30% of Americans say their mental health is “excellent.” (Gallup) https://news.gallup.com/poll/700079/mental-health-ratings-continue-worsen.aspx
• 49,316 people died by suicide in the U.S. in 2023, about one death every 11 minutes. (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/data.html
• 45% of Americans say they would rather live in the past than the future. Only 14% chose the future. (Pew Research Center) https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/12/11/far-more-americans-say-theyd-like-to-live-in-the-past-than-in-the-future/

What a mess!

If that’s where we are, then maybe the question isn’t, “What’s wrong with us?”
Maybe the real question is, “What kind of hope does God offer in a world like this?”

Because messed up world is exactly the kind of world the Christmas story was born into.

What’s often missed in the Christmas story is this:

The mess doesn’t end when Jesus is born.

We have very sweet nativity scenes… Jesus is born and everyone is happy. It gives “and they all lived happily ever after vibes.”

We picture calm. Peace. Stillness.

But the truth is this: The mess doesn’t end when Jesus is born.

If anything, the mess multiplies.

Let’s walk through 3 messes.

Mess #1: Bethlehem

Jesus is born in Bethlehem, not because it’s convenient, but because it’s required.

Mary and Joseph don’t live there.
They’re forced there by a government order.

Stressful.
Disruptive.
Unplanned.

A mess.

Jesus is born… they are still in Bethlehem.

They still have no place to go… there is still no room for them in any inn… and Jospeh, Mary, and Baby Jesus seem to be forced to stay in Bethlehem for several months.- until the magi/wisemen come…

Then things get worse…

Mess #2: Egypt

“King” Herod wants Jesus dead. (We talked about that last week.)
So God warns Joseph in a dream.

(Matthew 2:14)

They become refugees.
They leave everything familiar.

For this season, Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were asylum seekers, fleeing danger to find safety in another nation.

This is another mess. Mess after mess..

Finally relief… Herod R.I.P.

Now finally, there’s relief. “king” Herod dies.

It’s time to go home.

But Matthew tells us this:

(Matthew 2:22)

Archelaus was one of Herod the Great’s sons.
Violent. Unstable. So dangerous that Rome eventually removed him from power.

Mess #3: Nazareth

Another detour.
Another disruption.
Another mess.

Joseph wants to go one way.
God redirects him again.

And they settle in Nazareth – a small, overlooked town that was never part of the plan.

Not important.
Not impressive.
Not expected.

Just messy.

Mess after mess, after mess.

Bethlehem…
Egypt…
Nazareth…

The Message Hidden in the Mess

So… who cares?

Life is hard.

Things go wrong.

They had problems. Big deal.

What’s the point of all this mess?

Here’s the point.

There is a message hidden in the mess.

And if you miss it, you miss what God was doing.

Let’s walk back through it one more time.

Bethlehem.

They didn’t choose it.

They were forced there.

But Scripture had already said:

“But you, Bethlehem… out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel.” (Micah 5:2)

The Bethlehem mess was prophesied hundreds of years in advance.

Egypt.

They fled in fear.

They crossed a border to survive.

But God had already spoken:

“Out of Egypt I called my son.”

(Hosea 11:1)

The Egypt mess was part of God’s message. Again prophesied hundreds of years in advance.

Nazareth.

Not impressive.

Not expected.

Not the dream.

And Matthew tells us:

“So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:23)

Matthew is underscoring a Messianic prophecy from Isaiah 11:1.

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1, NIV)

Branch – Netzer – Nazereth

The Hebrew word for Branch is netzer.

Nazareth is a town that shares the name of that messianic prophesy about the Branch.

Three messes.

Three detours.

YET Three fulfilled promises.

What felt random wasn’t random.

What felt like chaos wasn’t chaos.

The mess wasn’t in the way of God’s plan.

The mess was the way God plan was fulfilled.

Mary and Joseph couldn’t see it in the moment.

But we can see it now.

Because they went through the mess… we can see the message. We can trust and believe that Jesus is the messiah and savior of the world.

Jesus fulfills 3 of these promises…
Born in Behlehem.
Drawn out of Egypt.
And the Branch from the town of the Branch – Nazareth.

And here’s why this matters to you.

God usually reveals the meaning after the mess, not during it.

The season you’re frustrated with may be the season God is using.

You may not understand your mess yet.

But that doesn’t mean it’s meaningless.

That’s why hope doesn’t come from having answers. Hope comes from trusting the God who’s still writing the story.

Here’s the truth.

The mess didn’t disqualify Jesus.
It confirmed Him.

And the mess you’re walking through right now is doing more than you realize.

WHEN YOUR MESS BECOMES SOMEONE ELSE’S HOPE

Sometimes your mess isn’t just shaping you.
It’s showing others that God can be trusted.

Your kids learn hope by watching how you handle pressure.
Your friends learn hope by watching how you trust God in uncertainty.
Your coworkers learn hope by watching how you endure.

The financial mess you’re navigating might teach someone else how to depend on God.
The season you wish would end might help someone else believe.

That’s exactly how Jesus lived.

People didn’t find hope because Jesus avoided suffering.
They found hope because He entered it.

He touched the broken.
He ate with sinners.
He walked straight into pain.

And the cross, the greatest mess, became the greatest hope.

And when Jesus rose from the grave, He opened the way for new life.

That’s what baptism represents.

Going under the water is a picture of death.
Coming out of the water is a picture of resurrection.

It’s saying, “My old life is buried, and I’m stepping into new life with Jesus.”

Not because everything is fixed.
Not because the mess is gone.

But because hope has a name.
And His name is Jesus.

And here’s the invitation: You can have this.

You don’t have to clean yourself up first.
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
You don’t have to wait for the mess to be over.

God has come to give you new life.

Today, Xavier Schniefer has received this hope.

And today, in a few minutes, he’s being baptized.

His story isn’t perfect.
His life isn’t problem-free.

But he’s saying, “Jesus, I trust You with my life.”

And if God can meet Xavier in his mess,
He can meet you in yours.

And if you’re here today thinking,
“I want that. I need that. I’m ready for that,”
you can respond too.

Baptism is available.
Prayer is available.
Hope is available.

So where do you need hope today?

Not after it’s fixed.
Not when it makes sense.

Right now.

You don’t need answers to have hope.
You need trust.

Hope grows when you trust God while the story is still being written.

AN INVITATION TO HOPE

Here’s what I want to invite you to do.

1. Pray that hope is revealed in you, right in the middle of your mess.
Not later. Right now.

2. Worship while you wait.
Worship re-centers your heart when circumstances don’t change.

3. Stay open and pray for God’s direction.
Even if it feels like a detour. Even if it doesn’t make sense yet.

This space is open. Transformation happens when we turn to God.

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https://youtu.be/rSdpUcy4To4?si=1f7MEBcUUHXBrsyiThis is Redemption Church of Plano, Texas. We are so glad you are here! Merry Christmas!
My name is Chris Fluitt, and I welcome everyone in the room and everyone online.

I come bearing gifts.

We put together a simple Christmas Reset eBook.

There are over 25 prophecies we highlight. We show the Old Testament prophecy and reveal the New Testament fulfillment.

Follow along with us: https://tinyurl.com/4jtps4kd

Today we are in the 2nd week of our Christmas series:

Messy Beautiful Christmas

Some Christmases feel like a Hallmark movie.

A big city lawyer. Power suit. No time for love.
She flies home for the holidays. Her car breaks down in Small Town, USA.
She meets a handsome guy who owns a Christmas tree farm, or a bakery, or both.
There’s a snowball fight. A town parade. A misunderstanding.
Then one meaningful speech and one kiss later, everything is healed. And the lawyer now wears Plaid.

That is one kind of Christmas.

But some Christmases feel more like Die Hard.
Or a Christmas version of Game of Thrones.

Because this season is loud.
Pressure. Tension. Schedules. Money. Family. Grief. Anxiety.
Work stress that follows you home.
And yes, even food stress and weight gain fear.

So this Christmas, we need more than holiday vibes. We need something stronger than that. We need peace.

Peace is Greater Than a Vibe

I want to tell you today that peace is greater than a vibe.

We get caught up in the vibe and we miss what is most important.

I don’t have to tell you this is a stressful time of year. We already know. The signs are everywhere.

Christmas Battlefield Stats

• 41% of U.S. adults say they expect more holiday stress this year than last year.
  (https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/News-Releases/Americans-More-Anxious-About-the-Holidays)
• 64% of people living with mental illness say the holidays make their condition worse.
  (https://www.nami.org/Blogs/From-the-CEO/December-2021/The-Most-Difficult-Time-of-The-Year-Mental-Health-During-the-Holidays)
• 15% overall increase in heart attacks during the winter holidays, with a 37% spike on Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve).
  (https://newsroom.heart.org/local-news/heart-attack-deaths-spike-during-the-winter-holidays)

So if Christmas feels like a battlefield right now, you are not crazy.

Our world keeps offering “peace” as a vibe…
But a vibe cannot hold up in a battlefield.

At War This Christmas? Searching for Peace

Let’s dive into what God says about this.

Luke 2 starts by naming who’s in charge.

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree…” (Luke 2:1)

This is Roman rule. Occupation. Power. Injustice.

Rome loved the word peace, but their version was simple.
Roman Peace – Kill enough people, crush enough resistance, make everybody surrender, and then call it peace.

Aren’t you glad heaven’s peace is not like that?

Jesus says He gives peace… but not like the world gives. (John 14:27)

But hear this.

Heaven’s peace is not a cozy slogan vibe.

It’s announced in a time of war because it is a declaration of war.

Heaven’s peace is a declaration of war.
Not war against people..
War against darkness.
War against fear.
War against sin.
War against death.

“King” Herod

And it was so much a war that when an earthly king named Herod heard about a child born who was called King and Messiah, he treated it like a threat to his throne. He ordered the killing of the baby boys in Bethlehem because he feared another King had arrived. (Matthew 2:16-18)

And here’s what’s wild.

Instead of Luke taking us to kings going to war, Luke takes us to shepherds working the night shift.

Luke 2:10 (NIV)

Notice the first words of heaven in this story.

Not “try harder.”
Not “do better.”
Not “get your act together.”

It’s: “Do not be afraid.”

And Jesus never led with “try harder” either.

He did not look at a widow dropping in two tiny coins and say, “Give more. Be wealthier.” He honored her faith. (Mark 12:41-44)

He did not look at a man who could not walk and say, “Be stronger.” He moved toward him and raised him up. (John 5:1-9)

He did not look at the worn out and broken and say, “Fix yourself.” He said, “Come to me.” (Matthew 11:28)

Now listen to the reason they don’t have to be afraid.

Luke 2:11 (NIV) “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

That’s the reason.
That’s the joy.

A Savior.
The Messiah.
The Lord.

A new King has arrived.
A new kingdom has arrived.

The presence of a King in another kingdom is an act of war.

If we reduce Christmas to a vibe, we miss the story.

The original Christmas is a rescue invasion. A freedom mission.
What if the original Christmas story is a little more like Die Hard?
What if it’s a little more like Game of Thrones?

Because a new King has arrived.
And a new kingdom has arrived.

Then the angels say peace, and we have to notice where it’s announced.

Not in a palace.
Not in the Oval Office or the United Nations.
Not in a quiet chapel or a decorated cathedral.
Not in a perfectly decorated home with matching pajamas and no problems.

Peace is announced in a dark field, to working people, impoverished people, overlooked people, to hearts that are shaking, in a world under occupation and injustice.

And then comes a verse that is key for us today.

Luke 2:12 (NIV)

This is not just information. This is an invitation.

You will find.

They had to go & find.
Meaning they had to move.
They had to search.
They had to find the Savior for themselves.

This Christmas story is a war story.
It is not a mistake that your Christmas feels like a battle.

So what do you do when you’re at war this Christmas?

War Weary Christmas

1) Stop ignoring your fear. Name your fear.

If the shepherds were terrified, you can be honest.

Name it. Bring it into the light.

2) Receive the good news personally

“A Savior has been born to you.”

Not to perfect people.
To you.

3) Go and find Jesus. Take your next step toward Him.

The angels said you will find. The shepherds went and found.

So do not just hear this. Move toward the Savior.

4) Make Jesus your King, and go to war against what is killing you.

If Jesus is King, you stop making peace with what is destroying you.

Time to go to war against depression.
Against anxiety and mental illness.
Against addiction.
Against poverty and hopelessness.

Go to war for your marriage.
For your mind.
For your family.

Not with hype. Not with willpower.
With a King. With a new kingdom. With a new way of life.

One Call: Come and Find

Here’s the temptation.

To calm down, look at pretty pictures, listen to soft music, and soak up the vibes.

But the angels did not show up to calm, cozy people.
They showed up to people afraid, confused, in darkness, and without hope.

And the answer was not “just relax.”
The answer was: go and find.

So in a moment we’re going to sing, but we’re not singing to catch a vibe.

Before you step back into your schedule, back into work, back into school, back into family chaos – take a moment and go find Jesus and bring Him back into the center of your life.

And hear me: this is not “try harder.”
This is not “five things to do better this week.”
This is not “ten religious tasks to add to your to do list.”

This is surrender.

We are singing to find a God that is with us and God that is for us.

So as we sing: come and find.
If you need peace, come and find.
If you need prayer, come and find.
If you need freedom, come and find.
If you need to make Jesus your King, come and find.

Because peace is more than a vibe.
Peace is the King taking ground in your life.

View Details

https://youtu.be/Z2SKlEWLoMs?si=sGHGZ6htYC8TGXVFChristmas doesn’t have to be picture-perfect to be powerful.Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano, Texas. Merry Christmas to everyone in the room and everyone joining online. My name is Chris Fluitt, and I am excited about the Christmas season.

Redemption Church Christmas Party

We kicked things off Friday night with our Redemption Church Christmas Party – El Norte fajitas, a mariachi band, fun games, and Ricky Nolan rocking in a winter wonderland.

Christmas Reset eBook

Also, if you have not yet grabbed it, we put together a short Christmas Reset eBook.

If you are wondering what Christmas is really about, this little book walks through 25 promises about Jesus and how He really is the Savior of the world.

You can download it free and share it.

Today we start our Christmas series:

Messy Beautiful Christmas

Follow along with us: https://tinyurl.com/3hupprtd

I do not know how Christmas looks at your house, but mine has never measured up to a Hallmark card or what I see everyone else posting on Instagram.

The tree is perfect, the outfits match, everyone is laughing in slow motion, it is snowing but somehow nobody is cold. And then you look at your own life and think, “Yeah… no. That is not us.”

There have been years where, if you snapped a picture at 3 p.m., it would look beautiful. But if you could see what happened at 2:59 p.m., you would see me threatening my kids not to hit each other, to stand still, and for Heaven’s sake smile so your mom can have at least one good picture.

What is really going on is not so pretty.

And if you could see what is happening in people’s hearts, you would see that for a lot of us, Christmas is not just busy – it is painful.

THE ACHE OF WHAT IS MISSING
Let’s be honest. A lot of us are walking into this Christmas season with a quiet ache.

Some of you are already feeling it and it is only the beginning of December.

For some of you, it is grief: Grief

• Someone you love is gone
• This is the first Christmas without them
• Or the second or third, and it still hurts

For some of you, it is absence: Absence

• A parent who never showed up
• A child who is far from God
• A friend you are not talking to anymore
• A spouse who left

For others, it is lack: Lack

• A stable job
• A certain income
• A clear sense of calling
• A healthy body
• A stronger faith

And on top of that, there is a layer of guilt: Guilt

“I should be able to handle this.”
“I should be stronger than this.”
“It is Christmas, I should be happier than this.”

If you are really honest, you might even feel unqualified for God right now. Unqualified

You might think:

“If God is going to show up anywhere, it will be with people whose lives are more together than mine. Not with me. My life is too empty, too chaotic, too complicated.”

But the first Christmas was not a story about people who had everything they needed.

It was a beautiful mess, full of empty places that God chose to fill.

Messy Beautiful Christmas: Missing Something or Someone This Christmas?

Let’s look at the story with that lens: missing, lacking, emptiness… and a God who shows up unexpectedly.

1. No room, no space, no comfort, no support (Luke 2:6-7)

Luke 2:6-7 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Mary and Joseph are doing exactly what they have been told to do. They obey the government census. They obey God. Mary is full-term pregnant. They are carrying the Son of God – and when they arrive, there is no room.

• No room at the inn.
• No space that feels dignified.
• No obvious support system.

If you and I were writing the story, this would be the easiest part to fix.

“Come on God, just reserve them a room at the Marriott. Put a little ‘Reserved for Messiah’ sign on the door.”

• Instead:
• They are away from home.
• The city is overcrowded.
• There is no room.
• The Son of God is born in a place where animals live.

From the outside, it looks like they are missing what they most obviously need: a room, a bed, a safe and quiet place.

But what they do have is the presence of God in the middle of what looks like lack.

And that is the pattern of Christmas:

Even when you do not have what you think you need, God still shows up in the empty places.

1. Mary – impossible news in imperfect conditions (Luke 1:26-38)

Luke 1 tells us the angel Gabriel shows up to a young woman in a small town, Nazareth. No status. No big platform. No perfect conditions.

Luke 1:28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

That sounds like everything is about to get easier, but Mary is “greatly troubled” at his words.

Then Gabriel proceeds to drops the news: you will conceive, you will give birth, you will name him Jesus, he will be great, his kingdom will never end.

From where Mary is standing, nothing about her life looks ready for this.

• She is not married yet
• She will be misunderstood
• She will face gossip and shame

She is missing the Instagram story… stability, respectability, and the neat little story we think we need for God to use us.

But God is not apologizing for the timing. He is not waiting for better conditions. He is simply saying, “The Lord is with you.”

At the same time Mary’s life gets more complicated, God gets closer.

If your life is getting more complicated, it might not be proof that God left. It might be a sign that he is moving closer.

3. Joseph – disappointment, confusion, disrupted plans (Matthew 1:18-25)

Matthew 1 says Mary “was found to be pregnant.” That is a nice, gentle way of saying Joseph’s world just fell apart.

He knows the baby is not his.

As a righteous man, he decides to quietly end the engagement instead of publicly shaming her – or worse. In that culture, some could even be put to death for unfaithfulness.

Joseph thought he knew how his story was going to go:

• Plan the wedding
• Build a home
• Start a family

Now he is missing:

• Trust
• Clarity
• The future he planned

His heart is broken. His plans are wrecked. He is getting ready to walk away.

Matthew 1:20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Then God gives purpose to the mess:

Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

From Joseph’s point of view, he is losing everything he thought he had.
From God’s point of view, Joseph is being invited into the center of the greatest story in history.

What looked like a disaster was actually a doorway.

4. The truth: God fills empty places with his presence

Put it together:

• No room in the inn
• No perfect conditions for Mary
• No clear plan for Joseph

Lack.
Confusion.
Disappointment.
Empty places everywhere.

And in the middle of all that, God is not absent. God is right there.

Christmas is not a story about people who had everything together.

Christmas is a story about people who did not have what they needed, did not understand what was happening, and God stepped in anyway.

That is the big idea for today:

Even when you don’t have what you need or who you need, God still shows up in the places that feel empty.

You know who best exemplifies this truth? Jesus does!

Everywhere he goes, people are lacking something.

• A crowd with not enough food.
• A wedding with not enough wine.
• Disciples with no way through the storm.
• Sick and broken people with no power to fix themselves.

They do not have what they need – but they do have Jesus.

And because Jesus is there, everything changes.

• Five loaves and two fish become more than enough.
• Water becomes wine when the party has already run out.
• The storm goes silent at his word.
• Bodies are healed, sins are forgiven, the dead are raised.

His presence in the middle of lack is the answer.

This is the Jesus Pattern!

So why are we so surprised when our lives look the same?
Why are we shocked when we find ourselves in situations where we clearly do not have enough, but Jesus is inviting us to trust that his presence is still enough?

Christmas is not God saying, “Fix what is missing and then come to me.”
Christmas is God saying, “Come to me with what is missing, and watch what my presence can do.”

So let’s bring this into your life.

Where do you feel the ache of what is missing this Christmas?

1. Where do you feel like Mary?
   You are facing impossible news in imperfect conditions, and you are thinking, “I do not have what it takes for this.”
2. Where do you feel like Joseph?
   You are staring at disappointment, and the future you planned just got disrupted.
3. Where do you feel like there is “no room” in your life?
   No support in your life?
   No room in your schedule, budget, relationships, emotional energy…

The Hallmark Instagram pattern is to fix everything yourself… fake it ‘til you make it… None of that has worked for us.

Let’s try something different!

Bring your lack to God and trust His presence to meet you there.

Not when it is fixed. Not when it is neater. Right now.

• For some of you, this is about faith & salvation.

Bring your lack of certainty and watch God’s presence change you.

• For some of you, this is about time and energy.
  Bring your lack of margin and watch God’s presence give you rest.
• For some of you, this is about money.
  Bring your lack of resources and watch God’s presence provide, guide, and calm your fear.
• For some of you, this is about grief.
  Bring the ache of that empty chair and watch God’s presence comfort you in the middle of it.
• For some of you, this is about direction.
  Bring your lack of clarity and watch God’s presence lead you one step at a time.

Whatever your lack is, bring it to Jesus.
Do not wait for the perfect moment.
This is the moment.
Bring your lack to God and trust His presence to meet you here.

Call to Action: PRACTICE HIS PRESENCE
I do not want this to be a nice idea you forget by Tuesday. I want you to actually practice His presence in the middle of your mess.

1. Turn your lack into daily conversation

Stop hiding what you are missing. Talk to Jesus about it every day.
“Jesus, here is what I am missing today. I invite your presence into this.”

2. Create one “presence moment” in your normal week.

Pick one ordinary moment – a walk, a meal, a few quiet minutes – and turn it into a presence moment.

“Jesus, I invite Your presence right here. Fill this space.”

3. Right now: Practice His presence through worship and prayer.

This is not the wrap-up of the service – this is your moment.

If you need salvation, if you are carrying grief or fear, if you need direction or provision, bring your lack to God and trust His presence to meet you here as we worship.

View Details

https://youtu.be/9amByrOY0SM?si=d46wVL0Zzrs7O6lbWelcome to Redemption Church of Plano, Tx. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. My name is Chris Fluitt and am excited about the season.
Our Christmas Series starts Next Sunday.
We have a Christmas Party this Friday!
We have a brand new eBook to download.

Today we are going finish up our Thanks in Advance series.

Have you ever hit that moment when you realize… I’m running on empty?

Empty energy.
Empty motivation.
Empty joy.
Empty peace.
Empty spiritually.
Empty emotionally.

And it doesn’t usually happen all at once.
We leak over time.

Today I want to talk to you about:
What To Do When Running On Empty

If you feel empty today, you are not alone… And you are not disqualified.
You are actually perfectly positioned for Jesus.

The Middle: Not Empty… Not Full

A lot of us walk through life living in the middle:

• Not completely empty…
  but definitely not full.
• Not totally burned out…
  but not burning bright.
• Not spiritually dead…
  but not truly fully alive.
• Not falling apart…
  but not thriving.
• Not hopeless…
  but not joyful.
• Not drowning…
  but barely keeping our head above water.

Here’s the real issue:

We’ve made “barely getting by” our finish line.

We’ve normalized running low.
We’ve accepted living thin.
We’ve adjusted our expectations to “just enough.”
We function… but we don’t flourish.

We’re alive…
but are we fully alive?

Deep down… we know there must be more.

If this is how we’ve been living…
we’ve got to ask:
What does Jesus want for us?

Let me show you something from the ministry of Jesus.
There is a pattern that appears everywhere:

People come empty.
Jesus fills.
But He never stops at filled.
Jesus brings overflow.

Watch how consistent this is…

1. Feeding of the 5,000 – overflow

(Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15)
They came hungry.
Jesus filled them.
There were 12 baskets left over.
Overflow.

2. The woman at the well – overflow

(John 4:1–42)
She came thirsty and ashamed.
Jesus filled her with living water.
She ran to tell her entire village.
Overflow.

3. Water into wine – overflow

(John 2:1–11)
They ran out at the wedding.
Jesus filled the jars.
The master of the banquet said,
“You saved the best for now.”
Overflow.

4. The miraculous catch – overflow

(Luke 5:1–11; John 21:1–14)
All night: empty nets.
Jesus filled them.
So full the boats nearly sank.
Overflow.

And Scripture echoes it everywhere:

• Psalm 23:5 – My cup overflows.
• John 10:10 – Life more abundantly.
• John 15:11 – Joy full.
• Psalm 34:1 – Praise continually in my mouth.
• Genesis 12:2 – Blessed to be a blessing.
• John 7:38 – Rivers flowing from within.
• Psalm 103:1 – Bless the Lord with all that is within me.

Scripture sums this up with this powerful prayer.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Overflow is not extra.
Overflow is the normal Christian life.

So let me ask you:

Is it in you?
And if it is… is it overflowing from you?

Hold up the empty cup.

“This cup is us.”

Pour a little.

“We get a little peace…
a little hope…
a little strength…”

Pour more.

“Is it filled yet?”

Pour more.

“Is it filled yet?”

Fill to the brim.

“To most people, this is full.”

Now pour until it spills over.

“But in the kingdom of God…
you don’t know it’s filled until it’s overflowing.”

Overflow looks like:

• Gratitude overflowing
• Worship overflowing
• Generosity overflowing
• Hope overflowing
• Testimony overflowing
• Joy overflowing
• The Holy Spirit pouring through you
• Blessing others because you’ve been blessed

A filled believer is blessed.
An overflowing believer becomes a blessing.

What kind of believer are you?

ACTS 2 – THE ULTIMATE OVERFLOW

In Acts 2, the disciples were empty and waiting.
Jesus filled them with the Holy Spirit.
But He didn’t stop at filled…

It overflowed.

They spilled into the streets.
Thy spoke in tongues.
They preached.
They worshiped.
They prophesied.
Their joy and power couldn’t be contained.

And that overflow touched 3,000 people –
in one day.

That is not barely getting by.
That is not filled.

That is overflow.

Remember the pattern?
People come empty.
Jesus fills.
But He never stops at filled.
Jesus brings overflow.

Church, listen…

There are a lot of places that offer a nice worship service –
a little more peace,
a little more connection,
a little more inspiration.

But we are not here for “a little more.”
We are here for overflow.

You don’t need worship that warms you –
you need worship that fills you until it spills out of you.

And there are a lot of places offering a nice message –
something to help you get through the week.

But we are not aiming for “get through the week.”
We insist on overflow.

That’s why we call you into a prayer space.
Because it is not enough to hear the Word – it must overflow from you.

Overflow into your home.
Overflow into your children.
Overflow into your thoughts.
Overflow into your relationships.
Overflow all week long until you come back and overflow again.

God, give us an Acts 2 overflowing of Your presence.

Because it’s not enough to feel Him.
It’s not enough to hear Him.

It must overflow.

Let thankfulness overflow.
Let gratitude overflow.
Let worship overflow.
Let generosity overflow.
Let compassion overflow.
Let the Holy Spirit overflow.

What you do when you’re running on empty:

1. Come to Jesus honestly
Bring your emptiness.
Bring your tired heart.

Empty is not a failure.
Empty is an invitation.

2. Receive His Filling
Open your heart.
Let Him pour in what life drained out.

How long has it been since the Spirit of Jesus overflowed in you?

Not just enough to feel better…
but enough to move you,
change you,
and call you into something bigger.

How long has it been
since His presence stirred you so deeply
that you couldn’t keep it in?

If it’s been too long – this is your moment.
This is your time.
Receive His filling – and let it overflow.

3. Live habits that lead to overflow
Overflow is not a moment.
It’s a lifestyle.

Daily habits that produce overflow:

• Daily worship
• Daily gratitude
• Speaking Scripture
• Speaking life
• Praying out loud
• Serving others
• Staying connected
• Inviting the Spirit to guide your day

If the Spirit is in you…
the Spirit should be overflowing from you.

Before we step into this prayer moment,
I want us to make a plan for this week.

Not a plan to survive…
but a plan to overflow.

Before we step into this prayer moment,

I want us to make a plan for this season.

We are heading into Christmas.

A season where people get busier, heavier, more distracted, more overwhelmed.

A season where it is easy to go through the motions… sing the songs, buy the gifts, attend the events… but stay spiritually dry on the inside.

But not us.
Not here.
Not this year.

We are not making a plan to survive this season.

We are making a plan to overflow through this season.

Plan for His presence.

Plan for revival in your home.

Plan for an outpouring of the Spirit in your mind, your schedule, and your family.

Plan to see lives changed.

We serve the God of more than enough –

so stop settling for just enough to get by.

Let’s plan to live full.

Let’s plan to overflow.

Let’s plan to carry the presence of God through this entire season.

CALL TO ACTION: From Empty → Filled → Overflow

1. Bring your emptiness
Your empty cup.
Your empty strength.
Bring it.

2. Receive His filling
Whatever you need… Let Him pour in peace, joy, strength, hope, Spirit, life, gratitude.

3. Step into the prayer & worship and experience overflow
Don’t stay in your seat.
Don’t watch from a distance.

Come experience God.
Come encounter His presence.
Come let Him fill you –
and not stop at filled –
but bring overflow.

This is your moment.
This is where overflow begins.

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https://youtu.be/nP3Et8oK2Gs?si=nt8_XEE1CCe6N2_YWelcome to Redemption Church of Plano, Tx. We have people driving all over the Metroplex to serve and worship here. We also have people tuning via livestream from all over to receive the Word of God. My name is Chris Fluitt and I welcome you all.

Follow along with: https://tinyurl.com/4996j9a2

I want to start today with a question.
Have you ever had someone do you wrong, and you thought to yourself,
I’m not getting over this.

Maybe it was a betrayal.
Maybe it was someone who lied about you.
Maybe someone took advantage of your kindness.

Maybe you’re sitting here today thinking of that person right now and your blood pressure just went up a little.

I’ve been there.
There have been moments in my life where bitterness felt justified and forgiveness felt impossible.
Moments where I thought, if I hold onto this anger, at least I’m holding onto something.
Because when you’ve been betrayed, something inside you wants to cling to the pain so you never forget it.

But here’s what God has been teaching me:
Bitterness keeps you in the pit.
Gratitude pulls you into your purpose.

Today we’re talking about how gratitude can take you from bitter to better.

And I need this message.
You need this message.
And someone you know desperately needs this message.

We all know what bitterness feels like.

Bitterness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person gets sick.
It doesn’t just break relationships. It blocks blessings.
It clouds your judgment. It steals your sleep.
You replay the hurt over and over, like Netflix asking,
“Are you still watching this terrible moment?”

Yes, bitterness, I am. And you keep pressing play.

We live in a culture that rehearses hurt more than gratitude.
We vent more than we thank.
We scroll through everyone else’s highlight reel and feel resentful instead of grateful.

Before we move on, let me show you how real and widespread this issue is.

BITTER HEARTS & BROKEN HEALTH

• Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that chronic anger and resentment keep your body locked in fight or flight.
• This raises blood pressure, harms sleep, increases anxiety, and elevates the risk of heart disease.
• A national survey found that 62% of Americans say they need more forgiveness in their lives.

Bitterness is a widespread and growing problem.

Bitterness isn’t just an emotion.
It’s not just something that happened to me once.
Bitterness is a thief.
It steals peace, steals joy, and according to the research, it even steals physical health.

And here’s the truth:
You can’t move forward while staring backward.
You can’t step into breakthrough while holding onto bitterness.
Something has to shift.
Something has to break.

And that brings us to one of the greatest turnaround stories in the entire Bible.

Let’s talk about Joseph.

Who is Joseph? (Genesis 37-50)

• Lived around 1800 BC
• One of Jacob’s 12 sons
• Known for his colorful robe
• Gifted with God-given dreams
• Favored by his father
• Hated by some of his brothers
• A key figure in the book of Genesis
• His life shows how God turns pain into purpose

If anyone had a reason to be bitter, it was him.

Joseph didn’t just have a bad day.
He had years where everything went wrong.
Betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused, forgotten in prison.
One blow after another.
A whole chapter of life filled with hurt.

But through all of it, Scripture repeats one phrase:

“The Lord was with Joseph.”
Genesis 39:2, 21, 23

It doesn’t say Joseph felt good.
It doesn’t say the situation was fair.
It doesn’t say the pain wasn’t real.

It says God was with him.

Here’s the revelation:

Bitterness says, “If God was with me, none of this would’ve happened.”

Gratitude says, “The only reason I survived what happened is because God was with me.”

When you’re bitter, all you see is the pit.
When you’re grateful, you see the God who never left you in it.

Joseph’s story doesn’t end in the pit.
God raises him up to the palace.
And one day, the same brothers who hurt him stand in front of him needing help.

Joseph could have chosen revenge…
instead, he chose restoration.

He looks at them and says:

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Genesis 50:20

Said simply:

You meant evil.
God meant good.
You were trying to hurt me.
God was always trying to help me.

And this is where so many get it twisted.
God did not cause the betrayal.
God did not cause the tragedy.
God does not paint with the brush of sin.

The harm that happened in your life…
The drunk driver…
the abuser…
the betrayal…
the injustice…

That wasn’t God doing something to you.
That was sin operating in a broken world.

God didn’t write the hurt…
but God can rewrite the story.

What they meant to destroy you,
God can use to develop you.

And look at the good that came from Joseph’s pain:

• It saved others.
• It saved his family.
• It preserved the line that led to Jesus.

Your breakthrough isn’t just about you.
God uses your healing to bless others connected to you.

And Joseph’s story points forward to someone greater.

Another Son who was rejected by His own people.
Another Son who was betrayed for silver.
Another Son who was falsely accused.
Another Son who was sentenced for crimes He did not commit.

But just like Joseph:

What people meant for evil,
God used for good.

Joseph went to the pit.
Jesus went to the tomb.
Joseph was lifted up to the palace.
Jesus was raised to life in God’s glory.

Joseph saved nations from hunger.
Jesus saves the world from sin.

Joseph forgave his brothers.
Jesus forgives us.

Joseph said,
“You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.”
Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them.” (Luke 23:34)

And because of Jesus, your story can turn too.

Listen to me:
It does not matter who is trying to hurt you,
what they are planning, what they are saying, or what the enemy is trying to use against you.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Jesus Christ can work all things for good!

If Joseph’s God can redeem betrayal…
If Jesus can turn a cross into salvation…

Then He can take the worst thing happening in your life and work it for your good and the good of others.

Great story right? But what do we do with it?

How do we move from bitter to better?

Here is your Gratitude Game Plan.

The Gratitude Gameplan
1. Refuse to replay the hurt.

Every time you replay the moment, you relive the bitterness.
Gratitude disrupts the replay.

1. Reframe the story.
   Reframing the story means seeing God in the story.
   Yes, the bad thing happened… but somehow you found the strength to make it through.
   Yes, the pain was real… but God put the right people in your life at the right time.
   Yes, the season was dark… but God kept your mind, kept your heart, and kept you standing.
   Reframing is choosing to remember that God was quietly helping you even when life was loudly hurting you.
2. Respond with charity and grace.

Joseph fed the very brothers who betrayed him.
Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him.
Gratitude frees you to bless what once broke you.

When you choose gratitude over bitterness, the same presence that was with Joseph will be with you.

Imagine finally letting go of the hurt that has been weighing you down.

Imagine your home becoming a place of grace instead of grudges.

Imagine your kids growing up where forgiveness is normal and love wins.

Imagine peace settling into your heart where bitterness used to live.

This is what happens when God takes you from bitter to better.
And it can start today.

In just a moment, we will have a space of prayer and worship.
And today is special.

We’re baptizing someone who we didn’t even know two months ago.
He did not understand faith and the power of the gospel two months ago.
God is already writing a brand-new story in him…
and God can start a new story in you today.

From bitter to better.

And it starts by acting.
It starts by doing something.
You don’t drift into breakthrough.
You step into it.

So today, here is Your Bitter to Better Plan.

YOUR BITTER TO BETTER PLAN

1. Name the hurt.
   Don’t be vague. Get specific.
   Say it honestly to God.
   “This is what happened. This is what hurt me.”
   Breakthrough begins with truth and confession.

2. Notice God in your Thanksgiving week.
   You’ll be around family, memories, people, and conversations.
   Bring God into your holiday.
   Look for where He is helping you, guiding you, strengthening you.
   And the best way to bring God into a room
   is to forgive and show grace.

3. Thank God that He is with you in your story.
   As we worship and pray, pause and thank Him.
   Thank Him for His presence & help. Thank Him for rewriting your story right now.

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Texts: Luke 17:11–19; Romans 1:21 Big Idea: Thankfulness is the key to breakthrough. Gratitude doesn’t just heal you — it restores you.

Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano, Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I thankful to be in the 3rd week of our series.

For the handout mentioned in the message, please use the link below:

http://bit.ly/4oJVchz

Let’s be honest.
Disappointment hits everybody.

You thought the relationship was going somewhere.
You thought the job was secure.
You thought the open door was going to stay open.

And then it didn’t.

And when disappointment shows up, the first thing to leave is gratitude.

You can have blessings in one area and still be disappointed in another.
You can get a small victory and not even enjoy it because you are still hurting over what did not happen.

And disappointment starts whispering:
“God forgot you.
Nothing works out for you.
Why even try anymore?”

But what if the key to breakthrough is not complicated?
What if the thing that brings hope back is not money, opportunity, or talent?

What if the key to breakthrough
is thankfulness?

We live in a world starving for gratitude.

Starving For Gratitude:

• Only 22% of employees feel recognized for their work.
  Source: Gallup and Workhuman. (https://www.gallup.com/workplace/650174/employee-retention-depends-getting-recognition-right.aspx)
• 64% of people say appreciation is more important now than ever.
  Source: CoolLeaf Employee Recognition Statistics. (https://www.cooleaf.com/blog/20-employee-recognition-statistics-that-prove-the-power-of-appreciation)
• People who practice gratitude have about a 9% lower risk of early death.
  Source: Harvard Health reporting on the Nurses’ Health Study. (https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gratitude-enhances-health-brings-happiness-and-may-even-lengthen-lives-202409113071)
• In families/relationships, feeling appreciated predicts commitment, satisfaction, and long-term stability.
  Source: Gratitude in relationships meta-analysis, Frontiers in Psychology. (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1243598/full)

People do not just want to be thanked.
People HURT without gratitude.

No wonder disappointment is everywhere.

• When we do not receive gratitude, we feel invisible.
• When we do not give gratitude, we become entitled.
• And when gratitude disappears, disappointment takes over.

So let me ask you:

Who wants breakthrough?
Who wants joy back?
Who wants hope back?

God shows us how in Luke 17.
…And it starts with thankfulness.

Luke 17 tells us about ten people with a dreaded disease.
Leprosy did not just make you sick.
It made you untouchable.

You had to live outside the community.
You had to shout “Unclean” so people would not get near you.
You lost your relationships, your reputation, and often parts of your body.

In that isolation, they see Jesus coming.

Luke 17:13

They cry out with the last strength they have.

Jesus responds:

Luke 17:14

Why a priest?

Leviticus 14:2–3

Because of an obscure Old Testament law in Leviticus 14 where the priest had to examine a healed leper and confirm restoration.

Here is what makes this incredible:

We have no biblical or rabbinical record of a Jewish leper ever being healed like this.
Nobody ever needed this law.
Nobody even hoped for restoration.
Until Jesus stepped into the story.

Isn’t it great when Jesus steps into the story?

Luke 17:14
“As they went, they were cleansed.”

Healing happened on the way.
Sometimes healing happens as you obey God… SO DON’T STOP! Keep going!

All Ten were cleansed.
But one of them does something different…

Luke 17:15-16 (NIV)
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
He threw himself at Jesus’s feet and thanked Him. He was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus asks:

Luke 17:17
“Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”

Let’s pause here.

Most people never return.
Most people never give thanks.
Most never come back to worship.

Most never pause to say thank you to God or to anyone else.

For Example… I asked you the last 3 weeks to make a simple short video thanking God in advance and to post it on your social media… Have you done this?

Thankfulness is the minority response.

This is why worship matters.
Worship is you returning to Jesus.

Reading Scripture during the week is not just a religious activity.
It is you returning to give thanks.

Praying is you returning.
Thanking God at work or at home is you returning.

Watch what Jesus says to the one who returned.

Luke 17:18-19

Now watch the language Luke uses for what happened:

katharizō – cleansed v14
Cleansed on the outside.

iaomai – healed v15
Physical healing – A real cure.

sozo – made well
Restored, made whole, saved.

Ten were cleansed.
Ten were healed.
And only one was restored.

Now think about what restoration means.

Leprosy destroyed the body.
People lost feeling, lost fingers, lost toes.
Skin broke open.
Scars covered them.

So when Jesus uses the word sozo, He is saying something bigger than healing.
He is saying,
“I am restoring what was lost.”

Could it be that the one who returned walked away with no scars?
No deformities?
Nothing missing?
Nothing broken?
Nothing that even looked like leprosy had ever touched him?

Ten got better.
One got whole.

Ten got the miracle.
One got the Miracle Worker.

Ten got their skin back.
One got his life back.

And the man who experienced sozo did not have to go show himself to a priest – because the One who restored him was his Priest – Jesus!

Gratitude brings restoration.
Gratitude brings wholeness.
Gratitude opens the door for God to do more than you expected.

Some of you have been cleansed.
Some have been healed.
But God wants to restore you.

UNTHANKFULNESS IS SERIOUS – ROMANS 1:21

If you think thankfulness is small, think again.

Romans 1 is known for a long list of sin issues that cause destruction… Check out what made the list.

Romans 1:21

“Although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him.”

A lack of thanks is a sin! A lack of thanks brings destruction.

The very first step away from God
was unthankfulness.

Unthankfulness leads to darkness.
Thankfulness leads to breakthrough.

OUR TURN TO RETURN

You and I are that one leper.

We were far off.
We were unclean.
We were lost.
And Jesus came near.

He did not just forgive your sin.
He restored your relationship with God.

We have a choice today:
Will we keep moving?
Or will we return?

Breakthrough begins when you return.
Restoration begins when you give thanks.
Wholeness begins when you fall at the feet of Jesus.

Today is our moment to return.

YOUR TURN TO RETURN

1. Speak Gratitude Out Loud

• Say thank you to someone today – let your gratitude be heard.

2. Honor Someone Who Helped You

• Return to someone who invested in you and thank them.

3. Take a Moment to Return to Jesus

• Thank Him for what He has done, what He is doing, and in advance for the restoration that is on the way.

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Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano, Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I have so much to be thankful for!

We are in the 2nd week of our Thanks In Advance series. Last week we told you that Thanks is a secret weapon. If you missed it be sure to check it out on Youtube, Spotify, Our Redemption Church podcast, or on RedemptionPlano.com.

Today I want to know… Have you ever just felt drained?

Like you’re running on empty – your joy’s low, your patience is thin, and even small things feel heavy?

You’re showing up, doing the right things, serving God, loving your family – but inside, you’re running out of fuel.

That’s what today’s message is about.

Feel Drained? Reset, Reboot, Rejoice.

Sometimes the problem isn’t that you’ve done something wrong – it’s that life has been pulling from you faster than you can refill.

And that’s exactly where we find a man named Jehoshaphat.

We will talk about him later… first let’s talk about us.

The Drain is Real!

We live in a world that makes us feel – surrounded, stretched, and spiritually tired.

• One in four Americans say they’ve already hit burnout before age 30.
• 52% of workers say they’re burned out right now.
• 80% bring their work stress home.
• Half of adults say anxiety and burnout are hurting their mental health.

We’re the most connected generation in history – and the most exhausted.
We run faster but rest worse.
We have more technology and less peace.

So, what do you do when you feel surrounded and drained?

Jehoshaphat shows us what to do.

[Jehoshaphat (873–848 BC)

• King of Judah (Southern Kingdom after the split of Israel)
• Son of Asa, known as a good and godly king (2 Chronicles 17–20)
• Ruled from Jerusalem for 25 years
• Led spiritual reform – tore down idols and called people back to God
• Formed alliances with other nations (some good, some costly)
• Faced overwhelming odds in battle – and won through worship
• Main story today: 2 Chronicles 20]

Let’s step into this story for a minute.

Jehoshaphat isn’t just another name buried in your Bible reading plan – he’s a real man with real pressure sitting on his shoulders.

He’s the king of Judah, the southern kingdom after Israel split into two.

And here’s a key for us today:
Jehoshaphat didn’t cause the mess he’s standing in. He inherited it.

Generations before him made bad decisions…

• kings who worshiped idols
• ignored God’s word
• led people away from truth.

Now Jehoshaphat is doing everything he can to clean up the spiritual mess he didn’t create. PERHAPS YOU CAN RELATE?
He’s trying to rebuild a nation’s faith in a time when faith has gone out of style.

He’s been trying to:

• Be a good leader – governing with integrity.
• Be a godly man – seeking the Lord personally.
• Bring his nation back to God – tearing down idols, restoring worship.
• Rebuild trust after generations of failure.

And now it looks like all that faithfulness might mean nothing, because he’s surrounded by people who don’t care about God at all.

2 Chronicles 20:1

Three nations form an alliance to destroy Judah.

A messenger bursts into the palace shouting…

A vast army is coming against you. (2 Chronicles 20:2)

Jehoshaphat has no time to prepare, no way to win, no one to call, and no allies to rely on.

He’s surrounded – and everyone’s looking to him for answers.

-He’s faithful, but frustrated.
-Godly, but overwhelmed.
-Trying to fix the mess of past generations, but it looks like he might die under the weight of it.

And maybe you’ve been there too – doing your best to serve God, but the problems keep stacking up.

You can’t control the situation.
You can’t stop the armies that are marching toward you.
But you can reframe it.

You can’t always change what’s coming against you, but you can change your outlook.

Jehoshaphat can’t control the battle – but he can control his belief.
He can’t fix the army – but he can fix his focus.
And that’s exactly what he does.
He resets, he reboots, and he rejoices.

1. RESET – Seek God First & Thank Him in Advance

What does that look like?

(2 Chronicles 20:3)

He’s afraid, but instead of spiraling, he thanks God in advance by seeking Him first.
He calls the nation to fast and pray.
He says,

We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You. (2 Chronicles 20:12)

That’s the reset.
He takes his eyes off the army and fixes them on Almighty God.
He doesn’t start with what he can’t do; he starts with what God can do.

And Jesus said it like this in Matthew 6:33:

(Matthew 6:33) Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Jesus taches us to reset our priority.

Gratitude helps you reset because thankfulness pulls your focus back to God’s faithfulness.
When life drains you, the first step isn’t to run harder – it’s to thank God first and let your focus reset on Him.

2. REBOOT – Stand Firm on God’s Word

As the people are praying, the Spirit of God comes upon a man named Jahaziel – an ordinary Levite from the priestly tribe, not a prophet, not a general – just someone ready to listen to God.

He stands up and says,

Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. (2 Chronicles 20:15)

That’s the reboot.
That’s when God interrupts the noise of fear with the truth of faith.

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you. (v.17) (2 Chronicles 20:15)

Jehoshaphat doesn’t have to fix the fight – he just has to stand still and trust.

When you hear from God – that’s a reboot.
When you receive new truth to build your life on – that’s a reboot.

That’s why it’s so important to seek God in prayer, read His Word, and be around others who do the same.

Because what happens in those moments – the truth that enters your heart – isn’t just a reset, it’s a complete reboot.
It’s something you can now stand on.
It’s a foundation you can start again from.

It started with a reset, which led to a reboot, and next – it’s going to lead to a rejoice.

3. REJOICE – Let Your Praise Lead the Way

Jehoshaphat now makes a bold move.
He doesn’t send the warriors out first – he sends the worshipers.

“Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
‘Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever.’” (2 Chronicles 20:21)

They lead with praise.
They thank God before the first arrow flies.
They rejoice before the results.

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against their enemies. (2 Chronicles 20:21)

As they sang, God fought.
As they praised, God moved.
Their worship became their weapon.

By the time they reached the battlefield, the enemy was gone.
They spent three days collecting blessings from a battle they never had to fight.

Because they gave thanks in advance, they spent more time receiving blessing, than they did fighting.

That’s what happens when your praise leads the way – gratitude reframes your battle so God can fight for you.

So what do we do when we feel drained?
When the battle feels too big and our strength feels too small?

Practical Ways to Reset, Reboot, Rejoice

Here’s how you put this into practice:

1. Reset your focus with thanks.
   • When work feels chaotic, pause and thank God for the opportunity to work.
   • When your home feels loud or overwhelming, thank Him that you have people who need you.
   • When your day starts stressful, stop and say, “Thank You, Lord – You’re still in control.”
   • And don’t just thank God – thank people.
     Thank your boss for trusting you.
     Thank your teacher for caring enough to challenge you.
     Thank your friends for showing up.
     Thank your spouse, your kids, your team.
     When you express thankfulness in a chaotic environment, it reframes the atmosphere.
     Gratitude resets the situation – it changes the tone, it changes the energy, it changes you.
     Thankfulness doesn’t just reset your heart – it resets the room.
2. Reboot your response through gratitude.
3. When anxiety or worry rises up, stop and say,
   “I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.”
   “The battle is not mine; it’s Yours.”
4. When your team at work starts to panic, take a breath and reframe the moment. You might say something like,
   “Guys, I know this is tough, and we don’t have every answer right now – but I’m so thankful for you on this team. I’m grateful for how hard everyone’s working, and I believe we’ll find a way through this.”
5. That kind of gratitude doesn’t deny reality – it changes it.
   It turns a tense meeting into a moment of unity.
   It turns pressure into perspective.
6. Gratitude reboots your thinking from reaction to revelation.
7. Rejoice by letting praise lead your day.
8. Before the outcome, before the breakthrough – praise Him.
9. Play worship music before a tough meeting.
10. Thank Him out loud before that conversation you’re dreading.
11. When your family’s tense, lead with gratitude and watch the tone change.
12. And remember – sometimes the momentum you need in life starts with simple thankfulness.
    Take time to thank others.
    Thank your coworkers, your family, your friends.
    Thank God for what He’s already done.
    Call out the wins and the victories you’ve already had – say them out loud.
    That kind of thankfulness creates spiritual & emotional momentum.
    It moves you from drained to overflowing.
    Gratitude isn’t just good manners – it’s a power source.
    When you live like that, your praise doesn’t just follow the victory – it leads you into it.

A Thankful Army!

Redemption Church, imagine if we lived like this.
A people who lead with praise before the problem, who refuse to stay drained because we’ve learned how to reset, reboot, and rejoice.

We wouldn’t just survive hard weeks – we’d transform them.
We wouldn’t just endure pressure – we’d turn it into praise.

That’s who we’re called to be – not a fearful army, but a thankful army.

Let’s say it together:

Thanks is my reset.
Thanks is my reboot.
Thanks is my rejoice.
Gratitude reframes my situation.

And here’s the truth –
if you’ll practice that kind of gratitude, you won’t just feel better… you’ll see better.

You’ll start viewing your life through a different lens – a lens of faith, not fear.

So as we move into a moment of worship, here’s your Gratitude Game Plan – three ways to live this out starting right now.

The Gratitude Game Plan

1. Start every morning with one gratitude, before anything else.
   “Thank You, Lord, for this day.”

Reach for God before you reach for your phone.

This is a RESET! We are going to look to God.

1. When anxiety hits, pray Jehoshaphat’s prayer:
   “I don’t know what to do, but my eyes are on You.”

Truth reboots our faith.
Ask JESUS to reboot your faith.

1. Right now – put this message into action.

Don’t just hear it — do it.
As our team leads us in worship, head toward the prayer area.
You’ll find blank thank-you cards there.
Take one — and write a thank-you note:
• Maybe it’s to the Lord for something He’s already done.
• Maybe it’s to someone who’s helped carry you through a hard season.
• Maybe it’s to a person you’ve been meaning to appreciate but haven’t yet.
Write it. Mean it. Let it be your act of worship and prayer.

When you’re finished, you can:
• Leave your note.
• Or take it with you and deliver it to that person this week.

This isn’t just a symbolic act – it’s a spiritual reset.
As you thank God and thank others, you’re creating momentum.
You’re turning gratitude into movement.
You’re stepping out of drained and into overflow.

So come. Pray. Write. Worship.
Thank Him in advance for the victory that’s already on the way.

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Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano, Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt… THANK YOU for being with us – In person and online! We are thankful for you… we do not take you for granted.

We’re launching a brand-new 5-week journey called “Thanks in Advance.”

It’s not a Thanksgiving series – it’s a transformation series.

Every Sunday this month, we’re learning that gratitude isn’t just something you feel – it’s something you fight with – a God-given cheat code that unlocks peace, favor, and breakthrough.

Series Outline:

• Nov 9 – Feel Drained? Reset, Reboot, Rejoice
• Nov 16 – A Breakthrough for Your Disappointment
• Nov 23 – From Bitter to Better: The Gratitude Game Plan
• Nov 30 – REELthanks Worship Experience

Don’t miss a single week – each message builds on the last, and by the end of this month you won’t just talk about gratitude… you’ll live it.

Let’s practice LIVING thankfulness in advance… Here is what that might look like.

He said, “My name is Alex, and I want to give God thanks in advance for…”

That’s faith talking.
That’s the sound of someone who’s decided gratitude will go first.

You’ll have a chance to make your own REELthanks video this month.
Just say:

“My name is ____, and I want to give God thanks in advance for ____.”

We’ll feature some of your stories as reminders that faith is alive in this house.

I used to think peace came from having fewer problems.
Now I know it comes from having a stronger perspective.

And that perspective is gratitude.
Gratitude doesn’t ignore reality – it interprets it through faith.
It’s not weakness; it’s wisdom.
It’s not emotion; it’s a decision.

When you live grateful, you don’t shrink your problems – you magnify what’s good.

You start to see opportunities instead of obstacles.
You notice what’s working instead of what’s broken.
Gratitude doesn’t make life perfect, but it pulls your focus toward progress.

We are living in one of the most blessed nations on the planet.
Even on our worst days, we have advantages that most of the world can only imagine.
Blessed but un-thankful?

• Income: The average American earns $82,769 a year, while the global average is $22,452.
  (Source: Worldometers & Wikipedia)
• Clean water: 97.5% of Americans have access to safe drinking water, while around 2.2 billion people worldwide still don’t.
  (Source: WHO)
• Education: The typical American expects about 16.6 years of schooling, compared to the global average of 8.7 years.
  (Source: Global Data Lab & World Economics)
• Transportation: The average U.S. household owns about 1.9 cars, while in most nations around the world, less than one in three people have access to any car at all.
  (Source: MoneyGeek & World Bank)

We have it good.
We have choices, comforts, and conveniences that kings in the ancient world couldn’t dream of.

And yet… we still struggle with gratitude.

So now let’s make it personal:
In this very room, how often are we thankful?
And how often are we ungrateful – even upset about our place in the world – when we’re actually landing near the top?

That’s why we need this series.
Because gratitude doesn’t come naturally; it comes intentionally.
It’s not automatic – it’s chosen.
And when you learn to choose it, it changes everything.

That’s the difference between how we live and how Jesus lived.
Where we complain, Jesus gave thanks.
Where we worry, Jesus worshiped.

Let’s look at how Jesus turned gratitude into a weapon in the middle of impossible moments.

Secret Weapon

1. Jesus gave thanks before the miracle.

When thousands of people were hungry, the disciples panicked.
They saw lack – Jesus saw opportunity.

John 6:11

He didn’t wait until after the bread multiplied.
He gave thanks before the miracle!
That’s gratitude in advance.

When you thank God before you see the result, you’re declaring that His supply is greater than your shortage.

Jesus gave thanks BEFORE the miracle.

2. Jesus gave thanks before the resurrection.

At Lazarus’s tomb, the crowd saw death.
But Jesus lifted His eyes and said,

John 11:41

Before Lazarus ever walked out of the grave, Jesus thanked His Father as if it was already done.
Gratitude declared victory before it appeared.

That’s faith in motion – not waiting on the outcome to worship.

Jesus gave thanks BEFORE the resurrection.

3. Jesus gave thanks before His suffering.

At the Last Supper, just hours before His arrest and crucifixion… the worst moments in the life of Jeus…

Luke 22:19

Before the cross – He gave thanks.
That’s not normal.
That’s supernatural.

Three times. Three battles.
And in each one, Jesus led with gratitude.

Why? Here is why!

Thanksgiving shifts the focus from what is uncertain to Who is certain.

It’s not positive thinking – it’s power thinking.
It’s faith in motion… action.

Paul, a follower of Jesus who went through many troubles and persecutions said it like this…

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

This is one thing we get wrong. We make our needs known to God… with out thanksgiving. We think we will thank him afterward… Sometimes we even forget to give thanks afterward…

Instead, Paul says to GIVE THANKS as you pray about your need. He is giving thanks in advance.

Notice this: Gratitude replaces anxiety. Gratitude doesn’t come after peace – it comes before peace.
Gratitude builds peace.

It guards your heart and mind like armor.

That’s why gratitude isn’t weak – it’s warfare.

-When you say thank You in the middle of the storm, hell gets confused.
-When you praise before you see the answer, the enemy loses his grip.
-When you thank God in advance, you’re saying, “I trust Your plan even when I can’t see the proof.”

So how do you use it this week?

1. Thank God before you see it.

Every prayer starts with:

“God, I thank You in advance for …”
That statement flips fear into faith.

2. Use gratitude to unlock people and promotion.

Maybe you feel taken for granted – by a boss, a spouse, or your kids.
Instead of sulking, take charge.

Thank the ungrateful boss.
Thank the distracted family.
Thank the person who doesn’t notice what you do.

Gratitude flips the script.
It softens hearts, changes the atmosphere, and shifts power back into your hands.

Do you want to stand out on the job, in school, or community? Being thankful will make you unforgettable!

Operating in thankfulness sets you apart.
It’s how you rise above the drama, influence the room, and lead instead of react.
When you live thankful, you stop being a victim of your situation and start being a catalyst for change.

3. Give thanks together. (Eucharist)

We’re ending today with communion – the Eucharist.
That word means Thanksgiving.
As you hold the bread and cup, remember: Jesus gave thanks before the cross so we could live after it.
We give thanks not just for what He’s done – but for what He’s still doing.

We live in one of the most blessed lands in the most blessed time in history.
We have freedom, opportunity, and abundance – and yet, gratitude doesn’t come naturally.
It’s not automatic. It’s a decision.

That’s why Jesus is our model.

So what if we were like Jesus and were thankful in advance?

-What if we – as a church – decided that gratitude will go first?
-What if our homes were marked by thankfulness instead of tension?
-What if our workplaces saw believers who lead with gratitude instead of complaint?

That’s how we can change the world.
That’s how light pushes back the dark.
And that’s how we stand out as the people of God – thankful in advance.

CALL TO ACTION THREE WAYS TO FIGHT WITH GRATITUDE

1. Thank Him in Advance.
   Pray daily: “God, thank You in advance for how You’re working.”
2. Thank to Unlock.
   Thank people who overlook you.
   Gratitude opens hearts, doors, and promotions.
3. Thank Together – The Eucharist.
   Communion means Thanksgiving.
   As we worship and take the bread and cup, we thank Him for what He’s done and for what’s next.

COMMUNION MOMENT

(Luke 22:19)

Take the bread: “Lord, thank You for Your body broken so we could be healed.”
Take the cup: “Thank You for Your blood that forgives and makes us new.”

Our worship team is going to lead us in song.

Take a step towards this prayer space… receive prayer and pray for others… worship God with gratitude.

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Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano, Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt… I am supper pumped about this moment, because God is here and you are here. All my fave people are here right now.

We started our new message series – Facing Fear – last week. We talked about how the world doesn’t feel safe anymore. We talked about how Love and Fear are fighting for the same space in your heart and mind… but that LOVE drives out all fear.

Also remember we have a 31 day action plan to face fear.

This week we’re talking about something different. Not fear of what’s around you, but fear of what’s on top of you, and the weight bearing down on you.

The Pressure is Crushing Me

Have you ever felt like the pressure is so heavy, you might break?

You’re trying to be strong, keep the family together, hit the deadlines, keep your faith, stay kind – but it’s getting harder.

You put on the smile, but deep down, you’re exhausted.
You say, “I’m fine,” but you’re not fine.
You’re tired of holding everything up.

That’s what pressure does. Pressure makes you believe that if you slip for even a second, everything you love will come crashing down.

We all know that feeling.

We live in a culture of constant pressure.
Pressure to perform. Pressure to provide. Pressure to prove yourself.
Pressure that never lets up.

Let me show you how real it is.

Real Pressure:

• 61% of Americans say they are living paycheck to paycheck. One unexpected bill could wipe them out. (LendingClub, 2024)
• Between 2010-20, the number of young people reporting anxiety went up 134%, and depression rose 106%. (Jonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation, 2024)
• Emergency room visits for self-harm among teenage girls rose by 188%, and the suicide rate among adolescent girls increased by 167% between 2010 and 2018. (Haidt, The Anxious Generation, citing CDC data)
• 93% of people feel pressure to compare themselves to others online in various areas of life — their body, success, relationships, and happiness. (Cybersmile Foundation, 2023)

We feel the pressure… We are one diagnosis, one pink slip, one betrayal – and the whole thing can feel like it’s about to collapse.

We’re not just talking about financial pressure – this is emotional and spiritual pressure.

What does God have to say about this?
Let’s talk about Jesus.

No one faced more pressure than Him.

The night before the cross – the moment when Jesus stepped into His final hours, fully aware that betrayal, torture, and death were waiting for Him. At that moment Jesus went to pray at the Garden of Gethsemane.

Garden of Gethsemane means – “Oil Press”

In the Garden of Gethsemane – which literally means “oil press” – Jesus was pressed.

Luke 22:44

Sweating blood has a medical term – hematidrosis – marked by the highest levels of stress and pressure.

Jesus was being pressed with everything, everywhere, all at once.
The sins of the entire world – past, present, and future – pressing down on Him.
Our sin. Our shame. Our brokenness.
Every betrayal, every addiction, every injustice, every wound.

He prayed three times, asking the Father to take it away.
Finally Jesus prayed: “Not my will, but Yours be done.”

That’s what came out of Him under pressure – obedience, faith, love, and the power to save the world.

When olives are pressed, oil flows out…

Because when life squeezes you, what’s inside you comes out.
If you’re full of fear, fear comes out.
If you’re full of anger, anger comes out.
But if you’re filled with God’s Spirit – His peace, His love, His power – then even under pressure, what comes out is something holy.

The world keeps asking, “What’s in your wallet?”
But God is asking, “What’s in you?”

Jesus was pressed like an olive, and what came out was the Holy Spirit poured out for us.

Jesus shows us that pressure doesn’t have to destroy you. It can release God’s power through you.

And that’s why it matters what’s inside you.
When life squeezes you, you don’t want bitterness or fear to come out – you want grace, faith, and peace to flow.

Pressure reveals what is inside us.
Check out what Paul, a man who faced many pressures, says…

2 Corinthians 4:7–9

It’s not about what’s happening to you – it’s about WHO is living in you.

Romans 8:11

1 John 4:4

So when pressure comes, the question isn’t “Can I handle it?”
The question is, “What’s in me?”

If Christ is in you, you can be hard pressed but not crushed, confused but not hopeless, knocked down but never defeated.

This idea of “WHAT IS IN YOU” works in real life. Here is an example from the most successful Olympian…

When Michael Phelps trained for the Olympics, his coach would sometimes break his goggles on purpose so that he had to swim blind.
Why? To train him for pressure.

In the 2008 Olympics, it actually happened. His goggles filled with water, and he couldn’t see.
But he kept counting his strokes.
He hit the wall – and broke the world record.

Pressure didn’t destroy him. It revealed what was in him. Preparation, resolve, and courage were in him.

Pressure does not destroy – it reveals.

And in the same way, Jesus was filled with preparation, resolve, and courage. The pressure revealed this!

Every prayer, every temptation He overcame, every quiet moment in Scripture – it all prepared Him to face the pressure of the cross.

You can’t avoid pressure, but you can prepare for it.
You can fill yourself with God’s Spirit, so when the squeeze comes, what comes out is strength.

Now, imagine something with me.

Imagine the next time you feel pressure – instead of snapping and saying something you will regret… something beautiful comes out.
Imagine that the next time you feel like you’re being crushed, what comes out of you isn’t fear, it’s faith.

Imagine that the next time life squeezes you, the best version of you comes out – because God is in you.

Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

Pressure does not define you – it can refine you.

Pressure will always come, but it doesn’t have to define you.
It can refine you – it can reveal greatness.

So tonight, I don’t just want you to hear this – I want you to do something with it.

I want you to press back on your fear in 3 easy steps.

Fear Under Pressure Gameplan

Step 1: Write the pressure.
Write what’s been weighing on you. We have note cards here in the prayer area.
Name it. Don’t hide it.
The fear, the weight, the problem, the pain.

Step 2: Fill the inside.
“God, fill me with _________.”
Flip the card over. On the other side, write this prayer:
“God, fill me with _________.”Fill in that blank with the things you need!
…Your Spirit. …Your peace. …Your power.

Step 3: Release it in worship.
Lift that card up to Jesus as you pray and worship.
Release that pressure to God in worship.
The same Jesus who was pressed in the garden is in this room tonight – ready to fill you…

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Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano, Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt…

We’re starting a brand-new series today called Facing Fear: What’s Keeping You Up at Night

Let’s be honest – fear is something we all wrestle with.

We’re taking four weeks to talk about the real fears that weigh us down most – and how God gives us courage and faith to face them.

Series Outline

• Next week: The Pressure Is Crushing Me.
  You know that stress, the expectations, and the weight that makes you feel like you can’t breathe.
• Week 3: Is Evil Winning? Darkness, the Devil, and Death.
  We’re going to be honest about spiritual darkness, the devil, and death itself – and what it means to live in the victory of Jesus.
• Week 4: What If Everything Falls Apart?
  We’ll look at financial collapse, world chaos, and the things we’re most afraid of losing – and what it means to have an unshakable foundation in Christ.

Make plans to be here and bring a friend!

Along with this series, we’ve put together something extra: a free e-book called the Facing Fear 31-Day Action Plan.

• Each day, you’ll get a specific fear to face.
• A powerful scripture to hold on to.
• A simple action step you can actually do.
• And a prayer to pray.

It’s practical, it’s encouraging, and it’ll help you walk this out every single day in October.

And today we start with this fear we’re all feeling: I Don’t Feel Safe Anymore.

I’ll be honest with you – sometimes I don’t feel safe anymore.

For me, the sharpest version of that fear shows up when I send my kids off to school.

Last spring, I got one of those messages from my kid – there were rumors of a gun in the school. They had found evidence that a gun had been brought inside, and everyone was worried.

I remember rushing to the school to pick up my middle schooler, and when I pulled up, there was a line of a hundred parents outside. Parents full of fear. Parents pacing. Parents & kids crying. Everybody worried, because when it comes to our kids, we all feel powerless.

I check my phone now, not just for work or texts, but to make sure there’s no emergency message from the school. I don’t like to be far away in case my kids need me. And I find myself praying – a lot – that God would protect our schools, protect my kids, and protect my wife at work.

That moment reminded me of something I think we all feel: I can’t always be there to protect the people I love. And that’s a fear that hits hard.

It is one of the many ways “I don’t feel safe anymore.”

And I don’t think I’m the only one.

Because the truth is, everywhere you turn, people are carrying that same heavy sense of danger.

• We don’t feel safe physically. School shootings. Neighborhood crime. Random acts of violence.
• We don’t feel safe relationally. People have been betrayed, lied to, gossiped about, abandoned. It feels like no one is trustworthy.
• We don’t feel safe digitally. Hackers, scams, identity theft. Or just the constant risk of saying one wrong thing online and getting attacked.
• We don’t feel safe politically. Neighbors are turning into enemies because of the sign in their yard or the post they share.
• We don’t feel safe financially. People are one paycheck away from collapse, worried about rent, bills, debt.
• We don’t feel safe health-wise. Every ache or cough feels like a diagnosis waiting to happen.

Unsafe Data
And the data backs it up.

In 1972, nearly 46% of Americans said “most people can be trusted.” By 2018, that number had dropped to about 34%. (Pew Research Center, 2025).

Over 70% of U.S. adults say they feel anxious or extremely anxious about their future or personal safety. (American Psychiatric Association, Annual Anxiety and Mental Health Poll, 2023).

Trust is evaporating. We don’t feel safe. When we don’t feel safe, we start to live like everyone and everything is out to get us.

We look at the world and see enemies everywhere.
We start locking down. Pulling back. Avoiding. Suspecting.

It’s exhausting. And maybe that’s exactly where you’ve been living lately.

But what does God say into this moment?

Today I would like to talk about a safety plan.

God’s Safety Plan

1. God’s Presence Is Our Protection

Here’s a problem: safety isn’t what we think it is.
We might be struggling with fear because we don’t really understand what safety is about – or more importantly, who it is about.

Psalm 23:4

Notice this: God doesn’t promise to take away the valley. He promises to be with you in it.

Safety isn’t the absence of danger. Safety is the presence of God.

That’s why Daniel could face lions. That’s why Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego could face the fire. Not because the danger wasn’t real, but because God was present.

And here’s the real challenge for us: when we pray, are we asking God to remove the valley – or are we asking God to walk with us through it?

2. God’s Love Drives Out Fear

You can’t feel safe if fear and love are fighting for the same space.

1 John 4:18

Get this! Fear and love can’t coexist in the same heart. One will push the other out.

And this is why so many of our relationships feel unsafe: we’re letting fear and love try to occupy the same place.

• No wonder we’re hot and cold.
• No wonder we swing back and forth like a pendulum.
• We love that person, but we’re afraid to be honest with them.
• We love, but we’re afraid to have that conversation.
• We love, but we’re afraid they’ll reject us.

That constant back-and-forth leaves us confused, guarded, and exhausted. It’s no wonder we don’t feel safe.

The enemy wants you to live in fear – because fear keeps love on a leash.
But God wants you to live in love – because love sets you free.

3. God Redefines “Neighbor”

You’ll never feel safe if you label everyone around you as a threat.

Luke 10 shows us something powerful. Jesus explains that loving your neighbor is not just a good idea – it’s an essential truth. It’s what real faith looks like.

And right after that, an expert in the law tries to wiggle out of it by asking: “But who is my neighbor?”

And Jesus answers with the story of the Good Samaritan.

Story: A man is robbed and left for dead…

The hero isn’t the priest.
The hero isn’t the Levite.
The hero isn’t the Jewish religious leader.
Instead, it’s a Samaritan.

Now, this would have been shocking to Jesus’ audience – because Jews and Samaritans had a long history of religious conflict, cultural division, and even racial prejudice. Jews avoided Samaria altogether. They sneered at Samaritans, dismissed them as half-breeds, unclean, unworthy.

And Jesus makes that person – the one everyone thought was the enemy – the hero of the story.

That’s not just about being kind. That’s about reconciliation. That’s about tearing down walls of suspicion and prejudice. That’s about saying the people you’ve been told to fear are people God is calling you to love.

So what does that mean for us?

• It means we don’t sneer at people who are from a different culture.
• It means we don’t look down on people from a different background.
• It means the person you thought was your enemy might be the person God wants to use to show you love – and the person God wants you to love in return.

What would it look like for us to risk our safety and cross the street to show love? Who is the person you’ve been tempted to write off as “the enemy,” but God is whispering to you, “That’s your neighbor. Love them.”

Here’s the truth: When you see enemies everywhere, you’ll never feel safe. But when you see neighbors everywhere, you’ll start to live in God’s love.

4. Jesus Is Our True Neighbor

You’ll never love your neighbor until you first realize how Jesus loved you.

The Good Samaritan ultimately points us to Jesus.

Because here’s the truth:

• We were the ones left for dead.
• Sin had beaten us down.
• Religion couldn’t save us. Morality couldn’t save us. Politics couldn’t save us. They merely walked by…
• But Jesus refused to walk by & came into our mess.
• He risked it all – and then gave it all – to heal us, to carry us, to pay for us.
• He went to the cross for sinners like us!

He is our true neighbor!
And now He looks at us and says: “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus Himself makes this crystal clear in John 13:34:

That’s the pattern. That’s the standard. It’s only because He loves us that we can love others.
That’s also a command: the same love we’ve received from Jesus is the love we are called to give away.

And let’s be honest – that’s not easy. That’s a task we’ll be working on for the rest of our lives. But it’s also the most important work we can give ourselves to.

So let me ask: Who do you see as unsafe?

Who feels like the enemy to you?

• Is it your neighbor with the different political sign?
• Is it your coworker who gossips about you?
• Is it your family member you don’t trust anymore?
• Is it the immigrant?
• Is it someone with another color of skin?
• Is it someone who speaks a different language?
• Is it someone from a different religion?
• Or is it just “the world out there” that feels dark and dangerous?

Jesus is calling you to something radical. His safety plan for you is radical.

God’s safety plan is that you would not run away from fear – but that you would step toward love.

So what does it look like to step into God’s safety plan this week?

• When you pray, don’t just ask God to remove the valley. Ask Him to walk with you in it.
• When fear rises in your relationships, choose honesty and love instead of silence and avoidance.
• When you’re tempted to see someone as the enemy, remember what Jesus said: That’s your neighbor.
• And when you feel overwhelmed by fear, remember Jesus’ love for you – and then give that love away to someone else.

Here’s the truth: God’s safety plan isn’t about escaping danger – it’s about embodying His love. And you can start living that plan right now.

Imagine if we lived this out together.

Imagine if Redemption Church became known in Plano as the safe place. Not because nothing bad ever happens, but because people are loved here.

A place where rich and poor, young and old, left wingers and right wingers, people of every background come together and worship one King.
A place where fear doesn’t divide us because love binds us together.

That’s what the church is supposed to be.

Romans 8:38-39:

That love is your safety. That love is your calling. That love is stronger than fear.

So when you feel unsafe – when the world feels dangerous, when everyone looks like an enemy – remember this: You are loved. And because you are loved, you can love.

Three Steps Toward Love

1: Invite God into your fear.

• Don’t hide it, don’t mask it, don’t carry it alone.
• Name the fear that makes you feel unsafe.
• Pray: “God, I need Your presence in this valley.”

2: Show love where you’ve been tempted to pull back.

• This week, choose one person you’ve been avoiding, fearing, or labeling as “unsafe.”
• Cross the street, send the text, have the conversation… take one step of love toward them.

3: Embrace God’s love in worship and prayer.

• We have a space for prayer. Come forward today.
• This is where His safety plan becomes real in your life – not running from fear, but stepping toward love.

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Welcome to Redemption Church in Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt.

We are in our message series Untangled.
We have asked some big questions.
Week 1 – Can I still trust the Church? We talked church hurt…

Week 2 – Is the Bible still legit? We hit the major questions about the Bible… isn’t it just a bunch of rules? Does it have contradictions? How can it matter to my life?

Today we are going to talk about doubts.

What About my Big Doubts?

I’ve had those moments where I wanted to believe something so badly, but my brain just wouldn’t let me.

I wanted to trust that a relationship could be healed, or that the medical report wouldn’t be the end, or that God was really listening to my prayers. I wanted to believe, but inside I also had some doubt.

In church, we don’t always talk about these struggles in a practical way. Instead, we get caught up in what feels like swirly spiritual talk – ideas that sound holy but don’t feel very tangible or helpful.
Faith is one of those words.
Believing is one of those words.

I’ve asked myself many times:
Do I believe enough? Do I have real faith? What about my doubts? And maybe you’ve had those same thoughts.

We Christians don’t always have a good track record here.

We say stuff like… “Don’t ask questions. Just believe harder.”

But that doesn’t really help, does it? Because doubt doesn’t go away just because you ignore it. In fact, doubt usually grows in the dark.

We continue to silent think the same questions… Do I believe enough? Do I have real faith? What about my doubts?

Can we get a little more real?
We compartmentalize things. Well, I believe this part of the Bible, but I struggle with that part. If I don’t believe every single word perfectly, am I not a Christian? Am I out? Am I not going to heaven? Is it all or nothing? Can I struggle with some of it and still belong?

Those are the questions people are afraid to ask – but they’re the questions we need to bring into the light.

These are the questions we need to untangle.

Let’s see what God says about this…

I want to share 3 powerful Bible stories about doubt and belief.

1. (Doubting) Thomas in John 20.
After the resurrection, the other disciples told Thomas…

(John 20:25).

Now, many people call him Doubting Thomas. But notice what Jesus does. A week later, Jesus shows up and says to Thomas…
(John 20:27)

Here’s the good news: Jesus didn’t rebuke Thomas for doubting. And He won’t rebuke you either.

Instead of rebuke, Jesus invites you to confess your questions and bring them into the open. And when you do, He’ll give you what you need in order to believe.

What does that look like?

• He might answer a prayer you’ve been praying.
• He might let you feel His presence in a fresh way.
• He might give you a word from Scripture that speaks right into your situation.
• He might even surround you with encouragement from another believer at just the right time.

Jesus knows what you need. And just like Thomas, He will meet you right where you are.

2 The desperate father in Mark 9.
His son is tormented, and he cries out to Jesus…

(Mark 9:22-24).

Notice again – Jesus does not rebuke this man. He doesn’t shame him for having doubts. But He does lovingly point out the weakness. The man said, “If you can” – and Jesus put His finger right on that phrase.

That’s what He’ll do for us too. He’ll expose the fragile places in our faith, not to condemn us, but to strengthen us.

And here’s something surprising and freeing:

You can have belief and unbelief in the same sentence.

You can have faith and doubt side by side. Honestly, I’m not sure we ever have 100% pure faith, because 100% would be knowing. And we don’t live by knowing – we live by faith.

So what do you do when you feel both belief and unbelief? You move forward anyway. You act on the part of you that believes.

• You can pray, even with questions in your heart.
• You can serve, even if you’re not sure how it will all work out.
• You can forgive, even if your emotions aren’t there yet.
• You can open the Word, even if you don’t understand all of it.

Faith doesn’t mean you never struggle. Faith means you act on what you do believe.

3 Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32.
In Genesis 32, Jacob literally wrestles through the night with God. And at the heart of the struggle, Jacob is asking questions. He says, “What is your name? Who are you?” (Genesis 32:29).

And here’s the turning point: Jacob won’t let go, God blesses him and gives him a brand-new name.

(Genesis 32:28).

Do you know what the name Israel means? Israel –struggle with God.

That’s not just Jacob’s new identity – that’s the identity of God’s people. We are Israel. We are the people who struggle with God.

God values struggle! The people who struggle with God are still God’s people. The ones who don’t let go, even while asking hard questions, are the ones God claims as His own.

So don’t be afraid of your questions. Don’t be afraid to struggle with God. He welcomes it. And just like Jacob, you won’t leave the same. You’ll leave blessed. You’ll leave with a new identity.

Those are 3 powerful bible stories… but here is the real question we may be asking.

How do you grow your faith so it overcomes your doubt?

The Bible is clear – faith grows by acting. Faith isn’t measured by what you know but by what you do. And sometimes that doing looks like struggling, asking, questioning, and not letting go until you’ve heard from God.

3 practical ways to grow your faith as you struggle with God:

1. Pray your doubts honestly.
   Just like the father in Mark 9, don’t fake it. Say, “Lord, I believe – help my unbelief.” That’s struggle. You don’t have to clean up your doubts before you come to Jesus. Prayer is the place where faith starts to rise.
2. Put your faith into practice.
   Belief isn’t just in your head – it shows up in your hands and feet. Forgive someone. Serve someone. Take a step of obedience, even if you’re still unsure. Every action of obedience is like lifting a weight that strengthens your faith.
3. Stay close to God’s people.
   Faith grows in community. Thomas was with the disciples when Jesus showed up. Don’t isolate in your doubt. Join a Connect Group, pray with someone, share your questions. Struggle isn’t something you have to do alone. Israel is a people – not just a person.

Faith grows when you act. If you want to overcome doubt, don’t just ask, Do I believe enough? Ask, What am I going to do next? What step am I going to take as I struggle with God?

IT’S OKAY TO QUESTION, IT’S NOT OKAY TO BE INACTIVE

Faith welcomes questions, but faith also requires movement.

Thomas had his questions – but he spoke up.
The father had unbelief – but he still cried out to Jesus.
Jacob struggled with God all night – but he refused to let go.

What made the difference wasn’t that they had theological training.
It wasn’t that they could quote Scripture.
It wasn’t that they had all the answers.
What made the difference was that they acted.

Doubt held in silence leads to paralysis. Doubt brought into action opens the door for God to move.

It’s okay to question – it’s not okay to sit still.

DO I HAVE ENOUGH FAITH?

Now, some of you might still be asking: But what about my big doubts? How do I know if I really have faith? How do I know if I have enough faith?

Let’s look at the examples we just talked about:

• Thomas speaking up with his doubts – that looks like faith.
• The father crying, “I believe, help my unbelief” – that looks like faith.
• Jacob struggling through the night with God, refusing to let go until he had an answer – that looks like faith.

Faith isn’t just certainty in your head. It’s showing up, speaking up, and not letting go. (James 2:17; James 2:22; Hebrews 11:6).

And if that’s what faith looks like, then look at your own life:

• You’re here in church today – that looks like faith. (Hebrews 10:25)
• You lifted your voice in worship – that looks like faith. (Hebrews 13:15)
• You pray honestly, even with your doubts – that looks like faith. (Philippians 4:6)
• You open the Bible and start applying it to your life – that looks like faith. (James 1:22)

The real question isn’t, Do I believe enough? The real question is, What am I doing with the faith I already have?

If you want to know your faith, look at your actions. Look at your life. That’s where your faith shows up. (James 2:18).

Are you ready to activate your faith?

Three Calls to Action:

1. Pray one honest prayer this week about your doubts. Don’t hide them. Struggle with God in prayer – that looks like faith.
2. Take one faith action this week. Don’t just think about faith – do something with it. This could be your moment to take a bold next step:
   • Confess Jesus openly, maybe for the very first time.
   • Be baptized and go public with your faith.
   • Step up to serve on the Dream Team.
   • Begin giving and trusting God with your finances.
   • Or finally commit to a Connect Group and grow in community.

These are the steps where faith stops being information and becomes transformation – that looks like faith.

1. Right Now: Don’t leave without bringing your doubts to Jesus.

We’ve opened up a prayer space right here in the front. This is your response moment to struggle honestly with God, to pray “I believe – help my unbelief.” This looks like faith.

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Let’s Pray Together
Church, before we dive into today’s message, I want to pause and acknowledge the heaviness many of us feel. This past week, our nation witnessed the murder of Iryna Zarutska, the refugee who was stabbed on a train and yet another act of political violence with the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Regardless of where you stand politically, moments like this are tragic. They remind us that hatred, division, and violence are not just headlines – they’re wounds in our nation.

Scripture tells us in Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
That means as followers of Jesus, we are not just reactors – we are peacemakers. We are not just commentators – we are light in dark times.

So before anything else, let’s pray:

Welcome back to Redemption Church.
My name is Chris Fluitt and we are in week 2 of our Untangled series.

Last week we asked the question, Can I still trust the church? This week we’re asking a different but equally important question: Is the Bible still legit?

A few months ago, we did a series called Asking for a Friend. The very first question we tackled was Can I trust the Bible? And in that message, we dug into things like ancient manuscripts, historical accuracy, and how the Bible has been preserved more reliably than any other book in human history.

That’s important, and if you missed it, you can go back and watch it at www.RedemptionPlano.com

(http://bit.ly/4gsEP5I)

Is the Bible Still Legit?

But today, I want to go a step further. Because here’s the truth: You can believe the Bible is authentic, accurate, and historically reliable, and still leave it closed on your shelf.

The real question many of us wrestle with isn’t just, “Can I trust that the Bible is true?” but “Does it even matter in my life right now?”
Is this ancient book still relevant in 2025?

Let’s look at where we are as a culture.

• Only 39% of Americans say they read the Bible 3 or 4 times a year on their own. Not weekly. Not even monthly. Just a handful of times in a whole year.
• Just 44% say the Bible is extremely or very important in their lives, while 37% say it’s not too important or not important at all.
• And a growing number, 29% of Americans see the Bible as nothing more than a collection of fables, legends, and moral sayings recorded by man.

That’s the world we live in. Scripture is drifting further from the center of our culture.

But let’s bring it closer to home. Here we are, way past the midpoint of the year. The year’s drawing to a close faster than we think. So let me ask you – how’s your Bible reading plan going?

Have you been actively opening Scripture – reading it, talking about it in your Connect Group – or if you’re honest, have you been missing a lot?

We’re sitting in church right now, but some of us haven’t cracked open a Bible this past week. That’s not to shame you – it’s to be real.

And that leaves us with the real question:

If so many people, including some of us, barely touch the Bible anymore, does it really matter for our everyday life?

Let’s be honest about this issue.
The questions people ask when it comes to the Bible:

• Isn’t it full of contradictions?
• Isn’t it just an ancient book, out of touch with modern life?
• Isn’t it more about rules than about relevance?

Those are real questions.

And here’s the thing – we’re not here to win a theological debate or score points on social media. The point isn’t to argue people into faith. The point is to find truth that gives life meaning. And we believe you’ll find that meaning when you look in the Word of God.

1. Isn’t it full of contradictions?

Matthew 27:5 (NIV)
Acts 1:18 (NIV)

At first glance, these sound like different stories. But really, they’re two vantage points of the same event. Judas hanged himself in a field, and later, when his body fell or decayed, it burst open.

It’s not two competing truths – it’s two perspectives of the one truth.

Another example used in a contradiction argument is the resurrection:

Matthew 28:2–3, 5 (NIV): “…an angel of the Lord came down… The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.’”

John 20:12 (NIV)

Matthew describes one angel. John describes two. If there were two, there was also one. Matthew focused on the angel who spoke, John recorded both.

Let’s be honest – if you’re reading these stories, you may notice some variation, but it doesn’t really feel like contradiction. The idea of “contradiction” usually comes from people trying to forge an argument rather than find the truth. And when we use Scripture as ammunition for arguments, we’re not using it properly.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

Notice – it says Scripture is useful. But if we twist it into arguments, we’re misusing it. Scripture isn’t given to fuel debates – it’s given to form lives. It’s meant to equip us, not divide us.

So hear me: Don’t just believe the Bible. Don’t just read the Bible. Learn how to use the Bible.
Because the Bible isn’t a weapon to win arguments – it’s a tool to build lives.

1. Isn’t it just an ancient book?

Nearly a third of Americans see the Bible as just a book of legends, myths, or outdated history. And maybe you’ve thought the same – How can words written thousands of years ago possibly matter for my life right now?

Here’s what’s worth noticing: Much of our modern world is actually built on biblical truth.

• The idea that every person has value and dignity (Genesis 1:27)
  This idea is not from Rome or Greece, where people were discarded if they weren’t useful. That comes from Genesis 1:27, where it says we are made in the image of God.
• The concept of justice & equality – the foundation of modern law in the West – flows straight out of the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus.
• Even movements that reshaped history, like… The abolition of slavery, were fueled by Christians who pointed back to Scripture

So rather than being irrelevant, the Bible actually shaped the very world we live in.

But it’s more than history – it still speaks to today’s struggles.

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

If it were just ancient history, it would be static. But the Bible says it is alive and active. It cuts right into the heart of what we’re facing right now.

• Anxiety? Jesus said in Matthew 6:27: “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Worry doesn’t solve your problem, it just drains you. Instead, Jesus points us to a better answer: trust your Father in heaven. Anxiety shrinks when we put our future in His hands.
• Relationships? Many of today’s counseling practices – ideas like conflict resolution, forgiveness, and setting healthy boundaries – are pulled straight from the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.
• Identity and purpose? A lot of leadership writings today emphasize discovering your unique design and calling. That idea didn’t start with modern psychology – it started with Scripture. (Ephesians 2:10).

And let’s be real – the world is freaking out right now. We just had a political assassination, and people are worried it’s going to spiral into more political violence. Everybody’s got arguments about gun control. Everybody’s got arguments about who’s right and who’s wrong.

You know what? I’ve got one verse in the Bible that would answer all of this – if we actually lived it. It’s not even an obscure verse. It’s one Jesus quoted straight out of the Old Testament:

Matthew 22:39 (NIV)

What would the world look like if we took this verse from this “ancient” text and started to live it in the year 2025?

This is why we look to Scripture – but it’s more than looking to it. We have to live it.

What if every Christian started living this verse out this week? What would our nation look like? What would our neighborhoods look like? What would Plano look like?

That’s not ancient and irrelevant. That’s alive and transformative.

1. Isn’t it more about rules than relevance?

A lot of people think the Bible is nothing more than a big list of rules – don’t do this, don’t do that. And if that’s all you see, it can feel restrictive and irrelevant.

But here’s the truth: God doesn’t give us commands to crush us – He gives us commands to free us.

Think about guardrails on a highway. At first glance, they look like limits. But the guardrails aren’t there to ruin your drive – they’re there to keep you alive. They don’t take away your freedom – they protect your freedom to keep moving forward.

That’s how the Bible works. Its commands aren’t about robbing you of joy – they’re about keeping you from destruction. They don’t just say “don’t”; they point you toward a better life.

John 10:10 (NIV)

Jesus didn’t come to hand you a longer rulebook. He came to bring you life – real, abundant, overflowing life.

James 1:25 (NIV)

James calls God’s Word a “law that gives freedom.” That doesn’t sound irrelevant. That sounds like the very thing our world is starving for – freedom from anxiety, from shame, from chaos, from emptiness.

So if you see the Bible as just a rulebook, you’re missing the point. It’s not about restriction – it’s about direction. It’s not about rules – it’s about life.

Big Picture

Luke 24:27 (NIV)

A lot of people ask, “What is the Bible about?”
But the better question is, “Who is the Bible about?”

And the answer is twofold: the Bible is about Jesus, and the Bible is about you.

It’s about who Jesus is – God’s Son, Savior, Redeemer.
And it’s about what Jesus can do in you – how His grace changes your life, how His Spirit gives you strength, how His Word shapes your story.

The Bible isn’t just a book of rules. It’s the living Word that points us to Jesus and shows us who we can become in Him.

The Bible is not just a rulebook. It’s a story of redemption – His story and your story coming together. And when you read it with Jesus at the center, everything changes.

So if the Bible isn’t full of contradictions… if it isn’t just an ancient book… if it isn’t just rules… then what do we do with it?

Here’s the real test: Will you let the Bible stay words on a page, or will you let it become life in your heart? Because the Bible doesn’t change us if it stays closed. It changes us when we open it, when we hear it, when we live it.

So how do we live this out?

1. Reopen the Bible with fresh eyes. Don’t read it like an old history textbook. Read it like a living conversation with God.
2. Ask: Where is Jesus in this story? He’s the thread that ties it all together.
3. Put it into practice. The power of Scripture isn’t just in reading – it’s in living it.

This week – don’t just scroll Instagram when you’re anxious. Open Matthew 6 and hear Jesus say, “Do not worry about your life.” Don’t just Google relationship advice – open Ephesians 5 and learn how Christ loves His church.

And here’s something we’re putting together as a value add: a simple guide you can take home. It’s a list of common struggles and emotions – things like anxiety, loneliness, anger, confusion – and for each one it points you to a Scripture to read and a prayer to pray. It’s like a map: If you’re feeling this… go here in God’s Word.

We’ll make that available as a resource for you – so you’re never left wondering where to turn when life hits you hard.

Imagine if we became a community where people didn’t just believe the Bible is true but actually lived like it mattered.

• Our marriages would look different.
• Our workplaces would look different.
• Our city would look different.

Plano doesn’t need more Bible facts – it needs people who embody Bible truth.

More than information – we need transformation.

The Bible isn’t just legit because it’s old and preserved. It’s legit because it still speaks. And when we listen, we untangle the mess of life with the wisdom of God.

Three Legit Actions

1. Open it daily. Don’t let the Bible collect dust. Open it – even for five minutes a day – and invite God to speak.
2. Live one verse this week. Pick just one verse that stood out today – like “Love your neighbor as yourself” – and practice it every day this week. Don’t just read it, live it.
3. Respond right now in worship and prayer. We don’t just want to talk about the Bible – we want to let God’s Word shape us in this moment. As we move into a time of worship, open your heart. Pray, “God, show me Jesus on every page of Your Word, and teach me to live it out.”

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Welcome to Redemption Church.
We exist to help people Find and Follow Jesus. My name is Chris Fluitt.

We are in the first week of our new series.

Untangled

Faith can feel tangled.

• Pain
• Hypocrisy
• Questions that don’t have easy answers.

…Maybe you’ve noticed-life doesn’t always line up with the simple answers we were given as kids. Back in Sunday school, everything seemed black and white. But then life happened. Marriage got complicated. Money got tight. People disappointed you. And those neat little answers didn’t always seem as certain.

And let’s be real-
Nowhere in Scripture does it say life is supposed to be easy, carefree, and full of quick answers. What we do see, again and again, is Jesus welcoming people who bring their honest questions. He never rejected someone who came searching.

That’s why this series matters. We’re not here to pretend. We’re here to untangle some of the tough questions of faith and life-together.

Here’s where we’re going in the next few weeks:
Outline

• Next week: Is the Bible Still Legit? Some people say it’s outdated or contradictory. We’ll take a fresh look and ask if that’s really true.
• Week 3: What If I Have Big Doubts? Can faith survive when you’re full of questions?
• Week 4: Is Jesus Even Worth Following? Some say Jesus was just another religious leader, just another person. What are we to believe?

And to help us go deeper, we created a free e-book with 30 of the most tangled life and faith questions people are asking right now. Grab it, use it, and don’t be afraid to start real conversations.

And today-we’re going to answer a really hectic question: Can I Still Trust the Church?

I’ll never forget the first time I got hurt by the church…

• Not a little misunderstanding – but something that cut deep.
• Not from a stranger – but from people who claimed to know Jesus.
• …”If this is church, do I even want to be part of it?”

Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you’ve got scars from church people too.

We don’t have to look far to find people who walked away from church because of church hurt.

• Ministries collapse in scandal.
• Sexual abuse covered up.
• Spiritual abuse ignored.
• Greed instead of service.
• Online Arguments between Christians.

If that feels like hypocrisy to you, you’re not wrong. It is hypocrisy. And it’s painful.

So the question makes sense: If this is what church looks like… should we just throw it away?

What does Jesus have to say about this?

1. Jesus Confronted Church Hurt

Jesus does this A LOT. He has strong words…

Matthew 23:13

• “Blind guides!”
• “You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead.”
• “You belong to your father, the devil” (John 8:44).
• And in the temple, He flipped the tables and shouted, “You have made my Father’s house a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13).

And remember-Jesus didn’t say these things about the addict outside the church or the sinner in the streets. He said them to ministers inside the temple.

So if you think you see hypocrisy in the church-you probably aren’t mistaken.

But does that mean it’s okay to throw away the church? Not according to Jesus.

2. Jesus Promised His Church Would Prevail

Jesus claims His Church for himself.
Jesus claims to build His Church.
Jesus promises victory over hell.

Matthew 16:18

This is the 1st time CHURCH is mentioned in Scripture.
Now, here’s something you may not know.

Kirche (Church) – A building. The Lord’s House.

Our English word church comes from the German word Kirche, which meant “the Lord’s house” or simply “a building.”

Ekklesia (Church) – A community of called-out ones)
But Jesus didn’t use that word. He used ekklesia-a Greek word meaning “the called-out ones,” a gathered community, a movement of people.

William Tyndale (1494–1536) Bible Translator
That distinction mattered so much that William Tyndale, one of the first to translate the Bible into English, refused to translate ekklesia as “church.” He translated it as congregation. He wanted people to know Jesus was building people, not buildings.

That choice cost him dearly. Tyndale was betrayed, arrested, and in 1536 he was strangled and burned at the stake for giving ordinary people the Word of God in English. His last prayer was, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” And within a few years, English Bibles flooded the nation. His words shaped almost every English Bible since.

Here’s the point: Jesus is not just building facilities, organizations, or power structures. He’s building a people!

Jesus is building a living, breathing community that not even persecution, scandal, or hypocrisy can destroy. The gates of hell cannot stop what Jesus is building.

3. The Church is a Team

Jesus is not just building an audience – He’s building a team.

And who does Jesus invite onto His team? Peter.

The same Peter who sank when he tried to walk on water.
The same Peter who pulled out a sword and cut off someone’s ear.
The same Peter who swore three times, “I don’t even know Him.”

And yet Jesus looked at Peter and said in Matthew 16:18: “I will build my church.”

Jesus is the one doing the building. And here’s the good news: He invited Peter – failures, flaws, and all – to be part of it.

The church has never been about perfect people. It has always been about a perfect Savior building with imperfect teammates.

That means there’s room for you. If Peter was invited in, so are you. And not just you – but your neighbor, your coworker, your family member, the skeptic, the struggler, the addict, the outcast. The team Jesus is building is big enough for all of us.

4. Jesus Redefines the Church

If the ekklesia… the team… the church… is more than a building, then maybe we need Jesus to redefine our thinking.

Because here’s the truth: Jesus did not come to bring us just another religion. He came to bring us a new way of life, a new kind of community.

John 13:35 – That’s His definition.

• Not by the size of our buildings.
• Not by how polished our services are.
• Not by our denominational labels.
• Not by doctrinal debates.
• Not by politics or traditions.

But by love.

And that’s where we’ve gotten tangled, isn’t it? Over the centuries, churches have split over style, over leadership, over secondary doctrines. We’ve let denominations divide us, and sometimes we’ve even defined ourselves more by what we’re against than by what we’re for.

But Jesus says the defining mark of His people is love. The kind of love that forgives. The kind of love that restores. The kind of love that welcomes the broken in.

And if the church has ever hurt you, I want you to know this:

Jesus is not the one who hurt you.

Don’t give up on Jesus because of bad teammates. People may have failed you, but Jesus has not.

Can I Still Trust the Church?

So here’s the question for you: will you let the failure of people cause you to abandon the plan of God?

Jesus sees your hurt. He grieves with you. But He still invites you to healing.

Instead of asking, Can I trust the church? maybe the better question is…

Can I trust Jesus to show me what His church is supposed to be?

SO WHAT CAN WE DO?
When it comes to church hurt, we can’t just leave it sitting there. It has to be addressed. This team is important. What Jesus is building matters.

So what can we do about it?

3 Steps for Those Hurt by the Church

If you’ve been hurt by the church, here are three steps you can begin today:

1. Be honest with God about your pain. Don’t hide it. He already knows, but He wants you to bring it to Him. Pour it out in prayer. Write it in a journal. Say it out loud if you need to.
2. Separate who Jesus is from what people did. People may have failed you, but Jesus never has. Don’t give up on Him because of bad teammates.
3. Take one small step toward healing. That might mean praying, choosing forgiveness, or talking to someone safe who will walk with you. Healing is a process – but it starts with one small step.

3 Steps for the Church to Repent and Do Better

And if we are the church, here’s how we can do better:

1. Own our failures and apologize. Stop making excuses. Repent.
2. Protect the vulnerable instead of protecting reputations. Jesus always defended the hurting – so must we.
3. Lead with love, not pride. Let love, not ego, define every decision.

Now imagine this with me: a church where love is louder than hypocrisy. A church where those who have been wounded find healing. A church where the name of Jesus is lifted high, not dragged down by scandal.

Imagine that kind of church rising up in our hurting cities – feeding the hungry, walking with families in crisis, lifting up the poor, and showing compassion to the overlooked.

Imagine that kind of church carrying hope across the world – feeding and caring for children and orphans in war-torn countries, standing with believers facing persecution, bringing clean water, medicine, and education where despair once ruled.

Imagine that kind of church opening its arms wide so that people who were once outcasts, outsiders, and overlooked can JOIN THE TEAM.

Matthew 16:18

And this isn’t just a dream – it’s the promise of Jesus. “Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

That’s not just words from 2,000 years ago – it’s the foundation of our hope today. Jesus takes hurt and turns it into hope. He takes brokenness and builds something beautiful. He takes failure and creates a future.

That’s the vision. That’s the church He is building – and He’s inviting us to be part of it.

3 Actions for a Healing Church

If Jesus is building His ekklesia – His team – then here are three actions we can take together to become a healing church:

1. Let’s inspect our role in the team.
Are we contributors or just consumers? A healthy church is built when every person brings their gifts, their love, and their service.

2. Re-commit to Jesus and to others.
Let’s make things right – with God and with each other. That may mean asking forgiveness. It may mean extending forgiveness. It definitely means giving Jesus our whole heart again.

3. Pray and worship together.
Have you hurt someone – Repent.
Have you been hurt by someone – Come receive prayer.

Fix our eyes on Jesus.

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Welcome to Redemption Church.
We are not a mega Church, but we are a mighty Church. We are seeing God do BIG things in Plano Tx and throughout the world.
My name is Chris Fluitt.

We are excited about our next message series starting next week. We will be jumping into big questions together. Bring a friend!

Today, we are in the final week of our Grow Mode series.

Someone told me, “Pastor last year when you spoke about money, I checked out. I was angry, frustrated, ashamed of my money situation. But now, a year later, in this series I feel like I have hope for my finances because I have a plan.”

I know all too well how painful talking about money is.
In week 1 we talked about debt.
In week 2 we talked about growing wealth.
Today we are going to talk about a Legacy That Lasts.

Legacy That Lasts

Let me take you back to a moment I had a few years ago when I was sitting at my kitchen table, looking at my bank account and a stack of unopened mail. I wasn’t thinking about legacy. I was thinking, “Can I make it to next payday without overdrafting?”

The idea of retirement felt like science fiction. Inheritance? That was something rich people talked about.

But then I remembered something that hit me hard: I wasn’t just living for me. I was shaping a path for those who would come after me. Every choice I made—even the small ones—was writing the story my family would one day read. That was the first time I started thinking about legacy.

Can you relate? Maybe you’re in that same boat. You’re doing everything you can just to stay afloat. You’ve got bills, kids, maybe aging parents. Retirement planning is somewhere between “I’ll get to it later” and “Isn’t that what Social Security is for?” And inheritance? Maybe we should let the kids fend for themselves…

Here’s the truth:
If we don’t live by design, we will live by default. And if we don’t intentionally build a legacy, we will unintentionally pass on a burden.

Some of us watched our parents struggle, and now we’re doing the same.
If we’re not careful, we’ll hand down that pressure instead of peace.

But here’s the good news:

You don’t have to be wealthy to leave a legacy. You just have to be wise.

Jesus has a lot to say about this subject. Let’s be really clear:

Jesus is not anti-money.

Some people get confused about that. Jesus isn’t asking you to be broke, poor, or financially insecure as a way of being more spiritual or humble.

Jesus is not against you having money—He’s against money having you.

There is a big difference.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:19-21

This is not a ban on bank accounts or 401(k)s. It’s a heart check. Jesus is warning us that what we do with our money reveals what’s going on in our hearts.

Your money always tells a story—and that story always points to your heart.

Jesus invites us to think long-term. To shift our focus from what fades to what lasts.

Jesus says earthly treasure fades. It gets eaten, rusted, stolen. But there’s another kind of treasure that can never be taken away—eternal treasure.

What if your money touched eternal things? What if your time was spent on eternal things? What if your giftings were invested in eternal things?

What if your budget didn’t just touch this month, but touched eternity? What if your giving changed someone’s eternity? What if your spending reflected your values instead of your cravings?

Values vs Cravings

Let’s talk about that difference for a second. Your values say, “Love others. Serve like Jesus. Be generous.” But your cravings? They’re shouting, “Get the shoes. Upgrade the phone. You deserve it.”

You say you value helping others, but then something scrolls by on Amazon or Instagram—and suddenly your craving hijacks your budget.

Cravings are loud. They’re urgent. They’re impulsive.
Values are quiet. They’re steady. They’re intentional.

Cravings fill your closet.
Values fill your life with meaning.
Cravings give you packages.
Values give you purpose.

So what if you built a budget based on eternal values—not earthly cravings?

That’s what Jesus is getting at. Not anti-money—intentional money.

In order to touch eternity, we have to look past temporary cravings. We have to look past today’s problems. We have to look onward into the future—beyond just what we want now, and even beyond our own lifetime.

And Proverbs 13 gives us a glimpse of what that kind of future-minded living looks like:

Proverbs 13:22

In other words, a good person doesn’t just think about what they’re passing on to their own kids—but to the kids they may never even meet. What if you built something today that would bless your grandchildren’s children? What if your choices now created freedom and faith for generations to come?

That’s long game thinking. Generational vision. It’s not about dying with the most stuff—it’s about living with the most purpose.

I have a couple of terms I want you to understand.
A beneficiary receives a blessing. That’s us—we’ve received grace, salvation, and provision through Jesus.

A benefactor gives a blessing. That’s also us—we’re called to use what we’ve been given to bless others.

In spiritual terms, we are called to be both a beneficiary and a benefactor.

Here’s a quick video from our financial planner friend Dan Klonowski, that helps bring this home.

[DAN KLONOWSKI VID]

Thank you Dan.
That’s the heart of legacy: You’ve received much, and now you get to pass it on.

You’re not just here to benefit—you’re here to be a benefit. Let’s keep building that kind of legacy.

2 Corinthians 12:14

God doesn’t want your kids carrying what you didn’t prepare for.

Far too many people are handing down burdens instead of blessings. We’re handing down bills instead of benefits. And not just bills—we’re also passing down broken mindsets about money, generosity, and purpose.

God wants your life to be a blessing, not a burden. Your financial story can lift the next generation—or weigh them down. Let’s choose blessing.

Acts 20:35

Those are Jesus’ own words. And who better to tell us that than the One who gave everything?

This is what it means to live with purpose. You weren’t just given provision—you were given the opportunity to provide. You weren’t just called to receive—you were called to reflect God’s generosity.

Scripture’s clear. Legacy isn’t just about what you leave behind. It’s about how you live right now.

How are you living?
How will you push back against the culture of craving and make your money matter?

1. Be retirement ready.
Not to escape—but to bless. Retirement is not about quitting work. It’s about making sure your children don’t have to carry what you didn’t prepare for.

One way to do that? Include legacy giving as part of your plan. Consider leaving a gift in your will—whether that’s a charitable gift, an endowment, or simply naming your Church or another ministry as a beneficiary. That kind of planning says: “I’m not just preparing for myself. I’m preparing to bless others, even after I’m gone.”

2. Use your money to bless others.
Give with purpose. Support the mission of God. We love it when you support the missions and ministry of Redemption Church—but we would never want to limit your giving to just right here.

Give wherever you can. Make your money matter. Touch eternity. Help a single parent. Feed someone. Fund something that points people to Jesus.

3. Push back against materialism.
Culture says buy more, upgrade faster, show it off. Stop being a victim of marketing! Choose meaning over marketing.
Jesus says build something that lasts.

You don’t have to be rich to leave a legacy. You just have to be willing to live wisely, love freely, and give generously.

Redemption Church, imagine this: A community that lives open-handed. That plans ahead. That gives now. That leaves something better behind.

A people who don’t just talk about legacy but actually build it. Together we can do this.

Let’s take it back to the words of Jesus:

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Jesus

This is a heart issue.
We need to pray about this.
We need to make a decision to act.
3 Calls to Make $$$ Matter:

1. Plan Wisely.
Start tracking. Start saving. Start preparing. Legacy is built one decision at a time.
Ask for help.

2. Live Open-Handed.
Let go of fear. Let go of greed. Let go of chasing more. And let God lead your financial story.

3. Touch Eternity – Ask for God’s help
Pray and worship.
Let this be a moment you store up treasure in Heaven.

View Details

Welcome to Redemption Church.
We exist to help people Find & Follow Jesus Christ.
My name is Chris Fluitt.

Last week we started our Grow Mode journey with a Bag Check. We may have holes in our bag or purse. (Haggai 1:6)
(www.youtu.be/VfzVyE3zkBQ?feature=shared)

We learned that you can’t grow what you don’t track.

• Some of us realized we’ve got money leaks—things we spend on without even noticing.
• We committed to tracking our spending.

KEEP DOING THIS.

That was step one. Today, we’re going to level up.

So let me ask you:
How do people become millionaires?

• Is it winning the lottery? Nope. Over 70% of lottery winners go bankrupt in just a few years.
• Is it inheriting a fortune? Nope. 79% of millionaires today are first-generation rich—they didn’t inherit it, they built it.
• Is it luck? Wrong again.
• Ordinary, simple, and repeatable decisions make millionaires.

Here’s the surprising truth: most millionaires didn’t do anything spectacular or flashy. They did something ordinary, simple, and repeatable. They took small, consistent steps over time.

• Limited spending – A daily coffee skipped here.
• Consistent investment – A little bit invested there.
• Money constantly working in the background.

And over time, those small steps turned into a big future.

Example: Let me show you how powerful this really is. If you took $100 a month and put it in a jar under your bed for 25 years, you would have $30,000. And that’s good — that shows discipline. But if you took that same $100 a month and invested it at 9% annual growth, you wouldn’t just have $30,000. You’d have over $112,000.

That’s $82,000 of growth above what you put in. That’s the power of letting your money work for you instead of just sitting in a jar.

Here’s the big idea today:
Small, consistent steps NOW lead to big impact LATER.

The Bible has something powerful to say about this.

Proverbs 13:11 (NIV):
Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

Little by little. Not flashy. Not overnight. But steady growth.

Jesus told a story in Matthew 25:14–30, the Parable of the Talents.

Matthew 25:14–15 (NIV):
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.”

It was the master’s money. The servants didn’t own it. They only managed it.

That’s us. It’s not my money. It’s not your money. It’s the Master’s money.

The Master’s Money

• It’s all God’s money.
• He entrusts it to us for a season.
• Our job is to manage it.
• Our job is to grow it.

But here’s the severity of this parable. When the master returned, two servants had invested and doubled what they were given. They heard:

Matthew 25:21 (NIV):
“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

But the servant who buried his one bag of gold? The master said to him:

Matthew 25:26 (NIV):
“You wicked, lazy servant!”

That’s not just a scolding — that’s judgment language. Jesus is showing us that to waste what God gives is not just careless, it is wicked. To hide resources out of fear is not neutral, it is lazy.

This should wake us up: if it’s the Master’s money, then burying it is an insult to Him. And if it’s the Master’s money, then growing it honors Him.

And here’s the bold truth: As long as I’ve been going to church, I’ve never heard a sermon telling me that I should be investing my money — that I should…

• look at stocks
• plan for long-term growth
• treat money as something God wants multiplied.

But Jesus Himself taught this. It’s right here. There is biblical evidence that God wants His people to grow what He’s entrusted to them.

So we, as believers, need to change this.

Talk about Giving AND Growing!

We should encourage one another to build wealth with wisdom. Because wealth in the hands of God’s people funds generosity, funds mission, and leaves a legacy.

That’s the Word. God calls us to be good and faithful servants with the Master’s money — to manage it, to grow it, and not to bury it.

But maybe you’re sitting here thinking, Okay, I believe that… but how do I actually do it? What does it look like in real life to take small steps and see money grow little by little?

That’s exactly why I’ve got Dan Klonowski coming to give us some simple steps on how to accumulate wealth.

Would you help me welcome Dan Klonowski?

Thanks Dan!

The principle Dan just showed us is the exact same principle Jesus pointed to in Scripture: little by little, faithfully invested, becomes much.

And here’s the part I love: this connects even if you’re still in debt.

We talk about building a debt snowball—where you pay off one debt, then take that payment and roll it into the next one, until all your debt is crushed.

But what happens when the snowball is finished? You’re no longer sending hundreds or maybe even thousands of dollars to creditors every month. That’s almost like getting a promotion. It’s almost like you got a raise—because you’re keeping more of what you make.

Now here’s the key: Take a chunk of that debt snowball and aim it at building wealth. Move it with a plan. That’s one way to grow what God has given you.

And for those who are still climbing out of debt—this should give you hope. Because that snowball you’re rolling right now will soon become the engine that builds wealth. So keep pushing. It comes into play sooner than you think.

I know Christians who have incredible faith.

• They will pray with me and believe for healing.
• They have determination to serve, to love, to forgive.
• They believe they can be powerful in the Kingdom of God.

But then those same believers turn around and act like they will always be in debt. Like they’ll never have hope when it comes to their finances.

And that’s not okay. If you have faith in the resurrection of Jesus, if you believe He conquered death itself, but you don’t believe He can bring increase and provision into your life — then something’s wrong there.

I’m not talking about chasing money. I’m not talking about the prosperity gospel. I’m talking about faith. Some of us have faith that we will always struggle, that we will always be in debt, that we will never get ahead. And that’s just as misplaced as burying the Master’s money.

God is the Provider. He is Jehovah Jireh. And He calls us to believe not only for salvation and healing but also to believe that He can grow and increase what He has entrusted to us.

If you feel stuck… This Series is for you.
Call Dan.
Start working a plan.
And pray in Faith for a transformation.

Action Time

1. Fix Your Focus

2. Whatever step you’re on – stay focused there!

3. If you’re paying off debt, double down on that.
4. If you’re tracking your money for the very first time, don’t quit.
5. If you’re ready to invest, start learning and moving in that direction.

We drift from what we don’t focus on. But when you fix your focus, growth happens.

1. Pray Before You Pay

2. “Lord, how do You want me to grow what You’ve given me?”

Invite God into your finances.
It is the Master’s Money.

1. Repent and Rebuild
   We have been that lazy wicked servant…

Some of us have buried what God gave us — wasted it, hid it, or ignored it.

But the good news? You don’t have to leave here the way you came. Today is the perfect time to repent and start again.

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Welcome to Redemption Church in Plano, Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt and I am have to say I am thankful for everyone in the room, and everyone joining us online.

There’s something else I have to say…

“We’ve got to talk about money.”

It feels awkward talking about money in church… but here’s the reality:

Money Stress Reality

• $$$ is the #1 cause of stress in America: 71% of people say it weighs on them.
• 45% of Americans are carrying a credit card balance, and the average balance is nearly $9,000.
• 2 in 5 Americans don’t have $1,000 in savings for emergencies.

Money stress is a reality.

So if you feel stressed about money, you are not alone.

Jesus talked about money more than He talked about heaven or hell. Not because He wanted people’s wallets, but because money reveals what’s happening in our hearts. And if you’ve ever wondered,

Where did all my money go? …tonight is for you.

Let’s be honest. We’ve all been there:

• The credit card bill that never goes down. Only goes up!
• Waiting for payday while your account is already running on fumes.
• Or an Amazon box shows up, and you can’t remember what’s even in it.

We all want freedom, but too often money is running us instead of the other way around. And what’s amazing is that God actually spoke about this problem thousands of years ago.

Haggai 1:6 (NIV) “You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

That sounds like it was written in 2025, doesn’t it?

• Living paycheck to paycheck
• working hard
• somehow it just slips away.

But this wasn’t written last week. It was written around the year 520 BC, over 2,500 years ago.

And yet it describes exactly what so many of us feel right now. That tells me something: God has been paying attention to this struggle for a long time.

He didn’t say this to shame anyone.
He said it to wake us up!

That’s why I’ve invited my friend, financial planner Dan Klonowski, to share with us. He’s going to show us some practical ways to patch the holes and start seeing where our money is going.

Let’s thank Dan.
We could all use help and wisdom in our finances.

…And here’s why what he just shared matters even more: because God said it first.

Proverbs 27:23 (NIV)

For us today… flocks are our

• Accounts.
• Car or Home.
• Career
• Whatever God has given you!
• Pay attention and manage

Luke 14:28

In other words, make a plan.
Jesus said this. Shouldn’t we listen?
We want to help you get a plan.

Proverbs 22:7 “The borrower is slave to the lender.”

We hate slavery.
Debt – Borrowing money – is slavery!

• Credit cards
• Pay day advances
• Loans
• Buy now and pay later
• Rent-A-Center – Lease to own

Do not sign up for slavery!
Debt is slavery!

“Lord Help Me Get Free from Debt Slavery”

I want to address a tension a lot of us feel:

This freedom sounds great… but…
Most people don’t like the idea of tracking their money.

• It feels like control.
• It feels like micromanaging.
• It doesn’t sound fun at all.

But here’s the truth: the real thing that’s not fun is when…

• the credit card bills control you
• when the lenders call you
• when the IRS sends you letters.
• That’s control.

Tracking is not control, it’s clarity.

You can’t grow what you don’t track. What you really need is a clear vision of where your money is going. That’s the only way to make progress.

And God wants that for you. He wants you to be free and flourishing.

Imagine this: a whole church community full of people who aren’t chained by debt, who live with peace, who can happily give generously. What could we do for Plano? What could we do for the world?

This isn’t about money.
It’s about transformation.
It’s about peace instead of stress.
Purpose instead of pressure.
Freedom instead of fear.
That’s what God wants for us.

But here’s the thing: tracking isn’t the finish line, it’s just the starting line. You can’t grow what you don’t track.

Next week, we’re going to talk about how small, simple steps can turn into lasting wealth. We’re going to see that wealth isn’t about luck or hitting it big, it’s about habits and wisdom.

But before we can grow, we have to stop the leaks. Before we can invest tomorrow, we need clarity today. That’s why today’s steps matter so much.

Ready to Act

1. Turn around and open your eyes.

-Track every $ this week
Stop pretending it’s fine.
Repentance is about turning around — deciding not to keep walking down the same road.
For some of us, the first step is to say, God, I’ve been careless, I’ve been blind, I’ve been ignoring this area of my life. Forgive me. Help me turn around.

Then open your eyes… No more living in the dark. Use what Dan shared and actually look at where your money is going. Track every $ you spend this week.

1. Lighten the load.

-Make a Debt Snowball
Debt isn’t normal. It isn’t forever. Take one step toward freedom this week.

Do the hard work. List all your debts and prepare a Debt Snowball.

1. Invite God in.

-Pray and honor God

Don’t just track money, pray over it.

Say, God, this is Yours… It’s not my money… it all comes from you. Help me manage it well.

Come receive prayer.
Pray for one another.
THIS IS TOO BIG FOR US – WE MUST HAVE GOD’S HELP.

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Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano Tx.
My name is Chris Fluitt.

Church People
Those People

You’ve heard it.
You’ve probably felt it.

-“Oh, she’s not really a church person…”
-“That family’s kind of a mess—definitely -not church people…”
-“He’d never come to church… He’s one of those people…”
-“She seems skeptical about the Bible… Yeah, she’s one of those people.”

And without even realizing it, we start dividing the world into two camps:

Church people — the cleaned-up, showed-up, “praise God” crowd

Those people — the ones we think wouldn’t fit, wouldn’t care, wouldn’t belong

Plot twist:
Jesus didn’t come for “church people.”
He came for those people.

Luke 5:31–32 (NIV)

And church people—you ought to be glad.
Because let’s be honest…

Most of us didn’t walk in here squeaky clean.

We came with baggage.
With questions.
With regrets.
And someone welcomed us anyway.

And now—we get to do the same for someone else.

The Mission Is People. Period.

Let’s go back to what we said earlier:

The world may see church people and those people—but Jesus just sees people.

People He loves.
People He died for.
People He wants to rescue, restore, and send.

That’s why we’re here. This is our mission.

Redemption Church exists to help people FIND and FOLLOW Jesus Christ.

Let’s break that down:

FIND Jesus

Finding Jesus is about receiving the gospel.
It’s about coming to faith.
It’s evangelism, sharing the good news—plain and simple.

We don’t just hope people find Jesus.
We introduce them. We invite them. We reach them.

FOLLOW Jesus

Following Jesus is discipleship.

It’s learning your faith, growing your relationship with God, and living like Jesus wherever you are.

We help people:
-Learn to read the Bible
-Discover how to pray
-Understand how to share their faith
-Take steps from belief to transformation

That’s our mission: Evangelism + Discipleship.
It’s not either/or. It’s both/and.
We reach people. And we grow people.

And how do we live this out practically?

Through our church vision—four simple, powerful steps:

Love God
Our Worship services are designed to help you love God more than ever before.

They’re not just gatherings—they’re encounters.

Grow Faith
Our Connect Groups help you grow—not just in facts, but in real faith.

This is where your roots go deeper. This is where your confidence in Jesus gets stronger.

Serve Others
Find your purpose and make a difference by taking Next Steps and joining the Dream Team.

We help you discover your God given strengths so that you can make a difference.

Go Change the World
Be a part of missions across the globe and leadership here at home.

We believe that when people encounter Jesus, they don’t stay the same—and their influence starts multiplying.
Your effort, your prayer, your generosity… is responsible for every baptism, faith commitment, and success.

That’s how we do it.

We’re not here for a spiritual cruise ship experience.

We are a rescue team on mission.

We are OTHERS–FOCUSED.
We exist to reach people.
We exist to develop people.
We exist to send people out to go reach others.
IT IS NOT ABOUT US!

That’s how the world changes—one life at a time.

And it starts with us.

Jesus Always Went After the One

Jesus wasn’t impressed by crowds—He was moved by the one.

-One sheep that wandered
-One woman at the well
-One tax collector in a tree
-One criminal on a cross

Jesus didn’t build walls—He broke them down.

He didn’t wait for people to come to Him—He went to them.

THIS IS HOW JESUS LIVED!

And then Jesus turned to His followers and said:

“GO and make disciples…” — Matthew 28:19

“Compel them to come in…” — Luke 14:23

“I am sending you.” — John 20:21

“Be my witnesses… to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8

WITNESS – You know what that means?

If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re a witness.

Not a judge. Not a lawyer. Not the jury. Just a witness.

You don’t have to know everything.

You just have to share what you’ve seen and what Jesus has done for you.

You’re not called to have all the answers—just to open your life, open your mouth, and be part of what God is doing.

His mission wasn’t passive—it was personal.
And now? It’s ours.

Somebody’s Waiting on Your Invitation

You don’t need a mic.
You don’t need a theology degree.
You don’t need a perfect track record.

You just need a yes.

Because someone you know is hurting.
Someone’s on the edge.
Someone’s looking for any reason to believe there’s more to life.

And guess what? You may be their open door.

Now let me talk to the church folks in the room—the ones who’ve found Jesus and are following Him…

Some of you have been walking with Jesus for years… but…
-You’ve never shared your faith.
-You’ve never brought someone to anything.
-You’ve never discovered your spiritual gifts.
-You’ve never stepped into your purpose.
-You just come for the service—instead of serving others.

That’s not condemnation. That’s invitation.

I have good news? It’s never been easier to start.

Want to share your faith?

STOP inviting them to “church.”
Invite them to belong, learn, laugh, and grow.

You can start with a simple invite to something designed for your friends:

“Hey, our church is doing a message series on money called Grow Mode about solving money stress—it might be helpful. Want to check it out with me?”

“We’re doing a new series in October called Facing Your Fear—it’s honest, helpful, and super relevant. Come with me one week.”

“We’ve got a party night happening this month at my friend’s place—it’s a connect group hangout. Chill vibes, no pressure—you’d love it.”

You’re not inviting them to “church.”

You’re inviting them to belong, learn, laugh, and grow.

Not sure what your purpose is?

Jump into Next Steps—we’ll help you discover your gifts and calling.

Never served before?

We’ve got a Dream Team with space for you—greeters, kids, tech, setup, prayer, creative… you don’t need experience, just heart.

Worried you don’t know enough?

Join a Connect Group. You’ll grow—not just in facts—but in real faith, confidence, and calling.

You were never meant to spectate.

You were saved to serve.

Found people find people.

And growing people go.

This is your moment.

Not someday.

Not when you’re more “ready.”

Now.

This is our mission. And the result will be a crowded heaven.

IMAGINE THAT!

IMAGINE YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, CO-WORKERS, NEIGHBORS… IN HEAVEN.

Imagine…
Your coworker gets baptized.
Your neighbor finds freedom.
Your teenager starts leading.
Families are restored.
Skeptics become saints.

That doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens when we decide:

We’re not okay with empty chairs in here—or empty hearts out there.

Let’s make this room crowded.
-connect groups
-living rooms
-car rides to church
Let’s make heaven crowded.

Let’s love God with passion.
Let’s grow faith that’s rooted and real.
Let’s serve others like it’s our joy.

And let’s go out there and change the world—one invitation at a time.

Call to Action – 3 Simple Ways to Make Heaven Crowded

1 INVITE ON PURPOSE

Text someone about Grow Mode or a Connect Group today.

Use your life and voice to help someone else take one step toward Jesus.

2 SERVE SOMEWHERE

Use your gifts to make Redemption magnetic for newcomers.

Hospitality, kids, tech, setup—whatever your passion is.

3 LIVE SENT

Be the church wherever you are.

At work. At school. In your neighborhood.

Let your faith start conversations.

4 Be Transformed

Ask God to change you!

View Details

Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano Tx.
My name is Chris Fluitt.

We are excited to be a Church where you can ask questions and find answers.

We have answered…
Can I Really Trust the Bible?
If God is Good, why is the world so messed up.
Have we committed the unforgivable sin…

Today we are asking…

How Could Jesus Be the ONLY Way?

Let’s kick things off with something that’s been circulating for years—and still sparks conversation today.

Now—pause for a second.
This isn’t about bashing Oprah.
She’s saying what millions of people feel:

“How could there possibly be just one way?”

We live in a world with:

• many religions
• many cultures
• many views of truth

And the claim that Jesus is the only way can feel… narrow. Exclusive. Maybe even arrogant.

But what if it’s not about narrowness at all?

What if Jesus isn’t just one more option in a sea of beliefs…

What if Jesus is in a category all by Himself?

Culturally, we value inclusivity—and that’s a good thing.
But… We don’t like to tell anyone they’re wrong.

We say things like:

• “What’s true for you is true for you.”
• “All paths lead to the same place.”
• “As long as you’re sincere, it’s fine.”

But here’s the tension:

Sincerity doesn’t equal truth.

You can be sincere… and still be wrong.

A pilot can sincerely believe they’re flying north—while actually heading south.

What matters most is Truth.

What does the Bible say is True?

John 14:6 (NIV)

That’s a bold claim.
But notice what He didn’t say:

• He didn’t say, “I know a way…”
• Or “I’ll show you a path…”
• He said, “I AM the way.”

Original Christ Followers believed this.

Peter says these words…

Acts 4:12 (NIV)

So the real question isn’t:

Why is Jesus the only way?

The real question is:

Could there be anyone else like Him?

1. Jesus is the only way—because He did what no one else could do.

Every religion tells you what you must do to get to God.
Only Christianity tells you what God did to get to you.

Jesus lived the sinless life we couldn’t live.
He died the death we should’ve died.
Then He rose again to give us the life we didn’t deserve.

No one else in history claimed that.
No one else backed it up.

Jesus isn’t exclusive because He wants to keep people out.
He’s exclusive because no one else qualifies to be the way.

C.S. Lewis:

“A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.
He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell.
You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse.”

In other words, Jesus doesn’t leave us the option of just calling Him a “good teacher.”
His claims are bigger than that.

Jesus is either:

• A liar — He knew He wasn’t God but said it anyway
• A lunatic — He believed it but was wrong
• The Lord — and everything He said is true

Only one of those options can be true. And if He’s Lord… that changes everything.

2. The invitation of Jesus is radically inclusive.

The gospel isn’t “Only good people can come.”
It’s “Whosoever will, may come.”

Romans 10:13 (NIV)

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Not just the moral.
Not just the religious.
Not just people from one background or country.

Jesus is the way—but the door is wide open. Jesus is the door.

3. Truth, by nature, is exclusive—but it can still be full of grace.

Two plus two equals four.
Not five. Not three.
Truth excludes what isn’t true.

But that doesn’t make it unkind.
In fact, truth sets you free.

John 8:32 (NIV)

Jesus is both truth and grace (John 1:17)—and when we follow Him, we’re not just right… we’re rescued.

Universalism – the belief that everyone will be saved, no matter what they believe.

We understand why people would be tempted to believe this.

It feels kinder to say, “All ways lead to God.”

But if that’s true… then Jesus died for nothing.
You might say that if that’s true… Jesus was a liar and a lunatic.

Universalism can feel compassionate—but it quietly dismisses the cross.

Galatians 2:21 (NIV)

If being “right with God” could be gained any other way… the Christ died for nothing.

At the heart of Christianity is the truth that Christ died for sinners like me and you.

And let’s be real:
No other religion claims their founder died for your sins and then defeated death.

Jesus isn’t a way.
He is the way… because only He was willing and able to do what we could never do for ourselves.

So what do I do with this?

If you’ve struggled with this question… you’re not alone.

What do you believe about Jesus?

-Not religion or church…
-Do not be distracted by hypocritical Christians…
-Not talking about an obtuse verse in Leviticus…

JESUS…
-What did He do?
-What did He say?
-What do you believe about HIM.

Trust that His way leads to life.
Stop trying to earn your way to God.
Step into grace—and follow the one who is the way.

The world is asking big questions.
Let’s be people who know how to answer—the reason for our hope… with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15)

You don’t have to win debates.
Just be ready to share your hope.

And my hope?
My hope is Jesus.

3 Action Steps:

1. Start a conversation this week
   Ask someone what they believe about Jesus. Listen. Share your story.

2. Search the Scriptures for yourself
   Don’t take my word for it—read the words of Jesus. WRITE DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS. Ask God to show you the truth.
   Bring your questions to Connect Group.

3. Follow the Lord
   If you’ve felt Him drawing you—don’t ignore it.
   Act like He is the way, truth, life…
   Come pray. Come worship. Come receive.

View Details

Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano Tx.
My name is Chris Fluitt.

We are excited to be a Church where you can ask questions and find answers.

We have answered…
Can I Really Trust the Bible?
If God is Good, why is the world so messed up.

Today we are asking…

Did I Do Something God Can’t Forgive

I have been asked this…
The Girl who cursed at God…
…Have I gone too far? Have I committed the unforgivable sin?

Most of us have a moment, a season, or a secret we hope no one brings up. We may especially hope God doesn’t bring it up…

Maybe it was that thing you said.
That choice you made.
That relationship that crashed.
That habit that keeps winning.

There are moments so shameful… Caught in the act…

A public failure… feels like that CEO who got caught on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert—busted in front of thousands, with nowhere to hide. That CEO is wondering how to recover…

But we understand the feeling..

Did I Do Something God Can’t Forgive

Deep down, we have also wondered:

“Have I messed up too badly?”
”I’ve gone too far… now what?”

You might never say it out loud, but your heart whispers it:

“Did I do something God just can’t let go of?”

Whether you’ve been in church forever or are just figuring it out, we all know what it feels like to carry shame or regret.

And religion hasn’t always helped.

Sometimes it made people feel like God is mostly disappointed—just watching and waiting for us to fail again.

So what do we do when we feel like the thing we’ve done… might be too far?

Let’s start with the hard question people ask:

“Is there something God can’t forgive?”

Sunday School kid me would have raised hand and said – “There is nothing God can’t forgive.”
But little kid me had not read Mark 3.

Jesus actually tells us about an unforgivable sin!

Mark 3:28–29 (NIV)

That sounds intense—so what is Jesus talking about?

1. There is one unforgivable sin—but it’s not what you think.

CONTEXT – Jesus said this to religious leaders (Pharisees) who had just watched Him perform undeniable miracles.

Instead of believing and receiving Jesus… they accused Him of being powered by Satan.

They weren’t confused…
They didn’t have slightly off theology…
—they were willfully rejecting the Holy Spirit’s work, even as it happened right in front of them.

What is “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”?
-A persistent, willful rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work of pointing people to Jesus.

It’s not one angry outburst.
Not one season of doubt.
Not one epic failure.