Sermon July 27th 2025

1. The primary theme is "following Jesus," which the speaker emphasizes as the "most important thing you can do with your life." A "Sunday believer" attends for a short time, while a "true believer" dedicates their entire life to making Jesus their focus and guide.
2. The speaker mentions that while he worships and has songs stuck in his head throughout the week, it's "so much more fun doing it with you guys" (communal singing). He also highlights the joy of "enjoy[ing] each other's opportunity to worship together."
3. The name of Jesus is described as holding power to "fight off whatever is your battle" and bring victory. Congregants are urged to be "willing to call upon it" to experience this power in their struggles.
4. John the Baptist prepares the way for Jesus by baptizing people in the river and calling them to repentance. His purpose is to reveal Jesus to Israel and prepare people for His coming.
5. The religious leaders ask John if he is the Messiah, Elijah, or a prophet. John responds with "Not it" or "no" to all three, denying that he is any of these figures.
6. John the Baptist demonstrates extreme humility, diminishing his own standing in comparison to Jesus. He famously states, "I must decrease so that Jesus can increase," to convey that his mission is to point others to Christ.
7. During Jesus's baptism, John sees the Holy Spirit descend from heaven "like a dove and remain on him." This event serves as God's sign to John, confirming Jesus's identity as the Messiah.
8. The dove symbolizes God's mercy and new beginnings in both instances. In Noah's story, it signals hope after judgment; in Jesus's baptism, it signals the start of God's plan to redeem the world and empower a new creation through Christ, marking a transition from judgment to new life.
9. John the Baptist refers to Jesus as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." This title is deeply rooted in Jewish history, recalling the Passover lamb sacrifice that protected the Israelites from death and the sacrificial lambs used to atone for sins.
10. The calling on our lives as believers is to be humble, obedient, step out of the way, and point people to Jesus. The ultimate goal is to lead others on a journey of "living and being loved and glorifying God," as it's crucial not to keep the message of salvation to ourselves, because "somebody out there... needs to know desperately about Jesus."