Archive for the ‘#Victory In Christ’ Tag
“Our Father Loves All Creation With Human Participation!” (Part 1)
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Audio Part 1A:
Audio Part 1B:
Full Audio Message:
Scripture: Revelation 4 (CSB)
Summary:
On this Fourth Sunday in Lent, Pastor Timothy Brassell invites us into a deeper, often overlooked truth: God takes our humanity seriously, so seriously that He has united it to Himself forever in Jesus Christ. This powerful Gospel-Centered message reframes how we understand both the Christian life and the Book of Revelation. Rather than a book of fear or catastrophe, Revelation is unveiled as a vision of God’s extravagant, unconditional love. A love revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully human.
In Jesus, we see not only what God is like, but also what humanity is meant to be. Christ does not merely act for us; He lives with us and now lives through us by the Spirit. His life becomes our life, and His relationship with the Father becomes the relationship we are brought into.
As has been expressed in the theology of Gary Deddo (paraphrased), “Jesus Christ is not only the object of our faith, but the one in whom we participate by the Spirit.”
Pastor Tim emphasizes that the law of Moses pointed outwardly to what true humanity looks like, but only in Christ does that reality take root in the heart. Through the Spirit, we now participate in the very works of God, not as external duty, but as shared life with Jesus. At the heart of this message is a powerful call: Take Jesus seriously, and therefore take your humanity seriously.
This truth echoes the early church witness of Irenaeus of Lyons: “For the glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God.”
God has not abandoned creation. Instead, He has chosen to involve human beings in its care, redemption, and flourishing. In Christ, we are called to rule and serve creation in love, reflecting God’s own heart.
As T. F. Torrance reminds us: “He has made our human nature his own in such a way that in him it is sanctified and perfected.”
Revelation reveals a God who does not withhold love but lavishes it abundantly, even beyond what we can comprehend. This divine love confronts, corrects, and heals, not as punishment, but as the active expression of a Father determined to bring His children into fullness of life. Eternal life, as Pastor Tim reminded us from Scripture, is not merely future existence, it is relational participation in God now:
“This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ.” — John 17:3 (CSB)
Because Jesus has conquered death, we are freed from its fear. We are even invited to participate in helping others face death with hope, dignity, and peace, bearing witness to Christ’s victory in the most human moments of life.
Ultimately, this sermon calls us to see that:
- Revelation is not about fear—it is about love.
- Humanity is not disposable—it is redeemed and glorified in Christ.
- Our lives are not insignificant—we are participants in God’s eternal purposes.
God is not distant. He is actively drawing us into His life, through the Son, in the Spirit, so that we may live fully human lives that reflect His glory in all creation.
Key Themes and Reflection Questions:
1. Take Jesus and Your Humanity, Seriously 👤✨
- Theme: In Jesus Christ, God reveals both who He is and what true humanity is meant to be. To take Jesus seriously means taking our humanity seriously as well.
- Discipleship Question: Am I treating my life and calling as something sacred, the way Jesus does?
- #TrueHumanity #TakeJesusSeriously #FullyAliveInChrist
2. Revelation Reveals Love, Not Fear ❤️🔥
- Theme: The Book of Revelation is not primarily about destruction, but about the unveiling of God’s unconditional, relentless love for all creation.
- Discipleship Question: Do I read Scripture through fear, or through the lens of God’s love revealed in Christ?
- #GodIsLove #RevelationRevealed #NoFearInChrist
3. Participation, Not Performance 🤝🌿
- Theme: The Christian life is not about external rule-keeping but about participating in the life and works of Jesus through the Spirit.
- Discipleship Question: Am I trying to perform for God, or am I learning to participate with Him?
- #LifeInChrist #ParticipationNotPerformance #WalkWithJesus
4. Called to Rule by Serving Creation 🌍👑
- Theme: Humanity is entrusted with overseeing and serving creation in love, reflecting God’s care and purpose in every detail of life.
- Discipleship Question: How am I reflecting God’s love in the way I treat people, creation, and everyday responsibilities?
- #ServeAndReign #CreationCare #KingdomLiving
5. Victory Over Death—Live and Die Well ✝️🌅
- Theme: Because Jesus has conquered death, we are freed from fear and can live and even face death, with hope, helping others do the same.
- Discipleship Question: How does Christ’s victory over death shape the way I live today?
- #VictoryInChrist #NoFearInDeath #LivingHope
Reflective Moment:
Take a moment to pause and reflect: God is not holding back from you. He is not measuring out His love in small portions. He is lavishing it, pouring it out beyond what you can contain. In Jesus, your humanity has been taken up, healed, and destined for glory. Your life matters. Your participation matters. Every moment matters.
So today, consider this: Where is God inviting you, not just to believe in Him, but to participate with Him? And as you step into that invitation, remember: You are not walking alone.
You are living the very life of Christ—through the Spirit—unto the Father.
“God Is for Us; The Satan Against Us!”
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Part A:
Part B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Acts 2: 36-41 James 4: 7-10
Summary:
This powerful message, based on Acts 2:36–41 and James 4:7–10, highlighted God’s holiness, the reality of spiritual opposition, and the gift of repentance. Pastor Timothy Brassell reminded us that our God is a consuming fire. A God who says “yes” to His Son Jesus and “no” to anything that stands apart from Him. Repentance is not simply about turning away from sin; it is about turning toward Christ in trust and obedience, a continual relational act empowered by the Spirit.
As Karl Barth reminds us: “The preaching of the Gospel is the power of God because it brings about repentance, the radical turning of man away from himself and to God, away from sin and to grace.” (Church Dogmatics II/2, p. 744)
The sermon emphasized that salvation is dynamic, not static. It is not just a past event but an ongoing journey of becoming, walking with Christ daily, saying “yes” to God and “no” to all that opposes Him. In this battle, we are reminded that the adversary is real. Satan seeks to divide, deceive, and discourage, but he is not God’s equal. In Christ, we resist him by submitting to God, drawing near to Him, and relying on the Spirit’s power.
Repentance, Pastor Tim explained, is one of God’s greatest relational powers. It may feel painful, like going against yourself, cutting off something familiar, but it is the way God- Father-Son and Holy Spirit, turns our lives right side up. Just as 3,000 people responded to Peter’s message at Pentecost, we are urged today to respond with faith, repentance, and baptism, receiving the promise of the Spirit.
And as Augustine declared: “The devil is conquered, not by our power, but by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.”(Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 84, §2)
In Christ, we share in His victory over sin, death, and the devil. Salvation, therefore, is not simply about avoiding evil, but about entering deeply into the life of God who is for us, even as the adversary is against us.
Key Points and Highlights
- God Is a Consuming Fire 🔥👑
- Theme: God’s holiness includes both a “yes” to His Son Jesus and a “no” to everything opposed to Him. He accepts us in Christ while rejecting sin and rebellion.
- Discipleship Question: Where in your life do you need to say “no” so that your “yes” to Christ is clear?
- #GodIsAConsumingFire
- Repentance: God’s Relational Power 🔄❤️
- Theme: Repentance is not simply turning from sin but turning toward Christ in trust and obedience. It is one of God’s greatest relational powers, a continual act that often feels painful but turns our lives right side up.
- Discipleship Question: How will you practice repentance as a daily response to God’s love this week?
- #DailyRepentance
- Salvation as a Living Journey 🚶♂️⛰️
- Theme: Salvation is dynamic, not static. It is not just a past event but an ongoing walk of faith and obedience. In Christ, we say “yes” daily to God’s transforming work, trusting Him to complete what He has begun.
- Discipleship Question: What step of obedience is God calling you to take right now in your journey?
- #LivingSalvation
- The Adversary and Our Resistance ⚔️🐍
- Theme: Satan is real and seeks to divide, deceive, and discourage, but he is not God’s equal. We resist him by submitting to God, drawing near to Christ, and relying on the Spirit’s power. The devil is conquered not by our strength but by Christ’s blood and our faithful testimony.
- Discipleship Question: How can you actively resist the enemy this week by submitting to God?
- #ResistTheEnemy
- Hope in the Victory of Christ ✝️🏆
- Theme: Christ has already defeated sin, death, and the devil. Repentance, baptism, and life in the Spirit anchor us in His triumph. Our calling is to share in His victory and bear witness to His saving power.
- Discipleship Question: How can remembering Christ’s victory give you courage in the struggles you face?
- #VictoryInChrist
Reflection Moment
Take a pause and ask yourself:
Where is God calling me to turn from self-reliance and cling to Christ more fully?
Remember: Repentance is not condemnation. It may feel costly, but it is God’s gift of love and power to turn you right side up in Christ. Your victory is not found in your strength, but in the blood of the Lamb and in the Spirit who empowers your testimony. It is God’s-Father, Son and Holy Spirit invitation into deeper life with Him. Resist the adversary not by fear, but by fixing your eyes on Jesus, who has already overcome.
“Who Do You Say I Am, God?”
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Leave a comment Rediscovering Your True Identity in Christ
Galatians 2:20 (KJV)
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
“I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well.” Psalm 139:14(CSB)
I don’t know about you, but I’ve wrestled with labels: failure, too broken, unlovable, not enough, invisible, unworthy, making life heavy. Maybe you have too. Sometimes the world whispers them. Sometimes they’re shouted by our circumstances. Sometimes we carry them quietly from our past. And other times, they come like daggers from the very people we thought would love and protect us most. Over time, those words start to settle in, clinging to us like heavy blankets, distorting how we see ourselves, and even how we think God —Father, Son, Holy Spirit sees us.
But the deeper, more healing question is this:
“Who do You say I am, God?”
This question isn’t just self-reflection, it’s surrender. It’s turning away from the unstable ground of human opinion and personal shame and turning toward the One whose voice created us in love and speaks identity over us in grace.
Jesus asked His disciples, “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15, CSB).
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (v. 16)
Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.” (v. 17)
This moment is about revelation. It shows that truly knowing who Jesus is and who we are in Him is not something we achieve through striving or self-discovery, but something revealed to us by the Father. Just as Peter saw Jesus clearly by God’s grace, we too come to see ourselves rightly through that same grace.
And here’s what God—Father, Son, Holy Spirit says:
You are My beloved child (John 1:12, CSB).
You are forgiven and free (Romans 8:1–2, CSB).
You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17, CSB).
You are chosen and not forsaken (1 Peter 2:9, CSB).
You are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3, CSB).
You are seated with Christ in the heavens (Ephesians 2:6, CSB).
When God names us, He does so based NOT on what we’ve done, but on what JESUS HAS DONE. As Dr. Gary Deddo writes:
“Jesus alone tells us who we are in him. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, he gives us a share in his meaning, significance, security, dignity and destiny.”—Gary Deddo, The Surprising God Blog
This is the truest thing about you:
You are not who others say you are. You are not the sum of your mistakes. You are not even who you say you are. You were designed with a purpose. You were made for a destiny. You are a masterpiece, hand painted by the Master himself. You are Who God Says You Are! “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” —Ephesians 2:10 CSB).
That identity is not fragile. It’s not temporary. It doesn’t rise and fall with your performance. In another reflection, Dr. Deddo reminds us:
“Let us not forget that it is Jesus’ faith—his faithfulness—that saves and transforms us.”—Gary Deddo, GCI Update, “Embracing Our New Identity in Christ”
This changes everything. We don’t build our identity on shaky foundations of willpower or reputation. We rest in Christ’s finished work. HIS faithfulness, HIS obedience, HIS righteousness given to us by grace.
This identity frees us to stop hustling for approval and start walking in assurance. In Jesus, we don’t just have a NEW NAME, we have A NEW NATURE. A NEW FUTURE. A NEW HOPE.
Reflection Questions:
– What labels or false identities have you been clinging to that Jesus never gave you?
– What might change in your life if you truly believed what Christ says about you?
– How can you let God’s—Father, Son, Holy Spirit—define you more than your inner critic?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, when I’m tempted to believe the lies, the ones that say I’m not enough, too far gone, or too broken, pull me back to the truth. Remind me that my identity doesn’t rise or fall with my performance. It rests securely in who You are and what You’ve done. When the old labels come rushing in… When the voices of the past get loud… When shame tries to cover me like a heavy blanket…. Lift my eyes. Remind me that I am not who the world says I am. I am who You say I am. You call me beloved. You call me new. You call me Yours. So today and every day, I ask you to help me to rest, not in striving, not in perfection, but in Your faithfulness, Your righteousness, Your finished work. Help me live from the identity You’ve already spoken over me: FREE. FORGIVEN. CHOSEN. REDEEMED. In Your powerful and loving name, I pray, Amen.
“Hear What Jesus Says To You, His Church!” | Part 1
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Part 1A:
Part 1B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Revelation 2 – 3
Summary:
Pastor Timothy Brassell delivers a Gospel message emphasizing the living voice of Jesus Christ, who continues to speak today to His Church through Scripture and the Spirit. Centered on Revelation chapters 2 and 3, the sermon calls believers to active listening, repentance, renewal, and deeper intimacy with God [Father-Son-Holy-Spirit]. Pastor Tim highlights the critical role of Scripture in discerning Christ’s guidance, the unity of the Church as His body, and the personal and communal call to holiness. He inspires listeners to embrace their identity as Spirit-filled ambassadors, stressing the urgency of faithful endurance and active participation in God’s ongoing mission despite the trials in a challenging world.
“The call of the gospel is for the Church to be the Church — for a people to be shaped by the good news that Jesus is Lord.”
— N.T. Wright, Simply Christian (2006)
Key Points and Highlights
🌟 Jesus Is Speaking Right Now
• Jesus continues to lead and guide His Church personally through Scripture and the Holy Spirit.
Reflective Question: Am I making time to truly hear what Christ is saying to me today?
#JesusSpeaks #ActiveFaith
🛡️ Scripture: A Living Dialogue
• The Bible is not a static book but the living Word through which Christ communicates with His people.
Reflective Question: How can I prioritize Scripture as part of my daily conversation with God [Father-Son-Holy-Spirit]?
#BibleReading #HearingGod
🌱 Christ at the Center of the Church
• The Church’s unity, symbolized by the menorah, flows from Christ alone — not from human institutions.
“The Church exists to set up in the world a new sign which is radically dissimilar to the world’s own manner and which contradicts it in a way which is full of promise.”
— Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline (1949)
Reflective Question: Do I view the Church primarily as Christ’s living body, or just a building or event?
#ChurchUnity #BodyOfChrist
🔄 Returning to Our First Love
• Christ calls believers to repent and reignite the passionate love they once had for Him.
Reflective Question: What distracted me from my first love, and how is Jesus calling me back today?
#FirstLove #SpiritualRenewal
🔥 Judgment Begins with the House of God
• The Church is called to honest self-examination before pointing outward at the world’s failures.
Reflective Question: Am I allowing Christ to lovingly correct and purify me as part of His Church?
#Holiness #SelfExamination
🕊️ Deeper Intimacy Through Repentance
• Jesus knocks at the door of our hearts, inviting ongoing relationship, not just one-time salvation. Revelation 3:20
Reflective Question: In what areas of my life is Jesus inviting me into deeper communion with Him?
#AbideInChrist #RelationshipNotReligion
⚔️ Overcoming by the Spirit
• Christ promises victory and eternal rewards for those who persevere and overcome in His name.
Reflective Question: What struggles am I facing today that Christ has already empowered me to overcome?
#Overcomers #VictoryInJesus
🌍 Faithful Endurance in a Broken World
• Christians are called to patiently endure hardship, witnessing to God’s grace even in suffering.
“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (1937)
“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
— C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain (1940)
Reflective Question: How can I embody faithful endurance and hope in my daily life and challenges? #Endurance #HopeInHardship
📖 Reclaiming a Love for Scripture
• A vibrant Christian life demands returning to regular, engaged Bible reading and reflection.
Reflective Question: What can I change in my schedule or habits to fall back in love with God’s Word?
#ScriptureFirst #BibleLife
🌟 Living as Ambassadors for Christ
• Believers are commissioned as Christ’s representatives, called to plead with the world to be reconciled to God.
Reflective Question: Who in my life needs to hear the invitation to reconciliation through Christ today?
#AmbassadorsForChrist #MissionOfLove
Context:
This message by Pastor Timothy Brassell stresses the ongoing, living relationship believers have with Jesus Christ. Anchored in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, it calls the Church to a deeper dependence on Scripture, renewed unity, repentance, endurance, and joyful participation in God’s mission. Pastor Tim reminds the Church that it is both deeply loved and lovingly corrected by Christ and that through Scripture and the Spirit, Jesus continues to call His people to shine brightly as His living witnesses in a broken world.
“Jesus Christ IS The Revelation of Revelation!”
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Part A:
Part B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Revelation 1 (CSB)
Summary:
This sermon, the second in a series on the Book of Revelation, centers on one powerful truth: Jesus Christ IS the Revelation. In this foundational message, Pastor Timothy Brassell boldly proclaims that Revelation is not primarily about cataclysmic events or mysterious prophecies — it is about encountering the glorified, victorious Christ at the center of it all.
Delivered during Lent, the message reflects on Christ’s victory over temptation and evil, inviting believers to engage deeply in this season through repentance, self-denial, and devotion. Pastor Brassell calls the church to move beyond surface-level readings of Scripture and see Revelation as a stunning unveiling of Jesus’ divine nature, His majesty, and His eternal union with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
This sermon lays the groundwork for approaching the book not with fear, but with awe, reverence, and hope, urging a renewed view of Jesus — not only as the crucified Savior, but as the reigning Lord of glory.
“The Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who did, through His transcendent love, become what we are, that He might bring us to be even what He is Himself.”
— Irenaeus of Lyons
“In Jesus Christ, the revelation of God has taken place, does take place, and will take place. … Revelation in fact does not differ from the person of Jesus Christ nor from the reconciliation accomplished in Him. To say revelation is to say ‘the Word became flesh’.”
— Karl Barth, Church Dogmatics I/1, pp. 111–119
Key Points and Highlights:
📖 1. Jesus Is the Revelation, Not Just in It
• The Book of Revelation is not primarily about end-times events — it’s about Jesus Christ Himself being revealed in glory.
🧎 2. The Fear of God: Good Scary vs. Bad Scary
• God’s holiness is awe-inspiring (“good scary”), but terrifying only to those who reject His love and truth (“bad scary”).
🔥 3. Lent as a Season of “Bright Sadness”
• Lent is a time of repentance and reflection, but also of joy — knowing Christ has already won the victory.
👁️ 4. Seeing Jesus as He Truly Is
• Many know Jesus as the suffering servant, but Revelation reveals Him as the radiant, reigning Son of God.
🕊️ 5. The Holy Spirit Enables True Understanding
• We cannot grasp Christ fully without the Spirit; knowledge alone is not enough — we need divine revelation.
🔑 6. Christ Holds the Keys to Death and Hades
• Jesus has full authority over life, death, and eternity — offering believers confidence in His victory.
🪞 7. Revelation Calls Us to Reflection and Readiness
• The call is not to predict the future, but to live faithfully in light of who Jesus is now.
🧬 8. Participation in the Divine Nature
• Christ invites us into union with the Father through the Spirit, making us partakers in the divine nature (2 Peter 1).
🌎 9. The Church as a Spirit-Filled Witness
• Believers are called to be light in the world, pointing others to the glorified Jesus — the Alpha and Omega.
🛐 10. True Worship Begins with a Right View of God
• Revelation draws us into reverent, Christ-centered worship, based on who God truly is, not our projections.
Context:
This sermon was delivered on the first Sunday of Lent as part of an ongoing teaching series on the Book of Revelation. Pastor Timothy Brassell sets a theological and spiritual foundation for how to read and interpret the book — through the lens of Jesus Christ as its core revelation. He bridges the liturgical season of Lent with the apocalyptic vision of John, urging believers to repent, rejoice, and recognize the awe-inspiring reality of Christ’s victory.
“Refined by Fire: Holding Firm and Finding Strength in God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”
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“The way to strengthen faith is to endure great trials. I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.” — George Müller “You will never know the fullness of Christ until you know the emptiness of everything else.” — Charles Spurgeon
Are you experiencing a season that is grueling? Is the enemy relentless, attacking from every direction?
For those who are truly all in for Christ, the battle is intense. The enemy doesn’t waste time on those who are lukewarm—he goes after those who are stepping fully into their calling, those who are surrendering completely to Jesus. When that happens, the resistance is stronger, the attacks are fiercer, and the struggles feel overwhelming. But that’s also when faith is refined, strengthened, and made unshakable.
Even in the fire, victory is already secured. God [Father—Son—Holy—Spirit] is the One holding His people through, strengthening trust, deepening faith, and renewing hearts. The obstacles may not disappear, but there is fresh endurance to face them. It’s like being made new—new strength, new resilience, new clarity of mind. When eyes stay fixed on Christ, fear fades, and tears dry up because confidence is rooted in Him.
The enemy’s goal has always been to distort identity in Christ—to shift focus away from the truth of the Gospel and toward fear, doubt, and condemnation. But Scripture is clear: “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3). When trials come, the response must be to stand firm, knowing that “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The real battle is in the mind, and staying rooted in truth is what brings victory.
Yes, the enemy is persistent, but he is already defeated! Those who stand firm in Jesus will not be moved. No matter how painful, no matter how fierce the battle, the foundation remains unshaken.
As Christians, we live in the “Already but Not Yet”—experiencing the blessings of new life in Christ, like forgiveness and salvation, while still awaiting the full realization of that life, including the resurrection of our bodies when Christ returns. We have a glimpse of heaven now, but the fullness is yet to come.
We can be assured that God [Father—Son—Holy—Spirit] NEVER leaves us where He finds us. He is good, His presence is real, His power is real, His Gospel is real and He can be trusted with all. No matter what comes, hold tight to Him—because He is already holding tight to you!