Music by Ikson (https://www.youtube.com/ikson​​​​​​)

This sermon launches a new extended series and season through the book of Acts, framing it not merely as a study of ancient church history but as a living invitation for believers today to carry on the mission of Jesus. Mike draws on the image of a relay race baton to illustrate how Jesus passed his purpose, power, and practices to his disciples, and how that same baton is now extended to every follower of Christ today. Emphasizing that God uses ordinary, unschooled, and imperfect people, the sermon calls the congregation to move beyond spectating and step into active, Spirit-empowered participation in the mission of Jesus. The message warns that fear of picking up the baton is natural, but regret from never running is far worse. The sermon also introduces the rhythms of Jesus as practices meant to be lived out in community, grounding the series in both personal spiritual formation and outward, missional engagement.

Drawing from Jesus's final prayer in John 17, this sermon challenges believers to move beyond the safety and comfort of the "locker room" of gathered worship and into active engagement with the world. Mike frames the Upper Room as a place of preparation, not permanent residence, and argues that God's primary goal for believers is not to keep them safe from hardship but to send them into the world as salt and light. Using Jesus's intercessory prayer, the sermon unpacks four things Jesus prays for his followers: protection from the evil one, sanctification through truth, being sent into the world, and unity among believers so that the world might see Christ. The central tension of the message is the difference between being outnumbered by life's challenges and being outmatched, and the sermon concludes that with Jesus, believers are never outmatched. The call to response is full surrender, inviting believers to stop compartmentalizing their lives and give every area fully to Christ.

Read John 17:14-15

Jesus did not pray that the Father would remove you from the world. He prayed that you would be protected within it. There is a profound difference between being outnumbered and being outmatched. Life will bring seasons where the odds feel impossibly stacked against you — broken relationships, financial strain, failing health, unanswered questions. In those moments, the temptation is to look at the size of the problem rather than the power of the One standing with you. Jesus has already overcome the world. That victory is yours to stand in. Today, name the thing that is outnumbering you, and surrender it to the One who cannot be outmatched.

Where in your life have you confused being outnumbered with being defeated?

Write down one specific challenge you are facing. Beside it, write the words: "Outnumbered. Never outmatched." Return to it every time fear rises today.

Discussion Questions:

-The sermon draws a distinction between being outnumbered and being outmatched -- in what area of your life do you feel outnumbered right now, and what would it look like practically to trust that Jesus makes you outmatched in that situation?

-Jesus prays in John 17 not that the Father would take his followers out of the world, but that he would protect them while they remain in it -- how does this reframe the way you think about your calling in your workplace, neighborhood, or school?

-Jesus prays for unity among his followers so that the world would take notice, not of the church, but of him -- how does division within the church damage the testimony of Jesus, and what is one step you could take to pursue unity across lines of difference?

In this sermon, Jeff explores the meaning of the word "glory" and what it means to glorify God, arguing that most people carry a misunderstood definition of the term. Drawing from John 17 and Exodus 33-34, he builds the case that glory is not about fame, achievement, or spectacle, but rather about the goodness of God made visible. God's glory, Jeff contends, is cross-shaped -- it is compassion, mercy, justice, and self-sacrificial love revealed most fully in the death and resurrection of Jesus. From this foundation, Jeff addresses two universal human experiences: the search for purpose and the ache of dissatisfaction. He concludes that every human being exists to make the goodness of God visible through the way they live, and that when they do, not only do they experience life as it was meant to be lived, but the people around them get to taste eternal life through knowing God.

Read Exodus 33:18-23; Exodus 34:5-8

Moses made one of the boldest requests in all of Scripture — show me your glory. What God revealed in response was not power or spectacle, but his own goodness, compassion, and character. This reframes everything. Glory is not about grandeur or fame. It is about the visible revelation of who God truly is. Before you can make God's goodness visible to others, you must first see it yourself. Sit with this question today: When you picture God's glory, what do you see? Ask God to replace every distorted image with the truth of his character revealed in Exodus 34. What false ideas about God's glory have shaped the way you relate to him?

Write down three words that describe God's character as revealed in Exodus 34:6-7. Carry those words with you throughout the day as a reminder of who you are representing.

Discussion Questions:

-Jeff describes God's glory as 'cross-shaped' -- in what practical ways does the self-sacrificial nature of the cross challenge or reshape how you think about what it means to reflect God's character to others?

-Jeff asks the question, 'What do people learn about God when they watch how you live?' -- which relationships or areas of your life feel most misaligned with making God's goodness visible, and why?

-In John 17:3, Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God -- how does understanding eternal life as a present, relational experience rather than simply a future destination affect the way you pursue your faith right now?