Listen to My Message from Sunday, December 14
God's Redemption Design: More Than a Personal Savior
Part Two of Designed for Destiny

TRANSCRIPT:

Greetings, and welcome to another Firm Foundation Inspiration Minute. As a matter of fact, this is talk #200! Praise God! We began this series in January of 2022. I thank God for His grace that empowers me to bring you these inspirational talks. I trust you’ve been blessed and encouraged by them.

Our topic today is “The Last Adam Solved Our Problem.”

Reading from 1 Corinthians 15:45, “And so it is written, the first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.”

The problem we had was the disobedience of Adam in the Garden of Eden. He and his wife did not follow God’s instruction. When they disobeyed God, death entered the world. There was first a spiritual death, and then humanity succumbed to physical death. They were not designed to die physically, but sin always brings death—both spiritually and physically.

However, this did not take God by surprise. In that same moment, God made a promise that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent, which is a type of the devil. Jesus destroyed the works of the devil. 

While neither Adam, nor Eve, nor the serpent understood what God said at the time, we know in hindsight that this Seed was preserved all the way to the coming of Jesus through the Virgin Mary.

Romans 5:15 reads: “For if by one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One.”

Jesus, the Last Adam, became a life-giving Spirit.

This text explains that by one man’s offense, Adam’s, death reigned through that one sinful seed. The Scripture goes on to say that those of us who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Through Jesus, we live in the gift of righteousness, and we reign in life over sin, Satan, and defeat. Amen!

So the Last Adam, Jesus, solved our problem. Rejoice in that!

God bless. Have a great day, and be encouraged.

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In this message, Pastor Bryan Hudson teaches that while Jesus is indeed our personal Savior, God's redemptive design is far greater than individual salvation. From Romans 8:29 and Colossians 1:19–20, he shows that God predestined believers to be conformed to Christ, forming a collective people—His church—through whom He reconciles and influences the world. Salvation is not merely personal but part of God’s broader plan to redeem humanity and creation.

Dr. Hudson contrasts man-made design, shaped by sin and selfishness, with God-made design, in which believers are God’s workmanship created for good works. He emphasizes that destiny is expressed through service, not self-service, and warns against reducing Christianity to private spirituality or political power. God calls His people to be “salt and light,” influencing systems with righteousness—not taking them over.

Using the parable of the Good Samaritan, he explains that we do not choose our neighbors; love requires us to serve anyone in need, even those unlike us. Jesus transforms “neighbor” from a category into a calling. The sermon also traces the biblical design of redemption from Genesis, showing how Jesus—the “last Adam”—undoes the failure of the first Adam and restores humanity.

Dr. Hudson concludes that believers “reign in life” (Romans 5:17) not as earthly rulers but through the shared authority and life of Christ. Salvation is personal, but not for personal ends. God’s destiny for us is collective: a chosen, royal, holy people who fulfill His purposes together.

Listen to My Message from Sunday, December 7
Designed for Destiny: Created for Good Works

Romans 8:29
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

As a visual communications major in college and a designer for almost 50 years, ever since high school, I appreciate God's intention as the ultimate designer. You have also been responsible for design in one way or another, whether formally or by making decisions about how your home looks and functions.

On your job, through your volunteer tasks, planning a vacation, or working with others, design is always a vital part of any fruitful task. Design is the engine of purpose, or what we also call destiny. While the concept of destiny is large, the actions of destiny are comprised of consistent small steps—something we also call process.

From the foreknowledge of God, our text states that we were predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son Jesus.

That's a big concept, but it was manifested in many smaller steps. From God anticipating the fall of Adam and Eve, stating, “He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel”—foretelling of Jesus’ death as a bruised heel, resulting in defeating Satan and the power of death, “a bruised, or busted, head.” From that beginning in the garden, God protected and preserved the messianic seed all the way to the virgin Mary.
Here's the important thing about design: the designer is always paying attention to his or her design. Because it is an investment of time and resources, there's no way a designer will neglect the design.

I say that to remind you that because you are designed by God, He pays attention to you. In the words of the Hebrews writer (2:6), 
“What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him? Yet for a little while you made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.”

Because you and I were designed or made a little lower than the angels and crowned with glory and honor, your Designer never stops thinking about you and adjusting His work in your life and in our lives together.

Let that thought live in your heart and mind today.

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Romans 8:29, For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Ephesians 2:10, For we are His workmanship [masterpiece], created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Summary
Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min. teaches that every believer is designed by God with intention and created for a purposeful destiny, which Scripture calls “good works.” Drawing from Romans 8:29, he explains that God has predestined us—not by pre-programming our choices, but by providing a divine design we must willingly discover and walk in. Destiny is not a single large event; it is the consistent, faithful, everyday actions done in alignment with God’s purpose. Pastor Hudson contrasts manmade design, which produces spiritual deadness and conformity to the world, with God’s design, which brings life, identity, and transformation through His love, grace, and mercy. Believers are God’s “workmanship”—His masterpiece—uniquely created like fingerprints, each with a distinct role that strengthens the collective body of Christ.

Emphasizing that identity in Christ is both individual and communal, he reminds the church that we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and God’s special people. As such, we reject the “pandemic of self-service” and embrace a life of service to God and others. The sermon concludes by calling believers to walk in their God-given design, encourage one another, and live as salt and light in the world.

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Colossians 1:12, Always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the  inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.  

1 Thessalonians 5:18, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you

In this message, Pastor Bryan Hudson, DMin. teaches that thanksgiving is far more than a holiday—it is a foundational posture for a victorious Christian life. Drawing from Colossians 1:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:18, and other Scriptures, he explains that giving thanks is evidence of the inheritance God has placed within us and a continual practice that renews our minds, stabilizes our emotions, and keeps our hearts clear. Like the peace offerings in Leviticus—voluntary, heartfelt, and spontaneous—true thanksgiving flows from love, not obligation. Using the redwood tree’s shared root system as an illustration, he shows that believers are rooted together in Christ and strengthened through collective gratitude. Pastor Hudson warns that withholding thanks leads to darkened thinking, while a lifestyle of gratitude brings joy, peace, and spiritual resilience even amid trials. Ultimately, giving thanks is a continual offering, the “fruit of our lips,” that keeps us in God’s presence (coram Deo) and grounds our identity as accepted, blessed people who live in the light.

1 Peter 2:9–10 (NKJV)
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”

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SERMON SUMMARY (by OpenAI)

Ministry in the Margins: How Small Acts Have Eternal Impact

By Pastor Bryan Hudson, D.Min.

Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

1. Introduction: Jesus will separate those who served from those who did not.

Dr. Hudson opens with Matthew 25, where Jesus describes the Son of Man returning in glory, separating people like a shepherd divides sheep and goats. This passage reveals how God evaluates lives—not by spectacle or prominence, but by compassionate actions taken toward “the least of these.”

Jesus lists personal, human-scale acts:

• Feeding the hungry
• Giving drink to the thirsty
• Welcoming the stranger
• Clothing the naked
• Visiting the sick
• Ministering to the imprisoned

The righteous are surprised—they don’t remember doing these things for Jesus. But He replies:

“Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

This text reveals Christ’s heart for people and His identification with the marginalized.

2. Two Levels of Ministry: Macro & Micro

Dr. Hudson explains that Jesus operated at two simultaneous levels:

A. Macro (Big Picture)

• The “40,000-foot view”
• God enthroned in heaven
• Christ coming in glory with angels
• The sweeping rule of God over all creation
• Jesus doing “big things”—miracles, world-changing acts

This is the majestic, transcendent dimension of Christ’s ministry.

B. Micro (Personal & Individual)

• Jesus noticing one hungry person
• One thirsty person
• One stranger
• One sick or imprisoned person
• One woman touching His garment
• One boy with a small lunch

The same King who rules the universe also sees individual people in need.

"Jesus sees you right where you are.”

Christ never stops seeing the person while seeing the big picture.

The Problem With People Who Only See Macro

Some people only want big, impressive ministry. They become “legends in their own minds.”
But without micro-vision—tenderness, compassion, awareness—you cannot truly minister to people.

3. What God Actually Pays Attention To

Dr. Hudson stresses that we live in a culture fascinated by entertainment, showmanship, and spectacle. But:

• God is not impressed with big platforms or big productions.
• God does not measure greatness the way people do.
• God pays attention to people and their conditions, especially those who are suffering.

Illustration: Prison Ministry

Prison ministry strips away props, technology, and fanfare.
You can’t take your laptop, phone, Apple Watch, or screens.
You go in with:

• A Bible
• A simple watch
• Glasses
• A few notes
• And Jesus in your heart

This is micro-level ministry—core, simple, compassionate.

God pays attention to that.

4. A Big God Who Sees and Uses Small Things

A. God Sees Small Things

Luke 12:6–7 – God cares about sparrows and numbers every hair on your head.

Jesus regularly highlights small acts of faith, not big personalities.

B. God Uses Small Things

Biblical examples:

• A boy’s small lunch (loaves & fishes)
• Rahab’s small but courageous lie to protect the spies
• David’s sling and five smooth stones
• Samson’s donkey’s jawbone
• The woman’s touch of Jesus’ garment
• Gideon’s 300 soldiers
• A man loaning Jesus his donkey

All small acts. All with massive impact.

C. God Uses Simple Things

Especially in ministry to the marginalized—juvenile centers, prisons, people at the margins of society.
Simplicity reveals Christ most clearly.

5. Ministry in the Margins: The Meaning of “Margins”

The sermon uses the metaphor of a book:

• The text is the main content—where “most people” live.
• The margin is outside the center—where people feel unseen, unwelcome, or displaced.

Some people live in the margins because:

• Society pushes them there
• They don’t fit expected norms
• They experience hardship, injustice, or lack
• They aren’t embraced by the “main text”

Jesus, however, identifies with people in the margins.

He says:

“I was hungry… I was thirsty… I was a stranger…”

He does not say “they were hungry.”

Jesus dignifies the marginalized by identifying with them personally.

Christ’s Identification With the Marginalized

Jesus Himself:

• Was never literally sick or imprisoned
• Was never homeless in the modern sense
  But He chooses to identify with those who are.

Why? Because if you are trapped in the same condition yourself, you cannot lift someone else out.

He identifies so He can elevate.

6. The Problem in American Christianity

Dr. Hudson warns against a version of Christianity obsessed with:

• Power
• Privilege
• Proximity to the wealthy
• Cultural influence
• Celebrity preachers
• “Macro-only ministry”

The Gospel calls us back to the heart of Christ—a heart that sees the hungry, thirsty, undocumented, imprisoned, and sick.

As his grandfather preached:

“You got what you wanted, but lost what you had.”

7. Macro & Micro Together in Scripture

Examples:

• Proverbs 16:9
  • Macro: A man plans his way
  • Micro: The Lord directs his steps
• James 2:14
  • Macro: Faith
  • Micro: Works

Both are required.

8. Sheep vs. Goats: A Call to Be a Sheep

A. Sheep Characteristics

• Gentle
• Stay close together
• Easily follow the shepherd
• Respect boundaries
• Stay where God places them
• Ready to inherit the kingdom because they’ve been walking with the King

B. Goat Characteristics

• Wander into danger
• Break boundaries
• Independent
• Do their own thing
• Resist leadership
• Not oriented to the flock
• Self-willed

This explains the behavior of many people.

C. Why Sheep Inherit the Kingdom

Not because God “picked” them that day, but because:

• They were already aligned with Christ
• Their lives consistently reflected His compassion
• Their hearts were shaped by love, not self-service

“Be a sheep and not a goat.”

9. Final Exhortation: God’s Kingdom Is Love in Action

Jesus separates people not by:

• Religion
• Church attendance
• Public image
• Size of ministry
• Amount of Bible knowledge

But by compassion expressed toward others.

Two realities:

1. The unrighteous (goats) face judgment for indifference and self-service.
2. The righteous (sheep) inherit the kingdom because they carry the King’s heart.

“Faith works through love.” — Galatians 5:6

10. Closing Prayer Themes

• Gratitude for the Word
• Correction and reorientation of our attitudes
• Desire to reflect the compassion of Christ
• Awareness that God sees even sparrows—and certainly sees us
• Thankfulness for people who care and serve quietly
• A commitment to be sheep, not goats
• A call to draw close to Jesus and His heart for the marginalized

One-Sentence Summary

This sermon teaches that while God is great and majestic (macro), He pays the closest attention to small, compassionate acts done for people in the margins (micro), and those who consistently walk in such compassion—His “sheep”—are the ones who inherit His kingdom.

Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

John 15:12–13, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”