As you look ahead to Jesus' return at the End of the Age, do you feel anticipation and joy or fear and dread? In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the spiritual growth we need to undergo to be prepared for the future. Jesus advises us to be aware of the "birth pains" that will precede His return, and Pastor Allen points out how many of these are present in the world today, including the rise of deception, evil, and lawlessness. He also explains the parable of the wheat and the tares and how good will grow alongside evil—we need to keep our eyes focused on the good and what God is doing. We're guaranteed persecution as this present age comes to a close, but we'll also grow closer to God as we persevere.

When we experience hardship because of our advocacy for the Lord, we should remember it's not a desperate season—it's a season of blessing. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses our assignments from God and the encouragement He offers in the midst of turmoil. Scripture repeatedly reminds us that our missions here on Earth won't always be easy, but Jesus tells us He is always with us and there are rewards for perseverance. Pastor Allen draws from the lives of messengers like Jeremiah, Daniel, and the apostle Paul to show how God preserved and rewarded their endurance. Let's remember to be encouraged and not afraid when we travel through shadowed valleys because we know God is walking with us as we fulfill His purposes.

We write our futures with what we choose to believe, so let's choose to believe in Jesus and His power to transform our lives. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses centurions—Roman military officers who decided to align their lives with Jesus of Nazareth. These men weren't connected to the Jewish religion, but because of their unlikely faith, God was able to move through them and transform history. Pastor Allen teaches from the books of Matthew, Luke, and Acts to encourage us to be like the centurions: trust in Jesus wholeheartedly, obey boldly, and don't be surprised when God moves in new and unexpected ways.

Living out our faith doesn't mean we just go to church sometimes. It means we're willing to be identified as Christ-followers in every arena of our lives, no matter where God asks us to go or what He asks us to do. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses two biblical leaders, Cornelius and Peter. They stood for Jesus—even when it cost them—because they understood the power God had to change their lives and circumstances. Because of their obedience and love for Jesus, the course of history was changed—and God is inviting us to the same kind of assignment. When He asks us if we love Him, let's answer like Peter and sincerely say, "You know I love You." Then, let's accept with joy the mission the Lord hands us.

When we're willing to fully identify ourselves with God, it opens doors for God to move dramatically in and through our lives. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the spiritual authority our words hold and the power of believing in the truth of Jesus' divinity. He shares the story found in Matthew 8 of the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant, and he encourages us to lead with faith boldly for Jesus, too. God is moving in the earth, and He still does miracles. This Easter, let's pray and obey, trusting that God is still at work for His Church and Kingdom today.

Our past failures don't have the power to define our futures because we can choose to align ourselves with Jesus, the One who can overcome anything, even death. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses the passage about Jesus' crucifixion found in Matthew 27. At the scene, we're told about a Roman centurion who, against all likelihood, chooses to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. Pastor Allen asks us to consider our own responses to the Lord, and he teaches about the power of Jesus to transform our lives. No matter how difficult or unlikely our circumstances, God is with us, and He can supply us with everlasting hope.

What does our relationship with Jesus look like? How we know Him matters, not because it changes Him, but because it changes the opportunities in our lives. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem before He is crucified. In the crowd that day, many people were rejoicing at Jesus' arrival, but some rejected Him, and others were plotting to kill Him. Pastor Allen shares how our responses to Jesus can change the outcomes of our lives, and he reminds us of a few essential truths: God is present and loves everyone, He has provided a path of redemption for us, the best is yet to come—and while some will accept His gift of salvation, many will not. The world is getting more confusing every day, but we don't have to be overwhelmed. When we trust in Jesus, He is with us wherever we go.

We may know about Jesus of Nazareth, but we must choose for ourselves the extent of our relationship with Him. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how we respond to Jesus' invitations and how that choice impacts the rest of our time and future. Pastor Allen shares examples of responses people had when they encountered Jesus, including from the crowd that gathered during Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people coming to see Lazarus raised from the dead, the audience who heard Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost, and the believers in the early Church. Like every person then, we also have a choice to make—a daily, intentional choice to either accept Jesus and His teachings or reject Him. Let's decide today to be witnesses for Jesus in a purposeful, intentional, determined way.

We're being forced to face difficult topics and situations in culture, and that will continue. But let's determine to do the difficult things anyway, completing our God-given assignments with diligence. In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses how we can persevere in hardship by remembering what God has done for us and promises to do for us. We're prepared to overcome when we continually remind ourselves of moments of God's deliverance in the past, and our hope will flourish when we look to the future—to Jesus' triumphant return. However, Pastor Allen emphasizes we still have a mission on Earth to overcome evil, and developing a character ready to lead will help us accomplish God's purposes. We have a responsibility to the generations ahead of us, so let's be prepared to defeat deception, fear, and failure through the power of God in our lives.

If the darkness is growing more intense, it's because the light is too dim—so let's turn up the light! In this sermon, Pastor Allen Jackson discusses what it means to lead with our faith. We need to remember Who we're representing in our day-to-day interactions, conversations, and family or business decisions, and we should boldly invite Jesus into every space we enter. God will overcome the spiritual forces of evil manifesting in our tumultuous culture—but Pastor Allen reminds us we've been called to help. Let's be faithful stewards of what we've been entrusted with and good ambassadors for the Kingdom of Heaven. It's time to be salt and light!