First Christian Church Champaign

What if you’re within arm’s reach of Jesus—and still miss who He is? In Luke 19, Jesus stops for the least likely person in Jericho: Zacchaeus, the wealthy chief tax collector everyone loves to hate. While the “religious crowd” mutters and writes him off, Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name, invites Himself to his table, and sparks a repentance that proves real change isn’t remorse—it’s a new way of life. This sermon challenges who you assume is (or isn’t) open to God, confronts the danger of being close to Jesus without surrendering to Him, and asks the defining question: when Jesus enters the “home” of your life, will He be welcomed as Lord—or treated like an intruder?

What if the resistance you feel from people around you isn’t something you can argue through—but something you have to pray through? In Colossians 4, Paul writes from prison and calls the church to two simple, confronting practices: devote yourself to persistent prayer for open doors, and live “seasoned with salt” so your life creates thirst for the goodness of God. This message challenges the ways we settle for comfort, distraction, or private faith—and asks whether our prayers (and our lives) actually reflect what we say we believe about the gospel’s eternal weight.

How do you obey the Great Commission without turning faith into a megaphone moment—or staying so “relational” you never actually speak? In this kickoff to Asking For a Friend, the message walks through Acts 26 as Paul stands before King Agrippa—one of the last people you’d assume would ever be interested in Jesus—and shows a simple, practical path for reaching your “one life”: assume they’re intrigued, build bridges instead of throwing rocks, and cross those bridges slowly. Along the way, it confronts the stereotype that Christians are known more for what they’re against, calls you to keep swinging even after you “strike out,” and ends with a clear invitation to testify, surrender, and respond to King Jesus through prayer and baptism.

What if the reason the “good life” keeps fading is because it was never meant to last? In this final message of He Promises, we open 1 John 2:15–17 and face a stark choice: love the world and its passing desires—or do the will of God and live forever. John names the pull we all feel—lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—and exposes how they promise satisfaction but leave us reaching for more. Then Jesus’ invitation cuts through the noise: deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Him. This sermon calls you to name what’s tempting you, reject the cycle, and step into the kind of obedience, correction, and community where eternal life begins to take shape even now.

What if the change you’re asking God for won’t come through trying harder—but through surrendering deeper? In 2 Corinthians 5:11–18, Paul points to a life so transformed by Christ’s love that it looks “out of your mind” to a world obsessed with what’s seen. This message compares the Holy Spirit’s work to Michelangelo chiseling David from a cracked block of marble: not a quick fix, not a “front door” upgrade, but a full renovation where the old dies and the new comes. Consider the truest sign of being led by the Spirit—the shrinking gap between sin and repentance—and ask what you see when you look in the mirror: your cracks, or the Son of God living in you.

What if the thing you’d rescue in a fire isn’t a “what,” but a “who”—and what if God says you are that treasured possession? In Deuteronomy 7, Moses reminds Israel that God set His affection on them not because they were impressive or “numerous,” but simply because He loved them with steadfast hesed. Yet the passage also includes an “if,” raising the tension between unconditional love and the call to obedience. This message explores how obedience isn’t the price of God’s love but the response to it, why we struggle to trust that love, and how Jesus’ story of the prodigal son shows a Father ready to welcome wanderers home. Return, remember, and respond—so you can actually live in the love God has already given.

We all love God’s promises—until they come slower, look different, and stretch our faith further than we want. In this kickoff message, Eric opens Genesis 3 and the Bible’s first great promise: after sin shatters God’s shalom, God steps in and promises a Savior who will crush the serpent’s head. From there, he traces how God’s promises often include waiting, why God takes His covenants seriously, and how the delay can form trust—not just in what God gives, but in who God is. Finally, he reframes Jeremiah 29:11 in its full context (70 years of exile) to show that hope and a future are tied to seeking God Himself. If you’re tired of waiting, this sermon invites you to stop treating God like a genie and learn to walk with the Promise-Keeper.

What if your loudest praise isn’t reserved for stadiums, concerts, or a night out—but for the God who gives you breath? In Psalm 150, Steven finishes the Book of Psalms with a challenge to stop holding back and learn “hallelujah” as a shout, not a whisper. Through a story from a packed Mexican pub during a World Cup match, he paints a picture of contagious, communal celebration—and asks why the church so often hesitates. This message walks through four simple lessons: praise God everywhere, praise Him because He is powerful and great, praise Him with everything you are, and remember that everyone who has breath can praise the Lord. Then the room practices it together—out loud.

What if God can handle the parts of you that don’t sound “theologically correct”? In Psalm 13, David brings his unfiltered “How long, O Lord?”—the ache of delay, the fear that God has turned His face, and the heaviness that won’t lift—and he doesn’t stop at venting; he asks, “Consider me. Answer me. Light up my eyes.” This message explores how to bring real emotions to God, how to ask for help without pretending, and how to anchor your heart in what’s objectively true: God’s steadfast love, His salvation, and His bountiful care. Learn why you shouldn’t let feelings dictate your obedience, how to use emotions like a thermometer instead of a thermostat, and how God restores what feels tattered through the touch of the Master’s hand.

Where do you run when life feels unsafe—when fear hits, attacks come, and danger feels close? In Psalm 91, this message challenges the assumption that God promises a pain-free life and instead shows a deeper promise: protection through His presence. Walk through “dwelling” in the shelter of the Most High, learn what it means to abide, and confront the subtle lie that if God loves you, nothing hard should happen. From Satan quoting Psalm 91 to Jesus, to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire, to Peter sinking in the storm, the sermon calls you to choose your refuge—worldly escape or the Lord—and to trust Jesus as your ultimate, eternal security.