Who Do You Say that I Am?

Brandon Rodriguez

Jesus asked his disciples a question that still confronts every heart today; “Who do you say that I am?” Many in that time thought he was a prophet, a teacher, even a ghost of John the Baptist, but Peter declared the truth that changes everything. “You are the Christ of God.” In that confession lies the foundation of salvation, the hope of eternity, and the calling of every believer. We must know who Jesus truly is, not as the world imagines him, but as Scripture reveals him. He is the Son of God, the Savior who came to take away the sins of the world.

This truth calls us to live differently. When we know who Jesus is, we find courage to face trials, compassion to love others, and faith to trust God’s plan even when it leads through suffering. Jesus was not a political liberator or a temporary fix. He came to bring a spiritual revolution, to die and rise again so that we might live. So I ask you, as Jesus asked His followers, who do you say that He is? May our answer be firm and faithful. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

 

 

Jesus Feeds the 5,000

Brandon Rodriguez

When we gather to hear this story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, I want you to see more than a miracle of food. I want you to see the Creator at work. The same Jesus who spoke the world into being took five loaves and two fish and created abundance where there was lack. The crowd came for healing and for bread, but Jesus showed them something deeper. He showed them that He alone satisfies the hunger of the soul. Just as He looked to heaven, blessed, broke, and gave, so too does He give Himself for us, the Bread of Life who fills us with what no earthly thing can provide.

When we look to this miracle, we see not just compassion for tired bodies, but divine provision for empty hearts. The Lord takes what is small and uses it for His glory. He takes the little we have and multiplies it beyond measure. In Him, there is no shortage. In Him, there is no lack. Every basket overflows. And today, that same Jesus calls us to trust that He is enough, that He is the one who satisfies every need, and that through Him alone we find the life that never runs dry.

 

 

Herod's Perplexity

Brandon Rodriguez

We ask today the question that echoes through all of history: Who is this man? The same question Herod once asked, the same question that still defines every heart that seeks truth. He is not just a prophet, not merely a moral teacher, not a good man with good words. He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The one who calms the storm with a word, who heals the broken, who forgives sins, who conquers death itself. Every baptism, every Lord’s Supper, every act of faith points back to this truth. To know who Jesus is changes everything, for if He truly is God, then He deserves not just our admiration but our full surrender.

Herod sought to see Him out of curiosity, but we are called to see Him in faith. The world still wonders and debates, yet the answer remains unchanged. He is the Christ of God. He came not to overthrow empires but to set captives free. He died on the cross and rose again, that sin and death might lose their hold forever. Who is this man? He is the risen Lord, the Savior of the world, and the King before whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess—Jesus Christ, our God and Redeemer.

 

 

The Ministry of the Twelve

Brandon Rodriguez

Jesus called the twelve and gave them power and authority to go out and proclaim the Kingdom of God. Just as He once stilled storms and cast out demons, He now sends His followers as messengers of that same power. We are reminded that being sent means trusting God to provide, not clinging to possessions or comfort. The disciples were to take nothing but the message of salvation, relying on God’s provision and the hospitality of others. The call remains for us today. We are not apostles in office, but we are still sent ones, bearers of the good news that Jesus saves.

We must go with urgency, proclaiming Christ with boldness and humility. When the world rejects that message, it is not us they reject, but the One who sent us. Yet for those who receive it, there is life and hope eternal. So let us go, proclaiming the Kingdom of God, trusting that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us.

 

 

Jesus Heals a Woman & Jairus' Daughter

Chris Fernandez

Crowds may press in all around us, but only one touch of faith can draw the power of Christ. In the story of Jairus and the woman who reached for the hem of Jesus’ garment, one came publicly and one came in secret, but both came desperate and both were met with mercy. The same Savior who stopped for a broken woman and called her “daughter” is the same Savior who took a little girl’s hand and said, “Child, arise.” In both, we see that no one is too far, too unclean, or too late for the power of Jesus to reach.

This is what faith looks like when everything seems lost. It is not about how strong we feel, but who we reach for. Jesus still walks with the broken, still touches the untouchable, still brings life where death has settled in. When we believe, when we reach for Him, He restores what was lost and gives us a new name and a new life. Today is the day to believe, to rise, and to walk in that living faith.

 

 

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man

Brandon Rodriguez

Jesus has power over all creation. He calmed the raging storm with a word and then faced a man possessed by a legion of demons. Even the forces of darkness recognized Him as the Son of the Most High God and begged for mercy. Yet with a word, He set the man free, restoring him from nakedness and chains in the tombs to sitting clothed and in his right mind at the feet of Jesus. The same Jesus who triumphed over demons then and triumphed over sin and death at the cross is the One we serve today.

We need not fear what is dark or demonic because Christ is all powerful. The townspeople saw His power and were gripped with fear, but the healed man was sent out to proclaim what God had done. That is our call as well. When Christ saves us, He changes us, and He sends us out to tell the world of His mighty power and mercy. The One who transforms the possessed into proclaimers is the One who can transform us too, from broken to whole, from enslaved to free, from sinner to saved.

 

 

Where's the Power?

Matthew Price

The power of God is not found in lofty speech, clever arguments, or the wisdom of men. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 2 that he came not with eloquence or philosophy but with a simple, powerful message: Jesus Christ and him crucified. The world may see that as foolish or weak, but it is in that message, preached with trembling and dependence on the Spirit, that true power is revealed. It is the gospel that changes hearts, not the skill of the preacher. It is the Spirit who convicts, transforms, and saves.

So I say to you today, we do not trust in methods or gimmicks or persuasion. We trust in the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Preach Christ. Preach Christ crucified. Trust the power of God to do what no human wisdom can do. Lives are changed, sins are forgiven, and dead hearts are made alive not by us but by the cross and the risen Savior. This is the gospel. This is our hope. This is the power of God.

 

 

Jesus Calms the Storm

Brandon Rodriguez

When the storm came, the disciples cried out in terror, but Jesus rose and with a word stilled the sea. Who is this man that even the waters obey him? He is not just a teacher, not just a prophet, but the very Son of God with all authority in heaven and on earth. And if he can calm the storm on the Sea of Galilee, he can calm the storms in our lives today.

So where is your faith? Do you trust him when the winds howl and the waves rise high? The disciples had faith enough to follow but not yet faith enough to rest in him. Yet they grew into men who would lay down their lives for the gospel. If your faith feels weak or not yet there, come closer to Jesus. Pray. Open the Word. Spend time with him. The same Christ who rebuked the storm will strengthen you, guide you, and give you boldness to proclaim his name in a broken world that desperately needs him.

 

 

The Parable of the Lamp

Brandon Rodriguez

In the parable of the lamp, Jesus tells us that no one lights a lamp and hides it under the bed. A lamp is set high so that its light fills the room. In the same way, the good news of the kingdom of God is not meant to be hidden but proclaimed. What was once secret will be revealed, and what was once in darkness will be brought into the light. So take care how you listen, because those who hear and respond will be given more, and those who refuse will lose even what they think they have.

We are called to shine brightly with the gospel, to live as children of God, and to show the world the light of Jesus Christ. His true family are those who hear the word of God and do it. The invitation is for us to not only hear but to act, to let our light shine in a dark world. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are offered life, forgiveness, and hope that never runs out. So let us take up this charge, not hiding the lamp but lifting it high for all to see.

 

 

The Parable of the Sower

Brandon Rodriguez

In Luke chapter 8, Jesus tells the parable of the sower. The seed is the word of God and the soils are the hearts of those who hear it. Some hear but the enemy snatches it away. Some receive with joy but have no root and fall when trials come. Some let the worries and pleasures of this world choke it out so it bears no fruit. But the good soil holds fast with an honest heart and bears fruit with perseverance. Which soil are you today? God calls us to be rooted in his word so that we may endure and produce fruit a hundredfold.

Jesus Christ himself is our foundation. He lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again so that we may have hope. Do not be deceived by shallow faith or distracted by thorns but take up your cross daily and follow him. Trust him in the trials, believe in his gospel, and persevere. For our hope is not in this world but in Christ who has overcome the grave. Hear the word, hold it fast, and let your life bear fruit that glorifies God