Change Follows Focus

Pastor Danny Michael

Knowing the Full Character of God

Pastor David Craig

You can get a lot wrong in life and still find grace, but if you get Jesus wrong, you miss everything.

Key Scriptures:

• Matthew 16:15 - “Who do you say I am?”

• John 14:6 - “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

• 1 Corinthians 15:17 - If Christ hasn’t been raised, your faith is useless.

• Romans 1:4 - The resurrection proved Jesus is the Son of God.

• 2 Corinthians 11:4 -  A warning about following a different Jesus.

• Colossians 1:15–20 - Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

1. Jesus is the Centrepiece of the Gospel

Christianity isn’t built on vibes or values, it’s built on a Person.

Take Jesus out, and the whole thing crumbles.

He didn’t point to truth; He said, “I am the truth.”

2. Not Every Jesus is the Real Jesus

A made-up Jesus can’t save you.

If your Jesus never challenges you, never confronts sin, and always agrees with your opinions, you didn’t find the Messiah. You built a mirror.

3. The Resurrection Proves It

Jesus said He’d die and rise again - and then He did.

That’s either delusion or divinity, and only one of those changed history.

The resurrection isn’t a metaphor. It’s the reason your faith has weight.

One-Liner to Remember:

You either crown Him or crucify Him, but you can’t casually admire Him.

Call to Action:

Don’t follow the version of Jesus that fits your preferences.

Follow the One who beat death and still calls you by name.

This isn’t about religion; it’s about surrendering to the King who actually lived, died, and rose.

Not all truth carries equal weight

We’re called to know, build on, and defend the core truths of the Christian faith without getting distracted or divided by side issues

Point 1: Not All Truth Is Equal

1 Corinthians 15:3–4

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day”

Truth

All biblical truth matters, but not all truth is essential to salvation

If you try to carry everything like it’s essential

You’ll crush yourself

You’ll crush others

Maturity is knowing what matters most and keeping the Gospel central

Point 2: The Non-Negotiables Are the Foundation

The Core Non-Negotiables 

Jesus is God

John 1:1

Colossians 2:9

He didn’t just speak for God—He was God

He died for our sins

Isaiah 53:5

2 Corinthians 5:21

The cross wasn’t a tragedy. It was a substitution

He rose from the dead

1 Corinthians 15:17

Romans 10:9

No resurrection means no hope

But Jesus did rise

We’re saved by grace through faith

Ephesians 2:8–9

Titus 3:5

Not earned

Not maintained through performance

It’s all Jesus

The Bible is the Word of God

2 Timothy 3:16

Psalm 119:105

It’s not outdated

It’s God’s truth revealed and alive

God is Father, Son, and Spirit

Matthew 28:19

John 14:16–17

One God in three Persons

This is the framework of the Gospel

The Father sent

The Son accomplished

The Spirit empowers and seals

Why it matters 

If you remove any one of these, Christianity collapses

Point 3: Negotiables Shouldn’t Divide You

Romans 14:1

“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters”

Examples of negotiables

- Worship styles

- End times timelines

- Bible translations

- Tattoos, clothing, holidays

- Drinking alcohol

These may shape how you live, but they shouldn’t decide who you walk with in the faith

Titus 3:9

“Avoid foolish controversies… they are unprofitable and useless”

Not everything is essential

Some things are open-handed

We can still love Jesus and see things differently

Reflection Questions

Have I made secondary issues more important than the Gospel?

Do I know what I believe about the core truths and why I believe them?

Do I treat others with grace on disputable matters or try to win every argument?

The Pursuit of the Presence of God

Pastor David Craig

Breakdown or Breakthrough

Pastor Phil Kleinsasser

A Life Worth Living

Pastor Eden Shimoda

The Power of the Gospel

Pastor Jeremy Prest

The Pursuit of the Presence of God

Pastor David Craig

Built to Last

Pastor Zach Fontaine

1: Lead Yourself

1 Kings 3:9 (NLT) “Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.”

1 Kings 11:4 (NLT) “In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God.”

2. Protect Your Circle

1 Kings 11:2 (NLT) “The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, ‘You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.’ Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.”

Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”

1 Kings 11:2 “The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, ‘You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.’ Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.”

Psalm 1:1 (NLT) “Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.”

Proverbs 13:20 (NLT) “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”

3: Train Before the Fire

Daniel 6:10 (NLT) “He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.”

James 1:22 (NLT) “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.”