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He Is Good | The Destruction of the Temple | Mark 13 | Coleton Segars

The Destruction of the Temple (Mark 13)

Culture of Gospel

Share this with someone in your life who doesn’t know Jesus

Jesus didn’t predict the end of the world to scare people—He predicted the collapse of a broken religious system to invite the world into something better. When everything people trusted fell apart, Jesus was revealed as trustworthy, alive, and open to all who would follow Him.

Big Idea of the Message

Coleton’s central aim is clarity: Jesus is not predicting the end of the world in Mark 13, but the end of Jerusalem’s temple-centered way of life. When people misunderstand passages like this, they tend to get fearful, obsessive, or strange. Jesus’ goal, however, is not panic—but faithfulness.

Introduction: Why End-Times Passages Make People Weird

Coleton begins by showing how historically, Christians (and quasi-Christians) have often reacted badly to apocalyptic passages:

Historical Examples of people acting weird about end time’s theology:

• Münster, Germany (1534) – Anabaptists declared the city the New Jerusalem, enforced polygamy, abolished private property, and executed dissenters.
  
  
• Skoptsy (18th–19th century Russia) – Believed sexual desire was tied to the Antichrist; practiced self-mutilation.
  
  
• Heaven’s Gate (1997) – 39 people committed suicide believing a UFO would usher them into salvation.
  
  
• Harold Camping (1994, 2011) – Predicted rapture dates; people sold homes, quit jobs, stopped medical care.
  
  

Coleton’s Point:

“Passages like the one we just read lead people—especially Christians—to get weird and do weird stuff.”

What’s striking is that the disciples didn’t react this way. Jesus’ original audience didn’t panic, speculate, or obsess. That tells us we’re probably misunderstanding something when we do.

What Is Jesus Actually Doing? (Mark 13:1–2)

Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple

Mark 13:2 – “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

Coleton explains that Jesus is not talking about the end of the universe, but the coming destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.

Why the Temple Matters

• The Temple was meant to lead people to God
  
  
• Jesus cleansed it and called it back to its purpose
  
  
• The leaders rejected Jesus—and therefore rejected God Himself
  
  

Conclusion:
 Because the Temple no longer served its God-given purpose, it would be judged and removed.

When Will This Happen? – Part 1 (Mark 13:4–13)

What Happens Before the Destruction

The disciples ask when this will happen. Jesus responds with signs—not of immediacy, but of delay.

Mark 13:7 – “Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”

Key Points Coleton Highlights

• This will not happen immediately
  
  
• Followers of Jesus will face persecution
  
  
• The gospel must be preached to all nations
  
  

Important Clarification:
 “All nations” does not mean every modern country—it refers to the Roman world. This was fulfilled when Paul brought the gospel to Rome (AD 60–61).

Application Jesus Gives:

“Stand firm. Be patient.”

When Will This Happen? – Part 2 (Mark 13:14–23)

The Abomination That Causes Desolation

Mark 13:14 – “When you see the abomination that causes desolation… then flee.”

Coleton explains this phrase using Daniel 11–12 and historical context.

Scholarly Insight

“The ‘desolating abomination’ refers to pagan powers invading Jerusalem, stopping Temple worship, and committing sacrilege.”
 — N.T. Wright

Historical Fulfillment (AD 66–70)

• Zealots occupied the Temple
  
  
• Murder occurred inside the Holy of Holies
  
  
• A clownish figure, Phanni, was installed as High Priest
  
  

William Lane:
 “These acts of sacrilege likely signaled to Jewish Christians that Jesus’ warning had come true—and they fled.”

Meanwhile, false messiahs arose promising miraculous deliverance. Some stayed and believed them. That decision proved fatal.

N.T. Wright:
 “More Jews were killed by other Jews than by the Romans.”

Outcome #1: The End of Their World (Mark 13:24–25)

“The sun will be darkened… the stars will fall…”

Coleton emphasizes this is Old Testament judgment language, not cosmic destruction.

Biblical Background

• Isaiah 13; 34 – Used similar imagery to describe the fall of nations, not the universe
  
  

Mark Strauss & N.T. Wright:
 “This is not the end of the world—but the end of their world.”

What Ended?

• Temple sacrifices
  
  
• Priesthood
  
  
• Festivals and pilgrimages
  
  
• The entire religious system Israel had known for 2,000 years
  
  

Coleton compares it to losing power permanently—not a temporary outage, but a total restructuring of life.

Outcome #2: Jesus Is Vindicated (Mark 13:26)

“They will see the Son of Man coming in clouds…”

This comes from Daniel 7, and Coleton stresses:

This is not Jesus’ second coming to earth
 It is Jesus being vindicated—proved right and enthroned by God

N.T. Wright:
 “This is about Jesus’ triumph after suffering—not His return.”

The Temple fell.
 Jesus rose.
 The rejected stone became the cornerstone.

Outcome #3: God’s People Expand to the Nations (Mark 13:27)

The Temple excluded Gentiles. Jesus includes them.

Inscription on the Temple wall:
 “Any foreigner who enters… will have himself to blame for his death.”

But now:

Ephesians 2:14–21 –
 “Jesus has destroyed the dividing wall… creating one new humanity.”

What the Temple couldn’t do, Jesus did.
 God’s presence is no longer confined to a building—but embodied in His people.

Final Teaching: What Do We Do Now? (Mark 13:28–37)

“Keep watch. Stay alert.”

Jesus tells them:

• It will happen in this generation (fulfilled in AD 70)
  
  
• No one knows the exact day
  
  
• Don’t speculate—be faithful
  
  

Final Applications from Coleton

1. Don’t Be Weird About the End Times

The disciples didn’t:

• Predict dates
  
  
• Panic at disasters
  
  
• Follow false prophets
  
  
• Obsess over signs
  
  

Because Jesus told them not to.

2. Be Bold in Sharing Jesus

Knowing judgment was coming didn’t lead the early church to despair—it led them to mission.

3. Stay Faithful

They lived visibly transformed lives.

Alan Kreider:
 “Christianity’s truth was visible because it was embodied.”

People weren’t drawn by fear—but by love.

Final Summary

Jesus predicted the fall of a broken system that rejected Him—and history proved Him right. The Temple fell, Jesus was vindicated, and God’s family expanded to the world. So don’t panic, don’t speculate, and don’t get weird—stay faithful, love boldly, and trust Jesus.

Practicing The Way Of Jesus | Matthew 7:24-27 | Coleton Segars

Practice the Way of Jesus

Jesus does not flatter us with comforting abstractions. He speaks with piercing clarity. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice…”—and there He draws the line that divides all humanity. Not between the moral and immoral, the religious and irreligious, the fortunate and the afflicted—but between the practiced and the merely informed.

The striking truth of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 is that everything else is the same. The storm does not discriminate. Rain falls on obedience and disobedience alike. Winds beat against every house. The difference is not the weather of life but the weight-bearing obedience beneath it. One hears and does. The other hears and delays. And delay, in the kingdom of God, is already a decision.

Throughout Scripture this pattern is relentless. God speaks; people respond—or refuse. Noah builds while the sky is blue and finds salvation when it turns black. Abraham keeps obeying long after obedience feels unreasonable and discovers that God keeps promises beyond biology. Moses lifts a staff, Israel walks, Naaman washes, blind eyes open, empty nets break with abundance. God’s power is never detached from trust expressed through action.

Equally clear is the sobering witness of those who heard and did nothing. They were invited. They were informed. They were near the truth. Yet they watched storms without experiencing salvation, commands without deliverance, Christ without transformation. It was not ignorance that robbed them—it was unpracticed truth.

Jesus never asked for admirers. He commanded apprentices. “Teach them to obey,” He said—not merely to agree. Christianity left at the level of belief alone becomes weightless. It can grow numerically, organize efficiently, and yet remain untouched by the living power of God. But obedience—real, embodied obedience—becomes the narrow gate through which life flows.

This is why practicing the way of Jesus feels so often unreasonable. Forgive when wounded. Give when anxious. Pray when exhausted. Speak when silence feels safer. These instructions offend our instincts because God has chosen the foolish-looking things to train our trust. We do not drift into this kind of life. We must aim.

Jesus Himself told us it would be harder. Easier roads are always available—but ease is often destructive. What is easiest rarely fuels what is eternal. The narrow way is demanding, but it is alive. As Chesterton observed, Christianity is not tried and found wanting; it is found difficult and left untried.

Yet hear the mercy in all this: Jesus never commands without empowering. He died not only to forgive sin, but to place His Spirit within us—to make obedience possible from the inside out. “It is God who works in you to will and to act…” Our responsibility is not self-powered righteousness, but surrendered cooperation.

So where is the storm pressing hardest right now? Where do you long to see God’s power break through? Do not ask first for relief—ask what obedience looks like there. Search the Scriptures. Seek counsel. Then act.

Build there. Practice there.

And you will find that the life you most truly crave is not found in hearing more—but in practicing what you already have heard.

God's Guidance | 1 Cor. 11:1 | Larry Ray

Larry’s sermon centers on the idea that God desires to guide His people from places of brokenness, scarcity, and stagnation into lives marked by abundance, wisdom, and flourishing. He illustrates this through a story about a close friend who mentors a young woman whose life has been shaped by harmful decisions and discouragement. Larry’s friend pleads with her, saying that if she would simply watch, listen, and follow her, she could be led “from where you are…to better places” — from a life she hates into one she would love.

When Larry hears this, he senses God revealing that this is not just what He desires for one person, but for all of us: God places wise and godly people in our lives as living examples to help guide us from unwise patterns toward wholeness and life.

A major theme of the message is humility. Larry emphasizes that transformation requires the courage to admit, “I don’t know how to live well — but you do,” and to submit ourselves to guidance and imitation. This posture stands in contrast to the modern tendency to seek advice from distant voices — online personalities, influencers, or strangers — whose own lives may not reflect the fruit or outcomes we desire. Larry challenges the congregation to recognize how irrational it is to entrust our deepest life decisions to people we do not know and whose wisdom we cannot verify. Instead, Scripture presents a God who promises to guide His people daily and who often does so through trustworthy, faithful examples in the community of believers.

The sermon also connects this calling to the life of Jesus. Even though Jesus was equal with God, He chose to humble Himself, refusing to act independently; instead, He imitated and followed the will of the Father in everything He did. His life becomes both the model and the means of our transformation — He humbled Himself to the point of death so that we might be set free and learn how to live in alignment with God’s purposes.

Larry frames this life of imitation and discipleship as a movement from “limited vision and prison space” into abundance. God is deeply committed to our good — so committed, in fact, that Christ gave His life to lead us out of captivity and into fullness of life. Communion becomes a tangible reminder of that commitment and an invitation to trust God’s shepherding presence even when the path forward feels uncertain.

Ultimately, the sermon calls believers to embrace a posture of teachability, to seek guidance from godly men and women whose lives demonstrate the fruit of wisdom, and to follow Jesus’ example of humility and obedience. Through this way of life — watching, listening, imitating, and surrendering — God leads His people from places of pain and confusion into places of abundance, freedom, and joy.

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Discussion & Application Questions

1. Humility & Teachability: Where in your life do you resist guidance because it requires humility? What might it look like to ask someone you trust to “teach you how to live” in that area?

2. Models Worth Imitating: Who in your life demonstrates the kind of spiritual maturity or fruit you hope to grow into? What practical steps could you take to intentionally learn from them?

3. Sources of Influence: In what ways do you tend to seek direction from distant or impersonal voices (social media, influencers, etc.)? How can you shift toward embodied, relational guidance?

4. Following Jesus’ Example: How does Jesus’ humility before the Father challenge your approach to decision-making, independence, or control?

5. From Scarcity to Abundance: Where do you feel “stuck” or limited right now? What might trusting God’s guidance — through Scripture, prayer, and community — look like in that specific area?

C3 New Meeting Space Announcement

C3 will be meeting in a new building starting January 4, 2026. Listen here for details. 

The Unedited Genealogy of Jesus | Matthew 1:1-16 | Coleton Segars

The Unedited Genealogy of Jesus

“This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah…” — Matthew 1:1

We are accustomed to telling our stories selectively. We polish the edges, omit the failures, and highlight the moments that make us appear respectable. Scripture itself records that genealogies were often written this way—compressed, edited, and curated. Yet when Matthew opens his Gospel, he does something startling. He edits, yes—but not the way we would expect. He leaves the shame in.

The family line of Jesus Christ is not a showcase of uninterrupted virtue. It is a record of sinners, scandals, and severe moral collapse. Judah and Tamar. Rahab the prostitute. Ruth the outsider. David and “the wife of Uriah.” Kings who shed innocent blood and led God’s people into darkness. Matthew does not blur these names into obscurity; he underlines them. He insists that we see the Messiah standing at the end of a long, broken line.

This is not carelessness—it is purposeful. God is telling us something essential about the heart of redemption.

If Jesus were ashamed of broken people, He would have edited them out of His own family tree. But He did not. The people we would hide are the very people God highlights. The people we would disqualify are the people God deliberately includes. From the beginning, the incarnation declares that Jesus did not come from sanitized humanity, but from real humanity—and therefore He has come for it.

Here is the first truth we must face: anyone can belong to His family. Not because sin does not matter, but because grace matters more. The genealogy preaches before Jesus ever speaks. It announces that doubt, failure, addiction, and disgrace do not place you beyond reach—they place you precisely within the kind of reach Christ came to extend. The bloodline of Jesus says to the least and the lost, “There is room.”

But Matthew presses us further. This family tree also reveals that God redeems what we assume is ruined. David’s greatest failure is not erased; it is transformed. From a union marked by adultery and death comes Solomon—and through Solomon, the promises of God move forward. Redemption does not deny the damage of sin, but it refuses to let sin have the final word.

God takes what we are most ashamed of and makes it the very place where His life breaks through. What we call disqualifying, He calls redeemable. What we bury, He resurrects.

Do not ask whether Jesus can handle your past. Look at His genealogy. Do not wonder if your worst mistake is too far gone. Look at the cross, where the Son of God was hung on a tree, covered in the full weight of human shame, so that shame would no longer own us.

The question is not whether He can redeem—it is whether you will hand Him what needs redeeming. Bring it into the light. Invite Him into the place you avoid. He is not embarrassed by your story. He entered history precisely to transform it.

Let Him.

Good New of Great Joy | Luke 2:8-11 | Coleton Segars

Good News of Great Joy

Culture of Gospel

Share this with someone in your life who doesn’t know Jesus
 Christmas announces that God didn’t step into the world to shame us or control us, but to rescue us from what’s destroying us, heal what’s broken inside us, and give us the life we’ve been longing for. If that kind of hope exists, it’s worth taking a serious look at Jesus.

Sermon Summary

Introduction: The Eucatastrophe of Christmas

Coleton begins with the angelic announcement in Luke 2:8–11, where shepherds—ordinary, overlooked people—are met by the glory of God in the middle of the night.

“There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby… An angel of the Lord appeared to them… ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.’” (Luke 2:8–11)

Coleton introduces the idea of eucatastrophe, a term coined by J.R.R. Tolkien, meaning “an unexpected breaking in of goodness that changes everything.” A catastrophe is an unexpected disaster that alters life for the worse; a eucatastrophe is the opposite—unexpected goodness that permanently alters reality for the better.

That, Coleton says, is exactly what the angels are announcing. Christmas is not sentimental nostalgia—it is the declaration that something has happened that changes everything. And the angel insists this news is meant to produce great joy.

Coleton then asks the central question of the message:
 Why should the birth of Jesus cause great joy?

He gives three reasons.

1. Jesus Came to Rescue Us from Sin

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you.” (Luke 2:11)

The first word the angel uses to describe Jesus is Savior. Coleton emphasizes that this is not accidental—this is the core announcement of Christmas: a rescuer has come to you.

Matthew clarifies what kind of rescue Jesus brings:

“He will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)

Coleton explains that many in Israel expected a rescuer from Roman oppression, but God identified a deeper enemy. From God’s perspective, sin is a greater threat than any external circumstance. Sin is not just rule-breaking; it is a destructive power that poisons life from the inside out.

Scripture says:

“The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

Sin always pays out in destruction—relationally, emotionally, spiritually.

Coleton illustrates this with a personal story from a home renovation: exposed live wires in the wall when his son Teddy was three years old. He wanted Teddy to obey him—but not simply because “I said so.” The deeper reason was that touching the wire would cause serious harm or even death.

In the same way, God’s commands are not arbitrary. Sin is dangerous. God forbids it because it kills us.

The problem is not just that sin is harmful—it’s that we are drawn to it. Coleton traces this reality through Scripture:

• Adam and Eve fixated on the one forbidden tree.
  
  
• Genesis 6:5 describes humanity’s hearts as bent toward evil.
  
  
• Romans 7 shows Paul describing sin like an addiction he wants to resist but can’t.
  
  

“Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” (Romans 7:24)

Coleton names experiences we all recognize:

• Wanting to stop being angry but feeling trapped
  
  
• Wanting to forgive but being unable
  
  
• Wanting to stop fearing, lusting, worrying, or discontentment
  
  

He quotes John Piper:

“Sin is the suicidal abandonment of joy.”

This is why Christmas is good news: Jesus has come to rescue us from the addictive desire to do what destroys us.

Paul answers his own question:

“Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25)

Through the cross, sin’s power is broken.

“Our old self was crucified with him… that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:6)

Coleton quotes Jackie Hill Perry:

“When Jesus died and rose, He gave you power to defeat sin… You are not a slave. You are free. You just have to believe that and walk in it.”
 — Jackie Hill Perry, Gay Girl, Good God

Jesus doesn’t just forgive sin—He breaks its authority and reshapes our desires.

2. Jesus Came to Give Us an Abundant Kind of Life

The angel also calls Jesus the Messiah—His job reminder, not just His title.

Coleton walks through Isaiah 61, the Messiah’s job description:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me… to proclaim good news to the poor… bind up the brokenhearted… proclaim freedom for the captives… bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes…” (Isaiah 61:1–3)

This describes a life transformed—not patched up, but renewed.

Jesus explicitly claims this mission in Luke 4, declaring that Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in Him.

Coleton shows how Jesus lived this out:

• The paralytic who believed nothing could change
  
  
• Jairus’ daughter, declared hopeless and dead
  
  
• The woman with the issue of blood
  
  
• Lepers, demoniacs, the blind, the broken
  
  

Every encounter demonstrates the same truth: when people come to Jesus, His job description becomes their lived experience.

Coleton makes a bold claim:
 If this kind of transformation has never begun in someone’s life, they may know about Jesus without truly knowing Him.

He shares his own story—how his life changed dramatically after coming to faith. His friends loved the change but resisted the source. They wanted transformation without surrender.

He quotes A.W. Tozer:

“We treat Jesus the way Saul treated David. We want him to fight our battles for us… but we don’t want him to be our king.”

Coleton explains that who you believe your Messiah is will shape your life.

• If the world is your messiah, the world will form you—and it is broken.
  
  
• If Jesus is your Messiah, He will form you into His image—and He is full of life.
  
  

Jesus doesn’t offer occasional help; He offers fullness of life under His leadership.

3. Jesus Came to Remove Our Shame

The angel calls Jesus Lord—God Himself with us.

Coleton defines shame:

“Shame is not guilt. Guilt is ‘I did something wrong.’ Shame is ‘there is something wrong with me.’”
 — Jon Tyson & Jeff Bethke, Fighting Shadows

In Genesis, Moses repeatedly says Adam and Eve were “naked and unashamed.” Their identity, value, and security came from God’s presence.

Coleton quotes Donald Miller:

“All of the glory, all of the security, all of the value that came from God was gone… and for the first time ever, they were pining for something to tell them they were okay.”

That’s when they hid.

God’s question—“Who told you that you were naked?” (Genesis 3:11)—reveals the source: shame.

Coleton shows how humanity has been trying to silence shame ever since:

• Relationships
  
  
• Success
  
  
• Approval
  
  
• Humor
  
  
• Anger
  
  
• Perfectionism
  
  
• Underperforming
  
  
• Substances
  
  
• Money, appearance, status
  
  

All of it is an attempt to quiet the whisper: something is wrong with me.

Christmas declares something different: Immanuel—God with us.
 Through Jesus, we are welcomed back into God’s presence.

“Come to me… and I will give you rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28)

Coleton ends by pointing to the cross:

• Jesus chose not to save Himself to save us
  
  
• He was broken so we could be made whole
  
  
• He was crucified naked and shamed to carry the shame of the garden—and remove ours
  
  

Jesus is the ultimate eucatastrophe—the unexpected goodness that changes everything.

Questions for Reflection

1. Which of the three reasons—rescue from sin, abundant life, or removal of shame—do you most need to experience right now, and why?
   
   
2. In what ways do you see sin acting more like an addiction than just bad behavior in your own life?
   
   
3. Where are you tempted to want the benefits of Jesus without surrendering to Him as King?
   
   
4. What are some ways you’ve tried to silence shame apart from God’s presence? How have those strategies fallen short?
   
   
5. What would it look like practically this week to trust Jesus to fulfill His “job description” in your life?

He Is Good | The Widow's Offering | Mark 12:41-44 | Coleton Segars

THE WIDOW’S OFFERING

Mark 12:41–44

Culture of Gospel

Share this with someone in your life who doesn’t know Jesus:
Jesus sees value where the world sees insignificance. The God who notices a poor widow’s two pennies is the same God who sees you and knows you.

SERMON SUMMARY

Jesus sits in the temple, watching people give their offerings. In a surprising move, He draws His disciples’ attention—not to the wealthy, powerful, or impressive, but to a poor widow who drops in two tiny coins. Her gift, seemingly worthless, becomes one of the most famous moments of worship in all of Scripture.

Coleton teaches that Jesus uses this woman as an object lesson to form His disciples—and us. The heart of the message is this: Jesus highlights this woman because He wants His followers to live with her kind of obedience, sacrifice, and trust.

Coleton explores three reasons Jesus focuses our attention on this woman’s life.

1. Be Obedient With the Seemingly Insignificant Stuff

Mark 12:41–42

“Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.”

Jesus watches people give. Many contribute large sums, but a poor widow drops in two lepta—the smallest coins in circulation.

Mark Strauss writes:

“Two lepta could almost purchase a handful of flour… less than one penny today.”

In other words, her gift can’t pay for anything. If we watched her give, most of us would be tempted to say, “Ma’am, please keep it. It won’t help.”

But she gives anyway. She does not give based on outcomes or impact—she gives out of obedience.

This is the first lesson:
Obedience is not about impact. It’s about faithfulness.

Christians often fall into disobedience because we think:

• What difference will forgiving them make?
  
  
• What difference will praying make?
  
  
• What difference will reading my Bible make?
  
  
• What difference does kindness make?
  
  

But Coleton reminds us: Nearly everything God calls His people to do looks insignificant in the moment—but God loves to use small acts to unleash enormous outcomes.

Examples from Scripture:

• Moses: “Raise your staff over the sea.”
  
  
• Joshua: “March around Jericho.”
  
  
• Samuel: “Anoint the youngest son, the shepherd boy.”
  And the results? A sea split, walls fell, and David became Israel’s greatest king.
  
  

Examples from Jesus’ ministry:

• “Fill the jars with water.”
  
  
• “Bring me what bread you have.”
  
  
• “Go show yourself to the priest.”
  
  

Again and again, God works through small acts of obedience.

Coleton then shares the story of David Wilkerson, the small-town pastor who obeyed a tiny, strange prompting: stop watching TV at night and pray instead. That insignificant act eventually led him to New York City, to ministry among gang members, to founding Teen Challenge, and to beginning Times Square Church—now influencing 140 nations.

What began with giving up TV changed lives worldwide.

Coleton also shares from his own life:

• A simple prayer to surrender his life to Jesus
  
  
• Reading Scripture daily
  
  
• Going to counseling
  
  
• Turning the other cheek
  
  
• Fasting and praying
  
  

None of these felt dramatic in the moment. All of them changed his life.

Point:
God delights to work through the small things. Jesus points to this woman because she obeys God even in the places that seem insignificant.

2. Be Obedient Even When It Costs You

Mark 12:44

“They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

The widow’s obedience isn’t just small—it’s costly. She gives all she has. Literally, she “lays down her whole life.”

James R. Edwards paraphrases the Greek:

“She lay down her whole life.”

This is the second reason Jesus points to her:
Jesus wants followers who obey even when obedience costs them something.

Coleton notes that Western Christians often prefer convenient obedience. But true discipleship requires sacrifice. C.S. Lewis wrote:

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give… The only safe rule is to give more than we can spare… If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small.”

This doesn’t apply only to money. It applies to:

• Forgiveness — which costs us comfort and pride
  
  
• Confession — which costs our image
  
  
• Serving the poor — which costs our time and resources
  
  
• Living within our means — which costs our wants
  
  
• Marriage and parenting — which cost our preferences and independence
  
  

Coleton gives honest, vulnerable examples:

• In marriage, he could “win” arguments by being bigger and louder—but that would crush intimacy.
  
  
• As a father, he could refuse to sacrifice his time—but Teddy would pay the price.
  
  
• In friendships, refusing to risk or be selfless leads to loneliness.
  
  

We want life on our terms but still want the fruits of obedience. But we cannot have both.

Then Coleton shares a story about Teddy getting stuck in a playground structure—terrified and refusing help because doing it “Dad’s way” felt worse than being stuck. That posture, he says, is all of us:
We would rather stay stuck than trust Jesus when His way feels costly.

Jesus points to the woman because her costly obedience leads to life. Jesus doesn’t ask for sacrifice to harm us but to heal and free us.

3. Trust Him Even When It Doesn’t Make Sense

This widow doesn’t just obey—she trusts God with her entire life. Jesus celebrates her because she trusts God beyond her understanding.

Coleton illustrates this with one of the most powerful stories of trust ever recorded: Charles Blondin, the tightrope walker who crossed Niagara Falls.

After crossing the falls multiple daring ways, Blondin decided to cross with another person on his back. His manager, Harry Colcord, was the one who climbed onto him. Before stepping onto the rope, Blondin told him:

“Don’t look down. Look up… You must be one with me. If I sway, sway with me. Do not attempt to do any balancing yourself. If you do, we will both go to our death.”

Harry later said:

“I learned more religion on that wire than in all my life.”

Solomon says the same thing in Proverbs 3:5–6:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.”

Jesus calls us to trust Him because He wants to lead us into places we could never reach on our own.

Coleton names the hard questions:

• Why trust Jesus when it doesn’t make sense to surrender?
  
  
• Why trust when prayer feels pointless?
  
  
• Why forgive enemies?
  
  
• Why give sacrificially?
  
  
• Why wait on God?
  
  
• Why believe He can use suffering for good?
  
  

Jesus is not dismissing the tension—He’s saying:
“Stop trying to balance yourself. Let Me carry you.”

The widow shows us what that kind of trust looks like.

FINAL CHALLENGE

Jesus points to this woman because:

1. She obeys God in the insignificant things.
   
   
2. She obeys God even when it costs her.
   
   
3. She trusts God even when it makes no sense.
   
   

And Jesus wants the same kind of life in us—not to burden us, but to lead us into freedom, joy, and the abundant life He promises.

He has already proven His love by giving everything for us.
Therefore, we can entrust everything to Him.

Discipleship Group Questions

1. Where in your life does obedience feel insignificant or pointless? What might God be asking you to do anyway?
   
   
2. What is one area where following Jesus currently costs you? How might obedience in that area lead to greater freedom?
   
   
3. Which of Jesus’ commands do you struggle to trust because it doesn’t make sense to you?
   
   
4. How have you seen God work through something small or seemingly insignificant in your life?
   
   
5. What would it look like this week to “sway with God” instead of trying to balance your own life?

God's Voice In Images | Isaiah 8:18 | Larry Ray

In his sermon, Larry explores the central idea that God communicates His most important truths not primarily through words, but through pictures, signs, and especially people. Beginning with the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words,” Larry explains that some realities are simply too deep to express with language alone. This is why God filled Scripture with vivid symbols—trees, rainbows, the Passover, the Red Sea, the tabernacle, baptism, bread, and wine—because these images convey what words often cannot.

 

He then shows that God’s favorite picture—His clearest sign—has always been people themselves. The lives of biblical figures communicated divine messages more powerfully than their speeches. Prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea lived out symbolic actions that illustrated God’s heart: Isaiah naming his sons “Destruction is coming” and “The remnant will return”; Jeremiah burying and retrieving a ruined loincloth; Hosea marrying an unfaithful woman to embody God’s relentless love; Ezekiel being commanded not to mourn his wife to display the depth of coming national sorrow.

 

These people’s lives were the message.

Larry emphasizes that Jesus is the ultimate sign and picture of God. Jesus’ life, not only His teachings, reveals what God is like—His compassion, His priorities, His character. Jesus embodied the fullness of the Old Testament and made the invisible God visible, fulfilling humanity’s original calling to be God’s image-bearers. Our first vocation was not gardening, Larry notes, but image-bearing—making visible the invisible qualities of God in everyday life.

 

Christians today carry that same calling. People around us cannot see God’s patience, forgiveness, mercy, or truthfulness—but they can see those qualities expressed through the lives of God’s people. December, Larry points out, is a uniquely open-hearted season. In conversations, stores, gatherings, and family events, believers have an opportunity not to push opinions on politics or morality but to embody God’s goodness, becoming His “light and salt” in the world.

 

Larry applies this especially to parenting and grandparenting. The most powerful influence we have on the next generation isn’t nagging, lecturing, or pushing principles—it’s showing a superior, joyful life, one that demonstrates God’s character rather than merely describing it. Children and grandchildren learn less from what we say and more from what we consistently live. To illustrate this, Larry recalls his father’s transformation and the unforgettable picture of obedience he displayed when God called him to reconcile with someone he deeply disliked.

 

That image shaped Larry more than any speech his father ever gave.

Ultimately, Larry calls believers to embrace their identity as God’s image-bearers, empowered by grace to make the invisible God visible wherever they go.

---

Discussion Questions for Putting the Message into Practice

1. Visibility of God:
   What invisible qualities of God (grace, truth, patience, forgiveness, courage, generosity) do you feel called to “make visible” this month?

2. December Opportunities:
   Where is God sending you this month—stores, workplaces, gatherings—where you could intentionally embody His character?

3. Influence Through Example:
   Think of someone in your life who watched your actions more than your words (a child, coworker, friend). What picture are you currently painting for them?

4. Obedience Promptings:
   When was the last time God nudged you to do something uncomfortable? What might obedience look like now, even if you don’t want to do it?

5. Life as a Symbol:
   If someone could only see your life—not hear your beliefs—what would they conclude about what God is like?

He Is Good | Jesus is Better | Mark 12:35-40 | Coleton Segars

JESUS IS BETTER

Mark 12:35–40

Culture of Gospel

Share this with someone in your life who doesn’t know Jesus

If corruption, hypocrisy, and abuse inside the church have ever made you question Jesus, let this sink in: Jesus condemned those things even more fiercely than you do. What you hate about religion is often the very reason you might love Jesus — because He exposes that darkness and stands against it.

Sermon Summary

In this message, Coleton walks deeply into one of Jesus’ sharpest public confrontations with religious leaders. Drawing from Mark 12:35–40, he exposes three behaviors of the teachers of the law that still plague the church today — behaviors that cause people to lose trust, walk away, or become disgusted with religion altogether. But instead of letting these failings push us from Jesus, Coleton argues they should push us closer to Him, because Jesus Himself condemns these very abuses more clearly, more passionately, and more fiercely than we ever could.

What follows is Coleton’s three-point framework, each grounded in Scripture, history, and modern examples, ultimately leading us toward a posture of repentance, discernment, and deeper intimacy with Jesus.

1. Hypocritical Lifestyle — Appearing Righteous (vv. 38, 40)

Scripture:

“Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect… and for a show make lengthy prayers.” — Mark 12:38, 40

Historical Note (Mark Strauss):

“Teachers of the law wore long white linen robes… These garments imitated the robes worn by priests and so ‘signified’ religious devotion.”

Jesus’ critique:
  They projected holiness to gain admiration, honor, and spiritual credibility, but inside they were spiritually dead.

Coleton highlights Jesus’ words from Matthew where He calls them “whitewashed tombs” — clean and impressive on the outside, but hiding decay beneath. He describes Bryn Gilet’s painting of the Pharisee and tax collector, showing a beautifully posed, self-righteous Pharisee whose “worship” is nothing more than polished emptiness.

Modern Example:

Coleton shares his disillusionment with a once-admired pastor whose hidden lifestyle contradicted everything he preached. The fallout devastated a church, wounded countless people, and embodied this exact hypocrisy Jesus condemned.

Main Idea:

Hypocrisy in spiritual leaders makes people question everything — the church, the message, even Jesus Himself.
  But Jesus is not soft on hypocrisy. He hates it.
  He exposes it, condemns it, and warns His followers to stay alert to it.

2. Using God to Get Better Treatment & Better Stuff (vv. 38–39)

Scripture:

“They like to… be greeted with respect… and have the most important seats… and the places of honor at banquets.” — Mark 12:38–39

Commentary (David Guzik):

“They taught that teachers were to be respected almost as much as God… The greatest act someone could do was to give money to a teacher… Of course, it was the teachers themselves who taught this.”

What’s happening here?

These leaders used Scripture as a tool to extract honor, wealth, and privilege for themselves. They weren’t shepherds — they were spiritual opportunists.

Modern Examples:

Coleton highlights real stories we all see far too often:

• Pastors who demand honorific treatment.
   
• Churches where members must publicly declare their tithes.
   
• Preachers who use the pulpit to justify private jets or lavish lifestyles.
   
• Leaders who shame people into financial giving.
   

He tells of a man who built a multi-million-dollar home for a pastor and said simply, “This is why I don’t trust the church.”
  He didn’t know Scripture — he just knew something felt wrong.

Main Idea:

When spiritual authority becomes a platform for personal gain, the world sees right through it — and they should.
  Jesus Himself calls out this manipulation long before modern critics ever did.

3. Using Power to Prey on the Weak (v. 40)

Scripture:

“They devour widows’ houses…” — Mark 12:40

Commentary (David L. McKenna):

“Scribes served as consultants in estate planning for widows… They convinced lonely and susceptible women that their money should be given to the scribe… There is no better way to assure the confidence of widows than by a show of spirituality….”

What Jesus is condemning:

Religious leaders using spiritual authority to exploit and financially drain vulnerable people — particularly widows.

Modern Examples (summarized):

Coleton cites a heartbreaking list:

• Southern Baptist Convention’s report documenting 700 abusers in a decade and systemic cover-ups.
   
• Prosperity preachers promising healing in exchange for “seed money.”
   
• Stories of people dying from illness after being taught to give instead of seek treatment.
   
• “Miracle cash cards,” “resurrection seeds,” “holy water,” and other manipulative schemes.

Coleton notes how reading these cases was “brutal.”
  Comments under these articles echoed the same cry:

“This is why I want nothing to do with God or the church.”

Main Idea:

Spiritual abuse is real. It is evil. And Jesus does not tolerate it.
  Jesus says those who do this will receive greater condemnation — a warning stronger than any critique we could offer.

A Turning Point: Why These Failings Should Draw You Closer to Jesus

Coleton makes a stunning and deeply pastoral turn:

If church corruption disgusts you, you have more in common with Jesus than you think.
  Jesus agrees with you.
  Jesus condemns what you condemn — and even more strongly.

He uses the opening verses of the text (Mark 12:35–37) to show that Jesus distance Himself from corrupt religious leaders by proving they don’t truly understand Scripture nor the identity of the Messiah.

“David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” — Mark 12:37

Jesus is saying:
  “They don’t know Me. So don’t confuse them with Me.”

Their failures do not represent Him.

What This Means for Us — Applications

1. Fight the Temptation to Look Good on the Outside

We all want to hide flaws, curate an image, and appear righteous.
  But image-based faith is like Banksy’s graffiti-cleaner artwork — adding paint on top of paint, looking busy but doing nothing real.

2. Watch Out — Guard Your Heart

Church hurt is real, but Jesus warns:
  “Watch out.”
  Don’t let the sins of others lead you to cynicism, bitterness, or disobedience.
  Be discerning — not hardened.

3. Know Jesus So Well You Can Spot Counterfeits

Coleton shares an Anne Graham Lotz story:
  A Scotland Yard expert studied real money so intensely that counterfeits were obvious.

Likewise:
 Know the real Jesus deeply, so when someone distorts Him, you can see it — and not walk away from Him because of someone else’s misrepresentation.

Closing Gospel Picture — Jesus Is Not Like Them

Coleton ends with three contrasts showing why Jesus is worth drawing near to:

• Jesus didn’t just appear righteous; He was righteous — and took our place on a cross.
   
• Jesus didn’t use His position to gain luxury; He gave up heaven’s throne to rescue us.
   
• Jesus didn’t abuse power; He submitted to humiliation so that we could experience God’s blessing.
   

Jesus is nothing like the corrupt leaders who misuse His name.
  So draw near to Him.

He Is Good | The Greatest Command | Mark 12:28-34| Coleton Segars

The Greatest Command — Mark 12:28–34

Culture of Gospel

One of the things we want as a church is to grow in our ability to share about Jesus with those who don’t know Jesus. Use this summary statement to share with someone in your life who doesn’t know Jesus:

“Jesus isn’t inviting you into cold religion or a list of demands—He’s inviting you into the kind of love that reshapes your life from the inside out. The God of the universe doesn’t want your performance; He wants your heart.

Sermon Summary

Introduction

Coleton opens by naming the central question every follower of Jesus must answer: What matters most to God?
 Not: What matters most to Christians, churches, or religious culture… but what matters most to God Himself.

Jesus answers that question directly in Mark 12. And Coleton’s goal is simple:

1. To show what God values most.
   
   
2. To show why it matters.
   
   
3. To show what this means for our church and for each person individually.
   
   

1. What Matters Most to God?

Mark 12:29–30

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”

The most important thing to God is that you love Him.
 Not that you serve Him. Not that you behave correctly. Not that you meet moral standards. Not that you avoid sin. Love is the highest command.

What Most People Think Matters Most to God

Coleton names the most common assumptions Christians carry:

• “God mostly wants me to get saved.”
  
  
• “God mostly wants me to stop sinning.”
  
  
• “God mostly wants me to pray more, read more, go to church more.”
  
  
• “God mostly wants me to serve the poor, give money, volunteer, or be more missional.”
  
  

All important. But not most important.

Jesus’ Rebuke of Ephesus—Proof That Good Works ≠ Love

Revelation 2:2–5

“I know your deeds… Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first… Repent.”

This church was doctrinally strong. Morally clean. Active in service. Enduring hardship. Doing everything “right.”
 And Jesus still says: You do not love Me anymore.
 And failing to love Him is so serious that Jesus warns:

“If you do not repent, I will remove your lampstand.”

God cares more about your affection for Him than the actions you perform in His name.

Key Point

Doing things for God is not the same as loving God.

2. Why This Matters: Love for God Shapes Who You Become

One of the main reasons this is the greatest command is because love is what transforms you.

God wants His people to be:

• Compassionate
  
  
• Generous
  
  
• Sacrificial
  
  
• Humble
  
  
• Pure
  
  
• Joyful
  
  
• Loving toward neighbor and enemy
  
  

But these things don’t come from effort or trying harder. They grow naturally out of love.

Illustration: Coleton and Rainey’s Early Relationship

When they were dating long-distance:

• He drove 8 hours overnight just to spend a few hours with her.
  
  
• He wrote letters daily.
  
  
• He spent money he didn’t have to buy her meals and gifts.
  
  
• He thought about her constantly.
  
  

Why?
 Not because she handed him a list of rules.
 Because he loved her.

Love makes sacrifice a joy.
 Love makes devotion natural.
 Love makes obedience a delight.

This Is What God Wants With You

When you love Him…

• Spending time with Him becomes natural.
  
  
• Sacrificing for Him becomes joy.
  
  
• Worship becomes expression, not obligation.
  
  
• Caring for the poor flows from His heart in yours.
  
  
• Sin loses its power because your love is captured elsewhere.
  
  

Spurgeon Quote (used by Coleton)

“Jesus loved you when you lived carelessly… when you were hiding your every sin… even when you were at hell’s gate… Think of His great love towards you… and your love will grow.”

Why Other Commands Aren’t “Most Important”

Because all of them grow out of the soil of love for God.
 Love is the tree—everything else is fruit.

3. What This Means for Our Church

Coleton gives a strong pastoral warning:
 Churches die not because culture changes or neighborhoods shift.
 Churches die when they stop loving Jesus.

Revelation 2 Revisited

Jesus says to Ephesus:

“If you do not repent, I will remove your lampstand.”

Meaning: I will remove your church.
 Not Satan. Not culture.
 Jesus Himself.

Why?
 Because a church that doesn’t love Jesus can’t represent Jesus.

A church that doesn’t love Him…

• Won’t love people the way He does.
  
  
• Won’t reflect His character.
  
  
• Won’t look like Him.
  
  
• Won’t be shaped into His image.
  
  
• Won’t show the world what God is like.
  
  

Coleton’s Burden

He described visiting dying churches—churches with excuses:

• “The neighborhood changed.”
  
  
• “Young people don’t want church.”
  
  
• “Culture is too secular.”
  
  

No.
 The lampstand was removed.

He says: “I do not want us to be a church He removes.”
 We cannot simply be a church that does many things for God.
 We must be a church that loves God.

4. How Do We Grow in Love for God?

Jesus tells Ephesus:

“Do the things you did at first.” — Revelation 2:5

Coleton’s Example: Relearning Love

Three years into their relationship, he and Rainey “fell out of love.”
 Counselor’s advice:

“Go do the things you did at first.”

Jesus says the same:
 Return to:

• The places you prayed.
  
  
• The songs that once moved you.
  
  
• The Scriptures that once awakened your heart.
  
  
• The memories of grace that once fueled your love.
  
  
• The habits you had when your heart was alive.
  
  

What Were You Doing When You First Loved Him?

Coleton gave examples:

• Marveling that He forgave you.
  
  
• Tears during worship songs.
  
  
• Hours in Scripture.
  
  
• Memorizing verses.
  
  
• Sharing the gospel with everyone.
  
  
• Private prayer retreats.
  
  
• Celebrating your spiritual birthday.
  
  
• Teaching or serving with joy.
  
  
• Returning to the place where you first believed.
  
  

Biblical Foundation

1 John 4:19

“We love because He first loved us.”

Love grows by remembering His love toward you.

Conclusion

The most important thing to God is not that you serve Him, work for Him, or perform for Him.
 He wants your heart. He wants your love.

Ask Him:

• “Remind me of who I was when You saved me.”
  
  
• “Help me love You again the way I once did.”
  
  
• “Grow my love for You this year more than last year.”
  
  

And as love grows, life follows.

Discipleship Group Questions

1. When you think about what God wants most from you, what is your instinctive answer—and how does Jesus’ teaching challenge that?
   
   
2. Can you identify a time in your life when your love for God felt stronger or more alive? What were you doing in that season?
   
   
3. Which “good works” in your life are you tempted to mistake for love? How can you reorder them so they flow from affection instead of obligation?
   
   
4. What first steps can you take this week to “do the things you did at first”?
   
   
5. How would our church change if our primary goal became loving Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength?