Praise Jesus the Worthy and Faithful One

Is faith meant to be private or public? This powerful sermon from Luke 3 answers with conviction: Faith may be personal, but it’s never meant to be private. Through the bold ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus’ own public baptism, we are confronted with a call to step out of moderation and into mission.

The message opens with the question of how reasonable, sensible Christianity has shaped many believers into people who are spiritually lukewarm—safe, polite, and passionless. But when John the Baptist cried out in the wilderness, and when Jesus stepped into the Jordan, they weren’t being careful—they were being completely surrendered. And so should we.

Jesus’ baptism wasn’t about repentance—He was sinless. It was about:

Willingness to obey the Father’s perfect plan.

Identification with the broken people He came to save.

Public declaration of His mission and the life He calls us into.

We’re reminded that moderate, privatized faith is not the kind that turns the world upside down. Like John and the early disciples, we’re called to be witnesses—not just of Jesus’ teachings, but of His presence, power, and purpose in our lives.

This message also gives a piercing warning from Revelation 3 about lukewarm Christianity, especially in affluent, educated places like North Dallas. Just like Laodicea, we risk becoming spiritually ineffective if we mistake comfort for godliness. But there’s a better way—a Spirit-filled, Scripture-rooted, publicly declared kind of life that points not to us, but to Jesus.

Whether you’ve gone silent in your faith, settled into spiritual routines, or just need a reminder of the Gospel’s urgency, this message calls you back to boldness. It’s time to stop being reasonable. The world needs a Church that’s alive with the fire of the Holy Spirit—and unwilling to stay quiet about it.