Do You Know Him? | Pastor Derek Williams

Mar 30, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of a Personal Invitation to Life

An invitation to church is more than just an offer of a seat in a service. It is an invitation to experience the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. This invitation holds the key to true life and eternal life, a discovery too wonderful to keep to oneself. It is an opportunity to extend hope to those who feel hopeless and to share the greatest news one could ever receive. This is the profound opportunity set before every believer. [00:34]

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:16 NIV)

Reflection: Who is one person in your life that God has placed on your heart to invite into a life-changing encounter with Jesus? What is one specific, loving action you can take this week to extend that invitation beyond just a church service?

Day 2: Moving from Fear to Faith in Sharing

Fear is often the greatest barrier to sharing the hope we have in Christ. This fear can be rooted in a feeling of being unqualified, insecure, or afraid of rejection. Yet, the love of Jesus has the power to transform us from the inside out, changing how we are so we can effectively share His love with others. The call to share the gospel is not based on our own perfection, but on His transformative power working within us. [02:19]

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV)

Reflection: What is one specific fear that has held you back from sharing your faith, and how can you prayerfully surrender that fear to God this week to step forward in His power and love?

Day 3: The Urgent Need for Your Own Story

A relationship with Jesus is not about borrowed faith or secondhand knowledge; it is about a personal, transformative encounter. It is possible to be close to the church and its community while still being far from a genuine relationship with Christ. The most important question is not what others say about Jesus, but who you say He is and what He has done in your life personally. [19:08]

He said to them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16 ESV)

Reflection: If someone were to ask you, “What is your story with Jesus?” what would you say? How has your personal encounter with Him specifically changed your heart and your life?

Day 4: The Resurrection Power Living in You

Easter celebrates the historical event of Christ's resurrection, but it is also a present reality for every believer. The same immense power that raised Jesus from the dead is not a distant force but lives within you. This power is available to rewrite your story, to heal your brokenness, and to give you a brand new life that starts now and extends into eternity. [10:55]

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. (Romans 8:11 NIV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to more fully access and rely on the resurrection power of Christ that is already living within you?

Day 5: Surrendering Your Old Story for a New One

Following Jesus requires a full surrender, a decent burial of your old life and old story. This is not about God patching up your old life, but about Him giving you an entirely new one. When you surrender everything to Him, you will find that He always gives you something far better in return. This means trusting on Him completely, not just believing in Him, and intertwining your life with His. [25:13]

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23 ESV)

Reflection: What part of your “old story” are you still holding onto that God is asking you to surrender so you can fully embrace the new life He has for you?

Sermon Summary

Do you know him? The message opens by urging the power of a simple invitation—inviting someone not merely to a building but to encounter the life-changing love of Jesus, especially during Holy Week. The urgency of that invitation contrasts with common excuses: fear, insecurity, and a mistaken sense of abundance of time. Eternal realities demand boldness, and salvation flows from gratitude for transformation rather than fear of punishment. Growth in Christ requires intentional discipleship: walking life together, modeling faith, and following trusted footsteps so that others can learn by imitation as well as instruction.

Proximity to church does not equal relationship with Christ. Many people know about Jesus without knowing him intimately; some hold wrong ideas about him shaped by culture and scandal; others possess a real, personal story of radical change. The resurrection does more than secure future hope—it empowers present transformation. The same Spirit that raised Christ lives in believers, available now to rewrite life trajectories and break cycles of regret, addiction, and guilt.

Personal testimony illustrates the pattern: outward religiosity can mask an inner void until a genuine encounter catalyzes surrender. Surrender looks like burying the old life, trusting Jesus fully, and letting God reshape identity and choices. Trust differs from mere intellectual assent; it means intertwining life with Christ, moving in sync with him rather than trying to balance life alone. Illustration of a tightrope crossing dramatizes that kind of dependence—being part of Christ’s life requires holding on with everything, not a casual belief.

Practical steps follow: make faith personal rather than borrowed, let go of the dead past, and trust Jesus with all of life. Palm Sunday offers a sober warning that public praise can exist without true surrender; crowds can cheer a Savior who meets preferences yet reject him when he reorders life. The final call invites those who lack a real story to respond now—choose relationship, receive resurrection power, and begin to tell a transformed story that points others to Jesus.

Key Takeaways

1. Invite people to real encounters Personal invitations carry spiritual weight because they offer access to relationship, not just attendance. Inviting someone to sit beside and hear about Jesus opens the door for a personal story to begin; relational moments convert information into encounter. Small acts of hospitality often become the context where resurrection power touches ordinary lives. [00:34]
2. Let love, not fear, motivate Following Jesus flows from transformed affection rather than terror of consequences. When love fuels obedience, holiness grows out of gratitude and restoration instead of transactional bargains. That posture sustains long-term faithfulness and genuine witness to others. [02:19]
3. Discipleship is lived, not lectured Discipleship happens by shared journeys—walking alongside someone, modeling Christlike steps, and inviting imitation. Books and classes help, but spiritual formation mainly transmits through relationship and example. Intentional accompaniment shapes habits, character, and destination. [07:11]
4. Resurrection power rewrites stories The same Spirit that raised Christ empowers believers to leave dead patterns and gain new identity now. Resurrection is not just future promise; it transforms present behavior, hope, and purpose, making a brand-new life possible. This power demands surrender and produces witness. [10:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:34] - The power of an invitation
[01:46] - Why people stay silent
[03:46] - Serve from love, not fear
[06:45] - Discipleship is lived
[08:09] - What's your story?
[13:26] - A life that checked boxes
[17:03] - Youth camp encounter
[20:11] - Three types of stories
[24:13] - Bury the old life
[26:06] - Trust, not just belief
[30:04] - Palm Sunday: praise vs. surrender
[32:03] - Invitation to respond and pray

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Romans 8:11 (NIV)
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

Observation questions

According to the passage, what specific power is available to believers and where does it reside?
What does the sermon identify as the "miracle of Easter" that goes beyond a future hope? [10:55]
What are the three types of stories people have in relation to Jesus, as mentioned in the sermon? [20:11]
What instruction does Romans 8 give regarding a person's "old life"? [25:13]

Interpretation questions

The sermon states that resurrection power is not just for the future but rewrites our present stories. What does it mean for the same Spirit that raised Christ to be actively rewriting a person's life today?
The illustration of the tightrope walker asks people to believe on him, not just in him. What is the practical difference between believing in Jesus and believing on Jesus in a person's daily life? [26:06]
The sermon warns that it's possible to celebrate Jesus, like the crowd on Palm Sunday, without being surrendered to him. What does true surrender look like, and how is it different from mere celebration or praise? [30:04]
Why is a "borrowed faith" or "secondhand faith" insufficient for a genuine relationship with Christ? [20:57]

Application questions

If the same power that raised Christ lives in you, what is one "dead pattern" or cycle of regret that this power could help you break free from starting this week?
The power of a personal invitation was emphasized as offering access to a relationship, not just an event. Who is one person you could invite not just to a service, but into your journey, and what is one fear you need to let go of to extend that invitation? [00:34]
Discipleship is described as being "more caught than taught" through shared life journeys. Who is someone you are walking alongside to show them how to follow Christ, and who is someone further along that you are intentionally following? [07:11]
The sermon asks, "What's your story?" If someone asked you what the greatest thing Jesus has done in your life, what would your honest, personal answer be right now? [08:09]
The call to "bury the old life" means giving it a decent funeral and moving on. What part of your "old story" have you been dragging around that you need to consciously let go of and trust God to replace with something new? [25:13]
Trusting on Jesus means intertwining your life with his and moving in sync with him. In what specific area are you currently trying to "balance on your own" instead of clinging tightly to Him and looking Him in the eyes? [28:21]
The resurrection power of Jesus is meant to produce a witness. How could your story, once rewritten, be used to point someone else toward Jesus this Easter season?

Sermon Clips

28s

#ResurrectionPower

“What? Just because you aren't accessing it doesn't mean you don't have it. Think about it. The same power that defeated death, the same power that rolled the stone away from the front of that tomb, the same power that resurrected him back to life, that's available to you, but not just available. It's living in you and in the life of every believer. And that, my friends, is the miracle of Easter.”

25s

#ServedByLove

“And I wanna say this clearly. I don't serve Jesus because I'm afraid of hell. I serve Jesus because he saved me, because he transformed my life. He he gave me hope, and he restored my heart when it was completely broken. He set me free from things that had held me bound for my entire life. So I'm a Christian because of the love of Jesus, not because of fear.”

29s

#YourStorySaves

“What is your story, and what is it telling people who are watching it now? Because somebody's eternity could be just connected to your moments of obedience and following Jesus because they're watching you. They're watching you live out your story. Because next week's Easter. And hopefully, you're gonna invite somebody to come with you. And when they come, they don't just need a seat, they need a savior.”

23s

#WhatsYourStory

“So here's the question I want you to wrestle with today. What's your story? You ever heard somebody come up to you and say, what's your story? Not what's your job, not what's your background, Not what is your greatest accomplishment in life? And you you start spitting off your highlight reels. I'm talking about what has Jesus done in your life?”

23s

#PowerOfInvitation

“But the power of the invitation that when you extend it to someone and invite them to come to church with you is the most powerful thing that a human can encounter as an invitation, not just to come to church, but to experience the life changing power of Jesus Christ. Because as Christians, we hold the key. The key to life, and most importantly, the key to eternal life.”

24s

#MakeItPersonal

“He doesn't erase your past. He rewrites your future. And he gives you a hope. So how do you get your own story, you might ask? Well, number one, gotta make it personal. It's gotta be your story. And it doesn't come from church attendance. It's about relationship. Because Jesus isn't asking you to check any boxes today. He wants you, a relationship with you. You've gotta make it personal.”

28s

#LetGoLiveNew

“And get on with living your new life. You know why some of your life stinks today? Because you're dragging around the old stinky dead carcass of your past. And Jesus is saying, have a funeral for the thing. Let it go. That's not you anymore. I came to give you a new life. So let go of your old story. Because to follow Jesus means you gotta surrender everything. And you say, woah, everything? Yeah.”

27s

#MoreThanProximity

“And the truth is you can't be you can be close to the church, but still be far from Jesus. Because proximity to the Lord isn't the same as having a relationship with the Lord. And I'm praying that life change would be experienced by every person in this room today. That when people are invited to our church, it's not just an invitation to church. It's an invitation to find true joy, true life.”

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Do You Know Him? | Pastor Derek Williams

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of a Personal Invitation to Life

Day 2: Moving from Fear to Faith in Sharing

Day 3: The Urgent Need for Your Own Story

Day 4: The Resurrection Power Living in You

Day 5: Surrendering Your Old Story for a New One

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Do You Know Him? | Pastor Derek Williams

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