Families that Follow Jesus, Week 3 - May 17, 2026

May 17, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Sword in the Junkyard

James stood waist-deep in water, confessing Christ before the church. Like the pastor’s junkyard BMW analogy, baptism declares God’s power to create new life from chaos. The world laughs at resurrection hope, but Jesus transforms explosions into engines of grace. [21:12]

God’s Word dismantles lies. When professors mock creation or culture distorts truth, Scripture remains your anchor. It’s not a theory—it’s the sword that pierced darkness at Calvary.

You face junkyard moments this week—situations that seem random or hopeless. Wield Proverbs 3:5-6 like a dagger when confusion strikes. Where does your reaction to chaos most need Scripture’s reshaping?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6, NKJV)

Prayer: Ask God to reveal one area where you’ve relied on human logic over His Word.
Challenge: Read Proverbs 3 aloud before bed tonight.

Day 2: Under New Influence

The disciples trembled until Pentecost’s fire hit them. Like Ephesians 5:18’s drunkard analogy, the Spirit changes speech and direction. Graduates swapping parental guidance for Holy Ghost GPS aren’t losing support—they’re gaining turbocharged faith. [59:49]

Mercy and truth around your neck aren’t jewelry—they’re life preservers. The Spirit doesn’t make you weird; He makes you Christlike. His fruit outlasts frat-house highs.

Your social media feed, group chats, and solo decisions show who’s influencing you. When tempted to numb stress with lesser things, choose Spirit-fueled worship. What habit needs replacing with Holy Ghost dependence?

“Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.”
(Ephesians 5:18, NKJV)

Prayer: Confess one area where you’ve sought control instead of Spirit-filling.
Challenge: Text a friend Galatians 5:22-23 before noon.

Day 3: GPS for the God-Hungry

Solomon didn’t request roadmaps—he begged for wisdom’s next turn. God’s guidance works like live navigation: He reroutes you past dead ends and traffic jams of self-effort. [01:07:27]

Proverbs 3:6 isn’t about avoiding wrong exits—it’s about trusting the Navigator when detours come. Your transcript may not show your dream major, but His path still leads to purpose.

You’re facing a “half-mile decision”—a choice where only the next step is clear. Obedience in the small turn unlocks the next mile marker. What current obedience is God using to prepare you for unseen roads?

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
(Psalm 119:105, NKJV)

Prayer: Thank God for three past times He redirected you.
Challenge: Write “Proverbs 3:6” on your phone’s lock screen.

Day 4: Tattoos of Mercy

Ancient Jews bound phylacteries to their arms; God says etch mercy and truth on your heart. These aren’t temporary stickers—they’re permanent markers of identity. Like James’ public baptism, your Christ-tethered heart wears grace inked deep. [58:49]

Favor follows the branded. When employers spot “merch” stamped on your work ethic or roommates see “truth” in your loyalty, they glimpse God’s trademark.

Your neck carries invisible chains—either the world’s expectations or Christ’s easy yoke. What daily ritual could imprint Scripture’s promises more permanently than any social media post?

“Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”
(Proverbs 3:3, NKJV)

Prayer: Confess where you’ve prioritized others’ approval over God’s truth.
Challenge: Write one verse on a sticky note and place it on your bathroom mirror.

Day 5: Graduation Altar Call

Twelve graduates stood as the church stormed heaven. Like Peter walking on water, their next steps require eyes fixed on Jesus—not diplomas. Commissioning isn’t farewell; it’s fuel for the God-sent assignment. [01:10:45]

Your “altar” might be a dorm room, office, or hospital bed. Wherever Christ sends you, the church’s prayers form guardrails against hell’s potholes.

You’re part of a relay race—receiving faith from spiritual ancestors and passing it to Gen Z. Who needs your text, call, or coffee invite to keep running their race?

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together.”
(Hebrews 10:24-25, NKJV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one person needing encouragement today.
Challenge: Call a mentor within the next 2 hours.

Sermon Summary

We celebrate a new life buried with Christ and raised to walk in newness, and we hold this moment as a family call to follow Jesus across every season. We commit ourselves to Proverbs 3 as a practical roadmap: build lives on God’s Word, depend on the Holy Spirit, and seek God in prayer. We pack Scripture into our next steps, refusing the pause button culture that invites students and adults to drift; instead we push forward into faith communities, daily Bible reading, and using the Word as our defense. We choose Proverbs as a handbook of daily wisdom, reading a proverb a day to translate sacred truth into ordinary choices.

We shift dependence from parents or self to the Spirit, asking to be filled rather than filled with lesser influences. When the Holy Spirit guides speech, conduct, and decisions, favor and anointing follow in ways nothing else can purchase. We practice spiritual dependence so God’s hand rests on our work, relationships, and future opportunities. We also commit to asking for wisdom and direction through prayer, bringing helplessness before God and trusting him to make our paths straight. God often provides turn-by-turn guidance rather than a full map; faithful obedience to the next clear step reveals God’s direction for the step after that.

We aim for both quality and quantity of life: Scripture promises long days and peace when we build on its foundation. Peace comes amid anxiety and comparison when we yield to the Prince of Peace, and favor arrives as we live under Spirit-led influence. We refuse the danger of climbing ladders that lead to hollow success; instead we seek work and choices that win God’s glory. We send graduates out with a commissioning to trust God, read the Word, rely on the Spirit, and pray for wisdom so daily decisions align with God’s purposes. We surround graduates with prayer and ask God to use this season to bring many to know Jesus, so families thrive rather than merely survive.

Key Takeaways

1. Commit to Scripture daily Read the Bible as a life framework, not occasional inspiration. Reading the whole counsel of God trains judgment, shapes desires, and equips us to answer lies with truth. Regular engagement transforms abstract doctrine into immediate help for relationships, work, and doubts. [48:05]
2. Live under the Spirit’s influence Choose dependence on the Holy Spirit over self-reliance or cultural pressures. Being Spirit-led changes speech, choices, and the direction of opportunity in ways that human effort cannot manufacture. Favor and anointing follow consistent surrender, producing fruit that marks Jesus’ presence. [58:23]
3. Pray for wisdom and direction Approach decisions with desperate dependence, asking God for discernment rather than clearer plans from ourselves. Prayer invites God to provide the next step, not always the full map, so obeying a single prompt often reveals what comes next. This turn-by-turn reliance trains trust and prevents aimless striving. [63:28]
4. Prioritize God’s purposes over success Measure life by God’s glory rather than worldly achievement or status. Success without alignment to God’s will empties the soul; pursuing God-centered aims invests days with eternal significance. Choosing Jesus’ way reorders ambition into stewardship that blesses others and honors God. [71:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[20:37] - Baptism Celebration
[21:12] - Baptism Proclamation
[43:17] - Graduates Leading Worship
[44:03] - Reading Proverbs 3
[44:33] - Series: Families That Follow Jesus
[48:05] - Practice 1: Commit to Scripture
[58:23] - Practice 2: Depend on the Spirit
[62:26] - Practice 3: Seek God in Prayer
[67:27] - God’s GPS: Turn-by-Turn Guidance
[69:57] - Commissioning Graduates in Prayer
[71:10] - Charge: Trust God and Go
[79:32] - Closing Prayer and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Proverbs 3:1-6 (ESV)
1 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, 2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Observation Questions

What three practices does Proverbs 3:1-6 emphasize, and what specific promises are attached to them?
The sermon mentions that "God’s GPS" works through "turn-by-turn guidance" rather than a full map. What example from the sermon illustrates this idea? [01:07:27]
According to the sermon, what are two practical ways to "use the Word victoriously" in daily life? [54:58]
How does Proverbs 3:3 connect the ideas of "steadfast love and faithfulness" to outward favor and success?

Interpretation Questions

Why does Proverbs 3:5 command us to avoid leaning on our own understanding and pair it with trusting God "with all your heart"? How might these two actions work together?
The sermon warns against "climbing ladders that lead to hollow success." How does Proverbs 3:4 redefine "good success" in a way that challenges cultural definitions?
The pastor compares spiritual dependence to GPS navigation. How does this metaphor help explain the relationship between obedience and discernment in Proverbs 3:6? [01:07:27]
What does it mean to "bind [steadfast love and faithfulness] around your neck" (Proverbs 3:3) in a modern context? How might this look different for a student versus a working parent?

Application Questions

The sermon challenges listeners to "read one Proverb a day." What is one practical step you could take to consistently engage with Scripture this week, and what obstacle might you need to address to make it happen? [53:52]
Where are you most tempted to rely on "self-reliance or cultural pressures" instead of the Holy Spirit’s guidance? What would it look like to pause and ask for the Spirit’s help in that area today? [58:23]
The pastor said, "Success without alignment to God’s will empties the soul." What current goal or ambition in your life needs to be reexamined for alignment with God’s purposes? [01:11:37]
When facing a decision, how can you practice "turn-by-turn reliance" (praying for the next step instead of demanding a full plan)? Share a recent situation where this approach could have changed your response. [01:03:28]
The sermon warns against letting "comparison on social media" fuel anxiety. What specific habit or boundary could you adopt to prioritize the "peace" promised in Proverbs 3:2?
The pastor urged graduates to "find a church where the Word is preached faithfully." If you relocated tomorrow, what non-negotiable qualities would you look for in a church community? [54:25]
Identify one area where you’ve tried to "engineer" favor or success through human effort. How might surrendering that area to the Holy Spirit’s influence shift your daily choices? [01:01:16]

Sermon Clips

46s

#SayYesToGod

“But usually, am I right adults? Usually God doesn't give us every single point of our journey. Usually it looks more like in the spiritual life something like this, proceed half a mile and turn right. And then once you respond and obey that command then and only then does God give you what's next. And for some of you this morning, you're like God I wanna know where I'm going. I wanna know where all this is headed. And God's like you just, the secret to the Christian life is just to continue to say yes when I lead. Just say yes. Because if he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all.”

33s

#ChooseChristNow

“I've been doing this a long time now guys. I've never had one student in all of my days as pastor or in student ministry ever come back to me and say, you know what pastor? I wish I would smoked a little bit more. Wish I would have drank a little bit more. Wish I would have partied a little bit more. Wish I would slept around a little bit more. But I've had many come back to me and say, know what, I would have I wish I would have come to Christ sooner. Man, I wish I would have not wasted time because the devil always over promises and he always under delivers.”

31s

#LiveForGodNotFame

“To the graduates, wanna say one other thing. Trust God and go where he leads. The purpose of your life is not to do what you wanted to make a name for yourself. The purpose of your life is to do what God wants so that he gets glory. Many people climb the ladder of success to get to the top only to realize they've climbed climbed the wrong ladder. The danger of life is not to fail. The danger of life is to succeed in things that don't really matter.”

34s

#PeaceThroughHisWord

“And our God promises that if you build your life upon the word of God that he will give you peace. The prince of peace will give you peace. Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and listen to me and learn from me for I'm gentle in heart. You'll find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Do not be anxious about anything but in everything with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your request to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen?”

36s

#GodsGPS

“God usually works more like a GPS than he does a whole map. You say, do I mean by that pastor? Usually our God works by turn by turns instructions. How many of you guys when you when you press a place in to your map you like to pull it out. Like to see the whole route. You like to see every road. You like to see the whole journey. You like to see everything. You like to see all the details. Anybody? Yes. Y'all control freaks, man. Y'all don't trust your GPS? No, I'm just kidding. I like doing the same thing.”

33s

#FastForwardFaith

“The world students will tell you to go away to college or go away to career and sow your wild oats, live it up. Press the pause button on your faith. One day you might can come back to Jesus. I would say instead of hitting the pause button in your life, hit the fast forward button. Get involved in BCM, get involved in FCA, go on mission trips. Use this time to move forward in your faith, not backwards.”

32s

#SeekGodForDirection

“All of your major life decisions are still ahead of you man. I I don't know and and not just the graduates but but many of us this morning man. I I don't know the move that I'm supposed to make next. I don't know who I'm supposed to date. I don't know who I'm supposed to to marry. I don't know where I'm supposed to work. I I I don't know. I'm trying to figure it out. I'm trying to piece it together but but I don't know. And God says that when we, when we seek him in this manner, he promises to give us direction and discernment and clarity.”

30s

#InvestYourLifeForGod

“If you practice this, God promises this. If you build your life upon the word of God, then our God promises to give you both quality and quantity of life. I'll give you years to your life but I'll give you life to your years. You don't have to worry about just wasting your life on something. Amen? But I don't know about you, I don't wanna waste my life. I want my life to matter. I don't wanna spend my life. I don't wanna waste my life. I wanna invest my life in things that matter.”

35s

#AllInForGod

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. Amen. Man, that's it. In good times and in bad times trust in the Lord. When things don't make sense, you don't get the grades you want, you don't get the job you want and life doesn't turn out like you thought it would, trust in the Lord. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don't serve him half hearted, go all in for God.”

40s

#GenZAnxiety

“He promises peace. You know what? We don't have any in America in 2026. We don't have any peace. You know this this this group that just walked across the stage is called Gen Z. Did you realize that in Gen Z forty two to forty seven percent of everybody in gen z struggles with depression or anxiety? If you don't believe me ask any teacher. Any teacher. Anxiety is the word of the day. It's comparison on social media. It's it's it's the it's the instability of our of our world and it's causing massive anxiety.”

46s

#PackTheWord

“You're gonna be packing a lot of stuff up, know. You're gonna be packing your clothes and you're gonna be packing so many things and and filling up and and heading out and and moving on but make sure that when you pack up, you don't forget to pack the word of God. Because for for many of you, you're gonna arrive on a college campus and you're gonna run into a professor there. I've talked to so many parents and so many grandparents over the years whose kids walked across stages just like this. They got to college and a professor there met them whose goal was to try to destroy their faith.”

45s

#AbsoluteSurrender

“In real time, here's what it looks like graduates. As you as you move from this place, as you go to this place, Millbrook, this is what it looks like. On our faces before God an absolute surrender. An absolute dependence and an absolute trust. To say Lord, if I try to do this in my own strength and my own power, I will make a mess of it. I am desperate for and I am completely dependent on you. Instead of trying harder, I'm gonna trust more. I'm gonna be still and know that you're that you are God. Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”

27s

#DailyDependence

“trusted you with it yesterday but I think I can take it from here today and so it's a daily thing of committing ourselves to the word of God. It's a daily thing of dependence upon the holy spirit of God and it's a daily thing of seeking God in prayer so that we can get the wisdom and the guidance and the direction we need for that day. Your word is a lamp into my feet and a light into my path. It doesn't give us the whole thing, it gives us just enough light to take the next step that God's calling us to.”

23s

#ReadGodsLoveLetter

“I wanna challenge you. Read God's love letter. Read God's Word from cover to cover. Man, I don't know about you but I don't wanna get to heaven one day and stand before God and declare before God that I never took time to read his precious love letter that he took time to get to me. Amen. Adults, I want to challenge you. If you've never read God's word from cover to cover, if not, why not?”

22s

#GuardYourSpeech

“And we all struggle with different things. Let's just suppose man, you struggle with your language man. I'm trying to live out my life, I'm trying to live out my faith but man, I I I get out there and I say things that I don't want to say. I I struggle with my language. Use the sword of the spirit. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight. Oh God, my rock and my redeemer.”

31s

#CommitToTheWord

“Parents, we've gotta seize these moments to to follow Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Practice number practice number one to our graduates this morning and to all of us is commit yourself to the word of God. Commit yourself to the word of God. God's word says, do not forget my law. Don't forget my word. High school graduates, as you as you leave to your college or you leave to go into your career, don't forget about the word of God.”

29s

#SeekAndBeDirected

“And the bible says that when we do that, when we desperately seek God in total and desperate desperation and dependence on him and request his power and resources to do in and through our lives what only he can do, He promises spiritual guidance and spiritual discernment. Look at it. And he will direct your paths. Literally, will make your paths straight and that's important to you graduates right now because a lot of you guys, man, you don't know what you're supposed to be doing.”

34s

#ObeyTheNextStep

“And for somebody, you're looking for new instructions when you didn't obey the last thing God told you to do. You're trying to get over here and God said no, you missed a you missed a turn back here and we can't do, we can't go any farther until you get that turn right. And for graduates this morning, listen to me, it's usually just doing the next thing that God says to do and when you when you do what God tells you to do, then he'll give you more instructions as you depend daily upon the holy spirit. But it is daily, right? Because if you're like me, then you give it to God and then the next day you pick it up for yourself.”

41s

#BeFilledWithTheSpirit

“The practice that God wants to get is to depend upon, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians five eighteen is a famous verse that says, do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery but be filled with what? The Holy Spirit. Man, let's be honest man. All of us know what it looks like to be filled with wine. I bet you I bet you know somebody that has been filled with wine. Here's the thing about alcohol. When you're when you're filled with it, when you're under the influence of it, you talk different. You act different.”

46s

#FindAFaithfulChurch

“Listen, you graduates man, get some of you guys are going out. You're not in Aiken. You're leaving this place and in this new season or or maybe you're transferred from work. Listen, regardless of the case, wherever God leads you in this life, wherever God takes you in this life, find you a church where the word of God is proclaimed faithfully. Find a place where the man of God stands up with the word of God, filled with the spirit of God to deliver the message of God, to accomplish the will of God for the glory of God. And then finally, on point one. Use this word victoriously.”

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What practices lead families to follow Jesus

How does dependence on the Holy Spirit look

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Families that Follow Jesus, Week 3 - May 17, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Sword in the Junkyard

Day 2: Under New Influence

Day 3: GPS for the God-Hungry

Day 4: Tattoos of Mercy

Day 5: Graduation Altar Call

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Families that Follow Jesus, Week 3 - May 17, 2026

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