BIG STORY S3E1: Birth, Life, and Ministry of Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting God in the silence and the darkness.

It can be difficult to hold onto faith when God feels distant and silent. The long stretches of history where God did not speak remind us that His presence is not always felt in dramatic ways. Yet, His faithfulness remains constant even when we cannot perceive it. Our call is to trust the character of God we know from His past actions, even in our present seasons of uncertainty. Cling to what was revealed in the light when you find yourself in the dark. [01:10:24]

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.” (Psalm 77:11 ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific truth about God’s character that you knew to be true in a season of spiritual clarity, but now find harder to believe in your current season? How can you actively choose to remember that truth this week?

Day 2: Recognizing God when He looks different than we expect.

It is possible to be so focused on our own expectations that we miss God’s actual work among us. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day anticipated a political liberator and thus failed to recognize the humble servant-Messiah. God often works in ways that defy our human categories and preferences. He calls us to see His hand at work in the unexpected and the unfamiliar, rather than confining Him to our limited understanding. [01:10:56]

“He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” (Isaiah 53:2b ESV)

Reflection: Where in your life might you be missing God’s presence or activity because it looks different than you expected? Is there a person or situation you have dismissed that God may be using in an unexpected way?

Day 3: Resisting the temptation to control God’s story.

Human nature constantly tempts us to seize control and become the authors of our own lives, just as Satan tempted Jesus to bypass the Father’s plan. We are often tempted by shortcuts that offer glory without sacrifice. True faith surrenders the pen to God, allowing Him to write our stories in His timing and His way. This means trusting His process, even when it involves difficulty or waiting. [01:01:21]

“And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’” (Matthew 26:39 ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are currently trying to maintain control, rather than surrendering it to God’s authorship? What would it look like to prayerfully release that area to Him today?

Day 4: Jesus, the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

The entire biblical story points toward a ultimate solution to the problem of sin and death. Jesus is revealed as the perfect Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice is sufficient for all people for all time. His identity as the Lamb of God means that forgiveness and freedom are found solely in Him, not through our own efforts or obedience. This is the heart of the good news for a world in captivity. [55:56]

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29 ESV)

Reflection: In what ways do you still try to earn God’s approval or manage your own sin, instead of resting in the finished work of the Lamb? How can you move from self-reliance to reliance on Christ today?

Day 5: Making Jesus the king of your daily life.

The cry of “Hosanna!” is an invitation for Jesus to be King. This declaration is not just for a celebratory day but for every moment of every day. It means dethroning ourselves and our desires and submitting to His loving rule in the mundane details of our existence. His kingship transforms our commutes, our work, our relationships, and our errands into arenas of worship. [01:13:50]

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9 ESV)

Reflection: As you consider the ordinary routines of your week ahead—your work, your chores, your interactions—what would it look like to practically acknowledge Jesus as King in those specific moments?

Sermon Summary

Baptism functions as a public declaration of allegiance to Jesus, symbolizing death, burial, and resurrection and signaling a visible commitment to follow Christ. Palm Sunday anchors the narrative: the Bible reads as one grand story that begins with Adam and Eve removing God from the equation, which brings death and brokenness, and continues through the covenant line—Abraham, Jacob, Judah—into slavery in Egypt, the Exodus under Moses, the judges, the rise and fall of kings, exile, prophetic promise, and ultimately four hundred silent years. The prophets point toward a descendant from Bethlehem who will reverse humanity’s curse, and that promise arrives in an unexpected way: a baby born to Mary, raised in humility, and recognized by John the Baptist as the “Lamb of God.”

John’s baptism prepares the way, and Jesus steps into public life by submitting to baptism, receiving the Spirit, and facing a forty-day wilderness test. Satan deploys the same three tactics used since Eden—lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life—tempting Jesus to shortcut the cross. Jesus refuses every offer, thereby refusing to jettison God’s timing or mission. The ministry that follows demonstrates authority over nature, sickness, demons, and death—signs that the long-awaited serpent-crusher has come, yet he acts in ways that unsettled expectations about power and kingship.

Popularity swells as miracles and teachings spread; polarity sharpens as religious and political authorities fear disruption. A climactic scene unfolds in Jerusalem: raising Lazarus magnifies the scandal, the triumphal entry on a donkey fulfills prophecy, and the temple cleansing confronts corrupt power—moves that both elate the crowds and provoke deadly opposition. Recurrent patterns emerge: God speaks in surprising ways, God’s deliverer arrives on God’s timetable, and God often uses vulnerability and refusal rather than force to accomplish redemption.

The story culminates in an invitation to trust God in silence, to recognize God’s unexpected work among the marginalized, and to yield personal thrones so Jesus may reign. Worship that seeks control or a shortcut misunderstands the narrative arc that moves from exile to freedom by way of sacrificial love. The script calls for remembered truths during spiritual highs, endurance during the dark, and a willingness to let God author life on God’s terms.

Key Takeaways

1. Trust God in the silence Trust the convictions formed in seasons of clarity when darkness arrives. Spiritual assurance does not evaporate because feeling fades; memory anchored in Scripture and past encounters becomes the faithful compass in doubt. Practicing obedience in small, unseen ways sustains readiness for future calling rather than demanding immediate revelation. [70:24]
2. Avoid missing God’s unexpected work Expectations become filters that hide divine action when it looks different than imagined. God often moves through humility, weakness, and outsiders—places faith tends to ignore—so missing God usually reveals more about a heart’s preferences than about God’s absence. Cultivating curiosity toward unlikely people and places trains eyes to recognize kingdom signs beyond cultural assumptions. [70:56]
3. Recognize Satan’s recurring tactics Temptation recycles three core appeals: bodily desire, alluring vision, and self-exaltation; these combine to pressure shortcuts around suffering and sacrifice. Identifying these patterns disarms their disguise as legitimate alternatives and exposes how timing and obedience matter more than immediate advantage. Spiritual growth centers less on novel temptations than on refusing the familiar lies more consistently. [58:10]
4. Crown Jesus king of life Yielding personal thrones to Christ reorders daily priorities from self-governed agendas to covenantal loyalty. Making Jesus king means testing routine choices—work, commerce, friendships—by whether they submit to his reign rather than only claiming allegiance in worship moments. Real sovereignty manifests in mundane contexts where identity, not ritual, determines allegiance. [73:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[16:41] - Baptism and public identification
[17:37] - Affirmation of faith and baptismal vow
[30:37] - Palm Sunday context and Holy Week
[31:43] - Community announcements: jobs and daycare
[36:10] - Introducing the Bible’s big story
[39:15] - From Egypt to the promised land
[44:02] - Birth narratives and prophetic fulfillment
[49:46] - Flight to Egypt and return
[52:26] - Baptism, Spirit, and wilderness temptation
[63:24] - Ministry: miracles and authority
[68:46] - Triumphal entry and temple cleansing
[70:24] - Practical takeaways for faith
[73:50] - Closing invitations and announcements

Bible Study Guide

Based on the sermon summary and transcript, here is a Bible study discussion guide.

Bible Reading
Matthew 4:1-11 (ESV)
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and were ministering to him.

Observation questions

According to the passage, what were the three specific temptations Jesus faced from the devil in the wilderness?
What pattern of temptation does 1 John 2:16 describe, and how was this pattern first seen in the Garden of Eden and then again with Jesus? [58:10]
What was the true nature of the temptations Jesus faced? Were they about doing something inherently evil, or about something else? [01:01:21]
How did the people's expectations of a Messiah (a military revolutionary like the Maccabees) differ from the way Jesus actually conducted his ministry? [01:05:35]

Interpretation questions

Why is it significant that Satan's tactics are not new or complex but the same few moves recycled throughout history? What does this tell us about the nature of our own spiritual battles?
The sermon suggests it's possible to miss God's work because it looks different than we expect. [01:10:56] Why do you think the religious leaders of Jesus' day, who knew the Scriptures so well, failed to recognize him as the Messiah?
Jesus refused shortcuts that would have bypassed the cross. What does his refusal tell us about God's priorities regarding his mission and his timing, even when it involves suffering?
How does the concept of "removing God from the equation" [37:02] help explain the problem of sin and death that began in Genesis and continues today?

Application questions

The lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life are Satan's core tactics. [58:10] Which of these three areas do you find is the most common entry point for temptation in your own life? Can you identify a recent example?
What is something you knew to be true about God in a season of spiritual clarity ("the light") that you now find harder to hold onto in a season of silence or difficulty ("the darkness")? [01:10:24] How can you actively choose to trust that truth this week?
Where might you be missing God's work because he is moving through someone who looks, thinks, or acts differently than you expect? [01:10:56] What is one step you can take to cultivate more curiosity towards people you might normally overlook?
In what mundane, everyday context (like work, a Costco run, or a family relationship) is it most difficult for you to yield the "throne" of your life and let Jesus be king? [01:13:50]
Baptism is described as "putting on the jersey" and making a public declaration of allegiance. [16:41] If your life is a public declaration, what is one thing it is currently declaring? What is one area where you want your allegiance to Christ to be more visible to others?

Sermon Clips

So but where have I made God into my own image and preference? And then finally, will I let him write my story and work where, how, and when he wants to? Or am I gonna try to control it and be the author of my life? He's the king. That's what today is all about. He's the king of this world. He's the king of Israel. He is the king of this church. He is the king of TJ's life. He's the king of yours. There's a throne on your life. Every day you wake up and naturally you wanna get on it. You wanna remove God from the equation and get on the throne of your life. I control it but that throne belongs to him. [01:12:52] (35 seconds) #MakeHimKing

He shows power over the natural world. He walks on water. He calms storms. He creates food under nothing. He turns water into wine. He shows power over the supernatural world. He casts out demons. He's calming and freeing those who are possessed or oppressed. He shows power over sickness when he heals sick people. He helps paralyzed people walk. The deaf hear, the blind see, the mute speak, and more. And he shows power over death when he raises multiple people from the dead. Remember, Satan has four moves, lust of flesh, lust of eyes, pride of life, death. And now Jesus has beaten one, two, three, and now he's raising people back to life. [01:02:45] (33 seconds) #JesusMiracles

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BIG STORY S3E1: Birth, Life, and Ministry of Jesus | TJ Syroteuk [March 29, 2026]