Formed by Mercy or Fueled by Momentum | Follow - Walking in the Way of Jesus | Sunday, Feb 8, 2026

Repentance is this big word we use in the church that is really meant to be around our our conviction about our sin. But it's more than just sorrow. It's more than just moral regret. Repentance is letting go of those things that once secured us in order to move towards Jesus. The cloak is what kept him alive, but when you knee meet Jesus, you get new life. [00:36:02] (26 seconds)  #RepentAndLive

Bartimaeus doesn't ask for national restoration. He doesn't wanna be involved in a political revolution. He's not attaching his status to his proximity to the king. He's not seeking power through position. But Bartimaeus' faith is personal, and it is persistent, and it is bound by grace, and it is surrendered, and it is transformative. See, following Jesus requires not only believing that he is king, but what kind of king he is. [00:48:37] (37 seconds)  #PersonalFaithNotPolitics

Yet this is the way of discipleship, that I belong to Jesus by walking the same road as him like Bartimaeus, followed in the way, not by avoiding it. Following Jesus does not mean constant triumph. It simply means faithful presence on the road that he walks. Are you with me? Following Jesus does not mean we always win, but it means that even in our losses, he is there doing a resurrection renewal work. [00:51:18] (33 seconds)  #FaithfulPresence

So you don't have to understand everything. You don't always have to feel victorious. You don't need public validation. Instead, it is knowing that Jesus sees you, knows you, saves you, calls you, and that the way he leads is the way of eternal life. The question is, can we handle that? So let me ask you. Are you following because others are, Because it feels powerful? Because it aligns with your dreams and your ambitions? Because it promises visible success? Or are you following when the moment fades, when clarity is partial, when applause disappears, and when the road narrows? [00:51:51] (51 seconds)  #FollowWhenItFades

That's the irony of this story. The blind man's the one who sees the sighted disciples as we've often seen are confused, and and the crowd will become spiritually blind. They'll almost become blinded by rage over the next few days. And what Mark is asking in the gospel here is who really sees? Who really has the spiritual sight to see what is true? The answer, those who know they're blind. Isn't that ironic? [00:42:16] (33 seconds)  #TrueSightIsHumility

Crowds amplify emotion. They blur responsibility. They reduce reflection. They reward conformity. Right? That a person's identity is not attached to why the crowd has gathered, but to the crowd itself. And in Mark 11, the crowd embodies three dynamics that I think should warn us against what is genuine faith. In fact, they can suffocate genuine faith. Crowd dynamics hinder faith. [00:45:37] (29 seconds)  #DontFollowTheCrowd

And and so they assumed that because the crowd is together that this must be right. Numbers do not equal discernment. But there's a passion, a corporate energy. Being in the crowd feels powerful, but that energy is not the same as conviction, and it's politically motivated. Their hope is shaped by the Roman oppression. They want their messiah to solve their public problem, not their personal need. [00:46:33] (33 seconds)  #NumbersDontEqualDiscernment

on the basis of I give you my sin, you give me eternal life, we're good. But I don't know if that's the full weight of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. This man receives grace and changes his whole life. Why? Because the one who gave him sight will give him life. That's what it means to be a Christian. It's not to get out of hell. It's to become a follower of Jesus believing that his way, his truth, and his life is a better life. This new life is good and profitable and transformative. [00:39:59] (46 seconds)  #GraceTransformsLife