One Moment With Jesus Can Change Everything

Devotional

Day 1: The God-shaped throne in every human heart

There is a space within every person that is designed for a singular purpose. It was created by God and intended for God alone. We often try to fill this emptiness with relationships, achievements, or possessions, but these things never truly satisfy. This internal throne is reserved for the King who humbly serves and loves unconditionally. Only He can bring the lasting fulfillment we desperately seek.
[01:05]

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV)

Reflection: What is one thing you have recently tried to use to fill the emptiness in your heart, and how did it ultimately fall short of satisfying you?

Day 2: A single moment can change your entire life

A genuine encounter with Jesus has the power to alter the entire trajectory of a person's life. It is not a process of self-improvement but a moment of divine intervention. This moment can happen when we least expect it, often in the midst of our own resistance or running. It is a moment of surrender where we acknowledge our need and His sufficiency, and everything begins to change from that point forward.
[02:32]

“For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV)

Reflection: When have you experienced a significant moment that shifted your perspective or direction, and how might you be more open to such a moment with God today?

Day 3: From feeling utterly alone to being fully known

There is a profound difference between loneliness and being alone. One can be surrounded by people and still feel a deep, isolating emptiness. This feeling is a spiritual longing for the presence of God. When we invite Jesus into our lives, that emptiness is replaced with the assurance that we are never truly alone. He is a constant companion, ready to meet us in our most vulnerable places.
[09:01]

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20 ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you most often feel a sense of loneliness, and what would it look like to consciously invite Jesus into that specific place?

Day 4: The cleansing power of forgiveness and surrender

Jesus offers complete forgiveness for every wrong thing we have ever done. This forgiveness is not based on our merit but on His sacrifice. When we come to Him in repentance, it is like a spiritual washing where the guilt and shame are washed away. We are left clean, free, and ready to begin a new life with Him. This cleansing is a gift of grace, available to anyone who asks.
[12:10]

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific regret or past mistake that you need to bring before Jesus to receive His cleansing and forgiveness today?

Day 5: The torn veil: Bold access to God’s presence

The moment Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn in two. This was a powerful symbol that the barrier between God and humanity was removed. We no longer need a human priest to intercede for us because Jesus Himself is our High Priest. We can now approach God with confidence and boldness, knowing we are fully accepted and loved. His Spirit now lives within us, making His presence always available.
[25:28]

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,” (Hebrews 10:19-20 ESV)

Reflection: How does knowing you have direct and confident access to God change the way you might approach Him in prayer this week?

Sermon Summary

An Easter celebration frames the resurrection as the hinge that opens personal access to God and reshapes ordinary lives. An empty chair becomes a throne in every heart—a God‑designed place that people try to fill with cars, status, or relationships until only Jesus fits. A single moment of honest encounter can flip the spiritual magnet in a person, drawing them away from loneliness, shame, and self‑centered aims into a life reordered around Christ. A vivid conversion story from teen years models that change: confession, repentance, and a sense of cleansing give way to commitment, marriage, and lifelong ministry shaped by a surrendered heart.

The crucifixion narrative from Luke 23 highlights multiple responses to Jesus on the cross. Soldiers, scoffers, grieving women, a reluctant Simon of Cyrene, and two criminals display a range of human reactions—hostility, indifference, compassion, and faith. One dying criminal shows how sudden recognition leads to assurance: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” The darkness, the tearing of the temple veil, and the centurion’s declaration that Jesus was innocent underscore a cosmic shift: sacrificial atonement removes the barrier between God and people, and the Spirit now dwells in persons rather than in a building.

Theological claims move toward practical invitation. The torn veil redefines access—no intermediary priesthood blocks direct approach to God. The Holy Spirit flips hearts like magnets and empowers boldness to live out repentance and new life. Baptism stands as the visible sign of dying to an old self and rising with Christ into a resurrected life, and an immediate call to respond anchors belief in active steps. The closing appeal offers prayer, public baptism, and communal celebration as next steps for those drawn to follow, emphasizing that a single surrendered moment can redirect an entire life toward faithful living in Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. An empty throne in every heart Every person carries an inner seat meant for God; attempts to occupy it with pleasure, approval, or possessions leave a hollow ache. Recognizing that emptiness moves one from performance to surrender—admitting inability to self‑repair and inviting divine occupancy. Filling that throne reorients desire, freeing choices from self‑idolatry toward God‑centered life. [01:05]
2. One moment can change everything A single, sincere encounter with Jesus can flip a heart’s polarity and initiate lasting transformation. Moments of conviction often bring clarity—exposing patterns, inviting confession, and catalyzing obedience that reshapes relationships, vocation, and identity. Such encounters pair inward cleansing with outward commitments that bear fruit over decades. [02:32]
3. Forgiveness offered from the cross Even amid injustice and mockery, Jesus extends forgiveness—calling for grace toward perpetrators and promising paradise to the repentant. This radical mercy reframes suffering: the cross becomes the locus where justice and compassion meet, not merely a symbol of defeat. The offer invites immediate trust, not moral qualification. [19:51]
4. The veil torn, access restored The temple curtain tearing signals the end of mediated access; God now dwells among people rather than within a guarded room. That rupture invites confident approach—prayer, repentance, and ongoing fellowship—without human gatekeepers. The Spirit’s indwelling empowers believers to live with boldness and intimacy before God. [23:38]
5. Baptism symbolizes death and new life Baptism reenacts dying to an old self and rising into resurrected life, making inner repentance visible and communal. It marks a decisive step: repentance paired with public identification that both affirms grace and summons discipleship. The ritual anchors ongoing formation rather than offering instant perfection. [31:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:39] - The Empty Chair: A Throne in the Heart
[01:05] - Designed to Be Filled by God
[02:32] - One Moment Can Change Everything
[03:38] - A Teen’s Turning Point at Camp
[11:03] - Confession, Cleansing, and Commitment
[16:50] - Shifting to Luke 23: Crucifixion Scene
[17:33] - Simon of Cyrene and the Crowd
[19:19] - Criminals on the Cross and Faith
[21:57] - Promise of Paradise to the Penitent
[23:38] - Darkness, the Torn Veil, New Access
[31:35] - Baptism: Death and New Life
[32:21] - Prayer, Invitation, and Celebration

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Luke 23:32-43, 44-46 (ESV)

Observation questions

What were the different reactions of the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus?
What significant event happened in the temple at the moment of Jesus's death, and what was its immediate physical cause?
What did the criminal who defended Jesus ask of Him, and what was Jesus's immediate response?

Interpretation questions

The criminal on the cross recognized his own guilt and Jesus's innocence in a single moment. What does this suggest about what is necessary for someone to turn to Christ?
The temple veil tearing signified the end of the need for a human priest to approach God. How does this change the nature of a person's relationship with God?
Jesus promised the repentant criminal paradise "today." What does this immediate promise reveal about the nature of salvation and what happens after death for a believer?

Application questions

Every person has a "throne" in their heart designed for God, but we often try to fill it with other things like relationships, achievements, or possessions [01:05]. What is one thing you are most tempted to put on that throne instead of Christ?
A single, sincere encounter with Jesus can flip a heart’s polarity and initiate lasting transformation [02:32]. Have you experienced a defining moment with Christ, or have you found your faith to be a gradual journey? What did that look like?
Feeling utterly alone, even when surrounded by people, can be a sign of that empty throne [09:01]. When have you experienced this kind of loneliness, and what did you do in that moment?
Baptism symbolizes dying to an old self and rising into a new, cleansed life [31:35]. Whether you've been baptized or not, what is one part of your "old self" that you feel God is calling you to put to death today?
The offer of forgiveness and paradise was extended to a criminal who had no time to "clean up his life." What does this radical, immediate grace mean for someone who feels their past is too shameful or their mistakes are too great for God to accept them?
The Holy Spirit can flip the magnet of a person's heart, drawing them to God [29:00]. Is there a specific area of your life where you feel that "pull" or conviction from the Spirit right now, inviting you to surrender more fully to Christ?

Sermon Clips

43s

#JesusIsReal

“Some of you right now are feeling something you've never felt or maybe you felt it before and you ignored it or maybe you did something with it, but it's just kind of faded away. But but there's something in you that's going, you know what? This is real. This god thing is real. This is I have to get to this. This thing inside of me that I keep filling with something else isn't working. And whenever you feel guilt, shame, alone, whatever it might be, he wants to wash it away. And he loves you right where you are. Right where you are. He'll start right where you are. He'll change everything, by the way. It's amazing what he does because Jesus changes everything.”

38s

#WashedByJesus

“And a bunch of us would sneak in. You know, you're not supposed to because it clogs the drain. And you were in there and just the shower's on. You're just washing all this. And it's literally the drain's just and the shower's just filling up with mud and dirt, but your body you're getting clean. And I had this picture in my head like the Lord had opened up my skull, and he was washing this sin out of me. It was leaking out on my toes. And each time, I'm beginning to get fuller and fuller of him and cleaner and cleaner. I was the last to leave. First to come, last to leave.”

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