In John 15:11, Jesus speaks of a joy that is meant to be full and lasting. In this message, we explore where true joy comes from, how it is rooted in peace with God, and why the joy of the Lord is our strength. This sermon begins a continued focus on Christ’s promise of abiding joy.

In this message, we begin in John 3:14–16, where Jesus points back to a lesser-known moment in Israel’s wilderness journey to explain the heart of the gospel. Before the cross, before Calvary, Scripture had already given a picture of salvation.

In Numbers 21, the people of Israel rebel, complain, and suffer the consequence of their sin. God’s remedy is unexpected: a bronze serpent lifted up on a pole. Those who simply looked at it in faith were healed and lived. No work. No merit. Just trust in what God provided.

Jesus declares that this moment was not incidental but it was intentional. Just as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. Salvation then, and salvation now, comes the same way: by looking in faith to what God has lifted up.

This sermon traces that connection, showing how the lifted serpent points directly to Christ, and how John 3:16 flows naturally from this Old Testament picture. The message is simple, humbling, and hopeful: healing and life come not by striving, but by believing.

In Isaiah 9:6 we are given one of the most powerful descriptions of who Jesus is: Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.

In this message, Pastor Ruffin Hill explores what it truly means for Christ to be our Prince of Peace. Peace that is not dependent on circumstances, emotions, or the world around us.

This peace is rooted in the person and presence of Jesus Himself.

If you’ve ever struggled to find calm in the middle of stress, fear, or uncertainty, this message will encourage and steady your heart.