Stephanie Ike - More Than (01/19/2026)
This sermon reflects on loss in the community while celebrating lives well-lived and souls won for Christ, urging believers to live fully in their God-given identity. Contrasting Judas and Paul, the preacher shows how God calls us to greatness despite weaknesses or «thorns» (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Judas, ordained as an apostle yet struggling with greed and possibly shame over his background, misinterpreted Jesus' correction as condemnation, leading to betrayal and despair. Paul (formerly Saul) received conviction, allowing God’s grace to perfect power in his weakness, resulting in impactful apostolic ministry. The message: God’s discipline is love, not condemnation; our flaws keep us dependent on Him. At His feet, nothing can sabotage destiny—we belong in the places He positions us.
Reflection on Loss and Gain
This past week has been a bit of a heavy week. You know, though we lost on earth, we know that we gained in heaven. Two amazing individuals who are a part of this community. And so on Thursday, the midweek service was dedicated to their memory. And on that day, about a hundred people gave their lives to Jesus. About 90 people yesterday got baptized. And so even in what looks like loss, there’s gain.
You know, in times like this, for me, whether we were close to them or not, I mean, they had a great impact in the lives of so many people because of the life that they lived. And even though somebody’s life is shortened, it was perfect timing in God’s eyes because they lived a full life. But then it makes us reflect on our life. Am I doing all that God has called me to do with the time that I’ve been given? I’m promised right now. I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know about right now. And am I living my life to the full potential that God has given me? Is there anything that is holding me back from being who God says I am?
You see, at the start of this year, our pastor—Pastor Ray—he prophetically proclaimed that this is the year of becoming, becoming everything that God says you are, walking in your God-given identity. And in my experience, and I believe many of you are experiencing this, is that God will begin to open doors, open opportunities, begin to give you ideas that speak to the truth in you. But at the same time, as it speaks to your identity, it’s bringing to the surface insecurities. It’s bringing to the surface things that you have been running from because you thought that that would sabotage you.
The Thorn in the Flesh
Something I have learned in life is that everyone at some point in their life will recognize something about themselves that feels like it could sabotage their life, will recognize something about themselves that is almost like they’re afraid of. That, God, I don’t want this thing to come out. I need it to stay buried. And you could just take it away. You know, either/or, there’s something that we may never tell a soul that deep down we’re like, this thing seems like it could creep up, and I’m afraid of what it could do if it comes out.
You see, there was a man named Paul, the Apostle Paul. And in his life, he described it as a thorn in his flesh. And he prayed to God three times. He said, God, take this thing away from me, take this thing away from me, take this thing away from me. And every time, God basically said no. He said, my grace is sufficient for you because my power is made perfect in your weakness. And so that very thing that you’re afraid of is the very thing that keeps you at the feet of Jesus. It’s the very thing that makes you understand I can’t do anything without you, God. Because the higher you raise me, if I don’t have you and this thing tries to creep up, it would destroy my life.
Judas: Misinterpreting Correction as Condemnation
And so today, I want to look at the lives of two different individuals who are very similar but took different paths. One individual didn’t recognize that what God was doing with his life was really to bring him to the place of identity. Instead, he saw it as maybe God is condemning me. Another individual received God’s correction. The Bible says that God disciplines those that he loves. He received the discipline of God as encouragement and saw that as God convicting him to be greater, to be better, that you are more than what seems to try to sabotage your life. You are more than the thing that seems to fight against you. You are more than that. And even though God may never take it away, it’s for you to recognize that at his feet, it cannot overpower you.
And so we see the first man. This man is famously known for one thing: betraying Jesus. And I’m talking about Judas. You see, the moment you say Judas, people just go to, oh, the man who betrayed Jesus. Even atheists will tell you, do you know what a Judas in your life is? Like, everybody talks about him, right? But you see, Judas was much more than that.
You see, when God in his wisdom chose Judas as a disciple, there were many disciples that followed Christ, but there was a select 12 that we know about. Because those twelve, the select twelve disciples, would later be appointed as apostles. Now an apostle is an office in God’s kingdom.
So in the same way that when God would encounter someone like Jeremiah and say, Jeremiah, before I formed you, I knew you, and I ordained you as a prophet. Before God formed Judas, he knew him and ordained him as an apostle.
But the whole time, that very position that would speak to his identity would also speak to his brokenness.
Judas had a problem with money, right? He was a little, you know, into theft. But even though he was stealing, for some reason he was appointed as the one to oversee the money bag. And you see, family, it’s not because Jesus was trying to do the great setup. Jesus was actually revealing to Judas: you are more than who you think you are. You think you have a problem with money, but I see you as something more than that. I see that you can overcome your financial issues.
So sometimes God will place you in a position that will highlight everything you’ve been running away from. Because you’re like, God, if you put me there, I think this very beast inside of me that I’ve been trying to tame is gonna rise up, and it’s gonna sabotage me. And God says, no, I will put you in front of it to show you that you are actually greater than it.
You see, a lot of times the Bible, when they talk about him, they will say Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And a lot of theologians claim that perhaps that Simon was Judas’s father—a Pharisee.
Could it be that even because of Judas’s background, he could never fully throw himself into the place that God has called him? That he is looking at himself as unworthy?
And so a lot of times you’re in rooms that God has positioned you in, and you’re questioning yourself in those rooms. But no one is thinking that except you.
When the point of the betrayal came, Jesus was troubled, and he tells his disciples that one of you will betray me.
And then Judas says, is it I? And the Lord says in very witty fashion, you have said so.
It was to tell him this: Judas, you don’t have to go down this road. I have known this all the time, and I still didn’t treat you less.
The scriptures now talk about that in that moment, the devil enters Judas.
When you study—even when the Bible—the Bible is such a powerful book. You see the ways that the enemy takes influence over a person. One of those ways is through offense.
And in that moment, I believe that while Jesus is trying to communicate to Judas—Judas, I have known this all along, and I am still here for you—Judas is offended by the situation.
What I believe is that in Judas’s offense, that’s what gave the enemy access.
It says, and while he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying, whomever I kiss, he is the one. Seize him.
Immediately he went up to Jesus and said—greetings, Rabbi, like everything is all good, and kissed him.
But Jesus said to him, friend, why have you come?
You see, friend was not a word that Jesus used lightly prior to this. Jesus had been talking to his disciples, and he said to them, if you do what I command you, you are my friend.
And so it’s almost as though Jesus is speaking to Judas prophetically. He’s speaking to the real him—Judas, the you that I know was created to be an apostle, was to be someone who would hear my word and follow my command. Why have you come here?
This reminded me when God said to Adam in the Garden of Eden, Adam, where are you?
And when Jesus is saying, Judas, why have you come? —it’s about position. Judas, this is not your purpose.
And he calls him friend.
All along Jesus had been referring to what Judas would do: someone will betray me, one of you will betray me, there is a betrayer in our midst.
But in this time, he speaks to his truth. He says, friend, why have you come?
He’s telling Judas, Judas, even in the heat of the betrayal, you can still be who I’ve called you to be. I still see who you really are. It’s not over for you, Judas.
Unfortunately, Judas took the message wrongly. Judas perhaps thought he was being condemned. And the weight of—because condemnation is a way—condemnation says this is who you are. You will never be anything more than this.
Condemnation halts progress.
But because Judas was feeling condemned, he ends up hanging himself.
Paul: Receiving Conviction and Grace
And then you see the scriptures point us to another man similar to Judas. Earlier I spoke about him—the Apostle Paul.
You see, prior to being Paul, he was known as Saul. And Saul was a man who approved the killings of Christians. And one moment, there was a particular day that he encounters Jesus, and Jesus tells him, why are you persecuting me?
You see, it was never—it was not a message of condemnation. Jesus is just saying, I want you to recognize that what you’re doing is wrong. And with me, you can be more.
And Saul, who now—his name was changed to Paul—had one of the most impactful ministries as an apostle. The same call that was in Judas’s life.
Family, whatever it is that God is speaking to you about, it’s never to condemn you. It’s to say that there is more to you than this. There is so much more that I have for you.
And so in the same way, this very Apostle Paul prayed and said, God, take this thing away, take this thing away. And God says, no, my grace is sufficient for you. My power is sufficient for you.
That whatever it is that you’ve been afraid of that will sabotage you—God says, no, at my feet you’ll be fine. In submission to me, you will be fine. You have nothing to worry about.
Because the higher you go, family, the more you know that you need God.
Altar Call and Prayer
Rise with me. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord.
If you are here and you thought that you’ve been afraid of certain doors that God is opening up to you, you’ve been afraid of the opportunities that God is opening up to you—some of you are in the midst of the very thing, and your fear is that, God, I’m gonna mess it up because I know myself too well. I’m gonna mess it up.
And God is saying, I know you too, and you’re gonna be fine in me.
There are some people here, and perhaps like Judas, you didn’t feel like you were worth it. When you look at your background, when you look at the family you came from, and you look at the environment that you grew up in, you’re questioning yourself: I don’t belong here. I don’t belong here.
What if you’re seeing it wrong? That God is actually raising you to transform the very thing you’ve been trying to run away from.
If you’re here and you felt like I am not worth who God says I am—his blood should already tell you that you are.
There is so much more to you.
For some of you, you just feel like I’m just too crazy. God is crazy about you.
If you’re here, you just feel like I’m not worth it—I want you to come down.
If you’re here, family, and you’re saying, God, I want to renew my commitment to you. I want to renew my walk with you.
Let us pray.
Father God, I thank you for your children. I thank you that they know they are loved by you. I thank you that even now it would almost feel as though you are hugging them with your love.
Lord God, I thank you. I thank you that they would be affirmed in knowing that they cannot sabotage their very destiny. Because as they stay submitted to you, Lord, as we stay at your feet, Lord God, we are empowered to choose.
I break off any spirit of suicide, Lord Jesus, and any thought patterns that make your children feel they are not worth it.
Father, we thank you for your goodness. We thank you for your love. We thank you that we are walking out of here empowered and strengthened, Lord God, with our yes to you. That we would walk into those rooms that you have opened up for us with boldness and with courage. That we belong here.
Every door that you have opened up for me, I belong. I am not an outsider. I belong here.
So Lord God, we thank you. Have your way. Seal these words in our hearts, on our minds. May we meditate on them. I belong here.
We belong in high places. We will stop questioning our worth. We belong. We belong.
Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.