Sanctuary Columbus Sermons

May 24, 2026 "Hungry No More" - Pastor Rich Johnson You finally got the promotion. The hunger remained. You finally got the affirmation. The insecurity returned. You finally bought the thing you'd been wanting your whole life. The satisfaction faded. Sound familiar? We are the most highly resourced, endlessly entertained, and accessibly connected generation in human history. And we are quietly, persistently, and insatiably hungry. In this message, Pastor Rich Johnson takes us into the longest chapter in John's Gospel — and into one of the most confronting conversations Jesus ever had. The day after feeding 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves, the crowd came back looking for more. And Jesus looked at them and said something that stopped them cold: "You're looking for me — but not because you saw the signs. Because you had your fill." They were hungry for bread. But they didn't understand what they were really hungry for. Neither do we. In this message you'll learn: Why a full stomach still can't satisfy a starving soul — and what that reveals about our deepest desires What the Greek word for "believe" actually means — and why it's so much harder than checking things off a list Why Jesus didn't say he came to deliver bread or point to bread — but that he is the bread What Jesus's "I AM" declarations reveal about the specific human hungers only he can satisfy Why believing in Jesus doesn't mean escaping the broken material world — it means being sustained in it Whether you are exhausted from chasing things that keep leaving you empty, stuck in a checklist version of faith, or asking honest questions about what believing in Jesus actually does for real suffering — this message is for you. Because the door is still open. And whoever comes, Jesus says, he will never drive away. 📖 Scripture: John 6:25-51 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

May 17, 2026 "The Life-Giving Authority of Jesus" - Pastor Micah Morgan What do you actually expect when you come to Jesus? Do you expect anger? Force? A God who is waiting to catch you doing something wrong? Or do you expect life? Because what you expect of Jesus shapes everything — how you feel, how you think, and how you love. In this message, Pastor Micah Morgan takes us into John chapter 5, where Jesus makes three of the most scandalous claims in all of Scripture — that he shares substance with God, that rejecting his authority is rejecting the Father's authority, and that his power is the very source of life itself. And in doing so, Jesus doesn't just tell us who he is. He tells us what kind of God we actually have. Not coercive. Not domineering. Not waiting to punish. But scandalously, relentlessly, kenot­ically love-motivated. In this message you'll learn: The 3 bold claims Jesus makes about his authority in John 5 — and why they were so scandalous to his Jewish audience What the word "kenosis" means — and why it might completely change how you imagine God Why the way we expect God to show up directly shapes our anxiety, our relationships, and our emotional health What a national study of 1,600 Americans revealed about the connection between our image of God and our psychological wellbeing Why Jesus promises that submitting to his authority should produce joy and flourishing — not just obligation Whether you grew up with an image of God as angry and punishing, or you've simply never thought carefully about what you expect of Jesus, this message is an invitation to let the character of Jesus reshape everything you believe about who God is and how God moves. 📖 Scripture: John 5:19-24, 37-40 | John 14:9-12 | Philippians 2 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

May 10, 2026 "Do You Want to Be Well?" - Nancy Dumford A broken princess wand. A little girl's tears. And a grandmother with a hot glue gun doing her best to hold it all together. Sound familiar? Because if we're honest, most of us spend more time hot-gluing our lives back together than we do actually pursuing wholeness. We cope. We manage. We keep the game of pretend going. Until Jesus shows up and asks the most disruptive, most personal, most hopeful question in all of Scripture: Do you want to be well? In this message, Nancy Dumford takes us through two powerful healing stories in the Gospel of John — a royal official whose son is dying and a man who has been lying beside a healing pool for 38 years — and draws out three movements that are as relevant today as they were then. In this message you'll learn: The difference between quick relief and true wholeness — and why Jesus is always after the latter Why Jesus's question "Do you want to be well?" might sound hopeful, exhausting, offensive, or impossible depending on where you are today What it means that wellness requires our participation — and what that actually looks like in practice How your healing journey becomes a sign that points others toward Jesus Why you were beloved before you were ever broken — and what that changes about how we carry our pain Whether you are lying beside the pool with a familiar story of why you're stuck, or you're in the middle of a transition that has you doubting everything, this message is an invitation to stop hot-gluing your life back together and say yes to the journey of wholeness Jesus is offering. 📖 Scripture: John 4:46-54 | John 5:1-9 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

May 3, 2026 "The Woman at the Well" - Pastor Rich Johnson She wasn't supposed to be there. And Jesus wasn't supposed to talk to her. But he went out of his way — through a place no self-respecting Jewish man would travel — just to meet her at a well at noon. And what happened next changed everything. In this message, Pastor Rich Johnson takes us into the longest one-on-one conversation Jesus has with anyone in the entire Gospel of John — and challenges everything we think we know about the woman at the well. She wasn't scandalous. She wasn't a cautionary tale. She was lost. And Jesus saw her — all of her — and stepped toward her anyway. Read alongside John 3 and the story of Nicodemus, this passage shows us something John wants us to feel in our bones: the grace of God has no limits. Not for the religious. Not for the irreligious. Not for the educated or the uneducated. Not for the chosen or the rejected. Jesus goes out of his way for all of them. In this message you'll learn: Why John 3 and John 4 must be read together — and what the contrast between Nicodemus and the woman at the well reveals about God's grace Why Jesus had to go through Samaria — and what that says about divine appointments in your own life The truth about the woman's five husbands that most preachers get wrong What it means that Jesus revealed himself as Messiah — for the very first time — to a Samaritan woman What jar you might need to leave behind at the well today Whether your faith journey looks like Nicodemus — slow, quiet, and full of wrestling — or like the woman at the well — unexpected, unplanned, and completely disorienting — this message is a reminder that Jesus steps toward you. Every single time. 📖 Scripture: John 4:4-10, 25-30 | Galatians 3:28 | Exodus 3 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

April 26, 2026 "Nic at Night" - Pastor Rich Johnson He had every credential. Every answer. Every religious box checked. And yet something kept him up at night — restless, questioning, unsettled — until he finally decided to go find Jesus himself. Nicodemus wasn't a skeptic. He was the most religious man in the room. And that's exactly what made his encounter with Jesus so disorienting. In this message, Pastor Rich Johnson takes us into one of the most famous conversations in all of Scripture — and challenges us to see it with completely fresh eyes. Because this isn't just Nicodemus's story. It's the story of anyone who has ever trusted more in their religion than in an actual encounter with Jesus. Anyone whose faith has stopped surprising them. Anyone who is still bringing their questions everywhere except directly to the source. In this message you'll learn: Why the most religious people are often the hardest to reach with the gospel What Jesus actually meant by "born again" — and why the Western church may have gotten it wrong Why Nicodemus came to Jesus at night — and what that says about the questions we're too afraid to ask in public The 6 core longings underneath every question we bring to God Why John 3:17 may be the most important verse you've never memorized What the slow work of God actually looks like in a person's life — and what eventually happened to Nicodemus Whether you've been following Jesus for decades or you're still sneaking up to him at night with questions you're not sure are allowed, this message is for you. Because Jesus isn't waiting for you to have it all figured out. He's ready to meet you right where you are. 📖 Scripture: John 3:1-8, 16-21 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

April 19, 2026 "Discipled by What Detours Jesus" - Pastor Rich Johnson You can tell a lot about a person by what distracts them. What grabs their attention when they're focused on something else. What makes them stop, change course, and pay a cost they didn't plan to pay. In this message, Pastor Micah Morgan takes us into John chapter 2 — and instead of focusing on what Jesus did, asks us to pay attention to what detoured him. From a wedding running out of wine to money changers blocking the vulnerable from accessing God, we watch Jesus get pulled off his own agenda twice. And in both moments, we learn something profound about what it means to actually follow him. Because following Jesus isn't just about going where he's going. It's about being detoured by the same things that detour him. In this message you'll learn: What the two detours in John 2 reveal about what Jesus actually cares about Why running out of wine at a wedding was more than an embarrassment — and why Jesus stepped in anyway What the money changers in the temple were really doing to the most vulnerable members of the community The Hebrew concept of "tzedakah u'mishpat" — and why social justice is at the very heart of what it means to follow God Why being willing to be detoured for others always comes with a cost — and how to honestly count that cost Whether you're someone who wants to serve but doesn't know where to start, or someone who is burned out from giving too much, this message will challenge and encourage you to pay attention to who around you is being kept from what they deserve — and ask Jesus what your next step might be. 📖 Scripture: John 2:7-17 | Genesis 18:19 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

April 12, 2026 "What Do You Want?" - Pastor Rich Johnson Jesus is walking by. He turns. He looks right at you. And he asks the most disruptive question in all of spiritual formation: What do you want? It sounds simple. But if you sit with it long enough, you'll realize how hard it actually is to answer — and how much it reveals about where you really are in your faith. In this message, Pastor Rich Johnson continues the new series through the Gospel of John, taking us into one of the most intimate scenes in all of Scripture. Two disciples begin following Jesus, and instead of a grand introduction or a miraculous sign, Jesus simply turns around and asks what they're looking for. What happens next is an invitation that changes everything — not just for them, but for us. In this message you'll learn: - Why Jesus asks "what do you want?" — and what he's really uncovering beneath the surface - The difference between wanting what Jesus can do for you and actually wanting Jesus - Why the disciples called Jesus "Rabbi" before they knew anything about him — and what that kind of surrender looks like for us - How transformation moves from information to invitation to imitation - What it means that Jesus renamed Simon before he had done anything to deserve it — and what that says about how Jesus sees you Whether you're brand new to faith or have been following Jesus for decades, this message will challenge you to stop looking for a Jesus you can control and start getting close to the Jesus who already knows your name. 📖 Scripture: John 1:35-42 | Matthew 16:13-18 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

April 5, 2026 "The Last Word" - Pastor Rich Johnson A verdict. A diagnosis. A relationship that ended with words you can't forget. Whatever gets the last word somehow gets to define what is meaningful in our lives. And whether we realize it or not, all of us are living under someone's last word. So the question underneath Easter is this: who gets the last word over your life? In this Easter Sunday message, Pastor Rich Johnson opens a brand new series through the Gospel of John with one of the most powerful passages in all of Scripture — the prologue of John chapter 1. Through four images of Jesus as the eternal Word, the source of life, the light in darkness, and the Word made flesh, Pastor Rich builds the case that because Jesus passed through death and came out the other side, he — and he alone — has earned the right to speak the final word over your story. In this message you'll learn: Why John opens his Gospel not with a birth story or a miracle, but with eternity What the Greek word "logos" and the Hebrew word "dabar" reveal about who Jesus really is Why the resurrection wasn't just an event — it's an announcement of what is true right now Why darkness being real doesn't mean darkness gets the final say What it means that the Word became flesh — and why Christianity means nothing without it Whether you walked in today carrying a diagnosis, a broken relationship, a deferred dream, or just a quiet heaviness you can't shake — this message is a reminder that whatever has tried to speak the last word over your life, Jesus has already answered it. 📖 Scripture: John 1:1-14 | John 10:10 | John 11:25 | John 14:6 | Luke 4 | Isaiah 61 | Ephesians 4 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

March 29, 2026 "The Difference Jesus' Lordship Makes" - Pastor Micah Everyone is investing in emotional health these days. Therapy, self-help apps, mindfulness — the world is all in. So what actually makes a Jesus follower's emotional health any different? In this final message of the Journey to Wholeness series, Pastor Micah Morgan takes us to the last chapter of Joseph's story — and asks the question we've been building toward all series long. Joseph's brothers expect retaliation. What they get instead is mercy, provision, and caretaking. And in that moment, we see exactly what emotionally healthy spirituality guided by Jesus actually produces. It's not a badge of honor. It's not something that separates us from the world with pride. It's this: a life so marked by emotional health that people trust us with their vulnerability. And a life so rooted in God's lordship that we can bring goodness out of chaos — even when we've been deeply hurt. In this message you'll learn: What actually distinguishes a Jesus follower's emotional health from the world's Why emotional unhealth may be the norm, but every human still craves mercy and grace What Joseph's phrase "Am I in the place of God?" reveals about forgiveness and judgment How the Hebrew concept of "radah" — caretaking and stewardship — reshapes how we see our relationships Why calling Jesus Lord means more than a declaration — it means participation This is the sermon that ties the whole series together. Whether you've been here for every week or this is your first time joining us, this message will challenge you to stop treating emotional health as an achievement and start living it as a calling. 📖 Scripture: Genesis 50:15-21 | Matthew 7:12-14 | Matthew 21 | Luke 6:46-49 | Genesis 2:15 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

March 22, 2026 "Reconciliation is More Than a Moment" - Pastor Rich Johnson You had the hard conversation. The tears were shed. The apology was given. So why does it still feel like there's more work to do? In this message, Pastor Rich Johnson takes us to the other side of Joseph's story — past the dramatic reunion, past the moment of confession, and into the long, slow, beautiful work of actually rebuilding. Because reconciliation isn't an event to get through. It's a life to rebuild. Through Joseph's extraordinary act of generosity toward the very brothers who betrayed him, Pastor Rich shows us what it looks like when healing goes beyond the moment — and becomes something architectural, something sustainable, something that blesses generations to come. In this message you'll learn: - Why reconciliation is the beginning of the journey, not the destination - How Joseph's story reveals that God's work of restoration is not just emotional — it's structural - Why grace often comes from the most unexpected places, and how to receive it - What it means to be not just a recipient of reconciliation, but an agent of it - How to hold out hope for reconciliation even when you see no evidence that it's coming Whether you're still waiting for the moment, just getting through the moment, or wondering what comes after — this message will challenge you to stop waiting for reconciliation and start building toward it. 📖 Scripture: Genesis 47 | 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

March 15, 2026 "A Road Called Repair" - Rev. William Mack Forgiveness sounds simple. Reconciliation sounds beautiful. But if you've ever actually tried to do either one, you know how hard this road really is. In this message, Rev. William Mack walks us through one of the most emotionally raw moments in Joseph's story — the moment he comes face to face with the brothers who sold him into slavery. And instead of revenge, Joseph weeps. Because repair, as hard as it is, was always the plan. Through Joseph's journey, Rev. Mack unpacks the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation — and why confusing the two has kept so many of us stuck. In this message you'll learn: - Why forgiveness is for YOU — not for the person who hurt you - The critical difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, and why they don't always look the same - How to use love, discernment, and courage to navigate the repair process - Why "forgive and forget" isn't Biblical — and what God actually intended instead - What active forgiveness looks like when the hurt is deep enough to require moment-by-moment choices Whether you're carrying the weight of an unresolved relationship, struggling to forgive yourself, or just beginning to understand what wholeness could look like — this message is for you. 📖 Scripture: Genesis 42-44 | Colossians 3:13 | John 10:10 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

March 8, 2026 "Forgotten But Not Forsaken" - Pastor Rich Johnson Have you ever felt forgotten? Overlooked? Like you've been waiting so long that God must have moved on without you? In this message, Pastor Rich walks us through one of the most overlooked seasons in Joseph's story — the two full years he spent in prison after being forgotten by the cupbearer. 730 days. No explanation. No timeline. No guarantee of rescue. And yet, God was still working. Through Joseph's story, we discover that grief and loss are not interruptions to your spiritual formation — they are one of its primary instruments. The path forward doesn't go around the pain. It goes through it. In this message you'll learn: Why naming your grief is the first step to healing it 3 things to do while you're in a season of waiting How to let the old version of yourself give birth to something new Whether you're in the middle of a catastrophic loss or quietly carrying an unmet expectation, this message is for you. 📖 Scripture: Genesis 40:1-8, 40:23, 41:1, 41:14-16, 41:39-40 | John 12:24 | Psalm 31:9 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

March 1, 2026 "Integrity in Hidden Places" - Pastor Micah Morgan

February 22, 2026 "When the Bottom Falls Out" - Pastor Rich Johnson Have you ever had a moment where everything you planned, everything you believed, everything you were counting on — just collapsed? No warning. No explanation. No word from God. In this message, we follow Joseph into one of the darkest moments of his story — stripped of his robe, thrown into a pit by his own brothers, and sold into slavery. And yet, Scripture chooses this moment to show us how the human soul is truly formed. Through Joseph's descent, we discover that God is not absent when the bottom falls out — He is working deeper. And that the path to spiritual maturity doesn't always go up. Sometimes it goes down first. In this message you'll learn: Why hitting "the wall" in your faith is not a sign of failure — it's a passage to be entered What the "dark night of the soul" is and how to navigate it 4 practical ways to remain faithful when God feels silent Why transformation comes through subtraction, not addition Whether you're in a pit right now or walking alongside someone who is, this message will remind you that descent is not punishment — it's preparation. 📖 Scripture: Genesis 37:12-24 | Genesis 32 | Psalm 46 🏠 Visit us at sanctuarycolumbus.com 📍 4142 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224 📲 Follow us https://www.facebook.com/sanctuarycolumbus https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarycbus/ https://www.youtube.com/@SanctuaryColumbusChurch

February 15, 2026 "The Family We Come From" - Pastor Micah Morgan

February 4, 2026 "The Way of Discernment: Step in Faith" - Pastor Rich Johnson

February 1, 2026 "Discernment in Community" - Pastor Rich Johnson & Aaron Epting

January 18, 2026 "The Shape of Your Heart" - Pastor Rich Johnson

January 11, 2026 "Truth that Guides: The Spirit and the Word of God" - Andrew Jenkins

January 4, 2026 "Learning to Hear God's Voice" - Pastor Rich Johnson

December 24, 2025 "The Jesus We Never Knew" - Pastor Rich Johnson

December 7, 2025 "Peace as a Practice of Waiting" - Pastor Micah Morgan

November 30, 2025 "Hope as Active Waiting" - Pastor Rich Johnson

November 23, 2025 Adoption & Foster Care Sunday Guest Speak: Phil Krause

November 16, 2025 "Content Enough: Embracing for Contentment No Matter the Circumstances" - Dr. DJuana Drew

November 9, 2025 "Giving Enough" - Pastor Rich Johnson

November 2, 2025 "Blessed Enough to Live Joyfully" - Pastor Rich Johnson

October 26, 2025 "Humanness vs. Empire" - Pastor Micah Morgan

October 19, 2025 "Stillness as Resistance" - Pastor Rich Johnson

October 12, 2025 "The Writing on the Wall" - Pastor Rich Johnson

October 5, 2025 "Trusting God to Redeem Empire" - Pastor Micah Morgan

September 28, 2025 "Faith in the Fire" - Pastor Rich Johnson

September 21, 2025 "The Kingdom that Will Not Fall" - Pastor Rich Johnson

September 14, 2025 "Undefiled Faith at the Empire's Table" - Grace Shim & Brandi Sanders

September 7, 2025 "Defining and Discerning Empire" - Pastor Micah Morgan

August 24, 2025 "Sleeping in the Storm" - Pastor Ryan Snow

August 17, 2025 "The Other Side: A Life That Can Be Formed By God" - Dr. D'Juana Drew

August 10, 2025 "Our Little Lives, Our Big Problems: A Case for Hope" - Dr. Neal Siler

August 3, 2025 "The Paradox of Christ's Power" - Pastor Micah Morgan

July 27, 2025 "The Canopy of the Cross" - Nick Nye

July 20, 2025 "The Baptism Package" - Pastor Rich Johnson

July 13, 2025 "Fruit of the Holy Spirit" - Pastor Rich Johnson

July 6, 2025 "The Discerning Holy Spirit" - Pastor Micah Morgan

June 29, 2025 "The Hovering, Brooding, and Birthing Holy Spirit" - Pastor Micah Morgan

June 22, 2025 "The Gift-Giving Holy Spirit" - Tammy Eckhart

June 15, 2025 "The Holy Advocate" - Pastor Rich Johnson

June 8, 2025 "Have You Heard?" - Sanctuary Columbus Church

"United in Joy" - Pastor Micah Morgan

May 18, 2025 "Pressing On" - Pastor Rich Johnson

May 11, 2025 "Spiritual Friendship" - Pastor Rich Johnson