Don't Put Jesus First -- Week 1

Ken Tram

Matthew 6:1-5; Matthew 6:25-34; John 15:4; Romans 12:2

Most of us have tried the fresh start, with new habits and a better routine, and watched it fall apart within a few weeks. Pastor Ken asks what is actually driving the craving underneath. Looking at Matthew 6, where Jesus warns against praying, giving, and fasting just to be seen, he argues that you don’t need better habits, you need a transformed heart, and that Jesus belongs at the center of your life instead of at the top of a to-do list. It’s for anyone who is tired of adding spiritual tasks and still feels empty.

COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS MESSAGE

What does it mean to put Jesus at the center instead of first?

Pastor Ken says putting Jesus first can turn him into the top item on a checklist that you tick off on Sunday and move on from. Putting him at the center means he shapes everything, including your marriage, your work, and how you raise your kids. He uses a bicycle wheel: Jesus is the hub, your spiritual habits are the spokes, and they carry the bumps of life back to the center.

Why do my habits and New Year’s resolutions keep falling apart?

Pastor Ken’s answer is that the habit is often a symptom of a deeper hunger for comfort, control, approval, or significance. Changing the behavior without changing what you value inside doesn’t last. He says we were made to run on Jesus, and that you don’t need better habits, you need a transformed heart.

Was Jesus against praying, giving, and fasting in front of other people?

No. The message says Jesus was pushing back on motives, not actions. In Matthew 6:1-5 he warns against practicing righteousness to be seen by others, which turns prayer and giving into a performance. Pastor Ken says what matters is why you give and why you pray, and that you don’t have to hide your giving, you just shouldn’t announce it with trumpets.

How do I stay connected to Jesus instead of just trying harder?

In John 15:4, Jesus says a branch can’t bear fruit by itself and must remain in the vine. Pastor Ken says your problem isn’t discipline, it’s dependence: prayer and Bible reading can’t make you righteous, only Jesus does. The disciplines are how you stay connected, and Romans 12:2 describes the change as being transformed by the renewing of your mind.