Clickable Time Stamps
11:53 Praise Reports – Elder Ivan Bird
15:59 Song Service – Larry and Joy Cain
27:32 Introit – “Armor of God” – Julie Hendrix
31:40 Welcome and Call to Worship – Elder Scott Stayton
43:05 Scripture Reading – Elder Jack Hagensen
46:20 Special Music – “Least of These” – Julie Hendrix
53:02 Sermon Message – “Thoughts Centered On Him” – Elder Jack Hagensen
64:34 Mid-Sermon Special Music – “Less of Me” – Kindred Spirit
78:03 End-of-Sermon Special Music – “Solid Rock” – Kindred Spirit

Summary

 Elder Jack Hagensen’s sermon, “Thoughts Centered On Him,” deeply explores the transformative power of humility through the lens of Jesus Christ’s teachings and personal life experiences. Beginning with the Beatitudes from Matthew 5, Jack highlights the blessedness of those who embrace humility, righteousness, mercy, and meekness, emphasizing that true joy and spiritual fulfillment come from centering one’s life on Jesus Christ.

Throughout the sermon, Jack shares his own journey of faith, including profound trials such as the loss of his stillborn child, which humbled him and deepened his reliance on God. He contrasts worldly happiness with eternal joy, underscoring that joy emerges from a humble heart aligned with God’s will. Drawing on key scriptures from Colossians, Proverbs, James, Micah, and Peter, he illustrates that humility brings grace, wisdom, and exaltation. The sermon also recounts a powerful encounter on a plane, where shared experiences of loss and forgiveness revealed God’s healing power.

Jack concludes with a heartfelt call to embrace humility as the foundation for becoming true children of God, shining as lights in the world, and receiving divine wisdom and hope. The accompanying music selections reinforce themes of kindness, service, and steadfast faith in Jesus Christ as the unshakable rock.

Highlights

1. The sermon opens with the Beatitudes, emphasizing the blessings tied to humility and righteousness.
2. Jack shares his personal testimony of faith shaped by loss and spiritual growth.
3. A key distinction is made between worldly happiness and the eternal joy found in Christ.
4. Scriptural references throughout the sermon underscore humility as the path to grace, wisdom, and exaltation.
5. A moving story of divine confirmation of a lost child’s name reveals God’s intimate involvement in personal suffering.
6. The restoration movement’s message affirms that everyone will have a chance to accept or reject Jesus Christ.
7. The sermon closes with an inspiring exhortation to humble oneself and let Christ’s light shine through good works.

Key Insights

1. Humility as the Gateway to Divine Blessings: Jack roots the sermon in Matthew 5, showing that humility is not weakness but the pathway to the kingdom of heaven, comfort, mercy, and ultimately seeing God. This aligns with biblical promises that God exalts the humble and opposes the proud, highlighting humility’s central role in spiritual growth.
2. Personal Trials as Instruments of Humbling and Growth: The stillbirth of Jack’s child was a devastating experience that humbled both him and his wife, leading to deeper prayer and reliance on God. This profound trial illustrates how suffering can strip away pride and open the heart to divine guidance and joy beyond circumstances.
3. Distinction Between Happiness and Joy: Happiness is framed as fleeting and tied to worldly conditions, whereas joy is described as eternal and rooted in a humble relationship with Jesus Christ. This inspires believers to seek lasting joy by aligning their lives with God’s will rather than transient pleasures.
4. God’s Intimate Communication in Humble Hearts: The revelation of the child’s name, “Joseph,” symbolized God’s personal care and comfort in moments of deep sorrow, demonstrating that God speaks to those who humbly seek Him, providing hope and confirmation.
5. The Power of Forgiveness and Healing: The encounter with a woman on the plane who had experienced abortion reveals the transformative power of God’s forgiveness and healing, offering hope to those burdened by past pains and illustrating the ripple effect of humility and grace.
6. Restoration Movement’s Inclusive Message: Jack emphasizes that the Restoration Church believes all will have the opportunity to accept or reject Jesus Christ, underscoring God’s justice and mercy and providing hope for the salvation of loved ones, including his own father.
7. Humility as a Source of Wisdom and Strength: The sermon concludes by linking humility with wisdom, citing Proverbs and encouraging believers to humble themselves to gain God’s guidance and become true children of God, equipped to shine light in a dark world.

Outline

1. Introduction and Scripture Reading (Matthew 5:1-18)
   • Jesus teaches the Beatitudes, outlining blessings for the humble, meek, merciful, and persecuted.
   • Jesus calls His followers to be the salt and light of the earth, shining good works to glorify God.
2. Sermon Part 1: The Call to Humility and a Personal Testimony
   • Jack discusses the importance of humility as the foundation of Christian life.
   • He contrasts worldly happiness with eternal joy found in following Jesus.
   • Shares his upbringing in a Lutheran background and meeting his wife Lois, who introduced him to the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
   • Describes the loss of their first child and how it humbled them and brought them closer to God.
   • Presents relevant scriptures (Colossians 3:12-17, Proverbs 22:4, James, Micah 6:8, 1 Peter) linking humility to compassion, kindness, wisdom, and divine favor.
3. Mid-Sermon Special Music: “Least of These” by Kindred Spirit
   • A reflective song emphasizing kindness, bravery, and thinking more of others and less of self.
   • Reinforces the sermon’s message of humility and service.
4. Sermon Part 2: Continuing the Journey of Humility and Divine Encounters
   • Shares moving experiences related to family rejection and reconciliation.
   • Describes a powerful spiritual experience where he saw his father in a heavenly form, confirming his father’s acceptance of the gospel.
   • Relates the story of meeting a woman on a plane who had an abortion and the healing that followed through shared faith.
   • Highlights the enduring joy found in God’s presence, referencing Enoch’s joy in Genesis and Peter’s description of “joy unspeakable.”
   • Calls for believers to humble themselves, learn from Christ who was meek and lowly, and allow God to speak and guide them.
   • Concludes with an emphasis on humility bringing wisdom and hope.
5. Post-Sermon Special Music: “Solid Rock” by Kindred Spirit
   • A hymn celebrating faith in Jesus Christ as the firm foundation amidst life’s trials.
   • Reinforces the sermon theme of steadfast trust and humility anchored in Christ.