City Rev Church

The Villains, Part 3: Render to God by Pastor Robey Barnes

In this Palm Sunday message, Pastor Robey Barnes unpacks Jesus’ powerful response to a carefully crafted trap: “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” What starts as a political question quickly turns into a deeper, more personal challenge about allegiance. Jesus shifts the focus from coins and government to something far greater—our lives. If a coin bears Caesar’s image, it belongs to him… but we bear God’s image, which means everything we are ultimately belongs to Him. This message invites us to examine what we’re holding back and calls us to fully surrender our hearts, lives, and identity to God.

The Villains, Part 2: Sadducees by Pastor Craig Stephens

In the first message of The Villains series, Pastor Josh Slautterback explores Mark 3:1–6 and the confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees over healing on the Sabbath. While the religious leaders carefully watched for a reason to accuse Him, Jesus exposed the deeper issue—the hardness of their hearts. Instead of seeing a man in need, they saw a rule being threatened. Through this powerful moment, Pastor Josh challenges us to confront the subtle danger of self-righteousness—reminding us that it’s often easier to notice in others than in ourselves. The message ultimately points to the hope of the gospel: that Jesus came not for the perfect, but for those willing to lay down their pride and receive His grace and mercy.

The Villains, Part 1: Self-Righteousness by Pastor Josh Slautterback

In the first message of The Villains series, Pastor Josh Slautterback explores Mark 3:1–6 and the confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees over healing on the Sabbath. While the religious leaders carefully watched for a reason to accuse Him, Jesus exposed the deeper issue—the hardness of their hearts. Instead of seeing a man in need, they saw a rule being threatened. Through this powerful moment, Pastor Josh challenges us to confront the subtle danger of self-righteousness—reminding us that it’s often easier to notice in others than in ourselves. The message ultimately points to the hope of the gospel: that Jesus came not for the perfect, but for those willing to lay down their pride and receive His grace and mercy.

The Epic of the City, Part 4: Hope in Exile by Pastor Robey Barnes

In this message from The Epic of the City, Pastor Robey Barnes looks at Israel’s exile to Babylon and reveals how God used what seemed like defeat to accomplish His greater purpose. Rather than simply surviving in a foreign land, God called His people to settle in, build lives, and seek the Shalom—the peace and flourishing—of the city where they had been sent. In the same way, followers of Jesus today are called to live as faithful exiles in their own communities, praying for broken places and working for the good of the city around them. Even in difficult seasons, God’s promise remains true: He has plans to bring hope, restoration, and a future for His people.

The Epic of the City, Part 3: One Generation Away

In The Epic of the City, Part 3, Pastor Robey Barnes walks through the story of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 18, highlighting both his righteousness and his regret. Though God used Hezekiah to bring reform, defeat the Assyrians, and even miraculously heal him, a subtle but costly mistake followed—he exposed his treasures to Babylon and chose personal peace over generational faithfulness. Through this story, Pastor Robey challenges us to examine our own priorities and redefine what the Church truly is—not a platform for comfort or good advice, but a living body, a spiritual family called to grow together and pass down the fear of the Lord. This message calls every believer to surrender fully to Jesus, invest in the next generation, and take their place in God’s mission to reach the city.