What Are You Doing? | Steven Furtick | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

What Are You Doing?

Elevation Church • Mar 29, 2026 • 49 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

When life feels confusing or overwhelming, we often find ourselves asking God what He is doing in our situations. Looking at Palm Sunday through the four perspectives of the disciples walking, the crowds waving, the donkey waiting, and the King weaving, Pastor Steven Furtick shows that God is constantly working behind the scenes to fulfill His divine purpose. Even when we only see the messy underside of our circumstances, we can trust that King Jesus is masterfully weaving every detail together for our good and His glory.

Themes

God's SovereigntyTrusting God in UncertaintyProphetic FulfillmentHumility vs. Public PraiseObedience before Understanding

Pastor's Points

1.

1. The disciples are walking

2.

2. The crowds are waving

3.

3. The donkey is waiting

4.

4. The King is weaving

Key Points

1.
The disciples walked with Jesus through moments they did not understand, proving that some things only make sense after God is glorified.
2.
There is a major difference between looking at someone else's life from the outside and living through the reality on the inside.
3.
Like a cross-stitch pattern, we often see only the messy underside of life, while God sees the beautiful design He is weaving on top.
4.
Public praise and popularity are fleeting; believers must not build their identity on crowd approval because human praise can change quickly.
5.
Jesus was never moved by crowd applause or public opinion; He moved through the crowd to stay faithful to His Father's mission.
6.
God chose a young, unridden colt to carry the King into Jerusalem, demonstrating that God delights in using small, unexpected, and inexperienced vessels.
7.
What feels like rejection or being passed over in life is often God's divine reservation and preparation for a specific purpose.
8.
Faith requires trusting God in the moment and obeying Him now, believing He will reveal the full picture later.

Sermon Moments

“The cross-stitch illustration showing that while we see the messy knots on the underside of life, God sees the complete pattern on top.”

“"Don't ever get too attached to people's praise, because if you live by it, you'll die when they take it away."”

“"Don't confuse loud with loyal."”

“"God said, 'It wasn't rejection; it was preparation. It wasn't rejection; it was reservation.'"”

“"Obey it now, and I'll explain it later."”

“"Don't confuse what it looks like with how it's lived, or you might give up on something great because of something gross, and you might give up on something miraculous because of something messy."”

“Corrie ten Boom's poem "The Weaver", reminding us that God chooses the dark threads just as carefully as the gold and silver.”

“The contrast of Jesus choosing a young donkey colt over a grand war horse, showing that God delights in using humble and unexpected vessels.”

This Week

Stop judging your life or current situation by its messy "underside," trusting that God is actively weaving a purposeful design.

Refuse to base your identity or self-worth on the applause, approval, or public praise of people.

Practice prompt obedience to God's direction even when you do not yet understand the full reason behind it.

Release bitterness over past rejections, recognizing that God may have been reserving you for a specific future purpose.

Keep walking faithfully with Jesus through uncertain seasons rather than quitting when things get confusing.

Resist comparing your daily behind-the-scenes struggles to someone else's polished public image.

Anchor your heart in God's promises, knowing that the times you feel most confused are often the times God is working the most.

Remember This

God is masterfully weaving every detail of your life behind the scenes, so keep walking in obedience even when you only see the messy underside.

A Challenge for You

Keep walking and keep praying because the King is weaving; trust His hands with the messy details you cannot understand right now, knowing He will work all things together for good.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.