Drawn Towards the Center

Drawn Towards the Center (John 12:20–33) - Pastor Donnell Wyche - a2cc.org. Watch our livestream Sundays @ 11:00am - vimeo.com/annarborcommunitychurch 

Summary:

In this second sermon of the 2026 series Moving Towards the Center, Pastor Donnell Wyche invites the congregation to reflect on faith in a chaotic and fear-filled world. Building on the Epiphany theme of attentiveness, he reminds listeners that the Spirit of God does not operate through fear or coercion, but through presence, desire, and attraction. Gathering together, he says, is itself an act of resistance to isolation and despair, a declaration that we are not alone as God continues to unfold a larger story of grace, belonging, and transformation.

Turning to John 12:20–33, Pastor Donnell centers the sermon on Jesus’ words, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself.” He highlights the significance of the Greeks—outsiders—who come simply saying, “We wish to see Jesus.” Their honest desire becomes a sign that God’s work is expanding beyond insiders and boundaries. Jesus does not offer them easy answers or rigid rules; instead, he orients them toward himself. Faith, Pastor Donnell explains, is not about mastering ideas or guarding lines, but about being drawn into relationship with the living Christ who awakens desire rather than enforcing compliance.

The sermon culminates in a vision of “centered faith”: a life shaped not by fear of crossing boundaries, but by movement toward Jesus over time. Pastor Donnell challenges listeners to shift the core question of faith from “Am I good enough?” to “What direction is my life heading?” Growth, he reminds us, is uneven and imperfect, but faithfulness is found in leaning forward, trusting that Christ is strong enough, loving enough, and alive enough to draw us closer. The invitation is simple and hopeful: you do not have to be finished, certain, or complete—only willing to move toward the center.