Fourth Sunday of Lent

Summary

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Podcast Summary: The Wake-Up Call – Fourth Sunday of Lent

Host: John David Walt (J.D. Walt), with David Walt
Date: March 15, 2026
Theme: Exalting Jesus Together on Sunday – Scripture, Song, and Sabbath Rest

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Episode Overview

This special Sunday episode of The Wake-Up Call invites the community into rest and worship, focusing exclusively on exalting Jesus Christ. Rather than a typical devotional reflection, the episode centers on a powerful reading of Colossians 1:15-23—a creedal proclamation of Christ’s preeminence—followed by the singing of the hymn "Fairest Lord Jesus." The conversation is marked by warmth, family, and invitation, encouraging all listeners to find community and worship on this fourth Sunday of Lent.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Embracing Sabbath and Rest (00:04–01:00)

• Purpose: Sundays are set apart; there is no regular devotional entry, only Scripture, worship, and community focus.
• "We're not going to hit the fields, we're going to the field house. We're resting from our labors and we're worshiping God."
  (John David Walt, 00:22)

2. Centering on Christ: Proclamation from Colossians (01:30–04:10)

• J.D. Walt recites from memory Colossians 1:15–23, reflecting on the supremacy and reconciling work of Christ.
• Key Themes:
  • Jesus as the image of the invisible God and head of all creation.
  • All things created through, by, and for Christ.
  • The reconciling work of Christ’s physical body and his supreme place in the church.
  • The call to remain steadfast in faith and hope through the Gospel.
• Memorable Moment: Walt personalizes the text, encouraging listeners to insert their own names after Paul’s declaration of servanthood:
  "'This is the Gospel which you have heard … of which I, Paul— I like to add my name too. I, John David, have become a servant.'"
  (J.D. Walt, 03:50)
• Sets a reverent, exalted tone for the day’s worship:
  "That is an exalted creedal declaration about our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s worthy of our highest attention."
  (J.D. Walt, 04:10)

3. Hymn: "Fairest Lord Jesus" (04:18–06:53)

• Song Selection: “Fairest Lord Jesus,” hymn number 113.
• J.D. and his father, David Walt, sing all four verses, focusing on the beauty and supremacy of Jesus.
• Emphasis on lifting Jesus high together as a community.
• Quote:
  "We’re singing. This is the day when we just are exalting Jesus. We're just getting him lifted up. We just want to see him high and exalted as he truly is. You ready?"
  (J.D. Walt, 04:25–04:39)
• Full-hearted, familial worship, ending with:
  "Amen. Praise the Lord. That’s a song just straight to Jesus, who is worthy of it all."
  (J.D. Walt, 06:53)

4. Invitation to Worship and Community (06:53–09:18)

• Open invitation to attend Gillette Methodist Church, physically or online.
  • Details: “Third street and Leslie,” with a fellowship lunch (potluck) to follow.
  • "If you can't get here, we love to have you online … YouTube … Facebook … We'd love to have you online. But you know what? I'd love it if you just go to your church and if you can't get there, go to your church online if you got it."
    (J.D. Walt, 07:43–08:43)
• Expresses gratitude for the blessing of worshiping each Sunday with his parents.
  • "I never imagined, dad, that I would be able to look out from the pulpit and see you and Mom … just right over to the right, third row back. And that's been a real blessing."
    (J.D. Walt, 08:53)
• Reinforces the start of a new week, sending listeners to “the fields”—to live as awakened disciples.

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Notable Quotes

• "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created, visible and invisible..."
  • (Colossians 1:15–16; J.D. Walt recitation, 01:48–03:10)
• "We just want to see him high and exalted, as he truly is."
  • (J.D. Walt, 04:35)
• "That's a song just straight to Jesus, who is worthy of it all."
  • (J.D. Walt, 06:53)

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Important Timestamps

• 00:04 – Episode and Sunday focus introduction
• 01:30 – Start of Colossians 1:15–23 recitation
• 04:18 – Choosing and preparing the hymn
• 04:39 – Singing "Fairest Lord Jesus"
• 06:53 – Reflection on hymn and moving toward church
• 07:43 – Invitation to church in Gillette or online worship
• 08:53 – Personal blessing of worshiping with family

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Tone & Atmosphere

• Warm, familial, inviting, worshipful – The episode feels like gathering with loved ones before Sunday worship, with a focus on exalting Christ above all.
• Community-Centric – Encourages physical or digital gathering, openness to newcomers, and gratitude for family and tradition.

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Summary

This Sunday’s Wake-Up Call pauses the week’s busy rhythm, inviting listeners into deep rest and exaltation of Jesus. With a heartfelt recitation of Colossians’ Christ hymn and a classic worship song, J.D. Walt calls the community to fix their eyes on Jesus, find joy in worship, and celebrate the gift of gathering, both in person and online. The episode closes with thanks for family and the persistent hope that all listeners will find—and be—community as the church, ready for another week of awakened living.

Transcript

[A]

Well, good morning, Sower Nation Church. It is Sunday, March 15th in the year of our Lord 2026. I'm John David Walt and this is your wake up call. And of course you know by now on Sundays we're doing a little bit different. We're not having a regular entry, we're reading straight scripture and we're singing a hymn and we're going to church. Okay, this is, this is, we're going to the field house today. We're not going to hit the fields, we're going to the field house. We're resting from our labors and we're worshiping God. So for today I'm just going with the text. We listed texts out on Sundays. We didn't even do entries on Sundays. They don't count in the 40 days. But I love the Creed in Colossians chapter one. Really? I guess it's verse 15 and forward. And I've lived with this text for a long time and I'm going to test my rememberization today and see if I can give it to you straight from my heart. This is Colossians 1, chapter 15, chapter 1, beginning at verse 15. And then Dad's here, we're going to sing great hymn together. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created, visible and invisible, whether on earth or in heaven, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. All things were created by him. And for him he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church, the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now Christ has reconciled you by his physical body to present you holy in his sight without blemish and free from accusation. If you continue steadfast in your faith and established and firm, not moved from the hope held out for you in the Gospel. This is the Gospel which you have heard and which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, I like to add my name too. And you like to add your name. I, Paul, I, John David, have become a servant. That's the word of God for the people of God. That is a exalted creedal declaration about our Lord. Jesus Christ. It's worthy of our highest attention. All right, dad, what are we going to sing here? Looks.

[B]

I don't know. First Lord Jesus.

[A]

Right there.

[B]

Yep. First Lord Jesus.

[A]

What's their number?

[B]

1 13.

[A]

We're going to sing all four verses. We're singing. This is the day when we just are exalting Jesus. We're just getting him lifted up. We just want to see him high and exalted as he truly is. You ready?

[B]

There is Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature O love of God and man the Son thee will I cherish Thee will I honor Thou my soul's glory, joy and crown Fair of the meadows fairer till the woodlands Roped in the morning garb of spring Jesus is fairer Jesus is pure who makes a woeful heart to sing There is the sunshine There still the moonlight and all the twinkling starry host Jesus shines brighter Jesus shines purer Than all the ages heaven can boast Beautiful Savior Lord of all the nations Son of God and Son of man Glory and honour Praise adoration now and forevermore be thine

[A]

Amen Praise the Lord. That's. That's a song just straight to Jesus, who is worthy of it all. Well, it's time to not go to the fields. We're going to the field house. We're going into church today. We are church. And if you don't have a church, I'd love to invite you to come to Gillette today in person, if you can come. We're right down on 3rd street and Leslie. And we got room. There's always room for more people to visit. We're having a fellowship lunch today. That's code for potluck. Okay. We're going to be bringing. It's good food over there, isn't it?

[B]

It's great food.

[A]

Yeah. Yep. So that's happening today. I've probably got, I don't know, seven, eight, maybe more friends coming in today from Little Rock. Looking forward to seeing them in church. Now, if you can't get here, we love to have you online where you can go to YouTube and search for Gillette Methodist Church or you can go to Facebook, search for Gillette Methodist Church. And we broadcast our. Our whole service. There's nothing fancy about it. It's beautiful. It's powerful. It's classic worship. You'll recognize it. We'd love to have you online. But you know what? I'd love it if you just go to your church and if you can't get there, go to your church online. If you got it. I'm just offering that as an opportunity, as an alternative. So it's time for us to get ready. We're. We're not quite dressed for church yet, dad, but there's still time on the clock, and I'm looking forward to it. I never imagined, dad, that I would be able to look out from the pulpit and see you and Mom.

[B]

Amen to that.

[A]

Every Sunday. There they are, just right over to the right, third row back. And that's been a real blessing. It's been a blessing to get to be part of this little church in Gillette. And we'll be getting the saints ready for another week in the fields. So we'll see you at the house for The Awakening. I'm J.D. walt.

[B]

And I'm David. Walt.