Step Four is where the 12 Steps get brutally honest. After three steps of surrender, now comes the hard part: taking a fearless moral inventory of yourself. Research shows that while 95% of people think they're self-aware, only 10-15% actually are. Through the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector who climbed a tree just to see Jesus, we discover that transformation doesn't come from cleaning up our act first, but from being willing to let God reveal what's really inside us. This sermon tackles the uncomfortable work of "hugging the cactus," examining everything from resentments and fears to sexual conduct and character flaws. Using 1 Corinthians 13's description of love as a self-examination tool, you'll be challenged to ask hard questions: Am I patient or impatient? Kind or mean? Self-seeking or others-focused? The truth is painful to face, but healing awaits on the other side. Because you're only as sick as your secrets, and if you're not willing to shine light into those dark corners, you'll never find the freedom you're looking for.
