YWHW 2026 - Theme Sermon

Introduction

Every year I introduce the theme for Connection Church based on the year’s number.

Some numbers are easy—they jump right out at you.

Others… not so much.

And honestly, this year’s number was tough.

Here’s the thing: the number 26 only shows up twice in Scripture, and neither instance really helps us understand its meaning. I was looking for something relevant, something prophetic—something that would help us better understand who God is and how we relate to Him.

At first, I wasn’t finding it.

Just loose connections that didn’t inspire me.

Except for one.

God’s Name Forgotten

To get there, we’ve got to take a short trip into ancient Hebrew.

God’s name in the Old Testament is written as YHWH.

And when we see that, our first thought is usually, “Where are the vowels?”

That’s a fair question.

Ancient Hebrew didn’t write vowels—they were understood. People knew how words were pronounced because they spoke the language every day.

Think of it like this:

“w rn t th str t gt brd.”

You know what that says: “we ran to the store to get bread.”

Context fills in what’s missing.

But here’s the problem: God’s name was considered so holy that it was never spoken out loud. Ever.

Even though they knew how to pronounce it, they refused to say it. And because vowels weren’t written down, once Hebrew stopped being spoken as a living language, the pronunciation was lost.

So in Scripture, we often see replacement words like Lord or Adonai—standing in for God’s actual name.

That’s how sacred it was.

The Hunt for the Name of God

Knowing someone’s name matters—especially when that someone is God.

Because not all gods are God.

So how do we say His name?

Most people say “Yahweh.”

Some say “Jehovah.”

Either way, you’re in the right ballpark.

But here’s what’s incredible:

Just saying His name tells us something profound about who He is.

With every breath you take, you’re speaking the name of God.

YHWH — Yod, He, Vav, He.

It sounds like breathing in and breathing out.

That life-giving breath filling your lungs—that’s His name.

When you sing worship songs, you’re speaking His name.

When you try to pray and can’t find the words—just breathe.

Your soul is calling out to the God who spoke you into existence.

YAHWEH.

A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Words

For centuries, Hebrew scholars studied Scripture using something called Gematria.

In Gematria, every Hebrew letter has a numeric value.

Yod = 10

He = 5

Vav = 6

He = 5

Add them together and you get… 26.

The name of God equals 26.

That’s why our theme this year is YHWH 2026.

And that leads us to an even bigger question:

What Does God’s Name Mean?

The first time God reveals His name is in Exodus 3.

Moses asks God, “What is your name?”

And God replies: “I AM WHO I AM.”

That word “am” is about being.

Existence.

Continuity.

The Hebrew meaning behind Yahweh captures all three tenses:

He was. He is. He will be.

God was telling Moses, “My name is my nature.”

I have no beginning.

I have no end.

I am eternal.

As Michael Heiser wrote:

“Revealing God’s name meant revealing who God was and what He was like.”

When God says, “I AM,” He’s saying He is self-existent and unchanging.

And in a world where everything shifts—this matters.

When life feels unstable, when circumstances change, when nothing feels secure—you can look to YHWH and know He remains the same.

Theme and Scripture

Our theme for this year is YAHWEH; it’s important that we remember the way the letters remind us of breathing and that He is the GREAT I AM

Revelation 4:8 says:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, and is, and is to come.”

That’s YAHWEH.

Moment of Reflection #1

Take a moment.

What in your life feels unstable right now?

Finances? Relationships? Health? Work?

Hold that in your mind.

Now consider YHWH—the God who was, who is, and who will be.

Take a deep breath.

Speak His name.

Let His unchanging presence settle over what’s troubling you.

Knowing YHWH Changes Everything

God’s identity doesn’t depend on anything outside Himself.

You and I are shaped by experiences and circumstances.

But not God.

The kindness He shows today—that’s how He’s always been.

The forgiveness He offers—that’s how He’s always been.

His faithfulness—that’s eternal.

Augustine said:

“God is patient because He is eternal.”

He’s not just ancient.

He’s outside of time.

And realizing this changes how we trust Him.

YHWH and Jesus

Jesus didn’t avoid this name.

In John 8:58, He said:

“Before Abraham was, I AM.”

Not “I was.”

“I AM.”

He was identifying Himself as YHWH.

Then in Revelation 1:8, God says:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega… who is and who was and who is to come.”

And at the end of the Bible, Jesus says:

Revelation 22:12-13

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

What’s happening here? Two Alphas? Two Omegas? Two beginning and the ends?

No.

There aren’t two beginnings.

There aren’t two endings.

Jesus is the Word. John 1:1

“In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God.”

As Andio König said

“Jesus is not only God’s final word, but also His first word! He is Omega and Alpha!”

Tim Keller wrote;

“Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. What does that mean? He’s the whole dictionary. He’s the whole lexicon. He’s the whole alphabet. He is the word and the only word that will satisfy the infinite word of hunger of our human souls.”

This is why we pray with the disciples the GLORIA:

Glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen!

Moment of Reflection #2

Jesus—the One who walked dusty roads, touched lepers, and wept at a tomb—is YHWH.

The eternal God stepped into time for you.

How does that change how you approach Him?

How does it change your prayer?

The Challenge

As we begin this year under the theme YHWH 2026, here’s my challenge:

Live like you believe God doesn’t change.

Stop acting like God might change His mind about you.

Stop doubting His promises because circumstances look impossible.

This week, do three things:

First — Breathe

Every morning, take a deep breath and remember you’re speaking His name.

Second — Identify

Identify one area where you’ve been living like God is unreliable. Bring it before Him.

Third — Remember

Say this truth out loud:

He was. He is. He will be.

The God who walked with Adam wants to walk with you.

The God who freed Israel wants to free you.

The God who raised Jesus has power over every dead place in your life.

He was faithful then.

He is faithful now.

He will be faithful forever.

That’s YHWH.

Will you trust Him?

Will you anchor your life to the unchanging God?

He was.

He is.

He will be.

And He is yours.

Amen.