Is God's silence a sign of his absence? Or does it mean something else? In this message, we look at the story of a man Jesus said was the greatest who ever lived. And yet, even this man struggled with God's inattentiveness. The message Jesus sends him in the middle of his doubt contains a secret reassurance for us 2,000 years later.
If you or someone close to you has ever struggled with God because He's seemed indifferent or unaware, or because of very difficult, painful circumstances, listen to Thao’s Story. Her story is one of illogical hope, healing, peace and passion in spite of facing circumstances that should crush the human soul & spirit.
Following Jesus results in overwhelming faith, but at times it can also be inconvenient, costly, and even embarrassing. It can cause us to miss opportunities, lose business, or stand out in the crowd when we'd rather fit in. Even Jesus' earliest followers restled with this tension, but one of his disciples asked a question that put everything in perspective; to whom shall I go?
Most of us don't become Christians with the intent of following Jesus. We become Christians because we are told obedience pays and disobedience doesn't. We become Christians hoping that spirituality will fill the holes in our souls. We become Christians hoping God will fix us. Eventually, our agendas clash with Jesus' agenda, and we have to decide whether we'll abandon him or follow.
During his time on earth, Jesus invited misbehavers and unbelievers to follow him. We are all invited to follow him. You are invited to follow him, but there's something you need to know about following Jesus. It will cost you something eventually.
Everyone is invited to follow Jesus.
But what do people who follow Jesus look like? What do they wear?
We want to follow Jesus, but where is he leading? What is the payoff for following him? Is it being a better person? Is it life in heaven after we die? If you follow him, you won't have a pain-free life. But that's okay, because Jesus offers much more—a faith so strong it frees us from fear.
Religion says, Change and you can join us. Jesus says, Join us and you will change. There's a huge difference. Jesus doesn't expect you to be perfect. He just wants you to follow him. Being a sinner doesn't disqualify you from following him. Being an unbeliever doesn't disqualify you from following him. In fact, following almost always begins with taking one small step.
Jesus says to pray. Jesus says not to look over there. Jesus says to be nice. Jesus says to get up early and read your Bible. Lots of people think Christianity is all about doing what Jesus says. But what if doing what Jesus says isn't what Jesus says to do at all? Regardless of what you believe. Regardless of how you behave. Jesus invites you to follow him.
Plans are great. Reality is greater. Reality wins. Things don’t always go as planned. Some dreams don’t come true. So what do you do when you discover your dream can’t come true?
