Knows the Way - Part One

I want to invite you to open your Bibles with me to the book of Jeremiah, chapter 6 and find with me verse 16. We're continuing our year-long series called "Just Jesus." Where we want to know Him, see Him, love Him, and live Him in 2025. This isn't just another teaching series - it's really about a relationship. It's about all of us, together, getting closer to the One who changes everything. This month, we begin a new mini-series called "Know the Way." And I don't know about you, but I could use some direction these days. Anyone else feeling a little lost sometimes? Have you ver took a Long car trip? I’m sure most of you have. Just trying to get form Colorado Springs to Denver on a weekend, can make for a long car trip… am I right? Our family usually drives when we go on trips. And when you drive for long period of time, it gives you a lot of time to think about life. Perhaps sometimes when you have a lot of time to think.. no matter who you are you can get a bit philosophical in your mind. Have you ever been philosophical? Let me give you some questions. Why are towels considered dirty when you get out of the shower clean? If you drop soap on the floor is the floor clean or the soap dirty? I dunno… What do you think? Who closes the bus door once the bus driver gets off?

But thinking about long road trips, I kept thinking this week, how paths have always kind of been a quiet representation of the lives we live. I mean, Think about it….. in our lives… There are inclines and declines, ups and downs. There are sharp turns and tripping hazards. There can be both fear and Joy in the path before us. And I know when we travel, we’ve witnessed all of these things. We went up the mountains and down. One time, during this season we drove 17 hours to Florida to sea world. Coming through the mountains of West Virginia on our way back to see my mom, we hit some crazy sharp turns. We’re talking about the kiss your own butt turns. We saw hazards like accidents and road construction. And as I was thinking all of this… I was also reminiscing when I was a kid, in the back of my families car, and I never had to worry about anything. I did have to worry about how I was getting somewhere mainly because I had trusted in my family in knowing the way to get there. Do you remember back in the day where we would print off like 100 pages of Mapquest directions and we actually had to drive and navigate at the same time, on our own without phones? I remember the first time I got the van back after the teens went to Main Event and in the door of the van was a road atlas. Like, I haven’t seen one of those for ages. And I’m not even sure if it was up to date. Our lives are full of noise, and choices and paths. It's true.. everyday you come to little and big crossroads in your life. Small ones like: "Should I hit snooze again?" "What should I have for lunch?" "Should I text them back right now or wait?” And big ones like: "Should I take this job?" "Is this the person I should marry?" "Where should we raise our kids?" "How do I handle this diagnosis?” And here's the thing - we're living in a time where we have more information than ever, more options than ever, but somehow we feel more lost than ever. Anybody else feel that way? You know what's different now compared to those old road atlas days? Back then, if you got lost, you had to stop and ask someone for directions. Remember that? Pulling into a gas station, rolling down your window, "Excuse me, how do I get to…?” \ And in West Virginian the answer was always, its just a little ways down the road.. but a little ways in West Virgina was like a other 30 minute drive around turns and up and down hills. Now we just trust whatever voice comes out of our phone, even when it takes us down some sketchy back road at midnight. One time, my GPS told me to turn, and I did, and I ended up turning into traffic. And I wonder... have we done the same thing spiritually? Have we stopped asking for directions from the One who actually knows the way?

And this brings us to our text for today. Look with me to Jeremiah chapter 6, verse 16. Because God knows exactly what we're going through - this feeling of being at a crossroads, this need for direction. And He speaks directly into it. "This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls'" (Jeremiah 6:16 NIV). I love how this Scripture begins, and it begins with something very relevant to our lives and our walk with Jesus. Jeremiah 6:16 begins like this: "This is what the Lord says.” What this teaches us is...Our willingness to listen for God reflects a belief that God wants to communicate with us. Think about it - if I didn't believe my GPS wanted to give me directions, I'd never turn it on, right? If we want to know God's will for our life, or even in a particular situation, or even for the future of this church, first we need to believe that God is willing and able to communicate with us. And secondly: we need to learn to hear His voice through the clatter of the world... and even through our own selfishness and our own preferences. It's like trying to hear your GPS over the radio, the kids in the backseat, and your own thoughts about "I think I know a better way.”

But, lets go back for a moment… the verse says, this is what the Lord says. Don't rush past this. We typically do… typically when reading this, we rush into what God says, but just take a moment to marvel at these 4 words. The infinite, eternal, self-existent God – the One who spoke galaxies into existence by the mere power of His word – this God stoops to speak to us. And I can’t help, but to sit here and Marvel at this reality. Like it excites me. It excites me because I think we all want to be acknowledged by God and noticed. David write is Pslanm 139, You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. ‘He knows us… he notices us. In our waywardness, in our sin, the holy Gopd, full of glory and majesty speaks. Think about it - how many times have you posted something on social media and then kept checking to see if anyone liked it or commented? We're all looking for that validation, that acknowledgment that we matter, that we're seen. He's the one who calls the stars by name. He's the God who created you and eight billion other people on this planet. He's the one sustaining your beating heart and your breathing lungs right now. The very breath you have at this moment to let you hear and think and see and respond is grace upon grace given to you by the one who wants to speak to you. And this God is speaking. To the Israelites through Jeremiah in our text this morning, yes. But He's also speaking to you right now, in this moment. While you're sitting in that chair, while you're processing whatever's going on in your life, while you're thinking about the decisions you're facing - He's speaking. Our willingness to listen for God reflects a belief that God wants to communicates with us. If we want to know God's will for our life or even in a particular situation, or even for the future of this church, first we need to believe that God is willing and able to communicate with us and secondly: we need to learn to hear his voice through the clatter of the world… and even through our own selfishness and our own preferences. When we read the Bible, when we pray, when we gather together as a body of believers,, ………God desires to speak and communicate to us. And just one aspect of spiritual growth is learning to recognize and then having a willingness to listen to God's voice. Jesus reminds us in John 10:27 - "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Do you hear that? Jesus, God in flesh speaks…. And those who love him, hears him. And he knows them. Oh God, you have searched me and you know me. That's the kind of intimate relationship we're talking about - being fully known and fully loved.

How do in know this? Well, Another thing we learn is Our willingness to listen for God reflects a belief that God wants us to trust in Him. You know what's one of the key building blocks for intimacy? Actually, intimacy comes in many different recipes, it's true. But one of the main ingredients that must be present for intimacy - it's trust. Trust is at the heart of intimacy. Think about it - when Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice and I know them," that's talking about the building blocks of a relationship. It's about knowing one another. A two way street. But Jesus doesn't stop there. He goes on to say... "and they follow me.” That's trust. Let me ask you something - would you follow someone you don't trust? Of course not. No one follows someone they don't trust. And here's the thing - we're not going to trust anyone, not even Jesus, if we don't build a deep, loving relationship with them. If we don't take time to get to know them for who they are. Or even take the time just to be with them. It's like any relationship, right? You don't trust someone deeply after one conversation. Trust grows through time, through experience, through seeing their character revealed in different situations. So how does loving that other person grow? How does trust develop? It grows when we spend time together It grows when we listen - really listen - to what they're saying It grows when we see their faithfulness over time It grows when we experience their character firsthand It grows through our small groups. And that's exactly what God is inviting us into. He's saying, "Spend time with me. Listen to my voice. Watch my faithfulness. Experience my character. And as you do, you'll learn to trust me enough to follow where I lead.”

Now, let me go back to my story. This is what I noticed when I looked in the rear view mirror at my kids sitting in the back seat of our car as we we would travel. They were at peace... They were able to be at peace and rest during the trip, not because they were wondering how we were getting to where we were going, but because they knew that their father knew the way. I was able to lead them and they could follow and be at rest the entire time. They weren't worried about: Which exit to take How much gas was left Where we'd stop for lunch What to do if there was construction They trusted me. They knew I had their best interest at heart. They knew I'd get them there safely. They knew I somewhat knew the way. Look back at our verse - Jeremiah 6:16 - God doesn't just say "stand at the crossroads and look." He says, "Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it.”

So here's the question: Will we choose the "ancient paths?” Sadly, Jeremiah's people wouldn't follow this advice. They did not consider God's way, and they paid dearly for taking the wrong path at the crossroads. I mean look at the ending of this vers… they said, We won’t! If we go into verse 17, God even send a rams horn blow to warn them, he set watchmen over them, and what’s their response… we wont listen! Eventually disaster fell upon them. Warning after warning and they wouldn’t listen. They chose their own paths. Years later, here we are. Even as a church, we have moments in our life where we're going to need to stand at the crossroads and ask... which way do we go? Will we choose the ancient paths that God has laid out for us? Or will we follow the same destructive path that the Israelites chose,, and say, we wont. Now, when I say "ancient paths," what comes to your mind? What do you think of when you hear the word “ancient. For me... it's rocks. I think rocks are ancient. Sometimes, and I know this is weird. But I have alleys been a dreamer. Ever since I was a kid on a 500 acre farm, I would at times just lay in the hay field and dream of life. And sometimes, I like to do this.. I would lay and watch the clouds, and wonder where this rock came from. How did it get here? In this place, at this moment to be sticking in my back as I lay here resting under the summer sun. But even with these thoughts, its never about the number of years, for the age os something is. The truth is, a rock is extremely old. It's ancient. It dates back to the foundations of the world.\ God calls us in Jeremiah to look for the ancient paths. For us English speakers, most of us when we hear the word "ancient," we think of something as simply being old. Like this… (Pay Phone) and yeah, that is beardless me. To some people this is phone ancient... for some of us, that's only like 20 years ago. It's like it was yesterday we had to literally put coins in a phone just to call someone. But here's where it gets interesting. Have you ever heard the phrase "lost in translation?" It happens. It's easy to lose specific truths if we don't explore words that have been translated. The word "ancient" finds its origin in a Hebrew word - O’lam. As we study the Hebrew language, we discover that this word Olam includes time, but it also considers space. So ultimately we can say that O'lam (ancient) literally means "a place hidden beyond the horizon" or "a time hidden beyond the distant time.” So when Jeremiah proclaims the Word of God, he isn't calling us just to focus on old paths. No... God is calling us to walk in His way, to follow Him, to follow Jesus. His ways are the "timeless paths" that are marked by His truth that never changes or becomes outdated. You know, even as we study the life of Jesus, we see that the closest disciples who followed Him couldn't initially answer the question, "Do you know the way?" Even while the disciples walked with Jesus, they still struggled with the question, "Do you know the ancient paths?”

So I want to show you something in John 14. Before we wrap up, I want to show you how Jesus helped His disciples - and how He helps us today - to find and to know the way. But not just any way - the timeless paths that bring peace. Turn with me to John 14. Listen to how Jesus starts this conversation: "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. So right here... right off the bat... what do we see? Jesus says, "Don't let your hearts be troubled.” Now, think about what's happening here. Jesus knows He's about to leave. He knows His disciples are about to face the most confusing, frightening time of their lives. And what's His opening line? "Don't be troubled.” It's like when you're about to take your kids to the doctor for shots, and you say, "Don't worry, it's going to be okay." They're looking at you like, "Easy for you to say!” But Jesus doesn't just say "Don't be troubled" and leave it there. He immediately follows it with the antidote: "Trust in God, and trust also in me." Remember earlier.. what’s one of the building blocks for intimacy, and relationships?? Trust. Jesus is taking them right back to the foundation of their relationship. He's saying, "We've walked together. You've heard my voice. You know my character. Now, in this moment of uncertainty, lean into that trust we've built. And I think about this.. and wonder… how many times has God showed up in our life, and we recognize it.. that’s a miracle, that’s a god moment… but then… instead of hinging our trust in knowing that God is with us and in us and for us.. we forget, and we wonder off on our own way, or path. Choosing to forget what God did in our life to show us his mercy’s and love and goodness. It's like He's reminding them - and us - that the ancient paths aren't just about following directions. They're about following a Person who’ve we've learned to trust. And I think of all the people I interact with all the time.. who say they believe in God, but they have yet to trust in Jesus. Now look at what he continues to say: “There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.” Now pause right there. Jesus just dropped some major truth, and I love how He frames it: First, He reassures them - "There's plenty of room." Nobody's getting left behind. Nobody's getting forgotten. Its like when your kids want more at a buffet and you’re like, just eat this and come back.. theres plenty. Trust me, they refill the cheese wontons. There will be more. Then He basically says, "Have I ever lied to you? Has he? God says, I have loved you even before you were born.. do you believe that? He says, I want to lavish my love on you… do you feel and know that love? Jesus is appealing to the trust they've already built. You see at some point, you’ve gotta start trusting in the things that God has already done in your life before you move forward. And where does that start.. by trusting in your salvation given to you by faith in Christ. If you can't trust God with what He's already done - redeeming you, saving you, placing his very presence within you - how are you going to trust Him with what's coming next? It's like building blocks - each answered prayer, each fulfilled promise, each moment of faithfulness, each moment of hardship that you give to God, and say, I want you’re will… becomes another reason to trust Him for the next step. And notice what He promises: "I will come and get you.” He's not saying, "Here's the map, good luck finding your way” He's not saying, "I'll send someone to pick you up” He's saying, "I myself will come and get you” It's like when I tell my kids, "Wait right here, I'll come back for you." They don't need to know the route I'm taking or how long it'll be. They just need to trust that Dad will come back. Look at what the verse says, In verse 2 he says, I will go… And then in verse three he says, I will return. We’re living on this ancient path right now… Think about it for a second. Jesus made a promise - "I will go" - and then He actually did it. He went to the cross, conquered death and the grave, revealed Himself to over 500 people, then ascended to heaven. He kept His word. And just as surely as He went up, we believe He's coming back. That's not wishful thinking - that's living faith. Why will He return? He tells us straight up in John 14:3: "I will come and get you.” Then He says something interesting to the disciples in verse 4: "And you know the way to where I am going.” Now, put yourself in their sandals for a moment. Jesus just said, that they know the way. But watch Thomas's reaction in verse 5:"“Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”You can almost hear the frustration in his voice, can't you?

It's like Jesus just said, "You know how to get to my house," and Thomas is saying, "But we don't even know your address!” I think Thomas is doing what we all do sometimes. Jesus says, "You know the way," and Thomas immediately starts thinking about: Road numbers and exit ramps "Go down Meridian, hang a left, go 1 - 2miles until you see the school and turn left.” He wants turn-by-turn directions He's looking for the spiritual equivalent of Google maps. But what was Thomas missing? His focus was on a map instead of the Messiah. Jesus is saying, "Thomas, on this ancient and timeless road that you're on, you need to understand something. I'm not sending you instructions on how to find me. There's no need. If you're on the ancient road, if you are following, if you are hearing my voice, I am coming to get you.” And then Jesus drops this powerful truth in verse 6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” It's like Jesus is saying, "Stop looking for the directions and start looking at Me. Stop trying to figure out the path and start following the Person. And that is so true with our lives.. lets be honest for a moment… HOW MANY OF US MAKE OUR FAITH ABOUT WHAT WE DO RATHER THAN WHO WERE PUSUIRING? The ancient paths aren't about knowing where you're going - they're about knowing WHO you're going with." And I think that’s ONEOFTHE points of discipleship. . … discipleship is not just about what we learn, as much as it’s about who we’re pursuing, together. The way isn't found in perfect directions, but in a perfect relationship with Jesus. You’re small groups isn’t about learning as much as its about leaning in., together. Being transformed together, into the image of the one who is the way, the truth and the life.

As Peter comes up… I just want to say.. Church… what I want you to see and gather from today is this… You are standing right now on the ancient paths. You are in this moment between Jesus going and coming. You’re standing on the crossroads of life. And just as Jesus reminded Thomas that it’s not about having a ticket punched or having a map… it’s about pursuing the guide. Or in this case.. it’s about pursuing the Messiah. Jesus didn’t come to offer a map. It’s not about how many hours you log into coming to church. Or how much you gave in your tithe. It’s not about coming in here and having your self righteousness ticket being punched to show others how dedicated you are….. Listen, Jesus isn’t in the business of passing out tickets anymore than he is interested in passing out maps. Jesus has come to lead us home. He has come to teach us and to place his Spirit upon us that we may truly find peace for our souls. You see our eternity isn’t determined by a map or a ticket. Our eternity is found in a person who is the Lord Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that He proclaimed “I am the Way. I am the truth. I am the Life.” So, Church… do you know the way.. this morning? Or are you eyes till trapped in waiting for a map. "Heavenly Father, Thank You that You don't leave us to wander aimlessly through life. Thank You that You speak to us, that You offer us ancient paths that lead to rest for our souls. For those standing at crossroads today - whether in relationships, careers, health decisions, or faith itself - speak clearly to their hearts. Help them to hear Your voice above all the noise of this world. Lord, forgive us for the times we've demanded maps when You've offered Yourself as our guide. Forgive us for seeking directions when You've invited us into relationship. Help us to trust You more. Not just with our eternity, but with our everyday decisions. Remind us that You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life - not just in theory, but in practice. For those who are weary from trying to figure it all out on their own, grant them the rest You promised. For those who feel lost, be their compass. For those who are afraid to take the next step, be their courage. May we leave here today with a renewed commitment to walk the ancient paths, to listen for Your voice, and to trust You as our guide. We ask this in the name of Jesus, who is the Way. Amen." *

Father's Day

Let’s open our bibles together to Johns Gospel. And find with me chapter 9 and we’ll being in verse 7. This morning, on this Father’s day I want too explore a topic that is a bit tender for my heart because I grew up without a father. And so, this morning I want to examine two things… I want to speak a little on the voice of the heavenly Father and how we hear him and recognize his voice, and Secondly, what of those moments when the fathers voice is absent from our lives? What do we do? How do we handle the silence of God. Lets read together, “Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don’t know the voice of strangers.”

In Johns gospel, in verse three, Jesus says, and the sheep hear his voice. And so we begin here, the voice of God can be recognized. One of the interesting things about parent hood is the fact that mothers and fathers can recognized their kids voice. It’s like a built in, super power that in the midst of all kinds of noises and voices, a parent can recognize their kids laughter, or cry. Of course, I remember the moment where Chloe fell from a bridge in Puerto Rico and you can hear her cries for help to get back up on the path. We have video of Alicia and I running to the rescue. I cant tell you how many times one of our kids would be playing when they were little and maybe they had fallen or gotten stuck and we would hear and recognize their cry from another room, and we would come running to help. I’m sure, for most of you, as parent you probably have some funny stories of how your kids got into curious situations and needed help, and you heard their voice calling for help. Jesus in this moment, says, the sheep hear his voice. Theres a recognition there…. Sheep are recognizing His voice. That means, theres identification happening. Its like with twins. The more I get to know Matt and Mike, the more I was able to recognize their differences and also, I was able to now know them by name and I can distinguish their voices. For the longest time, I couldn’t recognize them, I couldn’t identify them. But now, I can hear their voice and make a 50/50 chance of getting it right… Ya know, I was thinking of a late friend this week, and I was remembering his laugh. I miss his laugh. I miss him. I miss him because he was my friend. I think of many of you… you have voices that you remember and miss. Maybe it’s your father, or grandfather, or someone you’ve loved very deeply. And I love the fact that we live in an age where we can have recordings of voices of those we’ve loved and has already passed on that we can play and replay and remember the relationship we once had with them. Thats what recognition requires, recognition takes relationship. To know something, or to know someone, takes spending time with that person. To know and to understand them. I believe most of our misunderstanding with other people can be understandings if we would just take the time to listen to one another. Most of our marriages wouldn’t end in divorce if we would just take time to listen to now another. Most often friendships would be saved if we were patient in listening to one another. Because in the process of listening you’ll learn so much about the other person. If you don’t like someone….. why not get to know them.. Learn about them.. learn why they say and so what they say and do. And I’m a firm believer of this, the more we know someone, the more were willing to extend grace to one another. How true is that.. aren’t we more prone to extend forgiveness to those we know, than those who we don’t know. You see, Relationships matter when it comes to recognition. Do you know the story of young Samuel in the old testament? Samuel was the son of Hannah, who had desired a son very badly and prayed to the Lord for him. At one time, she was weeping in prayer for a son, and the priest Eli sees her and he’s like, woman, why are you drunk? I mean, already in the story we see that Eli has no awareness of the situation… theres no relationship him and Hanna. So he just jumps to conclusions and self assumptions that this woman must be drunk. But Hanna, is like, I’m not drunk, And I would be like, Ya know Eli, if you actually took the time to get down and kneel next to her, and pray with her, you’d find out that her heart was breaking over the fact that she really wanted to have a son. She’s weeping because she has a broken heart. She’s brining my prayers before the Lord, in hopes that he would bless her with a son. Eli makes no attempt to be empathetic towards her .. other than, when she confessed that she’s not drunk, and why she was was weeping, Eli just say, go in peace and may God grant your desire. She makes a prayerful vow to give her son over to the Lord once he is weened and guess what, the Lord responded and gave Hannah a precious baby boy, who she named Samuel So, once Samuel was old enough, Hanna gives her son over Eli and Samuel begins training in the temple under the apprentice ship of Eli. And In 1 Samual, chapter 3, Samuel wakes up in the middle of the night when he heard someone call out his name. I mean, goosebumps right? Samuel’s hearing voices. And so, Samuel runs to Eli because he thought Eli was calling him. Eli said that he hadn’t called his name and Samuel should go back to bed. And so Samual heads back to bed, and guess what? Soon he hears a voice call his name again, so he gets up and runs back to Eli. Again, Eli told him that he hadn’t called him. Samuel went back to bed. Now, here is where it gets interesting, listen to what the word tells us in I Samuel chapter 3, beginning in verse 7. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” I think its interesting that Samuel did not yet know the Lord. You see, there was no relationship, and if theres no relationship, then there’s no recognition of who’s calling him. Where did Samuel go? He went to the one where there was a relationship. He runs to Eli…. Did you call me.

And by this third time, Eli catches on.. because look at what verse 8 continues to say, Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’”

Samuel goes and lays down… And I want you to hear this.. When it comes to the recognizing God’s voice and the relationship with him, we need to be where God wants us to be to hear from him. I senses, theres a lot of people, perhaps here in the midst of our congregation, or even listening online that you’re wanting to hear from God, but your not where you need to be to hear from him. Some of you want to hear from God, but you haven’t done the last thing you’ve heard for him. The more you listen for God, the better you'll get at recognizing His voice. Wouldn’t it be totally awesome to hear from God this morning? The good news is that we can. We can hear from God. Some of you are hearing him within your heart right now. Some of you have already built a relationship with him, to hear his voice. To know him. Thats the promise in our Scripture this morning, is that Jesus says, The Sheep hear my voice. Do you know where this begins… it begins with love.

Do you know where love originates? It originates and begins with God. I John chapter 4 says, 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. So, love is born within the person when they are born again. Love is so powerful that it can even fuel our faith in moments where our faith is being tested. It does. If you find yourself slipping in your faith, and you’re walking away from God, what draws you back to God… it’s remembering His love. It’s love that persuades and allures us into the wilderness to be alone with God. For what purpose? Listen, often times, we are led into the wilderness so that we can hear the voice God. He’s calling us.,. wooing us… back to himself. Away from the love of the world. Which is the love we’ve known since our birth. Hosea writes, Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her to the wilderness, and speak to her tenderly. Love is drawing the person back, and away from the world, and into the wilderness so that the one who’s so confused over all the voices trying to get your attention and love, and affection, can all be silences so that the heart can hear the faithful calling of our God, saying, believe in me… put your faith in me. Because often times faith requires us to to step out into unknown moments. Thats what faith is. Faith is not knowing what will happen tomorrow, but we’re willing to go into the unknown with the known God. Faith is going into the shadow knowing its not darkness but the train of God’s righteousness. Faith in a relational context is being willing to step into a place of uncertainty, because it’s in that space that a relationship has the opportunity to grow. I wish we would see our wilderness not as a place of suffering, but as a place of growth. It’s within the wilderness that Moses met God and within the bush that was burning and was not consumed. Its within the wilderness where he led the Israelites and he lived by faith and yearned for nothing but God’s presence. Its within the wilderness that Abraham by faith, went into, and away from his family and home to be led into the unknown. And his wife Sarah followed her husband by faith. Its within the wilderness that God hears the cries of Hagar and by faith she returns back to Abraham and Sarah. Its within the wilderness that Jesus goes to be tempted, and he trusts in the word of God. It’s within the wilderness where the early church gathers together, and finds the strength in the Holy Spirit top proclaim the gospel to a generation that was lost and needing hope. It’s within the wilderness that John is thrusted upon to right the book of revelation of things to come. Its within the wilderness where you and I grow in our faith, and we grow in our trust in God, and it’s in theses moments where our love for him is truly put to the test.

The wilderness are moments in our journey where we are reminded to have the courage to step into those place of uncertainty. Through love, we find that faith is to keep seeking God in all of our circumstances. No matter what.. Its to know these words, Be still and know that I am God. And to trust, by faith that we will hear the voice of Christ . my sheep will hear my voice. It’s within the wilderness we must go to make highways for those who are lost in the wilderness.. 'Isaiah writes, ’In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God’” We hear and come to know the fathers voice through Christ, who lives in us and calls us To be the hands and feet and the mouth pieces of our God, to seeks the lost who’s trapped in a land that is dry and desolate.

But theres a problem….. What happens to our faith, and trust in the moments where we don’t hear from him? When we ourselves are in the wilderness? Where were not recognizing God’s presence, or His voice in our life? What happens when the wilderness gives off no light, but darkness surrounds us? Is it possible to be in a situation, or a place in your life, where you know God's presence is there, but yet, you do not sense him… nor hear from him? I say yes… it is possible. And since it is possible it’s also heart breaking. Because, When Christ has become you’re bread. And in these moments where you’re looking for the bread of life, and you can’t find it.. and you yearn for it… you feel helpless and hopeless and lost yourself. Just a half year or so ago, I remember telling a dear friend of mine.. I don’t sense Gods presence I my life. I don’t sense him in the church when I preach. I don’t feel him. I feel like, I’ve been blinded. And it’s lonely… and I feel helpless…and hopeless… I’m not recognizing God's grace in my life. And sometimes, I feel like… yelling, with my fist clinched, God why have you departed from me… where are you… in this moment… and trust me… when I had confided in my friend, the next three months didn’t get better, it got worse.

Jesus says, “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. And here I am, asking, and seeking and yearning for His will, for my nourishment comes from doing the will of the Father, but I’m not feeling His presence in my life. How would you live if the substance of your nourishment went away? How would you feel if you never felt the warmth of his love in your life for a season? I think of widows.. and their pain when they’ve lost a spouse. Do you know what it’s like to embrace and sit next to a woman thats grieving for her lost husband? It’s heart breaking. It’s as if their whole life has been ripped from them. What would you do when life feels dark around you? Would you stop praying? Would you stop reading your Bible? Would you give up on church? We need to understand at times, in those moments in our relationship with God, we need to remember that God often withdraws his presence from us, not because were bad, or we’ve done something wrong, but often it’s to test and purify our faith. What I want us to see this morning, is something good in the book of Isaiah. it’s called the servants song, and I want to read this you.. listen to these words….. It says, Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God. You see, relationship is hallow if there is no trust. It’s absolutely possible to be in a relationships where there is no trust between the two people. And let me just say, and I think we all have had broken relationships before… it hurts doesn’t it, it hurts when our trust has been broken. And I think sometimes, when we come to Jesus for salvation, sometimes because of our past relationship experiences and failures and hurts, we’re afraid that when God doesn’t show up, or answers our prayers, or in these moments where we don’t feel him… … We’re …afraid to step out by faith. We’re believers… We’re Christian…and we want to believe. We want to feel. We want to know.. we want to hear the voice of our God, in the midst of our trials. And tells others, God is here. He’s among us… do you sense him… But yet, there are moments where he seems to be absent, those are moments where God is wanting your faith to grow.. and your faith to trust in him a little more today than yesterday.. He will leave you at times in utter darkness. Leave you without anything to sustain your hope or your faith except your knowledge of who he is and his faithful character.

I've been in those moments. Those moments like Peter stepping out by faith on the water while the other disciples watched him begin to sink. I’ve been in those moments… Where friends have hurt and left me. Where colleagues have not been there for me in tough times, or have hurt me, or broke my trust, or watched me drown without holding out a hand… saying brother… Grab hold. I’ve been in moments Where God’s presence felt distant and I’ve felt alone and the tempter comes to tempt my faith and love for Christ. And I asked myself… all the time. Why not give up. Why not give up and turn from God? Why not return to my old life. YOLO… right? Why? Because my love for Christ is greater than my love for who I once was. That’s why… because I desire holiness. And theres no holiness without Christ! It's in these dark moments where God is wanting you to trust in his character, and in his faithfulness, and in his word. And it’s in these moments where you don’t return to a life of sin or return to the world around you, but you wait for him.. I believe it’s in these moments where God looks to the angels, and the heavenly multitude and goes, .. you see him… you see her… that’s my faithful servant who loves me more than just feelings my presence. That even when I am gone, they love me. “Look at them… my servants who walks in darkness and they have no light but they trust in my name.” Do you see him? Do you see her… that’s my beloved. What they thought was suffering and a pit of despair was actually a well of opportunity to glorify my name in the midst of their darkness more than if they had all the miracles and wonders, and feelings in the world knowing that I am near them. Thats real and genuine and authentic faith. A faith that loves and trusts in my name.

My prayer for you today, fathers… is this… Be a man that yearns for the voice of God, because God is speaking. But also, be a man that lives by faith even in those moments that are hard. Those moments where your faith is tested.. Because if you haven’t heard it in a awhile, …… Hear this… The heavenly Father is proud of the godly man you’re becoming. He loves you. He’s there for you and in you and with you. Amen? Let’s stand together and hear our benediction together. Benediction for Father's Day 2 (based on Jeremiah 31)

Listen to what the Lord says: “I have loved you with an everlasting love, and still I maintain my unfailing love toward you. I will lead you beside quiet streams, and down smooth, uncluttered paths so that you do not stumble. For I have become a Father to you, and you are my firstborn child.”

Go from here in confidence, knowing that the love of God the Father, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit, goes with you. Amen.*

Truth, Life and Way

Let’s open our bibles together to find John chapter 14. And find with me verses 1. John chapter 14, and I want to begin reading in verse 1. And if you can and if you’re able, lets stand in honor of the Lords word this morning. John chapter 14, and beginning in verse 1. Here is the word of the Lord…. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” Heavenly Father. May your word be planted in our hearts this morning as we find the treasure of your presence. Help us in this hour find the way, and to know the truth to have everlasting life, in the name of Jesus. And all of God’s people said… amen. Grace is compelling. I read an article a few years ago that has impacted ministry for me and how I lead people to walk with the Lord. The article was about a pastor who had moved his family across the nation to Chicago and he began to get into the habit of going to Starbucks everyday. What’s amazing about moments like this, is that in everyday life, if you show up enough times to the same place enviably you will begin to learn names, and build friendships and relationships with others. And this one day, this pastor realized that there was another woman that had the same habit as he had. Everyday, at the same time, both of them would come to the same Starbucks and have coffee. And one day, they happened to be in line together side by side and one conversation began the journey to more conversations. Over time, this pastor and woman would meet at this Starbucks and they began to learn a lot about each other. She learned that he was a pastor and professor of religion and had moved his family to the area, and he learned that she and her husband were well educated self professing atheist. The pastor also noticed that although they were atheist, they were also wonderful, and loving people who were generous and kind. He also realized that they were remarkable parents that have the kind of relational gravity that draws people in. And one day, as this pastor was grading papers, this lady comes over and simply ask, what was the topic for your students. And so the pastor, says, “I had my students write about faith in the 21st century.” A thought sparked in her and she asked the pastor, “The way I see it, there are only two reasons people come to faith: they have some sort of crisis, or they are born into it.” And so the pastor paused, and thought to himself and he began to disassemble this statement from his atheist friend. And then he thought, For a self-proclaimed atheist, religious faith was being run through two filters. 1: Faith was either the result of some out-of-control situation in a person’s life that left them weak, vulnerable, exposed, and desperately grasping for God— 2: or it was outside their choosing, the result of their family of origin or nurturing environment. So the pastor leaned over to the woman and said, you’re right. But if you would allow me, could I offer you one more option? The woman nodded yes to the man, and so the pastor said to her, “Could we also experience faith because some people are compelled by it.”

When I read this story, I began to think about this phrase, being compelled by faith. And so I ask myself… Is the life I live compelling to others? What I mean to ask is this,.. do others see the faith in my life as compelling? We live in a world filled with choices. And paths, and directions.

And the truth is, we walk a lot of paths in life don’t we? When it comes to paths, grace meets us in different ways. Think about your life… and the paths you’ve taken… there are inclines and declines. there are sharp turns and tripping hazards. There can be both fear and excitement, and also purposes around each corner. In this current path were experiencing, we’re on a new journey as a church together, with a new pastor, and new relationships and new friendships. This is a new path and a new journey for you and for our family. It’s the same for the disciples. Throughout the gospels, they’ve been walking a path with Jesus that was leading Jesus to the cross. I don’t think they fully knew that. That they were escorting Jesus on the path to the cross. But in this moment, Jesus, was about to go into the high priestly prayers and reveal some of his prayers to the disciples about how he prays for the oneness with the father, and how he prays for the oneness to be known by his disciples and if you can believe it, even in these high priestly prayers, he prays for you and I. Just one of the reasons why I love the book of John, because Jesus prays for me and the makes my heart tender. But up to this point in the gospel of John, Jesus was standing at a crossroads with his disciples, and there was a choice that needed to be made. This intersection of grace and choice isn't new. Many thousands of years ago… hear what God said to Jeremiahs… This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16 NIV). What we come to realize, in our faith is that our faith is a journey. It’s a journey. It’s a journey that leads to many crossroads in life, and we called to ask, which is the good way, and to walk the ancient paths that are laid out before us. A journey where love leads and grace guides. And each one of us right now, is standing at a crossroads. And my question for you is this.. which way are you going to take? But here's the beautiful thing about grace.. Grace is an invitation. It’s an invitation to step out from where we’ve been and into the story of where Jesus is leading.

There’s another place in the book of John where we see Jesus interacting with people at the crossroads of life and it can be found in the first chapter. In the first chapter of John, John the Baptist was standing with two of his disciples and they heard him say this, Look, the Lamb of God. And so, they heard John say this, and then they followed Jesus. Now, in verse 38, look nat how grace invites, and Jesus b begins this conversation. Jesus says, what are you looking for? And they said to him, Rabbi, where are you staying… Now, listen to what Jesus says. It’s found in verse 39.. Jesus says, Come and you’ll see. When Jesus says 'Come and see,' it's both an invitation of grace and an expression of love. He doesn't demand or force - He invites. That's what love does. Love his never meant to be forced. In John chapter 1, having heard about Jesus from John the Baptist, a couple of Johns followers run off to inquire of Jesus. They want to know a bit about the destination. So, they ask Jesus…. Jesus, where are you staying. Where will this take us? Jesus’s response… come and see. Don’t you love this. Jesus could have easily said, well.. we will get a lot of walking in. We will heal some people, probably be a bit hungry at times. Do a lot of praying. Jesus could have taken this moment and front loaded the calling with all the great things they will witness… the lives they will see changed, the amazing transfiguration and a dead friend rising from the grave. He could have said, I’m going to be crucified and then be raised up in three days. And to top it off, in 40 days or so after the resurrection I will place my spirit within you. Isn’t that compelling enough? But no, what does he do? He simply says,** come and see.** Come… witness for yourself. Because it was never about the destination as much as it was about the journey of the relationship. Just last week I had a meeting with a person and they asked about the church.. and I simply said, I can tell you all the great things I know and see for myself, but to get a perspective for yourself… why don’t you come and see. Truly, what we’re witnessing is this… the invitation to come and see is just a way to peak our curiosity. But it's so much more - it's an invitation to experience something that can't be adequately described in words or marketed with programs. This invitation isn't costing you anything... except perhaps your preconceptions. `There's no obligation, no commitment required up front - just an open door to witness something authentic. It's the same gentle invitation Jesus offered: not a sales pitch, not a list of requirements, but simply an opportunity to experience something real, and for themselves. And maybe that's why it's so powerful - because in a world of endless marketing and pressure to commit, this invitation stands out in its simplicity and freedom.

But at some point..when it comes to faith, and discisplhip.. a decision will need to be made… Look with me in chapter 1, and find with me verse 43: The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee, he found Philip and told him, to Follow me. Grace turns your life upside down with the call “Follow me.” You see, Grace doesn’t end at the stage of curiosity and invitation, at some point, it will call for commitment. If you Hang out with Jesus long enough, at some point, grace will meet you in a new way. That’s the thing about grace. It’s not a one-time event or simple transaction. Grace is the consistent, steady thread of God’s goodness and favor, inviting us, calling us—wooing us, if you like—into the fullness for which you and I have been created. Now, Here’s where things get real very quickly. When Jesus says, “Follow me,” this is where we experience “costly grace”. DO you know what costly grace is? Costly grace is grace that cost you something. For most of us, when we get an invitation what does it cost us? Sometimes it’s time. Sometimes its money for a gift. Sometimes it’s gas in our car to go. But if you ever think about it, these are things that minimally cost us something…. But when Jesus turns to them and says, Follow me. Here in this moment, they came face to face with everything that’s in the way. Here’s the moment when the call to follow we’ve come to recognize that we’ve been toting around quite a bit of luggage. Do you know the story of the rich young ruler? It can be read in Mark chapter 10… the rich young ruler approached Jesus with enthusiasm, knowing the law. … But Jesus, looking at him with love, put His finger on the one thing holding him back - his wealth. What started as curiosity became a crisis of commitment. The invitation to follow revealed the weight of what he'd been carrying all along - not just his money, but his identity, security, and status wrapped up in those riches. In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Discipleship can tolerate no conditions which might come between Jesus and our obedience to him.”

The call to follow is the call to abandon authorship of our own story. Think about that… would you be willing to give up the fact that for how many years you've lived, are you willing to give up the authorship of your story? For 20, 30, 40, maybe 50+ years you've been writing your own narrative Making your own choices, planning your own path And then Jesus comes along and essentially says, "Hand me the pen” That's more than just a casual decision - it's a complete surrender of control. I was thinking about this yesterday during morning prayer,… I was thinking… where can we see costly grace vs cheap grace play out in real life? Cheap grace says "I'll follow Jesus as long as it doesn't interfere with my plans” Costly grace says "I'll change my plans to follow Jesus” Cheap grace wants the forgiveness without the transformation Costly grace embraces the uncomfortable process of being made new Cheap grace keeps Jesus at arm's length as a helpful advisor Costly grace invites Him in as Lord of every aspect of our lives

And you know, we see this exact struggle play out in Scripture, especially in Peter's life. Just look at Peter, in our Scripture this morning right when Jesus says, I am the way, the truth and the life, just a few scriptures before that, Peter stands up and tells Jesus in front of all the disciples, I would give up my life for you. I don't believe Peter knew what he's saying. "Have you ever said something that sounded right, but your heart wasn't really in it? It's like promising something without understanding what that promise really means. Think about it - Peter did this. He stood there and told Jesus, 'I would give up my life for you.' The words were right. The sentiment was right. But Peter didn't really understand what he was saying. He hadn't counted the cost. He was saying what he thought he should say, rather than what he was actually prepared to do. It's a bit like making a New Year's resolution - we say all the right words about changing our lives, but until our heart is truly ready for that change, they're just words. Or maybe closer to home - like when we tell God 'I surrender all' during worship. The words are absolutely right... but have we really considered what the word 'all' really means?” And here's what makes this moment even more revealing about Peter's heart. If you notice what Peter is saying, "I would give up my life for you"… Do you know what he's doing? He's only mimicking what Jesus had said earlier in chapter 10.… In all honesty, Peter was a good student But if you recall, Jesus said to the crowd after healing the blind man, "I am the good shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his LIFE for his sheep.” Meaning, Jesus would give his very last breath so that the sheep would be safe. Peter was willing to say it, but not live it. He wasn't willing to really give up his life. And Jesus calls him out and says in verse 38, "Peter, are you sure about that? Before the rooster crows three times you will deny me."

To often in our life as disciples we say the right thing, but with a wrong heart. Our mind says, I love Jesus…. But our heart says I still love my old life more. You see, to come and follow will will always cost you. It's not just about adding Jesus to our existing life. It's about surrendering our existing life to Jesus.

Why? Well look at verse 42 in chapter one. This is the best part.. Yes, faith cost you.. discipleship cost you. But look at what happens. When Jesus saw him, he said, you are Simon, Son of John. You will be called Cephas, which is translated as Peter. Grace transforms your life through the promise of, “You will be.” What started as a compelling invitation moved to a life-upending call that leads us to a heart-changing promise. When we follow Jesus long enough, our life will be changed. Have you ever noticed that the closer the people in the Gospel stories came to Jesus, the less they remained the same? Simon the fisherman becomes Peter the rock Saul the persecutor becomes Paul the apostle Mary Magdalene the tormented becomes Mary the first witness of the resurrection And this same transforming power is still at work today - taking who we are and reshaping us into who we will be The beauty is that Jesus doesn't just see us as we are, and where we are - He sees us as we will be. When we walk with Jesus, He gradually changes us from the inside out. If you're feeling stuck in old patterns, maybe it's time to ask Him to help you see where He wants to work in your life.. Because I would ask you, is it your way or Gods way? Christ is but the only way to battle sin in your life. There is no other way, or truth about it. Christ is the only way to battle sin. Not one way, Jesus is the only way. And it’s easy for a man or woman to break away from some sins. You can break away from swearing, you can break away from some drinking and evil habits and ungodly desires. But there is only one way to deeply root out our sin… and its Jesus. God wants to do something even deeper... And yes, this deeper work will cost you. You will not be the same.

Jesus looks at Peter and he says, You will be… You see, Peter didn't just receive a new name. Jesus took authorship over his life, transforming him from who he was into who he was meant to become. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus keeps making this promise: 'You will be.' Not just different. Not just changed. But Mine. It's a promise of both transformation and belonging. Through Jeremiah, God whispers 'I have loved you with an everlasting love' - that's the foundation” Through Hosea, He declares 'I am the Lord your God... besides me there is no savior' - that's the relationship And Jesus promises 'I am with you always' - that's the journey” This is what Paul understood when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that anyone in Christ becomes a new creation. It's not just about changing what we do - it's about becoming who God always meant us to be. And here's the beautiful thing: this change isn't an act of your will. It is grace moving down into the core of who you are, transforming you from the inside out. But it all began with an invitation to come and see, that led to the surrendering call to follow, that takes us on this journey of transforming us into the milkiness of Jesus with the promise of you will be. My question to you is this… what crossroads are you at? Are you still at the "come and see" stage, just curious about who Jesus is? Or are you hearing that challenging call to "follow me," counting the cost of what it means to truly surrender? Maybe you're in that space of transformation, experiencing both the pain and joy of becoming new? Wherever you are, remember - Jesus sees not just who you are, but who you will be.

I want to end with this one last call to be missional… as Peter comes up… Throughout this journey we've talked about today, from 'come and see' to 'you will be,' we discover what Jesus meant when He said 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.’ He is the Way - offering that first gentle invitation of grace to 'come and see.' He is the Truth - that calls us to follow, even when it costs us everything. He is the Life - that transforms us from who we are into who we will be This is what grace does - it meets us on the way, shows us truth, and brings us into new life. And the beautiful thing is… that The final part of this journey is to live on the road to heaven as witnesses of this grace we receive to others. Grace sends us out to be witnesses and ambassadors with the command to “Go and do.” Through our lives, our actions, our attitudes, the words we speak, the social media posts we write, the love of neighbors, the justice we pursue, the dignity we extend, the forgiveness we give, the peace we make, and the joy we exhibit, people are given a glimpse of this compelling grace, thorough our lives that have received grace first. And let me just say this.. it’s not going to be easy. This journey isn't always easy. We'll encounter challenges and resistance, both within ourselves and from others. But remember - where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. Jesus is worth it. Because he is the only way, he is the truth and he is our life. How wonderful it is to know that love, came down to find us at the crossroads of life. Lost in our ways & hurting and needing life… and how wonderful it is, that he offers to walk this life with us, and in us. If your to ask me.. thats compelling!

Lets stand together… And now, as we leave this place, remember - we are called to Be Grace Made Visible. John tells us that "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, full of grace and truth." Just as Jesus made God's grace visible by walking among us, we're called to make His grace visible in our communities today. That's your mission this week… be grace made visible. Meet others at their crossroads, and show them the good way. Show them how to walk in it... that's relational evangelism. Just as someone once met you with grace, be that grace for someone else. Until next week: Go in grace, walk in love, and Be Grace Made Visible. Amen?

Father, We thank you for your grace that found us at our own crossroads. Thank you for not just giving us directions, but for walking with us on this journey. Lord, as we leave this place, help us to be living examples of your grace in a world that desperately needs it. Give us eyes to see others as you see them - not just as they are, but as they will be. Help us remember that just as you met us with "come and see," we too can invite others to experience your transforming love. Give us courage to live out costly grace, wisdom to surrender the pen of our lives to you, and faith to trust your authorship of our story. And now, may the God of all grace, who called us to his eternal glory in Christ, after we have suffered a little while, perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. In Jesus' name, Amen.

As you go this week: May grace find you at every crossroad May truth guide your every step And may the life of Christ shine through you Until all can see His grace made visible through your life. *