Be Strong and Courageous in This Season

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

Life comes in seasons, and sometimes we are living in more than one at the same time. We can be celebrating in one part of life and grieving in another, planting something new while letting go of something old. Some seasons we choose. Others choose us.

Ecclesiastes reminds us that while we cannot see how every season fits into the whole of our lives, God can. We see the thread we are living right now; God sees the whole tapestry. And there is no season-not even the hard, confusing, or unwanted ones-that is outside of God's gaze and care.

Perhaps courage in this season begins by becoming present to the season we are actually in. Instead of longing only for what was or waiting for what will be, we can ask: What is God inviting me to notice, receive, learn, release, or cherish right now?

We do not have to see the whole to trust the One who does.

Takeaways

• Life comes in seasons-and we may be living in more than one at once.
• God is present and at work in every season.
• We see the threads; God sees the whole.
• Courage means being present to the season we are actually in.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: God, You are here.
Exhale: Help me trust You.

Full Sermon: Estimated reading time: 20-25 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous in This Season

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Pastor Tammy Long

Introduction

All year long, we've been exploring what it means to be strong and courageous with God. As we celebrated our 40th anniversary, we drew from the Old Testament story of the children of Israel crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land after 40 years in the wilderness. And we embraced God's word to them: Be strong and courageous.

So far, we've explored being strong and courageous in prayer, in the Word, in our bodies, minds, and spirits, in community, and most recently, what it means to be strong and courageous as disciples.

Today we begin another part of that journey: Be Strong and Courageous in This Season.

Over these next several weeks, we're going to pay attention to the seasons we're in-to our stories, how God has shaped us, and what God may be inviting us into now.

So this morning, I want to begin by simply inviting you to look.

Where does your eye go first? What colors draw your attention? Is there a particular part of the image that stands out? What do you notice?

Now, as you continue to look, I want you to consider: What part of this image feels most like your life right now?

There is no right answer. Just notice.

One thing I love about this image is the tree. It's subtle, but did you notice there is more than one season present in the same tree? Spring, summer, fall, winter-they are all there on the same tree.

Life is a lot like that.

Life comes in seasons, and at any given time, we could be in more than one. Some seasons we choose. Others choose us. Some seasons we welcome with open arms. Others we can't wait to be done.

And on this Grandparents Day, as a grandparent myself, I know we can look at a grandchild and see a season we remember, while realizing that we ourselves are standing in a season we have never lived before.

All of us are in a season-multiple seasons, even. The question becomes whether we recognize the seasons we're in and how God is inviting us to walk with Him in each one.

So the question we'll be holding for these next several weeks is this: What does it mean to be strong and courageous in this season of my life? What does faithfulness to God look like in THIS season?

Well, before we can answer that, we need to have a sense of the season we're in.

Thousands of years ago, a wisdom teacher crafted a poem about the seasons of life. As we go to God's Word, I suspect many of you will recognize some of these seasons personally. The words may even give language to the season you're in now.

Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, NLT

Life Has Seasons

I don't know how it was for you hearing that text, but I can't hear that passage without hearing the song, Turn! Turn! Turn! by The Byrds. They recorded it in the '60s

What made that song so memorable is that the core lyrics weren't really written by The Byrds at all. They came almost verbatim from this ancient poem in Ecclesiastes.

And it is a poem. In fact, it's beautifully and intentionally crafted, which is striking given its age. It's dated somewhere between 2,400 and 3,000 years old. One biblical scholar compares its structure to a sonnet. The poem moves through fourteen pairs-that's twenty-eight different times or seasons. Both are multiples of seven, a number Scripture associates with completeness. This was a gifted and intentional writer.

Did you hear the rhythm in the pairs?

A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

You get the sense that the writer has considered the whole landscape of human experience and has concluded: life has seasons.

And here's the thing: we don't necessarily experience them one at a time. We can be celebrating in one part of our lives and grieving in another. We can be planting something new while we're letting go of something old. Something can be beginning in our families while something else is ending in our work.

As our Sisters in Women of Grace are fond of saying, Life be lifin'.

So Ecclesiastes nails it: For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.

Living in the Season We're In

When we get to verse 9, the writer turns and asks a question: What do people really get for all their hard work?

That feels a bit jolting, doesn't it? It's almost as though the writer steps back from this beautifully crafted poem, looks at all these seasons just named, and then says, But what does it all mean?

You know, it's one thing to say there is a time to cry and a time to laugh when you're laughing. But it feels entirely different when you've been crying for a long time.

It's one thing to say there's a time to plant and a time to harvest when you can see something growing. But it's another thing when you've been planting and planting, and you haven't seen a thing come up yet.

We all know that some seasons are beautiful while we're in them, and others can be hard, confusing, and last much longer than we want them to. I think that's what the writer is wrestling with in verse 10: I have seen the burden God has placed on us all.

Life is hard because we have to live inside these seasons. Often, we don't get to choose when a season begins. And we don't always get to choose when a season ends. The weight of it all can feel like a burden. We can feel trapped by the season we're in, or afraid of losing a season that's really good.

Sometimes, I think we can find ourselves living spiritually in the wrong tense.

And by that I mean wishing we could return to what was, or waiting for what will be, while God is present in what is.

We can miss that what is really beautiful because we're moving so quickly through it that we don't recognize the gift while we're living it.

And we get a glimpse of that truth in the next verse. Verse 11 reads: Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

God Is Present in Every Season

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

I don't think that means that everything we experience is beautiful. There is nothing overtly beautiful about some of the things Ecclesiastes has just named: weeping, grieving, tearing down, and war.

But somehow the writer can look at the whole range of human experience and still say that God makes everything beautiful for its own time. That suggests that even in hard, dark, and painful seasons, a kind of beauty is at work that we may not yet be able to see or feel.

The truth is, the beauty isn't that every season feels good. The beauty is that God is present in every season-every season under heaven. No season is outside of God's gaze and care.

That means I don't have to grit my teeth and bear the season I'm in, even when it's hard. Nor do I have to try to engineer the next one.

Instead, I can ask: What is there for me to receive, to notice, to learn, to release, or even to cherish in this season?

Because God has made everything beautiful for its own time.

And then the writer takes us even deeper with these words: He has planted eternity in the human heart…

Eternity in the Heart

He has planted eternity in the human heart…

In studying this text, I was struck by that phrase. What does it mean that eternity is planted in the human heart?

When the writer says the human heart, that includes all of us. Whether we are believers or not, the writer asserts that we know there's more to life. We feel it, hunger for it, search for it. There is something in us that knows there is more than this moment, more than this season, and more than what we can see presently.

God has put within us an awareness of something broader than the part of life we're living right now.

So, we have this sense of more, but Ecclesiastes notes that we can't see the more. It says, …but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end.

In other words, we have an awareness of the bigger picture, but we don't get to see the whole picture. And that's one reason seasons of life can be so difficult. The "more" we can't see, but we feel it.

We want to know how it all fits together. We want to know: Why did this happen? How long is this going to last? Where is this going? What is God doing?

Ecclesiastes tells us we probably won't get those answers. But it does tell us that there is a whole. It tells us God is at work.

From our vantage point, we cannot see from beginning to end. We can only see the season we're in.

But God sees the whole.

We See Threads; God Sees the Whole

That reminds me of the difference between looking at the front and the back of a tapestry.

From the back, you see threads. Knots. Loose ends. Colors that seem to start and stop without any apparent reason. If all you had was the back, you might wonder, What in the world is this supposed to be?

But then you turn the tapestry around. Suddenly you see the picture. The threads you couldn't make sense of from one side are part of something you simply couldn't see from where you were standing.

I think sometimes we live life from the back of the tapestry. We see this thread. This knot. This ending. This beginning. We want God to show us how it all fits. But Ecclesiastes reminds us that our vantage point is limited.

We see threads. God sees the whole.

And that's where faith comes in. Because if we can't see the whole, we have to decide whether we can trust the One who does.

We may not know why this thread is here, or why this season came. But we do know something about God. We know that we are God's masterpiece, created to do the good things God prepared for us, as it says in Ephesians 2:10. And we know that God is at work in all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose, as Paul writes in Romans 8:28.

Notice, Paul doesn't say that all things are good. There are things that happen to us, and around us, that I would never call good. But the promise is that God is at work in all things.

I don't have to understand every thread to trust the Weaver. I don't have to know how this season fits into the whole to believe that God is at work in it.

Strong and Courageous in This Season

This is where being strong and courageous comes in.

The promise God gave Joshua was not that Joshua would get to see everything ahead of him. The promise was that God would be with him wherever he went.

And that is still our Good News.

Whatever season you're in today, God is there.

In the season you prayed for and the season you never saw coming, God is there. In the season that is bringing you joy and the one that is breaking your heart, God is there. In the planting and in the harvesting, God is there.

There is no season that is not under heaven's gaze. God is there.

And because God is with us, we can be strong and courageous in this season.

But to be strong and courageous in this season and recognize God's presence, we have to be present to the season we're actually in.

We have to notice.

What is happening in me right now? Where is there life and joy that I need to notice and receive? Where is God at work?

One way to discern the season we're in is through a practice we've done before-the Compass Exercise. It is simply a way of learning to stop, look, and listen-to pay attention to where we are right now and to God's nearness here.

The exercise invites us to look in four directions. East, where the sun rises, invites us to notice what is rising or beginning in our lives. South represents warmth, life, and joy-the things that renew and rejuvenate us. West, where the sun sets, invites us to notice what may be ending and what we are being invited to release. And North represents our True North-what is guiding us, and who the people are God has placed around us to help keep us oriented toward God.

East. South. West. North.

You may discover that there is something happening in every direction at the same time. That's seasons.

So begin paying attention to the season you're in. Notice what God is doing, receive what God is giving, and release what it is time to release.

Whatever season you are in, there is no season that is not under heaven's gaze. God is with you in this season. God is at work in this season.

Let us be strong and courageous in this season.

A Prayer for the Season

Lord, for all that is beginning and all that is yet to unfold, we thank You for new mercies every morning.

For the joy, gifts, and goodness You have given us in this season, we thank You for the warmth of Your love.

For what is ending, give us grace to release and to trust into Your care what we can no longer carry.

Keep our hearts oriented toward You. Be our Guiding Light as we walk into the days ahead.

And now, wherever we are facing, God is above us, below us, around us, and within us. God goes before us, and God goes with us.

From the rising of the sun to its going down, the name of the Lord is to be praised.

So go into the season God has given you.

Go with your eyes open to God's presence. Go knowing you do not have to see the whole.

And go strong and courageous, because the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Amen.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Judas

Luke 6:12-16; John 12:1-6; John 13:21-30; Matthew 27:3-5
Pastor Tammy Long & Minister DaNean

For Your Heart Today

We usually meet Judas at the end of his story-the betrayal, the thirty pieces of silver, the name that has become synonymous with treachery. But Judas did not begin there.

Judas was one of the Twelve.

Jesus prayed before choosing His apostles, and Judas was among those He called close. He walked with Jesus, heard His teaching, witnessed His works, and participated in His ministry. Before Judas betrayed Jesus, he was a disciple.

That makes his story uncomfortable because Judas is not simply someone at whom we can point from a safe distance. His story invites us to examine what may remain unsurrendered in us. Even while walking with Jesus, a stronghold can create distance between what He is saying and what we are willing to receive. If left unattended, the gap can widen.

Judas' story calls us to remain open before God: "Search me." Show me where I am drifting. Help me surrender what You reveal and draw near again.

Takeaways

• Judas was chosen before he became known as the betrayer.
• Unexamined strongholds can create distance from Jesus.
• Unsurrendered places can become places of vulnerability that allow the Enemy to exploit.
• Courageous disciples practice self-awareness and keep turning toward God.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Search me, O God.
Exhale: Draw me close to You.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Judas

Luke 6:12-16; John 12:1-6; John 13:21-30; Matthew 27:3-5
Pastor Tammy Long & Minister DaNean

Sermon Summary

Before Judas was infamous, Judas was one of the Twelve.

He was not an accidental addition to Jesus' circle. Jesus prayed before choosing His apostles, and Judas was among those He called close. He walked with Jesus, listened to His teaching, witnessed His ministry, and was sent out alongside the other disciples. Judas was chosen, loved, and given the same opportunity to follow Jesus as the others.

Beginning there allows us to see Judas as more than the man who betrayed Jesus. He was a human being who followed Jesus, and his story becomes more difficult to dismiss when we recognize something of ourselves in him. We, too, can love Jesus while still carrying places within ourselves that are not fully surrendered.

Scripture gives us at least one glimpse of such a place in Judas. When Mary poured expensive perfume on Jesus, Judas objected that it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. John tells us that his concern was not actually for the poor and that Judas had been stealing from the money entrusted to him. Something connected to money, power, or material desire appears to have been an area of weakness.

Yet Judas had also heard Jesus teach about money and divided loyalties. He could sit in the presence of Jesus and hear the Word while an area of his life remained resistant to it.

The gap can widen.

All of us have areas of vulnerability. It might be pride, jealousy, fear, resentment, money, ambition, gossip, anger, the need for control, or something else we have learned to rationalize. The danger comes when we fail to recognize and surrender those places to God. What remains unattended can grow, creating distance between what God is saying and what we are willing to receive-creating distance between us and Jesus.

Those unattended places can also become opportunities for temptation. Scripture tells us that the enemy prompted Judas, and Judas made choices. An area of vulnerability within him eventually bore the fruit of betrayal.

That makes Judas' story painfully recognizable. Most believers do not wake up intending to betray Jesus. Yet we can find ourselves choosing our own way over God's and later wonder, How did I get here? What seemed small can become something larger when it is allowed to remain.

Courageous discipleship therefore requires self-awareness. David's prayer in Psalm 139 gives us words: "Search me, O God." Rather than assuming we can always identify our own blind spots, we invite God to show us what He sees. When we recognize something within us that is pulling us away from God, we can stop and bring that very place before Him rather than moving past it.

We need God to "help us with us."

Judas' ending also calls for humility. We know Judas regretted what he had done, returned the thirty pieces of silver, and confessed, "I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood." We simply do not know what transpired between Judas and God before his final breath.

But as we consider the choices we face every day, it is important to remember that nothing can separate us from the love of God. When we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us.

Judas' story invites us to pay attention, to notice when the gap is widening, and to bring what is unsurrendered into the light. Even when we fail-even when we look back and wonder, How did I get here?-God's invitation is still to turn toward Him.

There is no failure we need to hide from God. No choice that puts confession beyond our reach. No place from which we cannot turn again toward the God who loves us more than we can imagine.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Simon the Zealot

Luke 6:12-16; Mark 3:13-19; Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 1:12-14
Minister Tony DeGruy

For Your Heart Today

What happens to our passions, our causes, and even our anger about what is wrong when we give them to Jesus?

Simon was known as "the Zealot"-a man marked by strong passion and fierce commitment. Yet Jesus called Simon into a community that included Matthew, a tax collector whose life represented much of what Simon likely opposed. Jesus called them both, gave them a new allegiance, and taught them to follow Him together.

Simon reminds us that Jesus does not ask us to stop caring deeply about injustice or the things that are broken in our world. He does ask us to surrender our passion to Him. Our zeal may be real and even righteous, but Jesus must shape how we use it. His way moves us away from contempt and revenge and toward love, mercy, reconciliation, and faithful discipleship.

Whatever fire you carry-your passion, anger, pain, or hope for something to be made right-bring it to Jesus. Let Him redeem it, redirect it, and use it for His kingdom.

Takeaways

• Jesus gives us a greater allegiance. Simon and Matthew may have stood on opposite sides of deep political and social divisions, yet Jesus called both to belong to Him-and to one another.
• Discipleship does not extinguish zeal; it relocates it. Passion and a desire for justice are not the problem. Courageous disciples allow Jesus to determine how that passion is expressed.
• Following Jesus may mean sitting at the table with our "Matthew." Jesus calls us to love and serve alongside people we might never have chosen for ourselves.
• Faithfulness does not require fame. Scripture records no great speech or dramatic moment from Simon. His story reminds us that courage often looks simply like showing up and faithfully following Jesus.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Jesus, I bring You my fire.
Exhale: Lead me in Your way.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Simon the Zealot

Luke 6:12-16; Mark 3:13-19; Matthew 10:1-4; Acts 1:12-14
Minister Tony DeGruy

Sermon Summary

The sermon introduced us to one of the least-known members of the Twelve: Simon the Zealot. Scripture gives us remarkably little information about Simon. He never speaks a recorded word, performs no recorded miracle, and has no dramatic moment attached to his name. He appears four times, primarily in lists of the apostles. Yet even Simon's nickname-and the people Jesus called him to follow alongside-offers a powerful picture of discipleship.

Before choosing the Twelve, Jesus spent the night in prayer. Among those He chose were two men who could hardly have represented more different loyalties: Matthew, the tax collector who worked within the Roman system, and Simon, "the Zealot." Although we cannot know with certainty whether Simon belonged to an organized political movement, his nickname identifies him as a man of strong passion and fierce commitment, likely shaped by zeal for God, Israel, and freedom from Roman rule. Jesus deliberately called both men into the same community.

That unlikely pairing reveals something important about the kingdom of God. Jesus did not ask Matthew and Simon to pretend their histories and differences did not exist. Instead, He gave them something greater than either of their previous allegiances: loyalty to Him. They would walk the same roads, share the same table, listen to the same Teacher, and participate in the same mission. Jesus called people who might once have regarded each other as enemies and taught them how to become disciples together.

Simon's story also asks what happens to our passion when we follow Jesus. The sermon reminded us that passion itself is not the problem. Caring about injustice is not the problem. Wanting things to be made right is not the problem. The question is what fuels our passion and whom it serves. Discipleship doesn't extinguish zeal; it relocates it. Jesus did not teach Simon to stop caring about justice; He taught him a different way of pursuing it-a kingdom advanced not by the sword, but through the cross, sacrificial love, truth, mercy, courage, service, forgiveness, and the good news of Jesus.

For a man known as "the Zealot," that may have been one of the hardest lessons of following Jesus. Zealotry says, "My cause is right, so any method I use must be right too." Discipleship says, "My concern is real, but I give Jesus the right to tell me how to respond." Zealotry wants to destroy enemies; discipleship learns to love enemies without pretending evil is good. Zealotry makes winning the goal; discipleship makes faithfulness to Jesus the goal. Sometimes courage looks less like taking up a weapon and more like laying one down and picking up a towel to serve.

There is also something meaningful in how little Scripture tells us about Simon. Not every faithful disciple gets a headline. Simon has no famous speech, miracle, or dramatic Gospel scene. Yet he was one of the Twelve. He stayed. He followed. He served alongside people he may never have chosen for himself. His quiet presence reminds us that being strong and courageous may look less like a dramatic moment and more like faithfully showing up-again and again-even when nobody applauds.

Simon's story ultimately leaves us with three questions: What is my zeal actually fueling? Am I willing to sit at the table with my "Matthew"? Am I willing to be faithful without being famous? Our passion can become a gift in the hands of Jesus, but it can also become destructive when it turns into bitterness, contempt, or the belief that being right gives us permission to treat others badly. Jesus invites us to pursue justice with mercy, to make room for people we might otherwise reject, and to remain faithful even when our service goes unnoticed.

The final invitation was simple: Bring your fire to Jesus. Whatever we carry-anger, passion, pain, or hope for something to be made right-Jesus is not asking us to stop caring. He is asking us to let Him guide what we care about and how we respond: away from the sword and toward the cross, away from contempt and toward love, away from revenge and toward reconciliation, away from winning at all costs and toward faithful discipleship.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Thomas

John 11:7-8, 14-16; John 14:3-6; John 20:24-29
Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

For generations, one moment in Thomas' life has shaped the way we remember him. We even gave him a name: Doubting Thomas. But when we look again at the moments John gives us, a fuller picture begins to emerge.

Thomas didn't pretend. When the road ahead looked dangerous, he acknowledged the risk and chose to follow Jesus anyway. When he didn't understand, he asked the question. And when others told him they had seen the risen Jesus, Thomas was honest about what he needed in order to believe. Through it all, he kept reaching toward Jesus. And Jesus met him there.

Perhaps that's an invitation for us, too. Courageous faith doesn't require us to hide our questions or present a polished version of ourselves to God. We can bring our faith and our doubts, what we understand and what we don't, our confidence and our uncertainty. Jesus already knows us, and He meets us with grace as He invites us forward.

Thomas' story reminds us that courageous discipleship isn't pretending to have it all figured out. It's bringing our real selves to Jesus-and continuing to reach toward Him.

Takeaways

• Courage follows Jesus with eyes wide open. Thomas understood the danger of returning to Judea, yet still said, "Let's go." Faith doesn't require pretending the risks aren't real.
• Courage asks honest questions. Thomas didn't pretend to understand what he didn't understand. His question opened the way for Jesus to reveal, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
• Jesus knows what we need and meets us there. Thomas wanted his own encounter with the risen Jesus, and Jesus offered him the very encounter he had asked for-without shaming him for needing it.
• Courageous faith keeps reaching toward Jesus. Thomas brought his real self to Jesus, and his journey led to a declaration of faith and worship: "My Lord and my God!"

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Jesus, here I am.
Exhale: Draw me closer to You.

Full manuscript - Estimated reading time ~20-25 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Thomas

John 11:7-8, 14-16; John 14:3-6; John 20:24-29
Pastor Tammy Longte

Introduction

For the last few weeks, we have been gathering around this campfire at our BASE Camp, getting to know some of Jesus' friends-friends who would become His apostles. And each one had their own journey with Jesus.

Today, as we get to know another one of Jesus' friends, Thomas, I want to invite you to imagine a biblical scene that may be familiar to you. It is evening. The doors are locked. Jesus' disciples are gathered in a room in Jerusalem, still trying to make sense of everything that has happened.

Just days ago, the One they had followed for three years had been arrested, beaten, crucified, and buried. But that wasn't the end of the story! Jesus was alive and had come to them in that very room! Not in a vision or a dream. Jesus, in the flesh. The text says He suddenly appeared before them and said, "Peace be with you." Then He showed them His hands and His side. They saw the wounds. They saw the living Jesus. And they couldn't stop talking about it. "We saw Him!" "He is alive!"

But one disciple wasn't there. Thomas.

Scripture doesn't tell us where he was. We only know that Thomas missed the whole thing. And now his friends are telling him the impossible has happened. Can you imagine Thomas looking from face to face as they recounted the story? These are men he knows, men who loved Jesus just as he did.

Thomas hears it all, and then says, "I won't believe it unless I see the nail wounds in His hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in His side."

Now, freeze the scene right there! Because if this were a movie about Thomas, this is probably the scene we know best. One scene. One statement. For generations, the church has remembered this disciple by two words: Doubting Thomas.

Osisver the centuries, we've added even more to the picture. Thomas has been described as pessimistic. Negative. A glass-half-empty kind of person, with a tendency to expect the worst. Maybe you've heard Thomas described that way. You've probably at least heard the term "a Doubting Thomas." This is where that phrase comes from.

But here's the question I want us to consider: Does John actually tell us that?

There is wisdom in considering the generations of believers who have wrestled with these texts before us. But sometimes an interpretation becomes so familiar that we begin to hear it as though it were part of the text itself. That's when it's good to look again and ask: What does the text actually say?

In Thomas' case, John gives us more than this one scene. There are other moments when Thomas steps out of the background, and we hear his voice-other encounters between Thomas and Jesus. So before we decide who Thomas is based on this one scene, I want to invite us to rewind his story.

Before Thomas is in this locked room, let's go back and meet Thomas afresh.

Meet Thomas

So, who is Thomas? Let's start with what we actually know.

Thomas was one of the twelve disciples Jesus personally chose to walk with Him. Matthew, Mark, and Luke include his name when they list the Twelve, but they don't tell us anything more about him. It is John's Gospel that allows us to hear Thomas' voice.

Apparently, Thomas had a twin. John refers to him as Thomas, also called Didymus, which is the Greek word for twin. Beyond that, Scripture tells us very little. We don't know what he did for a living, how Jesus called him, or much about his life before following Jesus.

So, if we really want to know Thomas, we have to pay attention to the moments John gives us. And Thomas speaks three times in John's Gospel.

So let's begin with the first time we hear his voice.

Scene One - "Let Us Go"

Our first scene takes place before Jesus is crucified. Jesus has received word that His friend Lazarus is sick. Lazarus lives in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem, and that location is important because Jesus has enemies in Judea. Not long before this, people there had tried to stone Him. So, when Jesus tells the disciples He wants to go back, they know exactly what that could mean.

John 11:7-8, 14-16

And there he is. We meet Thomas and hear him say, "Let's go, too-and die with Jesus."

Now, some interpreters have read this as an example of Thomas' pessimism, seeing the worst possible outcome. But John doesn't tell us anything about Thomas' temperament. What we see in this account is that Thomas understands the danger-and is willing to go anyway.

And notice Thomas doesn't simply say, I'm going. He says, "Let's go." He's calling the other disciples to come too.

There is a strength in Thomas' voice here that we can easily miss. That's courage. Courage doesn't require us to pretend danger isn't real. Sometimes courage looks at the road ahead with eyes wide open and still says, "Let's go."

But here's what I love-don't miss the rest of Thomas' sentence. He says, "Let's go, too-and die with Jesus."

With Jesus.

That's courageous discipleship. Thomas doesn't know what Jesus is going to do in Bethany. He doesn't know that Lazarus is about to walk out of a tomb. He only knows that Jesus is going. Whatever Thomas thinks may happen in Judea, he would rather walk into the danger with Jesus than remain safely behind without Him.

If Jesus is going, Thomas is going.

And I think that's where this first snapshot of Thomas has something to say to us. Sometimes following Jesus means being honest about what might lie ahead. Faith doesn't mean the risks aren't real. Honesty about real concerns does not negate faith.

But with eyes wide open, we can weigh the risk against what we gain, because we do not go alone. As Thomas knew, being with Jesus is worth the risk.

We don't know everything Thomas contemplated in that moment. But we know the choice he made. Jesus was going. Even in the face of death, Thomas said, "Let's go, too."

Scene Two - "How Can We Know the Way?"

The next time we hear Thomas' voice, the circumstances are very different. It is the night before Jesus will die. Jesus and the disciples are gathered in the Upper Room. He has washed their feet, Judas has left, and Jesus is preparing His friends for something they still don't fully understand: He is leaving them.

Read John 14:3-6

I don't think I realized before that Thomas was the one who raised the question. Jesus says, "You know the way to where I am going." And Thomas essentially says, "No, we don't."

I love his honesty. Thomas doesn't pretend to understand something he doesn't understand. He courageously asks the question. Maybe others in the room were wondering the same thing. We don't know. But Thomas is the one who says it out loud.

I think there is something here for us, too. Especially if you've been in church for a while, we can become good at pretending we understand. We know the language. We know when to nod. We know when to say Amen. We know what we think we're supposed to believe.

Sometimes it takes courage simply to say, "I don't understand."

Thomas gives voice to the question. And look where his question leads. Jesus answers, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

That word, translated as way is the Greek word hodos. It can mean a literal road or path, but it also means a way of life. Thomas is asking a concrete question: Where are You going, and how do we get there?

But Jesus doesn't give him directions. He gives Thomas Himself.

"I am the way," He says.

The path to the Father, the way of life with God, is found in relationship with Jesus. At the center of Christian faith is not simply a set of beliefs or doctrines or do's and don'ts, but a person to know.

Jesus.

Maybe you've carried a question because you thought you were supposed to know the answer by now. Maybe everyone else seems to understand something you don't. Maybe there are things about God or faith that simply don't make sense to you.

Go ahead and ask Jesus. Bring it honestly. And stay open to the ways God may answer-through His Word, through another person, through something you hear or learn. Sometimes that's how God answers us.

It can also be true that we may not receive the kind of answer we're looking for.

Thomas wanted to know where and how. Jesus answered with who.

Sometimes our questions remain: Why did this happen? What are You doing, God? How is this going to work out?

But even when our questions remain, we have Jesus. Ultimately, our faith doesn't rest in having every question answered. It rests in knowing the One who has the answers and says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."

Even when we are holding giant question marks, Jesus is still the way, still the truth, and still the life.

And we know this truth today because Thomas was courageous enough to ask the question.

Scene Three - "Unless I See"

Now we return to the room where we started. The disciples are saying, "We have seen the Lord!" But now, we know Thomas a little better. We've heard the man who looked toward danger and said, "Let's go." We've heard the man who didn't understand and was willing to ask, "How can we know the way?" And now his friends are telling him that the Jesus he knew to have died is alive.

[Read John 20:24-27]

This is the moment that gave Thomas the name that has followed him for centuries: Doubting Thomas.

But perhaps there's more in this story. Consider this-Thomas is asking for an encounter with the risen Jesus that the other disciples have already received. When Jesus appeared to them, John tells us that Jesus showed them His hands and His side. They already saw. Thomas didn't.

What also strikes me is how concrete Thomas is. Thomas is seeking a physical and tangible encounter with the Jesus he knew had been crucified.

Thomas' desire for a concrete encounter made me think about the different ways God has made our minds. Some of us process intuitively. Some need time to reason. Some are highly concrete; others are comfortable with the abstract. We can experience and process the world very differently from one another.

Neurodivergence is a term that has become more familiar in recent years. I believe the Christian community has not always recognized that being wired differently doesn't mean deficient. Sometimes we have unintentionally made people feel there was something wrong with them-or with their faith-because they didn't experience God the way somebody told them they were supposed to.

Now, please hear me, I'm not saying Thomas was neurodivergent. We simply don't know, and I don't want to add to Scripture.

But what I do know is this: Jesus knew Thomas. He knew who Thomas was. He knew what Thomas had said. He knew what Thomas needed in this moment.

Eight days later, when the disciples are gathered again, Thomas is there. We read that the disciples are again behind locked doors. And suddenly Jesus is standing among them saying, "Peace be with you."

I love this part because after speaking peace to the room, Jesus speaks directly to Thomas and says, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands." The very thing Thomas said he needed to believe. "Put your hand into the wound in my side."

Jesus offers Thomas the very encounter he asked for. And then Jesus says, "Don't be faithless any longer. Believe."

Now, the Greek here is helpful again because Jesus' words carry a sense of movement-from unbelieving toward believing. Jesus is inviting Thomas forward.

When I look at what Jesus actually does in this scene-and what we know of the character of Jesus-I hear grace in that invitation. Jesus doesn't ignore what Thomas said he needed, nor does He shame him for needing it.

He comes to him and shows him His wounds.

In other words, it is as though Jesus is saying: Here I am, Thomas. You needed to see? See. You needed to know? Here I am.

In many ways, it feels as though Jesus came for Thomas. He knew Thomas and met him where he was, just like He meets us where we are, and extends the invitation to move forward:

To "Believe."

Conclusion - "My Lord and My God"

As we finish the story, Jesus came to Thomas. He offered him the very encounter Thomas said he needed. And He invites him to believe.

And how does Thomas respond?

[Read John 20:28-29]

"My Lord and my God!"

A declaration of truth, faith, and worship.

What a journey we've witnessed in our brother. We've seen Thomas beyond the one scene that gave him his name. I have to tell you, I've come to really admire him. I admire his honesty. His courage. His integrity.

Thomas doesn't pretend. He doesn't pretend the danger isn't real. He doesn't pretend to understand what he doesn't understand. He doesn't pretend to have experienced something he hasn't experienced.

He's authentic.

Thomas brings his real self to Jesus. What we see is someone who keeps reaching toward Jesus. When the road looks dangerous, if Jesus is going, Thomas wants to go. When he doesn't understand, he asks Jesus the question. When others tell him Jesus is alive, he wants his own encounter with Jesus.

When he does, you can hear the love and adoration in his voice when he says, "My Lord and my God."

As I've gotten to know Thomas, I've found myself resonating with his journey. I want that, too. I want even more of that kind of relationship with Jesus.

I want to keep bringing Jesus my real self-my faith and my questions, what I understand and what I don't-and keep reaching toward Him.

I want to know Jesus more. To love Jesus more. To want Jesus more.

I want that for you, too.

Whether you've followed Jesus for fifty years or you're not even sure what you believe, you can bring your real self to Jesus. Bring your questions. Bring your doubts. Bring your desire to know Him. Trust Jesus to meet you there.

Because Jesus' invitation to believe reaches beyond Thomas. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."

That's you and me!

We haven't seen what Thomas saw. But through his story, we have been invited to encounter the same Jesus.

My prayer is that as we keep getting to know Him, loving Him, and following Him, Thomas' testimony will increasingly become our own as we too, in worship, declare: "My Lord and my God."

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Matthew

Matthew 9:9-10
Pastor Troy Nichols

For Your Heart Today

When Jesus walked up to Matthew's tax booth and said, "Follow me," He didn't give Matthew a map, an itinerary, or an explanation of what would come next. He simply offered an invitation-and Matthew got up.

In that moment, Matthew made more than a career change. He traded the life he knew for a life governed by Jesus. Following Christ still asks something of us. Jesus doesn't simply want to be added to the life we're already living; He invites us to trust Him as King, allow what we have to serve His purposes, and follow even when we cannot see where He is leading.

Sometimes we want the whole plan before we're willing to move. Matthew reminds us that we don't need to see the entire road to take the next faithful step. Jesus didn't give Matthew a map. Matthew got the Messiah.

Jesus is still saying, "Follow me." What might it look like for you to get up and follow?

Takeaways

• Trade a ruler for the King. Following Jesus means more than receiving Him as Savior; it means allowing Him to govern our lives.
• Trade a booth for a table. Jesus can give what we already have a new purpose, turning our resources and relationships into places where others can encounter Him.
• Trade your routine for a new way. Following means trusting Jesus' direction even when we cannot see the destination.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Jesus, You are my King.
Exhale: I will follow You.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Matthew

Matthew 9:9-10
Pastor Troy Nichols

Sermon Summary

Pastor Troy Nichols continued our summer series, Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples, by introducing us to Matthew through an unexpected word: trader. Not traitor-someone who betrays-but trader-someone who exchanges one thing for another. When Jesus approached Matthew at his tax booth and spoke two simple words, "Follow me," Matthew got up. Scripture never records Matthew speaking a single word, but through his actions he shows us that following Jesus means being willing to make a trade.

Matthew's first trade was a ruler for the King. His livelihood and authority existed under the power of Rome, but when Jesus called him, his ultimate allegiance changed. Pastor Troy reminded us that we often love calling Jesus Savior, Provider, and Healer, but Jesus is also King-and a king governs. Every life is ultimately governed by something: money, approval, ambition, comfort, fear, culture, or even our own desires. The question is not whether we will have a ruler, but whether we are willing to trade whatever occupies the throne of our lives for the King who calls us to follow. Following Jesus is not simply adding Him to the life we are already living; it means giving Him our allegiance.

Matthew's second trade was a booth for a table. In verse 9, Matthew is sitting at the tax booth; in verse 10, he is sitting at a table with Jesus and a room full of tax collectors and others. "At the booth, Matthew collects. At the table, Matthew connects." Jesus gave what Matthew already had-his home, resources, and relationships-a new purpose. The man who knew what it felt like to be kept at a distance began pulling up chairs for other outsiders. Matthew had not followed Jesus very long, but he knew two things: I met Jesus, and you need to meet Him too. His story invites us to ask what God has already placed in our lives that could become a "table," an opportunity for someone else to encounter the love of Jesus.

Finally, Matthew traded his routine for a new way. The booth was predictable. Jesus was not. He gave Matthew no five-year plan, destination, or itinerary-only the invitation, "Follow me." Pastor Troy reminded us that following someone means trusting their direction even when we cannot see the destination. Understanding is not a prerequisite for obedience. Matthew could not see the miracles, the cross, the empty tomb, or the Gospel that would one day bear his name. He could only see the next step. "Jesus didn't give Matthew a map. Matthew got the Messiah." Sometimes faithful discipleship looks exactly like that: taking the next step because we trust the One who is leading.

Pastor Troy closed by returning to the "Would You Rather?" game that opened the message-but this final choice was no game. Jesus is still saying, "Follow me." Staying seated is still a choice. Matthew made the trade: a ruler for the King, a booth for a table, and his routine for a new way. The invitation remains before us: Get off the fence. Get up from the booth. And follow the King.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know John - Living Loved

1 John 4:19
Minister Jacquie Ronan

For Your Heart Today

What if the foundation of courageous discipleship isn't how much we love Jesus, but how deeply we know that Jesus loves us?

John's life shows what can happen when we learn to live from that truth. The disciple we remember as the "Apostle of Love" didn't begin there. He was passionate, impulsive, and ambitious. But John stayed close to Jesus, and over time, that closeness changed him.

John described himself simply as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Not because Jesus loved him more than anyone else, but because being loved by Jesus had become the deepest truth about who he was. He didn't have to earn it or prove himself worthy of it. He could simply receive it.

The same is true for us. As we stay close to Jesus and learn to live secure in His love, His love shapes the way we follow, forgive, serve, and love others.

This week, rest in this truth: You are loved by Jesus. Live from that love.

Takeaways

• Jesus calls ordinary, unfinished people. John was passionate, impulsive, ambitious, and still learning when Jesus said, "Follow Me." Discipleship is lifelong formation.
• Staying close to Jesus changes us. John moved from "Son of Thunder" to "Apostle of Love" as Jesus redirected his passion and formed him over time.
• We live from Jesus' love, not for His love. Our deepest identity is not found in what we accomplish for Jesus, but in knowing that we are already loved by Him.
• Being loved forms courageous disciples. Secure in Jesus' love, we are able to follow, forgive, serve, love, and go wherever He sends us.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Jesus, I am loved by You.
Exhale: Let me live from Your love.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know John - Living Loved

1 John 4:19
Minister Jacquie Ronan

Sermon Summary

Minister Jacquie Ronan invited us to get to know John beyond the familiar title, "the disciple whom Jesus loved." Rather than a boast that Jesus loved him more than others, she suggested that John's words were a testimony of amazement: "I still can't believe Jesus loves someone like me." John learned that discipleship is not about striving for Jesus' love, but resting in it.

John did not begin as the "Apostle of Love." He was an ordinary fisherman whom Jesus called with the simple words, "Follow Me." Passionate, impulsive, ambitious, and quick to react, John and his brother James earned the nickname "Sons of Thunder." When a Samaritan village rejected Jesus, John was ready to call down fire. When he and James imagined Jesus coming into His kingdom, they wanted positions of honor. Yet Jesus did not reject John or erase his passionate personality. He redirected it. John wanted prominence; Jesus taught humility. John wanted position; Jesus taught service. John wanted influence; Jesus taught love. Discipleship, Minister Jacquie reminded us, is not instant transformation-it is lifelong formation.

What changed the Son of Thunder into the Apostle of Love? John stayed close to Jesus. He spent years walking with Him, listening, questioning, failing, receiving grace, and beginning again. Eventually, John's deepest identity was no longer rooted in position, accomplishment, or influence. He knew himself simply as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." The most important thing about John was not what he had done for Jesus, but what Jesus had done for him: he was loved.

That love also became the source of John's courage. At the Last Supper, we find him close to Jesus; at the cross, when others scattered, John stayed. There Jesus entrusted His mother to John's care, teaching him that love is more than a feeling-love becomes responsibility, love becomes action, love cares for people, and love shows up. The disciple who once wanted to destroy a Samaritan village was now entrusted with caring for a grieving mother.

Years later, John would write, "We love because He first loved us." That truth became the foundation of his discipleship and ours. We cannot give what we have never received. We receive grace so that we can give grace; receive love so that we can give love; receive forgiveness so that we can forgive. We live from His love, not for His love. And the closer we walk with Jesus, the more His character begins to shape our own.

Minister Jacquie closed by returning to the journey of discipleship: Called. Formed. Sent. Jesus calls ordinary, unfinished people to follow Him, forms us as we remain close to Him, and sends us to love and serve others. Whatever our age or stage of life, Jesus is not finished with us. We do not serve to earn His love; we serve because we already have it. Like John, we can learn to live with the confidence, "I am the disciple Jesus loves." And because we are loved, we can follow, serve, love, and go wherever Jesus sends us.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know James
Luke 5:1-10, Matthew 4:21-22
Minister Philip Thompson

For Your Heart Today
Discipleship is not a straight line. It is a courageous becoming.

James the Greater was impetuous, bold, ambitious, and self-confident. Quick to act, quick to speak, eager for honor. Yet through discipleship, Jesus transformed him into a man of depth, faith, prayer, and faithful witness. His raw edges became refined strength. His boldness became courage rooted in surrender.

James's story invites us into three courageous choices: choosing God's purpose over our own dreams, submitting to God's process through highs and lows, and persisting faithfully in God's call, no matter the cost. His life shows us that discipleship requires strength and courage at every turn, not because the path is easy, but because following Jesus asks us to become something we could never become on our own.

This week, ask yourself: Which invitation am I resisting? Where is Jesus calling me to choose His purpose, surrender to His process, or persist in His call?

Takeaways

• Strength and courage to choose God's purpose over our own dreams.
• Strength and courage to submit to God's process through every season.
• Strength and courage to persist faithfully in God's call, no matter the cost.
• Discipleship is courageous becoming, and becoming requires surrender.

Breath Prayer
Inhale: Jesus, give me strength.
Exhale: To follow You faithfully.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know James
Luke 5:1-10, Matthew 4:21-22
Sermon Summary

James the Greater, the older brother of John, partner of Peter, Son of Thunder, shows us that discipleship is not a straight line but a courageous becoming. His story invites us to choose God's purpose, submit to God's process, and persist faithfully in God's call.

? A Childhood Memory, A Familiar Song, A New Invitation

For many of us, our earliest images of the disciples come from Sunday School songs and flannel‑graph stories. Some of us knew Zacchaeus was short long before we knew Matthew was a tax collector. We could sing about Peter, James, and John in a sailboat before we could tell anything about their lives.

But this discipleship series has helped us slow down, look again, and listen deeper. These aren't just names in a children's chorus; they are real people who responded to Jesus' real invitation. And through their stories, the Spirit is speaking to us about our own journey of becoming.

Today we turn our attention to James the Greater, or in Hebrew, Jacob, older brother of John, son of Zebedee and Salome, fisherman, business partner of Peter, and one of Jesus' closest companions.

? Who Was James the Greater?

Scripture gives us glimpses of James's personality, raw material that Jesus shaped through discipleship:

• Impetuous boldness - quick to act, quick to speak (Mark 1:19-20; Luke 9:54)
• Ambition - asking for seats of honor (Mark 10:35-37)
• Self‑confidence - "We can drink the cup," he said (Mark 10:38-39)
• Frustration and failure - the night of empty nets (Luke 5:1-10)
• Fierce loyalty - protective of Jesus (Luke 9:51-56)

But discipleship transformed him into:

• A man of depth and decisiveness
• A man of faith shaped by grace
• A man of prayer
• A faithful witness unto death

James was the first apostle to be martyred (Acts 12:1-2). His journey was costly-and courageous.

? 1. Strength & Courage to Choose God's Purpose

James's call didn't come in isolation. Luke 5 shows him watching Jesus step into Peter's boat, watching the miraculous catch, watching nets break and boats sink under the weight of abundance.

He saw God at work in someone else's life before he realized God was speaking to him.

Jesus's call created an inner conflict:

Purpose vs. Dreams.

God's call vs. family expectations.

The unknown vs. the familiar.

Matthew tells us that James and John left the boat and their father immediately. Choosing God's purpose meant releasing dreams others had for him-and dreams he had for himself.

Discipleship always begins with courage to say yes to God and no to anything that competes with God's purpose.

?️ 2. Strength & Courage to Submit to God's Process

James's nickname-Boanerges, Son of Thunder-tells us he was naturally strong. But discipleship required a different kind of strength:

spiritual strength rooted in surrender, humility, and dependence on God.

His journey took him:

• Into authority and mission (Matthew 10:1-10)
• Into rooms of grief and fear (Luke 8:51)
• Into mountains of glory (Mark 9:2)
• Into moments of rebuke (Luke 9:55)
• Into the garden of failure (Matthew 26:36-40, 56)

James's story shows us that discipleship is not linear. It is highs, lows, plateaus, and holy ground. It is seeing ourselves honestly, warts and all, and letting Jesus reshape us.

? 3. Strength & Courage to Persist in God's Call

James once asked for greatness. Jesus told him he would drink the same cup.

And he did.

Acts 12 records his martyrdom-no speeches, no final testimony, no recorded last words. But with holy imagination, we can picture James kneeling peacefully, remembering Jesus's prayer:

"I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave Me to do." - John 17:4

James finished his work.

He persisted faithfully.

He lived courageously.

He died with purpose.

? Three Invitations for Us

James's life invites us to be:

• Strong & courageous to choose God's purpose
• Strong & courageous to submit to God's process
• Strong & courageous to persist in God's call

Discipleship is becoming.

Discipleship is surrender.

Discipleship is courage.

May we, like James, follow Jesus with strength, courage, and holy purpose.

Get to Know Nathaneal

John 1:45-51

Pastors Brian Hui & Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

Sometimes the greatest thing God wants to change isn't our circumstances-it's our vision.

Like Nathanael, we all carry assumptions shaped by our experiences, our culture, and even our wounds. Those assumptions can quietly narrow our expectations of what God can do and who God can use. Yet Jesus lovingly invites us to look beyond our limited vision and discover something far greater.

The good news is that God's work has always been bigger than we imagine. He is not only at work in our own lives but throughout the world, drawing people from every background into His kingdom and restoring all things through Christ. As we open our hearts to Him, we may find that the "greater things" Jesus promised are waiting just beyond the boundaries we've placed around Him.

This week, ask God to enlarge your vision. Be willing to let Him surprise you. You may discover that the God you know is even greater than you imagined.

Takeaways

• Jesus invites us to examine the assumptions and biases that can keep us from recognizing His work.
• Jesus sees us fully, yet always calls us into a larger vision of His kingdom.
• God's mission is bigger than our personal experience; He is restoring all things and welcoming all peoples.
• We often see "greater things" when we step beyond our comfort zone through cross-cultural friendship, fellowship, and mission.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Open my eyes, Lord.
Exhale: Help me see greater things.

Get to Know Nathaneal

John 1:45-51

Sermon Summary

Pastors Tammy Long and Brian Hui continued our summer series, Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples, by introducing us to Nathanael-a disciple whose brief story reveals a profound journey of transformation. Although Nathanael longed for the promised Messiah and faithfully sought God, his assumptions about Nazareth nearly prevented him from recognizing Jesus. His story reminds us that even sincere faith can be limited by expectations, biases, and conclusions we have formed about others. Yet Jesus met Nathanael with grace, saw the integrity of his heart, and invited him to "come and see" something far greater.

The message challenged us to reflect on our own lives. We all carry assumptions shaped by our experiences, our culture, and even our wounds. While those experiences are real and should never be minimized, they can quietly narrow our vision of what God is doing and whom God may be calling us to love. Like Nathanael, we are invited to bring our hearts honestly before God, allowing the Holy Spirit to search us and free us from anything that keeps us from seeing people-and God's work-with greater clarity.

The sermon then turned to Jesus' remarkable promise: "You will see greater things than this." Nathanael's personal encounter with Jesus was only the beginning. Jesus revealed that God's plan reaches far beyond one person's experience, one nation, or one culture. Through the imagery of Jacob's ladder, Jesus pointed to Himself as the One through whom heaven and earth are being reconciled. His kingdom is not only restoring individual lives but all creation, and His invitation extends not only to one people but to every nation and every culture.

The message concluded by inviting us to step beyond our familiar boundaries through cross-cultural friendship, fellowship, and mission. As we follow Jesus into relationships with people who are different from us, we discover more of His heart and witness His kingdom in ways we might otherwise miss. Nathanael's journey reminds us that courageous disciples are willing to let Jesus enlarge their vision, challenge their assumptions, and lead them into the "greater things" God has prepared for those who follow Him.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Peter

Matthew 16:13-19; Luke 5:1-11; John 21:15-19

Pastor Tony DeGruy

For Your Heart Today

We all have parts of our story we wish we could rewrite-moments of failure, words we wish we could take back, opportunities we missed. Peter knew those feelings well. Yet his life reminds us that Jesus never gives up on those He calls. He meets us with grace, restores us through love, and continues forming us into the people He created us to become.

Whatever your past holds, remember this: Jesus names us not by our failures, but by our future. This week, receive His grace once again and simply pray, "Jesus, form courage in me."

Takeaways

• Jesus sees who we are becoming. Peter's new name reflected Jesus' vision for his future, not merely his present struggles or failures.
• Jesus forms us through both failure and grace. Peter's courage grew through confession, repentance, restoration, and learning to return to Jesus again and again.
• God redeems the way He has wired us. Peter's boldness and passion were not erased but transformed into faithful leadership and loving service.
• Courageous disciples join God's mission. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter learned to speak truth, love others well, and welcome all people into God's kingdom.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Jesus, form courage
Exhale: In me.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Peter

Matthew 16:13-19; Luke 5:1-11; John 21:15-19

Pastor Tony DeGruy

Sermon Summary

Pastor Tony DeGruy continued our summer series, Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples, by inviting us to take a fresh look at Peter-not simply as the outspoken disciple we often remember, but as an ordinary, impulsive, passionate man whom Jesus patiently formed over time. Walking through Peter's story from his calling as a fisherman to his confession that Jesus is "the Messiah, the Son of the living God," Pastor Tony reminded us that Jesus names us not by our failures, but by our future. Peter's life reveals that discipleship is not about arriving fully formed, but about allowing Christ to shape us through surrender, humility, and faithful obedience.

Rather than hiding Peter's shortcomings, the message embraced them. Peter spoke before he thought, stepped out in faith only to sink in fear, denied Jesus three times, and yet was continually met with grace. Jesus did not erase Peter's personality-He redeemed it. His boldness became proclamation, his passion became leadership, and his failures became a testimony to God's restoring love. As Pastor Tony reminded us, Jesus builds His church not on perfect people, but on transformed people.

The sermon also explored Peter's ministry after the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. As Peter proclaimed the Gospel, welcomed those once considered outsiders, and came to understand that "God shows no partiality," his courage grew into a life marked by justice, inclusion, and love. Peter's story was set within the larger community of disciples-women and men, named and unnamed-whose faithful witness reminds us that God's mission is always carried forward together.

The message concluded with a simple but powerful invitation: don't make courage smaller than it is. Courage is not loud, perfect, or dramatic. Courage is returning to Jesus after failure, speaking truth with humility, loving people well, and allowing Christ to continue forming us into the people He created us to be.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Philip

John 1:43-46; 6:5-7; 14:6-11
By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

One of the beautiful truths we discover as we spend time with Jesus' friends is that they were wonderfully different from one another. They each experienced the world through their own personalities, perspectives, strengths, and questions. Yet Jesus never asked them to become someone else. Instead, He patiently formed each of them into the disciple God had created them to be.

Philip reminds us that discipleship is not about abandoning the way God has wired us but allowing Jesus to enlarge the way we see. Practical and thoughtful, Philip naturally began with what could be counted, measured, and understood. Again and again, Jesus met him there-not to dismiss those gifts, but to stretch them beyond what could be calculated into a deeper trust.

Perhaps you can relate. Maybe you've looked at your circumstances, counted the cost, and wondered how God could possibly make a way. Or perhaps you've longed to know God more deeply and found yourself praying Philip's heartfelt request: "Lord, show us the Father."

Philip's story reminds us that the answer to both longings is found in Jesus. The One who sought Philip is still seeking us. The One who patiently formed Philip is still forming us. And the One who revealed the Father to Philip continues to make the Father known to all who will look at Him.

This week, may we pray with fresh expectancy, "Jesus, help me to see You again."

Takeaways

• Jesus seeks us before we ever think to seek Him. Philip's journey begins not with his search for Jesus, but with Jesus finding him and inviting him to follow.
• Jesus forms the way He created us. Rather than rejecting Philip's practical and thoughtful nature, Jesus patiently stretched those gifts into deeper faith.
• Faith invites us to trust beyond what we can calculate. God often calls us to look beyond what can be counted, measured, or planned without abandoning wisdom or faithful stewardship.
• If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. In Christ we see the Father's compassion, grace, truth, mercy, and love revealed.
• The invitation remains the same: keep looking at Jesus. The more clearly we see Him, the more clearly we come to know the heart of the Father.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Jesus, help me

Exhale: To see You.

Full Sermon Estimated Reading Time: ~ 24-26 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Philip

John 1:43-46; 6:5-7; 14:6-11
By Pastor Tammy Long

Introduction

I'm not a huge camper, but I do love a good campfire. There's something warm, inviting, and intimate about gathering around one to enjoy sharing stories, laughing, and simply being together.

If you were here last week, you know that is the image we are holding for our summer series, Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples. We're imagining those moments at the end of the day when Jesus and His friends might have gathered around the fire to unwind, enjoy one another's company, and talk about everything that had happened.

Last week we got to know Jesus' friend Andrew, who accepted Jesus' invitation to "Come and see." We discovered Andrew to be a spiritual seeker who loved bringing others to Jesus.

Today we're going to meet another friend of Jesus who had a very different personality.

I doubt they talked much about personality types in Jesus' day. It was what it was.

But I can remember when I was first introduced to the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory many years ago. I don't even know if it's still used as much today, but for years it was a common tool in leadership development, team building, and human resources.

One of the things I appreciated about it wasn't so much the personality labels themselves, but that it gave language to something we already knew to be true: that God has wonderfully wired us to experience the world differently.

As I share a few examples of these different ways of experiencing the world, I wonder who comes to your mind. It might be a spouse, one of your children, a close friend, or a coworker. Or perhaps you'll simply smile and say, "That's me."

I know you know them. The people who draw energy from being around others. Put them in a room full of people and they come alive. Then there are those who enjoy people, yes, but after a while they're ready for some quiet. Solitude is where they get their energy.

There are people who naturally begin with what is concrete-what they can see, touch, hear, measure, and verify. Others naturally begin with a vision. They focus on what could be, the possibilities, patterns, and connections that aren't always tangible or obvious.

And then when it comes to making decisions, there are those who instinctively start with, "What's the most logical or practical thing to do?" While others naturally begin with, "How will this affect the people involved? Or how does it align with what matters most?" They naturally begin with the relationships and the values they hold deeply.

None of these ways of experiencing the world are better or worse. And most of us don't fit neatly into one category or another. We usually find ourselves somewhere along the continuum.

Isn't it amazing that God created such wonderful diversity? Every personality, every temperament, every strength reflects something of His creativity and something about God Himself. However God has wired us, we were created with intention and purpose.

As we gather around the campfire and get to know Jesus' friends, we'll discover the disciples weren't all alike either. They all experienced the world differently. They each brought unique strengths, perspectives, and areas for growth.

The way we experience the world-how we are wired-shapes what we naturally see and who we are. Jesus doesn't erase that when He calls disciples. Instead, He patiently forms each of us into the disciple God created us to be.

We'll see that firsthand as we meet Philip.

Getting to Know Philip

Philip is one of the Twelve disciples listed in all four Gospels, but the stories that allow us to get to know him are almost entirely found in the Gospel of John. John doesn't give us a full biography, but he does give us several revealing snapshots into his life.

Every time we encounter Philip, he's remarkably consistent. Different moments. Different conversations. But the same man.

As we get to know him, we begin to recognize one of those wonderfully unique ways of experiencing the world we talked about just a few moments ago.

Philip was from Bethsaida, the same hometown as Andrew, Peter, James, and John. So, while Scripture doesn't tell us how well they knew one another before following Jesus, it's hard to imagine they weren't at least acquainted. They likely worshiped in the same synagogue and shared many of the same community rhythms.

Now, Philip's name is an interesting detail. We know all the disciples were Jewish, yet the name Philip is actually Greek rather than Hebrew. Somewhere in his family's story there appears to have been a Greek influence or cultural connection.

Bethsaida itself was located in a region where Jewish and Greek cultures regularly intersected, and Philip seems to have moved comfortably between those worlds.

In fact, you may remember from last week's message that when some Greeks wanted to meet Jesus, they approached Philip. Philip, in turn, brought them to Andrew, and together they brought them to Jesus.

I love that small glimpse into Philip's life. It suggests he was approachable, and it speaks to the power of the Gospel to cross cultural, ethnic, and social boundaries. Perhaps Philip's background uniquely prepared him to help build that bridge.

We don't know the details of the story, but we do know this: Jesus has a way of preparing us through our experiences to help others find their way to Him.

As I prepared this message, I noticed that Philip is sometimes described with words that aren't especially complimentary. Slow to understand. Unimaginative. Overly materialistic. Weak in faith.

I can understand how people arrive at those conclusions from the biblical stories. But it also made me wonder how often we evaluate people through the lens of our own personalities and preferred ways of experiencing the world.

The truth is, none of us were there to meet Philip personally. We're piecing together his story from the glimpses John gives us.

What if we looked at Philip through a different lens?

As we get to know Philip, I see a man who is practical, thoughtful, concrete, and logical. He naturally begins with what can be seen, measured, counted, and verified. Those same qualities some have dismissed may well have been among the very gifts Jesus intended to shape and use.

Jesus knew Philip completely. He knew exactly how Philip was wired. And He knew exactly how to form those gifts into the strong and courageous disciple He had created him to become.

In fact, before Philip ever went looking for Jesus, Jesus went looking for Philip.

Which brings us to the story of our text. John 1:43-46 (NLT)

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Come, follow me." 44 Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's hometown.

45 Philip went to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses[a] and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."

46 "Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael. "Can anything good come from Nazareth?"

"Come and see for yourself," Philip replied.

Glimpse One: Jesus Found Philip

I think my favorite phrase in this entire passage is, "Jesus found Philip."

Last week we watched Andrew seeking Jesus. This week we see the flip side of reality: Jesus was seeking Philip. Both are true. We seek Him because He first seeks us.

We often emphasize our search for God, but John reminds us of an equally beautiful truth: before Philip ever went looking for Jesus, Jesus had already gone looking for him. Out of all the people Jesus could have sought that day, John says, "He found Philip."

It really shouldn't surprise us because this is who Jesus is. Throughout the Gospels we see Him seeking people. He is the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to go looking for the one. On that day, Philip was one of those Jesus went to find.

The same is true for us. Jesus knows us. He knows where to find us, and He still comes looking for those who don't yet know Him.

The question is not whether Jesus is seeking us. The question is, how will we respond when He says, "Come, follow me"?

John doesn't tell us what happened when Jesus found Philip. We don't know what Jesus said beyond His simple invitation. We simply know there was something about Jesus, something so compelling, that Philip followed Him immediately.

Now notice what Philip does next. The text says he goes and finds Nathanael. He tells him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."

Now Nathanael isn't convinced. He has questions, even some bias. We'll come back to his story another week.

But Philip's response is classic. He doesn't argue. He doesn't try to answer Nathanael's objections. He doesn't feel the need to build a case for Jesus. Instead, what we see is a beautiful, non-anxious, invitational moment. He simply says, "Come and see for yourself." That's all. Philip had experienced enough of Jesus to invite someone else to meet Jesus for himself.

You know, that's a good model for us.

We don't have to have all the answers or know everything about the Bible and theology. Sometimes all we have to do is say, "Come and see," because Jesus is already seeking people with the invitation, "Come, follow Me."

That was Philip's story, and he was excited to share it.

Glimpse Two: Jesus Enlarges Philip's Vision

When we meet up with Philip again, we are where we were last week with Andrew, when Andrew brought the little boy with five loaves and two fish.

Today I want to step back into that very same story, only this time we're going to stand beside Philip.

John 6:5-7.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, "It would take more than half a year's wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

Now this is an interesting exchange because we see that Jesus turned directly to Philip and asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" Then the Gospel writer immediately adds that Jesus was asking to test him, for He already had in mind what He was going to do.

Now, the word test here doesn't mean Jesus was trying to trap Philip or make him fail. The word also carries the idea of examining or stretching someone for the purpose of growth. From the context, we can tell that is exactly what Jesus is doing. Jesus' question wasn't for information. It was for formation.

Remember, Philip naturally experiences the world through the practical, concrete, measurable, and logical. So, when Jesus asked where they were going to buy bread, Philip was ready. I imagine he had already surveyed the situation and assessed the need.

He knew the size of the crowd. He knew how much was in the purse. He knew what bread cost. And he knew two hundred denarii, about eight months' wages, wouldn't be enough.

Now some have critiqued Philip for focusing on the practical realities, but I want to encourage us to remember that the Kingdom of God needs people like Philip. The Kingdom needs logical planners, people who ask thoughtful questions, people who understand budgets, count the cost, and steward God's resources wisely.

So to me, Philip was faithfully answering the question Jesus had asked through the way he naturally experienced the world.

But Jesus was also inviting him to think beyond what he could calculate-not to ignore the numbers or stop being practical, but to allow faith to enlarge both the way he saw the situation and what he believed God could do.

I wonder if, after walking with Jesus another year or so, Philip might answer this question quite differently.

I can almost hear him saying,

"Lord, we have two hundred denarii. I know that's not enough to feed this crowd. But I've walked with You long enough to know that somehow You're going to make a way."

How many of you have experienced exactly that?

You've looked at the numbers. You tried to balance the budget. You paid the bills you could. And it still just doesn't look like enough.

But somehow, God made a way, just as He made a way that day by multiplying five loaves and two fish.

Every year as a church we prepare what we call a faith-stretch budget. We begin exactly where Philip began. We count carefully. We seek to steward wisely.

Then we pray, "Lord, what might You choose to do beyond what we can presently calculate?" And we prayerfully set the budget with a faith stretch.

Sometimes God exceeds what we could have imagined. Sometimes He provides exactly what we need. Sometimes He gives wisdom for a lean season.

Whatever the outcome, we've learned to trust Him.

That was the invitation Jesus was placing before Philip: to trust beyond what he could touch, count, or plan because he could trust Jesus.

I wonder if Jesus is placing that very same invitation before some of us today-to stretch beyond what we can count, touch, or plan.

Glimpse Three: Jesus Reveals the Father

Well, continuing with Philip, when we meet him again, several years have now passed since Jesus first found Philip. He has watched Jesus teach, heal, feed the hungry, calm storms, raise the dead, and love people with extraordinary compassion.

Philip has been walking with Jesus every day, and now, on the night before the crucifixion, Jesus gathers His disciples for one final conversation.

John 14:6-11

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[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

8 Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Jesus has just said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life... If you really know Me, you will know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him."

It is those words that prompt Philip's question. "Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us."

I have to admit, I love Philip's question because I hear the earnest heart of a disciple who genuinely longs to know God. Someone who longs to see, to understand, to experience as clearly as possible. So it doesn't surprise me that Philip is the one to ask, "Show us the Father."

To which Jesus answers,

"Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me… (John 14:9-11a, NIV)

Now I want to pause for just a moment here because, to our modern ears, those words can sound like a harsh rebuke, especially depending on what Bible translation you read.

But here's the thing to keep in mind. We can't hear Jesus' tone of voice. We don't know His facial expression or see His body language. We tend to hear through the voices in our heads-harsh voices, kind voices. You see that through text messages, right? We can interpret tone differently and be completely wrong.

So, in moments like this, we have to let the full character of Jesus shape the way we hear His words. The Jesus who welcomed little children, restored Peter after his failure, wept with Mary and Martha, and prayed for those who crucified Him. Jesus' love is consistently tender and compassionate. He's not suddenly impatient with Philip.

When I hear these words, I don't hear anger or even reprimand. I hear a kind of grief. Not grief because Philip is slow to understand or because he has asked a foolish question, but the sadness of Someone who deeply loves His friend and longs for him to recognize the truth of what has been before him all along.

Have you ever felt that ache because someone doesn't understand something you really, really want them to understand?

I hear Jesus saying, in essence,

"Philip... you've been walking with Me. You've been listening to Me. You've watched Me heal, forgive, teach, feed, and love. And every act of compassion, every miracle, every word of truth has been revealing the very heart of the Father. Philip, when you've been looking at Me, you've been looking at the Father."

Now, for someone wired like Philip-and I doubt he was the only one-that probably took a moment to absorb because Jesus wasn't saying, "Let me tell you about the Father." And He wasn't saying, "I know the Father." He wasn't even saying, "I represent the Father."

He was saying, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father."

Let's not rush past those words.

If you've ever wondered what God is like... look at Jesus.

If you've ever wondered whether God welcomes the broken... look at Jesus.

If you've ever wondered whether God forgives... look at Jesus.

If you've ever wondered whether God is compassionate... look at Jesus.

Look at Jesus.

Continuing with verse 11, Jesus goes on to say,

… or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

That really touched me because I see Jesus graciously meeting Philip in the way he naturally experiences the world.

Jesus has just revealed His oneness with the Father. And it was an astonishing and mysterious claim. No wonder Philip needed a minute to take it in.

It's no wonder Jesus immediately points Philip to everything he has seen and experienced. In effect, Jesus says, "Philip, start there with the evidence of the works themselves. Think about everything you've witnessed. And connect the dots."

Jesus doesn't dismiss the way Philip is wired. He uses it, to help Philip recognize the One those works have been revealing all along.

Closing

As I prayed through Philip's story this week, I found myself asking that same question:

"Lord, what do You want to say to us through Philip?"

First, I think we are reminded that we all have a natural way of experiencing the world, a certain lens through which we see life. We see this in Philip and how Jesus didn't reject the way Philip was wired. He lovingly stretched him beyond it.

But I don't think that's the only invitation of this story.

I wonder if Philip would also say, "Look at Jesus."

Don't make Jesus smaller than He is. Sometimes our picture of Jesus is too narrow, too limited by our own vantage point. Like Philip, we can spend years walking with Jesus and still miss so much because there's so much more to see.

What if the invitation isn't to try harder, but to look at Jesus again?

Look again at how He loved people.

Look again at how He treated those everyone else overlooked.

Look again at His compassion, His grace, His truth, His courage, His mercy.

Because the more clearly we see Jesus, the more clearly we see the Father.

The promise of Philip's story is that the same Jesus who found Philip has found us.

The same Jesus who patiently formed Philip is patiently forming us.

And the same Jesus who revealed the Father to Philip is still making the Father known to us today through His Spirit.

May we have eyes to see Him afresh.

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Andrew

John 1:35-42

By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

Most of us know Andrew as "Peter's brother," but when we slow down and spend time with his story, we discover a disciple whose quiet faithfulness speaks powerfully into our own lives.

Andrew was not the loudest disciple, nor the one most often in the spotlight. He wasn't part of Jesus' inner circle like Peter, James, and John. Yet each time the Gospels mention Andrew, we find someone paying attention to what God is doing and responding with quiet faithfulness.

He first accepted Jesus' invitation, "Come and see." Then he brought his brother Peter to Jesus. Later, while others focused on what was lacking, Andrew noticed a little boy with five loaves and two fish and believed they were worth bringing to Christ. Still later, when some Greeks wanted to meet Jesus, Andrew helped create space for them to encounter Christ.

Andrew reminds us that discipleship is first and foremost about remaining close to Jesus. As we walk with Him, He shapes how we see the world, how we respond to others, and how we faithfully follow Him.

The invitation Jesus extended to Andrew has never ended.

He still says to each of us, "Come and see."

Takeaways

• Discipleship begins by accepting Jesus' invitation to "Come and see." Before Andrew ever invited anyone else to Jesus, he first accepted Jesus' invitation himself.
• Hopeful realism sees what is present without denying what is lacking. Andrew acknowledged that five loaves and two fish were not enough, yet he believed they were worth bringing to Jesus because he trusted who Jesus is.
• God is often at work before we recognize it. Andrew teaches us to remain attentive to the people, conversations, and opportunities God is already preparing around us.
• Quiet faithfulness keeps our focus on Jesus. Whether our role is seen or unseen, the invitation remains the same: faithfully follow Christ and help others encounter Him.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Jesus, teach me

Exhale: To follow You.

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time ~22-24 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous as Disciples: Get to Know Andrew

John 1:35-42

By Pastor Tammy Long

Introduction

Last month I had the privilege of spending a week at a professional development intensive with colleagues I'll be learning alongside for the next three years. Although we had met online a few times, this was our first time meeting in person.

Of course, every good instructor wants the class to get to know one another, especially since we'll be learning and growing together for a while. So our instructor used some creative ways to help us move beyond simply knowing the names on a class roster.

One of the first things we were asked to do was tell the story behind our names. Some people were named after parents or grandparents or carried family names that had been passed down for generations. Others were named because of what their names meant. Several of us, including me, were named simply because the name was popular that year. There were four Jennifers-Jenns or Jennys-two Sarahs, and even another Tammy! Both of us were named after the Debbie Reynolds movie Tammy and the Bachelor.

It was interesting how quickly a simple name became more meaningful and memorable once we knew the story behind it.

Later in the week we played a "guess who" game. We each wrote down three things about ourselves, and the group had to guess who it was. We learned one of our classmates had been to forty-nine of the fifty states. Another had been an ice-skating dancer. Someone had once roomed with the actor Val Kilmer. I even got some appreciative nods when people learned I'm a pickleball enthusiast.

There were other exercises as well, each one giving us a chance to share our stories. By the end of the week, we had moved beyond our name tags. We were beginning to know one another.

This summer, we're going to spend some time getting to know some of Jesus' friends beyond their names, too. If you've been around the church for a while, you probably know many of the stories they're remembered for. But there's always more to a person's story.

The disciples may seem larger than life to us twenty centuries later, but when Jesus first called them, they were ordinary people living ordinary lives. They had jobs and families, questions, strengths, and weaknesses. Yet over time, as they walked with Jesus, they were slowly formed into the people we remember today-strong and courageous disciples.

One of the beautiful things about hearing stories is that we often find ourselves in them. It may not be the exact same experience, but another person's journey helps us see our own a little more clearly. We discover courage as we watch someone else's faithfulness. We find hope through someone else's encounter with God. We begin to recognize that perhaps God is writing a story in us, too.

As I began preparing this series, one image kept coming to mind: a campfire. I can't help but imagine the stories that must have been shared with Jesus at the end of a long day of ministry and the simple joy of getting to know one another and being together.

That's the spirit I hope we'll capture this summer. I want us to slow down, listen well, and spend time with Jesus' friends, trusting that their stories may have something to say to ours.

So this morning, let's pull up a log around the campfire and get to know Jesus' friend, Andrew.

Please turn with me to John 1:35-42.

Getting to Know Andrew

This is where Andrew's life with Jesus begins. But before we walk with him through this encounter, let me back up and tell you a little about the man we're getting to know.

Andrew was a fisherman from a small village on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Fishing wasn't simply what he did; it was how he made his living, and it was backbreaking work. Long nights on the water. Heavy nets hauled in by hand. It required strength every day and perseverance to begin again the next, whether the night's catch had been plentiful or disappointing. It was intense physical and emotional labor.

Andrew didn't fish alone. He fished with his brother Peter. In Luke's Gospel we're told that Peter was in partnership with James and John. So before Andrew, Peter, James, and John were ever disciples, they were friends and business partners. They spent long days and nights on the Sea of Galilee together. Imagine the conversations they shared while mending nets, repairing boats, or rowing through all kinds of weather. Their lives were already intertwined.

But Andrew wasn't only a fisherman. He was also a spiritual seeker. He had a heart for the things of God.

When we first meet him in Scripture, he isn't following Jesus yet. He's following John the Baptist. That tells us something about Andrew's heart.

John the Baptist wasn't your typical Jewish leader. The Bible tells us he lived in the wilderness, dressed in camel's hair, and ate locusts and wild honey. His message was bold, unconventional, and unsettling enough that some people believed he was a prophet, while others thought he was out of his mind.

Yet something about John's message resonated with Andrew. He listened.

Like many faithful people in Israel, Andrew was waiting for the Messiah. He wasn't content simply to go through the motions of religion. He was watching, waiting, and praying. So when John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness calling people to repentance and proclaiming that God was preparing the way for the Messiah, Andrew recognized something he had been waiting for. He left what was familiar and began following John because he believed God was at work.

Before Jesus ever called Andrew, Andrew was already seeking and paying attention.

And that's where today's story begins, which brings us back to our text.

Andrew's First Encounter with Jesus

Andrew is standing with John the Baptist, who sees Jesus walking by. But this isn't the first time John has spoken about Jesus. Just the day before, John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared,

Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

For those standing there with him, those words would have carried tremendous weight. Every Jewish person understood the significance of a lamb. They would have thought of the Passover lamb whose blood spared God's people in Egypt. They would have thought of the sacrifices offered in the temple for the forgiveness of sins. John was making an astonishing claim. He was saying, "The One we've been waiting for is here."

Now, the next day, when John sees Jesus again, he simply says,

Look, there is the Lamb of God! (John 1:36)

The Bible tells us, "When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus" (John 1:37).

A few verses later, we're told one of those disciples is Andrew. Most scholars believe the other disciple was John himself, the one who wrote this Gospel and, remember, one of Andrew's closest friends.

Notice what they do.

The Bible says they begin walking behind Jesus, which isn't unusual because that's what disciples did. They wanted to be near the teacher-to watch Him, to listen to Him, and to learn from Him. Andrew had been seeking the Messiah, and now he longs to know whether Jesus really is the One, just as John had said.

Scripture tells us that, as they are following, Jesus turns and asks,

What do you want? (John 1:38)

Some translations ask, "What are you seeking?" Others say, "What are you looking for?" However it's translated, it's a profound question. We could spend the entire sermon right there because Jesus is asking so much more than, "Why are you following Me?" He is inviting Andrew and John to consider what they are really after-the deeper longing of their hearts.

It is Andrew who answers. Continuing on, we read,

Rabbi (which means "Teacher"), where are you staying? (John 1:38)

At first, it sounds like Andrew doesn't answer the question. But remembering the culture of that day, Andrew was not asking for an address. To ask, "Where are you staying?" was really to ask, "May we spend time with You?"

John tells us it was about four o'clock in the afternoon. By that hour, the day was drawing to a close. Hospitality was deeply woven into Jewish life, so travelers were welcomed. That's exactly what Jesus is inviting them to.

Jesus says,

Come and see. (John 1:39)

John tells us that it was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with Him to the place where He was staying, and they remained with Him the rest of the day.

I love that John remembers the hour. By the time he writes this Gospel, decades have passed since that afternoon, yet he still remembers the time of day. It must have been a memorable time. There's something uniquely warm and relational about spending time in someone's home.

John doesn't tell us what they talked about. He leaves that to our holy imaginations. I can imagine, as was the custom, they shared a meal. Perhaps Andrew asked question after question. Maybe there were long stretches of simply listening. I can even imagine Jesus asking questions, too. After all, it was one of His favorite things to do. Whatever the conversation held, they were getting to know one another and simply enjoying being together.

We may not know the details of that afternoon, but we do know this: Andrew accepted Jesus' invitation. He came. He stayed. Whatever happened during those hours became the beginning of a lifetime with Jesus.

In fact, we don't have to wonder very long what kind of impact Andrew's time with Jesus had. John tells us,

The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. (John 1:41-42)

I love John's words, "The first thing Andrew did..." He was still processing everything he had heard and what it all meant, but apparently he was too excited to keep it to himself. The first thing he did was go to someone he loved-his brother Peter-and essentially say, "You have to come and see."

From here, the Gospels don't tell us a great deal about Andrew. In fact, after this encounter, he's mentioned only a few more times. Yet every time we see him, we catch another glimpse into the life Jesus was shaping.

Glimpse One: Hopeful Realism

The next time we meet Andrew, Jesus is surrounded by a crowd numbering in the thousands. They have followed Him into a remote place to hear Him teach, but as day turns to evening, a problem emerges. The people need to eat.

The disciples see the magnitude of the need, and they encourage Jesus to send the crowds away so they can buy food in the nearby villages. But Jesus shocks them and says, "You don't need to send them away. You give them something to eat." You can imagine how that went over.

In John's Gospel, we read how Jesus turns to Philip and asks where they might buy enough bread for everyone. Philip immediately begins doing the math. Even two hundred denarii-nearly eight months' wages for a day laborer-wouldn't be enough for everyone to have even a little.

Then Andrew speaks. He says,

There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many?
(John 6:9)

We know the story, but often not the disciple who brought the boy to Jesus. By now, Andrew has been walking with Jesus for a while. He's watched Jesus turn water into wine in Cana. He's seen Jesus heal the sick and perform miracle after miracle.

Here's what strikes me about Andrew. While the other disciples are focused on lack-what they don't have, what they can't do, what isn't possible-Andrew appears to be focused on what they do have.

I hear a hopeful realism in Andrew's response. He knows five loaves and two fish aren't enough. He says so himself, but he doesn't dismiss them. Instead, he believes they're worth bringing to Jesus.

Hopeful realism is not denying what is. It's the confident assurance that God is at work and will act, even when we don't know when or how.

We can't know everything Andrew was thinking, but we do know he brought the boy and his offering to Jesus. He exhibited a quiet faith and trust in the face of scarcity and lack, with no idea what Jesus was about to do.

I wonder if this glimpse of Andrew speaks to some of us today. Perhaps you've been focused on what is missing, what feels insurmountable, or what seems impossible. Andrew doesn't deny those realities. He simply refuses to let them become the only lens through which he sees.

Instead, he brings what he does have and what he does know to Jesus, trusting that God is at work and will act. He doesn't know what Jesus will do, when He will do it, or how. But he does know who Jesus is.

Andrew reminds us that strong and courageous disciples don't always begin with abundance or a clear solution. Sometimes courage looks like hopeful realism-the quiet confidence to entrust what is before us to Jesus and leave the outcome with Him.

Glimpse Two: Creating Space for Others

The next time we meet Andrew is near the end of Jesus' earthly ministry.

John tells us that some Greeks came to Philip with a simple request:

Sir, we would like to see Jesus. (John 12:21)

John could have simply written, "Some people." Instead, he tells us they were Greeks. That detail matters because they were Gentiles-people outside the covenant community of Israel. The question of how God's promises would extend beyond Israel would continue to unfold throughout the book of Acts, but here, in John's Gospel, we catch an early glimpse of that story.

For reasons John doesn't explain, Philip goes to Andrew, and together they bring the request to Jesus.

This is another brief glimpse of Andrew, but we're beginning to recognize something about him. Andrew has a generosity of spirit that seems to mark his life. In each encounter we've seen so far, he seems willing to leave room for what God may be doing. He simply takes the next faithful step and helps create space for others to encounter Christ.

In this part of the story, the Greeks were already seeking Jesus before Andrew ever entered the picture. God was already at work in their hearts. Andrew's role was simply to recognize the opportunity before him and respond with quiet faithfulness.

It may be only a brief glimpse, but Andrew's story speaks to us again.

I wonder how often God is already stirring in someone's life before we ever become aware of it. As we move into this summer, I'm praying that God will give us Andrew's eyes, ears, and heart-eyes that notice when someone is already searching, ears that recognize when a conversation begins to open, and a heart that doesn't force anything but doesn't miss what God may already be doing.

When those opportunities come, perhaps your next faithful response is simply to listen, share your story, invite someone to a meal, or invite them to join you at church or our Praise, Play, and Jazz Fest at the end of August.

Andrew reminds us that we may never know how God chooses to use a simple act of availability to help create space for someone else to see Jesus. He invites us to remain open, attentive, and ready to respond with the same invitation that changed his own life: Come and see.

Glimpse Three: Quiet Faithfulness

There is one more glimpse of Andrew that has stayed with me as I've prepared this message. It isn't a specific story so much as an observation.

As we continue through the Gospels, we notice that Peter, James, and John become Jesus' closest companions. They are present when Jesus raises Jairus' daughter. They witness the Transfiguration as Jesus reveals His glory alongside Moses and Elijah. They accompany Jesus farther into the Garden of Gethsemane before His death.

Andrew isn't mentioned in any of those moments. In fact, throughout the Gospels he is consistently known as Peter's brother, while Peter becomes the more prominent of the two.

Scripture never tells us how Andrew felt about this, and I want to be careful not to read into the story. Yet it's hard not to wonder because we all know what it feels like to stand just outside the inner circle-to feel overlooked, left out, or simply to live in someone else's shadow.

The Gospels don't hide the struggles of Peter, James, or John. We see Peter's impulsiveness. We see James and John jockeying for places of honor. Andrew surely had his own weaknesses as well. Yet the picture the Gospel writers consistently leave us with is one of quiet faithfulness. He simply continues helping others see Jesus.

Church tradition tells us that after Jesus' resurrection, Andrew faithfully carried the Gospel beyond the borders of Israel, eventually giving his life as a martyr. According to tradition, he was crucified on an X-shaped cross because he considered himself unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.

Whether in the quiet moments we see in Scripture or in the traditions remembered by the early church, Andrew's life points in the same direction. His whole life became a faithful response to Jesus' first invitation: Come and see. (John 1:39)

I wonder if this final glimpse speaks to some of us today.

Ours is a world that often celebrates visibility, influence, and recognition. Yet the kingdom of God has always been built by ordinary people whose names are seldom remembered, quietly offering their lives to Christ day after day.

Andrew reminds us that the invitation was never to become well known. It was never about us but about remaining faithful to the One who first said,

Come and see. (John 1:39)

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Love as Jesus

John 13:1-17

By Minister Paula Fuller

For Your Heart Today

Power often seeks recognition. Jesus chose a towel.

On the night before the cross, Jesus knew what was ahead. He knew who would betray Him, who would deny Him, and who would abandon Him. Yet He knelt and washed the feet of every disciple gathered around the table. His love was not determined by their worthiness but by His character.

In a world that often celebrates influence, status, and visibility, Jesus reveals another way. True strength is expressed through humble service. Courage is found not only in bold action but also in choosing love when no one is watching, extending grace when it is undeserved, and serving without seeking recognition.

As the Be Strong and Courageous journey turns toward a new season, this final invitation from the Community series lingers: not simply to admire the example of Jesus, but to practice it. The blessing Jesus promises is found not merely in knowing His words, but in living them.

What act of humble love might Christ be inviting His followers to practice this week?

Takeaways

• Jesus demonstrated that true power is expressed through humble service.
• Christ's love is given even when others fail, disappoint, or betray.
• Following Jesus means receiving His love before extending it to others.
• Spiritual maturity is measured not only by what is known, but by what is practiced.
• Ordinary acts of service become extraordinary when offered in the spirit of Christ.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Jesus, teach me to love...

Exhale: ...with Your humility.

Sermon Summary

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Love as Jesus

John 13:1-17

By Minister Paula Fuller

Guest preacher Paula Fuller concluded South Bay Community Church's Be Strong and Courageous in Community series by inviting the congregation to reflect on what they had been putting into practice over the past six months. Looking back over the year's invitations to be strong and courageous in prayer, in God's Word, in body, mind and spirit, and finally in community, she reminded listeners that spiritual formation is intended to shape not only what we know but how we live.

Drawing from John 13, Paula explored Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet as a profound expression of courageous love. She noted that this sign was unique among Jesus' miracles because it was performed exclusively for His disciples. At the very moment Jesus knew His hour had come, fully aware of His authority, His impending suffering, Peter's denial, and Judas' betrayal, He chose to lay aside His outer garment, take the posture of a servant, and wash the feet of those He loved. Rather than using His power to elevate Himself, Jesus revealed that true authority is expressed through humility and self-giving love.

The message also highlighted how the foot washing points beyond itself to the cross. Just as Jesus stooped to wash His disciples' feet, He would soon offer His life as the ultimate act of sacrificial love. Even Judas, whom Jesus knew would betray Him, received this act of grace, demonstrating that Christ's love extends beyond what is earned or deserved. In this way, the foot washing became both a picture of God's love and an invitation into the kind of community Jesus was creating through His death and resurrection.

Paula emphasized that Jesus did not simply perform this act as an example to admire. He called His followers to imitate it. His command to "wash one another's feet" invites believers to embrace lives marked by humility, service, intentional love, and a willingness to care for one another in practical ways. The Christian life is not measured merely by biblical knowledge but by obedience that takes shape in everyday relationships. As Jesus declared, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

Closing with a personal reflection, Paula shared how seasons of caregiving and hidden service had become a "foot washing season" in her own life, teaching her that God often forms His people through unseen acts of faithfulness. She encouraged the congregation to consider where Christ may be inviting each person to step beyond comfort and practice courageous love through humble service this week.

Courage to Bless

Genesis 48

Guest Speaker: Leedah Wong

For Your Heart Today

Many of us spend our lives trying to earn what God has already given. We strive to prove ourselves, to be productive, to hold everything together, to leave something meaningful behind. Yet Jacob's final act in Genesis 48 reminds us that blessing begins by remembering.

Before Jacob blesses his grandchildren, he tells the story of how God has blessed him. He remembers the God who appeared to him, shepherded him, redeemed him, and remained faithful through joy, grief, failure, and loss.

Perhaps that is where courage begins for us as well. Before we speak words of blessing to others, we pause long enough to remember that we are already accepted and incredibly blessed. We belong to God before we accomplish anything for God, and his blessings are bountiful.

From that place of grace and being blessed, we bless. Even our wounds can become places of blessing and testimony. And the unexpected turns of our lives may become the very places where God blesses by doing something new.

As recipients of God's grace, we are invited to speak words of life, hope, and blessing into the lives of others.

Takeaways

• We bless others best when we first receive God's grace and remember that we are accepted loved and blessed.
• God often uses our wounds, struggles, and unfinished stories as places through which He can bless others.
• Because we live from God's acceptance rather than striving for it, we can trust Him to work in surprising ways beyond our expectations and bless us and others.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: I am accepted by Your grace.
Exhale: Help me become a blessing.

Courage to Bless - Sermon Summary

Genesis 48

Guest Speaker: Leedah Wong

Drawing from Genesis 48, Pastor Leedah Wong explored Jacob's final blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh and invited us to consider what it means to live with the courage to bless. Biblical blessing is more than wishing someone well. It is speaking God's promises, identity, and hope into another person's life.

Reflecting on his own journey, Pastor Leedah shared how Pastor Stanley Long's words of encouragement and guidance continued to shape his life and ministry years after they were spoken. Those blessings helped him see his own struggles within God's larger story and reminded him of his identity and calling.

The message centered on three movements of blessing.

First, we bless as recipients. Before Jacob blessed his grandsons, he remembered how God had blessed and shepherded him throughout his life. Pastor Leedah contrasted the world's cycle of achievement, performance, and burnout with the kingdom's cycle of grace, where acceptance comes first. Because we are already loved and accepted by God, we can live and serve from grace rather than striving for approval and fruitfulness will follow.

Second, we bless through our wounds. Jacob spoke blessing while still carrying grief and loss. Pastor Leedah shared openly about the disappointment of planting a church that eventually closed and the freedom he found in releasing the need to appear strong or successful. God often uses our weakness, pain, and unfinished stories to encourage and strengthen others.

Finally, we bless through God's surprises. Jacob crossed his hands, giving the greater blessing to the younger son, reminding us that God often works in unexpected ways. Pastor Leedah described how the closing of his church unexpectedly opened the door to ministry among Afghan refugee families in Fremont. Through practical support, friendship, and sharing the gospel, God has brought new life and ministry in ways he never anticipated.

The message concluded with the reminder that Ephraim and Manasseh themselves are pictures of grace. Though they stood outside the covenant promises, they were welcomed into the family and received the blessing. In the same way, through Christ we have been brought near, adopted as sons and daughters, and invited to live as people who have received God's grace and now extend that blessing to others.

Be Strong and Courageous: The Courage to Choose Wisely

A Baccalaureate Exhortation

Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:9

By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

Life is full of thresholds.

Some are marked by graduations, retirements, new jobs, or major transitions. Others arrive more quietly through grief, unexpected opportunities, or changing circumstances. Whatever form they take, thresholds often bring a mixture of excitement, uncertainty, anticipation, and fear.

When the people of Israel stood at the edge of the Promised Land, they were facing a future they had never experienced before. It was at that moment that God spoke words that continue to echo through every generation: "Be strong and courageous...for the Lord your God will be with you."

Those words are not only for graduates. They are for anyone standing at the edge of something new. As we cross the thresholds before us, we do so with the promise that God is with us. And perhaps the invitation is not to have all the answers, but simply to choose wisely.

Three Takeaways

1. Be strong and courageous enough to choose to be yourself. God created you uniquely and intentionally, not to be someone else, but to be you.

2. Be strong and courageous enough to choose to try something new. God often reveals gifts, strengths, and possibilities as we step beyond what is familiar.

3. Be strong and courageous enough to choose to walk with God. The wisest choice we can make in any season is to keep Him at the center.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: God, You are with me

Exhale: Help me choose wisely

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time: 10-12 Minutes

Be Strong and Courageous: The Courage to Choose Wisely

Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:9

By Pastor Tammy Long

Today is a special day of celebration. In a few moments, we will recognize our graduates, award scholarships, hear a special charge, and pray over these young people as they prepare for what comes next.

But before we do that, I want to briefly share a word of encouragement from God's Word, not just for our graduates, but for all of us.

This year, as a church family, we have been reflecting on the theme Be Strong and Courageous. These words come from Deuteronomy and Joshua and are spoken in a moment of transition.

You probably recall that the people of Israel have completed forty years in the wilderness. You may even say they finally graduated. Now, they are preparing to enter a land they have never seen before. Moses, the leader they have known their entire lives, is in his final days. The future feels uncertain.

It is in that moment that God says to His people, "Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid, for the Lord your God will be with you."

Soon after that, Moses passes. Joshua now carries the responsibility of leadership. He is standing at the edge of something new, something he has never done before. And once again, speaking directly to Joshua, God's word is simple: "Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid, for the Lord your God will be with you."

These words are spoken at a crossroads moment-a threshold. And that is exactly where our graduates find themselves today. And if we're honest, that's where many of us find ourselves today as well. Some of us are entering new schools. Some are entering new jobs. Some are leaving jobs and retiring. Some are learning to navigate life after the loss of someone they love. Some are considering opportunities that feel exciting and frightening at the same time. Some are sensing God calling them into something that is brand new.

Life is full of thresholds. And at every threshold, God says the same thing: "Be strong and courageous. Don't be afraid. I will be with you."

Every new season requires courage. And this morning, as we all stand at different types of thresholds, I want to encourage us to be strong and courageous enough to choose wisely. And I'll be brief. I'm going to invite us to be strong and courageous enough to choose wisely in three ways.

Be Strong and Courageous Enough to Be Yourself

One temptation in any new season is to become who everyone else expects us to be. Everything feels new, so we look around and compare. We're tempted to follow what everyone else is doing, to fit what feels like the norm.

And that's a normal beginning. When we enter a new season, we're trying to get a lay of the land. We're observing. We're learning. We're paying attention. We're trying to figure out how things work.

Graduates, you may feel that when you enter a new school, you look around. You notice what classes people are taking or what activities they're involved in. But, actually, that's true for all of us at any age. When we enter a new season, we look around, too. We wonder how other people are navigating retirement. How they are rebuilding after loss. How they are approaching a new opportunity. How they are handling a challenge we've never faced before.

But at some point, it takes courage to stop looking around and to start listening more deeply to our hearts.

God did not create you to be someone else; He created you to be you. There is a one-of-a-kind blueprint with your name on it.

God has given each of us unique gifts, experiences, passions, personalities, and callings. He has wired us differently. And over time, God takes all those pieces and weaves them together into a path that is uniquely ours.

God delights when we have the courage to be who He made us to be. Not who our friends expect us to be. Not who social media tells us we are to be. Not what the culture says we should be. But who God created you to be.

Because God knows you and created you intentionally with a purpose. So, as you cross every threshold, remember to be strong and courageous enough to be yourself because God is with you.

Be Strong and Courageous Enough to Try Something New

The second invitation to choose wisely is this: be strong and courageous enough to try something new.

The truth is that every meaningful season of life requires not only that we be who God has made us to be, but also that we step out of our comfort zone and into the unknown.

Joshua had to step into leadership. The Israelites had to enter the Promised Land. The disciples had to leave what was comfortable and follow Jesus.

As graduates, you are stepping into new schools, new expectations, and new opportunities.

In fact, many of us are stepping into new territory as well. A new possibility. A new opportunity. A new reality. Something we've never done before.

Whenever we step outside our comfort zone, fear often shows up. Not because we don't have faith, or we're weak. But simply because new things are uncomfortable!

The question is not whether we will feel nervous. We probably will. The question is what will we do when fear has our knees knocking? Will those nerves make the decision? Or will we remember that God is with us and draw on His courage?

Sometimes courage looks like praying a simple breath prayer like, "Lord, help me."

Sometimes courage looks like talking to God aloud along the way to remember He's near.

Sometimes courage looks like taking a step of faith and walking through the door anyway, even when you're tempted to run the other way.

Here's the gift to remember. Because God goes with you wherever you go, He already knows what you will need. He places people in your life who can offer encouragement and wisdom. He brings a thought, a scripture, or a memory to your mind to guide your next step.

In a new season, we often discover things about ourselves that we never knew were in there. Sides of our personalities, interests, skills, and capabilities that we never knew we had until we took the risk to try.

We didn't know, but God knew.

It was all a part of His plan as we learn to trust Him.

And every time we take a step outside of our comfort zone in trust, I believe God smiles, because God is with us.

Be Strong and Courageous Enough to Walk with God

The third invitation to choose wisely is this: be strong and courageous enough to walk with God.

As we enter new seasons, we can sometimes leave God behind. Perhaps not intentionally, but life gets busy. Responsibilities increase. And we're trying to figure things out.

Sometimes before we even realize it, we begin relying on our own strength, our own plans, and our own understanding to navigate this new part of our journey.

Yet the greatest gift we can carry into any new season is our relationship with God.

The reminder for all of us-graduates, family, and friends-is as we move into what comes next, don't leave God behind. Invite Him into your decisions. Invite Him into your questions. Invite Him into your successes. Invite Him into your failures. God wants to be a part of all of it.

So, whatever season lies ahead, choose wisely by having the courage to keep God at the center. Choose prayer and simply talk with God. Choose worship and express gratitude and love for God. Choose Scripture and learn about all God wants to share with you. Choose to stay connected to the One who has been faithful in every season before and every season to come.

Because God not only is with you, He wants to walk and talk with you every day.

So, graduates, family, and friends, one of the wisest choices we can ever make is to keep walking with God.

Conclusion

And that brings us back to the promise God gave to Moses, Joshua, and the people of Israel.

God told them to be strong and courageous. But the reason they could was because God promised to be with them. And He makes that same promise to you today.

So choose wisely, sisters and brothers. Choose to be yourself, choose to try something new, and choose to walk with God.

Graduates, we celebrate you, we bless you, and we love you.

Let the whole church say, Amen!

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Speak the Truth in Love

Ephesians 4:1-3, 15-16, 29, 32
By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

We live in a world where communication is constant, yet genuine understanding often feels increasingly rare. We can text, post, comment, email, and message at any moment, but many of us sense that something has shifted in the way we speak to one another. Conversations can become harsh, reactive, defensive, or avoidant. In response, we may either say too much or say nothing at all.

In Ephesians 4, Paul offers another way. He calls believers to live lives worthy of their calling by cultivating humility, gentleness, patience, unity, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Within that vision of Christian community, he gives a powerful invitation: "speaking the truth in love."

Speaking the truth in love is not about winning arguments, proving points, or getting something off our chest. It is participating in God's work of helping people, relationships, and the body of Christ grow toward maturity. Sometimes that means offering wisdom. Sometimes it means helping someone grow in understanding. Sometimes it means loving accountability. And sometimes it means having the courage to listen when someone speaks truth to us.

Whether we are called to speak or to receive, God invites us to approach one another with humility, trusting that He may use members of His body to help us grow.

Takeaways

1. The goal of speaking the truth in love is growth, not victory. Truth spoken in love seeks the maturity of people, relationships, and the body of Christ rather than winning an argument or proving a point.
2. Humility creates space for truth. We never see the whole picture or know the whole story. Humility reminds us to speak gently, listen carefully, and remain open to learning.
3. Truth grows best in the context of relationship. Like Priscilla and Aquila with Apollos, meaningful truth is often shared where trust, care, and investment already exist.
4. Both speaking and listening require courage. God may invite us to faithfully speak what needs to be said, or He may invite us to receive what someone else lovingly shares. Both are acts of spiritual maturity.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Speak through me, Lord
Exhale: Help me listen well

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time ~20-22 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Speak the Truth in Love

Ephesians 4:1-3, 15-16, 29, 32
By Pastor Tammy Long

Changing Times in Communication Today

We live in a world with more ways to communicate than any generation before us.

Beyond face-to-face conversations and phone calls, we text, email, post, comment, and message. We can communicate with one person or hundreds at any time of day. Receiving an actual letter or card is a true gift, since it's so rare.

Not only have our methods of communication changed, but our manners and tone are changing, too.

One survey from the American Bar Association found that 85% of Americans believe the way people speak to one another has become less respectful over the last decade. And it appears to be a growing trend.

Another study on Civility in America reported a severe civility deficit in our nation, one that shows no signs of letting up. In fact, the belief that the United States has a major civility problem has reached a record high. Seventy-five percent of the 1,100 adults surveyed indicated that incivility-a lack of basic kindness, politeness, and goodwill-has risen to crisis levels.

What's more, various studies of language and communication trends have found that norms around language itself have changed. And we see it, don't we?

Words and expressions that previous generations considered inappropriate or unacceptable have become commonplace in entertainment, media, and everyday conversation. Language that once shocked us barely registers anymore.

Different studies. Different observations. Yet together, they suggest that something has shifted in how we speak to one another.

A few weeks ago, as part of this Be Strong and Courageous in Community series, we talked about the courage to restrain-allowing the Holy Spirit to help us pause, breathe, and resist saying or doing the first thing that comes to our human minds.

We recognized that not every thought needs to be spoken, and not every feeling needs to become an action. By God's grace and power, restraint is one response. We choose to say or do nothing, to let whatever it is go, and leave it with God, who will have the last word. But there are times when we have to speak up.

Ecclesiastes 3:7 says there is a time to speak and a time to be silent. The question becomes: What do we say when it's time to speak? And how do we say it?

Paul addresses that question in Ephesians 4. We'll be looking specifically at verses: 1-3, 15-16, 29, and 32.

Speaking Truth in Love

Ephesians is one of several letters Paul wrote while he was in prison for preaching about Jesus.

This particular letter does not address a church controversy or conflict like some of his others. In this letter, Paul is writing to believers about what it means to live as followers of Christ.

He begins the chapter with the words, "Live a life worthy of the calling you have received."

Then he describes the kind of community God desires, one characterized by humility, gentleness, bearing with one another in love, and unity.

In the verses we did not read in this chapter, Paul writes that although they all have different gifts, they are one body in Christ. Each person has a role to play, and God's desire is that the whole body, working together in community, would grow together in maturity.

In the middle of this vision of what it means to live a life worthy of following Christ, Paul states our focus text: "Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Christ."

Often, when we hear the phrase speak the truth in love, we think about confrontation. We think about speaking truth to power. We think about courageous speech in the name of the Lord. And there are times for that.

But in the context of the passage, speaking the truth in love is not about winning an argument, proving a point, or getting something off our chest. It is about helping sisters and brothers in the body of Christ grow together into maturity.

In other words, speaking the truth in love is not simply about civility, politeness, or kindness. It goes much deeper. Speaking the truth in love is one way God helps His body, His community, grow.

Why Speaking the Truth in Love is So Difficult

Now let's speak some truth right now. Paul's words sound simple enough.

Tell the truth.

Do it lovingly.

Yet most of us know from experience that it is far more complex than that.

Often when this passage is preached, you'll hear about the danger of truth without love and love without truth. They go together, and there is wisdom in that.

Truth without love is often harsh, brutal even. We can become so focused on being right, "telling it like it is," or speaking our truth that we miss how it lands with the person in front of us.

Conversely, love without truth can be too soft and detrimental. In our concern not to hurt someone or damage the relationship, we may choose to remain silent when a difficult conversation may be exactly what's needed for growth or healing.

But the challenge of speaking truth in love is even more complex.

Sometimes we speak up because we genuinely care, only to discover that we did not have the whole picture and misspoke.

Or we may hesitate because we are not sure whether what we want to share is actually truth, one perspective, or simply our own preference. We don't want to sound judgmental or impose on what's not our business. So, we say nothing.

Then there is another important factor. Most of us live fragmented lives.

We may have our worship world, our work world, our retirement world, our friends-who-don't-go-to-church world, our volunteer world, and so on.

We may love others, but we do not always know one another well enough to speak into their lives. We do not know the person's story, their struggles, or what God may already be doing in their life, so we're hesitant to say anything.

All of this makes speaking the truth in love more complicated than it first appears.

So the question becomes: If we are serious about following Jesus and want to be strong and courageous in community, how do we learn to speak truth in love as Paul envisions?

Well, Paul gives us some guidance a few verses later when he writes:

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

That's a huge insight because speaking the truth in love is bigger than simply what we say. It's also about why and how.

In other words, the deeper question behind speaking the truth in love is, "What will help this person, this relationship, and ultimately the body grow?"

If we look at Ephesians 4 again, we see the context and framing for speaking the truth in love quite clearly. The picture that emerges from the chapter for a strong and courageous community that speaks truth in love is a relational ecosystem shaped by:

• Humility.
• Gentleness.
• Patience.
• Unity.
• Being bound together with peace.
• Truth spoken in love.
• Words that build up.
• Kindness.
• Compassion.
• Forgiveness.

Taken together, these verses help us understand what Paul means and how we grow into it.

Speaking the truth in love is not merely about expressing what is true; it is about participating in God's work of helping people, relationships, and the body grow in unity and maturity. That is why humility matters so much. In fact, it might not be an accident that Paul starts the chapter there.

Humility reminds us that we do not see the whole picture or know the whole story. It reminds us that we may be mistaken in our perspective.

Humility does not mean staying silent, but it reminds us to speak with gentleness, openness, and a willingness to keep listening. Humility reminds us that the goal is not to prove a point or to speak our truth. The goal of speaking truth in love is growth and maturity as a follower of Jesus.

What It Looks Like

But what does speaking the truth in love actually look like?

Scripture gives us many examples, but we'll briefly look at three stories.

Our first story comes from Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro.

When we pick up Moses' story in Exodus 18, he is carrying an enormous responsibility. The Bible says people are bringing their disputes to him from morning until evening. Day after day, he listens, decides, teaches, and leads. Moses is sincere, devoted, and serving God as best he knows how.

But upon a visit, his father-in-law, Jethro, sees something Moses cannot see. He sees exhaustion, and that the burden is too heavy for one person to carry. He sees that what Moses is doing is not sustainable.

But Jethro doesn't just notice. He speaks the truth in love.

After observing what is happening and asking a lot of good questions-which is always a good idea before speaking, asking good questions for clarity and understanding-Jethro says:

"This is not good! ... You're going to wear yourself out-and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you." (Exodus 18:17-19, NLT)

Those are honest words. They are also loving words. Jethro is not attacking or criticizing Moses. He wants to help him. He is seeking to build him up. Further, his concern is not merely for Moses, but for the people who are waiting in line all day, too. Jethro's concerns are also for the good of the community.

Scripture tells us, "Moses listened to his father-in-law's advice and followed his suggestions."

Jethro's truth in love helped Moses become a healthier leader, helped the community function more effectively, and enabled God's work to continue strong and well.

Sometimes speaking the truth in love means noticing what another person cannot see for themselves and gently offering wisdom.

I wonder if even now someone comes to mind-something you feel you want to say, an insight you want to share, or support you want to offer out of love. Perhaps the thought has come to you more than once as you notice a need, a concern, or a struggle.

Perhaps that is the Spirit inviting you to speak truth in love. Humbly. Gently.

You might not even know the full picture, but what if God wants to use you to build them up? What if God is inviting you to be strong and courageous by speaking truth in love to whoever it is who keeps coming to your mind?

Our second story is about Priscilla and Aquila and a gifted teacher named Apollos.

When we meet Apollos in Acts 18, he is already doing many things well.

We read:

"He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately." (Acts 18:25-26, NIV)

Priscilla and Aquila recognized immediately that there were things Apollos did not yet know.

What is striking is how they responded. They did not publicly correct him, embarrass him, or criticize him behind his back. Instead, Scripture says, "They invited him into their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."

Once again, we see truth and love working together.

Priscilla and Aquila cared more about Apollos' growth than proving he was wrong. They recognized his gifts. They affirmed what God was already doing in his life. And then they helped him take the next step. Their goal was not correction for correction's sake. Their goal was growth-his own growth and the growth of the believers who were listening to him.

As a result, Apollos became even more effective in the ministry God had called him to, and his ministry expanded. Continuing on in Acts, we read:

"He was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah." (Acts 18:27b-28 NIV)

Sometimes speaking the truth in love means helping someone grow in understanding. Sometimes it means coming alongside another person and being willing to share honestly in their journey. In many ways, this is what mentoring looks like. I hear frequently from the next generation about their desire to find mentors they can walk alongside, and part of spiritual mentoring is being willing to speak the truth in love.

And did you notice how they engaged with Apollos?

They invited Apollos into their home. They made space for conversation. This story reminds us that truth spoken in love grows best in the context of a relationship. It grows where there is trust. It grows where there is investment. It grows where people make room for one another and create a safe space to speak truth.

I wonder if there is someone God may be inviting you to come alongside-not to criticize, fix, or convince of anything, but simply to encourage, support, and invest in their growth. Someone God may be inviting you to get to know more deeply. Someone with whom God may be creating the kind of relationship where truth in love can eventually be shared as the Spirit leads.

Our third story of speaking the truth in love comes from two of the most influential leaders in the early church: Paul and Peter.

By the time we reach Galatians 2, Peter is not a new believer. He is a mature follower of Jesus and a respected leader in the church. He has already experienced God's revelation that the gospel is for both Jews and Gentiles, and he has witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit among Gentile believers.

And yet Paul describes a situation that was concerning, and he had to speak truth in love. In Galatians, Paul writes:

"But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore.

He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter's hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy… (Galatians 2:11-14 NLT)

What concerned Paul was not only Peter's behavior but the impact it was having on the community. Other believers began following Peter's example. What began as one person's actions was now affecting the life of the church.

In this story, we're told that Paul addressed Peter "in front of all the others." Not to embarrass him or call him out, but because the matter was that important. It was impacting the entire community, misrepresenting the Gospel, stirring divisiveness, and harming the unity of the body of Christ. Paul felt compelled to speak.

Sometimes speaking the truth in love requires accountability. Addressing what others would rather avoid. And having the courage to speak when silence would allow harm to continue. Yet did you notice? The goal is the same: growth, healing, faithfulness, and the building up of the body of Christ.

This story reminds us that speaking the truth in love is not always comfortable. Sometimes it involves difficult conversations. It requires courage to confront. And, when our motive is love and our goal is growth, God can use even difficult conversations to strengthen us and the body of Christ.

I wonder if there is a conversation you have been avoiding because you genuinely care and fear the conflict that may ensue. Perhaps you have been praying, waiting, and seeking wisdom, but the issue feels too pressing, too dire to let go.

Perhaps the Spirit is inviting you to move forward in loving accountability-not to win an argument or make a grand stand, but to raise a concern and allow the Spirit to work toward growth, healing, reconciliation, and maturity.

The Courage to Speak and Listen

When you consider the maturity God is seeking to do in us and in the body of Christ, we have to be strong and courageous because speaking the truth in love is not easy. But God chooses to work through us.

Of course, speaking the truth in love needs to be bathed in prayer-for listening well, empathy, timing, and choice of words. All the things we know we need for good and godly communication.

But as I reflected on the many ways speaking the truth in love was expressed in the stories we considered today, I noticed one more thing. Every one of them required someone courageous enough to speak.

Jethro spoke about the concern he noticed. Priscilla and Aquila spoke to address gaps in understanding. Paul spoke to address a disruption to the community.

And every one of them required someone courageous enough to listen.

Moses listened and reorganized the leadership of Israel for the good of the community. Apollos listened and became even more effective in the ministry God had called him to. And Peter had to decide what he would do next. Even though Scripture doesn't tell us his response, we do know the church continued on mission, bringing Jews and Gentiles together, and Peter remained one of its key leaders.

And this is an important truth to hold together. Jethro, Priscilla and Aquila, and Paul were responsible for speaking faithfully. But Moses, Apollos, and Peter were responsible for what they did with what they heard.

This same truth applies to us.

When we speak the truth in love, we are not responsible for what another person does with our words. We are simply called to speak faithfully, humbly, and lovingly as the Spirit leads.

At the same time, there will be moments when God invites us to listen-to the truth He speaks through someone He sends our way.

For some of us, speaking is difficult. For others, receiving is difficult. Yet both require courage. Both require humility because we can never see the whole picture or know how God is at work. Both require trust that God may be using us to help someone grow, or another member of the body to help us grow. Both require open hearts to speak and to listen, allowing the Spirit to do its work within us.

So the invitation today is simple: Be strong and courageous enough to speak the truth in love when love requires it. And, be strong and courageous enough to listen with humility when someone speaks with love.

In a world where communication is often anything but loving, may we be people who speak the truth in love and remain open to what God may want to say to us through others.

And as we do, may we keep growing together into the mature body of Christ.

Amen.

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: Making Room for All Nations

Joshua 1:9; Deuteronomy 10:19

Minister Jacquie Ronan

For Your Heart Today

As part of celebrating AANHPI Heritage Month, this Sunday's message reminded us that making room for others takes courage.

Through stories of Guam, the CHamoru people, and the experience of being a stranger, we were invited to reflect on hospitality, resilience, and the kind of love that moves toward people rather than away from them.

One of the most powerful reminders from the message was this: sometimes welcoming others begins simply by remembering what it felt like when we needed kindness ourselves.

The Kingdom of God has always been moving toward a table wide enough for every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. And perhaps one of the quiet invitations for us this week is to ask:

Where might God be asking me to make room?

Take Aways

• Welcoming the stranger is deeply connected to the heart of God throughout Scripture.
• Loving people across differences often requires courage, humility, and intentionality.
• The CHamoru value of inafa'maolek reminds us of the importance of harmony, mutual care, respect, and interdependence within the community.
• Resilience is strengthened when we practice hospitality, compassion, and faithful presence toward others.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Lord, help me make room.

Exhale: Teach me to love like You.

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: Making Room for All Nations

Joshua 1:9; Deuteronomy 10:19

Sermon Summary

This week's message continued our Be Strong and Courageous in Community series by exploring what it means to welcome the stranger with courage, compassion, and resilience. In honor of AANHPI Heritage month, Minister Jacquie Ronan shared personal stories, cultural history, and Scripture, inviting the congregation to reflect on hospitality as both a spiritual practice and a reflection of the Kingdom of God.

The sermon opened with Minister Jacquie sharing her experience as a child moving from Guam to Oregon and encountering racism and bullying for the first time. As a young girl, suddenly made to feel like "the other," she experienced the pain of being a stranger in an unfamiliar place. Yet rather than allowing that experience to harden her heart, it deepened her compassion and shaped her lifelong commitment to welcoming others.

The message then introduced the history and culture of the CHamoru people of Guam, highlighting both the beauty of their traditions and the resilience they demonstrated through centuries of colonization, war, cultural oppression, and displacement. Central to the message was the CHamoru value of inafa'maolek - a way of life centered on harmony, interdependence, mutual care, hospitality, reconciliation, and respect within community.

Drawing from passages such as Joshua 1:9, Deuteronomy 10:19, John 13:34-35, Matthew 25:35, Hebrews 13:1-2, and Revelation 7:9, Minister Jacquie emphasized loving the stranger is not peripheral to the Christian life but deeply woven into the heart of God. The message reminded us that God's Kingdom includes every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, and that followers of Jesus are called to embody that welcome in tangible ways.

The sermon also acknowledged the realities of racism, exclusion, fear, and division present both historically and in our current world. Yet even in the face of hardship and injustice, the message pointed toward resilience shaped through love, faithfulness, hospitality, and courageous community.

As a practical response, the congregation was encouraged to intentionally build relationships across ethnicities and nationalities, using the model B.L.E.S.S. Begin with prayer. Listen with care, eat together, serve together, and share stories as a way of celebrating the beauty of diverse cultures and extending hospitality as an act of Christian witness and love.

Ultimately, the message reminded us that making room for all nations for others takes intentionality, strength, and courage, but in doing so, we participate more fully in the reconciling and welcoming heart of God.

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Restrain

1 Samuel 24:1-12

By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

We live in a world that often rewards reaction.

The sharp response. The perfect comeback. The moment where we finally say what we've been holding in. And if we're honest, when we've been hurt, misunderstood, overlooked, or wounded, something in us naturally wants to strike back. But in this week's message, we encounter a very different kind of strength.

In 1 Samuel 24, David has every opportunity to retaliate against Saul, the man who has betrayed him, hunted him, and tried repeatedly to kill him. David has the power, the justification, and the support of everyone around him to act. And yet, in one of the most courageous moments of his life, he restrains himself. Not because Saul is innocent or the pain isn't real, but because David senses God stirring him toward another way.

This story reminds us that restraint is not weakness. Sometimes the deepest courage is found not in what we do, but in what we choose not to do.

And on Pentecost Sunday, we are reminded that this kind of mercy-shaped living is not something we sustain through willpower alone. The Holy Spirit helps us pause before reacting, interrupts retaliation with compassion, and teaches us how to respond out of the heart of Christ rather than out of woundedness.

Takeaways

1. Restraint is not weakness. David had the power and opportunity to retaliate, yet chose restraint in alignment with God's heart rather than acting out of impulse, pride, or revenge.
2. Discernment often requires slowing down long enough to notice what God is stirring within us. Something can appear justified and still not be God's way.
3. Mercy interrupts retaliation. David's restraint was not simply self-control; it became an act of compassion that refused to let anger, ego, hurt, or the need to prove himself dictate his response.
4. The Holy Spirit helps transform our responses. Pentecost reminds us that God's Spirit empowers us to respond with mercy, wisdom, and self-control rather than merely reacting out of instinct or emotion.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Spirit of God
Exhale: Teach me mercy

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time ~20-22 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Restrain

1 Samuel 24:1-12

By Pastor Tammy Long

We are continuing our series, Be Strong and Courageous in Community, and we've been exploring the courage it takes not simply to talk about loving others, but to live into it.

Because the idea of community sounds beautiful in theory. Loving people sounds beautiful in Kum Ba Ya moments. Even loving our enemies, while challenging, seems possible when our "enemy" is faceless and not standing right in front of us.

But the truth is, relationships in all shapes and sizes are not easy. Getting along with people at every level, from strangers we don't know to our closest companions, is hard.

I've been talking with a friend who is trying to navigate a deeply toxic work environment. There is an ongoing "them versus us" mentality between divisions in the organization. Upper management is riding middle management, and middle management is blaming the day workers. Everyone seems to be operating out of self-preservation, frustration, defensiveness, and fear. There are snide comments, backbiting conversations, passive-aggressive exchanges, and people quietly - and not so quietly - throwing one another under the bus.

My friend has tried to bring resolution and peace to the environment, yet has experienced unappreciative backlash. He never knows what challenges he will face each day, and some have become personal affronts he's had to defend.

The truth is, tension like this is not limited to workplaces. It can show up in families, friendships, churches, marriages, neighborhoods, and even online interactions with people we have never met.

We live in a world where restraint as a response can be perceived as failure. Our culture celebrates the snappy comeback, the takedown, the perfectly timed response, and the "got 'em" moment. We are taught that strength means making sure people know they cannot treat us that way - that silence is weakness and mercy is naïve. And if we are honest, there is something in us that naturally wants to strike back when we've been ignored, accused, attacked, or wounded.

And ye, some of the deepest courage in the Christian life is not found in what we do. It's in what we don't do… even though we could. It's found in what we restrain ourselves from doing.

Sometimes the strongest person in the room is not the loudest one, but the one who chooses not to let pain or pressure determine their response.

This struggle is nothing new. Human beings have wrestled with how to respond in such moments for a very long time.

Which brings us to our scripture today. We'll be reading an Old Testament passage found in 1 Samuel 24:1-12.

When Retaliation Feels Justified

This is such a dramatic story. It reads like a movie script, but beneath all the drama is a deep relational battle.

David has been running for his life. And this is not merely a small misunderstanding between acquaintances.

This is the grown-up David who, as a boy, conquered the giant Goliath. This is the same David who served Saul faithfully and was embraced like a son. He played music for Saul to lift his tormented spirits. He fought for Israel under Saul's leadership. He married into Saul's family. This is the David who loved Saul's son, Jonathan, like a brother. At one point, David was one of the most trusted people in Saul's inner circle. They were family.

But as David's victories grew and the people began praising him, jealousy began to grow in Saul's heart. What started as insecurity slowly turned into obsession, leading Saul to repeatedly try to kill David. He threw spears at him and drove him away from his home. He separated him from his wife, his closest relationships, and any sense of security or safety.

Now David is hiding in caves, constantly moving and looking over his shoulder. He's a hunted man.

Then, suddenly and unexpectedly, as we come to today's part of the story, the tables have turned. Saul walks into the very cave where David is hiding.

I have a vivid imagination, so I can see the men crouched in the back, in the dark, with wide eyes, their fingers to their lips. They can't believe their good fortune.

David's men immediately interpret the situation spiritually. The Bible says, in whispers, they declare, "This is the day the Lord spoke of. God has delivered your enemy into your hands."

For them, this moment is a no-brainer. Saul has been trying to kill David, and David has the opportunity to strike back. Everyone around him is saying the same thing: "Do it."

And it feels justified and divinely orchestrated because David is not dealing with a minor disagreement. He is dealing with betrayal, danger, injustice, and the abuse of power.

Saul has wounded David repeatedly, and not accidentally. Saul's intention was to kill him.

What makes this story so powerful is that David is actually in a position to retaliate and thwart Saul's plans. He has the power, he has support from the men around him, he has justification, and he has opportunity. "It does appear God opened this door. Surely this is your moment," his men urge.

And David agrees. The story says he crept close enough to Saul to cut off a corner of his robe.

Now this may seem unusual to us. We're expecting David to hold Saul at knife point at the very least, and perhaps even kill him. But David did not even publicly confront him in this moment. He only cut the robe.

But this was a significant move.

In the ancient world, the robe represented far more than clothing. A king's robe symbolized authority, identity, office, and anointing. To touch the robe this way was a symbolic attack. It was like taking hold of Saul's kingship itself and diminishing his authority.

But as David did this, something stirred in his spirit. The text says his conscience began to bother him.

How many of you know that God has a way of speaking to us through our conscience? Through our thoughts? Through something not feeling quite right in our hearts?

David knew in his spirit that he had crossed a line.

As much as it looked like a God-orchestrated opportunity, that was not God's way.

Sometimes something can appear to be of God, feel fully justified, be encouraged by others, and still not be God's desire.

Mature discernment often requires slowing down long enough to get quiet and pay attention to what God is stirring inside of us, despite the voices and circumstances around us.

David suddenly realized that even this act had pulled him in a direction he did not want to go. Not because Saul was innocent. He wasn't. But because David recognized that Saul was still the Lord's anointed, he refused to react or retaliate with violence, vengeance, or threat.

The Bible goes on to tell us that David not only restrained himself, but he also restrained his men from harming Saul, too.

The Courage to Restrain

I think this is where the story moves into our lives.

Now, I don't see any of us standing in a cave holding a knife over a king. But we all will face moments when we have the opportunity and the upper hand. Moments when we could say something or do something to make things go our way. Or when we've been wounded and have the opportunity to wound someone back.

What I love about this story is that, regardless of what society may say, we see that restraint is not weakness.

David is not powerless. He is not incapable of acting. In fact, just the opposite, and that is exactly what makes his restraint meaningful. He has the ability, support of those around him, justification, and opportunity to act. And yet he chooses not to - he restrains himself in alignment with what he senses from God.

Biblical restraint is not passivity. It is not silence because we are afraid. It is not enabling abuse of power. It's not holding back out of weakness or uncertainty.

Like it was for David, restraint is a choice to hold, aligned with God's ways, and that takes courage.

It is the decision not to repay evil for evil, even when retaliation feels warranted.

It is holding your tongue when you really want to say, "I told you so."

It is choosing not to dominate a conversation, force our agenda, prove our point, or insist on our own way simply because we have the power or ability to do so.

This is the tension we face every day because restraint for us does not involve spears and swords. It's in what we say or don't say in conversations and text messages. It's in how we show up in meetings, around dinner tables, in church spaces, at family gatherings, and in our marriages and friendships.

At its core, the courage to restrain is refusing to let ego, self-assurance, anger, humiliation, or woundedness dictate our response.

But let me be honest. I believe one of the biggest challenges for restraint is when we've been hurt. Our natural inclination is to hurt back.

It may be a sarcastic comment we know will cut deeply because we know where the other person is vulnerable. It may be a snide comment, a passive-aggressive response, gossip shared as a so-called prayer request, or an emotional withdrawal, letting ice fill the space.

Here's the truth, if we're honest - at least I'll speak for me - a part of us wants people to feel what they made us feel. We want them to hurt.

That is why restraint takes courage. Because it hurts not to hurt back.

When David walks out of that cave, he will still be hunted. He is still misunderstood. He is still hurting. Saul does not suddenly become trustworthy, and David's restraint does not erase the pain he has experienced.

And yet, in that cave, in his act of restraint, David does something extraordinary, really, when you think about it.

He extends mercy.

Later in the passage, when David is letting Saul know that he could have taken his life but didn't, he says, "I spared you."

The original Hebrew word for "spared" here conveys pity and compassion.

In other words, David does not simply restrain his hands. That stirring in his conscience that caused him to pause was a moment of compassion and mercy. His desire for retaliation and retribution was intercepted by something greater.

Now, please hear me when I say, Saul's behavior was still wrong. Saul was still responsible for his actions.

David speaks to this when he says, "Perhaps God will punish you for what you are trying to do to me."

David knows, as we know, God will have the final word. Vengeance belongs to God.

We also know that hurting people hurt people. Saul's jealousy, rage, and insecurity had consumed him. Perhaps David extends mercy as he not only recognizes God's appointed servant, but also the broken man before him.

The courage to restrain often begins right there, because restraint is an act of mercy - seeing another through God's eyes.

David refuses to let Saul's brokenness shape his response or his spirit.

Restraint when wronged is one of the hardest challenges in the Christian life. That's why we need courage.

It's hard to go through painful situations without becoming hardened ourselves. It's hard to feel wounded without wanting to wound back. Hard not to punish people through sarcasm, distance, silence, or the little digs that slip out before we even realize what is happening in our hearts.

It's hard because retaliation and getting even feel natural. And for a moment, it feels good, too.

Yet, this restraint, this mercy, this refusal to repay evil for evil, is exactly the kind of life Jesus taught about in the Kingdom of God.

Which raises a deeper question and challenge for those of us who follow Jesus:

Who can actually live this way?

Learning Restraint in the Kingdom of God

You know, sometimes I wonder, if I were on earth when Jesus was here, if I would have been drawn to His teachings or challenged by them? I suspect both.

Jesus said things that sound beautiful in devotionals, but become incredibly difficult when the rubber meets the road. Things like: Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Turn the other cheek. And forgive, not seven times, but seventy times seven. Bless those who curse you, to name a few.

This is not about simply "being nice." This is an entirely different way of being and relating in the world, and all of these speak to having the courage to restrain.

Now, let me pause and say: restraint is one Kingdom response; it is not the only Kingdom response.

There are times in scripture when God's people speak boldly, confront injustice, establish hard boundaries, and act decisively. Jesus Himself did all of those things.

The issue is not about passivity or activity. The question is: where does the response stem from? Is it shaped by woundedness, hurt feelings, or our desires, or is it shaped by the heart and Spirit of God?

And here's where things get exciting for us, especially on Pentecost Sunday, because this is the hard truth we must embrace: when we think about the relational life Jesus depicts, we simply cannot sustain it through willpower.

When we are hurt, our natural instinct is self-protection. We can't help it.

But praise God, Jesus knew that, too.

This is why Jesus did not simply teach this way of life and then leave us alone to figure it out.

Jesus said:

"If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever." (John 14:15-16)

He promised the Holy Spirit. The Helper. The Advocate. The very presence of God dwelling within us, shaping us, convicting us, transforming us, and empowering us to live differently and love the way Jesus loves.

We won't get it perfect. We still have our human nature. But here's what's important to remember on Pentecost Sunday: Pentecost is not only about power displayed outwardly. It is about power transforming us inwardly, moment by moment and step by step.

The same Spirit that gives boldness also gives restraint. The same Spirit that empowers us to seek justice also empowers us with compassion. The same Spirit that teaches us truth also teaches us how to respond with mercy.

That is why one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. And boy, do we need that.

Because the truth is, left to ourselves, retaliation feels easier than mercy. Bitterness feels safer than vulnerability. And it is very difficult not to let other people's brokenness slowly harden our own hearts.

But when the Spirit is at work within us, something else becomes possible.

The Spirit helps us pause before we react. The Spirit helps us recognize when woundedness is shaping our responses. The Spirit interrupts retaliation with compassion. The Spirit teaches us how to hold power mercifully. The Spirit teaches us how to respond rather than merely react, and how to stay aligned with the heart of Christ even when we have been hurt.

Perhaps this is one of the clearest signs that the Spirit is truly transforming us: when we begin responding to people not simply out of instinct, but out of mercy - the same mercy we ourselves have received from God.

Recently, I watched a scene in a television show that struck me because it captured something about mercy and restraint so profoundly.

You may be familiar with the series Ted Lasso.

In the storyline, a young coach named Nathan deeply betrays a soccer team and publicly humiliates the head coach, Ted, who had believed in him, encouraged him, and helped give him confidence when others overlooked him. The betrayal wounds the whole team, but especially Ted and assistant coach Beard, who had also cared deeply for Nathan.

As the story unfolds, Nathan becomes humbled by his own failures and would like to return to the team he left, but Coach Beard struggles with allowing him to return after all the hurt and damage he had caused.

But something shifts in Coach Beard. Watch this clip.

Mercy Changes the Response

Now, this feels like a forgiveness and reconciliation scene, and it is. But what struck me was Beard's restraint and transformation.

Humanly speaking, he had every reason to keep Nathan out. Every reason to hold onto the hurt and keep his distance.

But instead, he restrained those human instincts and extended mercy. And here's the important part: he extended mercy because he remembered how mercy had once been extended to him.

That's our story. We live by mercy, too. In fact, God's Word tells us His mercies are new every morning.

And little by little, the Spirit softens our hearts and our reflexes, and gives us the courage to restrain - not in weakness, or passivity, or pretending wounds do not exist or matter, but the courage to restrain our instincts long enough to let the Spirit shape our responses while God meets our needs and heals our wounds.

As we prepare to close, I'm wondering…

Where might the Spirit be inviting us to pause before reacting? To listen more carefully before insisting on our own way? To release the need to wound back, control outcomes, prove a point, or let someone else's brokenness shape our spirit?

Perhaps the invitation this week is simply to notice one moment when the Spirit invites us to pause, respond differently, and embrace the courage to restrain.

Pentecost reminds us that we are not left alone in our own strength. The Holy Spirit is still at work within us even now, giving us the courage to restrain.

Amen.

For Your Heart Today

As we continue our Be Strong and Courageous in Community series, this week's message reminded us that courage is not always loud or dramatic. Sometimes the greatest courage is found in staying-remaining faithful, present, and trusting God even when life becomes difficult.

In a world that often encourages quick exits and self-protection, Scripture reveals a God whose love remains steadfast. Again and again, God stays committed to His people, His promises, and His redemptive work. As we learn His character, we are invited to trust Him more deeply and walk faithfully with Him over time.

4 Takeaways

1. God's story throughout Scripture is a story of steadfast love and faithful pursuit.
2. Our natural responses to hardship may be fight, flight, or freeze, but God calls us toward faithful perseverance.
3. Courage is often found in remaining faithful through difficulty and uncertainty.
4. We can continue walking with confidence because God remains faithful to His people generation after generation.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Lord, help me stay faithful.

Exhale: Shape me with Your steadfast love.

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Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Stay

Deuteronomy 5:33

By Minister Doug Ericsson

Sermon Summary

This week's message centered on the faithfulness of God and the courage it takes to remain steadfast. Building on our yearly theme, Be Strong and Courageous, the sermon reflected on how God continually stays committed to His people throughout the biblical story.

The message described Scripture as one unfolding love story of God's faithful pursuit of humanity. Even when people wandered, failed, resisted, or lost their way, God continued to remain present and faithful. The sermon pointed to several biblical examples of this perseverance, including Noah faithfully enduring in obedience, Joseph remaining steadfast through betrayal and suffering, and Moses continuing to lead God's people through difficulty and uncertainty in the wilderness.

The sermon also reflected on the human tendency toward "fight, flight, or freeze" when facing hardship, fear, or discomfort. Against those natural responses, the message highlighted another response modeled throughout Scripture: remaining faithful and trusting the steady character of God.

Throughout the message, the congregation was encouraged to recognize God's faithfulness not only in the biblical story, but also in the life of the church today. The sermon connected this encouragement to the ongoing Be Strong and Courageous journey, reminding us that courage is often found not in dramatic moments, but in continuing to walk faithfully with God over time.

Ultimately, the message pointed us back to the steadfast nature of God-the One who continues to guide, sustain, forgive, and remain faithful to His people generation after generation.

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Entrust

1 Samuel 1:1-18, 27-28; 2:1-2

By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

Mother's Day often carries a mixture of emotions.

For some, it is a day of celebration and gratitude. For others, it stirs grief, longing, worry, or unanswered prayers connected to someone deeply loved.

In this week's message, we reflect on Hannah's story in 1 Samuel and the courage it takes to entrust the people we love into God's care.

Hannah knew what it meant to wait, to pray honestly, and to carry deep longing before the Lord. And through years of prayer and waiting, God was not only shaping Hannah's circumstances but also aligning and forming trust within her heart.

When Samuel is born, Hannah releases him back to God-not because it is easy, but because she is grateful and has come to know God as faithful.

Her story reminds us that entrusting is not abandoning. It is continuing to love deeply while releasing outcomes we cannot control and learning to hold tight to the Rock who remains faithful in every season.

Takeaways

1. God invites us to bring our honest sorrow into His presence. Hannah pours out her grief honestly before God, reminding us that prayer is a place where we can bring what is real.
2. Waiting can become a place where God forms trust within us. Through years of longing and prayer, God slowly shapes Hannah's heart and teaches her to hold even her deepest desires with open hands.
3. Entrusting is not abandoning. Hannah continues to love, pray for, and care about Samuel while releasing him into God's care.
4. God remains present in the journey. Even when we cannot clearly see where the road is leading for those we love, God is still faithful and at work.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: I entrust Exhale: You are my Rock

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time ~20-22 minutes

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Be Strong and Courageous in Community: The Courage to Entrust

1 Samuel 1:1-18, 27-28; 2:1-2

By Pastor Tammy Long

Introduction

Good morning, and Happy Mother's Day. Amidst all the joy today, I want to recognize that Mother's Day can stir many emotions.

For some, it is a day of deep gratitude and celebration. A day filled with laughter, phone calls, flowers, cards, hugs, memories, and love. But for others, or even at the same time, it can be bittersweet… even painful.

I'm sensitive to those for whom this is the first Mother's Day without a mother they deeply miss. And those who feel the ache of having lost a child. Or others carrying the quiet grief of longing for a child that never came.

And then there are those bearing the pain of estrangement, worry, or unanswered prayers connected to someone they love deeply, a mother, a mother figure, a child, even an adult child you helped to raise or care for. In fact, even for those whose children are thriving, parenting itself carries a particular vulnerability. Because to love deeply is also to carry concern deeply.

Mothers and mother figures in particular - and really anyone who deeply loves another - know something about this. Something about lying awake at night in prayer. About carrying hopes in your heart for someone else's future. About wanting good things for someone you love more than words can express, about celebrating joys and carrying fears simultaneously.

One of the hardest things about love - not only for mothers, but for all of us - is that eventually we discover, no matter how much we love, we cannot fully protect, shape, or control the people we love the most.

As we continue in worship, I want us to turn our attention to a woman in Scripture who knew something about waiting… longing… loving deeply… and learning to trust God with all she carried.

Our text this morning is found in 1 Samuel 1:1-18.

Longing and Waiting

There is so much happening in this story. Longing. Love. Shame. Family tension. Cultural expectations. Deep grief. And deep prayer.

And though Hannah lived in a world very different from ours, what strikes me is how honest Scripture is about Hannah's pain. We see it. We feel it. We enter into it with her.

Year after year, Hannah makes this journey to worship God with her husband, carrying the same ache with every step. In Hannah's world, not having a child was not simply a private disappointment. Women were deeply valued through family and children, so Hannah's pain is not only personal, it's public. She lives not only with longing, but with blame, shame, and grief.

To make matters worse, Peninnah is a bully. She provokes her cruelly.

Scripture says:

"So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the Lord had kept her from having children. Year after year, it was the same… Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat." -1 Samuel 1:6-7 (NLT)

This is sorrow that has settled deeply into her spirit year after year. And our hearts ache for her. I appreciate that Scripture allows us to see Hannah as fully human. She is not pretending to be fine.

And poor Elkanah, who clearly loves Hannah deeply, cannot fully understand the depth of what she is carrying, although he tries. He says to her:

"Why are you crying, Hannah? Why aren't you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me-isn't that better than having ten sons?" -1 Samuel 1:8 (NLT)

Now we can miss what he's saying here. He's not bragging or trying to say he's "all that." These are actually tender words that reflect his love for her. In that culture, ten sons represented an extraordinary blessing and a sense of security. Elkanah is essentially saying, "You matter to me more than all of that. Don't you feel the same? Am I not enough?"

And we can feel for him, too, because loving someone and fully understanding their pain aren't always the same thing, and he can't fully understand.

Then, the scene changes. We're told that after the meal, Hannah gets up and goes to pray. She takes her longing and pain into the presence of God. Scripture says:

"Hannah was in deep anguish, crying bitterly as she prayed to the Lord." -1 Samuel 1:10 (NLT)

Again, this verse is a gift for us - a peek into what's real and how to respond. Because Hannah does not hide her sorrow from God. She pours herself out honestly before Him. She's turned her longing into prayer and her waiting into an avenue to encounter God. She goes to the place she knows she can connect with God and seeks Him.

And then comes a surprising moment in the story. She prays,

"O Lord of Heaven's Armies, if you will look upon my sorrow and answer my prayer and give me a son, then I will give him back to you. He will be yours for his entire lifetime…"

The story may be so familiar that we miss its oddity, but think about this for a moment. Hannah prays for a son… and, at the very same time, promises to return him to God.

Now, at first glance, it can sound like she's bargaining. "If You do this for me, then I will do this for You." But I don't think that's what's happening; God doesn't bargain. But at the same time, it is strange to pray so desperately for something you are already willing to release. Most of us pray for what we want to hold onto. So what is going on?

Well, of course, we are not in Hannah's head, and we won't know this side of heaven, but I wonder if even in this prayer, we see God at work in Hannah's heart through all those years of prayer and waiting, slowly aligning her heart's desire with His own.

Perhaps even Elkanah's question: "Am I not better to you than ten sons?" lingered in her mind, and caused her to reflect on what she truly longed for, even beyond the gift of her husband or a child…

Perhaps she remembered God Himself was her portion, her hope, her security, first and foremost, even as she still desperately wanted a child.

We cannot know exactly what Hannah understood in that moment. Scripture leaves us with some holy mystery. But somehow her prayer carries both a deep desire for a child and open hands to return him to God.

You know, sometimes that is part of what long seasons of waiting do within us, maybe not at first and not without struggle. But slowly, through prayer and longing and tears, God begins a deeper work in our hearts and aligns our prayers with His plan and timing.

And perhaps that is why this story still speaks so deeply to us, because most of us know something about waiting on God and waiting for healing and waiting for reconciliation. Waiting for clarity and waiting for someone we love to find peace, wisdom, freedom, or faith.

Because often, the waiting itself is where God slowly builds trust within us.

What's striking about this story is that by the end of this passage, something has already changed in Hannah. Not because her circumstances have changed, because they haven't. But she's changed.

After pouring herself out before God and receiving Eli's blessing, Scripture says:

"Then she went back and began to eat again, and she was no longer sad." -1 Samuel 1:18 (NLT)

Something is different. In her time of prayer, as she shared her sorrow with God, hope began to rise again.

Entrusting and Release

As the story unfolds, Hannah's prayer is eventually answered. She does indeed become pregnant, and Samuel is born. And then we come to one of the most remarkable moments in Hannah's journey. She is faithful - the Scripture reads:

"When the child was weaned, Hannah took him to the Tabernacle in Shiloh…
I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life." -1 Samuel 1:24, 27-28

After all those years of praying, and tears, and waiting, Hannah keeps her vow and returns Samuel to God when the child is weaned.

Now, for historical context, in that culture, children were often not fully weaned until three to five years old, which feels quite old to us.

But the point is, Samuel is not a tiny infant when Hannah brings him to Eli. He is a little boy. Old enough to know his mother's voice. Old enough to walk beside her hand in hand. Old enough to feel the separation that is coming.

Hannah has spent those formative years loving him, nurturing him, holding him close, singing over him, and praying over him. And now she releases him. That would be hard to do at any time in history.

And what's more, Hannah is not entrusting Samuel into perfect circumstances. Eli is old by this point, and Scripture tells us his own sons are corrupt men. Whether Hannah fully understands all of that, we do not know. But she would know she has no control over what Samuel's future holds. Anything could happen.

But Hannah's confidence is not in Eli. She is entrusting Samuel to God.

Now think about that word for a moment. To entrust someone is to place them into the care of another because you believe they are trustworthy. And that is what Hannah is doing here. She is placing Samuel into the care of the God she has come to know as trustworthy and faithful.

Still, and I don't want to pass this too fast, it couldn't have been easy. And that's where it's hard for us, too. Because when we love someone, we intuitively want to hold tight. We want them to be safe, happy, and well cared for. And when we hold tight, it feels like we're doing our part to help, support, and protect.

Especially when the people we love are struggling, like an adult child making choices we know can lead to pain, an aging parent refusing help even as we watch their needs increase, or a friend drifting farther from God while we pray and ache quietly for the distance we see growing.

Those situations can make us feel helpless. And helplessness is uncomfortable. Scary even.

So, out of genuine love, we might tighten our grip emotionally. Worry constantly. Try harder to persuade, manage, rescue, or protect. And if we are not careful, somewhere along the way, caring becomes carrying. We can find ourselves trying to carry outcomes we cannot control, or burdens and responsibilities that ultimately belong to God.

But Hannah demonstrates a profound act of courage. She entrusts Samuel to God.

But notice this - entrusting is not abandoning. Release is not absence. It is choosing to trust the One who actually can make a difference.

I believe we can know, beyond any shadow of doubt, that Hannah prayed for Samuel every single day. Scripture tells us she visited him year after year, even sewing and bringing him a little robe as he grew. I love that image and detail. She did not stop loving him.

And this may be important for some of us to hear today. Entrusting someone to God does not mean we stop loving them. It means we continue praying, continue loving, continue showing up, while also recognizing that ultimately, they belong to God.

This may be one of the hardest spiritual acts of courage there is. To keep loving someone deeply while holding open hands before God.

And by that, I mean open hands of release. The release of outcomes we cannot control. The release of timelines we cannot force. The release of our own vision for how someone's life should unfold, even if we perceive they are going in the wrong direction.

Because the courage we see in Hannah is exactly that. Her confidence in releasing Samuel was not based on the circumstances surrounding him, nor on any certainty about his future. Her confidence was rooted in the character of God to be faithful in His love.

And if we start from that same place - confidence in the character of God - perhaps we can begin to loosen our grip on those we may be holding just a little too tightly as well.

One of the deepest acts of becoming strong and courageous in community is learning to entrust the people we love to the God who loves them even more than we do.

Joy and Anchored Trust

Now, as we continue a little farther with Hannah's story, we see something worth noticing. At the end of chapter 1, Hannah has left Samuel with Eli at the temple, entrusting him into God's care.

And then in chapter 2, we see Hannah praying again. She says:

"The Lord has made me strong…
There is no one holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God."
-1 Samuel 2:1-2 (NLT)

The prayer continues, but we'll pause here because somehow, in what must still have been a hard and emotional season, joy rises.

Hannah begins: "My heart rejoices in the Lord." What a way to begin. Because I imagine Hannah still missed Samuel deeply. I imagine there were still tears. Still moments of ache.

And yet, her prayer reveals she finds strength and comfort in the Lord.

It is both a declaration of what she knows to be true about God and a reminder she can return to whenever entrusting Samuel becomes hard again.

Then she declares: "The Lord has made me strong."

Now I know that's a truthful statement right there. I have four sons I love incredibly. I know Hannah could not have done what she did without the help of the Lord. The Lord strengthened her to entrust Samuel into God's care. After years of praying and waiting, there's no way she could have done that without the strength of the Lord.

And then Hannah names this truth: "There is no Rock like our God."

We serve a God who is rock solid. Steady. An anchor in uncertain times.

Because entrusting our loved ones to God is not a one-and-done. There are moments we have to entrust and entrust again, especially when fear rises again, when worry resurfaces, or when we are tempted to tighten our grip once more. Instead, we have to return to what we know to be true about God. And hold tight to the Rock. Because there is no Rock like our God.

Closing

As we've already noted, year after year Hannah would return and watch Samuel grow - and each year, I imagine, she had to entrust him to God all over again. And of course, we know something Hannah could not see in that moment. Samuel would grow to become one of the great spiritual leaders in Israel's history. A prophet. A priest. A voice that helped guide God's people through an important season of transition.

God truly did have His hand on Samuel's life. Now that was Samuel's journey. But God has a journey for every person we love, too.

And sometimes those journeys include roads we never would have chosen for our loved ones. Difficult seasons. Painful detours. Hard lessons. And yet, we have seen God meet people in the middle of those very places. Which means even when we cannot clearly see where the road is leading, even when it's frightening to us, the story is not over. God is still present in the journey.

And so today, like Hannah, I invite you to entrust. To release the people we love into the care of the God who loves them even more than we do.

A Prayer for the Courage to Entrust

Lord, today we ask for the courage to entrust our

children, parents, spouses, friends, wandering loved ones…

Teach us to love deeply with open hands…

Strengthen us, as You strengthened Hannah…

Give us courage to release where fear has tightened our grip…

Help us hold tight to the Rock…

Because there is no Rock like our God.

Amen.

Be Strong and Courageous Enough to Let Go

Psalm 91; Joshua 1:9; Proverbs 3:5
By Nita Owens

For Your Heart Today

When we hear the words strong and courageous, we often think about holding on-
holding steady, holding everything together.

But sometimes, strength and courage take a different form.

Sometimes, strength looks like release.
Sometimes, courage looks like letting go.

This week's message invites us to trust God-not only in what we build or carry, but in what we are being asked to surrender.

At the center is Psalm 91-a reminder that God is our refuge, not just in emergencies, but as a place we dwell.

One of the most powerful images from the message is this:
Psalm 91 as our spiritual "911."

When life shakes or fear rises, we don't have to search for help.
We already know where to turn.

And yet, letting go can still feel unsettling-because what we hold often feels like security, identity, even survival.

This message holds two truths together:

God's protection is real.
And trust is often revealed in what we are willing to release.

So the question becomes:

What are we holding that God may be asking us to let go?

3 Takeaways

1. God's presence is where we live, not just where we go in crisis.
Psalm 91 invites us into a posture of dwelling, anchored in His presence.

2. Courage is often expressed through surrender.
Letting go of what feels necessary can be one of the most faithful acts of trust.

3. What we release makes room for what God wants to replenish.
Surrender is not loss-it is trust that God is at work beyond what we can see.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: By Your Spirit,
Exhale: I'm strong and courageous.

Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit: For the Long Journey

John 20:21-22

Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

In John 20, the disciples are gathered together, trying to make sense of everything that has just happened. Jesus has been crucified, there are reports that He is alive, and they are holding fear, confusion, and uncertainty in that space.

And then Jesus comes to them. He speaks peace, shows them His scars, and when they recognize Him, they are filled with joy. Then Jesus says, "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." And He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

This is a defining moment.

But what follows is a journey. Over time, we see them learning to live aligned with the Father, filled with the Spirit, and growing into a strength and courage in body, mind, and spirit that they did not have before.

Something has shifted. They are empowered.

And the same is true for us. We are given the same invitation-to receive the Holy Spirit and to be sent to live as Jesus lived, empowered by the same Spirit and formed over time for the long journey of walking with God.

4 Takeaways

1. Being sent is about alignment, not just assignment.
   We are sent to live connected to the Father, just as Jesus did.
2. We are not sent alone-we are sent with the Spirit.
   God's presence within us empowers the life He calls us to live.
3. Transformation happens over time.
   Strength and courage are formed as we continue walking with God.
4. We are invited into the same journey.
   To receive the Spirit, to be sent, and to be formed for the long journey of life with God.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Risen Lord
Exhale: Send me in Your Spirit

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time: ~22-26 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit: For the Long Journey

Defining Moments

Sometimes in life, there are times that become defining moments-moments where you can mark the before and after.

Before that conversation… before that diagnosis… before that loss… before that decision…

And then there's the after.

Moments that shift something so deeply that nothing is quite the same again. Often, we can point to the exact experience, the exact moment when everything changed.

If you were with us last Sunday, we met the disciples in one of those moments. We found them in a room behind locked doors-fearful, anxious, uncertain, confused-heavy with everything they had just lived through with Jesus' arrest, crucifixion, and death.

Even after the women came back with the testimony that they had seen Jesus-that He was alive-the disciples were still trying to make sense of it all, still unsure of what to do with what they had heard and what to do next.

And then Jesus suddenly appeared.

He comes to them right where they were. Standing among them, He says, "Peace be with you"-not as a casual greeting, but as something they need to receive in that moment. Peace for their confused minds. Peace for their tense bodies. Peace for their heavy spirits.

He shows them His hands and His side-the scars still there-and when they recognize that it is truly Jesus, they are filled with joy. Not just that He is alive, but victorious over death. He is the Lord.

The story they feared had ended is still unfolding. The story is continuing. It's a new day and a new chapter.

As we continued the story, we heard Jesus say, "Receive the Holy Spirit," and He breathed on them. We talked about the intimacy of that breath and how the Holy Spirit enables God's peace, presence, and power to live out the journey God has for each of us.

Now, you may or may not have noticed there was one statement Jesus made in that passage that we did not give much attention to last Sunday. And it's not a small statement.

In fact, it's critical to this defining moment and important for us to remember as we conclude this series, Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit.

So this morning, I want to return to that room and hear Jesus' words again and pick up the story with the disciples.

John 20:21-22 (NLT)

Sent as Jesus Was Sent

"As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you…"

It's only a few words, but this is one of those big moments-the kind that takes a while for it to sink in, because there is a lot happening here.

First, as we've already said, and to everyone's amazement, Jesus is alive. There had to be tons of questions about that alone.

And just as they are wrapping their minds around this truth, feeling His peace and filled with joy, He then entrusts them with an assignment.

"As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you."

Now, that statement is more than just an assignment-it's about alignment and continuity.

All through John's Gospel, Jesus has described His life as one who is sent by the Father-one with the Father, living in step with the Father, speaking what the Father gives Him to speak, doing what the Father gives Him to do.

And now, in this defining moment, He says to the disciples: the same way I have lived, aligned with the heart of my Father, I am now sending you to do the same.

And He breathes on them, saying, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Because the life they are being sent to live out now is not something they can live on their own. They will need the presence and power of God for what lies ahead-God's very Spirit living within them.

And when Jesus breathes on them, we see a glimpse of something more. The disciples don't know it, but we see a foretaste of what is still to come-the fuller outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. God's presence will now dwell with humanity in a new way, the same way God's Spirit dwells with us today.

Now, let's look at the next verse for just a moment, because right after Jesus says, "Receive the Holy Spirit," He says something that can feel a little surprising at first:

"If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

At first reading, this can feel a bit out of place. It can make us wonder what Jesus is saying and what that has to do with receiving the Holy Spirit.

But if we think about it for a moment, we can see the connection.

As Jesus breathes on them and they receive the Holy Spirit, Jesus is affirming their authority. Not the authority to decide who is forgiven-only God forgives sin-but the authority of their message.

Actually, Jesus had already given them authority before His death and resurrection (e.g. Matt. 10:1-8; Luke 10:1-20). But now, as they receive the Holy Spirit, that authority is empowered.

Jesus is entrusting them, as those who are now sent, aligned with the Father, and filled with His Spirit, to proclaim the good news that through Jesus, sins are forgiven.

And as people receive that message, the disciples can say with confidence what God has done-that through Jesus, their sins are indeed forgiven.

In other words, Jesus is inviting and sending them to be strong and courageous, aligned with the Father, empowered by the Spirit, to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.

And this is a defining moment for them-a moment that changed everything-the moment they first knew Jesus is alive and the moment they are entrusted with His mission as the risen King.

But what's important to see is that this empowerment doesn't happen all at once. They don't walk out of that room suddenly fearless and bold.

The Spirit is within them, yes. But what Jesus initiates in this moment is the beginning of a transformation journey in which they will continue to grow stronger and more courageous as they stay aligned with Jesus and the Father.

What Happens Next

So, let's fast forward for a moment and see what happens next as the Holy Spirit does its work.

Let's take Peter, for example. The man who once stood in the shadows and denied even knowing Jesus-by Acts 2, less than two months later, now stands in the open before a crowd and speaks at Pentecost. Not cautiously or carefully, but boldly naming who Jesus is, naming what has happened-Jesus' resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit as evidence, with the disciples speaking in other languages that day, and all it means from biblical prophecy.

We're told thousands respond to Peter's message and become followers of Christ. The same Peter who once stepped back is now stepping forward.

In Acts chapters 3 and 4, when Peter and the other disciples are brought before the authorities and told to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, they don't run and hide. They don't tone down their message or revise it to be politically correct.

Instead, they say, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

The disciples have a steadiness now, a courage that holds, even under pressure.

In Acts 5, we see this same strength and courage in the apostles when they are beaten. It would have made sense to step back, protect themselves, and consider a safer strategy without cost. But we're told they leave rejoicing-rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus. And they continue, day after day, to teach and to speak.

Something has definitely changed-not just in what they are doing, but also in how they are living their lives.

We even see the power of the Spirit beyond the apostles.

In Acts 6, we meet Stephen. He wasn't one of the Twelve disciples; he was one of the first deacons in the early church, chosen to serve. Most likely, he had not walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry. There's no indication he had formal theological training. And yet, he is described as a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit.

When Stephen is brought before the religious leaders, he does not shrink back. He speaks with conviction and courage, telling the story of God and pointing them to Jesus.

And it cost him his very life.

In Acts 7, Stephen becomes the first martyr of the church. He is taken outside the city and stoned. And even in that moment, the Spirit is at work.

As he is dying, Stephen looks up and sees the glory of God. He entrusts himself to God, and then he speaks words that echo the same words of Jesus on the cross-asking God to forgive those who are taking his life.

The same grace we saw in Jesus, now by the power of the Spirit, is lived out in one of His followers.

We can follow the same strength and courage in other followers of Jesus, as well as the disciples who once hid behind locked doors, now living boldly in the open.

Something has changed. They are experiencing transformation in real time from the inside out through the power of the Holy Spirit.

As we hear these stories, we might conclude that this kind of strength and courage only shows up in grand moments like these-in public speaking, in standing before authorities, in facing persecution or even death.

But actually, we're simply seeing what happens when the Spirit begins to shape a life.

And that kind of strength and courage isn't just reserved for extraordinary moments.

Sometimes strength and courage look like speaking God's truth when it would be easier to stay quiet.

Sometimes it looks like standing firm in what you know to be right, even when it's uncomfortable or unpopular.

Sometimes it looks like continuing to show up, to love, to serve, to forgive as Jesus would, when everything in you says, "I've got nothing left."

Sometimes it's being honest before God, yourself, and others about limitations, needs, concerns, and hurts-and letting God meet you there.

We're not just talking about courage for a moment.

This is a way of life that the Spirit empowers 24/7.

The Bigger Journey

So, when we step back and look at the lives of the disciples and the power of the Spirit at work within them on their life's journey, we recognize it's not just about them.

This is the same journey we're on, too.

From the very beginning of this series, we've been asking what it means to be strong and courageous-not just in a moment, but as a way of life.

We saw it in Joshua, where God called him to be strong and courageous in the aftermath of Moses' death. He was still carrying grief, stepping into something he didn't feel quite ready for, and yet the promised land remained before them. The call and mission had not changed.

We saw it in Elijah. When his strength was depleted from faithful service and threats to his life, he was ready to give up and die. When his body was exhausted, his mind overwhelmed, and his spirit worn down, God met him there-caring for his body with rest and a meal, inviting him to step away from the noise of the earthquake, the wind, and the fire, to listen instead for God's whisper and notice the nearness of His presence, so he could continue on with his mission.

We saw it in Jesus, too, as our model of what it means to live fully aligned with God-strong and courageous in body, mind, and spirit-living from that place of connection, heart to heart with the Father, grounded, present, sustained by the Spirit every step of the way, through His own sacrificial death for us and the victory of the resurrection-a mission accomplished.

And now we've seen it in the disciples as we consider what this looks like for us under the reign of the risen King-the invitation to continue what Jesus began, with the power of the Spirit at work within them and us.

Called, sent, and then formed over time into people who can live that calling-strong and courageous.

God has always been on a mission to restore this broken world with His love, and from the very beginning, our mission has been to walk with God on His mission for what lies ahead, whatever that may look like for each one of us.

But here's what we can't forget-it's a lifelong journey.

For the disciples in our passage, everything we saw of their unfolding journey is still ahead of them, because in this moment, they are still in the room, still wrapping their minds around what has just happened, what Jesus is saying, and what they are to do next.

And yet, this is the moment that changed everything-the moment they knew Jesus was alive and the moment they were entrusted with His mission.

They don't yet see what their lives will become or where this will lead. But a gift has been given to them-someone who will be with them and empower them for everything that lies ahead.

We Relate

The truth is, their story is our story.

We know something about defining moments-those before-and-after moments in our own lives where something changes, where we begin to see God's hand, His power, His presence in ways we hadn't before.

I can look back over my own life and recognize those moments. Sometimes it wasn't dramatic. Sometimes it was a huge shift. But it was a defining moment because I began to experience God differently after that.

From stories many of you have shared with me, I see God at work in your lives, too-moments where something changed, where there was a shift, even if it wasn't immediately clear at the time.

Sometimes those moments don't come in ways we would choose. They come out of circumstances that feel devastating, situations that, in the moment, we can't imagine being used for anything good.

And yet, even there, God's story is still unfolding. And as we stay with Him, as we remain aligned with Him, Jesus speaks the same words to us.

We, too, have been called.
We, too, have been sent.
We, too, have a purpose and a mission.

And whatever that may look like in our lives, the same Spirit that Jesus breathed into His disciples is the same Spirit at work within us-giving us what we need, strengthening us, forming us, and guiding us as we step into what God has called us to.

But if that kind of life is formed over time, then how do we actually live that way?

We know there are many ways we stay connected to God-through prayer, through Scripture, through worship. These are rhythms that shape our lives over time.

And one way we've been practicing in this series is by paying attention to our body, our mind, and our spirit.

Because this kind of life-this kind of courage-is not something we manufacture in a moment. It's something God forms in us day by day as we learn to stay connected to Him in every part of who we are-for the long journey.

I recently got a call from Kaiser reminding me I'm behind on my annual wellness check. And it made me think about how important those check-ins are, and how easily they can be neglected or forgotten.

They give us pause to help us become aware of what's going on in our bodies-what might need attention, what might need care-before it's critical.

In a similar way, this BMS inventory is designed to be a spiritual practice-to allow us to pause and notice what's happening in our body, our mind, and our spirit, and to bring that to God.

Not just so we feel better, but to realign where we need alignment, to connect with God so the Spirit breathed in us can continue His work-forming us, shaping us, making us more and more like Christ-

so that, like the disciples, we can live as people who are sent into the world-for the long haul.

And that's what this inventory has been inviting us into. Not a test or a way to measure how we're doing, but a way to pause and notice, to become aware of where we are, so we can meet God there.

So let's take a moment together.

You don't need anything in front of you. Just let these words guide you as you open your heart to the Lord and notice.

What are you feeling right now in your spirit-your emotions, your interior life?

Is your spirit heavy, numb, grounded, hopeful?

Do you sense fear, grief, longing, gratitude, or something else?

Just notice.

And as you notice, bring that to God.

God, what am I carrying that you invite me to bring to you?

And then simply ask-

What is one small, faithful step you're inviting me into?

That's enough to begin. Let the Spirit meet you there.

And this is something we can return to-not just for our spirit, but in our whole selves.

We can notice what is happening in our bodies-when we're tired, tense, or depleted-and bring that to God.

We can notice what is happening in our minds-when our thoughts are scattered or heavy-and bring that to God.

And we can continue to notice what is happening in our spirit-what we're carrying beneath the surface-and bring that to God.

As a way of staying connected and staying aligned-body, mind, and spirit-for the long journey as the Spirit empowers us.

Because this is how we stay connected to Him for the long journey of our mission.

For we, too, are called and sent like the disciples.

If you'd like to continue this practice beyond this moment, you can access the BMS Inventory here.

The Mission Continues

So, as we come to the end of this series, we find ourselves in a moment that can feel like both an ending and a beginning.

There are parts of this journey we would not have chosen. There are voices that have shaped us, guided us, and loved us that will not be present in the same way moving forward. And we feel that.

And at the same time, the call remains. Our mission is still before us.

And so we continue.

Because God is with us.

The same Spirit that was given to those who have gone before us has been given to us. The same God who formed them over time is still at work, forming us.

Because God is faithful.

And He is not finished with us yet.

So let us be strong and courageous-not just individually, but also in community-for the long journey and for the glory of God.

Let's pray.

Closing Prayer

Thank You for Your presence with us, for the way You have been meeting us, and for the work You are continuing in us.

Make us strong and courageous-not in our own strength, but by Your Spirit at work within us.

Lead us, form us, and guide us in the way You have for us.

We trust You for the journey ahead.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit:

Under Christ's Reign

John 20:19-22
By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

There are moments when we find ourselves behind closed doors-not physically, but internally. Times when life doesn't unfold the way we expected, when something shifts or falls apart, and we are left feeling uncertain, unsettled, and afraid. In those moments, we often pull back, trying to make sense of it all before stepping forward again.

That's where the disciples are in John 20. They are gathered behind locked doors, not filled with hope, but with fear. Everything they thought was going to happen has come undone. Jesus has been crucified. The one they followed, trusted, and believed in is gone. They've heard reports that the tomb is empty, but they don't know what to do with that. What they do know is that they could be next, and they are afraid.

And it's right there, in that space, that Jesus comes to them. He doesn't wait for them to understand or to gather their courage. He meets them in their fear. And His first words are not instructions or correction, but a gift: "Peace be with you."

Peace for their minds, racing with questions. Peace for their bodies, tense and on edge. Peace for their spirits, unsettled and unsure. And then He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

This is what it means to live under Christ's reign-not because everything makes sense, and not because fear has disappeared, but because Jesus meets us in those places and offers us His peace, His presence, and His power. And the same is true for us. Whatever space we find ourselves in today, even the fearful ones, Jesus comes to us and gives us what we need.

Takeaways

1. Jesus meets us in our fear and grief.
   He comes to the disciples behind locked doors, not waiting for them to come to Him, but meeting them in their uncertainty, grief, and fear.
2. Peace is a gift to receive, not something to achieve.
   Jesus does not tell them to stop being afraid-He offers them His peace in the middle of it.
3. The scars confirm the reality of His peace.
   When the disciples see His wounds, they know with certainty it is Jesus, and a broader peace has been secured through what He has accomplished. Peace with God and one another.
4. Joy rises from recognizing His presence.
   Even though their situation has not changed, everything shifts when they realize Jesus is with them.
5. We are empowered by His Spirit to live differently.
   Through His breath, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit, enabling us to live with His peace, presence, and power from the inside out.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Risen Lord
Exhale: Breathe in me

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time ~18-22 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit: Under Christ's Reign

Behind Closed Doors

Last Sunday, we celebrated the risen King. We lifted our voices and declared that Jesus is alive-not just risen, but reigning. It was a moment of joy, a time of worship, and a moment of remembering who Jesus is. Our King.

And I want you to hold onto that this morning, as we step back for a moment-not away from the resurrection, but back into the story by just a few days, to follow the disciples.

Because the truth is, they did not move from the cross to coronation the way we just did in a single service. They lived the unfolding story minute by minute. They were with Jesus at the last supper. They were there when Jesus was arrested, and when He was arrested, the disciples scattered.

The same men who had walked with Him, learned from Him, and promised they would never leave Him-but when the fire got hot, they ran.

We know Peter, who had been so bold, declaring he would never deny Jesus, followed at a distance, and ended up denying that he even knew Jesus three times. The disciples were scared, and the Gospel writers do not soften or spin the moments. We see the disciples just as they were.

And then came the cross-the suffering, the loss, the finality of it. Everything they thought this story was going to be, everything they believed Jesus was going to do, all seemed to come undone. Jesus was dead.

That is, until Sunday morning when the whispers began. There were reports that the tomb was empty and that Jesus was alive. The women who arrived early to care for His body for a proper burial were the first to encounter the Risen Lord and share the good news. Then Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves that it was indeed empty.

And yet, the disciples don't know what to do with any of this. They don't know what to do with all they are feeling… all their questions… their confusion. They know the tomb is empty, but they don't know what that means, or where Jesus' body is.

What they do know is that what the religious leaders did to Jesus could be done to them, and they are afraid.

So what do they do? They huddle. They hide. And that is where we meet them in our text this morning.

If you would, please open your Bibles to John 20:19-22 (NLT).

The Disciples Are Us

We can relate to what the disciples are experiencing. I'm sure each of us has been there. Times when life takes a turn we did not expect. Circumstances unfold beyond our control. Things happen we did not see coming. Expectations we were certain about-things we thought God was doing, directions we believed He was leading-suddenly shift, or fall apart, and we are left trying to make sense of it all.

We may still believe that God is good. We may still hold onto what we know to be true. But it can still be disorienting, confusing, unsettling-and frightening.

Often, what we do in those moments is pull back. We get quiet. We hold things in. We withdraw, almost as if we have stepped behind a metaphorical closed door, locking ourselves in to try and sort it all out before we can step back out again.

And that is exactly what we see the disciples doing. And for them, the stakes are even higher-their lives are on the line.

So they gather behind locked doors, afraid and trying to make sense of it all. Their bodies would have been tense and on edge. Their minds would have been filled with questions they could not answer. Their spirits carrying grief, confusion, and a fragile hope they were not sure what to do with yet.

So they huddled together in a room, which took a modicum of courage to stay together. That's worth noting. They didn't all go their separate ways. They were together, even in their fear and confusion.

And then, we're told, suddenly, Jesus is in the room. He is standing among them.

Suddenly, Jesus

I love that John says suddenly. That says there was no warning. No gradual realization. One moment they are alone, and the next, Jesus is standing among them.

The one they saw arrested, crucified, buried-is now alive in the flesh, present, right in front of them. This would have been startling. Shocking.

What strikes me so much about this moment is not just that Jesus appears, but how He appears. He comes to them.

They weren't looking for Him. They didn't even open the door and invite Him in. Jesus comes to them and meets them right where they are, in the middle of their confusion and fear, as they are hiding out.

He doesn't wait for them to come and find Him. He comes to them. And then He speaks, and His first words are, "Peace be with you."

Now this was a very familiar phrase in Jesus' day, a common greeting they would have heard and said countless times before. But in this moment… it's an interesting choice.

I would have expected Jesus to say something like, "Fear not, don't be afraid." The situation warranted it. They were afraid, and we hear those exact words in Scripture again and again-not to be afraid.

But those are not the words Jesus chooses. When you think about it, Jesus is not giving them something to do-a command or an imperative to not fear. He gives them something to receive. "Peace be with you." He's giving a gift, and they need it.

Their minds would have been racing, trying to make sense of what they are seeing. Their bodies would have been tense, on alert, carrying the weight of everything they've been through. Their spirits would have been unsettled, holding grief, confusion, and thin hope that was fading fast.

And into all of that, Jesus speaks peace. Peace for their minds-because He is here. Peace for their bodies-because He is here. Peace for their spirits-because He is here.

Jesus had not abandoned them. The story is still unfolding, and Jesus is present. He meets them where they are and gives them what they need in that moment. "Peace be with you."

And the truth is, He does the same for us. We may not always recognize it, but He comes to us, too. He is present in the places we find ourselves-especially the places we didn't expect to be in, that rattle us, confuse us, and disorient us.

Jesus is present with us, and He offers that same peace. Peace for our minds when we are trying to make sense of things. Peace for our bodies when we are carrying tension and stress we struggle to release. And peace for our spirits when we are unsettled or hurting.

We don't have to hide and try to figure it out. He comes to us and offers peace right where we are.

And that's what He offered the disciples that day. Jesus is standing among them. He has spoken peace. But in this moment, they haven't yet fully grasped what is happening.

Scars & Joy

Have you ever had the experience where you are looking right at something, seeing it with your own eyes, hearing it with your own ears… and yet you're not quite believing or comprehending what you are seeing?

That's where the disciples are. They see Him. They hear Him. But in this moment, they haven't fully taken it in.

And then Jesus does what only Jesus can do. He shows them the wounds in His hands… and His side. The unrefutable proof of who He is. And the wounds from His crucifixion are still visible. And in that instant… they know.

They know that they know. Beyond any shadows of doubt. They know.

Their bodies, their minds, their spirits-all catch up. They know this is not a vision, or wishful thinking, or their minds playing tricks on them, that can be explained away. This is Jesus in the flesh, and they are seeing Him with their own eyes.

And that takes Jesus' words, "Peace be with you," to an entirely new level. These words are not just about calming fear in the moment. They were a declaration that peace has been secured. Peace between humanity and God. Peace that reaches into the broken places between us, person to person. Peace that holds, not just for that day-but forever.

And those scars are the evidence. The visible reminder that everything Jesus said before His death was true, that His promises can be trusted, and what looked like defeat has become victory.

And as the disciples begin to recognize all His presence means, that this truly was Jesus in the flesh, alive and well, we are told, "They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord."

Joy erupts. Now the truth is, they are still behind locked doors. They are still wanted men. They haven't even left the room.

But something is changing from the inside out, because Jesus is there. And wherever Jesus is, there is fullness of joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

And we know joy is not dependent on what is happening around us. It's not the same as happiness. It's something deeper, something that resides on the inside.

Joy comes when we recognize that Jesus is present, even in the middle of what is unsettling, unfinished, or uncomfortable. Joy is that quiet assurance that we are not alone. It's that deep gratitude that Jesus is here, that we're going to be alright. It's that steady love that holds, even when everything else feels uncertain.

And when it does, something inside of us opens. That's when the peace Jesus gives passes understanding and takes hold in us.

And so Jesus says it again, "Peace be with you."

Peace, Purpose, and Presence

"Peace be with you."

He repeats it-not because they didn't hear it the first time, but because they are now ready to receive it differently. Now they see Him for who He is-the risen Lord-who has made it possible for them, and for us, to truly receive His peace. It's a gift to receive, to let settle, to take hold of us, and to embrace.

And then Jesus goes on to say, "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." And this is important. Because the peace Jesus gives is not meant for them alone. It is also preparation for what comes next. Part of God's mission for them.

And then the Scriptures tell us, He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

You can't get much closer than that. It's not only close in proximity, but it's personal and intimate.

This takes us all the way back to the beginning of the world, when God breathed life into humanity in the garden. Now, through His breath, the disciples are given the Holy Spirit to reside within them. It's a new day. One that would soon be available to all who call Jesus Lord. Transformation from the presence of God-from the inside out.

Their bodies, minds, and spirits are now able to align with the heart of God. Not perfectly executed in their humanity, but enabled because the very Spirit of God is now with them and in them, empowering them for all God will ask of them.

We've been talking about being strong and courageous since January. And it's never been about us and what we do. It's never been about trying harder, holding it together, or pushing through our limitations.

From the very beginning, when God said "be strong and courageous" to Moses, Joshua, and the people of Israel, it has always been about God's strength and God's courage. God with them. God going before them. God at work within them.

And here, in this moment with the disciples in that little locked room, we see what that looks like. Jesus Himself empowering His disciples to be strong and courageous through His peace and through the power of His Spirit.

So What Does This Mean for Us?

So what does this mean for us? For you and for me?

It means we don't have to stay behind locked doors. Whatever those doors may be for us-fear, uncertainty, things we are trying to sort through, places where we've pulled back or held back-we don't have to stay there.

We don't have to stay there because we've figured everything out or have a plan. We don't have to stay in that space because Jesus comes to us. He meets us right where we are. He is present with us. And He gives us what we need.

Peace we can't manufacture. Peace for our bodies. Peace for our minds. Peace for our spirits.

And not only peace, but presence-we are not without Him. He goes with us and will lead, guide, and help us.

Through His power at work within us.

And with the gift of His peace, presence, and power, we can move from behind our own locked doors with a different kind of strength and courage that does not come from us, but from the Spirit of God within us.

We'll talk more about that next week, but it's true right now for every follower of Jesus. This is what it means to live under the reign of Christ. Not striving or forcing or pushing, not trying to hold it all together on our own, but living under His reign-living from His peace, His presence, and His power at work within us.

Strong and courageous.

A Moment to Receive

As you sit with this, you may already know where your "closed door" is. The place where you've pulled back. The place where things feel uncertain, unresolved, or even a little overwhelming.

The invitation is not to force your way forward or figure everything out. The invitation is to recognize that Jesus meets you there. Right there. And He offers you what you need-His peace, His presence, and His power.

You may simply want to pause for a moment and receive that. Not rush past it. Not analyze it. Just receive.

A Simple Prayer

Risen Lord,
meet me right where I am.

In the places where I feel afraid,
where I feel uncertain,
where I've pulled back…

Would You speak Your peace over me?

Let Your presence settle in me.
And by Your Spirit,
give me the strength and courage
to take whatever step You are inviting me to take.

I receive what You are giving.

Amen.

Be Strong & Courageous in Body, Mind & Spirit

Seeing the Peace We Miss

Luke 19:36-44
By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

There are moments when something meaningful is right in front of us, and we still miss it.

Not because we aren't looking. Not because we don't care.
But because we are looking through expectations-through what we thought would happen, what we hoped would unfold, what we believed peace would look like.

In Luke 19, Jesus enters Jerusalem surrounded by celebration. The crowd is shouting, praising, and declaring truth. And yet, amid all that is happening, Jesus weeps.

Because even though they see Him, they do not fully recognize what is being offered.

They are looking for a certain kind of peace-one shaped by power, control, and visible change.
But Jesus is offering a different kind of peace-one rooted in restored relationship, surrender, and alignment with the heart of God.

And it's possible to be close to Jesus, to say the right words, even to celebrate Him-and still miss the deeper work He is doing.

The invitation for us is gentle but honest:
to slow down, to notice, and to ask for eyes that see more clearly.

Because peace may not always come the way we expect.
But it is present, being offered, even now.

4 Takeaways

1. We can see Jesus and still miss what He is doing.
   The crowd recognized Him, celebrated Him, and spoke truth-yet their expectations shaped what they were able to receive.
2. Our expectations can limit our vision.
   When we hold tightly to how we think God should move, we may overlook the way He is already at work.
3. Jesus' peace is different from what we often seek.
   It is not rooted in control or outward change, but in restored relationship with God and alignment with His way.
4. Alignment helps us see more clearly.
   As our body, mind, and spirit come into alignment with God, our vision shifts-we begin to recognize His presence, His peace, and His invitation.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Open my eyes, Lord
Exhale: Help me see Your peace

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time ~22-25 minutes

Be Strong & Courageous in Body, Mind & Spirit: Seeing the Peace We Miss

Luke 19:36-44
By Pastor Tammy Long

Introduction

Once when I was a little girl-I would have been about four or five-my mom asked me to get my shoes that were under my bed. But when I went to get them, I couldn't find them. I looked all around the room and just didn't see them anywhere.

So I went back and told her they weren't there.

She said, "Yes, they are. You're not looking hard enough. They are right under your bed."

So, I went back again. I looked. Still didn't see them.

Finally, my mom came into the room, got down on her knees, looked under the bed, and reached right in and pulled out my shoes-right where she said they had been all along.

She was a little frustrated, and I still remember her saying, "Tammy, if they had been a snake, they would have bitten you!"

But it wasn't long after that we realized what was really going on. A visit to the eye doctor revealed that I was very nearsighted. Which meant things had to be close for me to see them clearly. Everything outside that range was a blur.

Over the years, whenever my mom told that story, she would always say how bad she felt for getting upset with me. She thought I wasn't looking hard enough-when the truth was, I really couldn't see.

I think that can be true in life-especially in our spiritual lives.

We can all be a little nearsighted.

Something can be right in front of us, and we still miss it. Sometimes we're looking for something else, so we misunderstand what we're seeing. Sometimes we catch a glimpse of it, but it doesn't match what we expected, so we move right past it.

Peace may show up as a quiet moment, but we're looking for a breakthrough.
God may be at work in a small step, but we're waiting for something dramatic.
An invitation to slow down may be offered, but we keep pushing because we've got more to do.

It can happen that something real and present and good-a gift even-is right before our eyes, and we miss it.

And that is exactly what is happening as Jesus makes His way into Jerusalem.

Jesus is right there.
Right in front of the people.
Present-but not fully seen.

If you have your Bibles, we'll be reading Luke 19:36-44.

A Closer Look at the Text

As we step into this Palm Sunday account, there's something about Luke's telling of this moment that feels a little different. We may not be able to name it right away, but it doesn't quite land the way we expect. There is joy and jubilation, shouting and singing, the response of the crowd. There's tension with the Pharisees who are always lurking about, and then, almost suddenly in the story, Jesus is weeping.

What We Expect to See for Palm Sunday

That's Luke's account. But if you've been around the church for a while, there's a more robust picture most of us carry for Palm Sunday. In fact, let's join in the celebration-grab your palms for a few moments, and let's take a brief moment to celebrate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.

That's Palm Sunday as we know it. And it's not wrong. It captures something true about what happened on that day. We see this especially in Matthew's telling-the crowds are stirred, the whole city seems to be caught up in the moment, and the celebration moves forward. In the Gospel of Mark, the story is told more briefly-Jesus enters the city, goes into the temple, looks around, and then quietly leaves. And John highlights the recognition of Jesus as King and the fulfillment of all the prophecies spoken long ago.

Even though John is the only one who actually mentions palms, most of us probably carry something closer to Matthew's version of the story in our imaginations. That's the account that has shaped how we think about this moment we call Palm Sunday. And it's accurate. In fact, each account gives us something true. Each of them lets us see this moment from a particular angle.

What Luke Wants Us to See

But Luke… Luke offers something the others don't. And it's not by accident.

Most of our Bibles today have chapters and verses and little headings that break things up for us. They help us find our place and follow along. But the original manuscripts didn't have any of that. Luke's Gospel would have been read as one continuous story.

So what Luke gives us is not one moment and then another separate moment. He gives us one unfolding scene that is meant to be understood together-a crowd celebrating, Pharisees pushing back, and Jesus weeping.

What the Crowd Sees

The crowd is celebrating for a reason. They have seen Jesus heal disease, they have watched Him restore sight, and they have heard Him teach with authority. They have been witnesses and recipients of Jesus' ministry, and they believe He is the King they have been waiting for.

They are living under the weight of the Roman Empire. They know what it feels like to be occupied, controlled, and reminded every day that they are not free. They carry the stories of David's kingdom, the memory of what was, and the hope of what could be again.

So when they see Jesus, they are not just seeing a teacher or a miracle worker. They are seeing the hope of a new day-freedom, restoration, the King who will finally make things right. They are celebrating Jesus, and at the same time, holding an expectation of what He will do next. They are seeing what they want to see.

But even in the way Jesus enters-riding on a colt, as prophesied by Zechariah-there are clues about the kind of King He is. He is not coming in power as they expect, but in humility. He's not forcing peace but offering it in a different way.

What the Pharisees See

Now the Pharisees are there too, watching and listening, but not celebrating. They see the same moment and come to very different conclusions.

For some, Jesus is a fraud, a blasphemer, someone saying and receiving things that belong to God alone. And they are genuinely concerned that Jesus is harmful and misguiding people.

For other religious leaders, the concerns about Jesus are different. They see Him as dangerous. The kind of public attention He is garnering, along with His language and rhetoric, threatens to disrupt the religious order they have worked so carefully to maintain. It could bring consequences, draw Rome's attention, and unravel everything.

So they say, "Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that." They do not see a King. They see a problem, a threat, something that needs to be controlled and quieted.

What Jesus Sees

But Jesus' response is telling. He says, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!" It's interesting that Jesus doesn't silence the praise. Actually, He affirms and receives their words as truth.

And as Luke holds all of these moments together, he brings us to the point where we see Jesus looking at the city. Luke is inviting us to feel the contrast-the height of the crowd's celebration alongside the depth of Jesus' grief-because even though their words are true, they still did not see what was unfolding before them.

And when Jesus looks upon the city, He weeps.

The Peace They Missed

And He says, "How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes."

Peace. It is not just a word in Luke's account. It is why Jesus came-to restore peace with God and peace among humanity.

From the very beginning of Luke's Gospel, that has been the promise. When Jesus is born, the angels sing, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased."

And now, as Jesus enters Jerusalem, that word is still being spoken. The crowd is saying it: "Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest."

But even as they say these words, their view of peace and God's view of peace are not the same. They are longing for a peace that comes through power and control-a peace shaped by the belief that enemies must be defeated, that you hold on to what is yours, and that justice comes through force.

But as Howard Thurman reminds us, Jesus did not come to mirror the world's ways of power, but to offer a way of life that transforms it.

For three years, Jesus has been inviting people to see differently. He has been teaching a different kind of peace-calling people beyond self-centeredness, to love God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to align their lives with the Kingdom of God.

Peace Is Unreceived

And now He looks at the city, and His heart breaks with compassion and grief because they missed the gift being offered to them.

Jesus is right there. He has drawn near. He is making peace available to them. And they do not want it.

"How I wish today that you of all people would understand," Jesus says. And He weeps.

Jesus weeps because He knows where the path they are on will lead. He says, "Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you."

These are not abstract words. These are prophetic words that will be fulfilled, and did indeed come to fruition.

Jesus grieves the pain He knows will come-the suffering that will unfold, the consequences their choices will unleash. And He names the root of it all.

"Because you did not recognize it when God visited you."

And because they did not recognize God coming to them, Jesus weeps over what was offered-and left unreceived.

Eyes to See

As we hold this passage and listen for what Luke has to say to us today, I'm struck by the fact that we, too, can be looking at Jesus and still be seeing through our own expectations and desires.

Seeing Through Our Expectations

The crowd saw Him. They recognized Him. They responded to Him. They were crying out the right words, "Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!"

And at the same time, they were holding a picture of what Jesus should do, what peace should look like, and how God should move. And clinging to that picture shaped what they were able to see.

I wonder how often that's true.

We may be asking God for peace and still holding onto our own version of it. We might be praying and already have in mind how the answer should come. We may be walking with Jesus and still filtering things through what we expect Him to do.

It's subtle. It's human. We may not even be aware that we're doing it-until things don't happen the way we want, and we find ourselves feeling angry, or betrayed, or disappointed. Those feelings are not wrong; they are indicators we can bring to God for clarity.

It's in those moments that we begin to realize… we may have been holding a vision that wasn't God's vision.

We may be seeing… but not always clearly.

That's why, as followers of Jesus, His invitation to us is always to align with God's vision, as hard as that may be-to remain open, to look for where the peace of Jesus is indeed present among us, even when it's not what we are expecting or wanting, and to trust Him when our vision is unclear.

Learning to See as Jesus Sees

What's more, Luke's account not only shows us what the crowd could not see, but also how Jesus sees clearly.

When Jesus looks at the city and the desires of the crowd, He sees where peace is absent, where it is being resisted, and where another way, another path, is being chosen. And it moves Him.

He weeps.

Jesus weeps because He is fully aligned with the Father. He sees what the Father sees, and He feels what the Father feels. And I believe Jesus weeps for us, too.

And the same invitation is extended-to receive the peace Jesus offers, a restored relationship with the Father, where, over time, we begin to see as He sees.

Learning to see as Jesus sees isn't shaped primarily by circumstances or experiences. It comes from being aligned with the Father's heart. Being aligned with God in body, mind, and spirit not only shapes how we live but also shapes how we see.

When our bodies are cared for and attentive to God, when our minds are focused and settled before Him, and when our spirits are rooted and at rest in Him, we begin to see the world differently.

We recognize what leads to peace, not just in our own lives but also in the world around us-what is aligned with God, where peace is present. And we notice where peace is absent, where it is strained, and where it stands in contrast to the Kingdom of God.

And I believe in those moments, if we look long enough-like Jesus-it will move our hearts too.

I am reminded of a friend who spent time at the border, standing in a place where realities are complex, and the pain is real.

As she shared her experience, she wept. Not just over what she saw, but with a deeper grief and weight. "Once you see, you can't unsee," she said. "This is not the way things are supposed to be… my heart is just heavy."

As she shared, I was reminded of Jesus' tears. She had His eyes, and like Jesus, her heart responded.

The Invitation Before Us

As we walk with Him and align our lives with Him, we are invited into that same way of seeing-not to carry everything or try to fix it, but to see more clearly, to notice where peace is breaking in, to weep with those who weep, and to discern how He is inviting us to respond.

Both as recipients of His peace in our own lives, and as participants in His peace in the world around us.

Jesus is near, offering peace.

Not always in the ways we expect, but always in the way we need.

May God give us eyes to see,
and the ability to recognize His presence of peace in our body, mind, and spirit.

Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit: Living Aligned

Luke 9:51; Hebrews 12:1b-2
By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

There are moments when life keeps moving, but something inside feels off-like a car that's out of alignment. You're still moving forward, still getting where you need to go, but it takes more effort than it should. You can feel the pull.

You're still showing up, still doing what needs to be done, still moving forward-but there's a subtle strain, a quiet pull. Not because life is necessarily harder than usual, but because something within you is out of alignment.

In Luke 9, we see Jesus at a turning point. He knows what lies ahead-suffering, rejection, the cross-and still, He sets His face toward Jerusalem. Fully aware. Fully surrendered. Fully aligned. His body is moving forward, His mind understands the cost, and His spirit is anchored in the Father.

And Hebrews gives us insight into how He was able to do it-because of the joy set before Him. Not the absence of difficulty, but the deep joy of walking in alignment with God's purpose.

That same invitation is extended to us. Not to live perfectly, but to live aligned. To notice when something is off, and to bring every part of ourselves back to God. Because alignment is where steadiness begins-and where a deeper joy is found.

Takeaways

1. Jesus moves with intentional resolve.
He sets His face toward Jerusalem, fully aware of what lies ahead, choosing obedience even when the path includes suffering-showing us what it looks like when a life is aligned with God's direction.

2. Jesus remains anchored in the Father.
In body, mind, and spirit, He stays deeply connected to the Father's will-revealing that aligned living flows from relationship, not effort alone.

3. Jesus endures with purpose and joy.
The cross is not endured aimlessly, but with a clear sense of what God will accomplish-demonstrating how alignment with God sustains us through difficulty.

4. Jesus invites us to follow Him.
Because of what He has done, we are invited into this same way of living-learning, over time, to bring our body, mind, and spirit into alignment with God in everyday moments.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: God, align my life with You
Exhale: In my body, mind, and spirit

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time ~22-25 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit: Living Aligned

Luke 9:51; Hebrews 12:1b-2
By Pastor Tammy Long

Introduction

We are currently in a series, Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit-exploring how God cares for every part of who we are. So far, we have considered how we have finite bodies that God entrusts to us, inviting us to care for them well, because physical care is essential as an act of stewardship and worship. We've seen that God cares for our minds by inviting us to focus our attention on Him-His presence and His promises. And He cares for our spirits by giving us purpose, perspective, and people for the journey.

We partner with God in this care, which can take God's strength and courage to tend to our bodies, minds, and spirits well. We've also recognized how deeply interconnected those parts are. If one area is off, another area is often affected.

It's like when your car needs an alignment. The car still runs. You can still get where you're going, but something is off. The steering isn't quite centered. There's a subtle pull to one side, and after a while, you can find yourself constantly correcting-holding the wheel just enough to keep the car moving straight.

Now, most of us know what to do when we notice that-we take our cars to a service mechanic for an alignment. But I remember in my younger years, when money was tight, and I had an old used car that kept pulling to the right. I kept saying to myself, "It's not that bad yet. I can handle it." It was manageable at first, something I could work around. But over time, it got harder. The drive wasn't as smooth, and I was using more energy than I realized.

What I didn't understand was what was happening underneath-the strain the misalignment was placing on the car. The tires were wearing unevenly. Parts that were meant to move smoothly were under stress. And the longer I waited, the more damage I was causing, because the car wasn't designed to function that way.

In many ways, that's what it's like for us, too, when something within us is out of alignment. We may still be moving, still functioning, still doing whatever needs doing-but something in us is working harder than it should be, because that's not how we were meant to live. And over time, or even in a given moment, instead of peace, we begin to see the signs of a misaligned body, mind, or spirit.

But going back to my car-when I finally got it aligned the way it was designed to be, the movement was different. It was steady and responsive. There was a sense of ease-not because the road was perfect. I could still hit bumps and potholes along the way-but the car was able to handle them. Everything was working the way it was supposed to.

As we continue our journey of becoming strong and courageous in body, mind, and spirit, we move into the New Testament and turn our attention to Jesus-the only one who has ever lived fully aligned with God the Father while on earth.

We are a few weeks away from Resurrection Sunday, and as we look to the Gospel of Luke, we find Jesus has been gathering disciples, teaching, healing-moving through towns and villages, revealing the Kingdom of God in both word and action. But in our text today, His ministry begins a new direction.

We're going to be reading two short passages-one from Luke's Gospel and one from the book of Hebrews. Together, they give us a fuller picture of what is happening in this moment in Jesus' life.

Let's turn first to Luke 9:51, and then to Hebrews 12:1-2.

Unpacking the Texts

As we look closer at this passage in Luke, we find Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. Luke tells us, "As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem."

It is a simple sentence-only a few words-but it carries incredible weight and meaning. It's one of those verses we can read right past, but it marks a turning point, a quiet hinge in Jesus' story. From this moment on, everything in His ministry is focused in one direction-toward Jerusalem, and all that awaits Him there: the cross, the resurrection, and the return to the Father.

This is the beginning of the end-the completion of His mission-the moment toward which everything Jesus has said and done has been moving. And Jesus knows it.

He knows that His time on earth is drawing to a close. He knows He will return to the Father. And He knows what is on the path that will take Him there. He understands what lies ahead-and for His earthly life, that road leads to death on a cross.

And knowing all of this, Luke says Jesus "resolutely set out for Jerusalem."

That word-resolutely-is powerful. In the original language, it carries the sense of setting one's face. It is the language of fixed determination-establishing direction with settled, unshakable resolve.

For Jesus, this is not a reaction. This is a decision.

He intentionally sets His face toward Jerusalem. There is a steadiness. A clarity. A quiet, immovable resolve. He knows all that awaits Him-rejection, suffering, the cross-and still, He moves toward it anyway.

He sets His face and sets the direction.

His body moves forward. His mind understands the cost. His spirit is surrendered to the Father's will. And He moves.

He is fully aligned with the Father's purpose, the Father's plan, and the Father's way-in body, mind, and spirit.

Now take a moment and consider this. Jesus is the Son of God, and He is also fully human. This means that in His humanity, He experienced what it means to face something difficult and to choose it anyway.

He doesn't just know what lies ahead-He feels the weight of it. The Son of God, fully present in His humanity, chooses the will of the Father and keeps moving forward. Resolutely.

Luke shows us what Jesus does, and Hebrews gives us insight into why and how He is able to remain on that path.

Hebrews was written to people who were facing persecution, pressure, hardship, and the temptation to lose heart. And in that context, the writer points them to Jesus-not simply as one who moved forward, but as one who endured the cross, the capital punishment of His time, for a crime He did not commit.

And endured is a word to pay attention to.

This was not simply a steady walk forward. This was a path that required perseverance. There was real resistance in it. There was suffering in it. There was struggle in it. And yet-Jesus did not turn away.

He endured.

The text tells us, "He endured the cross, disregarding its shame."

That means Jesus chooses, again and again, to remain aligned with the Father-in body, in mind, and in spirit-even in the face of real suffering and hardship.

His body would bear excruciating pain. His mind would have to remain steady and focused, even when the weight of it all pressed in. His spirit remained anchored in the Father's presence and will, despite the cost.

He endured.

And the question is-why?

The text tells us: because of the joy awaiting Him.

But this joy is not simply that the suffering would eventually end. The joy awaiting Him is found in what His alignment with the Father would accomplish-the joy of walking in God's will, the joy of participating in God's purpose.

There is a joy that comes from being aligned with the Father, even in the midst of hardship.

It was that joy of connection with the Father that enabled Jesus to do what He did.

Because of that joy, because of that alignment, Jesus endured.

What Jesus' Alignment Accomplished

If we stay with that for just a moment, we can see what that joy encompasses-what that joy actually is.

The joy awaiting Jesus is not about what He Himself would experience, but about what His alignment with the Father would accomplish. Because the road to Jerusalem was not only a path of suffering-it was the path of God's redemption.

From the very beginning of time, God's intention for humanity was relationship-to walk with God, to live in communion with Him, to know Him and be known by Him. But that communion was broken when humanity chose another path. Sin fractured what was meant to be whole. Separation entered where there had once been closeness.

And yet, God did not leave humanity there.

From that moment on, the story of Scripture became the story of God's plan for restoration-God making a way for humanity to be reunited with Him.

Through the children of Israel and the prophets, we are given glimpses of what that relationship looks like and what restoration would require. Isaiah speaks of the suffering servant-one who would be pierced, crushed, and wounded, bearing the weight of sin, and through whom healing would come.

What was broken would not be ignored. It would be carried, dealt with, and resolved once and for all.

And when Jesus comes, He understands that this is His mission.

In Luke chapter 4, as He stands in the synagogue, He reads from the prophet Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor… to proclaim that captives will be released… that the blind will see… that the oppressed will be set free. And then He says, Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

Jesus knows why He has come, and He knows the purpose to which He is aligned.

He frequently said, "The Kingdom of God has come to you." And later, in John 15, He says to His disciples, "I no longer call you servants… now you are my friends."

What was distant is being drawn near. What was broken is being restored. The way back into a relationship with God is being reopened.

This is the work Jesus came to accomplish.

And yet, the path to that restoration runs through Jerusalem. Through the cross. Through suffering.

So when Hebrews tells us that Jesus endured the cross because of the joy before Him, that joy is not vague or shallow. It is rooted in His very purpose.

Through the cross, sin would be dealt with. Through His sacrifice, forgiveness would be made possible. Through His resurrection, life would break through death. Through His return to the Father, the work would be brought to completion for eternity.

Jesus makes possible the restoration of relationship as God intended-humanity brought back into communion with God, what was lost made whole again.

This is the joy set before Him.

A joy that begins with resurrection, but does not end there. It moves through resurrection into ascension, and all the way to the throne-the place of honor, the place of completion, the place where the risen Christ reigns.

And that is why, as we look toward Resurrection Sunday, we are not only celebrating that Jesus died and rose again, but that He reigns. It's a coronation celebration-our way of naming the fullness of the story.

The One who endured the cross is now seated on the throne.

So as Jesus walks toward Jerusalem in Luke 9, He is not only carrying what He must endure-He is held steady by what God will accomplish through Him.

And because He is aligned, He moves forward resolutely, step by step, until what was once broken has been restored, and He is able to say, "It is finished."

And here is the next part of the story.

Because of what Jesus has done, we are able to live differently.

There is no striving to appease or make our way back to God. We do not have to clean ourselves up or try to be perfect. We are simply invited into the relationship Jesus has made possible-a free gift for us to now live aligned with God as well.

So what does it look like to actually live that way?

What Alignment Looks Like for Us

First, we need to know that the Spirit of God is now available to us-to anchor us, to guide us, to lead us.

Which means alignment with God's will and way is not only possible-it's personal.

We can learn to walk with God. We can learn His voice. We can respond to His leading.

And that relationship touches every part of who we are.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. That is-with your whole life. With your body, your mind, and your spirit.

And not only has Jesus made that kind of life possible-He has shown us what it looks like.

When we look at His life, we don't just see what He accomplished. We see how He lived.

Jesus said, "I only do what I see the Father doing." That's attentiveness to God's will and way-a posture of listening and responsiveness.

He made space to simply be with the Father in prayer. He withdrew from the crowds when His body needed rest. His mind was attentive and focused on what God was doing. His spirit was anchored in the Father's presence, purpose, and promises.

And His entire being moved in obedience to what He discerned.

This is what an aligned life looks like.

And if we're honest, this is where it can become challenging.

Because we can feel pulled in different directions-our mind saying one thing, our body saying another, and our spirit something else.

We may sense God leading in our spirit, and still feel resistance in our body or mind.

And part of learning to live aligned in body, mind, and spirit is learning to notice exactly that-where there is misalignment-and to bring that to God.

This is where the Body, Mind, Spirit inventory becomes helpful-a simple way of noticing what is happening within us.

Like a dashboard, it helps us pause and ask:

What is happening in my body?
What is happening in my mind?
What is happening in my spirit?

Because awareness is where alignment begins.

And from that place, we can bring that awareness to God and ask:

God, what are You inviting me to recognize?
What are You inviting me to do?
Where am I out of alignment with You?

And this is not just for the big decisions of life-it's for the small ones, too. In fact, learning to align with God's will and way in the small decisions prepares us for the big ones.

I had one of those moments recently.

There was something I needed to do-something I had committed to-but if I'm honest, I didn't want to do it.

Even thinking about it made me feel tired. My body was resisting. My mind was already spinning with frustration-rehearsing why I didn't want to do it, why it felt inconvenient, why it didn't feel worth it.

And my spirit, if I'm honest, was out of alignment.

There was a heaviness. A reluctance. A resistance.

And as I noticed it, I realized-this isn't just about the task. Something in me is out of alignment.

So I paused.

And I began to bring each part to God.

Body-what do I actually need here? Is there a way to do this with wisdom?
Mind-why am I reacting this way? What am I focusing on?
Spirit-what would it look like to be aligned with You in this moment?

Nothing about the situation changed immediately.

But something in me did.

My attention shifted. My perspective widened. My spirit settled.

And from that place, I was able to take a step.

Not because my circumstances changed, but because I was no longer divided. I was aligned with the Lord as best I could.

That's what alignment begins to look like.

Not perfection.
Not always clarity right away.

But a growing awareness-and a willingness to bring every part of ourselves to God, and to let Him meet us there.

Closing

As we move toward Resurrection Sunday, we are not only remembering what Jesus has done-we are being invited into that kind of life.

A life aligned with God-in our body, in our mind, and in our spirit.

A life where we are no longer pulled in different directions… where our bodies are not carrying stress and tension, but growing in health… where our minds are not scattered, but becoming centered… where our spirits are not unsettled, but anchored and at peace.

A life where-even when the path is difficult-there is a steadiness within us, and even a deeper joy.

As we practice alignment, what begins to grow in us is more than steadiness.

We begin to experience God's power at work in our lives-a grace that meets us in the places we struggle, a deeper joy that is not dependent on circumstances, and a growing sense that we are not just going through life, but participating in what God is doing.

Walking with Him.
Partnering with Him.
Living with purpose.

Not because everything is easy, but because we are aligned with God's will and God's way.

And as we continue to look to Jesus-the one who set His face toward Jerusalem-we are reminded that He does not simply stand before us as an example.

He walks with us.

And as we fix our eyes on Him, we find our attention drawn back to God, our perspective beginning to widen, and our spirit finding rest in His presence.

Maybe even now, you can sense where something in you is ready to come back into alignment.

So perhaps the invitation is not to figure everything out, but simply to pray:

God…
align my life with You-
in my body,
in my mind,
in my spirit.

I want to walk with You.
I want to trust You.
I want to follow You.

A life aligned-
withholding nothing.

An Embodied Blessing

You may want to take a moment to receive this as a prayer-moving slowly through each part of your body as you read.

Head - You have the mind of Christ.
Eyes - May you walk by faith and not by sight.
Ears - May your ears discern the voice of God amidst all other influences.
Mouth - Speak wisdom, health, and life to yourself and those under your care.
Shoulders - Strength to carry your own load and help bear the burdens of others.
Arms - May you embrace those in need of care with the same care you have received.
Hands - May the work you do be blessed and multiplied to care for your family and beyond.
Legs - When life feels overwhelming, may you be strengthened and feel steady.
Feet - Blessed and beautiful, bringing good news through a life lived by faith.

May you be fully aligned in body, mind, and spirit-by the power of Jesus Christ at work within you.

Amen.