We are so often afraid to share our faith because we won’t know what to say, we won’t be prepared for objections, or we won’t have the answers to the questions that are asked. We feel like we are the primary part of the process and we talk ourselves out of it. Here the disciples are not the primary actors in the book of Acts. God is. Acts is about what Jesus is continuing to do by the Spirit though his people. Yes, the disciples will be his witnesses to the ends of the earth, because Jesus is going to sovereignly orchestrate it.

Often times pride fuels our desire for greatness. Jealousy of others’ abilities and envy grows in our hearts. Comparing ourselves to others constantly or thinking we are better than someone else. Our pride causes us to be jealous and value self-promotion instead of humility. But in the kingdom of God, true greatness is found in childlike wonder. Don’t lose the wonder. Don’t lose the awe of who Jesus is and what He has done for you. Don’t adulterate the simplicity and beauty of following Jesus with envy, jealousy and ambition.

We like to live on the mountaintop. Excited. Happy. To move from one epic experience to the next. Especially in our spiritual lives. But to follow Jesus is to behold his glory on the mountaintop and embrace suffering in the valley, and everything in between that this broken world has to throw at us.

Do you want to save your life? Lose it. Do you want to truly live? Die to yourself!

It’s hard to believe we’ll have what we need. Whether starting a new business, going through financial trouble, finding good community and making deep friendships, or even just having our basic needs met. But what Jesus’ sending out his disciples and the feeding of the five thousand shows us is that Jesus gives provision for every commission. And following Jesus means trusting he’ll provide for your needs.

We regard God as an airman regards his parachute; it’s there for emergencies but he hopes he’ll never have to use it.” – C.S. Lewis

So much of our lives are spent living as though we can save ourselves. But when the emergency hits, we are reminded that we are saved through faith alone in Christ alone. What if we trusted God with every moment? What if Jesus was our first thought instead of our last resort?

We are most comfortable when life is predictable. We are “creatures of habit,” we “live by our calendars,” we plan our days and work our plans. But following Jesus is rarely comfortable or predictable. Jesus’ rule upends life as we know it. The reign of Christ disrupts business as usual.

Everyone is either going into a storm, is in the middle of one, or is coming out of one. This is the human experience. And it is in these storms that followers of Jesus are invited to trust his words more than the winds and the waves. Every storm is an opportunity to exercise our faith in the midst of our fear.

This life will steal your soul, choke you out, and tear you apart. Only Jesus can save your soul, give you life, and make you whole.

What story am I believing to be true about my identity, and who’s telling it? What could happen in me, and what could happen around me if my interior story changed? “We are not what we do, we are not what we have, we are not what others think of us. Coming home is claiming the truth. I am the beloved child of a loving creator.” -Henri Nouwen

Oftentimes, we reject God’s purpose for our lives when it doesn’t meet our expectations. The same was true in Jesus’ day. But God rarely acts in ways that we might prefer him to. And the truth Jesus shares with his followers in our text this morning is that the kingdom of God must be received on God’s terms, not ours.

Our world tells us position and power determines our worth, that our status–social, economic, political, occupational, religious–makes us more deserving of God’s blessing. But Jesus doesn’t play these games. In these stories of healing, we see that the kingdom of God comes through faith and compassion, not position or power.

Christians are some of the biggest hypocrites you’ll ever meet. Often judgmental or condemning, blind to our own problems, yet think we can see others’ problems so clearly. Our actions often don’t line up with our words. As Jesus closes out his “Sermon on the Plain,” he sums up his teaching by saying that following him means doing what He says. It means we don’t wear the mask. We are not judgmental of others. We are not worried about other people’s stuff. It means we are witnesses, not prosecutors.

If life were fair, we’d all be in hell. If we all got what we deserve, God would have to separate us from himself forever because of our sin. But, God shows mercy. God is kind to evil people, and we should be too. With God, Mercy is greater than Fairness.

We all fear death. Whether it’s fear of non-existence, fear of what our loved ones will do when we’re gone, fear that our lives won’t have meant something, or fear of loss of control, we all fear death to one degree or another. But the promise of Easter is that union with Christ in his death ensures our union with Christ in his resurrection. In Christ, crucifixion leads to resurrection. With God, the end is only the beginning!

We all fear death. Whether it’s fear of non-existence, fear of what our loved ones will do when we’re gone, fear that our lives won’t have meant something, or fear of loss of control, we all fear death to one degree or another. But the promise of Easter is that union with Christ in his death ensures our union with Christ in his resurrection. In Christ, crucifixion leads to resurrection. With God, the end is only the beginning!

Our hope and our heart are not naturally tied to humility. We exalt ourselves, and what we don’t realize is that it kills our peace. But by hoping in God, the humble can regain that peace.

Where do you take your shame, guilt, and fears for the things you’ve done? When you’re in “the depths,” where do you turn? When you sin, where do you go? Do you try to make up for it by doing more good than bad? Do you try to forget about it, drowning out the nagging imposter syndrome? We underestimate the severity of our sin, we underestimate what is necessary to forgive it.

The good news this morning is that God meets our pleas with plentiful redemption. God always hears, forgives, loves, and redeems. God is the only One who is completely honest about who you are, but completely loving at the same time.

Oftentimes persecution feels more present than God’s promises. All you can see is trouble. And it seems like it will never end, like the season will not pass. But there is good news this morning: trouble don’t last always! God will deliver the persecuted and shame the oppressor. This is the hope the writer of Psalm 129 gives us this morning.

If we’re not careful, we become idle or make work an idol. God gave us both work and rest as gifts. But, it’s just like our sinful flesh and the devil to take a good thing and twist it to evil purposes. Rest, that deep assurance that God is in control and not us–twisted to laziness; and meaningful work, what every one of us must do to feel fully alive–twisted to an idol.

What God shows us this morning is that when we receive God’s best, we can work from our rest. When work is a gift from God, and He is at the center of our lives, ordering all the pieces, then our souls are at rest. And we won’t make an idol of work. But we won’t remain idle either.