REFUGE KENOSHA

When religious rules become the focus, we risk missing the very heart of God. In Matthew 12:1–8, Jesus confronts the Pharisees and reveals that He—not our man-made regulations—is Lord of the Sabbath. Could it be that your version of obedience is actually keeping you from resting in Christ?

Today, we are looking at the heavy Doctrine of Election. Jesus makes some staggering claims in Matthew 11:27. He claims that He’s been entrusted by God the Father with all things. He claims that nobody knows Him except for the Father. And then He claims that nobody knows the Father except Him and anyone to whom Jesus desires to reveal Him. What does that mean?

In a culture marked by restlessness, Jesus offers the truest and highest form of spiritual rest. He gives the famous invitation in Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” He gives this invitation first to those who don’t follow Him, but continues to extend this offer to those who call Him Lord every day. The question for you, then, is, “How are you responding to this invitation today”?

Indifference may seem harmless, but Jesus warns it is a deadly response to all that He has revealed—one that invites judgment even more severe than some forms of godless behaviors. In Matthew 11:20-24, we see that seeing the works of Christ and shrugging them off is among the gravest of offenses. The question for you today is: How might spiritual indifference be lurking beneath the surface of your life right now?

Have you ever doubted God? Or have you ever been overly critical of a person or idea, but only because it convicted you? In Matthew 11:1–19, we see how hearts respond to Jesus through doubt and criticism. When the way of Christ challenges you, do you question your heart honestly or do you criticize and narrate to protect your comfort?

What if the life you’ve always wanted is actually found in surrender, not survival? In Matthew 10:32–11:1, Jesus calls us to a bold, public allegiance to Him—one that acknowledges Christ over comfort, treasures Him above every relationship, and takes up a cross rather than chasing convenience. In a culture obsessed with self-preservation, how do we live the kind of life that speaks, sacrifices, and serves like Jesus? This message confronts the cost of discipleship and invites you into the reward of true life—life found only in following Jesus.

What we fear reveals what we worship. In a world quick to cancel, slander, and shame, Jesus reminds us that the disciple is not above the teacher—and the cross-shaped life is often misunderstood and maligned. But reputation, security, and worth on this earth are fleeting compared to what is eternal. Matthew 10:24-31 calls us to fearless faith in the face of opposition, grounding our identity not in what others say, but ultimately in what God sees.

Jesus sends His followers out as sheep among wolves—vulnerable, yet Spirit-empowered; exposed, yet divinely protected. In Matthew 10:16–23, we’re called to live with sharp discernment and quiet purity, resisting the goddess of comfort and embracing our place in a world that may oppose us. When opposition comes, will your faith endure with both wisdom and innocence?

How is Jesus’s instruction to His disciples on this short-term mission trip to Jerusalem relevant for us today? As we continue looking through Jesus’s sermon on mission (Matthew 10), we will be challenged to look to God for guidance. What would change in your life if your decisions were shaped by dependence on God?

When Jesus sent out the twelve, He gave them a focused mission and a clear message: proclaim that “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” This message isn’t just ancient history—it’s a call to recognize the rule and reign of Christ right now and live accordingly. Do you truly see the people around you with spiritual clarity, and does your inner life know the King’s message, or are you carrying a message your heart doesn’t yet believe?