How do you believe when believing is hard? Jesus tells us three things about believing: believing is not (only) about evidence; believing is not about competence; believing is about relationship. When you get those three things, it’s possible for your belief in God to deepen — even through the things that make believing hard.

One of the real tests of what kind of person we are is how we deal with disappointed expectations. Jesus speaks to two different groups of people with disappointments, and then calls for faith beyond disappointment.

One of the real tests of what kind of person we are is how we deal with disappointed expectations. Jesus speaks to two different groups of people with disappointments, and then calls for faith beyond disappointment.

A love greater than all other loves; a love which will rightly order all other loves; nothing less than this is what Jesus calls us to in being his disciples. And it makes sense, because he took up the cross - our cross - so that in his grace we can also take up the cross as we we follow him. Listen to this grace and call of Jesus.

A love greater than all other loves; a love which will rightly order all other loves; nothing less than this is what Jesus calls us to in being his disciples. And it makes sense, because he took up the cross - our cross - so that in his grace we can also take up the cross as we we follow him. Listen to this grace and call of Jesus.

How do you sustain compassion and therefore mission, when the culture around doesn’t want the Jesus you proclaim? How as a sheep do you love the wolves? Only by overcoming rightly ordering your fears (this week) and your loves (next week).

How do you sustain compassion and therefore mission, when the culture around doesn’t want the Jesus you proclaim? How as a sheep do you love the wolves? Only by overcoming rightly ordering your fears (this week) and your loves (next week).

Following Jesus as he sends us on mission can add serious complications to our lives — especially when it comes to relationships with our friends, families, and colleagues. What does it look like to have the snake-like wisdom and dove-like innocence Jesus calls us to in our wolf-eat-sheep world?

Following Jesus as he sends us on mission can add serious complications to our lives — especially when it comes to relationships with our friends, families, and colleagues. What does it look like to have the snake-like wisdom and dove-like innocence Jesus calls us to in our wolf-eat-sheep world?

To be a disciple of Jesus is to be sent by him into his world on his mission. This first sermon in the series on Jesus instructions to his disciples on mission opens up the beautiful wise balance that Jesus preserves.