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Pastor Ken Curtis kicks of this new year with a new worship series, "Twisted." This four-week series untangles some of the most common twisted beliefs that keep people at a distance from the God who loves them more than they know.

What do you do when God doesn't show up the way you expected? In this powerful and honest message, Pastor Ken tackles one of the most difficult experiences in the life of a believer: the feeling that God has failed us. Following the scripture reading, we join the disciples on the Road to Emmaus — men who were heartbroken because the "redeemer" they hoped for had been crucified. Ken explores how we can move through the pain of spiritual disappointment, the "death" of our expectations, and the surprising ways Jesus meets us in our disillusionment. This is a sermon for anyone who has ever felt abandoned by their faith or confused by God's silence.

Sermon Reflections:

• Can you look back at a specific time in your life when you felt God didn't come through for you? What were you expecting to happen?
  
• In the scripture, the disciples say, "But we had hoped he was the one..." How does the phrase "but we had hoped" resonate with your current season of life or past trials?
• Sometimes the "God" who disappoints us is actually just our own limited image of God. How has your understanding of who God is changed after going through a period of disappointment?
• Jesus walked with the disciples for a long time while they were still sad and confused. How does it feel to consider that God is present with you even while you are actively feeling disappointed in Him?
• The disciples’ disappointment didn’t vanish because the circumstances changed, but because their vision changed. How can we seek a "new vision" when our external circumstances remain difficult?
• The disciples shared their grief openly with a "stranger" on the road. Why is it often so hard to admit in church or religious circles that we feel disappointed by God?

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