Beyond the Weekend: EPIC
Stories of Trust, Failure and Faith That Point to Jesus
What does it look like to believe God, not just believe in God? This fall, we're diving into the raw, unfiltered stories of biblical heroes who wrestled with doubt, took dangerous detours, and discovered that trusting God means following him even when you can't see the outcome. Their epic journeys of trust, failure and faith all point to the ultimate hero—Jesus.
Key Messaging Points:
- There's a difference between believing in God and believing God
- God speaks in life's detours and disruptions
- Wrestling with God transforms us
- Trusting God means obeying before you see the outcome
- Every story of human struggle points to Jesus
The Potter
Read: Jeremiah 18:1-10 Listen: Jeremiah 18
Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 18:5-6
God sends Jeremiah to a potter's house with simple instructions: watch and learn. Jeremiah observes the craftsman at work. The potter grabs a lump of clay, centers it on the wheel and begins shaping. A form emerges—maybe a bowl or a jar. Then, the potter pushes down with the heel of his hand, collapsing the piece back into a lump and reshaping it into something new. God's message becomes clear. He is the potter. His people are the clay. He has authority over their lives to shape them as he desires. God wants his people to know he's in charge, not them. He raises kings and kingdoms, and also takes them down. God blesses those who follow and obey him, and those who reject him will suffer consequences.
We naturally resist God’s authority as the potter. We plan and work hard to shape and mold our days and futures. Frustration sets in when things don't match our mental image. We try to shape careers, relationships, reputations and financial security on our own. The problem is, we're terrible potters. When we shape and mold our lives apart from God, we create worry, fear and confusion instead of beauty. Even when we build something that looks impressive on the outside, it's often hollow inside. We exhaust ourselves, forgetting that God is far better at shaping and molding than we are. Freedom comes in surrendering our lives to God.
TODAY: Praise God as the trustworthy potter who has all power over your life and knows what is best for you. Join Ada Bible Worship as they sing "Great Are You Lord," declaring: "It’s your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, pour out our praise."
