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
Jumping
Read: 1 Kings 18:20-21 Listen: 1 Kings 18
Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." 1 Kings 18:21
The grass that once covered the hills of northern Israel is frayed and dry. Three years have passed since rain nourished the ground. Three years since crops grew and cattle grazed. The people are destitute. They still worship Yahweh, the God of their ancestors, the one who promised to bless Abraham and freed them from slavery in Egypt. Yet, King Ahab leads them to Baal, a god with the reputation for sending rain and blessing crops. So, they jump to worship Baal too. Elijah exposes Israel's wavering. He challenges King Ahab and the Baal worshippers to prove which god is true. In doing so, he challenges Israel to stop jumping back and forth between Yahweh and Baal.
It's unlikely that we have idols of stone tucked away in our homes. But our hearts share the same fallen tendencies with Israel. We have the propensity to jump between Jesus and something else. It’s easy to miss because idolatry is rarely ever total abandonment. We jump to Jesus for forgiveness and heaven. But when we feel insecure or powerless, we jump to something else to help us forget or gain control. It could be a substance, a relationship, an achievement and more. All our jumping is futile. God calls us to stay with him. He alone can provide security, identity and approval.
TODAY: Use this fill-in-the-blank prayer to confess your idols to God. “Father, I admit when I feel _____ I tend to jump to __________. Help me trust you alone for my needs.”
