The comfort zone is a trap for people of faith. The faithful life REQUIRES leaving one's comfort zone. As Abram is called out of his, we hear Jesus calling Nicodemus out of his. Very different results. Do you see yourself in one of these?
As noted in the sermon, the church does absolutely nothing to move the faithful out of their comfort zones. If anything, it encourages God's people to stay there. The scriptures give us two versions of how this can come out.
Abram and his wife Sarai have done very well in Haran. There is one hitch; no heir. God promises him in a grand vision that "I will make you into a great nation." That seems unlikely. If he stays in Haran, in his comfort zone, that blessing will not occur. Abram needs to pick up stakes and sojourn with his God somewhere to the west of Haran. Destination unknown, Abram leaves his comfort zone and trusting in faith in the promise of his God, he goes.
Nicodemus comes to Jesus seeking to better understand what this new, exciting teacher on the scene is all about. In a somewhat comical dialogue, Nicodemus cannot grasp what Jesus is saying. The ideas are beyond his standard frames of reference. He cannot extract himself from his comfort zone in order to grasp the promise of blessing that is right before him.
See if you see yourself in one of these stories as you check out the sermon video below and the downloads below the video panel.
As noted in the sermon, the church does absolutely nothing to move the faithful out of their comfort zones. If anything, it encourages God's people to stay there. The scriptures give us two versions of how this can come out.
Abram and his wife Sarai have done very well in Haran. There is one hitch; no heir. God promises him in a grand vision that "I will make you into a great nation." That seems unlikely. If he stays in Haran, in his comfort zone, that blessing will not occur. Abram needs to pick up stakes and sojourn with his God somewhere to the west of Haran. Destination unknown, Abram leaves his comfort zone and trusting in faith in the promise of his God, he goes.
Nicodemus comes to Jesus seeking to better understand what this new, exciting teacher on the scene is all about. In a somewhat comical dialogue, Nicodemus cannot grasp what Jesus is saying. The ideas are beyond his standard frames of reference. He cannot extract himself from his comfort zone in order to grasp the promise of blessing that is right before him.
See if you see yourself in one of these stories as you check out the sermon video below and the downloads below the video panel.
03-08-20-sermon.mp3 |
03-08-20-ff-answers.pdf |
03-08-20-faith_outside_the_comfort_zone.pdf |