Abide

What does it truly mean to follow Jesus -- not on our own terms, but on his? In this message, we dig into a striking contrast found in Luke 9 and 10 between three men who want to follow Jesus their own way and the 72 disciples Jesus sends out into the world. Each of the three men reveals a subtle but powerful sin lurking beneath the surface: a craving for comfort, a desire to follow only on their own timeline, and an anxiety-driven need to have everything perfectly arranged before stepping out in faith. Jesus, who sees past every surface-level response straight into the heart, lovingly confronts each one. The spiritual lesson is both challenging and freeing: the way we respond to Jesus exposes what our hearts truly desire. When we follow Jesus only when it is convenient, comfortable, or fully planned out, we are really following a version of Jesus we have designed for ourselves. The message calls us to something deeper -- a radical, urgent, and immediate obedience rooted not in our own strength but in abiding in Christ, the way a branch draws life from the vine. If we want to bear real fruit, we cannot afford to live three doors down from Jesus. We are called to dwell with him.