Some seasons don’t come with a map.

No clear direction. No guarantees. Just uncertainty—and the question of what to do next.

This message explores what it looks like to move forward when you don’t have all the answers. Through stories of people who were asked to step into the unknown, we’re invited to wrestle with something deeper: what we actually trust when life feels unclear.

Because in uncertain moments, it’s easy to fall back on what feels familiar—control, comfort, routine, or whatever gives us a sense of stability.

But what if those moments aren’t meant to push us back… but to draw us forward?

This episode is about learning to trust, letting go of what we try to control, and discovering what can grow in us when we don’t know what’s ahead.

Because sometimes the unknown isn’t something to avoid—

it’s where real change begins.

00:00 Welcome and Background

01:09 Family Update and Empty Nest

02:50 Into the Unknown Theme

02:55 Abraham Called to Go

05:10 Transitions and Knowing God

07:27 Israelites Guided by Cloud

09:09 Golden Calf and Known Gods

10:33 COVID and Our Need to Know

13:31 Unknown Seasons Reveal God

14:19 Moses Learns God's Name

17:10 Getting Close to God

18:58 Following Jesus in Real Time

21:39 Church Age and Spirit Leading

23:36 Building Decision and Baptisms

27:20 Planning vs Trusting God

29:34 Laodicea and Self Sufficiency

32:48 Call to Surrender and Repent

34:53 Closing Prayer

Click here to donate to the program

Click here for more sermons

OC Church of Christ

Thank you guys.

2

Thank you, Greg, for that introduction.

3

Um, it is great to be here with you guys.

4

Uh, as Greg said, we moved here in 2004.

5

Uh, I worked 10 years in structural

engineering here, and uh, and then we

6

got into the ministry and helped with

our singles ministry for about five

7

years, uh, before moving to Orlando.

8

So, uh, greetings from Orlando, Florida.

9

Alright,

10

home of Universal Studios and

Disneyland and Legoland and, you know,

11

um, yeah, places I still never go.

12

Um,

13

uh, the lesson title actually

is from a Disney song.

14

You can put the first slide there, but.

15

In my defense, I didn't know

it was from Frozen two 'cause

16

it's a movie I've never seen.

17

Of course.

18

Um, but uh, yeah, so we want to talk today

about just what God does when he takes

19

us into seasons of our life, uh, that are

unknown and, uh, and how to navigate that.

20

Um, so just a quick update on us.

21

Uh, my oldest daughter, Katie, uh,

is married, uh, to, uh, a great

22

guy, uh, Tyler's son and, uh, SUN.

23

So, you know, growing up in Orange

County, uh, all our best friends and all

24

of Katie's best friends were Asians, so

we, she married someone half Taiwanese

25

and uh, and that's like the only

one in Florida though, you know, so.

26

They just didn't make it all the,

there's a few, but, um, we miss all

27

our best friends and, um, so they

are in Broward Church, uh, which

28

is a great church down in Miami.

29

And, uh, they are in the ministry.

30

They lead the campus ministry there

and Katie continues to do music and

31

all of her creative, uh, things.

32

She's our music director for our

teen camp each year, and so she's

33

able to use her gifts there.

34

Our son, Kyle.

35

Is a junior as, uh, in University of

Florida as an aerospace engineering major.

36

And so he's got one more year left there.

37

And then our son Justin, is

about to graduate from high

38

school, uh, in one month.

39

And then, uh, we will be empty nesters.

40

And so Sean and I need to get

reacquainted and, uh, start going on

41

dates again and get to know each other.

42

And we're looking forward

to that season of our life.

43

And, uh, he's also going

to University of Florida.

44

And I won't tell you that all of them,

uh, qualified for free college in state

45

of Florida and that we don't pay taxes.

46

I'm not gonna say any of those things

'cause it will only, uh, further

47

anger some of you that are already

triggered by things like that.

48

So anyway, into the unknown.

49

Um, you know, our father in the

faith, uh, Abraham, and, and when

50

you read the Bible, Genesis one

through 11 is just an introduction.

51

And man, don't we wish there were

more, we wanna know more about

52

what happened from, you know,

the beginning of time to Abraham.

53

But God is really just doing

an introduction there and the

54

scriptures are really pointing us.

55

To our first example of a a, you

know, someone who followed God

56

in, in covenant relationship.

57

Uh, and that covenant would be temporarily

fulfilled with the law of Moses,

58

but permanently fulfilled in Christ.

59

And so our, our forefather, our

ancestor, uh, our father in the faith,

60

Abraham, this is when God comes to

him and, and calls him initially

61

and it says, the Lord said tobra.

62

Uh, go from your country, from

your people, your father's

63

household to the land.

64

I will show you, I will make you into

a great nation, and I will bless you.

65

And, uh, you know, back then, uh, leaving

your family was, was very, very dangerous.

66

Now we can't wait, right?

67

Uh, but back then it was very

dangerous because families grew

68

and there was strength in numbers

and you had to defend yourself.

69

And it was a tribal society.

70

And so.

71

Uh, for he and his family

just to travel and, and to not

72

know where they were going.

73

Uh, this is what I love about God.

74

Uh, I'm not telling you where, I'm not

telling you the route, the distance, the

75

people, the language, what you're gonna do

for food and water, how long you're gonna

76

be there, if or when you'll ever return.

77

You don't know.

78

Uh, and that is really, uh, God's call

sometimes for each and every one of us.

79

God doesn't, uh, map out the route

and answer all of our questions.

80

And so I think a lot of times in

transition, uh, we get a little nervous,

81

uh, because we don't know, uh, what's

coming and, and what the future will hold.

82

You know, for some of you who are teens,

uh, getting out of the house, going to

83

college is gonna be your first transition.

84

Uh, major transition perhaps.

85

What was known to Abraham.

86

God.

87

Now I put a question mark there because

sometimes we just take for granted.

88

Oh yeah, Abraham and God were tight.

89

Were they?

90

This was God's introduction to Abraham.

91

Go and I will show you and I will

make you into a great nation.

92

Did he know God at that time?

93

Did he really understand who God was?

94

Was there any precedent?

95

Was there any scripture?

96

Was there anything written down

at that time for him to know and

97

understand who God was and God's

faithfulness in that calling?

98

Uh, well, I think that's what happens

during transitions, especially for teens.

99

When you go off to college, you're

gonna have to figure out as the

100

God of your parents, your God.

101

College students, when you go and you get

your career, or maybe you are hired or

102

maybe you move or whatever, is, is the

god of the campus ministry that exciting

103

God, the same God that's going to be

there when you are there in the morning

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at seven 30, uh, you know, drinking

Folgers at a construction office and,

105

and your boss is like, where are you?

106

I'm like, I'm right around

the corner, you know?

107

And that was.

108

Seven o'clock for me for 10

years, you know, it's like, relax.

109

Is God going to be your God

during those transition times,

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you know, uh, the next time, you

know, God fulfilled his promise to

111

Abraham, and, and every time Abraham

got a sort of a new directive from

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God, it was still very unknown.

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That's the thing about God.

114

Abraham, through these seasons of

unknown, God just kept pulling the

115

curtain back little by little to

describe himself more to Abraham.

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As Abraham followed and he didn't

do everything right, there's

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times when he didn't trust.

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There's times when he lied and connived

and didn't believe in God, and as soon as

119

they got to the promised land, he actually

went to Egypt because he didn't feel

120

like there was a, there was a drought,

so there were times of uncertainty.

121

But God kept revealing his nature.

122

So God fulfilled his promise and, and

made the Israelites into a great nation.

123

And they, they settled in, uh,

Egypt under good terms, right?

124

They all went in a season of unknown.

125

In a season of drought, they followed,

uh, Joseph into Egypt where they were

126

going to be herdsmen for the Egyptians.

127

Yet, over time, they became enslaved.

128

In that time, they became a great nation.

129

And then of course God

called them out of Egypt.

130

And when he called them out of Egypt, it

says at the Lord's command, the Israelites

131

set out at his command, they encamped.

132

As long as the clouds stayed over the

tabernacle, they remained in the camp.

133

Now, how do you think this was like

this as well is another great season

134

of unknown for the Israelites.

135

God called them out and

he's like, all right.

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Pillar of fire, pillar of cloud.

137

When I'm here, you're here.

138

When I move, we move.

139

And it says sometimes if you read that

passage in numbers, sometimes it would

140

be a day, sometimes two days, a week, two

weeks, two months, two years, et cetera.

141

So, you know, I don't know about you

like the, the older I get, the less

142

I like travel, the less I like the

suitcases and the airports and the.

143

You know, there was a time

when that was really exciting.

144

You're looking out the

window, is that our plane now?

145

It's just like, it's just, it's awful.

146

I have to drive up to LAX today, you know,

um, to return the rental car, take the

147

shuttle, go through, et cetera, et cetera.

148

So, uh, but this was their

travel and did they know God?

149

Did they understand who God was?

150

You know what's interesting is, you know,

they saw these great miracles happen.

151

You know, they saw all the plagues,

they passed through the Red Sea,

152

they get out into the desert, and

within a month what did they do?

153

They returned back to their known

God, the God of the Egyptians.

154

Uh, and they.

155

Said, you know, we don't know Moses.

156

We really don't know Moses, and

we don't know where we're going.

157

And now it's been almost a month

in this season of transition.

158

And they went back to the known

God that they knew in Egypt.

159

And sometimes you look at the

Israelites and go, how could

160

they, how could they do that?

161

When they saw all that God did, when

they saw the miracles of God, how could

162

they revert back to their known God?

163

And I think to myself, don't we do the

same thing during seasons of unknown,

164

we revert right back to our known gods.

165

What do you think some of

our gods are that we rely on

166

during times of transition?

167

Money, our career relationships?

168

Maybe it's, maybe it's control, right?

169

Our routine.

170

Uh, I don't know if you

guys remember COVID.

171

Vaguely.

172

If you think about what

happened in our world

173

from a 10,000 foot

Artemis two perspective,

174

God took the whole world at the

same time into a season of unknown.

175

We didn't have control.

176

We didn't have our routine.

177

We didn't have sports.

178

It was bad.

179

Some of us didn't have our careers.

180

Some of us were removed

from our relationships.

181

Some of us didn't have the freedom

from our kids for eight hours a day.

182

My, I don't think my kids wore

pants for like three months.

183

It's like, aren't you at school?

184

You're in your boxers.

185

And it's like, that's

probably too much information.

186

It was only two months.

187

Florida COVID was different

than California COVID.

188

But again, I don't wanna

trigger some of you.

189

How did we all act during that time?

190

Did we trust God?

191

Did we surrender?

192

Did we say, you know, I don't know what's

gonna happen, but God will work it out.

193

No, we all became jerks.

194

We were really ugly to one another.

195

We were, we hated every second of it.

196

We don't like seasons of unknown.

197

And I think, you know, if you

look at Adam and Eve, their

198

original sin was, we wanna know.

199

We wanna know.

200

And Satan was like, God said, there

are things that you should not know.

201

Your life will be worse if you know this.

202

And they had to know.

203

We have to know, don't we?

204

Even in COVID, I'm gonna

look this up on my phone.

205

And if all the world leaders

would've consulted me, we could have

206

flattened the curve in two weeks.

207

We were awful to each other as a world.

208

There was a time that God could

have revealed himself and been

209

our God, but we didn't want that.

210

We're not interested in his solutions

or knowing what he might be doing

211

because we desire knowledge.

212

Don't you remember that?

213

Oh yeah.

214

That was not fun.

215

Um, but see, that is the point.

216

The point is when things are

unknown, you have an opportunity

217

for God to reveal himself to you.

218

That's when you get to know God.

219

When I can't control the

outcome, when I can't, you know.

220

Manipulate things when, when the finances,

when, when there's instability, when

221

there, that is when we rely, feel that

God is gotta be God for us in that moment.

222

And I don't know what seasons you're

going through, uh, unknown seasons.

223

I would just say that.

224

Open yourself to this idea that

God may be choosing this season

225

in your life to reveal himself.

226

You know, Moses didn't know God.

227

Moses was 80 years old when God

called him, and this is during the

228

two chapter argument that Moses is

having with God about not wanting to

229

do what God was wanting him to do.

230

And Moses trying to talk God finally

into just choosing someone else.

231

Here's one of Moses's questions.

232

Moses said to God, suppose I go to

the Israelites and say to them, the

233

God of your fathers sent me to you?

234

And they asked me and they asked, what if?

235

They asked me, what is his name?

236

What should I tell them?

237

Do you know what Moses

is actually saying here?

238

I don't even know your name.

239

Have you ever been in a conversation

with someone and you're just like,

240

it is so good to see you, you know?

241

Yeah.

242

So what's go, you know, and you're

like, I just, what is, what is, and

243

then you're hoping someone else will

come, you know, rescue you and you're

244

like, Hey, do you know this guy?

245

You know?

246

Yeah.

247

Brian.

248

Yeah.

249

This is Brian.

250

Um, I was at a.

251

A retirement party for, um, Ron Conkling.

252

He was the, uh, our regional family

chair, uh, in Florida, uh, for our

253

family of churches there, which

Sean and I are doing that now.

254

Um, and I sat down at a table and it

was in Tampa, so it wasn't in Orlando,

255

and it was like, Hey, Marshall.

256

And I was like, Hey, good

to see you, you know?

257

Man, me and this guy just had

all this long conversation.

258

It was about fishing and, you know,

Montana and fly and what, what are we

259

doing here in Florida and what lures?

260

And, and it was just like, like

I felt like he really knew me,

261

and I promise I have never seen

him before in my entire life.

262

But at our table was one

of our elders as well.

263

And I mean, I swore he knew Mike as well.

264

So I get in the food line with

Mike and I'm like, who is that?

265

And Mike's like, I have no idea.

266

Doesn't really pertain to the sermon.

267

But the idea here is that I think

Moses was afraid to just say,

268

God, I don't know who you are.

269

I don't even know your name.

270

If I am representing you,

I don't even know you.

271

I don't know what to call you.

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I have no history with you.

273

I had 40 years of history with

the Egyptian gods, and then I

274

have 40 years of history with my

father-in-law's Gods who was a priest

275

of Midian, who is not a priest or a

minister of Jehovah, the true God.

276

And so 80 years of his life, he

doesn't know the name of God.

277

Here's what's amazing.

278

Less than one year later, after

Moses goes and takes the Israelites

279

out into the desert, it says, the

Lord would speak to Moses face to

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face as one speaks with a friend.

281

When you go through a season of

unknown, you have to get close to God.

282

You have no other option.

283

You can harden your heart or you

can just say, I need to rely on God.

284

I need to go deeper in my prayer life.

285

I need to go deeper in the scriptures.

286

I need to figure out who this God is.

287

Amen.

288

It's amazing how close you can get to God

when you decide to and when you decide

289

to rely on him during those seasons.

290

A w tos, your great quote is, every man

is as close to God as he wants to be.

291

I think during these seasons of unknown

is, is when I feel the most drawn to God.

292

Uh, and the journey is also where God

is gonna reveal you to you as well.

293

You know, sometimes we think

God is testing us, so God can

294

figure out what's in there.

295

Guess what He already knows.

296

You don't know.

297

So you have blind spots.

298

So God is actually saying, you know,

I led you through the wilderness.

299

For these 40 years to humble you and

test you and know what was in your heart,

300

whether or not you would keep my commands.

301

So that was just a great test to

teach them about God, but also so

302

they could learn about themselves.

303

Amen.

304

In what ways right now,

are you dependent on God?

305

Uh, does this shed light on how

close or distant you feel to God?

306

What about following Jesus?

307

You would think that

would be easier, right?

308

It's not just a voice.

309

It's not just this ominous call to go

out into the wilderness by yourself.

310

Uh, I don't know if it was easier or not.

311

The minute they started a great

ministry up in Galilee and Capernaum,

312

uh, Jesus went out and just spent

time with God and prayed, and,

313

and Simon, and, and the companions

saw him and they looked for him.

314

And when they found him, they said,

Hey, everyone's looking for you.

315

And Jesus said, well, then let's go

somewhere else so I can preach there also.

316

That is why I have come, you know,

the seasons of following Jesus.

317

We're much the same as

Abraham or the Israelites.

318

It's like, where are we gonna go?

319

Who?

320

How are we gonna food?

321

How are we gonna pay our taxes?

322

Right?

323

We go to the fish and get out.

324

I get it out of its mouth

and pay the temple tax.

325

I mean there every day with Jesus.

326

What is he gonna say next?

327

Who's gonna gonna make mad next?

328

Right?

329

What's the next miracle?

330

The next conversion?

331

But that was sort of the allure.

332

Also, I think in some ways that

is the allure of following God.

333

Is behi, he is unknown, and he is

a mystery, and that when he reveals

334

himself to you, that is the exciting

part about our Christianity is going

335

on these journeys, knowing I get

to learn more and more about God.

336

So I think learning about Jesus

in real time was very exciting

337

for them, but I don't think

they ever fully knew who he was.

338

At the last supper, they're like,

if you just showed us the father,

339

that'll be, that's enough for us.

340

Just, you know, needless to

say, the Bible says no one has

341

seen God and remained alive.

342

You know what I mean?

343

Like, you'll die instantly.

344

So they didn't know what they

were asking, but at the same

345

time, what was Jesus' response?

346

Don't you know me?

347

So, you know, at the end of Jesus'

ministry in Luke 24, he actually

348

just says he opened their minds so

they could understand the scriptures.

349

I think that was just a

time crunch, honestly.

350

It's like, I've been here for three

years and I am like leaving to like later

351

today, and so I'm going to miraculously

open your brains because you still

352

don't get it, and I'm giving you the

miraculous gifts of knowledge of me.

353

Like right now.

354

And I, I wonder what that was like.

355

Like they all sort of looked around at

each other and they're like, oh, wow.

356

We we're like all simultaneously

getting it, you know, it

357

was like a matrix download.

358

All right.

359

Uh, if that weren't hard enough, how about

the church age following the Holy Spirit?

360

Well, that's clear, right?

361

We know exactly what God's

doing in the church age.

362

Um, one of my favorite passages of

scripture is when they get, when they

363

have to tackle the issue of circumcision.

364

And, and, and, but more than that, the,

the covenant of Moses and, and how they

365

were gonna deal with the Jews and the

Gentiles and some of the regulations of

366

the law and some of the traditions of the

Jews, and, and, and just what that was.

367

It was like COVID all over again.

368

You know what I mean?

369

Like how these sort of dicey cultural

issues that seep into the church and it

370

just feels like, wait, we should just

be out helping people become Christians.

371

But there are times to time out and

to figure out some of those issues.

372

So they got all the most

spiritual people on the planet.

373

People who had seen Jesus, Paul on

the road to Damascus, people who had

374

had tongues of fire rest on them.

375

In Acts chapter two, Jesus, his

physical brother, uh, James.

376

So they get all the most spiritual people

on Earth in one room to talk it out.

377

And the best they could come

up with is this is what seems

378

good to the Holy Spirit and us.

379

Isn't that frustrating about

the church age is, I feel like

380

it should be easier than this.

381

Like I feel like if we get

spiritual people talking, we

382

should be able to come up with a

good plan on how to move forward.

383

But the plan is, the best plan is like.

384

Uh, it seems good.

385

Like this is what we think, this

is what we suppose we should do.

386

Right.

387

Uh, we bought a building about

two years ago, uh, closed escrow.

388

Uh, and it was, you know, there's some

people for it, some people against it.

389

Uh, and you know, it's like we

got the board, we got the elders,

390

we got everybody together.

391

We did a tour of the facility and.

392

It seemed good to me and the

Holy Spirit that we should

393

move forward with it, you know?

394

Um, but it, it, God has

done great things with it.

395

It has been such a game changer for our

youth ministry, our campus ministry.

396

Uh, the, the coolest thing that I, that

it has, that this building doesn't have,

397

although this is a lot cooler than our

building, but when that screen goes up.

398

There's a baptistry right there.

399

And at the end of almost every

service lately, we've seen

400

people get baptized Today.

401

A guy Jeff Spence got baptized.

402

Uh, his son is in the campus ministry.

403

Uh, after two years his mom

got baptized, and then today

404

Jeff, uh, declared Jesus' Lord.

405

And then we had a, uh, baptism

in our Spanish ministry.

406

And that to have them on stage and

declare Jesus's Lord and for people

407

to see that is, is pretty cool.

408

If there's, I don't know if there's

room, but you can work on that.

409

Amen.

410

I know there's one way over there, but,

um, and then Paul and his companions

411

to go deliver the news, they try to

get into several places, but the Holy

412

Spirit keeps 'em from preaching the word

there, and then they try to get to bi

413

and the spirit of Jesus doesn't let them.

414

And then Paul has a dream that they

should go to Macedonia, and so they

415

conclude, let's go to Macedonia.

416

That's the church age.

417

It's, it's so, it's it's work to bring

all of our thoughts together and to try

418

to yield that to the Holy Spirit, to

have elders, board members, deacons,

419

evangelists, and all of us kind of come

up with a plan, ask for God's blessing

420

and pray and just trust that this is where

the holy and there's a lot of retroactive.

421

You know, the Book of Acts

wasn't written like today.

422

We did this.

423

No, it was years later.

424

And so I think Luke, as he's writing

acts, is like, you know what?

425

This was the Holy Spirit, but

I wish the Holy Spirit would

426

let us know more in real time.

427

And I, some of some people

are way too confident in what?

428

Well, the Spirit and the Spirit and the

Holy Spirit tell really the Holy Spirit.

429

Telling you to divide the church and run

off over here and take a house, church.

430

And really, that's, that's the

Holy Spirit is telling you that.

431

Oh, got it.

432

You know, uh, I don't know.

433

I think we should be a lot more

patient and collaborative with

434

what the Holy Spirit is leading us.

435

Um, and be willing to pivot when we

see the spirit blocking us at times.

436

Amen.

437

It's a challenge.

438

The church age, I think is one

of the most challenging ages, but

439

it's the same as probably Abraham

The Israelites is, is there's this

440

sense of where is God leading us?

441

What is the next church?

442

Appreciate remembering all of the

churches as, as Steve read that list.

443

That's okay that it took a

minute to hear all about what

444

God did with all of our mission.

445

Offerings through the years and

to know that now there's churches

446

that still need strengthening.

447

Uh, that's exciting.

448

That was the work of the Holy Spirit.

449

Um, but yeah, the, in the early church,

it, it was, uh, it was a challenge

450

to know where God was taking us.

451

And here's the thing, it's not bad to,

uh, to make some of these things known.

452

You know what I mean?

453

Like your career, your finances, to do

retirement planning, to get long-term

454

help, uh, insurance to, to, to buy

insurance, to buy car insurance.

455

I love, I, I don't know if you

ever watch Fridays with Frank.

456

He's an officer in Pinal County.

457

Anybody?

458

Yes.

459

I love watching him pull people over

and do traffic stops and there's these

460

sovereign citizens that he pulls over.

461

You know, I'm a sovereign

citizen and I'm traveling.

462

It's like, no, you're in Pinal County

and you're driving a car without a

463

license insurance and, and you're

about to get arrested in 20 minutes.

464

You know?

465

So anyway.

466

Um,

467

what did that have to do

with the last Oh, okay.

468

So known.

469

It's actually, you don't have to just

live as a sovereign citizen of the earth.

470

You can actually have a plan and

actually put away in, in retirement

471

and finance and, and budget.

472

And you guys know when we were

here, Sean and I were very much

473

fans of, of, of a Financial

Peace University and Dave Ramsey.

474

And, and it's because.

475

Without a plan.

476

We bought, built a second story on

our house and, and then in the unknown

477

season of 2007, the housing market

plummeted and we only had $163,000

478

in credit card debt at that time.

479

That was really a fun unknown season that

we traveled through and it was scary.

480

Uh, and it took years.

481

It took eight years.

482

Because a lot of people were

just sort of piecing out on all

483

that debt and we're like, no, the

wicked borrow and do not repay.

484

So I'm, I'm stupid, but

I don't wanna be wicked.

485

So we paid it all back in eight

years and, uh, so I'm a fan of known.

486

You could even just say that

is great stewardship to have

487

some of these things known.

488

Um, however, God is still going to.

489

Want to reveal himself to you.

490

And so there might be unknown seasons that

still crop up in your life, even if you're

491

doing a better job in your stewardship.

492

And I'm not gonna read this

passage, but you can write it down.

493

It's the church and layout see it,

and it really is a comparison of out

494

of the seven churches, that's the

one I would want to be a member of.

495

Because the other six, it's like,

well, Satan has his throne there and

496

these people are being killed and

these people are being persecuted and

497

these people are, you know what I mean?

498

Like there's, there is so much going on.

499

These people are dealing with

progressivism and gnosticism and all

500

these crazy theologies and battling it.

501

And, and God is, Christ is encouraging

all six of those congregations

502

to, to man just stay firm.

503

I know this is a difficult season.

504

Then he gets to lay sea and it's

like, we're doing pretty good here.

505

Most of the things that, uh, those

other people are facing, we kind of

506

have a, our schedule, our routine,

our finances, our food and lodging,

507

our health, our wellness, our friends

really like, it's actually going okay

508

here, but what did Jesus say to them?

509

It's, it's our relationship that

now is, is missing because yes.

510

It's going okay, but I'm

not communing with you.

511

Like, you don't need me.

512

You're not relying on me.

513

I'm on the outside.

514

I'm knocking.

515

I want, I want in, I want to

be your God, and I wanna reveal

516

myself to you in, in new ways.

517

Um, you know, the, uh, Katie

for Easter in their service,

518

um, they were doing sort of a.

519

Collage of, of some of

their baptism videos.

520

And uh, she's like, do you

have the video of my baptism?

521

And of course it was right there

and we were sitting right there

522

and, you know, so I was excited

to give that to her and find it.

523

But, but, uh, you know, I took

a video and, and the first video

524

that I brought up, we did some

of different people sharing.

525

As it panned across the, the, the crowd

there was Maro Nano and Jeff Sunderland

526

and Kevin Mains, and Brittany Fujiyama

and Brian Craig all sitting right here.

527

And I just think those families were about

to travel on a totally unknown journey.

528

Totally unknown to them.

529

To their extended relatives,

to their spouse, to their kids.

530

Uh, and yet it's like God knew and it,

it really did cause me to think, you

531

know, God is, he has to be our God.

532

We have to have communion with him.

533

We have to have Jesus not on the outside

trying to get in, but we're busy and we're

534

in control and we're serving lesser Gods.

535

Really.

536

He has to be our God.

537

That is the only thing that matters,

uh, in the end is God being our God.

538

So where is God leading you today?

539

Maybe as a church, as a congregation?

540

What are the unknown journeys that

this congregation has passed through

541

recent years, but God is leading you?

542

What is God trying to

reveal to you along the way?

543

Like sometimes I think I just

wanna know the lesson so that the

544

season can fast forward itself.

545

Um, because God loves you and, and

will lead you in these seasons.

546

It's not a lack of love.

547

Even as, uh, Eric talked

about those silent Saturdays.

548

You know, those are the digging ears.

549

Those are when God is speaking to you,

even though it may feel like silence.

550

No, God is pulling the curtain back.

551

All the time during those seasons.

552

Um, and also during those seasons,

let's repent and, and get rid of, you

553

know, the gods of our households, the

lesser gods that we serve, that that

554

lengthen those seasons, the control

that we regain because God wants to

555

be in that center position of life.

556

But it's funny, during unknown

seasons, we can go one of two ways.

557

Either we can just totally.

558

Surrender and say, God, I really

need you during this time, or

559

for me, I tend to double down.

560

Let me fix this and then get back to

God during, you know, happier seasons

561

so I can really have my golden calf

moments and serve my lesser gods when

562

there is chaos and unknown times in

my life and I really have to repent

563

and tr trust in God at those times.

564

God will work it out.

565

Uh, God is leading you and God will

provide, uh, more knowledge about himself.

566

Uh, so don't be in a

hurry to gain knowledge.

567

Don't, you don't have to look

everything up on your phone.

568

You can actually pray and

you can read your Bible.

569

Like those are two options.

570

That should supersede Google during

difficult times in your life.

571

Amen.

572

Uh, let's close in a prayer

and then, uh, we will continue.

573

Father, uh, we do, uh, we hate to

say thank you, but God thank you

574

for the unknown seasons of our

life, uh, God, because they are the

575

times when you reveal yourself to.

576

God.

577

Uh, we thank you so much for just

what you're doing, uh, in this church.

578

Uh, father, we, we thank you so much

for, uh, your heart, uh, for people.

579

God give us, uh, that communion that

we desperately need with Christ.

580

Uh, please help us to

repent of our lesser gods.

581

Uh, we love you.

582

It's in Jesus' name we pray.

583

Amen.

584

Amen.