Lonely
Notes
Transcript
Calling
Calling
What do you feel is your calling? Not your job title. Your calling. (Have everyone answer)
In pursuit of that calling, or life purpose, have you ever felt lonely? Like maybe no one understands exactly what you are going through? Or they just don’t care? Maybe it just that they can’t relate. At the moment of your greatest struggle. Your greatest pain, you are completely and totally alone.
Can anyone think of a time other that the crucifixion where Jesus may have felt this way?
Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.
Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”
Jesus was just baptized, God the Father proclaimed His acceptance of the Son, and then the Holy Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to fast a pray for 40. Alone. THEN He is tempted by the devil. After fasting for 40 days. In the desert. Alone. The devil tempts Him with food, power, authority, popularity, everything we could ever want. Jesus stands strong, and afterwards, the devil leaves.
Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
Does this give us hope? Do you see anyone around Him? Between now and the time Jesus calls His first disciple He is rejected in His home town, cast out a demon, healed Peter’s MIL and many other’s, preached a little more..... THEN He called His first disciples.
What can we learn from Jesus here?
Sometimes you have to start alone.
That doesn’t mean you stay alone or finish alone.
Calling is not for everyone.
Pain and resistance doesn’t mean you missed God
Jesus consistently suffered after faithfully doing what The Father asked
Rejection isn’t confirmation of missing the mark
Being faithful pays off