Welcome to the Jungle: The Call to Wild Faith

Several years ago, before Aiden was born, my parents took my family and my sister’s family to Disney World in Orlando. One of the rides we were all looking forward to riding was the Jungle Cruise. If you’ve ever been, You probably saw the same thing I did—people showing up at Disney’s Jungle Cruise dressed like they’re about to lead an expedition into the heart of the Amazon. They’ve got the safari hats, cargo shorts, moisture-wicking shirts, and even boots sturdy enough to wade through a swamp. Some of them even carry backpacks as if they’re braving the elements. They look like true explorers, ready to tackle the wild.

But where were they actually going?

Onto a slow-moving boat. A track-guided, risk-free, controlled experience where the biggest danger is a corny joke from the skipper. The river isn’t wild; it’s an artificial waterway. Though some of the animals are real; most of them are animatronic and the ones that aren’t are separated from you by a fence. The jungle isn’t untamed; it’s a carefully planned set piece. The entire experience is designed to feel adventurous while keeping everyone completely safe. It’s adventure without risk. It’s exploration without uncertainty. It’s the illusion of the wild—but it’s not the real thing.

We tend to like that. We like the idea of adventure, but when it comes to actually going somewhere dangerous, we much prefer the bear in the cage to the one in the woods.

Now, compare that to actually going down the Amazon River. There’s no neatly paved path, no assurance of safety. The water is untamed and unpredictable. You don’t know what’s lurking beneath the surface—piranhas, anacondas, crocodiles. The sounds of the jungle aren’t piped-in music; they’re real creatures moving in the trees, some watching you, some waiting for the right moment to strike. The air is thick with humidity, the mosquitoes are relentless, and at any moment, a tropical storm could roll in and turn your entire trip upside down.

It’s real. It’s wild. It’s untamed. And it’s transformative.

We all know the Jungle Cruise isn't a real jungle, right? It’s an adventure made to feel wild without any real danger. But many of us approach faith the same way—thinking we’re living the adventure without stepping into the real challenges of discipleship.

In our text, we see something different. As we transition from Jesus’ childhood to his ministry, we meet a familiar, but peculiar man. We’ve met him before, but in our text, we discover more about him.

Luke 3:1–6 ESV

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

We are introduced to John the Baptist. Luke gives little description of the man, but one of the disciples, a man who probably met John, gives a more rhobust picture.

Matthew 3:4 ESV

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

As you can see from the text, John was a character. And yet, Jesus Himself said John was the greatest of the prophets (Matthew 11:11), yet he lived in the wilderness, wore camel’s hair, and ate locusts. His faith wasn’t refined or controlled—it was raw, unfiltered, and fully surrendered to God. John the Baptist didn't live a comfortable life with the illusion of adventure; he lived in the real wilderness, where faith demanded bold action and a willingness to face uncertainty. Just like the difference between theme park adventures and the real Amazon, there’s a stark contrast between controlled faith and a life of true discipleship.

Why? What made John unique wasn’t just his calling, but his authenticity. While the Pharisees were concerned with the size of the phylacteries, John was concerned having a wild, authentic faith in Christ.

Many people approach their faith like the Jungle Cruise—they show up dressed for adventure, saying all the right things, carrying their Bible, talking about faith like they’re ready for something bold. But when it comes to stepping into the true, untamed adventure of following Jesus, they hesitate. They like the appearance of faith, but not the cost. They enjoy the illusion of discipleship but resist the real thing when it calls them out of their comfort zone.

But Jesus didn’t call us to dress like disciples. He called us to become disciples. And that means leaving behind the safe, comfortable, predictable faith and stepping into the wild unknown—where trusting God means risk, where obedience takes you beyond your plans, and where transformation happens not in the security of routine but in the uncertainty of full surrender.

The question is: What would it look like for you to move from a theme-park faith to a wild, untamed trust in Jesus this week?

John’s Ministry in the Wilderness

John the Baptist's mission was clear—he was to proclaim the coming of the Messiah and prepare the people for the restoration of God's Kingdom. His entire life was focused on this singular calling.

But notice where John’s ministry took place: not in the city, not in the centers of political or religious power like Jerusalem, Samaria, or Rome. John preached in the wilderness—the place of testing, cleansing, and preparation.

The Wilderness: God's Place of Preparation

The wilderness held deep significance in Jewish thought. It was in the wilderness that:

God prepared Israel before entering the Promised Land.

Moses transitioned from a privileged prince of Egypt to a faithful servant of God.

Elijah encountered God in the still, small voice.

Jesus Himself was tested before beginning His ministry.

God is calling us to the wilderness—to that untamed place where we meet Him face to face, away from the comforts and distractions of the world.

God is calling you to a wild religion.

Wild Religion is Personal

Throughout Scripture, God meets His people in the wilderness—an unpredictable, untamed place where the familiar routines and comforts of life are stripped away. It is here, in the wild, that God reveals Himself in powerful and personal ways:

Joseph, rejected and abandoned by his brothers, found himself in the wilderness of Param, far from his family and homeland. It was in this desolate place, through his trials and struggles, that Joseph encountered God’s presence, guidance, and ultimate plan for his life.

Moses, fleeing from Pharaoh’s wrath, took refuge in the wilderness of Midian. It was there, alone and humbled, that he experienced the burning bush—a direct, life-changing encounter with God that would shape his calling to lead Israel out of Egypt.

Israel, the people of God, wandered in the desert for forty years. In this barren and uncertain landscape, God proved Himself faithful, providing manna from heaven, water from rocks, and His presence in the form of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The wilderness became the place where their relationship with God was refined and deepened.

Through these examples, we see that God consistently meets His people in the wilderness. It’s not just a physical place—it’s symbolic of those seasons of life where we feel lost, vulnerable, or uncertain. In these "wild" moments, God invites us to leave behind the comforts of routine and ritual and enter into a more authentic, raw, and personal relationship with Him.

God is calling us to step into the wild—not to seek chaos, but to seek Him. It’s a call to abandon the predictable and allow God to meet us in the depths of our hearts, beyond our control, beyond our expectations, and beyond the confines of religious rituals. He desires a relationship with us that is intimate, real, and personal. In the wilderness, we encounter God in ways that we may never experience in the comfort of the familiar. It is in these wild spaces that our faith is tested, deepened, and transformed. For us, this wild faith might look like stepping into hard conversations with those who don’t know Jesus, taking a risk to serve someone in need, or surrendering our security to follow God into uncertain places.

Are you ready to step into the wild with God? To move beyond what’s comfortable and predictable, and embrace a faith that is personal, transformative, and alive?

Wild Religion is Unsafe

John’s message was undeniably unsafe. He didn’t invite people to find comfort or security in the city, but instead, he called them into the wilderness. A place of discomfort, uncertainty, and unpredictability. A place where the familiar rituals of religion were left behind, and the people were forced to face the raw, untamed reality of faith. John's call was not for a neat, controlled spiritual experience, but for a radical, life-altering encounter with God—one that would demand everything.

The truth is, we love safety. Safety gives us control. Even when we seek adventure, we prefer it to be sanitized, manageable, and predictable. We flock to theme parks that simulate the wild: roller coasters that mimic the thrill of a dangerous ride but with all risks eliminated, surrounded by cushioned seats and controlled environments. The idea of stepping into the real wilderness, where the terrain is rough and unpredictable, where survival depends on more than just a good plan, is intimidating to most. There, the landscape is raw and unrelenting, with no fences to protect us and no guarantees of comfort.

But John’s message—and the message of Jesus—is far from safe. It challenges the comfort of routine religion. It calls us away from predictable, controlled spiritual practices and into the unknown, where faith isn’t just about certainty but about trust. True faith is dangerous, for it isn’t contained in rituals, and it isn't about maintaining the status quo.

Consider the way Jesus lived. He didn’t come into the world wrapped in security, in the prestigious halls of a temple or the luxury of a royal palace. Instead, He was born in the wild, in a humble manger. His entrance into the world was an act of vulnerability, breaking through the barriers of power and expectation.

Jesus didn’t live within the safe, controlled confines of religious systems, either. He walked dusty, dangerous roads, met people on the margins, and embraced the messiness of life. He touched lepers, a risk to His own health, dined with sinners, disregarding the safety of His reputation, and boldly challenged the powerful, the religious elites, and anyone who clung to a faith of control and comfort. His very presence in the world was a disruption, a wild and unsafe proposition.

His salvation, too, was anything but safe. It wasn’t about offering a warm, fuzzy feeling or a comfortable way of life. It was about offering something far more radical—an invitation to surrender completely. To give up control. To deny our own safety and security. To follow Him into a life of risk and adventure, a life where the stakes are high, and the rewards are eternal.

In a world that often values comfort and predictability, Jesus calls us to abandon the safety we’ve created. He invites us to leave behind our neatly packaged faith, to take risks for the sake of the Kingdom, and to trust Him in places where control is an illusion. Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart; it requires courage to walk into the wilderness, to step into the unknown, and to trust Him with our lives in ways we never thought possible.

In today’s world, many of us try to live a faith that's free from risk, clinging to the safety of our routines. But the early disciples were not promised safety—they were promised purpose and a life of following Jesus wherever He leads.

As C.S. Lewis writes in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, when the children meet Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and learn about Aslan, they discover something profound about the nature of the King:

"Aslan is a lion—the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh!" said Susan. "I’d thought he was a man. Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion." "That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver. "If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly." "Then he isn’t safe?" "Said Lucy. "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you."

Just like Aslan, Jesus is not safe. He is not a tame, controlled version of faith that can be neatly packaged and placed within our comfort zones. He is the King, untamed and wild. And just like Aslan, Jesus’ path isn’t always comfortable. Following Him means embracing the discomfort of growth, the challenge of loving our enemies, and stepping into places that might make us feel uneasy—but He is good, and He is the King, and His call is the greatest adventure we can accept. He’s good in a way that calls us to more than we ever imagined, and more than we are capable of on our own. His call is a call to abandon safety, step into the unknown, and trust in His goodness, even when the path is unclear and the risks are high.

Are you ready to follow Him, even when the path is uncertain, even when it’s unsafe?

Wild Religion Creates Transformation

John’s message wasn’t just a suggestion—it was a call for radical transformation. He urged people to repent—a complete and total turning away from sin and a wholehearted turning toward God.

Repentance isn’t about small tweaks or minor adjustments. It’s a profound, life-altering shift. It’s a complete reorientation of our hearts and minds. Repentance means something radical like stepping away from unhealthy relationships, confronting sins that keep us in bondage, and fully depending on Jesus, not our own strength or resources. It’s not just turning away from sin; it’s turning to Christ with a heart that says, ‘Whatever it takes, I’ll follow you.

It means:

Abandoning comfort for a higher calling. No longer is our life defined by what feels safe or easy. Repentance calls us to leave behind the familiar and embrace the higher purpose God has for us.

Leaving behind self-sufficiency for total dependence on God. We must surrender our need for control, our reliance on our own strength, and acknowledge that we are wholly dependent on God for every step.

Walking away from worldly security into the unpredictable wilderness of faith. True faith is not about clinging to the safety of the known; it’s about stepping into the unknown with confidence that God will provide and guide us.

True faith is wild. It doesn’t fit into the comfortable boxes we like to create for ourselves. It calls us to venture into the unknown, release our grip on control, and trust God completely. Wild faith doesn’t just lead to incremental changes—it transforms us from the inside out, reorienting our desires, priorities, and our very way of life.

Conclusion: Answering the Call of the Wild

Conclusion:

As we consider the wild, untamed nature of the faith to which we are called, let’s remember that following Jesus isn’t about comfort, control, or safety. It’s about stepping into the unknown, trusting God in the wilderness, and allowing Him to transform us from the inside out. This wild faith challenges us to abandon our old ways of thinking and living, to seek something deeper, and to embrace the adventure of following Christ wherever He leads.

As we move forward, I want to leave you with three calls to action:

Step Into the Wilderness of Faith – Don’t settle for a faith that is comfortable and predictable. Take a step into the wilderness where God can stretch you. Embrace the discomfort of trusting God fully and following His call, even when the path is unclear. Ask yourself, "Where is God calling me to take a step of faith today?"

Repent and Reorient Your Heart – Just as John called the people to repentance, we are called to turn away from the sin and the self-sufficiency that hold us back. Repentance isn’t a one-time act—it’s a continual turning towards God. Let’s examine our lives and see where God is asking us to abandon worldly security and place our trust in Him alone.

Live Out a Transforming Faith – True faith is not something we keep to ourselves. It transforms us, and in turn, it transforms the world around us. Let’s allow God to shape us into the people He has called us to be—people who live boldly, love sacrificially, and share the good news of Jesus wherever we go.

In Jack London’s The Call of the Wild, the dog Buck hears a call—a call to return to the wild, to leave behind the comfort and predictability of his domesticated life. At first, Buck is resistant, unsure, and even afraid of what the wild might demand of him. But as the call grows stronger, something stirs deep within him. The pull of the wild becomes undeniable, and Buck eventually feels an irresistible desire to go into the unknown, to embrace the wildness that is his true nature.

London writes of Buck’s transformation: "He knew the call, and he knew that it was not a call to be ignored... He had to answer it."

Like Buck, we too are called into the wild—a faith that isn’t tame or controlled, but one that stirs something deep within us. We may resist at first, clinging to the comfort and security of what we know. But once we begin to hear the call of Christ—to follow Him into the wild unknown—we begin to feel that same stirring deep within our hearts. It’s a call to adventure, to transformation, to trusting God fully and stepping into a life of bold faith.

God is calling you into the wild—not a wild that is chaotic or dangerous, but a wild where He is the one in control, a place where your faith is tested, where His presence is real, and where transformation happens. Are you ready to follow Him into this adventure?