Faith When Life Gets Murky

Introduction

Have you ever:

Struggled to know God’s will?

Faced a decision where following Him felt confusing?

Felt God put something on your heart without knowing why?

If so, you’re going to love what we find in God’s Word today.

Title: Faith When Life Is Murky

Welcome to church. We’re on the set of The Chosen—the first multi-season series about the life of Christ and the highest crowdfunded TV or film project of all time—to ask:

Is That in the Bible?

Today’s clip comes from Season 5, Episode 1 (Play Clip: “Triumphal Entry” 1:33, “Sorrow Into Joy” 0:40)

Scripture Focus

John 12:12–16

“They did not understand these things at first…”

Big Idea

Choose compliance over clarity. Sermon in a sentence: Trust your Master, not your master plan.

The Moment

The bridle from Exodus? David? Joseph and Mary? → No biblical record, but the Triumphal Entry is accurate:

Donkey

Palm branches

Hosanna

Garments

Rebuke from enemies

Josephus (historian): 2.7 million people in Jerusalem for the feast

Jesus, after avoiding public coronation, finally allows a royal parade

A different kind of King with a different kind of Kingdom.

And the disciples? They were part of it—without a clue what was going on.

When Life Is Murky

They obeyed without understanding.

Matthew 21:1–3

Jesus sends two disciples to find a donkey:

“The Lord has need of them.”

In The Chosen, Matthew and Simon Z question the errand:

“You want us to borrow a burrow?”

Scripture doesn’t name the disciples—but the confusion is real.

Big Idea: Your job is not to understand God, but to obey Him.

Even Peter didn’t understand the cross:

Matthew 16:22–23 — Peter rebukes Jesus → “Get behind me, Satan!”

Lean not on your own understanding.

5 Reminders for Murky Seasons

1. 🏋️‍♂️ Muscle Confusion

Like a good trainer, God introduces instability to grow your faith.

James 1:3 — The testing of your faith produces patience

Jesus healed in different ways—no formula

C.S. Lewis: You can’t enter Narnia the same way twice

Don’t trust the system. Trust the Savior.

If your spiritual life feels disoriented—God might be growing you.

2. 🔄 Unorthodox Methods

Isaiah 55:8 — “My thoughts are not your thoughts…”

God works in surprising ways:

Burning bush (Moses)

Old man becomes a nation (Abraham)

Jericho’s walls fall by marching

Elijah’s soaked sacrifice

Jesus through a virgin

John baptizing Jesus

Water into wine

Five loaves and two fish

🧍‍♂️ Personal Example:

Called to plant a church with global reach

Didn’t make sense in Montana—now it does

💧 Favorite Example: Naaman (2 Kings 5)

Murky Jordan water → Seven dips → Healing

It’s not about the object of faith—it’s the opportunity for faith.

1 Corinthians 1:26–27 — God chooses the foolish and weak to shame the wise and strong.

3. 🐴 Readiness

The donkey was ready—tied up and waiting.

Don’t plow your field to the corners—leave room to say yes to God.

Why was Mary chosen? → She made herself available.

Your “donkey” might be:

Margin in your finances

Space in your schedule

Emotional availability

God’s work in one season prepares you for the next.

4. 👑 Kingdom

This must be your focus.

The disciples argued about who was the greatest

John the Baptist: “He must increase, I must decrease.”

Jesus modeled:

Servant mentality

Riding a donkey, not a warhorse

Majesty in meekness

Strength in weakness

5. 🔍 You’ll Know More Later

Obedience now leads to revelation later.

Proverbs 3:5–6 — Trust in the Lord… He will make your path straight

Eventually, the disciples realized they were fulfilling prophecy:

Zechariah 9:9

Psalm 118:25

2 Corinthians 5:7 — We walk by faith, not by sight

The Result

John 12:19–22

The Pharisees: “Look, the world has gone after Him!”

The Greeks: “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

People were drawn to Jesus because He was a different kind of King with a different kind of Kingdom.

They’ll be drawn to us when we follow in His footsteps.

Recap

Muscle Confusion

Unorthodox Methods

Readiness

Kingdom

You’ll Know More Later

Trust God even when it’s murky. Don’t demand clarity—offer compliance.

“Here I am, Lord. Send me.” Obedience > Understanding

Challenge

Make your mind up this year:

Choose the Spirit

Choose faith

Choose readiness

James 1:5 — If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God…

Closing + Communion

One more murky detail:

Luke 22 — The Upper Room Peter and John told to follow a man carrying a pitcher → Unusual (typically women’s job) → But not in the Kingdom of God

God is still looking for servants. We need the mind of Christ—seeing through a supernatural lens.

🎬 Final Clip:

No lamb on the table—because the Lamb sat at it.