It’s Okay to Ask

TEnd result: 

Text: Proverbs 25:2

Ask ChatGPT: Give me 20 interesting facts about Bible text here that are historical, cultural, linguistic, archaeological, or theological that most Christians don't know.

Thesis (sermon in one sentence):

Story:

Image:

Metaphor:

Layer 1: Warm-Up

Tonight, before we jump into a quick word and our groups: I want to invite you to look over at this banner we have set up.

This banner isn’t just a logo; it’s a message. This banner represents what I believe will be dozens of cancelled suicide plans next Wednesday night at our Stay Here Rally.

Next week, we’re going to be giving away 300 of these wristbands that don’t just have a message, but a means to save someone’s life.

So here’s the deal, tonight you’re gonna leave with options. Somebody say “I got options”

You’re going to leave with physical flyers, because a phone ban can’t keep away a message this important.

And you’re going to leave with promo images that our leaders will give you during groups. Can I beg you? Airdrop for Jesus this next week. Don’t be like the rest of the world and airdrop weird stuff: let’s spread the word as much as possible, one way or the other. Can we do that?

Proverbs 25:2 “It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them.”

It’s Okay to Ask

Layer 2: Confirmation Bias

I wonder in the room today, if there’s anyone that an assumption has gotten you in big trouble.

Layer 3: Funny

*story of me double-legging a student and the trouble I got in because of it*

Layer 4: Ouch

We know that assuming can be problematic in our everyday life, yet it’s still often our default.

We take the very creativity that God has given us, and we apply it to worst-case scenarios.

Layer 5: Emotional Surgery

The difference between assuming the worst and knowing God’s best is found in the questions we ask!

So here’s what I’m giving you permission to do: I’m giving you permission to stop asking, “what if” and start asking “what if.”

Now, if you’re confused by that: let me explain.

Many of our “what if’s” are actually based on assumptions:

“What if they break up with me”

“What if I don’t get that job”

“What if I don’t get to start”

But the Bible actually invites us to a higher standard of thinking. Paul writes in Philippians and says…

Philippians 4:8 “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

That verse that many of us know so well, Philippians 4:13? I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength? Yeah: that happens in the context of this verse.

So God must be trying to get our attention that much of our living is based on the level of our thinking.

What I’m saying is…let that “what if” be bent in a direction more excellent and worthy of praise.

“What if God’s got someone better in store for me”

“What if God’s got a better job for me”

“What if God wants to write a story in me that’s bigger than my stats on the field or court”

Layer 6: Theological Application

Tonight in our groups: we’re going to read together the story of a guy named Thomas. I think we as Christians do Thomas kinda dirty…

Because we know him as, “Doubting Thomas.”

But really, we only know him as that because he wanted to personally ask & ensure that Jesus Christ was still alive.

Come on, let’s be real: imagine if…

Seth: imagine you got done with football practice and everybody called you “Stinky Seth”

Aiden: imagine you got a little heated on the field and everybody started calling you “Angry Aiden”

That’d be pretty jacked up!

Layer 7: Full Circle

The truth is that, I think Thomas’ response to ask for himself for a sign that Jesus was alive was a very human thing to do.

And we’re not trying to be religious robots here at LP: we’re trying to be real people, asking real questions, and seeking real truth.

And that only comes from the right kind of “what if”