WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.259 I wonder if anyone has ever said something that you disagree with, but you've nodded along anyway, out of a sense of obligation. 00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:16.460 And I wonder if this has ever happened to you in church. 00:00:17.859 --> 00:00:18.879 Thanks for nodding along. 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:26.839 I wonder if this has ever happened in the context of hearing about God's faithfulness. 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:35.299 And on the outside, we nod along because we feel like we're expected to be fully confident that God is faithful. 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:42.340 But maybe on the inside, we actually are not quite so sure and we actually doubt that quite a bit. 00:00:42.420 --> 00:00:43.739 We doubt who Jesus is. 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:54.500 So on Palm Sunday, we remember Jesus entering Jerusalem and we think of the crowds full of excitement and anticipation. 00:00:54.500 --> 00:00:57.560 And they've heard stories of Jesus. 00:00:57.880 --> 00:01:02.299 They've heard stories of healings and miracles and there have been prophecies. 00:01:02.899 --> 00:01:08.180 And they expect that Jesus has come to save them from the Roman rule. 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:10.079 So they're full of excitement. 00:01:11.099 --> 00:01:14.980 And at the end of the week, Jesus is dead on a cross. 00:01:15.539 --> 00:01:21.340 It probably felt like a huge failure after all that anticipation. 00:01:21.340 --> 00:01:31.040 And when I heard the title of today's talk, the greatest failure of all, question mark, I was like, what failure? 00:01:31.460 --> 00:01:35.240 Because on this side of the cross, we don't see a failure. 00:01:35.800 --> 00:01:40.120 We know that things didn't go as they expected because Jesus died. 00:01:40.340 --> 00:01:43.659 But then Jesus rose again, defeating sin and death. 00:01:44.300 --> 00:01:45.320 That's not a failure. 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:50.479 We know that even though there might have been disappointment, God had a bigger plan. 00:01:51.739 --> 00:01:58.079 And yet so often, maybe we find ourselves resonating with these people. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:04.339 Maybe we have expectations of God and we feel that they haven't been met. 00:02:04.739 --> 00:02:09.180 And we're left questioning and doubting who God is. 00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:17.760 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, who is this? 00:02:18.580 --> 00:02:19.740 Who is this? 00:02:19.800 --> 00:02:28.020 This is essentially the key question that we spend our lives trying to work out and wrestling with. 00:02:28.740 --> 00:02:31.580 And this is a question asked throughout Jesus' life. 00:02:31.780 --> 00:02:35.760 So in Luke 7, who is this who even forgives sins? 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:40.560 In John 5, who is this fellow who told you to pick up your mat and walk? 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:42.840 In Mark 4, who is this? 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:45.340 Even the wind and waves obey him. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:49.959 Jesus' entire life begs the question, who is this? 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:53.899 And yet when we go to different people, we get very different responses. 00:02:55.099 --> 00:03:01.719 Some say a king, a prophet, a saviour, others a liar, a threat even. 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:05.639 And we see this in the response of the crowds. 00:03:05.979 --> 00:03:08.919 The crowds welcoming him in, praising him. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:14.900 And then at the end of the week, Jesus faces crowds chanting for him to be put to death. 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:21.599 So when we look to different places, we get different responses. 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:29.039 So three things we cannot rely on to answer this question, who Jesus is. 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:35.379 Number one, we cannot rely on people to inform us who Jesus is. 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:41.560 Now, don't get me wrong, it is important to speak to different people and get different perspectives. 00:03:42.579 --> 00:03:47.199 But if we rely on people, then we'll get very mixed messages. 00:03:47.759 --> 00:03:55.019 We only need to look on social media or even mention Jesus' name to know that there is controversy over who he is. 00:03:55.020 --> 00:04:01.620 And when navigating faith, this comes with challenges, because where do we go? 00:04:02.640 --> 00:04:09.600 Even within the church, there have been tensions, disagreements, failures that have left people disappointed. 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:20.339 And I feel so grateful that my experience of church has always been a place where everyone is welcomed and treated with genuine love, welcomed as they are. 00:04:20.779 --> 00:04:31.139 And yet we hear stories where people have experienced rejection at church and they've left with this idea that this is who Jesus is and they've walked away from faith. 00:04:31.139 --> 00:04:43.439 So we can't always rely on people to tell us who Jesus is because different people have different influences and will be left with mixed messages. 00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:52.139 Number two, we cannot rely on our understanding of circumstances to tell us who Jesus is. 00:04:52.139 --> 00:04:58.879 So, so often our circumstances influence our perception of who God is. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:04.519 We might feel like God isn't present or feel like God isn't with us. 00:05:05.259 --> 00:05:15.839 But as we know from the cross, the way we feel based on circumstances isn't always a reliable indicator because we don't have the full picture. 00:05:15.839 --> 00:05:25.439 So about a year ago, I went with my brother to see one of my absolute favourite musicians, Jacob Collier. 00:05:25.939 --> 00:05:28.899 And I was so excited. 00:05:29.459 --> 00:05:32.399 So we were queuing outside for hours. 00:05:32.919 --> 00:05:35.739 And when we finally got in, my legs were aching. 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:37.139 I felt so tired. 00:05:37.719 --> 00:05:41.519 But the thought of seeing Jacob Collier live kept me going. 00:05:41.519 --> 00:05:44.799 So we were waiting inside. 00:05:45.799 --> 00:05:47.099 Still kept waiting. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:52.339 Finally, it looked like it was about to start and we had such high expectations. 00:05:53.299 --> 00:05:55.599 And someone comes on stage with a megaphone. 00:05:56.459 --> 00:05:57.560 The show's cancelled. 00:05:58.039 --> 00:06:01.639 There's been a power cut and everyone needs to evacuate the building. 00:06:02.479 --> 00:06:06.500 So we're all full of disappointment and leaving. 00:06:07.139 --> 00:06:08.959 Some people are literally sobbing. 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:11.759 And all hope is lost. 00:06:11.919 --> 00:06:13.099 People are going home. 00:06:13.859 --> 00:06:18.399 But me and my brother, we wait a bit, sort of wallowing in our dismay. 00:06:20.060 --> 00:06:25.620 When, all of a sudden, a cue board is set up right next to us. 00:06:25.979 --> 00:06:31.060 Jacob Collier comes out and we get a live performance literally a metre away from him. 00:06:31.699 --> 00:06:35.139 And genuinely one of the best moments of my life. 00:06:35.139 --> 00:06:46.039 And much like the cross, we don't always see the full picture. 00:06:46.659 --> 00:06:48.579 Things didn't go the way I expected. 00:06:49.159 --> 00:06:50.180 I felt disappointed. 00:06:50.819 --> 00:06:55.979 But thank goodness I didn't leave because something much better was about to happen. 00:06:55.980 --> 00:07:00.819 When Jesus was on the cross, people said, 00:07:01.860 --> 00:07:06.120 If he comes down off the cross now, we will believe him. 00:07:07.080 --> 00:07:09.800 Maybe sometimes we approach God in this way. 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:13.540 If you were God, then you would do this. 00:07:14.200 --> 00:07:17.240 Circumstances are telling me that you are not who you say you are. 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:23.259 And we have expectations of the way things should be if God really is God. 00:07:24.740 --> 00:07:30.740 But we can't always put our faith in circumstances because we don't see the bigger picture. 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:35.699 The reality is, it's not this easy. 00:07:36.340 --> 00:07:38.280 Which leads to point number three. 00:07:39.420 --> 00:07:43.540 We cannot let our disappointment inform us who Jesus is. 00:07:43.540 --> 00:07:50.760 In this world, we do face some circumstances which seem truly hopeless. 00:07:51.460 --> 00:07:54.280 Where it does not look like things are going to get better. 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:57.860 It's almost impossible to see how any good can come from it. 00:07:58.620 --> 00:08:02.600 And in the face of this, it's natural to ask the question, 00:08:02.840 --> 00:08:04.040 God, where are you? 00:08:04.320 --> 00:08:06.020 God, why are you allowing this? 00:08:08.379 --> 00:08:10.400 These questions are real. 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:15.000 But God didn't ever promise that we wouldn't have suffering. 00:08:15.359 --> 00:08:19.279 He actually told us, in this world, we will have difficulties. 00:08:20.379 --> 00:08:27.079 Our experience of pain, us witnessing pain, is not God-breaking promises. 00:08:29.699 --> 00:08:33.819 And it's important to acknowledge the reality of our disappointment. 00:08:33.820 --> 00:08:40.420 But also, this does not change what God has promised, which is that he will always be with us. 00:08:41.900 --> 00:08:48.200 So, if we can't rely on people, can't rely on circumstances, can't rely on our feelings, 00:08:48.340 --> 00:08:49.600 then where do we go? 00:08:49.800 --> 00:08:51.680 How do we know who God is? 00:08:53.160 --> 00:08:54.760 We look to the cross. 00:08:55.560 --> 00:08:58.400 The cross tells us who Jesus is. 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:03.620 When we look to the cross, we see a God who does not watch from a distance, 00:09:03.899 --> 00:09:07.179 but a God who chose to meet us in our suffering. 00:09:08.179 --> 00:09:11.439 When we look to the cross, we see that Jesus understands suffering, 00:09:11.819 --> 00:09:14.299 because he experienced it himself. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:18.759 When we look to the cross, we see a God of grace, 00:09:19.019 --> 00:09:21.379 that chose to pay the price for our sins, 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:23.480 so that they would not separate us from him, 00:09:23.740 --> 00:09:26.539 so that he could be with us through it all. 00:09:26.539 --> 00:09:31.599 It is true that when we look to the world, we see rejection, 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:34.959 we see injustice, we see inequality, 00:09:35.620 --> 00:09:38.039 we see grief, we see a lack of forgiveness. 00:09:38.539 --> 00:09:42.319 But when we look to Jesus' life, we see that Jesus did not reject, 00:09:42.459 --> 00:09:44.799 but God welcomed in the outsiders. 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:46.819 Jesus welcomed in the sinners. 00:09:47.459 --> 00:09:51.319 He stood up for those who were abused by power and looked down on. 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:53.219 He cared about justice. 00:09:53.220 --> 00:09:57.080 He experienced grief and loss and pain, 00:09:57.220 --> 00:09:59.460 and he didn't turn away when that was suffering. 00:09:59.840 --> 00:10:01.180 He got involved. 00:10:02.259 --> 00:10:04.000 This is who Jesus is. 00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:07.279 And if we think that Jesus is someone who excludes, 00:10:07.620 --> 00:10:09.980 condemns, neglects, or fails, 00:10:10.100 --> 00:10:13.660 then maybe we're not seeing him through the lens of the cross. 00:10:13.659 --> 00:10:18.959 We cannot place our faith in what we see, 00:10:19.819 --> 00:10:22.000 but rather in who he is. 00:10:22.819 --> 00:10:25.000 And who he is never changes. 00:10:25.779 --> 00:10:30.879 The Bible tells us Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:39.120 And if our faith is based on what we experience and how well things are going, 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:41.460 it might look a bit like, 00:10:41.580 --> 00:10:42.419 things are going well. 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:43.860 Great, I trust you, God. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:45.759 But as soon as something goes wrong, 00:10:45.899 --> 00:10:47.220 which it usually does, 00:10:47.500 --> 00:10:49.159 we're so quick to walk away, 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:52.539 and the risk is that it becomes like a contract. 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:55.080 God, if you do this, then I'll follow you. 00:10:55.080 --> 00:11:02.280 But part of faith is that we don't see what's coming. 00:11:03.020 --> 00:11:06.860 We choose to follow Jesus because of who he is, 00:11:07.480 --> 00:11:11.020 even when things may not be going as well as we hope. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:18.360 So, how do we respond to the reality of disappointment? 00:11:19.660 --> 00:11:23.540 I don't know if you've ever come across the ostrich effect, 00:11:23.539 --> 00:11:27.980 but I laughed when I saw this because I relate so much. 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:33.860 But ostriches often bury their heads in the sand, 00:11:34.139 --> 00:11:36.459 and it's often used as a metaphor 00:11:36.459 --> 00:11:38.779 for when we're faced with a problem, 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:40.599 and we don't know where to go, 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:44.240 we just bury our head in the sand and pretend it's not there. 00:11:45.179 --> 00:11:47.419 And I so do this. 00:11:49.079 --> 00:11:52.079 But I wonder if we do this with faith as well, 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:54.259 when we look to circumstances, 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:56.379 we feel overwhelmed. 00:11:56.740 --> 00:11:59.500 We feel overwhelmed with the opinions of others, 00:11:59.660 --> 00:12:01.740 expectations, what we should think, 00:12:02.139 --> 00:12:05.160 overwhelmed with doubts and questions and emotions, 00:12:05.160 --> 00:12:07.840 and we feel like the only option 00:12:07.840 --> 00:12:10.080 is to just bury our head in the sand, 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:12.100 pretend the struggle isn't there. 00:12:13.259 --> 00:12:15.639 But we don't have to do this. 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:18.200 We don't have to fake it. 00:12:18.200 --> 00:12:21.600 God never tells us that to follow him, 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:24.680 we have to suppress all doubts. 00:12:25.220 --> 00:12:27.100 The Bible tells us, 00:12:27.940 --> 00:12:32.180 cast all your cares on him because he cares for you. 00:12:33.040 --> 00:12:36.740 Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you. 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:37.820 Not filtered. 00:12:37.940 --> 00:12:39.840 We can cast everything on him, 00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:41.100 every doubt. 00:12:41.100 --> 00:12:44.580 It doesn't have to be the cares that aren't too heavy 00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:46.720 or the cares that we don't mind telling our friends 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:49.340 or the cares that won't offend God. 00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:51.399 All the cares. 00:12:51.500 --> 00:12:53.120 We can be unfiltered about this. 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:53.659 We can say, 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:55.300 God, I feel disappointed in you. 00:12:55.340 --> 00:12:56.500 I feel let down by you. 00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:57.820 God, I feel angry with you. 00:12:58.259 --> 00:13:00.540 God, I actually want to walk away from you right now. 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:06.100 And we can be brutally honest with God. 00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:07.120 And the thing is, 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.420 having faith is all about relationship. 00:13:10.840 --> 00:13:12.279 We know this from the cross. 00:13:12.779 --> 00:13:14.220 Jesus came to earth 00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:16.340 because he wanted to have relationship with us. 00:13:17.060 --> 00:13:18.180 And to have relationship, 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:20.019 this requires honesty. 00:13:20.779 --> 00:13:23.399 This means we have to be vulnerable with God. 00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:26.519 We have to tell him how we feel. 00:13:27.139 --> 00:13:28.940 And the wonderful thing is, 00:13:29.340 --> 00:13:32.060 his goodness and his faithfulness 00:13:32.060 --> 00:13:35.660 is not dependent on our perception of it. 00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:41.320 We don't need to bury our head in the sand 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:44.340 because faith is not about suppressing doubts. 00:13:45.019 --> 00:13:47.960 It's not about pretending the darkness doesn't exist. 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:51.200 Faith is about making a choice 00:13:51.200 --> 00:13:54.740 in the light of who Jesus has shown himself to be. 00:13:57.320 --> 00:14:00.779 We don't need to accept the brokenness of this world. 00:14:01.379 --> 00:14:03.279 But ultimately, faith is about saying, 00:14:03.860 --> 00:14:05.740 God, I don't understand the darkness, 00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:08.240 but I know that your name is light. 00:14:10.560 --> 00:14:13.500 Feeling disappointed is a reality. 00:14:14.539 --> 00:14:16.799 But let's remember who Jesus is. 00:14:17.680 --> 00:14:19.000 Let's look to the cross. 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:29.820 God, thank you. 00:14:29.820 --> 00:14:29.879 Thank you. 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:33.419 That you promised to never leave us. 00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:36.360 And we just acknowledge the reality 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:39.740 that sometimes it doesn't always feel like that. 00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:44.440 Thank you that we can come exactly as we are. 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:46.740 We don't need to hide anything. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:48.740 That's not what you ask for. 00:14:49.539 --> 00:14:52.200 You just want us to let you in. 00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:55.360 And we just bring to mind now. 00:14:55.360 --> 00:14:59.019 We just come before you completely honest. 00:15:00.800 --> 00:15:02.980 Thank you that you do not reject us. 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:06.320 But you actually welcome us. 00:15:06.800 --> 00:15:08.139 You can take it. 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:18.120 Thank you that no matter what it feels like, 00:15:18.180 --> 00:15:19.220 no matter what we see, 00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:22.560 who you are is a God of comfort, 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:24.899 a God of love, 00:15:26.219 --> 00:15:28.519 a God who understands suffering, 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:32.399 a God who is with us. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.559 Thank you. 00:15:33.559 --> 00:15:34.379 Thank you. 00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:35.779 Thank you. 00:15:35.779 --> 00:15:36.679 Thank you. 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:37.039 Thank you. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:37.159 Thank you. 00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:40.779 Thank you. 00:15:59.159 --> 00:15:59.559 Thank you. 00:16:01.240 --> 00:16:01.259 Thank you.