Walnut Grove

Join Tim and John for this week's episode, as they talk about Giants, Nephilim, and the Mysterious Sons of God.
Theme: What Do We Actually Know About One of Scripture's Strangest Mysteries?Key Scripture: Genesis 6:1–4Big Idea: We don't have to solve every biblical mystery to trust the God who revealed it.
“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward...”— Genesis 6:4
Introduction
October has arrived, and that means we're going to spend the month looking at some of the stranger, more mysterious, and maybe even slightly spooky parts of the Bible.
And we're starting with a passage that has produced an incredible amount of discussion, disagreement, books, documentaries, internet theories, and some ideas that probably should have stayed on the internet.
Genesis 6:1–4.
It's only four verses.
But those four verses introduce us to:
The sons of God.
The daughters of man.
The Nephilim.
And mysterious “mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”
Then, almost as quickly as Genesis introduces these mysterious figures, it moves on.
And we're left saying:
“Wait! Go back! Who were those people?”
Genesis doesn't.
Instead, verse 5 immediately turns our attention toward the growing wickedness of humanity and the coming judgment of the Flood.
That's important because sometimes our curiosity focuses on something that wasn't the biblical writer's primary concern.
We want to know:
Who were the Nephilim?
Were they giants?
Were the sons of God angels?
Were they humans?
How big were these people?
Were there Nephilim after the Flood?
Meanwhile Genesis is saying:
Humanity had become deeply corrupt, and God's judgment was coming.
So today we're going to have some fun with one of Scripture's strangest mysteries, but we're also going to try to be careful.
We're going to separate three things:
What the Bible clearly says.
What Christians have reasonably interpreted from what the Bible says.
And:
What people have simply added to the story.
Because those aren't the same thing.
Sometimes the most biblical answer to a question is:
“We don't know.”
And that's okay.
We don't have to solve every biblical mystery to trust the God who revealed it.
What Does Genesis 6 Actually Say?
Let's start by reading the passage itself.
Genesis 6:1–4 says:
“When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the LORD said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.’ The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”
That's it.
Four verses.
And immediately we have questions.
Who are the sons of God?
Why are the women specifically called daughters of man?
Who are the Nephilim?
Are the children of these unions the Nephilim, or is Genesis simply saying the Nephilim existed during this period?
What does “and also afterward” mean?
What are the mighty men of old?
And why does Genesis tell us so little?
Those questions have been debated for centuries.
So if somebody tells you:
“There is absolutely no question whatsoever about exactly what Genesis 6 means,”
you may want to slow them down a little.
There are serious Christians who hold different interpretations of this passage.
We can examine the evidence.
We can have a position.
But we should also have enough humility to recognize where Scripture gives us limited information.
Who Are the “Sons of God”?
This is probably the biggest question in the passage.
Genesis says:
“The sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.”
Who are these sons of God?
There are three major interpretations that have commonly been suggested.
View One — Angelic or Heavenly Beings
The first interpretation is probably also the strangest.
Under this view, the sons of God are rebellious heavenly beings.
People who hold this interpretation point out that the phrase “sons of God” is used elsewhere in the Old Testament for heavenly beings.
For example, Job 1:6 says:
“Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD...”
A similar expression appears in Job 2 and Job 38.
So supporters of this interpretation argue that Genesis 6 is describing heavenly beings who rebelled against God's established order and took human women.
This was also an ancient interpretation of the passage and appears in Jewish writings outside the Bible.
Some Christians also connect Genesis 6 with passages such as 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6, which refer to angels who sinned and were judged.
Jude says:
“And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling...”
Some believe Jude is referring back to the events of Genesis 6.
Others disagree.
And that's an important distinction.
Jude doesn't explicitly say, “I'm talking about Genesis 6.”
That's an interpretation connecting the passages.
It may be a reasonable connection, but we shouldn't say the Bible explicitly states something that it doesn't.
The Difficulty with the Angelic View
There are also questions this interpretation has to answer.
Jesus says in Matthew 22:30 that in the resurrection people:
“...neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.”
Some argue that this makes the angelic interpretation impossible.
Others respond that Jesus specifically says angels in heaven, while Genesis 6 would involve rebellious beings violating God's intended order.
Again, you can see why Christians have debated this.
There are biblical arguments people make for the angelic interpretation.
There are also legitimate questions about it.
But if this view is correct, Genesis 6 becomes one of the strangest supernatural events recorded anywhere in Scripture.
View Two — The Godly Line of Seth
A second interpretation identifies the sons of God as descendants of Seth.
Genesis 4 describes the line of Cain.
Genesis 5 follows the line of Seth.
Then Genesis 6 describes the sons of God taking the daughters of man.
According to this interpretation, Genesis is describing the godly line of Seth intermarrying with the ungodly descendants of Cain.
The issue would therefore not be supernatural beings marrying humans.
It would be the increasing corruption of humanity as those who had followed God compromised with the wicked culture around them.
This interpretation fits well with one of the larger themes of Genesis 4–6:
Human wickedness is spreading.
And immediately after our mysterious four verses, Genesis 6:5 says:
“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth...”
So the larger context is clearly human corruption.
The Difficulty with the Sethite View
The major question is:
Why would Genesis call Seth's descendants “sons of God”?
The passage doesn't explicitly identify them as Sethites.
It also doesn't specifically call the women descendants of Cain.
Those connections have to be inferred from the preceding chapters.
So again, there are reasons people hold this interpretation, but the passage doesn't simply come out and say:
“The sons of God were the descendants of Seth.”
That's interpretation, not explicit statement.
View Three — Powerful Kings or Rulers
A third major interpretation sees the sons of God as powerful human rulers, kings, or warrior-kings.
In the ancient world, kings sometimes claimed divine status or presented themselves as representatives of the gods.
Under this interpretation, Genesis 6 describes powerful rulers taking whatever women they wanted.
Notice the language:
“...they took as their wives any they chose.”
That could suggest abuse of power.
These rulers saw.
They desired.
They took.
There's an interesting similarity to the pattern of the Fall.
Eve saw that the fruit was desirable and took it.
Here powerful figures see women they desire and take them.
Under this interpretation, Genesis 6 is another picture of human power becoming corrupted.
The mighty men and men of renown could then be ancient warriors or tyrants whose reputations became legendary.
So Which View Is Correct?
This is where we need some humility.
All three interpretations have been defended.
The angelic view has ancient support and takes the phrase “sons of God” seriously in light of passages such as Job.
The Sethite view fits the developing contrast between the family lines in Genesis.
The ruler view fits the themes of violence, power, corruption, and human pride that surround the Flood account.
You can study the evidence and come to a conclusion.
But we should distinguish between:
“This is the interpretation I find most convincing”
and
“The Bible clearly says this.”
Those aren't always the same statement.
And Genesis seems far more interested in showing us why judgment was coming than satisfying every question we have about the identity of these figures.
Who Were the Nephilim?
Then we come to the really famous part.
Genesis 6:4 says:
“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward...”
Who were the Nephilim?
The Hebrew word Nephilim is difficult to translate with certainty.
Some English translations historically rendered it “giants.”
Others simply leave the word as Nephilim.
Genesis describes figures associated with this period as:
“...the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”
That sounds like formidable ancient warriors or famous heroes.
But Genesis itself doesn't give us their height.
It doesn't tell us what they looked like.
It doesn't give us a Nephilim family tree.
It doesn't tell us everything we'd like to know.
The next explicit appearance of the word comes much later in Numbers.
And that's where giants enter the discussion very clearly.
The Nephilim in Numbers 13
When Israel approaches the Promised Land, Moses sends twelve spies into Canaan.
They return saying the land is wonderful.
But ten spies are terrified by the inhabitants.
Numbers 13:33 records their report:
“And there we saw the Nephilim... And we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
Now we've got something interesting.
The spies connect the people they saw with the Nephilim.
And they describe themselves as grasshoppers by comparison.
That certainly sounds like enormous people.
But there's another detail we shouldn't overlook.
This statement comes in the middle of what Numbers 13:32 calls a bad report brought by the fearful spies.
They're trying to convince Israel:
“We cannot take this land.”
So are they giving a literal measurement?
Probably not.
“We were like grasshoppers” sounds like exaggerated language expressing how terrified and overwhelmed they felt.
That doesn't mean the people weren't unusually large.
Other biblical passages clearly describe unusually large people in the land.
But we should read Numbers 13 carefully rather than turning a fearful report into a measuring tape.
How Were There Nephilim After the Flood?
Now we hit another mystery.
Genesis 6 says:
“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward...”
Then comes the Flood.
Later Numbers mentions Nephilim again.
So naturally people ask:
“How?”
And this is where speculation can really take off.
People have proposed all sorts of theories.
But Scripture doesn't stop and give us an explanation.
Depending on your interpretation of Genesis 6, there are several possibilities.
Perhaps Numbers uses the term to associate these later formidable people with the legendary Nephilim.
Perhaps whatever produced the conditions of Genesis 6 occurred again.
Perhaps the spies were using familiar language to describe terrifying enemies.
There are other proposals as well.
But Scripture doesn't explicitly tell us.
And that's where we need to be comfortable saying:
“I don't know.”
Sometimes we'd rather have an exciting theory than an unanswered question.
But unanswered questions are better than answers we invented.
The Anakim
The giant theme continues with a group called the Anakim.
These were people associated particularly with Canaan.
Deuteronomy 9:2 describes them as:
“...a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim...”
They had a frightening reputation.
Israel had apparently heard the saying:
“Who can stand before the sons of Anak?”
These weren't simply mysterious figures from ancient legends.
They were enemies Israel actually encountered.
Joshua 11 tells us that Joshua eventually cut off the Anakim from much of the land.
But some remained in:
Gaza.
Gath.
Ashdod.
Remember one of those names.
Gath.
Because later the Bible introduces us to a very famous warrior from Gath.
His name was Goliath.
We'll come back to him.
The Rephaim
Another mysterious group connected with unusually large people is the Rephaim.
Deuteronomy 2 and 3 discusses several peoples associated with them.
One particularly famous example is Og, king of Bashan.
Deuteronomy 3:11 says:
“For only Og the king of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim.”
And then Scripture gives us a fascinating detail about his bed—or possibly his funerary couch.
It was about nine cubits long and four cubits wide.
Depending on the cubit being used, that's somewhere around thirteen feet long.
Now, that doesn't mean Og himself was thirteen feet tall.
Beds are generally longer than the people sleeping in them.
Thankfully.
But the fact that Scripture specifically mentions the extraordinary size of his bed tells us something about Og's reputation and size.
He was a formidable man.
Yet Israel defeated him.
And that's actually the important part of the story.
Don't Miss the Point of the Giants
This is where the theology becomes more important than the measurements.
We can become fascinated with:
How tall was Og?
How tall was Goliath?
How big were the Anakim?
But the biblical story repeatedly uses these intimidating enemies to teach something much more important.
God's people didn't defeat them because God's people were bigger.
They defeated them because God was greater.
Remember the spies?
Ten looked at the inhabitants of Canaan and essentially said:
“They're too big.”
Joshua and Caleb looked at the same people and said:
“God has promised us this land.”
Same giants.
Same fortified cities.
Same circumstances.
Different view of God.
The problem wasn't that the ten spies overestimated the enemy.
The deeper problem was that they underestimated God.
That's a lesson worth remembering.
Og of Bashan
Og is especially interesting because the Bible seems intentionally to emphasize how intimidating he was.
He was king of Bashan.
He was connected to the Rephaim.
He had an enormous bed.
From a human perspective, he was exactly the sort of enemy Israel should have feared.
But Deuteronomy 3 records God's words to Moses:
“Do not fear him, for I have given him and all his people and his land into your hand.”
That's the point.
Don't fear him.
Why?
Not because Og wasn't dangerous.
Not because he wasn't powerful.
Not because Israel was stronger.
But because God was greater.
Sometimes faith isn't pretending the giant is small.
Faith is recognizing that God is bigger than the giant.
And Then Comes Goliath
Eventually we arrive at the most famous giant in Scripture.
Goliath of Gath.
Remember, Gath was one of the places where remnants of the Anakim remained.
First Samuel 17 describes Goliath as an enormous warrior.
He's heavily armored.
He's experienced.
He's intimidating.
And every day he comes out and challenges Israel.
The Israelite army is terrified.
Then David arrives.
And David sees the situation differently.
Everyone else sees:
Goliath versus David.
David sees:
Goliath versus God.
That's why David says in 1 Samuel 17:45:
“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts...”
David isn't confident because he thinks he's secretly stronger than Goliath.
He's confident because he knows who God is.
That's the same lesson running through the giant stories.
The giants look unstoppable.
But they're not.
What About Goliath's Height?
Here's another interesting biblical discussion.
Many people know Goliath as being “six cubits and a span,” which would make him somewhere around nine feet tall depending on the cubit.
But some ancient manuscript traditions give his height as four cubits and a span, closer to six and a half or seven feet.
Either way, Goliath was an intimidating warrior.
And frankly, if you're an ancient Israelite of average height and a heavily armored man approaching seven feet tall walks toward you carrying a spear, you're probably not saying:
“Well, technically he's not nine feet.”
He's still a very large problem.
But this is another example of why we should be careful about building elaborate theories around details where textual questions exist.
The point of 1 Samuel 17 isn't:
“Exactly how many inches tall was Goliath?”
The point is:
Israel was afraid of an enemy David trusted God to defeat.
Were All Giants Nephilim?
This is another place where people sometimes connect things Scripture doesn't explicitly connect.
The Bible mentions:
Nephilim.
Anakim.
Rephaim.
Goliath and other large warriors.
There are relationships between some of these groups.
Numbers 13 connects the Anakim with the Nephilim in the spies' report.
Deuteronomy associates the Anakim and other unusually large peoples with the Rephaim.
But we should be careful about saying:
“Every giant in Scripture was definitely a Nephilim.”
The Bible doesn't say that.
Likewise, Scripture doesn't give us a detailed supernatural genealogy connecting every large warrior back to Genesis 6.
Could there be connections?
Certainly.
Does Scripture answer every question about those connections?
No.
Again, we need to know where the Bible stops.
Where Things Get Really Strange
And this is where the internet enters the conversation.
Search for Nephilim long enough and you can find theories involving almost anything.
Ancient civilizations.
Secret bloodlines.
Lost technologies.
Aliens.
Modern governments.
Hidden skeletons.
Secret archaeological discoveries.
Conspiracies involving museums.
And probably Bigfoot somewhere if you search long enough.
Here's the problem:
Most of that isn't coming from Genesis 6.
It's people taking four mysterious verses and building enormous systems around them.
Christians need to be careful about that.
Mystery can make us curious.
Curiosity isn't wrong.
But curiosity can tempt us to treat speculation as revelation.
What Does the Bible Actually Say?
Let's simplify everything.
What can we confidently say?
Genesis 6 says there were mysterious figures called the sons of God who took the daughters of man.
There were Nephilim on the earth in those days and also afterward.
The passage associates this period with mighty men and men of renown.
Numbers 13 uses the term Nephilim when describing intimidating inhabitants of Canaan.
The Old Testament also describes unusually large peoples such as the Anakim and Rephaim.
Og of Bashan was associated with the Rephaim.
Goliath was an unusually large warrior from Gath.
That's what Scripture gives us.
Beyond that, we need to start distinguishing between interpretation and speculation.
It's Okay to Say “I Don't Know”
This may be one of the most useful lessons from Genesis 6.
Christians sometimes feel like we have to have an answer for everything.
Someone asks:
“Who exactly were the sons of God?”
We feel pressure to answer.
“How did Nephilim exist after the Flood?”
We need an answer.
“Exactly how were the Anakim connected to Genesis 6?”
We need an answer.
But sometimes the faithful answer is:
“Scripture doesn't tell us.”
That isn't weakness.
That's respecting Scripture.
Deuteronomy 29:29 says:
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us...”
There are things God has revealed.
And there are things He hasn't.
Our responsibility is to be faithful with what He has revealed.
Don't Let the Mystery Distract from the Message
There's one more thing we need to notice.
Genesis 6:1–4 isn't sitting by itself.
What comes immediately afterward?
Genesis 6:5:
“The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Then comes Noah.
The ark.
The Flood.
Judgment.
And salvation.
So whatever exactly was happening in verses 1–4, the larger message is clear:
Humanity had become deeply corrupted by sin.
The world needed judgment.
And God provided a means of rescue through Noah and the ark.
That's where Genesis is taking us.
If we spend two hours arguing about whether the Nephilim were twelve feet tall and completely miss the warning about human sin, we've probably missed the point.
The mysterious details are fascinating.
But the main story is still about God.
The Bigger Biblical Pattern
There's also a pattern running through these stories.
Genesis 6 gives us mighty men of renown.
Numbers gives us terrifying inhabitants of Canaan.
Deuteronomy gives us Og.
Samuel gives us Goliath.
Again and again, Scripture presents people who appear impossibly powerful.
And again and again:
They aren't more powerful than God.
That's something worth carrying into our own lives.
We may not have a nine-foot Philistine standing in the driveway tomorrow morning.
Hopefully.
But we know what it's like to face something that feels bigger than us.
A problem we can't solve.
A situation we can't control.
A future we can't predict.
And sometimes we make the same mistake Israel made.
We become so focused on the size of the problem that we forget the greatness of God.
The biblical answer isn't to pretend the problem is small.
It's to remember that God is greater.
Discussion Questions
When did you first hear about the Nephilim?
Who do you think the “sons of God” in Genesis 6 were, and why?
Which interpretation do you find most convincing?
Why do you think Genesis gives us so little information about the Nephilim?
What does “and also afterward” in Genesis 6:4 make you wonder about?
What can we confidently say about the Anakim and Rephaim?
Why should we distinguish between biblical teaching, interpretation, and speculation?
Why are people so fascinated by mysterious passages like Genesis 6?
What's dangerous about building large theories on a few unclear verses?
What can the giant stories teach us about trusting God?
Closing Challenge
Genesis 6 is strange.
There's no getting around that.
We have mysterious sons of God.
Daughters of man.
Nephilim.
Mighty men.
Men of renown.
Then later we encounter Anakim.
Rephaim.
Og of Bashan.
Goliath.
There are legitimate questions about how all of those things fit together.
And Christians have debated some of those questions for centuries.
It's okay to study them.
It's okay to be fascinated by them.
It's okay to have an interpretation.
But let's remember something important:
The Bible wasn't given merely to satisfy our curiosity.
It was given to reveal God.
And when Scripture doesn't answer every question, we shouldn't fill the silence with speculation and then call our speculation Scripture.
Sometimes we simply say:
“I don't know.”
And then we hold firmly to what we do know.
We know humanity fell into terrible wickedness.
We know God judges sin.
We know God showed mercy.
We know no enemy described in Scripture—not the Nephilim, not the Anakim, not the Rephaim, not Og, not Goliath—was ever beyond God's authority.
And ultimately, Scripture points us toward something much greater than giants.
It points us toward Christ.
So enjoy the mysteries.
Ask questions.
Study difficult passages.
Compare Scripture with Scripture.
Have conversations.
And yes, October is a pretty good month to talk about giants.
But keep the main thing the main thing.
Our confidence isn't built on having every mystery solved.
Our confidence is built on the God who has revealed Himself.
We don't have to solve every biblical mystery to trust the God who revealed it.

Sermon Date: 9/27/2026Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new
Scripture: Philippians 3:12–16
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”— Philippians 3:12
Introduction
One of the easiest things to do in the Christian life is to look backward.
Sometimes we look back at our failures—things we said, things we did, opportunities we missed, sins we regret.
Sometimes we look back at our successes—the things we accomplished, the victories God gave us, the seasons when our faith seemed stronger.
And sometimes we simply look back because the past is familiar.
But you cannot walk forward while constantly looking behind you.
In Philippians 3, Paul has just talked about everything he once considered important. He had accomplishments. He had religious credentials. He had a reputation. Yet Paul says that compared with knowing Christ, all of those things were loss.
Then he makes an important confession:
I have not arrived yet.
Paul had followed Christ for years. He had preached the Gospel. He had planted churches. He had suffered for Jesus. God had used him tremendously.
Yet Paul still said:
“Not that I have already obtained all this…”
In other words, God is not finished with me yet.
That is the heart of this passage.
The Christian life is not about reaching a place where we can finally say, “I have arrived.”
It is about continuing to follow Jesus.
Admit That You Haven’t Arrived
Paul begins in verse 12:
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect…”
There is humility in those words.
Paul knew that Christ had saved him, but he also knew Christ was still changing him.
There is a difference between being saved and being finished.
When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we belong to Him. We are forgiven. We are His children.
But God immediately begins a lifelong work of shaping us into the likeness of Christ.
That means there should never come a time when a Christian says:
“I know enough.”
“I've grown enough.”
“I've served enough.”
“I don't need to change anymore.”
As long as God gives us breath, there is room to grow.
There is more Scripture to understand.
There is more grace to experience.
There are sins we need to surrender.
There are people we need to forgive.
There are opportunities to serve.
There are ways that we can become more like Jesus.
Spiritual maturity is not reaching the point where we believe we have nothing left to learn.
Spiritual maturity is realizing how much we still need Christ.
And notice what Paul says next:
“I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
Paul's motivation wasn't earning salvation.
Christ had already taken hold of Paul.
Paul pressed forward because Jesus had already made him His own.
That changes everything.
We aren't running toward Jesus hoping He will finally accept us.
We run because He has already taken hold of us.
Don't Let the Past Control Your Future
Paul continues in verse 13:
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead…”
Think about the past Paul carried with him.
Before meeting Christ, Paul persecuted Christians.
He had believers arrested.
He approved of Stephen's death.
There were things in Paul's past that he could never undo.
Paul could have spent the rest of his life chained to regret.
But Jesus had forgiven him.
So Paul says:
“Forgetting what is behind…”
Paul isn't talking about developing amnesia.
He remembered his past. In fact, he sometimes talked about it.
But Paul refused to allow his past to determine where he was going.
And we need to learn the same thing.
Some people are still fighting battles that ended years ago.
We remember the mistake.
We remember the failure.
We remember the hurt.
We remember what someone said.
We remember what we wish we had done differently.
And if we aren't careful, yesterday begins controlling today.
But if Christ has forgiven your sin, you don't have to keep dragging it behind you.
You cannot change yesterday, but by God's grace, yesterday does not have to control tomorrow.
And there is another side to this.
Sometimes it isn't failure that keeps us looking backward.
Sometimes it is success.
We remember what God used to do.
“We used to have…”
“We used to do…”
“I remember when…”
There is nothing wrong with thanking God for yesterday.
But yesterday's faithfulness cannot replace today's obedience.
We can celebrate what God has done without believing His best work is behind us.
Paul says:
“Straining toward what is ahead…”
There is still something ahead.
There is still work to do.
There are still people who need Jesus.
There are still prayers to pray.
There are still people to love.
There are still opportunities to serve.
God isn't finished yet.
Keep Your Eyes on the Goal
Verse 14 says:
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Paul pictures the Christian life like a race.
A runner doesn't reach the middle of the race, sit down on the track, and say:
“Well, I think I've gone far enough.”
He keeps moving because there is a finish line ahead.
Paul says:
“I press on.”
Those words matter because sometimes following Christ requires pressing.
There are days when following Jesus is joyful.
There are other days when following Jesus requires determination.
Sometimes you pray and immediately see God working.
Sometimes you pray for months—or years—and see nothing.
Sometimes worship comes easily.
Sometimes you worship while your heart is hurting.
Sometimes Scripture seems to jump off the page.
Sometimes you read your Bible and struggle to concentrate.
Sometimes serving God is exciting.
Sometimes serving God is exhausting.
But Paul says:
Keep pressing on.
Not because every day will be easy.
Not because we will always understand what God is doing.
But because we know where the race ends.
Our goal isn't comfort.
Our goal isn't applause.
Our goal isn't earthly success.
Our goal is Christ.
Paul had already said in verse 10:
“I want to know Christ…”
That was the great pursuit of Paul's life.
Not simply knowing about Jesus.
Knowing Jesus.
Following Him.
Becoming more like Him.
And one day standing in His presence.
That is the prize.
Keep Walking From Where You Are
Paul concludes:
“All of us who are mature should take such a view of things… Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”
I love the practicality of verse 16.
Paul essentially says:
Start where you are and keep walking.
Sometimes we become discouraged because we look at someone else's spiritual life.
They know more Scripture.
They pray differently.
They have been Christians longer.
They seem more spiritually mature.
And we start comparing ourselves.
But God isn't asking you to be someone else.
He is asking you to faithfully follow Him from where you are.
Maybe you aren't where you want to be yet.
Keep walking.
Maybe you still struggle with something you thought you would have conquered by now.
Keep walking.
Maybe you've stumbled.
Get back up.
Keep walking.
Maybe you've grown tired.
Rest in Christ.
Then keep walking.
Maybe you've been following Jesus for fifty years.
There is still road ahead.
Keep walking.
Paul's words are wonderfully simple:
“Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”
Take what God has already taught you and live it.
Then let Him teach you something more.
Take the step of obedience that is in front of you today.
You don't have to see the entire road.
You simply need to keep following Jesus.
Conclusion
Paul gives us a simple picture of the Christian life:
I haven't arrived.
I'm not going to live in the past.
I'm keeping my eyes on Christ.
And I'm going to keep moving forward.
Maybe today you look at your life and see things you wish you could change.
Bring them to Christ.
Maybe there are failures behind you.
Bring them to Christ.
Maybe you are tired.
Lean on Christ.
Maybe you aren't sure what comes next.
Follow Christ.
Because the same Jesus who took hold of Paul has taken hold of us.
And He isn't finished.
So don't quit.
Don't spend your life staring backward.
Don't convince yourself that your best days of serving God are behind you.
There is still a race to run.
There is still a Savior to follow.
There is still a Gospel to share.
There is still a life to live for the glory of God.
So with Paul, we can say:
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal.”
Whatever yesterday held, keep pressing on.

Join Tim and John for this week's episode, as they talk about what to do when God does not answer the way we expect. 
Theme: Trusting God When His Answer Is No, Wait, or Something Completely DifferentKey Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:7–10Big Idea: Faith isn't only trusting God to give us what we ask for; it's trusting God when He doesn't.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”— 2 Corinthians 12:9
Introduction
Prayer is one of the greatest privileges God has given us.
We can come before God with our needs.
Our fears.
Our hopes.
Our families.
Our problems.
Our questions.
Scripture tells us to pray.
Jesus taught His disciples to pray.
We're told to pray without ceasing, to bring our requests before God, and to cast our anxieties upon Him because He cares for us.
And many of us can point to prayers God has answered.
There have been times when we prayed and God provided exactly what we needed.
A door opened.
A situation changed.
Someone recovered.
A need was met.
An answer came.
Sometimes the answer is so clear that we can't help but say:
“God did that.”
But what about the other prayers?
What happens when we pray...
…and nothing seems to happen?
What happens when we ask God to open the door and the door stays firmly shut?
What happens when we pray for healing and healing doesn't come?
When we pray for a relationship and it still falls apart?
When we ask for direction and everything still seems unclear?
Or maybe God answers—but His answer looks nothing like the answer we wanted.
That's harder to talk about.
It's easy to talk about prayer when the testimony ends:
“And then God gave me exactly what I asked for!”
It's harder when the testimony ends:
“I prayed. I believed. And God said no.”
Or:
“God told me to wait.”
Or perhaps the hardest answer of all:
“I still don't know.”
That's where faith gets tested.
Because faith isn't only trusting God when He gives us what we want.
Faith is trusting God when He doesn't.
Paul Asked God to Take It Away
One of the clearest examples of this comes from the Apostle Paul.
In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul talks about something he calls a “thorn in the flesh.”
He doesn't tell us exactly what it was.
People have suggested physical illness, problems with his eyesight, persecution, opposition, or some other ongoing difficulty.
We don't know.
And maybe there's some wisdom in the fact that Scripture doesn't tell us.
Because almost everyone knows what it's like to have something in life they desperately wish God would remove.
Paul says:
“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.”
Notice Paul's language.
He didn't casually mention it.
He pleaded with God.
Paul believed God could remove it.
This is the Apostle Paul.
This is the man God used to preach the Gospel across the Roman world.
This is the man who saw miracles.
Who saw people healed.
Who experienced extraordinary works of God.
If anybody might have expected his prayer to be answered exactly as requested, Paul would seem like a pretty good candidate.
But God didn't remove the thorn.
Instead, God said:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Paul asked God to change his circumstances.
God chose instead to give Paul what he needed within those circumstances.
Paul wanted removal.
God gave grace.
And sometimes God does the same with us.
Sometimes God's Answer Is No
We need to understand something basic about prayer:
God is not obligated to say yes to everything we ask.
That may sound obvious.
But sometimes the way Christians talk about prayer can make it sound like if we just pray hard enough, believe strongly enough, or use the right words, God will eventually give us what we want.
That's not biblical prayer.
Prayer isn't a formula for controlling God.
Prayer is bringing our requests before our heavenly Father while trusting His wisdom.
Jesus Himself demonstrated this in Gethsemane.
Knowing the suffering ahead of Him, Jesus prayed:
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”— Matthew 26:39
That's one of the most important prayers in Scripture.
Jesus made His request.
But He also submitted that request to the Father's will.
“Not as I will, but as You will.”
That's not weak faith.
That's extraordinary faith.
Biblical prayer doesn't say:
“God, You must do what I ask.”
It says:
“God, this is what I'm asking. But I trust You more than I trust myself.”
A No Doesn't Mean God Doesn't Love You
When God says no, one of the first temptations is to assume:
“God doesn't care.”
But God's refusal to give us something doesn't mean He has stopped loving us.
Every parent understands this to some degree.
A child may desperately want something.
They may ask repeatedly.
They may genuinely believe getting it would make their life wonderful.
But a loving parent sometimes says:
No.
Not because they don't love the child.
Sometimes they say no because they love the child.
Now, obviously, God isn't simply a larger version of a human parent.
His wisdom is perfect.
Ours isn't.
But that's precisely the point.
God sees what we cannot see.
We see this moment.
God sees the whole story.
We see what we want.
God knows what we need.
We see one possible outcome.
God knows every outcome.
So when God says no, faith says:
“I don't understand this answer, but I still trust the One who gave it.”
Sometimes God's Answer Is Wait
Then there's another answer many of us like even less:
Wait.
We don't like waiting.
We have become accustomed to getting things quickly.
We can order something and have it arrive at our house tomorrow.
We can send a message across the world instantly.
We can look up almost any piece of information in seconds.
Then we pray and God says:
Wait.
And suddenly patience becomes considerably less appealing.
But Scripture is filled with people who waited.
Abraham waited years for the son God promised.
Joseph had dreams about what God would do with his life—and then went through slavery and prison before seeing those dreams fulfilled.
David was anointed king while Saul was still on the throne.
Israel waited generations for the promised Messiah.
Waiting isn't unusual in Scripture.
Sometimes it's part of how God works.
Waiting Doesn't Mean God Is Doing Nothing
This is important:
God's silence doesn't mean God's inactivity.
Just because we can't see what God is doing doesn't mean He's doing nothing.
Think about Joseph.
If you looked at one moment of his life, it could seem like God's plan had completely fallen apart.
Joseph was betrayed by his brothers.
Sold into slavery.
Falsely accused.
Thrown into prison.
Forgotten.
If Joseph had judged God's faithfulness based only on what he could see in those moments, things would have looked hopeless.
But God was working through a much larger story.
Eventually Joseph could look back and say to his brothers:
“You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good...”— Genesis 50:20
Joseph couldn't see that whole picture while sitting in prison.
He saw it later.
And sometimes we do too.
We look back years afterward and realize:
“Now I understand why that door didn't open.”
“Now I see why I had to wait.”
“Now I understand why God took me in another direction.”
But here's the difficult part:
Sometimes we don't get that explanation.
At least not in this life.
And faith has to be able to say:
“Even if I never understand why, I still believe God is good.”
Sometimes God's Answer Is Different
Sometimes God does answer our prayer—but not in the way we expected.
We ask God to solve one problem, and He changes something else.
We ask Him to change another person, and He starts changing us.
That's always a little inconvenient.
“Lord, I had a very clear list of things You needed to fix about them.”
And God begins dealing with our pride.
Our impatience.
Our attitude.
Our lack of forgiveness.
Sometimes we ask for an easier road, and God gives us strength to walk a harder one.
We ask for the burden to disappear, and God gives us grace to carry it.
That's exactly what happened with Paul.
Paul's prayer was essentially:
“Lord, remove this.”
God's answer was:
“My grace is sufficient.”
God didn't give Paul what he requested.
But He gave Paul what he needed.
God's Wisdom Is Greater Than Ours
One of the reasons unanswered prayer is difficult is that we naturally assume we know what the best answer would be.
We can see exactly how God ought to fix the situation.
We've got the whole thing worked out.
God just needs to follow the plan.
And then He doesn't.
Isaiah 55:8–9 says:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.”
God sees things we don't.
Imagine looking at one small piece of a giant puzzle.
That's our perspective.
We see this moment.
This problem.
This disappointment.
God sees the entire picture.
That doesn't make painful circumstances painless.
It doesn't mean we're supposed to smile through tragedy and pretend everything is fine.
But it does give us a foundation:
God understands what I don't.
Be Honest About Disappointment
Trusting God doesn't mean pretending we're never disappointed.
Scripture gives us plenty of examples of people speaking honestly to God.
The Psalms are filled with questions:
“How long?”
“Why?”
“Where are You?”
God isn't threatened by honest prayer.
If you're disappointed, tell Him.
If you're confused, tell Him.
If you're hurting, tell Him.
If you're struggling to understand why He allowed something, tell Him.
Prayer isn't pretending.
Prayer is relationship.
There's a difference between honestly asking:
“God, why?”
and angrily deciding:
“God cannot be trusted.”
Faith can have questions.
Faith can cry.
Faith can grieve.
Faith can say:
“Lord, I don't understand.”
And still say:
“But I trust You.”
Check Your Heart Too
Whenever we talk about unanswered prayer, we also need to remember that Scripture tells us to examine our own hearts.
James 4:3 says:
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”
Sometimes our prayers are selfish.
Sometimes we're asking God to bless something He has already told us not to do.
Sometimes we're holding onto sin while asking for God's blessing.
Sometimes what we're asking for simply isn't good for us.
So when a prayer seems unanswered, it's appropriate to ask:
Is what I'm asking consistent with God's Word?
Am I seeking God's will or merely my own?
Is there sin in my life that I need to confess?
Am I willing to accept God's answer if it's different from mine?
But we should also be careful here.
Not every unanswered prayer means you've done something wrong.
Paul's thorn wasn't left because Paul didn't have enough faith.
Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane wasn't unanswered because Jesus prayed incorrectly.
Sometimes faithful people make faithful requests, and God's answer is still no.
Don't Turn Faith into a Formula
This is particularly important because sometimes Christians unintentionally hurt people by turning prayer into a formula.
Someone prays for healing and isn't healed.
Then another person says:
“Maybe you didn't have enough faith.”
That's a terrible burden to place on someone.
Faith isn't a lever we pull to force God's hand.
God is sovereign.
Paul had faith.
Paul prayed.
God said no.
The issue wasn't that Paul failed to believe enough.
God had a purpose Paul couldn't accomplish through having the thorn removed.
God said:
“My power is made perfect in weakness.”
Sometimes God demonstrates His power by removing our weakness.
Sometimes He demonstrates His power through our weakness.
Grace Can Be the Answer
This may be the heart of Paul's experience.
Paul wanted God to remove the problem.
God gave him grace.
And God said:
“My grace is sufficient for you.”
Sufficient means enough.
Enough for today.
Enough for this burden.
Enough for this struggle.
Enough for this disappointment.
Sometimes we want God to give us grace for the next ten years.
And God gives us enough grace for today.
Then tomorrow, He gives us what we need for tomorrow.
That's how dependence works.
Paul eventually says:
“For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
He learned something through the thorn that he might never have learned without it.
His weakness became a place where Christ's strength could be seen.
When We Look Back and Understand
Sometimes God allows us the privilege of eventually understanding His answer.
Maybe there was a job you desperately wanted.
You prayed.
You prepared.
The door closed.
Years later, you look back and realize that closed door redirected your entire life.
Maybe there was a relationship you were convinced had to work out.
It didn't.
At the time you couldn't understand why.
Later, you realized God protected you from something you couldn't see.
Maybe you prayed for one opportunity and God gave you another that you never would have chosen yourself.
Sometimes hindsight lets us see God's wisdom.
And those moments can strengthen our faith.
We can look back and say:
“God knew what He was doing.”
But we can't make that the requirement for trusting Him.
Because there will be other situations where we never get that moment.
When We Never Learn Why
This is probably the hardest part of the conversation.
Sometimes there isn't a neat explanation.
A loved one dies.
A prayer for healing isn't answered the way we hoped.
A family breaks apart.
A tragedy happens.
A dream disappears.
And years later, we still don't understand.
We should be very careful about giving people simplistic explanations for profound suffering.
Sometimes Christians feel pressure to find a quick answer:
“God did this because...”
Maybe we don't know.
The Bible doesn't promise that we'll understand everything God permits.
Job never received a detailed explanation for everything he suffered.
Instead, Job was confronted with the greatness and wisdom of God.
Sometimes faith doesn't receive an explanation.
It receives God Himself.
And eventually we have to decide:
Can I trust God's character when I cannot understand His decisions?
That's mature faith.
Remember What You Already Know About God
When you don't understand what God is doing, hold onto what you do know.
God is good.
God is wise.
God is holy.
God is faithful.
God loves His people.
God sees what we cannot see.
And most importantly, look at the cross.
If you're ever tempted to believe:
“Maybe God doesn't love me,”
look at Jesus.
Romans 5:8 says:
“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The cross settles the question of whether God loves us.
We may not understand what He's doing.
But we know what He's already done.
He gave His Son for us.
So when circumstances are confusing, we anchor ourselves in God's character rather than our ability to explain the circumstances.
Prayer Is About Relationship, Not Control
Ultimately, prayer isn't about getting God to follow our plans.
Prayer is about bringing our lives into relationship with Him.
We ask.
We seek.
We knock.
We pray boldly.
We pray specifically.
We believe God can do extraordinary things.
But at the end of our prayer, there should always be a willingness to say what Jesus said:
“Not my will, but Yours.”
That's difficult.
Because sometimes God's will is different from ours.
But think about what we're saying when we pray that.
“God, You know more than I do.”
“You see what I cannot.”
“You love me.”
“So I'm trusting You with the answer.”
That's faith.
What Do We Do While We Wait?
So what should we do when we're waiting for an answer?
Keep praying.
Jesus taught persistence in prayer.
Don't assume delay automatically means no.
Keep trusting.
Don't let God's silence convince you that He's absent.
Stay in God's Word.
Let Scripture remind you who God is when your circumstances make Him difficult to understand.
Stay connected to God's people.
We need others to pray with us and encourage us.
Be willing to surrender the outcome.
Pray specifically, but hold your request with open hands.
And finally:
Look for God's grace today.
Maybe the situation hasn't changed.
But how is God sustaining you?
Who has He placed around you?
What strength has He provided?
Where is He giving you enough grace for this day?
Sometimes while we're waiting for God to change our circumstances, we discover that He's already working within them.
Discussion Questions
Have you ever prayed for something and received an answer you didn't expect?
Why do we sometimes assume unanswered prayer means God doesn't care?
What's the difference between praying boldly and demanding our own way?
Why is waiting so difficult for us?
Can you think of a time when you later understood why God closed a door?
What can we learn from Paul's thorn in the flesh?
How should Christians respond when we never learn why something happened?
Why can telling someone “you just didn't have enough faith” be harmful and unbiblical?
What does it mean for God's grace to be sufficient?
How can we continue trusting God while we're still waiting?
Closing Challenge
Maybe there's something you've been praying about for a long time.
You've asked God again and again.
And the answer hasn't come the way you expected.
Maybe God said:
No.
Maybe He's saying:
Wait.
Maybe He answered in a completely different way.
Or maybe you're still praying and have no idea what the answer will be.
Don't stop bringing your requests to God.
Keep praying.
Keep asking.
Keep believing that God is able.
But also learn to pray:
“Father, I want Your will more than I want my way.”
That's not giving up.
That's faith.
Paul asked three times for his thorn to be removed.
God didn't remove it.
Instead, God told him:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Maybe you've been asking God to remove something.
And perhaps He will.
We should never stop believing that God can change circumstances.
But if He doesn't, don't assume that means He has abandoned you.
Maybe His answer is:
“I'm going to carry you through this.”
Maybe it's:
“I'm doing something you can't see yet.”
Maybe it's simply:
“Trust Me.”
And sometimes that's all we're given.
We don't always get the explanation.
We don't always see the larger picture.
We don't always understand why one prayer receives a yes and another receives a no.
But our confidence was never supposed to rest in understanding everything God does.
Our confidence rests in who God is.
So keep praying.
Bring God your disappointment.
Bring Him your questions.
Bring Him your hopes.
Ask boldly.
Wait patiently.
And trust Him with the answer.
Because faith isn't saying:
“I trust God because He gave me what I wanted.”
Faith says:
“I trust God because He is God.”
Even when the answer is yes.
Even when the answer is no.
Even when the answer is wait.
And even when we don't understand the answer at all.
Faith isn't only trusting God to give us what we ask for; it's trusting God when He doesn't.
 
 

Sermon Date: 9/20/2026
Bible Verses:
Philippians 3:1-11
Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new
Big Idea: Knowing Christ is worth more than anything we could gain and worth whatever following Him may cost.
Introduction
Every person has things they consider valuable.
We value our families, friendships, reputations, accomplishments, possessions, traditions, security, and plans for the future.
Many of these are wonderful gifts from God. We should receive them gratefully and care for them faithfully.
But even good things become dangerous when we trust them to give us what only Christ can provide.
In Philippians 3, Paul opens what we might call his spiritual account book. He lists everything he once counted as profit—his religious heritage, education, accomplishments, reputation, zeal, and outward morality.
People admired those things. Paul built his identity upon them.
Then he met Jesus Christ.
When Paul saw the surpassing worth of Christ, everything else moved into a different column. The things he once counted as gain became loss compared with knowing Jesus.
Paul was not saying his background or education had no practical value. God later used his knowledge and experiences in ministry. But Paul stopped trusting those things to make him righteous before God.
Nothing he inherited, achieved, or sacrificed could compare with Christ.
Christianity is not merely accepting facts, improving our behavior, or participating in religious traditions.
Christianity is knowing Jesus Christ.
Place Your Confidence in Christ, Not Religion
“Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.”—Philippians 3:1
Paul again calls the Philippians to rejoice.
Remember where Paul was when he wrote these words. He was imprisoned and awaiting a decision that might result in his death.
Yet he told the church to rejoice—not merely in pleasant circumstances, answered prayers, material blessings, or personal accomplishments.
He said, “Rejoice in the Lord.”
Circumstances change.
Health changes.
Finances change.
Relationships change.
Public opinion changes.
Even our feelings change.
But the Lord does not change.
If our joy is rooted only in what happens to us, it will always be unstable. When our joy is rooted in Christ, however, we possess a foundation suffering cannot remove.
We rejoice because Christ has saved us, forgiven us, adopted us, and promised us eternal life.
This does not mean we enjoy every painful experience. Christian joy does not require pretending suffering feels pleasant.
We can grieve and rejoice.
We can hurt and trust.
We can face uncertainty while remaining confident in Christ.
Paul continues:
“To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.”—Philippians 3:1
Paul was willing to repeat truths the Philippians had heard before because repetition protected them.
We sometimes want every sermon to teach us something completely new. But spiritual maturity does not come merely from collecting new information.
Often, we need to be reminded of truths we already know.
We know God is faithful, but hardship makes us forget.
We know prayer matters, but busyness distracts us.
We know forgiveness is commanded, but hurt makes resentment attractive.
We know our identity is in Christ, but we begin seeking our value in other people’s approval.
The gospel is not something we outgrow.
Paul then warns:
“Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.”—Philippians 3:2
False teachers insisted that faith in Christ was not enough. Gentile believers, they said, also needed circumcision and obedience to Jewish ceremonial law to be accepted by God.
Their message was essentially, “Jesus is important, but Jesus is not enough.”
Paul strongly opposed that teaching because adding human works to the gospel changes the gospel.
Jesus declared from the cross:
“It is finished.”—John 19:30
Jesus did not begin the work of salvation and leave us to finish it. He accomplished everything necessary through His death and resurrection.
A person can attend church and not know Christ.
A person can be baptized and not know Christ.
A person can know religious language and not know Christ.
A person can serve, give, sing, teach, and still trust personal goodness instead of Jesus.
Religious activity cannot remove sin.
No ceremony can replace repentance and faith.
No tradition can replace a relationship with Christ.
No amount of moral effort can erase guilt.
Paul describes God’s true people:
“For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”—Philippians 3:3
God’s people worship through the Holy Spirit, boast in Jesus, and refuse to trust human achievement for salvation.
Our testimony is not, “Look how good I became.”
It is, “Look how merciful Jesus has been.”
Cross-References
John 19:30 — Christ completed the work of redemption.
Acts 4:12 — Salvation is found in Christ alone.
Ephesians 2:8–9 — Salvation is by grace through faith, not works.
Galatians 2:16 — A person is justified through faith in Christ.
Romans 3:20–24 — The law exposes sin; justification comes through grace.
Jeremiah 9:23–24 — Our boast should be in knowing the Lord.
Galatians 6:14 — Boast only in the cross of Christ.
Application
Do not confuse church involvement with salvation.
Do not trust baptism, heritage, morality, or service to make you right with God.
Let your joy rest in Christ rather than changing circumstances.
Receive repeated gospel reminders rather than assuming you have moved beyond them.
Ask: “What am I trusting to give me confidence before God?”
Surrender Every Reason for Spiritual Pride
“Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also.”—Philippians 3:4
Paul did not criticize religious credentials because he lacked them.
If anyone could have built a case for acceptance with God based upon heritage, education, zeal, and morality, Paul could.
He listed his former reasons for confidence:
“Circumcised on the eighth day…”
Paul received the covenant sign at the time prescribed by the law. His religious observance began in infancy.
“…of the people of Israel…”
He belonged to Israel by birth.
“…of the tribe of Benjamin…”
Benjamin was an honored tribe. Israel’s first king came from Benjamin, and the tribe remained loyal to Judah when the kingdom divided.
“…a Hebrew of Hebrews…”
Paul maintained his Jewish language, identity, and traditions even in a Gentile environment.
“…as to the law, a Pharisee…”
The Pharisees were known for strict devotion to the law.
“…as to zeal, a persecutor of the church…”
Before meeting Jesus, Paul was so committed to his beliefs that he persecuted Christians.
“…as to righteousness under the law, blameless.”—Philippians 3:6
Paul was not claiming sinless perfection. He meant that according to the outward standards of religious law, his conduct appeared beyond accusation.
He had the right heritage, discipline, reputation, zeal, and morality.
If religious achievement could save anyone, Paul was near the front of the line.
But none of it could make him righteous before God.
Paul’s life also demonstrates that sincerity is not enough.
He sincerely believed he was serving God while persecuting the church. He was passionate, committed, and completely wrong.
A person can sincerely travel in the wrong direction.
Our faith must rest upon Jesus Christ as He is revealed in Scripture, not merely upon whatever feels right to us.
Paul writes:
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”—Philippians 3:7
He uses the language of accounting.
Paul once placed all his accomplishments in the profit column. He believed they made him spiritually wealthy.
Then he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.
He realized that his greatest accomplishments could not save him. His confidence in those accomplishments had kept him from seeing how desperately he needed grace.
Paul did not mean his entire background became useless. God later used his education, discipline, knowledge of Scripture, and ability to communicate.
The difference was that those things no longer stood at the center of his identity.
Christ did.
Family is a gift, but family cannot replace Christ.
Education is useful, but knowledge cannot save us.
Church traditions may preserve important truths, but tradition must remain under Scripture.
Ministry is meaningful, but even ministry can become an idol if we love recognition more than Jesus.
The question is not merely, “Is this thing bad?”
The deeper question is, “Have I made this more important than Christ?”
Cross-References
Acts 9:1–9 — Paul encountered the risen Christ.
Romans 3:23 — Everyone has sinned.
Romans 10:1–4 — Religious zeal without saving knowledge is insufficient.
Luke 18:9–14 — The Pharisee trusted his righteousness; the tax collector pleaded for mercy.
Proverbs 14:12 — A way may seem right and still end in death.
1 Corinthians 1:27–31 — No one can boast before God.
2 Corinthians 10:17 — Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.
Application
Refuse to compare your spiritual life with people who appear worse than you.
Do not treat religious heritage as personal salvation.
Recognize that sincerity must be grounded in truth.
Place your gifts, education, traditions, and accomplishments under Christ’s authority.
Ask: “What gives me a sense of superiority?”
Ask: “What would remain of my identity if my accomplishments disappeared?”
Count Christ as Your Greatest Treasure
“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”—Philippians 3:8
Paul moves beyond religious credentials and says he counts everything as loss compared with knowing Christ.
Notice that he does not merely speak about knowing facts about Christ.
He says:
“Knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”
Paul knew facts about Jesus before his conversion. He knew what Christians claimed and understood enough about the church to persecute it.
But on the Damascus road, Paul encountered the living Christ.
Knowing Christ involves information, but it also involves trust, surrender, love, fellowship, and obedience.
It is possible to know what your parents believe without personally believing it.
It is possible to understand a church’s doctrine without personally trusting Christ.
It is possible to explain the gospel without surrendering your life to Jesus.
The question is not merely, “Do you know about Jesus?”
The question is, “Do you know Him as your Savior and Lord?”
Paul calls knowing Christ something of “surpassing worth.” Christ exceeds everything else in value.
Jesus is worth more than our reputation.
More than our comfort.
More than success.
More than possessions.
More than the approval of others.
More than every accomplishment we could place beside our name.
This does not mean we cannot love people or enjoy God’s gifts. It means every blessing remains beneath the Blesser.
When Christ occupies His rightful place, we can enjoy other gifts without demanding that they become our god.
We can appreciate possessions without being possessed by them.
We can love our families without expecting people to carry the weight only Christ can bear.
We can work diligently without basing our identity upon success.
We can receive praise without becoming addicted to it.
Paul continues:
“For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”—Philippians 3:8
Paul’s decision to follow Jesus cost him dearly.
He lost his standing among former religious associates.
He lost his position of influence.
He lost comfort and security.
He experienced rejection, beatings, imprisonment, hardship, and danger.
Yet Paul said Christ was worth it.
The word translated “rubbish” is strong. It refers to refuse—something discarded as worthless.
Paul looked at the best human achievements he once trusted and declared them worthless as a means of gaining Christ.
Salvation is free because Jesus paid the price, but discipleship can be costly.
Following Christ may cost us approval, comfort, dishonest opportunities, sinful habits, or priorities that compete with His lordship.
Jesus never hid the cost:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”—Matthew 16:24
The question is not whether following Jesus may cost something.
The question is whether Jesus is worth the cost.
Paul’s answer is clear:
Nothing compares to Christ.
Everything we possess in this world is temporary.
Our money will eventually belong to someone else.
Our accomplishments will be forgotten.
Our bodies will grow old.
Our positions will pass to others.
But Christ is eternal.
Whatever we surrender for Him is something we could never have kept forever. Whatever we receive in Him can never be taken away.
Cross-References
Matthew 13:44–46 — The kingdom is worth surrendering everything to possess.
Matthew 16:24–26 — Following Christ requires self-denial.
Luke 14:25–33 — Jesus calls disciples to count the cost.
Mark 8:36 — Gaining the world cannot compensate for losing one’s soul.
Colossians 2:3 — All treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ.
Psalm 73:25–26 — God is the believer’s ultimate portion.
Hebrews 10:34 — Believers possess a better and lasting possession.
Application
Identify anything competing with Christ for first place.
Enjoy God’s gifts without making them the foundation of your identity.
Hold possessions, reputation, and plans with open hands.
Do not measure Christ’s worth by what following Him costs.
Measure the cost by the surpassing worth of the One you receive.
Ask: “Is there anything I would refuse to surrender if Christ required it?”
Know Christ Through His Righteousness, Power, Suffering, and Resurrection
“…and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law…”—Philippians 3:9
Paul wanted to be found “in Christ.”
He no longer wanted to stand before God depending upon his achievements. He wanted the righteousness Christ provides.
Human righteousness says:
“I will make myself acceptable to God.”
“I will do enough good to balance the bad.”
“I will become better than other people.”
The problem is that even our best efforts fall short of God’s holiness.
Isaiah writes:
“All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.”—Isaiah 64:6
Good works can help others and honor God, but they cannot erase past sin or produce perfect righteousness.
We need righteousness from outside ourselves.
Paul continues:
“…but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”—Philippians 3:9
This is the heart of the gospel.
Jesus lived the righteous life we failed to live.
He died under the judgment our sins deserved.
He rose again in victory.
When we trust Him, we are no longer depending upon our righteousness. We stand before God united with the righteous Christ.
Our confidence is not that we have performed perfectly.
Our confidence is that Christ is sufficient.
Paul then expresses his continuing desire:
“That I may know him and the power of his resurrection.”—Philippians 3:10
Paul already knew Christ in a saving relationship, but he wanted to know Him more deeply.
The Christian life begins by knowing Christ, continues by knowing Christ, and will be completed when we see Christ.
Resurrection power brings spiritual life where death once ruled.
It breaks sin’s controlling authority.
It produces new desires.
It gives courage to fearful people.
It enables bitter people to forgive.
It gives hope to the grieving.
It strengthens tired servants.
It transforms selfish hearts.
Christianity is not merely a program of self-improvement.
A corpse does not need improvement. It needs life.
The gospel announces that life is available through the risen Christ.
But Paul also wanted to:
“…share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”—Philippians 3:10
Paul did not mean that his suffering added anything to Christ’s atoning death. Jesus alone paid for our sins.
He meant that following Christ brought him into the pattern of Christ’s life—a life of obedience, self-denial, rejection, sacrifice, and trust in the Father.
In loneliness, we remember that Jesus was abandoned.
When falsely accused, we remember that Jesus was slandered.
When rejected, we remember that His own people did not receive Him.
When service goes unnoticed, we remember that He took the form of a servant.
When obedience becomes costly, we remember Gethsemane.
We do not seek suffering for its own sake. But neither should we assume suffering means Christ has abandoned us.
Suffering surrendered to Christ can deepen our dependence upon Him.
Paul ends with resurrection hope:
“That by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”—Philippians 3:11
Paul was not expressing doubt about Christ’s ability to save him. He was humbly committed to following the path that ends in resurrection life.
His ultimate hope was not release from prison, restoration of his reputation, or a longer earthly life.
His hope was resurrection.
Because Jesus rose, those who belong to Him will rise.
Sickness will not have the final word.
Age will not have the final word.
Suffering will not have the final word.
Death will not have the final word.
Jesus will.
Cross-References
Isaiah 64:6 — Human righteousness cannot make us acceptable to God.
Romans 3:21–26 — God provides righteousness through faith in Christ.
Romans 5:1 — We are justified through faith.
2 Corinthians 5:21 — Christ bore our sin so we could receive His righteousness.
Ephesians 1:19–20 — Resurrection power is at work in believers.
Romans 6:4–11 — Believers walk in newness of life.
2 Corinthians 4:10–11 — The life of Jesus is displayed through suffering.
Romans 8:17–18 — Present suffering cannot compare with future glory.
1 Corinthians 15:20–23 — Christ’s resurrection guarantees the resurrection of His people.
John 11:25–26 — Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Application
Stop trying to establish your own righteousness.
Rest in Christ’s completed work.
Seek a deeper daily relationship with Jesus through Scripture, prayer, worship, and obedience.
Depend upon His resurrection power to overcome sin and live faithfully.
Do not interpret every hardship as evidence that God has abandoned you.
Live with confidence that suffering and death will not win.
Ask: “Do I merely want what Jesus can give, or do I truly want to know Jesus?”
Conclusion
Paul possessed nearly everything a religious person in his culture could have desired.
He had the right heritage.
The right rituals.
The right education.
The right reputation.
Remarkable discipline.
Unquestioned zeal.
Outward morality.
But none of it could save him.
Then Paul met Jesus.
When he saw the glory, grace, righteousness, and surpassing worth of Christ, everything else moved into its proper place.
Paul did not reluctantly give up a treasure and settle for Jesus.
He discovered that Jesus was the treasure.
He did not abandon righteousness.
He received a better righteousness—the righteousness of Christ.
He did not lose hope.
He received a stronger hope—the power of the resurrection.
The world offers success, comfort, recognition, pleasure, possessions, and religious respectability.
Some of those things may be good. Others may be dangerous.
But none can forgive sin.
None can make us righteous.
None can defeat death.
None can satisfy the soul.
None can compare with Christ.
If we possess everything but lack Jesus, we have missed what matters most.
If we lose everything but possess Jesus, we still have a treasure no one can take away.
Invitation
What are you trusting today?
Your goodness?
Your church attendance?
Your baptism?
Your family’s faith?
Your religious knowledge?
Your accomplishments?
None of those things can make you righteous before God.
Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.
He lived without sin, died in the place of sinners, and rose from the grave. God offers forgiveness and Christ’s righteousness to everyone who turns from sin and trusts Him.
Do not merely know about Jesus.
Come to know Him as Savior and Lord.
If you already belong to Christ, ask whether something has begun competing with Him for first place.
Place it back into God’s hands.
Trust Christ’s righteousness instead of your performance.
Seek the power of His resurrection.
Remain faithful through suffering.
Live with the hope of seeing Him face-to-face.
Paul examined everything he once valued and reached one unmistakable conclusion:
Nothing compares to Christ.

Join Tim and John for this week's episode, as they talk about what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Theme: Following Jesus, Not Simply Believing in HimKey Scripture: Luke 9:23Big Idea: Jesus didn't call us merely to attend; He called us to follow.
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”— Luke 9:23
Introduction
We've spent some time talking about church, everyday faith, reading Scripture, and staying faithful when our walk with God feels dry.
But all of those things lead us to a bigger question:
What is all of this supposed to produce in us?
Is the goal simply to become someone who goes to church regularly?
Is it to know more Bible verses?
Is it to have better habits?
Those things matter, but Jesus calls us to something deeper.
He calls us to be disciples.
A disciple is a follower, learner, and student.
A disciple of Jesus is someone who is learning from Him, following Him, obeying Him, and becoming more like Him.
That's different from simply knowing things about Jesus.
You can know a lot about someone without actually following them.
You can know everything about a coach without ever playing the sport.
You can watch cooking shows every night and still burn toast.
Knowing about something isn't the same as doing it.
And knowing facts about Jesus isn't necessarily the same thing as following Jesus.
Jesus' invitation throughout the Gospels was simple:
“Follow Me.”
In Luke 9:23, He explains what that looks like:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
There are three important parts to that verse:
Deny yourself.
Take up your cross daily.
Follow Me.
That's what we're going to look at today.
A Disciple Is More Than a Church Attender
Let's begin with an important distinction.
Church attendance matters.
We need worship.
We need preaching.
We need fellowship.
We need accountability.
We need opportunities to serve.
But simply being in a church building doesn't automatically make someone a disciple.
You can attend church, know the songs, know when to stand and sit, know the church language, and still resist letting Jesus direct your life.
A church attender may ask:
“What am I getting out of this?”
A disciple asks:
“How is Christ changing me?”
A church attender may hear God's Word.
A disciple seeks to obey it.
A church attender may admire Jesus.
A disciple follows Him.
The goal isn't to stop attending church.
The goal is to understand that church attendance is part of discipleship, not a substitute for it.
We gather so that we can be equipped to follow Jesus throughout the rest of the week.
Deny Yourself
Jesus begins with:
“...let him deny himself...”
That's very different from the message our culture often gives us.
We're told:
Follow your heart.
Do what makes you happy.
Live for yourself.
Jesus says:
“Deny yourself.”
That doesn't mean we have no value.
It doesn't mean Christians should hate themselves.
It means we stop treating ourselves as the highest authority in our lives.
Before Christ, our natural attitude is:
“My life belongs to me.”
My plans.
My desires.
My priorities.
My way.
Discipleship begins when we say:
“My life belongs to Jesus.”
That means Jesus has the right to tell us what to do.
It means His Word has authority over our preferences.
It means there will be times when what I want and what Christ commands are different.
That's where discipleship becomes real.
When Jesus says forgive and I'd rather stay angry.
When Scripture says tell the truth and lying would be easier.
When Jesus says serve and I'd rather stay comfortable.
When God's Word confronts something in my life that I don't want to surrender.
Who wins?
That's the question.
Denying ourselves means saying:
“Jesus, You are Lord. You have the right to lead my life.”
Take Up Your Cross Daily
Then Jesus says:
“...take up his cross daily...”
We sometimes use the phrase “my cross to bear” for almost any inconvenience.
A difficult coworker.
An annoying neighbor.
A bad back.
A car that constantly needs repairs.
But Jesus' original audience would have understood the cross very differently.
The cross meant suffering.
Humiliation.
Death.
So when Jesus says to take up our cross, He is talking about the cost of following Him.
There will be things we give up because Jesus is worth more.
Sometimes obedience may cost us comfort.
Popularity.
Pride.
Convenience.
Maybe even relationships.
Following Jesus isn't always easy.
The Word “Daily”
Luke includes one very important word:
Daily.
Discipleship isn't one dramatic decision and then we're finished.
There is a moment when we repent and believe in Christ.
But after that comes a lifetime of following Him.
And that happens one day at a time.
Every morning we make the same decision:
Who am I living for today?
That's why discipleship usually happens in very ordinary moments.
It happens when we decide how to speak to our family.
It happens when someone frustrates us.
It happens when we're tempted to gossip.
It happens when nobody else is watching.
It happens when we have the opportunity to serve.
It happens when God's Word shows us something we need to change.
These moments may not feel dramatic, but they're where disciples are formed.
One faithful choice at a time.
Follow Me
Then Jesus says:
“...and follow me.”
This is the heart of discipleship.
A disciple follows Jesus.
And if you're following someone, they determine the direction.
Imagine telling someone:
“I'm following you.”
Then they turn left and you turn right.
At some point, you're no longer following.
Following Jesus means allowing Him to determine the direction of our lives.
Where He leads, we go.
What He teaches, we believe.
What He commands, we obey.
What He loves, we learn to love.
What He rejects, we learn to reject.
The goal is that over time our lives increasingly look like the One we're following.
A Disciple Learns from Jesus
One of the basic meanings of disciple is learner.
Jesus' first disciples spent time with Him.
They listened to His teaching.
They watched how He treated people.
They watched Him pray.
They saw His compassion.
They saw how He responded to opposition.
They saw how He served.
And slowly, they learned.
We do the same thing through God's Word.
That's one reason Bible reading matters.
We're not simply gathering information.
We're learning how Jesus thinks.
What does He value?
What does He teach about forgiveness?
Prayer?
Money?
Relationships?
Humility?
Service?
Faith?
The more we know Christ through His Word, the better prepared we are to follow Him.
And here's something encouraging:
The original disciples did not always get it right.
They misunderstood Jesus.
They argued about who was greatest.
Peter said things he probably wished he could take back.
They fell asleep when Jesus asked them to pray.
And when Jesus was arrested, most of them ran.
Yet Jesus continued teaching them.
Correcting them.
Restoring them.
Growing them.
That's important because being a disciple doesn't mean you've already arrived.
It means you're still following.
A Disciple Becomes More Like Jesus
The goal isn't simply to know more about Jesus.
The goal is to become more like Him.
Romans 8:29 speaks about believers being conformed to the image of God's Son.
That means we should be able to look at our lives over time and see growth.
Are we becoming more loving?
More patient?
More forgiving?
More humble?
More faithful?
More willing to serve?
More willing to obey?
Not perfect.
But growing.
A person can know a tremendous amount of theology and still be proud, harsh, and unforgiving.
That's not maturity.
Biblical truth is supposed to transform us.
The mature disciple isn't simply the person who knows the most.
It's the person increasingly becoming like Christ.
A Disciple Obeys Jesus
Jesus said in John 14:15:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
Discipleship includes obedience.
Not because obedience earns salvation.
We are saved by grace through faith.
We don't obey so God will love us.
We obey because He already has loved us in Christ.
Grace doesn't remove obedience.
Grace changes the reason we obey.
And obedience becomes especially important when God's command is difficult.
Forgive.
“But they hurt me.”
Love your enemies.
“But they're difficult.”
Tell the truth.
“But the truth may cost me.”
Serve.
“But I'm tired.”
Those are discipleship moments.
Sometimes following Jesus means obeying Him when obedience is inconvenient.
That's what it means to call Him Lord.
A Disciple Serves Like Jesus
Jesus completely changed the definition of greatness.
The world often says greatness means being important, recognized, powerful, or served.
Jesus says greatness looks like service.
Mark 10:45 says:
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
If anyone deserved to be served, it was Jesus.
Yet He served others.
He welcomed children.
He cared for the sick.
He touched people others avoided.
He fed hungry people.
He washed His disciples' feet.
And ultimately, He gave His life.
If we're becoming like Jesus, then we should increasingly become servants.
And most Christian service isn't glamorous.
It's preparing food.
Visiting someone.
Helping with children.
Cleaning up.
Calling someone who's lonely.
Giving someone a ride.
Praying for another person.
Helping a neighbor.
A disciple doesn't constantly ask:
“Who's going to notice?”
A disciple asks:
“Who can I serve?”
A Disciple Loves Like Jesus
Jesus also says love should identify His disciples.
John 13:35 says:
“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
That's a powerful statement.
Jesus doesn't say people will know we're His disciples because we know all the right church words.
He points to love.
Christian love is more than emotion.
Love is patient.
Love forgives.
Love serves.
Love bears burdens.
Love tells the truth.
Love sacrifices.
If we're following Jesus, people around us should increasingly experience His love through us.
A Disciple Keeps Following When It's Hard
Following Jesus isn't always easy.
There will be seasons when we're excited.
There will be seasons when we're tired.
There will be times when we clearly see what God is doing.
There will be times when we don't understand anything that's happening.
A disciple keeps following.
Peter is a great example.
He had tremendous moments of faith.
He also failed terribly.
He denied Jesus three times.
But after the resurrection, Jesus restored him.
And in John 21, Jesus said again:
“Follow me.”
Peter failed.
Jesus restored him.
And the command was still:
Follow Me.
That's good news for us.
Disciples stumble.
Disciples fail.
But we don't stay there.
We repent.
We receive grace.
We get back up.
And we keep following Jesus.
A Disciple Helps Make Other Disciples
Eventually discipleship turns outward.
Jesus doesn't only call us to follow Him.
He calls us to help others follow Him.
Matthew 28:19 says:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...”
Notice the command:
Make disciples.
Evangelism is essential.
People need to hear the Gospel.
They need to repent and believe in Christ.
But the Great Commission doesn't end at conversion.
We help people grow.
We teach.
We encourage.
We walk beside them.
Discipleship is often relational.
A parent helping a child.
An older Christian helping a younger Christian.
A Sunday School teacher investing in students.
Two friends reading Scripture together.
Someone saying:
“Here's something God has taught me.”
You don't need to know everything before you can help someone else.
Sometimes discipleship begins with:
“Let's read the Bible together.”
Or:
“Let's pray about that.”
Or:
“Let me tell you what God taught me when I walked through something similar.”
Church Attender or Active Disciple?
So let's return to the question:
What's the difference between a church attender and an active disciple?
Again, church attendance matters.
But discipleship goes beyond attendance.
A church attender may come, sit, listen, and leave.
A disciple asks:
“What did God show me, and what am I going to do about it?”
A church attender may consume.
A disciple serves.
A church attender may be satisfied with knowing about Jesus.
A disciple wants to know and follow Jesus.
A church attender may ask:
“What does the church have for me?”
A disciple also asks:
“Where can God use me?”
A church attender may measure faithfulness by:
“Was I there Sunday?”
A disciple asks:
“Am I following Jesus Monday through Saturday?”
That's the difference.
Christianity isn't simply an event we attend.
It's a life we live.
Signs of a Growing Disciple
So what should we expect to see in someone who is growing as a disciple?
Not perfection.
Progress.
A growing disciple should increasingly:
Love God's Word.
Spend time in prayer.
Obey Christ.
Repent when they sin.
Love other believers.
Serve others.
Forgive.
Grow in humility.
Share their faith.
Trust God through difficulty.
Help others grow.
The question isn't:
“Have I arrived?”
The question is:
“Am I growing?”
“Am I following?”
“Am I becoming more like Jesus?”
The Cost Is Real, but Jesus Is Worth It
We also need to remember that Jesus never pretended discipleship would be easy.
Luke 9 speaks about denying ourselves and taking up a cross.
Following Christ can cost us something.
But the question isn't simply:
“Does following Jesus cost something?”
The real question is:
“Is Jesus worth it?”
And the answer is yes.
He is worth our comfort.
Our plans.
Our pride.
Our reputation.
Our ambitions.
Our whole lives.
Because He gave His life for us.
Christian discipleship isn't about giving up everything good so that we can be miserable.
It's discovering that Christ is better than everything we once thought would satisfy us.
Closing Challenge
Let's come back to Jesus' words:
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Three simple statements:
Deny yourself.
Who's in charge?
Take up your cross daily.
Am I willing to obey even when following Jesus costs me something?
Follow Me.
Am I actually going where Jesus leads?
Those are important questions.
Because it's possible to spend years around Christianity without letting Christ change very much about us.
We can attend church.
Know the songs.
Know Bible stories.
Know church language.
And still avoid the basic command Jesus gave:
“Follow Me.”
So this week, don't simply ask:
“Did I go to church?”
Ask:
“Am I following Jesus?”
When you wake up tomorrow morning, ask:
“Jesus, what would it look like to follow You today?”
Maybe it means forgiving someone.
Maybe it means serving someone.
Maybe it means saying no to temptation.
Maybe it means admitting you were wrong.
Maybe it means obeying something God has already shown you in Scripture.
Maybe it means talking to someone about Jesus.
Maybe it means helping another believer grow.
Whatever it is, take the next step.
You don't have to have the next twenty years figured out.
The original disciples didn't.
They simply heard Jesus say:
“Follow Me.”
And they started walking.
That's discipleship.
Learning from Jesus.
Becoming like Jesus.
Obeying Jesus.
Serving like Jesus.
Loving like Jesus.
Helping others follow Jesus.
Not perfectly.
But faithfully.
Day after day.
Step after step.
So don't settle for simply being someone who attends church.
Be a disciple.
Deny yourself.
Take up your cross daily.
And follow Jesus.
Because Jesus didn't call us merely to attend; He called us to follow.

Sermon Date: 9/13/2026
Bible Verses:
Philippians 2:19-30
Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new
Introduction Outline
The world celebrates talent, visibility, popularity, and impressive accomplishments.
Scripture places greater emphasis upon humility, character, service, and faithfulness.
Most of God’s work is accomplished through ordinary believers serving in ordinary places.
Paul presents two practical examples of the mind of Christ:
Timothy genuinely cared for God’s people.
Epaphroditus sacrificially served Christ and His church.
These men connect with the earlier teaching in Philippians 2:
Jesus placed our interests above His own comfort—Philippians 2:5–8.
Believers are called to look to the interests of others—Philippians 2:3–4.
Paul described his own life as being poured out in service—Philippians 2:17.
Timothy and Epaphroditus demonstrate what Christlike humility looks like in everyday ministry.
Faithful Servants Genuinely Care About Others
Primary Text: Philippians 2:19–21
“For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.”—Philippians 2:20
Commentary
Paul was imprisoned and uncertain about his future, yet he remained concerned about the Philippian believers.
Paul hoped to send Timothy so that:
Timothy could encourage the Philippians.
Timothy could evaluate their spiritual condition.
Paul could receive news concerning them.
“I hope in the Lord Jesus” shows that Paul’s plans remained under Christ’s authority.
“No one like him” describes Timothy as being like-minded or sharing Paul’s heart.
Timothy did not merely perform religious duties; he genuinely cared about people.
His concern included their spiritual welfare:
Their unity.
Their faithfulness.
Their growth in Christ.
Their response to suffering.
Timothy stood apart from people who “seek their own interests.”
Philippians 2:21 connects directly with Philippians 2:4:
Self-centered people ask what benefits them.
Faithful servants ask what honors Christ and helps others.
Ministry is not primarily about programs, schedules, buildings, or public recognition.
Programs are tools; people are the ministry.
Genuine concern:
Notices people.
Listens carefully.
Remembers burdens.
Follows up.
Prays faithfully.
Continues when helping becomes inconvenient.
Cross-References
Philippians 2:3–4 — Look to the interests of others.
Matthew 9:36 — Jesus had compassion on the crowds.
John 10:11–14 — The Good Shepherd knows and cares for His sheep.
Romans 12:10 — Show brotherly affection and honor others.
1 Corinthians 12:25–26 — Members of Christ’s body care for one another.
Galatians 6:2 — Bear one another’s burdens.
1 John 3:16–18 — Love must be demonstrated through actions.
1 Thessalonians 2:7–8 — Paul shared both the gospel and his own life.
Application
Ask sincere questions instead of assuming everyone is fine.
Notice when someone has been absent or unusually quiet.
Care about physical needs without ignoring spiritual needs.
Follow up after the immediate crisis has passed.
Examine whether service is motivated by love or recognition.
Ask:
Who needs encouragement?
Who may feel forgotten?
Whose burden can I help carry?
Am I seeking Christ’s interests or primarily my own?
Central Truth
Faithful ministry begins with a heart that genuinely cares about people.
Faithful Servants Develop Proven and Dependable Character
Primary Text: Philippians 2:22–24
“But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.”—Philippians 2:22
Commentary
Timothy’s usefulness was based upon “proven worth.”
The idea behind “proven” is character that has been examined and approved through testing.
Paul did not recommend Timothy merely because of:
Talent.
Personality.
Potential.
Enthusiasm.
Public speaking ability.
Timothy had demonstrated faithfulness over time.
He had served with Paul through travel, opposition, hardship, and complicated ministry situations.
Character becomes visible when:
Excitement fades.
Work becomes repetitive.
Recognition disappears.
Problems arise.
Service becomes costly.
Charisma may attract attention, but character makes someone trustworthy.
Timothy served “as a son with a father.”
This describes a close spiritual relationship.
Paul invested in Timothy.
Timothy learned through serving beside Paul.
Their relationship included instruction, example, encouragement, and shared work.
Timothy served with Paul, not merely under Paul.
Christian ministry is shared service under the authority of Christ.
Mature believers should help younger believers grow.
Younger believers should remain teachable.
Every Christian should have someone helping them grow and someone they are helping.
Paul trusted Timothy with an important assignment:
Represent Paul faithfully.
Care for the Philippians.
Observe their spiritual condition.
Return with an honest report.
Dependability is built through small acts of faithfulness.
Paul made plans but trusted the Lord with their outcome.
“I trust in the Lord” shows the balance between responsible planning and submission to God.
Marks of Proven Character
Honesty when deception would be easier.
Purity when temptation is private.
Humility when receiving praise.
Teachability when corrected.
Patience when frustrated.
Courage when opposed.
Dependability when the work becomes difficult.
Faithfulness when no one is watching.
Cross-References
Luke 16:10 — Faithfulness in little prepares us for greater responsibility.
1 Corinthians 4:2 — Stewards must be found faithful.
Proverbs 20:6 — A faithful person is difficult to find.
Proverbs 25:19 — An unreliable person is like a broken tooth.
1 Timothy 3:1–13 — Character qualifications for church leadership.
2 Timothy 2:2 — Entrust truth to faithful people who can teach others.
2 Timothy 3:10–11 — Timothy observed Paul’s teaching and conduct.
Titus 2:1–8 — Mature believers model godly living for others.
James 1:2–4 — Testing produces steadfastness and maturity.
James 4:13–15 — Make plans while submitting to the Lord’s will.
Proverbs 16:9 — People make plans, but the Lord directs their steps.
Application
Take small responsibilities seriously.
Finish what you agree to do.
Keep commitments even when no one checks on you.
Receive correction without becoming defensive.
Value integrity more than visibility.
Find a mature believer from whom you can learn.
Intentionally encourage or disciple another believer.
Make wise plans while remaining open to God’s redirection.
Ask:
Can people depend upon me?
Is my private conduct consistent with my public profession?
Who is helping me grow?
Whom am I helping prepare for service?
Central Truth
God develops dependable servants by testing their character through consistent, ordinary faithfulness.
Faithful Servants Share the Burdens of God’s Family
Primary Text: Philippians 2:25–28
“I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need.”—Philippians 2:25
Commentary
Paul uses five descriptions of Epaphroditus.
“My brother”
The gospel made Paul and Epaphroditus members of the same spiritual family.
The church is more than an organization; it is the family of God.
Family life requires love, patience, forgiveness, and commitment.
“My fellow worker”
Epaphroditus did more than express sympathy.
He actively participated in Paul’s ministry and suffering.
Christian encouragement should sometimes grow hands and feet.
“My fellow soldier”
Ministry involves spiritual conflict.
Service requires courage, endurance, loyalty, and discipline.
Other believers are not the enemy; they are fellow soldiers.
The church becomes stronger when believers stand together under Christ.
“Your messenger”
Epaphroditus represented the Philippian congregation.
The word can mean a sent representative.
He carried more than financial support:
The church’s love.
The church’s encouragement.
The assurance that Paul had not been forgotten.
“Minister to my need”
His ministry was practical and personal.
He helped meet needs Paul could not meet while imprisoned.
God often answers prayer through the availability of His people.
Epaphroditus’s Concern
Epaphroditus became seriously ill while serving Paul.
His distress was connected to the Philippians hearing about his illness.
Even during his suffering, he remained concerned about others.
This does not mean believers should hide pain or refuse help.
It demonstrates that suffering had not made Epaphroditus entirely self-centered.
The Humanity of God’s Servants
Epaphroditus was faithful, but he still became sick.
Faithfulness does not make a believer physically or emotionally invincible.
God’s servants may experience:
Illness.
Exhaustion.
Grief.
Weakness.
Discouragement.
Admitting limitations is not a failure of faith.
Humility includes recognizing that only God is limitless.
Believers need rest, prayer, encouragement, medical care, and shared support.
Constant busyness should not automatically be confused with faithfulness.
God’s Mercy
“But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”—Philippians 2:27
God restored Epaphroditus’s health.
Paul described the healing as mercy, not as something God owed them.
Paul admitted that Epaphroditus’s death would have caused deep sorrow.
Christian joy does not eliminate grief.
Faith is not emotional numbness.
God’s mercy does not always take the same form:
Sometimes God removes the trial.
Sometimes He sustains us through it.
Sometimes ultimate healing comes through entrance into His presence.
Paul sent Epaphroditus home so the church could rejoice and Paul’s concern could be eased.
Faithful relationships bring both shared burdens and shared joy.
Cross-References
John 13:34–35 — Christ’s disciples are known by their love.
Romans 12:4–5 — Believers are members of one another.
Romans 12:15 — Rejoice and weep together.
1 Corinthians 12:26 — When one member suffers, all suffer.
Galatians 6:2 — Bear one another’s burdens.
Ephesians 2:19 — Believers belong to God’s household.
Ephesians 6:10–18 — The Christian life involves spiritual warfare.
Philippians 1:27 — Stand firm and strive together for the gospel.
2 Corinthians 1:3–4 — God comforts us so we can comfort others.
2 Corinthians 4:7 — God’s treasure is carried in fragile jars of clay.
2 Corinthians 12:9–10 — God’s strength is displayed through weakness.
Mark 6:31 — Jesus called His disciples to rest.
John 11:35 — Jesus expressed genuine sorrow.
Application
Treat fellow believers as family rather than disposable coworkers.
Move from saying, “Someone should help,” to asking, “How can I help?”
Refuse to treat other Christians as the enemy during disagreements.
Allow others to help when illness or weakness limits you.
Pray for those in need while remaining open to becoming part of the answer.
Rejoice when God restores, strengthens, or returns someone to fellowship.
Ask:
Whose burden can I help carry?
Am I willing to receive help?
Do I treat fellow believers as family, partners, and fellow soldiers?
Could God be calling me to become the answer to a prayer?
Central Truth
Faithful servants do not merely express concern; they enter the struggle and help carry the burden.
Faithful Servants Accept Sacrifice and Deserve Honor
Primary Text: Philippians 2:29–30
“So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men.”—Philippians 2:29
Commentary
Paul instructed the Philippians to welcome Epaphroditus with joy.
The church was also commanded to honor him.
This was not celebrity worship.
Paul wanted believers to recognize sacrificial, Christlike character.
The world commonly honors:
Wealth.
Fame.
Appearance.
Power.
Influence.
The church should honor:
Faithfulness.
Humility.
Sacrifice.
Courage.
Compassion.
Dependability.
Faithful believers should be encouraged while they are still able to hear it.
A sincere word of appreciation can strengthen a tired servant.
Epaphroditus nearly died “for the work of Christ.”
“Risking his life” describes deliberately exposing oneself to danger for the sake of the mission.
He completed what was “lacking” in the Philippians’ service:
Paul was not criticizing the church for neglect.
Distance prevented the whole congregation from personally caring for him.
Epaphroditus supplied what they could not provide in person.
He served as their representative.
Faithfulness always costs something:
Time.
Energy.
Comfort.
Money.
Pride.
Convenience.
Sometimes safety.
Faithfulness is not recklessness.
Christians should not create unnecessary danger or neglect legitimate responsibilities.
However, personal comfort cannot become more important than obedience.
Jesus did not rescue us from a safe distance.
He entered our world and gave His life for us.
Epaphroditus’s sacrifice followed the pattern of Christ.
People the Church Should Honor
Those who pray faithfully.
Teachers who prepare carefully.
Workers who serve behind the scenes.
Caregivers who quietly sacrifice.
Believers who consistently encourage others.
Members who remain faithful through suffering.
Volunteers who finish unnoticed work.
Older saints who have walked faithfully with Christ.
Younger believers who demonstrate growing spiritual maturity.
Cross-References
Philippians 2:5–8 — Christ humbled Himself and became obedient to death.
Mark 10:45 — Jesus came to serve and give His life.
John 15:13 — Greater love lays down its life for others.
Romans 12:10 — Outdo one another in showing honor.
1 Corinthians 16:15–18 — Recognize those who devote themselves to service.
1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 — Esteem those who labor faithfully.
1 Timothy 5:17 — Faithful leaders are worthy of honor.
Hebrews 6:10 — God does not overlook work performed in love.
Hebrews 13:7 — Remember faithful spiritual leaders and imitate their faith.
Matthew 16:24–25 — Discipleship involves taking up the cross.
Matthew 25:21–23 — “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Revelation 2:10 — Remain faithful even through suffering.
Application
Express appreciation before a faithful servant is gone.
Recognize unnoticed service as well as visible leadership.
Serve without requiring recognition.
Ask what comfort or convenience obedience may require you to surrender.
Use wisdom, but do not use caution as an excuse for disobedience.
Remember that God sees every act of faithful service.
Ask:
Does my service cost me anything?
Am I willing to serve when no one notices?
Who needs encouragement for their faithful work?
Have I allowed personal comfort to become more important than Christ’s mission?
Central Truth
Faithful service is often costly, and the church should honor those who sacrifice for Christ and His people.
Comparison of Timothy and Epaphroditus
Timothy
Epaphroditus
Genuinely concerned for others
Sacrificially served others
Put Christ’s interests first
Risked his life for Christ’s work
Possessed proven character
Demonstrated courageous commitment
Served alongside Paul
Carried his church’s support to Paul
Could be trusted with responsibility
Completed the assignment entrusted to him
Modeled compassionate leadership
Modeled practical, costly ministry
Conclusion Outline
Timothy and Epaphroditus were not presented as celebrities.
Their value came from their character and faithfulness.
Timothy teaches believers to:
Care genuinely.
Put Christ’s interests first.
Develop proven character.
Become trustworthy.
Epaphroditus teaches believers to:
Share the burdens of God’s people.
Accept human limitations.
Depend upon God’s mercy.
Serve sacrificially.
God does not require every Christian to possess the same gifts or perform the same assignment.
God calls every Christian to be faithful with what has been entrusted to them.
Ordinary service becomes eternally significant when offered to Christ.
Final emphasis:
“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”—1 Corinthians 4:2
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”—Matthew 25:23

Join Tim and John for this week's episode, as they talk about what to do when our faith seems dry.
Theme: Following God Even When You Don't Feel Close to Him Key Scripture: Psalm 42:1–5 Big Idea: God's faithfulness doesn't change when our feelings do.
“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” — Psalm 42:1–2
Introduction
Have you ever gone through a season when God just seemed distant?
You still believe.
You haven't decided to walk away from Christ.
You may still be going to church.
You may still pray.
You may still open your Bible.
But something feels different.
Prayer feels harder than it used to.
You read Scripture, but nothing seems to jump off the page.
You sing the same songs you've sung before, but they don't move you the way they once did.
You hear a sermon and know it's true, but emotionally, you just feel... dry.
Maybe you've even wondered:
“What's wrong with me?”
Or:
“Where did God go?”
That's what we're talking about today: When Your Faith Feels Dry.
And I want to emphasize that word feels.
Because there's an important difference between:
“God is far away”
and
“God feels far away.”
Those aren't necessarily the same thing.
Our feelings are real.
They matter.
We shouldn't pretend they don't exist.
But our feelings aren't always reliable indicators of spiritual reality.
There are mornings when we feel close to God.
There are mornings when we don't.
There are Sundays when worship seems powerful.
There are Sundays when our minds wander.
There are times when prayer comes naturally.
There are other times when getting through five minutes of prayer feels like hard work.
But here's the truth we need to hold onto:
God's faithfulness doesn't change when our feelings do.
That's what makes Psalm 42 such a helpful passage.
The writer isn't pretending everything is wonderful.
He's struggling.
He says:
“My tears have been my food day and night...” — Psalm 42:3
Later he asks:
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?”
This is someone who loves God and yet is experiencing deep spiritual and emotional distress.
And Scripture doesn't hide that from us.
That's important.
The Bible doesn't give us a picture of faithful people walking around with permanent smiles saying:
"Everything is wonderful!"
Abraham struggled.
Moses struggled.
David struggled.
Elijah struggled.
Jeremiah struggled.
Job struggled.
The disciples struggled.
There are Psalms filled with questions like:
“Where are You, God?”
“How long, O Lord?”
“Why have You forgotten me?”
Faithful people sometimes go through dry seasons.
So if you've experienced that, the question isn't simply:
“How do I make myself feel spiritual again?”
A better question is:
“How do I remain faithful when I don't feel close to God?”
What Does Spiritual Dryness Look Like?
Spiritual dryness can look different for different people.
For one person, prayer becomes difficult.
You used to pray naturally, but now you sit down and don't know what to say.
For someone else, it's Bible reading.
You open God's Word, but it feels routine.
You're reading the words, but your heart doesn't seem engaged.
For someone else, worship feels different.
Songs that once stirred your heart don't seem to affect you.
Maybe church itself begins to feel routine.
Sunday comes.
You go.
You sing.
You listen.
You leave.
And spiritually you feel like you're just going through the motions.
Sometimes spiritual dryness shows up as a lack of desire.
You know you should pray.
You know you should read Scripture.
You know you should spend time with God.
You just don't particularly want to.
And that's where people can become discouraged.
Because we assume:
“If I were really close to God, I would always feel excited about spiritual things.”
But that's not necessarily true.
Think about other important areas of life.
You don't always feel like going to work.
You don't always feel like exercising.
Students don't always feel like studying.
Parents don't always feel like doing everything parenting requires.
But we understand that something can be valuable even when we don't emotionally feel like doing it.
The same is true spiritually.
Sometimes faithfulness means seeking God when seeking Him feels wonderful.
And sometimes faithfulness means seeking God when it feels like work.
The Psalmist Was Thirsty
Psalm 42 begins with one of the most familiar pictures in Scripture:
“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.”
We often put that verse on beautiful pictures.
A peaceful deer standing beside a quiet stream.
Maybe some mountains in the background.
Very calming.
But that's not really the picture.
This is an animal that needs water.
It's thirsty.
It's searching.
The Psalmist says:
That's what my soul feels like.
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”
Notice what he's thirsty for.
Not simply answers.
Not simply relief.
Not simply a better situation.
God.
There's actually something encouraging hidden inside spiritual dryness.
If you miss closeness with God, that's evidence that closeness with God matters to you.
The Psalmist is hurting because he wants God.
He remembers what it was like to worship with God's people.
Verse 4 says:
“These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God...”
He remembers.
“I remember when worship was different.”
“I remember when I felt joy.”
“I remember when I was surrounded by God's people.”
And now things aren't the same.
Many Christians can relate to that.
You may remember a season when you felt spiritually strong.
Maybe there was a time when you couldn't wait to read Scripture.
Maybe prayer seemed easier.
Maybe you were excited about serving.
Maybe God was doing something obvious in your life.
And now?
You don't feel that same excitement.
Psalm 42 tells us we don't have to pretend.
We can bring that longing to God.
Faith Is Bigger Than Feelings
One of the most important lessons we can learn during a dry season is that faith and feelings are not the same thing.
Feelings are part of how God created us.
There's nothing wrong with emotion.
There are times Scripture tells us to rejoice.
Jesus wept.
David grieved.
Paul experienced sorrow.
Our emotions are real.
But emotions change quickly.
Think about how much your feelings can change because of something as simple as:
A bad night's sleep.
A difficult conversation.
Stress.
Exhaustion.
A disappointing day.
Someone saying something hurtful.
Sometimes you can go from:
“God is so good!”
to
“Everything is terrible!”
in about fifteen minutes.
Nothing about God changed during those fifteen minutes.
You did.
That's why our faith cannot rest entirely on how we feel at a particular moment.
Feelings Can Tell Us Something Without Telling Us Everything
We shouldn't ignore our emotions.
If you're discouraged, pay attention.
If you're angry, ask why.
If you're spiritually exhausted, don't simply pretend you're not.
Feelings can tell us something about what's happening inside us.
But they don't always tell us the truth about what's happening around us.
You may feel abandoned.
That doesn't mean God has abandoned you.
You may feel unheard.
That doesn't mean God isn't listening.
You may feel like nothing is happening.
That doesn't mean God isn't working.
Hebrews 13:5 reminds us of God's promise:
“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
That promise doesn't have an asterisk saying:
“Unless you don't feel My presence today.”
God's promise remains true.
Talk to Yourself Instead of Only Listening to Yourself
There's something fascinating in Psalm 42:5.
The Psalmist asks:
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?”
He's talking to himself.
Then he says:
“Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”
That's important.
Sometimes we spend all day listening to ourselves.
"I don't feel close to God."
"I don't feel like praying."
"I don't think anything is changing."
"Maybe God has forgotten me."
The Psalmist does something different.
He begins speaking truth to himself.
“Hope in God.”
He's reminding his own heart what is true.
Sometimes we need to do that.
When your heart says:
“God isn't here.”
Remind yourself:
“God has promised never to leave me.”
When your heart says:
“God doesn't care.”
Remind yourself:
“Christ loved me enough to die for me.”
When your heart says:
“Nothing is going to change.”
Remind yourself:
“My hope is in God, not my circumstances.”
That's not pretending our struggles don't exist.
It's refusing to let our struggles have the final word.
Remember God's Past Faithfulness
Another thing the Psalmist does is remember.
Psalm 42:4 says:
“These things I remember, as I pour out my soul...”
Memory can be a powerful tool during spiritually dry seasons.
When you can't clearly see what God is doing right now, remember what He's already done.
Remember prayers He's answered.
Remember difficult seasons He's carried you through.
Remember moments when Scripture spoke directly into your life.
Remember people God used to encourage you.
Remember doors He opened.
Remember times He provided.
Remember how He saved you.
Sometimes we're so focused on today's difficulty that we forget yesterday's faithfulness.
Look Back So You Can Keep Moving Forward
Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly tells His people to remember.
Remember Egypt.
Remember the Red Sea.
Remember the wilderness.
Remember how God provided.
Remember His covenant.
Why?
Because people forget.
Israel could watch God perform an incredible miracle and then shortly afterward wonder:
“Is God really going to take care of us?”
And before we're too hard on them, we do the same thing.
God brings us through one crisis.
Then another one comes along and we think:
“Well, this is it. There's absolutely no way God can handle this one.”
Apparently, God's résumé keeps getting misplaced.
Remembering builds faith.
If God was faithful then, He is still faithful now.
Keep Doing the Things That Help You Grow
One of the greatest temptations during a dry season is to stop doing the very things we need most.
Prayer feels dry, so we stop praying.
Bible reading feels routine, so we stop reading.
Worship doesn't feel exciting, so we stop worshiping.
Church feels ordinary, so we stop going.
And before long, we've isolated ourselves from many of the things God uses to strengthen us.
Don't confuse:
“I don't feel anything right now”
with:
“This isn't doing anything.”
Those are very different statements.
Keep Praying
What do you do when you don't feel like praying?
Pray anyway.
And you can be honest.
God doesn't need a performance.
You don't have to manufacture spiritual enthusiasm.
You can pray:
“Lord, I don't feel close to You right now.”
“I don't know what's wrong.”
“I don't even know what to say.”
“But I need You.”
That's prayer.
Some of the most powerful prayers in Scripture aren't polished.
They're cries for help.
The Psalms give us permission to speak honestly to God.
Keep Reading
What do you do when Scripture feels dry?
Keep reading.
Maybe change how you're reading.
Slow down.
Read a Psalm.
Read one of the Gospels.
Read a smaller passage instead of several chapters.
Write down one verse.
Ask one simple question:
“What does this teach me about God?”
You don't have to have a life-changing revelation every morning.
Sometimes you're simply putting truth into your heart that God will bring back to you later.
Keep Gathering with God's People
And don't disappear from church when you're struggling.
That's often exactly when we need Christian fellowship most.
There will be Sundays when you don't feel like going.
Go anyway.
Maybe you don't feel like singing.
Listen to God's people sing.
Maybe you don't feel strong enough to encourage anyone.
Let somebody encourage you.
Maybe you don't know what to pray.
Let somebody pray for you.
There are seasons when our brothers and sisters in Christ help carry us.
That's part of why God gave us the Church.
Ask Why You're Dry
Now, we also need to say something important.
Not every dry season has the same cause.
Sometimes spiritual dryness is simply part of walking through a difficult season.
But sometimes we need to examine ourselves.
Ask:
“Is there something contributing to this?”
Not with panic.
Not assuming every difficult emotion means you've done something terrible.
But honestly.
Is There Unconfessed Sin?
Sin affects our fellowship with God.
Psalm 66:18 says:
“If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”
If we knowingly hold onto sin while refusing to repent, we shouldn't be surprised when our spiritual lives suffer.
So ask:
Is there something I know is wrong that I'm refusing to surrender?
Is there bitterness I'm feeding?
Dishonesty I'm excusing?
A relationship I know is pulling me away from Christ?
Something God has already convicted me about?
If so, the answer isn't to try harder to feel spiritual.
The answer is repentance.
Confess it.
Turn from it.
Receive God's forgiveness.
And move forward.
Am I Distracted?
Sometimes the problem isn't rebellion.
It's distraction.
We can fill every quiet moment with noise.
Television.
Phones.
Social media.
Podcasts.
Music.
News.
Games.
Messages.
Notifications.
There's nothing automatically wrong with those things.
But if every spare moment is filled with something demanding our attention, we shouldn't be surprised when we struggle to hear the quiet voice of Scripture.
Sometimes we say:
“God feels distant.”
And God hasn't moved.
We've just filled the space between us with noise.
Maybe we need to turn some things off.
Put the phone down.
Sit quietly.
Open Scripture.
Pray.
Give God our attention again.
Am I Simply Exhausted?
Sometimes the answer is much less mysterious.
You're tired.
Remember Elijah in 1 Kings 19.
He had just experienced the tremendous victory on Mount Carmel.
Then Jezebel threatened his life.
Elijah ran.
He became discouraged.
He sat under a broom tree and essentially said:
“I've had enough.”
And what did God do first?
He let Elijah sleep.
Then He gave him food.
Then Elijah slept some more.
There's something almost humorous about how practical that is.
Sometimes the great spiritual solution is:
Eat something and take a nap.
We're physical creatures.
Exhaustion can affect us emotionally and spiritually.
So don't assume every dry season means you've failed spiritually.
Sometimes you've been carrying too much for too long.
You may need rest.
Don't Chase a Feeling—Seek God
There's another danger in dry seasons.
We can become so desperate to feel something that we start chasing experiences instead of seeking God.
We think:
“If I could just get that feeling back.”
Maybe we remember a revival.
A camp.
A worship service.
A moment when God seemed especially close.
Those experiences can be wonderful.
But our goal isn't to recreate an emotional experience.
Our goal is God Himself.
Psalm 42 doesn't say:
“My soul thirsts for a feeling.”
It says:
“My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”
That's a major difference.
We don't worship the experience of worship.
We worship God.
We don't seek spiritual excitement for its own sake.
We seek Christ.
Sometimes God gives us tremendous emotional experiences.
Sometimes He teaches us to walk faithfully without them.
Both can be part of spiritual growth.
Dry Seasons Can Deepen Our Faith
We usually want God to remove dry seasons immediately.
But sometimes God uses them.
Think about relationships.
A shallow relationship often depends entirely on how we feel in the moment.
A mature relationship develops faithfulness.
There are days when love feels effortless.
There are days when love requires commitment.
Our walk with God can deepen in a similar way.
When you pray because prayer feels wonderful, that's good.
But when you pray because God is worthy, even when you don't feel anything—that's faithfulness.
When you worship because your heart is overflowing, that's wonderful.
But when you worship in tears because you still believe God is good—that's a deeper kind of trust.
When you obey God because obedience is easy, that's good.
When you obey Him when it's costly—that reveals something deeper.
Dry seasons can teach us:
“I don't follow Jesus merely because of how He makes me feel. I follow Jesus because He is Lord.”
Waiting Is Part of Faith
Psalm 42:5 says:
“Hope in God; for I shall again praise him...”
Notice the future tense.
“I shall again.”
The Psalmist doesn't necessarily feel better yet.
His circumstances haven't suddenly changed.
But he believes this season isn't the whole story.
That's hope.
Sometimes we want immediate answers.
We pray today and want everything fixed tomorrow.
But Scripture contains a lot of waiting.
Abraham waited.
Joseph waited.
David waited.
Israel waited.
The disciples waited.
Waiting doesn't mean God isn't working.
And waiting doesn't mean God has forgotten you.
Sometimes faith simply says:
“I don't know when this will change, but I know who God is.”
What Do You Do When God Feels Far Away?
So let's make this very practical.
When your faith feels dry:
Be honest with God.
Don't fake enthusiasm. Tell Him where you are.
Keep praying.
Even if your prayer is simply:
"Lord, help me."
Keep reading Scripture.
Even if you only read a small portion.
Remember God's faithfulness.
Look back at what He's already done.
Examine your heart.
If there's sin, repent.
If there's distraction, remove some of it.
If you're exhausted, recognize that too.
Stay connected to God's people.
Don't isolate yourself.
Don't chase feelings.
Seek God.
Wait faithfully.
Trust that today's dryness isn't the whole story.
And above everything else:
Hold onto what is true.
What Is True When You Don't Feel It?
God is still good.
God is still faithful.
Christ still died for you.
The tomb is still empty.
Your sins are still forgiven through Christ.
God's Word is still true.
His promises haven't expired.
The Holy Spirit hasn't abandoned His people.
Jesus is still Lord.
And your salvation doesn't depend on whether you woke up feeling spiritually enthusiastic this morning.
That's good news.
Because feelings change.
Jesus doesn't.
Hebrews 13:8 says:
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
That's where our confidence rests.
Discussion Questions
Here are some questions we can think about together:
Have you ever experienced a spiritually dry season?
What did that season feel like?
Why do we sometimes confuse our feelings with God's presence?
What helps you continue praying when prayer feels difficult?
How can remembering God's past faithfulness help us today?
What distractions most often interfere with our relationship with God?
How can the church help someone going through a dry season?
What's the difference between seeking God and simply seeking a spiritual feeling?
Have you ever gone through a difficult spiritual season and later seen how God used it to strengthen you?
Closing Challenge
Maybe you're listening today and this isn't theoretical for you.
Maybe you're there right now.
You feel dry.
You don't feel as close to God as you once did.
Prayer has become difficult.
Bible reading feels routine.
Worship doesn't feel the same.
And maybe you've quietly wondered:
“What's wrong with me?”
Here's my challenge:
Don't walk away.
Don't stop praying because prayer feels difficult.
Don't stop reading because today's passage didn't give you goosebumps.
Don't stop worshiping because you don't feel emotional.
Don't stop gathering with God's people because you're discouraged.
And don't assume that because God feels distant, God is distant.
Instead, do what the Psalmist did.
Talk honestly to God.
Remember His faithfulness.
Speak truth to your own heart.
And tell your soul:
“Hope in God; for I shall again praise him...”
Sometimes faith looks like standing on a mountaintop praising God because everything is wonderful.
And sometimes faith looks like sitting in a valley saying:
“Lord, I don't understand what You're doing. I don't feel what I used to feel. But I still trust You.”
Both are faith.
Maybe today you don't need to manufacture a feeling.
Maybe you simply need to take the next faithful step.
Open your Bible.
Say a prayer.
Go to church.
Talk to another Christian.
Confess what needs confessing.
Remove a distraction.
Get some rest.
And keep following Jesus.
Because your relationship with God isn't held together by the strength of your emotions.
It's held together by the faithfulness of God.
Your feelings will rise and fall.
Your circumstances will change.
There will be mountaintops.
There will be valleys.
There will be seasons when God's presence seems overwhelming and seasons when you have to walk by faith.
But through every season, this remains true:
God is still God.
Christ is still Lord.
His Word is still true.
His grace is still sufficient.
And God's faithfulness doesn't change when our feelings do.
So when your faith feels dry:
Keep seeking.
Keep praying.
Keep trusting.
Keep following.
And put your hope in God.
Because this season isn't the end of your story.

Sermon Date: 9/9/2026At Northeast Baptist School
Bible Verses: Luke 10:25-37
 
Speaker: Rev. Timothy "Tim" Shapley
Theme: https://uppbeat.io/t/northwestern/a-new