I can teach about Sabbath. Actually practicing it? That's a different story.

As we continue through Luke, we come to Jesus' encounters with the religious leaders over the Sabbath—and instead of approaching this passage as someone who has rest figured out, I'm coming to it as someone who doesn't.

I'm a pastor. I love serving people. I love ministry. And I also know what it feels like to be exhausted, overwhelmed, and still convinced there's one more thing that needs to get done.

In this episode, we look at what Jesus teaches us about Sabbath and why rest was never intended to become another religious rule we have to get right. Sabbath is a gift. It's an invitation to stop, trust God, and remember that the world keeps turning even when we aren't the ones holding it together.

This isn't a message from someone who has mastered Sabbath. It's a "me too" conversation from someone learning that following Jesus also means learning when to stop.

If you're tired, overwhelmed, or struggling to give yourself permission to rest, this one is for both of us.

When Jesus called Peter, Peter didn't hesitate. After witnessing the miraculous catch of fish, he brought his boat to shore, left everything behind, and followed Jesus.

But what if Peter had known where that decision would eventually lead?

Following Jesus would give Peter a front-row seat to miracles, transformation, and the Kingdom of God—but it wouldn't make his life easier. He would experience failure, fear, sacrifice, persecution, and eventually discover just how much following Jesus could cost.

In this message from Luke 5, we look at Peter's response to the call of Jesus and wrestle with what discipleship actually requires of us. Jesus never promised that following Him would remove hardship or guarantee a comfortable life. He called us to follow Him—and sometimes that road is costly.

Peter couldn't have known everything that waited on the other side of leaving those nets. He simply knew Jesus was worth following.

The question for us is the same: Will we follow Jesus when we don't know what it might cost?

What happens when Jesus doesn't fit the version of Him we've created?

In Luke 4, Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth and stands in the synagogue among people who had watched Him grow up. He reads from the prophet Isaiah and declares that the promised good news for the poor, freedom for the captive, sight for the blind, and liberation for the oppressed is being fulfilled in Him.

At first, the people marvel. But admiration quickly turns to anger when Jesus challenges their expectations and reminds them that God's grace has never been limited to the people who believe they deserve it most.

The same hometown that knew Jesus as Joseph's son struggled to recognize Him as the Messiah.

In this message, we explore the danger of becoming so familiar with Jesus that we stop allowing Him to challenge us. His Kingdom reaches beyond our expectations, our comfort, and the boundaries we sometimes create around who belongs.

Jesus came with good news—and sometimes receiving that good news requires us to let go of the Jesus we expected so we can follow the Jesus who actually is.