### Summary

In today's sermon, we explored the theme of being lost and finding direction, both in a literal and spiritual sense. I began by sharing a personal story about a blind date that involved getting lost multiple times, which served as a metaphor for the disorientation and confusion we often experience in life. This led us to reflect on how people in our world are in desperate need of direction and how, as followers of Jesus, it is our mission to guide them.

We turned to John 14, where Jesus comforts His disciples as He prepares for His departure. Jesus reassures them that He is going to prepare a place for them and that they know the way to where He is going. Thomas, expressing confusion, asks how they can know the way, to which Jesus responds, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This passage highlights the importance of knowing Jesus as the ultimate guide and the only way to eternal life.

We discussed the dangers of making assumptions about people's spiritual knowledge and health. Just as the disciples needed continuous guidance despite being close to Jesus, people today need us to show them the way to God. We often assume that people know about Jesus and the path to salvation, but many are confused and misled by various ideologies and beliefs.

The sermon concluded with a call to action: to invite and pray for those who are lost. We are starting a new series called "Finding Your Way Back to God," aimed at helping people discover or rediscover their relationship with Jesus. This series is not just for non-believers but also for us to deepen our own faith. We were encouraged to use tools like invite cards and social media to reach out to others and to pray for both the invitees and our own spiritual growth.

### Key Takeaways

1. **The Discomfort of Being Lost**: Being lost, whether physically or spiritually, brings about feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. Just as I needed help finding my way on a blind date, people need guidance to find their way to God. We must be willing to step in and provide that direction. [02:31]

2. **Jesus as the Ultimate Guide**: In John 14, Jesus reassures His disciples that He is the way, the truth, and the life. This means that knowing Jesus is essential for a fulfilling and eternal relationship with God. He is the only path to the Father, and we must help others understand this truth. [05:48]

3. **The Danger of Assumptions**: We often assume that people know about Jesus and the way to salvation, but many are confused and misled. Just as the disciples needed continuous guidance, people today need us to show them the way to God. Making assumptions can lead to missed opportunities to share the Gospel. [12:51]

4. **The Burning Questions**: Many people have deep, burning questions about life and faith, much like Thomas and Peter did. These questions often stem from confusion and life's hardships. As believers, we have a responsibility to address these questions and guide people towards the truth of Jesus. [15:42]

5. **Invitation and Relationship**: Research shows that most people come to faith through personal relationships and invitations. We must be intentional in inviting others to church and sharing our faith. Building relationships and having spiritual conversations are crucial for helping people find their way to God. [25:30]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Getting Lost on a Blind Date
[02:31] - The Discomfort of Being Lost
[04:47] - Our Mission as the Church
[05:48] - Jesus Comforts His Disciples
[08:53] - The Great Assumption
[10:38] - Jesus' Familiarity with Our Eternal Home
[12:51] - The Danger of Assumptions
[15:42] - The Burning Questions
[18:19] - Jesus as the Way, Truth, and Life
[20:51] - Jesus Offers a Better Story
[21:38] - New Series: Finding Your Way Back to God
[24:07] - Tools for Invitation
[25:30] - The Power of Invitation and Relationship
[27:00] - Our Mission to Help People Find Their Way Home
[28:32] - Casting Crowns' Song: Does Anybody Hear Her?
[29:48] - Invitation to Know Jesus
[31:05] - Closing Prayer

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- John 14:1-14

#### Observation Questions
1. What was the context in which Jesus comforted His disciples in John 14? ([05:48])
2. How did Thomas respond to Jesus' statement about knowing the way to where He is going? ([05:48])
3. What does Jesus mean when He says, "I am the way and the truth and the life"? ([18:19])
4. What assumptions did Jesus' disciples make about knowing the way to the place He was going? ([08:53])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus' disciples, who had been with Him for almost three years, still needed guidance about the way to the Father? ([08:53])
2. How does Jesus' statement, "I am the way and the truth and the life," address the confusion and questions of His disciples? ([18:19])
3. What are the dangers of making assumptions about people's spiritual knowledge and health, as discussed in the sermon? ([12:51])
4. How can personal relationships and invitations play a role in helping others find their way to God? ([25:30])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt lost, either physically or spiritually. How did you find your way, and who helped guide you? ([02:31])
2. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." How does this statement impact your understanding of your relationship with God? ([18:19])
3. Have you ever made assumptions about someone's spiritual knowledge or health? How can you be more intentional in understanding and guiding others? ([12:51])
4. Think of someone in your life who might be spiritually lost or searching. What steps can you take this week to invite them to church or have a spiritual conversation with them? ([25:30])
5. The sermon emphasized the importance of addressing burning questions about life and faith. What are some questions you have about your faith, and how can you seek answers? ([15:42])
6. How can you use tools like invite cards or social media to reach out to others and invite them to church? What specific actions will you take this week? ([24:07])
7. The new series "Finding Your Way Back to God" is not just for non-believers but also for deepening our own faith. How can you prepare your heart and mind to grow closer to God during this series? ([22:35])

Day 1: The Discomfort of Being Lost
Description: Being lost, whether physically or spiritually, brings about feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. Just as one might need help finding their way on a blind date, people need guidance to find their way to God. The feeling of being lost can be overwhelming, leading to a sense of disorientation and confusion. In these moments, it is crucial to have someone who can provide direction and clarity. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be that guiding light for others, helping them navigate through the complexities of life and find their way to God. [02:31]

Isaiah 30:21 (ESV): "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."

Reflection: Think of a time when you felt lost or confused. How did you find your way? How can you be a guide for someone who is currently feeling lost?


Day 2: Jesus as the Ultimate Guide
Description: In John 14, Jesus reassures His disciples that He is the way, the truth, and the life. This means that knowing Jesus is essential for a fulfilling and eternal relationship with God. He is the only path to the Father, and we must help others understand this truth. Jesus' words provide comfort and direction, reminding us that He is the ultimate guide in our spiritual journey. By following Him, we can navigate through life's challenges and uncertainties with confidence and hope. [05:48]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to trust Jesus more as your guide? How can you actively seek His direction this week?


Day 3: The Danger of Assumptions
Description: We often assume that people know about Jesus and the way to salvation, but many are confused and misled. Just as the disciples needed continuous guidance, people today need us to show them the way to God. Making assumptions can lead to missed opportunities to share the Gospel. It is important to approach each person with an open heart and mind, ready to provide the guidance and support they need. By doing so, we can help them find clarity and direction in their spiritual journey. [12:51]

James 1:5 (ESV): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent interaction where you assumed someone knew about Jesus. How can you approach future conversations with more openness and a willingness to share the Gospel?


Day 4: The Burning Questions
Description: Many people have deep, burning questions about life and faith, much like Thomas and Peter did. These questions often stem from confusion and life's hardships. As believers, we have a responsibility to address these questions and guide people towards the truth of Jesus. By engaging in meaningful conversations and providing thoughtful answers, we can help others find the clarity and understanding they seek. It is through these interactions that we can make a significant impact on their spiritual journey. [15:42]

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV): "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect."

Reflection: What are some burning questions you have about your faith? How can you seek answers and also be prepared to help others with their questions?


Day 5: Invitation and Relationship
Description: Research shows that most people come to faith through personal relationships and invitations. We must be intentional in inviting others to church and sharing our faith. Building relationships and having spiritual conversations are crucial for helping people find their way to God. By fostering genuine connections and extending invitations, we can create opportunities for others to experience the love and grace of Jesus. It is through these relationships that we can make a lasting impact on their spiritual journey. [25:30]

Colossians 4:5-6 (ESV): "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who may be seeking spiritual direction. How can you build a deeper relationship with them and invite them to explore faith with you?

1. "But, you know, there are a few things in life that can make us feel more uncertain, more confused, more even disoriented at times than when we are lost. And we've all experienced it, right? We've all had times when we were lost, whether we were lost trying to find someone's house on a blind date or for a blind date, or whether you're lost in some new unfamiliar place or lost while you were on vacation. We know what it's like, and it doesn't feel good to be lost." [02:31] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "And yet sometimes, sometimes as the church, we fail them. We fail them by forgetting our mission. We fail them by forgetting that our number one job as followers of Jesus, our number one job as the church of Jesus Christ, is to help people find direction and to help people find their way home." [04:47] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "And so the first big issue that I want us to think about here today that we find in this text is that of one great association. One great assumption that we all have made. One great assumption that we've all made. If we look again in what we just read in John chapter 14, verse number 4, Jesus says to his disciples, You know the way to the place where I am going. You know the way." [08:53] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "Friends, Jesus' disciples, they needed someone to keep showing them the way. To make sense of the confusion. And I want you to understand that today we live in a culture where people need the same thing. Because we live in a culture that communicates a lot of different things. A lot of different ideas and ideologies and belief systems. We live in a world that often says, you know, all roads lead to the same place. All roads lead to that same heavenly environment. Eternal home. And so people, they need us who follow Jesus to come alongside of them and to show them the way." [11:47] (52 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "Friends, you and I, we often make great assumptions about the spiritual health of people. And when we do, we forget that we, we have been put in their lives for a time such as this. We have been put in their lives in order to help them find their way home. And making assumptions is a very dangerous thing to do." [12:51] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6. "When Jesus says, I am the way and the truth and the life, what's he saying? Well, first, let's break it down. When he says, I am the way, he's saying, I am the intimate knowledge of God. In other words, I am the way to know God intimately. I am the way to have a personal, satisfying, fulfilling, eternal relationship with the God of the universe." [19:09] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7. "Jesus offers a better story to all who will receive him. That's what Jesus does. He offers us a better story. And when I say that Jesus offers a better story, I am not in any way discounting the hardships and the trials that we go through in life. When I say that Jesus offers a better story, I'm not saying that he's some sort of secret recipe or magic. He's a magic potion that just instantly makes life perfect and makes all the trials and struggles and problems of life go away. In fact, Jesus said just the opposite." [20:51] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8. "Friends, let us not forget our mission. Let us not forget that we exist. The very reason the church exists is We exist. We exist. We exist. We exist. We exist. We exist. We exist. We exist. It's to help people find their way home. It's to help people find hope. It's to help people discover purpose. It's to help people receive salvation from their sins through the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who bled and died on an old rugged cross, but didn't stay dead because on the third day, he was resurrected from the grave." [27:00] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


9. "And so my encouragement to you this week is to invite and to pray. Invite and pray. Invite people to come and worship with us and to be a part of this new teaching series that will be beginning. And pray for those people that you're inviting. Pray for those people that God is laying it upon your heart to invite to church this next week. And as we go through this five-week series, pray for them. But also, pray for your own hearts." [22:35] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


10. "The truth is, just because we're all here doesn't mean we're all where we need to be spiritually. And so I'm also asking that you pray for your heart and pray for the hearts of our fellow church members as well and those that we gather with here on a weekly basis. That the Holy Spirit would also reveal to us the great love of God. And that no matter what our spiritual relationship is like, that we would strengthen it. And that we would strengthen it. That we would grow closer to God." [23:30] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

So it was many years ago when I was living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and I had a buddy that I worked with who set me up on a blind date. And if you've ever been on a blind date, you know sometimes that could go really bad. Occasionally it goes good. Sometimes it went bad. This wasn't that bad of an experience, but it was an interesting experience because not only was it a blind date, not only had I never seen her or never met her, but she lived about an hour, roughly an hour outside the city of Albuquerque.

And to get there, I had to drive through a Native American reservation. And you have to remember this was a couple of years ago, several years ago. And this was before people had GPS on their smartphones. Like most people had dumb phones. Like we did have cell phones, but they were dumb and they were not smart.

And so on the evening of the date, it got off to a bit of a rough start. Because I ended up getting lost and I couldn't find her house. And so I ended up pulling into a gas station. And I called on my dumb phone and told her, "I can't find your house. I don't know where to go." And so she very graciously jumped in her car and she went down to this gas station and met me there. And then I followed her back to her house.

And then we went together on this date. And it was a simple date. We were going out to dinner and we were going to see a movie. And I wish I could tell you this. I wish I could tell you that our navigational challenges ended at that point. But actually, they didn't. Like we found the restaurant okay. But after the restaurant, when it was time to go to the movie, we were going to this movie theater that was at a mall. Only it wasn't connected to the mall. Like it was technically at the mall, but it wasn't attached to the mall.

And so we get to the mall and we're sitting in the parking lot. We're like, "Okay, we're here, but where is it? Where is this movie theater?" And so I did what I didn't know what else to do. I decided that I was going to flag down the mall security officer that's driving through a near-empty parking lot with his lights flashing and ask him, "Where in the world is this movie theater?"

And for better or for worse, I don't know, maybe for worse, I kind of surprised her. I don't know if I impressed her that I would actually stop someone and ask for directions. There's a rumor out there that guys don't like to ask for directions. I don't know if that's true, but that's what I've heard. And so she was pretty surprised, actually, that I would stop and ask for directions.

So I did. But, you know, there are a few things in life that can make us feel more uncertain, more confused, more even disoriented at times than when we are lost. And we've all experienced it, right? We've all had times when we were lost, whether we were lost trying to find someone's house on a blind date or whether you're lost in some new unfamiliar place or lost while you were on vacation. We know what it's like, and it doesn't feel good to be lost.

It's in those moments of being lost that maybe everything or nothing looks familiar to us. And in those moments, it can be very easy to lose hope. It can be easy to even feel the anxiety building up inside of us as we start thinking that with every mile, we're getting more and more lost. Sometimes our mind can even begin to play tricks on us to make us think we're not really lost. I know a few guys have probably said that before. "We're not lost. I know exactly where we're at." Sure. Sure, you do.

At times, whether we are willing to admit it or not, though, we have been lost. At times, we've been in desperate need of direction. And friends, I want to suggest to you today that we live in a world in which we are surrounded by people who are in need of direction. And yet sometimes, sometimes as the church, we fail them. We fail them by forgetting our mission. We fail them by forgetting that our number one job as followers of Jesus, our number one job as the church of Jesus Christ, is to help people find direction and to help people find their way home.

And so as we unpack this idea today, I want us to turn to the gospel of John, chapter 14. In John chapter 14, we have a passage here in which Jesus comforts his disciples. And you might ask, why does Jesus have to comfort his disciples in this moment? Well, you have to consider the context. Jesus is getting really close now to the end of his time here on this earth. He's getting very close to the time in which he would go to an old rugged cross and he would die on a cross for your sins and for mine.

And these disciples are having a hard time with that. It's a lot to process. And they've become really close to Jesus. Jesus has become like family to them. And now the thought of living life on this earth without him physically with them is disturbing to them. And so Jesus tries to comfort them.

In John 14, it says this, Jesus' words: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My father's house has many rooms. If that were not so, would I have told you that I'm going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going. So how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered, "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you, I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father living in me who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves."

Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Now, this teaching of Jesus, it's not only meant to comfort not only his original disciples, but also us who are his disciples today in the 21st century. It's not just meant to comfort us who are his disciples. I believe this teaching also is able to open our eyes to a couple of big issues that will guide us, that should guide us in how we go about our mission of loving God and loving people and serving both. How we go about our mission of helping people find the way home.

And so the first big issue that I want us to think about here today that we find in this text is that of one great association. One great assumption that we all have made. One great assumption that we've all made. If we look again in what we just read in John chapter 14, verse number 4, Jesus says to his disciples, "You know the way to the place where I am going." You know the way.

Now, you could make the case that they certainly should have known the way. I mean, after all, they had been with Jesus for almost three years now. They had breathed Jesus. They had lived with Jesus nearly 24-7 for almost three years. And they had heard him teach time and time again. They had been witnesses to many miracles. They had been discipled by the master himself. And so sure, they probably should have known. But friends, they didn't. They didn't.

You see, whenever Jesus spoke of an eternal home, he spoke of it as one who is familiar with their own hometown. Like, you know what it's like, right? When you have a hometown, like you've been there all your life. You grew up there, especially if it's a really small town. Like, you know everything about it. You are just completely familiar with it. So much so that you sometimes take things for granted. Or you just kind of assume that other people know about it.

You know that there are some places you definitely need to go. You know there are some places that you probably better not go. You know the shortcuts and the back roads. And you know the ways to save some time and to get a good meal, to get a good deal. And that's how Jesus spoke about our eternal home, as one who's familiar with it. Because it was his hometown. And he assumed that they knew the way to the destination.

But the problem is that it's difficult to know the way to a destination when you haven't been there yourself. It's difficult to know the way to a destination when you can't even find the road that will get you there. Friends, Jesus' disciples, they needed someone to keep showing them the way, to make sense of the confusion.

And I want you to understand that today we live in a culture where people need the same thing. Because we live in a culture that communicates a lot of different things, a lot of different ideas and ideologies and belief systems. We live in a world that often says, you know, all roads lead to the same place. All roads lead to that same heavenly environment, eternal home.

And so people, they need us who follow Jesus to come alongside of them and to show them the way. And yet so often we assume that people know the way. And we assume lots of different things, don't we? We assume that they know about what it means to be made right with God. We assume that they know that there is something known as eternal life. That when we die from this life, that there's more. A lot more.

We assume that they know the way to this eternal home. And we so often can make assumptions about whether someone has been to church before. Or if they have, that they know how we try to do church according to the New Testament. We sometimes make assumptions about whether someone is or isn't a follower of Jesus Christ. Sometimes we make assumptions about whether someone is open to a spiritual conversation or open to an invite to come to church. And sometimes we assume that they're not interested, that they're going to reject us, that they're going to say no.

Friends, you and I, we often make great assumptions about the spiritual health of people. And when we do, we forget that we have been put in their lives for a time such as this. We have been put in their lives in order to help them find their way home. And making assumptions is a very dangerous thing to do.

It's like the guy who was walking down the road one day and he noticed a man that was struggling with a washing machine in the doorway of his house. And so trying to be a nice guy, he stopped and he offered to help. And well, the homeowner was just overjoyed with this offer. And so immediately, the two men began to work together and struggle with this bulky appliance.

But after several minutes of fruitless effort, the two men just stopped and they stared at each other in complete exhaustion and on the verge of total frustration. And finally, when they had caught their breath, the guy who had stopped to help the homeowner said, "You know what, I don't think we're ever going to get this washing machine in there." To which the homeowner said, "Ian, I'm trying to get it out of here."

See, when we assume, that's dangerous. When we make assumptions, it often causes us to become ineffective and even counterproductive. And so we have to be careful not to make the great assumption that people know, that they know Jesus, that they know how to have a relationship with God through him, that they know how to get to our wonderful, heavenly, eternal home.

Here's something else that is kind of just beneath the surface, if you will, of this text in John 14. And that is this burning question. The one burning question that many people have. Verse 5 in John 14. Thomas said to him, let me pause there for a moment, because Thomas sometimes gets a bad rap, doesn't he? Like we hear about Thomas, if you've been in the church for any length of time at all, you probably know that Thomas is known as what? Doubting, yeah. Doubting Thomas, right?

And we sometimes give him a hard time because he didn't believe things as easy as other people did. And because he sometimes asked questions. And so immediately we might read this and just kind of discount it and say, "Oh, well, there's Thomas. He never wants to believe anything. He's always having to doubt and ask questions."

But Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going. So how can we know the way?" I want you to understand it wasn't just Thomas asking these questions. In the previous chapter, John chapter 13, we read in verses 36 and 37, Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I'm going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow now? I will lay down my life for you."

Understand, I think all the disciples were asking these questions. I mean, we only have a written record that these two disciples were asking the question. But I think they were probably all asking it. And if they weren't verbally asking it, they were probably thinking it in their head. But we have in written record at least two different disciples that are basically asking the same question.

Why are they asking the question? Why are they thinking about it? It's because they're confused by life. And they seem to be thinking that the mysteries of life are unsolvable. The reality is, you and I, we're surrounded by people like them. You know people like them. You work with people. You go to school with people. They're in your neighborhood. There are people all around us who are confused.

People are getting mixed messages from our culture. People who have questions and people have doubts. People who are just worn down by life. They're all around us. And we, as those who know Christ, if you're a believer, we have a responsibility to come alongside you. To come inside of them. To care for them. To love them. To show them the way. To show them the way home. To show them the truth of Jesus.

Like the truth we find in John chapter 14, verse 6, where Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." He says, "I'm the way and the truth and the life." Jesus' reply to their question indicates that he is the ultimate foundation for a satisfying and a fulfilling life.

When Jesus says, "I am the way and I am the truth and I am the life," what's he saying? Well, first, let's break it down. When he says, "I am the way," he's saying, "I am the intimate knowledge of God." In other words, I am the way to know God intimately. I am the way to have a personal, satisfying, fulfilling, eternal relationship with the God of the universe.

And when Jesus says, "I am the truth," he's saying, "Look, it is my perfect power that is able to make sense of life. It's my perfect power that can make sense of all of life's experiences and all of the harsh realities of life that we all are probably experts on, right? And when Jesus says, 'I am the life,' he's saying, 'I am not subject to death.' But more than not being subject to death, he's saying that he has made death subject to himself, which means that he has the authority to give life, that he is the author and he is the sustainer of all life.

See, when Jesus says, "I am the way and the truth and the life," he's saying that he is the answer to the burning question that so many people have. Because Jesus offers a better story to all who will receive him. That's what Jesus does. He offers us a better story.

And when I say that Jesus offers a better story, I am not in any way discounting the hardships and the trials that we go through in life. When I say that Jesus offers a better story, I'm not saying that he's some sort of secret recipe or magic potion that just instantly makes life perfect and makes all the trials and struggles and problems of life go away. In fact, Jesus said just the opposite. In this world, we will have troubles, but Jesus makes life better.

He offers us a better story because having a relationship with him, it truly makes a difference. See, Jesus, he is the way home. And we must not assume that people know this or understand this, which is the reason why next Sunday we are beginning a new sermon series called "Finding Your Way Back to God."

And it's a perfect time to start a new series because this is Labor Day weekend, which means it's the unofficial end of summer. It means schools are back in session. It means people's schedules are starting to resume some sort of normalcy. It might be a crazy normalcy, but things are going to be okay, getting back to normal now.

And so in this series that we're going to start, "Finding Your Way Back to God," it's a series that's designed for us to help reach people who don't know Jesus, who have questions, who have doubts, people who need to find their way to God or find their way back to God. But I don't want you to think that this series is just about people who don't know Jesus.

Because I believe that this series can be powerful and impactful in our lives as well if we will be open to what the Holy Spirit wants to do in us. Because if we will be open to what the Holy Spirit wants to do inside of our hearts, in our souls, then I believe this series can draw each of us nearer to the heart of God.

And so my encouragement to you this week is to invite and to pray. Invite and pray. Invite people to come and worship with us and to be a part of this new teaching series that will be beginning. And pray for those people that you're inviting. Pray for those people that God is laying it upon your heart to invite to church this next week.

And as we go through this five-week series, pray for them. But also, pray for your own hearts. The truth is, just because we're all here doesn't mean we're all where we need to be spiritually. And so I'm also asking that you pray for your heart and pray for the hearts of our fellow church members as well and those that we gather with here on a weekly basis.

That the Holy Spirit would also reveal to us the great love of God. And that no matter what our spiritual relationship is like, that we would strengthen it. And that we would strengthen it. That we would grow closer to God.

And so you probably already know this, but it's been a while since we mentioned it. Out on the Connections desk, we have little invite cards. They're meant to be tools that you can use to just give to somebody, to invite them to church. You can also find some on the counter down at the East End, across from the children's area as well. And you can grab as many of those as you want, as you need. If we run out, it's okay. We can make more. We can make more, I promise. They don't cost that much. And it's a tool. It's a tool for us to invite people to church.

If you just want to take one, you can take a picture of it with your phone and text it to some people and say, "Hey, we'd love it if you would be our guest next Sunday." Maybe when you see the advertisement for the series pop up on our social media channels, maybe you can share that with them. You know, either publicly on your page or privately to theirs. And just say, "Hey, we'd love for you to be our guest."

As we begin this series, let's invite and let's pray. See, why is that so important? Well, it's because a lot of research that has been done, including research done by Chip Arn, who is president of Church Growth Incorporated. And he has surveyed over the years at least 50,000 or more people, probably a lot more by now. And he asks this question. He says, "Why did you become a Christian?"

And in response to that question, there are eight things that are mentioned. But get this. Only one of them was mentioned significantly, like way, way more than all the others. Of all the tens of thousands of people they've surveyed, somewhere between 75 and 90 percent, 75 and 90 percent of people said they became a Christian because of a friend or a relative that talked to them about Christ.

Two things are implied by that: invitation and relationship. You see, the kingdom of God, the church of Jesus Christ is built through invitation and relationship. And there's all kinds of research that backs up what they've found here. For example, LifeWave research has confirmed that the two ways most people want to receive information about Jesus is a conversation with a family member or from a friend or neighbor from the church. Again, both stress the importance of relationships.

See, you already have relationships with people. And not all those people you have relationships with know the way home. Not all of them know Jesus, at least they don't really know him. I mean, they might have heard of Jesus, but they may not really understand what Jesus really is and who he really is. And so we have relationships with those people anyway.

And so we just need to pray, "God, all right, show me opportunities to talk with them. Give me the courage to seize those opportunities and to initiate a spiritual conversation or at the very minimum to invite them to come to church and to worship with us." Friends, let us not forget our mission. Let us not forget that we exist. The very reason the church exists is to help people find their way home.

It's to help people find hope. It's to help people discover purpose. It's to help people receive salvation from their sins through the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who bled and died on an old rugged cross, but didn't stay dead because on the third day, he was resurrected from the grave. One day, He's returning. One day, He's coming back for us. And we will be with Him as believers for all of eternity.

And we should want to take as many people with us as possible. Several years ago, the Christian music group Casting Crowns released a song called "Does Anybody Hear Her?" I don't know if you remember that song. It's a pretty popular song for a while. The lyrics of the song are about a young woman who is just kind of wandering through life. She's lost and she's searching and she's been battered by sin and scarred by some sinful choices.

And what really resonated with me when I first heard that song is the fact that it's a story similar to so many people that are all around us. A question for you and I as Newt and Cece is do we hear her? Do we hear her? Do we hear the people that are all around us? Or do we simply just make great assumptions about their spiritual health? Great assumptions about whether they really know Jesus or not. Great assumptions about whether they're open to a conversation or open to an invite.

We're going to sing one last song here today as we close out. And I want you to know that if you're here and you have questions about Jesus or if you would just like to know more about Jesus or have a conversation about him or maybe you say, "You know what? I need Jesus and I'd like to receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior and the leader and the forgiver of my life," then I would love to talk with you about that.

I'd love to have a conversation with you. And I'd love for you just to let me know. Even if it's just to ask questions as you're kind of pondering. After the service, I'm going to be up front over here and I'd love to talk with you. Come on up and see me. You can't miss me in this shirt. You'll see me. I'll be right after the service. I'll be right up here.

Okay. You can come talk to me. I'd love to talk with you. And if you're like afraid of the shirt, I understand. Use your connection card. Okay. There's one on the... There's a tear-off on your bulletin. There's one on the backs of the seats in front of you. And if you just want to maybe set up a time where we can talk. And we can just kind of discuss maybe what God is doing in your heart and whether you're following Jesus or whether you need to give your life to him.

Maybe it's time to be baptized, immersed into Christ. If you've never made that decision, I'd love to talk to you about that. So if you want to use your connection card, you can do that. And just fold it over, drop it in the offering box on your way out. And I'd be glad to follow up with you.

Would you pray with me now?

Father God, we ask that you forgive us for the times when we have made your kingdom about us. God, we ask that you help us to resist making assumptions about people who have some burning questions about you. Help us to resist making assumptions about people who need you, who need our help in finding their way to you and to their eternal home.

God, we ask for your help and for your guidance. We pray these things in Jesus' name.