As we continue our study of joy, today we consider the exhausting pursuit of the credentials that people look to for confidence before God and others. Many people try to affirm their worth through morality, religion or success, but the Bible calls us to a different path that involves laying down our credentials to receive something far greater.
Sometimes, the Bible feels too abstract. We read what it says but still don’t know what it looks like. This message shows us what God can do to change a person’s life by looking at the changed lives of two first century disciples. They help us see that God isn’t just about platitudes but power to change.
Discontentment affects different people in different ways. Sometimes our frustration is with the world. People and circumstances feed our complaints. But sometimes, our biggest complaints are against ourselves. We’re not content with who we are or what we’ve done. We never measure up. This message looks at how to harness the power God gives us to change and move from discontentment to joy.
The path toward true greatness requires rethinking what it means to be great. We can do this by laying hold of the help and example of Jesus who was greatly honoured, precisely because He was willing to humble Himself.
