Sometimes I think we get the wrong answers because we're asking the wrong questions. Churches spend a lot of time with how people live life. While that's valuable to discuss, it's probably not nearly as valuable as asking why. All of us have the privilege to live life, but few of us will take the time to ask why?

 

It's seductive to believe that I am a self-made man. I've pulled myself up from my boot straps. It's an American value: We are resilient. We are accomplished. And we have a tendency to believe we did it all ourselves. Unfortunately, we sometimes bring these values into our spiritual life. Scripture is clear: our righteousness is not our doing. It is the work of Christ. To claim otherwise is to commit fraud.

 

This one point is driven home: we are guilty. Often, we think that the message of Jesus is good. And it is! But it has a context. It's good news only when we understand and believe our guilt. In fact, the gospel actually starts out as really bad news before it turns good. Tonight, we will explore the unpopular idea that we are guilty.

 

What happens when things appear to be getting out of hand and out of your control? Sometimes we become desperate and do things in a frantic way. Other times we turn to our faith and make a commitment to do things differently, hopefully bringing about some sort of change. A third option is what we see in Jonathan, son of King Saul. His actions are of a person who knows that in all things, God is in control.