Who's Really In Control? | Adam Weber

In our chaotic world, there are many who would say that we need less prayer and more action, but I'd like to strongly recommend that we actually need more prayer. And as a result of more prayer, then more action. You see, action without prayer is maybe a part of the reason for all the chaos in our world. The truth is, we need both. You see, prayer, it changes us. Like, instead of us humans pointing our fingers at the world, and if I can just share some more posts than all the fools who are friends with me will maybe get it right. Instead of looking at everyone else, prayer changes us, and it refines us, and it shapes us, and it transforms us into the kind of people who act. So just a little bit of a heads up today, this is a heavier way to start, and you can call me naive if you'd like, but after the year 2020 with COVID and George Floyd and the election and all the chaos of that year, after 2020, I was trying to be optimistic, and I was really hoping that the chaos in our world would slowly calm down and go away. But Nope, no, it didn't. Right. And then last year, I once again was trying to be optimistic, and I was hoping that once this election was done, whoever got elected, that our world would slowly get back to normal. Maybe we wouldn't be so polarized anymore, and the chaos would go away. But unfortunately, Nope, once again, I was wrong. Literally, in the last two months alone, there's the school shooting in Minneapolis, Charlie Kirk being killed, the No

Kings protest, a woman being stabbed on a subway. And what about the war in Gaza? Right. And what about the shooting and the fire at the LDS Church in Michigan? And what about the tariffs and the government shutdown? Oh, and what about the hurricane that just hit Jamaica? And did you hear that there's a rising resistance to antibiotics? And have you thought about AI and the fact that it's exploding the porn industry? And that's not even mentioning that 7,000 Christians have been murdered in Nigeria this year alone. Let me say that again. Just to comprehend this. 7,000 Christians murdered in one country this year alone. Thankfully, thankfully, at least we have sports, right? And there's no corruption and chaos and sports. Jesus, take the wheel. Right. But seriously, though, in light of all this, I just need to ask, what do you think? Like, what do you think we should do? And what's your opinion? Like, what's your official statement? And by the way, you need to have an official statement right now. And don't just tell me. I mean, unless you don't have a spine, unless you're a coward, you need to stand up and you need to post it online and you need to tell the entire world. And once you've quickly decided what you think after you read

one blog post by someone you don't even know who they are, if you think something different than me, well, then I hate you and I don't want to speak to you anymore and you're stupid and we can't be friends and we most definitely can't attend the same church. And friends, all of that is just from the last two months alone, and we're not even scratching the surface of what's really happening in our world every single day. And just to be super clear, all the things that we just listed off are tragic. I'm not making light of any of it. It's all heartbreaking. But in hearing all of that, is it any wonder or surprise that you might be surprised that I'm not making light of any of it? You might be feeling anxious or confused or exhausted or just flat out angry. Friends, that's not even mentioning the news stories that are happening in your life and in mine all the time. Personally, last week, a close loved one of mine got some really hard news, and it's impacted me big time. And honestly, I feel like I've been in a complete fog ever since. It's like the news in the world, I'm trying to figure out this. Last week, we had Kerry Newhoff here with us at the church, and Kerry and I, we were talking about how we get our information today, and he shared something that was really eye opening, at least for me. He was talking about how Facebook and Instagram and TikTok all have an algorithm which keeps feeding us posts

and videos that will keep us engaged on our app, because for them, the more time we're on our app, the more money they make off of us from ads. And so these algorithms, they keep showing us more and more things, viewpoints and politics and specific influencers and world events that will keep us going. And the algorithm, it isn't giving us different viewpoints. No, it's giving us more and more things that it knows that we'll agree with so that we will keep engaging and commenting and sharing and engaging, engaging. Like it's telling us exactly what we want to hear. It's like the perfect echo chamber that just keeps us getting crazier and crazier and crazier and more and more chaos. And so here's the scary part. Kerry shared that the average person is currently spending seven hours a day on their phone, which is 49 hours each week. And so listen to this, the average person, including Jesus followers, is currently being discipled. Like they're currently being shaped 49 hours a week, not by a mentor, not by a close friend, not by scripture, not by Jesus. No, they're currently being discipled. And when I say they, you and I, we are currently being discipled and shaped 49 hours every single week by an algorithm. You and I, we are being discipled 49 hours a week by an algorithm that's telling us exactly what we want to hear.

To be clear, this algorithm, it doesn't want what's best for us. It doesn't want what's right and what's true. And it's most definitely not pointing us to the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, truth found in Jesus. All it wants is to keep you and I engaged. I don't know about you, but that's jarring to think about. And so at this time at all campuses, we're gonna pass our baskets, not to receive an offering, but to collect all your cell phones. That's a joke by the way, okay. We needed something, okay, we needed something. All joking aside, in the midst of all the chaos and the algorithms and the broken world around us, what are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to respond? Because as we already know, the typical response is to get really, really loud and to get really, really angry. The typical response is to get more jaded and more anxious. The typical response is to become more divided and it's us versus them. The typical response is to stay in our nice, comfortable algorithm. But for you and I, what are we supposed to do and how are we supposed to live and act and respond, not only as people, but how are we to face the chaos in our world as followers of Jesus? Not just as humans, but as followers of Him.

And so today we're starting up a brand new series called On Earth As It Is In Heaven. And for today and next week, we're gonna be looking at the most famous prayer of all time, the words and the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. And speaking of prayer, in our chaotic world, there are many who would say that we need less prayer and more action. But I'd like to strongly recommend that we actually need more prayer and as a result of more prayer, then more action. You see, action without prayer is maybe a part of the reason for all the chaos in our world. The truth is we need both. You see, prayer, it changes us. Instead of us humans pointing our fingers at the world, and if I can just share some more posts than all the fools who are friends with me, well, maybe you get it right. Instead of looking at everyone else, prayer changes us, and it refines us, and it shapes us, and it transforms us into the kind of people who act. The kind of people who can bring a part of heaven down here to earth. You see, when we spend time with Jesus, it changes us and it changes the world around us from the inside out.

I love these words in scripture that are about Peter and John, two of Jesus's closest friends. It says this, when they saw the courage of Peter and John. and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men. They were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. It's like there was nothing special about Peter and John. They were totally ordinary, unschooled men, but the people around them, they were astonished because they had clearly been with Jesus. Friends, the world and the chaos around us needs more of this. Truly as Jesus followers, who are a part of this imperfect church called Embrace, my hope and prayer for all of us is that the people around us would take note of us, not of our opinions, not of our perfect public statements, not of our politics, not because we're passionate about X, Y, and Z, but instead people would take note about us because we've clearly spent time with Jesus. Like that church and the Jesus followers there, they're such ordinary, imperfect people, but man, they've been with Jesus. They've been with Jesus. And this right here is why prayer is so important. Okay, so the Lord's Prayer. For some of us, we grew up reciting this prayer weekly,

maybe daily with our family. We know it inside and out. For others of us, we maybe know it, but we don't fully know it or maybe understand what it's really all about. Others of us, it's maybe completely foreign. At one point though, Jesus is with a group of his disciples. He's with his followers and he starts teaching them about all these different things, the Sermon on the Mount. And then he starts teaching them about prayer and how to pray and how not to pray. And Jesus says this. Jesus says, this is how you should pray. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Okay, so I wanna focus in on the first part of Jesus' prayers for today. Again, Jesus starts by saying, our Father who art in heaven. Friends, today, the first thing

when it comes to all the chaos going on around us, the chaos in our lives, how can we face it all? First thing today that I want you to know, you can face the chaos in the world when you know who's in control. Let me say that again. There's so much chaos going on every single day. How can we face the chaos as followers of Christ? You can face the chaos in the world when you know who's in control. Once again, Jesus, he starts this prayer by addressing his Father in heaven. Not his earthly dad, Joseph, but his Father in heaven. Not on earth where all the chaos is, but in heaven where all things are right, in heaven where all things are perfect and whole, where all things are in order, and in heaven where there is no chaos. Like from the very start of this prayer, Jesus, he shifts our focus and he shifts our perspective upward to heaven. He's basically challenging us, don't be consumed with all the craziness going on around you, and stop scrolling on your phone, getting more and more fired up. Stop focusing on what this person's saying or what this talking head is saying,

and instead shift your focus and all that you are to your Father in heaven. Friends, today, are you fired up? Are you angry? Are you confused? Are you exhausted? Are you fully consumed and concerned about all the chaos? My question, where's your focus? Like, really, where's your focus? Specifically for us as Jesus followers, who and what are you focused on? Because I'll just tell you, our Father in heaven, he's not confused. Our Father in heaven, he's not anxious or worried whatsoever. Our Father in heaven, he's not concerned at all, but pastor, are you concerned at all? Sure, at times I am. But you see, I'm trying to keep my focus on my Father in heaven, and when I am, I have all the peace and confidence in the world. I have so much peace, so much confidence because of him. Friends, if right now you're being disciples and shaped by an algorithm 49 hours each week instead of your Father in heaven, don't be surprised if you feel crazy, and anxious, and mad. Don't be surprised if you feel like the world is coming to an end.

Once again, Jesus starts this prayer by addressing his Father in heaven. Don't miss this. God's not only in heaven, but we can also call him. Our father, like he's not only in charge, but we can also know him. I think this is so powerful in this one line of this prayer. Jesus is telling us that our father's in control. And because he's our father, he cares. He's in control. And he cares two marks of a great dad, isn't it? I mean, if your dad just cares and he has no control, he's weak. And on the flip side, if your dad just has control, but he doesn't care, he's a bit of a tyrant. And just to acknowledge it, some of us, we grew up with earthly fathers who are one or the other. Unfortunately, sadly, some of us, we grew up with fathers who were neither of these two things. Can you imagine, though, how different our lives would be if we all grew up with dads who were both? They cared. And they had control. Even more than that, can you imagine how different your life would be right now if you fully knew and understood that your heavenly father is both? It changed everything. You can face the chaos in the world. When you know who's in control. Going back to the words of Jesus again, he says, this is how you

should pray. Our father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Jesus saying that God is holy, that he has set apart. Unlike all the chaos in our world, he is holy. He is perfect. Hallowed be your name. Continuing on, Jesus says, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Just to acknowledge it, this part of the prayer is brutal. Just to confess often, regularly, most of the times when I'm praying and I'm talking with God, I'm telling him about my will and I want my will to be done. God, I want this to happen and I want my plan and my agenda to take place. And God, the influencer that I follow says this needs to happen. And Lord, according to my political party, this is what needs to take place. This is what needs to happen. Unfortunately, Jesus doesn't say any of this in his words. Instead, he says, not my will, but your will be done. Today, the second thing, when it comes to all the chaos in our world, when it comes to all the chaos going on around us, how can we face it all? You can face the chaos in the world when you want his will, not yours. Again, as Christ followers, how can we face all the constant chaos by wanting his will, not yours? In case we don't know, doing God's will is far from easy. My will and God's will, not the same thing. Your will and God's will, not the same thing whatsoever. Just to be even more direct, doing God's will will grate

against everything in your life. To give you a picture, doing God's will, it will feel like sandpaper on your life, like sandpaper on your decisions and your private life, like sandpaper on your perspective and the way that you treat people who are different from you, like sandpaper on your money, like sandpaper pulling against your politics. And friends, if you start to feel it, if you start to feel that that's sandpaper, then and only then are you getting close to doing God's will? Then and only then. I'm just saying, if you feel no friction, no friction in your decisions and your Facebook posts, no frictions in your politics and your day to day life, you can know that you're most definitely following your will. Definitely following your will, not his. You feel no friction. It's a clear sign that you're clearly not following the will of God. Because it feels like sandpaper. And so how in the heck do we do? We know God's will. That sounds pretty important, right? How do we know it? By praying the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray. Or your will. Be done on Earth as it is in heaven. How do we know it? By praying these words every single day, asking God to show us his will.

Asking God to reveal it to us. Asking God to show us the way. It comes by daily praying these words. How do we know the will of God? More practically, Jesus laid out a whole bunch of things really, really clearly. clearly in scripture. I just think about the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus, not the Apostle Paul, Jesus is talking about not having anger in our hearts towards others. Jesus talks about loving our enemies, where Jesus talks about not doing things just to be seen, where Jesus talks about not lusting, where Jesus talks about helping the poor, like really, where Jesus talks about not getting a divorce, where Jesus talks about doing to others what we'd want them to do to us, where Jesus talks about not serving two masters because you can't serve God, both God and money, where Jesus talks about not storing treasures here on earth. Do you feel the sandpaper? Any friction on your politics there? Just like, oh, geez, like. Seriously, all of Jesus' words found in the Sermon on the Mount, at least for me, they punch me in the face. They punch me in the face. And friend, you are lying to yourself.

As a friend, I'm just gonna tell you, you are lying to yourself if you think that you naturally wanna do the things that Jesus tells us to do. One step further, though, this is an important note for Jesus' followers. Jesus doesn't just want us to know his will. And he never tells us to post them online or even to memorize them. No, as followers of Jesus, he wants us to live them out. Translation, because we sometimes struggle with this, to do them, to embody them. Friend, in every area of our lives, choosing his will, not ours, is the journey of following Jesus. If you wanna get closer to the heart of Christ, if you wanna get deeper in your walk with him, this is it, every day, in every area, choosing his will, not yours. Just to be honest, I am so tired of us Christians, myself included, getting on our high horse at the office, getting on our high horse at family gatherings, getting on our high horse and posting and sharing all kinds of crap online. Seriously, us Jesus followers, we should be all so humble because we know how hard it is to live out the will of God. Us Jesus followers, we should be so slow to speak because we know that all have sinned, that I have sinned, and I fall short of the glory of God. We should be so slow to point fingers.

Even the thought of it should just make us wanna gag. It's like, are you kidding me? Because we know how desperately we are in need of God's grace, and it's only by the cross and the empty tomb that we have anything. But here's the deal, though. When it comes to all the chaos going on around us, when you and I begin to daily ask God, when you and I begin to daily live out his will, it will slowly start to bring a part of heaven down. It'll slowly, through us, through you and I, as Jesus followers, start to bring his will here on earth as it is in heaven. Once again, how can we face it all? There's so much chaos. How can we face it all? You can face the chaos in the world when you want his will, not yours. Okay, so that's the first part of this prayer from Jesus. And next week, we're gonna get to the second part. Just spoiler alert, the second part's a whole lot harder. Today, though, to end our time at all campuses, right now, I'm gonna invite everyone to stand at all campuses. If you're with us online, I'd invite you to even stand right now. I'm just gonna encourage you, all of us, to pray the words of Jesus together. Jesus says, Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation. Deliver us from evil. Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever, amen. Lord, we come before you thankful for who you are. Father, when there is so much chaos going on around us, it is so easy to fix our eyes and our perspective on the chaos. Lord, and as a result to be confused, to be angry, to be jaded, to just be exhausted. Lord, but as your followers, you challenge us to keep our eyes on you. And so God, I pray for all of us who are followers of you. I pray for this imperfect church called Embrace. Will we be known by people who have spent time with you? Will people to see it all over our lives that the fruits of the Spirit will be so evident? God, will we be people who daily, multiple times a day, hourly, minute-by-minute, if needed, we would daily pray, Lord, your will, not ours. Lord, would you use us, not to point fingers, but would you use us to bring a part of heaven down here on earth? Lord, we love you.

We thank you. We pray all these things in the name of Jesus. All God's people said, Amen, amen.