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Friday, June 24, Devotional from Pastor John Hartman

“The Unpredictable Jesus”
A few weeks ago, I went to see the new Tom Cruise movie, Top Gun: Maverick. I was excited to go and see this much anticipated, much publicized, reboot. I remember the first “Top Gun” movie from 1986. It had action, romance, and great music. I thoroughly enjoyed “Top Gun,” and went with high hopes to have another wonderful experience. 
Reviews have been off the charts. “Absolutely Thrilling.” “A long awaited sequel, . . . from 36 years ago.” “One of Tom Cruise’s strongest films.” A couple of people I know had already gone to see this latest Tom Cruise action-thriller, and they were equally impressed. “Best movie I have seen in a long time.” “Great action and entertainment unlike the first!” 
Now I know this movie is going to make about a bazillion dollars, but without revealing any spoilers, just in case you have not seen it and plan to, I was a bit disappointed. Yes, the flight scenes were amazing. For sure, it was action-packed. And, it did pay homage to the first film, with some nice obvious and subtle tributes. The truth is, I found it predictable, formulaic, and at no point did I ever say to myself, “Wow! I didn’t see that coming.” That also got me thinking about the unpredictable nature of God. 
With the disciples trying to navigate their way through a storm on the Sea of Galilee, it says in Matthew 14:25, “And early in the morning Jesus came walking toward them on the sea.” Sometime between 3:00 am and 6:00 am, Jesus came to them in the water-walking flesh. And now, they are really afraid. It’s not the predictable storm, but the unpredictable Jesus, who scares the bejeebers out of them. At first the disciples thought they were seeing a ghost. That’s what fear does. We think we are seeing ghosts who are coming to get us, when it is actually the Savior who is coming FOR us! Jesus says, “Take heart. It is I; do not be afraid.” Where do we find Jesus our Savior? We find him right in the midst of the storms and chaos of our lives. And the reason is, -- if Jesus is out there, -- then that is where we have to go as well, which is what the prophets were saying all through the Bible.
This Sunday, June 26, I will continue my sermon series titled, “Majoring in the Minors.” All during these summer months, we will be learning about the minor prophets of the Old Testament. This week, we will be looking at the prophet, Obadiah. Please join us in the sanctuary at either 8:00 am or 10:30 am. For the 10:30 service, we will also be broadcasting on Zoom, Facebook Live, and YouTube.
Blessings,
Pastor John