As Jesus inaugurated his coming kingdom, it was natural for people to have questions. His teachings broke from tradition, and he spoke as one with authority but had no official title. He performed life-changing miracles, which validated his message of God’s kingdom coming to earth. But, questions about particular religious practices are emerging, providing Jesus an opportunity to clarify just how different following him will be.

According to recent media reports from an arranged marriage culture, a man refused to marry his bride because her family failed to prepare his favorite dish for the wedding feast. He married another woman later that day. Similarly, a bride refused to marry her groom on their wedding day upon discovering he needed glasses to read.

Love attracts a crowd, doesn’t it? People knew that Jesus was for them because he routinely approached his neighbors with love and compassion while living a simple life that projected purpose and hope to everyone. It was this no-limits hope that inspired a group of friends to approach barriers as mere stepping stones.

Have you ever felt too far away from God to find your way back to him? Has life surrounded you so that the leading light of heaven appears dim? Have trusted friends let you down, leaving you isolated in the unknown? If so, you’re not alone. And, you can make your way back to joy because, Jesus Reveals His Best When We’re At Our Worst.

I met a group of college students in a Colorado town three summers ago, and we talked about spiritual things. A bright, confident man said he planned to go to hell because all of his friends would be there. Reflecting on his troubling perspective, I later wondered how hell became a place one would want to go for eternity.

I once thought of myself as an expert user of Enable and Harvard Graphics. Have you ever heard of them? They are ancient predecessors of modern word processing and presentation apps. Due to my experience and familiarity with these tools, I reacted smugly when our “know-it-all” IT guru transitioned the entire organization to an upstart app. I protested and resisted, but it was soon apparent to everyone that Microsoft Office was far superior.