Sunday, November 8, 2026

Pastor Ben Pippen

Living Faithfully

Enough

John 14:5-14

In John 14, Jesus continues comforting His disciples as they face an uncertain future. Thomas wants to know where Jesus is going and how to get there. Philip wants Jesus to show them the Father. Both are looking for something more concrete - directions, answers, or visible reassurance.

But Jesus offers something greater than the information they're seeking: He offers Himself.

Jesus declares, "I am the way and the truth and the life." He isn't merely giving His disciples directions to the Father; He is the way to the Father. Knowing Jesus means knowing the Father, and following Him means trusting His presence even when the path ahead is unclear.

Pastor Ben illustrates this through his family's difficult adoption experience, when following what he believed God was asking of him meant accepting uncertainty, financial cost, and emotional vulnerability. He also shares the story of Dirk Willems, whose commitment to following Jesus led him to rescue an enemy at the cost of his own freedom and ultimately his life.

Both stories illustrate a central challenge of discipleship: It's one thing to believe that Jesus is enough. It's another to live as though He is enough when following Him costs us something.

And as we draw near to Jesus, His presence doesn't simply give us personal comfort. It transforms the way we live and love, enabling us to reach toward others with the same grace He has extended to us.

Group Discussion Questions:

1. Thomas wanted directions, and Philip wanted visible reassurance. How do their questions reflect the things we often want from Jesus when we're facing uncertainty?

2. Ben said that Jesus doesn't give Thomas a map. He offers him a relationship. What does it mean to trust Jesus Himself rather than depending on knowing where He's leading us?

3. Ben acknowledged that saying "Jesus is enough" can become an easy Sunday school answer. What helps us move from simply believing that statement intellectually to experiencing Jesus as enough in everyday life?

4. Ben shared how following what he believed God was asking of him during his family's adoption journey required sacrifice and uncertainty. How do we respond when obedience to Jesus involves a cost we didn't anticipate?

5. Ben ended with the story of Dirk Willems, who risked his life to rescue the guard pursuing him. What does his decision reveal about the kind of love Jesus calls us to practice, and how might that challenge the way we respond to difficult people or relationships?