Brave | March 1, 2026

God tells Abram to go without giving him a destination. God calls young Jeremiah before he feels ready. Nicodemus risks his reputation to ask honest questions. In each of today’s story, bravery isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about trusting the One who calls.

Today’s sermon kicks off this year’s Lutheran Schools Week theme of “Brave” from the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association (ELEA) by exploring how God equips the called, walks with us into the unknown, and gives us courage to follow. Do not be afraid, for God is with you. Be brave.

This week’s Scripture readings are Genesis 12:1-4a, Psalm 121, Jeremiah 1:1-8, and John 3:1-17. Here’s the sermon podcast audio and worship service livestream from Living Hope – it was an extra fun service, including special music shared by some of our Here We Grow kids and blowing bubbles during the prayers of the people!

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Grace to you and peace from God our Creator and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Do you know what the most repeated command in the Bible is? Over and over, somewhere around a hundred times, God says, “Do not be afraid.” And of course, there are plenty of scary things in life, so we need that reminder again and again, perhaps especially on a weekend of war, when so much seems unstable and uncertain and frightening.

Our theme for today’s service—and for all of Lutheran Schools Week—is “Brave.” All of the Bible stories we just heard have to do with being brave.

In the first story, God comes to a farmer named Abram, and God says to him, “It’s time for you to move somewhere new.” A couple things to point out in that story: First, as far as we know, Abram was not looking to move. He’s wealthy; he’s established where he is.

He’s 75 years old, and he’s been settled there in the land of Ur for decades. He and his wife Sarai have built a life there. And then God shows up, and tells him, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”

Notice what’s missing in those instructions. What’s his destination? God doesn’t say.

Our family is going on a vacation this summer. It’ll be our first time going on a long road trip with a family, and it’s possible it’s a terrible idea to drive all the way to Philadelphia (in general, but especially) with a six-year-old and a three-year-old. But we know exactly where we’re going. We’ve reserved hotels, we’ve looked at routes, we’ve even checked out some places to eat along the way. And we still have 132 days before we leave.

Think of Abram’s bravery when he decides to obey God’s instructions. Even if God had told him the destination, he didn’t have the ability to use Google Maps Street View to preview the route. A verse in Hebrews says he set out by faith, not knowing where he was going.

As Jesus tells Nicodemus, “The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” We don’t get to see the full map of where we’re going. But we step out in faith.

God promises blessings and a great nation of descendants, but Abram still has to make the choice to believe and follow. Bravery is choosing to follow.

Our second Bible story about bravery is about a guy named Jeremiah. We’re jumping ahead several hundred years from Abraham’s story, to about 630 years before Jesus, in the reign of several kings you’ve probably never heard of. And again, God shows up and starts talking.

One of the neat things about Jeremiah is that—unlike many of the other people in the Bible whom God calls—Jeremiah’s a kid, not an adult.

(Sneak preview: In Vacation Bible School this summer, our theme is going to be about superheroes, and we’re going to learn about five different kids in the Bible who served God to do some really cool things!)

We don’t know exactly how old Jeremiah is, but he’s a lot younger than Abram was. Maybe junior high, high school age.

God calls him and says, “I’ve appointed you to be a prophet to the nations. You get to share the message I give to you; you get to go tell people the word of the Lord.”

And Jeremiah objects: “I’m only a boy. Don’t I need some training? Shouldn’t you get a professional, maybe someone with a seminary degree? Maybe I should take a few years to prepare?”

I think it’s safe to say Jeremiah is scared. And he should be—if you read the messages God gives him to proclaim, they’re not nice, comfortable, encouraging words. The very first message he’ll be told to share is about enemies who will soon come in and conquer God’s people as punishment for their sins.

He’s one of the many prophets who gets to share the Lenten message we sang a few minutes ago: “Return to the Lord your God.” And in his case, it’s “Return to the Lord your God…or else. And it’s probably too late anyway; the enemy is at the gates!” Later he’ll get to share the parts about God being gracious and merciful, but first he has to spend quite a while prophesying God’s judgment.

He has good reason to be afraid, because God’s giving him a message people will not want to hear.

But the Lord says, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. [Here’s the important part for us:] Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.”

Two things from Jeremiah’s story I want you to remember. First, his youth is not a problem for God. When God calls us—and maybe God’s call isn’t quite as obvious for us as it is for Jeremiah, maybe we don’t hear God’s voice out loud, but when we get to those points in life where we have to make a decision and we know what God would have us do—when God calls us, how often are we tempted to argue, “I am only a boy.” “I don’t have enough influence. I don’t have enough power. We’re only a small church. I’m too busy. I am only…whatever. Sorry, God, I can’t do it because I don’t have enough” and we make excuses.

God knows who God is calling. God’s not surprised by what we’re lacking. That famous saying, “God doesn’t call the equipped; God equips the called.” is absolutely true.

There’s another Christian cliche, “God will never give you more than you can handle.” Ever heard that one? It’s not in the Bible, and it’s not true. God gives Jeremiah far more than he can handle.

God calls people far beyond their abilities. But never beyond God’s abilities.

And here’s the second thing I want you to remember from Jeremiah’s story—God never sends you out on your own. Again, verse 8: “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.”

Bravery comes from trusting God is with you. It’s the same promise we said together in Psalm 121. From where does my help come? “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” God who neither slumbers nor sleeps, God who watches over you now and forever. Do not fear, because God is with you.

That’s the whole story of the Bible, right? God comes to be with us. God enters into this world to give us forgiveness, life, and hope. The promise of Scripture is God’s presence with you. You are not alone.

One more example of bravery, from John chapter 3. This one’s not quite as obvious; bravery might not be the first word that comes to mind for Nicodemus. John tells us Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, probably to avoid being seen. He’s a prominent leader, probably a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin ruling council, and he has a lot to lose if he’s seen associating with Jesus, so he sneaks in at night for a secret chat.

His bravery is his willingness to bring his questions to Jesus. His bravery is his willingness to admit he doesn’t understand, even that he might be wrong, and to ask Jesus for help.

Sometimes bravery is being willing to question our assumptions, holding loosely to what we think we know. Not pretending we have all the answers, but bringing our questions to Jesus. And then listening when Jesus leads us somewhere new.

May God give you strength to live with bold, brave faith. To follow God’s call, even when you don’t know all the details. To trust God is with you, wherever you go, believing you are never alone and you are enough for God to use. To come to Jesus with all your questions, with all your doubts and fears, bringing your full self into Jesus’ presence. Bravery to love like Jesus.

I’ll end with a classic prayer for guidance, and I invite you to pray these words with me:

O God, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen