Forward Church Rewind Podcast

EP 275: GOD IS GOOD . . . AND WE THANK HIM

Rewind

As this part of Luke wraps up, we get the list of the twelve people Jesus handpicks to be His closest friends and followers—His apostles. Some of the names jump out right away: Peter, James, John. They’re all over the gospel stories and go on to become major leaders in the early church. But then there are others—guys like James, son of Alphaeus—who we honestly don’t hear anything else about, apart from their names. It’s a mix of personalities, backgrounds, and even political views. You’ve got Matthew, a tax collector who worked for the Romans, and then Simon, a Zealot who probably couldn’t stand Rome. That’s a pretty wild combo to put on the same team. There’s no one type of person Jesus chooses. No spiritual résumé required. Some of these guys had serious doubts, some made huge mistakes, and one of them even betrayed Him. Still, Jesus chose them—flawed, messy, regular people—to be part of His mission. And that’s the reminder tucked into these few verses: Jesus can call anyone, and He’ll use everyone who’s willing to say yes to following Him.

Imagine it: it’s your day off, the sun’s out, there’s a soft breeze, and you’re just walking through a wheat field with Jesus. As you stroll, you casually pick a head of grain, rub it in your hands, and pop it in your mouth—just enjoying the moment and the peace of being with Him. The whole scene just feels like rest. But not for the Pharisees. They’re watching this peaceful moment and instead of seeing rest, all they see are broken rules. And it’s the same thing in the next scene, when Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath—they’re upset, not amazed. Why? Because somewhere along the way, they lost sight of what the Sabbath was really about. The Sabbath wasn’t meant to be a burden—it was meant to be a gift. It’s not about control; it’s about letting go. It’s a weekly reminder that we’re not in charge and we don’t have to be. The world keeps turning even when we stop working. Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, is our true rest. And He invites us into that rest—not just once a week, but in every part of our lives. Taking a break, pausing, resting—it’s not laziness. It’s trust. It’s us saying, “Jesus, you’ve got this.”

After watching Jesus forgive sins —and then seeing Him and His disciples hanging out and feasting with tax collectors and other outcasts—the Pharisees are done. They’ve had enough. So, they confront Him. “Why,” they ask, “don’t your disciples follow the traditions? Why aren’t they fasting like John’s disciples or ours?” Jesus’ answer probably didn’t help their frustration. He doesn’t dismiss the old ways outright, but He makes it clear: the traditions and practices of the past, while meaningful, just aren’t enough. He didn’t come to tweak the system or give religion a little makeover. He came to do something entirely new. What Jesus is bringing isn’t a patch job. It’s a whole new way of connecting with God—a new covenant that goes way beyond the limitations of the old one. What’s needed isn’t just reformation. It’s transformation. That’s the heart of it. Jesus didn’t come just to give us better rules or habits to clean up our lives a bit. He came to give us new life. A whole new way of living and being. And here’s the thing: the people who struggle the most with this new life? Often, it’s the ones most invested in the old ways—the ones who’ve grown comfortable with the rules, the rituals, the structure. Sometimes religion itself can become the biggest barrier to real relationship with God.