“The Cross-Shaped Journey: Finding Christ in the Middle of Suffering” - 5pm The River Service

May 17, 2026  •  The Rev. Billy Cerveny

This sermon uses the disastrous Fyre Festival as a metaphor for the false expectation that the Christian life should always feel easy, fulfilling, and free from suffering, when in reality hardship is part of the journey of following Jesus . It explains that through union with Christ, believers are spiritually joined to Jesus so deeply that His story becomes their story—meaning His suffering, presence, victory, and resurrection hope are now shared with them. The message emphasizes that suffering is not proof of God’s absence or failure, but often the place where Christ’s nearness becomes most personal because He truly shares in the pain of His people. Ultimately, the sermon encourages believers to see their lives as shaped by the cross—suffering before glory—and to trust that God Himself will strengthen, restore, and carry them all the way to resurrection hope.

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