Name: Why the Bible Was Never Meant to Be an Instruction Manual | Adam Hendrix by The Highway Community
Duration: 35 min 9 s
Description: We live in a world of quick answers and Google searches. But when it comes to Scripture, information alone doesn’t change us. What we need is transformation. Here’s what it means to engage the Bible as something alive — breathed by God, meant to form us from the inside out.

We’ve all said it: “I am only…” only a student, only a mom, only a beginner, only average. Jeremiah said it too. But God doesn’t see “only.” He sees enough. Today, we step into Jeremiah’s story and discover what it means to live with courage in the presence of God.

“I Am Only…” When Insecurity Meets God’s Call

Why do we keep chasing more—more success, more pleasure, more experiences—yet still feel empty? Jeremiah 2 calls it "broken cisterns." We discuss the deep longing we all carry, and how Jesus offers the living water our souls are truly thirsty for.

Chasing Satisfaction (And Why It Never Lasts) | Adam Hendrix

Every element of brokenness in our lives can be brought to God. God is like a potter who loving and faithfully works with a piece of clay to shape something beautiful and good. Any pain, any abandonment, and any failure or discouragement can be renewed in the hands of God to display Jesus to the world.

Christ in the Clay of Our Lives | Kelvin Smith

We all wear blindfolds. We avoid what’s uncomfortable, distracting ourselves with busyness, cynicism, or fear. But what happens when we refuse to see reality? In Jeremiah’s day, God’s people lived in denial, and Jesus later wept over the same blindness in Jerusalem. The good news? Even in our ruins, God opens our eyes through Christ. Bird Box, Jeremiah, the Emmaus road, and the Cubs remind us: resurrection hope is still possible when we dare to see.

The Blindfolds We Wear • Seeing Hope in the Darkness | Adam Hendrix

Jeremiah brings the fullness of emotion into his expression of grief. The prophet invites us into the spiritual work of grieving, both for our own experience of the broken world, but also on behalf of others.

Practicing Prophetic Grief | Esther Chang

Hope can be lived out in prophetic acts. Acting with hope in the midst of hopelessness is a mark of Jesus followers always. We see if the story of Jeremiah, as he buys his cousin's field even while his nation is about to fall to enemy invaders, that God promises a hopeful future.

Prophetic Hope | Julie Pederson

What if real power doesn’t look like winning, but enduring?
In a world obsessed with strength, success, and control, 2 Timothy 1 offers a radically different vision—one where courage is born in weakness, love triumphs over fear, and the Spirit gives strength not to escape suffering, but to stand faithful within it.

This teaching explores how we often misunderstand power, how disappointment can drive a wedge between us and God, and how grace empowers us to face trials with courage, love, and self-discipline.

When Power Looks Like Weakness | Adam Hendrix

With so many things that could define us, we need to remember Paul's emphasis on what the heart of the gospel is: 1) Jesus is raised from the dead, 2) Jesus is a decedent of David. The awe and wonder that flows from that must be what form the center of our church and of our lives.

Paul’s letter to Timothy is more than advice — it’s a lifeline: “Remember Jesus Christ.” In this talk, we explore how keeping Jesus at the center can bring strength, peace, and direction when everything else feels uncertain.

Jesus at the Center of Everything | Adam Hendrix

We live in a world of quick answers and Google searches. But when it comes to Scripture, information alone doesn’t change us. What we need is transformation. Here’s what it means to engage the Bible as something alive — breathed by God, meant to form us from the inside out.

Why the Bible Was Never Meant to Be an Instruction Manual | Adam Hendrix

We often think perseverance means never giving up. But what if spiritual maturity means learning both the grace to quit and the grit to keep going? This week, we explore the paradox of perseverance—the tension between release and resilience—and how acknowledging our limits can open us to God’s power.

Paradox of Perseverance | Adam Hendrix

Highway is a non-denominational, Jesus-centered, egalitarian church community in Silicon Valley, gathering in Mountain View.

Why the Bible Was Never Meant to Be an Instruction Manual | Adam Hendrix

The Highway Community

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