Beyond the Weekend

November 1 | The Decision

November 1, 2018

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Read: Ephesians 2:8–9

Listen: Ephesians 2

TODAY’S MESSAGE

Throughout the gospels, Jesus calls people to a decision. One of the guys who followed Jesus around and learned from him, John writes, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”  Jesus knows he’s going to the cross. He knows he will take the punishment. But, he knows after that—people must decide. They have to believe and receive.

Paul writes, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” Grace is God’s hand reaching down to us. He wants to pull you from death to life. He wants to rescue you. Faith is our hand reaching up to be rescued. Faith is admitting we need to be rescued, believing in Jesus and transferring our trust to God. Paul even clarifies when he says our rescue is not something we can do ourselves. It is a gift, and we cannot earn it. God reaches down—we reach up to accept.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Through faith, reach up to God. It’s as simple as admitting you are guilty, believing in Jesus as Savior and transferring your trust from yourself to God. It’s not just a box check, but the start of a new life. It’s going from a heart that is spiritually flat-lined to a heart that is spiritually alive. If you would like to have a conversation about reaching up to God, please email us at btw@adabible.org.


Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.

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