Beyond the Weekend

April 21 | The Grave

April 21, 2022

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ Mark 16:7

Read: Mark 16:1-8
Listen:
Mark 16

TODAY’S MESSAGE

The women’s encounter at the grave shows the beauty of Easter and how God wants to re-engage. The angel instructs the women to tell the disciples—the same ones to desert Jesus—that Jesus has risen and will meet them. The angel even uses Peter’s name directly despite Peter publicly denying knowing Jesus. The disciples are conspicuously absent from the crucifixion story, but their lack of presence isn’t the end. It’s another reminder that God always wants to re-engage.

There are all sorts of reasons we check out, stop showing up or disengage from our relationship with God. Maybe we checked out because we’re disenfranchised with how Christians respond or don’t respond to things in our world today. Or we stop showing up because we think we can’t be forgiven for something we’ve done or didn’t do. Perhaps we disengaged when God didn’t answer our prayer the way we wanted. Sometimes, we do all these things because we push God out when our schedule is too busy.

Watch this video clip as Pastor Jeff Manion challenges us to be more fully present. God wants to re-engage and is calling us back. Jesus died on the cross and rose again because God wants a relationship with us. Our relationship with God doesn’t depend on our actions. It depends on what Jesus did. There’s nothing we can do that is so bad that Jesus’s death on the cross won’t cover it. That’s the beauty of Easter.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Determine where you need to re-engage your relationship with God. Maybe it’s a commitment to faithful attendance in The Row (weekend service). Perhaps you need to commit to showing up to The Circle (your small group). It might be re-engaging by spending time in The Chair (daily time with God). Share with a friend your plan and ask them to hold you accountable.


2022 BIBLE MEMORY PRACTICE

Develop spiritual roots and tap in the power of God’s word by memorizing monthly a Bible verse! View previous verses at beyondtheweekend.org/biblememorypractice.

ROMANS 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.


Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.

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