When God’s Plans Are Different Than Yours – Sully Pierce

Posted by sam

Throughout your life, you are constantly going to be making plans, whether it’s for what you’re going to eat for breakfast, what you’re going to do this weekend, or what you are going to do with the rest of your life! Most of these decisions are trivial and easy to make, what do I want to eat right now? I’ll just open the fridge and grab the first thing I see that looks good, easy choice made. But some decisions become much harder, which of my friends should I be spending my time with? What should I do once I graduate high school? What should I dedicate my life to?

In the midst of all these decisions and plans we make in our lives, it can be so easy to forget about the presence of a God who sees it all, who knows you so well He already knows what you are going to decide long before you choose, and who loves you so much He wants the best for you. I don’t know about you, but I find myself time and time again making decisions about my life or trying to follow through on plans I’ve made without consulting God at all or inviting Him in on the plan. Often it’s not until those plans fall apart that I find myself falling back down before God and realizing my mistakes and my feeble attempts to make something of this life through my own strength and wit. Sometimes I find a plan that I thought God had led me to fall apart, and I find myself frustrated with God, wondering why He would sweep the rug out from under me like that.

The amazing thing is that God has been there the whole time, His love for me has not changed, and His wisdom has not failed. He has been weaving these plans I have made on my own into His grander plan the whole time, setting things in motion that I never considered, some I will come to see the fruit of later in life, and some I may never get to see, but all will work for His will and the good of His people.

Reflecting on the mysteries of God’s plans always has me thinking about the life of Paul. Back when Paul was still called Saul he had what he thought was a great plan, he was going to rid Jerusalem and the surrounding areas of this new group who claimed their leader had returned from the dead. God had other plans though! Not only did He speak directly to Saul and turn him into a disciple of Jesus (Acts 9), He used the persecution that Saul had put on the early Christians to further his work. Later in Acts 11 we find out that some of the people who ran away from Jerusalem because of Saul ended up starting a church in Antioch, and that church ends up sending missionaries to all parts of the ancient world. One of those missionaries was Paul himself!

For the rest of Paul’s life, we see him continue to have faith in God’s plans even as he sometimes ends up in terrible situations that he never would have envisioned for himself. I find myself asking, how can I have that kind of faith myself? There are a lot of practical ways to work toward that. Read stories from the Bible about disciples like Paul trusting God throughout their lives. Talk to and learn from faithful disciples in your community who have gone before you. Pray constantly for God to increase your faith. But the number one thing that I would say you must do is to fix your eyes on Jesus.

Different translations of Hebrews 12:2 use different terms to describe Jesus’ relationship to our faith. He is the pioneer, the founder, the champion, the author, and the perfecter of our faith. Only by looking to him can we run with endurance the race that is set before us’ (Hebrews 12:1). So I beg of you today, whatever state your plans are in right now, take some time to fix your eyes on Jesus today, and ask him for faith like Paul, to trust that the Lord will work things out better than you could ever imagine, and be with you in every decision, whether big or small.

In Christ’s Love,

Leaping Mustang


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Uncertainty, Change, and Transitions – Wilson Bullington

Posted by sam

I don’t know what your past two years have looked like, but if I could summarize mine in one word, it would be unpredictable. With school going online, I have lived in four different states since March 2020. Pretty much each semester, I have been somewhere new: quarantine in my native Alabama, a semester interning at Ridgecrest, five months when I was a cowboy in Wyoming, and finally my return to college at Georgetown in Washington, DC. Each semester I had no idea what the future would hold. Would school go back in person? If not, where would I live next? Even now, I am starting my last semester of senior year, and I still don’t know what the future holds. I have no clue what I’ll be doing and where I will be living next year. 

I have always been someone who fears uncertainty. Transitions and changes unfailingly freak me out. Just yesterday, I started my eighth semester at Georgetown. I didn’t sleep the night before, lying awake thinking about everything that could go wrong. Given this propensity, you would think that my past two years would have been anxiety-inducing. However, that hasn’t been the case because God has taught me to view change as an opportunity. Here are some things that God has taught me about uncertainty, change, and transitions:

  1. God wants you to be uncomfortable because He wants a relationship with you.
    He wants to push you out of your comfort zone, to present you with new challenges, and yes, even to walk with you through tragedy and hardships when they arise. These can be difficult to handle in the moment, but the Bible tells us that they are good. James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Here James, the brother of Jesus, is telling us that God uses trials – those hard times in life whatever they may be – to make us more complete, to make us better. James says that trials produce “steadfastness.” Steadfastness is defined as “the quality of being resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.” So, what James is saying is that being uncomfortable makes us better because it strengthens our faith and our relationship with God. God wants to have a relationship with you, and he uses trials to bring you closer to him. 
  1. God uses the unpredictability of life to humble us and to teach us to rely on Him.
    I don’t like change because I want to feel like I have everything under control – like I have all the answers. Change puts me in new positions and reminds me that I don’t know everything. Change forces us to recognize our failings and shortcomings. Later, James talks about this experience. He says, “Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits” (James 1:9-11). James is telling us that circumstances will change, that our success is fleeting. As much as we want to imagine that life will always be good or easy, that is simply not true. The world is broken. Because of their sin, Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden and the only perfect and predictable life that humans have ever experienced. Recognizing our brokenness is a very humbling experience. It makes us value our own merits and successes less; instead, we start to rely on God more because we understand that we are not good enough. God uses the unpredictability of life to highlight humanity’s sinfulness. 
  1. The world is constantly changing, but God’s character is not.
    Facing your sinful nature is difficult. It can be very overwhelming, especially with how fast life can move. Luckily, James understood this as well when he wrote, “do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (James 1:16-18). Life is unpredictable and impetuous, and it seems like the world is constantly changing, but God’s love is constant, and his character never changes. The most perfect gift that came from above was Jesus. God loved us so much, despite our sinfulness, that he sent his Son, Jesus, to earth to live as a human. While on earth, Jesus experienced all the things that life throws at us – sickness, stress, sadness, and even death. Jesus handled all these things perfectly and sinlessly because He is God and shares God’s perfect character. Yet, He died a gruesome death on a cross in our place. Jesus took the punishment that we deserve so that our sins could be forgiven – so that we can have a relationship with God and one day live forever in heaven, a place far removed from all the pain and uncertainty of life. The world is messy, but God is so much bigger, and His grace is so much greater. 

So, whenever you are out of your comfort zone, whenever you are feeling anxious or stressed, or even whenever you are faced with your toughest circumstances yet, I hope that you will view it as an opportunity: an opportunity to recognize your sin, to strengthen your relationship with God, and to be reminded of the perfect and immutable love of Jesus Christ.

In Christ,

Wilson Bullington – Sagacious Solstice


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Jesus Is More Than Enough – Ryan McLaughlin

Posted by sam

 If you’ve ever been to a youth service or been around any Christian circle for more than five minutes, you’ve probably heard something about identity. Who am I? What am I here for? Who does God say I am? While these are good questions, I couldn’t help but be frustrated when I heard them. Jesus tells us to deny ourselves, and yet we spend so much time contemplating and trying to understand ourselves in religious circles. Were the pastors wrong to be talking about this so much? No. But our hearts have a profound ability to take the truth and warp it to our own sinful desires when Christ is not the center of our lives. Our identity can so easily become misplaced, as our heart is constantly trying to look for our own significance instead of being in awe of Jesus. This can play out in a number of ways. 

Sharing the gospel with people is a great thing, and instruction from Jesus: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19), but our heart behind it can become about proving our worth to God as a Christian. We are told to work hard and give our best as believers “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24) and yet our work can quickly become about impressing those around us or proving that we are talented. If we aren’t careful, our flesh will make everything about ourselves. Being a child of grace, saved by the blood of Jesus suddenly isn’t enough. We need to have a great relationship with a significant other, a steady job or calling, a great community around us, and people to thank us for our hard work. Because can’t they tell? I deserve this. I’ve done the right things. I read my bible daily, I work with kids, I have led people to faith in Christ, I’m talented, I’m smart, etc. When our faith and identity is rooted in the love of Jesus AND our own desires for our life, we are lost. It may work for days, months, even years, but eventually, it will crumble when suffering comes, when our lives don’t go exactly as we planned. 

Look at some of our heroes from scripture. Did their lives get easier when they devoted themselves to Christ? No. Paul, Peter, and John the Baptist all ended up dead for their faith in Christ. Job was stricken with illness and had his family ripped from him. How did their faith withstand persecution, loss, suffering, and heartbreak? Because their identity was found in Jesus alone. They were people who realized just how sinful their hearts were and denied the voice from Satan that says you are special because of you. We are only special because of Jesus in us, and when we remind ourselves of this daily, it allows us to “rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13) . We as Christians are promised suffering and the only way to endure it is with Jesus. What does a life with Christ look like? For some, it may be traveling the world and leading thousands to faith in Christ. For others, it may look like forgiving people that have done unimaginable things to you. But we are not promised easy. We are actually promised hard. Very very hard. I urge you to look at Jesus and see all the sin he has saved you from. Recognize that even our identity is not about us, but Jesus and his powerful work in saving us. Only then will we be able to withstand suffering and resist the urge to make our lives about us.

We aren’t significant, at least in the view of the world, but that is ok. Jesus has made us a child of his, and when we rejoice in his gift of grace over and over… we lose our quest to be enough. We realize Jesus is more than enough. 

Ryan Mclaughlin,

Just Jupiter


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Brotherhood Through Christ – Jax Beebe

Posted by sam

The law of averages is the theory that the result of any given situation will be the average of all outcomes. Why is this important to understand? Motivational speaker Jim Rohn famously gave the phrase, “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” based on the law of averages.  

Boom, mic drop. 

I want each of you to digest this statement and tell me if it’s not true. Think of all of your friends, family members, artists you listen to, coaches, and teammates; see if you can’t pick out little pieces of them you see in your life. When it comes to relationships, all of those people I mentioned, affect our lives whether we see it or not. While we want to surround ourselves with like-minded, Christ-centered men who push us to grow closer to God, that is not always the case. Throughout life, I’ve found myself with the wrong crowd of negative influences and people who do not share the same values as me.  You most likely will too, but I want you to always remember that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. There is nothing like the brotherhood and relationships that Christ gives to us. 

Proverbs 27:17 says,  “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” 

This is why camp is such an amazing place. I cannot stress enough the importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded boys and men who are striving for adventure, discipleship, good memories and fellowship. The Lord provides this at Camp Ridgecrest whether you are worshiping with the lights off in chapel during staff week, gaining wisdom and advice from counselors at final fire, or sitting at the top of TBI at the Pisgah Chapel worshipping with your brothers. The Lord works through that brotherhood and those relationships. Getting lost on the trails, having to endure through a rainy campout, playing doubles on the two-square courts and protecting a Turtleback when he has the flag in Sock War are just a few of the many ways that the brotherhood of camp can help mold us into the men we are striving to become. 

So I want to encourage you to recognize these relationships, bring them back home, surround yourself with boys and men like you see at camp. Seek wisdom, adventure, and discipleship and I promise, you will notice little changes in your life through the brotherhood that God intended us to have!  

Your Brother in Christ,

Jax Beebe

Noble Nemean Lion 


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My First Campout – by Matthew Calamari

Posted by sam

My first campout ever was an experience that I will never forget. I can see myself now; little 10-year-old Squid, on my second day of camp, shoving a sleeping bag into a backpack, preparing for something I’ve never experienced before. I had no idea what to expect. To be honest, I was scared.

I remember my counselors telling me that we’re going to a place called “Royal Gorge.” Mind you, I’ve never hiked before, and even better: the clouds were getting darker by the second. If you’ve been to Camp Ridgecrest, you know the feeling of embarking on a campout with the fear that it’s going to rain. It’s something else.

So here it is, It’s time to leave. We’ve already packed up, gotten in cabin formation, and got our apples, pop tarts, and chips. It’s time to get going!

We march out of the gates and onto the side of the highway, over the bridge, through the conference center, and finally to the trail. I get pretty tired as we go along. I moved slowly, and I was always in the back of the hiking group. But we kept going. As time passes, and maybe 30 “are we there yet’s” later, we finally get to the campsite.

It was pretty sweet! Most of the other guys had all of their sleeping bags out (this was before everyone had hammocks) and were getting wood for the fire. Since I just got there, I just had to take a second and go up to the lookout.

So here’s the thing: Back then, Royal Gorge looked pretty different. There wasn’t a firepit there like there is now. There also wasn’t anything on top of the lookout. No roof, no overhang, no hammock hooks, no nothing. Just the patio and some railing so no one fell over.

The lookout was phenomenal. Royal Gorge is one of my all-time favorite views to this day. And it being my first time ever seeing it, I was in awe. I sat there for a while just taking it in. It was one of the first times I was truly amazed by the beauty of God’s creation.

Some time goes by; dinner’s over, it’s getting dark, the fire’s getting smaller, and everyone’s getting settled in and ready for bed.

Boom. It starts raining. And when it rains at camp, it pours.

Everyone’s getting wet, but there’s still time to figure something out. Luckily, we brought some tarps. The counselors tied the tarps all together on the lookout railing, where all of the campers could squeeze under and be protected from the rain.

Then something weird happens: We start singing Morning Watch songs, telling stories, laughing together, and even snacking on some canteen that we saved for the night. From what seemed like absolute misery, became simply one of the most memorable and warming nights of my life.

We fall asleep to the rain, wake up in the morning, and we’re ready for a new day at camp.

Here’s what I learned from looking back at this campout:

  1. Find the joy in the hike. Whether you’re the leader of the pack, in the middle, or hanging in the back, look around. You may miss something that you’re never going to see again. It could be a cool view, a new thought, or just something beautiful that you never would have experienced if you weren’t looking for the joy. Quit asking “Are we there yet” and begin appreciating what you’ve got around you on the way. This applies to everything in life, not just the trail. There are going to be tough times throughout your life. If you lean on the Lord in your tough journeys and dark times, you’ll witness his love for you and learn to love Him even more.
  2. Adore Creation. Every now and then, just stop. Take a deep breath. Realize how beautiful and how good it feels to take that breath. Look up in the trees, down at the grass, and into the horizon. God created every leaf on every tree, every blade of grass on the ground, and everything in between. And God knows it all so well. In fact, God did the same with us. There are billions of people in this world, and God knows every hair on our heads, every thought in our minds, and every moment of our lives. God created us and loves unconditionally for who we are, because he sees the beauty in us and knows us well.
  3. Sing in the rain. Okay, you don’t have to actually go out and sing in the rain. But in those times of misery that seem inescapable, make what you can of it. I look back on that tough night, and I remember the stories and jokes told, the songs we sang, and the lifelong friends I made in a night that we could’ve just given up on. Don’t ever give up, just start singing in the rain.

Find the joy in the hike, adore creation, and sing in the rain. In times like these, have faith in the Lord, and try to find joy in the world, the same way He finds joy in us.

Your friend,

Gregarious Greater Kudu


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As You Go

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Reflect on what you’ve learned about Jesus’ resurrection over these last few weeks. Keep those things in mind as you read today’s devotion.

• Quickly list some of the truths you’ve learned as you studied the narrative accounts of the resurrection the last few weeks.
• At the beginning of this series, we studied Jesus’ promise that He would be betrayed, put to death, and raised again. How should these truths affect the way believers live?

Read Mark 16:14-18 in your Bible.

“Then He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.'” —Mark 16:15

• Underline the words “go” and “preach” in verse 15.
• Highlight the phrases “all the world” and “the whole creation” (v. 15). Why is it important that disciples not leave out anyone when sharing the message of Christ? Explain.
• Record what Jesus said about the two different types of people in verse 16.

Now, read Matthew 28:16-20 in your Bible.
• List the four commands Jesus gave to His followers (v. 19-20).
The word go can better be translated with the phrase as you are going. This small difference carries huge implications. Yes, God calls us to go on mission trips, but He also calls us to make disciples as we go about our normal routine.
• Record the promise Jesus made at the end of verse 20 in your own words.

RESPOND

Understanding that the God who has all authority on heaven and earth will be with us as we go is a great comfort to believers. His presence within us, the Holy Spirit, enables us to make disciples. He goes with us and gives salvation only He can give.

• Meditate on what it means that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, enabling us to do God’s work.
• Journal a prayer of thankfulness to God for His constant presence and help in your life.

BEHIND THE STORY

The instructions Jesus gave in both of today’s passages are commonly referred to as The Great Commission. The word commission here means an instruction or command. Though Jesus spoke these commands directly to His 11 disciples, they weren’t a one-time deal. Believers are still called to go, make disciples, teach, and baptize in His name. How will you obey?

THE POINT

Jesus commands us to go and share His message with others. He promised to be with us as we go.


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No Nonsense

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Turn off all your electronic devices and prepare to spend some time alone with God. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to learn new things through today’s Scripture.

“Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest.” —Luke 24:9

Read Luke 24:9-12 in your Bible and think through the following.
• Record the differences between Peter’s and the rest of the disciples’ responses to the women’s testimony.
• Verse 12 says Peter “ ______ __and ______” to the tomb. Why do you think he reacted this way?
• At this time, the testimony of women was highly disregarded. When the disciples heard their story about Jesus being resurrected, they thought the women were babbling nonsense. What are some things that cause us to disregard others’ testimony today? Why?
• Peter raced to the tomb to discover the truth for himself. How did his actions support the importance of testimony? Explain.

RESPOND

• Believing that Jesus was resurrected is crucial to the Christian faith. How would you explain the resurrection to someone else? Practice what you would say in the mirror.
• Ask God to bring to mind a few people in your life who don’t believe Jesus rose from the dead. Jot down their names in the margin.
• Look back over your list of names. Prayerfully consider how you can share Jesus’ love with them this week. Ask God to give you the opportunity and courage to speak.

BEHIND THE STORY

Throughout the Gospel narratives, Peter was shown as a passionate and often impulsive person. He jumped out of the boat to walk on water, cut off the ear of a high priest’s slave during Jesus’ arrest, and denied Jesus three times at His trial. In today’s passage, Peter displayed his passion yet again , evidenced by his immediate reaction to the women’s testimony.

THE POINT

Followers of Jesus should share the good news of His resurrection and what that means for us.


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Bribes and Lies

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Reflect on your actions and words from this week. Ask God to reveal any sin and then ask Him to forgive you.
• The women obeyed the angel’s command to go tell the disciples the good news that Jesus had been raised from the dead. For followers of Jesus, this was terrific news that caused great rejoicing. However, for those who opposed Jesus, this created a problem. Why?

Now, read Matthew 28:4, 11-15 in your Bible.

“After the priests had assembled with the elders and agreed on a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money and told them, ‘Say this, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him while we were sleeping.’” —Matthew 28:12-13

• List the priests’ actions upon hearing the guards’ testimony.
• What did the priests’ reaction indicate about the importance of Jesus’ message?
• What plan did the priests devise in order to quiet the news of Jesus’ resurrection?

The priests didn’t want the soldiers to admit that Jesus had been raised from the dead because that would have affirmed His identity as the Son of God. So, the priests who had sentenced Jesus to death bribed the guards to lie.

RESPOND

• How would you have responded if you were one of the Roman guards bribed by the priests? Journal your thoughts.
• Have you been asked to lie before? How did you respond? Record your experience in your journal.
• Consider this: The truth of Jesus’ resurrection was so powerful that the Jewish religious leaders bribed elite Roman soldiers to lie about the occurrences outside the tomb. Ask yourself: Do I understand the powerful message represented by the empty tomb?
• Look back at the previous question. Ask God to continue to help you understand the truth of the resurrection and what it means for you.

BEHIND THE STORY

The Roman soldiers were the most elite of the military. Being caught sleeping on the job was punishable by death. The description of verse 4 in today’s passage implies that the guards actually saw the angel, so it is unlikely that they were asleep when the stone was rolled away. Rather than holding firm to the truth that they saw an angel of the Lord roll away the stone blocking the tomb, they risked their lives with a lie crafted by the religious elite. If anyone asked, they would say that Jesus’ disciples stole the body while they slept.

THE POINT

The truth of Jesus’ resurrection gave hope to believers, but caused fear among the religious leaders.


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Mourning to Rejoicing

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Walk outside and consider how God uses creation to proclaim His goodness and authority.

Read Matthew 28:1-8 in your Bible.

“So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell His disciples the news.” —Matthew 28:8

Complete the following.
• Jot down details about the physical appearance of the angel of the Lord (v. 3).
• No human deception could have mimicked an earthquake and the appearance of the angel. In your journal, sketch a picture depicting the scene in verses 2-4.
• Think back to previous accounts of this scene. With the inclusion of the angel’s appearance and the earthquake, why is the angel’s statement in verse 5 so important? Explain.
• These were extraordinary events that caused the guards to faint in fear. However, when the angel spoke to the women, they had a different reaction. Describe their actions upon hearing the angel’s good news.

RESPOND

• Jot down the last piece of great news you received. Who brought the message?
• Now, think about the first time you heard about Jesus’ resurrection. Who told you about Him? How did they tell you? Describe the conversation in your journal.
• Hearing that Jesus had risen from the dead was the best piece of news these women received. How did the news of His resurrection change your life? Journal about your experience.
• If you’ve never trusted Jesus as your Savior, find a trustworthy adult such as a parent, Trailstones leader, or pastor and ask them to share with you about how to become a Christian.
• If you have placed your faith in Jesus, pray for an opportunity to tell this news to others this week.

BEHIND THE STORY

Only Matthew recorded the earthquake, descending of the angel, and fainting of the guards. This is actually the second earthquake in his narrative, the first one is found in Matthew 27:51 at the moment of Jesus’ death. Just as the earth quaked, so did the guards when they saw the angel.

MEMORY VERSE

Say Matthew 28:8 aloud as you do the dishes, clean your room, or make a snack.

THE POINT

The angels’ appearance frightened the women, but the message caused the women to rejoice.


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No Reason for Fear

Posted by Karah

PAUSE

Before you dig into today’s devotion, consider this quote by J. I. Packer:

“Christian hope expresses knowledge that every day of his life, and every moment beyond it, the believer can say with truth, on the basis of God’s own commitment, that the best is yet to come.”

As the women walked toward the tomb, they were convinced of what they would find—the tomb, sealed by a large boulder, with Jesus’ body inside.
• Imagine you were walking with the women that day. Describe what you would have thought.

Now, read Mark 16:1-8 in your Bible.

“’Don’t be alarmed,’ he told them. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been resurrected! He is not here! See the place where they put Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there just as He told you.’” —Mark 16:6-7

• In verse 5, Mark said the women were ______ and ______. Why do you think they reacted this way?
• What were the first three words the young man said to the women? What’s the significance of his statement?
• Why do you think the angel encouraged the women to look at Jesus’ empty tomb for themselves? Explain.

Biblical scholars suggest that the angel’s command for the women to go and tell the disciples demonstrated Jesus’ love and concern for them. They were dejected and afraid—their Master had been crucified!
• How would physical proof of His resurrection reassure the disciples? Show them Jesus’ love?

RESPOND

Just like the women in today’s passage, you have also heard about Jesus’ resurrection—the empty tomb signified His conquering of death.
• Consider what Jesus’ resurrection means to you. Journal a prayer of praise to God for raising Jesus to life.
• In the margin, jot down the names of two people who need to know God’s truth. Commit to sharing Jesus’ message of salvation with them this week.

BEHIND THE STORY

At one point, all of Jesus’ disciples committed to stick with Him despite what He prophesied about His arrest and crucifixion (Mark 14:31). The text surrounding that particular prophecy demonstrated Jesus’ faithfulness to His disciples despite knowing they would “run away” (Mark 14:27) when He was arrested and crucified. Jesus said, “But after I have been resurrected, I will go ahead of you to Galilee” (Mark 14:28). In verse 7 of today’s passage, the angel referenced this statement as a prophecy that would be fulfilled on resurrection day—He was on His way to Galilee.

THE POINT

Jesus’ resurrection was not cause for fear, but for rejoicing. His resurrection provides us with assurance of the truth of His promises.


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