Beyond the Weekend: EPIC
Stories of Trust, Failure and Faith That Point to Jesus
What does it look like to believe God, not just believe in God? This fall, we're diving into the raw, unfiltered stories of biblical heroes who wrestled with doubt, took dangerous detours, and discovered that trusting God means following him even when you can't see the outcome. Their epic journeys of trust, failure and faith all point to the ultimate hero—Jesus.
Key Messaging Points:
- There's a difference between believing in God and believing God
- God speaks in life's detours and disruptions
- Wrestling with God transforms us
- Trusting God means obeying before you see the outcome
- Every story of human struggle points to Jesus
The Covenant
Read: Genesis 15 Listen: Genesis 15
“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I give this land.’” Genesis 15:18
God shatters Abraham’s understanding of the world when he meets his doubt in a profound way. He asks Abraham to make a covenant. Abraham is familiar with this concept. A covenant is an agreement based on promises and commitments, usually involving a strong and a weak party. As the weaker one, Abraham understands that it is his role to walk through the torn animals to symbolize what happens if he breaks his commitment to God. He will die. Yet, something breathtaking occurs. Instead of Abraham, God walks the trail of blood and sinew. The God who keeps his promises tells Abraham that he will uphold both sides of the covenant. Abraham sees that God is zealous and willing to bear the consequences of sin to take his creation back.
Jesus shatters our understanding of the world. The rebellion of Adam is in our bones. We experience the story of humanity with every sin we commit. The consequence for our disobedience is death. But God’s great rescue plan, which began with Abraham, finds its fulfillment in Jesus. God sent him to bear the consequences of our sin on the cross. Because of his great love, God’s son died so we can experience a restored friendship with him.
TODAY: If you haven’t done so already, put your trust in Jesus. Admit to God that sin has broken your relationship with him. Acknowledge your need for Jesus to forgive and restore. If you have already put your trust in Jesus, praise him for his faithfulness and join Ada Worship as they sing, "Faithfulness."
