Next 7 Days
What now? What next?
7 days. One week. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a colt while the crowds shouted “Hosanna!” 7 days later Jesus walked out of an empty tomb. The entire world changed in 7 days. The course of human history, past, present and future, is defined by these 7 days. In 7 days God created all that we can see and even what we cannot see. And in 7 days Jesus rescued…redeemed…set in motion the restoration of that same creation.
If that is the kind of thing that God can do in 7 days, what could he do in this coming week? What could he do in the world in the next 7 days? What could he do in our own lives in the next 7 days? That depends, at least in part, on how we respond to the 7 days that Mark wrote about at the end of his Gospel. You and I must decide what we believe about all of this but one thing is certain…these 7 days cannot be denied or dismissed or ignored. Nothing has been the same since these 7 days. Will you be the same after having heard about these 7 days?
What now? What NEXT? How will you respond to these 7 days?
When Lent is over…when the last page of the prayer and fasting guide has been turned…when Easter is finished…what then?
Those 7 days were just the beginning. How we respond to those 7 days makes all the difference. Here are 7 suggestions for what to do next in light of the 7 days that changed everything…
1. Get Associated
The “gospel” (good news) is more than a historical event. It is an open invitation…an unfathomable offer…to you. It’s one thing to know the story. It’s another thing to receive it as personal and tangible. The offer of forgiveness is for you. The promise of new life…real life…eternal life…is for you. If you don’t know how to step into this story…ask. Take the first step. The Gospel is not just an abstract idea…it is tangible and real…more real than anything else you could ever experience. Get personally associated with the greatest news the world has ever known. And more importantly, get associated with the LIVING Jesus who knows you and who wants to be known by you.
2. Get Accountable
Find someone you can trust and be honest. Those 7 days are a declaration of freedom. We have been made free. You can be made free. Free not just from the guilt and shame of sin. But free from living a continually defeated life of sin. And it begins by admitting that we cannot do it alone. So find someone you can trust, tell them the truth, and ask them to walk with you. But first, stop right where you are and pray. Tell God the truth. He already knows. Ask Him to walk with you. He will.
3. Get Accustomed
It’s possible that you prayed more regularly during this season of Lent than you have in a long time. It’s possible that you opened your Bible with more consistency. That doesn’t have to end. Keep doing it. Or maybe start doing it. Get accustomed to the daily rhythm of listening to God…talking to God…being with God. Make a plan. Keep it simple. There are daily prayer apps like Lectio365 that lead you in prayer. There are Bible apps like YouVersion that will read the Bible to you on your morning commute. Establish a rhythm. Create a habit. And keep going!
4. Get Amended
Jesus not only offers forgiveness, he commissions it. Maybe the next step in receiving the grace of God is to extend the grace of God to someone who has offended you…belittled you…hurt you. It is likely that a face came to mind the moment you read the previous sentence. Who do you need to forgive? Or maybe you are the offender. It most often takes two. As far as you can control, take the next step in the direction of reconciliation. His grace is sufficient not only for you but for those around you…even…and especially…those who seem unworthy.
5. Get Acquainted
Decide to befriend someone. Take a desert to a neighbor you don’t know well. Invite a coworker that you’ve not spent much time with to go to lunch. Ask about their story. And take the time to listen. Listen for what they may not even realize. Listen for the evidence that God notices them…cares for them…pursues them. He leaves the 99 and goes searching for the one. Shouldn’t we? The next step may be as simple as giving your attention to someone you had hardly noticed before.
6. Get Acclimated
- Basics of the Gospel class: April 12,19,26 in room 207
Have you noticed we use the word “Gospel” a lot around church? We’ve already used it in what is written here. What do we mean by it? Maybe you are new to all of this. Maybe you’ve heard it all your life, but you’re still not sure you could tell anyone about it. Get acclimated with the basics of the good news. We want to help. Deron Smith has agreed to lead a three-week class. The purpose? Learning the basics of what we say we believe. You can’t share what you don’t have. And sometimes our jargon becomes a barrier. Maybe the next step is to hear the “gospel” in simple and repeatable terms so that you can learn to share it in your own voice.
7. Get Attached
The life that Jesus offers is not meant to be lived alone. We were made for community. Too many of us are lonely. There is a good chance the word loneliness describes you. It is possible to be surrounded by people and still feel all alone. The “Get Acquainted” step can help. But here is another opportunity. Come to a coffeehouse night that we are hosting. Maybe invite a friend…maybe the friend with whom you recently “got acquainted.” Drink good coffee. Listen to good music. Hear others share how the God of those “7 days” has rescued them. Meet some people you don’t know. You don’t have to be lonely. Trust us, you aren’t the only one. Click the button for the details of just one opportunity to “Get Attached.”