< Back

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly towards you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses. Nehemiah 1:6b-7

Read: Nehemiah 1:8-9
Listen: Nehemiah 1

TODAY’S MESSAGE

Nehemiah claims God’s promise that when people turn back to him, God will turn to them and forgive them. Nehemiah knows God delights in opening the door to welcome his people home.

Jesus vividly displays this truth about God. We are people in exile, separated from God because of our sins. Jesus is God-in-flesh sent from God the Father to live among and restore his people. Jesus shows the heart of God to welcome people home through his life and teachings. He reveals God as the Father who welcomes the prodigal home (Luke 15:11-32). Jesus is the shepherd who goes after one lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). His mission is to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

Jesus lives the perfect life that we never could. He never disobeys God or breaks his law. Jesus dies on the cross, and God places all our sins upon him. He bears the punishment that should have been ours. Jesus opens the door for us to return to God. He brings us out of the exile caused by our sins and into a restored relationship with God. No matter what we’ve done or how far we’ve wandered—it’s never too late to turn to God and be welcomed home.

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

If you’ve never placed your faith in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, you can turn to him today. Pray and tell God you believe in Jesus and ask for his forgiveness. We would love to talk with you if you want to learn more about following Jesus. Please email us at btw@adabible.org. If you have accepted Jesus, join our Ada Bible Worship team as they sing “Hallelujah Through it All.” Praise him that he will be found “with the outcast, where you run with open arms” and as the one who will “meet me every moment as you heal and you restore.”

2023 SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

Join us all of 2023 developing a different spiritual practice each month. SPIRITUAL PRACTICES are intentional regular activities to deepen our relationship with God and mold us to be more like Jesus.

October is SERVING. Keep track of our spiritual practices at beyondtheweekend.org/spiritualpractices.

Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.