Returning to What Matters Most
Ashley Austin challenges us to return to the place where we first said “yes” to Jesus—and ask what’s keeping us from saying it again.
Key Takeaways
- Jesus calls us to meet Him in our "Galilee" - the place where we first encountered Him
- Answering Christ's call often requires leaving behind comfort and security
Further Study
- Take a minute to read Matthew 28:6. How does the angel’s declaration about Christ’s resurrection reaffirm the reliability of Christ’s words (cf. Luke 24:6–8; John 2:19–22), and in what ways does your daily life reflect trust in the living authority of Jesus rather than theoretical belief in a past event? If you believe Jesus truly rose from the dead, what comfort, courage, or calling should that activate in how you face fear, loss, or calling today?
- In what ways does the Great Commission rest on the foundation of Christ’s authority (Matthew 28:18) and presence (Matthew 28:20), and how should that reshape your understanding of mission—not as a burden to carry but as a shared work of grace (cf. Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:20)? How might your response to this command be hindered by fears or self-limitations He has already overcome in His resurrection? What step of obedience is He calling you to take right now, and what would it look like to give Him your “yes” in that area?
- Read Matthew 28:17. What does this tension between worship and doubt teach us about the real dynamics of faith, even among the first eyewitnesses (cf. John 20:24–29; Jude 1:22–23)? How does Jesus’ response—not rebuke but commission—challenge the assumption that doubt disqualifies us from mission or intimacy with God? In light of the Gospel, how might honest doubt become a doorway to deeper trust, rather than an exit from discipleship?
The Gospel
If you have questions about what it means to be a Christian, we would love to talk with you about it.
Reach outThe Gospel is not advice for how to live a better life—it’s the announcement that Jesus is alive and that changes everything.
As Ashley reminded us from Matthew 28, the stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could get out—it was rolled away so we could step in and see what God has done. Christ’s resurrection is not a metaphor. It’s a historical, physical, world-shaking reality (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:3–8). The angel didn’t say “He will rise,” but “He has risen, just as He said.” That phrase matters—because it means Jesus keeps His word, even when it leads through death.
In Matthew 4, we see Jesus call ordinary fishermen to leave their nets, their boats, even their families—not for self-fulfillment, but for discipleship. He said, “Follow me,” not just believe in me. And He still says that. Not just to Peter or Andrew, but to you. His invitation isn’t, “Clean yourself up and come to me,” but “Come to me and I will make you new” (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17).
The problem is, we don’t naturally follow. We cling to comfort, sin, distraction, pride. As Ashley asked, “What is standing in the way of you following Jesus?” The Bible calls that rebellion sin—loving things more than God and refusing His rightful rule (cf. Romans 1:25). And the penalty of sin isn’t just brokenness—it’s death (Romans 6:23). But Jesus took that death on Himself. On the cross, He bore the judgment we deserved. In His resurrection, He triumphed over the grave.
So the Gospel is this: though we’ve failed to love God, God has never failed to love us. In Christ, He lived the life we couldn’t live, died the death we deserved, and rose so that we could live again. Forgiven. Free. Not just saved from something, but saved for something.
Like the disciples who met Jesus again in Galilee, we’re not saved to sit—we’re sent (cf. Matthew 28:18–20). The same risen Christ who says, “Go,” also says, “I am with you always.” You don’t have to earn His love. You just have to say yes.
So say it. Turn from your sin. Trust in Jesus. Let go of what’s behind you and step into the life He’s calling you to. Not survival. Significance. Not shame. Adoption. Not death. Resurrection.