Chapter 2: The Comeback Season Pt 3 | Rev David Zuniga | New Life St. Louis

The gathering opens with praise and a call to remember God’s victory. Scripture from John 20 and Luke 24 frames a single conviction: the difference between confusion and breakthrough often rests not in fresh revelation but in remembered truth. Three witnesses—Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John—stand before the empty tomb; each shares the same sight, but only memory produces revelation. Mary lingers, recalls Jesus’ words, and recognizes him when he calls her name; John and Peter observe and walk away puzzled because they fail to retrieve what had been said.

A personal testimony about a childhood soccer opportunity illustrates how a spoken word preserved in memory redirected a life. A father’s refusal to sign a worldly contract, guided by what he heard from God, became the hinge that opened unexpected doors later. The practice of rehearsing God’s promises transforms seasons of dislocation into stages of purpose. Identity—knowing what one’s name signifies in God’s economy—turns mourning into mission and confusion into clarity.

The congregation receives a practical summons: don’t wait for new weekly insights alone; cultivate a disciplined remembrance. Quiet the loud voices of criticism and distraction, develop resilient “crocodile skin” against slander, and rehearse Psalm 139 and Romans 8 to fix God’s thoughts about each life. God’s thoughts remain numerous and personal; nothing can separate believers from that love. The closing invitation presses a simple spiritual habit: put God in remembrance daily. Recollection of God’s words, rather than constant chasing of novelty, produces the comeback, restores name and mission, and anchors hope amid trials.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Comeback rests on remembered promises A comeback depends on retrieving earlier revelations rather than acquiring new ones. When memory summons past promises, hope rematerializes and actions align with God’s prior word. Practicing recollection converts confusion at the tomb into the revelation of resurrection. [08:31]
• 2. Remembering your name unlocks recognition Being called by name restores identity and redirects response. When the voice of the Redeemer names the redeemed, sorrow becomes service and bewilderment becomes purpose. Cultivating awareness of what God calls a person breaks old patterns of shame. [18:33]
• 3. Comeback needs memory, not novelty Waiting for weekly meetings or fresh signals can become spiritual passivity. Active meditation on scripture and past promises stokes faith in droughts and desert seasons. The habit of remembering makes present crises respond to earlier assurances. [24:28]
• 4. Silence distractions; cultivate crocodile skin External chatter and inner shame distort calling and delay movement. Building thickened resilience prevents other people’s opinions from redefining divine identity. Practiced boundaries keep attention on God’s voice and advance the work he intends. [26:08]
• 5. Put God in remembrance daily Regularly rehearsing what God has spoken rewires expectation and primes obedience. Short, intentional acts of remembrance reestablish covenant memory when discouragement arrives. The simple discipline invites God to act on remembered promises. [33:23]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:52] - Opening Praise and Honor
• [01:34] - Series: Your Comeback Season
• [01:54] - Scripture Readings (John & Luke)
• [04:18] - Prayer and Worship
• [05:13] - Everyday Forgetting Illustrated
• [08:31] - Remembering vs. Experiencing
• [16:04] - Promise and Personal Testimony
• [18:33] - Jesus Calls Mary by Name
• [26:08] - Silence Wrong Voices; Crocodile Skin
• [33:23] - Call: Put Me In Remembrance
• [34:48] - Altar Invitation and Closing

Bible Reading
John 20:1-2, 8-16 (ESV)
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

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Observation Questions

1. What were the different reactions of Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John when they encountered the empty tomb (John 20:1-10)?
2. In Luke 24:8, what action did the women take after hearing the angels’ message, and how did it affect their response?
3. How did Jesus’ act of calling Mary by name change her perspective and emotions (John 20:16)? [18:33]

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Interpretation Questions

1. Why might Peter and John have walked away confused despite seeing the same empty tomb as Mary? What role did their failure to “remember” play in their confusion (John 20:9)?
2. How does the act of remembering God’s past promises transform a person’s ability to recognize His work in the present (Luke 24:8)?
3. What does the contrast between Mary’s recognition of Jesus and the disciples’ initial confusion reveal about the relationship between identity and spiritual clarity? [19:17]

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Application Questions

1. What is one specific promise or word from God that you need to intentionally remember this week? How could writing it down or rehearsing it daily shift your perspective in a challenging situation? [33:23]
2. When have external voices (criticism, doubt, or distraction) recently clouded your ability to hear God’s truth? What practical step could you take to “silence” those voices and focus on His voice instead? [26:08]
3. How might reflecting on your spiritual “name” (e.g., redeemed, chosen, loved) change the way you respond to feelings of shame or failure? Share a time when remembering your identity in Christ redirected your actions.
4. The sermon emphasized that “comebacks” often hinge on recalling past promises rather than waiting for new revelations. What old journal entry, scripture, or prayer could you revisit this week to reignite hope? [08:31]
5. In what area of your life do you need to develop “crocodile skin” against negativity or slander? How could memorizing a verse like Romans 8:38-39 strengthen your resilience?