READ TOGETHER:
John 20:1-18
DISCUSS:
- What is something you’ve had difficulty believing in the past, but now you believe with all your heart? What made you start believing? Is there anything that would cause you to stop believing again?
- What piece of evidence do you find most compelling for the resurrection? How has your life changed through belief in the resurrection? How does the resurrection free us from the fear?
- Why did John reenter the empty tomb after taking a glance earlier? What do you think he realized after observing the empty tomb and the clothes of Jesus?
- Why do you think Mary did not recognize Jesus at the tomb? When Jesus spoke her name, Mary immediately fell at His feet. Why is it difficult for us to “see” Jesus in the midst of our difficulties? What promises can we remember when life gets tough?
- How would your daily life change if the resurrection was on the forefront of your mind each day? If the resurrection had never happened, would your life be any different? Explain.
- How would you respond to a friend who said, “surely you can’t believe that Jesus really rose from the dead?”
PRAY:
Spend time in prayer asking the Lord to help put the full weight of your belief in the resurrected Christ. Be thankful that He knows and calls you by name.
PRACTICE (on your own):
Below are some ways to live life in light of the Christ’s resurrection.
- Thanksgiving: When you wake up, immediately count your blessings. When you grumble and complain, try to counteract that by focusing on the good in your life. Choose to count it all joy because of Jesus’ victory over your sin.
- Worship: If someone paid off all your debt, how would you feel? Through His death and resurrection, Jesus paid your spiritual debt. Give your worship, adoration, and praise to the One who died in your place and rose again in victory!
- Eyes on Heaven: As we live our earthly lives, we must also stay focused on the eternal. What is your part in reaching others with the Gospel? Are you following Christ’s example as you serve others?
DIVE DEEPER (on your own):
- Living for Christ in response to the resurrection means that the Holy Spirit must lead all areas of our lives. Below are some helpful Scripture for living in light of the resurrection.
- John 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18; 1 Peter 1:3; Ephesians 1:18-20 + 3:16-17; Philippians 3:10-11; John 11:25-26; Hebrews 4:12 +10:19-22; John 8:36
Thanks for listening in to The Ridge's Sunday Audio podcast! Although we hope you are greatly blessed by listening to this message, we also believe it's important to belong to a local body of believers. If you live in our area, we would love to worship with you on Sunday mornings at 8:00a, 9:30a, or 11:15a!
