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Easter is Good News! A Message of Hope “ Af t er Jesus r os e f r om t he dead ear l y on Sunday mor ni ng, t he f i r st per son who saw hi m was Mar y Magdal ene, t he woman f r om whom he had cast out seven demons. She went t o t he di sci pl es, who wer e gr i evi ng and weepi ng, and t ol d t hem what had happened. But when she t ol d t hem t hat Jesus was al i ve and she had seen hi m, t hey di dn’ t bel i eve her . Af t er war d he appear ed i n a di f f er ent f or m t o t wo of hi s f ol l ower s who wer e wal ki ng f r om Jer us al em i nt o t he count r y. They r ushed back t o t el l t he ot her s, but no one bel i eved t hem. St i l l l at er he appear ed t o t he el even di sci pl es as t hey wer e eat i ng t oget her . He r ebuked t hem f or t hei r st ubbor n unbel i ef because t hey r ef used t o bel i eve t hose who had seen hi m af t er he had been r ai sed f r om t he dead. And t hen he t ol d t hem, ‘ Go i nt o al l t he wor l d and pr each t he Good News t o ever yone. ’ ” Mar k 16: 9 15 ( NLT) 1. Good News! Through Jesus there is forgiveness of sins. “ Br ot her s, l i st en! We ar e her e t o pr ocl ai m t hat t hr ough t hi s man Jesus t her e i s f or gi veness f or your si ns. ” Act s 13: 38 ( NLT) “ God made you al i ve wi t h Chr i st , f or he f or gave al l our si ns. He cancel ed t he r ecor d of t he char ges agai nst us and t ook i t away by nai l i ng i t t o t he cr oss. ” Col ossi ans 2: 13 14 ( NLT) Note: God not onl y f or gi ves our si ns – he f or get s t hem! “ I wi l l f or gi v e t hei r wi ckedness and wi l l r emember t hei r si ns no mor e. ” Hebr ews 8: 12 ( NI V) “ For hi s unf ai l i ng l ove t owar d t hose who f ear hi m i s as gr eat as t he hei ght of t he heavens above t he ear t h. He has r emoved our si ns as f ar f r om us as t he east i s f r om t he west . ” Psal m 103: 10 12 ( NLT)
Life Application: We must c onf ess our si ns t o God and t ur n away f r om evi l . “ I f we cl ai m we have no si n, we ar e onl y f ool i ng our sel ves and not l i vi ng i n t he t r ut h. But i f we conf ess our si ns t o hi m, he i s f ai t hf ul and j ust t o f or gi ve us our si ns and t o cl eanse us f r om al l wi ckedness. ” 1 John 1: 8 9 ( NLT)
2. Good News! Jesus has restored our relationship with God. “ God i n al l hi s f ul l ness was pl eased t o l i ve i n Chr i st , and by hi m God r econci l ed ever yt hi ng t o hi msel f . He made peace wi t h ever yt hi ng i n heaven and on ear t h by means of hi s bl ood on t he cr oss. Thi s i ncl udes you who wer e once so f ar away f r om God. You wer e hi s enemi es, separ at ed f r om hi m by your evi l t hought s and act i ons, yet now he has br ought you back as hi s f r i ends. He has done t hi s t hr ough hi s deat h on t he cr oss i n hi s own human body . As a r esul t , he has br ought you i nt o t he ver y pr esence of God, and you ar e hol y and bl amel ess as you st and bef or e hi m wi t hout a si ngl e f aul t . ” Col ossi ans 1: 18 22 ( NLT96) “ Gr eat er l ov e has no one t han t hi s t hat one l ay down hi s l i f e f or hi s f r i ends. You ar e my f r i ends, i f you do what I command y ou. No l onger do I cal l you sl aves, f or t he sl ave does not know what hi s mast er i s doi ng; but I have cal l ed you f r i ends, f or al l t hi ngs t hat I hav e hear d f r om My Fat her I have made known t o you. ” John 15: 13 15 ( NASB) “ …dar kness f el l acr oss t he whol e l and unt i l t hr ee o’ cl ock. The l i ght f r om t he sun was gone. And suddenl y, t he cur t ai n i n t he sanct uar y of t he Templ e was t or n down t he mi ddl e. ” Luke 23: 44 45 ( NLT) “ Jesus sai d, ‘ I t i s f i ni shed. ’ Wi t h t hat , he bowed hi s head and gave up hi s spi r i t . ” John 19: 30 ( NI V) Life Application: We need t o spend t i me wi t h God ever y day.
“ Look! I st and at t he door and knock. I f y ou hear my voi ce and open t he door , I wi l l come i n, and we wi l l shar e a meal t oget her as f r i ends. ” Revel at i on 3: 20 ( NLT)
3. Good News! Jesus has conquered death. “ …t he angel spoke t o t he women. ‘ Don’ t be af r ai d! ’ he sai d. ‘ I know you ar e l ooki ng f or Jesus, who was cr uci f i ed. He i sn’ t her e! He i s r i sen f r om t he dead, j ust as he sai d woul d happen. Come, see wher e hi s body was l yi ng. ’ ” Mat t hew 28: 5 6 ( NLT) “ When you put a seed i nt o t he gr ound, i t doesn' t gr ow i nt o a pl ant unl ess i t di es f i r st . And what you put i n t he gr ound i s not t he pl ant t hat wi l l gr ow, but onl y a dr y l i t t l e seed of wheat or what ever i t i s you ar e pl ant i ng. Then God gi ves i t a new body j ust t he ki nd he want s i t t o have… I t i s t he same way f or t he r esur r ect i on of t he dead. Our ear t hl y bodi es, whi ch di e and decay, wi l l be di f f er ent when t hey ar e r esur r ect ed, f or t hey wi l l nev er di e. Our bodi es now di sappoi nt us, but when t hey ar e r ai sed, t hey wi l l be f ul l of gl or y. They ar e weak now, but when t hey ar e r ai sed, t hey wi l l be f ul l of power … t hen at l ast t he Scr i pt ur es wi l l come t r ue: ‘ Deat h i s swal l owed up i n vi ct or y. O deat h, wher e i s your vi ct or y? O deat h, wher e i s your st i ng?’ For si n i s t he st i ng t hat r esul t s i n deat h. . . How we t hank God, who gi ves us vi ct or y over si n and deat h t hr ough Jesus Chr i st our Lor d! ” 1 Cor i nt hi ans 15: 35 38, 42 43, 54 57 ( NLT) Life Application: We no l onger need t o be af r ai d of dyi ng. “ Jesus sai d t o her , ‘ I am t he r esur r ect i on and t he l i f e. He who bel i eves i n me wi l l l i ve, even t hough he di es; and whoever l i v es and bel i eves i n me wi l l never di e. Do you bel i eve t hi s?’ ” John 11: 25 26 ( NI V) 4. Good News! We now have the power to live as God intended. “ I al so pr ay t hat you wi l l under st and t he i nc r edi bl e gr eat ness of God’ s power f or us who bel i eve hi m. Thi s i s t he same mi ght y power t hat r ai sed Chr i st f r om t he dead and seat ed hi m i n t he pl ace of honor at God’ s r i ght hand i n t he heav enl y r eal ms. ” Ephesi ans 1: 19 20 ( NLT) “ For God i s wor ki ng i n you, gi vi ng you t he desi r e and t he power t o do what pl eases hi m. ” Phi l i ppi ans 2: 13 ( NLT) Life Application: God’ s Power comes t hr ough sur r ender . “ …t he Hol y Spi r i t pr oduces t hi s ki nd of f r ui t i n our l i ves: l ove, j oy, peace, pat i ence, ki ndness, goodness, f ai t hf ul ness, gent l eness, and sel f cont r ol … Those who bel ong t o Chr i st J esus have nai l ed t he passi ons and desi r es of t hei r si nf ul nat ur e t o hi s cr oss and cr uci f i ed t hem t her e. Si nce we ar e l i vi ng by t he Spi r i t , l et us f ol l ow t he Spi r i t ’ s l eadi ng i n ever y par t of our l i v es. ” Gal at i ans 5: 22 25 ( NLT)
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Connect Group Questions To pr epar e f or t hi s week’ s meet i ng, t ake some t i me t o f ocus on t he f ol l owi ng quest i ons and wr i t e out a f ew br i ef answer s. Be pr epar ed t o shar e t hem wi t h your gr oup. My Story
1. Looki ng back at your not es f r om t hi s week’ s message on East er was t her e anyt hi ng t hat par t i cul ar l y caught your at t ent i on, chal l enged, or conf used you? 2. What i s your f avor i t e East er memor y? What i s your l east f avor i t e East er memor y? Was East er a bi g deal at your house when you wer e a ki d? I f so, what made i t speci al ? 3. When di d you f i r st gr as p t he si gni f i cance of Jesus’ deat h on t he cr oss? Who expl ai ned i t t o you? 4. What i s t he best news you’ ve ever r ec ei ved? Why was i t such good news t o you? Going Deeper 1. Read t he ac count of Jesus’ r esur r ect i on f ound i n Mat t hew 28: 1 10. Now r ead 1 Cor i nt hi ans 15: 1 8. What evi dence di d Paul si t e as pr oof t hat Jesus act ual l y r ose f r om t he dead? I s t hi s convi nci ng t o you? Do you bel i eve t hat Jesus’ deat h on t he cr oss and hi s r esur r ect i on f r om t he dead ar e act ual hi st or i cal event s ? Why? Why not ? What woul d you say t o someone who ar gues t hat Jesus’ cr uc i f i xi on and r esur r ect i on ar e j ust myt hs made up by Chr i st i ans? 2. What do t he f ol l owi ng ver ses say about God’ s f or gi veness?
● Psal m 103: 8 14 ● 1 John 1: 8 9 ● Mat t hew 6: 14 15 3. What do t he f ol l owi ng ver ses t each us about t he cr oss?
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Gal at i ans 5: 24 Phi l i ppi ans 2: 4 11 Col ossi ans 1: 19 22 Col ossi ans 2: 13 14
Life Application 1. Read 1 Cor i nt hi ans 15: 12 20 & Romans 10: 9 10. Why does Paul ar gue t hat wi t hout Jesus’ r esur r ect i on t he Chr i st i an f ai t h f al l s apar t ? Does someone have t o bel i eve t hat Jesus r os e f r om t he dead i n or der t o be a Chr i st i an? Why? Why not ? 2. Whi l e shoppi ng f or i t ems t o put i nt o your ki ds’ East er basket s l ast week you bumped i nt o f r i end who y ou haven’ t seen i n year s. Af t er gl anci ng at your shoppi ng car t she comment s, “ Wow, l ooks l i ke your ki ds ar e i n f or a gr eat East er ! ” Then she l ooks down and adds qui et l y, “ I r eal l y mi ss cel ebr at i ng East er and goi ng t o chur ch. My mom al ways made i t so spec i al f or me and my br ot her . ” When you i nvi t e her t o j oi n you f or wor shi p at Cent er poi nt she decl i nes and shakes her head, “ No, my husband r ef uses t o go anywher e near chur ch especi al l y at East er . He says ‘ chur ch’ i s j ust a bi g f ancy bui l di ng wher e hypocr i t es go t o be seen i n t hei r f ancy cl ot hes. ” How do you r espond? 3. Read Mar k 16: 15 and t hen di scuss t he f ol l owi ng l yr i cs f r om “ Chr i st i s Ri s en” by Mat t Maher : “Let no one caught in sin remain inside the lie of inward shame. We fix our eyes upon the cross and run to him who showed great love and bled for us. Freely you bled, for us. Christ is risen from the dead trampling over death by death. Come awake, come awake! Come and rise up from the grave! Beneath the weight of all our sin you bow to none but heavens will. No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown. No burden great can hold you down. In strength you reign. Forever let your church proclaim “Christ is risen from the dead Oh death! Where is your sting? Oh hell! Where is your victory? Oh
Church! Come stand in the light! The glory of God has defeated the night! Our God is not dead, he's alive! He's alive!” Why does t he Bi bl e cal l t he st or y of Jesus ’ l i f e, deat h and r esur r ect i on “ Good News” ? Spend some t i me as a gr oup pr ayi ng f or peopl e you know who desper at el y need t o hear t he Good News of Jesus. Resources: Mer e Chr i st i ani t y by C. S. Lewi s, ©1999, Hol man The Case f or East er by Lee St r oebel , ©2004, Zonder van Easy t o use Bi bl e r eadi ng pl ans at www. youv er si on. com
