Sermons

Jesus calls his believers to a mission of forgiveness and freedom.

Every human heart is searching for something—for someone. When we see the empty tomb, we learn that Jesus is what we are all seeking for.

Discussion Questions

1. Why did the disciples not yet understand that Jesus would rise from the dead? How did they miss this important idea?

2. Why do you think John links the resurrection and the ascension in this section? Why is it important to avoid conflating the two?

3. What, in your life, are you searching for? What drives you? How are those desires ultimately met in Jesus?

4. How can we be more like Mary Magdalene and tell others that Jesus is no longer dead, but he has risen.

Prayer Points

1. Pray that your longings would find their satisfaction in Jesus.

2. Pray to be like Mary Magdalene, saying to all who will listen “I have seen the Lord.”

Jesus’ death, the most tragic and heartbreaking thing to ever happen, is what brings about the incredible reality of eternal life.

Discussion Questions

1. Share a time in your life where something good only came through something difficult. How does that situation point us toward what happened through Jesus’ death?

2. What is the significance of blood and water flowing? Of the various explanations put forth, which one resonates most with you? Why?

3. Where do you need to experience the cleansing effects of Jesus’ death?

4. How does Jesus want to grow you to be more courageous? 

Prayer Points

1. Ask Jesus to help you to truly find your life in him, not seeking life in other sources that leave you empty.

2. Pray for courage like Nicodemus and Joseph, that you would be willing to be identified with Jesus no matter the cost.

Both Pilate and the Jewish religious leaders serve as examples of what happens when people don’t fear God, but instead give place to the fear of man. When we consider the gospel of Jesus, we see how the fear of man kills, but the fear of God brings life.

Discussion Questions 

1. Who is somebody in your life who, from your perspective, does a good job of fearing the Lord rather than man? What does this look like in their life?

2. Why is fear of man such poison? Why do we fall into it so easily? Where do you personally struggle with fear of man?

3. What does it mean that not all sins are the same? What does this not mean? Why is this understanding important? 

4. What do you think that Joseph and Nicodemus were like after going “all in” with Jesus? How can we learn and grow from their example?

Prayer Points

1. Pray that God would help you to see where you place too much priority on the opinions of man and not enough on him.

2. Pray for boldness, like that of Joseph and Nicodemus. Pray that you would seek to share the gospel of Jesus no matter what the cost.

In his interaction with Pontius Pilate, Jesus utters the famous phrase, “my kingdom is not of this world.” In this scene, Jesus shows us how he interacts with the powers of the world, and invites us to follow him as we live and interact with earthly powers and institutions.

Discussion Questions 

1. Read Matthew 27:11-26, Mark 15:1-15, and Luke 23:1-25. What do these other passages show us about Pontius Pilate and his motivations? What do we see about Jesus and his relation to earthly power?

2. Why is it so hard for us to live as citizens of the Kingdom, not of the world but for the world. What would be different in our earthly institutions if we more fully embodied his kingdom?

3. In what way is the gospel “political” and in what ways is it not? How can we help one another avoid falling into the trap of using Jesus to further our earthly political agendas?

4. How can we reach people in our area with the gospel of Jesus when so many people think of Christians as “political” in the wrong ways? How can we correct wrong perceptions without throwing fellow Christians under the proverbial bus?

Prayer Points

1. Pray that we, as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, would know where our true allegiance lies, and that we would wisely interact with earthly powers and institutions.

2. Pray for God to use us as a church to bring the goodness of his Kingdom to our neighborhoods, communities, cities, and region.