No other event is more central to our finding and following Jesus than His resurrection. Without it, the Christian faith is just wishful thinking. But if Christ is raised from the dead, that changes everything. Because Jesus lives so can you! You can be raised to a new life while you’re still alive. And you can expectantly await your literal resurrection in the life to come.

Discussion Questions

Read the resurrection account recorded in John 20:1-20. What happened that first Easter morning? Since Jesus predicted His death and resurrection (Matt. 16:21), why might His followers have been so surprised when Jesus came back to life?

Jesus’ resurrection is not just a nostalgic chapter in the story of God coming to earth. It’s central to our faith in Christ. Why does faith in Christ implode if the resurrection didn’t happen? Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-19 for insights.

Read Colossians 3:1-4. How has a believer in Jesus already been raised with Christ? What does it mean to “set your mind on things above?”

How does the believer enjoy two kinds of resurrections: a spiritual resurrection in this life and a literal resurrection in the life to come? (Romans 6:4, Ephesians 2:6-7, John 6:40)

Believers in the early church were motivated by the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4:33). How does Jesus’ resurrection change the way you live and interact with others?

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Searching for Courage

On the surface, hearing God and following His commands seems straightforward. However, when God calls us to do something that generates fear in us and feels daunting, second-guessing His call becomes reasonable. Finding the courage to obey such a call is overwhelming....

Searching for the Abundant Life

Jesus explicitly explained his purpose when He said “…I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). He said similar things many times, and these ideas are repeated, over and over again, by those who wrote the New Testament. Yet many people,...

Searching for Real Friendship

Some relationships may imitate friendship, but there’s no substitute for the real thing. Exploring the relationship between David and Jonathan in the Bible, we’ll identify some distinguishing features of friendship that are often overlooked and discover how to infuse...