WHO IS THIS MAN?
WEEK 8 DISCUSSION GUIDE "EASTER"
READ
This week we continued in our “Who Is This Man” series, pursuing an answer to the question, who is Jesus? We picked up in the gospel of Mark after Jesus was crucified.
Joseph of Arimathea asked Roman officials for Jesus body so he could give him a proper burial.
Mark 15:45-46
So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid.
A group of ladies went back to put spices in the tomb, early in the morning on the first day of the week. On the way there they wondered how they would roll back the stone that sealed the tomb. When they arrived they found that the stone had been rolled away.
Mark 16:5-7
As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on theright side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed.” He said. “You are looking forJesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter...
The women are told to go tell Jesus closest friends about the resurrection. Mentioned specifically here is Peter, who on three separate occasions had denied even knowing Jesus. He desperately needed to hear this news. We are told in Mark 16:8 that at first the women did not tell anyone because they were afraid.
When we look at the gospel of John, his eyewitness account of the life of Jesus, we discover that the women eventually did go and tell the disciples. John shares that upon hearing the news, he and Peter raced to the tomb. After looking inside the empty tomb,John tells us that “he saw and believed.”
Jesus appeared to many after his resurrection. Once to more than five hundred people at the same time. However, even after seeing the resurrected Jesus many did not think His movement would continue. Many of his closest followers, including John and Peter went back to the job they had before they met Jesus, which was fishing.
While they were fishing Jesus showed up to restore and give a new purpose to Peter. He asked Peter three times if he loved Him, once for each time Peter had denied Him.
He also asked Peter to feed His sheep. Jesus extends forgiveness to Peter and gives him new hope and purpose. Jesus offers that same forgiveness, hope and purpose to us today. Through Jesus death and resurrection, we have hope of a new life in Christ.
DISCUSS
How do you think you would have reacted if you were one of the first followers of Jesus to discover the empty tomb?
Has someone ever told you something that you did not believe at the time but later found out was true? How did this make you feel?
After His death, the early followers of Jesus did not anticipate a resurrection but rather were stricken with despair for the loss of Jesus and the hope that he was the Messiah. Despair would turn to joy after Jesus resurrection and appearance to many.
Tell about a time in your life when what was once a season of sadness turned to joy.
Share with your group about a time when you found hope in Jesus as He walked with you through a difficult season.
Is there an area in your life where you have lost hope? Pray about this with your group.
Through Jesus death and resurrection, we have hope of a new life, a new future. How is your life different because of the resurrection of Jesus?
PRAY FOR YOUR GROUP
Pray that we would live new lives with hope in Christ. Even when we walk through difficult seasons we would not lose hope. Pray that we would reflect on the resurrection of Christ and the hope of new life.
PRAY FOR FCC
Pray that we would reflect the character and conduct of Christ in the way we live and love others. That people would see the hope that we have in Him and would want to know more about Jesus.
PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL PARTNERS
The deaf are often a forgotten group who are isolated from society. They are sometimes unable to hear the gospel message of Jesus in their own language and do not receive an education or employment. Deaf Ministries International reaches out to those marginalized by society all over the world. This summer our high school student ministry will be visiting their school in the Philippines. We ask for prayer specifically for the ministries in the Philippines in Davao, Ligao and Visayas. We pray for God’scontinued mercy and grace for their organic farms, rice mill, piggeries and papaya plantation. These not only assist in creating sustainability for housing and education for
the students, but also provide for vocational training for the deaf in farming and animal husbandry. These avenues of business also provide jobs for the deaf community.