CONNECT

When and how did you first become aware of the reality of death? Have you ever had a near-death experience, and whats the closest call youve ever had?

WORD
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:811

WHAT

What does the Bible say?

Christianity hinges on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Any serious scholar validates the fact of Jesuss life as a historical event. Its the meaning of this even t, not the historical accuracy, that sets faith against atheism. If Jesus is who he says he is, and what the Bible says about the resurrection is true, then there is no more significant event in history. Who is Jesus? What does his life mean for us?

Jesus is the Son of God.

But what about you? he asked. Who do you say I am? Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:15,16 Jesus told his disciples that seeing him was the same as seeing God (John 14:9). All the worlds major religions paint a different picture of God or the gods, but Christ provides us with certainty about Gods character. Understanding Gods character is the bedrock of our faith, telling us what we can expect. If you asked your friends who Jesus is, what would they answer? If someone asked you who is Jesus, what would you answer? What does the life of Jesus show us about the character of God?

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Jesus was raised from the dead

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died 1 Corinthians 15:20 The Bible says that if Jesus was not raised from the dead then our faith is useless. The resurrection is therefore central to the Christian faith. Evidence for the resurrection can be drawn from: Jesus earthly life, his execution, the empty tomb, the eyewitnesses, the early records, and the emergence of the church. Do you agree that the resurrection is central to the faith? Why or why not? What evidence for the resurrection is most compelling for you?

Our sins are forgiven.

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Romans 4:25 The great quest of humanity is to be accepted by God and considered righteous (Rice Broocks, Gods Not Dead). Jesuss life, death, and resurrection give us certainty of our standing with God, and if we follow Christ, its a good one. He considers us righteous and justified, regardless of how steeped in sin we were before. As Jesus often said throughout his life, this is good news! Why might people have a hard time believing their sins are forgiven? ____________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

SO WHAT

What is the relevance of the Word to my life?

What difference does believing in Jesus life, death, and resurrection make to your life? Share a time when youve personally experienced Jesus resurrection life

NOW WHAT

How do I apply the Word to my life?

In what areas do you currently need to experience Jesus resurrection power? Where do you need to know Jesus forgiveness and power over sin?

PRAYER
Pray with thankfulness for who Jesus is and what he s done for us. Pray for hope, life, and resurrection power at work. Pray for any requests that people in the group may have.

How To Use This Material

This material is designed for small group discussion. The goal is not to just teach a lesson but to apply truth to our lives. The best preparation for each small groups leader is to have these guides in hand during the Sunday message so they can take notes to prepare for their group meeting. Each weeks lesson is taken from the GODS NOT DEAD book chapter of the same title. Reading that chapter will prepare the leader for a successful group discussion. These materials work best with a group of four to twelve people. Each lesson has four parts: connect, word, application, and prayer:

CONNECT (1015 minutes ) Most lessons have three warm-up questions provided. Pick the question or questions that will relate best to the group. If you think of a better warm-up question, feel free to use it. A good warm-up question is not controversial, should require no Bible knowledge, and should have no right or wrong answer. Good warm-up questions ask for a persons opinion and experience and should be loosely related to the topic in the word section. Everybody is encouraged to talk during the CONNECT time.

WORD (1520 minutes ) Each lesson has several key points in bold type followed by scripture, brief comments, questions, and blank lines. Use the extra lines to record additional comments, cross references, illustrations, and other thoughts that might help communicate the point.

APPLICATION (1020 minutes ) Maturity is not about how much we mark up or read our Bibles, but about how much we obey our Bibles. The goal is for truth to be absorbed into our hearts, not just into our heads. Therefore, personal application is at the very heart of discipleship and spiritual growth. Everybody is encouraged to speak during the personal application time.

PRAYER (1020 minutes ) The prayer time may begin with some answers to prayers to encourage and build the faith of the group. If your group has eight or more people, it may be a good idea to break into two or three smaller groups during the prayer time. Everyone should be encouraged to participate in the prayer time. Expect God to answer your prayers.