Group Guide
Ice-Breaker:
What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?
Discussion Questions:
Have someone read John 20:1-9 aloud.
- Clayton talked on Sunday about "running on empty." First Mary Magdalene ran to tell the disciples the tomb was empty, and then the disciples ran to see for themselves. They ran! They didn't eat breakfast first, they didn't make any excuses. They IMMEDIATELY ran to see. Peter and the "other disciple" actually raced to the tomb! Think of the excitement and passion it would take to get you to drop everything and take off running. When you think of the resurrection, does it stir any excitement in you? Or has the story of Jesus' rising from the dead become just something we talk about?
- An EMPTY tomb ignites RUNNING with BELIEF. Did you know that the disciples, even Paul, even James, Jesus' own brother, didn't believe He had risen from the dead until they saw it with their own eyes? They saw Him alive and they touched Him with their hands. That means we don't have to take anything on blind faith. The disciples didn't even do that. We can believe WITHOUT seeing because they believed AFTER seeing. Have you ever thought about it in this way? Do you think it might help you when those moments of doubt try to creep in?
- An EMPTY tomb ignites RUNNING with PASSION. Seeing and hearing the tomb was empty didn't result in apathy, routine or business as usual. Running communicates passion, effort and excitement. I mean, let's get real for a minute. A dead man came back to life! We should be like Peter and John, who said they couldn't help but talk about what they had seen and heard. We should be so full of passion and love for Jesus that we can't help but serve, worship and talk about Him. When it comes to your love for Jesus and general excitement about the good news of the gospel, what does your passion meter show?
- An EMPTY tomb ignites RUNNING with COMMITMENT. One of the ways you know someone really believes something is that they are willing to suffer, and maybe even die, for it. Most people, if they don't really believe something, will deny it to save their lives. On Sunday, Clayton shared documented, historical evidence, OUTSIDE of the Bible (one from an atheist), that almost all of the disciples suffered horrific deaths for claiming they saw Jesus alive. This fact is HUGE for our faith. This is some of the best actual proof that Jesus is, in fact, the Son of God. No one dies for something they know to be a lie. Liars make bad martyrs. What does this do for your faith? How much does it bolster your confidence in what you say you believe?
- Finally, an EMPTY tomb ignites RUNNING with PURPOSE. They ran because something happened that changed everything. We, too, should run with purpose. If Jesus was raised from the dead, we should spend our lives making His name known! We should also run for Him because He ran for us. He made the first move, dying for us while we were still in our sin. What more motivation do we need to live for Jesus? How much time, energy, talent or resources do you use to make Jesus' name known? Can you really say you are sold out for Him? If not, what's holding you back?
Prayer Topics:
- That we would run for Jesus because He was raised from the dead.
- That our passion would run high for Him.
- That we would commit our lives to His purposes.
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