After - Day 28

End of Week Four

INTRODUCTION
The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion. Feel free to add or subtract or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.

OPEN
Have you ever had a secret to tell that when you told it, no one believed you? Or can you remember a time when you got to be the first one to share news with another that they hadn’t heard before?

HEAD
Read John 20: 18-24 together and share any wisdom, insights, or questions in response to the reading. 

What must it have been like for Mary, the disciples, and others to witness Jesus beaten to almost an unrecognizable state, take his last breath on the cross, then suddenly be standing before them three days later?

Jesus had told the disciples several times in his life what was going to happen to him, yet still they hid and grieved as if the cross was the end of the story.  Why?

In verse 23, do you think Jesus was telling the disciples that it was up to them to offer forgiveness now, like mediators?  If not, what was he communicating to them about forgiveness?

Jesus had sent the disciples out before.  What was different about the sending referred to in verse 21?

How do you reconcile the difference between Jesus breathing on them to receive the Holy Spirit verses what happened on the day of Pentecost?

HEART
As mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15: 3-6 (below), the resurrection of Jesus was witnessed by “more than 500 of his followers” and yet not one of them ever denied what they say they saw, even to the point of painful deaths.  What does this do to your own faith regarding the reliability of this story and your faith?

Jesus often comes into our lives with the reminder, “Peace be with you.” (Verse 19 and 20)  If Jesus were standing before you today, what are you going through now that would cause you to welcome those words from him with an open heart, “Peace be with you”?

If we have not love, we have nothing (I Corinthians 13).  Why do you think we focus on so many things other than love (doctrine, judgment, end time prophecy, etc…) when it comes to evangelizing?

“We are saved to be sent, not sit.”  In what ways have you answered the call, or in what ways do you sense God stirring you to answer right now?

HANDS
As Pastor Tim shared earlier this week, “the greatest apologetic is love.”  In light of the Easter story and our commissioning sealed with the Holy Spirit, what are three ways you can be love this week to someone in your life (home, neighborhood, work)?

LIVING WORDS for YOUR WEEK
“I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭3‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬
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