EASTER???

John 20:1 - 18

THE CONFUSION

¹ Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

·        This week ask a few people about the meaning of Easter and about the empty tomb.  Listen to what they have to say the meaning of the holiday and to their explanation as to why the tomb of Jesus is empty.  Would you describe them as being more Convinced or Confused?

THE EXAMINATION

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.

⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.

⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

·        After you talk with people about the meaning of Easter and the subject of the empty tomb, challenge them to honestly examine the historical facts concerning the resurrection of Jesus (offer to provide one of the JESUS books that Grace makes available for this purpose).

THE QUESTION

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”  Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

·        Ask some people this week who Jesus is to them [Liar? Learned Teacher? Lunatic? Legend?  Likeable Guy?  Lord?] and whether they feel they have or can have a personal relationship with Him.

THE REVELATION

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

·        Pray that the Lord will reveal and make Himself known to the people you have talked with and that they might respond positively to Him.

THE CONFESSION

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

·        Use the week of Easter to talk with others about your faith in Jesus … it’s a choice that I hope you will take advantage of.