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Easter Weekend Easter Message

March 22-23, 2008 Pastor Chris Brown

Food for Thought
_{^{For the week of March 23, 2008}}
(Questions and Scriptures for further study)
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 1.  Pastor Chris explained that God will let you be a part of any “crowd” you want.  Which of the crowds that we looked at do you tend to find yourself in today?  What have been some of the rewards and/or consequences of your choices?

 

2.  When someone decides to walk with the “do whatever God wants” crowd and follow Jesus, it will cost them something.   In fact, anything worth much usually costs much.  How do Jesus’ words about the cost of following Him in Luke 14:25-35 fit with your spiritual journey and/or experience in following Him?

Luke 14:25-35
    Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: [26] "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. [27] And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
    [28] "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? [29] For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, [30] saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
    [31] "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. [33] In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.
    [34] "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? [35] It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
    "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." _^[NIV]

3. It’s amazing how God’s Spirit can bring a fresh perspective or reminder to a text or Scripture we’ve heard before. Take a moment and read again the story of the resurrection in Matthew 28:1-10.  What thoughts or observations come to mind as you read the text?

Matthew 28:1-10
    After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
    [2] There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. [3] His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. [4] The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
    [5] The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. [6] He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. [7] Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."
    [8] So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. [9] Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. [10] Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." _^[NIV]

   

4.  The Apostle Paul emphasized the importance of the resurrection to Christians when he wrote: “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).  Suppose a friend or co-worker informed you that they attended church this Easter for the first time in quite a while.  They enjoyed the experience and their curiosity was sparked.  But “Come on,” they say, “how do you know Jesus is alive?”  How could the following verses help you respond to them?

Matthew 27:62-65
    The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. [63] "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' [64] So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."
    [65] "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." _^[NIV]

1 Corinthians 15:2-8
    By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
    [3] For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, [5] and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. [6] After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, [8] and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. _^[NIV]

Matthew 28:11-15
    While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. [12] When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, [13] telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' [14] If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." [15] So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. _^[NIV]