Do you know Him?

Opening question:   Why is Facebook so popular?

Let’s read what Jesus says about knowing Him:

Matthew 7:13-23

13 Enter God's kingdom through the narrow gate.  The gate is large and the road is wide that leads to death and hell.  Many people go that way.  14 But the gate is small and the road is narrow that lead to life.  Only a few people find it.  15 Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you pretending to be sheep.  But on the inside they are hungry wolves.  16 You can tell what they really are by what they do.  Do people pick grapes from bushes?  Do they pick figs from thorns?  17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit.  But a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree can't bear bad fruit.  And a bad tree can't bear good fruit.  19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down.  It is thrown into the fire.  20 You can tell each tree by its fruit.  21 Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven.  Only those who do what My Father in heaven wants will enter.  22 Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord! Lord!  Didn't we prophesy in Your name?  Didn't we drive out demons in Your name?  Didn't we do many miracles in Your name?”  23 Then I will tell them clearly, “I never knew you.  Get away from Me, you who do evil!” 

Word list:

false prophets – people who do not speak the truth about God

bush – a low plant with many branches

thorns – a sharp points found on some plants and trees

prophesy – to speak for God

demons – evil spirits

brag / boast – to talk about how great you are

take delight – find pleasure and satisfaction

Discussion questions:

1. What does it mean to ‘know’ someone?

2.  What does the word ‘kingdom’ mean to you? 

3.  How would you compare the two kinds of gates?

4.  Why does the ‘gate’ to heaven have to be ‘narrow’? 

5. What keeps people ‘away’ from the Lord and out of heaven?

6.  How then can we come to know the Lord, and enter the kingdom heaven?

Jesus’ Resurrection, Appearance

Opening Questions: What were your thoughts on the video we just watched? What does the word resurrection mean? How is Jesus different from others that came alive from the dead?

 The Empty Tomb / John 20:1-9, 19-21
1 Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. It was still dark. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. 2 So she ran to Simon Peter and another disciple, the one Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb! We don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. 4 Both of them were running. The other disciple ran faster than Peter. He reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there. But he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived. He went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there. 7 He also saw the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself. It was separate from the linen. 8 The 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.  
Q1 What kind of stone should have been blocking the entrance?  
Q2 Why was Mary coming? What did she think happened to the body?  
Q3 Why do you think the passage states that the burial cloth and linen were separate?  

Jesus Appears to his Disciples / John 20:19-29
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together. They had locked the doors because they were afraid of the Jews. 20 Jesus came in and stood among them. He said, "May peace be with you!!” 21 Again Jesus said, “May peace be with you! The Father has sent me. So now I am sending you.” 22 He then breathed on them. He said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24 Thomas was one of the Twelve. He was called Didymus. He was not with the other disciples when Jesus came. 25 So they told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “First I must see the nail marks in his hands. I must put my finger where the nails were. I must put my hand into his side. Only then will I believe what you say.” 26 A week later, Jesus’ disciples were in the house again. Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came in and stood among them. He said “May peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here. See my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen me but still have believed.”  
Q4 Why does Jesus always announce to his disciples to have peace when he appears before them?  
Q5 Why do you think Jesus show his disciples his hands and side?
Q6 What does Thomas’ doubt show? Is it ok to have doubt?  

General Questions on the Resurrection
Q7 How does the resurrection set Christianity apart from other religions?
Q8 Why is the resurrection so important to believers? What implication does it have for our future?