March 31, 2002 - Colossians 3.1-4; John 20.1-18

Open It

1. What is one dark moment of your life that ended happily?
2. How has someone recently surprised you with what he or she did or said?
3. What is the most exciting news you've heard this week?

Explore It

4. What did Mary Magdalene discover when she went to Jesus' tomb? (John 20:1)
5. What did Mary Magdalene tell Peter? When? (John 20:2)
6. Who responded to the news Mary brought? (John 20:3)
7. What did Mary see where Jesus' body had been? (John 20:12)
8. What did the angels ask Mary? (John 20:13)
9. How did Mary answer the angels' question? (John 20:13)
10. Who tried to comfort Mary? (John 20:14-15)
11. What question did Jesus ask Mary? (John 20:15)
12. How did Mary respond to Jesus' question? (John 20:15)
13. What happened when Mary realized who was talking to her? (John 20:16)
14. What did Jesus tell Mary to tell His brothers? (John 20:17)
15. What did Mary do? (John 20:18)
16. Where did Paul tell the Colossians to turn their attention? (Colossians 3:1)
17. Where did Paul tell the believers to focus their concern? (Colossians 3:2)
18. What was the Colossians' security? (Colossians 3:3)
19. Why should believers look forward to Christ's return? (Colossians 3:4)

Get It

20. If you had been either Mary, Peter, or John, what thoughts would have run through your mind when you discovered the empty tomb?
21. What motivates us to share our surprises (both pleasant and unpleasant) with other people?
22. What would you do if you saw an angel?
23. How do you think Mary felt when she realized she was talking to Jesus?
24. When is it tempting to hold on to something good rather than share it with others?
25. If you consistently set your sights on Christ and heaven, how would your life be different?
26. How does wearing "Christ's clothing" affect the way you live your daily life?
27. What spiritual process is involved in "putting off" and "putting on"?

Apply It

28. What truths of the gospel do you want to investigate more closely over the next few weeks? How can you?
29. How can you be more thankful and loving to those who are close to you?

The stone was not rolled away from the entrance to the tomb so Jesus could get out. He could have left easily without moving the stone. It was rolled away so others could get in and see that Jesus was gone.

Jesus' resurrection is the key to the Christian faith. Why? (1) Just as he said, Jesus rose from the dead. We can be confident, therefore, that he will accomplish all he has promised. (2) Jesus' bodily resurrection shows us that the living Christ, not a false prophet or imposter, is ruler of God's eternal kingdom. (3) We can be certain of our own resurrection because Jesus was resurrected. Death is not the end--there is future life. (4) The divine power that brought Jesus back to life is now available to us to bring our spiritually dead selves back to life. (5) The resurrection is the basis for the church's witness to the world.

Mary didn't recognize Jesus at first. Her grief had blinded her; she couldn't see him because she didn't expect to see him. Then he spoke her name, and immediately she recognized him. Imagine the love that flooded her heart when she heard her Savior saying her name. Jesus is near you, and he is calling your name. Can you, like Mary, regard him as your Lord?

How do we die with Christ, and how are we raised with him? When a person becomes a Christian, he or she is given new life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

"For you died" means that we should have as little desire for this world as a dead person would have. The Christian's real home is where Christ lives (John 14:2-3). This truth gives us a different perspective on our lives here on earth. To "set your minds on things above" means to look at life from God's perspective and to seek what he desires. This is the antidote to materialism; we gain the proper perspective on material goods when we take God's view of them. The more we regard the world around us as God does, the more we will live in harmony with him. We must not become too attached to what is only temporary.

1. Taken from LESSONMaker © 1992-1996, NavPress Software, Used with permission.

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