Rescued From Death 11 Oct 20

(Message 4) How important is the resurrection of Jesus? What does it mean for us today? What are the implications for all of us if it did or didn’t happen? Join us as we look at the resurrection of Jesus and why it’s such a critical piece to Christianity and the world. #GCRescueStory

Death:

It will never happen to me
It will happen sometime but life is too busy for me to think about it
It will happen sometime and I hope I’m ready
I think about it frequently and I’m ready now

If there is no Resurrection:

Then Jesus is still dead
Then this sermon is a waste of time
Then we are liars
Then your faith is a waste of time
Then death is the end of us

Since Jesus rose from the Dead:

He is alive right now
Preaching the gospel matters more than anything else
Then we are speaking truth
Then pursuing your faith is the most important thing you can do
Then death is just the beginning of eternity

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Start reading.

1 Corinthians 5:12 – 20

But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.

Have you ever witnessed someone dying? How did it impact you?

Start thinking. Ask a question to get your group thinking.

Troy talked about 4 different categories that most people fall into when it comes to viewing death. Denial, Ready but not today, Not ready and not today, Ready today. Which category would you place yourself? Do you feel like the category you fall into is problematic in any way
Read 1 Corinthians 15:12 – 20. The Corinthians claimed to be Believers but some of them denied belief in a bodily resurrection. Is it possible to be a follower of Christ and deny belief in the resurrection?
According to Paul, why is belief in the resurrection of Jesus and our future resurrection so central to the Christian faith?
Do you have confidence that your faith is grounded in the facts that the resurrection of Jesus actually happened? Why or Why not?
Discuss the idea of Jesus being a “first fruit” of a harvest that is to come.

Start sharing. Choose a question to create openness.

If you have placed your trust in Christ, how does Jesus’ resurrection make you more confident that God has forgiven all your sins? (If you have not placed your trust in Christ yet, how does it give you confidence that he can?)
In this series Rescue Story we have talked about being rescued from religion, addiction, emptiness, and death. Think about something you’re struggling with right now. Maybe it’s a hard situation, addiction, or feeling of emptiness. How does it help you face this struggle to know Jesus’ resurrection power lives in you if you’ve trusted in him?
If someone were to ask you, “Why do you believe Jesus rose from the dead?” How would you reply?
How is the power of the resurrection at work in you today? How does it impact your prayer life?
In Dr. Viehmans message last week he talked about 10 proofs that helped to lead him to belief in Christ. Use these if you want to go into deeper discussion on this topic.

Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.

We all have someone in our lives who doesn’t believe in Jesus or is struggling with the truth of His resurrection. Commit to finding a time to share with them what you have learned in this message.

Start praying. Be bold and pray with power.