Easter - Raised to Life
Sharable notes for the April 9, 2023 message. You can post these notes on your social platform!
Scriptures used: John 11
Love doesn’t always mean the removal of pain. A greater show of love is getting in the middle of the pain with the ones you love, knowing the pain will lead to a greater revelation.
Christian faith is not about an idea learned, it's about a person followed. Our trust is not in a principle, it's in a person.
The glory of God is not reserved for Heaven. Joy, comfort, peace, rest, transcendence, and abundant life is not on hold until eternity. It’s all available now through Christ.
You have a savior who doesn’t just see your pain, but understands your pain. He feels your pain and he weeps with you in your pain. Even greater than that though, he is the answer to your pain.
Our greatest curse is death and Jesus Christ came to defeat that curse.
Jesus knew that because of sin we have been separated from God and death is coming for all of us. Jesus knew that if he didn’t do something about it, death would be eternal.
Jesus was forsaken so that we would never have to be. He took the penalty of sin so that we could be reunited with the Father. He defeated the curse of eternal death so that we could have eternal life.
Jesus came not just so you could believe, but so that you could live.
Jesus' resurrection reveals to us that death is dead, sin is defeated forever, our past is being ironed out, and the hope of the future has been pulled into the present.
“The Christian gospel is a story to be read, but it’s not a story for mere readers. Intrinsic to the nature of this story is its demands that readers not dispassionately observe its content, but affectionately respond in the right ways.” Jonathan Parnell
Reflect or meet with someone to discuss:
Have you ever doubted or struggled to understand God's ways? How so?
Have you ever been deeply moved by what sin and death has done to you and/or the people around you? How have you responded in those situations?
How does the way Jesus responded to sin and death through the cross and his resurrection give you hope?
In what ways do you believe God is challenging you to respond to Jesus' resurrection in your everyday life?
Click the image to start a new 5 day devotion in YouVersion:
One of the most profound miracles recorded in the Bible is when Jesus raises Lazarus from death. This story is rich in symbolism and shows both the humanity and divinity of Christ. Jesus knew Lazarus and his family intimately—they were His dear friends. In this story, each of these individuals is experiencing death. Lazarus was dead physically, while Martha and Mary were grieving the loss of their brother and experiencing the death of hope and expectation. Jesus meets each of them personally and displays His resurrection power in every area of their lives. Join me in this five-day plan and let’s see how the resurrection power of Christ can make us alive to new life in Him.