04-04-2021
04-04-2021
Dr. E. Dale Locke (West & Online), Rev. Trevor Johnston (East), Pastor Efrain Silva (Español)
Easter Sunday – Crime of Passion
English PDF file for printing.
Para imprimir el archivo PDF en Español
1. Share one of your favorite Easter memories from your childhood.
2. Read Matthew 27:35-37 – “When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”
What thoughts went through your mind as you listened to Pastor Dale’s descriptions of Jesus’ crucifixion?
3. Isaiah 53 was written hundreds of years before Jesus died, yet it’s an amazingly accurate description of Jesus’ experience when he was crucified. Read Isaiah53:4-6 - “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
What do these verses communicate about what Jesus did for you on the day he died?
4. Read 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.”
What do you notice in Matthew’s account of what took place on the first Easter morning?
5. Read how Matthew’s account continues in 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.”
The chief priests gave the soldiers money even though they failed to do their job of guarding Jesus’ tomb. What does this tell you?
6. Read Luke 24:11 – “But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.”
From what you’ve read, how do you think Jesus’ disciples felt on the Friday and Saturday after the crucifixion? And how did they feel on Sunday morning after the women spoke to them?
Crimes of passion generally have three things in common:
(1) Convenience:
7. Some people only pursue faith when it’s convenient for them. What did Pastor Dale mean by the expression “junk drawer faith”?
8. Read John 20:8-9 in the Message version – “The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.”
The ”other disciple” mentioned here is John. Note that it was the evidence he saw that helped him believe. If you’ve never looked at the evidence for Jesus being God, check out the “Real Questions” videos on the “Questioning Faith?” page of Community of Hope’s website. If you have taken time to explore the evidence for Christianity, what have you learned?
(2) Impatience:
9. Read Colossians 2:6-8 – “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
What concern does Paul express here?
10. What makes people susceptible to getting caught up in false spiritual ideas?
(3) Opportunity – in this case missed opportunity!
11. What can a person do to help move their faith out of infancy into adulthood?
Our next sermon series, Mistaken Identity, is an opportunity to help you move your faith into adulthood. We hope to see you next week!
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