Why Do You Seek the Living Among the Dead?
— William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1890
7:00pm - 8:30pm
7:00pm-7:30pm — Fellowship & Icebreaker
7:30-7:50pm — Prayer Time
7:50pm-8:30pm — Bible Study Discussion: Please be prepared to share your response to the question assigned to you below.
The question “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” reveals our tendency to look for life in things that cannot give it because we do not fully trust Jesus’ promises. True life is found only in the risen Christ, through whom everything else in life is rightly understood.
The Resurrection
[1] But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. [2] And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, [3] but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. [4] While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. [5] And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? [6] He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, [7] that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” [8] And they remembered his words, [9] and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. [10] Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, [11] but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. [12] But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. (ESV)
1. Pastor Chris said Luke wants to challenge his readers. None of them will have met the risen Lord but they will have heard his promises…and that should be enough for them to believe. Why does it sometimes still feel like it isn’t enough? (Cheryl, Toli)
2. Before converting Augustine looked for fulfillment and meaning through sinful actions, worldly ambition, and intellectual pursuits, yet felt a deep inner hunger that no earthly thing could satisfy. He wrote: “Our souls are restless until they find their rest in you.” How does this help you understand your own heart, its restlessness and the need for rest in God? (Cabrina, Kristina)
3. Pastor Chris talked about how there was no category for what the women who arrived at the tomb experienced - they were perplexed (Luke 24.4). But what had Jesus told his followers to expect and how does this help you? (Yvette)
4. We seek for life in all sorts of dead places because we don’t believe what God says. What ways are you seeking for life outside of God’s invitation for the life he is offering you? (Amanda, Bernadette)