Easter at Home 2020

April 12, 2020

 

Table Group Resources

 

Mixer

What was the best Easter you’ve had?

Discuss/Reflect

1.     What are 3 words that best describe your week?

2.    How did you spend your Easter weekend?

3.     Share something you are looking forward to.

Sermon Questions

  1. Many view Easter as a religious holiday.  Prior to Pastor Jared’s message, how did you view Easter?  Do you have family traditions around Easter?  After the message, how has your view of Easter changed?

  2. We all have a lens in which we view life and suffering. Pastor Jared discussed some typical outlooks:

    • Karma Lens — all suffering is an act of justice

    • Warrior Lens — be brave and grin and bear it

    • Secular Lens — suffering robs life of its meaning

    Our worldview, or lens, sometimes changes depending on our season of life. Can you remember a time that you found yourself looking through one of these lenses? Share an example.

  3.  Easter gives us a new lens in which suffering doesn’t remove meaning, it spotlights meaning; suffering doesn’t steal beauty, it reveals beauty; suffering reminds us what matters most.  John 3:16 tells us of God’s incredible sacrifice and love for us.  If we view Easter not as a holiday, but as a historical event that has the ability to shape our viewpoint, how can this Easter lens help us navigate new life circumstances brought about by COVID-19?

Go Deeper

Read Romans 11:33-36.

Because God’s thoughts are so much higher than ours, we don’t always see His goodness in painful situations. We ask, If God is good, why do bad things happen to us? Or, Why is there a hell? We forget that His perspective is superior to ours (Job 42:1-5). Then we accuse Him of being unjust, ask Him to bend to our rules, and disregard His goodness.

Suffering and heartache began when Adam and Eve doubted God’s goodness. The serpent convinced them the Lord was trying to cheat them out of knowledge. How often do we have the same bitter feeling? Yet, behind every one of the Lord’s restrictions, exhortations, or commands is His goodness. He wants to protect us from the tormenting consequences of sin.

God created us with free will so we might choose to love Him—and that means His permissive will may allow bad things to happen. Sin’s consequences hurt , but this doesn’t diminish God’s goodness: For those who love Him, He can bring good out of the worst circumstances (Rom. 8:28). 

If you can’t trace God’s hand or discern what He’s doing in difficult situations, remember that He cares for you and He is good. Though we may not understand His ways, we can trust them.

(InTouch Ministries: Is God Always Good?)

Suggestions to Serve

Good Neighbor Drop-N-Drive | The Church at RB | Thursday 10AM-2PM

Prayer

Popcorn pray as a group.