Youth Sermon: God of the Living

Introduction

Today, we're going to talk about something that Jesus taught. But first, let me show you something. (Hold up a small toy or object that can be easily broken.) See this? It's pretty cool, right? But watch what happens when I break it. (Break the toy or object.) Now it's not so cool anymore, is it?

Just like this broken toy, sometimes our lives can feel broken too. But Jesus has some amazing news for us that can help put the pieces back together. So let's dive in!

Just like this broken toy, sometimes our lives can feel broken too.

Jesus and the Sadducees

So, there's this story in the Bible where Jesus is talking to some religious leaders called the Sadducees. They didn't believe in life after death because they couldn't find it in the first five books of the Bible. They tried to trick Jesus with a question about marriage in heaven, but Jesus was way too smart for them.

Jesus told them that there's no marriage in heaven, and then He blew their minds by showing them that life after death is real! He used a story from the Bible that they knew really well, about Moses and the burning bush, to prove it. Jesus showed them that God is the God of the living, not the dead.

What This Means for Us

So what does this mean for us? First, it means that we're not just following a bunch of rules in a book. We're following Jesus, who is alive and wants to help us in our lives. The Bible is awesome, but it's meant to point us to Jesus, who is even more awesome!

Second, it means that we can have hope and courage because we know that there's more to life than just what we see right now. Death isn't the end – it's just the beginning of something even better!

Application

Now, let's think about how this can apply to our lives. When things get tough, or when we feel broken like this toy, we can remember that Jesus is with us and that there's more to life than just what we're going through right now. We can have hope for the future and trust that Jesus will help us understand the Bible and guide us in our lives.

Prayer

"Jesus, thank you for showing us that there's more to life than just what we see right now. Help us to trust you and follow you, even when things get tough. Give us hope for the future and help us understand your Word better. Amen."

Small Group Breakout Questions

1. How does the promise of resurrection give us hope and courage in our daily lives?

2. How can we live as followers of Jesus, not just students of the Bible?

3. How can we share the hope of resurrection with others who may not know about it?

4. How can we rely on Jesus for guidance when the Bible doesn't give us specific answers to our questions?

Get the Full Youth Group Plan

• Icebreaker: Resurrection Relay
• Group Activity: Scripture Scavenger Hunt
• Youth Challenge: Living with Hope and Courage