Kenton Beshore is Executive Producer of the small group curriculum Liquid, a new revolutionary video-based resource for small groups and church-wide campaigns. Visit www.experienceliquid.com to learn more.
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The Event
The best day . . . Good News
“I passed on to you what was most important . . . Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Jesus died for our sins . . . the mystery of The Cross
• Protect us from death . . . freedom
“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18
• Forgiveness . . . removes our sin
“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14
• Defeat is the place of victory
“When Jesus had tasted it, he said, ‘It is finished!’ Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.” John 19:30
“Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” 1 Corinthians 15:54
“But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.” Acts 2:24
• Humility is the place of strength and power
“Jesus replied, ‘Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels–a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me . . .’” John 12:23-26
Jesus . . . the mystery of The Resurrection
• Life-changing hope
“And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life . . . just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life . . .” Romans 8:10-11
• Hope in loss
“We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us . . . That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”
2 Corinthians 4:14,16-18
• Life of hope
“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace
with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us . . . we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation . . . For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the
Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:1-5
• Message and lifestyle of hope Acts 3-4
“You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!” Acts 3:15
“‘There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.’ The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with
no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus . . .‘We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.’”
Acts 4:12,13,20
Where is your hope?
