Impossible, Difficult, DONE!

THE IMPOSSIBLE EASTER STORY. 

| Matthew 28:1-15 | Mark 16:1-13 | Luke 24:1-53 | John 20:1-28, 21:1-25 |(MULTILINE)

To experience a touch of the impossible…

• and on what others are not (yet) able to .

| Matthew 28:5-8 | John 20:29 | Romans 8:24-25 | 2 Corinthians 5:7 | Hebrews 11:1 |(MULTILINE)

• When it gets tough: He’s me and He’s .

| John 20:13-14 | Exodus 14:14 | Romans 8:28 | Philippians 1:6 |(MULTILINE)

• The is in the .

| Ephesians 1:7 | Philippians 2:9-11 | Hebrews 10:19-22 | Revelation 12:11 |(MULTILINE)

• ALWAYS REMEMBER: It’s not about what I’ll – it’s about what He’s .

| John 19:30 | Matthew 28:18-20 | Hebrews 12:2-3 | Deuteronomy 6:10-13 |(MULTILINE)

Small Group Questions

What do you think?

What part of Easter at City Church struck the deepest spiritual chord with you?(MULTILINE)

The story of your life.

1. Have you ever seen God move in a way that seemed impossible to you before?(MULTILINE)
2. As we speak about “doing” great things, it’s vital to remember that Jesus wants us to become someone who looks more like Him every day. It is the work of God’s Spirit on the inside that empowers what we do on the outside. Theologian Jonathan Edwards once wrote that there are 5 “distinguishing marks of a work of the Spirit of God.” He described them as:
   1. A growing esteem for Jesus Christ.
   2. A discernible spirit of repentance.
   3. A dogged devotion to the Word of God.
   4. An interest in theology and doctrine.
   5. An evidenced love for God and neighbor.
   6. Of these, which do you sense God asking you to grow in the most?(MULTILINE)

Digging deeper.

1. Let’s take a moment to grow our esteem for Christ by reflecting upon what He did for us on the Cross. Read Isaiah 53:1-12 out loud and respond to the following prompts and questions.
   1. Have a few members of the group recap the main tenets of the passage.(MULTILINE)
   2. Keeping in mind that this was written hundreds of years before Christ, what does this text tell us about God? Our salvation? People and ourselves?(MULTILINE)
2. Now let’s focus on the discernible spirit of repentance. Apart from Jesus’ actual resurrection, one of the most powerful parts of the Easter story is the repentance of the disciples. Read John 20:24-29 and respond to the following prompts and questions.
   1. Have a few members of the group recap the story in their own words.(MULTILINE)
   2. What does this story tell us about God? A discernible spirit of repentance? People and ourselves?(MULTILINE)
   3. In light of this, is there anything you need to do differently?(MULTILINE)
3. Finally, let’s focus on what Jonathan Edwards called a “dogged devotion to the Word of God.” How do the following verses help us balance our understanding of the things we will accomplish externally with what God wants to accomplish internally?
   1. Exodus 14:14.(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)
   2. Romans 8:7-13.(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)
   3. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)
   4. Galatians 2:20.(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)
   5. Philippians 1:6.(MULTILINE REVEAL TINY)

Personal reflection and application.

1. Have everyone share one thing someone else said in this discussion that struck a chord with you.(MULTILINE)
2. Pray for one another (men with men and women with women if possible).(MULTILINE)