6 sermon outlines and discussion guides to help god’s people...

6 Sermon Outlines and Discussion Guidesto Help God’s People Prepare for Easter

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This Love Changes Everything6 Sermon Outlines and Discussion Guidesto Help God’s People Prepare for Easter

Copyright © 2015 CTA, Inc.1625 Larkin Williams Rd.

Fenton, MO 63026www.CTAinc.com

Permission to make photocopies or reproduce by any other mechanical or electronic means is granted only to the original purchaser and is intended for use within a church or other Christian organization, but not for resale.

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permis-sion. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

If you fi nd these sermon outlines helpful, we would like to hear from you. Your words will encourage us! In addition, if you have suggestions for us to consider as we create ministry helps like this in the future, please send those, too.

Send e-mail to [email protected]. Please include the subject line: LCE5SO.Or write to Editorial Manager, Dept. LCE5SO, CTA, Inc., PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026-1205.

Notes

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We here at CTA pray that the materials in this guide will help pastors and other church leaders prepare their members to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection victory on Easter Sunday. Such celebration can become even more deeply meaningful and rewarding when God’s people set aside time in the weeks leading up to Easter to study the Scriptures and meditate on all Jesus has done for us, personalizing it in their hearts and lives. After all, his love changes everything!

Each sermon outline in this booklet is accompanied by a set of questions suitable for sparking discussion among the adults or youth in your church. If your worship is more informal, these may be used in the worship setting itself. Or you may use them immediately following the service if that’s more appropriate in your setting.

Of course, you may want to use the questions in small-group Bible study or cell groups that meet in homes during the week. They will work well in those settings, too.

This package includes . . .

• six free sermon outlines, one for each of the weeks in the season of Lent; and

• six sets of free discussion questions, one to accompany each sermon.

In addition to the free materials, these value-priced CTA products will give every member and visitor a tangible reminder of Christ’s love, the love that changes everything:

• This Love Changes Everything Devotional Prayer Journal

• This Love Changes Everything Count Up to Easter Sticker Card for children ages 3 and older

This is love, not that we haveloved God but that he loved us.

1 John 4:10

#LCE5SRD

#LCE5PJ

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• This Love Changes Everything 6-Part Activity Magnet for children ages 5 and older

• This Love Changes Everything Activity Book for children ages 7 to 11

• This Love Changes Everything Cloth Bracelet with Presentation Card

• This Love Changes Everything Cross-Shaped Bookmark and Rustic Nail

• This Love Changes Everything Crown of Thorns Pin on Card

God bless your church’s Easter preparation and celebration—and your personal preparation and celebration, too!

This is love, not that we haveloved God but that he loved us.

1 John 4:10

#LCE5CP

#LCE5BC

#LCE5BD

#LCE5AB

#LCE5AMT

Notes

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Have you noticed? Every day it gets harder and harder to know for sure what’s real. Fakes become easier and easier to make.

Is that really a fl ying saucer over Mexico City? Or has the video been doctored?

Can members of the jury trust the photographs the prosecution has entered into evidence? Or have they been Photoshopped?

What’s real? What’s not?

That key lime pie in the case near the restaurant’s cash register looks so scrumptious, it sets your mouth to watering—until the clerk confesses it’s a replica made from plastic.

Surely your new neighbor has a green thumb, a thumb so green it glows in the dark! That’s what you think at least, until you examine her plants closely—and discover that even the aphids are synthetic.


Day after day, your co-workers at your new company treat you with such respect, such concern. Surely this organization belongs on the “100 Best Companies to Work For” list! But then your boss pitches your best idea to his manager, taking all the credit and giving you none. “100 Best Companies”? Hmmmm.


Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, the harder it gets to tell what’s real, the more we value authenticity. We want stuff that is genuine, real, trustworthy, authentic. More than that, we want friends who are genuine. We want advisors who are trustworthy. We want neighbors who are reliable.

And even more than all this, more than anything else, we are all looking for love that is real. Not love if . . .. Not love when or love because . . .. Unconditional love. Consistent love. Love no matter what. Authentic love.

Sermon 1: This Love Is Real

Notes

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This year as we prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate our Lord’s victory on Resurrection Sunday, we will spend time together thinking about our Savior’s suffering and death for us. We will focus on the love—the genuine, awe-inspiring love—that led the sinless Son of God to lay down his life for us, his sinful human creatures.

To get us started today, I am going to read Ephesians 2:4–7. Follow along in your own Bibles (on the screen, in the bulletin) and ask yourselves what makes you sure that Jesus’ love for you is for real. (Read Ephesians 2:4–7 slowly, aloud.)

This passage includes fewer than 100 words; yet it powerfully describes God’s very real love, love active on your behalf, love active for you in the past, in the present, and on into the future.

Love in the Past Real love doesn’t just sit there. Love acts, especially when help is needed, when it is vital, when it is essential. In our case, help was certainly that—vital, I mean. Verse 5 tells us we weren’t simply in danger. We were dead! Dead in our sins, in our iniquity, in our trespasses, in our rebellion.

Our sin, our disobedience and rebellion—that’s real. And it’s deadly. We may try to ignore it. We may try to deny it. We may try to excuse it. The world around us certainly does:

I made a mistake.I messed up.I didn’t mean it.I don’t know what came over me.I wasn’t thinking.Everyone else was doing it.

None of this is admissible in heaven’s court. Our sin is genuine. It’s authentic. Calling it something else will never change that fact.

Genuine guilt requires genuine confession, genuine repentance. Genuine sin requires genuine forgiveness. And we have it! God is rich in mercy, in compassion, toward you. He loved you from all eternity with an immense love, real love, endless love. In love, he gave you the gift of

Sermon 1: This Love Is Realcontinued

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genuine repentance. In love, he leads you to confess your sins without pretense, without excuses. And his forgiveness of those sins is real, authentic, genuine. When we were dead in our sins, God brought us to life. He gave us the gift of true faith in Christ and in what Christ Jesus did for us on the cross.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus died for you. In very real love, God acted on your behalf. And that love changes everything! You were dead, but now you are alive in Christ. You were a rebel, but now God calls you “Friend.” You were on a trajectory that would have taken you into eternal darkness, unthinkable misery and guilt, but now you are an heir of all the riches heaven holds.

What’s real? God’s love for you is real. No matter what you’ve done. No matter how many times you’ve done it. The forgiveness Jesus earned for you is genuine. Your position as a child of grace is authentic. Nothing is more trustworthy, more reliable. Listen! (Re-read Ephesians 2:4–5.)

Love in the PresentThe new life you have received in the cross of our Savior gives you a new identity. You are a new creation, God’s new creation! You are united with Christ, seated with him in the heavenly places. This is not some pious wish. It is not some holy delusion. You need not wait another minute to claim it and use it. Jesus won it for you and for all the redeemed! It is yours, right here, right now. And it changes everything. For instance . . .

Are you worried? Then remember, your kind, good, all-powerful Father is ready, waiting, and listening even now to hear and answer your prayers. In love, he will act on your behalf, giving you only what is truly best, only what is most noble, only what will advance your ultimate good. So go ahead. Ask! No request is too big, too much, or too bold. Ask and keep on asking until you see your worries fade far into the background and disappear.

Or perhaps you are tempted? You are falling into the same sins again and again. Then remember, your kind, good, loving Savior was tempted, too. He has defeated the strongest temptations imaginable, and he stands ready right this minute to help you, to fi ght alongside you, to give you all the wisdom and courage you need to stay standing until this battle ends.


Notes

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What’s real? Jesus’ help is real, genuine, authentic. So go ahead. Lean on him for strength! Today is not the day to give in. This is not the hour to give up. Remember your Savior’s cross and his empty tomb—and stand your ground beside your victorious Lord. (Re-read Ephesians 2:4–6.)

Love in the FutureJesus died in terrible anguish long ago, but his death in the past has earned for you a present fi lled with hope and a future fi lled with joy! Imagine the joy, the goodness, the benefi ts, the riches your heavenly Father is storing up for you. (Pause.) Now multiply that by a hundred, by a thousand, by a million! We cannot even imagine. The Bible calls these riches “immeasurable” (verse 7). There’s no tape measure long enough, no container large enough, no scale strong enough to measure God’s kindness, the kindness that will be ours eternally.

Do you doubt that? Then consider Calvary. Consider the sacrifi ce offered up there for you—when you were dead in sins. When you were helpless and thoroughly unlovable, God loved you anyway.

What’s real? Love that bleeds and dies for you is real. Unconditional love. Consistent love. Love no matter what. Let your Savior’s true love encourage, strengthen, and embolden your faith today and always.


Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Notes

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1. Read the list below. Put a check in the box next to each item you have personally seen or experienced. When everyone in your group has fi nished reading and marking, compare notes. When does the real/not real distinction matter to you? When doesn’t it matter?

� A scammer’s Web site designed to look like the one your bank uses � Silk fl owers that appear real, even when seen close up � Replicas of famous paintings in a museum � A “physician,” “lawyer,” or “police offi cer” who uses phony credentials � A person on a dating Web site who claims to be single, but is legally married � A replica designer handbag or expensive watch � Counterfeit currency � A stamped signature � Facsimiles of a fourteenth-century map

2. Read Ephesians 2:4–7. Ask a volunteer to read it aloud. If one or more people have different Bible translations, read the passage from those versions, too.

a. How can you tell if someone’s love is real or phony? On what kinds of evidence do you rely?

b. What evidence of God’s authentic love does the writer of this passage cite?

c. What hints in the text show that God’s genuine love for us extends across time—past, present, and future?

3. Most Bible translations use a phrase like this in verse 5: “we were dead in our trespasses.”

a. What does this mean?

b. Why do many who read these words today fi nd them offensive?

c. This truth is repeated throughout the New Testament and the writers never sugarcoat it. Why not? Couldn’t they have made it sound a bit friendlier? Frame your answer in terms of the sermon

Discussion GuideWeek 1: This Love Is Real

Notes

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you heard this week and the real/not real discussions you have had so far.

4. What does it mean . . .

a. To be saved by grace (verse 5)?

b. To be raised up with Christ and made alive together with Christ (verses 5–6)?

c. To be seated in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (verse 6)?

d. How can these truths change everything when you are worried? as you face temptation?

5. Re-read Ephesians 2:7. In essence, these words assure us that God has shown mercy to us in the past and is graciously working in our lives in the present so that he can show even more grace and kindness to us in the future!

a. What does this tell you about the genuineness of God’s love for you in Christ?

b. This kind of love changes everything! Name some of the things it changes.

6. What one key point will you carry away today? Explain why.

7. What will you ask Jesus to do in and through you in response to what you’ve heard? Use your answer to this question as you pray together in closing.


Discussion GuideWeek 1: This Love Is Real

continued

Notes

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Some people like surprises, and some people hate them. I sometimes wonder if those who hate surprises were traumatized early in life by a certain sinister toy. I suspect this toy was developed for the amusement of adults everywhere: the jack-in-the-box.

(If you own or can borrow a jack-in-the-box, show it and play it now. Or play a video clip showing a baby or two startled by a jack-in-the-box; search YouTube for an appropriate selection. If you use the toy, the video clip, or both, skip the next paragraph. Otherwise, continue:)

Picture a brightly decorated box with a lid on top and a crank on the side. As the crank is turned, the box pays a melody—often, “Pop Goes the Weasel.” On the note for pop, the lid fl ies open and a clown or some other character pops out, bouncing and weaving unpredictably.

Some more devious jack-in-the-box clowns jump out at random times, thus frightening toddlers repeatedly! Even when we adults know what to expect, a random pop-up clown can startle us. Unsuspecting little ones almost always fl inch in fear. Their eyes grow wide, and they often cry.

Do you remember your very fi rst surprise? It may have been startling—like a jack-in-the-box clown. It may have been something more nurturing. A birthday party. A pony ride. A new puppy. Some of us like surprises; some of us hate them. For most of us, it probably depends on the kind of surprise.

Surprise! Jesus’ Love for His Enemies In the hours and days before our Lord Jesus was arrested and killed, his enemies hatched multiple plots to destroy him. No surprise there! Jesus attracted enemies very early in his earthly ministry. They dogged him from then on. You may recall the fi rst time Jesus cleansed the temple in Jerusalem. He evicted the money changers and other fraudsters there. From that moment on, the battle lines were drawn. The Bible tells us:

Many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.

John 2:23–25 NRSV

Sermon 2: This LoveChanges Everything!

Notes

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Three years later as Jesus’ earthly ministry was drawing to a close, the Lord again drove the money changers—scoundrels all—out of the temple. Once again, Jesus’ enemies began to circle. The Pharisees sent questioners to entangle the Lord in his words. But Jesus’ wisdom silenced them. When the Sadducees heard about it, they descended upon him, asking other questions designed to discredit him. Once again, he turned the tables. Listen! (Read Matthew 22:15–40.)

Did you hear the surprise? Jesus’ enemies had hounded him, threatened him, and plotted against him for three years. Driven by compassion and concern, Jesus answered their questions. His answers were wise and courteous, not tinged by hatred, fear, or a desire for revenge. Jesus was willing to play their intellectual games. He wanted to give them every opportunity to see the truth, to recognize him as their Messiah, to come to repentance and true faith in him—the Savior sent by God the Father.

Surprise! Some Enemies Became Friends Here’s another surprise. Some did come to faith. We know the names of two: Nicodemus and Joseph from the city of Arimathea. In love, Jesus reached out to his enemies, and Jesus’ love changed everything for at least these two. Even so, for months, perhaps even years, their fear kept them from openly declaring their faith in him. It seems that while Jesus was alive, these two prominent members of the Ruling Council refused to acknowledge him in public.

But late in the day on Good Friday, both men threw caution to the winds. With Pilate’s permission, they took Jesus down from the cross and buried him in the new tomb that belonged to Joseph (see John 19:38–39). This act of compassion would not have gone unnoticed. By Saturday morning every religious and political leader in Jerusalem would have known what Joseph and Nicodemus had done. And Joseph and Nicodemus knew that everyone would know.

Surprise! The Savior’s love blew away the fear that had kept their fragile faith hidden. Neither Joseph, nor Nicodemus understood all the nuances, all the details they would later come to realize. But they had seen enough to know that Jesus was Messiah. He was King. He was Lord. They had seen Jesus’ love, and that love had upended their priorities. They risked their reputations, their wealth, their comfort, and we might argue, even their own lives, for the privilege of burying their Savior.


continued

Notes

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Surprise! This Love Changes Everything for You, Too! In love, Jesus has some wonderful surprises for you today, too. These surprises are gift-wrapped in words of blessing penned by the apostle Paul. They were fi rst written to a group of people being persecuted on account of their faith. Many had already lost their property. At any time, they might be asked to renounce Christ or die. Here’s what Paul wrote to them and to us. (Read 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17.)

Because of what happened on Christ’s cross, God in grace has poured out his love upon us. It’s a love that changes fear to faith, doubt to certainty, guilt to acquittal in heaven’s court. Because of that changeless love, everything has changed for us . . .

• We have received encouragement, consolation, and comfort that will not quit. Troubles may swirl around us. Friends may desert us. Storms may descend upon us. Crises may threaten to cripple us. A guilty conscience may accuse us. But our Lord Jesus Christ himself loves us with a self-sacrifi cing, ever-forgiving, unshakable, unchanging, unmovable, constant love! In that love, he bled and died for us. God our Father has sworn never to abandon us (Hebrews 13:5). That love changes everything!

• Paul also tells us that we have received “good hope.” This hope is not just wishful thinking. It’s not simply a whistling in the dark. It is “good” in the sense that it is utterly reliable, completely dependable. No matter how dark the night around us grows, this hope shines bright. This hope changes everything!

And now, anchored by this love, braced by this hope, we are prepared for “every good word and work.” Relying on this love, we can speak “good words” to those around us—words of hope. Supported by this love we can do “good work,” work that blesses those around us.

So be on the alert this week! Opportunities to speak and to act will open up all around you. Watch! Listen! See what Jesus’ love will do in you and through you. After all, his love changes everything!


continued

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


Notes

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1. Tell about a surprise you experienced in childhood. How did that surprise help shape your attitude toward surprises today?

2. With a partner, skim one or more of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), looking for Jesus’ interactions with his opponents. What do you learn about . . .

a) their attitudes toward Jesus;

b) Jesus’ approach to them;

c) their plans;

d) his love?

3. Stand for a moment in the sandals of Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea. (Check John 3:1–21; Luke 23:50–53; and John 19:38–42 for context.)

a. In the early days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, what might you have been thinking? Why?

b. Over time, you would have seen the positions of others on the Ruling Council harden into hatred. As you watched that happen, how might you have wrestled with fear and faith? What fears would have been most powerful for you?

c. What would have propelled you to Pilate’s palace to ask permission to bury Jesus?

d. After the deed was done, how might you have felt? What might Joseph and Nicodemus have said to each other?

4. Think about people in your own life with whom you are usually less than candid about your faith in Jesus. When we are reluctant to speak about the Savior, is fear always the driving force? For what other reasons might we keep our faith to ourselves?

5. We live in a culture that is eager to “privatize” faith, a culture that sends this subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) message: “It’s okay

Discussion QuestionsWeek 2: This Love Changes Everything!

Notes

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Discussion QuestionsWeek 2: This Love Changes Everything!

continued

to believe in Jesus; just don’t let it affect your work, your politics, your fi nances, your community involvement, or your friendships.” In other words, keep your Savior to yourself except for an hour on Sunday morning.

a. When have you seen evidence of this?

b. What makes it dangerous for both Christians and the culture?

6. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17.

a. Which words or phrases in these verses do you fi nd most encouraging? Why?

b. This week’s sermon and Bible study carry the title “This Love Changes Everything.” What things has Christ’s love changed for you? Share with a partner and then, if time allows, have volunteers share with the group.



Notes

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According to the Mirriam-Webster online dictionary, the fi rst known use of the word selfi e occurred in 2002. Since then, selfi es have become wildly popular. It’s impossible to open Facebook, Google, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, or Snapchat and not see a dozen selfi es and probably more.

(If some in your audience may be unfamiliar with social media, explain that a selfi e is a photograph, usually digital, that one takes of oneself especially for posting on social networks.)

The popularity of selfi es is more evidence, as if we needed it, that our culture is growing more and more self-absorbed, more and more egocentric. On one level, selfi es are fun. Sharing them is not inherently wrong or sinful.

On the other hand, self-absorption is never a good thing. Pastors and theologians down through the centuries have warned against it. There’s even a Latin phrase to describe it: incurvatus in se. The phrase describes a life turned inward, toward oneself, rather than a life directed outward, a life lived for God and for other people. It’s a lifestyle that we might sum up in a phrase that’s more familiar to us: “It’s all about me!”

Even as I said those words, many of us probably have had an example pop to mind. A popular entertainer. A famous politician. (Or even a member of our own family!) But when we think a little deeper, and when we’re willing to be honest with ourselves, we reluctantly must admit there’s a “selfi e streak” in all of us.

We may not explore it very often, but we’re all familiar with the dark corner of our hearts that folds in on itself. We have all experienced the painful spasms that predictably follow—pain in our relationships with other people and, worse still, pain in our relationship with God. Strangely, a focus on self never leads the self to true joy or even to happiness—not the kind that lasts, anyway.

Jesus’ Focus—On Us The Bible reminds us, “The person who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20 NRSV). We all die a little each time we try to fi nd meaning, purpose, or fulfi llment by pleasing self, entertaining self, indulging self.

Sermon 3: This LoveChanges Our Love for Others

Notes

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As our Lord Jesus approached Jerusalem one last time, knowing what was about to happen to him there, his focus was not on himself, but on those he had come to save. Listen for that as I read. (Read Luke 19:41–42.)

As Jesus carried his cross through the streets of Jerusalem, heading toward Calvary, his focus was not on himself, but on those he had come to save. Listen! (Read Luke 23:27–31.)

Even as Jesus hung in agony on the cross, his focus was not on himself, but on his Father and on those he had come to save. Remember these last words?

• “Father, forgive them.”• To the penitent thief—“Today you will be with me in paradise.”• To Mary and John—“Behold your son, behold your mother.”

Even our Lord’s declaration, “It is fi nished!” was spoken for our sakes, not his own. Our Savior wanted us to know that his sacrifi ce had fully satisfi ed the justice of God. Jesus fully and completely atoned for our sins. Our guilt is covered; our debt is paid.

Love Is . . . Jesus died as he had lived—determined to carry out his Father’s will, focused on giving his life for us. With that in mind, listen to 1 Corinthians 13:4–8. We often hear these words read at weddings, and that is certainly appropriate. But the text is more than good advice for newlyweds—far more! As you listen now, think of how perfectly, how precisely, they fi t our Savior, in life and in death. (Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–8.)

These words so perfectly describe our Lord Jesus! In fact, many believers down through time have suggested substituting Jesus for the word love in the text. When we do that, these verses read something like this:


continued

Notes

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Jesus is patient and kind; Jesus does not envy or boast; he is not arrogant or rude. Jesus does not insist on his own way; he is not irritable or resentful; he does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Jesus bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. The love of Jesus never ends.

As we hear this, we can’t help but want to put our own names in the passage, too! God’s people want these qualities of our Lord to settle down and make themselves at home in our lives. (Re-read the passage above, adding your own name.)

If only it were true! We want it to be so! But how to accomplish it? That’s a big question, a hard question.

How To? Three Approaches How can we mirror the patience and kindness of Christ our Savior, the humility and self-forgetfulness, the gentleness, and all the rest? In answer, we might head off in any one of three directions. But only one of those directions leads to true, godly, and God-pleasing transformation.

Our fi rst response might be to tighten the screws on our resolve. “If Jesus loved like this, so will I,” we tell ourselves. Then we spend next week or next month or next year trying with all our might to love like Jesus loves. We take “spiritual selfi es,” capturing those moments when we look our best to others and to ourselves. But inside, we are developing a serious case of self-righteousness. In the end, we are even more self-focused than at the beginning. Instead of our lives being all about Jesus, they are still all about us.

Our second response might be to throw up our hands in despair. “This is impossible!” we declare. Believing that our Lord has set in place unreachable goals, we begin to live lives of spiritual defeat and discouragement. Little by little, we come to distrust Jesus’ love for us. His promise to give us an abundant life (see John 10:10) rings hollow. Instead of our lives being all about Jesus, they are still all about us.


continued

Notes

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.



continued

The third response seems, at fi rst, unlikely to produce results. Instead of either trying or giving up, we let ourselves bask in the pure light of Jesus’ love. We read 1 Corinthians 13 as his declaration of love for us. We do this, trusting that this love changes everything. It transforms even selfi sh, self-absorbed hearts. Listen! (Read 1 John 4:19.)

This verse is not an explanation. Instead, I encourage you to read it as an invitation. Jesus loves us—no conditions, no strings attached. Now, we can love, too. How will his love change you this week?

Notes

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1. Many people fi nd selfi es fun to take and fun to post on social media. Do you? Explain.

2. The Latin phrase incurvatus in se translates literally “curved in on self.” It describes a life turned inward, rather than directed outward; a life lived for me, rather than for Christ Jesus and other people. Most scholars believe that St. Augustine of Hippo, an early church father, fi rst coined this phrase.

a. What evidence can you cite to show incurvatus in se is an apt description of the human condition?

b. What diffi culties, complications, crimes, and troubles affl ict society as a result of this disorder in individuals?

c. Why is it relatively easy to spot an “it’s all about me” attitude in others and harder to see it in ourselves?

3. Jesus lived his entire life on earth for his Father and for us. What examples of this can you suggest?

4. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–8. Then read it again, substituting Jesus for love and he for it.

a. What makes this substitution true?

b. What new insights do you gain?

c. How could this description of our Lord make it easier to come to him to confess your selfi shness and seek help with the challenges of daily life?

5. Re-read 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 silently, substituting your own name for love and he/she for it. On a scale of 1 to 4, 1 meaning “very uncomfortable” and 4 meaning “very comfortable,” rate your response to reading the passage this way.

6. By God’s grace shown to you in Jesus and his cross, 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 perfectly describes you! It’s true! It’s how your Lord regards you—right now! Blameless. Holy. Perfect. (If you doubt this, see for example,

Discussion QuestionsWeek 3: This Love Changes

Our Love for Others

Notes

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1 Corinthians 1:2–9.) On the other hand, we are well-acquainted with our failures to love as Jesus loves. Reading the passage with that in mind, we squirm.

a. When and how is each of these perspectives helpful in our Christian walk?

b. We can try hard to love as Jesus loves. Or we can give up, realizing that no matter how hard we try, we will fail. Or we can bask in Jesus’ love, reminding ourselves of it again and again and letting him transform us, working in us what we cannot bring about. Which of these three approaches does 1 John 4:19 suggest? Explain.

7. How does Jesus’ love change our love? Use your answer to this question as you pray together in closing.



Our Love for Otherscontinued

Notes

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In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, author Mark Twain has Tom, Huckleberry Finn, and their friend Joe Harper sneak off to spend a few nights on Jackson’s Island. It’s located in a secluded spot in the middle of the Mississippi River. The boys share their plans with no one, so it’s no surprise that their families soon begin to worry. After two days go by without any word, everyone is convinced the boys have drowned. The town plans a funeral for the following Sunday.

The minister preaches quite a sermon, extolling the merits and virtues of the boys and bemoaning their lost potential. Here’s how Mark Twain describes what happens next:

The congregation became more and more moved, as the pathetic tale went on, till at last the whole company broke down and joined the weeping mourners in a chorus of anguished sobs, the preacher himself giving way to his feelings, and crying in the pulpit.

There was a rustle in the gallery, which nobody noticed; a moment later the church door creaked; the minister raised his streaming eyes above his handkerchief, and stood transfi xed! First one and then another pair of eyes followed the minister’s, and then almost with one impulse the congregation rose and stared while the three dead boys came marching up the aisle, Tom in the lead, Joe next, and Huck, a ruin of drooping rags, sneaking sheepishly in the rear! They had been [hiding] in the unused gallery listening to their own funeral sermon!

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, chapter 17

This idea—the possibility of hearing one’s own eulogy, of attending one’s own funeral—has staying power. Still today, workshop leaders and career counselors often ask clients to imagine just such a scene: “If you could attend your own wake or funeral, what would you hope to hear your family, friends, and colleagues say about you? What would you hope they would name as your greatest accomplishments?”

The answers to these questions help people identify priorities and adjust goals so that they are more likely to achieve what matters most to them.

Sermon 4: This LoveChanges Our Priorities

Notes

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Called to FreedomAs God’s people, we are not left on our own to discover what matters most. In his letter to the believers in Galatia, the apostle Paul describes our priorities in broad, bold strokes. Listen! (Read Galatians 5:13.)

This text is packed with promise, beginning with the very fi rst sentence: “You were called to freedom,” the apostle writes. Freedom! That’s our Lord’s priority for us. He wants it so much, he died to make it possible!

Those who live outside the family of God sometimes get the impression that Christianity is some new kind of slavery, that we Christians live perpetually under a dark cloud of a bazillion “have-tos.” Sadly, they sometimes get this impression from us!

But the New Testament repeats the truth again and again: In Christ and his cross, we are free—free from guilt, free from the sin that once enslaved us, free from the fear of death itself! Our heavenly Father has called us to freedom! The life he wants for us is a life of “get-tos”! His love changes everything!

An Opportunity for the Flesh?At one time, sin so clouded our minds that we were unable to see this. We did not understand God’s love, nor did we allow it to infl uence our priorities day by day.

But now that we are free, now that we have received the gift of faith in Christ Jesus, the fog has lifted. Our new priority is love—agape love, the decision to do what’s best for the other person regardless of what it costs us. Feelings of love and compassion come and go, but self-sacrifi cing, unselfi sh love will last forever. That’s the love God has for us. It’s the love that freed us from our former way of life.

Sometimes we take that freedom for granted. But when we stop to remember what it is, what it means to us, we realize all over again what a blessing it is! It has changed us—and there’s no turning back. Would we really want to? Would we want to fall back into the sins we left behind? Would we want to quarrel with each other? Would we want to gossip about one another? Would we want to drive ourselves crazy with worry or greed? Would we want to let addictions that once enslaved us take over our lives again?


continued

Notes

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No! Of course not! In the clear light of day, we see those things for what they are—doorways back to the slavery we left behind. Our Lord Jesus once described that in these terms:

Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.John 8:34

But that’s not the end of the story. Our Lord goes on to say:

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.John 8:36

We are free! Indeed! Paul cheers us on in the race we are running: “Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,” he writes (Galatians 5:13 NRSV). That’s not who we are anymore! It’s not what Jesus—or we ourselves—want any longer. There’s a better path, another priority. We once served self and sin; now, through love, we serve God by serving one another.

Through Love, ServeWe do not—we cannot—manufacture this kind of selfl ess love deep inside our own hearts. We are not the source of this kind of love. Instead, we are the conduit, the channel that God himself uses to convey his love from heaven to earth.

I don’t know what this will mean in your life this week. Or even in my own. But I do know that when we ask our Savior to show us the individuals he wants us to serve in his name, he will answer that prayer.

• He may ask you to pray for Christians being persecuted around the world.

• He may ask you to step up and stand up for someone who is being bullied in your school or your workplace.

• He may ask you to mend fences with a friend or a family member from whom you’ve become estranged.

• He may call to your attention a village in South America that needs clean drinking water or a hospital in Africa that needs mosquito nets to protect patients.

• He may lead you to a lonely stranger in a restaurant or to a discouraged friend or clerk or neighbor.


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Notes

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• He may ask you to change a dirty diaper or bake a meatloaf for your family’s evening meal.

But wherever your Savior leads, whatever opportunity he opens, it won’t be a have-to. It will be a get-to. Jesus won’t love you less if you walk away. He won’t love you more if you engage. But if you choose in love to serve, Jesus will be serving right there with you. He will be giving you everything you need to make the difference he wants you to make. Remember, his love—his unconditional, unchanging love for you—changes everything. Listen one more time! (Read Galatians 5:13.)

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.



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Notes

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1. Do you have a “bucket list” (a list of things you truly hope to do before you die)?

a. If so, what led you to make the list? If not, what has kept you from making one?

b. What kinds of things do people put on a “bucket list”?

c. Does someone’s “bucket list” necessarily refl ect that person’s priorities? Why or why not?

2. Galatians 5:13 says, “You were called to freedom.”

a. Addictions to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and pornography enslave people. Jesus goes much further though when he says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). In what way can we say that all sin enslaves?

b. Read Hebrews 2:14–15. In what way(s) can the fear of death enslave?

c. In context, Galatians 5:13; John 8:34; and Hebrews 2:14–15 all indicate that Jesus himself has called us to freedom. Why does it matter that Jesus himself has called us? What does it mean that his call is to freedom?

3. Someone has said that in heaven we will have time for only one thing: love. This is another way of noting that God’s priority for us is self-forgetful care and service to others. What do you imagine it will be like when sin is gone forever and we are able to love one another fully and unselfi shly?

4. Some see the Christian life as a series of “got tos.” Others see it as a series of “get tos.”

a. When are you most likely to resent godly priorities, turning your freedom to love into a “have to,” a duty?

b. What makes it possible for you to fi nd godly priorities exciting, seeing your freedom to love as a privilege?


Our Priorities

Notes

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c. What do your answers tell you about changes you might want to make as you continue your walk with Christ?

5. We do not—we cannot—manufacture Christlike, selfl ess love deep inside our own hearts. We are not the source of this kind of love. Instead, we are the conduit, the channel that God himself uses to convey his love from heaven to earth.

a. How does this statement challenge, encourage, or convict you?

b. In what way(s) were you a conduit or channel of God’s love this past week? How do you imagine being that in the week ahead?

c. What might happen if you made this your top priority? What things would change? What would not change? Why?




Our Prioritiescontinued

Notes

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What do you picture when you hear the phrase “from rags to riches”? Maybe your thoughts drift to someone who wins the lottery and is set for life. Maybe you think about a genius toiling away at a keyboard in the attic, creating the next billion-dollar Internet company. Maybe you think about a youngster with a guitar and a dream hitting it big in Nashville.

From Rags to Riches—BarabbasRight now I’d like you to consider a different rags-to-riches story—one that really happened. As I read a portion of Matthew 27, I invite you to stand in the sandals Barabbas wore that day—the day Jesus died. For Barabbas, it’s a rags-to-riches story. Listen! (Read Matthew 27:11–23.)

Can you imagine the day Barabbas had? As it began, he lay in a stinking prison cell, probably in rags. At any moment, a squad of Roman soldiers would come for him, would take him to be executed in agony. The darkness. The stench. The fear. All threatened to suffocate him.

Until his arrest, Barabbas had likely seen himself as bullet-proof, as above the law. No one would catch him! Or so he thought. We don’t know precisely what accusations the arresting offi cers had made. Mark’s gospel tells us Barabbas was in prison for having taken part in “the insurrection” (Mark 15:7).

Barabbas may even have led that mini-revolt—or more than one. No doubt, Barabbas saw himself as a freedom fi ghter. But Rome saw him as a rebel, a revolutionary who intended to overthrow the Empire or, failing that, to close down its occupation in Judea. If Barabbas lived today, we might call him a terrorist.

Would Barabbas have expected mercy? No way. Especially not from Rome!

This background sets the stage for what happened next. That squad of soldiers did come to Barabbas’s cell door. They did unlock the chains from around his wrists and ankles. They did hoist him out of the squalor and force him into the clear light of day. But then, astonishingly, they left him there in the street—bruised and battered, perhaps. But free. Free!

How bright the sunlight must have seemed! How fresh the air must have smelled! How sweet the water from a nearby well must have tasted!

Sermon 5: This LoveChanges Each Today

Notes

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Barabbas had come from rags to riches, from death to life.

Many have speculated about what came next, about where Barabbas went, about how he spent his new day, about how he lived the new life he received that morning. One tradition says that he went to Mount Calvary, that he watched Jesus dying there, where he should have died. Maybe, but no one really knows for sure.

The question for us here today is not what Barabbas did or how these events changed that Friday—and all the days that followed—for Barabbas. Our question is how these events change us, how they change today and every today our Lord gives us from now on.

We Are All Barabbas NowYou see, you are Barabbas. So am I. We are all Barabbas, every one of us. The Bible includes many hints to indicate that the Holy Spirit does not want us to miss this.

In the fi rst place, all four gospels name Barabbas and indicate that Pilate released him, executing Jesus instead. It’s easy to see that in a literal sense, Jesus died for Barabbas; Jesus died in place of Barabbas; Jesus took the punishment Barabbas deserved; Jesus died on Barabbas’s cross; Jesus died Barabbas’s death. However you want to say it, Jesus served as Barabbas’s substitute.

Second, this idea of Jesus as the sinner’s substitute appears again and again throughout the rest of the New Testament. For instance . . . (Read some or all of the following texts.)

• Romans 4:25• 2 Corinthians 5:21• 1 Peter 2:24• 1 Peter 3:18• Hebrews 9:28

The mercy Barabbas received came to him though he had not deserved it. Barabbas had done nothing to earn it. There’s no way he could have guessed that mercy might be a possibility. Barabbas likely lay in his cell that morning, steeling himself for the fl ogging, the nails, the shame, the horror, the death that awaited him.


continued

Notes

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Then, suddenly, the fear evaporated. The threat was gone. Barabbas’s whole life lay ahead of him as he picked himself up off the street.

Similarly, we do not deserve the mercy we have received. We have done nothing to earn it. We could not have guessed that mercy might be a possibility. But God’s mercy is real. It’s ours. Here’s how the apostle Paul would later describe the rags-to-riches story of our lives. (If possible, have hearers follow along in the bulletin, in their own Bibles, or on a screen as you read this text.):

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.

Ephesians 1:3–8, emphasis added

Did you catch that? Before you were even born, God loved you. Before he began creating the universe, you were the object of God’s affection, his mercy, his grace. Before anything and anyone you know came to be, God was preparing adoption papers—and inking your name in!

Your heavenly Father knew all about that “big sin” you would commit, that one you consider unforgiveable. He knew all about that habit sin you repeat and repeat and repeat with such sickening regularity. He saw what you would do this past week, what you would say, what you would think. Still, in mercy, he planned a way to redeem you. He looked down through the corridors of time and saw Jesus, bleeding, suffering, dying in your place to satisfy the demands of justice. Now, you are “holy and blameless” before him. Now, right now, freedom and redemption are yours.

Barabbas, “Son of the Father”It’s interesting to notice that the name Barabbas means “son of the father.” In the fullest sense, Jesus has been the Son of God the Father


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Notes

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from all eternity. And through faith in Jesus our Substitute, we, too, have now become sons and daughters of God. Adopted into his family, we inherit too many blessings to count or even imagine.

This changes today and every day for us. Mercy has led us out of death to life. God has removed the rags of our sin and given us instead the brilliant robe of Christ’s own righteousness. Eternal love, joy, and peace are ours, earned for us by our Savior.

As I mentioned earlier, Barabbas spent the fi rst day of his new life at the foot of the cross. At least, that’s what one tradition tells us. If it’s true, perhaps he was just curious. Perhaps he was worshiping. Jesus’ sacrifi ce had changed his day; perhaps it changed his life as well. Or perhaps not.

We do know for sure that Jesus’ sacrifi ce has changed our lives. It has fi lled today and every day with blessings too many to count. So what will you do with today—and with every new day his sacrifi ce has made possible?


continued


Notes

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1. If you could somehow talk with any one person who witnessed our Lord’s suffering and death, which witness would you choose to interview? Why? What would you hope to learn from that person?

2. Describe Barabbas before and after his release. How did Jesus change his day?

3. Consider this: “We are all Barabbas.” In what way(s) is this true?

4. In a literal sense, Jesus died in place of Barabbas; Jesus took the punishment Barabbas deserved; Jesus hung on Barabbas’s cross; Jesus died Barabbas’s death. However you want to say it, Jesus served as Barabbas’s substitute. How does each of these texts describe what Jesus did for us as our substitute?

• Romans 4:25• 2 Corinthians 5:21• 1 Peter 2:24• 1 Peter 3:18• Hebrews 9:28

5. Jesus died your death. What kind of life do you get to live in exchange? See Ephesians 1:3–8.

6. What one key point will you carry away when you leave today? Explain.


Discussion QuestionsWeek 5: This Love Changes Each Today


Notes

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Today I would like to invite you to imagine yourself as an artist—a painter, perhaps. The good news for those of us who don’t consider ourselves at all artistic is that we don’t need to put an actual brush to an actual canvas. We can just imagine doing that. Or perhaps you would feel more comfortable imagining yourself as a photographer. That will work, too—and since we are only imagining, you won’t even need a camera.

As we move along today, I will invite you to capture two scenes in your mind and take them with you as you leave today—two paintings or two photographs. Only two. But these are images that will change your today, your week, and your every tomorrow.

Scene 1—Christ Jesus on His ThroneYou may be able to guess the fi rst image. As you know, Christians throughout the world call the week that lies ahead of us “Holy Week.” In the days ahead, we will commemorate our Savior’s suffering and death. This coming Friday is the Friday Christians call “Good Friday.” And it truly was good—good for us, wonderful for us, in fact. There are, though, no words to describe how awful that day must have been for our Lord Jesus.

So the fi rst picture I want you to create in your mind’s eye is a picture of Jesus as he hung on Calvary’s cross. As you consider the blank canvas in your mind or begin to frame and focus your snapshot, listen to these words from Matthew 27. (Read Matthew 27:24–50, slowly and thoughtfully.)

Matthew’s account of our Lord’s death opens up many possibilities for aspiring artists. Which of the details you heard about will you include? The crown of thorns? The Roman soldiers standing guard? The two criminals who suffered alongside Jesus that day? The darkening sky? The mockers? You will include our Lord’s agony, surely.

But as you picture this event, I encourage you to consider again these words, shouted by Jesus’ enemies: “He is the King of Israel” (Matthew 27:42). These enemies were right! Jesus was truly King! Pair this truth with Jesus’ words in John 12, words spoken a few days before his death:

Sermon 6: This LoveChanges Every Tomorrow

Notes

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“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorifi ed it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

John 12:27–33

And consider these words from the prayer Jesus prayed just a few hours before his arrest:

He lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.”

John 17:1

All this talk about “glory”! But it’s not the kind of glory you and I imagine. We picture Calvary and we see pain. We see shame. We see defeat. To our eyes, our hearts, evil won that day. Still today, those who reject Christ and his cross see only these things. But for eyes that truly see and hearts that truly know, a blinding glory shines from the cross. It’s the glory of self-sacrifi ce, the glory of love that empties itself completely so that you and I can be fi lled.

On Calvary’s cross, our Lord Jesus hung in glory. The cross was, in a sense, his throne. He reigned there as the King of love, granting pardon even to those who were mocking and murdering him. Will your painting, your photograph capture that glory, that love? I pray it does! For then you are beginning to understand what the cross means—what it means for you! Christ’s love, a glorious and very personal love, changes today and every tomorrow. It changes everything!

Scene 2—Christ Jesus on His ThroneAs we began, I said I would invite you to paint two pictures, to take two photographs. So now in your imagination, pick up the second blank canvas. Or begin to focus your camera. Just as you captured the fi rst


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image and will take with you as you move into the Holy Week ahead, I invite you to capture a second image, too.

This picture is also a picture of glory. It’s a second picture of King Jesus, enthroned. These are Jesus’ own words as recorded by Matthew, again only a few days before his death:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Matthew 25:31–32

What Jesus goes on to say next in this passage is very important. All Christians should study it—in depth! But for now, I want you to focus on the words I read. Frame it, just so, in your mind’s eye. Imagine yourself as a master painter, creating the scene on canvas. What would you include? The holy angels? The people who have lived on earth in every place, from every era? The “glorious throne”? The face of Christ?

Throughout all eternity, Jesus will reign in glory. He is, was, and ever will be King of kings and Lord of lords—the one who by rising from death defeated death, the one who took our guilt and in doing so vanquished the power of sin. (Read 1 Corinthians 15:56–57.)

It’s an awesome thought! A coming reality more awe-inspiring that you or I imagine or even can imagine. These two pictures of Jesus’ glory belong in the hearts of every Christ follower as we move into Holy Week.

Where Are You in This Picture?One last point. As we thought about these two pictures, we left something out, didn’t we? More precisely, we left some one out. If you stay behind the camera lens, if you stand on this side of the artist’s easel, you won’t be included in the picture, will you? But you belong in these pictures, and so do I. Our sin places us in the fi rst picture, there at the foot of the cross. Our rebellion made the cross necessary. Our guilt caused Christ’s suffering. But as you stand there, listen! Listen as your Savior prays for you, for me: Father, forgive them! Jesus bled and died for us in love. His love, his


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mercy, his grace is his glory! And this love, mercy, and grace are our salvation!

That love, mercy, and grace place us in the second picture, kneeling there before Christ’s throne. Because we know and believe Jesus’ love, because we rely on his grace, we look forward to the day when “the Son of Man comes in his glory,” comes with his angels, comes enthroned to judge. We already know what his verdict will be. The one who forgave us at Calvary will welcome us to share the peace, the joy, the glory of the eternal home he has prepared for us.

Jesus’ love shines in blessing on every tomorrow! And no matter what our tomorrows hold, Jesus’ love changes everything!



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Notes

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1. Think back to some of the paintings or sculptures you’ve seen that depict Jesus’ suffering and death. Which have made the biggest impact on you? Why?

2. The sermon invited you to create two pictures (paintings or photos) in your mind.

a. What were the two?

b. How easy or diffi cult is it for you to imagine these two scenes? Why do you think that is?

3. When we think of “glory,” we might picture a tickertape parade in New York, welcoming astronauts back from the moon—or Mars! We might envision a victorious athlete or team being welcomed by the president at the White House. And these are appropriate examples of glory.

a. In John 12:27–33, we read words Jesus spoke just a few days before his crucifi xion. In John 17:1, we read part of a prayer Jesus prayed just a few hours before his arrest. Read them. How do they tie Jesus’ glory to his death on the cross?

b. In what way(s) was the cross a “throne”? What makes this thought surprising?

c. While Jesus hung on the cross, his enemies mocked him, calling him “King of Israel.” They did not know their words were true! In what way(s) is Jesus, King?

4. Matthew 25:31–32 describe a different scene, a different throne altogether. Read it.

a. How does this picture more closely fi t our usual picture of “glory”?

b. Imagine reading this passage if you did not know about the cross, about what Jesus did there and why he did it. Would the text be comforting, terrifying, or something else? Why?


Every Tomorrow

Notes

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c. In the face of life’s challenges, Christians sometimes say, “God is in control.” Apart from the cross, though, that thought would be frightening. Why?

d. In light of the glory—the glory of unimaginable love—that shines from the cross, we can take comfort in the fact that, no matter what happens, God is in control. Why?

5. Imagine taking the two pictures you created in your mind’s eye

during the sermon and putting them in your pocket, carrying them throughout Holy Week.

a. How might doing that change your week? your celebration of Jesus’ resurrection next Sunday?

b. In what ways does Jesus’ changeless love change every tomorrow?




Every Tomorrowcontinued

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