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StoneBridge Community Church

Easter - "Mary"

Senior Pastor Jon Saur

Locations & Times

4832 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93063, USA

Saturday 5:00 PM

Saturday 6:00 PM

Online Connection Card

Thanks for joining us today! Follow this link to our online Connection Card where you can let us know you were here and share any prayer concerns.

http://bit.ly/2z61Wwi

Worship With Generosity

Thanks for partnering with us in our mission to reach people with the good news of God's love, to make disciples, and to send them out. Secure online giving via PayPal.

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Easter!

On Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the sign that gives hope that, as Jesus was raised from the dead, so too will we be raised from the dead. Celebrate with us, as we look at the story of Jesus' resurrection in John 20! He is risen, he is risen indeed! Amen!

John 20:11-18 NRSV

The Text In Context

It’s significant that Mary Magdalene was the first person to whom Jesus revealed Himself after His resurrection (Mark 16:9). She was not an especially important person, and she was a woman. In that culture, women were not considered reliable witnesses in court. You would think that the Lord would have picked maybe Peter, James, or John as the first witnesses of His resurrection. Or if it was a woman, I would have thought that He would have picked...

https://bit.ly/3ueZ3X6

Who was Mary Magdalene?

In the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), Mary Magdalene is the only person to be mentioned by all four as one of the first witnesses to Jesus' resurrection. Easter is, in many ways, the story of Mary Magdalene experiencing the risen Christ. Mary Magdalene, however, was not Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary the aunt of Jesus, or Mary of Bethany, who anointed Jesus' feet (though some have theorized that they were the same). She was a close companion and disciple of Jesus. And, it's her testimony that led to Easter and to the knowledge that the tomb was empty and Jesus was raised from the dead. Here is an article with some information on Mary Magdalene.

https://bit.ly/2OccR5g

Mary Magdalene in Art

Mary Magdalene has been an object of fascination for thousands of years. She has been depicted and interpreted in all sorts of different ways. In this LA Times piece, an art exhibit devoted to the various depictions of Mary Magdalene is discussed.

https://lat.ms/3wlKSRN

NT Wright on Easter

NT Wright is a prominent New Testament Scholar and Churchman. His writings have been very influential in the past few decades. He has written and spoken extensively about the importance of the resurrection and how Jesus' resurrection is what defines Christian faith.
Here is a brief article from Wright about the resurrection and how Christians may have misunderstood the message of the Bible.

https://bit.ly/31G1WUM

GROWTH GROUP / PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. If someone asked you what Christian faith is all about, how would you answer?

2. How would you define "resurrection?"

3. What examples of glimpses of restoration can you think of from the past few months?

4. What glimpses of restoration are you excited about seeing in the next few months?

5. How can you take those glimpses and use them to help spread hope in the resurrection?

QUESTIONS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN

1. Easter is the celebration of Jesus' resurrection, when Jesus was raised from the dead. How do you normally celebrate Easter?

2. It might seem incredible to believe that Jesus was raised from the dead, but that is the claim of the Bible and God can do anything. Do you find it difficult to believe in the resurrection?

3. Who do you know who believes in the resurrection? Do you trust this person?

4. How can that person's testimony help you believe in the resurrection?

Easter With Hope

Read Plan

For over 70 years, the One Great Hour of Sharing offering has provided Presbyterians a way to share God’s love with our neighbors in need around the world. There are three programs supported by One Great Hour of Sharing - Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Self-Development of People and they all work in different ways to serve individuals and communities in need. From initial disaster response to ongoing community development, their work fits together to provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope. This weekend we will take the One Great Hour of Sharing offering.

Our Nominating Committee will be meeting soon to nominate our next class of Deacons and Elders (class of 2024). If you are interested in serving StoneBridge in this capacity, please visit https://stonebridgesimi.com/serve/church-officer-nominations to learn more about what it means to be a Deacon or Elder and fill out an application. Applications are due April 19th.

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Social Media @ StoneBridge

We encourage you to use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media to share images, quotes, links, or what you've learned from this week's message and YouVersion message notes. Social media can also be a great way of inviting your friends to worship and special events.

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Watch us on YouTube

While there is no substitute for worshipping God with others, if you happen to miss a message you can always catch us on YouTube. We invite you to subscribe to our channel.

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