The Bridge Church
Easter At The Bridge
April 9, 2023
Locations & Times
Englewood SKY Academy
871 S River Rd, Englewood, FL 34223, USA
Sunday 8:00 AM
Sunday 9:30 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM
The resurrected Jesus transforms despair
Facts of the Resurrection:
- The Empty Tomb
- Over 300 Prophecies Fulfilled
- Jesus Appeared to Over 500 People
- 11 Willing Martyrs
- The Empty Tomb
- Over 300 Prophecies Fulfilled
- Jesus Appeared to Over 500 People
- 11 Willing Martyrs
2. The resurrected Jesus transforms broken hearts
3. The resurrected Jesus transforms doubt
Because of the empty tomb, our lives can be filled with the hope of Jesus.
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS:
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
I need to receive Jesus Christ as my personal Savior for the first time.
I need to be baptized.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/baptism
I need to attend Starting Point.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/starting-point
I need to join a small group.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/bridge-groups
I need to join a serve team.
https://www.thebridgevenice.com/serve
Dig Deeper:
1. What’s the craziest travel experience you have ever had?
2. We live in a world searching for hope. What do you hope for in life?
3. Imagine what it must have felt like to be a person experiencing Jesus’s death as it was happening. Discuss what people might have been thinking or experiencing.
4. Read Luke 24:13-16. Why might they have been arguing? Why do you think “they were prevented from recognizing” Jesus?
5. Read Luke 24:17. Why do you think the reaction to Jesus’s question caused them to look discouraged?
6. Read Luke 24:18-21. In their minds, what do you think they thought Jesus would do to be “the one who was about to redeem Israel”? Was His death a part of what they thought would happen? Why or why not?
7. Read Luke 24:22-24. Why were they “astounded” by the women? What must they have thought about the empty tomb? Do you think it created more or less despair in them?
8. Read Luke 24:25-27. Why does He call the two He is walking with “foolish” and “slow to believe”? Have you ever been “slow to believe” something about the nature of God or “all that the prophets have spoken”? Discuss how you came to believe it.
9. How is the Bible always pointing to Jesus? Why is our time in the Word so important?
10. Why did Jesus appear to over 500 people after his resurrection?
11. Read Luke 24:31. What is the significance that “their eyes were opened” once they sat down and broke bread with Jesus?
12. Read Luke 24:32. Explain a time when your heart burned within you while you were reading or listening to the Bible? Why is that?
13. Are you a doubter, or skeptic, or know someone who is? How is that trait useful at times? How is it not useful?
14. Read Luke 24:35-37. Imagine being in that group and seeing Jesus. Is their reaction of being “startled and terrified” an unusual response?
15. Read Luke 24:38-47. Discuss what Jesus did to show them that He is alive. Why do you think Jesus asked for food? What do you think He did to “open their minds to understand the Scriptures”?
16. Is it difficult for you to sometimes grasp that Jesus died for your all of your sins? Why or why not? Do you think it would have been difficult for those in this crowd to believe as well?
17. How is Jesus giving the people He encounters hope? How is this also a message of hope to us as well?
18. What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus? Discuss the time when you surrendered your life to Jesus and how it forever changed your life.
Live It Out:
Because of the empty tomb, our lives can be filled with the hope of Jesus.
The resurrected Jesus transforms despair. If you are a follower of Jesus and are in a season where you are experiencing despair, cast your cares on Jesus. Spend time with God this week in both prayer and reading the Bible. Share with Him your despair. Read and memorize scripture to be reminded of God’s promises so that His Word will be with you throughout your days.
The resurrected Jesus transforms broken hearts. Is your heart burning for Jesus? Does the resurrection of Jesus Christ create a fire in your heart that changes everything about your life and how you live it? This Easter, let the resurrection of Jesus Christ reignite a fire inside of you to live your life solely devoted to Jesus. If there are areas of your life where you need to repent, spend time in prayer, confessing to God the areas that you want to turn over to Him completely.
The resurrected Jesus transforms doubt. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It’s only by grace through faith we are saved. To believe in Jesus means you put your trust in what Jesus did on the cross, not trusting your religious efforts to earn your way back to God. If you have not yet put your faith in Jesus Christ, knowing that He died on the cross for your sin, you can do so in this moment. In your own words, pray this prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for conquering death. I cannot save myself. I repent of my sin, and I believe in You. Help me to learn to follow You from this day forward. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.”
Reading Plan:
Monday: Luke 24:1-13
Tuesday: Luke 24:13-27
Wednesday: Luke 24:30-47
Thursday: John 20:24-31
Friday: Matthew 28:16-20
Saturday: 1 Peter 1:3-9
1. What’s the craziest travel experience you have ever had?
2. We live in a world searching for hope. What do you hope for in life?
3. Imagine what it must have felt like to be a person experiencing Jesus’s death as it was happening. Discuss what people might have been thinking or experiencing.
4. Read Luke 24:13-16. Why might they have been arguing? Why do you think “they were prevented from recognizing” Jesus?
5. Read Luke 24:17. Why do you think the reaction to Jesus’s question caused them to look discouraged?
6. Read Luke 24:18-21. In their minds, what do you think they thought Jesus would do to be “the one who was about to redeem Israel”? Was His death a part of what they thought would happen? Why or why not?
7. Read Luke 24:22-24. Why were they “astounded” by the women? What must they have thought about the empty tomb? Do you think it created more or less despair in them?
8. Read Luke 24:25-27. Why does He call the two He is walking with “foolish” and “slow to believe”? Have you ever been “slow to believe” something about the nature of God or “all that the prophets have spoken”? Discuss how you came to believe it.
9. How is the Bible always pointing to Jesus? Why is our time in the Word so important?
10. Why did Jesus appear to over 500 people after his resurrection?
11. Read Luke 24:31. What is the significance that “their eyes were opened” once they sat down and broke bread with Jesus?
12. Read Luke 24:32. Explain a time when your heart burned within you while you were reading or listening to the Bible? Why is that?
13. Are you a doubter, or skeptic, or know someone who is? How is that trait useful at times? How is it not useful?
14. Read Luke 24:35-37. Imagine being in that group and seeing Jesus. Is their reaction of being “startled and terrified” an unusual response?
15. Read Luke 24:38-47. Discuss what Jesus did to show them that He is alive. Why do you think Jesus asked for food? What do you think He did to “open their minds to understand the Scriptures”?
16. Is it difficult for you to sometimes grasp that Jesus died for your all of your sins? Why or why not? Do you think it would have been difficult for those in this crowd to believe as well?
17. How is Jesus giving the people He encounters hope? How is this also a message of hope to us as well?
18. What is the difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing Jesus? Discuss the time when you surrendered your life to Jesus and how it forever changed your life.
Live It Out:
Because of the empty tomb, our lives can be filled with the hope of Jesus.
The resurrected Jesus transforms despair. If you are a follower of Jesus and are in a season where you are experiencing despair, cast your cares on Jesus. Spend time with God this week in both prayer and reading the Bible. Share with Him your despair. Read and memorize scripture to be reminded of God’s promises so that His Word will be with you throughout your days.
The resurrected Jesus transforms broken hearts. Is your heart burning for Jesus? Does the resurrection of Jesus Christ create a fire in your heart that changes everything about your life and how you live it? This Easter, let the resurrection of Jesus Christ reignite a fire inside of you to live your life solely devoted to Jesus. If there are areas of your life where you need to repent, spend time in prayer, confessing to God the areas that you want to turn over to Him completely.
The resurrected Jesus transforms doubt. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It’s only by grace through faith we are saved. To believe in Jesus means you put your trust in what Jesus did on the cross, not trusting your religious efforts to earn your way back to God. If you have not yet put your faith in Jesus Christ, knowing that He died on the cross for your sin, you can do so in this moment. In your own words, pray this prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for conquering death. I cannot save myself. I repent of my sin, and I believe in You. Help me to learn to follow You from this day forward. In Jesus’s name I pray, Amen.”
Reading Plan:
Monday: Luke 24:1-13
Tuesday: Luke 24:13-27
Wednesday: Luke 24:30-47
Thursday: John 20:24-31
Friday: Matthew 28:16-20
Saturday: 1 Peter 1:3-9