Brookwood Church
GROUP GUIDE - Seeing the Resurrection
April 19 and 20, 2025
Locations & Times
Brookwood Church
580 Brookwood Point Pl, Simpsonville, SC 29681, USA
Saturday 6:00 PM
Sunday 8:30 AM
Group Guide
This guide is designed to help you grow in your relationship with God and develop meaningful, lasting relationships with others. Get together with friends, or visit the link below to find a group of people already meeting. Let’s seek God together!
https://www.brookwoodchurch.org/groupsCONNECT
Here are a couple of questions to get the conversation rolling. Feel free to discuss either or both!
◾ When you hear the word Easter, what images or thoughts come to mind?
◾ What excites you most about Easter?
Here are a couple of questions to get the conversation rolling. Feel free to discuss either or both!
◾ When you hear the word Easter, what images or thoughts come to mind?
◾ What excites you most about Easter?
PRAY
Spend a few minutes quieting your heart and drawing your attention toward God. Consider these prayer points:
◾ God, I pause to recenter myself in You. I pray You’d restore my union with You.
◾ I pray that You’ll help me to have fresh eyes to see and experience Easter.
◾ I pray You’d protect me against the attacks of the evil one.
◾ I pray that many will come to know Jesus this Easter season.
◾ Father, today I pray You would father me.
Spend a few minutes quieting your heart and drawing your attention toward God. Consider these prayer points:
◾ God, I pause to recenter myself in You. I pray You’d restore my union with You.
◾ I pray that You’ll help me to have fresh eyes to see and experience Easter.
◾ I pray You’d protect me against the attacks of the evil one.
◾ I pray that many will come to know Jesus this Easter season.
◾ Father, today I pray You would father me.
Introduction
16 For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. John 3:16-17 (NIV)
God is an amazing, wonderful and loving God. He loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to earth to die for us as the perfect sacrifice. The world wants us to depend on ourselves and seek ways to improve through our own means. This is not God’s way. We can rely on Him always, trusting Him to fulfill His promises, as He did by sending Jesus. This is the Good News to share: Jesus came to earth to save us!
We’ve been in the Rooted series for the last 2 weeks, but will break for Easter Weekend and Celebration Sunday (outdoor services in the Amphitheater) the following Sunday. Rooted will resume on Sunday, May 4.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. John 3:16-17 (NIV)
God is an amazing, wonderful and loving God. He loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to earth to die for us as the perfect sacrifice. The world wants us to depend on ourselves and seek ways to improve through our own means. This is not God’s way. We can rely on Him always, trusting Him to fulfill His promises, as He did by sending Jesus. This is the Good News to share: Jesus came to earth to save us!
We’ve been in the Rooted series for the last 2 weeks, but will break for Easter Weekend and Celebration Sunday (outdoor services in the Amphitheater) the following Sunday. Rooted will resume on Sunday, May 4.
Read John 20:1-9 (NIV)
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put Him!" 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put Him!" 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
EXPLORE AND DISCUSS
1. Mary Magdalene saw that the tomb was empty. What emotions do you think she felt? How would you have reacted if you had seen the empty tomb?
1. Mary Magdalene saw that the tomb was empty. What emotions do you think she felt? How would you have reacted if you had seen the empty tomb?
2. Mary Magdalene immediately told Peter what she saw, and he went to investigate. How can you share the news of the empty tomb with others? Pray and ask God to give you opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus.
3. Peter and John ran for the tomb, and John got there first, noting this in his gospel. Why do you think that John includes this detail? How have you expressed similar thoughts when telling a story?
4. John didn’t go into the tomb at first, but Peter boldly stepped in to see what was there. How bold are you in seeking Jesus? What do you do with the evidence you find?
5. What do you think Peter and John thought when they were in the tomb? What do you think you would’ve done if you were there?
6. In verse 9, it says they still did not fully understand Jesus’ resurrection. Do you ever feel like you don’t understand enough to share Jesus with others? How does that make you feel? What steps can you take to grow in your knowledge and understanding?
7. What gives you the confidence that the story of Jesus’ resurrection is true?
1 Corinthians 15:1-6 (NLT)
1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you--unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you--unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.
8. How can Paul’s reminder to the church of Corinth strengthen you?
9. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection were prophesied in the Old Testament. How does knowing that God keeps His promises help you face difficulties in your life?
10. Jesus appeared to more than 500 people before ascending into heaven. How does these witnesses' testimonies help you share the Good News of Jesus?
11. How has Jesus worked in your life? How can you use your stories to share Jesus with others?
Make a Move
Spend a few minutes in silence and ask God what He wants you to know and remember from this week’s study and discussion. Is there an emotion or thought He’s stirring in you? Is there a specific step God is leading you to take? Jot down some thoughts and share them with your group or with a close friend.
Spend a few minutes in silence and ask God what He wants you to know and remember from this week’s study and discussion. Is there an emotion or thought He’s stirring in you? Is there a specific step God is leading you to take? Jot down some thoughts and share them with your group or with a close friend.
Meditate
Meditation is the practice of slowly gazing at God, His work and His Word. This is an effective way to slow our hearts and minds and give Him our undivided attention. Meditate on these passages and note words and phrases that stand out to you.
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
2 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4 You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14:1-4 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 (NIV)
Meditation is the practice of slowly gazing at God, His work and His Word. This is an effective way to slow our hearts and minds and give Him our undivided attention. Meditate on these passages and note words and phrases that stand out to you.
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
2 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4 You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14:1-4 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1 (NIV)
Memorize
One of the best ways to hear God throughout the day is to store His words in your heart and mind. Based on this week’s theme, commit these words of Scripture to memory:
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 1 John 4:15 (NIV)
One of the best ways to hear God throughout the day is to store His words in your heart and mind. Based on this week’s theme, commit these words of Scripture to memory:
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 1 John 4:15 (NIV)
Our salvation consists of both a bloody cross and an empty tomb, both a Friday afternoon’s agony and a Sunday morning’s vindication—and the latter is not merely proof of the gospel, but part of the gospel. Gavin Ortlund
App and the Daily Devotional
Spend time with God with the Daily Devotionals available on the App. You can also find Sunday Message resources and videos, leave prayer requests, give and more.
Spend time with God with the Daily Devotionals available on the App. You can also find Sunday Message resources and videos, leave prayer requests, give and more.
Why Jesus?
If you’ve never experienced God’s forgiveness and grace, we’d love the opportunity to talk with you about a life-changing relationship with Jesus. Email thepastors@brookwoodchurch.org or call 864.688.8200
If you’ve never experienced God’s forgiveness and grace, we’d love the opportunity to talk with you about a life-changing relationship with Jesus. Email thepastors@brookwoodchurch.org or call 864.688.8200
Additional Study Tools
For additional Bible Study tools, guides and devotionals, check out bible.com, youversion.com, biblegateway.com and blueletterbible.org.
For additional Bible Study tools, guides and devotionals, check out bible.com, youversion.com, biblegateway.com and blueletterbible.org.
Faith grows deeper as we pursue Jesus together!
To join a Community Group, visit our website or email adults@brookwoodchurch.org.
http://www.brookwoodchurch.org/groupsWe'd love to hear from you!
Please visit or contact us at 864.688.8200.
http://www.brookwoodchurch.org