This small group deep study guide draws directly from Jason May's sermon “Week 3: Risen Indeed!” so you can keep engaging with the message all week. Read, reflect, and share it with your small group or friends.
Deep Study Guide: "He Is Risen — The Transforming Power of the Resurrection"
Based on the Easter Sermon at Rock City Church
A NOTE TO GROUP LEADERS
This guide is designed for groups that want to move beyond surface-level discussion into serious engagement with the biblical text, theological concepts, and life-transforming application of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The sermon drew primarily from 1 Corinthians 15:3-9, 17, 20, Luke 24:1-12, and 1 John 1:1-4, with supporting references to John 14 and John 3:16. Each of these texts deserves careful study in its own right, and together they form a powerful, multi-layered case for the historicity and theological significance of the resurrection.
Plan for 90 minutes to 2 hours for a full group session. Sections can be divided across multiple weeks if desired.
PART ONE: SETTING THE STAGE
Sermon Overview and Central Thesis
The sermon's central argument is straightforward but theologically profound:
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical event with cosmic implications that transforms individual lives, validates Jesus's divine claims, and anchors the hope of every believer.
The pastor made three primary claims about what resurrection day means:
- It is a day of transformation — for the disciples, for the pastor personally, and for all who believe.
- It validates Jesus's claim to be "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6).
- It offers spiritual life right now — not after moral improvement, but through immediate trust in Christ.
The sermon also presented the resurrection as historically credible, citing eyewitness testimony (1 Corinthians 15), fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, extra-biblical historical sources (Josephus, Clement, Polycarp), and the radical transformation of the disciples as evidence.
PART TWO: PRIMARY TEXT STUDY
Text 1: 1 Corinthians 15:3-9, 17, 20 (NLT)
Background and Historical Context
Author and Setting: Paul wrote 1 Corinthians approximately AD 53-55, making it one of the earliest New Testament documents. Scholars widely agree that the creedal formula in verses 3-5 predates Paul's letter by decades — most likely originating within 3-5 years of the crucifixion itself, possibly as early as AD 33-35. This is significant because it demolishes the notion that the resurrection story was a legend that developed slowly over centuries.
The Creedal Nature of the Passage: The Greek phrase "en prōtois" ("what was most important" or "of first importance") in verse 3 signals that Paul is transmitting received tradition, not composing original material. The compact, structured language — "he died... he was buried... he was raised... he appeared" — has the rhythmic quality of a memorized creed or hymn. This is exactly what the sermon described: early Christians passed this formula along orally, much like liturgy, to preserve the core of the faith.
The Corinthian Problem: Some in the Corinthian church were denying the future bodily resurrection of believers (v. 12). Paul's response is not to argue philosophically but to ground everything in the historical fact of Christ's resurrection. His logic: if resurrection is impossible, then Christ didn't rise; if Christ didn't rise, the faith collapses entirely. This makes chapter 15 the most sustained theological argument for the resurrection in the entire New Testament.
Verse-by-Verse Exegesis
Verse 3: "Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said."
The Greek word translated "died" (apethanen) is an aorist indicative — a completed historical action. Paul is not speaking metaphorically. The phrase "for our sins" (hyper tōn hamartiōn hēmōn) uses the preposition hyper, meaning "on behalf of" or "in place of" — the language of substitutionary atonement. This is not merely that Jesus died as an example or a martyr, but that his death accomplished something specific: the bearing of human sin.
"Just as the Scriptures said" points to the interpretive framework of the entire Old Testament. Key passages include:
- Isaiah 53 — the Suffering Servant who "bore the sin of many"
- Psalm 22 — a vivid first-person account of crucifixion-like suffering
- Daniel 9:24-27 — the prophecy of the "Anointed One" being "cut off"
Verse 4: "He was buried and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said."
The burial is theologically important — it confirms the reality of the death. Ancient audiences knew dead people were buried; the burial eliminates any "swoon theory" (the idea that Jesus merely fainted and revived in the tomb).
"Raised from the dead" (egēgertai) is a perfect passive indicative in Greek — an action completed in the past with ongoing results in the present. Jesus was raised and remains risen. The resurrection is not merely a past event but a present reality.
"On the third day" — this specific timing connects to Jonah 1:17 (Matthew 12:40), Hosea 6:2, and possibly the Jewish understanding that decomposition begins on the fourth day (see John 11:39, the Lazarus account), making the third day significant as a demonstration that Jesus's body had not decayed.
Verses 5-8: The Witness List
Paul presents a chain of eyewitness appearances:
| Witness | Significance |
|---|---|
| Peter (Cephas) | The lead apostle; his testimony carries enormous weight |
| The Twelve | The core apostolic band; a corporate witness |
| 500+ at once | The largest single appearance; most still living when Paul wrote |
| James | Jesus's own brother, who had been a skeptic during Jesus's ministry (John 7:5) |
| All the apostles | A broader group beyond the Twelve |
| Paul himself | A hostile witness turned believer — perhaps the most compelling case |
The mention of the 500 witnesses "most of whom are still alive" is Paul's implicit invitation to cross-examine them. This is the language of a man confident in verifiable facts, not mythology.
James's inclusion is especially significant. He was not a follower of Jesus during his earthly ministry. Something happened that turned a skeptical brother into the leader of the Jerusalem church and eventually a martyr for the faith. The resurrection is the only historically adequate explanation.
Paul's inclusion is equally remarkable. He describes himself as "one born at the wrong time" (ektrōma — literally "untimely born" or even "miscarriage") — an odd, humble self-description. He was a persecutor of Christians who encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus road (Acts 9). His transformation from church destroyer to church builder is one of history's most dramatic conversions, and he attributes it entirely to an encounter with the risen Jesus.
Verse 17: "And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins."
This is the theological linchpin. Paul is saying that the resurrection is not an optional add-on to Christian belief — it is the foundation. Without it:
- Faith has no object worthy of trust (mataia — "empty," "vain," "futile")
- Sin remains unpaid — the death alone is insufficient; it is the resurrection that demonstrates the Father's acceptance of the Son's sacrifice (Romans 4:25)
- The dead in Christ have "perished" — there is no hope beyond the grave
Verse 20: "But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead."
The Greek nuni de ("but in fact" or "but now") is a strong adversative — Paul has just described the catastrophic implications of a non-risen Christ, and now he pivots decisively. The resurrection is real. The word "firstfruits" (aparchē) that follows in verse 20b is a harvest metaphor: the first portion of a crop offered to God, which guarantees the rest of the harvest to come. Christ's resurrection is the guarantee of the believer's future resurrection.
Text 2: Luke 24:1-12
Background and Historical Context
Luke's Method: Luke explicitly states his historical methodology in his prologue (Luke 1:1-4): he carefully investigated everything from the beginning, relying on eyewitness accounts and written sources. Luke was a physician (Colossians 4:14), trained in careful observation. His resurrection account bears the marks of careful historical reportage.
The Women as Witnesses: In first-century Jewish and Roman culture, women's testimony was generally considered less legally reliable than men's. If the early Christians were fabricating the resurrection story, they would almost certainly not have made women the primary witnesses — this would have undermined their credibility. The fact that all four gospels name women as the first witnesses is a strong mark of historical authenticity. Embarrassing details are rarely invented.
The Specific Women Named: Luke 24:10 names Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. Joanna is notable — she is identified in Luke 8:3 as the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager. This is a woman of social standing whose name and identity would have been verifiable by Luke's first readers.
Verse-by-Verse Exegesis
Verses 1-3: The Discovery
"Very early on Sunday morning" — the Greek orthrou batheos means "at deep dawn," before full sunrise. These women were not sleeping in. Their devotion drove them to the tomb at the earliest possible moment after the Sabbath rest.
"The stone had been rolled away" — Matthew 27:62-66 records that the religious authorities had secured the tomb with a Roman seal and a guard. The stone's removal is not explained by any human agency within the narrative. The passive voice ("had been rolled away") implies divine action.
"They did not find the body of the Lord Jesus" — the Greek is emphatic. The body was simply gone. This is the raw historical datum that demands explanation. Every theory — theft, wrong tomb, hallucination — fails to adequately account for this fact alongside the subsequent appearances.
Verses 4-7: The Angelic Announcement
"Two men... clothed in dazzling robes" — Luke uses andres (men) rather than angeloi (angels), but their appearance and message identify them as heavenly messengers. The "dazzling" (astraptousē) appearance echoes the transfiguration (Luke 9:29).
The central question of the entire passage: "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?"
This is not a rhetorical taunt but a theological reorientation. The women's category error was searching for Jesus within the framework of death. The angels are redirecting their entire understanding. Jesus doesn't belong in the category of "the dead." He has inaugurated a new category: the risen, living Lord.
"Remember what he told you back in Galilee" — the resurrection was not an unexpected surprise. Jesus had predicted it multiple times (Luke 9:22, 9:44, 18:31-33). The disciples' failure to understand these predictions (Luke 18:34) makes the resurrection even more credible — it was not a story they invented to fulfill expectations they held.
Verses 8-9: The Women Remember and Report
"Then they remembered" — emnēsthēsan — this is a moment of cognitive and spiritual illumination. The resurrection doesn't just restore Jesus to life; it opens the disciples' minds to understand what had been said all along. This is a pattern throughout Luke 24 (see also v. 45).
Verses 10-11: The Men's Disbelief
"The story sounded like nonsense to the men" — lēros in Greek, meaning "idle talk," "drivel," or "nonsense." This is a remarkably candid admission. Luke doesn't soften the apostles' initial disbelief. They did not expect the resurrection; they had to be convinced by evidence. This is not the behavior of people inventing a legend.
Verse 12: Peter's Investigation
Peter's response is instructive: he doesn't simply accept the women's report, nor does he dismiss it. He investigates. He runs to the tomb, stoops to look in, and sees the linen wrappings lying there — not scattered as if the body had been stolen, but lying in place. John 20:6-7 adds the detail that the face cloth was "folded up" separately, suggesting an orderly departure rather than a hasty theft.
Peter "went home again, wondering what had happened" — the Greek thaumazōn indicates amazement, not disbelief. He is in the process of being transformed by the evidence.
Text 3: 1 John 1:1-4
Background and Historical Context
Author and Date: The Apostle John wrote this letter near the end of his life, likely in the AD 85-95 range, from Ephesus. By this time, he was the last surviving member of the original Twelve — a living link to Jesus himself. The letter addresses early Gnostic tendencies that denied the physical reality of Jesus's incarnation and resurrection.
The Prologue's Deliberate Echo of John's Gospel: The opening words "what existed from the beginning" (ho ēn ap' archēs) deliberately echo the Gospel of John's prologue: "In the beginning was the Word" (John 1:1). John is establishing the eternal, pre-existent nature of the one who became flesh — and who rose from the dead.
Verse-by-Verse Exegesis
Verse 1: The Sensory Witness
John piles up four verbs of sensory experience:
- "We have heard" (akēkoamen) — perfect tense: heard and still bearing that testimony
- "We have seen with our own eyes" (heōrakamen) — perfect tense, with the emphatic addition "with our own eyes"
- "We gazed upon" (etheasametha) — aorist, suggesting prolonged, careful contemplation
- "We touched with our own hands" (epsēlaphēsan) — aorist, the most physical of all verbs
This is an extraordinary accumulation of physical, sensory testimony. John is deliberately countering any spiritualized or metaphorical interpretation of the resurrection. He saw Jesus. He heard Jesus. He touched Jesus. This was not a vision or a symbol — it was a bodily encounter with the risen Lord.
"The Word of life" — this phrase captures both Jesus's identity (the eternal Logos) and his mission (to bring life). The resurrection is the ultimate demonstration of his life-giving power.
Verses 2-3: The Purpose of Testimony
"We testify and proclaim to you" — John uses the language of legal witness (martyroumen) and public proclamation (apangellomen). This is not private religious experience being shared; it is sworn testimony being declared.
"So that you may have fellowship with us" — koinōnia, meaning deep communion, shared participation. The resurrection creates community. Those who believe in the risen Christ are drawn into fellowship with one another and with the Father and Son. This is the ecclesiological implication of Easter.
Verse 4: The Goal of Joy
"So that you may fully share our joy" — hē chara hēmōn ē peplērōmenē — "that our joy may be made complete/full." The resurrection is not merely a theological proposition to be believed; it is the source of abundant, overflowing joy. John's motivation for writing is not academic — it is doxological and relational.
PART THREE: THEOLOGICAL DEEP DIVE
Theology 1: The Resurrection as Validation of Atonement
The sermon correctly noted that the resurrection validates the cross. Romans 4:25 states this with precision: Jesus "was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." The resurrection is the Father's public declaration that the Son's sacrifice was accepted — that the debt of sin was fully paid.
Consider the analogy: if someone claims to pay off your mortgage but the bank still sends you bills, you have no assurance the debt was cleared. The resurrection is God's "paid in full" receipt. Without it, the cross is a tragedy; with it, the cross is a triumph.
Theology 2: The Nature of the Resurrection Body
The sermon briefly mentioned that believers will one day "have new bodies just like Jesus." This is worth exploring more deeply. Paul addresses this in 1 Corinthians 15:42-49, describing the resurrection body as:
- Imperishable — no longer subject to decay
- Glorious — reflecting the image of Christ
- Powerful — no longer limited by physical weakness
- Spiritual — animated by the Spirit, not merely by biological processes
The risen Jesus demonstrated the nature of this body: he could be touched (John 20:27), he ate food (Luke 24:42-43), he was recognizable — yet he also appeared in locked rooms (John 20:19) and was sometimes not immediately recognized (Luke 24:16). The resurrection body is both continuous with and transformed beyond the earthly body.
Theology 3: Sanctification as Resurrection Power
The pastor described his own spiritual journey using the language of transformation: from insecure to resolute, from self-centered to other-centered, from self-reliant to God-dependent. This is the doctrine of sanctification — the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit conforming believers to the image of Christ.
Paul connects this explicitly to resurrection power in Philippians 3:10-11: "I want to know Christ — yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in believers now (Ephesians 1:19-20; Romans 8:11). Sanctification is not self-improvement — it is resurrection power applied to daily life.
Theology 4: The Resurrection and the Defeat of Death
The sermon referenced the song lyric "when death was arrested and my life began," which captures a profound theological reality. The resurrection is not merely Jesus escaping death — it is Jesus defeating death as a power. Hebrews 2:14-15 says Jesus shared in human flesh and blood "so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death — that is, the devil — and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."
Death is not merely a biological event; in biblical theology, it is a spiritual power — the consequence of sin (Romans 6:23), the "last enemy" (1 Corinthians 15:26). The resurrection is the decisive battle in which this enemy is defeated. The final victory will be complete at the general resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:54-57), but the outcome is already determined.
PART FOUR: HISTORICAL AND EXTRA-BIBLICAL EVIDENCE
The sermon cited historians Josephus, Clement, and Polycarp. Here is more detailed background for study:
Josephus (AD 37-100)
The Jewish historian Josephus wrote in Antiquities of the Jews (20.9.1) about "James the brother of Jesus who was called Christ." A more extended passage (Antiquities 18.3.3, the Testimonium Flavianum) references Jesus's death under Pilate and reports that "he appeared to them on the third day, restored to life." While scholars debate how much of this passage is original Josephus and how much was later Christian interpolation, most historians accept that Josephus did write about Jesus and that the core reference is authentic.
Clement of Rome (AD 96)
Writing to the Corinthians, Clement references the apostles who "went forth in the assurance of the Holy Spirit, preaching the good news that the kingdom of God was coming." He speaks of their willingness to die for this message — testimony to the disciples' conviction that the resurrection was real.
Polycarp of Smyrna (AD 69-155)
A direct disciple of the Apostle John, Polycarp's letters and his martyrdom account provide a chain of testimony linking back to the eyewitnesses. He was burned at the stake rather than deny Christ — the ultimate expression of conviction in the resurrection.
Tacitus (AD 56-120)
The Roman historian Tacitus, in Annals 15.44, references "Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus." This is an entirely hostile source confirming the crucifixion.
PART FIVE: OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY AND THE RESURRECTION
The sermon mentioned that some scholars count over 300 Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Jesus, with 21 specifically relating to death and resurrection. Here are key passages for study:
| Prophecy | OT Text | NT Fulfillment |
|---|---|---|
| Betrayal for 30 pieces of silver | Zechariah 11:12-13 | Matthew 26:14-15 |
| Silent before accusers | Isaiah 53:7 | Mark 15:4-5 |
| Crucified with criminals | Isaiah 53:12 | Luke 23:32-33 |
| Lots cast for clothing | Psalm 22:18 | John 19:23-24 |
| No bones broken | Psalm 34:20 | John 19:33-36 |
| Pierced side | Zechariah 12:10 | John 19:34-37 |
| Resurrection on third day | Hosea 6:2; Jonah 1:17 | Matthew 12:40; 1 Cor. 15:4 |
| Not abandoned to the grave | Psalm 16:10 | Acts 2:27-31 |
| Ascension | Psalm 68:18 | Ephesians 4:8 |
The statistical probability of one person fulfilling even a fraction of these prophecies by chance is astronomically small. Peter Stoner's classic analysis in Science Speaks estimated the probability of fulfilling just 8 prophecies at 1 in 10^17.
PART SIX: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Questions are organized from foundational to advanced. Groups may select questions based on time and maturity of participants.
Section A: Engaging the Text
1 Corinthians 15:3-5 is widely regarded as one of the earliest Christian creeds, possibly dating within 5 years of the crucifixion. How does the early dating of this creedal formula affect your confidence in the historical reliability of the resurrection accounts? What difference does it make that Paul says he "received" this tradition rather than invented it?
Paul lists specific named witnesses to the resurrection, including 500 people "most of whom are still alive" (v. 6). Why would Paul include this detail if he were not confident in the verifiability of the claim? How does the nature of eyewitness testimony function differently in the first century versus today?
In Luke 24:11, the disciples initially dismiss the women's testimony as "nonsense." What does this initial disbelief tell us about the disciples' state of mind? How does this detail actually strengthen the historical case for the resurrection rather than weaken it?
In 1 John 1:1, John uses four different verbs of sensory experience to describe his encounter with Jesus. Why does he pile up these physical, sensory terms? What theological error is he countering, and why does it matter whether the resurrection was bodily or merely spiritual?
Compare the angelic question in Luke 24:5 — "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?" — with Jesus's statement in John 11:25-26: "I am the resurrection and the life." What category shift is required to truly understand who Jesus is? How does the resurrection force a complete reframing of how we think about life and death?
Section B: Theological Exploration
The sermon stated: "If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). Unpack this statement theologically. Why is the resurrection, and not merely the crucifixion, essential to the forgiveness of sins? What does Romans 4:25 add to your understanding?
The sermon described the resurrection as "transformational" — pointing to the disciples, the women at the tomb, and Paul as examples. What is the relationship between the historical fact of the resurrection and its transforming power in individual lives? Can the resurrection transform someone who only accepts it intellectually but not personally? What is the difference?
The pastor described his own sanctification journey — moving from insecure to resolute, self-centered to other-centered, self-reliant to God-dependent. Read Philippians 3:10-11 and Romans 8:11. How does Paul connect resurrection power to the ongoing transformation of the believer? In what specific areas of your life do you need to consciously draw on resurrection power?
The sermon mentioned that Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about his death and resurrection, and that on the road to Emmaus, he "walked through the Old Testament" to show how the scriptures pointed to him (Luke 24:27). Read Isaiah 53 carefully. How many specific details of Jesus's death and resurrection can you identify in this chapter? What does it mean for your faith that these words were written 700 years before Jesus was born?
The sermon referenced the "fear of death" as something the resurrection addresses. Read Hebrews 2:14-15. How does the author describe the condition of people before the resurrection? In what ways does the fear of death still hold power over believers today, and how does a deeper understanding of the resurrection address those fears?
Section C: Historical and Apologetic Engagement
The sermon cited Josephus, Clement, and Polycarp as extra-biblical sources that discuss the resurrection. Why is it significant that non-Christian sources from the first and second centuries reference Jesus and his followers? How would you use this information in a conversation with someone who dismisses the resurrection as a purely religious claim?
The transformation of the disciples from frightened fugitives (John 20:19) to bold proclaimers willing to die for their testimony is one of the most powerful arguments for the resurrection. Read Acts 4:13-20. What is it about the disciples' behavior that the Sanhedrin finds inexplicable? What alternative explanations have been offered for this transformation, and why do they fall short?
The Apostle James, Jesus's own brother, was a skeptic during Jesus's ministry (John 7:5) but became a leader of the Jerusalem church and was eventually martyred. What is the most historically adequate explanation for this transformation? How does his case parallel Paul's?
The sermon mentioned Iranian believers and African and Chinese Christians who face persecution and death for their faith in the risen Christ. How does the reality of contemporary martyrdom connect to the first-century witness? What does it tell us about the nature of the resurrection claim that people continue to die rather than recant it?
Section D: Personal Application for Mature Believers
The sermon described the resurrection as offering "spiritual life right now" — not after moral cleanup, but through immediate trust. For those who have been believers for many years, how can familiarity with this truth become a barrier to experiencing its freshness? What practices help you stay connected to the wonder of the resurrection rather than treating it as settled background information?
The pastor said: "In Christ, I have it all." How does the resurrection change what it means to "have it all"? What does the world's definition of "having it all" look like compared to Paul's description in Philippians 3:7-11, where he counts all his former achievements as "garbage" compared to knowing Christ?
Read John 20:24-29 — the account of Thomas's doubt and subsequent encounter with the risen Jesus. Jesus says to Thomas, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." How do you maintain living faith in a resurrection you did not witness? What spiritual disciplines, community practices, or intellectual anchors help you sustain that faith?
The sermon described the gospel being "passed down from believer to believer to believer" across generations and cultures. Who passed the faith to you? How are you currently passing it on? What specific action could you take this week to be a link in that chain for someone else?
The pastor prayed that believers would "begin to look less and less like sinful, selfish people and more and more like" Christ. Identify one specific area of your life where the resurrection power of Christ needs to do deeper work. What would it look like to actively cooperate with the Spirit's sanctifying work in that area over the next 30 days?
John says he writes "so that you may fully share our joy" (1 John 1:4). Is joy a consistent characteristic of your experience as a believer? If not, what is the gap between the joy John describes and your current experience? How might a renewed focus on the resurrection address that gap?
PART SEVEN: CROSS-REFERENCE STUDY
For groups wanting to trace resurrection themes across the whole Bible, study these passages together:
The Resurrection Predicted
- Psalm 16:9-11 — David's prophecy, quoted by Peter at Pentecost (Acts 2:25-32)
- Isaiah 53:10-12 — the Servant's death and subsequent vindication
- Hosea 6:1-2 — "on the third day he will restore us"
- Jonah 1:17; 2:10 — the sign of Jonah, referenced by Jesus in Matthew 12:39-40
The Resurrection Accomplished
- Matthew 28:1-10 — the earthquake, the angel, the women's encounter
- Mark 16:1-8 — the shortest, arguably most primitive account
- Luke 24:1-53 — the most extended resurrection narrative, including Emmaus
- John 20:1-21:25 — the most theologically developed account, including Thomas
The Resurrection Proclaimed
- Acts 2:14-36 — Peter's Pentecost sermon, the resurrection as central proclamation
- Acts 17:16-34 — Paul at Athens, the resurrection as the basis for judgment
- Romans 1:4 — Jesus "declared to be the Son of God... by his resurrection from the dead"
- Romans 6:1-11 — baptism as participation in death and resurrection
- Romans 8:9-11 — the Spirit of resurrection at work in believers now
The Resurrection Applied
- Philippians 3:7-14 — Paul's desire to know "the power of his resurrection"
- Colossians 3:1-4 — "since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above"
- 1 Peter 1:3-9 — "a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ"
- Revelation 1:17-18 — the risen Christ's self-declaration: "I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!"
PART EIGHT: DEVOTIONAL REFLECTION
For personal use between group sessions
Day 1 — Monday
Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. Write down every piece of evidence Paul offers for the resurrection. Thank God for the specific witnesses whose testimony has been preserved for you.
Day 2 — Tuesday
Read Luke 24:1-35 (the full Easter morning account through the Emmaus road). Notice how Jesus opens the scriptures to the disciples. Ask God to open your understanding of scripture today.
Day 3 — Wednesday
Read Psalm 16. This is the psalm Peter quotes at Pentecost as a prophecy of resurrection. Pray through it as a declaration of your own trust in God's faithfulness.
Day 4 — Thursday
Read Romans 6:1-14. Meditate on what it means that you have been "united with him in a resurrection like his" (v. 5). Identify one area of your life where you need to "count yourself dead to sin but alive to God."
Day 5 — Friday
Read Isaiah 53 slowly and carefully. This was written approximately 700 years before Jesus. List every detail that connects to the crucifixion and resurrection. Spend time in worship.
Day 6 — Saturday
Read 1 John 1:1-2:2. Consider what John's eyewitness perspective adds to your confidence in the faith. Who in your life needs to hear this testimony? Pray for one specific person.
Day 7 — Sunday
Read Revelation 1:12-18. This is the risen, glorified Christ as John sees him at the end of his life — the same Jesus he touched and heard and saw at the beginning. Worship the Living One who holds "the keys of death and Hades."
PART NINE: RESOURCES FOR FURTHER STUDY
Books — Apologetics and Historical Evidence
- N.T. Wright — The Resurrection of the Son of God (scholarly, comprehensive)
- Gary Habermas & Michael Licona — The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (accessible, evidence-focused)
- Lee Strobel — The Case for Christ (journalistic investigation, excellent for sharing with skeptics)
- Josh McDowell — Evidence That Demands a Verdict (classic apologetics reference)
- Timothy Keller — The Reason for God — Chapter 13 on the resurrection
Books — Theological and Devotional
- John Stott — The Cross of Christ (the atonement in depth)
- Sinclair Ferguson — The Holy Spirit (resurrection power in the Christian life)
- Jerry Bridges — Transforming Grace (grace and sanctification)
- C.S. Lewis — Miracles — Chapter 16 on the resurrection
Books — Pastoral and Practical
- Timothy Keller — Hope in Times of Fear: The Resurrection and the Meaning of Easter
- Fleming Rutledge — The Crucifixion (the most thorough theological treatment of the cross and resurrection)
Online Resources
- The Gospel Coalition (thegospelcoalition.org) — search "resurrection" for scholarly articles
- Reasonable Faith (reasonablefaith.org) — William Lane Craig's extensive apologetics resources
- The Jesus Film Project (jesusfilm.org) — the 55 prophecies referenced in the sermon
- Bible Project (bibleproject.com) — video overview of 1 Corinthians 15
Academic Articles
- Gary Habermas, "Resurrection Research from 1975 to the Present: What Are Critical Scholars Saying?" — Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus (2005)
- N.T. Wright, "The Resurrection of the Messiah" — available through various seminary databases
PART TEN: CLOSING PRAYER GUIDE FOR GROUP LEADERS
Close your group session by praying through these four movements:
1. Adoration — Praise God for the resurrection as an accomplished historical fact and an ongoing present reality. Use the language of 1 Corinthians 15:20 and Revelation 1:18.
2. Confession — Acknowledge the ways we live as though Jesus were still in the tomb — with fear, self-reliance, and hopelessness. Confess the gap between resurrection truth and resurrection living.
3. Thanksgiving — Thank God for specific witnesses whose testimony preserved the faith — the women at the tomb, Peter, Paul, John, the 500, and the chain of believers who passed the gospel to each person in your group.
4. Intercession — Pray for:
- Those in your group who need resurrection power in a specific area of life
- Those who heard the gospel for the first time on Easter Sunday
- Persecuted believers in Iran, China, Africa, and around the world who risk their lives for the risen Christ
- One person each group member will share the resurrection message with in the coming week
"We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us... We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy." — 1 John 1:3-4 (NLT)
He is risen. He is risen indeed.
This guide was prepared for Rock City Church small groups. Permission granted for local church use. Please reproduce freely within your congregation.