Chris Cloud
1 Corinthians 15:1-11, 50-58
1 Corinthians 5:1-11 addresses four eyewitness accounts of the resurrected Jesus
- Peter and the disciples (v5)
- Crowd of over 500 people (v6)
- James (brother of Jesus) and the apostles (v7)
- Paul (v8)
1. Why might someone struggle with believing in the resurrection of Jesus? Would eyewitness accounts in the Bible help their unbelief? It may not be a bodily encounter, or in Paul’s case a visionary encounter, but have you had your own spiritual encounter with the resurrected Jesus that you could share with someone?
2. Before Jesus’ death, Peter is often seen as brash, emotional, and impulsive. He even denied he knew Jesus three times before Jesus’ death. After Jesus’ death, Peter becomes the leader of the church and boldly proclaims the Gospel for the rest of his life because of his encounter with the resurrected Jesus. Pastor Kevin put it this way, Peter went from “coward to courageous”. As you think back through your own life, how has your own encounter with the resurrected Jesus changed your life? Are there old practices, habits, priorities, or struggles from which Jesus has freed you/is freeing you? Are you noticeably different in any way to those who knew you before your conversion?
3. Why might it have been difficult for James, the brother of Jesus, to see him as Savior or praise him as Messiah until after encountering the resurrected Jesus?
1 Corinthians 15:50-58 addresses four actions we take because of the resurrection.
- We represent life in a world full of death (vv50-56)
- We pursue relationship in a world full of religion (v57)
- We focus on eternity in a world full of temporary (v58a)
- We live with trust in a world full of trouble (v58b)
4. We were dead in our sins, but have been made alive with Christ. Should that change how we live our lives as believers? If so, what are some things we might do differently in light of this new resurrection life in Christ?
5. How is God at work in the world around you? Where are you seeing him bring life to a dead world?
6. What does it mean to you to “speak life” into someone else? Who has God put in your path that needs words of life spoken into them? Why does this person need to hear these words?
7. As believers, we know that we serve a resurrected Jesus and are called to live a resurrected life. Pastor Kevin mentioned that some of us “sit in crucifixion.” What might it look like for someone to be in this state? What truth do they need to hear?
8. It is possible to know the Word of God, but not know the God of the Word. We often use the phrase in the church that we have a “relationship with Christ”. What does that mean to you? What are the signs of a healthy relationship?
9. It’s possible to be all about the religion of Christianity and its pursuits, but not be transformed by a relationship with Jesus. Why do some people fall into the rut of religion? How might we identify someone whose Christianity is based on religion and not relationship? How do we keep our relationship with Jesus from turning into a religion, while at the same time, being obedient to the commands of God in the Bible?
10. Is it hard for you to wrap your mind around concepts like eternity or heaven? What are some things you know are eternal?
11. What might it look like for a believer to live today in light of the knowledge of tomorrow (Jesus’ victory over death)? How might day to day life be different?
12. Do you trust Jesus with the eternal fate of your soul? What about Jesus makes him trustworthy? How does his trustworthiness help you navigate life’s troubles?
