Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25). All human hope centers at Calvary and the resurrection of Christ. Calvary shows Christ’s humanity, and the Resurrection shows His deity. Faith in the truth of Christ’s resurrection brings access to a spiritual resurrection for the believer. Jesus Christ’s life here shows us He was the Son of man; and His power over death shows us He is the Son of God.
QUESTIONS
- What does the word believe mean, and how does it apply to the Christian?
- Until they saw Jesus after the Resurrection, the disciples had a difficult time believing Jesus was alive. At the end of our text in John, Jesus said, ” . . . blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” What did He mean?
- What are some things in this life that we believe in and yet don’t see or understand? Parallel this belief to our faith in Jesus Christ and the Resurrection.
- How does the Resurrection show that Jesus was not a mere human? Why is the Resurrection so important to the Christian? See Revelation 1:18 and 1 Corinthians 15:20-23.
- What is the Christian’s guarantee that if he dies he will be resurrected? See Romans 8:11.
- How many people were in the largest group recorded as seeing Jesus after His resurrection and why is this such a great fact to us today? See 1 Corinthians 15:6.
- Suppose a friend asked you the question, “How do you know Christ really rose from the dead?” How would you answer him?
- How does water baptism typify the Resurrection? See Romans 6:3-5.
THEME THOUGHTS
Webster’s dictionary tells us that one meaning of the word profile is, “a short, vivid biography, briefly outlining the most outstanding characteristics of the subject.” It is not difficult to go through the Bible and compile an extensive list of individuals who displayed some “outstanding characteristics” and from whom we can learn valuable lessons. Would a lesson on the dangers of refusing to obey the commands of God be profitable? Where could we find a better example to illustrate that point than in the story of Jonah—a man who spent three days in the belly of the whale because he declined to follow the instruction of the Lord? Would you like to know the secret of leading a triumphant life anointed by the Holy Spirit? Learn a lesson from the prophet Elisha—a man who performed a greater number of miracles than any other prophet except Moses. Do you see among your associates a tendency toward becoming involved in the things of this world? Looking at what happened to Lot’s wife, because she couldn’t give up the entanglements of Sodom, could prove to be a very beneficial study. In this quarter, we have chosen twelve Bible characters from whom we can learn some valuable lessons. They are not all “heroes of the faith.” In fact, some are the exact opposites! But there is something that can be learned from each of them. The final lesson in this quarter will be an overview of the preceding weeks, summing up the importance of learning from the lives of those who live on in the pages of Bible history.