April 16: Victorious Love (John 20:1-10; 1 Peter 1:3-9)

To begin the session:

Begin your meeting by having group members answer one or more of the following ice-breaker questions.

1. What Easter traditions stand out to you from your childhood—e.g., from your family, church, or school?
2. What Easter traditions have been most meaningful to you in your adult years?
3. How do you plan to spend Easter Sunday today?

To engage the learners in a study of the Scripture text:

Read John 20:1-10 and discuss the following questions with your group.

1. What brought Mary Magdalene to the tomb early that morning?
2. How did she respond to what she saw?
3. How did Peter and John respond to what they saw?
4. What do we know that they didn’t know?

Read 1 Peter 1:3-9 and discuss the following questions with your group.

5. According to Peter, what part does Christ’s resurrection play in a believer’s life?
6. What are the present benefits? What are the future benefits?
7. When, and how, have you experienced the reality of “suffering grief in all kinds of trials” with the result that your faith was refined and strengthened?
8. On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate the level of joy in your life produced by your belief in Jesus Christ? (0 = absolutely no joy; 10 = “inexpressible and glorious joy”)
9. How might the story and consequences of Jesus’ resurrection help raise your level of joy a notch or two?