EASTER AT CENTRAL

Tim Perkins 

1 Peter 1:3 (NLT) “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation…”

  1. Discover  from Your Past!

·      1 Peter 1:3

2. Expect a  Tomorrow!

·      1 Peter 1:3; 1 Peter 1:4; John 16:33

3. Walk in  Today!

·      1 Peter 1:5-6

   Big Idea:

·      This weekend, we celebrate the miraculous resurrection of our Savior on Easter Sunday. Life can be tough. Easter reminds us we can either give up, or we can rise up through faith in Jesus. Jesus rose from the dead not only to prove He really was who He claimed to be; He rose from the dead to conquer death for Himself and for us. His resurrection allows us to overcome the ruins of our lives and experience the life that is truly life. Jesus is our LIVING HOPE!

·      I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. – Revelation 1:18 (NIV)

  Talk about it…

·      Pastor Tim made the statement, “If you don’t deal with the pain of your past, you will deal out that pain in the present.”

o   How have you seen that play out in our own life or the life of someone you know?

o   How have you dealt with the pain of your past?  

·      Salvation is a moment; restoration is a process.

o   Discuss what this statement means to you.

o   Why is it essential to be a part of a church and a Small Group of people as you go through the process of restoration?

·      Peter directed his audience’s attention to heaven amid an extreme trial. He tells them to remember, “…we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you…”

o   How often do you think about heaven? Why do you suppose that is?

o   Why do you suppose scripture instructs us to think about heaven so much?

§  Read & discuss: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Colossians 3:1-3

o   What do you think it will be like in heaven? 

§  Read & discuss: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 7:13-17; Revelation 21:4-8  

Pray about it…

·      Thank Jesus for paying for your sins on the cross and for giving you access to His resurrection power. Pray for the Holy Spirit to show you the areas of your life that are broken and need to be restored. Ask Him to help you rebuild and restore these areas so that you can heal and then help others. Thank God for His grace and the greatness He sees in you.  

Act on it…

·      Memorize Romans 8:11 (NLT) “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

   o   When life tries pushing you down, quote this promise to yourself and rise up with faith in Jesus. He’s our Living Hope!

Sermon available online at centralsj.org