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A Fresh Start

Easter 2019: A Fresh Start 

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. Then they went home.

 

Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. JOHN 20:1-18 NLT

Jesus can give me a fresh start by…

Starting wherever I am

Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; LUKE 8:1-2 NLT

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ROMANS 5:9 NLT

Jesus loves me where I am, but he loves me too much to let me stay there

Helping me break through the pain that’s holding me back

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” JOHN 20:15 ESV

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 PETER 5:7 NLT

Calling me personally to start fresh

Jesus said to her, “Mary… Don’t cling to me… for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father.” JOHN 20:16-17 ESV

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach… the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14 NLT

Teaching me how to live like him

She turned and said to him in Aramaic,“Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). JOHN 20:16 ESV

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest …Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” MATTHEW 11:28-29 NLT

Discussion Guide

Personal Reflection Guide

Amid Easter egg hunts and family dinners, may you be able to take some time to consider the significance of the resurrection of Jesus. When he walked this earth, Jesus explicitly told his followers that he would die and rise again. But they struggled to understand what he said. Or maybe they had selective hearing. Can you think of times when your hearing has been selective? Or when you’ve struggled to understand? You have heard that God loves you and he sent his son Jesus to die for your sins. The grave was conquered by his death and resurrection, we have access to heaven and we get to have a real relationship with him, now, here on earth! Jesus’ death was brutal, the suffering was real, and he did it all because of his love for you. Ponder these truths. Do you want to comprehend how much he loves you? Ask him to help you grasp how much he loves you personally, that it is you he loved unto death. For the first time or simply for the next time, ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and give him permission to change your heart. Now, take these few minutes to ponder the goodness of God and the salvation he has freely given to all who will accept it.?

My Notes