Matthew 27:57-28:10
1. We talked first about the burial of Jesus from Matthew 27:57-66.
A: In v. 57-60, we read the details of how Jesus’ body was received by Joseph, cared for, & concealed. A connection was made to Isaiah 53:9…how do all these details point to God’s faithfulness to His Word? How does seeing these connections within Scripture give us more confidence in God & His Word?
B: As we continue to read, we see from v. 60-66 what unfolds on Saturday. The way Jesus is described in v. 63 shows real hostility towards Jesus…how is hostility towards Jesus & the church seen today? How can we be intentional to pray for those that are opposed to the advancement of the gospel?
C: It was said that the gathering of leaders in v. 60-66 shows a problem: they overestimated man & underestimated God. What are ways that we can fall into the same trap today?
D: Despite all the efforts seen in v. 60-66, we ultimately see that there is nothing that humanity can do to stop God. How does this news offer hope for God’s people? How does this news give you confidence to share the gospel with others?
2. We then talked about the account of the resurrection of Jesus in Matthew 28:1-10.
A: One of the most interesting aspects of the account of the resurrection is the role of women. They were there in Matthew 27:61 & now they are there in Matthew 28. What does it say that both Matthew & Luke highlight the commitment of these women to Jesus & their testimonies are used to verify all that took place? How would this have been counter-culture?
B: When the news of Jesus’ resurrection is announced, we see in v. 5-6 that it points out, “as he said.” This was news spoken by Jesus throughout his ministry. How important is not only the resurrection, but Jesus’ speaking of the resurrection, to the Christian faith?
C: In Matthew 28:8, we see how everything has changed…dejection is changed to delight in light of Jesus’ resurrection. How can the news of Jesus’ resurrection stir your affections & delight in Christ?
D: The response to seeing Jesus is worship in v. 9. There are many reasons Jesus is worthy of worship, name a few of them.
E: In v. 10, we see Jesus’ imperishable faithfulness to His people. The disciples who failed Jesus in these intense moments are still called, “my brothers” by Jesus. How does this scene give us encouragement as we continue in the faith? What is the difference between believing God is faithful to us because of our achievements versus believing that God is faithful to us because that is who He is…faithful?
F: We ended with a challenge to consider how we can demonstrate trust in Jesus. Three ways we offered on Sunday: following Him no matter what, listening & obeying to God’s Word, & imitating Christ for His glory. What are Share a specific way that you want to demonstrate trust in Jesus this week.