Awaken Week 3
Middle & High School Students
Wednesday, April 9th
6:30 – 8:30

BOTTOM LINE: To rejoice fully in the good news of Jesus, we must hear the bad news first. 

SCRIPTURE: John 19

SERIES OVERVIEW: Do you know that feeling you get when something just “clicks?” When a school lesson hasn’t made sense but then one little point clears everything up? Or when you’re reading a book and one detail connects all of the dots from the previous chapters? Sometimes, when we look into the difficult parts of a story, we become more appreciative of the outcome. While Easter is a time to dress up in pastel colors, search for candy-filled eggs, and rejoice in Christ’s resurrection, we need to wake up and remember that there is a side to the Easter season that is dark, brutal, and filled with sadness. When we wake up to see Easter from a new perspective, we can rejoice more fully in what He has done for us.

Nobody likes getting bad news. Unfortunately, bad news is inevitable because bad news stems from bad behavior. The bad news for all of humanity is that we are born into sin and deserve punishment, but the good news is that God created a plan to save us from that punishment. It came at a hefty cost, though.

Just for fun…
1 Do you and your family celebrate Easter/Resurrection Sunday?
2 What is your favorite Easter/Resurrection Sunday tradition? 

Ask the group to answer and discuss…
1 Why is it important to not only focus on the resurrection during Easter but also consider everything Jesus endured before?
2 Have you ever read or heard the verses in John 19 that were read tonight?
    A Did you learn anything new tonight from it?
    B Did you gain a new perspective?
    C What did you learn about Jesus?
3 The content of tonight’s scripture is a lot to process and difficult to hear. 
    A Is there any part that was more difficult to listen to or that you just want to talk about?
4 Does learning/understanding “the big picture” and  the severity of Jesus' suffering enhance your appreciation for the good news of His resurrection?
    A How? What does it make you think about or feel?
5 Take a moment and think about Jesus' sacrifice paving the way for salvation for ALL people. 
    A How has His sacrifice impacted you personally? Has it?

Apply It…
6 Jesus' love for ALL people goes beyond the Easter season. 
    A Is it possible for us to honor Jesus' sacrifice in our daily lives?
    1 Give some examples. 
    B How can we make sure we do these beyond the Easter Season?

Bottom Line… To rejoice fully in the good news of Jesus, we must hear the bad news first.

Scripture… John 19