Our Resurrection Weekend services begin with our Good Friday Evening Gathering, March 29 at 7:00 pm, and conclude with our regular Sunday activities on Resurrection Sunday Morning, March 31!

20160327 preparing

Looking Back

Last Sunday we spent time together gaining insight into the final moments of Jesus' death on the cross and the unfathomable work accomplished in satifying God's furious wrath against sin.  Pastor Bret broke the text into two scenes; the first scene is divine fury revealed, and the second scene is divine fury satisfied.  The wrath poured out on Christ displays for us the infinite righteousness of God and our absolute wickedness in sin apart from Christ.  The ultimate completion of God's fury on Jesus shows us the amazing divine satisfaction we have now in Christ with God.   

Listen Again

Click here to listen to the sermon 

Thinking and Acting Ahead

As we reflect on how God's forsaking of Christ is not in anyway God leaving the Son, but rather removing His favor and bringing forth his full anger against our sin that Jesus bore, we see more clearly the reality of God's presence in both Heaven and Hell, not the absence of God in Hell.  

In this AMAZING work and love we should be drawn into worship of Christ.  This is the starting point for our discussions in our growth groups this week.  If you are not part of one of these groups, please begin by visiting different groups to find a group where you can grow in the application of the truths preached on Sunday.  

Included below are the questions discussed in regards to this sermon and I pray that they are helpful for your soul and that they would drive additional conversations within the body.

  • What is it about the death of Jesus that would cause you to worship him more fervently?
  • Why doesn't the passage focus more on the actual physical details of how Jesus died? What aspects of his death does Matthew want us to be most impacted with? How do you see this impact in your own appreciation of what Jesus accomplished on the cross?
  • If sin requires our eternal punishment, why did it only require six hours for Jesus to satisfy God's wrath? What does that say about us, Jesus, and God?
  • In what ways was Jesus forsaken by the Father? What implications does that have on us and our relationship with God and Christ as a result of his death? In what areas of your life - or in counseling others would this prove most helpful?
  • Consider how this passage would assist you in praying for your own soul - your family members - your church family? How would this passage provide instruction on how you could be praying for non-Christians in your life?
  • How does this account of Jesus' death provide more stable confidence to you about what Christ has done for you? How should this impact areas of anxiety? discouragement? what we find joy in, or from what we seek joy? How could this account help you in enduring trial and difficulty?