Title: Who Are You Looking For?
Passage: John 20:11-18
Speaker: Steve Howell (Associate Minister)

Use the following questions based on today’s sermon as a starting point for spiritual discussions with your family or a small group of Christian friends this week.

Fellowship—Relationship with a Purpose

• What does a typical Easter Sunday look like at your house? Share your traditions and typical experiences.
  How could you sharpen your focus on Jesus this Easter?

Growth—Thinking About Spiritual Matters

• Think about the discovery of the empty tomb on Easter morning. What do you think your reaction would have been? What emotions would you feel?
• Which Mary is featured in John 20? What do you know about her? (See Luke 8:2; Mark 15:40-41). What does her presence here tell you about her love for Jesus?
• Read John 20:11-13. Why did Mary not immediately consider the possibility of resurrection? Why is it hard to trust God to do the miraculous?
• Do you (or those around you) ever make wrong assumptions about Jesus? List some that you are tempted to consider. How are those assumptions faulty? What is the best way to avoid assuming?
• What is Mary’s agenda (20:15)? What is Jesus’ agenda (20:17)?
• Why doesn’t Jesus want Mary to cling to him at that point? What does that tell you about His priorities?
• Does your daily agenda put the right emphasis on Jesus? What aspects of following Him can be planned? What agenda items can’t be planned?
• “Who are you looking for?” Jesus should be our focus, but how do we seek him and know him? Consider passages like 1 Corinthians 2 and Philippians 3.

Prayer – Taking Your Thoughts to God

• Pray for a greater awareness of Jesus in every moment. Ask for God to guide your agenda and to remove any false assumptions you may have about Him.