Encountering the Risen Christ #1 - Belief
John 20:1-10
Dr. Kurt Bjorklund
Part of Encountering the Risen Christ—April 19 - May 25, 2025
April 17, 2025

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Message Notes and Group Study Guide

Date: April 19-20, 2025
Speaker: Dr. Kurt Bjorklund
Series: Encountering the Risen Christ
Message: #1 - Belief

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Scripture

1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. —John 20:1-10 (NIV)

Notes

Study Guide

Step One: Icebreaker (Optional)
Are you quicker or slower to believe news that’s shared with you? Why do you think you respond that way?

Step Two: Prayer and Scripture Reading
Ask someone in your group to pray to open your time together. Ask another person to read John 20:1-10.

Step Three: Discuss

  1. Weekend Message: What was most challenging, encouraging, confusing, or stood out most to you?

  2. Initial Reaction: When Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb, what emotions do you think she experienced? How do these emotions reflect our own response to unexpected events in our life?

  3. The Role of Evidence: In verses 2-3, Mary runs to tell the disciples about the missing body. What does this reveal about the relationship between evidence and belief? How important is tangible evidence in shaping our faith?

  4. Peter and John: In verses 4-10, we read about Peter and John. What do you observe about their experience? How do their responses illustrate different aspects of belief?

  5. Personal Reflection: For those who identify as believers, what specific experiences or moments have strengthened your belief in Jesus? For those who might be unsure, what questions or barriers exist regarding faith?

  6. The Resurrection: How does the resurrection of Jesus challenge or affirm your views on life? What implications might Jesus’ resurrection have on the way we live in today’s world?

Step Four: Close in Prayer
Ask someone in your group to close in prayer, focusing on specific requests for people to find and follow Jesus.