Go Tell

Encounter: “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20, New Living Translation)”. Sit with this verse for a moment and reflect back on our Easter Sunday Celebration from last Sunday. Consider what it means that He has risen and that He Lives Within YOU! Don’t rush past this time but simply sit in it and soak up the experience.

Easter Sunday has come and gone and for many, normal life returns and we settle back into our old daily routines.

What if we were to change it up from what we learned from our wilderness experience and seek to deepen our relationship with God by keeping our excitement of the resurrection? Could you find new life and excitement in the risen Christ and obey what Jesus tells the two Marys; “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers and sisters…” (paraphrased from Matthew 28:10 NLT)

We are to tell the Gospel to all we see. And quite often, we find fear when it comes to telling our story to others. Fear that we will be not be accepted or ridiculed paralyzes us and prevents us from telling our stories to others. But what if we were to keep a hold of the excitement around resurrection Sunday that Jesus is alive and that He lives within you. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary ran to tell the disciples and with fear and joy.

The truth is when we have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer us who lives, but Christ who lives in us, then last Sunday’s resurrection of Christ also means resurrection of our life. This resurrection of life from Christ gives us roots deep into the love and strength of God (Eph 3:18).

With great excitement around Christ, who not only lives but lives within us, is a great story to tell. The excitement should propel us to go and tell our brothers and sisters. Yes, we may have fear, but the joy of the living Christ is too great to keep to ourselves.

Reflect: Read Matthew 28:1-11. Reflect upon your Lenten journey into the “Wilds of Faith.” What moved you the most to have “great excitement” on Easter Sunday? Now reflect upon what you need in order to keep that same excitement moving forward.

Spiritual Practice: Take the above scripture from Matthew and read slowly and contemplatively. Take some time to pray the scripture by envisioning the scene as the two Marys approach the empty tomb. Take notice of their reactions at the tomb and when Jesus meets them. Then reflect what your body is feeling. Sit with God and ask Him to reveal to you the reasons your body reacted as it did. What questions would you ask Jesus if that were you grasping at His feet? Ask Jesus how to overcome the fear you experience when it comes time to share your story.

Gather: As you gather in your small groups read together the scripture from Matthew. If you have not already done the Imaginative prayer above, do as a group. Sit and discuss the experience.

1. What do you need to keep the excitement of resurrection Sunday in everyday life?

2. What did your body feel as you imagined the scene from Matthew 28?

3. When you consider Galatians 2:20 and that it is Christ who lives within you, how does it make you feel to know that Christ is alive? Does the feeling give you encouragement to “go tell your brothers and sisters?”

4. What encouragement do you need from those in your small group to “go tell your brothers and sisters?”