THE JESUS SERIES

LEADER’S GUIDE

RESURRECTION
JESUS’ RESURRECTION GIVES US POWER OVER SIN AND DEATH

The BIG IDEA:

Jesus’ resurrection proves that he is God and gives us power over sin and

THE PROBLEM: 
 I WANT MY STUDENTS TO:

Jesus’ resurrection isn’t a reality in our daily lives, robbing us
KNOW: Jesus’ resurrection proves that he is God and
of hope and stripping us of power over sin and the fear of
gives us power over sin and death.
death.
EXPERIENCE: Confidence that Jesus is alive and power
OUR RESPONSE: 

to live differently.
Trust in the power that comes from Jesus’ resurrection to
live our lives. DO: Trust the resurrected Christ living in us to give us
hope and power to overcome our sin and fear of death.
WHY THIS MATTERS:

Relying on the power of Jesus’ resurrection gives us
freedom from our sins, confidence in his word, and
assurance of our resurrection.

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 THE JESUS SERIES
RESURRECTION
LEADERS GUIDE
LAUNCH 

Jasmine is in your last period class, and she’s been talking to you about her interest in
Christianity. One afternoon as you leave class and walk to your lockers, she tells you she’s
started going to church. But she’s confused because they’re talking in church about Jesus
dying for our sins and returning to life three days later (she says they call his return to life the
resurrection). “That sounds crazy!” Jasmine says. She doesn’t know if she believes that actually
happened. “And even if it did,” she tells you, “Why is it such a big deal?” What would you say to Jasmine?

EXPLORE 5. 1 Corinthians 15:3 says “just as the Scriptures said”,

*1. Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-6. These verses say a few
things are most important in the Christian message.
What are they?
Christ died for our sins and was buried, was raised on the
third day, and appeared to many people.
2. Why is it important that Jesus died for our sins and
was buried?
Allow the group to discuss. Our biggest problem in life is our
sin and the “death penalty” Romans 6:23 says we’re under
because of it. Because of Jesus’ death, God is able to take
the “death penalty” we deserve for our sin and place it on
Jesus so that we can know God’s forgiveness when we trust
in him.
*3. Read John 11:25-26, Romans 4:25, and Romans 6:4.
Why does it matter that Jesus was raised from the
dead?
Have a different person read each passage. Allow the group
to discuss. The answers are right in the verses.  Jesus’
resurrection assures us we’ll live with him forever if we’ve
trusted in him. It makes us right with God because it proves
that his death paid for our sin. It gives us new life, including a
fresh start and power to become more like Christ and be
who God created us to be.
4. What difference does it make that he appeared to
many people?
Allow the group to discuss. It shows that he actually rose
from the dead. It wasn’t a trick or a figurative expression.
That more than 500 saw him at once proves they weren’t
hallucinating. He really did have a physical body and walked
around after he had died and was buried.
referring to parts of the Bible that were written
several hundred years before Jesus’ birth. These
Scriptures predicted that Jesus would be killed, then
raised from the dead. Why is this a big deal?
Allow the group to discuss. It assures us that Jesus’ death
and resurrection were part of God’s plan. If everything
happened the way God said it would, it shows his
faithfulness and helps us trust him.
APPLY
6.  If you have placed your trust in Christ, how does
Jesus’ resurrection make you more confident that
God has forgiven all your sins? (If you have not placed
your trust in Christ yet, how does it give you
confidence that he can?)
Allow the group to discuss. Jesus’ resurrection shows that
God the Father accepted Jesus’ payment for our sin. Our
debt before God is paid in full by Jesus. If Jesus hadn’t risen
from the dead, it would have shown that his sacrificial death
wasn’t enough to pay for our sins.
7. Read Romans 8:11. Think about something you’re
struggling with right now. Maybe it’s a hard situation,
addiction, or a bad character trait. How does it help
you face this struggle to know Jesus’ resurrection
power lives in you if you’ve trusted in him?
Allow the group to discuss. If you’re dealing with a hard
situation, addiction, or bad character trait, this verse tells us
that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is
present within you to deal with what you’re facing. This
power raised Jesus from the dead! That same power can
help you with what you’re facing.
(continue on next page)

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 THE JESUS SERIES
RESURRECTION
LEADERS GUIDE

APPLY with regard to grades,

*8. Because Jesus is “the Resurrection and the Life”
(John 11:25), we can know we’ll live with God
forever if we’ve trusted in Jesus. How could this
change the way you approach life?
Allow the group to discuss. Knowing that we’ll live with
God forever means we can approach life with confidence.
Regardless of what happens to us in this life, we know our
life is eternally secure with God because of Jesus. Knowing
we’ll live with God forever also helps us realize that this life
isn’t all there is. It protects us against putting too much
stock in our daily circumstances because we know they
won’t be forever. But life with God will be.
*9. How does this change the way you think about
death?
Allow the group to discuss. Knowing we’ll live with God
forever lets us face death with confidence because we
know that death isn’t the end. It also grows our desire to
help others follow Jesus so that they also can have life
after death through him.
friends, athletics, a job,
or anything else in my life.
Jesus’ death and resurrection
proves God is big enough for me to trust him with all of
life.
11. If you’re still considering whether to trust and
follow Jesus, how does what we’ve discussed today
help you with that decision?
Allow the group to discuss. Allow God to use this question
to let those in your group that haven’t begun to follow
Jesus express themselves and what they’re dealing with.
Affirm their answers, encourage them to trust in Jesus,
and let them know it’s OK to be in process with this
decision.

*10. God loved you enough to have his Son die for
you and had enough power to bring him back to life
from the dead. How does knowing about his love
and his power shown through the resurrection, help
you trust him with all the things in your everyday
life?
Allow the group to discuss. Think about some of the
things that are really important to you: getting good
grades, getting along with your friends, doing well
athletically, or getting a job. None of those things is bigger
than God letting Jesus die for our sins and return from the
grave. If God was big enough to pull off Jesus’ death and
resurrection so we can be forgiven and live with him
forever, he’s more than big enough to give me his best

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