That’s Not a Ghost–That’s Jesus!

YEAH! Church - Sunday, August 23, 2020

Through the Bible in 2020 - After Jesus died many of His disciples were left confused. They had thought He was the Messiah, but now He was dead and, having been His disciples, they were in danger from being arrested and killed too. But Jesus didn’t stay dead! He rose again and He proved to His disciples that even though they hadn’t understood God’s plan, He was really the Messiah!

Today’s Lesson - “That’s Not a Ghost–That’s Jesus!”

The Reason Jesus had to die
Jesus rose from the dead–and He proved it to His followers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyA4xoi70zU

Lesson Overview:
Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; Acts 1:1-11 - Unlike other stories in the Gospels (the books of the Bible that tell us about Jesus’ life on earth–Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), the story of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead shows up in all of them. Though the narratives differ a little in the exact retelling, each emphasizing different parts of the story, one thing is clear–Jesus didn’t stay dead!

On the third day, very early in the morning, some women set off for the tomb–there had been such a rush to bury Jesus before the Sabbath that they hadn’t had a chance to attend to His body properly. They knew that a large stone had been rolled in front of the tomb and didn’t know how they would be able to move it. But when they got there the stone had already been rolled away.
Instead of finding a sealed tomb containing Jesus’ body, they found it opened and empty. An angel told them they wouldn’t find Jesus there because He had risen...just as He had told them He was going to. They rushed off to tell the disciples, but the men had difficulty believing what the women told them–no one had expected Jesus to come back to life.

Later that day, Jesus appeared to two men on their way to Emmaus, but they didn’t recognize Him. He explained to them how His death was part of God’s plan and when they sat down to have a meal together, they finally recognized Him...and quickly went back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples! And while they were speaking to them, Jesus showed up. Some were afraid that He might be a ghost, but He assured them that He was real and even ate some food with them to prove it.

Over the next forty days, Jesus would appear to over 500 witnesses before returning to heaven. He promised to come back, but in the meantime He was going to send them a special gift. What could this special gift be...that’s a story for next time!

This week’s verse:
1 Thessalonians 4:14- “ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. ”

Jesus didn’t stay dead. In fact, He is in heaven right now preparing a place in God’s House for everyone who believes in Him. Because Jesus is alive, we know that those who believe in Him will live forever with Him as well! That was the work of the Messiah all along–not just to bring peace to the Jewish nation, but forgiveness for the whole world and to remove the virus of sin from God’s wonderful creation. When He comes back He is going to make everything new again–just like it was at the beginning... ‘very good!’
~ Pastor Jane

Theme Verse for 2020:
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16+17