Session 13

Seen (Mark 16:9-14)

9 Early on the first day of the week,
after he had risen, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,
out of whom he had driven seven demons.
10 She went and reported to those who had been with him,
as they were mourning and weeping.
11 Yet, when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her,
they did not believe it.
12 After this, he appeared in a different form to two of them
walking on their way into the country.
13 And they went and reported it to the rest,
who did not believe them either.
14 Later he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table.
He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart,
because they did not believe those who saw him after he had risen.

Examine:

identify the people who saw Jesus in these verses.
List their responses on the board.
Talk about the characteristics of each of these people and how they compare to the way people respond to Jesus today.

Ask:

• Why did some respond with belief, while others responded with unbelief?

Explain:

Though Jesus’s followers had seen Him raise people from the dead,
they did not expect Him to be raised, even though He had told them.
For them, all hope seemed lost.
Yet all the Gospel writers confirmed Jesus’s post-resurrection appearances.

Paul even told the believers in Corinth that Jesus once appeared to 500 people
(see 1 Cor. 15:6).

Ask:

• What role does faith play in how a person views the resurrection of Jesus?
• How should we approach those who wrestle with unbelief about His resurrection? (p end of line. 111)

CHALLENGE

Summarize:

Review these points from this week’s Bible passage:

• The empty tomb reminds us that Jesus experienced real, physical death.
• The empty tomb demands a response.
• The empty tomb calls for all people to believe.

Ask:

• Which of these statements most resonates with you? Why?

Emphasize:

Point out the Key Doctrine of “God the Son” (p. 111).
Note that Jesus being raised from the dead and appearing in His glorified body validates Him as Messiah and Son of God.

Ask:

On a scale of 1-7, with one being “not much” and 7 being “immeasurable,” what impact does the resurrection have on your life each day?
Point out that the resurrection is not something we acknowledge only at Easter.
Share that the resurrection should motivate and challenge us each day.

Pray:

Lead the group to pray for those who need to know about the resurrection of Jesus.
Pray that each adult will be a bold witness of Jesus Christ’s saving power.

AFTER THE SESSION

Reinforce the session by reflecting on how your life would be different if you had never met the risen Lord. Contact the group through email or text and encourage them to share with others what the resurrection means in their lives.