Prepare your heart for Sunday by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and tangibly putting scripture to action in your personal life, and in our corporate body.

Carefully Think

• Read Matthew 28:1-15
• Last week we studied the security of Jesus’ burial. As far as man’s means could go to secure the tomb it was secured. Keep this in mind as you read.
• Why would the two Mary’s be going to see the tomb? What does it say about the state of mind the disciples were in that these two women came to the tomb, but they remained in hiding?
• Are the events described in verses 2-4 typical? How does this description of events portray man’s means of securing the tomb?
• Reread 5-7. How would the words of the angel strike the Mary’s? What reason does the angel give as to why Jesus was not there? Was it because he was taken? Was it a hoax? No, he says it is because he has risen!
• Look at their response to his words in v. 8. They were fearful and full of joy. Our response to the resurrection of our Savior should be the same.
• Notice the women’s response to seeing the resurrected Lord. What does this say about who Jesus is and what our response to him should be?
• Did the guards witness the events of the resurrection? How does verse 11 help us answer? What does their response reveal?
• How does the response of the chief priests and the elders demonstrate their complete hard-heartedness and unwillingness to submit to Christ?
• Think about why Matthew would include verses 11-15 when writing to a 1st century Jewish audience.

Prayerfully Meditate

• How does this account of the resurrection shape the Christian faith? How does this account of the resurrection shape what you believe and how you live?
• This account reveals two responses to the resurrection: fear, joy, and worship of the Lord, and a hard-hearted willful rejection of the clear truth. Examine your own heart as to how you have responded to the resurrection of Christ. If there is fear, joy, and worship, then allow this passage of God’s Word to encourage and increase your zeal to serve the resurrected Lord. If you sense a hard-heartedness, or an indifference regarding the resurrection then pray that the Lord would have mercy on you, that he would help your unbelief. Turn from your sin, trust in the resurrected Christ, and joyfully worship him.

Intentionally Act

• Pray that the Lord would use the proclamation of his Word to save those who are lost, those who are hostile or indifferent to the resurrection of Christ among us.
• Seek to have your zeal for the Lord increased this week as you prepare for Sunday in order to fervently worship our resurrected Savior by reflecting and meditating on the truth of this passage.
• Read and reflect on 1 Corinthians 15 in addition to this passage as we think on the resurrection, its importance, and its implications this week.
• Pray for those who will be leading our gathering this week: Dawson Bryant, music; Todd Arnold, Elders' prayer and Scripture reading; Bret Capranica, teaching.
• Prepare for our gathering on Sunday by reading through the lyrics of the songs and reflect on them, so that you can focus on edifying one another through song and give praise to the King.

Songs for Sunday

• Come and Stand Before Your Maker (Video)
• His Name Is Jesus (Video)
• Fairest Lord Jesus (Video)
• Grace Alone (Video)
• Stronger (Video)

Lyrics

Lyrics Morning Gathering - May 22, 2016 by Summit Woods Baptist Church