"Living Proof" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

The resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of Christianity. If He was not raised from the dead, then our faith and all that we believe has no foundation. Just like in the court of law, the testimony of witnesses carry a lot of weight and many times determines the outcome of a verdict. The firsthand accounts of these many witnesses in the Bible, including his closest friends and family, tells us that Jesus indeed rose from the dead. This validates his authority to forgive sins. It also proves once and for all that he was God. But If we are to be followers of Christ, then it’s not enough to simply believe. We must do as He did. We must love others as he loved. It’s our proof that we are citizens of His kingdom.

Main Passage

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.
- Mark 16:1-4

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,[a] Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
- John 20:19-20

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
- 1 Peter 1:3-4

Discussion Questions

1. Jesus perfectly represented God’s character, and lets us know what God is like. What are some common misconceptions or misunderstandings about God that are corrected through Jesus?

2. The testimony of the disciples and other followers of Christ carried the Christian message around the world. Share your testimony, or the testimony of another Christian that inspires you. (If sharing someone else’s story: why does is stand out?)

3. Jesus changes the lives of those who follow Him. If you’re a Christian, or thinking about becoming one, how has your life changed?

"Life is No Accident" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

God is the Author of Life! All life finds its origin with Him. Living things do not arise from non-living matter. Features of different organisms throughout nature, including parts of our own bodies, are far too complex to have occurred randomly over time. They also would have to arrive fully-formed in order to be function. (An issue known as irreducible complexity that makes Darwinian Evolution impossible.) Dr. Ming Wang, a Harvard-trained physician and world-renowned eye surgeon, turned from Atheism to Christianity. He says: “As a medical doctor and a scientist I can firmly attest to the fact that it is impossible for natural selection to explain the amazing intricacies of the eye.”

Our belief in the cause of life has massive implications for the way we live today. If we believe that life is random, and ultimately without reason, then we can only conclude that our lives are random and without objective reason as well. But God’s Word reveals that He made life for a reason. If we believe that God made life for a purpose, then it’s fair to conclude that there is an objective purpose for our lives. We can be confident in knowing that our lives are meaningful now and in eternity.

Main Passage

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.
- Psalm 102:5

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
- Psalm 139:14-15

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. 3 They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. 4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
- Psalm 19:1-4

Discussion Questions

1. Which of the main passages stand out to you the most? Why?

2. “Subjective” purpose is something that we assign to ourselves; it doesn’t carry any weight beyond our own opinion. “Objective” purpose transcends our circumstances and opinions, because it comes from a transcendent Source. Do you believe objective purpose exists for us as humans?

3. Do you feel that you have a sense of purpose? Try to summarize it.

"In the Beginning" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

The universe had a beginning! Most people take this fact for granted, but many prominent thinkers - from Aristotle to Einstein - believed that the universe had existed forever. The Bible revealed that the universe had a beginning thousands of years before science could see it. Time, space, matter, and energy began to exist when the Big Bang happened. This means that the universe was caused by something, or Someone, who wasn’t limited by those four things. The Bible was ahead of the curve once more: God revealed that He met those specific requirements before science realized they were necessary. It’s also increasingly apparent that the universe needed to be fine-tuned for life to exist. If things like gravity or the strong nuclear force (which holds an atom’s nucleus together) were different by even a slight margin, our universe wouldn’t be able to sustain life.

These incredible facts can do more than intrigue our minds. They impact our faith. If we believe that God can make the universe from nothing, and create beauty from the chaos of the cosmos, then we should be confident that He can do incredible things with our lives as well. It all comes down to trusting Jesus.

Main Passage

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
- Genesis 1:1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
- John 1:1-3

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
- 2 Corinthians 5:17

Discussion Questions

1. What do you believe about the origin of the universe? Why is there something rather than nothing?

2. If you were to share one idea from the Main Thought or passages above with a skeptic, what would it be? How would you share it?

3. Are there unknown or chaotic elements in your life? If so, then what are they? How can you practically trust God and act in faith with respect to those things?

"Answer for Evil" Discussion Guide

Main Thought

“If God is so good and powerful, then why is there so much evil in the world?” It’s a daunting question that often touches people on a deeply personal level. But the recognition of good and evil in our world actually points to the existence of God. We can only say that a line is crooked or curved because we know what a straight line looks like. In a similar manner, we can recognize evil because we were made in the image of a good God. He wrote His standards for goodness on our hearts. Evil entered the world because man rejected God through sin. Evil increases on a societal level when the knowledge of God decreases. Almost everyone longs for an answer to evil, regardless of their beliefs. Yet atheism fails to give provide answers. It only succeeds in taking away hope. God sent Jesus Christ to eliminate the evil inside us; when this process reaches its conclusion, God will destroy all evil for all of eternity.

Main Passage

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness…
- Romans 1:28-29

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
- Romans 8:20-21

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
- 1 Peter 2:24

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
- Revelation 22:3-4

Discussion Questions

1. Have you ever struggled with doubts about God’s goodness? How have you dealt with those doubts?

2. What areas in your life can be steered more toward God and away from evil? How might that benefit you or others around you?

3. Are you participating in God’s mission to rid the world of evil? If you aren’t, then how can you do so?