What Jesus Left Behind: The Easter Message You’ve Never Heard
John 20:1-8
Easter isn’t just an event to attend; it's an invitation to respond. While many treat Easter as a holiday moment, Jesus’ resurrection is a call to step out of whatever holds us—guilt, fear, regret—and walk in new life. This week, we will discuss how the resurrection isn’t just something we celebrate; it’s a personal call to transformation.
1. What stood out to you most about the concept of Jesus leaving His grave clothes behind?
2. Read John 20:1-8. We see different reactions to the empty tomb. How did Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John each respond, and what do you think this reveals about their understanding at that moment?
3. Jesus left His grave clothes as an invitation for you to believe. Jesus didn’t just leave the tomb empty—He left an invitation to live free from the things that bind us: shame, fear, addiction, regret, and hopelessness. His freedom is now our freedom. Are there things in your life that have been binding you or holding you back from living in freedom?
Pastor James discussed some of the things that bind us:
Anger & Bitterness
4. Do you believe anger and bitterness can protect you from future pain? Why or why not? What’s the difference between guarding your heart and poisoning it?
5. Jesus rose with peace, not revenge. How does that challenge the way you respond to people who have wronged you? What would it look like to trust Him with your pain instead of holding on to it?
6. Bitterness doesn’t stay isolated—it spills into other parts of our lives. Can you think of an area in your life where unresolved anger might be showing up? How might God be inviting you to surrender that area?
Addiction
7. Addiction begins with the promise of relief. Have you ever believed the lie that “this helps,” only to realize it was keeping you stuck? What makes that cycle so convincing?
8. The resurrection shows us Jesus didn’t just survive—He walked out completely free. How does that reshape your view of what freedom in Christ can look like? Do you believe He can do the same for you? Why or why not?
9. You’re not just an addict trying to get free—you’re free, learning how to walk like it. What’s one step you can take this week to walk like you're already free? How can your group support you in that?
Anxiety and Fear
10. In what ways have you been “dressing for fear”—shrinking back, staying guarded, or preparing for pain before it happens? How does this mindset hold you back from the life God is calling you to?
11. The resurrection invites us to shift from “What if” to “Even if.” What does it look like to live with “even if” faith in a real situation you're facing? How can remembering that Jesus is alive change your response to fear?
12. Fear can feel like a shield, but it often becomes a prison. What are some ways fear has silenced your voice or limited your potential? What would freedom from that fear look like?
Shame & Regret
13. Can you relate to the feeling of having “stained the dress”—believing you messed up your one chance at something good? What moment in your life does that phrase bring to mind, and how has it affected how you see yourself?
14. Shame often whispers, “You had your shot, and you ruined it.” How has that voice influenced your identity, your faith, or your relationships? What lies has shame tried to convince you are true?
15. The Bible tells us that the Accuser reminds us of our failures “day and night.” How does the truth of the empty tomb silence those accusations in your life? What changes when you believe Jesus really did leave your shame buried?
16. Jesus says you are forgiven, covered, and clean. What would it look like to start living from that truth instead of your regrets? What step could you take this week to walk in freedom instead of shame?
Depression & Hopelessness
17. What lies have you believed when depression or hopelessness settled in—about God, your future, or yourself? How do those lies differ from what the resurrection of Jesus says about your story?
18. Pastor James said, “You’ve made peace with the prison.” What “prison” in your life have you accepted instead of fighting to be free?
19. “Hope is not a feeling—it’s a Person. And that Person is alive.” What does it mean to anchor your hope in Jesus rather than in emotions or circumstances?
20. Read Romans 8:11, "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you." Reflect on how this verse applies to your life.