God 3:16 – Part 1: Easter
John 20:1-10, 24-29
Series Memory Verse: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (p.811)
- God Is Love.
1. Recognize God’s Universal Love
“No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39 (p.863)
2. Accept God’s Unmerited Love
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 (p.860)
3. Trust in God’s Unconditional Love
“This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4 (p.910)
My Next Step This Week:
_____ I will pray John 3:16 each morning and make it personal: “For this is how God loved (your name): He gave his one and only Son, so that if (your name) believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION
One Thing: God Is Love.
Memory Verse: John 3:16 (p.811)
Bible Background: The Resurrection John 20:1-10, 24-29
CONVERSATION STARTER
// Share a moment or something you love so deeply that you would give up everything for it.
WEEKEND REVIEW
// Was there anything that stood out to you or maybe confused you?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
// Read Romans 5:8 (p.860).
- How do our past experiences and doubts affect our perception of God’s love?
- What are some things that hold you back from accepting God’s unconditional love?
// Read Romans 8:31-39 (p.863).
- What stands out to you, personally, from this verse about God’s love for you?
- What does it mean for you that nothing can separate us from God’s love? How does understanding this truth make a difference in your life?
// Read Lamentations 3:22-23 (p.624).
- Considering God’s mercies are new every morning, how can this assure you of His ongoing love and commitment towards you?
- Share a time when you experienced God’s enduring love and mercy in a tangible way.
// Read John 20:24-29 (p.828).
- How does Jesus’ response to Thomas’s doubts showcase the depth and understanding nature of God’s love toward our own uncertainties and skepticism?
- Considering Jesus invited Thomas to touch His wounds as proof of His resurrection, what does this tell us about the tangible aspects of God’s love and His desire for us to believe?
// Read 1 John 4:16 (p.943).
- Think about who your “one” is – that one person who does not know Jesus that you’re investing in and showing them the love of God.
- How does realizing that God’s abiding love lives in you transform your approach to your “one”?
NEXT STEP
My Next Step This Week:
_____ I will pray John 3:16 each morning and make it personal: “For this is how God loved (your name): He gave his one and only Son, so that if (your name) believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
DIGGING DEEPER
Read these verses about God’s love to better understand how unending, unmerited, and unconditional His love is for you:
Psalm 36:5-12 (p.429) Ephesians 2:1-10 (p.895) Isaiah 54:9-10 (p.560)
John 15:9–13 (p.824) Galatians 2:17-21 (p.891)