"Do not go gentle into that good night," wrote Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Ever since the Garden curse, humans have feared Death and have worked endlessly to cheat it and ignore it - to no avail. You may be surprised to find out how much the fear of Death affects our everyday life. This Sunday we begin a new series aimed at preparing us for Good Friday called “What About the Cross?” We are going to be exploring how Jesus did far more on that dark Friday than just secure a means for forgiveness. We begin with “The Curse of Death.”
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MESSAGE STUDY NOTES (also as PDF download above)
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WARM UP
What do you think about people who enjoy wandering in graveyards?
READ
Galatians 3:10-13; Mark 15:31; Hebrews 2:14-15
TAKEAWAY
1. The cross frees us from the curse of Death
2. The cross frees us from the fear of Death
“Symbolic Immortality Projects”
- having or adopting children
- obsessing about health (food, exercise, activities)
- ancestor worship (in hopes of being remembered)
- genealogy research (connect to lasting dynasty, fame)
- invention
- being a hero
- being an activist
- making a personal difference to someone
- becoming a celebrity/fan
- romance
- victimhood
- infamy
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1. What are some ways you have seen people try to deal with the fact of their own death?
2. Being free of the curse and fear of Death, what are some of the specific things from which the cross sets you free?
APPLICATION
How well do you think most Christians do in living in this cross-given freedom? Why?
FOR MENTORING
What is your current attitude about your own death, really? Why?
