Unraveled – Easter
April 20, 2025
Description:
This Easter message, Unraveled, contrasts the darkness of Saturday, marked by defeat, doubt, and death, with the victory of Sunday, where the empty tomb reveals that Jesus is alive and sin is undone. Through John 20:1–9 and the imagery of a knotted rope, the sermon shows how many of us feel tangled by regret, sin, or fear, but Jesus alone has the power to unravel what binds us and lead us into freedom. With the powerful testimony of the Gray family and a challenge to live for eternity, the message declares that when Jesus unravels your past, freedom becomes your future.
Small Group Study Guide
Ice Breaker Questions
Give everyone a chance to share—go around the circle.
- What’s the most frustrating knot you’ve ever had to untangle?
- Have you ever tried to fix something that only got worse the more you pulled at it?
- Share one thing that has recently felt “knotted up” in your life (emotionally, spiritually, or practically).
Read Together – John 20:1-9 & Romans 6:23
Optional readers: assign verses to different people.
Group Discussion Questions
Reflecting on the Resurrection:
- What stood out to you from John 20:1–9?
- Why do you think the sight of the grave clothes made John believe?
- What does the empty tomb prove about who Jesus is?
Unraveling Doubt & Sin:
4. Bryan said, “When Jesus unravels your past, freedom becomes your future.” What does that mean to you?
5. Are there areas of doubt, regret, or sin that still feel knotted up in your life?
6. What keeps people from believing the resurrection is real? What helps you believe?
The Rope and the Tape:
7. The illustration showed our life as a small piece of tape on a long rope representing eternity. How does that perspective challenge your priorities?
8. Are you living more for the “tape” (this life) or the “timeline” (eternity)?
9. How can we encourage each other to focus on what matters most?
Action Steps
- Identify Your Knots – Write down one area of your life where you feel stuck, tangled, or defeated. Ask Jesus to begin unraveling it.
- Take the Red Letter Challenge – Read just the words of Jesus this week (start with the Gospel of John). Let His words speak to your heart.
- Share Your Story – Like Michael Gray, consider how your story might help someone else believe. Who can you start praying for today?
- Live Beyond the Tape – Make one intentional choice this week that reflects eternity over temporary comfort (i.e., serving, forgiving, sharing your faith, giving generously).
- Consider Baptism – If you’ve never publicly declared your faith in Jesus, talk with your group leader about taking that next step.
Prayer:
Jesus,
Thank You for the empty tomb. Thank You for unraveling sin, shame, doubt, and fear with Your resurrection. We confess the knots in our hearts—our regrets, our mistakes, our pride—and we ask You to gently untangle them with Your grace. Help us live with eternity in mind, and not just for the tape. Strengthen our faith like You did for John when he saw the grave clothes. Use our stories, like the Gray family’s, to bring others to You. May this Easter not just be a celebration of what You did—but a transformation in what You’re doing in us now.
In Your name, Amen.
Unraveled
April 13, 2025
Description:
This sermon powerfully invites us to walk the path from Palm Sunday to Good Friday with open hearts and honest reflection. Caught between celebration and sorrow, we are reminded that Jesus’ journey was not a mistake or a misstep, but a deliberate act of love—a chosen path of humility, sacrifice, and redemption. The crowds shouted “Hosanna” in hope, yet missed the deeper salvation Jesus came to bring. As we move from the appearance of power to the weight of sin and finally to the cross, we see how Jesus unravels not just the expectations of a nation, but the pride, self-reliance, and false glory within our hearts. This is not just a story of a King—it is the story of the King, who traded a throne for a cross so that we might truly live.
Small Group Study Guide
Ice Breaker Questions
- If you were in a parade and could ride in on anything except a donkey, what would you ride and why? (Don’t say a Donkey)
- What’s something in life that often leaves you feeling confused or uncertain?
- If you could have perfect directions to one thing in life, what would it be?
Read Together – Matthew 21:1-9 (NLT)
Optional readers: assign verses to different people.
Key Recap (Leader Summary)
- Jesus Approaches Jerusalem (v.1)
- The Donkey & Colt (vv.2–3)
- Prophecy Fulfilled (v.4–5)
- Jesus Rides Into the City (v.7)
- Crowd Honors Jesus (v.8)
- Shouts of “Hosanna” (v.9)
Group Discussion Questions
- Why do you think Jesus chose to ride a donkey instead of a horse? (What message was He sending, and how does it contrast with what the crowd may have expected?)
- What does the crowd’s response—laying cloaks, waving branches, shouting “Hosanna”—tell us about their expectations of Jesus? (What kind of king were they hoping for?)
Read Together – Matthew 27:27-30
- Jesus was humiliated and mocked, even though He was innocent. Have you ever been misunderstood or treated unfairly for doing the right thing? How did you respond?
- This moment flips the world’s view of power and glory. What are some ways you’ve seen yourself or others chase after the world’s version of “glory” (success, fame, status)? How does Jesus challenge that view?
Action Steps
- Practice Humble Leadership This Week. Look for a way to serve someone quietly and without recognition, just as Jesus entered on a donkey rather than a throne. Example: Help a coworker behind the scenes, do a chore at home without announcing it, or show up for someone without needing a “thank you.”
- Lay Something Down Before Jesus. The crowd laid down cloaks and branches—symbols of honor and surrender. Reflect and journal: What’s something I’m still holding onto (pride, control, fear, expectations) that I need to lay down before Jesus? Then, intentionally give it over to Him in prayer or confession.
- Choose Reverence Over Routine. The soldiers mocked Jesus by pretending to honor Him. Ask yourself: Is there any part of my faith that has become performative? This week, take a spiritual practice you usually do out of habit, like prayer or worship, and slow down. Make it intentional, real, and reverent.
- Confront False Ideas of Glory. Take stock of what kind of “glory” or success you’ve been chasing. Write down: What kind of recognition or approval am I tempted to seek from others? Then ask: What would it look like to let go of that and pursue humility instead?
Prayer:
Jesus,
Thank You for being the kind of King who came in humility, not with force. You entered the city not to take power, but to give Your life. You chose the path of love over dominance, the cross over comfort. Lord, we confess the pride in our hearts—the parts of us that still chase after the world’s idea of success, the parts that struggle to lay it all down before You. We don’t want to be like the crowd that only praises You when things look victorious. We want to follow You even when the road leads to the cross. Help us to surrender the cloaks of control, the branches of expectation, and the crowns we’ve made for ourselves. Teach us to worship You not just with words, but with our lives.
As we go from here, let the image of You riding a donkey and wearing a crown of thorns remind us: True power is found in humility. True glory is found in sacrifice. May we live this week in light of Your love—boldly, humbly, and with hearts fully surrendered. In Your holy name, Jesus, Amen.