Raised to New Life

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Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You rose from the dead.
Strengthen our faith in the resurrection.
Help us trust in Your promise
of new and eternal life.
Amen.

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Part One

Jesus Rose

On the third day after His death,
Jesus rose from the tomb.

The stone was rolled away.
The tomb was empty.

He appeared to His disciples.

He ate with them.
He spoke with them.
He showed them His wounds.

The Bible says:

“He is risen, he is not here.”

The Resurrection was not an idea.

It was real.

Jesus truly rose.

And His Resurrection
is the promise of ours.

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Scripture

“He is risen, he is not here.”
(Mark 16:6)

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Think and Discuss

Why is the Resurrection important?

What does it show about Jesus?

Why would God raise the body, not only the soul?

How does this change the way we see life and death?

Allow thoughtful answers.

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Part Two

Body and Soul

We are not souls trapped in bodies.

God created us as body and soul together.

When someone dies,
the soul lives on.

But that is not the final state.

At the end of time,
God will raise the body.

We say in the Creed:

“I believe in the resurrection of the body.”

Just as Christ rose gloriously,
so those who belong to Him
will be raised.

We do not know exactly
what the risen body will be like.

But Scripture tells us:

“It is sown a natural body,
it shall rise a spiritual body.”

This means:

Our risen body will be transformed.
Free from suffering.
Free from weakness.
Filled with glory.

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Guidance for Adults

Present resurrection as joyful completion, not strange speculation.
Keep explanations clear and grounded in Christ’s Resurrection.

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Part Three

Hope That Changes Us

The Resurrection teaches us
that death is not the end.

It is a passage.

Because Christ has conquered death,
we do not face it alone.

The resurrection of the body
shows how much God values creation.

He does not throw it away.

He redeems it.

This truth shapes how we live:

We respect our bodies.
We treat others with dignity.
We care for the sick.
We honour the dead.

The Christian hope
is not escape from the world.

It is renewal.

A new heaven and a new earth.

The Resurrection tells us:

Evil will not win.
Death will not win.
God’s love will prevail.

When we say,
“Christ is risen,”
we are also saying
that life has the final word.

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Quiet Reflection

Sit quietly for a moment.

Imagine the empty tomb.

Now say quietly:

“Lord, I believe.”

Remain in silence together.

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Practise This Week

Choose one:

• Reflect on the Resurrection during prayer.
• Visit a church and thank Christ for victory over death.
• Show respect for your body and others’.
• Pray for someone who is grieving.

Choose one and keep it steady.

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Optional Response

Choose one:

Memory
Repeat slowly:
“He is risen.”
Say it three times thoughtfully.

Action
Stand upright and say:
“Christ has conquered death.”

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Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You are risen and alive.
Strengthen our hope in the resurrection.
Help us live in confidence
that death is not the end.
Amen.