Fixing Our Eyes (Part 1): First, Easter

TO START

Begin by sharing how you celebrated Easter this year. What did you miss? Where were you delightfully surprised?

Since Easter is a day to celebrate resurrection and new life, take a moment to share any resurrections or beginnings you’re experiencing right now. 

TO DISCUSS

When times get hard or scary, where do you find yourself looking? (the news, distractions like Netflix, conspiracy theories, friendship, etc.) What do you focus on as a way of steadying yourself (Jesus is a good answer. What’s another answer for you?)

  • What have you found to be unreliable sources of steadiness?

What does it mean to “fix your eyes on Jesus”? Be specific and practical. Why do you think it might help in a time like this? 

Have you ever fixed your eyes on Jesus intentionally in the middle of chaos or hardship? What did that look like? What disciplines, habits, or practices might help us focus on Jesus?

TO READ

First, let’s read Hebrews 12:1-3. Now read Andrew Peterson’s paraphrase of that same passage:

Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

  • What sticks out to you in this passage? What’s interesting? What rings true? What’s encouraging? What’s confusing or hard to understand?

  • What do you need to do more (or less) of as you strive to persevere in hard times?

TO PRAY

Tonight we’ll do a simple prayer with our eyes open. In an effort to fix our eyes on Jesus, let’s look at Him and see what we see. Have each member answer the following prompt with one word: Jesus, you are _____________. If you want to you can have members explain why they picked their words. 

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