When we focus on the final week in the life of Jesus, we see the undeniable love He has for us! In this 4-part Easter study, you will walk through the days leading up to the Resurrection of Christ and discover amazing truths about Christ’s love for us. Joyce Meyer Ministries
Day 1
Scriptures: John 15:4-5, Luke 22, John 13:23
Leaning on God
As we look forward to the Easter holiday, it’s beneficial for us to focus on what took place over the days leading up to the Resurrection. In Luke chapter 22, Jesus was having what is commonly called the Last Supper with His disciples. The Bible says that one of His disciples whom He loved was leaning on His chest, describing a closeness between the two (see John 13:23 AMP).
We can have the same closeness with Jesus. In fact, John 15:4 says that we should “abide” in Him. To abide in Christ means we “live, dwell and remain” with Him—we spend time with Him in His Word and in prayer, living in His presence—because every day we need fresh strength from Him.
It’s important for us to realize that we can do nothing apart from Him. We may try to be self-sufficient, but we need to let God supply the grace and ability to do what we need to do.
Too many times, we see what’s wrong with ourselves and try to fix it through our own strength. Or we try to change our spouse, our family, our friends, or our circumstances. But having a personal relationship with Christ means we can completely depend on Him—taking all the weight off of ourselves and putting it all on Him.
It can be as simple as saying, “God, I need You. I am nothing without You, and I can do nothing without You.” These are powerful confessions because nothing is impossible for God.
PRAYER:
Father, I can’t do anything apart from You. I lift my life, my plans, and all my questions to You. Help me to lean on You and trust in Your power, wisdom, and goodness. In Jesus’s Name, amen.
Day 2
Scriptures: Luke 23:33-34, Romans 5:8, John 3:16, Luke 6:27-28, Matthew 18:22
The Power of Forgiveness
Jesus forgave all of our sins when He died on the cross. Even as He was hanging there,
He was forgiving. And because He loved us so much, Jesus willingly gave Himself, so we could experience forgiveness and have a personal relationship with God if we believe (see Romans 5:8 and John 3:16).
Forgiving others can be difficult, especially when we’ve been seriously hurt by those who are close to us. But with God’s help, we can choose to obey His Word and forgive rather than follow our feelings. Jesus was tormented—mocked, beaten and betrayed—yet through it all He was still able to forgive because of His love for us.
Jesus’s own disciple Judas betrayed Him, and His disciple and close friend Peter denied Him. He also endured other forms of rejection and pain and was no stranger to suffering. Yet in Luke 6:27-28 (ESV), He said, “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”
When someone hurts us, we can follow Jesus’s example of forgiveness as His Spirit enables us to love and forgive the way He does. If we trust God and choose to forgive, He will take care of the rest. Even when it’s hard, everything God asks us to do is ultimately for our good.
When Peter asked Him how often he needed to forgive those who had wronged him, thinking seven times would be enough, Jesus answered, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times”(Matthew 18:22 ESV). This means it’s something we should do as many times as people need it.
The truth is, when we forgive, we’re actually doing ourselves a favor. When we decide to forgive and pray for God to bless our enemies and love them like Jesus loves them, God is faithful and He will change our heart as we keep doing what’s right according to His Word.
Prayer:
Thank You, Father, for Your mercy and forgiveness. Help me, in turn, to forgive those who have hurt me and to release any bitterness and resentment that I might be holding on to. In Jesus’s Name, amen.
Day 3
Scriptures: Proverbs 3:5-6, Matthew 17:22-23
You Can Trust God
The days between the death of Jesus and His resurrection must have been some of the most uncertain days for His disciples. Matthew 17:22-23 says that the disciples were filled with grief just hearing Jesus talk about his crucifixion.
There are times in our own lives when we feel uncertain or fearful, and that’s actually when we need to trust God and His timing the most. But it’s hard for us to remember that His timing is perfect and it rarely matches ours.
God sees and understands what we do not. We have a choice. We can “rely on our own insight and understanding”—endlessly thinking about our problems, trying to figure everything out ourselves—or we can believe God has a plan and will work it out.
Without trusting God, we will always be striving to “make things happen” in our own strength. We must remember God not only has a plan for our lives, but He also knows the perfect timing for each aspect of it.
God is working—often in ways we cannot see—to bring His plans to pass in our lives in the best possible ways. Once we’ve asked God to help us, our part is to let Him speak to our heart through prayer and reading His Word. Then we can make decisions based on what He’s leading us to do, not just what we want, think or feel.
No matter what you do—no matter what you see or don’t see—always remember that God is with you. In all your ways, submit to Him, and He’ll make your paths straight (see Proverbs 3:6).
Prayer:
Father, I know that Your timing is perfect, even when I don’t understand everything that’s going on or how things will work out. Help me to patiently wait on You and learn to enjoy each and every moment of my life, knowing that You are in complete control. In Jesus’s Name, amen.
Day 4
Scriptures: Matthew 28:1-7, Romans 5:17, Psalms 100:5, Ephesians 2:4-5, Luke 18:27
Second Chances
The miraculous lesson of Easter is this: Through Jesus Christ’s death on the Cross and Resurrection, we have been granted a second chance. We have permission to leave our old lives behind and focus on the new day, with all its potential for joy and choices that honor God.
Our God is the God of “do-overs,” second chances, fresh starts and new beginnings. And He doesn’t have any limit on how many you can have. But sometimes, we lose sight of what God can do because of something in the past. We’re stuck, unable to move forward with the wonderful plans He so desperately wants to reveal to us.
Because Jesus lives, we can have a new attitude toward ourselves. We can live amazed by His great love for us—that even when we’re at our worst, He still chose to die for us so we could be made right with Him (see Romans 5:17). Let that sink in for a moment. Jesus died for our sins and is alive today to help us grow closer to Him and be changed by His Word and His Spirit.
Do you need a second chance? Ask God for one…or a third chance, fourth or fifth—whatever you need. God is full of mercy and is longsuffering. His loving kindness never fails or comes to an end (see Psalm 100:5 AMP).
You Can Begin Again
God is a God of new beginnings and fresh starts!
KEY SCRIPTURE:
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions…(Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV).
QUOTE FROM JOYCE:
“You cannot do anything about what is behind you, but you can do a great deal about what lies ahead of you.” —Joyce
TAKE ACTION:
Luke 18:27 (NIV) says, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” Think of an area in your life right now where you need a second chance—a “do-over.” Then take some time to write down some of your favorite scriptures that remind you of God’s mercy and love for you. Ask God to speak to your heart and build your faith as you study. Then, grab a journal and write down the ways you see God working in your life.
PRAYER:
God, I know it doesn’t do me any good to hang on to my mistakes when You lovingly stand before me with a fresh chance, so I let go of all the wrongs I’ve done. Take my sins and make me clean. I give it all to You, excited to see the beauty that You will bring from them. In Jesus’s Name, amen.
It’s time to experience Christ’s love and embrace a brand-new beginning in Him.
Come home today.