Easter: Luke’s Account

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Age Group

Youth

Brief Description

Intersection includes complete resources for teaching both younger and older youth, including learner’s materials, teaching guides, and handouts. The teaching guide is options-based, so teachers can customize sessions to match their favorite approach.

“Easter: Luke’s Account”

This unit focuses on Luke’s accounts of the final days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Luke’s Gospel is unique in that it provides details of episodes often lumped together or glossed over during a single Easter Sunday celebration. Each session emphasizes a particular occasion in Jesus’ life and ministry. This unit thoughtfully reviews the culminating events of Jesus’ earthly ministry in five weeks of exploration and discovery.

Session One helps youth discover the relationship between their own Christian beliefs and the religious practices of their Jewish friends, a relationship wonderfully illustrated in the Last Supper. In order to comprehend fully the significance of Christian Communion, it is helpful to understand the Lord’s Supper in the context from which it grew. The setting of Luke 22:7-23 places Jesus in a traditional, Jewish celebration–the Passover meal. This ancient Jewish practice gave rise to the meaningful observance of Christian Communion.

During Session Two youth are led to consider how a relationship with Christ can offer new life. In order to comprehend the celebration of Easter Sunday, one must first understand the Crucifixion, the dark side of the salvation story. Only then can one fully comprehend the good news that God loves them and that Jesus died for them. The painful mistakes and experiences of the past can be left behind for new life in Christ. Jesus shows us that no matter how desperate the situation, God is always present and cares for us.

Session Three highlights the walk to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35. In the story, youth discover that Jesus is willing to walk alongside them regardless of their particular circumstances, difficulties, and challenges. It can be profoundly moving to realize that someone truly understands their feelings, thoughts, and beliefs. As the travelers on the Emmaus road discovered, the power of an encounter with Christ can be life-changing.

In Session Four, Luke offers evidence and affirmation that Jesus was the resurrected Messiah by hinting at ways Jesus fulfilled scriptural prophecies and teachings. The disciples had heard Jesus talk about foreseen events prophesied in the Scriptures, but they still didn’t understand. So, in Luke 24:36-49, Jesus explained it again. The difference this time was their personal encounter with the resurrected Christ. Similarly, it is important for young people to experience Jesus for themselves. The best evidence to verify the truth about the Resurrection is a personal and meaningful relationship with Christ.

In Session Five, we review Luke’s two accounts of Jesus’ ascension. During each story, Jesus blessed the disciples, promised that God’s Spirit would soon follow, and then commissioned them with an important task. Notice the sequence of blessing, Spirit, and mission. Jesus’ blessing and God’s presence through the Spirit empowered the disciples for their mission of proclaiming Christ. In a similar fashion, experiencing Jesus’ blessing can empower today’s youth and provide a sense of purpose for their lives.

by Beth McConnell

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The purchaser of this file has permission to print twenty copies of this Learners Study Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.

The purchaser of this file has permission to print one copy of this Teaching Guide. Neither the file nor the printed contents may be sold, copied or transferred to another person or church. The purchaser may make a backup copy of the file.