Experiencing the Cross Study Guide


Book Description

Dare to Go There Although the cross is God’s decisive deed in human history, the full meaning of it is far too much for a mere human mind to grasp. But through Henry Blackaby’s careful examination, the cross becomes not a doctrine, but an experience. You’ll be overwhelmed with the utter significance of Christ’s death, leading you to a stronger sense of God’s power in your daily life. Steeped in the Blackaby distinctive of constant encouragement toward your personal experience of God, and firmly rooted in Scripture, this study guide makes it impossible to keep a casual attitude toward sin. Practice surrendering to the deeper dimensions of the cross, so that nothing can block the Lord’s presence and power in your life! “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27 Are you ready to destroy a casual attitude toward sin? To eliminate every barrier blocking the Lord’s presence and power in your life? Then you are ready to make the cross your own. This eight-week Bible study companion to Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing the Cross provides the practical tools you need to: LESSON 1 Grasp the graveness of sin LESSON 2 Comprehend Christ’s blood sacrifice LESSON 3 Grow in gratitude for the One who died your deserved death LESSON 4 Exchange your sin for Christ’s righteousness LESSON 5 Tap into God’s unlimited resources, blessings, and power LESSON 6 Submit to God’s sanctifying work in your life LESSON 7 Become alive to righteousness LESSON 8 Share the message of the cross with others The One who called you to this journey promises to be with you every step of the way. Go boldly forward to experience His blessings as they’ve never been seen, heard, or felt before. Receive the reality. Discover the power. Live the experience. For individual or group use. Leader’s guide included. Story Behind the Book “Our whole identity with Christ is found in the cross. It was there that God dealt totally with sin. And it is there that God intends us to be united with Christ in His death so that we would forever hate sin, abhor sin, and forsake sin. In our intimate relationship with Christ and His crucifixion, God intends for us to obtain His perspective on sin—to feel its horrors, as Christ does, and then to let God put sin to death in our lives—as He did in the crucifixion of His Son. The victory accomplished through Christ’s death and resurrection is the very same victory we can experience daily in our lives!” —Henry Blackaby




Experiencing Prayer with Jesus


Book Description

Walk His steps, pray His way, and move beyond rituals to discover newe intimacy with Jesus. Henry and Norman Blackaby’s thorough study of Jesus’ prayer life reveals astounding truths about God’s intent for prayer. By the time you turn the last page of this 2006 National Day of Prayer book, your old notions will be replaced by the reality of Jesus’ example. You’ll experience the power of heaven and earth being joined together as the King of all creation lays His heart over yours. Your will becomes aligned with His. Discover freedom from methods and formulas, the beauty of a gentle step-by-step reformation process, and let God unfold His mighty purposes for you. “in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears… was heard because of His godly fear.” Hebrews 5:7 The One who loved you to His death continues to pursue you. He will humbly lay His heart over yours. Heaven and earth will agree. The supernatural will powerfully unfold. And you will be changed forever.




Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter


Book Description

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross: Experiencing the Passion and Power of Easter From architecture to jewelry, the symbol of the cross is commonplace in our society. But how many of us truly appreciate the depth of meaning behind it? This collection of readings edited by Nancy Guthrie draws from the writings and sermons of twenty-five classic and contemporary theologians such as Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, John Piper, and Joni Eareckson Tada, inviting us to focus on the wonder of Christ's sacrifice.




The Cross


Book Description

John Stott presents Bible studies based on his book The Cross of Christ on the meaning and purpose of the cross in our lives. These thirteen-session LifeGuide® Bible Study provide the ever-increasing understanding of the cross needed by every believer.




Witness at the Cross


Book Description

Place yourself as a witness of the cross and determine what your own testimony will be! Experience Holy Friday from the perspective of those who watched Jesus die: Mary his mother; the Beloved Disciple from the Gospel of John; Mary Magdalene and the other women from Galilee; the two men, usually identified as thieves, crucified with Jesus; the centurion and the soldiers; Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Jews and Romans, friends and strangers, the powerful and the powerless, the hopeful and the despairing. The story of Jesus’s death is not something we just read: we think about it, and we experience it; we hear the taunts of the soldiers, the priests, and the passersby even as we hear the famous “seven last words” from the cross. In Witness at the Cross, Amy-Jill Levine shows how the people at the cross each have distinct roles to play. Each Evangelist presents a distinct picture of the death of Jesus. Each portrays different individuals and groups of people at the cross, each offers different images and dialogues, and so from each, we learn how those meanings and messages cross the centuries to any who would come to the cross today. Each Gospel has its own story to tell, all the witnesses have their own memories, and every reader comes away with a new insight. The witnesses at the Crucifixion watch Jesus die, and we watch with them, and we watch them. And we come away transformed. Additional components are available for a six-week study include a DVD featuring Dr. Levine and a comprehensive Leader Guide.




The Cross and the Lynching Tree


Book Description

A landmark in the conversation about race and religion in America. "They put him to death by hanging him on a tree." Acts 10:39 The cross and the lynching tree are the two most emotionally charged symbols in the history of the African American community. In this powerful new work, theologian James H. Cone explores these symbols and their interconnection in the history and souls of black folk. Both the cross and the lynching tree represent the worst in human beings and at the same time a thirst for life that refuses to let the worst determine our final meaning. While the lynching tree symbolized white power and "black death," the cross symbolizes divine power and "black life" God overcoming the power of sin and death. For African Americans, the image of Jesus, hung on a tree to die, powerfully grounded their faith that God was with them, even in the suffering of the lynching era. In a work that spans social history, theology, and cultural studies, Cone explores the message of the spirituals and the power of the blues; the passion and of Emmet Till and the engaged vision of Martin Luther King, Jr.; he invokes the spirits of Billie Holliday and Langston Hughes, Fannie Lou Hamer and Ida B. Well, and the witness of black artists, writers, preachers, and fighters for justice. And he remembers the victims, especially the 5,000 who perished during the lynching period. Through their witness he contemplates the greatest challenge of any Christian theology to explain how life can be made meaningful in the face of death and injustice.




Making Sense of the Cross


Book Description




On the Road to the Cross Leader Guide


Book Description

The Easter drama plays out on history’s stage with magnificent and larger-than-life characters. Yet some of the most important lessons of Easter come from those whose names you may not recognize: Simon the Leper, Malchus, the Centurion at the cross, Cleopas, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, Barabbas, Simon of Cyrene, and Mary Magdalene offer a unique perspective on one of the greatest events in human history. And yet their stories are often overlooked. On the Road to the Cross allows you to experience Easter through the eyes of the everyday people who witnessed the triumphal entry, saw Jesus drag his cross to Calvary, and cried through Christ’s last words. Each new perspective opens the door to a fresh consideration of Easter and its impact on their lives and ours. Designed to guide Bible study groups and discipleship classes through the book, this companion leader guide to On the Road to the Cross offers session outlines, discussion points and questions, activities, prayers, and leader helps for facilitating a group.




Experiencing the Passion of Jesus


Book Description

Designed for small groups, Christian education, and one-on-one meetings, this study guide helps readers discuss the inspiring movie about the Passion of Christ. issues and challenging questions. Here's a provocative guide designed to help you explore: * Who Killed Jesus? * What Crime Did Jesus Commit? * Did It Really Happen Like That? * Why Did Jesus Suffer and Die? * What Did the Resurrection Accomplish? * How Is This Story Relevant to Me? between, this book will engage you and your friends in dynamic, life-changing discussions. experience how the passion of Jesus can transform your life and your future.




Experiencing the Resurrection Study Guide


Book Description

The study guide that will help you experience the powerful reality of Christ’s resurrection. Moment by moment, day by day. What does the resurrection of Christ really mean for us? What does it reveal about the heart and mind of God? And what real differences can the miracle of the resurrection make in your life today? Discover answers to those and other questions as you examine God’s Word with this companion study guide to the book Experiencing the Resurrection by Henry Blackaby and Melvin Blackaby. Packed with practical notes, advice, and questions for reflection, this highly interactive guide—ideal for small group or individual use—shows you how to witness Christ’s resurrection in and through your life. Each chapter of the book is explored in a flexible one-week format with “life change objectives” that arise from applying the truth for each day to your life.