Early on the first Easter morning nearly 2,000 years ago, Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb to finish the burial process that had been hastily done on Friday night before the sabbath began at sundown. As the new day was dawning Easter Sunday, Mary arrived and found the stone rolled away from the entrance of the tomb where Jesus’ body had been buried. As she entered the tomb an angel told her, “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here” (Mark 16:6 NIV). Jesus arose from the dead! The grave couldn’t hold him and death couldn’t defeat him. Because of his victory over sin and death, we too can be victorious through faith in our Savior. Hallelujah!

 

This week, you are invited to study some of the encounters the disciples had with the resurrected Christ during the forty days Jesus appeared to them (Acts 1:3). The accounts are recorded in the four gospels, Acts of the Apostles, as well as Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. The apostle John explained that he wrote the Gospel According to John so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31 NIV). May you continue to believe the Good News and share it with others so that they too may have life in Jesus’ name!

 

You are encouraged to state the Apostle’s Creed as a daily profession of faith this first week of the Easter season after you read scripture, then pray in response to the verses and the Creed.

 

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

creator of heaven and earth.

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.

On the third day he rose again;

he ascended into heaven,

is seated at the right hand of the Father,

and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

 

*”Catholic” means universal.

 

 

 

Read Matthew 28:1-15.

State the Apostles’ Creed as a profession of faith, then pray in response to the verses and what you believe.

 

Read Luke 24:13-35.

State the Apostles’ Creed as a profession of faith, then pray in response to the verses and the Creed.

 

 

Read John 20:19-29.

State the Apostles’ Creed as a profession of faith, then pray in response to the verses and what you believe.

 

Read Matthew 28:16-20.

State the Apostles’ Creed as a profession of faith, then pray in response to the verses and the Creed.

 

Read Mark 16:19-20.

State the Apostles’ Creed as a profession of faith, then pray in response to the verses and what you believe.

 

 

Saturday (4/10)

Read what the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

Use the Apostles’ Creed as a guide for your prayer.

 

 

*If you don’t have a Bible, consider downloading the YouVersion Bible App for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone or tablet. You can also use www.BibleGateway.com to look up and read various translations of Bible verses online on a computer.