Crossroads Church

Crossroads Church


Easter with Crossroads :: Lost in Loneliness and Found by Love | Ryan Howell :: April 9, 2023

April 10, 2023

Easter with Crossroads is Where Love Includes Everyone

__


What’s the Issue Anyway?

“Isolation is being by yourself. ________________ is not liking it.” Loneliness is an ______________.

Loneliness is a __________.

Loneliness leads to feelings of ________________.


What Wisdom does the Resurrection story of John offer our loneliness?

The Living Christ found and included Mary in the loneliness of her ____________. (John 20:13-16)

The Living Christ found and included the disciples in the loneliness of their ____________. (John 20:19)

The Living Christ found and included Thomas in the loneliness of his ____________. (John 20:26-27)

The Living Christ found and included Peter in the loneliness of his ____________. (John 21:19)


Don’t Miss This!

The Living Christ finds and includes everyone: ______ ____________ __________.


How can I live this in my everyday, normal life?

If you are lonely and feeling lost, open your heart to the ____________ ____________ that sees you and includes you.

If you are feeling spiritually disconnected, dissatisfied or deconstructing explore faith with a ____________ ________________.

If you are following the ________________ path of Jesus, live a life of grace and inclusion.


How does this make me a better person and the world a better place?

____________ flourishes when love includes everyone.

________________ heals our wounds when love includes everyone.


What is God inviting you into today?

  1. Explore faith from a fresh perspective by participating in the series starting next week.
  2. Send me information about joining a Fresh Perspective Conversation group.
  3. I would like to meet with a care minister about my loneliness and how participating in the Crossroads community might help.


Thought provoking questions:

  1. Think of a time in your life when you felt the sting of loneliness or lostness. What were some contributing factors to those feelings? If you found your way through them, what helped?
  2. John 20-21 tells stories of the Living Christ finding people in their loneliness. Do one of those people and their feelings (grief, doubt, fear or defeat) resonate with you more than another?
  3. Have you ever had a spiritual experience where you felt divine love wash over you and remind you that you are included? If so, describe that experience and what it has meant to you.
  4. The vison of the historical Jesus and the encounters with the Living Christ are ultimately about a vision of God that loves everyone and includes everyone in the mission to love radically. Who is someone you could intentionally love and include this week? What will you do to love and include them? When will you do it?
  5. How can you include someone with the goal of understanding them better?
  6. Is there a context in your life (school, work, home, etc.) that you feel a lack of peace? How might finding and including people bring peace to that context?