PASSAGE GUIDE

On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus gathered his disciples and told them not to let their hearts be troubled. He had just revealed that betrayal, denial, and suffering were imminent—but his focus was not on the darkness ahead, but on giving his disciples a lasting hope. “Believe in God,” he said, “believe also in me.” This Easter, we remember that Jesus’ invitation to trust wasn’t rooted in an escape from pain or a promise of comfort, but in the certainty of what he accomplishes. He would go to the cross, but he would rise again. He secures something eternal: a place of abiding life in the presence of God.

When Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you,” he wasn’t talking about building homes in a distant heaven. He was speaking of what he would accomplish through the cross and the empty tomb. The “place” Jesus prepares is a restored relationship with the Father—an invitation to dwell where he dwells, to share in the life he shares with the Father. The resurrection is what makes this possible. Without it, sin would still separate us, and death would still reign. But because Jesus rose, the way is open. Easter declares that we can now live in the presence of God—not later, but now—because Jesus has conquered death and invited us into abiding life.

This is the heart of Jesus’ promise: not simply a future hope, but a present reality. He tells his disciples that he will come again and take them to himself, that they may be where he is. And though this has a future fulfillment when Christ returns, its first fulfillment is in the resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit. Because Jesus lives, he comes to dwell in us, making his home in us. This is the abiding life—intimate, unshakable union with God through the risen Christ. Easter is not just the celebration of a past event—it is the celebration of a present reality: Christ alive in us, here and now.

When Thomas asked, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, how can we know the way?” Jesus answered with words that echo through the centuries and ring loud on Easter morning: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is not one option among many—he is the way because he went through death and came out the other side victorious. He is the truth because his resurrection confirms everything he said about who he is. He is the life because in him is eternal life, not just after we die, but beginning now. On Easter, we don’t just celebrate that Jesus made a way—we celebrate that he is the way, and that way is open today.

So, what does Easter mean for us? It means we are not alone. It means we are not stuck in sin or lost in confusion. It means that even in a world of suffering, grief, and uncertainty, there is a way to peace, a way to the Father—and that way is Jesus. Through his death and resurrection, he invites us to abide with him, to live in him, and to receive his life. Eternal life is not just something we look forward to—it is something we live in now. Because he lives, we live. That’s the joy of Easter: the risen Jesus is not only our Savior—he is our home.

PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. What is the big idea or key question from the sermon?
2. What is the Holy Spirit showing you about Jesus as your Way, Truth, and Life?
3. What specific step can you take this week to rest in the hope Jesus promises?

*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace, passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.

SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMUNITY GROUP QUESTIONS                  

Remember, these are “suggested” questions. You do not have to go through every single one of them. No matter which campus you attend, these questions will help you open up a discussion in your group. 

Opening Prayer: Thank Jesus for being our risen Savior and returning King. Ask the Spirit to reveal areas in our hearts where we need to surrender fear and lean into the hope He brings.

Read the Passage: Take time to read John 14:1-7.

Discuss:

1. What stood out to you from this passage or the sermon?
2. Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” In what areas of life do you need that peace right now?
3. What does Jesus mean when He says He is the “way, the truth, and the life”?
4. How does Jesus’ resurrection impact your understanding of eternal life as something we experience now, not just after death?
5. How would your life change if you truly believed that abiding life with the Father is available now through Jesus, not just in the future?
6. Thomas asks an honest question, and Jesus answers with grace. What does that teach us about bringing our doubts to Jesus?
7. How does this passage and the resurrection form the foundation for a life in the Spirit? 
8. How does Easter affirm and amplify Jesus’s promise in this passage?
9. What does it look like to follow Jesus as “the way” in your everyday life?
10. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear that there is a way, and it’s found in Jesus? How might you share that this week?

Closing Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our Way, our Truth, and our Life. We praise You for the hope of the resurrection and the promise that You are preparing a place for us. Holy Spirit, help us live in that hope this week. Calm our troubled hearts, strengthen our trust, and guide us to reflect Your love in all we do.

Practical Application: 

• Life in Community: Share how you came into a personal relationship with Jesus with someone that you know and love, but has not heard the story yet. 
• Life on Mission: Who is someone that you know who does not normally go to church but went on Easter? Ask the Spirit to show you how you can continue to walk with them as God calls them to himself.