He Is Risen: Living Hope and New Life

Devotional

Day 1: The Reality of a Living Hope

The resurrection of Jesus transformed the disciples' despair into a vibrant, living hope. This hope is not a distant, abstract concept but a present and active reality for all who believe. It is not based on our circumstances or feelings but on the historical fact of the empty tomb. This living hope is eternal, without an expiration date, and it is available to everyone. It is the foundation upon which we build our lives, a hope that lives and grows more abundant each day. [22:24]

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3 NIV)

Reflection: In what area of your current circumstances are you most tempted to live as if the tomb is still full, rather than embracing the reality of the living hope you have in Christ?

Day 2: The Lavish Goodness of God Revealed

The resurrection is the ultimate demonstration of God's profound goodness. His goodness is not a simple platitude but a tangible truth woven into every aspect of our existence, from the breath in our lungs to our eternal salvation. It is a goodness that is lavished upon us freely, not because of our merit, but because of His character. The cross and the empty tomb stand as the greatest, most common evidence of His goodness on every believer's list. Taking time to recognize this goodness changes our perspective and fuels our worship. [25:20]

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10 NIV)

Reflection: If you were to write a list of God's personal goodness to you, what specific moments of rescue, provision, or presence from this past year would be at the top?

Day 3: Salvation is a Gift, Not a Reward

Our right standing with God is not something we can achieve through our own effort or moral perfection. It is entirely a gift, granted by God's grace and received through faith in Jesus Christ. The pressure to perform or to have our lives completely together is removed by the finished work of the cross. This truth liberates us from boasting and allows us to rest in what Christ has accomplished for us. We are saved because of who He is and what He has done, not because of who we are. [27:04]

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)

Reflection: Where do you most often struggle with trying to earn God's favor, and how can you actively practice receiving His grace as a gift this week?

Day 4: Covered by the Blood of the Lamb

Jesus is the ultimate Passover Lamb, whose blood covers and protects us from judgment. This ancient imagery finds its complete fulfillment in Christ's sacrifice on the cross. His blood cleanses our conscience and sets us free from the power of sin, enabling us to serve the living God. What might sound strange to the world is the most precious truth to the believer—that we are redeemed and ransomed by the blood of Jesus. [28:48]

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Hebrews 9:14 NIV)

Reflection: What does it mean for you personally to know that you are completely covered and made clean by the blood of Jesus?

Day 5: You Are a Witness of These Things

The resurrected Jesus appeared to His disciples to confirm the truth of His resurrection and to commission them as His witnesses. He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures and sent them out to proclaim the message of repentance and forgiveness to all nations. This same call extends to us today. We are not merely consumers of grace but are appointed to share the story of what we have seen and heard about Jesus. Our testimony is a vital part of God's plan. [40:58]

He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:46-48 NIV)

Reflection: Who has God placed in your life that He might be inviting you to gently and lovingly witness to about the living hope you have found in Him?

Sermon Summary

The resurrection reshapes fear into a living, active hope that does more than promise future life—it restores presence, purpose, and power now. Those who had walked with Jesus move from confusion and grief to astonished joy as the tomb proves empty and the crucified One stands alive among them. Scripture frames this as a new birth into a living hope, a mercy that opens an unending, abundant life available to all, not earned by works but received by grace through faith. The cross and the empty tomb form the apex of God’s goodness; the shedding of blood as the Passover Lamb secures pardon and a cleansed conscience, enabling direct fellowship with God.

The risen Lord appears physically, invites touch, accepts food, and opens minds to the fulfillment of the law, prophets, and psalms—showing that the events were real, historical, and scriptural. This physical reality undergirds the call to witness: those who meet the risen Christ become carriers of the story, commissioned to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations. The presence of the Spirit now makes believers whole, anointed, and empowered for ministry, turning private rescue into communal worship and continual temple devotion.

The invitation to respond remains urgent and simple: admit sin, believe the resurrection, and confess Jesus as Lord. That confession brings immediate entry into the living hope and a transformed way of life. Living like the tomb is empty changes daily choices—overcoming fear, sin, and the small resignations that diminish spiritual life—because the resurrection removes death’s sting and secures victory. The communal rhythm of worship, testimony, and service follows naturally from that victory; believers gather, proclaim the risen King, and let their lives answer the call to be witnesses of the risen Savior.

Key Takeaways

1. Born into a living hope The resurrection introduces a new birth that centers on a hope that lives and moves, not merely a future promise. This living hope reshapes identity: it reorients fear, redefines inheritance, and anchors daily decision-making in an eternal reality actively present now. It roots spiritual identity in mercy rather than merit, calling for a life shaped by trust and expectation. [21:39]
2. Resurrection secures abundant life The empty tomb declares not only victory over death but an invitation to fullness of life in the present. Abundant life means restored relationship, healed soul, and empowered purpose—not just relief from condemnation but a renewed capacity to flourish amid trials. This abundance resists cheap optimism and grounds joy in a historical, redeeming act. [23:40]
3. Christ as the Passover Lamb The cross functions as fulfillment of Passover imagery: a substitutionary sacrifice that marks and protects, bringing freedom from bondage. Seeing Jesus as the Lamb reframes suffering and rescue, relating ancient deliverance to personal salvation and communal redemption across time. That imagery demands a response of trust and remembered gratitude. [28:32]
4. Blood cleanses guilty conscience The atoning blood addresses inner guilt, not merely external penalty; it cleanses the conscience so service to God becomes sincere and free. This cleansing enables honest worship and courageous witness because it removes the shame that paralyzes spiritual growth. It moves faith from performance to grateful obedience. [29:53]
5. Confess and believe for salvation Salvation remains accessible by clear, simple means: acknowledge sin, believe in the risen Lord, and confess Jesus as Lord. This pathway excludes no one and requires no moral perfection—only honest turning and faith—after which life’s direction changes toward purpose-filled devotion. The confession both welcomes and commissions the believer. [48:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[19:08] - Hope and Confusion After the Cross
[20:55] - The Living Hope Revealed
[21:39] - New Birth into Living Hope
[23:40] - Life More Abundant
[24:26] - Counting God's Goodness
[27:50] - Jesus as Passover Lamb
[29:53] - Blood That Cleanses Conscience
[37:55] - Jesus Appears: "Peace Be With You"
[39:53] - Scripture Fulfilled and Commission
[49:58] - Invitation: Confess and Believe
[50:55] - Victory Over Death and Commissioning

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) - "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."
John 10:10 (NIV) - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
Luke 24:36-39 (NIV) - "While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, 'Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.'"

Observation questions

According to 1 Peter 1:3, what two specific things does God's great mercy give us?
In Luke 24:36-39, what physical evidence did Jesus provide to prove He was not a ghost?
What does Jesus claim to provide in John 10:10, and what does He contrast this with?
What was the immediate reaction of the disciples when Jesus appeared among them [38:17] and what was His first word to them?

Interpretation questions

Why do you think the physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus was so important for the disciples to witness and experience firsthand?
How does the concept of a "living hope" differ from a hope that is merely future-oriented or theoretical?
What might it mean for someone to have their conscience cleansed [29:53] and how could this change their relationship with God?
In what ways does the resurrection turn private rescue into communal worship [41:29] and why is this transformation significant?

Application questions

The resurrection is meant to reshape fear into a living, active hope. What is one specific fear in your life right now that needs to be reshaped by this living hope?
Living like the tomb is empty is meant to change daily choices [47:57]—overcoming fear, sin, and small resignations. What is one practical choice you can make this week that demonstrates you believe the tomb is empty?
The blood of Jesus cleanses the conscience so service to God becomes sincere and free [29:53]. How does an unclean conscience paralyze spiritual growth, and what step can you take to live more fully in the freedom of a cleansed conscience?
Those who meet the risen Christ become carriers of the story [40:22]. Who is one person in your life that needs to hear this story, and how can you share it with them this week?
The resurrection secures not just future life but abundant life now [23:40]—restored relationship, healed soul, and empowered purpose. In which of these three areas (relationship, soul, purpose) do you most need to experience Christ's abundance right now?
The simple response to the resurrection is to admit sin, believe, and confess Jesus as Lord [48:25]. If you have never done this, what is holding you back from this simple response today? If you have, when was the last time you genuinely confessed Jesus as Lord of your daily life?
The communal rhythm of worship, testimony, and service follows naturally from resurrection victory [41:29]. Which of these three (worship, testimony, service) feels most natural to you, and which one needs more attention in your spiritual life?

Sermon Clips

Well, if you haven't gotten the message, he's alive. And I don't know how you're living your life right now in this day and age. Are you living it like that tomb is still filled? Are you living it like it's empty? I don't know if you have sat through many of these services before, and this is the first time that you've really understood and that it's clicked with you about the fact that Jesus rose for you. He died on the cross for you, and he lives today to say that he wants you to live with him. It's super easy. Jesus did not make it hard. We've already named that fact that you don't have to work your way there or live perfect. [00:47:54] (39 seconds) #TombIsEmpty

The list would be a mile long for all the times that he has rescued you and saved you and walked beside you in hard times when he blessed you with something good and abundant and amazing. But the one that stands out for you and I the most today that would be common on every one of our list would be this, is that what he did on the cross and the power that he expressed when he rose from the grave is the greatest goodness that you and I could ever experience in our lives. [00:24:53] (33 seconds) #RescuedByTheCross

today needs to be the day that you do that, that you receive him. That hope, it lives and it grows and it becomes more abundant, and it's not just for our eternal life one day, but God said that it was for the here and now. I love John ten ten. The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy, and he thought on that wretched Friday that he had done just that. He thought that he had destroyed Jesus, that he had destroyed every possibility that you and I would ever get to spend and have a relationship with God. [00:22:54] (37 seconds) #LivingHopeNow

And they celebrated that through a process. We looked at the fact that even the cup that Jesus held was reminiscent of that that process and part of what they had done. But he took that cup and he drank it, and he went all the way for us. It says that he became our Passover lamb. Do you remember when we were talking on baptism Sunday? One of the things that John said in in ver chapter one verse 29, John the Baptist was there and he was baptizing people. And Jesus came upon them. And what did he say? He looked across and he said, look, it is the lamb of God. [00:27:50] (39 seconds) #LambOfGod

Jesus covers you. He covers your heart. He covers your soul. Everything about you, he shed his blood. The great I am enables you and I to be a part of his family, allowing us to serve him, to know him, to be a part of that family in such a special way that you and I don't deserve. [00:28:48] (28 seconds) #CoveredByJesus

But he said that I came that I might have life and have it to the full, and I am giving you life to the full. Some versions say, I've come to give you life more abundantly, better than you can ever imagine or dream of or even fathom. We sing a second song there. I love it. God, you're so good. Those words are pretty easy. They just kind of flow out of our mouth. They're not hard for us, those of us that have a relationship with him and know him. It's something that we can hold on to, but sometimes I think that we rush right past it. [00:23:31] (37 seconds) #AbundantLife

There's no expiration date on this living hope. There's no end to it. It's not a one and done. It's eternal. And it wasn't for just a select few. It wasn't just for his disciples. He died for the person that was next to him and the ones that he looked down and said, father, forgive them for they don't know what they do. It was for everyone for all times, and it's for you today. If you are sitting in this room, this living hope is for you. And if you have not seized that, [00:22:24] (30 seconds) #HopeIsEternal

that same question goes to you. Are you living like that tomb is filled or like it's empty? What are the struggles you're having? It might be with sin. It may be in relationships. Maybe you just feel unworthy on the inside. Well, Jesus came to live and to die for that, to make you whole, complete, and fulfilled. No matter where you find yourself today, just know that we're praying and we're here for you, and we would love for you to be a part of this church family so that we can journey together in all that we do. We believe in that strongly. [00:50:12] (37 seconds) #YouBelongHere

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What does living hope mean for believers?

How does the resurrection reveal God's goodness?

What is the believer's role as witnesses?

He Is Risen: Living Hope and New Life

Devotional

Day 1: The Reality of a Living Hope

Day 2: The Lavish Goodness of God Revealed

Day 3: Salvation is a Gift, Not a Reward

Day 4: Covered by the Blood of the Lamb

Day 5: You Are a Witness of These Things

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

He Is Risen: Living Hope and New Life

Share