The Power and Promise of the Resurrection

Devotional

Day 1: The Resurrection Is Central to Our Faith

The resurrection of Jesus is not an afterthought or a mere add-on to the gospel; it is the very heart of Christian hope and the foundation of our faith. Without the resurrection, our belief would be empty and futile, but because Christ is risen, we are assured that death is not the end and that God’s eternal plan includes us. The resurrection changes everything about who we are and who we can become, giving us a living hope that shapes our present and our future. [51:29]

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (ESV)
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection: In what ways have you treated the resurrection as an afterthought in your faith, and how might you live differently if you truly believed it is the foundation of your hope?

Day 2: Living Without Fear Because of the Resurrection

Because of the resurrection, we are invited to live as people of hope, not fear. The most repeated command in Scripture is “fear not,” and this is possible because Christ’s victory over death means that nothing can ultimately be taken from us. The resurrection empowers us to face life’s uncertainties and even death itself with courage, knowing that God’s promise of new life is already at work in us and will carry us into eternity. [01:03:49]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Reflection: What is one fear that has been holding you back, and how can you step forward in faith today, trusting in the victory of the resurrection?

Day 3: Resurrection Hope Begins Now

Resurrection is not just a future event but a present reality that we are called to embrace and live out. Just as seeds are planted in hope for the spring, we are called to plant seeds of hope, justice, and love in our lives and communities today, trusting that God’s resurrection power is already at work, bringing new life out of what seems dead or barren. [01:06:22]

John 11:25-26 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Reflection: What is one small act of hope or love you can plant today, trusting that God will bring new life from it?

Day 4: We Will Recognize and Be Recognized in God’s Kingdom

The resurrection assures us that our relationships and identities are not lost in eternity; just as Jesus was recognized by his followers after his resurrection, we too will know and be known in God’s kingdom. This hope brings comfort and assurance that the bonds of love and community we share in Christ will endure beyond this life. [57:11]

Luke 24:36-43 (ESV)
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.

Reflection: Who is someone you hope to see again in God’s kingdom, and how does this hope shape the way you love and cherish your relationships today?

Day 5: Responding to the Call of the Risen Christ

The resurrection is an invitation to respond—to follow Jesus with our whole lives, leaving behind fear and embracing the promise of his kingdom. Each day, we are given the opportunity to say “yes” to Christ, to live as resurrection people, and to share this hope with a world in need. [01:07:42]

Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV)
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

Reflection: What is one concrete way you can say “yes” to following Jesus today, living out the hope and power of the resurrection in your daily life?

Sermon Summary

Today, we gathered as a family of faith to remember and rejoice in the heart of our hope: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the autumn leaves remind us of the beauty and transience of life, we are called to look beyond what is fleeting and to anchor ourselves in the eternal promise that Christ’s resurrection brings. This is not just a doctrine for Easter or a theological footnote, but the very center of our faith and the foundation for how we live each day.

We began by celebrating the ways God is at work among us—through community, mission, and the simple joys of fellowship. Our prayers and songs lifted up gratitude for the beauty of creation and the assurance that God’s love is steadfast, even when we are distracted or take His gifts for granted. We confessed our tendency to overlook the wonders of God’s kingdom breaking in around us and asked for hearts that are attentive and thankful.

The story of the resurrection was retold, not as a distant memory, but as a living reality. Whether we hear it for the first time or the thousandth, we are invited to encounter it anew: Jesus is alive, and that changes everything. The resurrection is not an afterthought or a mere comfort for the end of life; it is the power that transforms our present, gives us courage to live without fear, and assures us that death does not have the final word.

Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15 remind us that our hope is not in the perishable, but in the imperishable. The victory over death is not just for some distant future, but for today. We are promised that we will be changed, that death’s sting is removed, and that we are part of God’s eternal plan. This hope allows us to plant seeds of love, justice, and compassion now, knowing that resurrection starts in the dirt of our everyday lives.

We also reflected on the mystery of what happens after death, acknowledging that while we may not have all the answers, we trust that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. God’s time is not our time, and the promise of resurrection is both for the life to come and for the life we live now. In a world filled with fear and uncertainty, we are called to be people of hope, living as citizens of a coming kingdom, and sharing the good news that Christ is risen indeed.

Key Takeaways

1. Resurrection is the Center of Our Hope The resurrection of Jesus is not a peripheral belief but the very heart of Christian faith. It is the event that gives meaning to everything else we believe and do. Without the resurrection, our faith is empty, but with it, we have assurance that death is defeated and life is eternal. This truth should shape our daily living, giving us courage and purpose. [50:52]
2. Live as People of the Coming Kingdom We are called to live today as citizens of God’s kingdom, not just waiting for heaven but embodying resurrection hope in our actions and relationships. This means planting seeds of justice, love, and compassion, trusting that God’s new creation is already breaking in. Our lives become a testimony to the world that death does not have the last word. [63:49]
3. Resurrection Begins in the Ordinary The power of resurrection is not reserved for the end of time; it starts in the “dirt” of our everyday lives. Just as a garden is renewed from the soil, so God brings new life out of our ordinary acts of faithfulness. Every act of hope, every step toward reconciliation, every moment of gratitude is a participation in resurrection life. [65:14]
4. Fear Not—We Are Held in Christ’s Victory The most repeated command in Scripture is “fear not,” and the resurrection is the reason we can obey it. Because Christ has conquered death, nothing can ultimately be taken from us. We are free to live boldly, love deeply, and face uncertainty with confidence, knowing that our future is secure in Christ. [63:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:22] - Opening Greetings and Announcements
[12:05] - Global Missions Walk-a-thon Introduction
[13:18] - Purpose of Mission Night
[15:27] - Opening Hymn and Prayer
[18:36] - The Lord’s Prayer
[20:16] - Hymn: The Day of Resurrection
[22:30] - Season of Thankfulness Reflections
[23:49] - Confession and Kingdom Focus
[25:44] - Proclaiming Resurrection in a Hurting World
[30:19] - Hymn: Blessed Assurance
[32:20] - Offering and Prayer
[38:08] - Children’s Time: The Resurrection Story
[42:36] - Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15
[46:40] - Reflections from the Holy Land
[50:52] - The Resurrection: Not an Afterthought
[55:54] - Questions About Resurrection and Heaven
[63:08] - Living Without Fear
[65:14] - Resurrection Starts in the Dirt
[67:04] - Invitation to Respond
[69:15] - Welcoming New Members
[70:30] - Birthday Celebration and Fellowship
[72:23] - Benediction and Sending Forth

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Resurrection—Our Living Hope

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Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (ESV)
I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Observation Questions

According to 1 Corinthians 15:50-57, what is the difference between the perishable and the imperishable, and what must happen for us to inherit the kingdom of God?
In the sermon, what are some ways the resurrection was described as more than just a doctrine for Easter? ([50:52])
What does Paul say happens to death because of Jesus’ resurrection? How is this echoed in the sermon? ([43:17])
What examples did the pastor give about how resurrection hope can be seen in everyday life, not just at the end of time? ([01:05:14])

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Interpretation Questions

The sermon says the resurrection is “the very center of our faith and the foundation for how we live each day.” Why do you think Paul insists that without the resurrection, our faith is empty? ([51:29])
The pastor mentioned that resurrection hope allows us to “plant seeds of love, justice, and compassion now.” What does it mean for resurrection to start “in the dirt of our everyday lives”? ([01:05:14])
The phrase “fear not” is called the most repeated command in Scripture. How does the resurrection specifically help us live without fear, according to the sermon? ([01:03:08])
The sermon acknowledges mystery about what happens after death but says, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” How does this trust in God’s timing and promise affect the way we live now? ([59:37])

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Application Questions

The pastor said we often take God’s gifts and the beauty of creation for granted. Is there something in your daily life that you’ve been overlooking that could remind you of God’s presence? What’s one way you can be more attentive and thankful this week? ([23:49])
Resurrection hope is described as something that should shape our daily living, giving us courage and purpose. Is there an area of your life where you need resurrection courage right now? What would it look like to live with that courage? ([50:52])
The sermon challenges us to “live as people of the coming kingdom” by planting seeds of justice, love, and compassion. Can you name a specific relationship or situation where you could plant a “seed” of hope or reconciliation this week? ([01:03:49])
The pastor shared that resurrection begins in the ordinary, like planting in the dirt. What is one ordinary act of faithfulness you can do this week that might seem small but is a way of participating in resurrection life? ([01:05:14])
The command “fear not” is repeated because our lives are filled with fear. What is one fear or worry you are carrying right now? How does the resurrection of Jesus speak to that fear? ([01:03:08])
The sermon said, “death does not have the final word.” How does this truth change the way you think about loss, grief, or uncertainty in your own life? ([43:17])
The pastor mentioned that we are called to be people of hope in a world filled with fear and uncertainty. Who in your life needs to hear or see resurrection hope from you this week? How can you share it with them in a practical way? ([01:03:49])

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Sermon Clips

We should not do the resurrection that way. Paul does not do the resurrection that way. And Jesus sure doesn't do the resurrection that way. So, yeah, I'm a little fired up about it. in this beautiful passage in 1 Corinthians 15 where Paul kind of starts the passage at the beginning of chapter 15 and he speaks of the futility. He says, "Now brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you which you received and on which you've taken your stand. By this gospel you're saved. If you hold firmly to the word I preached to you, otherwise you've believed in vain." And then he says, "For what I received, I passed on of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried and he was raised on the third day." And then he's going to say, "And if you don't believe that, then all of it's feudal. The resurrection is feudal. And it doesn't change you and who you are and who you can be." And he spends the rest of 1 Corinthians 15 elucidating that reality that the crucifixion changes everything for us. Indeed, it changes our very destinies. [00:51:23]

You see, it gives an answer to that great question in life that is asked so often. Is this all there is? Is life just pay taxes and then you die? Is life just this fleeting reality? And is our life nothing compared to say the lifetime of a tree in the sequoas? Are we just momentary blips in time? And Jesus says to us and Paul says to us in this chapter, no, no, we are a part of God's eternal plan for the world and that Jesus conquered death forever for you and for me. This is not all there is. [00:52:42]

But brothers and sisters, we can plant seeds of hope today in the power of the resurrection that carries us through the rest of this life and into the kingdom beyond. That is the offer of Jesus to each one of us today. Here Paul holds up this word from Hosea. Where oh death is thy victory? Where oh death is thy sting? But thanks be to God who gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [01:06:22]

And NT Wright says that those bodies are not less physical, but they're more real because they're animated by the Holy Spirit. Now, I want to let you know that as a pastor, I often get two questions about the life everlasting. The the first is, will people recognize me in heaven? [00:55:43]

And so I always say yes, I do believe wholeheartedly we will recognize each other in the kingdom of heaven that we'll know each other. And then the second question I often get is the the question of what happens to us immediately at death. Now if you go online you can find this. There are generally two completely opposite positions for what happens to a Christian at the at death. One is what we call theologically soul sleep. That you go in the ground and you stay in the ground until the end of time and then you're resurrected. And then another approach is to say that you're resurrected immediately and that you're in the presence of the Lord. And there are variations of the theme and some people talk about a place in between. But those are the two basic positions. [00:56:56]

Now I also will say to you that so much of this is based on our concepts of time anyway. I mean we are so basically driven by the time on a watch and I know you all are because if I go past noon I see what happens. We are so driven by it and we can't help it. That is our makeup as human people. [01:00:21]

But we have to circle back to these questions of what does the resurrection mean to us and how does it change us? I was listening to a podcast not too long ago from the the it was one of the last interviews by the the late Rachel Held Evans, great Christian writer and uh um who died way too young. We lost her in her early 30s to an illness. [01:01:45]

and she was talking about quite frankly other Christians who were often assailing her online and uh in the interview she said you know it's hurtful it's painful for my Christian brothers and most of them that are attacking me are brothers sometimes sisters but it's painful it's hurtful but at the end of the day what can they do to me because they cannot take away my resurrection [01:02:08]

We believe in a resurrection of the body. We believe in the promise of Christ's kingdom. And we believe that resurrection is not just something that happens after we die. It is the part of the kingdom that we embrace in the here and the now so that we can live our lives without fear. [01:02:36]

And the question is why is it in there so often? And it's because our lives are so filled with fear that God has to say it again and again and again to us. But we can embrace the reality that through the kingdom of God and the power of the resurrection, we can live without fear because ultimately no one can take anything from us because it's already been granted us in Jesus the Christ. [01:03:35]

We can live today as people of a coming kingdom. That the kingdom is at hand in Jesus. And we can live in hope in a world filled with death. Entr Wright in that podcast tells the story of one of the churches that he pastored. There was a a community garden out there and uh the church went and reclaimed the decaying garden and they surely and slowly and carefully replaced everything in it. [01:04:15]

And somebody asked one of the volunteers, "Why are you doing this? What why does this matter to your church?" And the volunteer said, "Because resurrection starts in the dirt. Over the last few weeks as we kind of get to the end of fall, I get a a little bothered. If it wasn't for December and Christmas, I would hate the winter. I don't like cold. I don't like all the leaves off the trees. You know, I think it's kind of barren." [01:04:55]

But but I did think about what this says about the power and belief in the resurrection. Now, anybody that knows me well um knows that I have a theological pet peeve. Actually, I have more than a few theological pet peeves. I just don't try to visit all of them on you people. But I do have one that I do visit on you. It's I I get it kind of drives me crazy. I have two that I'll two of them. I have two. One of them is when I see a pastor serve himself or herself the Lord's supper. We are served at the Lord's table. Stop doing it as a self-service meal. Okay, that's one. Number two. Number two is when we speak of the gospel without the need of a resurrection. Some preachers will talk about the gospel and they will turn it into a Good Friday event and everything happens on Friday and it's as if the resurrection doesn't matter. It drives me crazy. [00:51:00]

And Bird says that too often we confuse this. He says the gospel is not that Jesus died and went to heaven. It's that the crucified one was raised and enthroned as Lord. It makes all the difference in the world that our Christ is resurrected and serves as Lord and has come to judge the living and the dead. That ultimately he is the one in charge. [00:55:09]

And he promises you and me resurrection and resurrection of the body. [00:55:34]

We do come this morning as the people of God, the family of God brought to this place. May the peace of Christ be with you. And also with you. Greet one another now. I'm glad you're here today. Appreciate it. Appreciate it. [00:13:39]

And Jesus says her name and when he says Mary, the illumination on her face and she knew for sure that the resurrected Lord was in front of her. [00:57:28]

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The Power and Promise of the Resurrection

Devotional

Day 1: The Resurrection Is Central to Our Faith

Day 2: Living Without Fear Because of the Resurrection

Day 3: Resurrection Hope Begins Now

Day 4: We Will Recognize and Be Recognized in God’s Kingdom

Day 5: Responding to the Call of the Risen Christ

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

The Power and Promise of the Resurrection

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