Raised to New Life (April 5, 2026)

On the first day of the week the gospel opens with women arriving at the tomb, finding the stone rolled away, and meeting a young man who declares, "He is risen." That resurrection proclamation anchors a worship service that moves from Easter joy into the life of the church: a public profession of faith, a teaching on baptism as God's promise, a playful children's story that models belonging, and the communal celebration of communion. Scripture from Ephesians frames baptism as a seal of adoption, forgiveness, and new life; baptism marks entry into a body called to obey and love. First Corinthians 15 functions as the theological spine: the gospel is summarized—Christ died, was buried, rose on the third day—and grounded in scripture and eyewitness testimony that give the resurrection historical weight.

Paul's testimony receives special attention. The confession he hands on becomes the seed for later creeds, and his own life shows how the resurrection transforms a heart. The heart receives truth, intends faithful obedience, and then acts in love; Paul admits that knowing the law without loving neighbors left his heart malformed, a condition exposed by his earlier persecution of the church. That deformity mirrors a modern danger labeled "heart atheism": verbal assent to creed without practical care for the marginalized. True resurrection faith reorients people away from treating others as projects and toward joining them as companions in the journey.

Concrete examples from communal life illustrate this transformation: small groups walking alongside those in deep struggle, difficult conversations held in grace, and volunteers learning to accompany immigrant neighbors. Communion and prayer send the congregation back into the world with a renewed identity—resurrected people who embody hope, care, and steadfastness. The resurrection stands not only as an event to be affirmed but as a continuing power that reshapes intentions and actions, turning confession into concrete love for others.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Resurrection rooted in eyewitness testimony The gospel rests on concrete appearances: a summary confession supported by scripture and by many witnesses offers historical grounding for hope. This grounding invites trust that the risen Christ entered real history, making resurrection more than metaphor—it becomes the basis for communal identity and accountable witness. [35:09]
• 2. Baptism seals belonging and renewal Baptism functions as a visible sign and inward seal: it marks adoption, forgiveness, and incorporation into the one body. That seal calls for a life of obedience, not as legalism, but as a grateful response that reshapes habits, relationships, and vocation. [15:23]
• 3. A deformed heart resists love Knowledge of truth without transformed practice produces a malformed heart—one that can recite creeds yet persecute neighbors. Honest spiritual work names where intention and action fail to follow confession, inviting repentance and the slow reformation of affections. [40:37]
• 4. Resurrection reshapes how people relate The power of the risen life shows itself when those once seen as problems become companions to join. Concrete acts—walking with the grieving, accompanying immigrants, patient dialogue across disagreements—reveal resurrection as a social and ethical force. [52:29]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [05:33] - The Tomb and the Proclamation
• [06:42] - “He is risen” Celebration
• [12:11] - Greeting: Grace and Peace
• [12:33] - Profession of Faith (Jan)
• [14:56] - Baptism: Meaning and Promise
• [23:54] - Children’s Story: Bird Sanctuary
• [33:07] - Reading: 1 Corinthians 15
• [40:37] - Paul’s Heart: Transformation
• [50:38] - Resurrection Lives in Community
• [54:45] - Communion and Thanksgiving
• [70:26] - Prayers, Sending, and Song

Bible reading: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (ESV)
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Observation questions

1. According to verses 3-5, what are the four key historical events Paul says are "of first importance"?
2. In verse 6, what detail does Paul provide about the appearance of Jesus that gives his testimony historical weight?
3. How does Paul describe his own past actions and his resulting view of himself in verses 8-9?
4. What was the ultimate result of God's grace in Paul's life, according to verse 10?

Interpretation questions

1. Why is it significant that Paul grounds the gospel message in both Scripture (the Old Testament) and multiple eyewitnesses?
2. Paul describes himself as "one untimely born" and "the least of the apostles." What does this language reveal about how the resurrection transformed his identity and perspective?
3. Paul says he "persecuted the church of God." [44:24] How can someone have deep knowledge of God's law (like Paul did) and yet act in a way that is completely opposed to its core command of love?
4. The sermon spoke of a "malformed heart" [43:09] that can know the truth and intend to follow it, but whose actions don't align. What are the signs that a heart is malformed in this way?

Application questions

1. The resurrection is presented not just as a past event to believe in, but as a present power that reshapes how we relate to others. [53:18] Who is someone you have been tempted to see as a "problem to be solved" that God might be calling you to "join as a companion" instead?
2. The sermon gave examples of "resurrection hearts" at work: walking with someone in a deep struggle, having a hard conversation with grace, and accompanying immigrant neighbors. [50:57] [51:32] [52:29] Which of these concrete acts of love feels most challenging or foreign to you? What is one practical step you could take this week to move toward that kind of companionship?
3. Baptism is described as a seal of belonging, adoption, and forgiveness that calls for a life of grateful obedience. [15:23] How does remembering your baptism (or your public commitment to Christ) reshape your daily habits, relationships, or sense of vocation?
4. "Heart atheism" was described as giving verbal assent to creeds without practical care for the marginalized. [46:52] In your own life, where is the biggest gap between what you say you believe and how you actually treat people, especially those on the margins?
5. Paul's testimony shows that a transformed heart leads to hard work fueled by grace, not by self-effort. [36:02] What is one area of your life where you are trying to "work harder" in your own strength, rather than relying on the "grace of God that is with you"?