Easter: Impact Of The Resurrection

“With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, & God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all.”

Acts 4:33 (NIV)

1. The Resurrection Can Take Me from Coward to Courage.

Peter

Before the Resurrection:

Boastful but fearful under pressure.

Peter replied, ‘Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.’

Matthew 26:33 (NIV)

Denied Jesus three times.

The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Luke 22:62-62 (NIV)

Fled with the others after Jesus’ arrest.

Then everyone deserted him and fled.

Mark 14:50 (NIV)

After the Resurrection:

Preached boldly at Pentecost.

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd... Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Acts 2:14a, 41 (NIV)

Imprisoned, beaten, yet rejoiced in Jesus.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

Acts 5:41 (NIV)

Eventually crucified upside down in Rome.

Takeaway: The resurrection turned Peter’s fear into fearless faith.

Personal Challenge: What fears are keeping you from boldly standing for Jesus?

2. The Resurrection Can Take Me from Doubtful to Devoted.

Thomas

Before the Resurrection:

Known for skepticism.

“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

John 20:25b (NIV)

Likely struggled with pessimism and fear.

Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

John 11:16 (NIV)

After the Resurrection:

Encountered risen Jesus & said “My Lord, my God!”.

“Thomas said to him, 'My Lord and my God!”

John 20:28 (NIV)

Took the gospel to India where he was martyred.

Takeaway: The resurrection transformed his doubts into unshakable faith.

Personal Challenge: Are you letting questions keep you from your calling?

3. The Resurrection Can Take Me from Self-Serving to Sacrificial.

John

Before the Resurrection:

Wanted power and status.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

Mark 10:35–37 (NIV)

“Sons of Thunder”—quick-tempered/judgmental.

When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?”

Luke 9:54 (NIV)

After the Resurrection:

Became the apostle of love.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 John 4:7-8 (NIV)

Cared for Jesus’ mother.

When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

John 19:26–27 (NIV)

Boldly preached, exiled to Patmos, wrote Revelation.

Takeaway: The resurrection turned ambition to servant-hearted leadership.

Personal Challenge: Are you chasing titles or testimonies?

4. The Resurrection Can Take Me from Pariah to Persuader.

Matthew

Before the Resurrection:

Hated and distrusted as a tax collector.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. 'Follow me,' Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Luke 5:27-28 (NIV)

Likely isolated and self-serving.

After the Resurrection:

Traveled to preach the gospel, possibly to Ethiopia or Persia.

Wrote the Gospel to persuade fellow Jews of Jesus as the Messiah.

Martyred (likely stabbed to death) for his faith.

Takeaway: The resurrection gave purpose to his past & direction to his future.

Personal Challenge: Do you still believe your past disqualifies you?

5. The Resurrection Can Take Me from Unknown to Unyielding.

James

Son of Alphaeus Before the Resurrection:

Nearly silent in the Gospels—no recorded words or actions.

Easily overlooked.

After the Resurrection:

Tradition says he preached faithfully & was stoned to death in Jerusalem.

Takeaway: The resurrection gives purpose to those the world overlooks.

Personal Challenge: Do you need applause to serve, or is Christ enough?

6. I Can Also Be the One Who Misses It All.

Judas

Before the Resurrection:

Betrayed Jesus for money.

Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?”

Matthew 26:14-15 (NIV)

Controlled by greed and Satan.

As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

John 13:27 (NIV)

After the Resurrection:

Never saw it—died in remorse, not repentance.

So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Matthew 27:5 (NIV)

Takeaway: The resurrection offers transformation—but not everyone accepts it.

Personal Challenge: Will you surrender before it’s too late?

The Impact of The Resurrection Can Take Us All from Where We Are To World Changing Forces for God.

What changed them? What can change me?

An encounter with a Resurrected Jesus.

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13 (NIV)