Jesus’ Resurrection Can Transform Your Life
By Chap Bettis

Introduction:

On this Easter morning, I was preparing for us to think about what we can learn about our coming glorified bodies. To do that we would have looked at Jesus resurrection body. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that focusing on ourselves does not capture the essence of Easter. So we will talk about our own resurrection bodies next week. The essence of Easter is talking about the resurrected Jesus. How does the resurrected Jesus change your life and my life. Does the fact that Jesus is alive in heaven make any difference?

The answer to that should be an emphatic yes. Other religions think about ideas written by a dead man. We interact with a living Savior who lives within our heart.

John 20 :1Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.

2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him."

3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb.

4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;

5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.

6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there,

7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.

8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed.

9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;

12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.

13 And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away."

16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, "I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'"

18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her.

19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."

20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you."

22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

23 "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."

27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."

28 Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

29 Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."

30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

NASU

This passage begins to show how transforming the resurrected Christ was to the early disciples. But the resurrected Jesus not only transformed their lives, he transforms ours as well. Lets look at five different ways the resurrected Jesus continues to transform lives.

Crying To Joy

First, Jesus’ resurrection transforms crying into joy. Notice Mary’s reaction in verses 10 – 18. Luke records that Jesus had cast seven demons out of Mary. After that she and some other women had traveled around with the Jesus and the disciples. Just two days before, she had stood at the foot of the cross and watched the horrible death of her teacher. This morning she had gone with the other women to anoint the body. When they arrive they are greeted by two angels who tell them that Jesus has risen. They rush back to tell the disciples. Peter and John run to the grave and then back to the others. Mary, out of love and grief and confusion, comes back to grave to mourn. It is then that Jesus appears to her. Notice that his first appearance is to a grief stricken follower that loves him enough to wander back. His first appearance is not to Peter or to John or even to his mother.

Are you facing death of a friend or relative? The resurrected Jesus can bring you comfort. His appearance here proves that the grave is not the end. That death is not a “good-bye” but a “see you later.” If and when you face death, you need to keep this passage in mind.

Not only does the resurrected Jesus bring joy out of the tears of death. His resurrection can bring joy out of the tears of trials. By his resurrection, he has proved that everything is working for good. Rom 8:28-30

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Here Paul shows the reason that we know that all things are working out for good. The reason Paul knows all things are working for our good is because he can look at the scope of our salvation from eternity past to eternity future. God foreknew us before time began. He has predestined us to be conformed both body and spirit to his Son. He’s called us. He’s justified us. Then Paul looks into eternity future and says He’s glorified us. This is talking about our future resurrection state. But it is so certain in Paul’s mind that he uses past tense. The trials in Jesus life were to bring him into a glorified state. Now we can see his glorified state. Our trials are to bring us into a glorified state but we don’t see that yet. But because we saw the resurrected Jesus we know that all things are working for our glorification.

So seeing the resurrected Jesus can transform your crying to joy. Where are there tears in your life? Where is there mourning? If you will bring those tears to the resurrected Jesus he will turn them into joy.

Fear Into Peace and Courage

Secondly, Jesus’ resurrection transforms fear into peace and courage. Vv19-21. The disciples were huddled together out of fear of the Jewish leaders. Their leader had just been put to death for rebellion. Would they be next to die? Yet when we see them in the book of Acts they are fearless, defiantly preaching the gospel. What had changed them? Seeing the resurrected Jesus.

Can you see how Jesus’ resurrection would transform their fear of death? Can you see how Jesus’ resurrection could transform your fears? He has conquered the final enemy. If you had seen the resurrected Jesus, it would change how you viewed death. What can man do to me?

Jesus is ruling and reigning in heaven. As the Father has loved him, so He loves us. Nothing comes to you without crossing his desk first. He’s going to glorify you and bring you into his glorified kingdom. Can you see the peace that comes from understanding this? What fears are in your life? Let Jesus’ resurrection turn those into peace and courage.

Confusion Into Purpose

Thirdly, Jesus’ resurrection transforms confusion into purpose. V 21. Look at the disciples at this time. They are defeated and confused. But Jesus’ resurrection straightens them out. He is not defeated. He has won. Now that he has won over death he is going to give a greater purpose to their lives. Just as the Father sent him, now for the rest of their earthly lives, he will send them.

Without direction from the risen Lord, people are purposeless. They are like dogs without owners or to use the biblical language, sheep without a shepherd. A dog is meant to be a domestic animal, to have a master. A dog is happiest when it has a master. The master gives the dog purpose. A dog that runs wild without a master may think he is the happiest dog, but instead he becomes dirty, unfed, aggressive. In the same way, when a person tries to live without God’s purpose in their life and without a master, their lives end up just like the descriptions of Ecclesiastes. Life becomes bitter, without hope and meaningless.

But because we serve a resurrected Master, we now have divine purpose for our lives. As we live under our heavenly Master, we will have purpose in this life. One of the joys of the Christian life is knowing we are here for a divine purpose. Are you feeling confused. Let Jesus give you direction and purpose.

Doubt Into Faith

Fourthly, Jesus’ resurrection transforms doubt into faith. Vv 24-29 record Jesus’ encounter a week later with Thomas. His resurrection turns a doubting disciple into the one who makes the strongest profession. We need to realize that the resurrection of Jesus is God’s proof to mankind that Jesus was who he said he was. When asked for a miraculous sign, Jesus says he will not give a miraculous sign other than the sign of Jonah. Jesus was going to give an evil and adulterous generation a sign. It was the sign of his resurrection.

The resurrection of Jesus is the linchpin of our faith. If you can remove that pin, our faith falls. Our family likes to play Jenga, a game where you build a tower of blocks by taking them out from underneath. What you learn is as the tower gets taller, there are certain blocks you can’t take out without the whole structure falling. The resurrection is the key block.

Maybe you have doubts as you walk with the Lord. Even if you don’t, your children will. I remember asking myself growing up, “How do we know God exists?” “How do we know that Jesus was who he said he was?” There are many good answers to those questions. But the key answer is because Jesus rose from the dead. You need to be prepared for your children’s questions. Don’t get worried by them. Just be ready for the answer. Remember that the one who had the most doubt also gave the greatest profession.

Death into Life

Finally, Jesus’ resurrection transforms death into eternal life. Vv 30-31. Why did John write down these things? So that we might believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that by believing we might have eternal life. The resurrection of Jesus verifies his own statement that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believe in him has eternal life… Whoever believes in him is not condemned but whoever does not believe in him stands condemned already. We were already condemned. The eternal death sentence had already been pronounced on us. The wages of sin is death.

But Jesus offers eternal life to those who will believe. Jesus offers a glorified, resurrected body to those who will believe. Jesus offers forgiveness of sins to all who would believe. How do we know? Because he rose again. Romans 4:25 He was delivered over to death for (because of) our sins was raised to life for (because of) our justification. What does Paul mean by because of our justification? It does not mean the resurrection accomplished our justification. We know the cross accomplished that. The resurrection was the confirming sign from God that Jesus’ work on the cross was accepted. Jesus’ earthly sacrifice was received. Our justification before God is just as sure as the fact that Jesus appeared alive.

Conclusion

The resurrected Jesus will transform your life. Where do you need his touch of transformation? Do you need Jesus to turn tears into joy? Do you need Jesus to turn a fear into peace and courage? Do you need Jesus to turn confusion into purpose? Are you doubting and need him to give you faith? Or do you need Jesus to give you eternal life? What would you have Jesus do for you today?

If you have any questions, comments or observations, please call Chapman Bettis at 401 727-2367 or John Riley at 401-453-5550 or email at johnr@cornerstoneri.com