The resurrection changes everything. The resurrection changes and transforms lives. The resurrection turned the disciples (and others) from hiding in fear to sacrificing their lives for the cause of Christ.
In the words of C.S. Lewis, the resurrection is a miracle of the New Creation. Something of which the world has had no previous experience at all has entered the old order and radically altered it. The resurrection is an unprecedented even in history. It changes lives, it changes history, it changes everything.
The story of the Resurrection is also the story of human love at its best. When all else fails—even faith and hope—love comes through intact because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
INVITATION: You are invited into the lives of three people who were radically transformed by their encounters with the risen Christ. Have YOU encountered the risen Christ? Are you allowing His transformation in your life? What could Jesus do in and through your life if you let him?
MONDAY: John 20:19-20: The disciples were locked away in fear. Then Jesus appeared after being raised from the dead. Jesus showed physical evidence of His crucifixion, then gave the men a partial measure of the Holy Spirit. This validates the earlier testimony of Mary Magdalene that she had seen Jesus. There is a good chance she was ignored, but now the disciples see and touch the resurrected Jesus. It changes everything. How have you seen and touched - or been touched - by Jesus?
TUESDAY: MARY MAGDALENE was transformed by the resurrected Jesus. Read John 20:10-16. Mary had shown up to embalm the body of Jesus with spices. Imagine how confused and defeated she must have felt. Yet with one word - her name - Mary's life is changed. Jesus called her by name. Jesus calls YOU by name. Luke 12:7 tells us Jesus even knows the number of hairs on our head! Jesus knows you intimately. Jesus loves you intimately. How does that make you feel? How do you wish to respond to Jesus calling you by name today?
WEDNESDAY: Mary teaches us that love never fails—even when hope fails. Love sustained her through the dark night of Holy Saturday into the dawn of Easter. Even as Mary clung to Christ, she also learned to let go. The ecstasy of her reunion with the Beloved was not meant to be for her alone to enjoy. He called her to go into the world and bear witness to the Resurrection: “I have seen the Lord!” From Mary, we begin to understand why love is the greatest theological virtue (1 Cor. 13:13). From her, too, we learn that however much we relish mountain-top experiences of intimacy with God, we must also descend to bring the Good News of the living Christ to a dying world. As you think of having to "let go" of things, is there anything in your life you might be clinging too tightly to? In prayer today, ask Jesus to show you what that might be and send some time today loosening your grip and giving it over to Jesus for HIS care and concern. After all, He loved you enough to die for you - don't you think you can trust Him with the things you think you need to control and worry about?
THURSDAY: THOMAS struggled with skepticism and doubt. Read John 20:24-28. Jesus was not offended by this doubt. In fact, he ministered directly to it. Have you been honest about your doubts concerning Jesus? Why not begin today to have conversations with Jesus about the things you are unsure of our doubtful about? Are you willing to allow the resurrected Christ to minister to your doubts?
FRIDAY: Peter struggled with guilt. In John 21:15-17 we see a conversation Jesus had with Peter after his resurrection. After Peter's denials of knowing Christ. Jesus had every right to have a "I told you so" attitude with Peter. Yet the resurrected Jesus says nothing about the past and Peter's failings. Jesus simply focused on the mission at hand. Peter's sins had been taken care of at the cross. Your sins have been taken care of at the cross. How might you express gratefulness about that?
SATURDAY: How has Jesus met you where you are? What does your life story involve? Do you experience loneliness like Mary Magdalene? Doubt like Thomas? Or what about guilt about all your past failings like Peter? Are you letting your past weigh you down and keep you away from the mission Jesus has for you NOW? What would it look like and sound like if today you had a time of confession and forgiveness with Jesus and laid all your burdens at the foot of the cross. The resurrected Jesus changes everything and transforms lives. Even messy lives. How will you let Him change and transform you?