How the resurrection of Jesus challenges us

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the one event that distinguishes Christianity from every other religion, philosophy, and worldview. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:14,

if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

Without the resurrection, Christianity would be reduced to a collection of inspiring but ultimately powerless teachings from first-century Jewish shepherds.

It is the resurrection that empowers the Christian worldview. It is the resurrection that divides the world. Therefore, we must study it, understand it, and remember it daily. While the Bible notes that the resurrection occurred on a Sunday, it doesn't assign a specific date. Yet we celebrate it each year, symbolically, to remember together as a congregation this pivotal historical event.

From the resurrection, we can draw powerful lessons that shape our identity and mission as believers. Today, let’s explore three resurrection encounters and how they challenge and transform us.

# I. He lifts the lowly; in him there is no difference

Mark 16:9

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

The resurrected Jesus first appears not to a ruler, a disciple, or a religious authority, but to Mary Magdalene.

Let that sink in. The most important event in all of human history—the resurrection of the Son of God—unfolds first to a woman.

# A Radical Choice

Even in 2025, women's words are often dismissed in many cultures. In first-century Israel, a woman’s testimony wasn’t even admissible in court. And yet, Jesus chooses a woman, not a man. Not a wealthy patron. Not a powerful politician. Not even a prominent disciple. He chooses Mary Magdalene.

If the resurrection were a man-made story, it would never begin this way. Fiction prefers prestige. Fabrication seeks influence. But truth is stranger—and stronger. This authenticity gives me confidence that the resurrection really happened.

# What We Learn

This encounter teaches us:

1. God Honors the Lowly: Mary, like David (Psalm 113:7-8) and Isaiah’s anointed (Isaiah 61), is lifted from a lowly place. God often meets us in our humble beginnings, not our proud achievements.
2. No Discrimination in Christ: As Paul says in Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
3. Grace Over Status: Resurrection power doesn’t descend through social rank. It breaks it.

# How It Challenges Us

If Christ welcomes the lowly, we must too. Once we are lifted up, we cannot look down on others. We are called to show the same mercy we’ve received.

# II. Burning Our Hearts With His Word

Luke 24:32

They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Two disciples walk away from Jerusalem, confused and disappointed. Jesus joins them—but they don’t recognize Him.

# A Pursuing God

They were going back to the ordinary. Back to their village. Back to life without hope. But the resurrected Jesus doesn’t leave them in retreat. He walks with them, teaches them, and eventually opens their eyes.

The same happens with Peter when he goes back to fishing. Jesus goes after him too. The resurrected Lord pursues those who drift.

# A Word That Burns

As Jesus explains the Scriptures, their hearts begin to burn. Not with guilt. Not with shame. But with life. With clarity. With awe.

This is what the Holy Spirit does. Because of the resurrection, the Spirit has been poured out. And when the Spirit breathes on Scripture, it becomes personal and powerful:

• For some, God’s Word brings peace.
• For others, it reveals God’s presence in suffering.
• For still others, it sparks generosity, boldness, or a renewed sense of mission.

# The Role of Community

These two disciples were walking and talking. It’s not just hearing the Word, but discussing it that brings deeper revelation.

• The Bible says, "Two are better than one."
• Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered, I am there."

We need Scripture partners—people we read with, wrestle with, pray with. In those conversations, the Spirit brings the Word alive.

# How It Challenges Us

Don’t just read the Bible—discuss it. Don’t just know the Word—let it burn in your heart. When you do, the promises of God will ignite action in your life, just as they did for the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.

# III. He meets us where we are and encourages us to reason

John 20:27

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas missed the first resurrection appearance. When the others told him about it, he didn’t believe. He said he needed to see it for himself.

# A God Who Meets Us in Doubt

Jesus doesn’t scold him. He doesn’t dismiss him. He meets him.

Jesus invites him: "Put your finger here. Touch. See. Believe."

Our God does not demand blind faith. He encourages us to reason, to explore, to experience. Faith isn’t the absence of questions—it’s the decision to pursue truth in spite of them.

Remember the father who cried out, "Lord, I believe—help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24). Jesus met him there. He meets you there too.

# A God Who Lifts Us Higher

Jesus doesn’t leave Thomas in doubt. He invites him forward—into conviction, into mission.

God does not exploit your weakness to keep you weak. He doesn’t visit your poverty just to win your vote. He meets you where you are so He can lift you.

Politicians promise change but benefit from the status quo. Christ promises transformation—and delivers.

# The Power of Investigation

Thomas didn’t stop at doubt. He examined, he touched, he believed. And then he went.

Church tradition says Thomas traveled all the way to India, preached the gospel, and died a martyr’s death. He could do this because he had both reasoned and experienced the truth.

Many people today are doing what Thomas did:

• Investigating the resurrection.
• Weighing the evidence.
• Concluding that it’s true.

If you have doubts, don’t stay there. Search. Ask. Experience. God has given you the faculties of reason and emotion—use both.

# How It Challenges Us

Faith is not opposed to reason; it is built on truth. The resurrection is not a fable—it is a fact worth exploring.

# The Resurrection Changes Everything

Through these three encounters, we learn that:

• God honors the lowly and demolishes discrimination.
• God’s Word, when fueled by the Spirit, ignites our hearts and actions.
• God meets us in our doubts and invites us to investigate, believe, and go.

The resurrection is not just a historical event. It is a living power.

Let it lift you. Let it burn in you. Let it send you out.

Christ is risen. And because He is risen, nothing can stay the same.