Because the Lord Has Risen

This sermon was delivered on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020, in the extraordinary context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented churches from gathering in person for the first time in over 400 years of American history. The pastor reassures the congregation that despite the changed circumstances, the Gospel and the joy of the resurrection remain unchanged. The theological foundation is laid in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, establishing that the death and resurrection of Christ are the very core of the Gospel — the matter of first importance.

The sermon presents two main dimensions of the resurrection, likened to two sides of a coin. First, the resurrection is a real historical event, supported by three lines of evidence: the testimony of women — who had no legal standing as witnesses in that society, making it implausible that the early church would fabricate a story using them as its first witnesses; the presence of over five hundred living eyewitnesses at the time Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 15:5-8); and Paul's bold defense before King Agrippa and Governor Festus, declaring that the resurrection did not happen in a corner (Acts 26:25-26).

Second, the resurrection is a genuine life-transforming event, not merely a historical fact to be stored as knowledge. The pastor points to the dramatic transformation of the disciples — from cowardly men who fled when Jesus was arrested to courageous preachers willing to die for the Gospel — as living proof of resurrection power. Paul's transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a lifelong evangelist is highlighted, along with his declaration in Philippians 3:8-11 that he counted all former honors as rubbish compared to knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection.

The pastor uses the illustration of eyeglasses to explain the nature of this transformation: love for Christ functions like a pair of lenses through which the believer sees all of life. He cites C.S. Lewis: "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." A person truly transformed by the resurrection is one who allows the Holy Spirit to govern every area of life — plans, joys, sorrows, disappointments, and hopes alike.

The sermon closes with 1 Corinthians 15:52-54 and 15:58, declaring that because Christ has risen and death has been swallowed up in victory, believers are called to stand firm, unmovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord. This assurance carries special weight in a season of pandemic, for every labor done in the Lord is never in vain.