Session 8

What the first Easter changed for the disciples and for you

From What Happened During Holy Week: An 8-Day Devotional

Easter is more than a day to remember; it’s a day to celebrate our belief that anything is possible with God. Once we see Jesus for who He is — the Son of God who died for our sin and rose from the grave — we are never the same. 

We see this transforming power in those Jesus appeared to on the first Easter. Jesus spent time with His followers, sharing meals with them and allowing them to touch the scars in His hands. These men and women were not seeing things or having out of body experiences. Jesus proved to them His resurrection was both literal and physical. 

“Look at my hands and feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39). 

The men and women who saw Jesus after the resurrection couldn’t go back to the way things were. They wrote the gospels we’re reading 2,000 years later (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). They started the global church, spending their lives spreading the message that Jesus is alive. Their belief that Jesus died for their sins and rose from the grave changed them forever. 

In John 20:29, Jesus says we are even more blessed than His original followers because we believe and have not seen Him face-to-face. Our faith in Jesus puts an end to the power of sin and shame because we know “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Romans 4:25). What a blessing!  

Because Jesus defeated death and gives us eternal life in heaven, we no longer have to fear persecution or terminal diagnosis. To live is to live with Jesus, and to die is to be united with Jesus. Either way, we win (Philippians 1:21).  

Because we have found a new life in Christ, we can rejoice through trials because we know God will work through all things, even hardship and pain, to bring good to our lives (Romans 8:28). 

This Easter Sunday, let’s be people whose words and actions demonstrate our belief that Jesus is alive. And through our faith, we’ll experience the eternal blessings of God’s love for us. 

Reflect: 

• How does your life reflect your belief that Jesus is alive? 
• Are you struggling with unbelief and want some help? If so, let’s talk. Reach out to a campus near you here.