Easter: Jesus Makes Everything Different

EASTER 2026: JESUS MAKES EVERYTHING DIFFERENT

MATTHEW 28:1-10

#easter2026

READ MATTHEW 28:1-10 (MSG)

“After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God’s angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn’t move.

5-6 The angel spoke to the women: “There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as He said. Come and look at the place where He was placed. 7 “Now, get on your way quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there.’ That’s the message.” 8-10 The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. “Good morning!” He said. They fell to their knees, embraced His feet, and worshiped Him. Jesus said, “You’re holding on to Me for dear life! Don’t be frightened like that. Go tell My brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I’ll meet them there.”

Welcome to worship today as we celebrate Easter Sunday because He is Risen!

This is a day when we celebrate the victory of Jesus! On Good Friday, just three days ago, we reflected on the immense cost of our redemption as Jesus bore the weight of our sin on the cross. The cross is a big deal. Jesus’ death is a big deal. What Jesus did on the cross is a big deal. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we have hope for our souls.

The cross, once a symbol of pain, punishment, and shame became the ultimate expression of God’s love and mercy. That total switch for the meaning of the cross got me thinking. The cross went from a symbol of shame to one of hope all because of Jesus. I think ancient folks would be surprised that many of us walk around with a method of execution around our necks or tattooed on our arm. Many folks in the ancient world would wonder why we decorate our places of worship with the ultimate tool of the most excruciating way to die. They would probably think there is something fundamentally wrong with us. They may or may not be correct on that point, but there is one fact that they would need to know…

THREAD: JESUS MAKES EVERYTHING DIFFERENT

Jesus changes and redefines everything!

* Jesus fundamentally changes our relationship with God. Before Jesus, people related to God through law, blood sacrifices, and distance. Through Jesus God becomes our personally close Heavenly Father.

* Jesus redefines power. Our society says power is control, dominance, and winning. Jesus shows us that power is humility, serving, and that victory comes through sacrifice. The cross looks like defeat, but is the greatest victory.

For those that believe and follow Jesus, He defines and redefines all the foundations of our lives so that we live different. We live in God’s direction. We live for Jesus. He live listening to the Holy Spirit. Those are just some initial thoughts I had on how Jesus makes everything different.

TRANSITION

The part of the chapter from Matthew that we just read, Matthew 28, lets us in on many ways Jesus makes a difference. I’d love to share with you this morning how the resurrection of Jesus described in Matthew 28 show how Jesus makes everything different.

THE OUTCOME OF DEATH WAS DIFFERENT

RE-READ MATTHEW 28:1 (ESV)

“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Verse 1 in Matthew 28 introduces us to the idea that the outcome of Jesus’ death was different. I don’t know if you know this, but when people die they stay dead. Jesus makes that different. The Mary-Mary Bunch were on their way to the tomb to finish up taking care of Jesus’ dead body. They had done the essentials on Friday, but the Sabbath rest was on them and they could not complete everything needed for Jesus’ burial. They were up early to get to the tomb to finish preparing Jesus’ body for His final resting place.

RE-READ MATTHEW 28:2-4 (ESV)

“And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.”