Victory Unveiled

Luke 24:1–12 NKJV

1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” 8 And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

Victory Unveiled

“While it was still dark...”

You can almost feel the weight of that moment, can’t you? Early morning, still dark, and the women are walking with broken hearts. They aren’t expecting resurrection—they’re carrying spices for a burial. They’re expecting to honor Jesus in death, not encounter Him in life.

And I think sometimes... we live like that too.

Even though we believe in Jesus, we sometimes carry sorrow like the story is still unfinished. Like it’s still Saturday. But friends—Sunday has come.

“The stone was rolled away...”

And when they arrived, the stone was already rolled back. That heavy, seemingly immovable barrier was gone.

Sometimes, we forget—God moves the stones before we even realize we need Him to. He removes barriers we thought would always be in the way. That addiction. That shame. That fear. Gone. Not by our strength, but by His power.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

Oh, what a question. The angels weren’t just asking for information—they were shaking loose an old mindset.

How often do we go back to empty places, expecting to find life? Dead dreams, old regrets, sins we’ve already been forgiven for. But Jesus isn’t there. He is not in the tomb. He is alive—and He invites us into living faith, not dead religion.

“He is not here; He has risen!”

That’s the moment. That’s the line that changes everything. That’s the reason we gather, the reason we sing, the reason we celebrate today.

This is not a metaphor. This is not a myth. This is the miracle at the heart of our faith—Jesus Christ defeated death. Once and for all.

“Then they remembered His words...”

I love that detail. They didn’t understand it all at first—but when they remembered what Jesus had said, it all started to click.

And maybe that’s us today. Maybe you walked in here carrying something heavy. Maybe this Easter you needed to remember—not just that Jesus lived and died, but that He rose—and that His words are still true. Still powerful. Still for you.

“They ran to tell the others...”

Because when you realize the truth of resurrection, you can’t keep it in. You’ve got to move. You’ve got to speak. You’ve got to tell somebody: Jesus is alive.

And that brings us to the heart of this Easter message…

The Triumph Over Sin and Death

Jesus didn’t just survive death—He defeated it. He didn’t just make it through the cross—He overcame it. And in doing so, He broke the power that sin and death held over humanity from the very beginning.

This is not just a theological idea—it’s a personal victory.

Because of the resurrection, sin no longer has the final word over your life. Death doesn’t get the last say. Guilt doesn’t get to hold you hostage. Shame doesn’t get to write your story.

You see, sin brought separation—but Jesus brought reconciliation. Death brought despair—but Jesus brought deliverance. The cross looked like defeat... but Easter morning flipped the script.

Paul says it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:55–57 “55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

That’s not just poetry—it’s power.

It means you don’t have to live bound anymore. You don’t have to keep dragging chains that Jesus already broke. The tomb is empty so that your heart can be full—of grace, of freedom, of life that can’t be stolen.

Here’s the truth of Easter:Jesus didn’t just defeat sin and death for Himself—He did it for you. For me. For all who believe. That’s the victory we’re standing in today.

But here’s what makes that victory even more astounding—it wasn’t a surprise. It wasn’t a backup plan. No, the resurrection was always part of the plan.

From the very beginning, God was writing a story of redemption. Jesus didn’t just rise unexpectedly—He rose exactly as promised.

Which brings us to the next truth we need to see this Easter morning…

The Fulfillment of Prophecy

Jesus rising from the dead wasn’t a surprise to heaven—it was the plan all along.

From the opening pages of Scripture, God was telling a story—not just of creation and fall, but of rescue and redemption. And every page, every prophet, every promise was pointing forward to this moment. The empty tomb isn’t just the climax of the Gospel—it’s the fulfillment of God’s ancient promises.

Luke 24:44 says this—Jesus is speaking to His disciples after the resurrection:

“44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.””

In other words—this was always the plan.

Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophets spoke of a Savior who would suffer, die, and rise again.

Isaiah said He would be “pierced for our transgressions” and “by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53)

Psalm 16 declared, “You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.”

Even in Genesis, God promised that the serpent would strike the heel of Eve’s offspring—but that He would crush the serpent’s head.

From beginning to end, God was saying: Rescue is coming. Redemption is coming. Resurrection is coming.

And when Jesus walked out of that tomb, He wasn’t just proving His power—He was proving God’s faithfulness.

Here’s what that means for us today:

If God was faithful then—if He kept that promise, the biggest, most impossible one—then we can trust Him to be faithful now. We can trust His Word. We can trust His timing. We can trust His plan.

Even when life feels uncertain. Even when prayers feel unanswered. The resurrection tells us: God keeps His promises.

And that’s not just good news for the past—it’s power for the present.

Because the resurrection isn’t just something that happened to Jesus—it’s something that now happens in us.

So let’s talk about what it means to live as resurrection people—what it means for that power to move in our lives right now.

The Power of the Resurrection in Our Lives

So far, we’ve seen that Jesus’ resurrection means sin and death are defeated. We’ve seen that it was God’s plan all along. But now, we’ve got to ask—what does it mean for me? What does this mean for you, sitting here on Easter morning?

Here it is, plain and simple:

The resurrection of Jesus isn’t just something to celebrate—it’s something to live.

Romans 6:4 puts it like this:

“Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

New. Life.

That’s the invitation. Not just a second chance—not just a cleaned-up version of your old life—but new life. Resurrected life. Holy-Spirit-empowered, guilt-washed-away, shame-has-no-home-here kind of life.

Because Jesus got up from the grave, you can get up from whatever’s been holding you down.

You’re not defined by your past anymore.

You’re not bound by your sin anymore.

You’re not stuck in despair anymore.

The same power that rolled away the stone, that raised Jesus from the dead—that power lives in you, if you’re in Christ. (Romans 8:11)

That means we live differently. We love differently. We forgive when the world says to hold a grudge. We hope when it makes no sense. We shine light in dark places. We rise.

Maybe you walked in here today feeling stuck.Stuck in a cycle of guilt. Stuck in a relationship that’s crumbling. Stuck in a story you never chose.

Easter says: That’s not where your story ends.

The empty tomb is proof that nothing is too far gone for God to resurrect. Not your marriage. Not your purpose. Not your joy.

Resurrection is not just Jesus' story—it’s yours too.

And once we realize that—once the power of the resurrection becomes personal—there’s only one thing left to do:

We’ve got to tell somebody.

Because resurrection people don’t sit quietly. We run from the tomb with joy. We proclaim it with our lives, our words, our love.

So let’s talk about what it means to carry this Good News into the world...

The Call to Proclaim the Good News

So what do you do with a miracle like the resurrection?

You share it. You live it. You proclaim it.

That’s exactly what the women at the tomb did. As soon as they heard the angels say, “He is not here; He has risen!”—they didn’t just stand there in wonder. They ran to tell the others. They became the first witnesses of the resurrection, the first preachers of Easter.

And here’s what’s wild: Jesus chose them—ordinary, overlooked, grieving women—to carry the greatest news the world has ever heard.

If He can use them, He can use us.

Matthew 28:19–20 says:

“Go and make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

That’s our call. Not just to believe the Good News, but to become bearers of it. To speak life into a world drowning in despair. To embody hope when people are surrounded by fear. To live like the resurrection is real—because it is.

Proclaiming the resurrection doesn’t always mean preaching a sermon.

Sometimes it means forgiving someone who hurt you—because Jesus forgave you first.

Sometimes it means showing up for someone in pain—because Jesus showed up for you.

Sometimes it means loving boldly, serving humbly, giving generously—because Jesus did all of that and more.

You are now part of the resurrection story. You are the living evidence of His victory.

So let the world see it.

Let them see it in your joy, in your peace, in your courage, in your love. Because Jesus didn’t rise from the grave so we could play it safe—He rose so we could live fully, freely, and fearlessly.

And now, as resurrection people, we come to the Table—not as mourners, but as guests at a victory feast.

This meal reminds us of the cross, yes—but it also reminds us of the empty tomb. It’s a table of grace. A table of power. A table of promise.

“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup,” Scripture says, “you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” (1 Cor. 11:26)

So let’s come with joy. Let’s come with hearts full of gratitude. The Lamb who was slain is alive—and the Table is open.