No Grave 2

No Grave: No Limits

Text: Acts 1:1–11 Series: No Grave (Week 2) Preacher: Pastor Blake Hunt Big Idea: The resurrection wasn’t the finish line—it was the launch pad. No grave means no limits to what God can do through His people.

INTRODUCTION: “So What Now?”

Let me ask you something—have you ever had one of those moments where something amazing happens, and your very next thought is, "So… now what?"

Maybe it was a graduation. You work so hard for four years—or more—and then the cap goes up, the confetti falls… and the next day you're sitting in your bedroom like, Well, what happens now?

Or maybe it's after God does something incredible in your life—a breakthrough, a healing, a reconciliation. And you’re grateful… but then it feels like life slows back down, and you wonder: what now?

That’s exactly where the disciples find themselves in Acts 1.

Jesus had just risen from the dead. The tomb is empty. Death is defeated. They’ve seen Him alive, talked with Him, eaten with Him. And then, all of a sudden… He’s gone. He ascends into heaven. And they’re left there… staring at the sky.

One of them probably said what we’ve all said after a big moment: So… what now?

And what Jesus shows them—and what He’s showing us—is that the resurrection was never meant to be the end of the story. It was always meant to be the beginning.

1. NO GRAVE MEANS THE MISSION ISN’T OVER

Acts 1:1–3

"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God."

Let me pause right there. Did you catch it? Luke says “all that Jesus began to do and teach.”

In other words—He’s not done.

See, Luke’s Gospel told the story of what Jesus did on earth. The book of Acts tells the story of what Jesus continues to do—through the Church.

The resurrection isn’t just a mic drop moment—it’s a mission handoff.

Jesus spends 40 days with His disciples after rising from the grave. Forty days teaching about the kingdom of God. Forty days reminding them: This is bigger than you. This is global. This is eternal.

Here’s the question: do you think Jesus would conquer sin, death, hell, and the grave… and then say, Alright guys, let’s take it easy now, enjoy your Sundays, see you in heaven?

No—He rose to reign. And He reigns to send.

As Tim Keller once said, “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that He said. If He didn’t rise, then why worry about anything He said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like His teaching, but whether or not He rose from the dead.”

In other words, the resurrection is the hinge on which everything swings. It's not just a feel-good doctrine—it’s the foundation of our faith. If Jesus truly rose from the grave, then everything He said about God, life, sin, salvation, and eternity demands our full attention and surrender. But if He didn’t rise? Then He’s just another teacher with opinions.

The resurrection validates His authority. It confirms His identity. It proves that every promise He made can be trusted. So we don’t get to pick and choose the parts of Jesus we like. We either bow before the risen King, or we walk away. There’s no in-between.

The resurrection means this thing is real—and if it’s real, it’s time to get to work.

2. NO GRAVE MEANS POWER HAS BEEN GIVEN

Acts 1:4–8

Jesus doesn’t just give them a mission—He gives them the means.

"And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, 'you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'

So when they had come together, they asked him, 'Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?' He said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.'"

Now let’s be honest—if I were one of those disciples, I’d be panicking a little.

You’re telling me Jesus is leaving? And we’re supposed to carry this thing? Us? Peter, the guy who denied Jesus? James and John, who argued about who’s greater? Thomas, who wasn’t even sure Jesus rose?

But that’s the point. It was never going to be about their strength. It was always going to be about His Spirit.

This same Spirit that hovered over the waters at creation… The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave… Is now poured out on people like us.

Not to give us goosebumps—but to give us power.

Power to obey when it’s hard. Power to love when it’s inconvenient. Power to speak the truth in boldness and humility. Power to go where we’ve never gone, and reach who we’ve never reached.

But here’s the problem—many of us are living like Jesus came out of the grave, but we’re still stuck in one.

We’re saved, but scared.

Forgiven, but fearful.

Resurrected with Christ… but still living like we’re powerless.

We say we believe in the power of the resurrection, but our lives sometimes tell a different story. We avoid hard conversations because we’re afraid we won’t have the words. We stay silent when we should speak truth because we fear rejection. We resist stepping out in faith because we’ve convinced ourselves we’re not qualified.

Let me tell you about a person in our church. She had a heart for helping women who had walked through addiction and abuse, because that was her story too. But every time she thought about starting a group or volunteering, fear would paralyze her. "I don’t have a degree," she’d say. "What if I mess up? What if they see through me?"

And then one day she said something I’ll never forget:

"If Jesus conquered the grave, what’s stopping me from starting a conversation?"

She started a group with two women. It’s now a ministry that reaches dozens of women in our community. That’s what happens when the Holy Spirit empowers someone who stops living scared and starts living sent.

Church—if the tomb couldn’t hold Jesus, what’s holding you?

3. NO GRAVE MEANS THE KINGDOM HAS NO BORDERS

Acts 1:8

“You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This is the ultimate ripple effect.

Jerusalem—that’s your hometown. Judea—that’s your region. Samaria—that’s your enemies. And the ends of the earth? That’s everybody else.

The resurrection launched a global movement. The Kingdom of God broke out of Israel and burst into the nations.

There are no limits to where this Kingdom is going. No culture it won’t touch. No tribe it won’t reach. No person it can’t transform.

J.D. Greear says it like this: “The church doesn’t have a mission; God’s mission has a church.”

That one sentence flips our understanding of church upside down. We often act like God is lucky to have us on His team—as if we came up with this idea of reaching people and building community and He just rubber-stamped it. But Greear’s point is clear: God has had a mission from the beginning—to redeem and restore all things through His Son—and the Church exists to carry that mission forward.

Think of it this way: the Church is not a cruise ship where we kick back and enjoy the amenities. It’s a battleship—strategically placed, constantly mobilized, always advancing into the darkness with the light of the gospel.

This changes how we pray, how we serve, how we give, and how we live. We’re not asking God to bless our little projects. We’re joining Him in His global rescue mission.

So if God’s mission has a church—then the only real question is: are you part of the movement, or are you still on the sidelines?

This is bigger than you. Bigger than me. It’s global. It’s unstoppable. And it starts right where you are.

GCCC—your Jerusalem may be your street. Your school. Your job.

4. NO GRAVE MEANS HE’S COMING BACK

Acts 1:9–11

"And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, 'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'"

They watched Him rise into the clouds—and they just stood there, gazing up.

It’s kind of funny, honestly. Two angels show up and say, “Hey fellas… why are you staring at the sky?”

Translation: Don’t just stand there. Get moving. He’s coming back. And until then—you’ve got work to do.

Jesus’ ascension reminds us—this story isn’t finished.

He rose. He reigns. And one day… He’s returning.

And when He comes, every grave will open. Every injustice will be made right. Every tear wiped away. Every knee will bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Until then—we don’t just sit around waiting for heaven. We move forward in mission.

And what does that look like? It means putting your yes on the table.

Maybe that means serving with our kids or youth ministry—being a voice of encouragement and hope to the next generation. Maybe it means joining the welcome team and helping people feel seen and known the moment they step through the doors.

It could look like leading or hosting a small group. Or showing up early to set up chairs, run tech, or brew coffee. It might even mean starting a new outreach—something that hasn’t even been thought of yet.

Stepping into the mission also means giving generously. When you tithe or support a ministry financially, you're not just keeping the lights on—you’re fueling gospel work here and around the world.

And maybe, for you, the next step is just to pray, "Lord, where do You want to use me?" The answer might surprise you.

Whatever it is—don’t wait for someone to ask. Step in. This is your mission now.

We don’t stare at the sky—we step into the story.

GOSPEL INVITATION

Some of you here today believe that Jesus rose from the dead. But you haven’t yet let Him rise in your life.

He didn’t just conquer the grave to impress you. He conquered it to rescue you.

He offers forgiveness for your past… power for your present… and a future that no grave can hold.

If that’s you, I want to invite you to receive Him today—not just as risen King, but as your King.

Let’s pray together:

“Jesus, I believe You died for my sin, and rose again so I could have life. I confess that I need You. Come into my life, forgive me, and fill me with Your Spirit. I want to follow You, and be a part of what You’re doing. In Your name I pray—Amen.”

CLOSING ILLUSTRATION: THE BATON PASS

If you’ve ever watched a relay race, you know the most important moment isn’t how fast someone runs—it’s the handoff.

One runner runs their leg, then passes the baton to the next. If they drop it, the race is over. But when the handoff is clean—the momentum keeps going.

In Acts 1, Jesus is handing off the baton. He’s run His race. He conquered sin. He defeated death. And now He looks at His people—you and me—and says, “Now it’s your turn.”

Let’s not drop the baton. Let’s not live like people who have seen the grave open and stayed sitting in it. Let’s run—because No Grave means No Limits.