Now What? How Does the Resurrection Change Us?

Introduction (3:30)

Text Introduction

Please open your Bibles to John 20:19-23. Please take especial note of verse 21 which we’ll be focusing on this morning. This is still Easter Sunday, picking up right after Mary Magdalen went and told the disciples about her encounter with the risen Lord.

Will you read along in John 20:19-23?

Read John 20:19-23

John 20:19–23 NKJV

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Prayer

Sermon Introduction

“Now what?” is a critical question to ask when you have new information or find yourself in a new circumstance.

Your company didn’t hit its sales goals. That’s important—but what really matters is, what will you do now? What will you change? What will you add?

You make the sports team you tried out for. That’s great—but now what? How will you prepare? How will you play? How will you be part of the team?

Whether the change is good or bad, it calls us to ask, “Now what?”

This was especially true on that first Easter morning 2,000 years ago. Jesus had risen from the dead. Everything had changed. But what were the disciples to do now? How had the resurrection changed their situation? How had it changed their lives? How would they respond?

And for us today, are we simply saying, “Jesus is alive,” and then going back to live as usual? Or does the truth of a risen Savior actually change how we live?

Christ is risen. Now what?

1. Rest in His Peace (5:00)

The first way the resurrection changes the disciples is by bringing peace.

After seeing their leader and friend handed over by the Jewish leaders to be crucified by the Romans, crippling fear gripped the disciples. Huddled together, they were afraid that the Jewish leaders would turn their anger—and Rome’s power—on them.

But the risen Lord changes everything. Did you notice what He said to them?

“Peace to you.”

To the disciples huddling in fear Jesus offered peace.

Illustration: A Hand in the Dark

As a child growing up in the jungles of the Philippines, the dark could be very scary. Who knows what’s out there—probably snakes! Lots of snakes.

But do you know what really gave me peace? It wasn’t the kerosene lantern—it helped a little. It wasn’t my machete or my blowgun—they were fun in the daylight, but dangerous in the dark.

Do you know what it was? My father taking my hand and walking by my side. If my dad was there, what did I have to be afraid of?

That’s the same kind of peace Jesus offered the disciples and us today. The resurrection means He is alive and with us! We can find peace in Him.

Application: Trust in Jesus’ Peace

We don’t face the exact same fears as the disciples did that first Easter morning, but if you are anything like me, there are times when fear grips your heart. Maybe it’s:

worry about your family,

your job,

your health,

what other people think about you

or the uncertainty of the future.

Those fears can feel real, pressing, and paralyzing.

But today, Jesus—the Risen Lord—still comes to us and says, “Peace be with you.”

That peace isn’t a suggestion.

It’s not a “try harder to calm down” kind of peace.

It’s not reserved for the top tier really religious Christians.

It is a gift, given by the One who has conquered sin, death, and the grave to all who believe in Him.

So what does it look like to trust in His peace? Let me give you a few steps.

First, name your fear honestly. Don’t sweep it under the rug. Don’t pretend it isn’t there. Say it out loud, or write it down.

Second, bring that fear to Jesus. Pray. Talk to Him. Tell Him your anxiety, your worry, your doubts. Peace isn’t about removing your circumstances; it’s about the presence of Christ in the midst of them.

Third, remind yourself of the truth of the resurrection. Jesus is alive. Sin is paid for. Death is defeated. You are not facing this situation alone. The peace He offers is real because it rests on reality—the reality that Christ is victorious.

Romans 8 Ending

In Romans 8, Paul addresses real fears that believers face but he concludes by sharing the source of our peace.

Romans 8:37–39 NKJV

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

How does the resurrection change us? It gives us confidence to know—without a doubt—that God is in control and nothing can separate us from His love. Rather than life feeling like sinking sand, we can build our lives on the firm foundation of God’s love—and rest in Jesus’ peace.

2. Understand His Mission

The next way the resurrection changed the disciples and us is that the Risen Lord helps us understand God’s mission.

Before sending his disciples he clarified what this should look like. He said “as the Father has sent me.”

For the disciples, the resurrection was a turning point in understanding God’s plan of salvation.

When they entered Jerusalem one week earlier on Palm Sunday they had still been thinking too small when it came to God’s plan. They were thinking of earthly miracles and an earthly kingdom, particularly focused on restoring the nation of Israel.

The disciples struggled to understand how Jesus was fulfilling God’s plan.

Until… Jesus rose from the dead.

And here he stands and what is the model that the disciples are to build their ministry on? What is the model that Christians are to build our lives on?

The model is Jesus.

Jesus faithfully followed the Father in being sent to earth to be born in a humble stable.

He followed the Father in all that he did- Jesus said in John that his very words and his work were all from the Father.

Jesus followed the Father in being sent to the cross to die in our place.

Jesus followed the Father in fulfilling Scriptures in which the Father, through the Holy Spirit promised to bring salvation.

Over and over again Jesus demonstrates His obedience to the Father.

Application: First Look at Jesus

Maybe at first glance Jesus saying “As the Father has sent me” doesn’t scream for personal application.

But look deeper and I think you will find these words extremely practical for your daily life.

Jesus expects his followers to understand how the Father sent him. It’s the foundation for what comes next.

If you wonder why you struggle to see how God might be sending you.

What the purpose for for your life is.

How you can experience fulfillment and fruitfulness.

The natural place to start, the place the world starts is in here {point to heart}. Try to understand yourself better so you can chart the course of your life. I grew up on Disney movies and the key message was always something like “follow your heart.” But is your heart a good guide?

Illustration: Learning to Sing

I’ve tried to guide people in how to sing a song before. It didn’t work well. Do you know why? Because I’m a terrible singer. The notes come out wrong. The timing is off. It’s usually so obviously bad no one even tries to sing what I’m putting out there, but if they followed my example, my lead, how would it sound? No, you need to follow a real singer.

So what about on truly important things like the purpose of our lives.

Instead start with the foundation of Jesus- turn your eyes to see where his purpose and direction came from. It was in following the Father.

Application: Reading Scripture

So what can you do? My suggestion here is to prioritize reading God’s Word so you that deeply understand God’s mission.

Old Testament: As you read the Old Testament keep a careful eye on the many many promises God makes and remember how Jesus fulfilled them.

New Testament: As you read the New Testament ask yourself how God is sending Jesus and how Jesus is modeling obedience to the Father.

Transition

So the risen Christ offers peace, he helps us to build our lives based on his model of God’s mission, but Jesus also has a mission for us as well.

3. Live as His Sent People

Jesus tells the disciples that just as the Father sent Him, He also sends them.

They are sent on a mission. Jesus doesn’t give many details in this Easter evening encounter. He will provide more in the days ahead. But here, He lays the groundwork for that mission by focusing on the most important element: their identity.

From this moment on, they are sent people. Jesus doesn’t start with a list of instructions. He starts by defining who they are—and how they are to live.

And what is that? To live as His sent people.

We have seen that Jesus’ mission is the foundation. But now the question is: what will we build on that foundation?

We build our lives by living as people sent by Jesus.

And remember—Jesus doesn’t just send us. He sends us as the Father sent Him. That means we go with the same posture—humility, love, sacrifice, and truth.

Explanation: The Holy Spirit

After telling the disciples He is sending them, Jesus does something unusual. He breathes on them and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit.

At first, this seems confusing. Breathing on people is not something we normally expect, and when we read Luke and Acts, we see that the Holy Spirit is given later at Pentecost.

So what is happening here?

Jesus is doing something He has done before—He is using a symbolic action to prepare them for what is coming.

He washed the disciples’ feet to show how they would be cleansed.

He broke the bread to point forward to His body being broken.

And here, He breathes on them to show that they will not carry out this mission alone. They will receive the Holy Spirit.

The same is true for us. This same Holy Spirit lives in every believer, empowering us to live as sent people.

Illustration: Ambassador

Sent people go.

What good is a delivery driver with a van full of packages who never leaves the parking lot?

Or think about an ambassador. An ambassador doesn’t stay in their home country—they are sent to represent their king in another place.

In the same way, we are sent.

Not someday. Not when you feel ready. Right now.

Where We are Sent

This sending is not mainly about going far away or doing something spectacular. It is the reality that in all of our lives we live as people sent by Jesus:

Sent to your families—to love, to lead, to forgive.

Sent to your schools and workplaces—not just to get through the day, but to represent Christ.

Sent to your neighborhoods—not to withdraw, but to engage with the love of Jesus.

Haven Purpose

Here at Haven our purpose is:

To experience the love of Christ and to be Christ-like in sharing His unconditional love with others so they may experience the redemptive love of Christ through a personal relationship with Him.

Because Christ is risen we can experience the love and peace that Jesus offers.

But because Christ is risen we are sent people, sent to share the love that we have received.

Conclusion

So now what? Christ is risen—but how will you live in light of that reality?

Will you rest in His peace?

Will you understand His mission?

And will you live as one who has been sent by Christ, sharing His love as you go?

Christ is risen. Now what?

Invitation

Because He Lives

John Reading Plan

Week 15 (April 12–18, 2026)

John 19 – Jesus is condemned, crucified, and buried. John emphasizes both His human suffering and His divine purpose, showing that His death fulfills Scripture and accomplishes salvation. At the cross we see the love of God displayed in its fullest measure.

☐ Day 1 – John 19:1–16 + Isaiah 50:4–9

☐ Day 2 – John 19:17–27 + Psalm 22:1–18

☐ Day 3 – John 19:28–37 + Zechariah 12:10

☐ Day 4– John 19:38–42 + Isaiah 53:9

☐ Day 5 – Reflection: Romans 5:6–11

Sermon Notes & Further Study

1. Quotes & Illustrations

Life Application Bible Commentary

20:21–23 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Jesus gave his peace to them and then commissioned them to be his representatives, even as he had been the Father’s (see 17:18). Jesus again identified himself with his Father. He told the disciples by whose authority he did his work. Then he gave the task to his disciples of spreading the gospel message around the world. They were sent with authority from God to preach, teach, and do miracles (see Matthew 28:16–20; Luke 24:47–49)—in essence, to continue across the world what Jesus had begun in Palestine. Whatever God has asked you to do, remember: (1) Your authority comes from God, and (2) Jesus has demonstrated by words and actions how to accomplish the job he has given you. As the Father sent his Son, Jesus sends his followers … and you. Your response is to determine from day to day those to whom the Father has sent you.

Bruce B. Barton, John, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1993), 396.

2. Additional Scriptures

To read Jesus full commission that he will later share with His followers read Matthew 28:18-20.

When discussing Peace I read from Romans 8. Consider readding the whole section, Romans 8:18-39 to see how we can face difficult times with peace and hope in Christ.

3. Additional Questions (Using Logos Study Assistant✨)

How does Jesus breathing on the disciples in John 20 relate to Pentecost?

Jesus’ action was symbolic, foreshadowing the bestowal of the Spirit to take place on the Day of Pentecost.[1] Rather than constituting an actual impartation of the Holy Spirit, Jesus performed a prophetic gesture that pointed toward what would occur forty days later.

There is no intrinsic reason for thinking that the imperative of 20:22, Receive the Holy Spirit, must be experienced immediately.[2] This view creates the least problems, especially for those who accept the Acts account of Pentecost as historical.[1]

[1] Colin G. Kruse, John: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 4:375–376. [2] D. A. Carson, The Gospel according to John, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans, 1991), 652–653.

4. Bible Translation

I’m choosing the NKJV for preaching because I believe it offers the strongest balance of faithfulness to the historic text of Scripture, clarity for modern readers, and continuity with the church’s worshiping tradition.

At the same time, I deeply value other faithful translations—such as the NASB, ESV, CSB, and NIV—which also serve the church well and can enrich our understanding of God’s Word.

5. Commentary Recommendation's

I have found the following commentaries helpful in my study of John.

Introductory

Explore the book in greater depth. Ideal for curious church members, Bible study leaders, and Sunday School teachers who want a clearer understanding of the text without being overwhelmed by technical detail.

1. Holman New Testament Commentary: John by Kenneth O. Gangel

2. Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in John by Matt Chandler and Josh Wredberg

3. Be Alive (John 1-12) and Be Transformed (John 13-21) by Warren Wiresbe

4. The Life Application Bible Commentary: John Editor: Grant Osborne

Intermediate

More advanced, with increased attention to historical context, theological nuances, and interpretive questions. Best for teachers or small group leaders seeking a scholarly yet accessible examination of passages.

1. Signs of the Messiah: An Introduction to John’s Gospel by Andreas J. Köstenberger

2. Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: The Gospel of John by Grant Osborne

3. ESV Expository Commentary: John by James M. Hamilton Jr.

In-Depth Study

These are a bit more advanced than the previous recommendations and go into more depth. These resources are ideal for those preparing lessons or sermons and looking to engage more deeply with the biblical text.

1. New American Commentary: John 1-11 and John 12-21 by Gerald L. Borchert

2. Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John by D.A. Carson

3. New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to John by Leon Morris