Holidays like Easter give us a great opportunity to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and to reflect on the importance and reality of that historical event. It’s obvious to Christians that His resurrection is the most significant moment in history, but even non-Christians acknowledge the impact of Jesus. Celebrating the resurrection helps us remember it, however it’s also important for us to remember that the resurrection wasn’t the end of Jesus’ ministry, but the beginning.
Since it was at the beginning of “all that Jesus began to do and teach” (Acts 1:1), the resurrection involves more than a single moment in time — its importance continues through history because He continues to work through history, both among and through His people. He promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20), so His defeat of death doesn’t just mean that He rose two thousand years ago, it means that He still lives and is still with us. (Colossians 1:27)
We can count on the fact that, especially in days of uncertainty, we are not alone, for the One who overcame the world is with us. (John 16:33)
Paul was given this understanding on the road to Damascus, when Jesus told him that he would be a witness not just to that single experience, but to all that Paul would see Him do. (Acts 26:16) Paul would go on to see Jesus work miracles through him, provide support for him in Corinth, provide guidance on his mission trips, and more. Paul was able to personally witness to the reality of the resurrected Christ because of his own experiences with Him.
Just like Paul, we are witnesses to all that we see Jesus doing in and around us. The reality of His ongoing life and presence makes Acts 1:8 an ongoing truth — we not only testify to the fact that He changed our life some time in the past, but also to the difference His presence makes every day.
The resurrection was not just a one-time defeat of death, it released an ongoing source of abundant life. Look around at all that He is doing in your life today, so you can testify to the reality of His resurrection, the reality of everything we have to celebrate this season.
Churches generally struggle to get people to be involved in service, and to live out the truth that everyone is to be a minister and use their gifts to serve God. The common teaching is that this is to be done in a local congregation, within an organized church.
The Whole Reality Project 