Today is Easter Sunday, a day which marks not just a moment in history but the beginning of a revolution. What revolution am I talking about? The Resurrection Revolution. Here is what I mean by that.

By definition, a revolution signifies a fundamental change or turnaround, often transforming the established order in a dramatic and lasting way. Historically, revolutions have reshaped societies, overthrown governments, and redefined cultural norms—consider the profound impact of the American Revolution on governance and democracy or the Industrial Revolution’s complete overhaul of production, work, and lifestyle. Each revolution, in essence, marked the transition from old to new, bringing about a radical shift in perception, understanding, or existence.

So, when I say Resurrection Revolution, I am talking about transformative power in a spiritual dimension manifested in the material world, marking a pivotal turnaround from death to life, despair to hope for the entirety of humanity. This Resurrection Revolution began with an empty tomb, signaling that life, as we knew it, was forever changed.

For this reason, Easter is the day we celebrate this seismic shift brought about by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the moment when the power of the Spirit of God declared that death was not the end because He was sinless.

As participants in this Resurrection Revolution, we inherit a profound transformation in how we perceive life, death, and everything in between. Jesus, in conquering death, didn’t just promise us a life beyond the grave; he ushered in a new reality—a kingdom reality—where death is a defeated enemy and eternal life is our inheritance.

Jesus was clear about this revolutionary promise when he said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:26). Jesus promised life beyond life. He told us that life as we know it is not all there is, but there is much more after this one. This isn’t merely about life after death; it is about a quality and purpose of life that defies the power of the grave right here, right now.

In this way, the Resurrection Revolution changed how we look at our existence. Death, once a dreaded finality, is now just a transition, a doorway. We are no longer bound by the fear of the end because, in Jesus, the end is just the beginning of something far more beautiful.

The Book of Revelation explains this when it says,

“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”

The story of the women who were the first to learn about Jesus’ resurrection gives us a powerful insight into this understanding. They were the first to experience this revolution. They came with tears rolling off their eyes and expected death but found life. They anticipated an ending but were met with the ultimate beginning. This is what happened on Sunday morning, three days after Jesus was dead and buried,

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.” (Luke 24: 1-9)

It is early Sunday morning, at dawn, and Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary, the mother of James, and the other women with them come to the tomb to complete the burial rituals for Jesus’ body, as was the Jewish custom.

Up to this point, there was no joy; everything was wrong. They were there when Jesus was crucified; they witnessed the darkness of the day as Jesus breathed his last breath and saw his body carried and put away in this tomb. But when they came to it, they found the stone rolled away, and when they entered, they did not find the body of Jesus. Imagine the rush of confusion and fear they felt when they found the tomb empty. I can hear their thoughts, “Who took the body?” with a grieving and angry tone.

But suddenly, they were startled by two angels, who asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen!” Obviously, the women were not seeking the living; they sought a corpse. But instead, they encountered angels telling them, “Everything has changed!”

This moment, question, and statement are the beginning of the new hope; it redirected them from death to life. A revolution in the making. What the angels said to the women was simple and direct, yet the most consequential knowledge in their lives: death is not the end. By overcoming death, Jesus changed the final destination. Death is no longer the end of life but a passage to everlasting life. It was a brief moment with few words but with far-reaching consequences—first for the women but then for the rest of humanity through time and space.

Think of a railway switch, for example (see picture). A railway switch is equipment that guides railway trains from one track to another. One minor change at the right time changes the direction of that train, however long and burdened it might be. Now, like those long, heavy trains that seem destined to follow a predetermined path or the women expecting to find a dead body, many of us today may feel locked onto the tracks of our circumstances, challenges, or past decisions, believing change is not possible. But the Resurrection Revolution introduces a transformative shift like that small yet pivotal railway switch. With one divine intervention—Christ’s resurrection—we find that our direction can be radically altered. No longer bound to a path of despair or aimlessness, we are redirected toward hope, purpose, and eternal life.

Can you relate to this? Either with the train or the women? Have you had moments when your whole life was going in one direction, but something unexpected happened that completely set you on a different path?

In my personal experience, growing up in church, learning Jesus’s teachings and making them my own, praying to find my way in life as a young person, and then realizing what Jesus did for me on that cross out of love and what he accomplished on my behalf by defeating it revolutionized my whole existence. That was my shifting moment. It gave me purpose and direction, which in turn led me to meet people and be in places that shaped my life and set the direction of my decisions. Several “railway switches” throughout my life led me to find my calling in life, my love, and I have a happy family. And despite the struggles and disappointments, it is a beautiful life.

My witness to you today is that this transformation is Jesus moving our hearts from contempt to gratitude, shame to joy, and pride to humility. It gives us the power to ask for forgiveness and forgive others. It changes us into the people we were meant to be: kind, loving, forgiving, happy, courageous, generous, and just. This is the revolution, the “railway switch,” so to speak, that happens in our lives because of Jesus. It is about allowing Jesus to switch the tracks in our lives from paths that lead to despair and death to paths that lead to hope and life. It is about knowing that because He lives, we can face our todays and tomorrows with confidence, living fully in the truth that everything he said and did was to bring this revolution into our hearts and lives.

One last brief point. After the angels told the women, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” they said, “Remember how he told you…”

These women had all the feels: fright, worry, sorrow, wondering, sadness, etc., and that is how they perceived reality at that moment, through their feelings. But now the angels are telling them, “Above your feelings, trust what Jesus said.” As the angels were acknowledging the experience of their human loss, they were also redirecting them to what Jesus told them,

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

As we can see, Jesus had told them before what was going to happen and what it meant. So, the angels were essentially saying, “Jesus told you he would be gone and that he would be back. And he did. He went through all the trouble and suffering because he loves you. So, trust his love and his words.”

This means that the revolution of the resurrection that transforms us won’t happen unless we believe and trust what Jesus said. Therefore, the first switch that must happen in us is to trust Jesus by believing what he said and did. So, my friends, trust what Jesus said, and root your feelings, hearts, and minds in his teachings.

Here is the good news and invitation: Because of Jesus, we can look forward to the heavenly life and live out its power every day. So, as we celebrate Easter, let’s embrace the Resurrection Revolution with our whole beings. Let’s live like people transformed by the reality of the resurrection, knowing that in Jesus, everything truly changes. Let’s not leave today’s celebration at the door. Instead, let us carry the Resurrection Revolution into our lives, our communities, and our world. Let’s practice forgiveness, serve in love, and commit to deepening our faith every week by praying, reflecting on God’s Word, and participating in the life of the church. Let’s actively participate and carry our faith so others may be free too and find the hope and joy of the Christian faith. And let’s allow this revolutionary power to shape how we live, love, and look toward the future. Amen.

Here is a replay of this service