Jesus’s death and resurrection corrects our greatest problem.

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Resurrection Sunday

April 5, 2026

Over a century ago, young Francis Griffiths and her cousin took pictures of fairies dancing in the forest. What began as the imagination of little girls turned into an international sensation known as the Cottingley Fairies incident of 1920. Dr. Merrick Burrow, the curator of an exhibit that commemorated the strange incident told the BBC article, “I do not think anybody really believed it . . . But they couldn’t explain how it had been done either.”

The fairy pictures looked so real that they even convinced none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the famously logical Sherlock Holmes stories. Initially skeptical, Conan Doyle became a believer and worked to promote the images as evidence of the supernatural. It wasn’t until decades later that one of the girls confessed that they had used paper cut-outs from a 1915 children’s book. “I never even thought of it being a fraud,” Frances Griffiths told the BBC in 1983, “It was just Elsie and I having a bit of fun.” Even so, their “bit of fun” was enough to convince some very smart people that these girls had discovered a window between our world and the world of spirits and fairies.

How do otherwise intelligent people fall for such things? Conan Doyle wasn’t a fool, but he also wasn’t disinterested. He was someone who was very curious about spiritualism, and he’d lost a son during the First World War. The prank gave him hope that there was something beyond this world, and that if so, it may mean he would see his boy again.

We want to believe that there’s more to this world. We want to know that reality is not limited to only what we can see. But we are also fallen. Our senses are not clear. Without the clarifying light of God’s truth, we stumble in the darkness. And yet, even as we stumble, the longing persists and points to a higher reality. As C.S.Lewis put it in Mere Christianity, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”[1]

Are we made for another world? Are we longing for something more?

I believe we are longing for more.

My theme today: Jesus’s death and resurrection corrects our greatest problem.

  1. The problem- The answer is in Genesis.
    1. The ultimate problem is sin.
    2. I would argue that everyone understands the problem as people being mean, sick, and dying.
    3. We can look at Genesis 3:15-24 to read about the origins of sickness, hardship, and death.
    4. Things aren’t as they should be.
    5. BLAISE PASCAL shared:
    6. Certainly nothing offends us more rudely than this doctrine [of original sin], and yet without this mystery, the most incomprehensible of all, we are incomprehensible to ourselves.[2]
    7. The first and most fundamental element of any worldview is the way it answers the questions of origins—where the universe came from and how human life began. The second element is the way it explains the human Why is there war and suffering, disease and death?[3]
    8. Someone once quipped that the doctrine of original sin is the only philosophy empirically validated by thirty-five centuries of recorded human history.[4]
    9. In Genesis 4, we see the first murder. Then, in Genesis 4 and 5, we see genealogies that repeat: “and he died, and he died, and he died…” Death is a consequence of sin.
    10. Every time we experience the death of a loved one, we know something isn’t right.
    11. Jesus died so ultimately, we don’t experience eternal death.
  2. Let’s walk through John 20:1-10.
    1. John 20:1: Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
    2. Jesus has been crucified; the disciples are in mourning. But they do not realize that Jesus cannot be kept down.
    3. Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb to see Jesus.
    4. She was the first to the tomb, and she saw the stone rolled away.
    5. John 20:2: So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
    6. Mary did the logical thing; she went to Peter and John. This is likely John. Usually, when we read, “The disciple whom Jesus loved,” we believe it is John. She runs to Peter and John. She was in a hurry.
    7. John 20:3-4: So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
    8. Peter and John run to the tomb, but John runs faster.
    9. John 20:5–10 (ESV)
    10. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
    11. They arrive at the tomb and find it empty.
    12. John saw and believed.
    13. Verse 9: They had not understood the Scripture that He must rise from the dead.
  3. Jesus rose, and so will we.
    1. Because of Jesus and the resurrection, we have life (Romans 6:23 and 1 Corinthians 15:55-57).
    2. Look at two passages:
    3. Look at Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    4. Look at 1 Cor. 15:55-57: 55 “O death, where is your victory?
      O death, where is your sting?”
    5. 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
    6. We do not have to fear death anymore. We were created to live forever, and under sin, we would have to fear death because death brought judgment. But now, under Christ, we no longer must fear death. Jesus took our punishment. We were created to live forever, either in heaven or in hell. Because Jesus lives, we will live eternally in paradise.
    7. The resurrection separates Christianity from other religions. Our Savior lives; we will live again. Death no longer has a sting.
    8. This is the case with you; you can have eternal life in Jesus. You can have a relationship with Jesus.
    9. Where are you in your life right now?
    10. Have you trusted in Jesus as Lord and Savior?
    11. Do you know that since He lives, you will live eternally? Do you believe that?
    12. Do you know that your sins are washed away by Jesus?
    13. Do you know that you do not face life’s challenges alone?
    14. Is it the case for you that because Jesus lives, you can face tomorrow?
    15. Think about this question: Does the resurrection give you hope?
    16. Some of you may remember this, but I think it is a powerful way to close:
  4. So, the disciples were changed by Jesus.
    1. The disciples learned the same thing we learn– Our Savior Lives
    2. What is the significance of the resurrection? As I make each of these statements, I would like you to respond with Our Savior Lives!
    3. We can have a relationship with Jesus because He lives. If He were not resurrected, we would not have a relationship with Him. Our Savior Lives!
    4. Christ is our Savior who cannot die again. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again (Romans 6:9).[5] Our Savior Lives!
    5. Because of the resurrection, we have new birth: According to his great mercy, [God the Father] has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).[6] Our Savior Lives!
    6. We have forgiveness of sins because of the resurrection. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins (1 Corinthians 15:17).[7] Our Savior Lives!
    7. Because Jesus is raised, we have no condemnation. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us (Romans 8:34).[8] Our Savior Lives!
    8. Because of the resurrection, we have the Lord’s personal fellowship and protection.[9] “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Our Savior Lives!
    9. Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we know that we will also be raised from the dead: [We know] that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. (2 Corinthians 4:14; also Romans 6:4; 8:11; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 15:20)[10] Our Savior Lives!
    10. If Jesus had not been resurrected, there would never be Christianity.Our Savior Lives!
    11. The Romans would have shown the grave, and it would be over. Our Savior Lives!
    12. Jesus’ resurrection shows the grave could not contain Him. Our Savior Lives!
    13. Jesus’ resurrection shows that He is the victor. Our Savior Lives!
    14. Jesus’ resurrection shows again that the miracles are true. Jesus has the power and authority over all nature. It’s not hard to figure out: He can break out because he wasn’t forced in. He letshimself be harassed and black-balled and scorned and shoved around and killed.[11] Our Savior Lives!
    15. No one can keep him down because no one ever knocked him down. He lay down when he was ready.[12] Our Savior Lives!
    16. And all God’s people responded with Amen—AMEN!
    17. Prayer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Adapted from Breakpoint; We Want to Believe; Timothy D. Padgett and John Stonestreet; 02.27.2026; accessed 03.01.2026

https://breakpoint.org/we-want-to-believe/?utm_campaign=Product%20-%20Breakpoint%20Daily%20BPD&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_eVZ_CncYcjbpbcy0INtNy-zK9D6BCZYYWx40VurAynHqJlJdKdxgyNcYld0D5juc0PjzQ1CJMpHXtLp9F0KxsaDJH8w&_hsmi=405985705&utm_content=405985705&utm_source=hs_email

 

[2] Colson, Charles. How Now Shall We Live? (p. 147). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

[3] Ibid, 147

[4] Ibid, 150

[5] http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/can-t-keep-jesus-down

[6] ibid.

[7] ibid.

[8] ibid.

[9] ibid.

[10] ibid.

[11] ibid.

[12] ibid.

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