FMC Tulsa

What does the resurrection really mean? Not just the story we've heard, but the promise it holds for YOU.

The Apostle Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 15 that Jesus was raised bodily on the third day—not as a spirit, but in flesh. This wasn't survival; it was revival. And here's the life-changing truth: His resurrection is forever yoked with yours.

You will be given a new body that never grows old, never suffers, never fails. Every diagnosis, every loss, every fear of mortality—swallowed up in victory. "Where, O death, is your sting?" This isn't vague spiritualism or wishful thinking. This is God's concrete promise to everyone united with Christ by faith.

On Palm Sunday, crowds waved palm branches and shouted "Hosanna!" as Jesus entered Jerusalem. But this wasn't just a celebration—it was a declaration. They were answering the most important question any of us will ever face: Who is Jesus?

The early church had a simple three-word creed: "Jesus is Lord." Not Caesar. Not our ambitions. Not our fears. Jesus alone. When we confess this truth, we're making an exclusive claim—He is Lord over every area of our lives, every competing voice, every would-be master.

What does it mean to be a living sacrifice? Standing in the 1,500-year-old ruins of Clonmacnoise monastery in Ireland, I was reminded that the church isn't a building—it's a people. For a thousand years, this community lived out their faith so powerfully that it transformed an entire nation.

Peter tells us we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation" (1 Peter 2:9-10). Once we were no people, but now we are God's people. The early Irish Christians didn't argue people into faith—they lived it out so compellingly that others couldn't help but notice the light of Christ.

The fruit of your life reveals the root of your life. This truth from Colossians 1:9-14 challenges us to examine where our hearts are truly planted. Are we deeply rooted in Christ, or just displaying decorative faith that looks good on Sundays but offers nothing real when people reach for it?

Paul reminds us that God has rescued us from darkness and brought us into His kingdom. That's not just spiritual poetry—it's a declaration over your life. The question is: does your life look like someone who has moved kingdoms? Your coworkers are watching. Your family sees the unedited version. Even your online presence reveals what you're rooted in.

In a world that increasingly views Christianity with skepticism, Jesus never promised us an easy path. He warned His disciples they would face opposition, but He also promised them power through the Holy Spirit. Not power for comfort, but power for witness. The same Holy Spirit that empowered the early church empowers us today to be bold testimonies of Christ's love in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and communities.

What if the answer to engaging our culture isn't about condemning it, critiquing it, or even copying it? What if we're called to be culture MAKERS?

In this week's message, we explored 1 John 5:1-5 and discovered that when we walk in faith, we're already walking in victory. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). That same overcoming power lives in us.

Can faith and science coexist? Absolutely. In John 1:1-5, we discover that God created all things through His Word—the Logos—meaning divine reason. The same God who spoke creation into being gave us minds capable of understanding it.

When scientists study the universe, they're actually uncovering God's handiwork. The Big Bang? That's creation. Fine-tuned laws of physics? Evidence of a Designer. Order in nature? God's reason on display. Our ability to investigate and discover doesn't contradict faith—it honors the Creator who made both the universe and our capacity to understand it.

Did Jesus really rise from the dead? This is THE question on which our entire faith stands or falls.

The evidence is overwhelming: an empty tomb that even Jesus' opponents couldn't dispute, over 500 eyewitnesses who saw and interacted with Him, apostles who willingly died for what they knew was true, and 2,000 years of changed lives. This isn't mythology written decades later—Paul documented these eyewitness accounts in 1 Corinthians 15 just 20 years after the resurrection, while most witnesses were still alive to verify the truth.

The tomb is empty. The evidence is clear. The invitation is open.

Who is Jesus really? Not just a moral teacher or historical figure, but the living Lord who looks into your soul and says, "I see you. I know you. I am here with you."

When Jesus entered His public ministry, even those closest to Him—John the Baptist, His own family—were seized with awe. The blind saw, the lame walked, the dead were raised. He wasn't just another rabbi. He stood in the place of God, renewing Israel by calling twelve apostles while remaining above them all.

Why does a good and powerful God allow suffering? This question stops many from faith. But here's what we discovered this Sunday: God didn't create us as puppets on strings. He gave us freedom—the very thing that makes love possible and makes us human. The real challenge isn't intellectual—it's deeply personal. When we hurt, we don't need theological explanations. We need to know God is WITH us.