Many people accept the resurrection of Jesus as true, but only on an intellectual level. It remains a fact in the mind, not a truth that transforms the heart. Without any evidence of life change, it’s as if they were asking, “Jesus is risen — so what?”

But when people truly encounter the risen Lord, everything changes. Their sorrow turns into joy, their fear turns into peace, and their unbelief turns into faith.

Today, many of us still struggle with sorrow, fear, and unbelief. What we need is not more information, but a fresh encounter with the risen Christ — the same encounter that transformed His followers after the resurrection. When we experience Him personally, the resurrection becomes more than a doctrine; it becomes the power that transforms our lives.

A Prayer for a Fresh Encounter with the Risen Lord

Lord Jesus,

We thank You for Your victory over sin and death. We believe that You have risen, yet we confess that sometimes our belief remains only in our minds and not in our hearts. Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have treated Your resurrection as mere knowledge rather than life-transforming truth.

Just as You met Your followers after rising from the dead, meet us too, Lord. When we are overwhelmed by sorrow, turn it into joy. When we are paralyzed by fear, fill us with Your peace. When we wrestle with unbelief, strengthen our faith.

We long for a fresh encounter with You, the risen Savior — to experience Your presence, power, and love in a real and personal way. Let Your resurrection life flow through us, changing the way we think, speak, and live.

May Your joy replace our sadness, Your peace calm our hearts, and Your truth anchor our faith. Help us live each day in the power of Your resurrection, proclaiming not just with our lips but with our lives that You are alive!

In Your glorious name we pray,

Amen.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith... 7 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

Paul emphasizes that the resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of the gospel. If Jesus had not been raised from the dead, then His death on the cross would have no power to save, and humanity would still be under the penalty of sin. The resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice, conquered death, and opened the way to eternal life. Without it, there would be no forgiveness, no victory over sin, and no hope beyond the grave. But because Christ is risen, our faith has meaning, our sins are forgiven, and our future is secure in Him.

JOHN 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. This stone may have weighed as much as two tons. The original Greek word translated as “removed” carries the sense of being lifted up and placed somewhere else. This raises an important question: Who could have removed such a massive stone, and why?

Could the Romans have done it? No. The Roman authorities were trying to end the controversy surrounding Jesus’ claim that He would rise again. They would not have taken His body because doing so would only confirm His prophecy if it were later found missing.

Could the Jewish leaders have done it? No. The religious leaders had no incentive to help the disciples celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. They had actively opposed Him and wanted to prevent any validation of His claim to be the Messiah.

Could the disciples have done it? No. They were fearful and in hiding, especially with Roman guards stationed outside the tomb. They would not have been able to overpower the soldiers.

Could grave robbers have taken the body? Unlikely. The burial cloths, including the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head, were neatly folded and left in place, which is inconsistent with a hurried theft. Grave robbers would not have taken the time to handle the body with such care.

Could Roman soldiers have deserted their post? Extremely unlikely. Roman soldiers faced severe punishment, including death, if they neglected their duties. Their absence suggests that something extraordinary occurred—something so compelling that they were overwhelmed or incapacitated, allowing the stone to be removed and the tomb to be empty.

The evidence points to a supernatural event: the resurrection of Jesus. The stone was removed, not by human hands for human reasons, but by the power of God, fulfilling Jesus’ promise and demonstrating His victory over death.

Sorrow Turned Into Joy

JOHN 20:10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

Jesus’ question—“Why are you crying?”—is more than an observation; it is an invitation. Behind this question lies a profound truth: the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us. That power can transform our sorrow into joy. Jesus is gently reminding us that He sees our grief, knows our pain, and desires to bring life, restoration, and joy into every place of sadness in our hearts. Just as Mary’s tears turned into worship when she recognized Him, so too can our mourning be transformed when we encounter the risen Christ personally.

JOHN 15:11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

This is a joy that comes from Jesus Himself. When His joy becomes ours, our joy becomes full and complete—perfect in a way that only God can provide.

Unlike the fleeting happiness the world offers, this joy is independent of our circumstances. The situations that bring sorrow, disappointment, or fear may not immediately change, yet the joy that Jesus gives remains steadfast and unshakable.

To experience this joy, we must allow Jesus to transform our sorrow into joy, not by removing every difficulty, but by His presence and power within us. This is possible because Jesus rose from the dead over 2,000 years ago. His resurrection assures us that He is alive today and will live forever, giving us a joy that cannot be taken away, a joy that triumphs over every sorrow and challenge we face.

JOHN 20:19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, gripped by fear of the Jewish leaders. Into this room of anxiety and uncertainty, Jesus appeared and stood among them, saying, “Peace be with you!”

He knew exactly what they needed. Fear had paralyzed them, keeping them from stepping into the plan God had for their lives. Yet Jesus’ presence brings a peace that overcomes fear, a peace that reassures, strengthens, and restores.

When He showed them His hands and His side, the disciples’ fear was replaced with overjoyed recognition—the risen Lord was alive and with them. Jesus repeated, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

The lesson for us is clear: fear can lock us in place, but Jesus’ peace has the power to unlock our hearts and release us into His purpose. When we allow His peace to replace our fear, we can move forward boldly, carrying out the mission He has entrusted to us, just as the disciples did.

Fear Turned Into Peace

JOHN 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

This peace is unlike anything the world offers. Worldly peace is temporary, dependent on circumstances, and often fragile. Jesus’ peace, by contrast, is real, lasting, and steadfast. It does not vanish when difficulties arise. It overrides fear, calms anxiety, and stabilizes the heart even in the midst of trials.

Because His peace comes from a risen and living Savior and is imparted through the Holy Spirit, it is independent of our circumstances. It is a peace that sustains, reassures, and empowers us to face life’s challenges without being paralyzed by fear or worry. When we receive this gift, our hearts are truly at rest, anchored in the eternal presence and power of Christ.

Unbelief Turned Into Faith

JOHN 20:24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Thomas’ exclamation, “My Lord and my God!”, was not just a casual statement—it was the response of a transformational encounter with the risen Jesus. Thomas had doubted, but Jesus met him with grace and patience, showing Himself and gently saying, “Stop doubting and believe.”

This same grace is available to us in our own moments of doubt. When we cannot see what lies ahead, when the future seems uncertain or dark, Jesus’ invitation remains: “Stop doubting and believe.” Choosing to trust Him transforms our experience: sorrow turns to joy, fear turns to peace, and unbelief turns to faith.

Ultimately, this passage reminds us that there is only one unchanging reality—the life that Jesus offers. Through belief in Him, we are granted new life, hope, and assurance that surpass all circumstances. Just as Thomas’ doubt became a declaration of faith, our trust in the risen Lord leads to life in His name, the true source of joy, peace, and eternal hope.

Prayer for Joy, Peace, and Faith in the Risen Lord

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your victory over death and for the hope we have because You are alive. You see the sorrow, fear, and doubt that we carry in our hearts. Today, we come before You, asking for Your transforming touch.

Lord, turn our sorrow into joy. Fill the empty and broken places of our hearts with Your presence and remind us that in You, there is always hope.

Turn our fear into peace. When we are anxious or uncertain, help us rest in Your promises and trust that You are in control.

Turn our unbelief into faith. Strengthen our hearts to believe You more deeply — not just with our minds, but with our whole lives.

Risen Lord, help us encounter You anew each day. Let Your resurrection power bring light to our darkness, courage to our hearts, and faith that stands firm in every season.

We surrender our lives to You, Jesus. May Your joy, peace, and faith reign within us always.

In Your holy name we pray,

Amen.