5 days Ago By Pastor Jim Graff | Faith Family Church
I’ve always appreciated art for its power to reflect the human experience. Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper stands out not only for its technical mastery but also for the deeper meaning it represents. Da Vinci spent three years on this large-scale work (15 feet tall by 30 feet wide), carefully planning each detail.
He selected models for every disciple, aiming to capture both their physical likeness and inner character. He began with Jesus, portraying Him with a calm dignity and purity that suggested a life untouched by sin. In contrast, for Judas, da Vinci sought a model from prison — someone whose features bore the marks of hardship and bitterness, a man whose face told the story of betrayal.
After finishing the portrait of Judas, da Vinci dismissed the model. But the model hesitated. “Don’t you recognize me?” he asked.
“No, I don’t,” da Vinci replied. “Why?” “Three years ago, you painted me as Jesus. Today, you painted me as Judas.
” he responded, with tears in his eyes. This brief exchange startled da Vinci. How could someone change so much, so fast? One word explains it all: sin.
In my forty years as a pastor, I have seen how sin disrupts and even destroys lives. But I have also witnessed God’s faithfulness in restoring those who believe they are beyond help — yet still dare to ask. This redeeming power — this victory over sin — is what Resurrection Sunday is all about.
It’s a time for us all to remember and celebrate Jesus’ triumph over sin, death, and hell. And as a culture, we’ve become incredibly adept at celebrating this truth: we dress in our best clothes, attend wonderful church services, and watch films recounting the crucifixion and resurrection. We cheer at the sight of the empty tomb, yet, after the celebrations end and we return to our regular routines, the profound truth of the victory it represents often gets left behind.
We forget that Resurrection Sunday is not merely a celebration of Jesus’ victory over the grave — it is also an invitation to live in the victory He has secured for us as we journey through life on the earth. See, Resurrection Sunday isn’t only about a day; it’s about a way — a victorious way of life Jesus offers to all who believe in Him. Mark’s gospel provides us with a clear account of Jesus’ victory.
In verses 1–6, we see Mary Magdalene, Mary, and Salome rising early on the third day following the crucifixion to anoint Jesus’ body in the tomb. But when they arrived, they found an angel sitting on the stone that had been rolled away. The angel said, “Don’t be alarmed.
..You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.
He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him” (v.6).
The women felt overjoyed at the news initially, but as the story continues, we learn that they, along with others, struggled to fully accept and live in that victory. As we continue throughout the rest of Mark’s account, we find how we, too, can choose to live in Christ’s victory every day — allowing our mourning to turn to joy, our confusion to turn to clarity, and our doubt to turn to faith. From Mourning to Joy After Jesus’ crucifixion, many of His followers experienced deep sorrow and confusion.
Jesus had once freed Mary Magdelene from many demons, so she knew personally and definitely of His power. Still, even she became overwhelmed with grief after His death. John’s account shows Mary standing outside the tomb in tears, unable to reconcile her loss with the hope of resurrection.
Then Jesus appears and speaks her name, and in that moment, her mourning turns to joy—a vivid reminder that no sorrow can overcome the promise of new life. Mary’s transformation teaches us that hope can replace our own grief and doubts when we focus on God’s promises. As Romans 8:38-39 reminds us, nothing can separate us from God’s love.
When we shift our focus from our problems to His promises, we experience the fullness of the victory that Resurrection Sunday represents. From Confusion to Clarity Next, in Mark 16:12, we read about two men who were mature believers of Jesus walking the road to Emmaus. Their hearts were deeply burdened with doubt and sorrow as they struggled to understand the events of Jesus’ death and the news of His resurrection.
According to Luke, they were “kept from recognizing” Jesus (Luke 24:16)—a divine act meant not to deceive, but to encourage a deeper search for understanding. Jesus joined them on their journey, patiently explaining the Scriptures and guiding them toward clarity. This encounter reminds us that even in our most difficult moments of uncertainty, God offers us guidance, inviting us to trust Him more fully as we allow His Word to light our path.
From Doubt to Faith As the story continues, we’re reminded that doubt is a natural part of the human experience when even the disciples who walked with Jesus and witnessed miracles he performed struggled with disbelief. In verse 14, Jesus appears to the Eleven and gently rebukes them for their lack of faith. Their experience challenges us to confront our own doubts and to nurture our faith.
As 1 John 5:4 assures us, “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” We have the power to overcome every struggle, temptation, and opposition when we choose to trust in God’s power rather than our own understanding.
Living in Victory Every Day What I love most about the aftermath of the Resurrection is how Jesus kept returning to those He loved—the doubters, the mourners, and the confused. He returned to show them Resurrection Sunday wasn’t just one day of celebration; it was about establishing a way of life. And by following that way, they would eventually change the world.
I believe Jesus wants to come to you, too, friend—to draw near and remind you He has provided victory not just over death and hell, but also over the struggles and temptations you’ll undoubtedly face along life’s journey. So this Resurrection Sunday, let’s celebrate the day well. But when the church service ends and the guests leave our dinner table, lets also continue to embrace the way—the way of life Jesus established on the cross and continued through the empty grave.
The one that transforms us for the better and leads us into a continual redemption story, as we allow our mourning to give way to joy, our confusion to yield to clarity, and our doubt to be overcome by faith. When we live in light of Christ’s victory, we carry the spirit of Easter into every moment of our lives, proving that its not just a day, it’s a way. And when we follow that way, like the disciples, we’ll change not just our world, but also the world around us.
Happy Resurrection weekend, friend. May all of your days resound with the glorious hope of Christ’s victory, both now and for eternity!.
