… in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed (I Corinthians 15:52).

Paul shares that when the trumpet sounds, all who have died will be raised from the graves with heavenly bodies. We will be changed. For Christians, that will be the most life-altering experience that will ever happen to us. However, the knowledge of Jesus' resurrection and our future resurrection should change our lives now as well.

The resurrection profoundly changed the lives of the early Christians. Their testimonies are not only extraordinary but are also a testament to the truth and power of the resurrection, even while still on Earth. Let’s look at a few examples.

Before the resurrection, James, the brother of Jesus, was skeptical of him (John 7:5). After the resurrection, James became a leader of the early church and even wrote an epistle stating, “I James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (his brother) ...” (James. 1:1). He even died a martyr’s death, stoned for his beliefs.  What caused this change?  I think It was His post-resurrection encounter with Jesus. Corinthians 15:7 states “Then He (Jesus)  appeared to James.”

Before the resurrection, Jesus' followers were fearful and cowardly when the authorities captured Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. All of the disciples left Him and fled (Matthew 26:56) Peter even denied Jesus three times when questioned (John 18:27). 

After the resurrection, Jesus’ followers became so bold, even to the point of death. They didn’t cower in fear or hesitate to proclaim the Good News. What brought this change? I think it was their encounter with post-resurrection Jesus. I Corinthians 15:5 states that “he appeared to Cephas (Peter), and then to the Twelve.” 

Before meeting the resurrected Jesus, Paul was a religious persecutor of Christians, fanatically who attacked the church (Acts 8:1-3). After this encounter, he began proving that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God (Acts 9:22). He was even eventually killed for his devotion to Christ. 

What’s your story? How has your life been changed because of the resurrection? Believers today may not be able to see Jesus face to face, but the confidence that believers can have in the resurrection is not solely dependent on firsthand encounters with Jesus in the same way as those early disciples. Even if our encounters with Jesus aren’t as dramatic, it doesn’t mean our faith is any less valid. We can still grow in our confidence and strength of faith as the early Christians did by listening to the testimonies of others, reflecting on ways that we have experienced God’s presence and guidance, and seeking God earnestly. We can trust that our faith is not based on a myth or a legend but on historical fact. The tomb is indeed empty and Jesus is the risen Christ.

I encourage you to read or reread through the entire passage of I Corinthians 15, reflecting on the truths that are the basis of the Christian faith. Then ask God, how do you want me to live differently now as I await the day when Jesus will return and take me to heaven?