Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:45-48
The resurrection of Jesus was not immediately accepted - not even by his closest followers. It was confusing, disorienting, and extremely hard to believe (and honestly, it still is). The people who had walked with Jesus, who had listened to him teach, watched him heal, and promised never to leave him - even they didn’t understand what was happening. Some ran to the tomb and couldn’t make sense of what they saw. Others locked the doors and hid. Some needed to hear his voice or touch his wounds. Some didn’t believe until they broke bread with him. And some still doubted even as they worshipped.
This Easter season, we’re digging into what it really means to come to believe in resurrection - not just to proclaim it, but to actually trust it (and expect it). We’ll follow the emotional, relational, and even neurological journey the first disciples went through as they struggled to make sense of something that they’d never experienced before. Belief didn’t come all at once, and it didn’t come easily. It came through confusion and conversation, fear and community, memory and embodiment. And the truth is, we’re still on that same journey - still being asked to trust what feels impossible, to recognize Christ in unfamiliar forms, and to open ourselves to a hope that refuses to stay buried.
This isn’t just about proclaiming “Christ is risen.” It’s about what it takes for that truth to move from our ears to our hearts, our minds, our bodies, our communities - and finally, into how we live. We’ll explore why our brains are wired to resist certain information, how memory and ritual help us recognize what we can’t always explain, and how our senses and physical experiences shape what we believe. We’ll look at how misinformation and fear can distort our faith, and why doubt is not the opposite of belief - but often its most faithful companion. And as we move toward Pentecost, we’ll open ourselves to the Spirit who doesn’t just comfort us, but disrupts and transforms us. This is a season for telling the truth about our doubts, while also acknowledging that what we believe still has the power to change the world.
Sunday, April 27 – “You Won’t Believe This…”
Scripture Lesson: John 20:1-10
Theme: The resurrection doesn’t start with faith - it starts with confusion, disbelief, and emotional overload. Even Jesus’ closest friends didn’t know what to make of the empty tomb. This Sunday invites us to be honest about how hard it is to believe good news, especially when it challenges everything we thought we knew. Faith begins in mystery, not certainty.
Sunday, May 4 – “Known in the Breaking” (Communion)
Scripture Lesson: Luke 24:13–35
Theme: Sometimes we don’t recognize Jesus until after the moment has passed - until the bread is broken, the story is told, or the table is shared. This Sunday draws us into the power of ritual, memory, and hospitality. Resurrection becomes real not just through explanation, but through shared experience. Faith is formed at the table, in community, and through the traditions that shape us.
Sunday, May 11 – “Touch and See” (Mother’s Day)
Scripture Lesson: Luke 24:36–49
Theme: Faith is not just an idea - it is felt, lived, and experienced. When Jesus appears among the disciples, he doesn’t give a lecture - he offers his hands, his feet, and his presence. This Sunday invites us to consider how belief is embodied. Jesus meets our fear with peace, our doubt with touch, and our need for proof with presence.
Sunday, May 18 – “Who Told You That?”
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 28:11–15
Theme: Not everyone rejected the resurrection because it was unbelievable - some rejected it because it was inconvenient. This Sunday invites us to confront the power of misinformation, fear, and deliberate distortion. Even in the earliest resurrection stories, there were competing narratives. What we believe - and who we choose to believe - still shapes our faith.
Sunday, May 25 – “Still Some Doubted”
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 28:16–20
Theme: Even in the presence of the risen Christ, some of the disciples still doubted - and Jesus still sent them. This Sunday reminds us that doubt is not a disqualification for discipleship. Faith and uncertainty often live side by side. What matters is not having all the answers, but being willing to go, to trust, and to carry the good news anyway.
Sunday, June 1 – “You Will Be My Witnesses” (Communion)
Scripture Lesson: Acts 1:1–11
Theme: The story of resurrection doesn’t end with belief - it leads to witness. Jesus ascends, leaving the disciples with a calling: to carry what they’ve seen and experienced into the world. This Sunday reminds us that the work of resurrection continues through us. We are not just recipients of good news - we are called to embody it, share it, and live it out!
Sunday, June 8 – Pentecost: “When the Wind Blows”
Scripture Lesson: Acts 2:1–21
Theme: We live in a world where not everything can be explained - and maybe that’s the point. Pentecost reminds us that faith is not just about understanding, but about receiving. The Spirit doesn’t come with tidy answers. It comes with wind, fire, disruption, and power. This Sunday invites us to open ourselves to a mystery that is not meant to be solved, but welcomed - a power not to be controlled, but shared.
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