Homily | April 7, 2026 | From Listening To Living The Resurrection (Episode 81)

One of the most important lines of all scripture happens today.

It's not Peter preaching, it's the crowd responding.

After Peter proclaims that Jesus is risen, that he is Lord, that he is the Christ, people say, What are we to do?

That's the whole turning point because up until now they've been listening.

Now they're ready to respond.

And notice what happened just before that.

The reading says they were cut to the heart, not impressed, not entertained, not mildly, mildly interested, they were cut to the heart.

Something pierced through, something got past their defenses.

That's every homilist's dream.

How do I reach the heart?

And you see that for the first time they weren't asking, is this interesting?

They were asking, is this true?

What does it mean for my life?

That's the difference between hearing the gospel, hearing a homily, and being changed by it.

Because you can listen to the resurrection story, you can understand it, you can even agree with it, and still remain untouched.

But when it hits the heart, everything changes.

And the proof is the question: what are we to do now?

Now here's where Peter is so direct, not fluff, not softening.

He says, repent and be baptized.

The word repent, we don't always like it.

It sounds heavy.

But simply means this change direction.

Stop going one way.

Start going another way.

And here's the joyful part.

Repentance is not punishment, it's freedom.

It's not God saying you failed, you're miserable, you're a disaster.

It's God saying you don't have to stay there.

Because every one of us has something we've gotten used to: a pattern, a habit, sinful behavior, a way of living that we know deep down is not what we're called to be.

Certain reactions that offend God.

And over time we make peace with it.

Well, that's just how I am.

We stop fighting it.

And then Easter comes and says, No, it's not.

You're not your worst habit.

You're not your worst mistake.

You are not your past.

You are not the things you struggle with.

You are someone who Christ died for and rose from.

Rose for.

And then Peter says something incredible.

You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Not maybe, not if you earn it.

You will receive, which means this.

God doesn't just tell you to change your life, He gives you the power to do it.

That's the difference.

This is not self-help.

This is this is transformation.

And then Peter says one more thing that I love.

He says, the promise is made to you and to all of those far off.

That means that this is not just for the people who have it all together.

This is for everyone.

This is available to every single one who feels far.

Even the ones who have drifted, even the ones who walked into in today, not sure what they're here for.

So let me bring this down to one simple question for you today.

If the resurrection is real, and it is, what are you going to do about it?

Not in general, not someday, but today, here in the now.

What is the one thing in your life that needs to change direction?

Because if this is true and the teachings of Jesus are true, what's the one habit?

What's the one relationship?

What's the one area you know God is asking you to change?

Don't overthink this.

You already know what you need to do.

You know what's right from what's wrong.

You know those things that offend God.

The people didn't walk away with a 10-year plan.

They took one baby step in front of another step.

And 3,000 lives changed that day.

That's how God works.

Not all at once, one real step at a time.

It's that decision to say, enough.

I want to live differently.

So don't just hear this, let it reach your heart.

So when it does, don't be afraid of the question.

What am I to do with this?

Because that question is the beginning of a brand new life in Christ.

Amen.