Living As Resurrection People
For years, I have had this habit when I listen to sermons: before the pastor even begins, I whisper two questions to myself: "What is it that I need to hear today?" and "As a result, what do I need to do?" Sometimes these questions lead me to unexpected places, as they did this Sunday when Pastor Jenn spoke of resurrection people and renewal from Ephesians 4.
The sermon began with something so ordinary—her story of moving houses and sorting through boxes. Who hasn't stood before their junk drawer, holding an ancient phone charger, thinking, "I might need this someday"? But what struck me most was the spiritual parallel Pastor Jenn drew. Just as we sort our physical possessions into "keep," "donate," and "throw away" boxes, perhaps we need to do the same with our spiritual lives.
We Are Resurrection People
Pastor Jenn brought Paul's words in Ephesians 4 to life as she talked about transformation—a renewal that comes not from our own effort but from God's Spirit working within us. I felt a stirring in my chest when she emphasized this profound truth: as followers of Jesus, we are resurrection people. We're not just individuals trying to behave better or follow rules more carefully. We are people who have been made new through Christ's resurrection power.
I sat with this thought during the quiet moments of worship that followed. What does it mean to be resurrection people? It means I'm not defined by that awful mistake I made last year. It means the patterns I learned in childhood to protect myself don't have to control me now. It means those stories I tell myself—that I'm not enough, that I'll never measure up—they aren't who I am anymore.
Instead, we're called to a God-fashioned life, "renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces God's character in you" (Ephesians 4:24, The Message). As Pastor Jenn spoke, I found myself mentally cataloging the old patterns I still default to—how I withdraw when hurt rather than communicate, how sarcasm becomes my shield when I feel threatened, how quickly I compare myself to others when insecure.
The Renewal That Changes Everything
What most convicted me was Pastor Jenn's reminder that renewal isn't something we accomplish through willpower or self-discipline. Every time Paul uses the word "renew" in Greek, it's passive—something done to us and for us by God. My job isn't to strong-arm myself into righteousness but to surrender to the Holy Spirit's transforming work.
Pastor Jenn asked us to imagine approaching our spiritual lives with the same excitement and openness we had when graduating and entering adulthood. Remember that feeling? The possibilities seemed endless. What if we approached our relationship with God with that same freshness each day? I am ready to be done with the old. Holy Spirit, teach me something new today.
That's when I realized what I needed to hear: I've been trying to manage my spiritual growth like a self-improvement project rather than surrendering to resurrection power. I've been rearranging the furniture when God wants to remodel the whole house.
From Theology to Practice
As Pastor Jenn shifted from the theology of renewal to practical application, Paul's words in Ephesians 4:25-32 suddenly felt less like a distant checklist and more like a description of the person I long to be:
Speaking truth because we're all connected in Christ's body
Feeling anger (like when I read the news) but not letting it poison my heart
Working honestly so I can give generously to others in need
Using words that heal instead of wound (oh, how I need this!)
Being gentle, sensitive, and quick to forgive
I scribbled these down in my journal, not as more items on my spiritual to-do list, but as glimpses of who I am becoming. These aren't moral achievements to attain—they're the natural outflow of a resurrected life. We don't practice these behaviors to earn salvation; we live them because we've already been saved, already been claimed, already been raised with Christ.
“These aren't moral achievements to attain—they're the natural outflow of a resurrected life.”
What struck me most profoundly—and I underlined it twice in my notes—was when Pastor Jenn said with such conviction: "By Grace, we are now becoming who we already are in Jesus Christ." There's such freedom in that paradox. I am already a new creation, yet I'm still becoming what God intends. The work is both finished and ongoing.
A Three-Step Practice for Living as Resurrection People
As the sermon concluded, Pastor Jenn offered a simple three-step practice that made me close my eyes and nod with recognition. This wasn't just another "try harder" plan—it felt like an invitation to freedom. I'm committing to these steps this week::
1. Begin each day with surrender.
Before my feet hit the floor, before checking my phone, I'll pray David's words from Psalm 51:10: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." This simple prayer acknowledges that renewal comes from God, not my striving.
2. Create a tangible reminder of release.
I found a small box and labeled it: "Not me anymore." Each morning after my prayer, I’ll place a note naming something I need to release—for example, that critical inner voice that says I'll never measure up. I’ll place the box on my dresser as a sacred visual reminder that some things simply don't belong in the resurrection life I’m called to live out.
3. Choose one new action daily.
Then, I'll choose one specific action that reflects the new self God is forming in me. Today, it will be pausing before responding so I don’t say something that irritates others. Tomorrow, it might be speaking words of encouragement rather than criticism. The next day, extending forgiveness instead of keeping score.
What Do I Need to Do?
At the end of Pastor Jenn’s sermon, my second question echoed: "As a result, what do I need to do?" The answer seemed clear—I need to stop trying to manage my spiritual transformation and instead cooperate with what God is already doing.
I need to treat every day like a spiritual move-out day, allowing the Holy Spirit to hand me boxes—not to burden me but to bless me. What if, as Pastor Jenn suggested, God is gently helping me pack away parts of myself that no longer reflect who He's shaping me to be?
The beautiful truth is that Jesus has already made the labels: "This no longer fits who you are”. “This doesn't belong in this Resurrection Life”. “Give this to Jesus."
So I'm packing lightly to live fully. I'm surrendering to the great movers—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who are transforming me day by day into the resurrected person I already am in Christ.
What about you? What needs to go in your "Not me anymore" box today? What old coat are you still wearing that doesn't fit the new you? What new action might you choose as you step into resurrection life? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Have a blessed day!
Mike