When Jesus Calls Your Name

When people die, it's normal that they stay dead. The astounding reality of the resurrection turned the world upside down, and today we'll view that life-changing event from three perspectives. We'll look through the eyes of Mary, Thomas, and Peter and find that the risen Christ makes himself known when he calls our name.

Stay with us. From Chicago, welcome to The Moody Church Hour with Pastor Philip Miller. In a moment, a time of worship and teaching as we remember Resurrection Sunday, the day when death was conquered, the day when God the Father raised a lifeless Jesus from the dead.

Here now is Pastor Philip, along with Assistant Pastor Larry McCarthy and worship leader Tim Stafford. Well, good morning, everyone. It's Resurrection Sunday. The Son of God is risen with power, and we rejoice in his triumph over sin and death and Satan.

Would you stand with me and let's give this service to the Lord. Father, we rejoice this morning that Jesus Christ is alive. He's living today. He's changing lives. The resurrection is not some myth or some ancient tale.

It is a living, breathing reality in our lives. Jesus Christ lives, and he's changing lives today. And so, Father, we gather to give him praise and glory on this Resurrection Sunday, and we pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen. Good morning, everyone. Aren't you grateful to be here today? It's good to see all of you, and it's good to see one another, but we're here to meet the Lord today. We're going to hear from him, from his word. We're going to praise him. He's with us, and this dialogue that we have today is our worship to him.

Let's not forget that. We're joyfully celebrating his resurrection, but before we get too excited, too full of praise, let's just wait a moment to hear what the Scripture says about what happened on Sunday morning at the dawn of the first day. This is God's holy word. After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. There was a violent earthquake because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb.

He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men, but the angel told the women, Don't be afraid, because I know you're looking for Jesus who is crucified. He is not here, for he has risen just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples. He has risen from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.

Listen, I have told you. So departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news. Just then Jesus met them and said, Greetings! They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. Jesus, my Savior, waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Lord. Faintly they watched his bed, Jesus, my Savior.

Faintly they sinned again, Jesus, my Lord. The dead cannot keep this grave, Jesus, my Savior. He tore the parts away, Jesus tore the parts away.

He tore the parts away, Jesus, my Lord. Jesus, my Savior, waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Savior. Jesus, my Savior, waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Savior. Jesus, my Savior, waiting the coming day. Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!

Stars of pain and angels sing, Alleluia! Jesus, my Savior, waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Savior. Jesus, my Savior, waiting the coming day, Jesus, my Savior. Dying and sinning, all God's saying, Alleluia! Let thy victory obey, Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Speaking of which, Christ has died, Alleluia! Falling from rain, salt in rain, Alleluia! We'll rejoice, Alleluia!

Alleluia! Lord, in the power of Jesus' name, let angels prostrain fall. Bring forth the royal tyrant and crown him Lord of all.

Bring forth the royal tyrant and crown him Lord of all. You that live on earth, sacred ground, we at his feet may fall. We'll join the everlasting Son and crown him Lord of all. Lord of all! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia! Oh, no!

We're not going to stop now. He is risen! You may be seated if you can. I don't believe in coincidences.

I'll say it to you this way. I believe God has ordained this appointment this morning. He has brought you here. And whether you're worshiping with us online or you're here in this sanctuary, we believe God has a word for you this morning.

Because we worship a God who hears our prayers, but he also responds. So I invite you now to join me as we pray. Almighty Father, as we come into your presence, we do acknowledge the truth, Father. That's proclaimed in your word. I'm thinking this morning, Lord, about Isaiah 55. Where you tell us to seek the Lord while he may be found. And you also remind us that your ways are not our ways. Your thoughts are not our thoughts and that your thoughts are higher than heaven to us. Oh, we need that reminder today, Father, because many of your people, many of your children are beset this morning.

Their health concerns and financial concerns. And someone today got some news that has the potential to disrupt their ability to worship. We lay it all at your feet this morning and we cry out with one voice and we are reminded that you have always been in control. You were in control. You're in control now.

You'll always be in control and there isn't anything that doesn't happen that doesn't go through your permissive will and your sovereign decoration. Oh, we thank you then, Father, because we know that whatever we face, we don't face it alone. Thank you, Lord. You promised us that you'd provide grace sufficient to meet any circumstance and whatever it is we need, you have a supply. Mercy, grace, encouragement, direction, correction, love. And so as we gather now in this place, Lord, encourage our hearts now that that is said in this place is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help us, Father, to understand and we'll be quick to give you the honor, to give you the praise, to give you the credit, to give you the worship that you do. Now we pray in the matchless name of Jesus. Yeshua, our risen Savior, our King, and our God. And amen.

Where do we meet? Came to bring us hope again. My God takes the broken, makes them whole. My God touched the leftward, raised the lame man, and He caused the blind to see. My God takes the broken, makes them whole.

My God stood for justice, shamed the prideful, but He called the sinner friend. My God takes the broken, makes them whole. My God felt the anguish of the soldier, made his child to live again. My God takes the broken, makes them whole. My God, mocked and beaten, crushed and bleeding, yet crying, Father, God, forgive. My God became broken to make me whole. My God, on the third day in the morning, broke the shepherds of the grave. My God, took the broken and made them whole. My God, took the broken and made them whole.

I was a wretch, I remember who I was. I was lost, I was blind, I was running out of time. Sin separated, the breach was far too wide, but from the far side of the chasm, you had me in your sight. So you made a way across the great divide, left behind heaven's throne, to build it here inside. There, at the cross, you paid the debt I owed, broke my chains, freed my soul, for the first time I had won. Thank you, Jesus, for the blood and the blood. Thank you, Jesus, it has washed me wide. Thank you, Jesus, you have saved my life, brought me from the darkness into glorious life. You took my place inside my tomb of sin.

You were buried for three days, but then you walked right out again. And now death has no sea, and life has no end, for I have been transformed by the blood of the Lamb. Thank you, Jesus, for the blood of life.

Thank you, Jesus, it has washed me wide. Thank you, Jesus, you have saved my life, brought me from the darkness into glorious life. There is nothing stronger than no other working power of love, love, love. Thank all the sons and daughters, we are meant to body our Father through love, love, love. There is nothing stronger than no other working power of love, love, love.

There is nothing stronger than no other working power of love, love, love. Thank you, Jesus, for the blood of life. Thank you, Jesus, it has washed me wide. Thank you, Jesus, you have saved my life, brought me from the darkness into glorious life. Lord, we praise you for the transforming work that only you can do. Only your spirit can do this. We pray that you would be working in us right now today.

We thank you in Jesus' name, Amen. A few years ago, a retired man in Boston received a call from the Treasury's abandoned property division. And they said, sir, we believe we have some unclaimed stock that we believe belongs to you. And they listed the name of the company that the stock was in, a tech company. And the man remembered buying some 3000 shares back when it was a small startup company years ago on the recommendation of his sister. But he thought he had sold it all to pay for his kids' college. And it turns out, as they deliberated, that he had actually sold only two thirds of it. He still had a thousand shares. And he went up in the attic and sure enough, he had these stock certificates he'd utterly forgotten about. And now at the age of 67 years old, the value of the stock, wait for it, you won't even believe this, was $4 million. He was a multimillionaire for decades. That was the fact. But he had no idea until someone called him and told him the good news that changed his life.

It's amazing. 1990 years ago this week, Sunday, April 5th, 8033, the resurrected son of God walked out of his Judean tomb, victorious over sin, death, and Satan. And it changed everything. Changed world history, changed cosmic reality. It changed every single one of our lives. Yeah, you can clap for that.

That's all right. But like that man in Boston, like that man in Boston, the resurrection is just a fact until somebody calls you and tells you the good news that'll change your life. Today I want to look with you at three individuals from the New Testament, three little vignettes of stories, all from the Gospel of John, which is one of the four biographies we have of Jesus, written by one of his disciples. And in each of these people's cases, the resurrection has already happened. It's a fact, it's reality, but they don't know it yet. And so this is the moment they find out their world is going to change.

It's the moment they get the call that changed their life. So let's look at each of these individuals. We're going to look at Mary's encounter, Thomas's encounter, and Peter's encounter. All right?

Mary, Thomas, and Peter. As we jump in, would you pray with me? Let's bow our heads. Let's pray. Father, we pray that you would come and be our teacher. Jesus Christ, we pray that you would lift high your name. Holy Spirit, would you convict our hearts, press us close to you today. Help us to understand the magnitude of the resurrection of Jesus for our lives.

It'll change everything. We really believe that. In Jesus' name. And all God's people said? Amen.

Amen. All right, first, Mary's encounter. Mary's encounter. On resurrection morning, a group of ladies go to the tomb to finish the embalming process for Jesus. One of them is a lady by the name of Mary Magdalene.

She's from Magdala. That's where she gets that second name, Mary Magdalene. She had suffered from severe demonic oppression, possession for many years. And Jesus was the one who liberated her and set her free.

If you want to read about that, that's in Luke chapter 8. And ever since that day, Mary had been following Jesus. Because no one understood her like Jesus. He's the one who really got her trauma and her pain. He was the one person in all the world who had seen her at her absolute worst moments. And he loved her just the same.

But now he was gone. Crucified, dead, and buried. Her lifeline to freedom and healing and safety had been severed. And here she is weeping and alone without her Jesus to cling to.

This is John chapter 20 verses 11 down to 18. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. And as she wept, still stooping to look into the tomb, she saw two angels in white sitting there where the body of Jesus had lain.

One at his head and one at his feet. They said to her, woman, why are you weeping? And she said to them, they've taken away my Lord and I don't know where they've laid him. Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing. But she didn't know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping?

Whom are you seeking? And supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, sir, if you've carried him away, tell me where you've laid him and I will take him away. Jesus said to her, Mary. No one said her name like Jesus did. She turned and said to him in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher.

She grabbed a hold of him like she'll never let go. Verse 17, Jesus said to her, do not cling to me, for I've not yet ascended to the father. I've still got work to do. The redemption is still coming.

You can hold me later. But go to my brothers and say to them, I'm ascending to my father and your father, to my God and your God. And Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, I have seen the Lord.

And that he had said these things to her. So off Mary goes with the good news that the resurrection would change everything. But for Mary, something deep changed inside that day.

Her day had begun with sorrow beyond words and it ended with a joy she couldn't stop talking about. Because the resurrection, friends, turns sorrow into joy. The resurrection turns sorrow into joy. Friends, if the resurrection can turn Mary's heart-wrenching sorrow into life-changing joy, if the resurrection can turn a Friday crucifixion into the glory of Easter morning, just imagine what Jesus' resurrection can do for you, for your sorrows, for your story, for your life.

The resurrection turns sorrow into joy. That's Mary's encounter. First vignette.

Now the second vignette. Let's look at Thomas' encounter. Thomas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. And he had pinned a lot of his hopes and dreams on Jesus.

Who he might be, what he might do. Maybe he would be Messiah and the king and bring Israel back to the glory days. But all of his hopes and dreams came crashing down on Friday when Jesus was crucified.

His dreams died that day. And then after the resurrection, Jesus came. He appeared to the disciples in a room. But Thomas was not there. And so when they told him, we've seen the Lord, he said, no, I'm not going to believe. John 20 verses 24 to 28. Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, we've seen the Lord, but he said to them, unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails and place my hand in his side, I will never believe.

Now just pause for a moment. I think Thomas gets a bad rap for his disbelief here. I personally think he's just too afraid to hope again. He's like, look, I've already had all my dreams dashed. I hoped once. I'm not going to do it again unless it's for real.

I think that's pretty reasonable. Verse 26, eight days later, his disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them. And although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here. And see my hands? Put out your hand.

Place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. And Thomas answered him, my Lord and my God. And just like that, Thomas goes from someone who was too afraid to hope again to making the boldest statement in the Gospel of John about Jesus' deity, my Lord and my God. And you see, friends, the resurrection turns fear to faith. The resurrection turns fear into faith. And if the resurrection can turn Thomas' fearful skepticism into worshipful faith, if the resurrection can turn the fear of death into the wonder of eternal life, just imagine what Jesus' resurrection can do for you, for your fears, for your future, for your life. The resurrection turns fear into faith.

That's Thomas' encounter, the second vignette. Now let's look at the third, Peter's encounter, Peter's encounter. Peter was another one of Jesus' disciples. And on the night before Jesus was betrayed, arrested, and crucified, he had made some pretty bold pronouncements to Jesus. He told him that he would never disown him, that he would stand by his side no matter what, that he would even lay down his life for Jesus if it came to that.

He wanted to be a man of courage. But when the chips were down, when it really mattered, Peter faltered. He denied Jesus three times, and Peter realizing how badly he had messed up, it says he went out into the night and wept bitterly.

So after the resurrection, when Jesus appeared to his disciples a number of times, Peter was in the room. But he had never brought up that failure. He had never brought up his big night of mistakes. He never quite found the courage to talk about it.

He knew he needed to, but he dreaded it with all of his heart. Shame had him by the throat until the day that Jesus met him on the beach. This is John 21 verses 15 to 19. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon, Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these, more than these other disciples? It's a strange question, but remember just a few days ago, he thought he did love Jesus better than everybody else. He said to him, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Ah, notice he drops the comparison to others.

He's speaking just for himself now. He said to him, feed my lambs. He, Jesus, said to him a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? And he said, yes, Lord, you know that I love you.

He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me?

Notice three questions for three denials. Jesus is forcing Peter to face the shame he doesn't have the courage to face in order to set him free. And he said to him, Lord, you know everything.

You know that I love you. And Jesus said to him, feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. This, he said, to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God. And after saying this, he said to him, follow me. Peter, you once thought you were strong enough to die for me.

And then you discovered your weakness. But if you follow me, Peter, I will give you the kind of unflinching courage to allow you to both live and die for me. And just a few days later, friends, Peter stood up in the heart of Jerusalem before all the people he once feared and proclaimed that this Jesus whom they had crucified, God had made both Lord and Christ as he raised him from the dead. Many years later, Peter died for Jesus. He did lay down his life for Jesus in Rome, crucified upside down because he didn't want to die the same way his beloved Jesus did.

And don't you see how his life changed? The resurrection turns shame into courage. The resurrection turns shame into courage. And if the resurrection, friends, can turn Peter's cowardly shame into bold courage, if the resurrection can turn the shame of sin into the forgiveness and freedom and life of following Jesus, just imagine what the resurrection can do for you, for your shame, for your sin, for your life. The resurrection turns shame into courage.

That's Peter's encounter. Now, I want you to notice, for all three of these people, what made all the difference in the world? They didn't screw up their courage. They didn't dig down deep and try harder. They didn't resolve to make a change on January 1st in their life.

What did they do? What made the resurrection real and life-changing for each and every one of them was the moment that Jesus called their name. The moment Jesus called their name. Mary, Rabboni, Thomas, my Lord and my God, Simon Peter.

Lord, you know I love you. The resurrection, friends, is only a fact until Jesus calls your name. The resurrection is only a fact until Jesus calls your name. Friends, the resurrection turns sorrow to joy. It turns fear to faith.

It can turn shame into courage. The resurrection is chock full of life-changing power of Jesus, but it's only a fact until Jesus calls your name. And when you hear His voice and realize that He's come for you and turn to Him, it makes all the difference in the world. It'll change your life. And friends, in that moment, when you finally turn to the Jesus who calls your name, you'll realize that the life-giving power of Jesus has been there all along.

It's been right there in your attic. You just didn't even know about it until Jesus calls you with the good news that changes your life. The resurrection, friends, is so much bigger than $4 million worth of forgotten stock.

So much better. The resurrection means eternal life is on offer. It means death is not the end. It means everlasting is for real.

The resurrection means life has purpose. It means there's beauty from ashes. It means there's hope breaking in. The resurrection means sin has been paid for. It means shame is undone. It means brokenness is mended. The resurrection means you're known completely. It means you're loved utterly.

It means you're forgiven entirely. The resurrection means the Savior has come. The resurrection means the Lord is alive. And the resurrection means Jesus is King. Amen. But friends, these are only facts until Jesus calls your name.

They're just facts until Jesus calls your name. Has He ever called your name? Have you ever heard His voice? Have you ever opened your heart and life to the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, who walked out of the grave on His own two crucified and risen feet? Friends, is the Holy Spirit drawing you close this morning? Can you hear His voice calling you?

Do you yearn to be alive? Friends, if you hear His voice today, do not harden your hearts. Come to Jesus and live. Now, how on earth do we do that? Coming to Jesus is simple, friends. It's as simple as A, B, C. A, we admit. We admit that we're sinners far from God.

There's nothing we can do to make our way back home. B, we believe that Jesus came to live a perfect life, to lay down His life for our sake on the cross, to pay for our sins, to wash us clean, and to bring us home to God as His children. And C, we commit. We commit our lives to Him and say, come be my Savior, come be my Lord, be my everything. I'm yours.

A, B, C. Admit, believe, commit. And I'm not naive. I know a whole bunch of you are here because grandma invited you.

I know a whole bunch of you are here because it's what you do. Can I just challenge you? If the resurrection is real, you cannot take this lightly. If it is real, everything changes. You can't dabble around with Jesus. Either He is the resurrected Son of God or He's not worth an ounce of your time, but you can't sit on the fence with Jesus. Maybe today is the moment where you hear His voice and you say, I want to respond. I want to reach out to Jesus. I know my life needs change. I want to come home. Jesus is changing lives.

He's still alive. So I'm just going to pray. I'm going to pray a prayer that is the kind of prayer we pray when we come home, when we respond and turn to Jesus. And if you're ready to do that, would you just repeat these words after me where you are? As a matter of fact, for everyone here who's following Jesus, let's just repeat these words together to make everybody comfortable. But would you pray after me as we pray this prayer?

Let's pray. Just repeat after me these words. Heavenly Father.

Just repeat after me. Heavenly Father. I admit that I am a sinner. That I have wandered far from You.

And I cannot find my way home. I believe in Jesus. That He came for me. That He died for me.

That He rose again for me. And I commit myself to You. Would you be my Savior? Would you be my Lord?

Would you be my everything? I want to follow You. Here I am. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

Hey, would you do something for me? If you prayed that prayer for the very first time, could you be super courageous like Peter? And I'm going to count to three. Would you just shoot your hand in the air because we want to welcome you home, okay? Just shoot your hand in the air boldly, courageously.

One, two, three. Shoot it up there. Boom. There it is. The resurrection. Amen. I was buried beneath my shame.

Who could carry that kind of weight? It was my tomb till I met You. I was breathing but not alive. All my failures I tried to hide. It was my tomb till I met You. You called my name and I ran out that grave. Out of the darkness into Your glorious name. You called my name and I ran out that grave. Out of the darkness into Your glorious name. Your mercy has saved my soul.

Now Your freedom is all that I know. The old made new, Jesus when I met You. You called my name and I ran out that grave. Out of the darkness into Your glorious name. You called my name and I ran out that grave.

Out of the darkness into Your glorious name. I needed rescue. My sin was heavy.

When chains break at the weight of Your glory. I needed shelter. I was an orphan.

You called me a citizen of heaven. When I was broken, You were my healing. Now Your love is the air that I breathe in.

I have a future. My eyes are open. Cause when You call my name, I ran out that grave. Out of the darkness into Your glorious name. You called my name and I ran out that grave. Out of the darkness into Your glorious name. Out of the darkness into Your glorious name. Amen. Who else walks out of their grave? I mean, really, right?

Who else can do that? This is amazing. Our Lord is worthy of all of our praise. Let's praise Him one more time.

Amen. Praise Jesus. The resurrected King. Our benediction today is from the 11th chapter of the Gospel of John. Jesus says this to a woman by the name of Martha, right before He raises her brother from the dead.

Amazing day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Jesus asked. Do you believe this?

Yes. Friends, the resurrection means we are indeed loved more than we know. And so now, friends, let's go and be the church.

Have a great week. On today's Moody Church Hour, we heard Pastor Philip Miller telling us about what happens when he calls our name. Taken from John chapters 20 and 21. This has been our way of commemorating Easter Sunday, a day of triumph over the grave.

It's tough when the bad guys get all the breaks. Next time, we return to our series on tough love and tender mercies taken from the Book of Malachi. Then and now, people were asking, what's the point in righteous living if the unrighteous are the ones getting ahead in life? Join us for Relinquishing Righteousness next week on this broadcast. The Moody Church Hour is a listener supported ministry.

We count on the ongoing financial support of listeners like you. Together we share solid biblical teaching that transforms lives across America and around the world. You can call us at 1-800-215-5001.

That's 1-800-215-5001. Online, you'll find us at moodychurchhour.com. That's moodychurchhour.com. Or write to us at Moody Church Media, 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60614. This broadcast is a ministry of The Moody Church.