The Gospel is Not the End. It’s the Beginning.

The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive.
But the story doesn’t stop there.
This is not the end. It’s the beginning.

Too often, we treat Easter Sunday like the grand finale of the gospel story. But in reality, it’s more like the turning of a page. What Jesus began on the cross continues today through His Church, by His Spirit, for His glory!

This is the final post in my four-part Easter weekend series. If you’re just joining, you can catch up on the first three reflections here:
Maundy Thursday: Before the Cross, He Knelt to Serve
Good Friday: Pierced for Our Transgressions
Easter Sunday: From Death to Life

Today, the day after Easter, we look to what came next.

The Risen Christ Appears

After the resurrection, Jesus didn’t immediately ascend to heaven. He stayed. He appeared. He comforted. He taught. He reminded His disciples of all He had said and opened their eyes to see how everything in scripture pointed to Him (Luke 24:27, 44-45).

For forty days, He appeared to many. To Mary Magdalene in the garden. To the disciples on the road to Emmaus. To Thomas, who needed to see the scars. To more than 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6). These weren’t hallucinations. These were real encounters with the risen, glorified Christ.

And then, He gave them a mission.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all n:ations… And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

The Ascension and the Glory to Come

Before returning to heaven, Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come and He would not leave His people alone.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses… to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Then He was lifted up before their eyes, and a cloud took Him from their sight.

But the angels standing nearby spoke words we need to remember:

“This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11)

He is coming again. This gospel is not a seasonal message. It’s not something we remember once a year. It’s the very foundation of our faith and the fuel for our lives. Christ died, Christ rose, Christ ascended—and Christ will return.

The Mission Continues

Because of what Jesus has done, we now live as His witnesses. This isn’t something we strive for in our own strength. We’ve been given His Spirit. We’ve been given His Word. And we’ve been given each other.

We wait with hope.
We serve with joy.
We press on because glory is coming.

Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name… (Philippians 2:9-11)

Pause with Jesus

Let the resurrection shape more than just your Sunday morning. Let it reshape your Monday… your Tuesday… your entire life. The gospel doesn’t end with the empty tomb. It moves forward—through you, through the Church, and one day, into the fullness of glory when we see Him face to face.

This is not the end. This is the beginning.