Fully Alive - Easter 2026

·32 min·3 clips

Pastor Rene leads a group countdown to 'He is risen,' then reveals nobody expected Jesus to rise from the dead.

The episode is an Easter sermon from Twin Lakes Church, delivered by Pastor Rene Schlaepfer. He opens with a participatory countdown leading to 'He is risen,' immediately engaging the congregation. The central theme is that nobody expected Jesus to rise from the dead, a point emphasized through detailed retellings of biblical narratives from the Gospels of Mark, John, and Luke. These stories highlight the women's fear at the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene mistaking Jesus for a gardener, and the disciples' initial disbelief even when Jesus shows his wounds and eats fish. Pastor Rene frames the resurrection around three attributes: beautiful, believable, and beneficial. He explains its beauty lies in life conquering death and God's love for the physical world, referencing Rembrandt's painting of Jesus as a gardener. For believability, he cites historical evidence like the embarrassing details in the Gospels, the inclusion of women as first witnesses despite their low societal status, and the disciples' radically changed lives leading to martyrdom. He mentions scholars N.T. Wright and Shusako Endo to support this. The beneficial aspect is illustrated with a lengthy story about Garbage City in Cairo, where a Christian pastor named Saman helped transform a trash dump into a thriving community with a 20,000-seat church, schools, and a recycling operation. Pastor Rene connects this to personal application, stating the resurrection offers newness of life and counters internal voices of shame. He announces a five-week sermon series on Romans 8, titled 'Fully Alive,' and offers free copies of his accompanying book. The sermon closes with a prayer emphasizing that Christ's resurrection can turn personal 'caves' into 'cathedrals.'

As heard by us

An Easter sermon links rocket-launch anticipation with resurrection hope and room for honest skepticism.

Rene, a pastor at Twin Lakes Church, opens this Easter message with a congregational countdown that resolves in "He is risen," using the anticipation around the Artemis rocket launch to set up resurrection hope.

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Why you'd press play

Press play when Easter faith needs a countdown, a gardener, and an honest welcome mat for skepticism.

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