A Monday Morning Faith

Dear church,

Yesterday was the tenth year I’ve been privileged to preach an Easter Sunday message. Yearly, it has been such a euphoric joy to open the Scriptures and tell people the Good News of the Gospel. Yesterday’s message centered around the theme ‘you are made in the image of God and He wants to restore relationship with YOU.’

The church was packed. And I mean PACKED. People were happy. The church was singing their heart out. It seemed like people were wearing brighter clothes and even smiled a little more than usual. The message of the resurrection rang loud and clear: Jesus is alive! Death has been defeated! Hope has won!

And then comes Monday morning.

The music stops. The flowers begin to wilt. The outfits go back in the closet. We’re all of a sudden very sore. It was probably all those Easter eggs we were crawling around looking for. Life returns to its regular rhythm—school drop-offs, work meetings, laundry, bills, and busy schedules. And if we’re not careful, the power of Easter can feel like something we celebrated yesterday instead of something we live in today.

But here’s the sobering truth: Easter was never meant to be just a moment. It’s a movement. It’s not just a Sunday. It’s a whole new way of living—starting on Monday morning.

I’ve been thinking about this question the last few weeks in preparation for the Monday morning after Easter: How do we carry the resurrection into our everyday lives? I’ve jotted down a few ways we can let our “Monday morning faith” reflect the reality of Easter.

Embrace the Reality that Jesus Is Still With You

One of the first things Jesus told His disciples after He rose from the dead was this:

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28:20 (NLT)

Jesus didn’t rise from the dead just to show power—He rose to be present. The same Jesus who walked out of the tomb is with you on your commute, in your office, at your kitchen sink, and when you’re facing tough conversations or moments of doubt.

When Monday feels ordinary, remember: the risen Christ walks with you through every part of it.

Live Like Love Has the Final Word

Easter reminds us that hate, sin, and death don’t get the last word—God does. And His word is one of love, grace, and redemption.

That means we get to live differently. We don’t have to live out of bitterness or fear. We can forgive like Jesus forgave. We can love people who are hard to love. We can be generous and gracious, even when it's not easy—because that’s the way of resurrection people. Paul writes it this way:

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven... Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”  — Colossians 3:1 &10 (NLT)

In other words, resurrection changes how we see everything—relationships, priorities, even our enemies. It gives us the courage to love like Jesus.

See Your Everyday Life as Holy Ground

After Jesus rose, He didn’t immediately take the disciples to heaven. He met them in their everyday world. He talked with them while they were walking on the road. He ate breakfast with them on the beach. He joined them in locked rooms filled with fear. And here’s the beautiful truth for each of us…

He still does that.

You don’t need a stage or spotlight to live out your faith. You just need eyes to see that God is already at work in your daily life. Whether you’re wiping a child’s nose, sitting in a classroom, running errands, or caring for an aging parent—your ordinary can become holy when Jesus is in it.

Let Hope Shape Your Perspective

Because Jesus rose, we have a hope that nothing can take away—not even the hardest Mondays.

The resurrection doesn’t mean life will be easy, but it does mean suffering doesn’t win. It means that even when we face loss, illness, anxiety, or injustice, we do so with a hope that looks beyond today.

Peter wrote this to early Christians going through hard times:

“Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance... kept in heaven for you.”  — 1 Peter 1:3–4 (NLT)

Great expectation. That’s what Easter gives us. It reminds us that even if things are broken now, they won’t always be. Even when life is heavy, we’re not alone. And even when death knocks, it doesn’t get the final say.

So What Does a Monday Morning Faith Look Like?

·         It looks like waking up with purpose.
·         It looks like choosing joy in the middle of the mundane.
·         It looks like trusting Jesus, even when you’re overwhelmed.
·         It looks like forgiveness, love, and courage in your relationships.
·         It looks like hope that spills into your words, your actions, and your outlook 

Easter isn’t a holiday we celebrate. As followers of a risen Savior – it’s a reality we live in daily. Easter Sunday is over—but Jesus is still alive. And because He’s alive, so are we.

So, let’s carry the joy of the resurrection into our Monday morning... and every moment after that.

He is still risen. And that still changes everything.

Blessings,

Pastor Daniel