Easter Sunday: Yours is the Kingdom - Tim Horman
Have you ever felt like your life doesn't really matter? Like the little things you do each day — the prayers whispered in secret, the kindnesses offered to people no one else notices, the faithful showing up week after week — are somehow too small to count for much in the grand scheme of things? It's a nagging fear many of us carry: that our lives will pass by unremarkably, forgotten as soon as the last person who knew us is also gone.
But what if the resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything about that equation? What if Easter Sunday isn't just about Jesus defeating death for himself, but about him defeating the futility and meaninglessness of our deaths — and our lives — as well?
On Easter Sunday, Tim Horman brought our Lent series on the Lord's Prayer to a powerful close, exploring the final line: "For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever." Preaching from Matthew 6:13, Tim showed us that because Christ is risen, our lives count. Our labour in the Lord is not in vain. Everything we do in the name of Jesus has eternal significance. You can watch Tim’s message above or listen to it below.
The Kingdom Has Changed Hands
Tim began by reminding us that the cross was the decisive battle between God and the powers of darkness — and the moment that looked like Christ's greatest defeat became the moment of his greatest victory. As Paul writes in Colossians 2, Christ "disarmed the powers and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." The weapon Christ wielded wasn't the sword, but self-sacrificial love. He defeated death by death.
"None of the rulers or powers of this age understood it. For if they had, if they had known what they were doing, if they had any idea what was gonna happen by crucifying the Lord of glory, they would not have done it."
The resurrection vindicates the cross. It declares to the watching world that Jesus is now the King of kings and Lord of lords. Satan is no longer the god of this world (even with a small "g"). Christ is. As Revelation 11:15 proclaims: "The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever."
Tim reminded us that although chaos and fear seem to dominate the headlines, our hope is secure — an anchor for the soul. We do not need to be afraid, because Christ is King and he is coming again to restore and renew all things.
We Are Already Gathered Around the Throne
Tim painted a vivid picture of what worship looks like in light of the resurrection. Drawing from Revelation 5, he invited us to see beyond the surface of our Sunday gatherings:
"Did you feel that this morning when we were worshiping, that we're gathered around the throne of the risen Christ who's seated on the throne of the universe, that we're there with all the saints and angels, we're there with all of heaven and earth, all the creatures under heaven?"
There is so much more going on in worship than we can see with our physical eyes. We are singing alongside the saints and angels, joining with all creation to declare: "You are worthy, Lamb of God, to receive all praise and honour and glory and power, because you were slain and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation."
And here's the stunning part: that passage from Revelation goes on to say, "And you have made them to be a kingdom of priests, and they will reign on the earth." Not one day. Now. We reign with Jesus now — not by lording power over others, but by following his example of loving service, enemy love, and self-sacrifice.
Your Labour in the Lord Is Not in Vain
So what does the resurrection mean for how we live our lives? Tim turned to 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul's conclusion to his great chapter on resurrection:
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain."
The resurrection means our lives and our deaths are not in vain. What we do matters. No matter how small or large our lives may seem in the eyes of the world, before God our lives count. Before God, what we do has eternal value.
Tim explained it this way: every act of love, each desperate prayer, each time we forgive someone, each time we reach out to someone in need, each time we care about someone that maybe no one else cares about — our Father sees, and He will reward it because of the resurrection.
As N.T. Wright says, what we do in the present by painting, preaching, singing, sewing, praying, teaching, building hospitals, digging wells, campaigning for justice, writing poetry, caring for the needy, loving our neighbour as ourselves — all of this will last into God's future. These activities aren't just ways of making life a little more bearable until we escape to heaven. They are part of building the kingdom of God on earth as in heaven.
The Story of Mrs. Robbie
To illustrate what a resurrection-shaped life looks like, Tim shared the story of Mrs. Robbie, an elderly widow from a church he grew up in. She wasn't famous. She won't appear in any history books. But her life was a living testimony to resurrection power.
Mrs. Robbie had a ministry of encouragement, particularly to young people and teens. She adopted them as her grandchildren whether they wanted it or not. She befriended them, prayed for them, came alongside them when they needed it. Every Saturday morning for years, she would visit the prison with Tim's parents and others, reading scripture and praying with incarcerated members of their congregation.
"She lived her life longing for the resurrection, waiting for it with great hope. It was the hope of her salvation. But instead of inspiring her to just sit around and wait and do nothing, it did the opposite. It inspired her to make sure that the years that she had while she awaited the coming of her Lord was a time that she would invest to give him glory and to serve others."
Tim reflected that most of what Mrs. Robbie did will never make it onto the pages of any history book. But all of it was seen, and all of it will be remembered, and all of it will be rewarded by her Lord. Hundreds of people over many years — including Tim himself — were deeply impacted by her presence and are still serving the Lord because of her encouragement.
Because Jesus is raised, Mrs. Robbie's life matters. And so does yours.
Everything Sad Will Come Untrue
Tim reminded us that Jesus is generous. Everything he has won for us through his death and resurrection, he shares with us liberally. His victory is our victory. His life is our life. His joy is our joy. His power is our power. His hope is our hope.
He quoted Sam Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings: "Does this mean that everything sad is going to come untrue?" And Tim's answer was yes. That is the hope of the resurrection.
"Because Christ was raised, everything, friends, everything is going to be all right in the end. Everything's going to be fine. Everything is going to be okay. Everything will be well. All manner of things will be well. Everything sad will come untrue. That is our hope."
So don't lose heart. Don't grow weary in the doing of good. Even if our lives seem small and insignificant on the world stage, the truth is every one of us is seen and known and loved by our Father. And because of the resurrection, Jesus takes the weak things of this world to shame the wise. He takes what isn't and makes it something that is. He can take your life — even if you feel insignificant, small, weak, like a nobody — and make it count, make it matter.
One Way to Live It Out This Week
This week, choose one "small" act of faithfulness that no one may notice: pray for someone by name, write an encouraging note, serve someone in secret, or reach out to someone who often goes unnoticed. Do it knowing that your Father sees, and that because Christ is risen, this act has eternal significance. Your labour in the Lord is not in vain.
A Prayer
Father in heaven, we praise you for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Thank you that because he is raised, our lives count, our labour is not in vain, and everything we do in his name has eternal value. Help us to stand firm, to let nothing move us, and to always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. When we feel small or insignificant, remind us that you see us, you know us, and you love us. Fill us with the power of the resurrection so that we may live with courage, hope, and conviction. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Personal Reflection
In what areas of your life do you struggle with feeling like what you do doesn't really matter? How does the truth of the resurrection speak into that fear?
Tim said that Jesus takes "the weak things of this world to shame the wise." What "weakness" in your life might God want to use for his glory and the good of others?
Who has been a "Mrs. Robbie" in your life — someone whose faithful, often unnoticed service encouraged you to keep following Jesus? How might you honour their legacy by living the same way toward others?
Small Group Discussion
What stood out to you most from this sermon or this blog post? Why?
Read 1 Corinthians 15:58 together. What does it mean practically to "stand firm" and "let nothing move you" in a world that often feels chaotic and uncertain?
Tim said, "The resurrection vindicates the cross." What does that mean? How does the resurrection help us understand what Jesus accomplished through his death?
How does knowing that we are "gathered around the throne of the risen Christ" with the saints and angels change the way we approach worship?
N.T. Wright says that what we do in the present — preaching, painting, caring for the needy, digging wells — will "last into God's future." How does this challenge the idea that only "spiritual" activities matter?
Reflect on the story of Mrs. Robbie. What made her life significant in God's eyes, even if the world never noticed? Who in your own life has lived with that kind of quiet, faithful devotion?
Tim concluded by saying, "Everything sad is going to come untrue." What "sad" things in your life or in the world are you longing to see redeemed? How does the resurrection give you hope for that?
How can we pray for one another as we seek to live out the truth that our labour in the Lord is not in vain? Take time to share and pray for each other.