What if the most powerful message in the world could be summed up in just three words?

Not a paragraph.
Not a sermon.
Not even a sentence.

Just three words:

He is risen.

In the opening message of the Good News series, Pastor Keith Craft unpacks how these three words don’t just define Christianity—they redefine your life. 

 

Three Words That Changed History

There are phrases we all recognize as life-changing:

• “I love you”
• “You are hired”
• “You are forgiven”

Each one has the power to shift a life in a moment.

But none compare to this:

“He is risen.”

Why?

Because these three words:

• Changed history
• Changed eternity
• And still have the power to change your story today

 

If He Is Risen, Everything Is Different

Pastor Keith made it clear:

If Jesus is risen…

• Sin is defeated
• Death is defeated
• Your story is not finished 

That means whatever you’re facing right now is not the end.

What looks like:

• Failure
• Loss
• A closed door

…might actually be the middle of something God is still writing.

 

God Doesn’t Think Like We Do

We tend to think in a straight line:

Beginning → Middle → End

But God thinks differently:

End → Middle → New Beginning

That’s the message of the resurrection.

What looked like the end of Jesus’ story…

…was actually the beginning of victory.

And the same is true for you.

 

The Resurrection Is the Ultimate Good News

At the heart of this message is a bold truth:

Christianity stands alone because Jesus didn’t just die—He rose again.

Other leaders:

• Lived
• Taught
• Died

But Jesus:

• Lived
• Died
• Rose again

That changes everything.

 

The Evidence Behind the Resurrection

Pastor Keith walked through something many people don’t realize:

The resurrection isn’t just spiritual—it’s historical.

The Bible contains:

• Over 300 prophecies about Jesus
• Written hundreds of years before His birth
• All fulfilled in His life, death, and resurrection 

Statistically, the odds of one person fulfilling even a fraction of these are nearly impossible.

Yet Jesus fulfilled them all.

That’s not coincidence.

That’s confirmation.

 

When Bad News Turns Into Good News

Pastor Keith shared a powerful story of a mother who was told her son had died in war—only to receive a call days later that he was alive.

That moment of despair turned into overwhelming joy.

And he said:

That’s what the resurrection does.

It takes what looks like:

• Final
• Hopeless
• Irreversible

…and turns it into good news.

 

The Resurrection Turns Defeat Into Victory

On Friday:

• Jesus was crucified
• Hope seemed lost
• The disciples were hiding

But on Sunday:

Everything changed.

The cross looked like defeat.

The empty tomb proved it was victory.

That’s the paradox of the gospel:

What looked like the worst moment in history became the greatest victory in history.

 

The Resurrection Turns Death Into Life

For all of human history, death felt final.

But Jesus changed that.

The Bible says:

• He defeated death
• He removed its power
• He made eternal life possible 

And not just someday.

But starting now.

 

The Resurrection Turns Your Story Into Good News

This is where it gets personal.

The resurrection isn’t just about Jesus.

It’s about you.

Pastor Keith declared:

The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.

That means:

• Your past can be forgiven
• Your present can be transformed
• Your future can be redeemed

You are not:

• Your worst mistake
• Your lowest moment
• Your past decisions

You are someone God still has a plan for.

 

What Feels Like the End Might Be the Beginning

One of the most practical illustrations came from a simple story:

A horse falls into a pit.

People begin throwing dirt in, thinking it’s over.

But with every shovel of dirt…

The horse shakes it off and steps up.

Until eventually—it walks out.

Pastor Keith’s encouragement:

Shake it off. Step up. Keep going.

That’s resurrection thinking.

 

What Do You Believe Is Possible?

The resurrection doesn’t just change eternity.

It changes what you believe is possible.

So ask yourself:

• What do you believe is possible for your life?
• Your marriage?
• Your future?

Because with God:

“Exceedingly, abundantly above all you could ask or think” is still on the table.

 

Ready to Experience the Good News?

If you’re in Frisco, TX or the DFW area, Elevate Life Church is a place where you can discover what this “Good News” really means for your life.

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You weren’t created to just exist.

You were created to live a story worth telling.