227 Walking With Jesus: The Resurrection with Dr. Major Terry Masango

Welcome to Walking With Jesus: A Journey to the Cross, as we arrive today at the finale in our series with Major Dr. Terry Masango.

Throughout this journey, we’ve walked with Jesus as he searched for the lost sheep, showed us what it means to be a true neighbor through the Good Samaritan, and offered paradise to the thief on the cross. Today, we stand before the empty tomb—the defining moment that separates Christianity from every other faith tradition in the world.

Major Masango begins today’s message with a powerful illustration about Abraham Lincoln’s body being exhumed twice to verify he was still in the grave. Yet when it comes to Jesus, the testimony runs in the opposite direction—witnesses not confirming his presence in the tomb, but instead encountering him alive, risen from the dead.

This is the heart of our faith. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless.” The resurrection isn’t just an epilogue to the crucifixion—it’s the validation of everything Jesus taught and claimed. It’s the proof that death has been defeated, that sin has been conquered, and that the devil himself has been overthrown.

As we prepare to celebrate Easter Sunday, Major Masango reminds us not to stay fixated on the cross and the darkness of Friday, but to press forward to the empty tomb and the light of Sunday morning. We’re invited to move past the suffering and see the triumph.

If you’ve been preparing to follow along with the Holy Week Art Journal from Caring Magazine, now is the time. As you and your family work through this resource, moving toward Easter Sunday, consider how the resurrection changes everything—how it transforms our sorrows into joy, our defeats into victory, and our death into eternal life. Visit caringmagazine.org/journey or follow the link in our show notes to get your free copy and join in today.

Finally, as we stand at the empty tomb, listen in to Major Dr. Terry Masango’s message on the resurrection—the miracle that makes all other miracles possible

Listen and subscribe to The Do Gooders Podcast now. Below is a transcript of the episode, edited for readability. For more information on the people and ideas in the episode, see the links at the bottom of this post.

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Dr. Major Terry Masango: Did you know in 1887, 22 years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, his coffin was dug up and opened because there was constant rumors that his body was not in the grave? 

So they dug it up and the body was there. 

The rumors continued. 

So 14 years later, they had to dig it up again. 

Both times witnesses were present who testified that Lincoln was still in the grave. 

Three days after the death of Jesus Christ, similar rumors began to spread throughout the land of Israel. Only this time there were no witnesses who could say that they had seen his body. In fact, on the contrary, many witnesses claimed to have seen him out of his grave and even talked with him after the resurrection.

As great man as Abraham Lincoln was, there were witnesses to prove he was still in the grave. If one of our presidents or another leader in our government were to cry out today to Lincoln for help, there’ll be no response. If a scientist were to cry out to Einstein for help today, there’ll be only empty silence. If someone were to call out to Mohammed or Buddha or Gandhi today, there’ll be no help. 

But if you and I call out through the name of Jesus, there is instant power available to us, power to change lives. Why? Because he lives. He’s risen. He’s not here. Behold, the place where they laid him, Luke 16:6. 

I would like to read today our Scripture is 1 Corinthians 15:3-8. 

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

The Scripture today is addressing the wonderful news about the resurrection. You see throughout the Bible there are examples of people who died and were resurrected. 

In 1 Kings 17:7-24, we read about the raising of the Sidonian widow’s son by Elijah. 

In 2 Kings 4:8-37, we read about the raising of the Shunammite woman’s son by Elisha. 

There’s also a record of a dead man being thrown onto Elisha’s bones during a Moabite raid. As the dead man touched Elisha’s bones, he was raised to life. It’s recorded in 2 Kings 13:20-21. 

And in the New Testament, you may well remember the story of Jesus raising people from the dead. He raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead as recorded in Mark 5:22-43. He raised the son of the widow of Nain in Luke 7:11-17. We also read in John the raising of Lazarus and of course, Jesus’ own resurrection as we read in 1 Corinthians 15. 

In fact, the whole chapter is amazing and wonderful as he talks about the resurrection. But in this, Paul is addressing to the Corinthian church, they misunderstood what it means, the resurrection of the dead. Paul strongly stated that Jesus’ resurrection is central to our faith as Christians, and that believers will be resurrected as well when Jesus returns. 

Paul defends this doctrine by outlining the historical evidence for Christ’s resurrection and refuting arguments against it, emphasizing that without the resurrection, our Christian faith is meaningless. 

This chapter is considered one of the most important passages in the New Testament for understanding the Christian hope of eternal our life through Christ. It provides a strong foundation for the doctrine of resurrection, which is central to our belief.

So why the resurrection? 

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection because it is the way that shows that Jesus is God. We believe, in The Salvation Army, that Jesus Christ is 100 percent God and 100 percent man. 

So as a 100 percent man, he physically felt pain. He physically felt all the emotions a human being does, but he physically died as well. But on the third day, he miraculously and gloriously rose again as God. So in that sense, we see that the resurrection proves that Jesus is God. 

All four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, record the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

We can read in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20 the story of Jesus’ resurrection. 

Jesus appeared, as we read in 1 Corinthians 15, to over 500 people all at once, but he appeared to Mary Magdalene as recorded in John 20, to the other Mary as recorded in Matthew 28, to Cephas as recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:5, as we read, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24, to James and to the 10 disciples. Jesus also appeared to Thomas. We call him the doubting Thomas, as recorded in John 20 when he didn’t believe that Jesus had reasoned.

He also appeared to the seven disciples at the sea of Tiberias as recorded in John 21, and he also appeared to the 11 before his ascension to heaven in Matthew 28, as well as at the beginning of Acts, Acts 1:1-11. 

So Jesus appeared to the disciples over a course of 40 days. Jesus is God. Only God could die and raise himself up in three days. And Jesus had talked about that before he predicted his death and resurrection and it happened as he said. So the resurrection proves that Jesus is divine. 

The fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross does not prove in itself that he’s God. But the fact that he himself rose on the third day out of the grave, victoriously, is proof that he’s God. 

The Bible declares that by being raised from the dead, Christ has proved to be the mighty son of God with the holy nature of God himself. Romans 1:4. 

Only God can die for people and rise from the dead three days later, just as he had promised. The resurrection is the supreme miracle of our faith. As Christians, it is at the very heart of our faith. If it never happened, then there’s no Christianity at all, and billions of people have been deceived. 

It happened. Therefore, it authenticates everything Jesus did and said. And as believers, we’re happy to know that our future is guaranteed through his resurrection, that one day we will resurrect too like he did, and our sins are forgiven because of his resurrection.

The resurrection also proves that Jesus has power over death. Imagine he is dead and then suddenly he is alive. That is victory over that which would’ve kept him dead. He showed that he has victory over that. 

In Romans 6:9, it reads Christ rose from the dead and will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him.

The resurrection of our victory over death as well, lifted us up from the grave into glory along with Christ where we sit with him in the heavenly realms as recorded in Ephesians 2:6. 

So here in 1 Corinthians 15, our Scripture today, Paul is explaining the importance of the resurrection because some in Corinth questioned the resurrection.

But Paul, in his argument, he says, Without the resurrection, our preaching Christ will be senseless. Faith in Christ will be useless. All the witnesses and preachers of the resurrection will be liars. No one will be redeemed from sin and all former believers would’ve perished and would never rise again. And Christians will be the most pitiful people on earth, but Christ indeed has risen from the dead. He is alive. 

He has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, assuring us that our own resurrection will happen too someday. Such hope we get from reading the Scripture is that as we celebrate the resurrection, we celebrate not only our resurrection from being spiritually dead, but also from physical death. One day we will rise again from death.

Later on … In fact, I was searching earlier, 1 Corinthians 15:55. It says, O, where, O death, is your victory? 

Where, O death, is your victory?

At some point, when we all rise again, we will rise and we’ll defeat death completely because Jesus has already done that for us. Jesus’ resurrection means that death is defeated once and for all. It no longer has power over Him or on us. God raised Jesus from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him. Acts 2:24. 

Death lost its grip on Jesus.

One day Jesus will return to take us home. I don’t know where you stand when we talk about eschatology. I don’t know where you stand when we talk about rapture, and going home and dispensations, but what I want to tell you is it is a sure fact that Jesus will return. And when he returns, he will take us home with him. This is the hope we have as Christians. 

He rose so he can take us home. 

The apostle Paul said this to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 6. By His power, God raised Jesus from the dead, and you raise us also. 

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead will one day raise believers back to life. Amen.

The resurrection proves that Jesus defeated the devil. You see, when Jesus was being accused, the devil was probably happy. When Jesus was being crucified, the devil must have been celebrating. When Jesus died, took his last breath on that Friday, the devil must have been salivating and saying, “I got you now.” 

But on that Sunday, when Jesus rose, the devil was defeated once and for all. The devil received a beating because Jesus rose from the dead. From the moment of his original rebellion until the day of the cross, the devil fought viciously and cunningly to overthrow the kingdom of God. The devil must have thought that he won, but he miscalculated. 

He lost because when Jesus rose from the dead, the devil lost the battle. The power of sin and death were forever shattered because of the resurrection. Christians never need to fear the devil or death again. Jesus beat Satan hands down. Praise God.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:17, If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless. You are still in your sins.

By raising from the dead, Jesus proved his authority and power to break the bonds of sin, to break the bonds of the evil one and to defeat him once and for all. 

Every year, thousands of people climb a mountain in the Italian Alps, passing the stations of the cross to stand it an outdoor cross. One tourist noticed a trail that led beyond the cross. He fought through the rough thicket, and to his surprise came upon another shrine, a shrine that symbolized the empty tomb, but it was neglected. The brush had grown around it. Almost everyone had gone as far as the cross, stood at the cross, cried the cross, prayed to the cross, and turned around and went back home. 

No one had walked further beyond the cross to see the symbolism of the empty tomb.

Far too many have gotten to the cross and known the despair and the heartbreak and the pain of the cross. Far too few have moved beyond the cross to find the real message of Easter. That is the empty tomb, the proof of the resurrection of our Savior. 

So when we think about Friday and its pain, when we think about the gloom of that Friday, when we think about the suffering and the death of that Friday and the defeat that fills on that Friday, many of us stop there and stare at the cross and turn around and go back in defeat. But like this man, he walked through the thicket, fought his way through the shrubs there to see that the tomb is empty.

I want to challenge you today to say this Resurrection Sunday, will you not just get stuck at the cross and the defeat of the cross and the death and gloom that it brings, but will you walk through beyond the cross to see that the grave though it’s there, though the tomb still sits there, the stone has been rolled away and the tomb is empty, there is only the evidence that Jesus rose triumphantly. 

We praise God he’s alive. He’s risen, and he’s risen indeed. 

Look beyond the pain of Friday to see the joy of Sunday. Look beyond the cross to see the life of resurrection. Look beyond the crown of thorns to see the crown of kingship. Look beyond the cross, there is victory. Look beyond the grave, there is eternity. Look beyond death, and you see life. Do not stay stuck at the cross. It is only the means to the Father. Do not just stay at the grave because it is empty. Do not look for the living among the dead because Jesus is alive.

Suffering and death can devastate, but there is life beyond the cross where we see the resurrected Savior, there is hope at the end of the rope. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Sorrow may last, but for a night because joy comes in the morning. 

Today we celebrate the resurrection because Friday may have come and gone, but it is time to rejoice for he is risen. We praise God that beyond the cross, there is the resurrection, the proof of our living Savior. Amen.

Christin Thieme: I hope you feel what I’m feeling—a renewed sense of hope and purpose. This isn’t just about an historical event that happened nearly two thousand years ago. This is about a living reality that transforms our everyday lives.

Throughout this series, we’ve journeyed from the hills where a shepherd searched for his lost sheep, to the dangerous road to Jericho where a Samaritan showed extraordinary compassion, to the hill of Calvary where a thief found redemption with his dying breath, and finally to the empty tomb that changed everything.

What strikes me most about these messages is how they reveal Jesus’s consistent character. Whether he’s the shepherd seeking the one lost sheep, the model for the Good Samaritan’s compassion, the savior who remembers even criminals, or the risen Lord who defeats death itself—Jesus is always reaching toward those on the margins, always extending grace to those who need it most.

And that includes each of us.

No matter where you find yourself today—whether you feel lost like that sheep, wounded like the traveler on the road, desperate like the thief on the cross, or perhaps standing in confusion like the disciples at the empty tomb—Jesus is meeting you right where you are.

As we move forward from Easter, I want to encourage you to carry these truths with you. Don’t leave them behind with the Easter decorations. The resurrection isn’t a once-a-year celebration but a daily revolution in how we live:

When you feel lost, remember the Shepherd who comes looking for you.

When you see someone hurting, remember the Samaritan who crossed boundaries to help.

When you feel unworthy, remember the thief whose simple request “Jesus, remember me” was enough.

And when you face impossible situations, remember the empty tomb that proves nothing is beyond God’s power to transform.

If you’ve been journeying with us through the Holy Week Art Journal, we’d love to see how you and your family engaged with these stories. Share your creations on social media with the tag @caringmagazine.

I also want to express our deepest gratitude to Major Dr. Terry Masango for sharing these profound messages, and to each of you for joining us on this journey. All four episodes will remain available for you to revisit whenever you need to be reminded of these essential truths.

So, may you walk in the light of the resurrection today and every day. Remember: Friday’s darkness always gives way to Sunday’s dawn. The tomb is empty. Christ is risen. And because he lives, we can face tomorrow with confidence and hope.

I truly hope you experience that peace and power in your daily life.

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