"Is It You?" - Resurrection Sunday

Watch "Is It You" from Senior Pastor Daniel Macaluso on YouTube now

In Romans 1:1-6, Paul introduces himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. He writes with deep conviction about the gospel promised long before, fulfilled in Jesus Christ—descended from David according to the flesh, and declared to be the powerful Son of God through the Spirit by the resurrection from the dead.

But think about who Paul was before this. He wasn’t always a champion of the faith. He was a persecutor, a killer of Christians, someone whose name inspired fear in the early church. And yet, Paul became one of the greatest church builders of all time. Why?

Because he encountered the resurrection. And he was never the same.

Paul’s life was so transformed by the risen Christ that he willingly suffered and died in places like the Mamertine Dungeon—a cold, dark prison in Rome—not for fame, but because he believed in what Jesus had done. The resurrection didn't just change Jesus’ status; it changed Paul’s. It ignited something in him that could not be undone. And that resurrection is still meant to ignite something in us.

Jesus didn’t just rise from the grave to prove a point. He rose to inspire you, to move you, to raise your life out of the tomb. God is still in the business of moving stones.

So… is it you?

There’s a song called "Another Stone" that echoes this question:

“God, I know that what You promise will be better than I thought... Another stone is rolling in the room right now—Is it You right now?”

Is God rolling your stone away? Is a new you rising up?

If you’re looking for the old you—it’s gone.If you’re looking for the grave—it’s empty. Because the Savior lives in you.

God Moves in the Dark

John 20:1 tells us Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark. It was dark outside—but that wasn’t the only darkness at play. The darkness of Peter’s denial, the disciples’ abandonment, Pilate’s cowardice, Jesus’ anguish, and the devil’s temporary glee—it all weighed heavy. It felt like evil had won.

But even in the darkness, the women showed up.

They had no expectation of resurrection. They weren’t coming to receive—they were coming to honor. These women had stayed at the cross when everyone else fled, and now they were the first to the tomb. They thought they were alone in their grief. They felt unseen. But they weren’t. God was watching.

And He was already moving the stone.

Matthew 28 describes what happened:

A violent earthquake shook the earth. An angel descended from heaven and rolled back the stone, then sat on it like it was nothing. The guards were paralyzed in fear, but the angel turned to the women and said, “Don’t be afraid. He isn’t here—He has risen, just as He said.”

Let this sink in: Jesus didn’t need the stone to be rolled away. He could walk through locked doors. The stone wasn’t moved for Him—it was moved for them. And it’s moved for us.

God Moves Our Stones Too

We all face stones that seem too big to move.Mark 16:4 says the stone was “sphodra mega”—very large. 1.5 to 2 tons.But the Greek word for “removed” is airo—meaning to pick up and carry away.This wasn’t just a shift. It was a miracle.

That same word, airo, is used in John 1:29 where Jesus is called the Lamb of God who takes away—carries away—the sin of the world.And again in Psalm 103:12:

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

That’s how far God is willing to go to move your stone.

The enemy whispers, “You’ll never escape. This problem, this pain, this guilt—it’s permanent.”

But God says: “Keep walking.”

Walk past anxiety, and He’ll meet you with peace that transcends understanding. (Philippians 4)
Walk past fear, because perfect love drives it out. (1 John 4:18)
Walk past shame, because in Christ, you are a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Walk past guilt, because it was nailed to the cross.

You are not just surviving—you are more than a conqueror through Him who gives you strength. God is still moving stones.

So, again, I ask: Is it YOU?

The Stones Ahead

Every one of us will face stones.Some will trip us. Some will trap us.Some will feel too big to even pray about.

But God specializes in the impossible.

After failing to summit Mount Everest in 1952, Sir Edmund Hillary stood before a crowd and said:

“Mount Everest, you beat me the first time. But I’ll beat you the next time—because you’ve grown all you are going to grow... and I’m still growing.”

You may have failed. You may feel stuck.But you’re still growing.God is still working.

Even when we look unfinished—like Michelangelo’s half-carved sculptures—God doesn’t see failure. He sees a masterpiece in progress. He’s chiseling away fear.He’s sanding down bitterness. He’s polishing your faith.

And sometimes, the greatest miracle is not that the situation changes—but that you change.

What Is God Preparing You For?

Maybe He isn’t moving the obstacle because He’s more interested in moving your heart. Taking away the doubt. Melting away the pride. Raising up something new.

You become the miracle.

Communion Reflection: Hebrews 12:1-3 (CSB)

“Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him... so that you won’t grow weary and give up.”

We take communion not just to remember the cross, but to remember that we are still in the race. That He endured the cross for the joy of seeing you raised up.