Image via WikipediaBEHOLD THE LAMB OF GODAn Easter Series -- Part 6 of 7
I. Basic Facts About the Resurrection of Jesus
A. Jesus predicted His own death and resurrection.
Matthew 26:31-32: “Then Jesus said to them, ‘You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, “I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.” [Quoting from Zechariah 13:7] But after I have been raised, I will go before you into Galilee.’” (He said this just before going to the Garden of Gethsemane.)
B. It is a historical event.
1. It happened - literal, physical, bodily.
Without the bodily resurrection, you do not have biblical Christianity, but something else.
2. It is attested -
a. Tomb was empty
b. Theories don't hold up - At the time everyone apparently agreed that the empty tomb was an incontestable fact.
Swoon - How could he appear later in no need of medical attention?
Jews stole body - would have created the rumor they wanted to stop
Disciples stole body - Why would they be willing to die for such a hoax?
Legend created by the church - reaction to early preaching was not denial of the resurrection as an event. Evangelists do not claim to have seen Jesus' resurrection. Preaching always connected the spiritual victory of the resurrection with the bodily resurrection of Jesus.
3. Post-resurrection appearances over a period of 40 days (Acts 1:3)
People saw Him with their physical eyes, while they were awake, One they recognized as Jesus of Nazareth. (Sometimes delayed recognition)
To Mary Magdalene -- John 20
To the other women -- Matt. 28
To Cephas -- Luke 24
To the Twelve (Thomas absent) -- John 20
To the Emmaus disciples - Luke 24
To more than 500 at one time -- I Corinthians 15:6
To James, the Lord’s half brother -- I Corinthians 15:7
To Paul (Saul) - Acts 9
II. The importance of the resurrection
O.T. Scriptures - Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, Zechariah 12:10, for example
A. Christian faith rests upon this fact!
B. It validates the gospel - It is an essential part of the gospel.
Romans 10:9 Confess Jesus as Lord, believe God raised him from the dead....
C. Vindicates Jesus' messiahship
D. Vindicates Jesus' sonship
E. Vindicates Jesus' work
F. Further shows Jesus' humanity
G. It demonstrates our own resurrection - OUR HOPE!
“And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” (I Corinthians 15:49)
1. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. v. 50
2. We shall not all sleep, but we will all be changed. v. 51
3. Final victory over death, vv. 54-57
4. Our body shall be like His.
a. perfectly responsive to the Spirit
b. retains individual identity
c. No longer bound by material and spatial limitations (Materialize / localize at will)
d. Not subject to any weakness or indignity
e. Beautiful, strong and healthy
f. Not subject to corruption
g. Having continuity with earthly body / seed - to - tree / sown - raised
III. Christ Lifted Up
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” John 3:14
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” John 12:32
A. On the cross
John refers to the crucifixion as glorification.
We must understand what Jesus did for us on the cross.
B. Lifted up “from the earth”
1. The cross is “from the earth.”
2 . The resurrection “from the earth.” He lives forever.
3. The ascension “from the earth.” He is exalted forever.
4. Seated at the right hand of God
a. Mission accomplished
b. In a position of honor
c. In a position of authority
d. In a position not shared
5. Started his heavenly ministry as
a. Our Advocate, our High Priest, our Intercessor, our Sustainer
b. Head of the church -- The church must honor Jesus as Head of the body, manifesting his love and power, reaching out to the world.
c. Preparing our place
d. Preparing to return for us
6. Proclaimed Lord and Christ
7. Receiving great honor and glory
C. Lifted up in the believers’ lives -- worshipped as Lord and Christ
D. Lifted up in the church
1. Early preaching lifted up Christ and always emphasized his death and resurrection.
2. We can't give our life to a dead man. We can't expect anything from a dead man.
3. Without the resurrection, our faith is futile.
E. Lifted up In the world
1. By the church, the Bible, and missionary effort
2. By the Holy Spirit
F. Lifted up by the power of God
1. God's power raised Jesus from the dead
2. God's power draws people to Him
3. God's power gives us eternal life
4. God's power is needed for the proclamation of the gospel
5. God's power is needed to for us to live the Christian life. The same power that raised Jesus Christ is in every believer.
G. Lifted up for the glory of God
The resurrection glorifies Christ and God who raised him.
“I am the resurrection…” Jesus is the one who makes possible our own resurrection.
“ ... and the life…” Only through Him can we gain eternal life. He sustains us.
(John 11:25)
IV. For the salvation of man / eternal life, God allowed the crime of the crucifixion to
become the sacrifice to pay for our sin. Jesus bore our sins - He died in our place.
He lifts us up.
A. Whosoever will may come
B. Will share with Christ
1. Eternal life / immortality
2. Resurrection type bodily existence
3. Glory and authority
4. Serving and worshiping God forever
V. The Resurrection Process Starts Now
A. The believer has eternal life now.
1. This amounts to a moral and spiritual regeneration and the indwelling Holy Spirit.
B. The bodily resurrection and exaltation happens later. By the resurrection, death is defeated!
C. Christian faith governs the believer's a way of life.
“I have come that they might have LIFE and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10
“Choose life, that you and your descendents may live.” Deut. 30:19
D. Christian faith is the way to life.
“… you must be born again” John 3:7
VI. There Is Another Resurrection -- to Judgment and Condemnation
“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36
A. Retribution is not inconsistent with God's character or the Bible's teaching.
B. Condemnation that is eternal
C. Condemnation that is irreversible - no appeal to higher authority
VII. What Can We Do?
“There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1
A. Understand the importance of the Resurrection
1. Part of the Gospel
2. Part of the Christian's life now
3. Part of the Christian's future
B. Let God help you live the Christian life
C. Lift up Christ / make Him known
D. Help your church to lift Him up
E. Celebrate the Resurrection!
Direct Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible.
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