Key Text: "Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the RESURRECTION from the dead:" (Romans 1:3-4)
Introduction: In past ages the grandest and the most important weekend in the history of the earth is the weekend of the death, burial, and glorious resurrection of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. There never has been anything, any event, or any person to surpass, cover up, make obscure, or eclipse the resurrection of our Savior. His resurrection brought to an end once and for all any doubt as to who Jesus is. "¼according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:" our Lord is declared to be the Son of God. (Romans 1:4). The controversy between good and evil, between Christ and Satan, rages on with furious madness and anger. The universe, including earth’s population, has on record the historical fact and assurance that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He was resurrected from the dead, and that he became the first fruits of those who slept (died). "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead." (I Corinthians 15:20-21)
When Jesus was resurrected from the grave, He symbolically put His foot on Satan’s throat and pulled out the sting of death. He destroyed Satan’s throne (the tomb) and walked out of that grave a Victor, a Conqueror over sin, death, and the grave. Because He is risen, we have the assurance of our resurrection when He comes again.
Friend, the greatest proof and demonstration that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior is the historical fact that He was raised, resurrected from the dead. His coming forth from the tomb should be to the entire world the last conviction to speak in confidence and favor that Jesus is Deity and Savior. Those who will not be convinced by His resurrection most likely will never be convinced that Jesus is Lord. The raising of Lazarus from among the dead was the crowning evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, and Jesus’ own resurrection is the final authority and assurance that when He comes again, all God’s children of all ages will be resurrected. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." (I Thessalonians 4:14)
Now friend, the same word "sleep" used here in Thessalonians is used in John 11:11-13 and then in verse 14. Jesus said plainly, "¼Lazarus is dead." The central thought is Lazarus was dead and Jesus, the Life-giver, raised him from among the dead. Here is the discussion that Paul is setting forth in I Thessalonians 4:14, "For if we believe that Jesus DIED and ROSE again¼" we too are assured of the resurrection at His coming.
"When the voice of the mighty angel was heard at Christ’s tomb, saying, Thy Father calls Thee, the Saviour came forth from the grave by the life that was in Himself. Now was proved the truth of His words, ‘I lay down My life, that I might take it again¼. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.’ Now was fulfilled the prophecy He had spoken to the priests and rulers, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ John 10:17,18; 2:19.
"Over the rent sepulcher of Joseph Christ had proclaimed in triumph, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life.’ These words could be spoken only by the Deity. All created beings live by the will and power of God. They are dependent recipients of the life of God. From the highest seraph to the humblest animate being, all are replenished from the Source of life. Only He who is one with God could say, I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again. In His divinity, Christ possessed the power to break the bonds of death." (The Desire of Ages, E. G. White, p.785)
Coming to Christ for forgiveness, we can bring our sins and weaknesses, lay them at the foot of the cross and plead His blood for our atonement. Spiritually, we can hasten to the open grave, we can see the empty tomb, and there we can realize that our Lord Jesus Christ is alive. We have complete forgiveness of sins; we have a fortifying of our faith and the joy of our salvation! The blessed resurrection day is yours and mine for life eternal. The triumph of trust: "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!" I am delighted to bring our readers another three-point outline in this sermon of the month on the resurrection of our Lord. First, His resurrection served a purpose. Secondly, His resurrection saved His people. And thirdly, His resurrection secured the planet.
Everything in the universe, all the promises to God’s people and all their expectations hinge on one glorious event, HE IS RISEN. He is risen is a present tense verb statement. That statement was good last week, last year, and throughout the past ages. That statement is good as you read this sermon and that statement will be true as long as time lasts and then on into eternity. Thank God, friend, "He is risen, He is risen indeed!"
I. His Resurrection Served a Purpose! (Luke 24:13-35)
"And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs." (Verse 13)
"And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive." (Verse 23)
"And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him (Jesus) they saw not." (Verse 24)
"Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:" (Verse 25)
"Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory." (Verse 26)
"And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight." (Verse 31)
"And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Verse 32)
"And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them," (Verse 33).
"Saying, the Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon." (Verse 34)
1. The first purpose served because of Christ’s resurrection was the fact that this glorious event encouraged the disciples. The resurrection stimulated inspiration and a great thrust of enthusiasm. They had a spiritual awakening and a heartfelt joy that the tomb was empty. Christ’ death had not scattered the disciples. Now, because of His resurrection they were on solid foundation; they were united in the truth of His resurrection and ready to take that message to the world.
2. Then, there is the purpose of holding the disciples and the early church in the book of Acts together. The resurrection did that. The natural thing for the disciples to do would be to disband. They did not. They would not lose faith; they would not give it up and return to their occupation before being called as fishers of men. They would not scatter and become disconnected. They were united for the great purpose of preaching the entire gospel. The term,"All the Gospel," represents the perfect life of Jesus, the death of Jesus, the burial of Jesus, and now they could preach the glorious resurrection of Jesus. He is risen . He is risen indeed!
3. His resurrection served a purpose inasmuch as the existence and the continuation of the Christian Church depended on the belief that the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed!
4. His resurrection proclaimed Him to be the Son of God. "And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the RESURRECTION from the dead:" (Romans 1:4). Atheists have been in the world for centuries, and if you will recall we had one of the leaders here in Austin, Texas for a number of years. Her name was Madeline Murray O’Hare, and she was credited with having the Bible and prayer removed from the classrooms in the American Public Education System. In 1995, O’Hare disappeared, and her remains were not found until March of 2001. When the forensic scientists reported the lab tests on Friday, March 16, 2001, they identified the bones as those of Madeline Murray O’Hare. She and two of her relatives had been murdered. After a search for her whereabouts for five years, her bones were found on a ranch near Camp Wood, Texas.
5. Christ’s resurrection had another purpose. Resurrected with life, no one was ever able to find His body. Friend, let us be reasonable. If any one person or group of people could have found His body, don’t you believe they would have brought it forth to give their evidence that Jesus did not rise from the tomb? The tomb is empty. "He is risen! He is risen indeed! He lives! He lives indeed!"
II. His Resurrection Saved God’s People
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)
1. Assurance: We have proof in the words He spoke, the life He lived, the death He died, and the empty tomb He left behind. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep" (I Thessalonians 4:14-15). The term "asleep" refers to those who have died trusting in Jesus and are now resting in the grave awaiting our Lord’s second coming.
2. Authority: What authority? "But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, he gave authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name." (John 1:12, Amplified Bible). See also Isaiah 56:5.
3. Augmentation: I Corinthians 15:12-23.
"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (Verse 12)
"But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:" (Verse 13)
"And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." (Verse 14)
"Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not." (Verse 15)
"For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:" (Verse 16)
"And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." (Verse 17)
"Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." (Verse 18)
"If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men more miserable." (Verse 19)
"But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." (Verse 20)
"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead." (Verse 21)
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (Verse 22)
"But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are in Christ’s at his coming." (Verse 23)
III. His Resurrection Secured the Planet
While it is true that Jesus came to this world to seek and to save the lost, He also came to restore the earth. He came to create a new heaven and a new earth and to make all things more gloriously abound than they were before the fall. Before sin entered, the Garden of Eden was beautiful. When restored, it will be even more so.
Jesus died to secure planet earth, and He did so because of the Biblical truth of His gospel. His resurrection makes it an eternal YES for God’s people and His whole creation. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away: and there was no more sea." (Revelation 21:1)
Let us consider what the resurrection of Christ accomplished
1. Brings great joy to the people of God
2. Inspires inspiration and enthusiasm for the church
3. Gives the assurance of the "Blessed Hope"
4. Gives assurance of the resurrection of the saints
5. Gives full and complete approval that Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God
In the End
: "The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been restored. ‘Thus saith the Lord¼ that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited’ (Isaiah 45:18). God’s original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed. ‘The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever’ (Psalm 37:29)." -The Great Controversy, E. G. White, p.674.Let us close our sermon with a great hymn of the Christian Church, "He Lives". It was written by Alfred H. Ackley and set to music by Mr. Ackley. Copyrighted in 1933 by Homer A. Rodeheaver.
He Lives
I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today;
I know that He is living, whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him He’s always near.
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.