"THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST"

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

1. "Easter Sunday" is an annual holiday celebrated by many:

a. Millions of people commemorate the resurrection of Jesus on this day

b. Many consider it as "the most holy" of religious holidays

c. For some, it marks the only time they attend church services (Christmas runs a close second)

 

2. Christians in the first century did not have an annual observance of this event:

a. The word "Easter" is found only once in the KJV Bible - Acts 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

b. The word in the Greek is actually "Passover", and so translated elsewhere in the KJV

c. "It is reasonably certain that the NT contains no reference to a yearly celebration of the resurrection of Christ" (ISBE)

d. The annual observance is a human tradition, introduced in the second and third centuries

 

3. Churches today who follow the New Testament pattern do not celebrate "Easter" per se...

a. Like the church in Jerusalem, they are content to abide in the apostles' doctrine - Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

b. They note Paul's teaching regarding religious holidays - Galatians 4:9-11 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain. 

c. They value Jesus' warning regarding the traditions of men - Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 

4. This does not in any way demean the importance of the resurrection of Christ:

a. It has great significance to the Christian

b. It is something we should think about often (certainly more than once a year)

 

5. It is an appropriate subject even on "Easter Sunday", just as sermons:

a. On thankfulness are around Thanksgiving

b. On mothers are on Mother's Day

 

-- Even though churches may not celebrate such holidays per se

 

With that thought in mind, allow me to use this opportunity to review the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ for the Christian. It's significance can first be seen by considering...

 

I. IF CHRIST WAS NOT RAISED:

 

A. GOSPEL PREACHING IS VAIN... (1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.)

     

1. The preaching of the apostles is empty, meaningless

     

2. Because they proclaimed nothing more than a fairy tale, a story of fiction

 

B. OUR FAITH IS VAIN... (1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.)

     

1. Our belief in Christ would also be empty, meaningless

     

2. For our faith would be in a lie, a story of make believe, not truth

 

C. THE APOSTLES WERE FALSE WITNESSES... (1 Corinthians 15:15 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.)

     

1. They swore that God raised Jesus from the dead - Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

     

2. They claimed to spend 40 days with Him after the resurrection, eating and drinking with Him - Acts 10:39-41 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

     

3. There is no way they could have been deceived or mistaken; either they told the truth or they were deliberate liars, deceivers, and frauds!

 

D. WE ARE STILL IN OUR SINS... (1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.)

     

1. It would have been a liar or lunatic that died on the cross

     

2. No such person could have provided a sacrifice that was holy and without blemish

 

E. BELIEVERS HAVE PERISHED AT DEATH... (1 Corinthians 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.)

     

1. Their faith would have been in a false Messiah

     

2. They would have had no atonement for their sins

     

3. Dying in their sins, there would be no hope

 

F. CHRISTIANS ARE TO BE PITIED... (1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.)

     

1. Because we believe in a false Messiah

     

2. Because our faith in Him leads us to refrain from much worldly pleasure

     

3. Because we are often ridiculed or persecuted for our faith

 

As Paul makes it clear, the resurrection of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith.  If Jesus is not raised, then we should not be Christians!  Now let's examine the significance from another angle...

 

II. IF CHRIST HAS BEEN RAISED:

 

A. IT VERIFIES OUR JUSTIFICATION... (Romans 4:24-25 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.)

     

1. Jesus claimed His blood would be adequate - Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

     

2. By raising Jesus from the dead, God demonstrated His acceptance of Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins! - Romans 8:33-34 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

 

B. IT DEMONSTRATES THE POWER AVAILABLE TO THE CHRISTIAN... (Ephesians 1:18-20 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,)

     

1. Power available at our conversion - Colossians 2:11-12 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. - 1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

     

2. Power available to live the Christian life - Romans 8:11-13 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. - Philippians 2:12-13 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. - Philippians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: - Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, - Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

 

C. IT GIVES US HOPE CONCERNING OUR OWN RESURRECTION... (1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,)

     

1. His resurrection gives us a living hope! - 1 Peter 1:21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

     

2. Especially concerning the resurrection of believers! - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

 

D. IT DEMANDS OUR COMPLETE LOYALTY... (Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.)

     

1. He was raised and then exalted to become our Lord - Acts 2:32-36 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. - Ephesians 1:20-23 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

     

2. Thus our lives and service belong to Him - Romans 14:7-8 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. - 2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

 

CONCLUSION:

 

1. The impact of the resurrection of Jesus should not go unfelt in our lives...

a. As a historical event it has everlasting implications

b. For both the believer and the unbeliever

 

2. The believer must never lose sight of the significance of the resurrection:

a. Do our lives demonstrate that we serve a risen Lord and Savior?

b. Do we possess the hope, peace, and strength that the reality and power of His resurrection gives to the Christian?

 

3. The unbeliever also needs to examine the significance of the resurrection carefully:

a. It verifies the deity of Jesus, that He has all authority - Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: - Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: - Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.

b. It verifies the truthfulness of what He taught, such as:

1) No one can come to the Father but through Him - John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

2) His blood was shed for the remission of sins - Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

3) He came to offer abundant life - John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

4) He went to prepare a place for us - John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

5) He shall come again - John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

6) There will be a resurrection of the dead and ensuing judgment - John 5:28-29 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. - John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

c. If Jesus rose from the dead, then one must believe in Him! - John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

 

May we never forget "The Significance Of The Resurrection of Christ" in our lives!