The Radical Resurrection

Nathan Drake is a young man you probably don’t know, but you’ve heard him before. He is the voice you’ve heard in the songs we’ve sang together at the end of our services the last 2 weeks…

“Of all the things that happened on that day, all the miraculous sights, the image that came to my mind was the footprints. There would have been lots of footprints in and out of the tomb from 3 days ago, but the immense stone pushed in front of the entrance would have wiped them away.

And then, 3 days later, that stone sits back where it started, and a single set of footprints lead out of the grave. They must have stared at the footprints, minds not understanding what they were seeing. A single set of footprints, walking out of the grave. OUT of the grave. Easter is about that set of footprints. The only footprints in history that death could not stop.”

As we reach the third and final message to this series, I have decided to stay in step with where we have been here in the gospel of John. But I’ll remind you that each of the gospel accounts have a record of the resurrection of Christ, but they each provide subtle details. Which is why we will hop over to 1 Corinthians 15. But for a moment, join me in John 20 where we will read the first ten verses. (READ)

On this resurrection Sunday, I’d like to begin by posing a question. Now, I am asking this question rhetorically, but I want you to take a serious look inside yourself and think beyond the surface. Because whether or not you’ve ever been asked this question, or whether or not you’ve every really thought about your answer to this question… underneath all of that is a reality that may shock you.

So - here is the question: “Why are you a Christian?”

As I let you ponder that question, I’m sure there are a plethora of answers that even in this moment are coming to mind. Now I really want you to think about that question because we currently live in a world where being a Christian is becoming less and less popular and increasing in difficulty each year. You may have been a Christian since you were 22 or maybe you became a Christian just a few years ago. I want you to know that in facing the most important decision you’ll ever have to make, you made the right decision.

But brother or sister here this morning, we need to know that following Jesus comes at a cost. Sure we live in West Texas where you can walk down 5 streets in Levelland, TX and knock on every door and ask the people who answer the door if they’re a Christian. And most of them would respond with a yes. But they’re not members of a local church, they live their life according to their standards of morality. But just simply believing in Jesus and having an experience at some point in your past doesn’t make you a Christian.

Jesus said just a few chapters earlier here in the Gospel of John that “by this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

Now, I understand that this question is multifaceted. There are different ways to approach and answer this question. Some of you may be thinking of a biblical answer, and others of you are thinking about practical realities … which are things people do to become a Christian.

But the reason I am posing this question this morning is because in most cases, the answers that you’ll hear people respond with are answers such as:

Well, I gave my life to Christ when I was 13…

I have been in church all my life…

My entire family are Christians …

I’m a pretty good person … my good out weighs the bad…

Jesus died for me…

I prayed the sinners prayer… I walked an aisle when I was a kid and was baptized the next week…

I heard the good news of Jesus at a youth event (revival) and decided I didn’t want to go to hell…

Some of the other answers you might hear from someone, and perhaps these answers are answers that have been silently spoken in some of the minds here this morning:

Well, I don’t know if I’m a Christian. I mean I’m a good person …

I don’t think I’m going to heaven, I’m just here because my family is here…

I’m not really worried about the afterlife… I actually believe that when we die, that is it!

Now, these are just a few different answers. There are probably dozens more. But as I said a moment ago, the reality that lies underneath all of those possible answers is that none of those answers are actually things you and I can do to become a Christian. What I mean when I say that is that the Bible does not say anything about those realities when it comes to being a Christian. Instead, what the Bible constantly talks about are the things that are necessary for someone to be saved of their sin and become a Christian. (Following me so far?)

And not only does the Bible teach us about what is necessary for salvation to occur, it also calls us to test ourselves. We should be praying and asking for discernment constantly putting our lives up against the truths of Scripture. Notice Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 13:5

2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Now, the reason I begin the sermon this way is because the answer we hear very seldom and the answer I think more Christians need to be aware of is this: I am a Christian because of the resurrection. And as we have seen the last week or so in our sermon series, we could add this answer: I am a Christian because Christ was crucified and He was resurrected. And while both of those events in history are absolutely essential to salvation & redemption … the truth is that if we do not have a resurrected Savior … we have nothing! And we are people to be pitied.

Notice what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:12-14 “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection from the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”

In chapter 15 of this first letter to the church at Corinth, Paul is reaching the pinnacle of his teaching and instruction. And as he begins to conclude his letter, he doesn’t neglect from talking about the importance of Christ’ resurrection. Sure, there were some in Corinth who believed that Christ was resurrected, but some of them struggled with the reality of a dead man coming back to life. It was puzzling and mystifying to them.

And having spent the majority of the letter writing on specific areas of life and instruction, Paul comes to a point … this crown jewel of a point … and says all of Christian life hinges on the resurrection.

So … let me ask this question once again: Why are you a Christian? Well my hope for you before we leave this room this morning is that not only will you agree with me, but join me in believing that the reason you’re a Christian is because Christ is resurrected. Christ is alive!

Yes, your story of salvation has details and times and events connected to it. Sure, you may have heard the gospel at a youth camp, or at a revival, maybe you prayed with your parents in your bedroom, or maybe you heard the truth of Jesus on a Sunday morning.

And yes, in your response to hearing the truth about Jesus, you may have walked down an aisle, you made a decision to follow him, and Lord willing, you made a decision to be baptized. BUT brother & sister, visitor in the room this morning - those things don’t save you! Jesus’ perfect life, His sacrificial atoning death, and His resurrection are what saves you!

Dear friend here this morning, if you have not yet had an encounter with the resurrected Jesus, then I ask you, I would exhort you, no.. I would implore you to do it today. I can’t think of a better day to come to know Jesus than on an Easter Sunday

The Resurrection of Christ is amazing! In fact, it is radical. It is radical for how it amazed Jesus’ followers. It is radical for how it defied the laws of what we think would be physically possible. And most importantly, the resurrection is radical for what it accomplished.

This radical resurrection brought about a level of change that would have ripple affects throughout the course of history. When you think about the phrase radical change, the phrase itself means an extreme or substantial change in the existing system. And the truth is the way humans perceived and understood how the forgiveness of sins could be received had now been flipped on its head. And in addition to that, Jesus defied the nature of life and death by becoming human and dying a excruciatingly painful and tremendously embarrassing death …

And in rising again on the third day, Jesus changed everything. I mean everything !

Now, this is Easter Sunday, so we need to talk about the resurrection, don’t we?

The resurrection of Christ is not only a key theme in the Christian gospel, it is the focal point of the good news. We have good news because sin has been dealt with. And to deal with sin properly, God would require full payment for the that debt sinful man owed. And to rectify this debt problem, God knew only one person could step in and save the day. He knew only one man could serve as the perfect sinless man who full obeyed God’s law and thereby did not deserve penalty. But this perfect, sinless man would die … and to prove He had power and authority over life and death, He would die but not stay dead. Again .. we have no gospel if we don’t have the resurrection.

The resurrection also serves as a hinge or a linch pin. If Christ is not resurrected, then we have no gospel, no good news … and everything literally falls apart. But since we do have a resurrected savior, well then you and I should pay attention.

The physical resurrection of Jesus is a vital piece of the person and work of Jesus Christ. We must not speak of the crucifixion without the resurrection. In fact, without the resurrection there is no reason to speak of the crucifixion at all. Jesus’s journey from Golgotha to glory hinges on the resurrection, just as our walk from this life into the next must include resurrection. The resurrection of Christ is our hope for the future.

Now, for the rest of our time together, I want two ask 2 crucial questions regarding the resurrection of Christ. And I’d like point out a handful of truths that you can jot down if you’re following along with me.

I. What did the Resurrection Do?

1. The Resurrection of Christ is a Work of Revelation One thing I believe all Christians should know is how God has chosen to reveal himself. If you’ve ever wondered that or perhaps had someone as you that… maybe your children? The answer to that question is simple: God has revealed Himself to us 1) through His creation, 2) through His Word, 3) and in the person of Jesus Christ.

Not only was the virgin birth of Christ a revelation of God himself … because God was coming to dwell among men. The opening of John’s gospel says that “In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God and the Word was God” … and verse 14 says “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

But I would submit to you this morning that the death and resurrection of Christ are both equally works of revelation. These events reveal something about our Creator. And both the virgin birth and the resurrection of Christ are significant points in history because of the role that they play in the scope of God’s plan of redemption.

In his book The Last Things: Resurrection, Judgment, and Glory Donald Bloesch said “It is through the power of the risen Christ that we are enabled to see and understand the mystery of Jesus as the living God incarnate.” What Donald is saying here is that it is through the resurrection of Christ that we are able to catch a glimpse of the glory and wonder of who God is, how He humbled himself by coming to earth and live as a man. AND it also shows us just how much He hates sin and what lengths He will go to rectify and obliterate it.

2. The Resurrection of Christ is a Work of Redemption

In God’s wisdom and infinite knowledge, He knew how redemption must work… after all it is God who thought of redemption. While it could have pleased God to crush His Son and provide the work of atonement at the cross of Calvary … God knew it couldn’t stop there. Having a sin debt paid for by having perfect and spotless blood to cover our sins is one thing … But to prove His power and authority of life and death, sin and the grave, God knew He would need to raise His son from death.

But the other reason the resurrection is so powerful and awesome is because it is the completion of the cross. P.T. Forsyth once said “The Cross alone is no solution without the solution for the Cross itself, the Resurrection, and all its train beyond Christ’s death.”

Jesus coming back to life after having been laid in a tomb for three days shows us that we have been delivered over from the bondage of sin and delivered over from the power of death. And not just an individuals physical death… but more importantly their spiritual death.

3. The Resurrection of Christ Gives Us Assurance

You know, living in today’s world, it seems that there are more and more reason to feel uncertain. Myself, having gone around the sun 40 times and lived through two pretty significant world events (9-11 & Covid) … I feel like more people are saying and living as if they’re unsure about things currently and things in the future.

I’m not speculating on anything you don’t already know. We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but Christians know Who holds tomorrow. We are not promised tomorrow and for all we know know, this could end tonight. BUT - one of the things I’ve learned in my years as a follower of Christ is that God did give his Son to die in your place so you could be fickle about the God who made you and has saved you. For God is not a god of confusion, but of God of peace. God has sent, executed, and resurrected His son so that you and I can have peace. And true peace .. not a worldly version of it.

Notice what Luke records in the book of Acts 17:31 - (Paul) “because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Jesus is alive, therefore you can rest assured.

4. The Resurrection of Christ Gave Us Adoption

In his death, Jesus paid for your sins. And in His resurrection, Jesus purchased you. And as a Christian having been purchased, you were brought into His family. The reason I use the word purchased is because when you think about adoption, even in a human/worldly sense, when someone is adopted, they are made a son or daughter legally. The paperwork was filled out and submitted and the fees were paid. That’s adoption. Very similarly, that’s the same in a spiritual reality.

The apostle Paul experienced this spiritual adoption himself… and it thrilled him. Having been brought into the family of God, he was sure to teach the early church about it. You’ll see it in Galatians 4:5, Romans 8:15 “You received God’s spirit when he adopted you as his own children.” Paul goes on to state this glorious reality in the book Ephesians, chapters 1,2, and 3.

When we put our faith in Christ, when we surrender our lives to Him, when we believe that He was God incarnate and that His perfect life and sacrificial death cover my sins … and in that moment of belief, theologians and pastors often call it conversion. When we were converted, our sin debt was cancelled, we were given a new name, and God put the righteousness of Christ on us as he removed the unrighteousness that covered us. And this is why being born again is necessary… you die to yourself and put on the life of Christ. And you’re given a new purpose and you have meaning because you’ve been adopted.

Before we conclude, I want you to see this directly from the mouth of Jesus. To do that, look just a few verses down in John 20. In my study this week, I stumbled across a phrase that is so simple but yet so profound. And to help you see it, you need to know this…

A little over 100 times in the gospel of John, Jesus refers to God as “Father.” 27 times he says “My Father.” And 71 times he says “the Father.” But only one time does he refer to God as the disciples Father. Notice vs 17 with me… (READ)

This one occurrence of Jesus saying My Father and Your Father, and My God and your God came after he was crucified and resurrected. He could say that because the work was done! He purchased them, He purchased us! And we belong to Him when we put our faith and trust in Him and we can now call His Father our Father. That’s good news for the believer and the unbeliever …

Finally, let me wrap up this morning by asking:

II. What Do I Do with the Resurrection?

I want you to know that I will hit these quickly because I’d like for them to serve as a form of application or maybe even perhaps and invitation to respond … to both the Christian and the non-Christian this morning. This chapter is heavy with resurrection truth, so I’m sure we will come back to it at some point down the road, either on an Easter Sunday or maybe when we get to 1 Corinthians. But notice what Paul says in vs 1-2 in chapter 15. (READ)

There are 4 things Paul states very clearly to the Corinthian believers and I believe they are true for us a little over 2,000 years later.

First notice he says “I make known to you the gospel I preached to you.” If the resurrection is a part of the gospel, and if the gospel is necessary for salvation, then you need to hear it preached/proclaimed. Which means = Be a Part of a Bible Believing Church.

Where do you do that? In a local church! If you’re not a member of CABC, we’d love talk with you about membership. If you’re looking for a church…we hope you’ll find this local congregation welcoming.

Secondly, notice the phrase “which also you received.” What does that mean for us today? Receive the gospel … and in the context of this morning; Believe in His Death & Resurrection.

Thirdly, notice he says “in which you stand..” Paul is painting a picture of time. These statements all represent something that happened in the past, something currently happening, and something that will continue to go on happening. Here he says in which you stand which for us means “Stay in His word.”

Fourth and finally, Paul says “by which you are also saved.” What do you do with his death & resurrection after believing in it for salvation … Paul reminds us to let it have its perfect way in our lives … which means we are being sanctified and made holy each day we are living for Christ. There should never be a point in a Christians life where they stay stagnant. The Christian life is a life of continual ongoing growth. It’s not good if you can look back 3 months and say “ehh I’m kinda in the same spot I was in then.”

The Gospel doesn’t work that way my friend. God doesn’t save you to save you at one point in your life. The gospel goes on to save you.

If you’re here this morning and you’ve never truly experienced the love and forgiveness of Christ in His death & resurrection, we’d love for you to do that today. I’ll be down front, we have a deacon or two who would love to talk with you.