I Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus

Introduction

As humans in this world, we are doing everything we can to escape death and prolong our life.

Money:

Health and Fitness industry makes 30.6 billion per year.

Americans spend 50 billion on vitamins and health supplements per year.

To compare. . . Entertainment: 24 billion. . .

Music:

Forever Young

Movies:

Tuck Everlasting

In Time

Why do we want to live forever?

Because that is why we were created, to live forever with God.

We fear death because it is completely unnatural to us. . . it is not what God intended when he first made us.

Because of our sin, it is impossible for us to gain immortality.

No matter how hard we try, no matter how much money we invest in. . . it won’t make a difference, eventually every one of us will die because we have all sinned against our Holy and loving creator. . . and the punishment for our sin is death.

But, this is why the gospel is good news. This is why the Creed does not stop at “he was crucified, died, and was buried”. . . but that “on the third day, he rose again from the dead!”

Key Point: Jesus’s resurrection declares him as King over all things, including death. Through faith in Christ, we too can conquer death and have hope in this life and in the life to come.

1 Corinthians 15:1-28

“He Descended to Hell.” (v. 1-4a)

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 (ESV)

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried. . .

According to many places in the OT that spoke of the Messiah’s death (see Isaiah 53; Daniel 9:26; Zech. 13:7) Jesus died for our sins and was buried.

Between Jesus’s death and resurrection, his body stayed in the grave and his spirit “descended into hell.”

What does this mean?

What it does not mean: Jesus did not suffer torment in hell.

The word used in the creed is “hades” (Greek) which is the New Testament equivalent of Sheol (Hebrew). . . which is known as the realm of the dead.

The creed does not use the word “Gehenna” Greek word which symbolized the temporary place of torment before the final judgment.

Everyone goes to the realm of the dead. Some face torment and some face peace and bliss (see parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16).

Jesus did not “go down” literally but the language of descent is used to show that the place of disembodied existence is lower in worth than the dignity of life on earth where the soul and body are united together.

Why did Jesus do this?

So he could experience everything we would go through to have solidarity with us.

“Death without Christ is the king of terrors, but death with Christ loses the sting.” -JI Packer

In Jesus, even God has dwelt among the dead.

We don’t face death alone.

Upon his death, Puritan John Preston said, “I shall change my place, but I shall not change my company.”

Jesus has been there before us and we can trust him that he will see us through.

Story of not going into the dark cave first. . . wanting my Dad to go first and then hold my hand to go in with him.

What If Jesus Didn’t Rise? (v. 12-19)

Why is Jesus’s resurrection crucial? Four reasons:

Our faith is futile (v. 17).

1 Corinthians 15:17 (ESV)

17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile. . .

futile means fruitless, empty, meaningless.

Our faith is in vain if Christ has not been raised from the dead.

There is no hope of life after death and no resurrection for us (v. 18).

1 Corinthians 15:18 ESV

18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

Jesus is not reigning and will not come back to establish justice and make all things new.

We are still in our sins and under God’s wrath. We have no hope a relationship with God.

1 Corinthians 15:18. . . “and you are still in your sins.”

If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then “The Jesus of the Gospels can still be your hero, but he cannot be your Savior.” JI Packer

“On The third day, he rose again from the dead.” (v. 4b-11; 20-28)

Jesus rose from the dead in accordance with the Scriptures (v. 4b; Isaiah 53:10; Ps. 16:10).

His resurrection was a bodily, physical resurrection.

Demonstrates the goodness of the body in the original creation.

Our bodies matter.

Saying “the third day” proclaims that Jesus’s resurrection is a fact of history. It actually accord in space and time on a specific day of the week.

Paul lists eyewitness testimony as the main piece of evidence to Christ’s resurrection (v. 5-11).

Gary Habermas’ Six Minimal Historical Facts

Jesus’s Death

The Disciple’s Experiences

The Earliest Proclamation of the Gospel (Creeds-1 Cor. 15; Rom. 1:1-4; Phil. 2:5-11).

The Disciple’s Transformations.

The Conversion of James.

The Conversion of Paul.

What did Jesus’s resurrection accomplish?

For Jesus:

Declared that he was the divine Son of God

Romans 1:4 ESV

4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Vindicated his righteousness

Romans 4:25 ESV

25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Jesus could not stay dead because he never sinned. His resurrection proves his perfection.

It also proves that his sacrifice for sin was complete and was acceptable to God.

Demonstrated victory over death

Acts 2:24 ESV

24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Jesus will reign eternally and all things will be brought into submission under his feet.

1 Corinthians 15:24–28 ESV

24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Exalts and glorifies God.

God will be “all in all” meaning that God’s supreme authority will be eternally established over all things and never be threatened again.

For Believers:

Guarantees our forgiveness and justification (Rom. 4:25).

Guarantees our future resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:20: “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Jesus is the “firstfruits” -EXPLAIN

Brings us into the reality of resurrection life now.

Romans 6:4 ESV

4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Response

We need to be made alive.

Since Jesus rose from the dead, he is the only savior. . . the only way of salvation.

We don’t have to fear death.

Talk about reciting the catechism among the catacombs.

“Where others see only defeat, Jesus’s followers see a paradoxical victory. Where others see only contamination, we see the sanctification of human nature. Where others see only darkness and despair, we see broken gates. Where others see an end, we see new beginnings. Death is serious: but not as serious as life. It has been placed in a wider context of meaning. We bury our dead under the sign of the cross. We lay our bones to rest not in horror but in peace. The dominant sound at a Christian funeral is not mourning but the singing of praise.” -Ben Myers

Analogy of Christian martyrs “playing with death” like a child plays with a dead or powerless lion. -From Athanasius 3rd Century

This also means we don’t have to fear despair, depression, or disappointment.

Because Christ has risen from the dead. . . and we will as well. . . we know this is not the end. . . this earthly life is not all there is.

We can Trust his word.

We live like Jesus is the resurrected and reigning King by submitting our lives to him.

We live in newness of life. . . abundant life.

We live in resurrection power over sin.

How can we remain silent?

If we believe Jesus rose from the dead, how can we not proclaim to all the hope they can have from their sin and the consequence of death?

We have the answer!