After Three Days

INTRODUCTION

The three most significant events in all of human history are the birth of Christ, the death of Christ, and the resurrection of Christ

Scripture mentions Christ’s birth approximately 10 times, His death around 90 times, and His resurrection about 60 times

For those who tragically choose not to believe, the Bible records 17 post-resurrection appearances of Christ as further confirmation of His victory over death

Charles Spurgeon said, “The resurrection is a fact better attested than any event recorded in any history, whether ancient or modern.”

These 17 appearances include:

To Mary Magdalene as she remained at the site of the tomb - John 20:11–17

To the other women who were also returning to the tomb - Matt. 28:9–10

To Peter - Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5

To the disciples on the road to Emmaus - Mark 16:12–13; Luke 24:13–31

To the ten disciples - Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36–51; John 20:19–23

To the 11 disciples a week after His resurrection - John 20:26–29

To seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee - John 21:1–23

To 500 believers - 1 Cor. 15:6

To James, the Lord’s brother - 1 Cor. 15:7

To 11 disciples on a mountain in Galilee - Matt. 28:16–20

At His Ascension - Luke 24:44–53; Acts 1:3–9

To Stephen just prior to his martyrdom - Acts 7:55–56

To Paul on the road to Damascus - Acts 9:3–6; cf. 22:6–11; 26:13–18

To Paul in Arabia - Gal. 1:12–17

To Paul in the temple - Acts 9:26–27; 22:17–21

To Paul in prison in Caesarea - Acts 23:11

To John in Revelation - Rev. 1:12–20

These appearances were purposeful, meant to confirm Christ’s resurrection, strengthen the faith of His followers, and prepare them for their mission

Yet, they also remind us of His ultimate purpose: to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)

The resurrection confirms His mission—to offer His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45) and grant eternal life to all who believe

Matthew 1:21 states, “…Jesus…will save His people from their sins.”

To accomplish this, He had to fulfill the Law

Jesus said in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”

The Law required perfect obedience (Deut.18:13) from the heart (Deut.6:5) that was continual (Gal.3:10 quoting Deut.27:26)

It had to be total, unbroken, heartfelt obedience to God in every thought, word, and deed

No one could obey it like that because of our corrupt hearts

Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”

Isaiah 64:6, “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

But Jesus, the perfect sinless Son of God obeyed it perfectly

He never violated a single command

Hebrews 4:15 affirms, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

Christ didn’t set aside the Law; He embodied it, meeting its righteous requirements in a way no one else could

Through Him, we receive what the Law could never provide: righteousness and eternal life

A.W. Pink wrote, “Christ came to fulfill the law, magnify it, and make it honorable. He came to suffer, to bleed, and to die, that justice might be satisfied, and that God might be just and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.”

As we celebrate this sacred day, remembering the resurrection of our Savior, let’s turn to Mark 8:31

“And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.”

Why was this necessary?

Let’s explore 5 reasons…

First…

It Was God’s Plan from the Beginning

Jesus said the Son of Man “must” suffer—this wasn’t optional

This speaks of divine necessity

This was the will of the Father from eternity past

R.C. Sproul said, “The cross was not an accident of history, nor was it God’s plan B. It was the eternal plan of redemption set in motion before the world began.”

Acts 2:23, “this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”

While Jews and Romans freely chose their actions, they unwittingly accomplished God’s sovereign will

God orchestrated both the events and their outcome without compromising human accountability

It’s like what Joseph said to his brothers in Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”

Though Jews and Gentiles willingly crucified Jesus, their deeds aligned with God’s divine purpose

God predetermined the death of His Son, yet those who carried it out remain responsible for their actions

God sovereignly directs both the means and ends of human events while preserving human freedom and responsibility

The Jews cannot shift their guilt to the Romans, as they actively sought Jesus’ crucifixion

Peter emphasizes that both unbelieving Jews and Gentile Roman forces bear responsibility for Christ’s death

In Acts 2:23, the term “predetermined plan” (boule) underscores God’s intentional and sovereign design

The word “foreknowledge” (prognosis) indicates not only God’s prior knowledge but also His purposeful intent

Luke 22:22 states, “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

The term “determined” (horismenon) signifies a divinely appointed and unchangeable plan

1 Peter 1:20–21 declares, “For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

The word “Foreknown” (proegno) denotes that Christ was chosen and appointed for His redemptive role

The phrase “before the foundation of the world” refers to eternity past, before creation began, when Jesus was designated as the Lamb of God for our redemption

So this was God’s plan from the beginning…

The second reason why this was necessary was…

To Be the Perfect Sacrifice for Sin

Only someone sinless could pay the penalty for sinners

And only Jesus was qualified to do that

According to 2 Corinthians 5:21, He “knew no sin”

Hebrews 4:15 also says He was “without sin”

He didn’t know sin because He was without sin

He was “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners” according to Hebrews 7:26

Because of this, 1 Peter 2:22 says, “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth”

This is why He had to suffer and die—in our place

He was the only One without sin

That’s not true for us

Paul Washer illustrates, “If you could weigh the sin of the world, the scale would collapse under its guilt. But Christ bore it all—He drank the cup of God’s wrath, and not a drop was left.”

In the words of Hebrews 9:22, “…without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” So He had to die to offer us forgiveness

Plus…

His death satisfied the justice of God and opened the way for mercy

God’s justice demands a penalty for sin

God is holy and just—He can’t ignore sin

Because of this, His Law was given to expose sin and our inability to obey it

Since Jesus was and is without sin then He was the only One who could perfectly obey it

But for us, the Law reveals and confirms our sinful state and therefore our inability to perfectly obey it

Romans 3:20, “…for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”

1 Corinthians 15:56, “…the power of sin is the law”

Romans 7:7, “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.””

Because of this…

God’s Law brings a curse and God’s wrath

Galatians 3:10, “For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.””

Romans 4:15, “for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.”

Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”

Ezekiel 18:4, “…The soul who sins will die.”

Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…”

Every sin is an offense against the infinitely holy God and must be judged

RC Sproul calls “sin is an act of cosmic treason” (that is) “against a perfectly pure sovereign.” (Therefore) “His judgments are always holy. His justice is always executed in perfect righteousness.”

And…

Jesus took our place under God’s judgment

Jesus stepped in as our substitute—He took what we deserved

Isaiah 53:5–6, “5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”

1 Peter 2:24, “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

2 Corinthians 5:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

God didn’t just “forgive” by ignoring justice—He poured out His wrath on Jesus, who willingly took it

And by this one act…

Justice was satisfied

R.C. Sproul again reminds us, “If God simply forgave sin without satisfying His justice, He would cease to be just. The cross is where God’s justice and mercy meet—justice is not ignored, it is fulfilled.”

Because sin was fully punished in Christ, God remains perfectly just and can now justify sinners who believe in Jesus

Romans 3:25–26, “25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

“Propitiation” means the wrath of God was satisfied

Justice is done, and mercy is available

So Jesus satisfied God’s justice by:

Paying sin’s penalty

Bearing God’s wrath in our place

And offering His righteousness in return

The cross is where justice and mercy met, and the result is salvation for all who believe

Isaiah 53:5, “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.”

The third reason why this was necessary was…

To Fulfill the Law and the Prophets

We already talked about Jesus fulfilling the Law…

Let’s now see what the prophets said…

Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection were all prophesied

Psalm 16:10, “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.”

Quoted by Peter (Acts 2:25–31) and Paul (Acts 13:35–37) as referring to Jesus’ resurrection.

Isaiah 53:10–11, “10 But the Lord was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. 11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities.”

After His suffering and death, the Servant lives again, implying resurrection

Hosea 6:2, “He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him.”

Though primarily about Israel, it reflects a pattern echoed in Christ’s resurrection on the third day

Daniel 12:2, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.”

Refers to the resurrection generally, but it sets the stage for the Messiah’s role in resurrection

Everything in the Law, Psalms, and Prophets pointed forward to this mission

Luke 24:26–27, “26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”

Luke 24:44, “Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.””

John 5:39, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;”

John 5:46, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.”

Acts 10:43, “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.””

Acts 3:18, “But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.”

The fourth reason why this was necessary was…

To Conquer Sin, Death, and the Grave

The resurrection (“after three days rise again”) proves that Jesus won

Martin Luther said, “The resurrection is the proof that God accepted the payment of our sin. Death could not hold Him, because He was without sin. And because of that, death cannot hold those who are in Him.”

Death didn’t defeat Him—He defeated it, securing eternal life for all who trust in Him

1 Corinthians 15:17, “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”

The fifth and last reason why this was necessary was…

To Provide Salvation

Romans 4:25, “He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”

Jesus was “delivered over because of our transgressions” by God the Father (Isa.53:10) as well as by sinful men (e.g. Judas, Pilate, the Jewish leaders), for the specific purpose of paying the penalty for our sins (MacArthur)

Jesus’ death was substitutionary

He died in our place, bearing the punishment we deserved

Jesus’ death was also intentional and judicial

It wasn’t a tragic accident, but God’s plan to satisfy divine justice

"Christ did not die for His own sins — He was sinless. He died because of ours; His death was the required sacrifice to atone for our guilt.” (MacArthur)

John Owen states, “The death of Christ was the death of death.”

Jesus was raised “because of our justification”

The word “justification” (dikaioo) means “to justify; to declare righteous

Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”

Romans 4:25 says Jesus was “raised because of our justification”

The resurrection didn’t cause justification, but:

It confirmed it had been accomplished,

It proclaimed that sin had been fully paid for,

It demonstrated that those who believe are now made right with God.

"The resurrection was God's affirmation that Christ's atoning work was perfectly sufficient to justify sinners.” (John MacArthur)

In other words, it was God’s public declaration and affirmation that Christ’s sacrifice was accepted and that righteousness had been accomplished on our behalf

And it proves and completes the finished work of Christ—showing that justification is now possible for all who believe

1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;”

Acts 13:29–30, “29 When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. 30 “But God raised Him from the dead;”

Acts 13:38–39, “38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.”

CONCLUSION

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not just an event to be acknowledged—it is the cornerstone of our faith and the guarantee of our salvation

Everything He did—His sinless life, His substitutionary death, and His victorious resurrection—was part of God’s eternal plan

He fulfilled the Law we could never keep

He bore the wrath we deserved

And He rose again to give us life we could never earn

This is why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:17, “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”

But Christ has been raised!

Our faith is not worthless—it is precious

Our sins are not still upon us—they are forgiven

Our future is not death—it is life, and life eternal

As Charles Spurgeon said, “The resurrection is the cornerstone of the entire building of Christianity. It is the keystone of the arch of our salvation. Without it the whole structure would fall.”

So the resurrection is not wishful thinking—it’s a historical fact with over 500 eyewitnesses, an empty tomb, transformed lives, and the birth of the church in hostile territory. You can doubt it, but you can’t deny its impact.

So today, as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, let it not be with mere tradition or casual remembrance—but with hearts full of worship, repentance, and faith

He is risen. He is reigning. And He is returning.

The question now is this: Have you trusted in the risen Christ?

Not merely believed the facts—but surrendered to the Person?

Because salvation is not just about avoiding hell—it’s about being reconciled to God through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son

If you are in Christ, rejoice today—you have peace with God

If you are not, come to Him now—because He is risen, and He alone can save

Let’s pray

Lord’s Supper