Reasons To Celebrate The Resurrection

INTRODUCTION

Many churches hold a sunrise service each year on Resurrection Sunday

Some of them actually gather for the sunrise; others choose a later time in the morning

Some have breakfast or food of some kind; others dismiss to their homes or other activities

Hymns/praise choruses are sung to honor our risen Savior

Scriptures focusing on the Resurrection are read from the Gospels or prophetic passages

This is a traditional time valued by many believers. It gives a unique experience and focus on, arguably, the most important event in all of human history.

While the Bible gives us many Reasons To Celebrate The Resurrection, I would like to take the time to look at only 3 of those reasons.

REASON #1: GOD’S PROMISES WERE FULFILLED

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

We are informed by the Apostle Paul that God made known ahead of time the resurrection of the Messiah. And while it is not easily seen in the Old Testament, a proper examination of the Scripture will make it clearer to us. Let’s look at some Messianic prophecies given to us in the Old Testament:

Psalm 16:10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.

Hundreds of years before Jesus walked the earth, it was prophesied that God would not allow His Holy One to undergo decay.

This could only refer to one of two people:

The writer of the Psalm, David

The Messiah, descended from David

Peter has already answered the question of who this is, when he expounds the text in his sermon on the day of Pentecost.

Acts 2:29–31 Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

Thus, according to the Scriptures, God promised that the Messiah (Jesus) would not see corruption. He would be delivered from death.

Psalm 22:14–21 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet— I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

This is another Psalm of David which leaves us with a very detailed description of the death of the Messiah. However, the remainder of the Psalm (verses 22-31) goes to a description about life after death. And this can only be explained by resurrection.

Since David’s life does not fulfill the details of this Psalm, it must refer to the Davidic Messiah. The Messiah’s resurrection was David’s confidence for his own, and by extension, the hope of all of Israel.

Isaiah 53:10–11 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

How can he “see” his offspring if he is executed unless he is resurrected?

The Hebrew word for “prolong” is sometimes used to refer to an everlasting (resurrected) afterlife (ex. Psalm 23:6), and would refer to the Servant’s resurrection here.

We can rejoice that God keeps His promises. And the resurrection is one of the promises that He kept.

REASON #2: WE HAVE NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

1 Peter 1:3–5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

It is because of the resurrection that we can have a new life in Christ

Because of sin, we are separated from God and are dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1).

But as we saw in Isaiah 53, the Messiah would take the punishment for our sin on Himself.

Romans 6:8–11 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to new life, we too can experience that new life by trusting in Him as our Savior.

REASON #3: THERE IS A PROMISED RETURN

1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

As Paul addressed the believers in Thessalonica, he mentions that they are waiting for God’s Son to come from heaven

This Son is the one whom He raised from the dead, Jesus Christ

He is also the one who delivers us from the wrath to come because of our new life in Him

Since Jesus was raised from the dead, we can expect Him to return again to this earth.

CONCLUSION

As we continue the festivities that we have planned for this day, let us remember at least these 3 Reasons to Celebrate the Resurrection:

God’s Promises Were Fulfilled

We Have New Life In Christ

There Is A Promised Return

Christians, more than any other people in the world, have an awesome thing to celebrate today.

We have a Savior, and HE IS RISEN!