The Resurrection: Believe It! Live in It!

Focus: The believers’ resurrection

This morning I am finishing a 7 sermon series on Resurrection Power.

Over the past 7 weeks we have seen that Resurrection Power:

Puts the scattered pieces of our lives back together again and transform death to life.

That it works to heal the sick as well as raise the dead.

Resurrection power working in us is the proof of God’s great love for us.

And that same power sets us free:

From Sin

From the Guilt and Condemnation of sin

So that we can choose to walk according to the leading of the Holy Spirit

To walk in the God-life and Shalom

We have seen the parade of Resurrection Power — that through Resurrection Power WE are conquerors,

Or as Romans 8:37 says, MORE than conquerors

— that we overwhelmingly conquer through Jesus who loved us, died for us and then rose again.

And, last week we saw the victory of Resurrection Power — the empty tomb.

That the Resurrected Jesus gives us keys to the Kingdom of God.

That the stone was rolled away to reveal the victory of Jesus.

The empty tomb echoes the last words of Jesus on the Cross.

It is finished!

These are the words that say that whatever keeps us from all God wants to do in us — is finished:

Sin, sickness, depression, drama, shame, condemnation, death — all finished because of Resurrection Power.

But this morning, let’s look more closely at that last thing that is finished — death.

1 Corinthians 15:1–20 (NASB95) Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which 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 according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. 12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

That doesn’t make any logical sense.

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:50–58 (NASB95) Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

This morning, in light of our text, I encourage us to fully embrace Resurrection Power.

To embrace the release — the freedom we sang about this morning:

Now I have resurrection power living on the inside

Jesus You have given us freedom

No longer bound by sin and darkness

Living in the light of Your goodness

You have given us freedom

Let us embrace the Freedom from the fear and sting of death that Resurrection Power gives.

Let us fully embrace the hope for eternity that it gives.

Foundation of Faith

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

We can embrace resurrection power as we embrace FAITH in the resurrection of Jesus —

the cornerstone of our Christian faith.

Faith embraces the Gospel, the good news of supernatural Resurrection power.

As verse 1 and 2 tells us:

We have RECEIVED the Good news.

We stand and walk each day according to that good news of Resurrection power.

The Resurrection power of Jesus, working in us, brings about our salvation.

Every day, in spite of criticism, mocking, constant attacks, we HOLD FAST to Resurrection Power.

How?

By faith.

Instead of doubting the Resurrection of Jesus.

Instead of doubting that He gives that same Resurrection Power to us.

By faith we embrace it.

Eyewitness Evidence

1 Corinthians 15:5-8

Our faith is reinforced by eyewitness evidence.

James O. Davis tells of how some time ago, in Los Angeles, there was a person called the “Human Fly.”

1. This man could literally climb the sides of department store buildings and slide along the walls without help from any outside force.

2. He was a master. That’s why they called him the “Human Fly.”

3. One Friday afternoon, a crowd gathered to watch him climb.

4. He had already climbed twenty stories and had ten more to go.

5. Suddenly, he stopped moving. It appeared that he was looking for something to hold on to so he might continue his climb to the top of the building.

6. Gradually, they saw his right hand moving to the side of the building, as if trying to get hold of something there.

7. Suddenly, he lost his footing and fell to his death.

8. When they pried open his right hand, they found he was clutching a cobweb.

9. He must have thought he saw something he could hold onto, instead it was nothing.

There are a lot of people like that.

1. They are grasping for the wrong truths — something insubstantial.

2. Their faith is in the wrong object.

3. Since they do not have belief in the Resurrection, their faith is futile and is headed for failure and defeat.

What we hold onto by faith is not some insubstantial “nothing.”

If Jesus is not risen, then the whole Word of God is a falsehood.

But, not only is the Resurrection a fundamental belief to which we hold — it is a factual belief.   

The tomb is empty.

Jesus IS risen.

And there were and are witnesses to that fact.

Lee Strobel, former atheist and attorney, put it like this…

“If we were holding a trial to determine the facts concerning the resurrection, and if we were to call to the witness stand every witness who personally encountered the resurrected Jesus and we cross-examined them for only 15 minutes, and if we went around the clock without a break…we would be listening to first-hand testimony for more than 128 hours…that’s over 5 days worth of testimony…who could possibly walk away unconvinced?”

The accounts the witnesses gave …they are too close.

The written history is too strong to deny what they saw and what they experienced.

One psychologist even said “over 500 people having the same hallucination would be more of a miracle than resurrection itself!”

Our faith in the Resurrection is a fact-based faith.

Transformation Through Grace

1 Corinthians 15:9-11

Faith in Resurrection Power will transform our lives.

The Apostle Paul talks a bout it a little in verse 8-11 of our text.

In verse 8 Paul talks of his encounter with the resurrected Jesus.

It transformed him.

The one who had persecuted the church — who had thrown believers into prison and shut down gatherings of believers had changed.

After his encounter, Paul embraced grace and Resurrection power.

And instead of trying to dismantle and destroy the church he labored even harder than the original followers of Jesus to build the church.

And I would say, quite successfully.

Paul’s life was transformed by an encounter with the resurrected Jesus.

He gained a new motive, a new purpose for living.

Set Free

At the same time he was set free to accomplish that purpose.

Resurrection power set Paul free from the fear of death.

That will change how you live!

Hebrews 2:14–15 (NASB95) Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself [Jesus] likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

Paul was not and we do not have to be, slaves to the fear of death.

Resurrection power sets us free!

Not only free from the fear of death, but set free from the STING of death.

As we read a few minutes ago in:

1 Corinthians 15:53–57 (NASB95) For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, Resurrection power sets us free from the fear and the sting of death.

Resurrection Power Matters

Finally, let me encourage us to fully embrace the HOPE of Resurrection Power.

This mortal will put on immortality.

Dr. Ray Pritchard, talked about a “debate” he heard between publicly avowed atheist Christopher Hitchens and a liberal (and I would argue, another atheist!) Unitarian “minister” named Marilyn Sewell .

In 2007, Hitchens began touring the country debating a series of religious leaders, including some well-known evangelical thinkers.

And so Sewell “debated” Hitchens in Portland, OR.

The entire transcript of the interview is still available online. [I went and read parts of it.]

The following exchange took place near the start of the interview:

Ms. Sewell said:

The religion you cite in your book is generally the fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I'm a liberal Christian, and I don't take the stories from the Scripture literally. I don't believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make any distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?

Hitchens responded:

I would say that if you don't believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that He rose again from the dead and by His sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you're really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.

Wow! From the mouth of an atheist!

Dr. Pritchard commenting on this “debate” (really an atheist love-fest):

1. This little snippet demonstrates an important point about religious "God-talk."

2. You can call yourself anything you like, but if you don't believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross for our sins and then rose from the dead, you are not "in any meaningful sense" a Christian.

N. Talk about nailing it.

1. In one of the delicious ironies of our time, an outspoken atheist grasps the central tenet of Christianity better than many Christians do.

2. What we believe about Jesus Christ really does make a difference.

Hitchens was so close!

It was like Acts 26:28–29 (NKJV) Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” 29 And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.”

We are told that the publicist for Hitchens asked Christian author Larry Taunton to arrange a series of debates between Hitchens, an outspoken atheist, and Christian thinkers.

Over the following years, Hitchens and Taunton developed an unlikely friendship. Hitchens stayed in Taunton's home, and prior to Hitchens' death from cancer, the two friends took two long road trips across America. Here's how Taunton describes what happened on one of those trips:

Taunton says, my mind goes back to the Shenandoah. The skies are clear, the autumn leaves are translucent in the early afternoon sun, and the road ahead of us is open … In a strong, clear voice, Christopher is reading from the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John.

Reaching the twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth verses,

That tells us that: John 11:25–26 (NKJV) Jesus said to [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

At reading this Hitchens’ face lights up with recognition.

He stops. "I know this one too," he says. "I did not recall its connection with the resurrection of Lazarus."

Taunton said: "It's a great verse." He sensed they had reached a defining moment.

"Yes, Dickens thought so," Hitchens says, and then, taking his reading glasses off, he turns to me and asks: "Do you believest thou this, Larry Taunton?" His sarcasm is evident, but it lacks its customary force.

"I do. But you already knew that I did. The question is, do you believest thou this, Christopher Hitchens?"

As if searching for a clever come-back, he hesitates and speaks with unexpected transparency: "I'll admit that it is not without appeal to a dying man."

We will find out in eternity if Hitchens put his faith in Jesus.

But, I ask each of US:

Do YOU believe, really believe in the Resurrection of Jesus?

Does that belief affect the way you live your life?

Ms. Sewell, a counterfeit Christian, blinded by the devil does not see or believe,

but Hitchens, an avowed atheist, was given grace to at least see the truth.

Amazing!

So, are your eyes opened to believe in something that has validity and substance?

Do you believe in something that will take you beyond the grave?

Folks, it just makes sense!

I like the way (The Message Translation) renders what Paul said:

1 Corinthians 15:12 - 15(TMSG) Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? 13 If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. 14 And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. 15 Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection.

Trying to have faith in a Savior who said He would die and then rise again, but didn’t makes no sense.

Believe in the HOPE of the resurrection because it makes logical sense.

Experience the Resurrection

Last Sunday we celebrated the anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus.

I am asking you to believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

To believe it:

Because it matters to your Christian faith.

Because it was witnessed by many.

Because it makes more sense than any of the other theories of events.

Because it sets us free from the fear and sting of death.

Because it gives us hope for living.

Because He lives I can live also.

Because He lives I have a future and a hope.

Wayne A. Lamb writing in 100 Meditations on Hope, shares this story:

“In the midst of a storm, a little bird was clinging to the limb of a tree, seemingly calm and unafraid.

As the wind tore at the limbs of the tree, the bird continued to look the storm in the face, as if to say, ‘Shake me off; I still have wings.’”

“Because of Christ’s resurrection, every Christian can look all experiences, even death, in the face and confidently say, ‘Shake me off; I still have wings. I’ll live anyway.”

So, this morning, I want to urge you to experience the resurrection of Jesus.

Have your own personal experience with the life-transforming power of the resurrection.

Lloyd Ogilvie says,

“Like the first disciples, our greatest need is not just to see or hear about the resurrection, but to have the resurrection happen to us.

The most powerful historical proof of the resurrection is the ‘resurrected’ disciples.

Dull, defeated people became fearless, adventuresome leaders.

Cowards became courageous;

he timid became triumphant;

the inept did the impossible.

‘He is risen!’ became the joyous chant of a new life without limits”

So: Believe in the resurrection.

Experience the resurrection

As the worship team comes…

Maybe you’ve have had doubts about the resurrection of Jesus

1. I’d like to encourage you to come to an altar and ask God to help you with those doubts.

2. People like you will come and pray with you.

3. And even more importantly, because He is real, the Resurrected Jesus will come along side of you and help you.

4. Be like the man who came to Jesus in Mark 9:24 (NKJV) [who] cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

B. Perhaps this morning you believe in the resurrection but you haven’t fully experienced its supernatural power.

1. I encourage you to come to an altar this morning and experience all that God has in store for you.

The Resurrected Jesus will

Change you

Transform you

fill you with an abundant supernatural life free from fear and filled with hope..

What will you do?

You can say, “No.” and experience the terrible consequences of that decision.

or

You can say, “Yes.” And experience the wonderful consequences of that decision.

Realize that to say. “I’ll wait.” is the same as saying , No.”

1. It is a decision to continue to rebellion against Jesus.

2. It is a decision that has terrible consequences.

Say, “Yes.” To Jesus today, this morning, Now.