Resurrection Victory
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How long can we live without food and water?
Not very long right?
Just like food and water are essential for our physical life, there are beliefs that essential for our faith.
These have to be true or the Christian faith is worthless:
There has to be a loving God who wants to bring us to Him. There has to be a Perfect Sacrifice to pay for our sins.
And the topic for today’s message: The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus Christ has to be true.
We must believe these tenets to be true or our faith crumbles.
The Big Idea:
The resurrection and ascension of Christ is essential to our faith. Through it we have the assurance of our salvation and future hope.
The resurrection is a major foundation of our faith.
Foundation of Faith
Foundation of Faith
Look at 1 Cor 15:12-14 before I read this. Paul had just got done providing the proof that Jesus was raised from the dead. Now for the sake of argument he pretends the Corinthians are right that there is no resurrection and lays out an argument to show them the absurdity of that belief.
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain, and so is your faith.
There were some Corinthians who were skeptical about resurrection of the dead. Not necessarily the resurrection of Jesus, but resurrection of the dead in general.
Views aren’t so different today are they? It’s pretty hard to convince people that Jesus rose from the dead. Much harder for them to believe we will be resurrected. I haven’t seen anyone die and come back to life, have you?
The latest poll I could find regarding this is a BBC poll that shows 25% of “professing” Christians don’t believe in resurrection.
Why is the resurrection so foundational our faith?
Well picture the resurrection as the tap root of a tree. Do you know what the tap root is?
It’s a big root that goes straight down deep into the earth from the center of the tree. It provides water and nutrients when there is a long drought and it provides strength in the midst of a storm.
The tap root ensures the tree will have life. You see:
If Christ wasn’t raised from the dead, if the resurrection never happened then we preach a gospel message that is useless. If Christ wasn’t raised and is still dead, then how can He offer us eternal life?
Without the resurrection our faith has no roots to bring nourishment and provide strength in a storm.
What Paul is saying, is that if you don’t believe in the resurrection, then you don’t have a saving faith. Without the resurrection our faith is useless.
However, let’s back up a bit to 1 Cor 15:3-8 where Paul provides the Corinthians with irrefutable proof of Christ’s resurrection.
3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep.
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me.
I can’t and won’t ever judge another person’s salvation. Only God has that authority. But Paul seems to make it clear that if you don’t believe in the resurrection then you don’t have true faith.
Proof of the resurrection is so strong that there have been agnostic and even atheist scientists, psychologists and historians who believed the evidence proves the resurrection.
The resurrection is foundational because, it is only in the resurrection, that we are assured the gospel message is true. Only through the resurrection can we faithfully claim a guaranteed redemption.
Guarantee of Redemption
Guarantee of Redemption
In verses 15-17, Paul goes on to say if you don’t believe in the resurrection then you’re faith is worthless and you have no forgiveness of your sins.
15 Moreover, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified wrongly about God that he raised up Christ—whom he did not raise up, 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.
Verse 15 in modern day language would be equivalent to someone saying: Are you calling me a liar?
How dare you call me a liar.
And again Paul links the future resurrection of the dead in Christ with the resurrection of Christ. One can’t be true without the other being true.
Our world today is more and more skeptical of miracles. It would stand to reason that fewer and fewer people believe in the resurrection.
Just the fact that 25% of “self-professing” Christians don’t believe in the resurrection should tell you where society might stand.
It’s pretty hard to imagine a dead person coming back to life. Especially after they have been embalmed and even less so if they’ve been cremated.
Think about it, the urn on the mantle pops open, ashes start flying out of the urn, swirling around in the air, coming together and all of a sudden they form the shape of a body and are rehydrated to become a living person standing in front of you.
I might think I’m in the midst of some horror film or something. When we think about it that way, resurrection seems absurd, right?
It isn’t logical. Death seems so final. But the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection proves He was raised. His resurrection is our Guarantee of resurrection and redemption.
Paul says if Christ was not resurrected then our faith is worthless and we are still facing the justice God demands for our sins.
It’s only in Christ’s death and resurrection that we have forgiveness of our sins. God’s grace only covers our sins through the Resurrection of Christ.
Our faith and salvation hinge on the resurrection. Fortunately we can have faith in the resurrection. We can know and trust Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.
Having the guarantee of our redemption means we can rest in the promise of eternal life.
Promise of Eternal Life
Promise of Eternal Life
In verses 18-19 Paul continues his sarcastic let’s assume you’re right argument. Paul continues to show the Corinthians their view is beyond ludicrous.
He says: 1 Cor 15:18-19
18 Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. 19 If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.
Paul says without the resurrection our faith is futile. It’s futile because Christians who have fallen asleep (died supposedly awaiting the resurrection) have also perished. Their death is final, that’s it, end of story.
If we have no hope in a resurrection and only have faith in Christ for this life only, then we are pathetic. Believing our faith applies only to this imperfect, sin filled life, and death is final. What’s the point? What’s the purpose?
If that’s the case, then to say we are to be pitied more than anyone is an understatement. What good is our faith?
Why should we endure the pain, suffering, and persecution for the short time we live now without hope of anything beyond this life?
Paul says the point of the resurrection is our hope of eternal life. Our sins are forgiven not just for the here and now, but for the future eternal life.
We shouldn’t be pitied and pathetic people. Rather, we should be joyous and faithfully hopeful of our eternal life in God’s presence.
I don’t mean some spiritual life void of physical bodies. It is a physical body resurrected to eternal life in a perfect physical body.
Look at what Paul says in Romans 8:11
11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.
We are assured a future bodily resurrection. Our mortal bodies will be resurrected into a perfect, immortal body.
The Bible doesn’t tell us Jesus just came back to life in a mortal body. He was resurrected into an almost perfect physical body.
I say almost perfect because His body still carries the scars from our sins, but it never weakens, ages, or decays.
That means:
He could be held.
9 Just then Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.
He ate and drank.
30 It was as he reclined at the table with them that he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
His body carried the wounds from His crucifixion.
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”
He wasn’t a ghost. He had a real body.
39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.”
Flesh and bones that never weaken, age or decay. We too will have immortal flesh and bones.
53 For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality.
We have victory in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Victory in Resurrection
Victory in Resurrection
In the resurrection Christ defeated death. His perfect life was sacrificed for imperfect people and He paid the price for our sins.
20 But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
Christ’s resurrection is the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. The Greek word translated firstfruits means: the first of a set, often in relation to something being given.
Christ’s resurrection is the first of many resurrections given to all who believe in Christ by the grace of God.
Paul uses an interesting phrase in v18 and v20 “those who have fallen asleep.”
18 Those, then, who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished.
20 But as it is, Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
The Greek word translated “who have fallen asleep” means state of being asleep. Upon our death our souls are immediately in the presence of God. Our bodies whether bones or ashes according to Paul are in a state of sleep awaiting Christ’s return and resurrection to a perfect, incorruptible, immortal body.
And just like the resurrection, if Jesus never ascended to heaven there are only two possible outcomes. Either Jesus finished living a mortal life and died or Jesus is still living and walking on the earth with us today.
We know the latter isn’t true and even if the first is true our faith is still worthless. We must believe Jesus ascended to heaven and still lives at the right hand of the Father.
Acts 1:9-11 tells us forty days after His Resurrection, Jesus, in His physical, immortal body ascended to heaven.
9 After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them.
11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.”
When Jesus ascend He received glory, honor, and authority.
Phil 2:9-11
9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
And Rev 5:12
12 They said with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!
We have victory over death through the living Jesus Christ whose authority is over all.
All you have to do is believe and you will receive a guaranteed inheritance.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.
When we believe in Jesus Christ we trust that Christ died to sin for all and rose from the dead.
10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
In that moment we are no longer slaves to sin and death. We are alive in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
11 So, you too consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace.
As we grow closer to Christ our character changes and we begin to sin less and less.
Sin doesn’t rule over us because we have a new, perfect, loving master in Jesus Christ.
All who believe in Christ are justified before God the Father.
25 He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
I just had a conversation with a non-believer who claimed Christianity is way to exclusive for him. My response was: “Jesus died for all, and anyone who believes in Him receives the grace of God.”
Jesus is the perfect sacrifice God demanded for our sins. Jesus completely finished what He came to do. In death He paid the price for our sins. On the third day He conquered sin and death and rose from the grave for our justification.
He now sits at the right hand of God on the throne in heaven.
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
His Resurrection and ascension means we too will have our own bodily resurrection.
51 Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, 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 incorruptible, and we will be changed.
53 For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality. 54 When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory.
Our corruptible, mortal bodies will be raised and transformed in the same manner as Jesus’ body. It will be incorruptible and immortal. Death will be conquered and we will stand in victory. A victory where death isn’t just knocked down, but completely ceases to exist for eternity.
As I explained to the non-believer that I was just talking with. Christianity isn’t some cult or exclusive club where you must meet specific criteria to join. It’s available anyone who believes in Jesus Christ.
Christianity is the only “religion” I hate to call it a religion, that places our faith in a person who died, rose again and is still alive.
Listen, Jesus promised He would die and three days later rise again. And He did that exactly how He said He would.
Can you honestly say there’s anything or anyone better to trust than Jesus?
If you think you can I’d like to know who or what you think is better.
He literally died and He came back to life. And to top that off here we are 2000 years later and He’s still alive!!
Do you see what Jesus has done for you? All you have to do is simply believe.
9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
It really is that easy. All you have to do is simply believe.
