The Need For The Resurrection (2)

INTRODUCTION

The most impactful event in history takes place in Genesis 3, when Adam chose to disobey the Lord’s command and eat from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

This brought about God’s curse on all of creation and revealed the ramifications for disobeying the Lord.

Romans 8:20–23 ESV

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

From that point forward, mankind would dive deeper and deeper into the quagmire of sin. And the Lord would time and again send judgment onto the people.

Then, when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law so that He might redeem those who were under the Law (Galatians 4:4)

We are told in Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi:

Philippians 2:8 ESV

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

And this was not just any kind of death. It was death by crucifixion.

Crucifixion was a Roman execution method causing slow, painful death where the victims were nailed or tied to a cross after scourging.

Hanging made breathing difficult, requiring painful effort to lift the body.

Exhaustion, dehydration, and shock eventually prevented breathing, leading to death by asphyxiation, often over many hours or days of suffering.

As awful as the events are to recall that took place on Good Friday, the most important event in history took place three days later.

After Jesus suffered and died on the cross, He was laid in a tomb and left (presumably) to be there for good.

However, on the first day of the week, the stone was rolled away and the declaration was made:

HE IS RISEN! [wait for response]

So we gather today, almost 2,000 years after that monumental day, to give glory to God for such an amazing act of love and grace, and to look to Scripture to see The Need For The Resurrection.

THE NEED TO FULFILL PROPHECY

Luke 24:44-47 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.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

For hundreds of years, God left clues through His prophets concerning the coming Messiah.

These clues are how the people would know when the Messiah showed up.

Born of a virgin… born in Bethlehem… called out of Egypt.

Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver… crucified with sinners… not abandoned to the grave.

Jesus took time after His resurrection to explain this to His disciples. The unfortunate fact is that these clues were before their eyes for many years.

Romans 1:1-4 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The gospel was predicted years before Messiah came, but He was powerfully proclaimed the Son of God through the resurrection.

THE NEED TO PROVIDE FORGIVENESS OF SINS

1 Corinthians 15:16–17 ESV

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Jesus had to rise from the dead in order for our faith to be established and our sins to be fully atoned for.

Without a risen Savior, we are left with merely a good man that died.

THE NEED TO PROVIDE JUSTIFICATION

Romans 4:22–25 ESV

That is why his (Abraham’s) faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Going hand-in-hand with the forgiveness of sin is our justification in the sight of God.

This is where we are made righteous in His sight, because of the righteousness of Jesus being applied to our account.

THE NEED TO PROVIDE PURPOSE TO PREACHING

1 Corinthians 15:13–14 ESV

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

Preaching that does not have the resurrection at the core is done in vain. The message with substance is a message that is based on the gospel.

Consider that the Lord Jesus has commissioned us for a purpose, and we can only do that when we realize the central message:

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

CONCLUSION

It is an easy task to spend months looking at the significance and need of the resurrection from Scripture.

Without it, we are left without hope and we are left without a message.

It is the message that we are called upon to proclaim to the world, and the message through which God is “declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,” (Acts 17:30).

At the end of the day, we have confidence in our Lord and Savior because He is risen!