Why Jesus’ Resurrection Matters

Does it matter if Christ has not been raised?

CHRISTIANITY TODAY STORY – MILLENNIALS -

John Spong, retired Episcopal bishop of New Jersey:

“Resurrection is an action of God, who raised Jesus into the meaning of God. It therefore cannot be a physical resuscitation occurring inside human history.” He says, “Christianity’s supernatural stories have to go or Christianity will die.”

Tom Harpur is one of Canada’s leading writers on religion and he feels much the same way. In yesterday’s London Free Press, he tried to set the record straight about the real meaning of Jesus’ resurrection:

“Make no mistake, the message of Good Friday and Easter is one of vital importance to everyone regardless of their religious backgrounds or lack of any at all. The Bible’s way of approaching the deepest mysteries of life, however, is not the direct, literal one which fundamentalists and many other Christians suppose.

… we can see that Christ’s Resurrection had nothing whatever to do with the actual rising of a corpse and its bursting through the barrier of a rocky tomb on a Judean hillside on some distant morning. We can instead realize it is a powerful testimony to the daily resurrection that can takes place in our own lives if we allow the inner Christ, the divine “spark” or light that dwells in every heart, to quicken us again to newness of living.

The big question arising out of the Passion of Jesus is not, “What can we make of events 2,000 years ago?” but rather, “Are we experiencing right now what it is to die to the past and rise again to ‘newness of life?’ ” So resurrection is really nothing more than a metaphor.

I want to tell you this morning that the ultimate message for you and for me is this: that Jesus of Nazareth not only died, but he was physically, literally, raised from the dead – and lives again. No truth is more important for you to know than that. Period. Jesus has been raised, BODILY – and there we find the courage to live and the comfort to die.

This is Paul writing – to Timothy, his ‘son’ in the faith. Context: The steely-cold shackles are tight on his wrists. Paul is in a Roman prison for his faith – staring death in the face. His earthly future is bleak. He has been in prison before – but this time it does not look as though he will make it out alive. – and to make things worse - - -

- - - in the church he has poured himself into – in the city of Ephesus – there are those who are teaching error – v. 18 – “Hymanaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.”

It is enough that Paul is facing death at the hands of the Romans, unjustly. But when a church body that he has sweated over, shed tears over – loved and prayed for … when that body is being led down a pathway to error and destruction – while he is stuck in prison - - - why that’s just too much.

Still, Paul is able to end his letter to Timothy with confidence. Look at CHAPTER 4:18.

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

There is only one place where Paul could get the confidence, in these circumstances, to end this letter with such hope?! It’s Paul’s Belief in the Resurrection.

I want to look at 2 aspects of the resurrection: 1. The Fact of the Resurrection 2. The Force of the Resurrection.

1. The Fact of the Resurrection

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel . . .”

Do you notice that when Paul writes to encourage his son in the faith to stand strong and firm in the middle of all the commotion and opposition, he does NOT say, “Remember what Jesus taught us – remember what our teacher said.” You see, Christianity is not founded on a philosophy or a teaching. It is NOT primarily a formula for successful living.

Christianity is, FIRST AND FOREMOST a historical fact: REMEMBER JESUS - - remember WHO HE IS!

Question: What do Medina, Saudi Arabia – Muhammed’s body lies here

The Temple of the Tooth, Kandy, Sri Lanka – the relic of the right tooth of Buddha (most of him was cremated)

Qufu, Shan Dong province, China - Confucious HAVE IN COMMON?

These are the locations where the founders of some of the world’s greatest religions are buried:

Jesus is different. There is no occupied tomb. Oh, we modern types try to explain the resurrection away. One person tries to say that, “well, Jesus’ body was not really raised. His resurrection was a metaphor of human life ‘absorbed into the life of God.’ His memory lives on. That’s what the disciples meant when they talked about his resurrection.” But Greek society believed that everyone’s soul lived on after death. For the disciples to go into the public square and proclaim that message, would have inspired a great, big YAWN. There is nothing revolutionary there. And nothing that deals with the empty tomb.

Some people say, well, Jesus was never really dead. No, he was just, really, really, under the weather. Actually he was in a deep, drugged-induced coma (from when the soldiers offered him that vinegar wine). Eventually, he woke up. When I hear that, I feel like Lt. Columbo. Any of you remember Columbo? Get my wrinkled, old trenchcoat, cigar, run my hands through my hair and start asking questions:

“So ma’am, you are saying that. He was given the Roman 39 lashes – 40 was the number that would kill a normal person, so they gave 1 lash less. Jesus then carries his cross through town, then nail pierce hands and feet to provide the hangers to keep the weight of his entire body fixed to the wooden cross for hour after excruciating hour, under the sweltering Palestinian heat. When it is obvious to the professional executioner that he is dead, they take his cold body down. But not BEFORE they run his body through with a spear, just to make sure the job is done.

When his body is removed from the tree, Jesus’ whole body, from head to foot, is wrapped tightly in burial cloths, placed in an almost oxygen-less cave and sealed with a massive stone. There the body lies without medical treatment, or even nourishment for 3 days and 2 nights. Then he wakes up, shakes off the cobwebs, unwraps himself, rolls away the boulder and slips, unnoticed, past the Roman guards posted at the door – whose very lives depend on keeping him INSIDE. Just to be clear, that’s what you’re saying?” I am still waiting for someone to explain to me exactly how Jesus did that

Still others say, “No, this is what happened. The disciples got all worked up in their grief and hallucinated visions of him. They fantasized the whole thing.”

No, some others say: “This is what happened: The disciples snuck into the tomb. They caught all of the Roman guards looking the other way, they quickly, quietly, rolled the man-sized boulder away, grabbed the body out, and then slid the boulder back in place.”

If your reason for rejecting the resurrection of Jesus is because you don’t believe miracles can happen, then I don’t see how any of the other answers solve the problem of the empty tomb. And though they have tried, from the very beginning, I might add - - no one who denies that Jesus was raised from the dead has been able to offer a compelling explanation for what happened after - - how a group of timid, demoralized disciples, who had run away – deserted Jesus at the time of his greatest need – how they suddenly became bold missionaries who turned the world upside down, all without the use of violence – and often at the cost of their very lives. All this on the foundation of the idea that Jesus had been, physically, raised from the dead.

That is the message that permeates the New Testament. That is the climax that all 4 Gospels build towards. That is the point of Paul’s letters. So critical is the resurrection of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, that in , Paul writes, “And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

Friend, you can choose NOT to believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead – but please, make sure you have thought clearly through the alternative answers to his empty tomb - - Are they really believable?

You can choose NOT to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave, but please, don’t pretend that what you are left with can still be called by the name of Christianity. It CAN’T - - - and right now, there are thousands of Christians all over the world, living in squalid conditions in prison because of their belief in the resurrection of Jesus and what that means for the world.

This week, a Vietnamese pastor was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his witness … In southern Laos – 5 people, 2 men and 3 women were arrested last week for attending an unregistered church service. Last week in Northern Kenya, a Christian meeting was bombed by Muslim extremists – 2 people were killed – a woman and an 8 year old boy and dozens of others were injured.

These Christians – sitting in their cold, dank cells, many of whom are forfeiting the priviledge of watching their children grow through the tender days of youth – missing the sweet embrace of a spouse - - - all because they will not – they CAN NOT deny the risen Jesus, who has called them to himself. Do not tell them they are enduring persecution for a METAPHOR!

I want you to see how important the fact of the resurrection is to you – today!

2. The Force of the Resurrection

Do you see how relevant to you the fact of the resurrection is? Let us look at the force of the resurrection. What does it mean to you?

v. 8, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David,” . . . WHY? “. . . as preached in my gospel.”

Why is the resurrection important to you? Because THIS IS THE GOSPEL. This is the Good News. The resurrection of Jesus is good news for us in so, so many ways. Let me point out just 3.

FIRST: It means that Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins was accepted by God. “The soul that sins, it will die.” That was God’s pronouncement on a rebellious human race. He meant eternal death.

Malcolm Muggeridge observed that the depravity of man is at once the most unpopular of all dogmas, yet the most empirically verifiable.

Muggeridge Friend, perhaps you, like me, need only to look as far as your own life to see that your heart is bent on following its own devices and falls short of what God intends.

But Jesus comes, stands in our place and says, “I will pay YOUR price.” “I know that you mess up all the time – you commit sin because you are born in sin – a born enemy.” “I will give my holy life for you.” O, see Him there – hanging in agony on the cross of pain and forsaken by His father. Hear him cry out for you, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

His sacrifice shows his love, but it is his resurrection that assures us of his power – that the sacrifice was a success. We can NOT be saved by a dead Jesus, one who took on the task of saving us, but couldn’t finish the job. One who still lies, decaying under the Israeli sky – just one more martyr of impotent love.

For our penalty to truly be paid, it can NOT have broken Jesus. Jesus must have broken death. The only way we can know that Jesus is a Savior – is if HE BROKE THE PENALTY.

My boys and I have an annual ritual of going to the new car show in Vancouver - we go there to dream about the cars we cannot afford. Say one of the boys decides he has to have a brand new Dodge Challenger. He cannot afford it - so he needs someone to co-sign a loan for him. Say I sign for him (Which, according to Proverbs, makes me a fool – but that’s a sermon for another day). Then he realizes that he can’t make the payments. “Don’t worry,” I say, “I will bail you out.” But somewhere between the promise and writing the cheque, my investments go south – my bank account is emptied. I can’t pay off his debt. Well, then what good is my willingness to help? May have been kind gesture, may have been loving – but it wasn’t effective.

The resurrection of Jesus is the proof that his sacrifice was enough. That the work of saving us is accomplished – that we who have put our trust in his finished work on the cross, you see in the resurrection PROOF that you are his purchased possession.

The guilt is lifted from my shoulders. Jesus paid my price. Now God will NOT demand that I pay it too.

“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” ().

Do you know Jesus Christ personally? If you do – I know your struggle – with guilt. How often the very junk you were saved FROM, comes back at you, looking so sweet - looking so satisfying: the old temper, the old lusts, the old seductive look of money –

, “O wicked man that I am – …. Who will rescue me from this body of death?”

: “If we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are FAITHLESS . . . “O That’s ME! FAITHLESS . . . It is because I do not have enough faith in Jesus Christ as my supreme treasure that I fall into the old sins.

“IF WE ARE FAITHLESS . . . HE REMAINS FAITHFUL - - - For He cannot deny himself.”

The resurrected Jesus will be faithful to you in all your trials and failings.

SECOND, Jesus Resurrection from the dead means that the One who loved you enough to give up His life for your rescue – IS the King of heaven and earth. That is significant. Jesus may have been a great teacher, he may have been an amazing wonder-worker, but if his body rotted in the grave, he would just be one more victim of death.

Could you really believe that someone is the authority over every king, every president, every superpower of history - - - if the black bars of death kept him deep in his grave? Death would still have the last word. Death would still rule!

Jesus must, as Paul puts it, PUT THIS LAST ENEMY UNDER HIS FEET.

The resurrection means that Jesus did. And Jesus did it. In Luke’s account of the resurrection chap. 24:7, the angels tell the stunned women:

He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, nwhile he was still in Galilee, 7 nthat the Son of Man omust be delivered into the hands of sinful men and pbe crucified and on qthe third day rise.”[1]

I don’t know if you have ever noticed the verb voices change in verse 7: Jesus MUST BE delivered (passive – delivered by someone else), MUST BE crucified (Passive – someone else does it to him – they nail him to a tree), but on the third day, he MUST RISE – that’s the active voice - - HE DOES IT - Takes HIS OWN LIFE UP AGAIN.

Because Jesus has broken the back of death - - we can confidently say,

… His is reigning with absolute authority over every nation and every army and every false religion and every terrorist and every tsunami and every cancer cell and every galaxy in the universe.” (piper) He reigns over it all.

That is why Paul could say, though shackled with chains – sitting in captivity – looking forward to a bleak future – “v. 9, “BUT, the Word of God is NOT BOUND”.

FINALLY, The Resurrection of Jesus means that our Resurrection is sure. Verse 10: “I endure everything for the sake of the elect that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.”

There used to be many subjects that you didn’t talk about in polite company - - sex, tattoos, body piercings -- -- then Jerry Springer and Oprah came along and broke the taboos. There is only 1 subject that is taboo in our society today – death.

There is something that is just not right about death - - We have been programmed by our Creator to recognize that death is not the way it should be. We were created for life.

When a loved one dies - - we grieve.

When innocent people are killed – we are filled with anger – and rightfully so – reminders of a world that is out of sync.

+The resurrection of Jesus means for those who love him - - death will not have the last word for US. It means that an eternal life, with a body, is your future.

v. 11, “If we died with him, we will also live with him.”

“NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.” Oh that you would see the resurrection as so much more than a metaphor, but as the bedrock of history, on which to build your life.

n ch. 9:22, 44; , ; , ; [ver. 44]

n [See ver. 6 above]

o See ch. 13:33

p See

q See ch. 9:22

[1]The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.