7 Significant Facts about Jesus' Resurrection

Introduction

Let’s Talk about Resurrection!

Resurrection was and still is not common. Even among the Jews, who had the true knowledge of God in the Scriptures that mention it (cf. Job 19:25; Daniel 12:2), resurrection was a difficult doctrine to comprehend.

For Jesus’ own apostles, there were questions about it after the transfiguration.

Mark 9:9–10 ESV

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.

The apostles seemed to doubt it when Lazarus had died.

John 11:11–16 ESV

11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

Resurrection was thought of as future and at the end of time by most Jews like Martha in the gospel of John.

John 11:23–24 ESV

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

1. Jesus’ resurrection demonstrated God the Father’s power.

Ephesians 1:18–20 ESV

18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

2. The Apostle Paul taught that Jesus’ resurrection was of absolute necessity to Christian faith, part of the content of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word 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 in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

3. Jesus’ resurrection vindicates Him and His sacrifice on the cross.

1 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Vindicates His Person – John 20:30-31 – He is the Son of God

Vindicates His Message – Everything He said was true

Vindicates Him as innocent and not liable to death – Psalm 16:8-10, Acts 2:30-32

4. Jesus’ resurrection justifies the believer!

Romans 4:25 ESV

25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

5. Jesus’ resurrection is the signal that the new creation has arrived and will be fully realized.

John 11:25 ESV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

Revelation 1:5 ESV

5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood

Colossians 1:18 ESV

18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.

This is the language of uniqueness. The Risen Christ is the first one to die and not have to die again and given a new spiritual body fit for eternity.

1 Corinthians 15:20 ESV

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Firstfruits is the language of harvest. Jesus is the first of the crop, but more is expected to follow.

6. Jesus’ resurrection is the ground for Christ’s current Heavenly ministry as our great High Priest.

Hebrews 9:11–15 ESV

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

7. Jesus resurrection is a pattern for our own.

1 Corinthians 15:42–44 ESV

42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

1 Corinthians 15:50–53 ESV

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall 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 shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.