After the week of passion, who would have ever thought that three days later things could change so drastically? The scene at the tomb was the conclusion of an age old conflict. This was the promised fulfillment of God's plan of redemption and restoration. Finally the walls of separation were torn down and every partition moved as all things were united in Christ.
The reality of the resurrection is the center piece of the Christian faith. It means the last enemy has been defeated. It means that death, Hell and the grave has been conquered for all time. It means that the Law has been fulfilled, the sacrifices completed and the justice of God has been completely satisfied.
The birth of Christ is celebrated. The life of Christ is honored. The death of Christ is remembered, but the resurrection of Jesus is experienced. The resurrected Christ gives life and confirms himself to be the son of God.
One can only imagine the confusion, doubt and fear experienced by the Disciples of Christ following His crucifixion. For three days, they were hidden in an upper chamber, hearing nothing but rumors and street gossip. These men were full of guilt and fear, each of them probably experiencing their own personal torment. One of them had betrayed Jesus. Peter their chief spokesman had denied him, and the rest had run away like scared little children. Only John had possessed the courage to go with Jesus to the trial, but John was not allowed to speak in his defense. Were these the men that would to save the world? They could not even save Jesus. Their faith had failed them and fear had possessed and paralyzed them. The word on street was that they were being sought by the Jewish authorities.
In their hiding place, they rehearsed the arrest, trial, conviction, public scourging and execution of Jesus over and over in their minds. Jerusalem was in an uproar, strange things were being reported. The region had experienced the first recorded eclipse, as sun had gone down in the middle of the afternoon. On the third day morning, the city had been awakened by an earthquake. The city of Jerusalem was filled with confusion, fear and suspicion. It seemed that everyone was suspicious of everyone else. It was reported that the authorities were offering rewards for any information about that sect. New reports were coming in that vandals had desecrated the graveyard and that many tombs were overturned, and graves were open and empty. Someone had also vandalized the temple and the veil of temple had been rent from the top to the bottom.
These disciples sat, pondering the last words of Jesus the Christ over and over again…..
Lu 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Lu 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
Joh 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Joh 19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
Joh 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Lu 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Joh 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
How shocking these days must have been. Some days like that day in Texas, when John F. Kennedy was assassinated or as that day in Memphis, Tennessee when Martin Luther King Jr. was gunned down. That day Jesus said, "It is finished." He had faced all of life's enemies but one. He had faced the world, the flesh and the devil. He had faced sickness, sorrow and sadness. He had overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Now he must face death, the last enemy to be conquered. Here what Isaiah says,
Isa 25:7,8 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
Christ had encountered death and had conquered it several times before: Widow’s son at Naim in Luke 7, Jairus' daughter in Mark 5, and His good friend, Lazarus John 11. Now Jesus must taste death for himself and for all mankind. This last enemy must be subdued. Jesus had done many great things; changed water into wine, multiplied food on several occasions, walked on water, healed every kind of sickness and raised the dead as had other great men of God. Remember the works of Elijah, Elisha, Peter, and Paul. But in the resurrection, Jesus surpasses them all.
John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
There are several things I want to lift up concerning the resurrection of Christ.
(1) The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith. - 1Co 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
It is basis for all we believe because his death, burial and resurrection happened according the Scriptures. Several of the Prophets predicted that the Messiah would be a suffering Savior who was cut off in the land of the living. Without the resurrection of Christ, there is no gospel. There is no good news. We are yet in our sin with no hope for the future.
(2) The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof that Jesus Was Who He Said Was: the Son of God. - 1Co 15:5-7 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
The resurrection of Jesus gives credibility to all that He said and all that he did. The Resurrection proved that Jesus was who he said he was (God in the flesh) and could do all he said he could do (I have the power to lay my life down and the power to take it up again).
It was not his good works, his miracles, nor his sinless, pure life that established His Messiah ship, it was the resurrection. The world had seen many prophets, healers, teachers and even martyrs. The reality of the Resurrection established the divinity of Christ and the son ship of Christ. It declared Him to be both Lord and Christ.
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." Acts 3: 36
For forty days after the Resurrection, He showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs. Over 500 persons saw after his bodily resurrection. They were eye witnesses.
(3) The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is Proof that He Could Do What He Said - John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
If He is both Christ and Lord, He has power over death and the grave. If He is both Christ and Lord, He could send the Holy Spirit and empower believers to carry on His work in the world. As Christ and Lord, He is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercessions for us.
The reality of the resurrection means that our past sins can be forgiven, every sin, every mistake and every short coming can be cast in the sea of forgetfulness to be remembered no more! That's good news!
On Good Friday, it looked like Satan had won….But three days later, everything changed! Death was conquered. Satan can no longer hold our past failures over us. Faith in Jesus Christ frees and deliverers from the penalty and power of sin.
The reality of the resurrection means that we can have victory in the present. We have power for living. We can be free from the power of sin and Satan. We have power available to us to conquer the world, the flesh and the devil. The Lord of life can be the Lord of my life. His power can be our power and his victory can be our victory. Three days later changed everything, your past can be forgiven; and you can have new life and power for the present. Every child of God is justified, freed for the penalty of sin; sanctified, freed from the power of sin and will be glorified, freed from the presence of sin.
The reality of resurrection means that I have hope for the future. Death is not the end for us for this mortal will put on immortality and this corruption will put incorruption and we shall be changed. Death has no sting for us and the grave can't keep our bodies down. We too will rise again!
(4) The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Is Proof That We Too Will Rise Again- 1Co 15:22,23 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Three days later, everything changed! Not only was there a bodily resurrection of Jesus, we too will rise in our own proper order, the just and the unjust. The resurrection means that His word is true. He is coming again.
1Co 15:51 ¶ Behold, I shew 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 ¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
A little boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon. Suddenly out of nowhere a bumblebee flew in the car window. Since the little boy was deathly allergic to bee stings, he became petrified. But the father quickly reached out, grabbed the bee, squeezed it in his hand, and then released it. But as soon as he let it go, the young son became frantic once again as it buzzed by the little boy. His father saw his panic-stricken face, Once again the father reached out his hand, but this time he pointed to his hand. There still stuck in his skin was the stinger of the bee. "Do you see this?" he said. "You don't need to be afraid anymore. I've taken the sting for you." And this is the message of Easter. We do not need to be afraid of death anymore. Christ faced death for us. And by His victory, we are saved from sin. Christ has taken the sting! First Corinthians 15:55 asks: " O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" Christ has taken the stinger for us. He has risen! Fear is gone. New life is ours.
