“Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshipped Him.” – Matt. 28:9
Introduction
The resurrection is well verified historically. After Jesus’ resurrection, He remained on earth for forty days, appearing and talking to His closest disciples and many of His other followers.
The resurrection of Jesus is important for several reasons. First, it witnesses to the immense power of God Himself. To believe in the resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists, and if He created the universe and has power over it, He has power to raise the dead. If He does not have such power, He is not a God worthy of our faith and worship. Only He who created life can resurrect it after death, only He can reverse the hideousness that is death itself, and only He can remove the sting that is death and the victory that is the grave’s – 1 Corinthians 15:54-55. In resurrecting Jesus from the grave, God reminds us of His absolute sovereignty over life and death.
His recorded appearances following the resurrection include:
- Mary Magdalene – John 20: 11-18 (NIV)
- The Women Returning from the Tomb – Matt. 28:9-10
- Peter – Luke 24:34
- Two Travellers on the Road to Emmaus – Luke 24:13-32
- The Disciples (Thomas was not present at this time), and others with them. – Luke 24: 36-43
- All the Disciples on Sunday Night One Week Later – John 20:26-31
- Seven Disciples by the Sea of Galilee – John 21:1-25
- Jesus Reinstates Peter – John 21:1-25
- Five Hundred People in Galilee – Matthew 28:16-20
- James – “Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” – I Corinthians 15:7
- The Disciples Receiving the Great Commission – Mathew .28:16-20
- Those who were with Him when He ascended back to Heaven – Acts 1:3-11
- The Apostle Paul, a Pioneer Missionary who eventually started many New Testament Churches and wrote many of the New Testament Letters “…. and last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” – 1 Corinthians 15:8
These appearances prove the fact that Jesus was raised from death and that He is alive and continues to work – Acts 3:11-26; 4:8-14.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is significant because:
- Jesus is Declared the Son of God – Romans 1:2-4.
- Jesus is the Fulfillment of God’s Promises to the Fathers – Acts 13:16-37.
- Death is Destroyed – 1 Corinthians 15:22-28.
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS GIVES US THE ASSURANCE OF:
- Our Being Put Right With God (Justification)
Because of our sins He was handed over to die, and He was raised to life in order to put us right with God – Rom. 4:25
- The Effectiveness of Our Faith
For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins, it would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost, if our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world. But the truth Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised – 1 Cor. 15:16-20.
- The Basis For Our Preaching
Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe – 1 Cor. 15:12-14.
BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION SHOULD GIVE US:
- Comfort and consolation in times of bereavement – 1 Thess. 4:13-14
- Hope for our own Resurrection and being with the Lord forever – 1 Thess. 4:15-18.
- Boldness for Righteous living and ministry – 2 Cor. 5:11-19; Titus 2:11-14.
BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION SHOULD LEAD US TO WORSHIP HIM
- Mary Magdalene was filled with joyous reverence when He saw the risen Christ – John 20:11-16.
- Thomas worshipped when he was confronted with the evidence – John 20:24-26
- The disciples worshipped Him – Matthew 28:16-20.
BELIEF IN THE RESURRECTION ASSURES US OF NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ gives the promise of a new life – “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” – Rom. 6:4 (NIV)
End Piece
The resurrection of Jesus is a testimony to the resurrection of human beings, which is a basic tenet of the Christian faith. Unlike all other religions, Christianity alone possesses a founder who transcends death and who promises that His followers will do the same. All other religions were founded by men and prophets whose end was the grave. As Christians, we take comfort in the fact that our God became man, died for our sins, and was resurrected the third day. The grave could not hold Him. He lives, and He sits today at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.
PRAYER
You can personally benefit from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by inviting the Lord to come into your life through the power of the Holy Spirit. You may pray a prayer like the following:
“Thank you for dying on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins, Thank you also that you were raised to life to put me right with God. I believe that the same power that raised you from death, is also available to me. Come into my life and enable me to experience your new life, I ask that the Holy Spirit will take absolute control of my life from now on, and make it more meaningful. Thank you for loving me this way”. Amen!
CHRIST IS RISEN! HALLELUJAH! – MHB 206
Christ is risen! Hallelujah!
Risen our victorious Head;
Sing His praises; Hallelujah!
Christ is risen from the dead.
Gratefully our hearts adore Him,
As His light once more appears;
Bowing down in joy before Him,
Rising up from griefs and tears.
Christ is risen: Hallelujah!
Risen our victorious Head;
Sing His praises; Hallelujah!
Christ is risen from the dead.
2 Christ is risen! All the sadness
Of His earthly life is o’er;
Through the open gates of gladness
He returns to life once more;
Death and hell before Him bending,
He doth rise the Victor now,
Angels on His steps attending,
Glory round His wounded brow.
3 Christ is risen! Henceforth never
Death nor hell shall us enthrall;
We are Christ’s, in Him forever
We have triumphed over all;
All the doubting and dejection
Of our trembling hearts have ceased,
’Tis His day of resurrection;
Let us rise and keep the feast.
John Samuel Bewley Monsell, 1811 – 1855
Stay blessed!
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Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org
