The
Importance of the Resurrection
Mark 24:1-24
* June 6,
1944, D-day setup VE Day and VJ Day in June and August of 1945. For me, had we
not been successful at Normandy beach, we would have lost the war. That one
day, those hundreds of brave lives, and the determination of right ruled the
day. That one day made the difference.
* Today we
celebrate our D-day. It is Easter, Resurrection day. The Resurrection of Jesus
is the hub around which all of Christianity turns. It is the very heart, the
center of all we are & believe.
*
Sometimes it seems we forget the real excitement of Easter is not the bunny,
but rather the truth that is “Jesus is Alive!!” Death has been defeated and
empty tomb stands as a monument to who Jesus was and is.
* Although the resurrection has been challenged, time and again
it has withstood the challenge because of the historical evidence which demands
consideration.
* History
gives the evidence. Tacitus, Josephus, and most of the first century secular
historians give evidence to it truth.
* For us,
consider the change in cowardly disciples who were afraid to be seen at the
crucifixion, locked away in a house, and were afraid. Consider the record of Fox’s
book of martyrs as it chronicles the death of many of disciples who gave their
lives based on the belief that Jesus rose from the grave. Then it was on the
mind the rest of lives.
* Think of
all the New Testament writers who mention this; Acts, Rom, I Cor, 2 Cor, Eph,
Phil, Col, I Thess, & Rev.First Century Christian were obsessed with the
resurrection. It literally turned “laid-back” Baptist into shouting, launching
out, and aggressive believers. If we ever catch the glimpse of this (Jesus coming
back from the dead) the same thing will happen to us.
* Let me
submit at least 3 truths from the resurrection:
1: Proves the Deity of Christ
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• Without
the resurrection of Christ, His deity could be debated, the doctrine of
salvation could be destroyed, and the Bible could even be denied. Had Jesus
just died and stayed dead, He would be like all the other religious leaders.
The world could say there is “no difference”.
• Adrian
Rogers said, “without the resurrection Christianity topples like a house of
cards”
• He
would be just like Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, and Joseph Smith (just to name
a few). But the graves of these leaders are all occupied!! We don’t worship a
grave of bones but rather an empty tomb of blessing. Why?
• Jesus
of Calvary is the Jesus of the empty tomb and He is the giver, the creator, the
Lord of life, and as such has defeated death. He has put “death to death.” “O
Death where is your sting, Grave where is your victory?”/
• You
see, for human being death generally brings with it a sense of finality. The
grave is where we leave our remains. Death seems to always get us. (Story Of
Harry Hodini)
• The
greatest risk a person can take is predicting his own future. Yet, Jesus
FULFILLED His own words as in Matthew, at least 4 times predicted His
resurrection. 16:21/ 17:21-22/ 20:18-19/ 26:31-32
• Be
clear about this, the resurrection is singular event that stands believers
apart from all others religions. That is why all of Satan’s guns aimed at
discounting this event. Consider all the lies theories which have been
propagated; the swoon theory, the wrong tomb theory, the stolen body theory,
are but a few.
• One
side note; this was indeed a bodily resurrection. We know this because He ate
food at least once & offered His hands to be touched.
• Truth
is that Old Testament prophesied it, Jesus Himself predicted it, God performed
it, and the entire history of mankind is built around it.
2: Provides a Way of Salvation
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v While it is true that Jesus died for our sins, it is equally
true that He was “raised for our Justification, to make us right.
v 1 Peter 3:18-9, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the
righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the
body but made alive by the Spirit,”
v Romans 4:25 He was
delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our
justification.
v Our lives have earned punishment of death. The Bible says, our
compensation, wages, payment for sin is death
v Had he stayed in ground death would have won. If he were there
today, there would be no salvation, justification, no hope, no life.
v In the 1979 Motion picture Star Trek, the “Wrath of Khon”, the
Vulcan Spock dies. In the next movie, he comes back to life. Three movies
later, “The Undiscovered Country”, in the midst of a crisis one of the officers
say, “if that’s true then we’re dead”. It was a statement of finality. Spock’s
response, “I’ve been dead before.”
v If it is true (and it is) that the wages of sin is death. Then
we’re dead! But listen, Jesus has been dead before. Because He died, we do have
to die in our sins. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, fear is gone, and
life is worth the living. This is All because He lives.
v Here is where it gets personal. Now that we understand that
Jesus IS God and that in His resurrection we find the way of being saved from
hell and to eternal life. How does this happen?
3: Previews the Future
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* The
Resurrection frees us from the fear of death and helps us focus on the future.
What lies ahead for us?
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* Could
it be that the Angel heard in Matthew 27 is the same one heard in Acts 1. Did
the same one say, “why seek you the living among the dead” as said “why stand
ye Here? This same Jesus will come again.” Jesus’ resurrection is a
demonstration of His second coming.
* In John
11, Jesus said, “Lazarus Come Forth” and Lazarus begin to move. Combine 1
Thessalonians 4 and Revelation 1 and, I believe it will be that same voice that
IS the trumpet call of God. Not Gabriel. Not a trumpet.
* Up from
the Grave He arose” and “Up from the Earth we will rise, we will fly with our
Lord through the skies. We will fly through the sky, up beyond the stars, past
Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. We will rise in the skies, because Jesus is
ALIVE!!”
We’ve
talked about the resurrection and what it does, but we have not talked about
ALL it does. Our time won’t permit. We could talk about the plan, the person,
or the power of the resurrection.
Why is the resurrection so important?
It proves the deity of Christ, it provides a way of
salvation, it previews the future. What will you do with this important event?
Sermon shared by Jerry
Watts