Benefits Of The Resurrection

Benefits of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING: - Today we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, the day Jesus Christ raised from the dead, not Easter, which has nothing to do with Jesus Christ, the Resurrection, or anything Holy no matter how people try to spin it. Easier is a pagan celebration. Read my sermon “What are you celebrating Resurrection or Easter” online. Resurrection Sunday decrees and declares who Jesus is, according to Romans 1:4 “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead”. The Resurrection proved that Jesus Christ was divine. The fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross does not prove in itself that He is God manifested in the flesh, but the resurrection does. Jesus proved His divine nature by fulfilling the predictions of His death and by His Resurrection from the dead. John 2:19 says, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”.

I received a phone call from a Pastor in Jacksonville Florida on Friday, and we were discussing Good Friday and what is so good about Good Friday, sure Jesus died for our sins on Good Friday, but He was beaten, mocked, scourged, crucified, but if it had not been for the Resurrection early on Sunday, the first day of the week, Friday would have been in vain, that’s why Friday is so good because of Sunday.

Today I want to talk about the benefits of the Resurrection.

PRAYER: -

SCRIPTURE: - 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept”.

The Benefits of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Resurrection confirms that Jesus is who He claimed to be. Remember Romans 1:4 decrees and declares Jesus to be the Son of God - “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead”.

In our text today there are some things that would be useless if the resurrection had never happened.

Verse 14 says, “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also in vain”. Let me say right now that our preaching is not in vain. If our preaching was in vain we would not be able to reach people all over the world. If our preaching was in vain souls would not be delivered today. Because Jesus is risen our preaching is not in vain. Let me say to you today since we are all ministers of reconciliation your preaching and I am not necessarily talking about being in the pulpit or on Facebook giving a sermon with a text, prayer, and a hoot & holler, but your preaching, the life you live, the testimony you give, the Love you show is not in vain, and your faith is not in vain. Your hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Like the song says “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future my life is worth the living because He lives”. Because of the Resurrection it’s not all in vain, your praying, your fasting, your believing is not in vain. That’s a benefit of the Resurrection, it’s not in vain.

If Christ be not risen Verse 15 says, “Yea, and we are found false witness of God, because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not”. If Christ had not been risen then we would be false witnesses, our testimony would be a lie, but because He is risen the words that comes out of our mouth about Him are true. So, when we say He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can ask or think – it’s true. When we say He is a way maker and a burden bearer – it’s true. When we say He is a promise keeper, He is light in the darkness – it’s true. Like the Mighty Clouds of Joy said “If God is dead what makes the flowers bloom. If God is dead what make summer come in June. If God is dead who answers prayers. I know he lives. I can feel Him moving through the trees in the wind and the breeze. That’s a benefit of the resurrection.