If you’re in the market – for anything – there’s a list of conditions called “deal breakers.” Everything else might be right, but if one of those conditions is present, forget it.
If it’s a house, it might be something like pet odors, or a bad location, or not enough windows.
If it’s a car, it might be something like the wrong color, or more than 100,000 miles, or it smells like smoke.
If it’s choosing a college, it might be something like tuition costs, or how far from home it is, or how far from home it isn’t!
If it’s a relationship, it might be something like…well, I won’t even go there!
Take most any area of life where we’re looking for something, looking to make a life-affecting choice, and every one of us will have a list of deal breakers.
There was a movie in 2001 called “The Body.” Archaeologists claimed to have discovered the remains of Jesus of Nazareth. The skeleton matched the description of a crucified Jesus. There was a priest in the movie who whose faith was so shaken that he committed suicide. Then, it was found that the remains weren’t of Jesus, but some other person who had been crucified. It’s all fiction, but it raises an important question: If Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead, would it be a deal breaker? If it was proven that Jesus didn’t come back from the dead, would you still be a Christian or think of becoming one? If you take away the Resurrection, would that be a deal breaker? It would for me. My plan is to get you to follow me there.
Prove to me beyond all doubt that Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, and I will cease to be a Christian.
Jesus didn’t claim to be a good teacher; He claimed to be THE truth. He didn’t claim to be a good role model; He claimed to be God in the flesh. He didn’t just promise to give life after death; He said He would prove it. Without the resurrection of Jesus, those things are no longer believable.
Is it a deal breaker for you? Here are a few reasons it’s on the top of the list:
The Resurrection of Jesus
1. It Generates Controversy
None of what we’re talking about today would matter if Jesus hadn’t claimed to be the Son of God. None of this would be important if Jesus hadn’t said all authority in Heaven and on Earth had been given to Him. But He did make those claims, and He offered His resurrection as proof that they were true.
It was the main message of the Apostles
From the very first day that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was preached, the resurrection of Jesus was one of the main parts of that message.
Acts 2:24
"But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.”
Acts 2:32
"This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.”
Acts 3:15
“…but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.”
Acts 3:26
“…God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you…"
Let’s say you have just a small window of opportunity to tell a group of people about Jesus. What would you be sure to include? What makes the cut? If you’re the Apostles, one thing you’re sure to include is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. You might leave out a whole list of things He did when others weren’t around to see it, but you would be sure to include the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. And every time you did that, you’d get a reaction…of some kind!
(It divides crowds, sends people away sneering, and creates uproars)
Let’s take a quick look at 3 scenes from Acts:
First, the Apostles are about to be arrested for the first time. The reason? Public assembly without a license? Not filing correct tax papers? Refusing to cater a wedding?
Acts 4:2
[The Jewish Council was] greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
The real point of controversy was the idea that the dead are raised through Jesus, and that includes Jesus rising from the dead.
Scene 2: Athens. Paul is preaching Jesus and the resurrection, so reactions are mixed.
Acts 17:18b,32
…Some were saying, "What would this idle babbler wish to say?" Others, "He seems to be a proclaimer of strange deities,"—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.
So Paul gets a hearing in the public forum where he preaches about Jesus, and about Jesus rising from the dead.
32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this."
When Paul got to the part about the resurrection from the dead, that’s when the scene changed.
The 3rd scene: Paul has been arrested and is brought before the Jewish Council. Situation grim. So what does he do?
Acts 23:6-9 (NASB)
6 But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!" 7 As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection… 9 And there occurred a great uproar…
OK, what have we learned? The resurrection of Jesus was a controversial topic. In fact, in Acts 17:6, the Apostles were accused of being men who had upset the world! If they had just not preached it, they wouldn’t have created all that controversy and uproar.
Ill - It has been suggested to me that we at CCC should just not teach on subjects that are controversial. After all, that might upset some people, or even cause some people to leave here. Well, correctly teaching the Resurrection of Jesus is controversial. It has created a lot of unrest from very early on. Can you imagine suggesting to the Apostles that they shouldn’t teach or preach about the Resurrection, because it’s controversial? I have a feeling they would have said, “Well, OK for you, but we can’t help but speak about what we’ve seen and heard!”
So what? So let’s speak about the resurrection – openly, unapologetically, unashamed! And figure that when we do that correctly, it will divide the crowd. It will send some way sneering. In some places it may create uproars. We may even be accused of being people who have turned the world upside down! But if we’ll be true to the place it deserves in our lives, we can’t help but speak about it!
2. It Transforms Cowards Into Lions
The people we read about in the Bible are about as gritty and true-to-life as you can find. I’m looking specifically at Jesus’ disciples and His earthly family.
Before the resurrection, disciples were cowardly, Jesus’ family members were skeptics
We know Jesus had at least 4 brothers and 2 sisters in His family. I don’t know what it would be like to grow up with your older brother being Jesus. I know what it was like to have 4 brothers and a sister ahead of me, and setting a pretty high bar. But, what if your oldest brother was Jesus? Can you imagine James at some point, “Mom, you treat Jesus like He’s perfect!” “Well, James…”
But here’s something you don’t often hear about, because it’s tough to explain: Jesus’ earthly family didn’t accept Who He was.
John 7:5
For not even His brothers were believing in Him.
Mark 3:21
When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, "He has lost His senses."
So, rather than traveling around with Jesus during His ministry, His family didn’t believe in Him, and actually set out to stop Him because they were sure He had just lost it! They just didn't accept the idea that He was Who He claimed. What ever became of them? We’ll get to that in moment.
Jesus’ 12 closest followers were another story. While they struggled with doubts and questions and attitudes, they at least followed Jesus – until things unraveled. Remember, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the mob came to arrest Him?
Mark 14:50-52 (NASB)
And they all left Him and fled. A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body; and they seized him. But he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked.
Oh, Peter hung around later in the shadows, but when asked about Jesus, Peter denied 3x that he even knew Him and ran away. Why? They were scared. The movement against Jesus was reaching a peak. Being labeled one of His could get you killed. It was scary. The evening after Jesus arose, we find the disciples all together in a room with the doors shut, “for fear of the Jews.” Wouldn’t you be afraid? Now, just make this note: This is what the people closest to Jesus look like without a resurrection!
How about you? Does this sound like you? If Jesus were here, and traveling around claiming to be the Messiah, would you join Him or come to “collect Him”?
If Jesus were arrested, would you run off into the night before they caught you too?
When you’re questioned about being one of His, do you deny you even know Him?
If the terrorists show up with guns to shoot you or knives to behead you, and ask which of you are followers of the Nazarene, what do you say? When kids at school corner you and ask, what do you say? Oh, I guess this isn’t just a 1st century thing, is it?!
Fast forward 6½ weeks. The cross is over. Jesus has gone into Heaven. About 120 of the believers are gathered together in Jerusalem. Who do we find with them?
Acts 1:14 (NASB)
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
That would include James, the brother of Jesus – most likely author to write the book of James, one of the leaders of the church in Jerusalem – James, who, history tells us, was stoned to death in AD 62 for his testimony about Jesus. James, who used not to believe in Jesus. Why the change? Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to him!
History tells us that all but one of the Apostles died a martyr’s death. They were all killed by people who hated Christianity. They chose to die horrid deaths rather than deny Jesus. These were the same men who had all run for their lives before! What changed them?
Jesus rose from the dead, and appeared to them!
(After the resurrection, they were all transformed)
Skeptics became believers who helped start the Church! Whimpering cowards became bold lions who stood before governors and emperors and refused to be silenced.
And what made the difference? Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. There’s no other explanation for the change in their lives.
Imagine a soldier, rushing into battle, convinced that he can’t be killed. How far would he push the enemy? How uninhibited would he be? How do you stop a man who’s immortal?
Brothers and sisters, wouldn’t it be wonderful if today we were so bold, we were so outspoken, we were willing to go so far, that the only way to explain our behavior was our conviction of the fact that Jesus Christ rose from the dead so that even death itself can’t defeat us?
Do you believe it? “The Lord is Risen!” Really? If you’re convinced that the resurrection is true, what in your life is different because it’s true? How far has it pushed you? What has it caused you to say when otherwise you would have been quiet? How far has it caused you to stick out your neck, because you’re so convinced that the Son of God was put to death and rose again?!
If today you can’t cite one thing about you that’s different because Jesus is alive, something is wrong, because the resurrection transforms cowards into lions!
But it doesn’t stop there, does it?! The resurrection takes our sites beyond what we do here…
3. It Makes Believers Not Pathetic
Anytime someone says, “That’s pathetic!” it’s not a good thing! I want to tell you, the Resurrection of Jesus is what makes us who follow Jesus NOT PATHETIC!
The Resurrection provides the foundation for all we believe
If the Gospel had headlines, this would be it: Jesus died, was buried, and rose on the 3rd day! That’s what Paul writes in I Co. 15:1ff.
It was important enough to prove it that Jesus appeared to over 500 people all at one time. It wasn’t wishful thinking or mass hallucination. It was proof so convincing that it changed history.
It’s the foundation of all we believe!
(The Resurrection makes the difference between pathetic and victorious)
1 Corinthians 15:13-19
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
Death is going to happen. Everything you have worked for in this life to preserve your health will ultimately end in [death]! Everything you have worked to save up materially will ultimately be left behind! Everything you have worked to improve and to control in this world will ultimately be handed off to someone else.
Let’s be honest here. Death is an alien presence that daily reminds us that we live in a fallen world. It’s an enemy that has yet to be finally put away. No one can beat it. There’s nothing good about it. Oh, we try to rationalize and help it look better by pointing out it’s the only way for a dying person to escape what he’s suffering. Death isn’t peaceful! It’s our enemy and it treats us like an enemy!
But the Resurrection makes the difference!
If this life is all there is, we’re pathetic! Like The Message says in I Co. 15:19 “If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we're a pretty sorry lot.”
The next verse says, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead!” We’re not pathetic!
Conclusion:
At the beginning, I asked you believers what would be a deal breaker to you – what would it take to destroy your faith? Take away the resurrection, and if you’re being honest, your faith would be useless.
Now, let me pose another question – if you aren’t a believer in Jesus this morning, what would it take to make you become a believer? What if Jesus really did rise from the dead? Would you believe His other claims? Would you think He had the right to say He has all authority in Heaven and on Earth? Would you believe that He deserves, today, for you to call Him “Lord”?
-Thanks to Bob Russel for the idea that started this message.
