INTRODUCTION
Outline.
Resurrection of Christ
Remarks.
1. In this lesson we will discuss the Holy Spirit’s work in the resurrection of Christ. Jesus and our heavenly Father also, had a part in the “resurrection of Jesus’ body.”
2. It was the death, burial and resurrection of the body of Jesus that has made our salvation possible. Christ spoke of it immediately after He announced building the church, Matthew 16:21. The “resurrection” was necessary to validate His power to build “the church.”
3. Our text of emphasis speaks to it like this: “And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you,” Romans 8:11.
BODY OF LESSON
THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
A. The promised resurrection. Without the certainty of the resurrection of Christ, there could be no guarantee that we shall be raised from the dead at His return. This lesson will not just focus on the death of Jesus; but upon the certainty of His resurrection. Notice:
1. Peter’s letter to the dispersed: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit,” 1 Peter 3:18.The Spirit quickening (to make alive) and raised up the body of Jesus from the dead.
2. Paul’s letter to the Romans. Spirits work in the Resurrection. Notice:
a. First, “And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell well in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you,” Romans 8:11.
b. Further, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God... And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be REVEALED IN US,” Romans 8:17-18.
c. Next, “For the earnest expectation of the creature (our body) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God... For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly... Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption (death and decay) into the glorious liberty of the children of God,” Romans 8:19-21; Galatians 5:1.
d. Additionally, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together NOW. And not only they (the creature; the creation), but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body,” Romans 8:22-23. Who is this creature? Mark 16:15-16; Colossians 1:23.
e. Finally, the day of redemption: “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption,” Ephesians 4:30. There will be a day of redemption, at his second advent. Notice:
1) This whole plan of redemption was designed to restore not only the “spirit of man” to the glory of God; but the body of clay also, “the redemption of our body.”
2) How will this be possible? “By the quickening of our mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in US.”
2. Paul said, God to raise us up: “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise us up by HIS OWN POWER,” 1 Corinthians 6:14.
3. He shall raise us up: “Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus (the Father) shall raise up us also by Jesus, and present us with you,” 2 Corinthians 4:14; John 11:25-26. This is our Hope!
B. Certainty of the resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:1-27. Can we be certain? Hear the arguments of Paul regarding the “resurrection of Christ.” Notice:
1. Prophecy of scripture, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Paul reasoned from the Old Testament scriptures that Jesus was the Christ; that he died for our sins; he was buried, and rose again on the third day. Christ spoke if to his disciples, Luke 24:44-49.
a. The Law of Moses.
b. The Prophets.
c. The Psalms.
2. Proven sighting, 1 Corinthians 15:5-11.
a. He was seen of Peter and the eleven, Acts 1:3.
b. He was seen of 500 hundred, most of which are still alive.
c. He was seen of Paul: “And He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time,” 1 Corinthians 15:8; Acts 9:17-18.
d. Nothing like an eye witness, John 3:11.
3. Preaching sanctioned, 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
a. Peter’s preaching on Pentecost: “Ye men of Israel hear these words... Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it...Men and brethren, let me speak freely unto you of the patriarch David... Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God... he would raise up Christ to sit on his (David) throne...He seeing this before spake of:
1) “The resurrection of Christ;
2) That his soul was not left in hell;
3) That his body did not see corruption, Acts 13:35-39;
4) That this Jesus hath God raised up;
5) Whereof we all are witnesses,” Acts 2:22-29; Acts 2:30-36.
6) Jesus was raised to set on David throne, Acts 2:30-36; Luke 1:31-33.
7) Illustrate: Kingdom of God, Daniel 7:13-15.
b. Peter’s preaching before the temple: “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole,” Acts 4:10. Illustrate: The Healing of the Lame Man.
c. Paul’s preaching to the Galatians: “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),” Galatians 1:1. The heavenly Father raised Jesus from the dead.
d. Paul’s preaching in Antioch in Pisidia: “And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen of many....who are his witnesses unto the people,” Acts 13:29-31.
C. The science of Jesus’ resurrection. First I must state that most of the claimed resurrections today, were not a resurrection; but resuscitation. Resurrection means we return in a new form. Notice:
1. Death occurs when spirit depart: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so is faith without works is dead also,” James 2:26. We will notice in death the spirit leaves the body; but, when it returns to the body it revives. Notice:
a. Jesus’ death: “And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost,” Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30. Illustrate: Gave up the ghost, Acts 5:5.
b. Rachel died when her soul was departing: “And it came to pass... as her soul was departing (for she died) that she call his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. And Rachel died, and (she) was buried in the way of Ephrath, which is Bethlehem,” Genesis 35:17-19. Death occurs when the spirit or soul leaves the body, as in the case of Rachel. Her soul departed the body.
2. At death the spirit returns to God: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it,” Ecclesiastes 12:7; Job 34:14-15; Zechariah 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:23. The wise man states that the “spirit upon its departure from the body; returns to God who gave it.”
a. Jesus said: “Father into thy hand I commend my spirit,” Luke 23:46. He and the thief went to “paradise,” Luke 23:43.
b. The thief that railed on Him went to “hell.” Notice David: “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God,” Psalms 9:17.
3. When the soul or spirit returns, the body revives:
a. Elijah raised a young boy and others: “And he (Elijah) stretched himself upon the child three time, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived,” 1 Kings 17:21-22; 2 Kings 13:20-21. When the child’s soul returned to him, he revived.
b. Elisha raises a Shunammite woman’s son, 2 Kings 4:32-37. The same process occurred; the child revived or came back to life.
c. Jesus raises a maiden: “And all wept, and bewailed her... knowing that she was dead. And he (Jesus) put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat,” Luke 8:52-55. Jesus raised others; this one is important, because it speaks to the science of the resurrection. Amen.
d. Peter raises Dorcas, Acts 9:36-43. Peter, presented her alive to the saints.
4. Christ both died, and rose, and revived. Paul writes: “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living,” Romans 14:9. This same process was at work in Jesus’ resurrection.
a. The spirit of Christ (his soul) was not left in “hades,” Acts 2:30-32.
b. The spirit re-united with His body, and it was “quickened” and “revived.”
c. Christ’s body was raised from the dead by the “quickening power” of the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus, 1 Corinthians 6:14; Romans 8:11. Jesus said: “I lay it down (my life), that I might take it up again,” John 10:17-18.
d. Jesus’ natural body became a “spiritual body,” 1 Corinthians 15:44.
e. Jesus’ vile body became a “glorious body,” Philippians 3:20-21.
5. Christ once bore the image of the earthly; but, now bear the image of the heavenly. So shall we at His coming, 1 Corinthians 15:23; 1 Corinthians 15:49.
D. The Second Advent of Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:20-27. When will this occur? At His coming, we shall all be changed: “So our corruptible might put on incorruption, and our mortal might put on immortality, that it might be brought to pass the saying... Death is swallowed up in victory,” 1 Corinthians 15:54. Notice:
1. Christ is risen. Recall, Paul declared so in his preaching of the scripture.
2. Christ is reigning. Jesus is reigning over his kingdom now. Paul said “He shall reign TILL (an adverb of time) He hath put all enemy under his feet.”
3. Christ is returning. When Jesus returns, that will be “the end.” Have you heard of the R-7-1000? This is not a new sports car! Amen!
4. Illustrate: R-7, 1000, is the rapture, 7 years of tribulation, and 1000 year reign. Some teach these things will occur when Jesus returns. But hear now, what Paul says will occur when Jesus returns:
a. Then cometh, “THE END,” 1 Corinthians 15:24. Illustrate: The end.
b. When He shall, “DELIVERED UP” the kingdom to God – “NOT, SET UP.”
c. When He shall, “PUT DOWN ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY AND POWER – NOT –TAKE IT UP,” 1 Corinthians 15:24.
d. For He must, “REIGN TILL He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death,” 1 Corinthians 15:25-26. Therefore, Jesus is now reigning over His kingdom, “angels, and authorities and powers are being made subject unto Him,” 1 Peter 3:22; Colossians 1:13.
5. Jesus is returning to raise the dead, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. At that time:
This corruption must put on incorruption; this mortal must put on immortality; this natural body must put on a spiritual body; this earthly must put on the heavenly; after we all shall “be changed,” 1 Corinthians 15:51.
6. Finally, I must speak to the theories regarding the resurrection of Jesus.
E. Resurrection Theories. These are comments from the Passover Plot, by Hugh J. Schonfield, Disinformation Company, 2004. The premise of his book is that: “The Passover Plot shows us the historical evidence that Jesus was a mortal man, a young genius who believed himself to be the Messiah and deliberately and brilliantly planned his entire ministry according to the Old Testament prophecies - even to the extent of plotting his own arrest, crucifixion and resurrection. We will consider three false charges presented in this book regarding the resurrection of Jesus’ body. Notice:
1. First theory, the women went to the wrong tomb, Matthew 28:1-15; Luke 23:50-56. Not true. If this is so, the burial team went to the wrong tomb (Joseph of Arimathaea, Nicodemus, and the women), the Roman officials sealed the wrong tomb; the soldiers guarded the wrong tomb; the angels from heaven went to the wrong tomb; and worst, God did not know where His Son was buried.
2. Second theory, the disciples stole the body, Matthew 28:13-15. Not true. These frighten men were hiding for fear of the Jews, John 20:19. They had all forsaken him and fled, Mark 14:50. Did these men steal the body of Jesus?
a. First, evidence in the tomb does not bear such witness. John gives a very graphic account of this “crime scene.” John’s account of the resurrection of the body provides more information of the sepulchre than the other writers.
b. Further, the Apostles John gives us indisputable evidence that Jesus had indeed risen. His account dispels the story of the Jewish Counsel; that the body of Christ was stolen by the disciples. Notice, his account begin as the others:
1) Mary Magdalene went early to the sepulchre, seeth the stone, John 20:1.
2) She ran to tell Simon Peter and the other disciples, John 20:2.
3) Peter and other disciples ran unto the tomb. The other: “stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloth lying; yet went he not in,” John 20:3-5. John!
c. Finally, evidence in the sepulchre: “Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then that other disciple went in; who came first to the sepulchre: and he saw, and believed,” John 20:6-10. Let’s analyze the evidence at this “crime scene.” Notice:
1) Peter: “Went into the sepulchre.”
2) Peter: “Seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes; but wrapped together in a place by itself,” John 20:6-7; John 19:40; John 11:44; Luke 24:12.
a) The linen clothes, Gr. are othonion, or o-tho-ne-on, i.e., plural strips of linen cloth for swathing (wrapping) the body of the dead. The linen clothes were still in its original place in the sepulchre, (proof # 1).
b) The napkin: “That was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.”
c) Napkin, wrapped together, Gr. is entylisso or en-tu-les-so, i.e., to twist, entwine, to roll, or wind up; wrap in (together), John 20:7; Luke 23:53; Matthew 27:59. This napkin was placed carefully in the sepulchre neatly, all by itself, (proof # 2).
3) John depicts that during the resurrection, Jesus, “PERVADED – OR PASSED THROUGH the piece of Cerecloth”; (the linen clothes) that was wrapped about His body and face; as is the custom of the Jews in burial.
4) All these grave clothes were left behind in their original place; except the napkin, that was wrapped about His face. It was laid neatly in a place by itself.
5) Conclusion: If the body was stolen, it is not likely that the thieves would have taken time to unwrap it; and neatly place the linen clothes, where the body of Jesus had laid. They would have taken the body, linen cloth and napkin, and fled. The evidence in this “crime scene,” indicates a resurrection; not a theft. And the church said: Amen! However, the body was not there, (proof # 3).
3. Third, theory, the resurrection was spiritual – not- physical, John 2:19-21. This is not true either. The disciples saw Him after His resurrection, Luke 24:36-49. The apostles saw the body of Christ, with the holes in His hands, and His side, John 20:24-31. Consider Luke’s account:
a. His appearance to the disciples:
1) Upper room: “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you... supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, why are ye troubled? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have... These are the words which I spake unto you,” Luke 24:36-44.
2) Before His ascension, Luke wrote: "The former treatises have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day... he was taken up," Acts 1:1-3.
b. JW’s testimony of the resurrection. The body of Christ was turned into gases and is being preserved as a memorial before God. Charles Tate Russell. The body they saw was provided to give the apostles faith. If they (JW) are right, that body was a fake; they were deceived by Christ; and all gave witness to a damnable lie. And worse, Christ sent out false witnesses.
c. And sadly still, they suffered persecution and death for their faith; and countless billions now believe their lie sanctioned by God; and by Christ, if they (JW) are right. This is sheer nonsense! Thank God for the truth!
d. The glorified body of Jesus Christ:
1) Paul calls it a “glorious body,” Philippians 3:20-21.
2) John says we shall be like Him, 1 John 3:1-2.
3) We all shall bear the image of the heavenly: “The first man is of the earth earthly: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthly, such are they also that are earthly: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly,” 1 Corinthians 15:47-49.
4) We shall all not die; but we all shall be changed, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58.
CONCLUSION
A. Outline.
The Resurrection of Christ
B. Remarks.
1. In this lesson we discussed the Holy Spirit’s work in the resurrection of Christ. Jesus and our heavenly Father also, had a part in the “resurrection of Jesus’ body.”
2. It was the death, burial and resurrection of the body of Jesus that has made our salvation possible. Christ spoke of it immediately after He announced building the church, Matthew 16:21. The “resurrection” was necessary to establish His authority to build “the church.” Remember, Jesus promised: “death and hell shall not prevail against it.” John wrote, Jesus speaking to him: “Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death,” Revelations 1:17-18; Hebrews 2:14-15.
3. Our text of emphasis spoke to it like this: “And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you,” Romans 8:11.
C. Invitation.
D. Motivation.
E. Persuasion.
