A THEOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
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OUTLINE
1.PRIORITY OF THE RESURRECTION
2.PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE RESURRECTION
3.PRE-EMINENCE OF THE RESURRECTION
4.PHYSICAL NATURE OF THE RESURRECTION
5.PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION
6.PRIVILEGES OF THE RESURRECTION
7.POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
THE MESSAGE
A THEOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
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1) PRIORITY OF THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is very important to the Christian faith. If there was no resurrection then
(a) our preaching is in vain
(b) our faith is in vain
(c) the apostles become false witnesses because they testified that Jesus rose from the dead
(d) the believers are yet in their sins
(e) those who have already died have perished and there is no hope for them. Therefore the resurrection of Jesus Christ is very important to the Christian faith.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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I CORINTHIANS 15:13-19 :
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
2) PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE RESURRECTION
The entire trinity of the Godhead namely The Father , The Son and the Holy Spirit was involved in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Father demonstrated His mighty power in raising Jesus from the dead. The Lord Jesus said ’I have power to lay down my life and to take it again". The Holy Spirit quickened the body of Jesus Christ and raised him from the dead. Thus the entire trinity was involved in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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EPHESIANS 1:19-20
" and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, ".
JOHN 10:17-18
" The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
I PETER 3:18
" 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, ".
3) PRE-EMINENCE OF THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was unique and special. Although many others in the Bible rose from the dead both in the Old Testament and New Testament the resurrection of Jesus Christ was different from the others. All the others in the Bible who were raised from the dead did not live forever . They died once again . But Jesus rose from the dead and is alive forevermore.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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REVELATION 1:18
" Iam the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. "
4) PHYSICAL NATURE OF THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was a physical resurrection. Jesus died physically and rose again physically.
The soldiers saw that Jesus was already dead and they did not break his legs . Another soldier pierced him with a sword and blood and water came out proving that Jesus was already dead. Joseph of Arimithea a noble man asked Pilate for the body of Jesus because Jesus was already dead. Pilate confirmed from the centurion that Jesus was really dead before giving the body of Jesus . The women brought spices to the grave on the first day of the week to anoint the dead body of Jesus. Above all Jesus himself said ’I was dead and behold Iam alive for evermore’. Therefore Jesus died physically .
The resurrection of Jesus was also physical. When Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection they could touch his feet . They could recognize his physical appearance .He had flesh and bones and they could see his nail scars and he even ate before them. Jesus himself predicted in the beginning of his ministry that he would physically rise from the dead .He spoke of his body when he said’ Destroy this temple and I will raise it up in three days’. David also prophesied that the body of the Messiah would not see corruption. Thus the resurrection of Jesus Christ was a physical resurrection.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MARK 15 :43-45
" Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.
Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.
When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. "
JOHN 19:30-34
" When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.
The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.
But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
MARK 16:1
" When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body."
REVELATION 1:18
" Iam the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. "
LUKE 24:41-43
"And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"
They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
and he took it and ate it in their presence.
MATTHEW 28:9
" Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. "
JOHN 2:19-22
" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days."
The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?"
But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. "
PSALM 16:10
" because you will not abandon me to the grave,nor will you let your Holy One see decay ".
5) PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION
There are many proofs of the resurrection of Jesus Christ .
(a) The empty tomb stands as a witness of the resurrection.
(b) The grave clothes of Jesus were inside the tomb but the body was missing proving that Jesus rose from the dead.
(c) History proves that Jesus rose from the dead. Till today nobody has found the body of Jesus proving that He rose from the dead.
(d) The worship services on Sunday is an evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ . The Jews worshipped on Saturday as their Sabbath . But eversince Jesus rose again on the first day of the week the Christians worship on Sundays as a witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(e) The existence of the Church is a witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ . If Christ was dead there would have been no church today. The church was formed because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(f) The New Testament is proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Only because Jesus was risen from the dead the New Testament was written.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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MATTHEW 28:1-7
" After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ’He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you."
JOHN 20 : 1-9
" Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!"
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,
as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
6) PRIVILEGES OF THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us many privileges and blessings.
(a) It gives us a foundation for our faith .We believe in a living God and not a dead one.
(b) It gives us an assurance of forgiveness of sins. The resurrection of Jesus Christ proved that God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.
(c) The risen Jesus is now making intercession for us.
(d) It gives assurance to the believers that they too would rise from the dead when Jesus comes again.
(e) It proves that there would surely be a day of Judgement for all mankind when all injustice would be compensated and justice would be established.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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I PETER 1:21
" Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. "
ROMANS 10:9
" That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. "
ROMANS 4:25
" He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."
ROMANS 8:34
" Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. "
HEBREWS 7:25
" Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. "
I THESSALONIANS 4:14
" We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."
ACTS 17:31
" For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
7) POWER OF THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrated the mighty power of God .The resurrection power of Jesus is working in our lives. The greatest demonstration of the power of God took place at the resurrection of Christ because Satan used all the power that he had to prevent Christ from rising from the dead. Therefore in raising Jesus from the dead , God proved that all the power of satan is no match for the power of God. And that same resurrection power is working in our lives . Thus we need not have any fear of the devil and even if the devil does his worst against us , we can overcome him with the resurrection power that is working in our lives. When Christ was crucified , His enemies rejoiced that they had destroyed Christ and it looked as though evil had triumphed . But the resurrection of Jesus Christ proved the mighty power of God over all the power of evil. This resurrection power was working in the lives of the apostles and they gave witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ with great power. The Apostle Paul longed to experience the power of the resurrection in his own life. Even today this mighty power of the resurrection is available to every believer to experience in his own life and ministry.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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EPHESIANS 1:18-20
" I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, "
COLOSSIANS 1:29
" To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. "
PHILIPPIANS 3:10
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,"
ACTS 4:33
" With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. "
ROMANS 8:11
" And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. "
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