To become a Christian is to accept an extra dimension to life. From the Christian’s point of view the notable thing about the unbeliever’s world is how much smaller it is. The unbeliever is imprisoned in a decaying universe. Imagine you took a child to the theater to see some tragedy like, say, Hamlet, at the end of which the stage is littered with corpses. And suppose you had difficulty comforting the child afterward, so distressed was he at the spectacle of the deaths. "But the man who played Hamlet is not really dead," you explain. "He is an actor. He also lives a life outside the theater. He has a wife and family and, far from being dead, he is probably now at home with them enjoying a late supper."
If there is one word the Christian secretly wants to use to describe the unbeliever’s outlook, it is literal . . . like the child who takes the play for reality.
I. Reality of the Cross.
A) Cursed for Us
1) Sin is the great curse and scourge of the ages
a) Romans 3.23
b) Someone must receive the wages of sin
1) The wages never change --- death.
2) According to Paul Jesus was cursed for us
a) First man was cursed
i) Deut 27.26 “Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.
ii) God’s law has never been about lip service instead it has been about serving Him.
a) Mankind is under a curse because we cannot in ourselves follow God’s perfect law.
b) Then the Son of man was cursed
Gal 3.13 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”
a) accursed, exposed to divine vengeance, lying under God’s curse.
b) Jesus became accursed for us then crushed for us.
B) Crushed for Us
1) His pain our pardon (we get our word excruciating from cruci)
a) Isaiah 53.5-6
“But He was pierced through for our transgressions He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well being fell upon Him and by His scourging we are healed.”
“All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”
2) Capability of the Centurions
a) Certainty of Jesus’ death
b)
As in Psalm 30.5 “weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.”
Without the cross of Jesus there could have been no resurrection
The cruelty of the cross opens the door of God’s goodness and Grace.
No resurrection then there could have been no forgiveness for Peter’s rejection of Jesus three times. No resurrection God’s promises fall flat as Jesus said I am the resurrection and the life.
Craig Bloomberg in His book Jesus and the Gospels said
“The resurrection brings us to the heart of the Gospels. Jesus was seen alive after his crucifixion.”
II. Reality of the Resurrection
A) Many different proofs
1) Acts 1.3 “infallible” proofs
2) tekmerion : that from which something is surely and plainly known.
a) The biggest problem most people have with the resurrection of Jesus is that it was a bodily resurrection.
b) Jesus made it plainly known that He did rise from the dead and it was a bodily resurrection.
3) Craig Bloomberg “The resurrection vindicates the claim that Jesus is both Christ, and Lord.”
It gives meaning and purpose to His life and death—a successful revelation of God to the world and an atoning sacrifice for its sins.”
(Simply put Jesus proved he was who he said he was.)
B) Many different places
1) The Garden tomb -- Mark 16.9-11; 20.11-18
2) The upper room
3) The Road to Emmaus – Mark 16.12-13
Luke 24.13-35 (breaking of bread Jesus’ wounds?)
C) Many different people
1) 1 Corinthians 15.5 “Cephas”
2) 15.6 500 brethren at one time
most remain (still alive to testify)
3) 15.7 James (Half-brother of Jesus (miracle called Jesus crazy))
4) 15.8 To Paul
Craig Bloomberg “Mass hallucinations are not know to occur to more than five hundred people over a forty-day period in different places, especially to those known to be defeated in outlook and not expecting anything miraculous to happen (John 20.19)
It is the reality of the resurrection that shows us our need for a redeemer
III. Relevance of the resurrection
A) Curse of sin removed
B) Blessing has replaced cursing
1) Blessing of hope.
a) Hebrews 6.19 Hope has anchored our soul
As a ship is anchored in the depths of the sea, by way of Christ’s sacrifice we can be anchored in God’s love.
2) Blessing of a Home
a) Hebrews 3.6
“but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are If we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.”
b) Hope
1) Greek elpis
2) Expectation of Good, joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation
3) Blessing of an Heir
a) Titus 3.7 (read passages before 3.3-6)
“so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Deut 11.26 “See I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.
The curse is of sin and death
But the blessing is of life, hope, and peace.
Listen to God’s word today and choose the Blessing of the resurrection.
In the death, burial and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is hope instead of heartache, healing instead of hurting, life instead of death.
Only when the resurrection is a relevant reality in your life do the promises and the power of God apply.
To make it relevant you must believe that you were cursed, you’re a sinner, and confess that to God, that Jesus took the curse for you, and paid you penalty, and He rose again from the grave defeating the curse of sin and death!
Are you confidently expecting the good? Are you joyfully and confidently expecting eternal salvation?
In light of the resurrection is God calling you home? Calling you home to faith, home to God’s family, home to God?
He wants the death and resurrection of His son to make His presence real in your life.
Won’t you come home today?
