The Resurrection: It's Still Alive

The Resurrection: It’s Still Alive

By: Joe M. Cherry

I. Introduction

A. The Back Story

1. True story that happened in 1996

a. On Good Friday, a young man was killed in a tragic accident.

b. His memorial service was held on Easter Sunday.

c. It was evident that his father was a religious person as he began the eulogy he had prepared for his son’s service.

d. Easter was mostly about bunny rabbits, coloring/hiding eggs, and candy.

e. He said, “Today, Easter is…

i. An anchor in a fierce storm

ii. A rock on which to stand

iii. A hope that raises you above despair and keeps you going.

iv. There is hope even in death. This day reminds us of this fact.

2. The Passion of Christ reminded us of His cruel death on the cross.

a. It brought to life the words we read in scripture. Hard to watch

b. They scourged Him.

c. They humiliated Him by stripping Him and spitting on Him.

d. Drove nails in His wrists and feet.

e. They pierced His side.

i. Because He was already dead.

ii. No bones of the Passover lamb were ever to be broken.

3. But this is Easter!

a. Without the death there’d be no Easter.

b. So, it is with the physical and spiritual life of every person. We must die to self so we can walk in the newness of life Christians are promised and likewise must physically die to receive the incorruptible body to which Paul refers in I Cor. 15.

B. Sin Required Blood Sacrifices

1. Death was necessary because sin requires a blood sacrifice.

a. Heb. 10:4 – “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin.”

b. Throughout the Old Testament sacrifices were offered for a variety of things on a regular basis; sin always required blood.

2. Rev. 13:8 – Jesus is referenced as “the Lamb slain before the creation of the world.” Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection were not afterthoughts!

a. God made provisions for this final sacrifice before the world was formed.

b. The implications of Christ’s death impacted the world from its beginning and will continue to impact the world until Jesus’ second coming.

II. Body – No way to exhaust the Resurrection in one sermon. Like eating a cow, you got to pick a part and eat at it, then move on to the next part to get the job done!

A. The Glorious Day – People were told it was coming but they couldn’t conceive it.

1. On the third day, He arose just as He foretold His disciples in Mk. 8:31.

2. An angel proclaimed to those who came to the tomb, “He is not here, He is risen just as He said.” Mt. 28:1-5

3. Young man (another angel) tells them, “Do not be alarmed, He is risen.” Mk 16:6

4. In Jo. 20:10-17 – Peter and John run up to the empty tomb and leave but Mary stays behind. As Mary looks in the empty tomb, she sees two angels and is asked, “why are you crying?” Jesus reveals Himself to Mary.

5. Read Luke 24:5 – The two men (angels) asked the women, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

6. After Jesus was resurrected, He walked the earth for 40 days (Acts 1:3) and appeared to over 500 people during this time. (I Cor 15:1-9).

7. Reading the resurrection story from the viewpoint of all four gospel writers gives us greater grasp of what went on and who all was present.

B. What Does the Resurrection Prove?

a.

1. It proves there is power greater than us.

a. It originated from the Godhead

i. I Pet 1:21 tells us God raised Him from the dead.

ii. Rom 8:11 – The Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is living in us.

iii. Jo 10:18 He had a part in His resurrection – Speaking of His life He says, “I have the authority to lay it down and the authority to take it back up.”

b. Phil. 3:10 Paul refers to the power of the resurrection and his wanting it.

i. Power – Gr. “dunamis” – miraculous power, it is supernatural, explosive, and violent - word origin for the English word dynamite. Like none other!

ii. It is a life changing power available to us today It doesn’t make us do crazy things. Christ didn’t do crazy things.

2. It proves that Jesus was Who He said He was. At least twice, Jesus was asked for a sign by the Jewish leaders and the Jewish people.

a. Mt 12:40 – Jesus said, “Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and nights, so will the Son of Man be three days and nights in the heart of the earth.”