The Significance Of The Resurrection

The Significance of The Resurrection

Introduction:

Sadly, as people think about the season the world calls “Easter”, the thoughts of people are going to be more upon an Easter Bunny, Easter Eggs, and an Easter Basket than upon the resurrected Lord that we set this day apart to remember.

Throughout the Bible you can read of several occasions where someone was raised from the dead. You may remember the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath’s son. You may remember those that Jesus raised from the dead like Lazarus. You may remember Peter raising Tabitha from the dead or Paul raisin Eutychus. There is one thing though about all there people, they all rose to life, but it was just temporary. All of them would one day die again. Also, the resurrection of Jesus is unique from all the other Bible accounts of someone being raised from the dead because Jesus’ was the only one done to prove that He was God in the flesh. Jesus’ resurrection was unique because no one had to raise him; He rose on His own power.

In a recent documentary titled, “The Lost Tomb of Jesus” it is asserted that the bones of Jesus and his family have been discovered. The critics of Christianity are attempting to attack every aspect of our faith. They know that if they can disprove the resurrection of Christ than they have destroyed Christianity from it’s roots. It is the resurrection of Jesus that sets us apart from all other religions. I believe I am speaking to a people this morning that believe that Jesus really did rise from the grave. It is that event which is the most important event in all of history. Today followers of the Islamic faith can visit the tomb of their leader Mohammed. Today followers of the Buddhist religion can go to the grave of their founder, Buddha. You can visit the graves of past presidents and historical figures, you can visit the graves of past loved ones, but you cannot visit the burial place of the greatest man that ever lived, Jesus Christ, because he rose from the dead and lives even today at the right hand of the throne of God himself.

A little less than two thousand years ago today, Jesus walked into Jerusalem greeted warmly by the people of the city. They laid palm branches down as He entered the city and shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest.” This is the day called the triumphal entry or what we now call Palm Sunday. Jesus was greeted like a king and then within a week of that time, he was arrested, put on trial for a crime he did not commit, beaten, whipped, mocked, laughed at, nailed to a cross, hung naked and left to die. This is not the end of the story; there is a happy ending, after three days in the tomb Christ arose from the tomb.

During this time of the year Christians all around the world turn their focus towards Jesus’ resurrection. The resurrection is the single greatest event in history, and should be remembered more than just one time a year.

The resurrection is not some fairy tale Bible story, it is not some made up Christian belief, but it is a historical fact. The history books cannot deny the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. To non-Christians the resurrection in the most baffling and most difficult aspect of Christianity to understand, and to Christians the resurrection is the climax of the life of Jesus and a pillar of our hope.

Jesus performed many wonderful miracles throughout his life. He raised the dead back to life, he healed the sick. Cast out demons and returned sight to the blind. Over the course of history God has done many magnificent things, but the greatest miracle in history is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and the second greatest miracle is when we arise out of the watery grave of baptism, symbolizing the resurrection of Christ. We arose with Christ to die no more.

Text: I Corinthians 15:1-12

If Jesus Never Rose From the Dead…

The consequences of a Jesus who never rose from the dead could be infinite. I believe that nothing shows the power of our God more than the resurrection and if people deny the resurrection they are attempting to weaken our God and place Jesus on the level of any other mortal man.

I Corinthians 15:13-19

1. He Would Have Been A Liar

We cannot forget that Jesus is who He claimed to be. Many people, including skeptics, scholars, philosophers, and followers of other religions are willing to concede that a man named Jesus really did live, and that he was a good moral teacher. However, if Jesus did not rise from the dead than he certainly was not a good moral teacher. He would have been a liar. He promised that, “if they tear down his Temple he would rebuild it in three days” and he was speaking of his resurrection. Jesus cannot be a good moral teacher. Don’t demote Jesus to that level. He is either who he said he was or he was a total liar and an immoral person. I choose to believe he was who he claimed to be. However, if He did not rise from the dead than He would have been a liar. Our faith hinges on the resurrection.