The Significance of the Resurrection - Part 2

Various Scriptures

April 12, 2009

Continuing along our theme from this morning.

We are talking about “The Significance Of The Resurrection.”

And this morning we talked about:

WHAT THE RESURRECTION SAYS ABOUT JESUS

And of course we saw that because of the resurrection, we know:

JESUS IS GOD

“He was declared the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead”

JESUS IS THE STANDARD FOR JUDGMENT

God will “judge the world through a Man, having furnished proof by raising Him from the dead”

JESUS IS THE SAVIOR

“He was crucified for our transgressions, He was raised because of our justification”

And so the resurrection plays a very significant role

In determining who Jesus is.

Tonight I want us to see

“WHAT THE RESURRECTION SAYS TO US”

TURN TO: 2 Timothy

I’m sure you are by now familiar, as we have discussed many times, that

2 Timothy was written at a time when Timothy was discouraged

READ VERSES 1:3-4

One of the main tactics Paul uses throughout the letter is to

Remind Timothy of various individuals.

He reminds of those who have sincere faith:

· Mother and grandmother (1:5)

· Of Himself (1:12) (3:10-11) (4:6-8)

· Onesiphorus (1:16)

· Luke (4:11)

· Mark (4:11)

· Tychicus (4:12)

· A host of brethren (The Church) (4:19-21)

He reminds of those who have defected from the faith:

· Phygelus & Hermogenes (1:15)

· Hymenaeus & Philetus (2:16-18)

· Jannes & Jombres (3:8)

· Demas (4:10)

· Alexander the Coppersmith (4:14)

And the idea is that Paul is revealing to Timothy

That he must choose a side.

You are either faithful to the calling of God, or you defect away from the calling of God.

You either preach the gospel accurately, or you altar the gospel to make yourself more acceptable to the world.

But you must choose a side.

But in this great letter of encouragement Paul reminds Timothy of one other great example.

READ 2 TIMOTHY 2:8-13

The greatest encouragement Paul could give to Timothy

Was to remember the reason why we can face opposition.

The reason we face opposition is because of “Jesus Christ”,

And namely because He has “risen from the dead”.

This fact was enough to motivate Paul, and Paul trusted

That it would be enough to motivate Timothy as well.

THE INSINUATION IS that as believers

We ought to find hope and encouragement from the resurrection.

Certainly Timothy is not the only one to have ever been discouraged.

Anyone who has ever sought to live this Christian life and lead others to Christ as well, no doubt has been frustrated.

Even Elijah asked to die.

Tonight I want to show you why

Paul wanted Timothy to remember.

We are just going to “remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead”,

And I want you to see what that means for you.

I want you to find hope…

I want you to find conviction…

I want you to find strength…

I want you to find boldness…

And just as we did this morning, there are three things we learn

As we examine the resurrection.

#1 SALVATION IS POSSIBLE

Now of course we talked about the counterpart to this earlier today.

This morning we saw that Jesus is the Savior.

And therefore, if Jesus is the Savior,

Then obviously that means that for you and I - SALVATION IS POSSIBLE.

And of course we should know,

That if there is no resurrection

Then it is impossible for you or I to be saved.

TURN TO: 1 Corinthians 15:12-24

The Corinthians actually had some there who thought

The resurrection of the dead was a myth.

Paul reveals the consequences if such were true.

FAITH IS USELESS (14)

APOSTLES ARE LIARS (15) (Scripture isn’t true)

FORGIVENESS IS A MYTH (17) (bulls and goats can’t remove sin)

YOUR MOMMA IS IN HELL (18)

· CHRISTIANS ARE PITIFUL FOOLS (19)

But we can rejoice that Christ has been raised,

Not as a one time demonstration,

But as (20) “the first fruits of those who are asleep”

He was the first of many more to come.

He came and brought life.

And so we know He is a Savior, and we know salvation

Is possible because He rose from the dead.

BUT TONIGHT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND IT A LITTLE DEEPER

Don’t just look at the resurrection

As nothing more than a verifying proof.

Jesus did plenty of works by which to prove Himself.

And while the resurrection does prove He is God, and Savior, and the Standard for judgment, THE RESURRECTION IS NOT JUST A PROOF.

It is far more than just a demonstration.

Let me explain.

THE VIRGIN BIRTH

Certainly a demonstration of His deity, as Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

But the virgin birth was more than a demonstration,

It was also necessary as Jesus could not be born of Adam.

THE CROSS

Certainly a demonstration of God’s unfailing love, as “greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

But the cross was obviously more than a demonstration,

It was also necessary to pay the sin debt of mankind.

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE RESURRECTION

Certainly it is a demonstration of power, as Jesus conquered the grave and proved He was legitimate.

But the resurrection is way more than that.

The resurrection is the channel through which salvation flowed.

TURN TO: 1 Peter 3

Again, the background to 1 Peter is suffering.

It was written to (1:1) “those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia”

And the letter is written to explain how to suffer biblically.

To bad Kings…

To bad bosses…

To bad spouses…

To bad friends…

In chapter 3 Peter begins to reveal the victory over suffering

As he reminds us of the ultimate sufferer; Jesus Christ.

And of course Peter reveals how He died, where He went,

And the victory He had there.

READ 1 PETER 3:18-20

But then Peter makes a great analogy to us.

READ 1 PETER 3:21-22

Peter just compared the work of Jesus, to the work of Noah.

In a very real sense, Jesus is our ark,

Which carries us through the judgment.

If Jesus stays dead, then it is the equivalent of the ark sinking.

It is the resurrection that makes salvation possible.

That is how Jesus moves us from the life of darkness to the life of light.

That is why we don’t just place our faith in His death,

But also in His resurrection.

Romans 10:9-10 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Jesus doesn’t just carry us into death,

But through death into eternal life.

Because He rose, salvation is possible.

#2 SALVATION IS POWERFUL

What I mean by this, is

Our salvation is much more than just a ticket into heaven.

It is a salvation with the power to turn death into life.

John 11:25-26 “Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?"

John 8:51 "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death."

Eternal life does not start when we die.

Eternal life starts when we are made alive in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),”

When people view salvation as simply going to heaven

They are missing the power of it.

Yes, the resurrection is victory over physical death.

2 Corinthians 4:14 “knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.”

It is also victory over sin.

Romans 6:4-9 “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.”

Paul is speaking of a spiritual resurrection, where the old man dies,

And the new man is given life.

You see this salvation is not just eternal life,

It is “Life” that is eternal.

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

This is what Jesus was revealing at the tomb of Lazarus.

TURN TO JOHN 11

(I love this at funerals)

(Mostly verse 44)

It is a powerful salvation.

Victory over death…

Victory over sin…

It is victory over fear

Hebrews 2:14-15 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

When Jesus stepped out of the grave,

He didn’t just kill physical death.

He killed spiritual death and it’s fearful intimidation.

BECAUSE OF THE RESURRECTION:

We are free to walk in righteousness without fear of the enemy,

Knowing that even if he kills our body,

He can never take our life away from us.

It’s no wonder that Paul wanted Timothy to “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead”

Salvation is possible

Salvation is powerful

#3 SALVATION IS PERMANENT

Jesus rose from the dead to never die again

And there is a reason for that.

After His resurrection, He took on a new role.

TURN TO: Hebrews 7:23-25

TURN TO: Romans 5:6-10

TURN TO: 1 Peter 1:3-5

Because Jesus rose from the dead,

He now has a role of intercessor,

By which He secures our salvation.

And therefore, this life that we enjoy

Can never be taken away from us.

Revelation 1:17-18 “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

So look, Timothy, it may be hard where you are.

You may be persecuted…

You may be mocked…

You may be rejected…

You may want to quit…

You may see no hope of success…

“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead”

Because He rose, you can be saved…

Because He rose, you can have new life…

Because He rose, nothing can ever take that life from you…

THAT IS WHAT THE RESURRECTION SAYS TO YOU.

Now:

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE RESURRECTION?

Matthew 28 says the disciples “worshiped Him”

In John 20, Mary wouldn’t stop “clinging” to Him

Thomas said, “My Lord and my God”

Peter said, “Lord, You know that I love You”

And you may indeed say all those things.

But the first thing Jesus wants you to say

In regard to His resurrection is:

“I BELIEVE”

Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

Believe that He rose:

And endure that trial…

Believe that He rose:

And be faithful to your calling…

Believe that He rose:

And stop the sin you have been practicing…

Believe that He rose:

And be saved…

The Resurrection of Jesus is highly significant,

Truly believing it, will change your life.