As we prepare for Easter Sunday, I thought I would share some of my preaching notes from Easter Sunday 2017. The title of the message was “What Did the Resurrection Do?” Here is a link to the video with the preaching notes below….
- Christ’s resurrection made it possible for us to be born again.
Born again? What does that mean? How does that work? Well, really we are talking about a new kind of life that comes to us. A new kind of life that changes everything. So, it’s a new life!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3, NKJV)
I love what one of the great theologians of our day wrote about this fact…
In his resurrection, Jesus earned for us a new life just like his. We do not receive all of that new “resurrection life” when we become Christians, for our bodies remain as they were, still subject to weakness, aging, and death. But in our spirits we are made alive with new resurrection power. Thus it is through his resurrection that Christ earned for us the new kind of life we receive when we are “born again.” -Wayne Grudem
Through His resurrection, Christ earned for us the new kind of life. Over in the book of Ephesians, the Bible speaks of this in terms of moving from death to life.
“even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2:5–6, ESV)
The resurrection of Jesus and the new life that He came forth from the grave with is the new life that we can have. Before we become a Christian, we are dead in our sins, but Christ has earned for us new life. So, Christ’s resurrection enabled us to be born again. Let’s see a 2nd result of the resurrection…
2. Christ’s resurrection ensures we will be forgiven forever.
Forgiven forever. That sounds so great doesn’t it? Do you know why? I am going to let you in on a BIG secret that everyone knows about, but no one talks about any more. It’s something that all of us carry around and we all feel but no one likes to talk about…
GUILT
People carry around guilt for all types of reasons. Guilt over things they have done – or not done. Guilt that comes from our family. Guilt that comes from…you name it. Some people say “Well it’s religion like you folks have at Lakeside that causes people to feel all of this guilt.” Well, if that were true, then guilt should be declining in America today, right? More people are not religious, more people are fine not going to church. And everywhere we turn people are told that whatever you want to do is great. However you want to live is fine and no one has the right to judge you. I mean, people SHOULD BE happier, right? And yet the counselors offices are booked solid, more people depressed, more people struggling than ever before. Do you know why? The world’s way doesn’t work.
In fact, out of all of the religions in the world, do you know how many of them have a cure for guilt? ONE. The Christian faith. Christ’s resurrection ensures we will be forgiven of all of our sin forever. THAT is a cure for guilt. How does it work?
“but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” (Romans 4:24–25, NKJV)
Jesus was crucified “delivered up” for our offenses – not what offends us, but what offends God. The things we have done – and not done. That is why Christ died. For our offenses, our sins. But then did you notice it says that Christ was raised for our justification. That’s a big word, but there is an easy way to remember what it means…
Justification = “just as if I’d never sinned”
“even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” (Ephesians 2:5–6, ESV)
The tenses of those verbs “raised” and “seated” show that it is immediate. When we are saved we are immediately raised spiritually. And when we are saved, we are immediately seated in the heavenly places. WAIT A MINUTE, PASTOR. I’ve got to go to work in the morning, and where I work is NOT a heavenly place. So, if I am a Christian, how am I seated in the heavenly places right now? YOU HAVE ACCESS TO EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING IN CHRIST RIGHT NOW.
So, the first result of Christ’s resurrection is that it enabled us to be born again. The 2nd result is that it ensures we will be forgiven forever. Now, I want us to see a 3rd result…
3. Christ’s resurrection ensures our resurrection.
Have you ever lost someone you loved? Grief can be overwhelming. The worst can be the graveside. You gather there at the cemetery. It’s excruciating for the family. However, at every graveside service, I remind people of the great truth of the resurrection.
“And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.” (1 Corinthians 6:14, NKJV)
“knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.” (2 Corinthians 4:14, NKJV)
“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, NKJV)
We bury the body, but when we die our spirit goes to be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8 to be absent from the body to is be present with the Lord). But there is a coming a great resurrection day when all of the Christians who have EVER lived will be resurrected all at once and given new glorified bodies and their spirit will be reunited with their new body and they will live forever with the Lord.
Christ’s resurrection GUARANTEES our resurrection.
Now, I want us to see one more result of the resurrection…
4. Christ’s resurrection is proof that the Bible is true and our faith is real.
“Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.” (1 Corinthians 15:12–15, ESV)
“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:16–19, ESV)
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