(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. Happy Easter!)
The tomb of Jesus is unique among million other tombs-IT IS
EMPTY. People, especially in India
Many religious leaders were born on this earth; they lived,
they learned, they propounded some ideas, had a few followers, died... and that
was the end of them! But Jesus came, lived a life without sin, died, and rose
again. Hallelujah! We serve a risen Savior who conquered death and the grave.
1. The Fact
of Christ’s Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus is an indisputable fact-because
the empty tomb is still there for all to see. Even during the time of Jesus,
after He rose again, he appeared to many disciples. These disciples were still
alive when there arose some disputing Jesus’ resurrection, being influenced by
money. Paul contends that it is fact “...that He {Jesus} was buried, and that He {Jesus} rose again the third day
according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the
twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom
the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.” [1 Cor.
15: 4-6]
The disciples were clear in their thinking and did not have
an iota of doubt that Jesus Himself rose from the dead-and they were indeed
seeing Jesus in glorified body, and not someone else. It even became a common
greeting between the brethren saying: “He is risen” and responding “Indeed, He
is risen”
There are over 100 references in the New Testament that
speak of the resurrection of Jesus, spoken by many disciples and at various
times. Jesus is indeed risen from the dead.
2. The
Function of Christ’s Resurrection
Whether you believe it or not, the resurrection proves that Jesus IS the Son of God. Romans 1: 4 says that Jesus is declared to be the Son of God
with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the
dead.
In
There are denominations and divisions even among Christians… they have differences in their emphasis of certain principles and in adoption of certain other rules, according to their interpretation of certain Scriptures. But there is one UNIFYING truth: Jesus died and Jesus rose from the dead.
“For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” – 1 Cor. 15: 16-19
3. The Fruit of Christ’s Resurrection
1 Cor. 15: 20, 21 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.
We, as disciples of Jesus, have a rock solid foundation
because He is risen from the dead. On
Christ the solid rock we stand, all other ground is sinking sand. We have
hope that goes beyond the present life here on earth. When we die, we shall
rise again! Yes, this is the hope built
on nothing less than the blood of Jesus and His righteousness. And because
He lives, we will live also.
The resurrection of Jesus teaches us that the dead will rise
again, some to eternal condemnation and others who believe in Jesus to eternal
glory. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” (1
Cor. 15:22) When Jesus comes again, the dead in Christ will rise first, and we
will see Him as He is-the King of glory!
The disciples knew what the resurrected body looked
like-glorious and spiritual; this was established firmly in their mind and
psyche, and it became their hope-a living hope, of resurrection of their own
mortal body into an incorruptible body. Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:3 “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, to an inheritance incorruptible…”
Do you have this living hope? Does your perspective, on any
matter under the sun, cover eternity? Jesus declared: “I am the resurrection
and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And
whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” [John 11: 25, 26]
Do you suffer because of others around you? Are you
undergoing persecution or trial because of your faith in Jesus? Remember, Jesus
rose from the dead. This is the advice Paul gives to young Timothy and to the church
undergoing trials in 2 Tim. 2:8. And continues, “This is a faithful saying: For
if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.” (v11)
4. The Fragrance
of Christ’s Resurrection
In Matt. 28: 20, the words of Jesus ring out clearly: “Lo, I
am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Though the disciples could see with their physical / natural
eyes, the resurrected body of Jesus, only for a few weeks (40 days) after He
rose from the dead, they knew that His living Presence will continue with them.
When we call to Him, He hears us. He is ever near to us, ever ready to
converse, contact, and commune with us.
One day we will see Him face to face, for we know our
Redeemer lives; our own eyes shall see Him.
5. The
Force of Christ’s Resurrection
There is power in the name of Jesus, because He rose from
the dead conquering death and crushing the Devil. Know Him and also know His power
toward those who believe. Eph. 1: 18-20 says: “the eyes of your understanding
being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are
the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the
exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the
working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from
the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places…”
Do you realise the power of His resurrection in your own
life? Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Cor. 15: 57). Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and
through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.(2 Cor. 2:14)
May the resurrected Saviour grant you a living hope today!
Amen.
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