RESURRECTION

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.  The women who followed Jesus woke up early upon the first day of the week to go to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His body (Luke 24:1).

1.    When they arrived at the tomb, the stone was rolled away (Luke 24:2).

2.    When they entered the tomb, the body was not there (Luk3 23:3).

3.    They did see two men in brilliant clothing (Luke 23:4).

4.    The two men talked to them about resurrection (Luke 23:5-7).

 

Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen:  remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

 

B.   Today, we come together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

1.    Please note that we are not talking about the celebration of Easter as a religious holy day.

2.    We are speaking about the celebration of the resurrection because today is the first day of the week.

1.    We celebrated the resurrection last Sunday.

2.    We will celebrate it today.

3.    We will celebrate it next Sunday.

4.    We will celebrate our Lord’s resurrection every first day of the week.

 

C.  Since many minds are on the resurrection, let’s talk about the subject.  The title of our lesson is simply:  “Resurrection.”

 

I.         THE WORD “RESURRECTION”

 

A.  “Resurrection” is a New Testament word.

1.    It is not found in the Old Testament.

2.    It is found 41 times in 40 verses in the New Testament.

 

B.   Definition

1.    Strong (386):  anastatis  a standing up again, a resurrection from the dead

2.    Thayer:  a raising up, a rising from the dead

3.    Vine:  (ana) up and (histemi) to cause to stand, thus, to cause to stand up

 

C.  In death, life is removed from the body and the body falls to the ground.  Resurrection puts life back into the body and the body stands again.

 

II.       RESURRECTION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

 

A.  Even though the word “resurrection” is not in the OT, the concept is there.

1.    The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8).

2.    Martha believed in the resurrection (John 11:23-24).

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.  Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise in the resurrection at the last day.

 

B.   Old Testament verses that teach the resurrection.

1.    Exodus 3:6

 

Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

 

a.    The verb “am” is in present tense.  At that very moment, He was the God of the three patriarchs.

b.    Their spirits were still living and could easily be placed back into a body again.

c.    Jesus said that this verse proves the resurrection of the dead (Matt. 22:31-32).

2.    Psalm 16:10

 

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.

 

a.    This is a Messianic prophecy.

b.    The word “hell” is “sheol,” or the unseen realm of the dead.

c.    Notice, too, that the Messiah’s body would not be in the grave long enough to see corruption before it would come out again.

d.   Peter quoted this text on the day of Pentecost as a proof-text of Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 2:24-28; 31).

 

He, seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption.

 

C.  In the Old Testament, we learn that several individuals were raised from the dead.

1.    The widow of Zarapheth’s son (I Kings 17:17-24)

2.    The Shunamite woman’s son (II Kings 4:18-37)

3.    The Israelite man whose body touched the bones of Elisha (II Kings 13:20-21).

 

III.      THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

 

A.  It was predicted.

1.    We have already seen that is was part of OT prophecy.

2.    Jesus also predicted His resurrection (Matt. 16:21; 17:23; 20:19).

 

From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priest and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

 

 

 

B.   It was a reality (Mark 16:6).

 

And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted:  ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified:  he is risen; he is not here:  behold the place where they laid him.

 

C.  It was denied (Matt. 28:12-15).

1.    “His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.”

2.    “…this saying is commonly reported among the Jews unto this day.”

 

D.  It was witnessed.

1.    The first to see the resurrected Christ was Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9).

2.    Paul was the last to see Jesus alive (I Cor. 15:8)

3.    The apostles saw Him several times.

4.    On one occasion, He was seen of over five hundred brethren at once.

5.    Acts 1:3

 

To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by man infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

 

E.   It was miraculous.

1.    One of the definitions of a miracle is divine intervention in natural law.

2.    Once a person is dead, his spirit cannot enter into him again without divine intervention, a miracle.

3.    On the third day, Jesus spirit reunited with His body and He came forth from the grave.

 

F.    It was proof that Jesus is the Son of God (Rom. 1:4).

 

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

 

G.  It was believed and preached by the followers of Christ.

1.    It is part of saving faith (Rom. 10:9).

 

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

 

2.    It was the subject of many sermons (Acts 2:24, 32, 3:15; 4:33, 13:30, 17:3; 17:31, 23:6; 26:23).

 

IV.      THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

 

A.  Philippians 3:20

 

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection...

 

B.   The resurrection empowers

1.    The mind to believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God

2.    One’s life to live as Jesus lived

3.    One’s emotions to not fear death

4.    One’s words to tell the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

5.    The church to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ to take the gospel to the world.

 

V.        THE HOPE OF THE RESURRECTION

 

A.  The Bible speaks of our hope of the resurrection in a couple of ways.

1.    Directly:  Paul mentions “the hope” of the resurrection in Acts 23:6.

 

…of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called into question.

 

2.    Indirectly:  Jesus is referred to as the firstfruits of the dead (I Cor. 15:22-23).

 

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  But every men in his own order:  Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are his at his coming.

 

a.    The firstfruits were the first crops of the harvest.

b.    They were given to God in hope of more to come.

c.    Christ was the firstfruits from the dead never to die again.  He is the hope of more to come.

 

B.   Each of us as a Christians has a desire to be raised from the dead, as well as, an earnest expectation for that event.  Thus, we hope for the resurrection.

 

C.  My friends, when that day comes, we will be raise to one of two destinies (John 5:28-29).

 

Marvel not at this:  for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.  Resurrection is a vital part of the Christian faith.

 

B.   The Scriptures never focus this doctrine upon a single day called Easter.

 

C.  It should permeate the Christian’s life every day that he lives.

1.    It begins with faith in the Lord’s resurrection.

2.    It initially culminates in our obedience to the gospel in being raised from the waters of baptism to walk in newness of life.

3.    It continues as we live a life of hope of the resurrection.

4.    When we teach the gospel, it is a message about the Lord’s resurrection.

5.    It will end with our being raised from the dead on the Last Day.