Because He Lives, We Live Forever

The event central to the life of Jesus Christ and to the New Testament is His resurrection. Not only does this event underscore the radical character of the uniqueness of Christ, but it sets Him apart from all other earthly religious teachers. Buddha is dead. Confucius is dead. Gandhi is dead. Muhammad is dead. Jesus and Jesus alone has returned from the grave. So astonishing is this event that it, more than any other event in the Bible, has provoked controversial interpretations of modern scholarship which have attempted to recast or remold it to fit the twentieth-century mindset. Today, the radical announcement of the resurrection of Jesus has been neutralized and relativized.

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul attempted to answer those who in his day saw the Resurrection as a nonhistorical, figurative event. Paul believed strongly that without a real, historical resurrection, the Christian faith is only an exercise in futility. To give oneself in total commitment and sacrifice to a dead man is foolishness. Paul says that the Christian faith stands or falls with the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And Paul backs his belief with evidence. Paul tells us that these things were set forth in Scripture many centuries before. He knew that Christ had been raised from the dead not because he believed in myths or fairy tales, but because Christ appeared visibly to Peter, then to the Twelve, then to 500 people at one time. Then He appeared to James and all apostles, and “last of all He appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born” (1 Corinthians 15:7). Paul is saying that on the basis of the testimony of these witnesses he is persuaded that Christ, in fact, has come back from the dead.

The resurrection of Christ is the most difficult truth in the New Testament because it is as axiomatic in our culture as it was in the first century—that the one thing that is absolutely final is death. Once a person is dead, that person stays dead. That is the law of all laws. Show me a faith healer who has been successful practicing his or her trade in the local cemetery. Yes, there are stories of people who have been resuscitated after being left for dead, but there are no substantiated stories of people who have come back from the dead after being in a grave for three days. Three days after Christ screamed on the cross, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” God screamed back and shook the earth to bring His Son back from the tomb.

If Christ is indeed raised from the dead, that means that last miserable enemy—death itself—has been vanquished. Christ’s resurrection means our resurrection. Because He lives, we live forever.

Paul concludes his case in 1 Corinthians 15 with this statement: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (v. 58).

Paul says, “Be steadfast.” Do not be blown about by every wind of doctrine. Don’t cave in at the first sign of trouble. Run the course until the end of the course. We are to be steadfast because God is steadfast. We can be steadfast and immovable because Christ is risen from the dead. Paul then says, “Always abound in the work of the Lord.” We are not to casually every now and then throw in a moment’s commitment. Our lives ought to demonstrate an abundance of work for the things of God. Why? “Because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Your labor in Him is not an exercise in futility.

Everything we do—every word we say, every breath we take—counts for something. No one can ever tell you that what you are doing today is futile. We ought to take every human act seriously because every human act has eternal significance. This is the Good News. And at the heart of the Good News is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “He is risen.” This message has been proclaimed from city to city and from nation to nation. “He is risen” was the very first proclamation of the Gospel in the early church. It is still the most important proclamation of our faith. “He is risen.” “He is risen.” Because He lives, we live forever.

His Resurrection is our Assurance

Imagine what the Bible would be like if we cut out all of the references that deal with Christ’s resurrection. It would be no different from other religious records which detail the lives and deaths of their founders. The difference here is that the Scriptures record not only the life and death of Jesus Christ but also His resurrection as the living Savior.

The difference between being followers of Christ and followers of other gods is that we serve a living God. Jesus’ resurrection validated everything He said, and that is the reason we believe everything He said about Jehovah God.

The only people in the world who have a God who can deliver them from their distresses are those of us who have trusted in Jehovah, the living God; and we have been introduced to Him by the living, resurrected Christ. If Jesus Christ had not risen from the dead, what assurance would you and I have that Jehovah God even existed?

Christ’s resurrection assures us that we have eternal salvation. Other religions have their plans of salvation, but here is the difference: Other religions major on performance. Their salvation depends upon what they do as individuals.

When Jesus cried from the cross, “It is finished,” that was His declaration that His part in God’s redemptive plan was completed. When God the Father raised Him from the dead, that was God’s declaration that the plan was in full effect—and now all men everywhere are invited for the forgiveness of their sins.

God validated His plan of salvation with the resurrection of Christ. Jesus made ours a “know so” faith. His resurrection proved forever that everything He promised He had the power to provide. Apart from the Resurrection, you wouldn’t have that assurance. You would face death and God with only a “hope so” faith.

Those who do not understand the atonement of Jesus Christ only hope that God will accept them. The resurrection of Jesus Christ assures us that you and I can face all of our tomorrows triumphantly.

Jesus said to Mary and Martha: “He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Jesus has become our life! Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

None of us knows what tomorrow holds for us. It could be tragedy or triumph. It could be sickness or health, poverty or prosperity, fame or the opposite. But we have the blessed promise of Jehovah God through His Son, Jesus Christ the Righteous One. 

The Hope of the Resurrection

"For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost." (1 Corinthians 15:16–18)

Sometimes we hear that people in the ancient world were more superstitious than people of today. Thus, it is maintained that for these unsophisticated people, the idea of someone rising from the dead was not strange. Actually, though, people did not rise from the grave any more frequently in the ancient world than they do today (<chuckle>). The idea of resurrection is no more “strange” to us than it was to them.

There were people in Corinth who doubted the reality of the Resurrection. This doubt had infected the church there, and so Paul addresses the problem in 1 Corinthians 15. In the course of his arguments he touches on something relevant to our consideration of suffering.

In verse 16, Paul states that if it is true that nobody ever rises from the dead, then it inevitably follows that Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead either. Then he draws consequences from such a belief. First, in verse 17 he points out that if Christ was not raised from the dead, then the whole Christian faith is in vain. It is futile and pointless. It is pitiful insanity.

Beyond this, Paul points out that if Christ has not been raised, then there has been no forgiveness of sins. Christ’s resurrection was God’s public declaration that the problem of sin had been vanquished. So, if there is no Resurrection, then there is no forgiveness of sins. Finally, in verse 18 Paul points out that if Christ has not been raised, and if there is no forgiveness of sins, then our friends and relatives who died in faith are all lost. We will never see them again. They have vanished either into non-existence or hell.

Paul uses these negative conclusions to point us to the positive affirmations of the faith: Christ has been raised; therefore, our sins are forgiven, and we and our loved ones who died in faith will be raised from the dead also. This comfort is given to us in the face of suffering and death. Take a few moments to reflect on Paul’s arguments, and make this comfort your own.

Preaching: "Exploring the Evidence for Christ"

Ephesians 1:15-23 and God's Power

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. (Ephesians 1:15-23)

In his prayer for the Ephesians, Paul asked God to enlighten their eyes so they could better understand the message encoded in His Word, especially the “exceeding greatness of His power.”

What is God’s power like? We see it displayed in:

Nature. The hymnist speaks of “Thy power throughout the universe displayed.” Have you ever marveled at the power of God in a thunderstorm?

Answered prayer. James 5:16 says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Changed lives. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” 

(2 Cor. 5:17).

Daily victory. When you see a Christian living above the circumstances (rather than under them), you can credit the uplift of God’s power (Isa. 40:30–31; 41:10).

Christian ministry. Jesus said, “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me” (Acts 1:8).

Most of us don’t fully appreciate and appropriate God’s power in our lives. Paul devotes the last paragraph of Ephesians 1 to describing this divine power as:

1. Resurrection Power: verses 19–20 says: “...the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead....” How often we’ve stood by a casket and wanted to touch the body lying there and restore it to life. We can’t do it, but God can reverse the death process. The same power that raised Christ from the grave is available to change our lives, to answer our prayers, to resolve our difficulties, to give us immortality.

2. Exaltation Power: “and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places....” After Christ’s resurrection, He ascended and sat at the Father’s right hand. If we had a telescope powerful enough to peer into the highest heaven, we would see Christ now seated on the throne, exalted in layers of light, surrounded by His angels, enveloped with glory. The power that exalted Christ is available to change our lives, to answer our prayers, to give us daily strength.

3. Lordship Power: “far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Christ is higher than the angels, greater than the demons, wider than the universe. He rules in the affairs of men and directs history toward its pre-appointed end. That Lordship power of Jesus Christ is the same power available to meet our needs.

4. Headship Power: “...and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Christ is the boss of His church, the senior pastor, the archbishop, the great shepherd. He’s our great High Priest. And the work that He does in this world, He does through His church. The parts of my body are useless unless directed by my brain. Christ is our Head, we are His body. Our only job is to obey His commands.

Are you living in the supernatural power of Jesus Christ? That power is measured by His resurrection, His exaltation, His Lordship, and His Headship. And that is available to change your life, to answer your prayers, to resolve your difficulties, and to give you everlasting life.

Three Reasons You Can Shout for Joy Because of Easter

British preacher W. E. Sangster writes of the time when he first began to notice some uneasiness in his throat and a dragging in his leg. When he went to the doctor, they found that he had an incurable disease called progressive muscular atrophy. Told his muscles would gradually waste away, voice fail, and eventually becoming unable to swallow, Sangster threw himself into his work in British ministry work figuring he could still write and he would have even more time for prayer. "Let me stay in the struggle Lord," he pleaded. "I don't mind if I can no longer be a general, but give me just a regiment to lead." He wrote articles and books, and helped organize prayer groups throughout England. 

As predicted, Sangster's legs eventually became useless and his voice went out completely. But he could still hold a pen. On Easter morning, just a few weeks before he died, he wrote a letter to his daughter.  In it he wrote, "It is terrible to wake up on Easter morning and have no voice to shout out loud 'He is risen!' But I now realize it would be even more terrible to have a voice and not want to shout at all."

Sangster is right - we should want to shout for joy about Easter! It is a sad thing to understand what Easter and the resurrection means for us and not want to shout for joy about it! Let me give you several reason you can shout with joy about the Resurrection of Jesus.

1. The Resurrection tells you that you can count on God's promises.

During his earthly ministry, Jesus promised us that He would rise from the dead, and on the first Easter morning, that promise was fulfilled (John. 2:19-22). The Resurrection of Jesus, and the fulfillment of this promise, empowered and reinforced the disciple's faith. And it should do the same for us - because if Jesus' promise about the Resurrection is true, then all his other promises to us are true; such as the forgiveness of sins in Jesus, that He will be our constant companion, that we can have security knowing God will never forsake us, and we can have eternal life with God. If Jesus had not been raised from the dead, none of these promises would mean anything. The Resurrection of Christ is proof that we can rely on God and His promises. 

2. The Resurrection means you can enjoy life to its fullest.

Last month, a grandfather who was very dear to me died – and were it not for the Easter hope I have in Jesus’ resurrection, I would have no joy in thinking about seeing him again in Heaven. I would only have the grief in knowing I had lost him forever. But praise God that I have this assurance in Jesus Christ!

And I want you to have that joy too! To know that you are in a personal relationship with a resurrected Lord who will give you a life that is abundant with joyful experiences and meaningful purpose. Jesus described why he came to earth this way: 

“I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” – John 10:10

When you are in a relationship with Jesus, you can be completely sure of your future and the problems of this present day will not seem quite so formidable. With Christ and the promise of the Resurrection even the worst of times are still the best of times.

3. The Resurrection means your life can have meaning and purpose.

The Apostle Paul once said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). The apostle sensed within himself not just the philosophy, the ideals, or influence of Christ but the person of Jesus. Christ moved in a radically new way. Easter promises us that He still does this to our lives. When salvation comes to our lives, Christ enters our hearts. God puts “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1: 27). He gives our lives purpose and meaning.

In giving our lives purpose, God like a heart surgeon cracks open your chest, removing your heart— poisoned as it is with pride and pain— and replaces it with his own. When you are united with Christ, when God hears your heart, He hears the still-beating heart of his Son and the vision and purpose of Christ's life becomes your own.

Rather than tell you to change, he creates the change. Do you clean up so he can accept you? No, he accepts you and begins cleaning you up. His dream isn’t just to get you into heaven but to get heaven into you. 

What a difference this makes! Can’t forgive your enemy? Can’t face tomorrow? Can’t forgive your past? Christ can, and he is on the move. You aren’t stuck with today’s personality. You aren’t condemned to grump-dom. You are changeable. You are tweakable. Even if you’ve worried each day of your life, you needn’t worry the rest of your life. So what if you were born with all of the problems and disadvantages you have now – you don’t have to die with them! God will change you through the same power that resurrected Jesus from the dead.

And he will change you to be like Jesus.

So shout for joy to the Lord because of Easter and the Resurrection. As W.E. Sangster said, "It is terrible to wake up on Easter morning and have no voice to shout, 'He is risen!' – but it would be still more terrible to have a voice and not want to shout at all."