‘He is risen!’ – Part 8

The resurrection of Christ is the foundation for Christ’s gift of the Holy Spirit and spiritual life to His people (John 20:22; Rom 5:10; 1 Cor 15:45) and for His heavenly ministry of intercession for the believer (Heb 7:23-28). Christ’s resurrection assures believers of their future heavenly inheritance (1 Pet 1:3-4) and of their resurrection or translation, when the Lord returns (see John 14:3; 1 Thes 4:14ff). It makes available Christ’s presence and His power over sin in our everyday experience (Gal 2:20; Eph 1:18-20).

Jesus’ resurrection is the key to the Christian faith. Why?
(1) Just as He promised, (Mat 17:22,23; Lk 18:31-34), Jesus rose from the dead. We can be confident, therefore, that He will accomplish all He has promised. (2) The Resurrection is the basis for the church’s witness to the world. Jesus is more than just a human leaders; He is the Son of God. Because Christ rose from the dead as He promised, we know that what He said is true — He is God. Because He rose, we have certainty that our sins are forgiven. Because He rose, He lives and represents us to God (Heb 4:14-16; Rev 1:18). Because He rose and defeated death, we know we will also be raised (1 Cor 15:13-18). His resurrection is proof that just as He defeated sin and death on the cross, in the final days, He will completely defeat Satan, death and all evil (Rev 20:7-10); and we who are in Christ, shall live forever with God.

Christ resurrection proves Christ’s Lordship over material word (Col 1:18). If Christ did not rise, then enjoying the moment would be all that matters. But Christians know that there is life beyond the grave and that our life on earth is only a preparation for our life that will never end. What we do today matters for eternality. In the light of eternity, sin is a foolish gamble. (1 Cor 15:30-34)

“And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? 31 I affirm, by the boasting in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 33 Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” (1 Cor 15:30-34)

What did the resurrection prove about the true identity of Jesus? History of Jesus
It is critical to note that the history of Jesus in the Bible is not His “history” in the true sense of the word, because Jesus existed before the Bible was written. The uniqueness of Jesus is that He confronts us with the reality of the infinite. The New Testament has much to say about the fact that Jesus Christ existed before He appeared here in time. Every other human being has emerged from history. Jesus is the only One, Who has ever come into history. The Bible starts with this statement “In the beginning God created…” (Gen 1:1). “God” in Genesis 1:1 is Jesus (Jn 1:1). The Bible does not tell us when God started to exist. As Jesus Himself has declared: “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (Jn 8:58). He passed from the infinite into the finite, out of the eternal into the temporal. Jesus Himself said: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8).