Showing posts with label Resurrection of Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Resurrection of Jesus. Show all posts
Tuesday, 4 April 2017
Some Words for Tuesday: Around The Bible in 80 Days: Day 64 - The Resurrection
Jesus rises from the dead, confirming he is the king who can rule over an eternal, stable kingdom! We continue our journey "around the Bible in 80 days" with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
Some Words for Wednesday - Where did the body of Jesus go?
(Here are some notes based loosely on the message shared when we gathered as a church last Sunday.)
Where did Jesus go?
That's a question that has been asked since the New Testament church first sprang up. The Bible is an anthology of books, written by different authors over many centuries. In the New Testament, we have the gospels (focusing on the life of Jesus) written about 30-60 years after Jesus died. We also have letters written to New Testament churches, written at the same time or a bit before the gospels. A claim that is repeated in all of them is that Jesus rose from the dead.
He didn't simply come back from the dead - he went to life beyond death! It is claimed that, as the Son of God, he beat death, and if you trust your life to him, he will also beat death for you, and give you eternal life.
But a lot of people today don't believe that Jesus rose from the dead. They believe that while he was probably a good person, he was definitely an ordinary person - and ordinary people don't rise from the dead! They believe that some of what is written about Jesus in the Bible is true - the "non-miraculous" bits - but other parts of the Bible (especially the miraculous bits, like his resurrection) were made up after his death.
So today, we're going to think about some of the suggestions people make about where the body of Jesus went. And while we're going to use the New Testament as evidence (it was, after all, written within a few decades of the events), we're only going to refer to the passages that would be included in the "non-miraculous" bits.
Why do this? Because I think many people assume that if they only believe the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, it will lead them to a non-miraculous conclusion about where the body of Jesus went. Today, we're going to test that assumption!
Theory One: Jesus was a fairly tale. Some suggest you'll never find the body of Jesus because Jesus never existed. All of it is a fairy tale made up a few centuries after the events. Not many people believe this today because of the weight of historical evidence, but we'll still see what the New Testament has to say about it.
So how do you know someone is real? How do you work out if someone existed?
You might check their family tree. That's how many people today find out who their real family is. It's also one of the non-miraculous ways the New Testament backs up its claim that Jesus is a real person.
"The book of the genealogy (family tree) of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was the father of... (this continues for 16 verses)...the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Christ." (Matthew 1v1-16)
How else do you check if someone is real? You could ask people if they ever met the individual - e.g. did they see him? Did they hear him speak? Was their community affected by the life of the individual? Luke openly takes this approach when writing his gospel. Having referred to the eyewitnesses, he then writes:
"It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you... so that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught." (Luke 1 v3-4)
So Jesus had a family tree, and was seen by lots of people. If you only believe the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, then the theory that Jesus was a fairy tale is simply unbelievable.
Theory Two: Jesus was a real person who stayed dead in a tomb, and stories about his resurrection were made up centuries later.
When did the Christian church start to claim that Jesus had risen? Was his body still in the tomb for everyone to see? Let's consider some verses from the New Testament:
"Peter said: 'God raised up this Jesus, and of that we all are witnesses." (Acts 2v32).
This was part of the apostle Peter's first sermon, soon after the death of Jesus. He claims to be a witness of the risen Jesus. The clear implication is that the body of Jesus was no longer in the tomb for people to go and see.
"Then Jesus appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have now died." (1 Corinthians 15v6)
The apostle Paul, when writing to the church in Corinth, makes it clear that Jesus rose from the dead, and many of the people who saw this were still alive. It wasn't something made up several centuries later - it was claimed immediately, when people could still visit the tomb, see if the body was still there, and discredit the claim. The only sensible explanation for how the church immediately began to grow by the thousands is that the claim was credible.
If you only believe the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament (such as the claims attributed to the apostles) then the theory that the body of Jesus stayed in the tomb is simply unbelievable.
Theory Three: Jesus didn't die on the cross. In the tomb, he revived, and over a couple of days regained his strength, and then escaped the tomb without being caught by the guards that were posted there.
Could Jesus have revived naturally and escaped the tomb without being caught by the guards? What non-miraculous evidence does the New Testament offer?
First, we see a physically weak Jesus as he approaches his crucifixion. "As they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus." (Luke 23v26). Although Jesus had started to carry his own cross, someone else had to take the burden because he was so weak after the beating he'd received as part of his punishment.
It was the custom of Roman guards to check a person was dead before taking them down from a cross. If someone wasn't dead, they would break the person's legs to speed up their death: "When they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water." (John 19v33-34).
Having suffered so much punishment, then been stabbed in the side, could Jesus have revived and found the strength to move the stone that was rolled in front of his tomb? How big was the stone? We're given an impression by the women who went to the tomb to carry out customary post-mortem rituals: 'And they were saying to one another: "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" ' (Mark 16v3).
The stone was too heavy for a group of women to move by themselves. It isn't plausible that an ordinary man, weakened by a beating, hanged on a cross, appearing dead, stabbed with a spear, wrapped completely in linen cloth (Luke 23v53), then left without food or water for 2 days could revive, break free of the cloth wrapping his body, then move a huge rock and sprint away so that the guards could not catch him.
If you believe only the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, the theory that Jesus revived and escaped the tomb is simply unbelievable.
Theory Five: The disciples stole the dead body of Jesus. The disciples somehow stole the body without being caught by the guards, then claimed Jesus had risen from the dead, though no one saw him alive.
Could the disciples have stolen the body of Jesus without being noticed by the guards? Firstly, were they that organised? The non-miraculous evidence suggests otherwise. After the death of Jesus, they were in disarray. They thought he was dead, and their hopes had been crushed (e.g. Luke 24v11, 20-21). But also consider how the tomb was sealed:
"(The chief priests) went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard." (Matthew 27v66).
A huge stone was rolled in front of the entrance to the tomb, then sealed in place with hot wax that cooled and hardened. To open the tomb in a non-miraculous way, you'd firstly have to crack the seal. Then you would have to move the huge stone before being able to get into the tomb. This wasn't something that could be done silently.
If you believe only the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, then the theory that the disciples could stealthily get into the tomb and steal the body of Jesus without being noticed by the guards is simply unbelievable.
Theory Six: The disciples drank protein shakes. The disciples raided the tomb, overpowering the guards and stealing the body of Jesus. They then claimed he had risen from the dead, though no one saw him alive.
Were the disciples capable of overpowering trained guards in order to steal the body of Jesus? We get a glimpse of their non-miraculous fighting skills in the gospel of John, when a group of guards and servants come to arrest Jesus:
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear." (John 18v10)
When the guards come to arrest Jesus, Peter is just about capable of injuring the one guy who was probably unarmed! The disciples were ordinary people, not trained fighters. They weren't able to fight Roman guards, which would explain why they were never arrested for doing so.
If you believe only the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, the theory that the disciples got organised and overpowered some trained Roman guards is simply unbelievable.
So where does that leave us?
When someone reads the Bible, they may be tempted to first decide who Jesus was, and then pass judgment on the evidence. They decide he was an ordinary man, and then they accept or dismiss parts of the Bible based on whether or not it confirms that Jesus was ordinary man. But if you only accept the non-miraculous bits, it doesn't lead to a non-miraculous answer to the question, "What happened to the body of Jesus?" Instead, you're left with no answer at all.
But if you look at all the evidence first, before deciding who Jesus was, then the claim of Jesus and of the New Testament church - that he was the Son of God - becomes credible. In the light of that revelation, the resurrection of Jesus makes sense. It makes sense that the creator of life would be the defeater of death; that the one who moved planets could move a rock; that the one who created light could leave guards in the dark.
But how is this significant?
Firstly, if Jesus is the Son of God, then God exists. It's a no-brainer, really, but if you want to see evidence for God, start with the evidence for Jesus.
Secondly, if Jesus overcame death, his words have more authority than anyone else's. We don't give Jesus authority when we call him "Lord"; we recognise the authority he already has. He is the only one who has the right to demand: "Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?" He is therefore able to speak words of hope that are more secure than anything we fear.
Finally, if you trust your life to Jesus, one day he will raise you up. He overcame death for all of his people. On the day he returns, all those who trust him as Lord and Saviour will rise to be with him in glory, forever.
Where did Jesus go?
That's a question that has been asked since the New Testament church first sprang up. The Bible is an anthology of books, written by different authors over many centuries. In the New Testament, we have the gospels (focusing on the life of Jesus) written about 30-60 years after Jesus died. We also have letters written to New Testament churches, written at the same time or a bit before the gospels. A claim that is repeated in all of them is that Jesus rose from the dead.
He didn't simply come back from the dead - he went to life beyond death! It is claimed that, as the Son of God, he beat death, and if you trust your life to him, he will also beat death for you, and give you eternal life.
But a lot of people today don't believe that Jesus rose from the dead. They believe that while he was probably a good person, he was definitely an ordinary person - and ordinary people don't rise from the dead! They believe that some of what is written about Jesus in the Bible is true - the "non-miraculous" bits - but other parts of the Bible (especially the miraculous bits, like his resurrection) were made up after his death.
So today, we're going to think about some of the suggestions people make about where the body of Jesus went. And while we're going to use the New Testament as evidence (it was, after all, written within a few decades of the events), we're only going to refer to the passages that would be included in the "non-miraculous" bits.
Why do this? Because I think many people assume that if they only believe the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, it will lead them to a non-miraculous conclusion about where the body of Jesus went. Today, we're going to test that assumption!
Theory One: Jesus was a fairly tale. Some suggest you'll never find the body of Jesus because Jesus never existed. All of it is a fairy tale made up a few centuries after the events. Not many people believe this today because of the weight of historical evidence, but we'll still see what the New Testament has to say about it.
So how do you know someone is real? How do you work out if someone existed?
You might check their family tree. That's how many people today find out who their real family is. It's also one of the non-miraculous ways the New Testament backs up its claim that Jesus is a real person.
"The book of the genealogy (family tree) of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was the father of... (this continues for 16 verses)...the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called the Christ." (Matthew 1v1-16)
How else do you check if someone is real? You could ask people if they ever met the individual - e.g. did they see him? Did they hear him speak? Was their community affected by the life of the individual? Luke openly takes this approach when writing his gospel. Having referred to the eyewitnesses, he then writes:
"It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you... so that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught." (Luke 1 v3-4)
So Jesus had a family tree, and was seen by lots of people. If you only believe the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, then the theory that Jesus was a fairy tale is simply unbelievable.
Theory Two: Jesus was a real person who stayed dead in a tomb, and stories about his resurrection were made up centuries later.
When did the Christian church start to claim that Jesus had risen? Was his body still in the tomb for everyone to see? Let's consider some verses from the New Testament:
"Peter said: 'God raised up this Jesus, and of that we all are witnesses." (Acts 2v32).
This was part of the apostle Peter's first sermon, soon after the death of Jesus. He claims to be a witness of the risen Jesus. The clear implication is that the body of Jesus was no longer in the tomb for people to go and see.
"Then Jesus appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have now died." (1 Corinthians 15v6)
The apostle Paul, when writing to the church in Corinth, makes it clear that Jesus rose from the dead, and many of the people who saw this were still alive. It wasn't something made up several centuries later - it was claimed immediately, when people could still visit the tomb, see if the body was still there, and discredit the claim. The only sensible explanation for how the church immediately began to grow by the thousands is that the claim was credible.
If you only believe the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament (such as the claims attributed to the apostles) then the theory that the body of Jesus stayed in the tomb is simply unbelievable.
Theory Three: Jesus didn't die on the cross. In the tomb, he revived, and over a couple of days regained his strength, and then escaped the tomb without being caught by the guards that were posted there.
Could Jesus have revived naturally and escaped the tomb without being caught by the guards? What non-miraculous evidence does the New Testament offer?
First, we see a physically weak Jesus as he approaches his crucifixion. "As they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus." (Luke 23v26). Although Jesus had started to carry his own cross, someone else had to take the burden because he was so weak after the beating he'd received as part of his punishment.
It was the custom of Roman guards to check a person was dead before taking them down from a cross. If someone wasn't dead, they would break the person's legs to speed up their death: "When they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water." (John 19v33-34).
Having suffered so much punishment, then been stabbed in the side, could Jesus have revived and found the strength to move the stone that was rolled in front of his tomb? How big was the stone? We're given an impression by the women who went to the tomb to carry out customary post-mortem rituals: 'And they were saying to one another: "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" ' (Mark 16v3).
The stone was too heavy for a group of women to move by themselves. It isn't plausible that an ordinary man, weakened by a beating, hanged on a cross, appearing dead, stabbed with a spear, wrapped completely in linen cloth (Luke 23v53), then left without food or water for 2 days could revive, break free of the cloth wrapping his body, then move a huge rock and sprint away so that the guards could not catch him.
If you believe only the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, the theory that Jesus revived and escaped the tomb is simply unbelievable.
Theory Four: The disciples bribed the guards and took the dead body of Jesus. They then claimed Jesus had risen from the dead, though no one saw him alive.
Were the disciples wealthy enough to bribe the guards? What non-miraculous evidence do we have? One of the disciples, Peter, sums up the situation for all of the disciples:
"Peter began to say to Jesus, "See, we have left everything and followed you." (Mark 10v28).
The disciples were not rich. They had left their livelihoods to follow Jesus. Even if they once were wealthy, we know what people with money did once they began following Jesus - they gave it away! Luke 19v1-10 is a non-miraculous example of this.
If you believe only the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, the theory that the disciples were wealthy enough to bribe the guards is simply unbelievable.
Were the disciples wealthy enough to bribe the guards? What non-miraculous evidence do we have? One of the disciples, Peter, sums up the situation for all of the disciples:
"Peter began to say to Jesus, "See, we have left everything and followed you." (Mark 10v28).
The disciples were not rich. They had left their livelihoods to follow Jesus. Even if they once were wealthy, we know what people with money did once they began following Jesus - they gave it away! Luke 19v1-10 is a non-miraculous example of this.
If you believe only the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, the theory that the disciples were wealthy enough to bribe the guards is simply unbelievable.
Could the disciples have stolen the body of Jesus without being noticed by the guards? Firstly, were they that organised? The non-miraculous evidence suggests otherwise. After the death of Jesus, they were in disarray. They thought he was dead, and their hopes had been crushed (e.g. Luke 24v11, 20-21). But also consider how the tomb was sealed:
"(The chief priests) went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard." (Matthew 27v66).
A huge stone was rolled in front of the entrance to the tomb, then sealed in place with hot wax that cooled and hardened. To open the tomb in a non-miraculous way, you'd firstly have to crack the seal. Then you would have to move the huge stone before being able to get into the tomb. This wasn't something that could be done silently.
If you believe only the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, then the theory that the disciples could stealthily get into the tomb and steal the body of Jesus without being noticed by the guards is simply unbelievable.
Theory Six: The disciples drank protein shakes. The disciples raided the tomb, overpowering the guards and stealing the body of Jesus. They then claimed he had risen from the dead, though no one saw him alive.
Were the disciples capable of overpowering trained guards in order to steal the body of Jesus? We get a glimpse of their non-miraculous fighting skills in the gospel of John, when a group of guards and servants come to arrest Jesus:
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear." (John 18v10)
When the guards come to arrest Jesus, Peter is just about capable of injuring the one guy who was probably unarmed! The disciples were ordinary people, not trained fighters. They weren't able to fight Roman guards, which would explain why they were never arrested for doing so.
If you believe only the non-miraculous bits of the New Testament, the theory that the disciples got organised and overpowered some trained Roman guards is simply unbelievable.
So where does that leave us?
When someone reads the Bible, they may be tempted to first decide who Jesus was, and then pass judgment on the evidence. They decide he was an ordinary man, and then they accept or dismiss parts of the Bible based on whether or not it confirms that Jesus was ordinary man. But if you only accept the non-miraculous bits, it doesn't lead to a non-miraculous answer to the question, "What happened to the body of Jesus?" Instead, you're left with no answer at all.
But if you look at all the evidence first, before deciding who Jesus was, then the claim of Jesus and of the New Testament church - that he was the Son of God - becomes credible. In the light of that revelation, the resurrection of Jesus makes sense. It makes sense that the creator of life would be the defeater of death; that the one who moved planets could move a rock; that the one who created light could leave guards in the dark.
But how is this significant?
Firstly, if Jesus is the Son of God, then God exists. It's a no-brainer, really, but if you want to see evidence for God, start with the evidence for Jesus.
Secondly, if Jesus overcame death, his words have more authority than anyone else's. We don't give Jesus authority when we call him "Lord"; we recognise the authority he already has. He is the only one who has the right to demand: "Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?" He is therefore able to speak words of hope that are more secure than anything we fear.
Finally, if you trust your life to Jesus, one day he will raise you up. He overcame death for all of his people. On the day he returns, all those who trust him as Lord and Saviour will rise to be with him in glory, forever.
Monday, 14 March 2016
Just Another Melodic Monday - An Easter Song
Something a bit different this week. This is an Easter song called "Hallelujah! Glory be to God the Son", which I wrote about a year ago. It takes us from the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to his arrest, crucifixion, resurrection and return. I've put the words at the bottom of this blog post.
Since first writing the song, I've tweaked the tune and the words in an attempt to make the song more suitable for corporate worship. If you are interested in trying out the song at your church, please contact me via email: welshpoolcommunitychurch@gmail.com. I'm happy to send the words with guitar chords, and would be grateful for any feedback.
Since first writing the song, I've tweaked the tune and the words in an attempt to make the song more suitable for corporate worship. If you are interested in trying out the song at your church, please contact me via email: welshpoolcommunitychurch@gmail.com. I'm happy to send the words with guitar chords, and would be grateful for any feedback.
He agonised at Gethsemane
He sweated blood as he prayed for me
Then angels came to soothe the Son
As he bravely said: "Your will be done"
A gentle kiss used to betray
His closest friends all ran away
The hammers fell; his foes rejoiced
But when he died, it was his choice
Hallelujah! Glory be to God the Son, our Saviour!
Thank you, Lord, for all you've done to rescue us!
Oh Jesus! We can't grasp what you went through!
We just stand in awe of you!
The sky went dark; the ground turned red
His cry rang out; he bowed his head
A lonely man on a bloodstained tree
The Son of God dying for me
Hallelujah! Glory be to God the Son, our Saviour!
Thank you, Lord, for all you've done to rescue us!
Oh Jesus! We can't grasp what you went through!
We just stand in awe of you!
The third day came, his tomb was checked
Our hearts now rise 'cause we know what's next!
Death overturned! An empty grave!
Now the Son of God lives to save!
Now the Son of God lives to save!
Hallelujah! Glory be to God the Son, our Saviour!
Thank you, Lord, for all you've done to rescue us!
Oh Jesus! As you rose, so we'll rise too
Then we'll look in awe at you
How we'll look in awe at you!
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Some Words for Wednesday - An Eternal Promise of a Temporary Grave
(Some notes from the message shared when we gathered as a church last Sunday.)
The death of Jesus was witnessed, checked (John 19v31-34) and confirmed (Mark 15v42-45). Then his body was taken down from the cross, and placed in a tomb that was then sealed and guarded. He really died.
Paul begins to ask the question "What if there is no resurrection?" (5v12-19). He writes that if there is no such thing as a resurrection, then Christ hasn't risen (v13), our preaching is pointless (v14), our faith is pointless (v14), and we are still dead in our sins (5v17). In other words, Paul understands that Jesus had to rise to secure something for our salvation.
a. Jesus demonstrated authority over death (15v54-57). In Revelation 1v18, we find the Lord stating: "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." What does it mean, to have the keys?
As an illustration, my younger kids regularly remind me what it means to have keys. When we're about to go out, and I ask "Who wants the keys to the car?", their hands immediately go in the air! Why? Because keys mean power! They imply you've grown up in some way! So, for example, when you reach a certain age, you get the keys to the house.
And how do you feel when you lose your keys? Helpless! You scrabble around the house trying to find the car keys, because otherwise you won't be able to reach your destination!
Keys mean power. At his resurrection, Jesus proves he has power over death - he has the keys! When he raised others from the dead, he unlocked tombs from the outside. Now, he demonstrated he could unlock tombs from the inside. Jesus has power over death - the power to have eternal life, and the power to give eternal life to others.
b. God gave His approval of Christ's sacrifice. Paul writes that "if Christ has not been raised...you are still in your sins" (15v17). When God raised Jesus from the dead, He was sharing that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was sufficient to pay for our sins.
When writing to the Christians in Rome, Paul states that Jesus "was delivered up for our sins and raised for our justification" (Rom 4v25). Our justification - God's declaration of our innocence - is revealed at the resurrection of Jesus.
When you trust your life to Jesus, you begin to live in him. In a sense, what happens to him happens to you. If he is still buried under your sins, then you are still buried under your sins (5v17). But if he is risen, then you have risen with him (15v22).
3. Jesus rose from the dead to secure an eternal promise of a temporary grave
Paul explores this in verses 20 to 23. He has already expressed this promise: "He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence" (2 Cor 4v14). Paul describes the resurrection of Jesus as the "firstfruits" (15v20, 23). What are firstfruits?
Firstfruits are the first part of a field of crops that are ready to eat. They're a taster of more that is to come. Firstfruits are a bit like the demo of a new game that you haven't yet got.
I remember when we first downloaded the demo of Minecraft. What was the response of my kids? They immediately wanted to get the full version! They'd had a taster - now they wanted to own it!
That's how we should feel about Christ's resurrection - we should want to own it for ourselves! And if I trust Jesus to be my Saviour and my Lord, then I do own it. I can be sure of my resurrection because of his resurrection.
The temporary grave of Jesus is a promise of a temporary grave for all those who trust in him. His resurrection is the firstfruits, the promise of more to come, "for if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." (Rom 6v5)
So, Jesus rose from the dead to secure an eternal promise of a temporary grave. But how should that affect the way we live today?
a. Trust in the irreversible resurrection of Jesus (15v56-57). We have victory over death through Christ! His resurrection is irreversible - he cannot be locked back in a tomb - he has the keys! I must trust him with my eternal future. My resurrection will not be secured by my future performance, but by his resurrection. Jesus tells us himself: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." (John 11v25)
b. Believe your life has significance (15v58). This is Paul's conclusion - "your labour is not in vain", your work is not pointless. If we have an eternal future, then potentially everything we do has an eternal consequence. The smallest act of service for the Lord can have a significance far beyond the horizon we can see. Personal holiness doesn't lose its value because of our eternal safety in Jesus - instead, it becomes more significant than ever!
c. Consider your priorities. If our temporary lives on earth have eternal significance, we should consider how we spend that time. Consider your own priorities - do they express your belief that your lasting home is in heaven? That your lasting treasure is in heaven? That your lasting reward is in heaven? That your eternity will be spent in heaven? Meditate and pray over these things over the next few days.
Next week, we'll reach the end of our series as we consider the ascension of Jesus, and what it means for us to have a Saviour who still lives.
"If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15v19-20)
We're continuing our series looking at the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and what their significance is for us today. In this post, we'll be looking over 1 Corinthians chapter 15, and drawing out some of the points that the apostle Paul makes regarding the resurrection of Jesus.
1. Jesus rose from the dead
In verses 3-11, Paul focuses our attention on the fact of the resurrection. The first thing to recognise therefore is that Jesus really died! His death was witnessed by many people, and many of those people were still alive at the time Paul was writing. It still remained in the consciousness of communities. So, for example, we find Peter speaking to Jews about the one "whom you crucified" (Acts 4v10), and Stephen proclaims the Christ "whom you have now betrayed and crucified" (Acts 7v52).
The death of Jesus was witnessed, checked (John 19v31-34) and confirmed (Mark 15v42-45). Then his body was taken down from the cross, and placed in a tomb that was then sealed and guarded. He really died.
But on the third day after his death, Jesus really rose! No one anticipated his resurrection - when he first appeared, even his own followers struggled to grasp what had happened! This was a radically new concept for them - there was nothing else like it.
The description of Christ's resurrection in the gospels is not simply a retelling of a myth found in lots of ancient cultures. In his book "The Resurrection of The Son of God", theologian N.T.Wright examines ancient pagan cultures and writings, and reaches this conclusion about their views on death: "The road to the underworld ran only one way."
The resurrection of Jesus was also unlike any the disciples had witnessed. Jesus had raised people from the dead, but those people would eventually die again. But Jesus didn't return to his life before death - he rose to life beyond death. His resurrection body was different - it was "imperishable" (15v42), perfectly suited for heaven (15v49).
With such a new concept, it's no surprise that Paul here emphasises that there were many witnesses (15v5-8). Anyone could see his empty tomb; the witnesses could explain what had happened to his body.
But why did Jesus rise from the dead? What does it mean for us?
2. Jesus rose from the dead to secure an eternal promise
a. Jesus demonstrated authority over death (15v54-57). In Revelation 1v18, we find the Lord stating: "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." What does it mean, to have the keys?
As an illustration, my younger kids regularly remind me what it means to have keys. When we're about to go out, and I ask "Who wants the keys to the car?", their hands immediately go in the air! Why? Because keys mean power! They imply you've grown up in some way! So, for example, when you reach a certain age, you get the keys to the house.
And how do you feel when you lose your keys? Helpless! You scrabble around the house trying to find the car keys, because otherwise you won't be able to reach your destination!
Keys mean power. At his resurrection, Jesus proves he has power over death - he has the keys! When he raised others from the dead, he unlocked tombs from the outside. Now, he demonstrated he could unlock tombs from the inside. Jesus has power over death - the power to have eternal life, and the power to give eternal life to others.
b. God gave His approval of Christ's sacrifice. Paul writes that "if Christ has not been raised...you are still in your sins" (15v17). When God raised Jesus from the dead, He was sharing that Christ's sacrifice on the cross was sufficient to pay for our sins.
When writing to the Christians in Rome, Paul states that Jesus "was delivered up for our sins and raised for our justification" (Rom 4v25). Our justification - God's declaration of our innocence - is revealed at the resurrection of Jesus.
When you trust your life to Jesus, you begin to live in him. In a sense, what happens to him happens to you. If he is still buried under your sins, then you are still buried under your sins (5v17). But if he is risen, then you have risen with him (15v22).
3. Jesus rose from the dead to secure an eternal promise of a temporary grave
Paul explores this in verses 20 to 23. He has already expressed this promise: "He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into His presence" (2 Cor 4v14). Paul describes the resurrection of Jesus as the "firstfruits" (15v20, 23). What are firstfruits?
Firstfruits are the first part of a field of crops that are ready to eat. They're a taster of more that is to come. Firstfruits are a bit like the demo of a new game that you haven't yet got.
I remember when we first downloaded the demo of Minecraft. What was the response of my kids? They immediately wanted to get the full version! They'd had a taster - now they wanted to own it!
That's how we should feel about Christ's resurrection - we should want to own it for ourselves! And if I trust Jesus to be my Saviour and my Lord, then I do own it. I can be sure of my resurrection because of his resurrection.
The temporary grave of Jesus is a promise of a temporary grave for all those who trust in him. His resurrection is the firstfruits, the promise of more to come, "for if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." (Rom 6v5)
So, Jesus rose from the dead to secure an eternal promise of a temporary grave. But how should that affect the way we live today?
a. Trust in the irreversible resurrection of Jesus (15v56-57). We have victory over death through Christ! His resurrection is irreversible - he cannot be locked back in a tomb - he has the keys! I must trust him with my eternal future. My resurrection will not be secured by my future performance, but by his resurrection. Jesus tells us himself: "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." (John 11v25)
b. Believe your life has significance (15v58). This is Paul's conclusion - "your labour is not in vain", your work is not pointless. If we have an eternal future, then potentially everything we do has an eternal consequence. The smallest act of service for the Lord can have a significance far beyond the horizon we can see. Personal holiness doesn't lose its value because of our eternal safety in Jesus - instead, it becomes more significant than ever!
c. Consider your priorities. If our temporary lives on earth have eternal significance, we should consider how we spend that time. Consider your own priorities - do they express your belief that your lasting home is in heaven? That your lasting treasure is in heaven? That your lasting reward is in heaven? That your eternity will be spent in heaven? Meditate and pray over these things over the next few days.
Next week, we'll reach the end of our series as we consider the ascension of Jesus, and what it means for us to have a Saviour who still lives.
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