He's Alive
Preaching
What Jesus Did:
The Answer To WWJD
"He is risen! He is risen, indeed!" This jubilant expression became the common Lord's Day greeting in the early church. Not just on Easter, but every Sunday. "He is risen! He is risen indeed!" The early church knew Jesus had risen. Either they had seen Jesus with their own eyes, or their pastors were people who had seen Jesus with their own eyes, or their pastors were taught by people who had seen Jesus with their own eyes.
Certainly, there were skeptics and doubters, even saboteurs who tried to disprove or deny the resurrection. They still exist today. In spite of their best efforts, the church has kept alive the faith that Jesus lives. He is not dead. Raised from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion, he is alive and with us today.
The Church now lives in the postmodern, post-Christian, technological information age. Resurrection seems far-fetched. We have heard of medical resuscitations. It is no big deal if you have been dead for up to thirty minutes and revive, but after three days, we pretty much expect corpses to stay dead. We don't expect them to rise up out of the casket at the wake. We have not heard of a verified, historical resurrection since biblical times. A few resurrections are recorded in the Old Testament. A few are recorded in the New Testament. But none of these are at all like Jesus' resurrection. The others died at some later date. Jesus rose and lives forever. We must concede that resurrections are not common occurrences. We are therefore reminded of our need to affirm our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• What would you think if someone rose from the dead during the funeral you were attending?
Luke states that Jesus showed himself alive by many convincing proofs (Acts 1:3). It was not just a quick flash of an appearance. It was not just a dream. Jesus appeared for sustained periods, during waking hours of the day. He appeared over several days to several people. To these people (Paul numbers them over 500) Jesus showed himself alive by many proofs. Let's consider the many convincing proofs that Jesus gave to those disciples.
• What kind of proof would you require that someone had come back from the dead?
The first is the fact that he appeared to his disciples and interacted with them on several different levels. He talked with them. He held conversations and teaching sessions much as he did before his death on the cross. The disciples on the road to Emmaus recognized the burning in their hearts as a sign of Jesus' presence, even if they did not fully recognize him bodily. The other disciples enjoy the same experience as Jesus opens their minds to understand everything written about him in the Scriptures. He ate with them on at least two occasions after his resurrection. In Luke 24, we read that he asked for something to eat and ate fish in front of them. In John 21, we read that Jesus cooked breakfast on the shore of Galilee. He invited his disciples to touch him. In Luke 24:39, Jesus says, "Handle me and see that it is I, myself. A ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." In John 20:27, we are familiar with Jesus' invitation to Thomas, "Reach out your hand and touch me. Do not be doubting but believing."
When Jesus appeared to his disciples, he also demonstrated that he was no longer a mere human being. He could appear and disappear at will. He could come into locked rooms without opening the door. It seems he could travel at great speeds since Jesus has already appeared to Peter when the two from Emmaus make it back to Jerusalem.
Another major evidence is the empty tomb. We often lose sight of how important this proof is. If the Jewish authorities had produced the body of Jesus, the early church would have died then and there. Roman soldiers guarded the tomb. If the body was really there, they could have displayed it for all to see. If they had the body, there would have been no need to bribe the guards. The most significant proof against the resurrection would have been the body of Jesus. But the tomb was empty, and no body was produced. That is still true today.
Another evidence is the change in the attitude and actions of the disciples. On the Saturday after the crucifixion, the disciples were a disorganized, depressed band of people who had no hope, no future, and nothing to look forward to. Their hero was dead. It appeared that they had little choice but to get on with their lives, picking up the pieces where they left off. They would have to be content with bittersweet memories of three exciting years with a prophet and miracle worker. Yet, in just a little over a month, these same cowering, fearful, disorganized disciples are preaching Jesus and the resurrection to a huge crowd of people. In one day 3,000 people come to faith and are baptized. The apostles stand before the very Sanhedrin that sentenced Jesus to death and say, "We need to obey God, not men." Where did they get that kind of courage? It could come only if they were absolutely convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead.
• Which proof is most convincing to you?
In the previous chapter, the important question was: Why did Jesus die? In this chapter the important question is: Why did Jesus rise from the dead? Why didn't he just go straight to heaven? What is the theological and spiritual significance of the resurrection?
• What do you believe is the most significant meaning of the resurrection?
The first significance of the resurrection is vindication of Jesus. The resurrection proves that Jesus is in fact the Son of God. Paul alludes to this in Romans 1:4 when he writes that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power by his resurrection. Jesus died accused of blasphemy. He died being branded a liar, deceiver, and false prophet. If all that were true, then Jesus would have stayed dead, because those things are sins and the penalty for sin is death. If, on the other hand, it is true that Jesus is the Son of God, then God must act, not only to vindicate Jesus, but also to vindicate himself, to establish that he sent Jesus as the Messiah just as he had promised through the prophets. Resurrection is the ultimate vindication. God is the only one who can raise the dead. The resurrection is God's final verdict on the life of Jesus Christ; it can never be disputed, set aside, or reversed.
• For what do you want to be vindicated in your life?
Resurrection is the ultimate stamp of approval on Jesus' life and death. It is a vindication of Jesus' sinless life. Had he ever sinned, death would have had a claim on him, for the penalty for sin is death. But in Acts 2, Peter says it was impossible for death to hold him. Why? Because Jesus had never sinned. Paul says, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law" (1 Corinthians 15:56 NRSV). But Jesus kept all of the law. Therefore sin had no power over him and death could not hold him.
Resurrection is the vindication of Jesus' death on the cross as our atonement. When God raised Jesus from the dead, he validated Jesus' mission as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. Resurrection is the ultimate sign from God that the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf has been accepted and approved.
The second significance of the resurrection is that Jesus was raised for our justification. "It [faith] will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification" (Romans 4:24-25 NRSV). In the context of the passage Paul clarifies the fact that justification comes by faith in God. This is how Abraham was reckoned to be righteous. Reckoned to be righteous is a good definition of justification, in the theological sense of the word. Righteousness has to do with our relationship with God. Justification means we have been put in a right relationship with God. It has nothing to do with our actions or goodness, but everything to do with God's actions through Jesus Christ. Because Jesus died for our trespasses, God can now declare us innocent. The debt for sin has been paid. The proof of this justification is the resurrection. The resurrection encourages us to come to God who has declared us innocent and to start building the relationship he wants us to have with him. Jesus was raised for our justification. The resurrection is proof that we have been declared clean by the sacrifice of Jesus and have been invited into the new covenant relationship with God.
Third, the resurrection is significant because it points out Jesus as the one whom God has appointed as judge of the world. This is what Paul said to the Athenians in Acts 17:31. The resurrection points out Jesus as the one who will judge the living and the dead. Therefore it follows that we should obey Jesus' teaching.
• How do you picture your judgment before Jesus?
What will God's day of judgment be like? The first issue of judgment is whether people put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus says that the sin of the world is that they did not believe in the one whom God has sent (John 3:18). Jesus also says that God's primary will for our lives is to have faith in the one whom God has sent, namely, Jesus Christ (John 6:29). Paul says in Romans 10:9 and 10 that belief in the resurrection of Jesus is a foundation stone for salvation. "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved" (NRSV). The Bible says that those who do not have faith in Jesus will be judged according to their works (Revelation 20:12). Since all have sinned, and the punishment for sin is death, all those who don't believe in Jesus will go to the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). The only way to get into heaven is to have our sins forgiven, taken away. Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. If we believe that in our hearts, we will be saved. We will go to heaven. The resurrection is a critical part of our faith. If we have doubts about the resurrection, we have put our salvation relationship on shaky ground.
We have the evidence and the meaning of the resurrection. Jesus is alive. He showed himself alive by many convincing proofs. The existence of the church today and answered prayer continue to prove that Jesus is alive. The resurrection is central to our faith and our right relationship with God. The resurrection is God's vindication of Jesus and God's acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. It is God's invitation for us to have a real and living and right relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Our eternal destiny rests on whether we believe in the resurrection of Jesus, and our actions which follow from that belief. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
WWJD -- Reflect on the reality of the resurrection and its impact on your life.
Certainly, there were skeptics and doubters, even saboteurs who tried to disprove or deny the resurrection. They still exist today. In spite of their best efforts, the church has kept alive the faith that Jesus lives. He is not dead. Raised from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion, he is alive and with us today.
The Church now lives in the postmodern, post-Christian, technological information age. Resurrection seems far-fetched. We have heard of medical resuscitations. It is no big deal if you have been dead for up to thirty minutes and revive, but after three days, we pretty much expect corpses to stay dead. We don't expect them to rise up out of the casket at the wake. We have not heard of a verified, historical resurrection since biblical times. A few resurrections are recorded in the Old Testament. A few are recorded in the New Testament. But none of these are at all like Jesus' resurrection. The others died at some later date. Jesus rose and lives forever. We must concede that resurrections are not common occurrences. We are therefore reminded of our need to affirm our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• What would you think if someone rose from the dead during the funeral you were attending?
Luke states that Jesus showed himself alive by many convincing proofs (Acts 1:3). It was not just a quick flash of an appearance. It was not just a dream. Jesus appeared for sustained periods, during waking hours of the day. He appeared over several days to several people. To these people (Paul numbers them over 500) Jesus showed himself alive by many proofs. Let's consider the many convincing proofs that Jesus gave to those disciples.
• What kind of proof would you require that someone had come back from the dead?
The first is the fact that he appeared to his disciples and interacted with them on several different levels. He talked with them. He held conversations and teaching sessions much as he did before his death on the cross. The disciples on the road to Emmaus recognized the burning in their hearts as a sign of Jesus' presence, even if they did not fully recognize him bodily. The other disciples enjoy the same experience as Jesus opens their minds to understand everything written about him in the Scriptures. He ate with them on at least two occasions after his resurrection. In Luke 24, we read that he asked for something to eat and ate fish in front of them. In John 21, we read that Jesus cooked breakfast on the shore of Galilee. He invited his disciples to touch him. In Luke 24:39, Jesus says, "Handle me and see that it is I, myself. A ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." In John 20:27, we are familiar with Jesus' invitation to Thomas, "Reach out your hand and touch me. Do not be doubting but believing."
When Jesus appeared to his disciples, he also demonstrated that he was no longer a mere human being. He could appear and disappear at will. He could come into locked rooms without opening the door. It seems he could travel at great speeds since Jesus has already appeared to Peter when the two from Emmaus make it back to Jerusalem.
Another major evidence is the empty tomb. We often lose sight of how important this proof is. If the Jewish authorities had produced the body of Jesus, the early church would have died then and there. Roman soldiers guarded the tomb. If the body was really there, they could have displayed it for all to see. If they had the body, there would have been no need to bribe the guards. The most significant proof against the resurrection would have been the body of Jesus. But the tomb was empty, and no body was produced. That is still true today.
Another evidence is the change in the attitude and actions of the disciples. On the Saturday after the crucifixion, the disciples were a disorganized, depressed band of people who had no hope, no future, and nothing to look forward to. Their hero was dead. It appeared that they had little choice but to get on with their lives, picking up the pieces where they left off. They would have to be content with bittersweet memories of three exciting years with a prophet and miracle worker. Yet, in just a little over a month, these same cowering, fearful, disorganized disciples are preaching Jesus and the resurrection to a huge crowd of people. In one day 3,000 people come to faith and are baptized. The apostles stand before the very Sanhedrin that sentenced Jesus to death and say, "We need to obey God, not men." Where did they get that kind of courage? It could come only if they were absolutely convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead.
• Which proof is most convincing to you?
In the previous chapter, the important question was: Why did Jesus die? In this chapter the important question is: Why did Jesus rise from the dead? Why didn't he just go straight to heaven? What is the theological and spiritual significance of the resurrection?
• What do you believe is the most significant meaning of the resurrection?
The first significance of the resurrection is vindication of Jesus. The resurrection proves that Jesus is in fact the Son of God. Paul alludes to this in Romans 1:4 when he writes that Jesus was declared to be the Son of God with power by his resurrection. Jesus died accused of blasphemy. He died being branded a liar, deceiver, and false prophet. If all that were true, then Jesus would have stayed dead, because those things are sins and the penalty for sin is death. If, on the other hand, it is true that Jesus is the Son of God, then God must act, not only to vindicate Jesus, but also to vindicate himself, to establish that he sent Jesus as the Messiah just as he had promised through the prophets. Resurrection is the ultimate vindication. God is the only one who can raise the dead. The resurrection is God's final verdict on the life of Jesus Christ; it can never be disputed, set aside, or reversed.
• For what do you want to be vindicated in your life?
Resurrection is the ultimate stamp of approval on Jesus' life and death. It is a vindication of Jesus' sinless life. Had he ever sinned, death would have had a claim on him, for the penalty for sin is death. But in Acts 2, Peter says it was impossible for death to hold him. Why? Because Jesus had never sinned. Paul says, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law" (1 Corinthians 15:56 NRSV). But Jesus kept all of the law. Therefore sin had no power over him and death could not hold him.
Resurrection is the vindication of Jesus' death on the cross as our atonement. When God raised Jesus from the dead, he validated Jesus' mission as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. Resurrection is the ultimate sign from God that the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf has been accepted and approved.
The second significance of the resurrection is that Jesus was raised for our justification. "It [faith] will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification" (Romans 4:24-25 NRSV). In the context of the passage Paul clarifies the fact that justification comes by faith in God. This is how Abraham was reckoned to be righteous. Reckoned to be righteous is a good definition of justification, in the theological sense of the word. Righteousness has to do with our relationship with God. Justification means we have been put in a right relationship with God. It has nothing to do with our actions or goodness, but everything to do with God's actions through Jesus Christ. Because Jesus died for our trespasses, God can now declare us innocent. The debt for sin has been paid. The proof of this justification is the resurrection. The resurrection encourages us to come to God who has declared us innocent and to start building the relationship he wants us to have with him. Jesus was raised for our justification. The resurrection is proof that we have been declared clean by the sacrifice of Jesus and have been invited into the new covenant relationship with God.
Third, the resurrection is significant because it points out Jesus as the one whom God has appointed as judge of the world. This is what Paul said to the Athenians in Acts 17:31. The resurrection points out Jesus as the one who will judge the living and the dead. Therefore it follows that we should obey Jesus' teaching.
• How do you picture your judgment before Jesus?
What will God's day of judgment be like? The first issue of judgment is whether people put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus says that the sin of the world is that they did not believe in the one whom God has sent (John 3:18). Jesus also says that God's primary will for our lives is to have faith in the one whom God has sent, namely, Jesus Christ (John 6:29). Paul says in Romans 10:9 and 10 that belief in the resurrection of Jesus is a foundation stone for salvation. "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved" (NRSV). The Bible says that those who do not have faith in Jesus will be judged according to their works (Revelation 20:12). Since all have sinned, and the punishment for sin is death, all those who don't believe in Jesus will go to the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15). The only way to get into heaven is to have our sins forgiven, taken away. Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. If we believe that in our hearts, we will be saved. We will go to heaven. The resurrection is a critical part of our faith. If we have doubts about the resurrection, we have put our salvation relationship on shaky ground.
We have the evidence and the meaning of the resurrection. Jesus is alive. He showed himself alive by many convincing proofs. The existence of the church today and answered prayer continue to prove that Jesus is alive. The resurrection is central to our faith and our right relationship with God. The resurrection is God's vindication of Jesus and God's acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. It is God's invitation for us to have a real and living and right relationship with him through Jesus Christ. Our eternal destiny rests on whether we believe in the resurrection of Jesus, and our actions which follow from that belief. He is risen! He is risen indeed!
WWJD -- Reflect on the reality of the resurrection and its impact on your life.
