THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESURRECTION

“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (1 Cor. 15:13-14 NKJV).

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ distinguishes Him from all other world religious leaders. None of the world’s great religions have at their core a resurrected savior. And so, the resurrection sets the Lord Jesus apart from the rest of the world’s religious leaders.

The resurrection gives proof of the Lord Jesus’ Deity. Rom.1:4 says, the Lord Jesus Christ, was “declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” The resurrection is the proof of the atoning death, deity, and divine exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father gave incontrovertible evidence that His Son was the divine, living Son of God by the resurrection.

The resurrection is a testimony to the certainty of our justification. In Rom. 4:25, we read, “who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” The Lord Jesus was delivered over into the hands of His enemies in order that He would suffer in our place, for our transgressions. But then He “was raised for our justification.” The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is that which gives us justification by grace. The resurrection was not an afterthought. Our assurance of salvation rests upon the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the source of the new life that we live now as believers. In Rom. 6:4, we read, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Our union with the Lord Jesus Christ provides us with the necessary power and grace to live the Christian life right now. We do not live the Christian life in our own strength, but by the grace of God.

The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the guarantee of our resurrection. In Rom. 8:11, we read, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies [d]through His Spirit who dwells in you.” If the same Spirit that raised the Lord Jesus from the dead dwells in us, then He will also raise our mortal bodies from the dead. This is not wishful thinking but points the importance of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Adapted from RTS Resources)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“The Easter story ends not with a funeral but with a festival!”

John Blanchard (1932-2021)

British Christian Preacher, Teacher, Apologist and Author

Word Study

Resurrection

In 1 Cor. 15:12-13 we read, “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen!” (NKJV).

Resurrection is the Greek word anástasis (ἀνάστασις = an-as'-tas-is). The word literally means to stand again or to cause to stand again. Resurrection has primary reference to the body. In classical Greek, anástasis depicts a raising of the dead. In the Septuagint, anástasis carries the idea of to rise or stand up. In the New Testament, anástasis also means to rise or to stand. Anástasis is an important word in New Testament theology, for it is the word for the resurrection. The reality of the resurrection of Christ is considered to be one of the foundational tenets of the Christian faith.

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh” (Job 5:21 KJV).

Did You Know…

The Gospels record seven different occasions on which the Lord Jesus predicted His approaching death and resurrection (John 2:19-22; Matt. 12:39-40; 16:21; 17:9; 17:23; 20:19; 26:32). In five of those seven predictions, the Lord Jesus even specified the three-day timeframe of His resurrection!

Bible Quiz

According to the Scripture, “if Christ is not risen,” what happens to our preaching?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: What did the chief priests do with the money that Judas had returned to them? They bought the potter’s field with the money to bury strangers (Matt. 27:6-8).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“CHIEF SHEPHERD”

"And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away!” (1 Peter 5:4 NKJV).

1. Meaning – CHIEF SHEPHERD speaks of the Lord Jesus as the One to whom all pastor-shepherds are responsible, and to whom they will have to give account.

2. Insights – Pastors (under shepherds) are directly responsible to the Lord Jesus, the Chief Shepherd. The church belongs to Him, even though pastors love and faithfully and serve God’s people. As the Lord’s under shepherds, pastors guide His sheep to the green pastures of His Word and feed them spiritual food. When the Lord Jesus returns, the under shepherds will receive their rewards from Him. Theirs is “the crown of glory that not fade away.”

Did You Know – Christian History

Juji Nakada was born October 29, 1870, in Hirosaki, Japan. He was a Japanese holiness evangelist, and also the first bishop of the Japan Holiness Church.

Nakada’s decision to enter missionary work was influenced by a life-long mentor, Reverend Yoichi Honda. He enrolled in Moody Bible Institute with the vision to found a similar institute and train pastors for his native land. At the time, Dwight L. Moody’s fame as an evangelist had spread around the world. Eventually Nakada would himself be known as the “Moody of Japan.”

One Sunday morning, while he was still studying in Chicago, Nakada met Charles Cowman in church. A restored Cowman had converted seventy-five of his co-workers, including the first man with whom he shared the gospel, Ernest Kilbourne. Nakada then asked Cowman to join him in working for Japan. Kilbourne and Cowman founded the Telegraphers’ Missions Band. This group supported Nakada when he returned to Japan.

Nakada sailed back to Japan in 1898 but stopped in England on the way in order to visit the tomb of John Wesley and meet English holiness leaders. Three years later, Charles Cowman and his wife Lettie sailed for Japan. Together with Nakada and Ernest Kilbourne, they founded the Bible institute that Nakada had dreamed of. Nakada became its first president. In 1910, the team incorporated the Oriental Missionary Society in Tokyo. This became a significant world mission, now known simply as OMS.

The story of the Cowmans is well known. Charles suffered painful heart problems that forced him to return to the United States. As he was dying, he prayed fervently for world missions. To encourage him, his wife Lettie accumulated clippings and inspirational sayings. She later published these as Streams in the Desert. However, if it were not for Nakada, OMS would never have come into being. Nakada died on September 24, 1939.

A Little Humor

Five-year-old Brian had a pivotal verse to recite in an Easter program: “He is not here, He is risen” (Luke 24:6). Unfortunately, he could not remember what to say, and the director had to quietly remind him of his line. He then confidently grabbed the microphone and triumphantly shouted, “He’s not here; He’s in prison!”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Christ is the difference between hope and hopelessness!”