“The Meaning of Jesus' Resurrection” by Romans:
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Last week, I stated in the introduction to the Discussion, “You may be wondering as Christmas is upon us, and we are celebrating the birth of Christ, why would I choose a topic that might seem to be better suited for when we commemorate Jesus' Death and Resurrection?” I am going to briefly review my answer for those of you who may have missed last week's Discussion.
Jesus came to this earth to bring Salvation to this world. And that Salvation could only be brought about by His Sacrificial Death. That is why His birth is celebrated at all. As we saw several times in these recent Discussions, the aged Simeon said as he held the infant Jesus in his arms, “Mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation... prepared before the face of all people.”
But, as you also may recall, the last verse I quoted last week, after reviewing The Meaning of Christ's Death, was the following: Beginning in Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Romans 5:8-10).
Did you get that: We are reconciled by His death, but we are saved by His life, and that life was evidenced by and through the Resurrection. So let's examine, and come to a better understanding of “The Meaning of Christ's Resurrection.” Jesus' birth is celebrated at this time... the arrival of a baby whose coming was foretold many centuries in advance. But we are not merely celebrating a baby being born, or even a baby being born to a virgin, proving the miraculous power of God.
This baby was to grow up, having lived a sinless life, to be falsely accused of heresy, blasphemy and treason against the Emperor of Rome. For these alleged crimes, in spite of His being repeatedly declared innocent of all charges, He was sentenced to death by crucifixion, the most brutal execution ever devised. And He endured all of that for us... to save us, all of us, from the death penalty we brought on ourselves for our own sins. And Jesus did this to reconcile us to the Father, and to have His Righteousness imputed to us.
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a most pivotal part of our Salvation: Let's read my opening verse once, again: Romans 5:8: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Yes, Jesus died. But, unlike every other leader, or even every other human being, He, and He alone, was raised not merely to life, but to immortality. Lazarus (in John 11:43-44), Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:41-42), the widow's son (Luke 7:14-15), and likely others were raised to life by Jesus. Peter raised Dorcas (Acts 9:40-41), and likely others. Paul raised Eutychus (Acts 20:10-11) and likely others. But none of these individuals remained alive. Yes, they all were raised to life, but they all also died natural deaths within a few years or decades of their being raised back to life.
As Matthew Henry explains being saved by Jesus' life, “His life here spoken of is not to be understood of his life in the flesh, but his life in heaven, that life which ensued after his death. He was dead, and is alive, (see Revelation 1:18). We are reconciled by Christ humbled, we are saved by Christ exalted.
The dying Jesus laid the foundation, in satisfying for sin, and slaying the enmity, and so making us salvable; thus is the partition-wall broken down, atonement made, and the attainder reversed; but it is the living Jesus that perfects the work: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (see Hebrews 7:25).”
For the Discussion this week, I will use once again for my basic Outline, (with just a few exceptions), the headers and points from “The World's Bible Handbook” by Robert T. Boyd.
As much as none of Jesus' followers seemed to expect the Messiah to die, much less be executed, it is just as true that they did not expect Him to be raised from the dead. This is true even though Jesus foretold both events repeatedly to His disciples throughout His ministry. Notice just a few examples of this:
First, using prophetic symbolism, Jesus said in Matthew 12:39-40: But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: (40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
And then, in much plainer English which you might think no one could possibly miss, Jesus told His disciples in Mark 10:33-34: “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.”
These events were recorded for centuries. This prophetic Psalm which referred to Jesus' Resurrection, was written by David 1,000 years before it took place: Psalms 16:10: “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
Peter actually quoted this Psalm to those assembled on the Day of Pentecost just weeks after Jesus' Resurrection. We read beginning in Acts 2:22: “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain...”
He continues, “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
Many years later, the Apostle Paul also quoted this Psalm as he addressed the Jews assembled in the synagogue in Antioch in Acts 13. When Paul would arrive in a new place, his first order of business was to preach Jesus as Messiah to the Jews.
In 1 Corinthians 15-17, the Apostle Paul addresses the false teaching that there would be no resurrection from the dead. Beginning in 1 Corinthians 15:12. “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:”
As Paul continues, let's also take note of the implications of this false teaching. “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not...
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:12-17).
If Jesus did not rise, His disciples were either deceived or were, themselves, deceivers. But that would mean that they suffered unimaginable trials, imprisonment, scourgings and death... all for nothing. Their preaching was vain, making our faith vain, making the Christian Church a farce, and the Christian experience a complete fabrication based on nothing.
And, as Paul pointed out, that also mean we are still in ours sins. We do not die to be raised to immortal Glory, we die like animals, and are put in the ground from which we never return. As Paul so ably and powerfully concluded, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” But I have Good News for you. Jesus did rise from the dead. And the Word of God is True and dependable.
Let's now look at the positive evidences and results of the Resurrection:
a.) The empty tomb:
Luke 24:2: “And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen:”
John 20:1: “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.”
b.) The recovered grave clothes:
John 20:3: “Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.”
There were also the evidences of Jesus' Post-Resurrection Appearances. Allow me to just make this point: I would have been perfectly satisfied if Mr. Boyd in his Handbook had merely listed the various appearances, but he took it a step further and also included the Spiritual Role that Jesus fulfilled in each appearance.
Let me show you what I mean:
He appeared to Mary Magdalene as Consoler beginning in John 20:11: “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”
He appeared to the disciples as the Restorer of Their Joy in John 20:19: “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.”
Jesus appeared to Peter as the Friend Who Never Forsakes in Luke 24:33: “And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.”
He appeared to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus as the Sympathetic Instructor. We read beginning in Luke 24:13: “And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him...
And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
He appeared to the disciples in the Upper Room (when Thomas was absent) as the Restorer of Peace. We read beginning in John 20:19: “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”
Then He appeared to the disciples when Thomas was present, as the Confirmer of the Faith beginning in John 20:26: “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”
He showed Himself alive to five-hundred brethren at once, Jesus appeared as the Resurrection and the Life. Notice 1 Corinthians 15:6: “After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.”
To His half-brother James, Jesus appeared as An Assurance, as we read in 1 Corinthians 15:7: “After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.”
To the eleven, Jesus' appearance was as the Embodiment of Headship and Authority. We read beginning in Matthew 28:16: “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
He also manifested Himself in that appearance as the Giver of Power. Notice beginning in Luke 24:44 “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
We read also beginning in the Book of Acts 1:4-9: “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Jesus appeared to Paul as Victor in Acts 9:3: “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest...” Then in Verse 6: “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.”
To Stephen, Jesus appeared as High Priest.
In the original account, we read before Stephen died in Acts 7:55: “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”
Notice Hebrews 8:1: “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;”
To Paul in the Temple, Jesus appeared as Protector and Comforter.
We read in Acts 22:17: “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.”
and then in Acts 23:11: “And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.”
To John on the Isle of Patmos, Jesus appeared as The Head of The Church. In Revelation 1:10 we read, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last...” Then beginning in Verse 14: His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as evidenced by His Post-Burial Appearances had many positive effects:
Consider, first of all, the change wrought in the disciples: They went from cowering behind locked doors, to openly and boldly proclaiming the Name of Christ in public, and in defiance of the orders and threats of the same rulers that sent Jesus to His death, just a few weeks earlier.
Jesus' Resurrection fulfilled God's promises: Notice beginning in Acts 13:32: “And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
Jesus' Resurrection established Jesus' Deity. We read in Romans 1:3: “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”
Jesus' Resurrection furnishes justification for believers: Notice beginning in Romans 4:23: “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
Jesus' Resurrection gives believers a living hope: We read beginning in 1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Jesus' Resurrection empowers believers: Notice beginning in Ephesians 1:19: “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places...
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
Jesus' Resurrection enables believers to bear fruit: We read in Romans 7:4: “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
Jesus' Resurrection assures the believer of his own resurrection from the dead. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:51: “ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
So we celebrate the Babe in the Manger at this time of year. But my goal tonight was to present a complete picture of the reason for this celebration: Jesus is our Life, our Forgiveness, our Salvation, our Victory and our Eternity made possible by His Death and Resurrection. We celebrate His birth because of the Gifts He gave us by stepping away from the Throne of Heaven, forfeiting Divine Rank, Privilege and Power, and being made flesh, being made a curse, and being made sin for us.
The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:50: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” Jesus' Resurrection is also spoken of as His being “the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29). Of our death and resurrection, we read also in verse 43 of 1 Corinthians 15, “It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:” and, in verse 49, “... as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” All of this is also a part of Jesus' Resurrection.
Yes! Jesus birth was just celebrated a few days ago. My goal in this Series was to point out that the Creator God took on flesh and became Jesus the Messiah. Jesus was born, and He was born to die for our sins. And He died to be raised again. Because He rose again, we, too, can and will rise again from the dead, putting on immortality, and being glorified to live and reign with Christ.
For this, for all of this, we thank God with all of our hearts for sending Jesus Christ to us.
This concludes this Evening's Discussion: “The Meaning of Jesus' Resurrection.”
This Discussion was originally presented “live” on December 29th. 2021
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