Big Idea: The resurrection is the crux of Christianity. Without the resurrection, Jesus death would be empty. Without the resurrection we will still be dead in sin. The resurrection vindicates Jesus’ sacrifice for sin on our behalf and grants us the power to walk in the power of the Spirit in the obedience of faith.
3 reasons the resurrection is crucial to Christianity:
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It is the ________________________ of Scripture
1 Corinthians 15:4 (ESV) — 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Psalm 16:9–10 (ESV) — 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.
Acts 2:22-36 (pg 856)
At the heart of the good news is that Jesus is saving us from the power of our sin through His resurrection and our union with Him in being raised from the dead.
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It is the _______________________ of our Life in Christ
1 Corinthians 15:2 (ESV) — 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
The good news of Jesus is only good news if (conditional statement) Jesus was crucified and raised on the third day. The good news of Jesus is not good news, if Jesus was not resurrected.
1Cor. 15:12-19
Colossians 2:8–15 (ESV) — 8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
We stand on the cross (for our justification), we walk in the resurrection (for our sanctification).
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It was ______________________________ to by Many Witnesses
1 Corinthians 15:5 (ESV) — 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
The Christ who was raised on the third day appeared to various people in a known sequence on five occasions, as implied by ‘next … then … next … then’. The Gospel of John also notes a specific sequence of three occasions when Christ appeared to his disciples ‘after he was raised from the dead’ (John 21:14; cf. 20:19, 26).
Nonetheless, neither Paul’s ‘tradition’ nor John’s account is complete. There are omissions from Paul’s list—the various women witnesses (John 20:14–18; Matt. 28:9), the two men going to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35), the disciples apart from Thomas (John 20:19–23), the seven disciples at the lakeside (John 21:2) and the Twelve in Jerusalem before his ascension (Acts 1:4–8). If the various accounts in the Gospels and in the pre-Pauline tradition are set side by side it appears there were at least twelve separate occasions when the risen Lord appeared to many hundreds of people over a thirty seven day period between the resurrection and the ascension (Acts 1:3; cf. 13:31).
Questions to Consider
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Why is the Resurrection so important to the good news? How have you seen the power of resurrected life displayed in your life?
