Why The Resurrection Is Important!

Intro: Sunday April 17th we will celebrate Jesus' victory over Satan, death, hell and the grave as He was resurrected from the dead. The resurrection of Jesus is crucial to our faith.

I. Some believe and teach there is no resurrection.                                          1 Corinthians 15:12 (NKJV)¹²  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? Even today all other religions deny the bodily resurrection of Christ. So what if Jesus was not resurrected? Do you know what this means?                                      a. Consequences of no resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:13-19 (NKJV) ¹³  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁴  And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. ¹⁵  Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise. ¹⁶  For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. ¹⁷  And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! ¹⁸  Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, then we have no hope that we will be either. In fact, apart from Christ’s resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. As Paul said, our faith would be “useless,” the gospel would be altogether powerless, and our sins would remain unforgivable. But Then Paul says in: 1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. There are several things that give us positive witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

II. The resurrection witnesses to the immense power of God Himself. To believe in the resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists, and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He has power to raise the dead. If He does not have such power, He is not worthy of our faith and worship. Only He who created life can resurrect it after death, only He can reverse the power of death itself, and only He can remove the sting of death and gain the victory over the grave. 1 Corinthians 15:50-55 (NKJV) ⁵⁰  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-- ⁵²  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." ⁵⁵  "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" In resurrecting Jesus from the grave, God reminds us of His absolute sovereignty over life and death.

III. The resurrection witnesses to supreme proof of Jesus Christ's deity. Christ's resurrection validates the Old Testament prophecies that foretold of Jesus’ suffering and resurrection. Acts 17:2-3 ²  Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³  explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, "This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ." Christ’s resurrection also authenticated His own claims that He would be raised on the third day. Mark 8:31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

IV. The resurrection witnesses to the glorious victory for every believer. 2 Corinthians 13:4 For though Jesus was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God. At His coming the bodies of the dead in Christ will be raised up, and those who are alive will be changed and receive new, glorified bodies. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV) ¹³  But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.¹⁵  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
¹⁶  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.¹⁷  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
¹⁸  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Conclusion: This is why the resurrection of Jesus Christ is important. It proves who Jesus is. It demonstrates that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. It shows that God has the power to raise us from the dead just like He did Jesus. It guarantees that the bodies of those who believe in Christ will not remain dead but will be resurrected unto eternal life. Let us then enter into resurrection Sunday with hearts of thanksgiving.

Invitation: Have you taken advantage of Christ's resurrection? If not now is the time to confess your ins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you. Then invite Him into your life to give you eternal life and take charge of your life until you leave this earth to be with Him.