Easter Sunrise

 

1 Corinthians 15:19-28

 Victory is Guaranteed

Days prior to Super Bowl III New York Jets quarterback “Broadway Joe” Namath guaranteed victory. The country was shocked and taken aback. How could he be so sure, so brazen, and so confident? People simply didn’t make such predictions.

In a more serious note St. Paul guarantees our victory over death. From the perspective of what God intended for us – that we should not die but live – death is indeed a certain enemy.  Yet here in our text Paul makes a bold statement – our victory over death is guaranteed! How is this so?

I.        Our victory over death is guaranteed by Christ’s resurrection.

A.     Christ is the first-fruits.

1.      Just as the first sheaf of grain offered as a sacrifice to God in the Old Testament represented the full harvest that was to follow, so Christ’s resurrection is the first of many resurrections that will surely follow.  “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. -v.20

2.      Because our resurrection from the dead is assured, our physical death can be regarded as sleep. “The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” v.20b

3.      The hope we have based on Christ’s resurrection does not relate only to this life but also to life beyond physical death. “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” -v.19

B.     Christ is the source of life.

1.      Death is an event brought on by the first man, Adam.

2.      The second Adam, Jesus Christ, the God-man, by His death and resurrection abolished death. “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. And which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”-V.22;   2 Timothy 1:10

Transition: But when will this banishment of death occur for us in view of the fact that we must all experience physical death? “Each in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ” V.23 Our victory over death is guaranteed!

II. At Christ’s 2^nd Coming.

A.     The triumphs of evil that we see around us, especially the devastation caused by death, will not continue forever.

1.      Christ is even now in control and will one day openly display His victory over all evil.

2.      In the meantime He will not permit any evil, including death, to destroy us. “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.  For, “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is accepted who put all things in subjection under him.”   -Vv.25,-27

B.     The day is coming when all the forces opposing God will be utterly destroyed. “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.” -V. 24

1.      The scheming of Satan, the plotting of evil people, the perversities of our sinful nature, and the grip of death will be conquered.

2.      From that day on there will be no more death!

C.     The second coming of Christ will mark the beginning of a new existence in which the Triune God will be everything to us in a kingdom of glory without end.” When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him that God may be all in all.” -V.28

Can we guarantee victory without any hesitation or doubt? The resurrection of Jesus Christ guarantees our victory over death, pointing us to that day when we shall rise to endless life, and death shall be no more!

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Easter copyright © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

Easter Sunrise

Easter Sunrise

12 April 2020

John 20:1-9

The Sign of the Tomb

The tomb is no proof of the resurrection. The body of Jesus could have been removed and destroyed. The empty tomb only says, “He is not here.” The tomb is a sign of the resurrection. A significant sign. 

At Christmas, a sign was given of the incarnation — “And this shall be a sign to you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2) Faith in the resurrection is not based on the empty tomb but in the living presence of Jesus. Yet an empty tomb speaks volumes for you today.

What the tomb signifies.

I    An empty tomb — signifies the resurrection. This Gospel deals with the empty tomb. There is no explanation by an angel. There is no appearance of the risen Christ. Two men and a woman find emptiness and the abandoned grave clothes. 

The empty tomb in itself is no proof of the resurrection, for anything may have happened to the corpse to cause its disappearance. The empty tomb is a sign of the resurrection. It is a negative witness to the resurrection. 

It has significance only in the experience of the living Christ, the positive aspect of the Easter account. While our faith in the resurrection is not based on the vacant tomb, it does indicate that our faith is based on concrete, historical reality. 

An empty tomb also says that Jesus did not rise only spiritually, but physically. The crucified body became the glorified body.

II    Grave clothes — signifies that Jesus is alive. Two Disciples, Peter and John

A Observing the grave clothes – Three Greek words describe the scene.

1 They “saw” the grave clothes –βλέπω - They were seen, with “general sight.” The grave clothes were there as plain as day!

2 They “beheld” the grave clothes -θεωρέω– They were able “to scrutinize,” see, look at, watch closely; perceive, experience what they saw.

3 They "saw" – ὁράω – Upon seeing they were able “to perceive with understanding.”  They took notice!

B What is it that convinced Peter and John that Jesus had been raised from the dead? Answer: “grave clothes.”  If we had been there with Peter and John, would we have seen what they saw? Would we have seen the aftermath of Jesus struggling to get up because of the linen wrappings? Not at all!

1 Undisturbed grave clothes – Greek. Κείμενα“to store in place.” Having stooped down, he sees lying there - the linen cloths! The grave is not empty. The linen cloths are still there for every eye to see! 

2 Raised a spiritual body – I Corinthians. 15:42-44 ‘So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: t is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.’

3 Napkin — signifies that the resurrection was peaceful and planned. We are given in this Gospel only circumstantial evidence — empty tomb, grave clothes, and napkin. These constitute concrete evidence of a risen Christ. Do you need more evidence?  There are also countless eyewitnesses, individuals who repeatedly encountered Jesus alive from the dead. For a period of 40 days, Jesus walked, talked and ate with His disciples so they could truly know that He was alive from the dead.

4 What the Resurrection means for us today April 12, 2020

a The Resurrection of the body of Christ is the central and fundamental doctrines of the Christian Faith – I Corinthians 15:14, 17. “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” And, if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."

b The Resurrection demonstrates how Jesus’ own predictions were fulfilled – John 2:19-22  Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word, which Jesus had said.

c The Resurrection was the main subject included in the gospel message throughout the book of Acts. 

d The Resurrection guarantees our justification – Romans 4:5; But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness; Romans 3:26; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

e The Resurrection points to a new mode for all believers – I Corinthians15:20, 23; But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

The resurrection is not a myth, a faith, nor a figment of the imagination. It is not a story manufactured by disappointment and disillusioned disciples. The faith is grounded in facts. It happened in time and space. It is the core of what we believe for we truly are Easter people.

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