“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS OF NAZARETH IS THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. “IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT JESUS IS LORD AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED.” Romans 10:9
IN A FEW DAYS, WE WILL BE CELEBRATING THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS. IT IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO CONSIDER THE GREAT SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESURRECTION FOR HUMANKIND, FOR YOU AND FOR ME.
THE RESURRECTION IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED. JESUS HIMSELF IS THE RESURRECTION. BEFORE HE EVER DIED, HE SAID, “I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.” HE SAID THIS RIGHT BEFORE HE RAISED LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD.
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS WAS AN ASTOUNDING MIRACLE, BUT IT WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT A HUMAN BEING HAD BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE. THE PROPHET ELIJAH RAISED THE SON OF THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH. 1 Kings 17 AND THERE WAS THE MOABITE WHO WAS HASTILY THROWN INTO THE PROPHET ELISHA’S GRAVE. WHEN THE DEAD MAN TOUCHED THE BONES OF ELISHA, THE DEAD MAN CAME TO LIFE AND STOOD ON HIS FEET. 2 Kings 13
IN THE LAST DAYS, BEFORE THE RETURN OF JESUS TO THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, WHEN SATAN SHALL HAVE HIS WAY AS HE DID AT THE CROSS, HIS MAN OF SIN, THE ANTICHRIST, WILL BE MORTALLY WOUNDED IN THE HEAD AND BE BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE. Revelation 13:3
THE ANTICHRIST WILL DO MANY MIRACLES. Revelation 13:13 HOWEVER, THE MIRACLES OF SATAN’S MAN WILL BE LYING WONDERS. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JESUS’ MIRACLES AND SATAN’S MIRACLES IS THAT JESUS’ MIRACLES WERE SIGNS OF THE TRUTH; WHEREAS, SATAN’S MIRACLES WILL SPEAK LIES.
JESUS’ RESURRECTION WAS MUCH MORE THAN JUST BEING BROUGHT BACK TO EARTHLY LIFE. IT WAS THE ETERNAL VICTORY OF LIFE OVER DEATH, AND THAT BY THE HUMAN SON OF ALMIGHTY GOD. HIS VICTORY BELONGS TO THE HUMAN RACE. THE VICTORY OF HIS HOLY HUMANITY JUSTIFIED BOTH GOD AND MAN BY REALIZING GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSE OF MAKING MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE AND LIKENESS AND ATONING FOR THE SIN OF THE WORLD.
WE CANNOT GRASP THE GREAT SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE INCARNATION. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON. GOD’S GIVING WAS NOT JUST AT THE CROSS. IT BEGAN WITH THE CONCEPTION OF HIS HUMAN SON. IN JESUS, WE HAVE THE UNION OF GOD AND MAN FOR ALL ETERNITY. THE ETERNAL WORD BECAME FLESH! JESUS’ FLESH WAS THE VERY FLESH OF GOD. HIS BLOOD WAS THE VERY BLOOD OF GOD. IN THE INCARNATION, THE HOLY LIFE OF GOD WAS JOINED TO OUR RACE!
WHEN JESUS OVERCAME OUR SIN, THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE AND DEATH, HE WON OUR VICTORY OVER SIN AND DEATH. JESUS’ RESURRECTED BODY WAS A GLORIFIED BODY, BUT STILL A VERY HUMAN BODY.
AFTER HIS RESURRECTION WHEN HE APPEARED TO HIS DISCIPLES AS THEY WERE EATING, THEY THOUGHT HE WAS A SPIRIT AND WERE FRIGHTENED. BUT HE TOLD THEM TO TOUCH HIM, SAYING, “A SPIRIT DOES NOT HAVE FLESH AND BONES AS YOU SEE I HAVE.” (ISN’T IT INTERESTING THAT HE DOES NOT SAY FLESH AND BLOOD BUT FLESH AND BONES. HE HAD GIVEN HIS LIFE BLOOD TO US AT THE CROSS.) HE SHOWED THEM HIS HANDS AND FEET WHICH WOULD HAVE THE SCARS FROM THE NAILS THAT THE ROMAN SOLDIERS HAD POUNDED INTO THEM. BUT THE DISCIPLES STILL COULD HARDLY BELIEVE IT. THEN TO PROVE TO THEM THAT HE WAS NOT JUST A SPIRIT, JESUS ASKED THEM FOR A PIECE OF THEIR BROILED FISH AND SOME HONEYCOMB AND HE ATE IT BEFORE THEM. Luke 24:36-43
JESUS’ WORDS TO MARY MAGDALENE AT THE EMPTY TOMB ALSO PROCLAIM THE GLORIOUS IMPLICATION OF HIS RESURRECTION FOR HUMANITY. HE TOLD MARY TO NOT TRY TO HOLD ON TO HIM BECAUSE HE HAD NOT YET ASCENDED TO THE FATHER. HIS RESURRECTION WAS JUST THE BEGINNING OF HIS GREAT ASCENT INTO THE PRESENCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD HIS FATHER. BUT WHAT HE SAYS NEXT IS BEYOND HUMAN IMAGINATION. “I AM ASCENDING TO MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER, TO MY GOD AND YOUR GOD.” John 20:17 THIS GLORIFIED MAN, THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF ALMIGHTY GOD, IS TELLING HER THAT WHAT HE HAS REALIZED AND IS EXPERIENCING CAN BE FOR HER AND FOR YOU AND FOR ME!
JESUS DIED TO SIN AND ROSE TO LIFE FOR US. HE WANTS US TO NOT JUST CELEBRATE HIS RESURRECTION BUT TO SHARE IN IT BY RECEIVING HIS DIVINE HUMAN VICTORIOUS LIFE, WHICH HE HAS THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO GIVE TO US. John 1:12-13
AS WE REMEMBER THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS THIS COMING SUNDAY, MAY WE NOT ONLY REMEMBER HIS VICTORY OVER DEATH AND SIN BUT ALSO REJOICE IN THE FACT THAT HE CAN BE OUR RESURRECTION AND LIFE.
“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME SHALL LIVE EVEN IF HE DIES, AND EVERYONE WHO LIVES AND BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER DIE, DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?” John 11:25-26
Rosemary E Hyslop Easter 2016