[0:00] Matthew chapter 28. We are continuing and nearing the end of our exposition of the gospel of Matthew.
[0:18] Last week we began to look at Jesus's resurrection. And this week we're going to continue that. You may remember last week we looked at a much larger section.
[0:29] And we really focus on the verity or truthfulness of the resurrection by considering the witnesses to the resurrection. And this week we want to consider why does it matter?
[0:43] What are the implications of it? Why is it so important that Matthew felt like he had to prove or provide witnesses to the resurrection? What's so important about the resurrection? Why does that matter for us today?
[0:54] And just confessing to you, realizing my own weakness and what a grand subject I feel like we're just going to scratch the surface.
[1:05] Maybe much as we did the cross and the death of Jesus. I hope it will be encouraging, but in no way do I imagine that this is exhaustive. So I encourage you to continue to explore the subject.
[1:16] But for today to consider in one message, what are some of the implications of the resurrection? There were many that I felt like I was not able to address in the sermon.
[1:27] And Lord willing, on the back of next week's bulletin in the Reflection of Grace, I'm going to have a quote by another theologian who gives several more reasons.
[1:37] So more things to contemplate. But again, let's at least consider what are some of the blessings and implications of the resurrection. So read with me. We're going to read chapter 28, verses 1 through 10.
[1:49] That is the part that specifically deals with the resurrection. We're now having already dealt with all the witnesses. So 28, beginning in verse 1. Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
[2:06] And behold, there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow.
[2:20] And for fear of him, the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, Do not be afraid. For I know that you seek Jesus who is crucified.
[2:33] He is not here, for he is risen. As he said, Come see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. Behold, he is going before you to Galilee.
[2:46] There you will see him. See, I have told you. So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said greetings.
[2:59] And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. And there they will see me.
[3:11] Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, what a grand subject we are to consider today from your word.
[3:23] Lord, it is one that for Christians may be so familiar that we have lost some of the grandeur of it. But Lord, we pray that you would open our eyes to just how amazing this event is.
[3:37] Why it matters. How important it is. Lord, again, we ask that the end result of that is that we would worship you. And we pray that your spirit working would so far extend beyond the weakness of your messenger.
[3:53] And even of the message itself. That Lord, you would bring this truth to heart in all who are gathered here. That we would be in awe of our Savior.
[4:05] And what he accomplished. Not only in his death, but also in his resurrection. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Something I said there in my prayer, I think, is something important for us to consider.
[4:20] That often when we think of what Jesus accomplished, we think primarily, maybe exclusively, of the cross. And so one goal of mine today is for us to consider, what did Jesus accomplish in the resurrection?
[4:32] Why does the resurrection matter? Why is that such a blessing for us? And I argued last week, just in introducing, and I'm going to flesh that out some today. But that the Christian faith stands on the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God.
[4:49] Another way of saying that is, if there is no resurrection, then there's no reason to trust Christ. There's no reason for Christianity at all. If there is no resurrection, then our faith is futile.
[4:59] And so this resurrection, why does it matter? Well, let me just work you through what I want to talk about today. It shows, the resurrection shows Jesus' work of atonement was successful, first of all.
[5:14] Jesus actually accomplished what he set out to accomplish. Secondly, it shows that the Christians have new spiritual life. And thirdly, it shows that the Christians will have new physical life.
[5:27] And so those are the three realities I want to focus on. That the resurrection proves that Jesus actually accomplished everything that we've already rejoiced in, that he accomplished at the cross. Secondly, that it provides for us new spiritual life.
[5:39] Third, that it will provide new physical life for us. So first, the Father's acceptance or approval. If there is no resurrection of Jesus, then he's wrong and he's not God.
[5:58] This is why this matters. Why this is a major point. Jesus proclaimed that he was the Son of God. He said that he would die and that he would rise again.
[6:10] If he lied about dying and rising again, can we trust really anything that he said? Any of the promises he made? J.C. Ryle says, If Jesus did not rise from the dead, Jesus was mistaken in the announcement that he would rise.
[6:28] If he was mistaken that he was the divine Son of God, and if he is not God, his death on the cross was not a true atonement for our sins. Only the Son of God could atone for our sins.
[6:39] If he was mistaken about the resurrection, what else could he be mistaken about? If he's delusional and imagining he's God, then his death and resurrection matter for nothing.
[6:49] And I alluded to this in my introduction, but let me read this passage because I do think it's so powerful. 1 Corinthians 15, I probably could have preached the whole message on the chapter of 1 Corinthians 15 that's all about the resurrection.
[7:04] I pulled from a few places, but here first of all, verse 14 and verses 17 through 19 of 1 Corinthians 15. It says there, If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain.
[7:19] If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
[7:35] And so there I think Paul's addressing the very same thing that we've seen already that J.C. Ryle mentioned that I've been saying. But if there's no resurrection, then Jesus is a liar. Or he's crazy in imagining he's God.
[7:47] And he predicted his resurrection. If he lied about that, then what faith do we have? Our faith is futile. Even if we've hoped in Jesus for this life only, we're of most people to be pitied.
[8:02] I think what he's speaking of is what we'll talk about later, the bodily resurrection of believers. But if our hope is only in Christ temporarily in this life, like so many other great speakers, philosophers, religious leaders, if our hope is only for this life, then we're most to be pitied.
[8:21] Why? Because Jesus says if they hated me, they're going to hate you also. The Christian life is filled with suffering, and it's not the easy way to go. So, but there is a resurrection.
[8:39] Jesus was resurrected. And since there is a resurrection, then what he said was true. He's not a liar. He's not a lunatic.
[8:51] He's really the Lord. He is what he claims to be. He predicted he would die and rise again. Why? Because he was the Son of God. Because he was holy and sinless.
[9:03] And again, for him to do so is testimony to that very fact. Tim Keller in his book, The Reason for God, says, If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said.
[9:15] If he didn't rise from the dead, then why worry about anything of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching, but whether or not he rose from the dead.
[9:30] I think Tim does such a great job of summarizing that, doesn't he? Either he's told the truth or he's lied. He's lied about the resurrection. He's lied about everything.
[9:40] Why believe this man? It doesn't matter if you like it or not. But if he's told the truth about the resurrection, then you've got to accept that he really is the Son of God.
[9:51] That all that he said is true. Now, I think with that, we understand that the resurrection shows that Jesus' atoning work was successful.
[10:02] Not just the fact that he said he was going to do it, and he did. But I think we also have to understand the relationship of the Father to this. I think what we see in the resurrection is the fact that Jesus did not fail in the mission that was given to him by the Father.
[10:18] And I don't mean to imply in any way that the will of the Son and the Father are separate from one another. God the Son, God the Spirit were united in this desire to ransom a people for themselves. But Jesus has been given to work.
[10:33] He's to go and live a sinless life, and then to take upon himself the sin of sinful men, die for them, to make atonement for their sin.
[10:48] If Jesus had failed in any way, would God the Father have resurrected him? Would there have been a resurrection? If he was a sinner just like any of us, just imagine any of us could pretend to be a Messiah.
[11:00] We could say, I'm going to die for the sins of all the people. And we would die. And none of us would be resurrected. Because we're not sinless. We're not God.
[11:12] God the Father wouldn't look on our work and say, well done. We would be deceived. But the Father has resurrected Christ.
[11:23] He did live a sinless life. A perfectly righteous life. Always doing the will of the Father. His death paid for the sins of all who are united to him.
[11:36] By faith. And so, and so, he's resurrected. The work has been paid for. I think even as we rejoice in all the benefits of the death of Christ in the cross, we have to understand if it's stopped there, if there's no resurrection, then that doesn't matter.
[11:53] It's a resurrection that's, as it were, God the Father's stamp of approval. It's been accepted. Sin has been forgiven. We now can stand with Christ, righteous before the Father.
[12:06] I think Paul may have mentioned this in his worship leading last week, but I thought another powerful point is that it's also, now, take this for what it is in relation to this, as we think of the benefits and blessings of the resurrection.
[12:26] It is assurance that God will judge the world through Jesus Christ. Now, let me back that up with scripture. Acts 17.31 says, God, speaking of God the Father, God has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and for this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
[12:51] And so, God's fixed a day in which he's going to judge the world. There's coming a final judgment of the world. And he's chosen a man who will lead that judgment, who will be in charge of judging all the world.
[13:05] Jesus. His own son. And the assurance of that. Of this he has given assurance to all people.
[13:15] And what is the assurance that there will be a judgment? By raising him from the dead. Now, I bring this up because obviously this is one implication of the resurrection.
[13:26] But I think you also see something about what God the Father has done in raising Jesus from the dead. It is assurance of certain truths. It is assurance that what God said would happen will happen.
[13:41] And I think with that we could say all the eschatological realities that we've already looked at in the Gospel of Matthew. That Jesus one day will return in the flesh. He will resurrect the dead.
[13:53] Which I'm getting ahead of myself. We will be united spiritually to our physical bodies that will be glorified. And that God will excuse me that Jesus will judge the world.
[14:06] And there will be a separation from those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and those who have not. And those who have will dwell with him eternally in the new earth and the new heavens in his presence forever.
[14:17] those who have not will be separated from God's presence in terms of him being there with them but not separated from his wrath under which they will live forever eternally.
[14:29] And so he's given assurance. And what is the assurance that what he said what he's promised will take place? He's raised Christ from the dead. And that's the assurance of that.
[14:41] And I think again with everything else we've seen that's not just the judgment but that's all those eschatological promises. It's also the fact that we've spoken of already that he has atoned for our sins.
[14:52] And so Jesus' resurrection God the Father raising Jesus from the dead is assurance of all that Jesus has said is true.
[15:03] That we can trust his promises that he truly was the Son of God and that there's salvation in no other name but in the name of Jesus Christ. Secondly it speaks to a few spiritual realities for us.
[15:19] It speaks to new spiritual life for the Christian. Speaks as well to our standing before God the Father. It gives meaning to baptism itself.
[15:32] I'm going to incorporate all these if you the broad category would be that we have new spiritual life. God has given us new spiritual life and the resurrection is evidence of that. It is what secures that new spiritual life.
[15:45] And so Jesus' resurrection means new spiritual life for those who trust in him. We understand by nature that we as sinners before a holy God that we are spiritually dead.
[16:03] We are born physically and yet spiritually we're still born. We're spiritually dead when we're born. There's a need of spiritual life for all of us. But here are the words of Romans 6, 1 through 11.
[16:20] What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means. How can we who died to sin live in it?
[16:33] I could pause there and say we're already getting an application. Why does the resurrection matter in terms of how we live? Should we continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means.
[16:45] We're not to continue in sin. Why? Because we died to sin. And the question we ought to be asking is when did that happen? What's Paul talking about? How have we died to sin? I don't know if you guys noticed today but you've sinned already today.
[17:00] Right? We're not dead to sin are we? How are we dead to sin? Why would he say this? Here's his answer. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
[17:15] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father we too might walk in newness of life.
[17:28] For if we have been united with him in a death like his we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin for one who has excuse me for one who has died has been set free from sin.
[17:51] Now if we have died with Christ we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again. Death no longer has dominion over him.
[18:02] For the death he died he died to sin once for all but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
[18:16] Now the points of my sermon aren't as neatly delineated in scripture as it is in the sermon. So I think you saw in this both speaking of the physical resurrection as well as the spiritual resurrection that we're spiritually made alive.
[18:34] But you hear verse 11 at the end so you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Again we focus often times on the cross and Jesus' death his burial and we see reality in that that we've died to sin in that but also he says just as Christ has been brought alive never to die again death has no dominion on him so too you are now spiritually alive.
[19:00] Those of you who have been united to Jesus Christ in the way he described in this passage it says just as Christ this is verse 4 of Romans 6 just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father we too might walk in newness of life.
[19:15] And so I know this is so difficult for us to comprehend but we have been united to Christ Jesus so that when he died on the cross that was for our sin and we are united to him and in that way we died on the cross with Christ.
[19:30] but if that's true we understand as well that he's buried and when he's resurrected and he's brought to new life physically we too are resurrected to newness of life and how does that work itself out?
[19:45] Well one what I'm speaking of first and we'll get to the other but first spiritually we're made alive we were dead in sin but now we've died to sin and we've been raised to walk in newness of life.
[19:59] how we live now is not how we once lived in the foolishness and the futility of our sin but we walk in new life in Christ and of course it speaks as well to that physical resurrection that we'll address soon.
[20:15] this also means that though we will die physically we will not die spiritually right?
[20:27] though there's physical death for the Christian there's not spiritual death for the Christian God's word assures us that for the Christian to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and so we have that blessing but listen to Jesus' words in John 11 this is where Jesus comes to we might call it Lazarus' funeral he shows up a little late four days Lazarus has been in the grave and he shows up and we read in John 11 21 Martha said to Jesus Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died so okay maybe he arrived really late right?
[21:02] five days earlier none of this would have happened but Martha goes on but even now I know that whatever you ask from God God will give you Jesus said to her your brother will rise again Martha said to him I know that he will rise again in the resurrection the last day so that's the next point we're getting to Martha has full assurance that Lazarus one day will be resurrected in a new body I know he will be on that last day Jesus said to her I am the resurrection and the life whoever believes in me though he die yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die do you believe this?
[21:46] he asked her everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die now that's a little problematic right? because Christians die it happens and so what is Jesus speaking of?
[22:00] I think we rightly understand Jesus to be saying though you die physically spiritually you don't die there is life for all those who have trusted in Jesus Christ there is resurrection for them and Jesus will go on to prove that how does he prove it?
[22:15] he does resurrect Lazarus he brings him back to life to show that he has power to give life to the dead which then becomes the type of what we're looking at today with the resurrection of Jesus Christ does Jesus have power over death?
[22:34] yeah he's proven it hasn't he? not by raising one man but by raising himself from the dead and so that we now have assurance that though we will die physically and unless Christ returns there's no preventing it we're going to die and yet we know that that death is not final for the Christian that there's spiritual life that we have that will never be taken away from us that though we die physically yet we will live on and I've already mentioned but the beauty of that is that for the Christian to be absent from the bodies to be present with the Lord it's immediate that we'll die here physically and spiritually we will live on and be in the presence of Christ awaiting the day when he will return where we will be reunited to that body which we'll get to I promise and so there may be even ways that I've spoken of this in two forms already what does it mean the resurrection gives us life spiritually well one is that we are spiritually dead and now we have spiritual life we have this relationship with God we can relate to his word to him we have communion with God that we did not have before
[23:46] God has made us fit spiritually to relate to him and yet also we understand that that means that spiritual life isn't going to be taken away spiritually we will live on and be in his presence forever and I thought maybe if I could add a third way in which this is true the resurrection I think also assures us that we have the Holy Spirit given to the Christian that indwells us and makes us spiritually alive and so the indwelling of the Holy Spirit also is connected to the resurrection let me show you that this is Acts 2 32 through 33 Peter preaching says this Jesus God raised up and of that we are all witnesses being therefore exalted at the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing and of course he's speaking of the blessings that were seen in the day of
[24:46] Pentecost with the Holy Spirit descending upon his people but notice the connection this Jesus God raised up being therefore exalted at the right hand of God therefore the result of Jesus is being resurrected is what where's Jesus now it's back to all that discourse right he's at the right hand of the Father being exalted above all creation and one of the blessings of such exaltation and resurrection is what God the Father has given him the spirit to do with as he pleases and that spirit he has lavished upon all those who have faith in him and so we don't just have spiritual life we have God's spirit living within us that gives us that life and assures us that we have spiritual life and then thirdly we have physical life that's promised to us we have the promise of our physical resurrection and with that we could say glorification and physical eternal life now against my better judgment
[25:52] I said before I would come back to this so I'm doing it Matthew 27 verses 52 through 53 we read there the tombs also were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many now I said when we looked at Jesus' death we would come back to that verse and I want to just touch on that briefly as we move into this physical resurrection why did this take place what happened there are a lot of questions that I won't answer I just recommend for elders it's never good to be out of church I know Dave is taking a much needed vacation but if you have questions about this resurrection Dave Thompson go speak to him I'm sure he's always eager as all our elders are to answer your questions but much is not given to us for example we're not told did they die again these people were resurrected
[26:57] I think it's probably obviously did at some point this wasn't probably some eternal resurrection they probably didn't send to the father in some way but their bodies came back to life how long did they live for who were these people we're told that they were saints and obviously in our understanding we know that saints just means holy ones those who have been set apart by God it really is just a word for Christians these aren't special saints like the Catholic Church might recognize special saints God's word recognizes that all Christians are saints the word is used interchangeably so when it speaks of Old Testament saints being raised it's really just speaking of Christians so there were some Christians there in Jerusalem that vicinity who had been buried who came back to life we don't know for how long we don't know really what all they did other than it says they went into the city and they appeared to people appeared to many it says now why does
[28:00] Matthew bring this up and what can we learn from it first let me just say that it says coming out of their tombs after his resurrection so it's brought up with Jesus death and it says after Jesus resurrection they came out of the grave so again I don't really know the answer to this why is it brought up during Jesus death that his death somehow bring life to them and then they didn't dig their way out or come out of the tomb until I don't know but they came out of the tomb after Jesus resurrection it may be that his resurrection itself gave life to them which would be I think consistent with what we see elsewhere in God's word and so lots of unanswered questions that I'm going to completely avoid and leave to other men I jokingly said ask Dave in all reality if God's word doesn't address it we don't have clear answers for that do we God never intended for us to know these things but the fact that Matthew brings it up I think proves the truthfulness or the verity of it it would be absolutely foolish for
[29:03] Matthew to mention this if this wasn't verifiable I mean just imagine if I told you that you know last month back in July in Hazleton in one of the cemeteries we had eight people who came back to life there you know they walked into Hazleton and they talked to a bunch of people what would be the first thing you do who are those people that talk to these guys you know let's go ask them I mean there would be an obvious need for evidence of that there would be some questions about that and I think Matthew is saying this because it was well known to the people of Jerusalem that this happened this was a historical fact it's known that this took place and so first if that helps answer some question as what's going on here I think Matthew speaking is something that's verifiable that's true and I again I think this is not the final resurrection for them I think they likely died and they'll be resurrected a second time it's a unique experience for some why did it take the unique experience let me just clarify that I don't think this is an ongoing occurrence this is directly tied to
[30:15] Jesus' resurrection Jesus isn't being resurrected these days so let's not hang out in the cemeteries expecting this to recur reoccur why did this take place what I believe is taking place with this resurrection is that we have a representation physically a verifiable representation of the reality of what Jesus has accomplished in his resurrection Jesus in his resurrection has conquered death and brought life to those who have put trust in him not that maybe we needed that verification but if we wanted some verification look here's an example that God can raise dead sinners those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ he can raise from the dead he's done it he's demonstrated it there's those who have witnessed it they've spoken to many in Jerusalem they know that he can do it and I think that's evidence of what Jesus accomplished in the resurrection but also it's meant to help us to have greater faith and trust that there will be a resurrection of the dead to come that if you put your faith in Jesus
[31:22] Christ that you will be bodily resurrected again I told you I could just preach 1st Corinthians 15 because I think it does such a great job of this but let me go there again this is a larger passage you may want to even flip there 1st Corinthians 15 we'll begin in verse 12 and read to verse 26 and what I want us to see in this passage is that Christ is the first fruits of the dead and for us to consider what that means and so Paul speaks to this quite extensively here let's look at it 1st Corinthians 15 12 now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead how can anyone deny that there's a resurrection and Jesus has been resurrected is what he saying how can some especially in the church say that the dead will not be raised but if there is no resurrection of the dead then not even
[32:24] Christ has been raised and if Christ has not been raised and our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain we are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised for the dead are not raised not even Christ has been raised and if Christ has not been raised your faith is futile and you are still in your sins then those of you who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished if in Christ we have hope in this life only we are of all people most to be pitied but in fact Christ has been raised from the dead the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep for as by a man came death by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead for as in Adam all die so also in Christ shall all be made alive but each in his own order
[33:25] Christ the first fruits then his coming those who belong to Christ then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the father after destroying every rule and every authority and power for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy to be destroyed is death I would love to spend more time even talking about this relationship of Adam and Christ this mystic union this federal headship but everyone who's in Adam dies and who is in Adam everyone who's ever lived right Adam is that federal head for all of us just as all who are in Adam die so also all who are in the second Adam Jesus Christ have life and to be under that head to be united to Christ we are united to him by faith so all who put their faith and trust in Jesus
[34:27] Christ are united to him and the life that resurrection that he has we have and so it's spoken of as first fruits and I think we probably have some sense of this from offerings in the Old Testament but the idea of first fruits is what you bring in first from the harvest so we're at this time of year which appears always so late for a Georgia boy in my garden but tomatoes we just started harvesting some tomatoes a couple weeks ago and you get the first ones and always the cherry tomatoes are not the big slicing tomatoes we've yet to harvest the big slicing tomato but we've gotten some of the cherry tomatoes and you get that first one and my wife and I we were walking through the garden I think we got two that first day and we got to enjoy them and taste them and forgive me you guys can pray for me before telling the kids that any of the cherry tomatoes were in the garden we plant some really good sweet ones so we each had one cherry tomato and tasted it that was the first fruit from the garden do you understand the first fruit but it's almost as it were a down payment a guarantee that the plants really are going to produce fruit there's more to come this is the first fruit and if we get the first fruit we're going to get the second fruit and all the fruit thereafter right and so as we taste that cherry tomato it's a down payment that there's more tomatoes to come and even some big ones and so this is exactly how God's word speaks of Jesus' resurrection
[35:52] Jesus' resurrection is the first fruits the guarantee the down payment that there will be a resurrection for all who have faith in him if we're united in Jesus Christ and God raised him from the dead then through that union through that relationship with Jesus Christ we too will be given new life he's the first fruit we're the big slicers that come later it's coming it's going to happen and so we have this guarantee this down payment and likewise we understand that our resurrection is dependent upon Jesus' resurrection if Jesus isn't resurrected there's no resurrection for us but if he is then all who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ will be resurrected in that day and it speaks there at the end it says that he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet the last enemy to be destroyed is death again
[36:57] I could spend a lot of time on this just ponder for a second I would argue Jesus has defeated death how he's resurrected but much as we think of Jesus as conquering of Satan and Satan still has some dominion some power like a dog on a chain he's still wreaking havoc on the neighborhood but that power is limited Jesus has already conquered death by his resurrection and yet death still reigns over this earth and so what does it mean until he's made all his enemies his footstool the last enemy to destroy his death the moment at which all his enemies will be clearly conquered will be the moment when there's no longer death when Jesus returns the victory is already assured he's already defeated death and yet it will finally reach its consummation of defeat however you want to put it it's full defeat when he returns and says no more you're done you can't do this anymore but the victory is already assured because
[38:06] Jesus has been resurrected from the dead so we're not sitting around waiting saying oh I hope Jesus can defeat his last enemies it's just a matter of time that they've been placed under his feet like a footstool the victory is already assured for us in fact again 1 Corinthians 15 goes on to say in verses 54 through 57 death is swallowed up in victory so it's already happened past tense death is swallowed up in victory oh death where's your victory oh death where's your sting the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and so death that we once feared we've been given victory over we no longer live in fear of death if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ it's temporary in fact spiritually we'll be present consciously let me even say it that way consciously we will be present with the Lord while our body rots away in the earth and one day that body will be raised and glorified and be united to that spirit that soul and we will dwell with God forever and so we have assurance through
[39:17] Christ resurrection that we will be united to him physically and look I think this is probably something you're aware of that you know that you hold to let me just knock out a few scriptures I'll just go fast but let's move through that God tells us that he assures us of this John 14 19 yet a little while and the world will see me no more but you will see me because I live you also will live so even though Jesus is departing from the earth he assures his disciples you will see me and again I think that implies a physical see me because I live you will live again contingent on the resurrection Job 19 25 through 27 I know that my redeemer lives and that in the end he will stand on the earth that after my skin has been destroyed yet in my flesh I will see God I myself will see him with my own eyes I am not another how my heart yearns within me so here's Job longing for his death why an
[40:18] Old Testament believer and what does he say very clearly that after my skin has been destroyed after my body has rotted away yet in my flesh I will see God I will see him with my own eyes how my heart yearns within me 2nd Corinthians 4 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence Romans 8 11 if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit who dwells within you and so again physical resurrection mortal bodies will be given life to the spirit that dwells within us now moving into application in some ways but just consider that this truth provides us with a living hope and an inheritance that cannot be taken from us that's exactly what first
[41:26] Peter 1 3 through 5 tells us blessed blessed to be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ according to his great mercy he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead so this living hope comes through what we've been given living hope because Jesus has been resurrected from the dead his resurrection gives us a living hope and what is this living hope it says to an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for you who by God's power being guarded through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time and so the living hope that we've been given through the resurrection is what it's eternal life with God the father God the son with God the spirit eternally and it can't be taken from us it can't perish it can't rust and moth do not destroy and it's currently right now being guarded by
[42:32] God and his power and it's ready to be revealed for us in the last day and so just as we think about application how do we respond if we rightly understand Jesus his resurrection we respond by living lives of hope and our lives of hope are not in what we get in this life we have hope in eternal inheritance that awaits us secondly we can understand that Jesus is resurrection changes how we live now I've already mentioned the hope that we just saw I think that's one part of it but I would add as well the new spiritual life that we looked at earlier previously we read Romans 6 11 so you also must consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus the resurrection means that we consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to God the life we now live we live for God not for the flesh it goes on to say in verses 12-13 of Romans 6 let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness but present yourselves to
[43:43] God as those who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as instruments of righteousness we belong to another God we belong to another who is God we have been resurrected and so live for him use that spiritual life for him and so again it changes how we live thirdly we see Jesus' resurrection is a pledge of the Christians resurrection and encouragement for them that eagerly awaited it's what we just looked at but I think we ought to be encouraged that there is a resurrection we have no need to fear death like an unbeliever would fear death we have assurance that we will be present with the Lord fourthly we should see this as amazing good news and if we rightly understand how remarkable this is we should tell others about it now Lord willing next week we're going to start looking at the Great Commission which follows there's a reason right because here's the good news
[44:48] Jesus' death and his resurrection if we rightly understand it what should we do with that news we should tell others about it so they can share in the blessings of the resurrection that they too can have new life now spiritually and one day physically and then finally I think I have to ask even as Jesus asked Martha do you believe it do you believe that Jesus is a resurrection of life that you could have life even now that you will have eternal life one day do you believe it as I thought about the implications of the resurrection I would even go so far as to say the resurrection is essential for salvation even there's a need for us to believe in the resurrection for salvation it's a part of our salvation listen to Romans 10 9 through 10 if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved for with your heart one believes and is justified and with the mouth one confesses and is saved and so if you've heard this message really what you've seen is the gospel do you desire these realities these blessings well Romans 10 gives us the easy answer to how we can have these things confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and so I don't think
[46:15] I'm going too far to say if you've heard this and you deny it if you don't believe that Jesus really was resurrected from the dead you're in a dangerous position you're not saved because here it is what you need to do to be saved confess that he is Lord which I think carries with it the implications he is God the son he is God incarnate so believe confess that Jesus is God and that he is your Lord and believe that God the father really raised him from the dead and if you do these things you will be saved you will have that newness of life now spiritually and have that hope of awaiting that future resurrection when you will dwell with him forever let's pray together