Why Does the Resurrection Really Matter?

           

“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;”  John 11:25

 

This word resurrection is the capstone of the Christian faith.  There were many, in particular the Sadducees, who didn't believe in someone rising from the dead (Matt 22:23; Mark 12:18; Luke 20:27).  The word resurrection literally means to be raised up.  It's from the Greek word anastasis - which is where we get the word anesthesia, the stuff doctor's use to put people out before surgery.  It's funny doctors would call the medicine that puts you to sleep, not wakes you up, anesthesia?  I've found they're more people in the word trying to put us to sleep on the truth, then sharing the TRUTH! (Can I get a witness?).

 

The resurrection the Christian church celebrates is the foundation of our faith; whereas Atheist and many Agnostics can't fathom someone literally getting up from out of the grave.  The question on the floor is did he (Jesus) really rise in the first place?  Friends support friends, enemies never would support who they don't like (example, real Raider fans don't like the 49ers), and those neutral wouldn't do anything to support either side.  Over 500 witnesses (1 Cor 15:6) saw him but they were believers; but why would writers such as Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, and Jewish Sanhedrin corroborate the first Christians accounts of Christ being seen after his death?

 

Thinking of the worlds’ greatest unsolved mysteries leads me to pose 3 points of what the resurrection does prove:

 

1. That God did really love the world.

For to join together (reconcile) the world back to himself again, God had to see mankind as holy and in right standing with him.  His Son dying for the sins of the world would again place repentant man in direct relationship with him:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in him shall receive everlasting life”  John 3:16

 

2. That Christ was truly an obedient Son.

Jesus forever the theanthropos (God/Man) was willing to allow his Spirit man to take precedent over his carnal nature.  Even when his human side wanted to renege on dying for the sins of the world because his own friends wouldn't stay up and pray for him (Matt 26:36-44); his obedience and commitment to his Father rose above his will.

 

3. That the Holy Spirit can resurrect us from dead places too.

The same men who slept, lied, and abandoned him would now be infused with his power (Acts 1:8) and would literally be transformed to 'supermen':  “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13

 

His followers were now preaching, healing, raising the dead, and building the church.  And we now, because of his resurrection, can have the same impact.  Jesus promised we'd do even greater works (John 14:12).

 

So, time to get busy and rise from idleness to build God's kingdom, because the resurrection does really matter.

 

Think about it…

 

 

Kirkland A. Smith

Senior Pastor of Grace Bible Fellowship of Antioch