THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST
I CORINTHIANS 15:1-8
Introduction:
The resurrection of Jesus Christ set the seal of God’s approval on everything that He did here on earth. He came to earth in a humble way to feel what we feel and to experience first hand our life. He knew pain, loneliness, thirst, hunger, etc. He became flesh and dwelt among us.
Then He died.
I. THE REVEALING OF THE CHRIST
A. The Coming of Christ.
1. A humble beginning, Gal. 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
2. A normal childhood, Luke 2:40, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.”
3. A remarkable man, John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
B. The Death of Christ.
1. Betrayed by a friend, Mark 14:10, “And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.”
2. Beset by false accusers, Matt. 26:59, “Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;”
3. Blasphemed and mocked by the crowds, Matt. 27:29-30, “And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30-And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.”
C. The Burial of Christ.
1. Buried in a borrowed grave, Matt. 27:59-60, “And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.”
2. Broken hearted and scattered were his followers, Matt. 26:31, “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.”
II. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
A. The Verification of the Resurrection.
1. The Wonder of the resurrection, John 11:25-26, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
2. The Witnesses of the resurrection, 1 Cor. 15:5-8, “And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. “
B. The Victory of the Resurrection.
1. The Sting of death is no more, 1 Cor. 15:55-57, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56- The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57-But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2. The Sting of defeat for Satan is known. Christ redeems his people from “him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14). Satan has the “power of death,” not as lord, but simply as executioner.
III. THE RETURN OF CHRIST
A. The Promise He made.
1. The Preparation for the believer, John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
a. A place for the believer is being prepared.
b. It will be a mansion in which to dwell.
2. The Promise to return, v. 3,“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
B. The Purpose of His Coming.
1. To fulfill His promise, 1 Thess. 4:13-18.
a. The Resurrection of the dead in Christ, v. 16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:”
b. The rapture of the living believers, vs. 15, 17, “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
2. To give comfort to the believer, v. 18, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
CONCLUSION
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the climax of His work here on earth. He ascended to the Father where is acts as our Advocate presently. He is preparing for His return to receive His people to himself of whom I am one. I say with the Apostle John, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”