The Risen Christ | Resurrection Sunday

Lets begin today by reading Mark 16:1-20

Some interesting things we note from this passage is that

1, the Eleven apostles were initially in disbelief.
They refused to believe the testimony of Mary Magdalene and they refused to believe the testimony of the two who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus. If the resurrection of Christ was a conspiracy, something that the disciples cooked-up and made believe, it would have started with the Eleven apostles. Only when Jesus appeared to the 11, did they believe. But once they believed, the died for their faith in the risen Christ.

2, Jesus chose these same "unbelieving" Eleven to take His message to the entire world - and they did succeed in their mission. This in itself is a great testimony to the resurrection of Christ. How could eleven unbelieving men actually take the message of their Leader, Lord and Saviour - and transform the entire world. Impossible in all natural terms. But all across the globe today, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being proclaimed and it began with 11 unbelieving preachers!

Our faith is not in someone who was, but in someone who IS.

Our faith is not in someone who just lived and died, but in someone who died and rose again and who is alive for ever more!

Let's consider a few things the Bible teaches us about the Risen Christ:

1, The Risen Christ is the One Who Has Conquered Hell and the Grave (Death)

Revelation 1:17,18
17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

Because He has conquered hell and the grave we know we have an eternal hope. Because He lives having conquered hell and death, we know we too will be raised up to an eternal hope:

1 Corinthians 15:51-57
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—
52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY."
55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2, The Risen Christ is the One With All Authority, Who is Exalted above all

The writer of Hebrews reveal the Christ who tasted death for every one, now crowned with glory and honor:

Hebrews 2:9
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

Philippians 2:9-11
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.


Matthew 28:18, all authority in heaven and on earth is in His hands.

Because the risen Christ is exalted above all, with all authority, we go boldly proclaiming the Gospel in His name. As we do this, we do not depend on the human strength or power, but simply on the face that He is all powerful.

3, The Risen Christ is the Lamb of God Who is Forever Worshipped

Throughout the book of Revelation, John the apostle see Jesus revealed as the Lamb of God who is forever worshipped:

Revelation 5:11-14
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"
14 Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

All the way into the new Jerusalem established in the new heavens and the new earth:

Revelation 21:23
The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

Forever we worship Him as the Lamb of God, the Saviour, Redeemer, the Christ who has redeemed His people with His own blood.

4, The Risen Christ is our High Priest ever interceding for us

Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 7:25
25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Because He is our High Priest, we know He intercedes for us. He helps us overcome our weaknesses.

5, The Risen Christ is the Coming King

Revelation 19:11-16
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Because He is the coming King we live our lives consecrated to Him, with a sense of triumph and confidence, knowing that in the end, Christ triumphs over all.

The Early Church

The Early Church believed, preached and died for their faith in the Risen Christ.

In his very first sermon Peter preached Jesus raised from the dead:
Acts 2:22-24,32
22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know—
23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.

After the healing of the lame man
Acts 3:14-16
14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.
16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.


When questioned by the priests and leaders, Peter responded:
Acts 4:7-10
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?"
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel:
9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well,
10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.

They preached the resurrection, even if their life was at stake:
Acts 5:28-30
28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!"
29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.
30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.
31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him."
33 When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them.

When Peter preached the very first message to the Gentile world, he said:
Acts 10:39-42
39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.
40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,
41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.
42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.

The people in the city of Athens were the most cultivated and refined of Greece, and yet the most thoroughly given to idolatry. Paul visited the city about A.D. 52, and in the midst of the heathen gods of Greece, and the polished and skeptical philosophers of Athens, he announced to them:
Acts 17:30-32
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, "We will hear you again on this matter."

People mocked him, but Paul continued to preach the risen Christ

Standing before the high priest Annanias, a lawyer named Tertullus, and the Roman governor Felix, Paul announced:
Acts 24:14-16
14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
16 This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

What proof do we have today of the Risen Christ?

We understand that we can present an apologetic view with historical, archeological and other facts that prove the resurrection of Christ. But consider three "proofs" the Early Church presented for the resurrection of Christ, which we are believers in the post-modern, technologically advanced world should also pursue, as our evidence on the resurrection of Christ and the authenticity of what we believe and preach:

#1, Demonstrations of great power

Acts 4:29, 30, 33
29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.

We as believers today, should seek God for more of His power to be manifested in our midst, to demonstrate to the world that Jesus is alive!

This is how the Lord Jesus wanted us to be His witnesses

Acts 1:8
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

#2, The outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:32,33
32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit, people being baptized in Holy Spirit power and experiencing the power of God's Spirit is another evidence of Christ's resurrection.

#3, The power of transformed lives

The apostle Paul and his Damascus road encounter
One of the greatest opponents to the Early Church and the message of Christ was a man named Saul. The fact that he had an unquestionable experience with the risen Christ that cause him to radically change his life is evidence to the resurrection of Christ.

The following is an extract from an article:
The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus, BY WAYNE JACKSON

Lord George Lyttelton (1708-1773) was an Oxford educated scholar who also served with great distinction in the British Parliament. Initially he was highly skeptical of Christianity. He determined he would do a critical examination and expose’ of Luke’s record of Paul’s “conversion experience.” He believed he could establish that Paul’s radical transformation was grounded in base motives of self-interest. He knew there had to be some rational justification for such a major alteration of Saul’s life.

After carefully researching the matter in a thoroughly scholarly fashion, he reversed his skeptical view, having concluded that Paul’s conversion was genuine. There was no reasonable explanation for the radical turnaround, other than the fact that Paul actually had seen the resurrected Christ on the Damascus road. The Christian movement was founded, he therefore concluded, upon the truth that Jesus of Nazareth in fact was raised bodily from the dead.

In 1747 Lyttelton published his book, Observations of the Conversion of St. Paul, in which he argued for the truth of the Christian system. This book, incidentally, is still in print after 200 years—a rare phenomenon in publishing. Lyttelton concluded:

• The apostle was not an imposter who deliberately advocated that which he knew to be false; indeed, why would he suffer so much persecution for what he knew to be a lie?
• He was not an enthusiast who was given to “an overheated imagination”; he was a disciplined logical scholar of the first magnitude.
• He was not deceived by the fraud of others for he claimed his revelation to be independent of the other apostles. Even his critics acknowledged his rugged independence.

Source:
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1372-conversion-of-saul-of-tarsus-the

But it is not only about Saul who later became Paul.

The power of the risen Christ to transform lives continued on in many others and still does today.

The fact that we become "new creation" in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) that transforms us is evidence to the risen Christ.

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Do you believe in the risen Christ?
John 3:16
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