Sermon Notes: What the Resurrection Means to You
WHAT THE RESURRECTION MEANS TO YOU
Reading: John 20.1-18
MAIN THOUGHT: Not only did the resurrection of Jesus Christ provide validation for His claims, but also provided the avenue for you and I to enter into the divine nature and to partake of the fullness of God.
1. JESUS IS ALIVE! THE RESURRECTION: AN UNDENIABLE FACT
More evidence for it than most historical events considered fact
People have been convicted and sentenced to death one one witness: here we have 500.
The men who proclaimed the resurrection were willing to affirm it through torture and death.
He is risen; you may not understand it, but you must accept it.
The resurrection affirms and validates the claims of Christ. . .
He predicted and fulfilled the prediction. . .
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (Romans 1:4, KJV).
The resurrection proclaims that all He said was true, that He is the Messiah, the Savior of the World and He is the resurrection and the life.
2. JESUS IS IN YOU if you are a believer
Beyond the historical significant of the resurrection is a spiritual reality which we must comprehend.
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:19-20, KJV).
Paul was praying for the church not that they would get the power, but that they would get a revelation about the power. . .. the greatness of his power toward the believer. .. ACCORDING TO. . . His mighty power which He worked in Christ WHEN He raised Him from the dead.
Something happened that day beyond validation.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5, KJV).
How is He is the first begotten of the dead? We have the dead raised in Elijah and Elisha’s ministries, in Jesus ministry (Lazarus). Even at the moment of His death on the cross the Bible tells us that the dead rose. But this was something much different, of a much higher order than just raising the dead. Somebody says Yes, because Satan opposed it. No doubt he did, but there is something much greater significance here. He (the man Christ Jesus) was begotten into eternal life.
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45, KJV).
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:29-30, KJV).
His resurrection procured a completely new life for you. He became the progenitor of a new race of people. . . united to God through Christ. . .sharing in the full inheritance of the life of God.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV).
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1, KJV).
THE LIFE, NATURE AND FULL POTENTIAL OF GOD IS IN YOU
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6, KJV).
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4, KJV).
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:11, KJV).
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2, KJV).
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10, KJV).
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:20-24, KJV).
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:3-4, KJV).
- You are redeemed from a state of spiritual death
- You have all the divine attributes resident within you
- You are a joint heir with Jesus of all of God’s glory
- You share in the authority of the throne of God
- You share in common the life of God with the whole body of Christ worldwide.
- You are part of God plan to fill the earth with His glory
- You have a future redemption of your body into the glory of Christ’s resurrected body.
CONCLUSION—BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTED CHRIST. . . IN YOU
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10, KJV).