After His death on the Cross, Jesus lay in the grave for three days. Matthew 12:40.
Then God raised His Son from the dead! Read Matthew 28.
“… and who through the Spirit of Holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 1:4
A. GOD RAISED YOU UP TOGETHER WITH CHRIST
Jesus’ death was for you. So was His resurrection!
“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air …
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 2:1-6 See also Colossians 3:1-3
1. To Give You New Life
“… God… has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” 2 Timothy 1:9-10
2. To Give You New Birth
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead… ” 1Peter 1:3
3. To Give You A New Beginning
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come” 2Corinthians 5:17
4. To Give You:
a. Victory over Satan. “You dear children, are from God and have overcome the world, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world
[Satan] … for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” 1John 4:4;5:4,5 See also Colossians 2:13-15.
b. Authority over Satan. After His resurrection, “… Jesus Christ … has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand – with angels, authorities and powers [this includes Satan] in submission to him” 1Peter 3:21-22 See also Luke 10:17-19.
c. Power over Satan. “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know … his incomparable great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come and God places all things under his feet and appointed him to be the head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” Ephesians 1:18-23 See also Mark 16:15-18, Acts 1:8 and 4:33.
5. To Make You A Son And Heir In God’s Kingdom
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him we cry ‘Abba Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ… ” Romans 8:15-17
B. THE RESURRECTION MEETS EVERY NEED OF LIFE
1. It Is Your Deliverance From The PAST
Your former sinful existence was crucified with Jesus and laid to rest in the tomb alongside Him. When Jesus rose from the dead, you too were resurrected with Him, becoming a new creation and leaving your old life behind in His grave!
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life… the death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” Romans 6:4-11 See also Ephesians 2:1-7 and Colossians 2:12-15.
2. It Is Your Power For The PRESENT
Because Jesus is alive, we have been granted the power of the Holy Spirit to lead a victorious life, overcoming sin and any assaults from Satan.
“What then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against whom God has chosen? Shall God who justifies? Who is he that condemns? Will Christ Jesus who died – more than that, who was raised to life – who is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us… ” Romans 8:31-39
3. It Is Your Hope For The FUTURE
The resurrection of Jesus brings hope for the future, as He is referred to as “the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18). His resurrection paves the way for believers to also be resurrected. Jesus will return to Earth not as a baby, but as the glorious God and Ruler of Creation, at which point all who have died in faith will be raised to life.
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only in this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep for since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him” 1Corinthians 15:17-23 See also 1Corinthians 15;50-57 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
