Resurrection:

Five Things That Jesus Resurrection Can Give You

4.4.2021

 

Introduction

When I think of resurrection I also think of death.

We all are going to die. You can’t escape death.

I have nearly died six times in my life, and those experiences made me think of how fragile life is, and how things can change so very quickly.

At age 14 with a drug overdose and age 16 in an auto accident, I was confronted with my mortality and it scared me!

In 1984 at age 25 and in 1995 at almost 37, again two car wrecks again reminded me that life cannot be taken for granted.

Then in 2004, at age 45 my appendix burst on a trip to India. And in 2008, at age 50, I was nearly crushed by a tank in the Congo on a missions trip there.

The older I get, the more aware I am of my own mortality. I have more years behind me than in front of me.

When I was in my 20’s and 30’s, I tried not to think a lot about the end of my life.

But, someone said you’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die.

Billy Graham died at age 99 and left a legacy of faith and love. He repeatedly mentioned that he was looking forward to death.

People often experience a “midlife” crisis in their 40’s as they deal with what they have accomplished and how much longer they have left on earth.

Mortality, the sureness of our one day death, affects us all.

In Jesus Christ however there is great hope beyond death.

Jesus Christ overcame his death!

Matthew 28:1-7 NLT

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.(2) Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. (3) His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. (4) The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. (5) Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. (6) He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. (7) And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

Jesus’ resurrection changed everything.

I want to give you a new perspective on life today.

Five things that Jesus’ resurrection can give you.

1. You can go to heaven when you die.

Most people do not know that the Bible teaches that when Jesus’ died he first of all went to hell and legally paid our sin debt.

Sin cannot enter heaven. A sinful person cannot enter heaven.

People from Old Testament times had a promise of forgiven sin, but the payment for sin had not yet been made. They could not go to heaven.

Old Testament believers went to a place called paradise, or Abraham’s Bosom, which is the righteous side of hell, when they died.

Jesus said to the thief on the cross, today, you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:42-43).

Matthew 12:40 – NLT

For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

Luke 16:19-26 – NLT
Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus
Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. 20 At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. 22 “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham (Abraham’s bosom). The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and his soul went to the place of the dead (Hades, hell). There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side. 24 “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’ 25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’

Matthew 27:51-53 (NLT)

At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.

 

1 Peter 4:6 – NLT

That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit.

Now, if we accept Jesus as our savior from sin, we can go immediately to heaven when we die!

2. You can be freed from personal guilt .

 

Do you ever feel guilty for the things that you’ve done? Things you’ve said? things you’ve thought about?

Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection gives us the ability to stand before God as though we had never done anything wrong.

Here’s how it works.

A man sinned, and a clean, sinless man must pay for all our sin.

Jesus Christ is the only eligible man that can pay our sin debt.

 

Jesus Christ, the God-man – was virgin born – the first person since Adam was created who was born without sin.

For this reason, Jesus is called the 2^nd Adam, and the last Adam in 1 Corinthians 15

 

1 Corinthians 15:45 – NLT

The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit.

 

1 Corinthians 15:47 – NLT

Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:21 – NLT

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

 

Jesus has given us the same standing with God that He has! Righteousness is ours!

1 Corinthians 1:30 – NKJV

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.

To God, blood cleanses sin.

 

Old Testament believers had to have their sins “atoned” or covered once a year by animal blood, so that they could fellowship with a Holy God.

Leviticus 17:11 – NLT

For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord. It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible.

 

Jesus Christ appeared before God to once and for all cleanse us from sin.

Hebrews 9:24-26 – NLT

For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. (25) And He did not enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. (26) If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, He has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by His own death as a sacrifice.

Jesus completely identified with our sin, and was judged for all our wrongdoing.

 

Isaiah 53:6 – NLT

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

 

3. You can be free from the fear of judgment after you die.

 

Hebrews 9:27- 28 – NLT

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment. (28) so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for Him.

 

This is a scene in the future where every person will be found that dies without faith in Jesus Christ and His sin payment.

Revelation 20:11-15 – NLT

And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. (12) I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. (13) The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. (14) Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. (15) And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

 

John 3:16-18 – NKJV

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.(17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (18) “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 

John 3:36 – NKJV

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

4) You can receive spiritual authority over Satan and the demonic realm.

The Bible reveals that invisible demonic forces not detectable by the five senses often manipulate human behavior.

Obsessive fears, overwhelming thoughts of personal gloom and doom, obsessive thoughts, and all kinds of addictions can be signs of demonic intrusion into a person’s life.

Paul said that we do not wrestle against human opponents only, but against demonic spiritual forces that oppose God’s will and plans for us. (Ephesians 6:12).

God originally gave man authority on earth.

Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

 

That authority was given to Satan when Adam sinned and Satan became the “god of this world.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

 

Satan now has a legal right to rule the earth…

 

1 John 5:19 – TLB

We know that we are children of God and that all the rest of the world around us is under Satan’s power and control.

 

Ephesians 6:12 – NLT

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

 

Jesus’ Resurrection restores that authority to us as Christians

 

Matthew 28:18-20 – NLT

I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. (19) Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (20) Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

 

Ephesians 2:6 – NLT

For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.

Being seated with Jesus means that we share His authority.

 

You can now use the name of Jesus and exercise God-given authority over Satan in your daily life!

 

Philippians 2:9-11 – NLT

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, (10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

5) You will receive a brand new body one day when Jesus returns.

God has planned that we live in a physical body for eternity on earth, and that’s what the resurrection gives back to us…an immortal human body.

 

2 Corinthians 5:1-4 – NLT

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. (2) We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. (3) For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. (4) While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.

Philippians 3:20-21 – NLT

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. (21) He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 – NLT

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! (52) It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. (53) For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. (54) Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.

Question:

Have you made personal what Jesus makes available by His Resurrection?

1. Are you going to heaven when you die?

2. Are you free from personal guilt?

3. Are you free from the fear of judgment when you die?

4. Do you have authority over Satan and the demonic realm?

5. Are you going to get a brand new body free from flaws when Jesus returns?

Invitation:

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 6:23 (NLT)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 3:16 (NLT)

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.