Resurrection

Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again" (Matthew 20:18-19).

The resurrection of Jesus Christ was not an afterthought, a footnote, or an appendix to the crucifixion. It is a fact. Jesus had to rise again. It was the crucifixion of Jesus that won our salvation, but it was the resurrection of Jesus that sealed our salvation forever.

Contrary to most conventional thinking, death is not the end of life. Some people believe in annihilation - the person ceases to exist after death. Some people hope there will be life after death. But Jesus makes it clear there is life after death - that He Himself would rise from the dead 3 days after His crucifixion. His words, And the third day He will rise again, are emphatic, they are declarative. There is no suggestion of doubt or uncertainty in His words.

David, the psalmist, sang prophetically of the Christ in Psalm 16:10, For You will not leave My soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. On the Day of Pentecost, after Jesus had risen from the dead, the Apostle Peter said regarding this verse, Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses (Acts 2:29-32).

On the Sabbath day, Paul and Barnabas attended the synagogue in Antioch in the Province of Pisidia. Paul was given the opportunity to speak to the congregation. He gave a brief review of the history of the Jews leading up to King David and his descendant, Jesus Christ. He then expounded on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and said (Acts 13:32-37), . . . we declare to you glad tidings - that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.” And that He raised Him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He has spoken thus: “I will give You the sure mercies of David.” Therefore He also says in another Psalm: “You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. The resurrection of Jesus was prophesied by David, declared true by Jesus, and affirmed by Peter and Paul.

“Thank You, Father, for the certainty of the resurrection of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Though the world mocks and denies the power of the resurrection, Your Holy spirit affirms it so in Scripture and in our heart, mind, and spirit. May the resurrected Jesus Christ receive all glory and praise that is rightfully His, Amen.

Pastor