The resurrection: the guarantee for our faith

“For if there is no such thing as a resurrection from the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, all of our preaching has been for nothing and your faith is useless.” 1 Corinthians 15,13-14 TPT

The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ means a lot!

Jesus offered up his life, was crucified on the cross and died for the salvation of all men (mankind).

On the third day, He rose from the grave. God, the Father raised Jesus from the dead by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8,11)

I can’t imagine how Jesus’ apostles, disciples, the women who traveled with Him, His mother, how they all felt when He died. Jesus had told them: “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me” (John 16,17 NKJV) and “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy” (John 16,20 ESV). I don’t know whether they remembered these words.

Until then, death meant it is over, that’s the end. Yes, there were few instances where men resurrected from the dead even the Old Testament, for example with the prophet Elisha. Jesus too had resurrected the son of a widow, the daughter of Jairus and the most spectacular Lazarus after being in the tomb for four days. But all these people, at one point, died again and they were buried.

But Jesus was buried, rose from the grave and never to go back into it ever again.

After resurrecting, Jesus appeared to his disciples many times. “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put into my side. Stop doubting and believe”, Jesus told Thomas. (John 20,27 NIV). Jesus was in the body; He was seen, touched. He even ate food with His disciples.

“After he had suffered, he also presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1,3 CSB)

The resurrection means that Jesus is true and that His words are truth. The resurrection is the evidence that Jesus is who He says He is; that God is indeed God. There is no one above Him.

“Therefore, since [these His] children share in flesh and blood [the physical nature of mankind], He Himself in a similar manner also shared in the same [physical nature, but without sin], so that through [experiencing] death He might make powerless (ineffective, impotent) him who had the power of death – that is, the devil – and [that He] might free all those who through [the haunting] fear of death were held in slavery throughout their lives.” Hebrews 2,14-15 (AMP)

Today, I would like to emphasize on the metaphoric sense of death; not physical death.

Indeed, Jesus conquered death, both literally and figuratively.

The Scripture above, Hebrews 2,15, reveals that the fear of death holds people in captivity.

Generally, the human thinking is 'if I die to my self (the selfish, self-centered, proud self) it will be over for me', 'I can’t die to myself, who will take care of me?' And yet Jesus said: “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16,25)

It's the sinful self that makes people to sin.

‘If I don’t lie, they will not accept me’. ‘If I don’t cheat, I won’t make it’. ‘If I don’t satisfy my cravings, nobody will’.

When we analyze deeply the root cause of all these statements: it is the fear of death. And that is what holds people in slavery to sin. The fear of dying to self. And yet God says: let go of yourself, I will take care of you and even beyond what you could ever do for yourself.

This fear of death can also be translated into ‘I don’t know God, I think I can do it on my own’.

It’s not that God does not want to satisfy our desires, it’s just that there is a way He wants to satisfy our desires. Being the One who created us, He knows that His way is safe, best and fulfilling compared to any other way.

Jesus gave us an example. He laid down His life in obedience to the Father and for the love He has for us.

And the Father raised Him and highly exalted Him.

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2,8-11 NIV)

God’s call to dying to yourself is not a call to suffering, it’s a call to glory and a call to freedom. That’s the end goal. Yes, the process will not be pleasant to your senses but even there God is present; present to carry you through by His grace: that supernatural and divine enablement that surpasses human comprehension.

So, no more fear of death. Hold fast, there is a reward. Obedience to God is never in vain. God is not unrighteous to forget the sacrifices that were done in His name.

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 

 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” 1 Peter 2,21-23 (NIV)

Made alive