What does the Resurrection Do for Us?
In this lesson we are going to look at five things that are accomplished for us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is one of the most important things for the saved person. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ salvation would be impossible and we would have no hope for living in this world. But we know by the Word of God that Jesus did come out of the grave and that he is alive evermore.
Five Things that the Resurrection does for Us:
1) Proves that Jesus Christ was the son of God (Romans 1:4 ; 1 Corinthians 15:12-17)
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead declared him to be the son of God (Romans 1:4). There was much doubt among the people in Jesus’ day as to whether he was the son of God. Even with the miracles as proof, people still had a hard time believing. But when Jesus Christ arose from the dead by his own power that proved once and for all he was the son of God. Others had been raised from the dead before Jesus, like Lazarus, but they had to have someone else raise them from the dead. Jesus was raised by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11). He and the Holy Spirit are one according to 1 John 5:7 therefore he raised himself.
This is important because Jesus Christ had claimed to be the son of God. Therefore, if he had not risen from the dead, he would have been a liar. But by his resurrection he proved that he was the son of God. Also, if he were not the son of God then he could not have been the savior of the world because he would have been born a sinner just like everyone else since Adam. Last of all, if he was not the son of God then he would have needed a savior just like everyone else. So, Jesus Christ had to be the son of God and is declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection.
2) Gives us a Living Savior (Revelation 1:18)
The resurrection is especially important because it separates true Christianity from all other religions in the world. We have a living Savior. All other religious founders are dead, and their bones are buried somewhere. But not one bone of the Lord Jesus Christ can be found because he is alive for evermore. In Hebrews 7:25 the word of God says that he ever liveth to make intercession for us. His main purpose right now is making intercession for us as our high priest. His great desire is to save man come to him for salvation and this is made possible by the resurrection from the dead.
3) It completes the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
According to this passage the gospel is the death, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now everything about the way in which the Lord Jesus Christ died is extremely important. He had to shed his blood on the cross of Calvary, this had been prophesied in the Old Testament. Also this is what God required for a payment for our sins; Jesus became sin for us so that we could have his righteousness (Isaiah 53:10 ; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But everything he did for us in death would have been in vain if he had not risen from the dead. Therefore, the resurrection is what completed the gospel. It gives us a living savior that can forgive our sins and save us from death and hell. In 1 Peter 1:3 we also see that the new birth is made possible by resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the key to our salvation.
4) It gives us hope (1 Corinthians 15 :16-19)
Verse 19 can be a little hard to understand without the context. It is not saying that we have no hope in Jesus Christ, what it is saying is that if we are only hoping in the life he lived as a man then we are most miserable. We not only hope in the life he lived as a man, but in the fact that he was resurrected from the dead. Remember it is the resurrection that completes the gospel.
His resurrection gives us hope in 2 ways. First it shows us that the same power which raised up Jesus Christ, which was the Holy Spirit, will also raise us up one day (Romans 8:11). So, if we die before the Lord returns, we have the promise that he will raise us up when he returns for the church at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Second because he is alive for evermore, he will also return to this earth one day and this gives us the hope of living one day for evermore as well (Titus 2:13).
5) It gives us the Ultimate Victory (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)
Death is the result of sin (James 1:14-15), and the word of God says it is appointed unto man once to die (Hebrews 9:27). Therefore, if the Lord Jesus Christ tarries, we will eventually die whether we are saved or lost. Now if we are saved, we have just seen that the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ gives us hope because the same power that raised up Jesus will raise us up too. But if you are lost then one day you will be raised up to face the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:10-15) and you will be thrown into the lake of fire which is the 2nd death. The only way to avoid this horrible fate is through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and this is made possible by his resurrection from the dead which give us the ultimate victory which is to live forever in eternity with God.
The resurrection does wonderful things for saved people but remember you must receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior and trust in him to receive these benefits.
What does the Resurrection Do For Us: Handout
1) Make an outline showing five things that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead does for us?