The Resurrection Power
Central Thought: Christ’s resurrection is the assurance and proof of the genuiness of the Christian faith.
Text: Matthew 28:1-8; Romans 6:5-11, 8:11-13; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Colossians 1:19-23, 2:12-15; Hebrews 2:14-16
Christ is the center point of Christianity. He lived, died and rose again from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. This makes Christianity very unique and more than just a religion. Jesus knew that the purpose of His coming to the earth was to die as ransom for the souls of men and that He would rise from death to glory.
His resurrection proves beyond any doubt that Jesus is indeed God and that the word of God is true. In order to fulfill His mission, Jesus endured the suffering of the cross, despised the shamed and demonstrated God’s love for mankind by dying on the cross and rising again. To prevent Him from rising, a mighty stone was rolled on the tomb, the tomb was sealed and guards were placed before it. In spite of all these human efforts to frustrate God’s plan, on the third day, Jesus resurrected and the tomb was empty and has remained so till today.
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Why did Christ die? Isaiah 53:10; Colossians 1:19-23; Hebrews 9:15, 12:2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2
Christ died to fulfill God’s condition for the redemption of man and reconcile man back to God. He had to die because He was the best ransom and the only substitute for man, which makes Him the Savior of the world.
The Lord also died to deliver man from the power of sin, the devil and death. He died to deliver us from sin and its consequences and to empower us to live for Him here on earth so that we can reign with Him in eternity.
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What is resurrection power? 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
Simply put, Resurrection Power refers to the power and ability that broke the strength and resistance of the grave and death, and brought Christ back to life again after he had been dead and buried for three days. It is this power that gives believers in Christ victory over sin, death and the power of darkness and hell. As believers in Christ, this is why we do not see death as the end but rather as a stepping stone to usher us unto God’s presence.
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What did the resurrection of Christ accomplish for the believers in Him?
The resurrection of Christ accomplished so many things for the believers. It gives us the power to live the Christian life by helping us to mortify the deeds of the flesh and empowers us to do the work He has assigned to us.
It also enables us to tell others about the love of God for mankind. It gives us the hope of resurrection unto life eternal at the end of our pilgrimage here on earth. The consciousness of the resurrection of Christ helps us to repent from our sins and be saved, to live lives that are pleasing unto Him, being led by the Spirit of God that dwells in us.
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Is there any limit to what the resurrection power can accomplish for us?
Basically, there is no limit to what the power of resurrection can accomplish for us as believers in Christ. Whether it be in the area of health, it is able to do wonders for us. The resurrection power helps us as Christians not to be afraid of death because of the assurance that when we drop these mortal bodies, we will put on immortality which will make us reign with Christ forever.
The consciousness of the resurrection power gives us the boldness to preach Christ to those we know are still living in sin. The believer, on his part is to make deliberate efforts to live above sin through the help of the Holy Spirit, so that Christ’s death will not be in vain in his life.
Daily Living Application:
Our salvation was secured by Christ’s obedience unto death. His resurrection assured our justification and is the proof that He made full atonement for our sins. Therefore His sacrifice was accepted as a satisfaction to divine justice and His blood a ransom for sinners.
Victory in the Christian life is therefore assured because Christ rose from the dead and gave us His resurrection power. The resurrection assures us that we have a supernatural victory over sin in our daily lives. Because He is alive today, He offers this same resurrection hope to all who will call upon Him to receive eternal life.
Memory Verse:
Philippians 3:10 – “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.”