We Serve a Risen Savior...Jesus Christ

We think about the works of God, about creation How amazing. The Bible says, he spoke things came into existence. By faith, we know that by the words of God, things were made out of things that do not appear. In other words, spoke it out of nothing. The great and mighty power of God.

What a miracle. The flood, the Tower Of Babel, the nation of Israel, the incarnation of Christ, we looked at his incarnation and his death. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ is sort of the climax of the gospel Throughout the Old Testament and then the gospels we build towards the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It is a pivotal moment in all of human history when everything changes for fallen and condemned mankind. Everything hinges on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Paul writes in first Corinthians chapter 15 and verse three, for I delivered unto you that first of all that which also I received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This isn't the first time we read about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We actually read about his resurrection first in the Old Testament. We get we begin with a hint to it. Genesis chapter three and verse 15.

Up on the screen, God says to the serpent, his enemy, after the fall of Adam and Eve and the sin. He says, I will put enmity between thee that is the serpent, the devil, and the woman between thy seed and her seed. Thou it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel. You say, well what is significant about that? Well, it, that is the seed of the woman, is to bruise or to crush, give a death blow to the head of the serpent.

The serpent is to what? Bruise his heel. Christ was bruised more than bruised on the cross of Calvary as we look last week. But a bruise to the heel you recover from. Jesus Christ recovered.

Even from the death of the cross, he rose again and thus he defeated, crushed the head. The serpent his enemy on the cross of Calvary. Let's move to Psalm chapter 16 and verse 10. We'll get a little clearer picture. David writes, thou will not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption.

David says the Lord, you will not leave my soul in hell or Hades or the grave, Sheol. You won't leave it there. I trust you. I believe in you. I know there's more by faith in you than this life has to offer and the death of the grave.

But he adds the next phrase. Neither will thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption. Now David was a righteous one through faith in Jesus Christ. He had been forgiven and justified of his sins but there is one that is good and that is God. There is one who is truly holy and that is Jesus Christ.

Thy holy one there is a reference to our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, the holy one who was tempted at all points as we yet without what? Without sin. And David says in the Old Testament, you will not see. You will not suffer. Allow your Holy One to see corruption.

That is the corruption of the grave. And though Jesus died on the cross his body did not decay. No, instead he did what? He rose again from the dead. But the Old Testament goes on to make it even a little clearer.

Isaiah chapter 53 verses eight through 10. Isaiah 53 is speaking of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It says here in verse eight, for he that was Jesus was cut off out of the land of the living. In other words, he died. For the transgression of my people was he stricken, it was for our sins not his.

He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death. He was buried in a rich man's tomb because he had no violence neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him and he hath put him to grief when he shall make his soul an offering for sin. Jesus Christ is the lamb of God who does what? Takes away the sin of the world.

All those old testament sacrifices but were a shadow of the sacrifice and offering of Jesus Christ himself upon the cross of Calvary to atone for the sins of mankind. But it doesn't end there. Next to last line, he shall that is God the father shall see his seed and he shall what? Prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. What does prolong his days mean?

Well, that's that seems to be pretty obvious. It says in the previous verse, he will be cut off out of the land of the living and it says down there he shall prolong his days. Would seem to me that the Jews should have known that their savior was coming to die. That he would die for the sins, their sins, that he would be buried and that he would rise again. And that he did.

Not only do we read about his resurrection in this pivotal moment in the Old Testament, Jesus Christ made it clear during his earthly ministry what he came here to do. He didn't come here he said to be ministered unto but to minister and to what? To give his life a ransom for many. For before he returns to claim his rightful place on the throne of this earth as its king of kings and Lord of lords. He first had to come to die as the lamb of God.

To take away our sins so that we one day could be part of that kingdom. We are part of that kingdom who know Christ today. For we are already his children. And he our father, our God, and our king. One day, he will return.

And we with him. To claim that kingdom on this earth. But before he came to claim his throne, he had to die and if he's going to come back to reclaim his throne, he had to rise again and this he clearly told his disciples. Starting in John chapter two nineteen, Jesus answered and said unto them, destroy this temple. And in three days, I will raise it up.

Some of his disciples may not have understood at first and certainly many of the Jews did not. They thought Jesus was going to destroy the physical temple made of stone that was sat on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. But he wasn't talking about that temple. He was talking about the temple of his body. For his body hung on the cross.

His body died on that cross. And after three days, he rose again. Without corruption. Not only did he allude to it in John chapter two in Matthew twelve thirty nine to 40, he says this, then certain of the scribes and the Pharisees answered saying, master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign but there shall no sign be given to it.

Let's stop there for just a moment. Jesus had given them sign after sign after sign after sign. His very incarnation was a sign. The place of his birth was a sign. The place of his growing up was a sign.

His miracles. He walked on water. He calmed the sea. He fed 5,000 plus with five loaves and two fish. He healed people of every disease of that day.

Many of which were incurable. He healed them of birth defects. He healed people that were lame. He healed people that were blind. He healed people that were deaf.

He healed people who couldn't speak. He cast out demons. Miracle after miracle after miracle. That shouted to the world that the Messiah of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the Psalms. Zechariah had come.

But they wanted one more. They hadn't seen enough yet and Jesus said, I'm not gonna give you anymore. If you can't believe the signs you've already seen but he says here, I won't give you anymore but this last sign. The sign of the prophet Jonas or we usually call him Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus said, I will give you no other sign other than the sign of my resurrection. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, I will be three days and three nights in the grave. But when he says three days and three nights in the grave he is implying what? That it's only going to be what? Three days and three nights and then he's gonna rise again from the dead.

Three days and three nights. We some of you got Friday off this week. It was Good Friday. We call it. And celebrate the the death of our savior.

Personally, I don't believe he died on Friday. It's fine if people wanna celebrate it on that day. I don't think the Lord is greatly concerned whether it was Wednesday or Thursday or Friday that we remember it. We should be remembering it every day. And every Sunday.

Celebrating the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and savior. But three days and three nights has to take us back to at least Thursday if he rose again on Sunday morning. If not, maybe Wednesday night. But what important is this, Jesus gave them a sign that he was who exactly he said he was. The Messiah and the very son of God.

For unlike anyone else that's ever walked the face of this Earth, he told them where he would die. He told them how he would die. He told them how long he would be dead and he told them that he would rise again. Say but this passage doesn't really get that specific. Well, this one does and there are several like this one.

Mark chapter eight verse 31 and he began to teach them that the son of man must suffer many things, be rejected of the elders and the chief priests and scribes and be killed and after three days what? Rise again. After three days, rise again. We can read about it in Mark. We can read statements in Luke.

We can read statements in Matthew, synoptic gospels report several times when Jesus told his disciples he was going to Jerusalem. He was going to be crucified and he was going to rise again. Sad to say they didn't wanna hear about the crucified part. So, most of the time, by the time he got to them will rise again part, their ears were already shut. And sadly, they missed that.

But the gospel, the good news is not only that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins but that we survey risen savior. A risen savior. Who rose again just as he said. That he would do. Not only does do the Old Testament prophets speak of it, not only did Jesus speak of it but many witnesses declared it that he rose again from the dead.

The angels Matthew twenty eight six said to Mary and Mary, he is not here for he is risen as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. He wasn't laying there anymore. For he was gone. The angels rolled the stone away They didn't roll it away.

I don't believe for him to get out. They rolled it away for Mary and Mary and Peter and John to look inside to see that he was no longer there for he had risen. The angels testified to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The very guards at the tomb testified to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm gonna read from Matthew 28 and beginning in verse 11.

Matthew 28 verse 11. Says, now when they were going behold some of the watch came into the city. Now the watch is another word for the Roman guards that were guarding the tomb. Remember, Pilate was afraid and the scribes and priests were afraid because the Jesus had said he was going to rise again that the disciples would come and steal his body away and say that he had risen. Therefore, they put a Roman guard along with a Roman seal on that tomb to make sure that nobody took that body.

So after Jesus' resurrection and as Al read earlier, the guards became his dead men could do nothing. After his resurrection it says, these same guards came into the city and showed under the chief peace all things, the chief priests, all things that were done. What does that mean? It means this, the guards told the chief priest what happened and what happened wasn't that the disciples came and stole the body away. What happened is an angel came.

What happened was that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. And they told the chief priest, do you think the chief priest were excited to hear the news? Should have been, they should have been but they had already made up their mind. They had already closed their minds off from God and rejected the Messiah long before this day. So, what happened?

Verse 12 and when they were assembled with the elders, that is the Sanhedrin, their ruling group in Jerusalem and had taken counsel, they gave large money under the soldiers. What does that mean? Well, they gave em, they gave em a nice deposit to keep their mouth what? Shut. Or to tell the story the way the chief priest wanted the story told.

Verse 13, saying, say you, his disciples came by night and stole away while we slept and if it come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and secure you. So verse 15, they took the money. They said, you tell em you fell asleep and the disciples came and stole the body and of course, for that to happen in Roman society, you were putting your life in jeopardy and so the chief priest said and the said, we'll secure your safety. Just take the money and say what we tell you. And evidently, for the most part, they did.

But who knew? God knew. And recorded it right here for us. The angels witnessed his resurrection, the guards of the tomb witnessed his resurrection. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary mentioned here, witnessed his resurrection.

Matthew 28 and in John chapter 20. The disciples witnessed the resurrected savior. Turn if you would back to first Corinthians 15. We could look at several passages in the gospels. Let's just stick with our first Corinthians 15 passage here this morning that is summarizing the witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Paul writes in verse five and that he was seen of Cephas. Now, Cephas is another name for Peter. So he was seen by Peter and then of the 12 that is the rest of the disciples, the apostles. After that he was seen of above 500 brethren at once. He not only appeared privately to his disciples, he appeared publicly to over 500 people at once.

That's a lot of witnesses. If you want to verify something in a legal case, two or three witnesses is all you need. Paul says right here, he had Peter and then he had the 12 and then he had over 500 witnesses who saw him at one time risen from the dead. He continues on. Of whom the greater part remain until this present but some are falling asleep.

What Paul is saying is, some of these people you could actually go talk to yet when I'm writing this and they're still alive and they'll tell you themselves what they saw. Some of them have passed away. Of course, all of them have now. Verse seven, after that, he was seen of James. That's James probably the brother of Jesus, half brother of Jesus who became the ruling elder of the church in Jerusalem, then of all the apostles and last of all he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time.

When did Paul see Jesus? He saw him on the road to Damascus. He saw a risen savior. He saw one alive who had risen from the dead and ascended back to his father in heaven. He too was a witness to the resurrected Christ.

So, he was seen of witnessed of the angels, of the guards, of Mary, of the disciples, and of even Paul himself. As he testifies here in his own letter. To the church at Corinth. The New Testament exalts the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a vital part of the good news of salvation of the gospel. It is vital to salvation.

If any of you have made a cake and you have a recipe and you put everything in that cake but you leave one thing out. That cake may not be edible. It might not be any good at all You see, Paul states the good news clearly in first Corinthians 15. Jesus Christ came and he died on the cross according to scriptures. He really did die for he was buried in a grave for three days.

And then, he rose again according to the scriptures. The resurrection is vital to salvation without a risen savior. There is no salvation. Romans ten nine puts it this way, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath what? Raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

If you will confess that you believe and to put your faith in Jesus Christ, humbled yourself before him as your Lord and savior and believe that he is a living savior risen from the dead. You shall be saved. For what dead savior can do you any good? There are many great religious leaders from Muhammad to Buddha, Confucius, They are all dead in a grave. But for one because he is not a great religious leader He is the son of God.

He is the savior of the world. He is the only risen only by putting your faith in a risen savior. Can you be saved from your sins? In first Corinthians 15 verse four, it's again. It says, he was buried and he rose again the third day according to the scripture.

It's important Paul says, in the previous verse in verse, go back up to verse one. He says, moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein you stand by which also you're saved if you keep in memory that which I preached unto you unless you have believed in vain for I delivered unto you. And then he goes to the gospel again. It is the gospel by which we are what? Saved.

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. First Peter three eighteen says, for Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in flesh but quickened by the spirit. The word quicken means to make what? To make alive. Yes, Jesus Christ died in the flesh but he was quickened by the spirit and he rose again.

From the dead and thus, he has the power to bring us back together. With God. In Romans chapter six, me go. Oh, don't have it up here. Romans chapter six and verses three through five.

We are told that baptism pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Know you not that so many of us as we're baptized into Jesus Christ, we're baptized into his death. Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. If we have died in Christ, to our sins.

Will be resurrected We are resurrected already in a manner of speaking in Jesus Christ and this body will one day be resurrected also. Like unto his glorious body First Corinthians 15 Look if you would in verse 12. First Corinthians 15 verse 12. Paul is very emphatic here concerning the resurrection of Christ. He says, now, if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead.

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen? And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain and our faith is also vain. Paul says, if if if Christ didn't rise from the dead, then this is all for what? It's all for not. It's all worthless because if Jesus Christ is not risen, then neither will you be and if Jesus Christ is not risen, how is he going to save your soul?

Everything hinges on the resurrection, the bodily resurrection. Of Jesus Christ. He goes on to say in verse 15, yea and we are found false witnesses of God that is he hasn't risen because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised and if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain and you are yet in your sins. Your hope is worthless.

Verse 18, then they also, which are falling asleep in Christ are perished. Those that have already died, they're done. If Christ didn't rise from the dead. Verse 19, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. There is no eternal life.

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then you're wasting your time and you're wasting your faith. It all depends on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Verse 20, but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. That is by Adam came death but by Christ came the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, verse 22, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Adam brought death to us Christ, our resurrected Lord, brings life. As an Adam, we are dead in Christ. We are made alive. That every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits afterwards, they, that are Christ.

At his coming. If Christ rose not, our faith is vain. It's worthless for then neither shall we. The Bible calls Christ the first fruits of the resurrection. It means he was the first one.

And assures us that we are to follow. Look, if you would in verse 51, first Corinthians 15. Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed. In a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet shall sound, the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed.

For this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

You have victory today You have victory over death. You have victory over the grave. It shall not hold you captive. For you serve a risen savior. You have victory over sin and over the law today.

It shall not hold you captive. In hell. For you serve a risen savior. Today, the fact is only a risen exalted savior has the power to save those who come to him by faith and indeed, indeed, Jesus is the only one who conquered the grave. To live forever to able and able to redeem all those who come to him to him.

By faith. Since Christ is risen, he lives. And that changes everything.