Jesus Raised from the Dead

For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

1 Corinthians 15:3-7 (CSB)

The resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as a pivotal moment in Christ's victory over death. It reveals that death could not defeat Jesus and provides evidence that we can find hope for victory over death in Him. In considering the resurrection, we should not merely celebrate the empty tomb but also celebrate the risen Lord. The apostle Paul urges us to recognize three truths.

THE THREE-DAY PROCESS

Jesus accomplished the work of salvation over three days. While the process of salvation began long before this- with the promise of redemption in Genesis, the prophecies of salvation from the prophets, and the coming and ministry of Christ in the Gospels- these three days serve as the culmination of all these moments.

Jesus’ march to victory over death began with His death on the cross. As we considered yesterday, this death was substitutionary in nature. It was necessary because the consequence of sin is the payment of sin’s debt: death. The evidence of this death is affirmed by the burial and His waiting in the tomb for three days. The burial follows death, and the three-day

period confirms the certainty of His death.

THE AFFIRMATION OF THE VICTORY

The resurrection occurred and is affirmed by the appearance of the resurrected Jesus to many people. His post-resurrection appearances provide evidence of His resurrection and enable witnesses to speak authoritatively, supported by other eyewitnesses regarding the resurrection of Christ. Thus, the claim of victory does not stem from a multitude but arises from personal eyewitnesses who encountered the risen Lord and His resurrected body. Consider that the resurrected Jesus appeared to over 500 people at once after the resurrection and those He spent almost three years with in ministry. These appearances affirm the victory of Jesus' resurrection over death.

THE ACT OF FULFILLMENT

The resurrection does not occur as a one-off event. Instead, it happened as part of the fulfillment of God’s plan. The apostle Paul noted that these actions took place “according to Scripture.” This statement reveals that the resurrection of Christ is an act of fulfillment that realized God’s promise to humanity, the prophecies of the prophets, and the declarations made by Christ. The resurrection does not stand as an isolated moment; rather, it is the culmination of the reason Christ came to earth.

QUESTIONS

  1. What evidence does the Bible provide to affirm the resurrection of Jesus?

  2. How does the resurrection provide affirmation to the promise of the Lord to make a way for us to be reconciled with Him?

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Jesus’ Substitutionary Death