Strathalbyn Church of Christ

Sunday 3rd May 2020 Alex Bainton

“He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come see the place where he lay.” Matthew 28:6

Jesus has risen!

He has been resurrected, but what is the significance of this? I’d like to explore this a bit.

Firstly, resurrection isn’t resuscitation. Resuscitation is someone being brought back to life in their ‘old’ body, only to one day die again. Although in such cases life is prolonged, death isn’t cancelled, only ‘postponed’. Life picked up where it left off, to continue as before.

But Jesus was resurrected. He not only survived death, he surmounted it and went on to life, in a new body, never to die again.

He said to his apostle John, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold, I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades.” Rev. 1:17,18

And so Jesus was resurrected. What is its significance? I’d like to take a little word “Life” and unpack it. Each letter tells us some of the significance of Christ’s resurrection.

“Life” - Christ was raised to life, never to die again, alive for evermore. That means Life for those who believe in, belong to Him. Life - a new life now, and in the future.

New life now.

Once I notice something on a shop’s notice board that read - “Does your new year’s resolution need a resuscitation?”

No friends, we need more than a resuscitation, we need a resurrection, we need a new life! But how do we get it? Does it depend on our gritting our teeth and determining I will change, I will be a better person, I will shake myself out of this or that? - as if I can save myself, remake myself, get rid of things in the past that make me feel ashamed or burdened and about which I may have regrets, grief?

The cross of Jesus, followed by his resurrection tells us that new life is available because of what God in Christ has done, and can do. Have you come to see that?

Let us consider a couple of statements in scripture -

“If anyone is in Christ, he (or she) is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” 2 Cor. 5:l7. That’s not talking about you and I ‘turning over a new leaf’ is it? No, it’s all about what God in Christ does. “If anyone is in Christ…” “In Christ”.

That’s the way to have this new life. Or consider a second scripture - “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” Gal. 1:20

Again we see it is because of Christ, and in particular his cross and his resurrection - “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”.

The cross and resurrection of Christ - that’s God’s way of giving us new life. Jesus is alive now, and is with us and in us by his Spirit, and so can live his life out in us, reproduce his life in us.

As christians, however, we are not merely passive - “it is no long I who live, but Christ who lives in me " - yes, but Paul also adds_, “and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."_ We notice those words _- “I live by faith in the Son of God.” Gal. 2:20._

In his letter to the Philippians chapter 2: 12,13 we hear “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”.

That’s not saying work for your own salvation. No, it is work out.

In other words, work out what God works in.

Paul goes on to say “for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

God is at work in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. He energises our will and mobilises our doing!

In Paul’s letter to the Colossians we read him instructing, encouraging Christians to put certain things “to death”, and “to put on” other things. The basis for doing this is “If (since) then you have been raised with Christ” Col 3:1 and “For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Col 3:3

Because of our union with Christ in his death and resurrection, we are called to put to death “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry… put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth."

Col 3: 5,8. And “Put on then as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness and patience, forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving one another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love”

Col 3: 12-14.

And so, trusting in Jesus the Son of God who died for us, was buried, and raised, we too, have been crucified with Christ, buried, and raised with him. So now we are to apply this to our lives, and choose to let the risen Lord live his life out in us.

Let’s go onto the 2nd letter in “life”, namely,

“I” - for Identity.

Who was/is this Jesus who made amazing and great claims?

Was he mad, bad, or God? Was he a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord? Well, his resurrection tells us - he is in fact who he claimed to be - the only Son of the Father!

When he appeared after his resurrection to Thomas, Thomas exclaimed to Jesus “My Lord and my God!"

Jesus had been sentenced by Jewish authorities as worthy of death because he had claimed to be the Son of God. But God reversed their verdict by raising Jesus! They said he’s too bad to live; God said he’s too good to rot! “My Holy One shall ot see corruption” Acts 2:27

This good news that the Son of God came to die for us and was raised, is for sharing.

In this time of coronavirus it may be people are more receptive, more reflective and feel the need for strength and hope. We may have opportunity to share our faith in Jesus.

Our faith is in the Son of God, not in a man who lived so long ago and is dead and gone.

The Son of God! - so this is the true faith, the one we can base our life and eternity on. He alone can give us new life, and a new power for life! And this includes pardon.

This brings us onto the third letter -

“F” - for forgiveness.

Forgiveness of sins is still the great need, and all are in need. We can’t be at peace with God, nor in ourselves, without it. God forgives, and so trying to deal with personal guilt by denying it, or deflecting it (it’s his fault, their fault, not mine), doesn’t work. But God’s way does!

God’s way is the cross, giving his only Son to die for our sins and then raising him.

He took the punishment so we can have the pardon.

He paid, so we can be pardoned.

This is by God’s mercy and grace - for none deserved this, nor was worthy of it.

After Jesus was raised he told his disciples - “Repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations” Lk 24:47. In other words, there is forgiveness for all who repent. Have you repented?

Being forgiven calls us to be forgiving. That includes getting rid of, not collecting, grudges, and bitterness.

One day during his sermon a preacher asked his congregation, “how many of you are willing to forgive your enemies?” All raised their hands except one elderly lady at the back.

The preacher noticed her and asked, “Mrs Jones, why aren’t you willing to forgive your enemies?”

“Well, I don’t have any” she replied.

“Mrs Jones, you’re 93 and have no enemies? How is this possible?”

“It’s easy” she said, “I simply outlived all of ‘em!”

Friends, don’t let’s keep putting off being forgiving! If we find it hard at times, let’s remember the cost of our own forgiveness - the cross! The Lord will certainly help us.

The next letter is

“E” - for eternal, eternal life.

Jesus was resurrected in a new body, alive for ever. He is “the firstfruits” of a great harvest. He is what we might call the ‘model’ or prototype.

Our new life in Christ will be consummated when as new people we receive a new body. Paul teaches “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.” 1Cor 15:49

And “The Lord Jesus Christ will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body…” Phil 3:21

This will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”. 1Cor 15:52.

And according to his promise, “we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13

John G. Paton, a nineteenth century missionary to the South Seas, met opposition to leaving his home in Scotland and going to preach to the cannibalistic peoples of the New Hebrides Islands. A well-meaning church member moaned to him, “the cannibals! the cannibals! You will be eaten by the cannibals!”

Without hesitation, Paton replied, “I confess to you that if I can live and die serving my Lord Jesus Christ, it makes no difference to me whether I am eaten by cannibals or by worms; for in that Great Day of Resurrection, my body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer!

The resurrection of Jesus is the first of what will be God making “all things new”. Rev 21:5. The resurrection of Jesus points to this, and anticipates it -

a new creation: “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” Rev. 21:1;

a new communion: - “Behold the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them”. Rev. 21:3;

and a new comfort: - “he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.” Rev . 21:4

Let’s draw to a close. We have seen some of the significance of Christ’s resurrection. Clearly without it there would be no gospel, no good news!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ tells us that the cross is God’s way of salvation, that we can have new life now “in Christ” and an eternity with God and his people.

This is God’s gospel for the world.

“There is salvation in no one else (other than Jesus) Acts 4:12

Obviously this gospel demands a response!

Those who do accept it, can say in the words of an old hymn

“He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me,

Along life’s narrow way,

He lives, he lives, salvation to impart,

You ask me how I know he lives?

He lives within my heart!”

But what if a person hasn’t received, believed this gospel? May I ask you to honestly ask yourself - “why haven’t I received it? Why haven’t I decided for Jesus the Lord and Saviour?”

This is too important for anyone to keep putting if off.

Indeed Jesus said, “he who is not with me is against me."

Consider what God in his mercy, love and grace offers you -

complete forgiveness, reconciliation with Himself, to call you his son or daughter, to put His Holy Spirit in your heart, to give you an eternal destiny with Him and his beloved Son!

No wonder Paul can say “by this gospel you are saved if you hold it fast."!

Suppose a person falls overboard and is in danger of being lost at sea.

Another person sees him in the water, and throws him a life-buoy, calling out, ‘hold it fast, and I’ll pull you to safety.’

The gospel is like that life-buoy. God has thrown us a life-buoy in his Son Jesus who died for our sins, was buried and was raised. He can save anyone drowning in the sea of sin - if they grab it and hold it fast!

God will pull them to eternal safety.

Let us pray -

Topics: #Matthew , #Easter