What
Does The Resurrection
Mean To You?
Steve W. Reeves
INTRODUCTION:
A. Can
you imagine someone being buried seventeen times? As strange as that sounds it is exactly what happened with the body of President Abraham Lincoln. For a variety
of reasons, including a plot to steal the late president’s body and hold it for ransom,
Lincoln’s body was moved from place to place until, in 1901, it was finally interred in a
steel cage ten feet deep and encased in concrete. Prior to the final burial the coffin
was opened, thirty five years after Lincoln’s assassination, to make sure the body
was still inside. Twenty three men witnessed this event including Mr. Lincoln’s son,
Robert.
B. In stark contrast to Lincoln’s tomb the tomb of Jesus was opened and was empty.
Lincoln had been assassinated but his body was still in the grave. Jesus was
crucified on a cruel Roman cross, was buried in a tomb donated by Joseph of
Arimathea and was raised from the dead. Why is the resurrection so significant?
1. It was significant in the teaching of Jesus.
a. Matthew 16:21 – “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He
must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests
and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.”
b. Mark 9:9 – “As they were coming down from the mountain, He gave them orders
not to relate to anyone what they had seen, until the Son of Man rose from the
dead.”
c. John 2:19-21 – “’Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ 20 The
Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up
in three days?’ 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.”
2. The resurrection of Jesus is significant in history.
a. The British educator, Thomas Arnold, wrote three great volumes on the history of
Rome. “I know of no one fact in the history of mankind that is proved by better
and fuller evidence of every sort to the understanding of a fair inquirer than the
understanding of the great sign that God has given us that Christ died and rose
from the dead.”
b. Theolog ian, Dr. Brooke Foss Wescott, wrote, “Taking all evidence together it is
not too much to say there is no historic incident better supported than the
resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
c. Dr. Paul Myer, Professor of ancient history at the University of Western
Michigan-, wrote, “If all evidence is weighed carefully and fairly it is indeed
justifiable according to the canons of research to conclude that the tomb in which
Jesus was buried was empty on the third day.”
3. The apostle Paul wrote that Christianity stands or falls on the validity of the
Resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 15:13-17 He wrote, “But if there is no resurrection of
the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then
our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be
false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ,
whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not
raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your
faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”
C. May I ask, “What does the resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you?” How does it
impact your life on a daily basis? What difference does it make in the way you live?
From Matthew 28:1-1, I there are four profound lessons we should learn from the
resurrection of Jesus.
I. COURAGE.
A. The great certainly of life is that all of us will die. The only exception to that will be
those who are living when Christ returns. With just a few notable exceptions
mentioned in the Bible (Enoch and Elijah), everyone who has lived has died.
1. Psalm 90:10 – “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years, Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.”
2. Hebrews 9:27 – “It is appointed unto man to die and after this the judgment.”
3. You and I are one heartbeat away from death. Several years ago The New York
Times reported that a 28-year-old Brooklyn woman, Amelia Lynch, was killed
when she was struck on the head by a flower pot that had been knocked off an
eighth-floor ledge, apparently by a bolt of lightning.”
B. Notice what happened the morning of the resurrection.
1. There was a great earthquake as an angel of the Lord descended from heaven
rolling away the stone. The angel sat upon the stone. It had the appearance of
lightning and its clothes were white as snow. The guards were so frightened they
became like dead men.
2. The angel told the women, “Do not be afraid.” The tomb was empty. Death was
no longer present. It had been replaced with life.
3. Because of the resurrection death no longer has the final verdict.
C. In verse 10 the women saw Jesus and He told them, "Do not be afraid.”
Because Jesus lived, died and lives again, seated at the right hand of God
(Hebrews 12:2) we do not have to fear death.
1. David wrote, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me (Psalm 23:4).
2. The apostle Paul said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians
1:21). He found himself facing a great dilemma according to verses 22-24,” I do
not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having
the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to
remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” From where did this
courage come? Notice Philippians 3:9-11 – “And may be found in Him, not
having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is
through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of
faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship
of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the
resurrection from the dead.” His courage came from the resurrection!
II. CONQUEST
A. The angel told the women in verse 6 - “He is not here.” The tomb was empty.
1. The stone was not moved so Jesus could get out. It had been moved so the
women could see that the tomb was empty. Jesus had defeated death.
2. This was His ultimate purpose.
a. Jesus was a wonderful teacher – but that was not His primary purpose.
b. Jesus lived a sinless life and provided a wonderful example – but that was not
His primary purpose.
c. Jesus healed many people who were sick, gave sight to the blind and made
the lame walk – this was not His primary purpose.
d. Jesus fed the hungry and ministered to the poor – this was not His primary
purpose.
e. His primary purpose was summed up in Matthew 20:28 when He said, “The
Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a
ransom for many.” He came to conquer death.
B, In the country of Hungary is a tomb sealed with a large stone slab. It is the tomb of
a Countess who did not believe in the resurrection. She thought the large slab
would keep her tomb sealed for infinity. Somehow a small acorn became wedged in
that slab of rock and an Oak tree began to grow. Over many years as the tree grew
it caused the slab of rock to crack until finally it broke into pieces. That is exactly
what Jesus did. He shattered death. Paul said it like this. “Death is swallowed up in
victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of
death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
III. CONFIDENCE
A. The angel said, “He is risen just as He said.”
1. The resurrection was the fulfillment of the things Jesus had said.
2. We live in a world of broken promises.
a. Politicians say they will do something and end up doing something else.
b. Advertisers promise a product will perform in a certain way and it doesn’t.
e. Tragically, people promise, “I do,” and then “don’t.”
3. When God makes a promise He keeps it. Jesus was not in the tomb. He was
risen “just as He said.”
B. Sir Earnest Shackleton, a famous British explorer in the Antarctic, was
preparing a trans-Antarctic journey when his ship, Endurance, became lodged
in ice. The crew disembarked before the ice eventually crushed the ship.
Shackleton went for help while the crew camped on the sea ice. Every day the
commanding officer would tell the crew, “Get up and stow your gear men.
Today may be the day Sir Ernest returns. We must be ready. “They waited for
weeks and weeks but eventually Shackleton returned just as he said. If you ever
wonder about resurrection from the dead and eternal life remember that those
words, “He is risen, just as He said.”
IV. COMMISSION
A. In Matthew 28:7 the angel told the women, “Go quickly and tell His disciples that
He has risen from the dead.”
1. Jesus was gone! They were to go!
2. What would happen if you went to the cemetery to visit the grave of a loved one
and when you arrived there was a hole in the ground with nothing there? Would
you say to yourself, “I guess I’ll come back later?” You would undoubtedly tell
someone.
B. Each of the four gospels contains some type of commission for the disciples of
Jesus following the resurrection. In Matthew and Mark it is the commission to go,
teach, preach and baptize. In Luke it is the commission to preach repentance. In
John it was Jesus’ commission to Peter to “tend my lambs.” The resurrection leaves
us with a responsibility.
C. “Will you not tell it today?”
CONCLUSION:
A. In today’s “Family News” is the story of Phillip, a nine year old boy with Down’s
syndrome. One Easter the Sunday school teacher gave her students a plastic egg,
took them outside and asked them to put something in the egg that represented new
life. When they came back to the classroom they shared their treasures. Some had
flower blooms, others had sprigs of grass or new green leaves. When it was Phillip’s
turn he opened his plastic egg to reveal – nothing. The other children began to tease
him and make fun of him but Phillip responded. My egg is empty because Jesus’
tomb was empty.”
B. There is no greater picture of eternal life than the Empty tomb. There is no greater
power in life that the empty tomb. There is no greater promise in life than the empty
tomb. The one who has been raised from the dead invites you to come to Him in
faith. He invites you to confess Him before others, to repent of your sins and to be
baptized into a relationship with Him today. Claim His power!
