Our Glorious Resurrection

Temple Baptist Church - 4-21-2019

Matthew 28:1-6

Introduction: 

A.  This morning, we once again celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

1.  The Resurrection was for the Declaration of the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Romans 1:4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

Ephesians 1:18-23  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  (19)  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,  (20)  Which he wrought in Christ,when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  (21)  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  (22)  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,  (23)  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

2.   The Resurrection was for the Salvation of the Sinner.  Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shaltbelieve in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

1 Peter 1:18-21  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;  (19)  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  (20)  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,  (21)  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

3.  The Resurrection was for the Justification of the Saints of God. Romans 4:22-25  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.  (23)  Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;  (24)  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;  (25)  Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Romans 8:33-34  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.  (34)  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

B.  The gospel—the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ—is the blessed hope of the Christian as well as the hope of the world.  It is only through the finished work of Calvary, of which the resurrection is the acceptance of sin’s price paid in full, that we find eternal life and the hope of Heaven.

C.  Often, we sing the song “Because He Lives!”  Because He lives, I can face tomorrow; because He lives, all fear is gone.  The “Capstone of Christianity” is that there is life beyond this life and that life is eternal.

1.  It gives hope to the hopeless.

2.  It gives encouragement to the discouraged.

3.  It gives light and life to the spiritually blinded.

4.  It gives joy unspeakable and full of glory to the down trodden.

5.  It gives peace and joy to the bereaved.

6.  It gives comfort to the sick unto death.

7.  It gives courage to the oppressed.

8.  It gives strength to the weary.

9.  It gives victory to the defeated.

10.  It gives expectancy to the watcher.

D.  One day soon He is coming back as He said and we will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.

Romans 6:5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

John 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

E.  The importance of the Resurrection:

1.  The Resurrection Gives Us Boldness In Death.

Psalms 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:  (17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  (18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Philippians 1:21-23  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  (22)  But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.  (23)  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

2.  The Resurrection Gives Us Confidence In Preaching.

Romans 1:4  And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:

1 Corinthians 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

3.  The Resurrection Gives Us Comfort In Loss.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  (14)  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:  (7)  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)  (8)  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

4.  The Resurrection Gives Us Assurance In Salvation.

John 11:25-26  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:  (26)  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

1 John 5:10-13  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.  (11)  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  (12)  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  (13)  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

5.  The Resurrection Gives Us Hope in Heaven.

John 14:1-3  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.  (2)  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

1 Peter 1:3-5  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,  (4)  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,  (5)  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Conclusion:  The greatest day of the life of the believer will be when he sees Christ.  This is a wicked, troublesome world and the longer I live the more I Pray with the Apostle John:

Revelation 22:20  He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.