Our message today about the power of Christ’s resurrection was first broadcast in December, 2004. Then it drew the largest audience response of any program we had ever done. So we are doing it again, because recent news items makes it more timely. Stay tuned.
Welcome, my friend, to our program of Bible study In Search of the Lord's Way to become and to be a Christian. We are presented on this station by churches of Christ in the area with the prayer that you are being blessed by these broadcasts. I hope you will pay one of them a visit real soon. Let me once again today that we are now audio and video-streaming these programs on the internet, so if you have to miss one or any part of a program you may access it anytime of the day or night all this week at www.searchtv.org. You might be telling your friends and relatives that are unable, because of where they live, to receive the program either by radio or television and that they now they can receive us on the internet. Help us get that word around, will you?
Do you really believe Jesus was raised bodily from the grave in which they buried Him? Well, a lot of people don't, and from what I am reading, that includes a lot of the "clergy”. In spite of that unbelief some of them still speak about it on Easter Sunday only because it is expected of them, and others admit they no longer mention resurrection in their preaching at all, not even on Easter. Well, I believe God raised up Jesus from the dead, and He is living right now. I love that thought! How could a person be a Christian and not believe in Christ's resurrection, when the Scripture says that He was proved to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead in Romans 1:4?
Well, as I said earlier today’s program is a special encore presentation of "The Power of His Resurrection." When aired before it drew the largest audience response we had had in nearly 25 years. Should you like a free printed copy or audio cassette tape of it, simply mail your request to In Search of the Lord's Way, P.O. Box 371, Edmond, OK 73083, or by e-mail, searchtv@searchtv.org. Or you may use our toll-free telephone number (1-800-321-8633). Ken Helterbrand is going to lead us as we sing, and then we will be back for prayer.
We are reading today from the book of Philippians chapter 3, and we are going to begin reading at verse 7 and read down through verse 11. In the preceding verses the apostle Paul has spoken about some things in which every Jew would have taken great pride and would have been a source of encouragement to any of them. And then he says in verse 7: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ Jesus, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Now, let us go to God in prayer. Dear God and Father of our spirits, we thank You for all the strong evidences of the power You demonstrated when You raised Jesus from the dead. And we do believe, Lord, that because He lives there is life beyond the grave for us, also. May our message be of some source of instruction today to the lost to be saved and may it be a comfort to all of those others who are everywhere bereaved. We pray in the blessed name of Jesus, Amen.
Jesus often spoke about His resurrection. The apostles didn't seem to notice it, or if they did they just didn't understand what He was talking about and sort of passed it off. After all, people just don't live again after they die, do they? And that is one of the most difficult things some people have about believing in Jesus. O yes, the Old Testament records that Elijah raised a widow's son in 1 Kings chapter 17. And Jesus raised the widow's son in the city of Nain in Luke 7. He also raised Lazarus in John 11. Those were miracles and some people don't believe in miracles. Luke and John both tell us that after His resurrection, they remembered His words, how He had promised His resurrection (Luke 24, verses1 to 8 and John chapter 2, verse 22). He had said to them, "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also" (John 14:19). I am speaking today about the power of His resurrection.
First: let us talk about the power of His resurrection in salvation's plan. We speak much about the "death of Christ for our sins." And rightly so; that simply can not be over-emphasized. As a matter of fact, it may be neglected in modern preaching. We know we "were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from [our] aimless conduct...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter chapter 1, verses 18, 19). But, of what value is the forgiveness of sins through His sacrifice of Himself, if indeed, He was not raised from the dead, giving us a hope of eternal life? Well, we will not spend a lot of time today with the "proofs" of His resurrection. We may do that on March 27 next year or some other time.
To me one of the most impressive passages in all of the Bible on this aspect of the power of our Lord's resurrection is 1 Peter chapter 3, verses 20 and 21. Here, the Holy Spirit speaks through the apostle Peter about the great flood of Noah's day, and He concludes that "when once the Divine suffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing, in which a few that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us-- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." That is the New King James version. I have preached more than half-a-century that baptism is the point in time when our sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus. I have also preached what this verse teaches, that the only element that can wash away sins is the blood of Jesus which He shed for us in His death on the cross. Of course, that is what Revelation 1:5 says: "He loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood." But, according to the passage in 1 Peter it happens at the time of one's baptism.
But 1 Peter chapter 3, verse 21 has a parenthetical phrase saying, "not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God." Then baptism is not simply bathing; it is a spiritual cleansing-- the answer of a good conscience toward God. The New American Standard Version is clearer there on this passage than the King James or the New King James actually. It says, "Not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience." Then, baptism is an appeal to God for a good conscience. Isn't that what it says? So, when I was baptized I was appealing to God for a good conscience. Now that we have taken the parenthesis out of the verse, let's look at what is left: "There is also an antitype which saves us-- baptism....through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Do you see the power of His resurrection, in the act of baptism? That puts the power of baptism for the remission of sins where it ought to be-- in the resurrection of Christ. What a power is His resurrection in our conversion!
Now let us view the power of His resurrection in the Christian life. What incentive! What inspiration! What strength for the power of Christian living is a firm belief in the resurrection of Christ! In our Scripture text Paul says, "If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so..." Then, he enumerates a number of things in which he excelled and could have taken pride or even boasted. They were things that were extremely important to him and would have been to any Jew. He had a heritage-- of the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Pharisee, living the strictest customs of the Jews. Concerning zeal? He was a persecutor of the church and concerning righteousness, he was blameless. But he gave it all up to be a Christian. He said, "What things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ...I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ...that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection." Paul had seen Christ after He was raised from the dead! His faith in the Lord's resurrection-- and our own-- was powerful in his life!
There is an incident recorded over in the book of Acts, chapter 4 that is not only interesting; it is understandable only in the light of the power of His resurrection. Peter and John had healed the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. They had been arrested, brought before the Sanhedrin and were questioned. "By what power, by what name have you done this?" Peter and John answered, "...let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole." And notice the Sanhedrin's response to that: "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus." Now there are different explanations for that boldness. One is that they had lived with Jesus so long and so intimately that they had taken on His boldness. Another is that they received the power to be bold by the baptism of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. But, I believe that the message is clear in that passage that they were so bold because they had been with Jesus after His resurrection. These men, as uneducated as they were, and as untrained in oratory as they were, simply would not be silenced! In fact, verse 19 says that they told the authorities, "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." And they had seen Jesus after He was raised from the dead and no authority on this earth in the Sanhedrin or anyone else could keep them from preaching and teaching that resurrection! What power is His resurrection on the boldness of devout Christians? No timid souls here. No political correctness with them.
John 12:42 and 43 tells us that not everybody believed in Christ-- not even in those days was it so. Those verses say, "Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue..." To become a disciple of Jesus, a person would be denied his worship in the synagogue, banished from Jewish society. If employed by a fellow Jew, they would be dismissed at once. If in business, they would go broke. Mother and father and brother and sister and son and daughter would turn against them, "disown" them. These three thousand, who were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost, gave up all that-- well, everything to be baptized. Why would they do that? Peter had preached that God had raised up Christ from the dead whom they had crucified with their own wicked hands. And they believed that! They didn't just join some church or some club or some fellowship for the food and the fun.
And among the very first things said about these newly baptized people-- the church begun by the Lord on the day of Pentecost-- is in Acts chapter 2, verses 44 through 45. "All who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all as everyone had need." Why do you suppose these people would not only give up friends and family, and employment and business, but they would also sell their lands and houses, their possessions and goods, and give it all into this new cause? It wasn't because they were compelled or taught to do it. Tell me why would they do that? They really believed something. That is why! And that something was the faith that Jesus was raised from the dead and He promises us-- all of us who really believe that we are going to be raised, too, to eternal life. What a power is His resurrection in the life of the believer. "If then you were raised from the dead in baptism (Romans 6:3 and 4), seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on the earth" (Colossians 3:1 and 2).
Well, we don't find many such bold and sacrificial Christians like that nowadays, do we? Why is it? Do you suppose that it might be that we are not as convinced that Jesus was really raised from the dead and really is alive today? And that we are really going to live with Him in heaven some day? There is no event in all history that is as well documented as His resurrection! Read the book of Acts and highlight those verses that reveal the kind of preaching they did. In every sermon, they preached Jesus Christ raised from the dead by the power of Almighty God! Why don't we hear that preaching with conviction, that urgency, that confidence and that assurance in our own time? Why is it that some preachers never mention it except on Easter Sunday and then only because it is "expected" of them. And why is it that others profess to be Christians but won't preach Christ's resurrection because they don't believe in it? Others preach about it occasionally, but not convincingly. Is it because of doubt about it? Is it fear that we will offend somebody with the wisdom of men (1 Corinthians 1:18-28) by believing and preaching and teaching such foolishness as they might say as the resurrection of Christ, and all the dead?
Historians are writing of the decline in American style Christianity. They are telling us that the church has rendered itself impotent and useless because of its "non-substantive teaching" -- that is their words. I call it a "skim-milk diet," and you can't build a church on it. You can't nurture a strong faith with it. People want to know what the church they attend believes even if they disagree with it, or even if they leave and go elsewhere in search of the substance they need. "Faith comes by hearing the word of God" (Romans 10:17). There is no substitute for God's word for building faith and hope in people. When people stand beside the open grave to lay to rest the remains of someone who has been so dear to them, they need hope; they need a rock solid hope. They don't find it in the food and fun of country-club style "fellowship" found in a church who is only a "church of good times." Oh me, like Paul they need to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. They need and they are reaching for a faith "that will not shrink, Tho pressed by every foe, That will not tremble on the brink Of any earthly woe. That will not murmur or complain Beneath the chastening rod. But in the hour of grief or pain, Will lean upon its God. A faith that shines more bright and clear When tempests rage without, That when in danger knows no fear, In darkness feels no doubt. Lord give us such a faith as this, And then, what'e'er may be, We'll taste e'en here the hallowed bliss of an eternal home.” Let us pray. Father, we pray You to give us such a faith as this founded on solid foundation. That when we come to lay our loved ones to rest in the grave and when comes time for us to cease the walks of men we can believe that we will live again with Jesus who first was raised from the dead. In His precious name, we pray. Amen.
Well, the third way we need to think about the power of His resurrection is that it is the power in the hope we have of our own resurrection to life eternal. The Scripture says, "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that (and that is a statement of purpose) that through death He might destroy him who had power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage". Oh, what powerful motivation for becoming and being a Christian is that hope that we hold to at the graveside of a loved one.
In the most complete, comprehensive and convincing dissertation ever written on the resurrection, the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15, "Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain . . . For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished . . . But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep . . . Behold I tell 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 will sound, and the dead will 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 has put on incorruption and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades (or grave), where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
Well, that is the best way I know to close out a message on the Power of His Resurrection. Be with us again next week, will you? God bless you. We love you.
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