Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. (Romans 6:3-5)
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appearswe shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
Resurrection is an essential truth of Christian faith. If Jesus Christ has not been raised from the dead, the Bible is not true, and we have no reason to believe we will be raised from the dead. As Paul put it, our faith is futile and we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
Praise God, however, resurrection is true! Our Christian faith is fruitful, not futile, and Christians are of all people most blessed because resurrection is both now and not yet.
Resurrection is now, first and foremost, because Jesus was raised from the dead after He died for the sins of mankind. (1 John 2:2) All four Gospels give witness to what was personally witnessed, in order, by (1) the women, including Mary Magdelene, (2) two men on the way to Emmaus, (3) the apostles, (4) Peter, (5) James, the half-brother of Jesus, and (6) over five hundred other people. (Mark 16:9-15; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
After encountering these witnesses and teaching on the kingdom of God for forty days, the resurrected Christ ascended into heaven, and He then returned to appear to both Paul and John. (Acts 1:3, 9; 1 Corinthians 15:8; Revelation 1:10-19)
I ask those skeptical of the resurrection of Christ to recognize that these witnesses did not conspire a fabrication of His rising for their fame and fortune. To the contrary, their faithfulness to the truth of Jesus’ resurrection brought hardship, sacrifice, and martyrdom. As a result, two thousand years later, we can fairly state nothing has impacted human history more than the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the greatest witnesses of all are the countless lives wonderfully transformed through their decision to trust and follow Him.
We must remember that without Good Friday, there is no Easter. In humble obedience, the Son of God went to the cross for us, and “therefore” His name (Yeshua – “God saves”) is now the name above every name. (Philippians 2:5-11). The answer to insurrection was resurrection, and as Jesus told Martha, “I AM the Resurrection ….” (John 11:25) “I AM the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) As we believe in and follow him, Jesus becomes the firstborn from the dead and the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Colossians 1:18; Romans 8:29)
This, of course, brings us to you and me. Here is where resurrection is both now and not yet.
The Greek word translated “resurrection” is anastasis, which means “to rise from death to life.” However, resurrection is not what happened to Lazarus, the daughter of Jairus, or the widow’s son in Luke 7. They were brought back by Jesus from physical death to the physical life they had before. Resurrection is rising from the dead into a new type of life – one that is everlasting and so much more.
So, the resurrected Jesus comes through locked doors, appears and then suddenly vanishes, ascends in the clouds to heaven, and appears to John with His face shining like the sun.
And when we put our trust in Him, uniting with Him in His death for our sins, we go from spiritual death to “new creation” – children of God “born again,” “born of the Spirit,” and “born of God.” (Ephesians 2:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 1:12-13, 3:3-6)
We are children of God now and because the Holy Spirit lives in us and has joined with our human spirit, we have everlasting life now! (1 Corinthians 6:17; Romans 8:9-17) This is an amazing expression of resurrection that most Christians do not appreciate or embrace – the opportunity on earth to be led by and filled with God’s Spirit. (Romans 8:14; Ephesians 3:16-19, 5:18)
The Lord has, however, saved the best for last. The “not yet” of resurrection is that “what we will be has not yet appeared.” (1 John 3:2) We will unite with Jesus “in a resurrection like His”! (Romans 6:5) We will see Jesus as He is now because in our life yet to come, “we shall be like Him.” Wow!
As the song says, “I can only imagine ….” In this glorious Easter season, God bless you and God bless our community.