WHY IS THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST SO IMPORTANT?

PAUL EXPLAINS IT TO THE CORINTHIANS     

(1 Cor 15:12 14)  12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:  14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

APOSTLES TESTIFIED AS WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION

(Acts 4:33)  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

PETER PREACHED THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTED CHRIST

(Acts 4:8 10)  8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,  9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;  10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST WAS DO TO THE RESURRECTION.

(Acts 2:32 33)  32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 

33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION THERE'S NO ONE INTERCEDING FOR US BEFORE GOD

(Rom 8:34)  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.

THE VIRGIN BIRTH, AND THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST IS WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS ALL ABOUT. WITHOUT IT THERE IS NO CHRISTIANITY.

OR AS PAUL PUT IT:    And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

People will die for what they think is true, but not for what they know is a lie.  All of the disciples, except one, died a very painful death for what they believed in. All they had to do to stop it was to say it was all a lie, that it never happened. Peter who was so afraid before the resurrection, that he denied that he even knew Jesus, in the end of his life, as he was nailed upside down on a cross, for three days he preached the reality of the resurrected Christ, and his love for humanity.

IT IS ONE THING TO LEARN ABOUT THE RESURRECTION,

BUT GREATER STILL IS TO EXPERIENCE THE RESURRECTED CHRIST.

THIS IS THE HISTORY OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE RESURRECTION

(1) Joseph of Arimathaea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. (John 19:38)

(2) Nicodemus and Joseph take the dead Jesus down from the cross and wrap him in a cloth with the 

     spices, and place him in a sepulture.

(3) It all had to be done before sunset because an annual Sabbath started after sundown.

(4) The women went home and prepared the spices and ointments for his burial (Luke 23:56)

(5) The next day was a high Sabbath day (John 19:31) so no work could be done.

(6) Our scripture focuses on Mary. But those that came to the sepulture that morning were:

    (a) Mary Magdalene; (b) Mary the mother of James; (c) Joanna the wife of Chuza, steward for King  

    Herod  (Luke 8:3) And Luke says, And other women.

OUR SCRIPTURE READING:

(John 20:11 16)  11 But Mary stood without at the sepulture weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulture,  12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.  13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.  14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.  15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.  16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

COMMENT: Nether Mary, the disciples, or any of the others were expecting Jesus to be alive. Even though Jesus had told them several times that he was going to be crucified and rise again from the dead, none of them understood what he was telling them. They were coming to the tomb in grief, and deep sorrow, to prepare the body for final burial. Some times one person may have an hallucination because of great grief, but not dozens at the same time. 

EVENTS LEADING UP TO OUR NEXT SCRIPTRUE READING:

The follow scriptures are of an event that happened after the women that were at the tomb returned and told the disciples, and others that were there visiting with the disciples, what they had saw concerning the empty tomb. (Luke 24:9) In this event two of the men that were there and had heard what the woman had said, were walking back home when, what they supposed to be a stranger, joins with them.  They do not know that the stranger is Jesus. As they walk they are talking about the strange events that have happened, when Jesus was crucified, and after (Such as the earth shaking, the sun going dark, what the woman had said about the tomb being empty) And when Jesus joins with them on the road and asks them concerning what they are talking about, they are amazed that he hasn't’ heard what was going on. It appears that this was such an amazing event, that it was the topic in every conversation. Then in the 25th verse Jesus begins to reveal to them, from Moses and all the prophets, how this had all been prophesied about, and now the prophecies have come to pass. Then they reach there home and invite him to come and stay the night.  

(Luke 24:28 32) 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.  30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.  31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.  32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

COMMENT: Even now if you will open up the bible and begin to read the wondrous words of Jesus you will find that your heart will be warmed, and your spirit will be uplifted. You can’t come in contact with Jesus but what he doesn’t make a difference in your life. Every were Jesus went he changed people and events for the better. He brought the dead to life, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and those who sat in darkness saw a man who gave the light of truth, that sets one free.

INTRODUCTION TO OUR NEXT SCRIPTURE: This next scripture is an event that most likely happened many days or weeks after the resurrection. Jesus had been seen by Mary at the tomb; by the disciples on the road; by the disciples in the upper room. But time had gone by and Peter became restless. He didn’t understand his mission, and became worried about making a living. He and about six other disciples decide to go back to what they know how to do, they went fishing. They dragged there nets all night long, the day brakes, and they have not caught one fish.  Jesus appears on the shore and shouts out to them have you caught any fish? They reply none. He tells them to cast the net on the right side of the boat, they do and the net is so full of fish that it almost breaks. They drag the net to shore and find Jesus there with fish already cook and waiting for them. This brings us to our scripture below.

(John 21:15 17)  15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.  17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

COMMENT: JESUS USES THE GREEK WORD   agapao (ag ap ah' o);   A strong moral God kind of love. A love without restriction. A love that supersedes all other loves. A love that can give without expecting anything in return.

  

PETER USES THE GREEK WORD   phileo (fil eh' o); Meaning to be fond of or be a friend of.  Peter was saying I like you a lot.  But Jesus was asking but do you love me above anything else in life.

Jesus is asking you and me the same thing, do you love me or just like me a lot.

Is Jesus the main part of your life, or a side line of it?  Does he come first, or last? When there is a decision to make to go to church on Sunday and worship, or watch the football game, go boating, fishing, to the beach, sleep in, watch T.V. or any of the other many things that people do instead of gathering together with other believers to worship the one who died for them, which do you decide to do?  Do you love Jesus enough to give up anything? He gave up everything for you. 

JESUS IS ASKING THE SAME QUESTION TODAY, LOVEST THOU ME ?