16-04 De Bijbel 2

The historical and theological significance of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Sermon series on biblical trustworthiness. Sermon 2 Death doesn’t belong. It wasn’t part of the original design. Death is the ugly consequence resulting from man’s rebellion against a holy God. My kids were playing outside yesterday evening. Anna’s sister joined us for dinner last night and they brought along their 13 year old son. They had assembled their arsenal of NERF guns and had divided into two teams. Obviously it was the oldest two against the younger two - that’s fair. At one point I walked outside to survey the situation and do some parenting… “guys… don’t run through the neighbor’s yard.” I walked around the corner and there were Luke and Joel sprawled out on the ground. I started instructing my boys, to which Joel, without changing position said: “Okay dad, but I’m dead.” He would remain dead until Luke tagged him. Luke had more important things to do… he was looking for one of his NERF darts in the bushes… and Joel was getting a bit impatient. “Lu-uke, you need to tag me and make me alive again!” Death doesn’t belong. And it doesn’t feel like the proper ending to Jesus’ story. The disciples watched in horror as their good Shepherd laid down his life three days prior. He instructed them not to fight. They had seen Him walk on water and still storms… but He didn’t stop the angry storm three nights ago. His life was snuffed out. Evil prevailed. And the disciples were crushed. Until Sunday morning when a group of women found the tomb empty. One of the central questions of Faith is whether the Bible can be trusted on a make-it-or-break-it belief. The Resurrection. Life after death. Christ crucified, buried and then risen again. Is this fact or fiction? So the question I would like to look at this morning is: What is the historical and theological support for the Resurrection? Infallible proofs (Acts 1:3) The resurrection was foretold by Christ. Jesus spoke of His death and resurrection many times. He told the Pharisees it would be the only sign left to them (the sign of Jonah), He spoke about His temple being rebuilt in three days, and He spoke very plainly to His disciples. The had trouble understanding and reconciling what Christ was telling them, but Jesus was clear about what was going to happen: He would be killed in Jerusalem and He would rise again. Paul references 500 eye witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 15. Many of these witnesses were still alive at the time that Paul wrote his letter. He Himself had seen Jesus in His resurrected body. There was the undisputed fact of the empty grave. The religious leaders had to think of an explanation for the problematic tomb. Finally there is the rapid expansion of this message proclaimed by radical followers that were convinced of the truth of Christ’s resurrection. Fact is, that modern sceptics agree on three well-established truths: - There was an empty grave. - The followers of Jesus had real experiences with someone they believed was the risen Christ. - These followers proclaimed this message of resurrection and the Christian faith was established. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is well-attested and passes the journalistic requirements for a true story. Necessary confirmation (1 Timothy 3:16) The resurrection is central to the gospel - the good new of Christ’s salvation work. It is God’s stamp of approval. 1 Corinthians 15:16-18 If Christ had remained dead, the sufficiency of His death would still be in question. Was His obedience perfect? Was His life sinless? Did God accept His substitutionary death as my atonement with Him? The resurrection answers: “Yes!” The resurrection is God’s necessary approval of Christ’s finished work on the cross. It is central to faith. 1 Corinthians 15:19-26 The cross was the act of saving grace and the payment for man’s sin. The resurrection was the proclamation that death was undone. If there is no resurrection, Paul argues, we are still in our sin. If we are still in our sin - what’s the point of faith? Faith in what? Our faith will not conquer death. Our story still ends with an inscription on a tombstone. But death doesn’t end our story. Because death didn’t end Christ’s story. Jesus Christ conquered death, putting it on open display and He appeared to His disciples and declared: “I’m made alive again!” Death doesn’t belong. And Christ made the change. He won. And we conquer death through Him. Colossians puts it beautifully: We were together crucified with Him, we were together raised with Him and we live our new life together with Him! Colossians 2:13-15