The Benefits of Christ’s Resurrection for Believers

What this episode covers

Well, if you are anything like me, yesterday was difficult. We celebrated one of the strangest Easter Sundays of our lifetime. It was quite possibly the strangest Easter Sunday since that first Resurrection Sunday. Celebrating Easter from our homes was far from ideal, but it was nice to see everyone making the most of it. I want to encourage you to keep the benefits of Christ’s resurrection on your mind. I trust you were blessed by the many reminders you received of the goodness and greatness of God. The resurrection is the foundation of our faith. The Heidelberg Catechism provides us with some very encouraging words to continue to consider. It gives believers three things to reflect upon regarding the benefits of Christ’s resurrection. Celebrating Easter Sunday yesterday should not conclude our meditation on the value of the resurrection for us today (and for all eternity). Q. 45: What doth the resurrection of Christ profit us?A.: First, by His resurrection He has overcome death, that He might make us partakers of that righteousness which He had purchased for us by His death;1secondly, we are also by His power raised up to a new life;2 and lastly, the resurrection of Christ is a sure pledge of our blessed resurrection.3Heidelberg Catechism Q.45 1. Christ’s resurrection confirms His substitutionary death on the cross for us in the past. “First, by His resurrection He has overcome death, that He might make us partakers of that righteousness which He had purchased for us by His death If Christ has not been raised, then we would remain under the penalty of our sins (Romans 4:25). It would mean that death had defeated Christ. We would have no hope of entering into heaven by way of his righteousness. But Christ was triumphant on the cross. And since he did rise from the dead, we know that his death purchased the righteousness we needed for redemption. Speaking in a general way, it may be said that all the benefits of Christ’s death are also fruits of his resurrection; for his resurrection secures the effect which his death was designed to have.Zacharias Ursinus The first of the benefits of Christ’s resurrection is that it proves His defeat of sin on the cross. If you take away the resurrection, you lose redemption too. The Reassurance of the Disciples Painting of John and Peter running to the empty tomb by Eugene Burnand (1898). In my office hangs a painting that my wife bought for me almost twenty years ago. It is the work of Eugene Burnand who painted it in 1898. Mine is a printed copy, but it is nicely framed. The painting portrays John and Peter heading to the tomb after they had heard the news of the resurrection. John is young and clasping his hands as if he is full of hope. The older Peter is holding his right hand over his heart while pointing forward with his left hand. They look tired, even a bit anxious. And it’s no wonder the disciples look tired. For a few sleepless nights, they had been mourning the death of their Master. At this point, they were restless and confused. But the news of the resurrection would confirm everything Jesus had ever told them. It would confirm that the death of Jesus was all part of God’s redemptive plan. They were about to transition from feeling shattered and alone to being reassured and confident in God’s promises. 2. Christ’s resurrection proves that God enables us to live for Him in the present. “secondly, we are also by His power raised up to a new life” Apart from the resurrection, we would remain under the power of our sins. We would have no access to the life-giving power of Christ. Our union with Christ in his resurrection is what allows us to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). This is also why we seek to live for things that are above, in heaven, rather than what is earthly (Colossians 3:1). We place a much higher value upon our heavenly rewards than any security we might enjoy here on earth. Although we were dead in our sins, becau

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