A Brief Look at the Resurrection and What It Did

[HKHaugan]

The Resurrection put the final seal of approval on the life, the claims and the identity of Jesus. Each of these made sense out of the unseen, the spiritual dimension. What we are really doing here is what the disciples of Jesus did when they recorded His life. They were looking back in order to look forward. It was His presence they were called to proclaim and live. It made the Scripture the authority lifitng up the importance of the individual, gave every heart its true identity, its relational purpose and the guarantee of its place in eternity. Therefore the Resurrection established three things, His identity, His claims and His work.

First, His identity.
Just who Is Jesus anyway? Jesus’ Resurrection must have sent the disciples and everyone else clamoring for words He said, records of things He had done and experiences that those who saw Him had. While we could quote a great deal more the following are just from the Gospel of John.

1;29-34 The first mention we have of Jesus is John the Baptist. "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…I have seen and testify that this is the Son of God."
1;49 Nathanael said to Jesus ; "...you are the Son of God."
2;16 Jesus clears the Temple and says, "This is my Father’s house."
3;13 Jesus said, "No one has ever gone into Heaven except the One who came from Heaven, the Son of Man."
4:25 The woman at the well says she knows "...when the Messiah comes He will explain everything. Jesus replies, I am He."
4;42 The Samaritans said,"…we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
5;39-47 "The Scriptures testify about me…Moses wrote about me..since you don’t believe what he wrote how are you going to believe what I say?"
10:30 " I and the Father are One."
13;13 "You call me Teacher and Lord (Adonai) and rightly so for that is what I am."
18:37 "You are right in saying I am a king, vs.36, My kingdom is from another place."
20;17 "I am returning to My Father and your Father, to my God and your God."
Luke 24;27 Road to Emmaus---"And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself."
24:44 "Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."

Second, His claims.
2;16 The Temple is His Father’s house.
Vs.19 Speaking of His body, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days."
3;16 "For God so loved the world…"
6;35 "I am the bread of life"
whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.
7;38 "Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water wil flow from within him. By this He meant the Holy Spirit."
8;12 "I am the light of the world."
8;24"If you do not believe that I am the One I claim to be you will die in your sins."
8;31 "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."
8;46 He is sinless
Matt.9;6 "So that you may know the Son of Man has the power to forgive sin, I say rise up and walk."
10;11 "I am the good shepherd"
10;30 "I and the Father are One."
11;25 "I am the Resurrection and the Life"
12;32 "When I am lifted from the earth I will draw all men unto me."
12;47 "I did not come to judge the world but to save it."
14;2 "I am going to prepare a place for you and come back to take you where I am."
14;6 "I am the way, the truth and the life."
15;26 "He will send the Holy Spirit"

Third, what He did.
Can we recount all the miracles, the teachings and actions? Just looking the Gospel of John shows 7 miracles: He turned water into wine, healed an official's son, did a healing at poolside, fed 5000, walked on water, healed a blind man raised Lazarus from the dead. In all the Gospels there is far more. He drove out demons and evil spirits. He taught as no man had ever taught and drew every level of human identity to Himself. He preached countless sermons and His teaching on the Mount is the singular most quoted sermon in the world. Our world calendar is dated around His life. Most importantly for us He made the Scriptures come alive by making every word from Genesis to Revelation a living experience of His presence. It is the Scriptures that point to Him and make sense out of life, death, spiritual reality and our purpose. He is the center point of the meaning and purpose of human history.

First, The Resurrection is the proof of spiritual reality
Second, the Resurrection is the seal of Scripture
Third, the Resurrection is the assurance of our salvation.
Fourth, the Resurrection makes valid the claims of Christ.
Fifth, the Resurrection shows the Cross is the means to experience God
Sixth, the Resurrection allows us to look back so that we can look forward.
Seventh, the Resurrection makes faith in Jesus the way of life.

So again, we look back in order to look forward, to live life like He lived it. The Resurrection is the reason the cross is our symbol and the way of life He calls us to undertake. Taking up our cross is looking back in order to fulfill our purpose, our witness and His will. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen