What Jesus’ Resurrection Did
On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is a familiar idea, whether you are a Christian or not. But what are the implications of the resurrection? In other words, what did the resurrection of Jesus do? In this post we will look at four things that the resurrection of Jesus did.
The resurrection means that Jesus is the victorious Lord.
First and foremost the resurrection of Jesus tells us something about Jesus. It tells us that he is the Lord of heaven and of earth. As Romans 1:3-4 says, “. . . regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The resurrection was the divine declaration that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus was vindicated because he himself had predicted his death and resurrection (Mark 8:31). And after his resurrection, Jesus explained that the entire Old Testament predicted his suffering before his glory (Luke 24:46).
When we celebrate the resurrection, we celebrate that Jesus is Lord. This is a reminder that our faith is not primarily in an idea, but primarily in a person. When we celebrate the resurrection, we celebrate Jesus!
The resurrection means that believers are justified before God.
Second of all, Jesus’ resurrection means that all who place their faith in him are justified before God. This means that we are at peace with God, and we are declared righteous before him. Romans 4:25 says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” And 1 Corinthians 15:17 adds, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” Without the resurrection of Jesus, we would not have confidence that our sins are forgiven.
Imagine that a man is about to compete in the World Series of Poker. Before he leaves for the event, he tells a group of orphans that he is going to shower them all with money and gifts after he wins the tournament. They rejoice at this news, but they know that the offer is contingent. They will only get these riches if he wins. If he wins the tournament that he gets to do exactly what he wants with the winnings.
Jesus clearly wanted people to be forgiven of their sins. But he could only offer this forgiveness if he was victorious over death. His victory means our riches! (And just replace the poker illustration with something else if you don’t like the idea of gambling.)
The resurrection means that believers have a victorious resurrection.
Thirdly, Jesus’ resurrection means that believers in Jesus can look forward to their own future bodily resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 15:20 Paul writes, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” When Paul calls Christ the “firstfruits” this is an illustration of Jesus being the beginning of the harvest. When you see the firstfruits of a harvest, this tells you that there is more to come. Jesus’ resurrection means that there is more to come.
Death is the ultimate enemy starting into the face of every human being. It seems to us that death always gets the final word. But because of Jesus death doesn’t get the final word. While we all die (unless we live until his return), those who have placed their faith in Jesus will have their bodies raised up out of the grave and fitted with a new imperishable body for eternal life. Jesus’ victory spells victory for all his people!
This also means that the sting of death is removed for all believers. While we still grieve when we lose beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, we don’t despair. We anticipate final victory and reunion because Jesus’ resurrection is simply the first of many.
The resurrection means that suffering has meaning.
First Corinthians 15:29-32 is a strange passage, but its ultimate meaning is clear and powerful. Paul writes in verse 29, “Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people being baptized for them?” Scholars debate what Paul means by baptisms for the dead. Some think that this was a pagan practice of baptizing dead people to try to get them into heaven. Others think that Paul’s idea may be that certain people got baptized in response to the inspiration that they gained from seeing Christians die for their faith.
While the exact meaning here is unclear, where Paul takes the conversation is quite clear. In verses 30-32 he writes, “And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’”
Paul’s big point is that suffering for Jesus has no meaning unless our bodies will one day be raised from the dead. And we have no hope for this final resurrection unless Jesus was raised. If Jesus wasn’t raised, we should just live the most comfortable lives we can in the here and now (“Let us east and drink, for tomorrow we die”). But if there is a final resurrection, then our sacrifices and our suffering have meaning. There is final reward for all that we have done for Jesus.
If you are struggling under the weight of what you lost in order to follow Jesus, if you are frustrated that you are fighting against sin and temptation when many simply indulge it, if you are disheartened by being called a fool for placing your trust in a Jewish man who lived 2,000 years ago, if you are saddened by having less expendable income because you are being jealous, then cast your eyes on the resurrection of Jesus! Jesus is raised! Jesus is Lord! Jesus is victorious!
And no sacrifice made for him will be left unrewarded.
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