Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19950820.htm

THE DOCTRINE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Part X: The Significance of Christ's Bodily Resurrection
  1. Introduction
    1. When we give the gospel to unbelievers so that they may believe and be saved from Hell to Heaven, we expect that they believe in an absolute miracle: they must believe that Christ died, that He was buried and arose from the dead, 1 Cor inthians 15:1-11!
    2. Well, WHY is Christ's miraculous resurrection so important that we ask people to believe it to be saved? After all, Liberal Theology treats Christ's resurrection as "nonessential," Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord, p. 206. So, what is so significant about holding to the bodily resurrection of Christ?
    3. We examine the meaning of the resurrection to understand why it is in the Gospel as follows:
  2. The Significance of Christ's Bodily Resurrection
    1. The resurrection of Christ is a proof of His Person as the Lord Jesus Christ.
      1. The supreme proof of the deity of Christ is the fact of His resurrection, Acts 2:36. (Lord)
      2. The work of Christ on the cross as the Savior (Jesus comes from the Hebrew word, "Jeshua," meaning Savior, cf. Mtt. 1:21) demands His resurrection if He indeed is the Savior. To save, He had to have been sinless, and sinlessne ss demands victory over the effects of sin which is death, John 10:17-18. Christ was thus commanded both to die AND to rise due to His sinlessness.
      3. As Messiah, (Christ) He had to rise from the dead to save Israel as a nation from her sins, a hope that is yet future, Mtt. 1:21. This redemption is applied in the Messianic Kingdom, and that demands a resurrection since Chris t died before that kingdom was instituted.
    2. The resurrection of Christ is proof that His offices of Prophet, Priest and King are valid offices:
      1. Christ predicted His death and resurrection throughout His earthly ministry, cf. Mtt. 16:21 et al. For Him to be a true prophet, He had to fulfill this prediction and rise again.
      2. Psalm 110:4 predicts the eternal nature of the Melchizedekan priesthood of Messiah. However, priestly ministries in the Old Testament were terminated either by death or by retirement, cf. Ibid., p. 210. Accordingly, Jesus had to rise from the dead to fulfill this priesthood forever unlike the Aaronic priesthood in its limitations, cf. Heb. 7:24.
      3. As king of Israel, Christ had to rule forever on the throne of His father, David, and rule the entire world, Ps. 2:8-9 with Luke 1:33. The resurrection of Christ fulfilled His capacity to fulfill this office.
    3. The resurrection of Christ is necessary for Him to perform His present ministry:
      1. Christ sent the Spirit to the believer contingent only on His resurrection, Jn. 14:26; 15:26; 16:7.
      2. Christ has to rise from the dead to qualify to give eternal life to men who have died, Jn.11:25; 12:24f.
      3. Christ had to rise from the dead to become the Head of the church and the new creation, Eph. 1:20-23.
      4. He arose to qualify as our Advocate to the Father to counter Satan's charges against us, 1 Jn.2:1-2.
      5. Christ's intercessory work depends upon His being an adequate Mediator for us, and He can mediate for us only if he fully represents us in a human body as we are, He. 7:25.
      6. The resurrection of Christ is basic for Christ giving spiritual gifts for Christian service, Ep. 4:8-13.
      7. Christ can impart spiritual power to the believer for service based upon His resurrection, Ep. 1:17-23.
      8. The believer can be raised to a new position in Christ only due to His rising from the dead, Ep. 2:5-6.
      9. Christ becomes the firstfruits for all believers rising from the dead only if He arose, 1 Cor. 15:20-23.
      10. The believer gets a place prepared for him to live in Heaven based on Christ's resurrection, Jn. 14:2-3.
      11. Christ assumes Lordship over all creation for our benefit based on His resurrection, Ep. 1:20-23.
      12. Christ can shepherd the flock of God on the earth now based on His resurrection, Jn. 10:14; He. 13:20.
    4. Christ's resurrection is essential for His future work to raise all men (1 Cor. 15:51-53; Dn. 12:2; Rev. 20:4; 20:12-14), to be united to the Church at the marriage of the Lamb (2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7), to judge all classes of moral cr eatures (Jn. 5:22; Acts 10:42; Ro. 14:10; 2 Tim. 4:1), to reign on David's throne (Acts 2:25-31) and to deliver the world in the end back to the Father's reign, 1 Cor. 15:24-28.
    5. Christ's resurrection proves the inspiration of Scripture that predicted the event, Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:27.
Lesson: The resurrection of Christ certifies everything having to do with the credibility and offices and ministries of Christ both now and in the future. It also proves the credibility of Scripture's inerrancy since the Bible predicted that He ri se again. Christ's resurrection is thus a central doctrine of our faith!