BECAUSE HE LIVES – WE LIVE
COMMENT: We live in a time where many refute the physcial resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is particularly true of cults such as the Jehovah's Witnesses and ohers. What is particularly disturbing thought is how such false doctrine has actually crept into the mainstream Christian Church. Today we see many mainstream Christians that deny the fundamentals of true Christian doctrine such as the physcial or bodily resurrection of Jesus, the virgin birth, the existance of a true hell, Christ being the only way to heaven based on His atonement for sin on the cross and so forth. We live in a time which we must comtend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints. For this reason, I would like to speak broefly on the importance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This lesson is in ways designed to list all the issues pertaining to this matter but to highlight some of the importamt ones and provide basic assistance and understanding of the importamce of the fundamental aspects of the resurrection for all Christians today.
SCRIPTURES:
1). MATT. 27:33 THROUGH CHAPTER 28
2). JOHN 20
3). 1 COR. 15 (READ CHAPTER)
I. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST – POINTS ESSENTIAL TO THE TRUE CHRISTIAN FAITH
A). I COR 15: 3-4
B). I COR 15:14-15
C). IF HE HAD NOT RISEN, HE COULD NOT ANSWER OUR PRAYERS. WE WOULD BE PRAYING TO SOMEONE WHO WAS STILL DEAD.
D). THERE COULD BE NO RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD FOR US IF CHRIST HAD NOT ONLY DIED BUT SUCCESSFULLY RISEN FROM THE DEAD. BECAUSE HE LIVES…..WE NOW LIVE ALSO. BECAUSE HE DEFEATED DEATH AND THE GRAVE FOR US THROUGH HIS VICTORY ON THE CROSS, WE ARE ALSO GIVEN THE PROMISE THAT WE WILL NOT BE HELD IN THE GRAVE BY THE POWER OF DEATH. UNTIL JESUS DEATH AND RESURRECTION, ALL WHO HAD DIED PRIOR TO THAT EVENT HAD BEEN HELD IN THE GRAVE…HAD NOT BEEN RESURRECTED AND WERE “ASLEEP”. THEY WERE AWAKENED WHEN JESUS WAS RESURRECTED. (SEE MAT 27:52-53) THIS IS NOT TO CONFUSE THE FACT THAT THE SPIRITS AND SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS WENT TO A PLACE CALLED “PARADISE”, WHICH WAS A COMPARTMENT WHEREIN THEY WERE SET FREE AND GAINED ACCESS TO HEAVEN AFTER JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED AND SET THEM FREE. MEANWHILE THE SOULS AND SPIRITS OF THE UNRIGHTOUS STILL WENT TO HELL.
II. THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST – A FULFILLMENT OF PROPHESY, INCLUDING HIS OWN
A). JESUS SAID HE WOULD RISE AGAIN…..IN 3 DAYS. HE SAID “DESTROY THIS TEMPLE AND I WILL RAISE IT UP IN 3 DAYS.” – JOHN 2:19
III. HIS RESURRECTION WAS CONTESTED THEN AND IS STILL AN ISSUE TODAY
A). SOLDIERS GUARD THE TOMB TO WATCH THE BODY OF JESUS
B). STORIES WERE MADE UP THAT JESUS’S BODY WAS STOLEN WHEN THE TOMB WAS DISCOVERED AS EMPTY
- YET JESUS APPEARS TO OVER 500 PEOPLE AFTERWARDS
IV. SATAN AND THE GRAVE COULD NOT HOLD BACK JESUS…HE DEFEATED THEM BOTH BY HIS RESURRECTION
A). DEATH WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY AND GRAVE WHERE IS YOUR STING?-1 COR. 15:54-57
B). MANY CULTS TRY AND SAY THAT JESUS WAS NOT RAISED OR RESURRECTED PHYSICALLY….YET WHAT THEN IS HELD IN THE GRAVE? IT IS A BODY….NOT A SPIRIT. SO WE KNOW THAT WHEN THE WORD REFERS TO THE GRAVE, IT IS REFERRING TO THE BODY THAT IS INSIDE OF IT. AND JESUS ROSE PHYSICALLY FROM THAT GRAVE.
V. BECAUSE HE WAS RESURRECTED AND RETURNED TO THE FATHER, WE CAN GO THERE TOO….HE WAS THE FIRST FRUITS OF MANY BRETHEREN
A)….I GO TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. IN MY HOUSE THERE ARE MANY MANSIONS AND IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU – JOHN 14:1-3
B). I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF –JOHN 14:3
C). JESUS - THE FIRSTBORN OF MANY BRETHEREN – ROM. 8:29
D). NONE OF THE ABOVE COULD EVEN BE FULFILLED FOR US IF THE GRAVE HAD HELD HIM….BUT IT DID NOT AND TODAY WE SERVE AND PRAY TO A LIVING GOD!
By Evangelist Mischa Safdie’
Mischa Safdie’ Ministries
136 N. Grand Ave., Ste. 278
W. Covina, CA 91791
(951) 796-3936
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