The resurrection of Jesus

The resurrection of Jesus is one of the key foundations of the Gospel; without

it, salvation becomes very vague, and we have to ask what the point of Jesus' visit was if he just lived and died like the rest of us. 

Today, if you were to talk to people on the street about Jesus being raised from the dead, what answers do you think you would be likely to get?

Perhaps some would say yes, they believed he was raised, others might say he cheated death in Jerusalem, was not really dead on the cross, and thus faked a resurrection, then went elsewhere where He died at a later time. 

Some might say that the disciples swiped the body and buried it elsewhere.

Some may say that Jesus never lived and that his story is all a myth. Or perhaps others would say they have other beliefs, and they don’t even think about Jesus’ resurrection at all.

In early Christian times, it seems that the reality of Jesus’ resurrection was a stumbling block for some, and why not? Jesus’ resurrection turned the world upside down. Death was the end as people understood it, and Jesus had beaten death and been raised and promised the same for those who follow Him. That is quite a claim. Let’s see what the scriptures have to say. We have accounts of the resurrection in all 4 Gospels, but I would like to focus on what Paul has to say about it.  

The resurrection was prophetically predicted

In 1Corinthians 15, Paul talks about resurrection. Christ’s resurrection and our coming resurrection. In verses 3 and 4, Paul makes the point that Jesus died and was resurrected according to the Scriptures. In other words, Paul is pointing to the prophetic plan of God that is evident in the Old Testament, being fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul is a firm believer in the resurrection and sees that it was not an accident or hidden event but foretold in the Old Testament, and was always in plain sight. 

In verses 12-17 argues against those who say there is no resurrection. 

Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 

and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 

Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 

and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 1Cor. 15:12-17

Paul is astounded that there are some believers in Corinth who say that there is no resurrection from the dead. Paul sees the resurrection of Jesus and our promised resurrection on the last day as going hand in hand. If Christ is raised, then we will be raised, if Christ is not raised, then we are dead in our sins.

The promise of our resurrection

The promise of our resurrection is clearly spelled out for us in John 6:40

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:40

Later in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul details what our resurrection will look like, but we will touch on that later.  

Paul says, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. “

This statement has far-reaching implications. If Christ has not been raised …. 

To understand this statement, we need to do some Bible exploring. 

Back to the garden we go!

In the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam a specific warning about a certain tree.

The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17

To say that Adam was told and Eve was unaware cannot be argued, because in Genesis 3:2-3, the serpent asks Eve about what trees she can eat from in the garden; her reply shows that she knew perfectly well that she should eat from the tree, and to do so would result in death.

The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” Genesis 3:2-3

We know that to disobey God, by eating the fruit of this tree was a sinful act, and these verses link sin and death, … “ for in the day that you eat from it, you shall surely die.”

So death arrived because of sin, and it infected Adam, Eve, and all their descendants. 

Only sinners die!

Death only has power over those who sin, so all of the descendants of Adam and Eve were affected by death. Paul says in Romans 6:23, the wages of sin is death. In other words, everyone who sins dies. If Christ has not been raised from death, the implication is that Christ must have sinned, and death had the right to claim him. However, the scriptures are very clear: Jesus was sinless. 

Which one of you convicts Me of sin? … John 8:46

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” Luke 23:4

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15

I cover Jesus' innocence in greater detail in a video you can find here. https://youtu.be/DSbnHOd4Q94

Jesus, being innocent of any sin, means that death had no right to hold him. Jesus death on the cross paid the price for our sin, His blood was shed for us, and His resurrection is the realisation of His promise to us. We will be raised like he was raised, because our sins are forgiven and death has no claim on us anymore.

How the final judgement works. 

We die because of our sins. There will come a time when we will be raised, and the books will be opened. (… it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, Hebrews 9:27 ) 

The opening of the books is the place where Jesus sorts out the sheep from the goats, the tares from the wheat, the forgiven from the unforgiven. 

The forgiven will have eternal life with Jesus, and the unforgiven will go into the lake of fire as described in Revelation 20. Death will have to give up its claim on everyone who is without sin, whose name is written in the book of life, but those whose sins are not forgiven will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Revelation 20:12-14

As each person’s name is read out of the book of life, Death’s claim over them is denied. The forgiven, those without sin, because their sins are forgiven, will pass into God’s eternal Kingdom and the unforgiven, and Satan and his followers, are sent to the second death, the lake of fire. With justice served and the forgiven granted eternal life, death becomes irrelevant, so it too is disposed of in the lake of fire, never to rise again. 

So the resurrection of Jesus is important. Forgiveness of sin and our resurrection to eternal life go hand in hand. 

We will be changed!

Paul goes on to say that when the last trumpet sounds, those who belong to Christ will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. What has been made of perishable material will be clothed in imperishable. We will be changed.

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Sin will be fully dealt with, and death will be gone. Our salvation is eternal; we will never again see the likes of sin and death! 

But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 

O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 

but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

O death, where is thy sting?

As for me, I am a firm believer in Jesus’ resurrection and my coming resurrection. I know I am going to be with Jesus forever.

How about you?

Jesus and Peter, and agape love

In John chapter 21, we read the story of Jesus' post-resurrection meeting with his disciples by Lake Galilee (Tiberius). The disciples go fishing, catch nothing, and, in the early morning light, they see a person on the seashore asking if they have caught any fish. They say no, and the person on the seashore tells them to cast their net to the right side of the boat, and they will catch something. They do this, and their nets are full of 153 large fish; this was the catch of a lifetime.

John is the first to realise that it is Jesus. He realised that this is a similar situation to when Jesus first called them, in Luke 5:4-11. At that time, there was Jesus and a boat and a large catch of fish and ... a call to follow him and become fishers of men. John says, "It's the Lord," and Peter swims ashore to see Jesus.

What follows is the first men's prayer breakfast. Some men meeting with Jesus over breakfast and there in that context, Jesus speaks to them. 

Jesus has some special words to say to Peter in a very famous conversation, recorded at the end of John chapter 21.

On the night of Jesus' arrest, Peter had denied Jesus three times. In this conversation, Jesus asks Peter three times do you love me? and reinstates Peter as a disciple. He then says to Peter, "Follow Me!" 

Let's look at the conversation.

So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 

He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 

He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 

Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, “Follow Me!”

John 21:15:19

This book of the bible was written in Greek. The Greeks had four words for love. Agape, Eros, Phileo, and Storge.

Agape = selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial love.

Eros = passionate, romantic, or sexual love

Phileo = love of deep friendship and companionship.

Storge = familial love, particularly the natural affection between parents and children

In this passage, two of these Greek words are used, but are only translated as love in English. Let's look at those same verses with these words emphasised.

So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you agape Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I phileo You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 

Jesus is asking Peter if he will unconditionally and self-sacrificially love him. To which Peter replies, " Sure, Jesus, I will be your friend". 

Jesus asks him the same question again.

He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you agape Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I phileo You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 

And the third time, Jesus asks a slightly different question.

He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you phileo Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you phileo Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I phileo You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.

So what is going on here? Why this play on words? When you consider that Jesus spoke Aramaic, not Greek, what is John trying to tell us here with his choice of words?

Peter had always been loud about his love and faith in Jesus. It was Peter who made the confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16). It was Peter who declared that whilst all may fall away from Jesus, he would never fall away.  (Matt. 26:33). It was Peter who tried to defend Jesus and chopped off the ear of the High Priest's slave's ear in Gethsemane. (John 18:10).

Peter had been big and bold in his love for Jesus, but when the chips were down, he had ended up denying him three times. I think Peter was unsure of himself and doubted that he could love Jesus with the unconditional love he was asking for, but he was certain he could love Him as His friend. We can see that Jesus accepted the love that Peter offered in His third question. Peter, son of John, do you phileo me? (Will you be my friend?)

Jesus then goes on to describe how Peter will die, and you have to ask, was Peter's death based on friendship (phileo), or deep unconditional love (agape)? (History tells us that Peter died in Rome, where he was crucified upside down.) 

I think Peter restarted his discipleship with phileo love for Jesus, but as he walked with Jesus again, his love and passion increased and developed into agape love. At the time of his death, it was Peter, who requested that he be crucified upside down. He did not see himself worthy to suffer the same way as Jesus did. That was an act of self sacrificial love, not just friendship. 

So, why am I saying all this? Well, you might find yourself in a place where you doubt if you can follow Jesus with the passion and unconditional love that He deserves. Well, start with what you have, follow Him with the love of a friend, and watch as he deepens your love for Him as you walk with Him day by day. 

One day, you will realise that your love for Jesus has transformed into the deep and unconditional love that He asks for and deserves. By walking with Jesus every day, you will find it easy to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. (Deut. 6:5)

Like the boy who gave Jesus his lunch, (John 6:9) and watched Him use it to feed a multitude. Take the small bit of love that you have in your heart, and give it to Jesus and watch it grow and deepen as you walk with him. 

It’s A Balancing Act!

​Politics in the last few years has become very polarised. All sides accuse the others of extremism and wrongdoing. You can be accused of being either too left or too right, or if your views are in the middle, you can be accused of being too indecisive! We are indeed in the era of political extremes.

The left side of politics gathers around the idea of tolerance, mercy, and looking after the disadvantaged. The right side gathers around the idea of justice, law and order, making people accountable for their actions, and so the debates, endless fights and accusations begin.

 

So, what does the Bible say? How do the scriptures guide us?

In Jesus, we see his compassion and mercy at work, such as his interaction with the woman caught in adultery, and His healing of the two blind men in Matthew’s Gospel. 

We also see the other side at work, His calling out the Pharisees in Matthew 23, and we look at his actions when He overturned the money changers' stalls in the temple. 

In Jesus, we see the foundational values of both the left and the right sides of politics at work. So, which approach is more Biblical, left or right?!

Psalm 145:17 gives us an idea of God’s view. 

The LORD is righteous in all His ways

And kind in all His deeds.

In God, both mercy and justice are in perfect balance. 

We see this at the cross. Justice demanded that humans pay the price for the sins they committed: death! God’s mercy sent Jesus as the God/man to die in our place. In the cross, we see both the justice and mercy of God in perfect balance. 

(Some years ago, I made a video about 4 reasons why only Jesus could save us. If you are interested in seeing it, you will find it at the link below.)

https://youtu.be/DSbnHOd4Q94?si=UEUuDUAxXEbC5hk5

God wants us to live justly and to live mercifully at the same time. Just like He does!

He has told you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justice, to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with your God?

                                                             Micah 6:8

We find it hard to find the perfect balance of these two ideas in a sinful world; that’s why governments change from time to time, and people emphasise the extremes rather than the strengths of the opposing view.

The extremes are not where God dwells because one extreme will try to cancel out the other view, and God wants both views to be active in our lives at the same time. 

If we believe that government comes from God.

Be Subject to Government

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Romans 13:1

Then perhaps when the other guys are elected to office, it is not because they cheated or ran a dirty campaign; it just might be God’s way of bringing balance into our community. To save us from the extremes. 

In a sinful world, we will never get the balance right; in God’s Kingdom, the balance is natural because it is an expression of who He is.