The Resurrection is Central

The Risen Christ is Central.

The Resurrection is;

The Central Proclamation Of the Bible (Luke 24:13-35)

The Central Validation Of The Son of God (Acts 2:22-36)

The Central Foundation Of Our Faith (1 Cor 15)

The Central Confirmation of Our Salvation (Hebrews 7:23-25)

The Central Proclamation Of the Bible (Luke 24:13-35)

Luke 24:3–8 

³ And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: ⁵ And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, ⁷ Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. ⁸ And they remembered his words

The resurrection is the central proclamation of the Bible, the context of the passage bares itself witness that there is nothing more to add concerning the argument of the angels; we see in this last verse (verse 8) a simplicity in its entirety. 

“And they remembered his words”

There are the words spoken by Christ concerning himself, words that he spoke clearly seemed  never to be understood until he was risen.

John 12:32–34 

32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. 33This he said, signifying what death he should die. ³⁴ The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? 

This being the people that did not understand the Lord, but neither did his disciples.

Mark 9:31–32 

³¹ For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. ³² But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. 

John 12:16 says 

¹⁶ These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and thatthey had done these things unto him. 

It was when Christ was Risen that the disciples “remembered his words”.

These are the words that are the Central Proclamation of the Bible.

Turn with me to our passage in Luke 24

A wonderful portion of the scripture I’d like to layout for you that perhaps you might also be as they were when the Lord is revealed to you;

Luke 24:13–35

¹³ And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. ¹⁴ And they talked together of all these things which had happened. ¹⁵ And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. ¹⁶ But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. ¹⁷ And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? ¹⁸ And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? ¹⁹ And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: ²⁰ And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. ²¹ But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. ²² Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; ²³ And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. ²⁴ And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. ²⁵ Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ²⁶ Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? ²⁷ And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 

²⁸ And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. ²⁹ But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. ³⁰ And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. ³¹ And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. ³² And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? ³³ And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, ³⁴ Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. ³⁵ And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. 

• O that your heart might burn within you as you hear him by the way and as the scriptures are opened to you this day. 
• O that you might also find others and proclaim to them that the Lord is risen indeed,
  •  that the gospel would be the central focus of your life, 
  • that you will not rest day nor night till you have spoken to someone more concerning the Central Proclamation of the revelation of God, the resurrection of Christ.

Yes, some will mock, others will “hear you again of this matter”, but some will also believe.

Play the numbers, speak the Gospel of Christ to all that you might save some.

Beloved, it is absolutely certain that;

• if you tell no one, no one will come. 
• If you pray for no one, no one will be drawn, 
• if you remain silent in your walk with the Lord and evidence no hope to which one might enquire, then none will.

But if you speak, some will believe

But if you pray, some will be drawn

But if you live in hope, some will ask.

This is the Central Proclamation of the Bible concerning Christ, It should rightly be the central proclamation of our testimony;

Christ is Risen…he is risen indeed.

The Central Validation Of The Son of God (Acts 2:22-36)

⁴ And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

⁵ And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here but is risen: remember…

The Central Validation of the Son of God is the resurrection. 

Just as the Angels confirmed to the women in what might be the slightest of reproofs “Why seek ye the living from among the dead ⁶He is not here but is risen: remember…”

Jesus told the world that he is the Son of God and he is the proto Son of Man, the First begotten of the dead, and he now lives to Validate his claim.

To the woman at the well he spoke as a prophet, and told her “all things that ever she did” and she asked him directly, 

John 4:25–26 

25…I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Jesus told the woman that he is the Messiah, the Son of God and validated it to her when he rose from the Dead.

Imagine how her heart burned within her as she spoke face to face with The Word of God that proclaimed all these things she read and heard about concerning Christ!

But it was not only to her. 

John the Baptist who made “straight in the desert a highway for our God” him, the man whom the Prophet Isaiah wrote of that would come to testify of Christ, even he who was also the cousin, the son of Elizabeth, the sister of Mary, who leaped in her womb at the very voice of the salutation of Mary sounded in the ears of Elizabeth, even HE asked the question of Jesus, if he were the Christ or no.

Luke 7:22–23

It was the disciples of John who were sent to him. Jesus was to increase and John was to decrease and now John finds himself low and in prison for Herodias sake.

John had dared remind the King of his unlawful adultery with his brother Phillips wife, and now he was held confined at the Kings pleasure.

Perhaps concerned that his own proclamation of Christ was premature or in vain, perhaps concerned that an axe was laid at the foot of his tree; perhaps, as Christ notes, he may be offended for the sake of Christ, but without blessing. 

Nevertheless he sends his disciples to Jesus to see if he might Validate himself, asking in verse 20;

“Art thou he that should come or look we for another?”

²² Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. ²³ And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. 

But though all these things that Jesus did seemed to testify to the world who witnessed them that “this is the Christ, the Son of the Living God”, But they were not yet revealed to them until the Resurrection of Christ, but to the disciples it was given them that they could see.

And yet even the disciples were found timid in their faith when the “shepherd was smitten, they scattered”…until Christ was Risen.

Turn to Acts 2:22–36

²² Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: ²³ Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: ²⁴ Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

²⁵ For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: ²⁶ Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: ²⁷ Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ²⁸ Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

 ²⁹ Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.³⁰ Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; ³¹ He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. ³² This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. ³³ Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. ³⁴ For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, ³⁵ Until I make thy foes thy footstool. ³⁶ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 

The Central Validation of the Son of God is the resurrection of Christ.

And how should this affect you?

How should you now live?

How would your life be ordered but as a witness to the truth of it proclaimed in the Scripture and testified IN YOU BY A TRANSFORMED LIFE!!!!

1 John 1:1-5

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; ² (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) ³ That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. 

1. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Proclamation Of the Bible
2. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Validation of The Son of God

The Central Foundation Of Our Faith (1 Cor 15)

The principles of math are without foundation without the symbols seen in numbers that make math possible.

The logic of thought is not possible without the foundation of the words that frame our minds.

The impression of music is void of response without the notes that provide its foundation.

So too is our faith vain without the resurrection of Christ. Indeed, if it were not for the resurrection of the Lord, we all would be yet in our sins.

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 15:1-19 

15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; ² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. ³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: ⁵ And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: ⁶ After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. ⁷ After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. ⁸ And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹¹ Therefore whether it wereI or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. 

¹² Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: ¹⁴ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. ¹⁵ Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. ¹⁶ For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: ¹⁷ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ¹⁸ Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

The claim is not a complicated one.

Paul testifies that the Gospel he preaches is that which has as its foundation the Resurrection of Christ. 

Christ is risen and if it were not so he simply would have no Gospel to proclaim. In fact, worse than this; 

• for if Christ is not risen then the sufferings we suffer for the testimony of Christ, is in vain.
• If Christ is not risen, the very testifying of our testimony is seen as a false witness, and again, we testify of him in vain.
• If Christ is not risen, then there is also NO foundation for any belief anywhere that there is ever to be a resurrection of the dead.
• If Christ is not risen, and if the resurrection is proof of both the atonement and redemption, the worst of all remains and that is the greatest problem still for all of mankind, “ye are yet in your sins”!!! 
  • There is yet NO answer for the sin of the world, God will judge as righteous Judge but now without salvation for ANY!

Indeed, in every way, in all possible considerations of the notion related to the resurrection of Christ, if it did not occur, if it is not certifiable through history, through logic and revelation, through experience and witness, then, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

Now Verse 20….

²⁰ But (O the wonder of this word when it is so well placed) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. ²¹ For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

The resurrection of Christ is the Central Foundation of our faith.

How is that now to alter your manner of life?

                     How important are those things that now occupy your time? How valuable are they in the scheme of things today?

If the Lord were now to take you home, what regret might now occupy your thought? What should you have done in your life that can now no longer be attended to?

• Who might you forgive of sin?
• Who might you apologise for sin?
• What work are you engaged that may better serve your witness?
• What habits to be forsaken that might ever build your joy?

What if the Lord gave you another year of service…what might you change?

1. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Proclamation Of the Bible
2. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Validation of The Son of God
3. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Foundation of our faith

The Central Confirmation of Our Salvation (Hebrews 7:23-25)

For many centuries the Jews had called to their remembrance an activity that is brought to mind annually, it is a day, a day of the Calendar that they are to remember and to prepare for until the coming of the messiah, it is a solemn day and it is a day for the entire nation to participate in for the hope of heaven to come, it is The Day of Atonement. 

Yom Kippur is not a day of celebration but a day of purification. 

It was the only day of the year the High Priest was to enter the Holy of Hollies and before doing so, he was to cleanse himself first, he did so partly through the washing but also  through the sacrifice of a bull, then and only then could he Intercede for the people in the Sanctuary.

Two were the number of Goats that were to be employed for the ritual of removing the sins of the people. The Lot would be cast between them, one was to be the Scape Goat and sent into the wilderness, it was referred to as being sent to Azazel.

The other was The Goat of the Lord, (Lev 16:8) on him would be laid the Sin Offering, his blood then sprinkled on the Mercy Seat of the Arc of the Covenant and then over all the alter (Lev 16:15-19).

This was to be done every year looking forward to the Messiah

This was to be done every year due to the remembrance of the sins of the people, it was to be attended to by the High priest also each year for the remembrance of his own sin and when the high priest died, a new High priest was to be appointed and this was to go on year after year, each year until That High Priest would come for which all is held as a type.

That high priest is Christ, the Son of God.

This was the man through whom the sin of the world would be laid, he is both the scape goat and the sin offering, it was to be his Blood shed and sprinkled on the mercy seat and all the alter.

Through him and him alone could the world have no more remembrance of Sin as he intercedes daily at the throne of God, the living Sanctuary.

And he did not need to offer to the Lord a sacrifice for sin, for he had no sin of his own to atone, but he offered up himself….once for all.

The earth quaked at the event, darkness also covered the earth, the veil of the temple rent in twain showing that the way to the Holy of Hollies was no made to all who beheld the sin offering in Christ.

He was lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness and it was to draw all men to himself.

Not as those many high priests not suffered to continue by reason of death, Jesus, through his resurrection, became our eternal high priest, to save us to the uttermost.

Turn with me to Hebrews 7;

To the Jewish believers the correction of the Book of Hebrews was given who, through their struggle in the flesh, had turned again to those weak and beggarly elements of the Law that was not designed to save them for ever.

But these, burdened for the sin of the flesh and used to the past relief of the Day of atonement, turned back again to that which was the lesser and not to Christ who is the better, and to whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells.

Hebrews 7:22–25 

²² By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. ²³ And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: ²⁴ But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁵ Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 

Beloved, the Resurrection of Christ is the central confirmation of our salvation.

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, all the world would be still looking for the one who was promised to come.

That second temple would have remained and the high priests who continued for two thousand years would still be offering each and every year for the sins of the people.

Why? 

Because the promised messiah had died but not risen, and there is yet to be that one that might ever live to make intercession for us!!

Jesus is the Great High priest, not made after a carnal commandment for after an endless life, “a priest for ever after the order of melchisedec” (Heb 7:17).

In short, the fact that Jesus is the great high priest from whom all the carnel highpreists of the earth were a type, his endless life has him ever live to intercede for all who have placed their faith in him.

 His resurrection shows him ALIVE and not dead, we serve a RISEN Saviour not a dead prophet. 

Christ is at the right hand of the father, interceding for you and I until the redemption of the purchased possession, until Christ receives us to himself. 

And we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

So tell me now what this means to you?

Tell me that you are the blessed one that David wrote of to whom the Lord will not impute iniquity!

Tell me that the Victory of the resurrection over death, our own Mortal Enemy, means death has lost its sting, the grave its victory and NOTHING IS ABLE TO HARM YOU WHILE CHRIST INTERCEDES TO THE FATHER FOR YOU.

You now have the right and ability to live your life to the fullest in Christ with absolute trust that you will be called home at the time appointed and NO EARLIER!!!!

Let this resurrection day be a day of new life for you.

Set your priorities in order, change what is to be changed, attend to those things for which you might otherwise regret and do so with all confidence in Christ. 

It is a NEW DAY.

And we worship in the beginning of the week, no longer the end of it.

1. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Proclamation Of the Bible
2. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Validation of The Son of God
3. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Foundation of our faith
4. The resurrection of Christ is The Central Confirmation of our Salvation

The Resurrection is Central to Everything.