“The Necessity of the Resurrection” 4/16/06
“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was resurrected to life for our justification.” Romans 4:25
“Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.” Isaiah 26:19 Other OT references: Job 19:26; Dan. 12:2
Resurrection required to be saved… Rom 10:9
POINT 1- The THEOLOGICAL necessity of the Resurrection
A. If the dead do not rise then JESUS is not risen (V. 13).
B. The preaching of the gospel would be WORTHLESS (V.14a).
The Gospel has no GOOD NEWS without Jesus’ victory over sin and death.
C. No resurrection… our faith is worth NOTHING (V.14b).
All of our SACRFICES in this life for REWARD in the next are worthless.
D. The church would have a foundation of LIARS (V.15).
“Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Rom. 8:34
“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:25
POINT 2- The PERSONAL necessity of the Resurrection
A. If the dead do not rise, we are still in our SINS (V.17).
B. Those who have died as believers are eternally LOST (V.18).
C. If… as Christians we are the most PITIFUL of all people (V.19).
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.” 1 Cor. 15:20
“Because I live, you will live also.” John 14:19
What’s the point?
It had the power to turn cowards into conquerors. Acts 4.
“I pray that you will know… what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.” Eph 1:18-20
“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” Philippians 3:10