Resurrection Truths

Our church family has been studying the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have been asking ourselves, “What Is the Gospel?” Central to this Gospel message is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died for our sins. He came back to life the third day! The following is a handout I emailed to our church family for this study. I hope it is helpful.

What Is the Gospel?
God’s Announcement of Good News about His Son
Christ Has Risen from the Dead – Resurrection Truths

Gospel – What does this word mean?

Old English – “God spell” = “Good News” or “Good Story”
Greek – Euangelion – Good News Announcement, typically from a king about himself or his kingdom
Gospel of Jesus Christ = God’s announcement of Good News concerning His Son, Jesus Christ

The Heart of the Gospel

The Heart of this Good News: Christ has died for our sins and has come back to life again – The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

1. The resurrection is central to the Gospel and the Bible.

Christ has died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This is verified in His burial
Christ has risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:4-8). This is verified by 500+ eye witnesses
Luke 24:44-48 – What was written in the Old Testament about Jesus had to be fulfilled; it is written Christ should suffer and rise again. He has!
Acts 4:33 – The apostles witnessed with power to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Romans 1:3-4 – The Resurrection is God’s declaration of Jesus’ position as the Son of God.

2. The resurrection was prophesied beforehand.

1 Corinthians 15:4 – “According to the Scriptures”
Luke 24:44 – “everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
Acts 2:24-32 quotes Psalm 16:8-11 – verse 10 is a prophecy of the resurrection

3. The resurrection was literal and physical.

Jesus’ physical body literally came back to life again.

“And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.” Luke 24:38-43 (ESV – emphasis mine)

4. The resurrection is verifiable, historical fact.

Acts 1:3, 8 – “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs”…“you will be my witnesses…”
Acts 1:22 – “one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection”
Acts 2:32, 3:14-15 – God raised Him from the dead. “To this we are witnesses”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 says Christ appeared after His death to…
- Cephas (Peter)
- To the Twelve
- To over 500 brethren at once
- James (Jesus’ half brother)
- To the other apostles
- To Paul, last of all

Witness – the Greek word martoos

The Greek word speaks of a witness in a legal or historical sense.
They were eye witnesses to the resurrection.
They were willing to seal their witness with their own blood – they were witnesses (martyrs), many of them to the point of death.
His is what the word “martyr” has come to mean – a Christian who has been murdered for his witness about Jesus Christ.

5. The resurrection is essential to our salvation.

Romans 4:25 – Raised “for the sake of our justification” (NET Bible)
1 Peter 1:3 – Born again to a living confidence through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
Ephesians 2:4-5; Colossians 2:9-15 – Made alive together with Christ
1 Corinthians 15:12-58 – Christ’s resurrection is the basis and hope of our own future resurrection

6. The resurrection is fundamental to our identity.

By grace through faith in Christ we have been raised with Christ from the dead (from spiritual death) to eternal life – Christ is now our life! (Ephesians 2:4-5; Colossians 3:4). This is the identity of every believer in Jesus Christ!

7. The resurrection is fundamental to our practice.

We have been raised with Christ to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:1-14) – Christ is our life, so we must and can present ourselves as instruments of righteousness.
We have been raised with Christ to seek the things that are above (Colossians 3:1-4).

How do believers respond?

In faith – we take God at His Word that He has raised Jesus from the dead, and that united to Him…

We have new life
We have been raised to live for God – “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” Romans 6:11 (ESV)
We will be raised to live with God forever (1 Corinthians 15:12-58)
Worship Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11)

What must I do to be saved? To have this new life?

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31)
Receive the gift of eternal life by depending on Jesus (Romans 6:23)

Unless otherwise noted Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.