Jesus Rose Up From the Dead Hes Alive Again
The scriptures are clear that Jesus died on a Roman cross and that 3 days later, he rose from the expressionless, appeared to his disciples for twoscore days, so ascended into heaven. Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection both have great significance beyond a simple execution and restoration to life.
Jesus died as an apologetic sacrifice for our sin and to defeat the spiritual forces arrayed confronting us. But what was information technology that happened on the first Easter roughly 2000 years agone when Jesus rose from the expressionless?
The Empty Tomb
The kickoff thing that anyone noticed about that day was the empty tomb. Jesus had been taken off the cross and placed into a tomb/cave, and a massive stone rolled across the entrance to seal it up.
And a few of his followers had taken note of the location. Yet when they went out early on the following Sunday morning, the rock was rolled abroad, and Jesus' trunk was missing.
There take been many attempts over the years to explain away the empty tomb. And many today carry on that tradition or deny it altogether. Yet few serious Bible scholars, regardless of their religious beliefs, deny that Jesus died on a Roman cross, was buried, and his tomb was later discovered empty.
That the tomb was found empty demonstrated to his first followers that he had defeated death. And it continues to give witness to u.s. today that the grave could not hold him. That he had conquered death.
Resuscitation Vs. Resurrection
Several times in both the Old and New Testaments, we find accounts of people who had died and and then were restored to life. Simply they were fundamentally different than what happened to Jesus.
All these other people were indeed restored to life. But they were no dissimilar later on their restoration than before their death. And each of them ultimately died again. They were simply resuscitated.
But Jesus' restoration to life was fundamentally unlike. Jesus' torso was different. He could appear and disappear at will. He could pass through airtight doors. And he seemed to announced unrecognizable to those who knew him.
And, nearly importantly, he did non experience death over again at some later time. His body was immortal. What Jesus experienced was a resurrection. The aforementioned resurrection that Jesus' followers look frontward to at the terminate of the age.
He Conquered Death
Romans 6:ix says that considering "Christ was raised from the expressionless, he cannot dice again; death no longer has mastery over him." In Jesus' resurrection, he defeated death, humanity'due south greatest enemy and fearfulness. Decease is our final act on this globe. And for many people, what comes afterward decease, if anything, is a peachy unknown.
Hebrews 2:fifteen refers to this fear of humanity, "Who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." But, according to Hebrews ii:14, Christ, in his death, broke the power of Satan, the one who holds the power of death. And he freed usa from our fright of expiry.
Death is a defeated enemy. While nosotros still confront expiry, information technology should no longer concur any fear for those who belong to Christ. What lies on the other side of death is yet largely unknown to united states.
But we can have confidence that death is non the end. Subsequently death will come resurrection into the new life that God has prepared for united states of america.
The Get-go Fruits of a New Humanity
In ane Corinthians 15:20, Paul said that "Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep."
Later in this affiliate (i Corinthians 15:35-49), Paul describes what our resurrected bodies volition be like. They will be totally different what nosotros have now, but they volition be like Christ (one John 3:2).
At Jesus' resurrection, he took on the humanity that each of his people will take at our own resurrection. He was the get-go. And many more of united states of america will somewhen follow him.
Sent the Holy Spirit
In John 16:vii, Jesus told his disciples that it was necessary that he become abroad. But that when he did, he would send the Holy Spirit to them. Scripture records this event in the 2d affiliate of Acts, 50 days subsequently Jesus' crucifixion.
When Jesus was among his disciples, he was simply in one place at a time. And the relationship he had with his disciples was a homo friendship. Simply when Jesus returned to the Father, he sent the Spirit to them.
And the Holy Spirit indwelt the believers, resulting in a more than intimate relationship. And the Spirit was not limited to a unmarried place at a single time. The Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to us enables us to walk in fellowship with God. The Holy Spirit transforms the lives of believers.
Enthroned at the Right Hand of God
Philippians 2:ix-xi tells us that because Jesus was obedient fifty-fifty to death, God has exalted him to the highest place. Hebrews vii:27 and 8:ane say that Jesus, our cracking loftier priest, offered himself equally a cede for us. And he has now ready down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Did Jesus simply repossess his position as Son, the 2nd person of the Trinity? Or is at that place more to this? I believe it is more than a unproblematic return to his pre-incarnate place every bit Son. Jesus' favorite term for himself is Son of Human.
This is an illusion to Daniel vii:13-14, where one, like a son of human being, comes into God's presence and is given authority over all peoples and a kingdom that will never cease. Jesus is eternally the Son. But he is more than than that at present. He still retains his humanity, albeit in its resurrected form.
What does Jesus do at the right hand of God? He rules over his kingdom (Colossians i:thirteen). He is exalted by all creation (Philippians 2:ix-11). And he is making intercession for those who follow him (Hebrews 7:25).
He Led a Victory Parade
In the Roman world of the New Testament, information technology was common for a acquisition full general to pb a triumphal parade into the capital of Rome.
This parade would include some of the captives from the opposing ground forces. And it would often include entertainment and feasting for the people who were privileged to participate.
In Ephesians 4:8, Paul alludes to this practice. Just rather than honoring a victorious Roman full general, information technology is Jesus leading the victory parade.
Colossians 2:15 would seem to place the captives as the spiritual forces in opposition to Jesus. He defeated them in his death. And in his ascension to the throne, he made a public spectacle of them.
The Ephesians passage also says that he gave gifts to his people. The gifts mentioned here included apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors/teachers.
These are leadership gifts for his newly established church building. And he continues to this day to give his people the gifts we demand to serve him effectively.
When Jesus rose from the dead, he conquered death, becoming the firstborn of a new humanity. He defeated the spiritual forces of evil and took them captive.
He ascended to the throne of God, where he now rules over his kingdom. And he sent to us the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us in the life he has called us to.
For farther reading:
What Is the Importance of the Empty Tomb?
Why Do Nosotros Say 'He Has Risen' During Easter?
Why Does information technology Thing That Jesus Rose from the Dead?
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