[:en]The resurrection of Christ is one of the most important event in Christian History. It has been recorded in all the four Gospels of the Bible: Matthew 28:1-20, Mark 16:1-20, Luke 24:1-53, and John 20:1-31 and in the Epistle of Paul in 1 Cor. 15:3-8.
WHY IS CHRIST’S RESURRECTION IMPORTANT?
- IT PROVES THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD (Romans 1:4)
When Satan tempted Jesus, he said: “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down” (Mat. 4:5). The thief beside Jesus also said: “Aren’t you Christ? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39). Jesus has all the power to perform miracles. Why didn’t He do it to prove His deity? Why did he submit to His Father even unto death on the cross? Because He believed and trusted His Father. He did not want to use his own way to save Himself. He patiently waited for God’s will and in God’s time. He died, and was buried, but on the 3rd day He arose. It has proven that He is the Son of God in a miraculous way. Without death, there is no shedding of blood. Without shedding of His blood, our sins will never be forgiven. Without resurrection, there is no hope for salvation.
2. IT ENABLES US TO BECOME RIGHTEOUS THROUGH CHRIST (Romans 4:25)
Being righteous means without sin. Because all of us are sinners, only faith in Christ can justify us to become righteous. Faith in Christ involves believing in His death and resurrection. His resurrection had won over sin and his victory had set us free from sin and become justified in righteousness.
3. IT GUARANTESS US TO BE RESURRECTED WITH HIM (Romans 8:12)
Bible verses that assure the resurrection of the dead are:
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and others to everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2)
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:6)
“For an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out. Those who have done good to the resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28-29)
“Having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust” (Acts 24:15)
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3)
“In a flash, 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” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)
4. IT PROVIDES US THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST (Romans 8:24)
He has risen! He is now sitting at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us. He prayed to the Father to give us strength when we are weak, to heal us when we are sick, to comfort us when we are heartbroken, to guide us when we are confused, to provide our needs and to lead us in the right path.
5. IT IS THE ESSENTIAL TRUTH AND THE FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIAN FAITH (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17)
There are many religions that have different gods. But only Jesus is the true and living God because He has risen from the death. Paul wrote: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless and so is your faith. .. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17). With His resurrection, we have hope of eternal life. And His resurrection motivates us to work for the Lord for we know that our labor will not be in vain.
Let us commemorate the Resurrection Day with thanksgiving and gladness. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord, for Christ has risen!
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