The Resurrection

MEMORY VERSE: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” —Romans 10:9

MATTHEW 28:1-10, 16-20

THE resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is one of the great fundamentals of the divine plan of salvation for the church in this age, and for the whole world of mankind during the age of the messianic kingdom. In his sermon on Mars’ hill, Paul explains that God has given “assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him [Jesus] from the dead.”—Acts 17:31

Luke reminds us of how well the resurrection of Jesus was authenticated by the fact that “he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them [his disciples] forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) Today we have those same “infallible proofs” because we have the records of those who were first convinced by them that their beloved Master had been raised from the dead.

On Israel’s typical day of atonement, a bullock and a goat were slain and their blood taken into the most holy of the tabernacle and sprinkled upon the mercy seat as an atonement for the sins of the people. (Lev. 16:11-19,33,34) We believe that Jesus was the antitypical bullock, and that his blood, symbolically speaking, was sprinkled on the mercy seat in heaven, as a “propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”—I John 2:2

Israel’s high priest was a type of Christ, and in offering the bullock in sacrifice every detail of the service had to be carried out exactly as it had been outlined by the Lord. Otherwise, when he passed under the second veil into the most holy of the tabernacle he would have died.

In the antitype the second veil of the tabernacle would represent the death of Jesus’ flesh, his humanity, as a corresponding price for the sin of Adam and his race. Had Jesus not been faithful with respect to every detail of the Father’s will in thus offering himself, his death would have meant the end of his existence. (Lev. 16:13; Heb. 9:22-28) The fact that he was raised from the dead, and exalted to heavenly glory, as pictured by the most holy of the tabernacle, proves that his sacrifice was acceptable, and therefore that his shed blood is efficacious for cleansing us from all sin.—I John 1:7

But the merit of Christ’s shed blood is available now only for believers. Our Memory Verse states this point clearly, emphasizing that our belief must be of the heart, and a belief to which we are glad to testify. Heart belief is one which is demonstrated by our full surrender to do God’s will, regardless of what the cost might be. Those who thus believe with their hearts, and confess with their mouths have the assurance of salvation. This is a justification to life now, and if faithful unto death, will be translated into “glory and honor and immortality” in the resurrection

Yes, it is important that we be assured that Jesus was raised from the dead. It was important for the disciples in Jesus’ day to have this assurance, and it was given to them by the various appearances of their Master between his resurrection and ascension. The first of these appearances was to “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary,” who went early to the tomb immediately at the close of the Sabbath on that memorable first day of the week. They were addressed by an angel, and told not to fear; that Jesus was no longer in the tomb, that he had been raised from the dead.

Then they were bidden to “go quickly” and tell Jesus’ disciples of the resurrection. On their way to fulfill this mission Jesus appeared to them, and asked them to tell his disciples that he would go before them to Galilee. The eleven apostles then went into Galilee, “into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.”

Jesus met them there, and announced that “all power” had been given to him in heaven and in earth. While a man, Jesus could call upon his Father to exercise his power in the performing of miracles; but now, in his resurrection, he had been exalted to the divine nature, and possessed the “all power,” and will eventually use it for the deliverance of all from death.

QUESTIONS

How important is the resurrection of Jesus in the plan of God?

Explain the relationship of the typical sacrifices of Israel’s priesthood with the death of Jesus.

What commission was given to the two Marys who went early to Jesus’ tomb?

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