Judges 11-12

Luke 6:1-26

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?’” —John 11:25-26

What is the big deal surrounding the fact that Jesus resurrected from the dead? Firstly, the resurrection gives proof of Jesus being who He claimed to be. Acts 17:31 tells us, “For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.” In other words, everything we need to know and believe about Jesus Christ is proven by His resurrection.

The resurrection is God’s vindication of Christ; if Christ was not raised, the whole of Christianity is discredited. Jesus’s teachings were centred on Himself. He said things no other religious leader had ever said. He said, “I am the way” while others say, “I will show you the way.” He said “I am the truth” as others say, “I’ll teach you the truth.” He said, “I am the life” when others say, “I will show you how to find life.” If there is no Jesus, then there is no way, no truth and no life. If Jesus was not resurrected, we have no gospel.

Secondly, the resurrection of Jesus gives power. Paul writes, “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). In the New Testament, the disciples were characterized by weakness, cowardice and failure, but after the resurrection, they were different men and women. Not because they simply believed something they had not believed before, but they received something that they had not received before—the risen life of Christ imparted to them the Holy Spirit. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within Christians that they are transformed from within and equipped to live a new kind of life.

Thirdly, the resurrection of Christ gives purpose. 
1 Corinthians 15:17-18, 20 “…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost….But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” The resurrection of Christ gives life purpose because our sins are forgiven and we can look forward to the day we are reunited with Him.

We have all three tenses in these three reasons. Past tense, the resurrection gives historical proof. Present tense, the resurrection gives power that we can enjoy in Christ now. And future tense, the resurrection gives purpose to life. For these reasons, how could we not make a big deal about the resurrection?

Lord God, thank You for resurrecting Jesus, which not only proves who He is but also gives me power for today and hope for the future. Praise You, Lord!