TOPIC: THE POWER OF RESURRECTION
Text: Phil 3:10-12(AMP)10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] 11 That if possible I may attain to the [spiritual and moral] resurrection [that lifts me] out from among the dead [even while in the body]. 12 Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own.
You cannot talk about the power of resurrection without talking about the power of death.
How did death come into the world?
Gen 2:17(KJV) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Adam and Eve died spiritually immediately and died physically 930 years later.
Adam and Eve died because they were separated from God.
Their relationship with God was broken. The only solution is Jesus Christ who said in John 11:25-26 (KJV)I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
This is the only power that will alter and annul the first order or sentence.
It took Jesus Christ, the Son of The living God to remove this eternal death sentence.
If Jesus came and restored everything and He could not restore eternal life through the power of resurrection, He restored nothing.
The power of resurrection is the major heavenly event, vision and mission of Jesus Christ on the planet earth.
The prophets demonstrated this power of resurrection in the Old Testament as a major restoration in the heart of God before Jesus took it on Himself and gave death a final blow.
Elijah raised the dead – The son of Zarephath woman died – 1 Kings 17:19-22(KJV) 19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.20 And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. 22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
Elisha raised the dead – The son of Shunamite woman died – 2 Kings 4:32-37(KJV)32 When Elisha arrived, the child was indeed dead, lying there on the prophet’s bed. 33 He went in alone and shut the door behind him and prayed to the Lord. 34 Then he lay down on the child’s body, placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands. And as he stretched out on him, the child’s body began to grow warm again! 35 Elisha got up, walked back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!36 Then Elisha summoned Gehazi. “Call the child’s mother!” he said. And when she came in, Elisha said, “Here, take your son!” 37 She fell at his feet and bowed before him, overwhelmed with gratitude. Then she took her son in her arms and carried him downstairs.
Another instance where the bones of Elisha raised a dead man. (2 kings 13:21)
Paul raised Eutychus – Acts 20:7-12 (NLT)7 On the first day of the week, we gathered with the local believers to share in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was preaching to them, and since he was leaving the next day, he kept talking until midnight. 8 The upstairs room where we met was lighted with many flickering lamps. 9 As Paul spoke on and on, a young man named Eutychus, sitting on the windowsill, became very drowsy. Finally, he fell sound asleep and dropped three stories to his death below. 10 Paul went down, bent over him, and took him into his arms. “Don’t worry,” he said, “he’s alive!” 11 Then they all went back upstairs, shared in the Lord’s Supper, and ate together. Paul continued talking to them until dawn, and then he left. 12 Meanwhile, the young man was taken home unhurt, and everyone was greatly relieved.
Peter raised Dorcas – Acts 9:39-41 (NLT) 39 So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! 41 He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.
The reality of Moses and Elijah physically present at Mount transfiguration with Jesus, what a supernatural power an ordinary man cannot fathom.
Matt 17:1-5(KJV)And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
The confusion of Job, David and the rest of the prophets were settled .
Job 14:14(KJV)14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Every step of Jesus was geared towards power of resurrection, that is why He is called the Messiah.
The resurrection of Lazarus was a practical demonstration; that a rotten flesh in the grave can resurrect.
John 11:38-44(KJV) 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Jairus daughter was raised –Luke 8:49-56(TLB)49 While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the Jairus’ home with the news that the little girl was dead. “She’s gone,” he told her father; “there’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” 50 But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to the father, “Don’t be afraid! Just trust me, and she’ll be all right.” 51 When they arrived at the house, Jesus wouldn’t let anyone into the room except Peter, James, John, and the little girl’s father and mother. 52 The home was filled with mourning people, but he said, “Stop the weeping! She isn’t dead; she is only asleep!” 53 This brought scoffing and laughter, for they all knew she was dead. 54 Then he took her by the hand and called, “Get up, little girl!” 55 And at that moment her life returned and she jumped up! “Give her something to eat!” he said. 56 Her parents were overcome with happiness, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone the details of what had happened.
The son of the widow of Nain raised – Luke 7:11-15(TLB)11 Not long afterwards Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, with the usual great crowd at his heels. 12 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The boy who had died was the only son of his widowed mother, and many mourners from the village were with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with sympathy. “Don’t cry!” he said. 14 Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Laddie,” he said, “come back to life again.” 15 Then the boy sat up and began to talk to those around him! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
The finality of this demonstration was when He himself died and went into the shore of death and released the dead Saints with their physical and spiritual body and made them to visit their relations before translating to paradise
Matt 27:50-53(NLT)50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
Christ came to banish death by resurrection. The ultimate aim of a child of God is resurrection.
The angel said ‘Jesus is not here, He is risen’. He has conquered death – Many were astonished!
Matt 28:5-7(NLT)5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”
Even His closed disciples where in confusion on their way to Emmaus – Luke 24:13-16(NLT)13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.
John 20:25-29(NLT) 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
If you are a child of God and have not embraced the reality of resurrection, and attach yourself to it, your faith is useless.
Paul’s revelation of resurrection to the believers – 1 Thess 4:16-18 (KJV)For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
The power of resurrection is working now and also in life to come.
Lazarus will rise again the second time. Even if you are raised today from death, you will die again and also be raised the 2nd time.
1 Cor 15:12-20 (TLB)12 But tell me this! Since you believe what we preach, that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying that dead people will never come back to life again? 13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ must still be dead. 14 And if he is still dead, then all our preaching is useless and your trust in God is empty, worthless, hopeless; 15 and we apostles are all liars because we have said that God raised Christ from the grave, and of course that isn’t true if the dead do not come back to life again. 16 If they don’t, then Christ is still dead, 17 and you are very foolish to keep on trusting God to save you, and you are still under condemnation for your sins; 18 in that case, all Christians who have died are lost! 19 And if being a Christian is of value to us only now in this life, we are the most miserable of creatures. 20 But the fact is that Christ did actually rise from the dead and has become the first of millions who will come back to life again someday. 21 Death came into the world because of what one man (Adam) did, and it is because of what this other man (Christ) has done that now there is the resurrection from the dead. 22 Everyone dies because all of us are related to Adam, being members of his sinful race, and wherever there is sin, death results. But all who are related to Christ will rise again. 23 Each, however, in his own turn: Christ rose first; then when Christ comes back, all his people will become alive again. (Read on)
