Another date on the calendar marking the reality of the historicity of Jesus. Most calendars, however, mark it as Easter Sunday, reflecting on its pagan roots in the goddess of fertility Ashtar But, for us that know Him/Jesus we are reminded of Him who is, and was, our passover Lamb who was slain and whose blood has delivered us from sin. But, as much, or more, we are reminded and celebrate resurrection, that Jesus is now risen again from the dead. He IS Risen! Risen Indeed!
In the Great Exchange “God made Him (Jesus) Who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2nd Corinthians 5:21)
But, as Paul made quite clear in his first letter to Corinth, that “exchange” would, and could, not have been complete outside of the resurrection. [1Corinthians 15:13-14, 16-17 NASB95] “13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. … 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”
Make no mistake, the resurrection of Jesus is central to our faith, for His victory over sin was to complete His victory over the final adversary, death. The two are inextricably linked. Sin had to be paid for, and rendered powerless, so victory could be established over death rendering it powerless as well.
[1Corinthians 15:55-57 NASB95] 55 “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
[Romans 5:12 NASB95] 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned–
[Romans 6:6-10 NASB95] 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with [Him,] in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
[Romans 8:2 NASB95] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
[James 1:15 NASB95] 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
[1Corinthians 15:24-26 NASB95] 24 then [comes] the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
It is for this reason Jesus could boldly proclaim that faith in Him, believing in Him as the resurrection and the life was prerequisite to being lifted out of judgement we are already under, and gaining eternal life. Life forever!
[John 11:25-26 NASB95] 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
[John 3:16-18 NASB95] 16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Yes, as Martha responded in John 11 when asked the questions above; He is the messiah and savior, even the son of God. (“Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”) The historicity all lines up with the prophets. But He is so much more, and our faith is in Him risen as conquering King over death.
Giving mental assent to the historicity of Jesus as a great teacher, or that He lived and even was crucified, or was even possibly the Jewish messiah, is not faith.
His resurrection makes Him Lord, King, Conqueror like none other. Suffering lamb slain in humility, is now Risen and Enthroned King with glory and dominion forever.
[Hebrews 2:9-11, 14-15 NASB95] 9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, [namely,] Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one [Father;] for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, … 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
[Philippians 2:8-11 NASB95] 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
[Colossians 2:9-15 NASB95] 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
God disarmed powers and principalities through Jesus tasting death,…and He triumphed over them through the public display of Jesus’ resurrection conquering sin and death. We were gloriously “raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him (Jesus) from the dead.” We now manifest His glory and His victory to principalities and powers/rulers and authorities as His body, the church, the fullness of Him that fills all in all.
[Ephesians 3:10-12, 21 NASB95] 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly [places.] 11 [This was] in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. … 21 to Him [be] the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
[Ephesians 1:19b-23 NASB95] 19b ….[These are] in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly [places,] 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
HE IS ALIVE! HE IS RISEN! RISEN INDEED! And we have the honor and responsibility of having Him be exhibited as such through us to one another, the world around us, and to principalities and powers above us. Let us remember His sacrifice in our passover/communion. But, let us celebrate His resurrection as the Lamb of glory (Revelation 56-13).
