Resurrection: Defeat of Death and Sin | Luke 24:1-12; 1 Cor. 15

INTRODUCTION

Today Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we reflect on this miraculous event, we are reminded of the profound significance it holds for our lives and our faith.

Jesus had in fact predicted his death and resurrection:

Luke 18:31-34

³¹Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. ³²He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; ³³they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again. ³⁴The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

The Gospel of Luke recounts the amazing story of the resurrection and its profound significance for all of humanity.

The chapter begins with the women disciples going to the tomb early in the morning, intending to anoint the body of Jesus. However, they were surprised to find the stone rolled away from the tomb and the body of Jesus missing.

Luke 24:1-12

¹On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ²They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” ⁸Then they remembered his words.

⁹When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹²Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

Women At The Tomb

• Early morning they came to anoint the body of Jesus.
• They found the stone rolled away.
• They entered the tomb but did not find the body of Jesus, they were perplexed.
• Found 2 men in shining clothes that shared resurrection message.
• Frightened the women bowed their faced to the ground.
• Women were the first witness to the resurrection scene.
• The women reported what they had seen and heard to the eleven.
• They did not believe the women.
• We find the faith of the woman versus the faithlessness of the disciples.
• Peter ran to the tomb, verified and marvelled at the resurrection.

What incredible news! Jesus, who was crucified and buried, is alive! The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith, and it is the reason we have hope.

In 1^st Corinthians 15, apostle Paul talks about the resurrection of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

So what is the message of resurrection?

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

¹²But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ¹⁵More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. ¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. ²⁰But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Here Apostle Paul is talking about the negative of not having a resurrection. He is constantly telling us what if Christ had not raised from the dead? Paul is driving the point that everything we Christians do would be futile if Christ did not raise from the dead. However, since Christ has raised from the dead, all these negatives become positive for us.

THE MESSAGE OF RESURRECTION

Our Sins Are Forgiven, Death Is Conquered, & Eternal Life Possible.

1 Corinthians 15:17-19

¹⁷And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. ¹⁹If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. ²⁰But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

• If Jesus has not been raised, then we are still in our sins.
• If Jesus has not been raised, then death has not been conquered.
• If death has not been conquered, we have no reason for supposing that his death actually dealt with sin.
• If he was raised from the dead, then this can only be because the power of death has been taken away which must mean that the power of sin itself has been broken. Because sin and death came together to the human race.

His death was for death and sin and the resurrection was the seal for the dying for sin message.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23

²⁰But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²²For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

Forgiveness of sin is the basic need of every human. We are born in sin and the wages of sin is death. You may say that Jesus took our sins on the cross and by his death, yes. But forgiveness would not be complete had Jesus not raised from the dead.

Jesus is raised first and then all his people are raised later when he comes back.

The victory which Jesus has won is ultimately going to be the victory over all the forces of darkness, ultimately death itself. Death is the last enemy and the last enemy will be destroyed.

Message of resurrection is that we will live with Christ forever. The moment I die, I will be with Jesus. Therefore, we will see our loved once in heaven and have fellowship with them. What a glorious hope.

The Resurrection Makes Us Part Of God’s New Creation

God’s new creation broken into the world. The resurrection is not simply a historical event, but a cosmic one. It is the moment when God’s new creation broke into the midst of our fallen world, transforming everything and ushering in a new age.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Through the resurrection, Jesus defeated sin and death and opened the way to eternal life for all who believe in him. He proved that he was not just a prophet or a moral teacher, but the Son of God who had the power to conquer death and offer us salvation.

According to N. T. Wright, “When Apostle Paul sees Christ, this image of the Messiah and the Image of the true human being coming true in Jesus. Jesus is the one that God had in mind when he made Adam and Eve in his image. Jesus is the one had in mind when he saw through the prophet Samuel, the youngest of Jessie’s sons and said, “Here is a man after God’s own heart. Anoint him.””

The call of Adam and Eve to be the image bearers. The call of David to be the ruler or shepherd of God’s people were vocations designed ultimately for God’s own use. According to 1 Cor. 15, it is through the death and resurrection of Jesus that the creator God is going to restore his whole creation, by abolishing death itself.

Because of the resurrection, we are part of God’s new creation and you have your role to play within that. Since we have a glorious hope of resurrection, we are to get on with our work.

Now with Christ we have been given the vocation to rule:

Psalm 8:4-8

⁴what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

human beings that you care for them?

⁵You have made them a little lower than the angels

and crowned them with glory and honor.

⁶You made them rulers over the works of your hands;

you put everything under their feet:

⁷all flocks and herds,

and the animals of the wild,

⁸the birds in the sky,

and the fish in the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

The resurrection is a call to action for us as believers. It calls us to live lives of faith and hope, to embody the values of God’s new creation, and to work for justice and peace in the world. As Wright writes in his book “Surprised by Hope,” “The message of Easter is that God’s new world has been unveiled in Jesus Christ and that you’re now invited to belong to it.”

We are called to be agents of God’s new creation, bringing his love and light into the world and working to transform it into a place of justice, mercy, and compassion. As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, let us remember our calling to live as his followers and to bring the good news of his salvation to all who will hear.

Transition: Coming back to Luke 24

• The women were witnesses of the empty tomb.
• Peter was a witness of the empty tomb.
• Resurrected Jesus appeared to Peter.
• The two men on the road to Emmaus were eye witnesses of the resurrection Jesus. He broke bread with them. Their eyes were opened.
• Jesus then appeared to his disciples, Lk. 24:
• The Resurrection gave the disciples great joy.

Luke 24:40

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

The Resurrection Makes Us Responsible Believers

Luke 24:50-53

⁵⁰When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. ⁵²Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Matthew 28:18-20

¹⁸Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Acts 1:8

⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:9-11

⁹After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. ¹⁰They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

We are to worship Jesus.

We are called to continually praise Jesus.

We are called to receive and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are called to witness the resurrection and make disciples of all nations.

We are to be ready for the return of Jesus Christ.

CONCLUSION

Our Sins Are Forgiven, Death Is Conquered, & Eternal Life Possible.

The Resurrection Makes Us Part Of God’s New Creation

The Resurrection Makes Us Responsible Believers

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

The resurrection hope means what we do in the present as rescued by the cross, sin forgiven, image bearing human beings is somehow already part of God’s new creation in ways we cannot imagine.

ILLUSTRATION

N T Wright talks about the image of stone masons in the cathedral yard. Each one was told to carve one bit of stone in a particular design. The stone mason is probably illiterate and he just does his job and does not have the bigger picture and does not now the architect of the cathedral is working. But one day the master mason will come and gather up all the stones and assemble them up there and the stone mason will see the little bit that he was carving and realize that it means far more than he could possibly have imagined because it is part of this great design that the architect has had all along.

Paul therefore says, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

All this depends on the fact that the Messiah died for our sins and gave her eternal life. We can be genuine people in the world and we can be the royal priesthood. God Bless you.