Well, as you can see, the title
of this message is More Than Just Fact. Let me explain that
a little bit. You know, when it comes to believing
the Bible, it means more than just believing the facts that
are stated in the Bible. If you just believe the facts,
if that's all you believe, you just believe in a history lesson.
That's basically all it is. It's a history of Israel. It's
a history of mankind all the way back to Adam. And if that's
all you do, all you have is a history lesson. Take the death of Christ,
for instance. Believing in the death of Christ
is more than just believing in the fact that he died. Who did
he die for? Why did he die? Why was it necessary
for Christ to die? And what did he accomplish by
his death? You see, these are all things we need to understand
if we're going to truly say that we believe in the death of Christ. More than just the fact of his
death. Today we're going to apply that
reasoning to the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection of
Christ from the dead is a fact. It's a historical fact. It's
a biblical fact. It's a gospel fact. But it's
much more than just fact. In our lesson today, we'll consider
some things declared by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. These
are things that will take us beyond the fact that he died. First, though, I do want to deal
with the fact because this is a fact. Christ was raised from
the dead. He went into the grave and he
came out of the grave. It's a fact. I don't want to
spend a lot of time here because most professing Christians adamantly
believe in the resurrection of Christ. History records the fact
of Christ's resurrection. It's a historical fact and it's
a biblical fact. Look at Acts chapter 2 verses
22 through 24. You men of Israel, hear these
words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which
God did by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know,
him being delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of
God, you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain,
whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it
was not possible that he should be holden of it. It was necessary
for Christ to go to the cross. It was necessary for him to die.
But there's no way that death could keep him in the grave.
Christ's resurrection is a biblical fact. That's just one scripture
that records it. Christ's resurrection is also
a gospel fact. Look at 1 Corinthians 15, and
we're going to look at several verses here, beginning at verse
12. where Paul addressed the resurrection of the dead and
Christ's resurrection. It says, now if Christ be preached
that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there
is no resurrection of the dead? Apparently in the church of Corinth
here, some were questioning whether there is a bodily resurrection,
whether the saints are going to be raised from the dead or
not. questioning that apparently. That's what it sounds like from
Paul's answer. And Paul affirms that there is
a bodily resurrection, and he affirms it by Christ's resurrection. Look on at 1 Corinthians 15,
13 through 15. He said, but if there be no resurrection
of the dead, no bodily resurrection, then is Christ not risen. And
if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your
faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses
of God, because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ,
whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. To preach the resurrection of
Christ but deny a bodily resurrection of believers is a contradiction. You can't have both. Christ's
resurrection is proof that there is a bodily resurrection. Christ
was raised. He was raised from the dead,
but he wasn't raised as a private person. He was raised as a representative
of his people, which means that all who die in him All who come
to believe in Him be raised from the dead, just like He was raised. Christ's resurrection is the
substance of gospel preaching, not just the fact, but what that
fact entails. What are the particulars and
implications of it? Let's look on in 1 Corinthians
15, 16 through 18. We're talking about the resurrection
being a gospel fact here. He says, For if the dead rise
not, then is not Christ raised? And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins. Then they also
which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. Those that are
fallen asleep are those who died in the Lord, believers who died.
Again, Paul states here, to deny the bodily resurrection of sinners
is to deny Christ's resurrection. Serious thing. And that makes
the gospel, if there is no resurrection, that makes the gospel of vain
and empty a worthless message. It leaves believing without any
substance. What are you believing in? If
there's no resurrection, what are you believing in? It means
that those who die in Christ die without any hope. But that's
not true because there is hope. Look on verses 19 through 20. If in this life only we have
hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is
Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them
that slept. If this life is all we have. If there is no life beyond, if
there is no bodily resurrection, then we who believe the gospel,
we are of all men most miserable. That's what we hear about all
the time. Life beyond. Eternal life in
Christ. And thankfully, it's not the
case that there is no bodily resurrection. Christ was raised
from the dead and Christ is the firstfruits. He's the forerunner
of all who die in Him. Christ's resurrection and a bodily
resurrection of those who die in Christ is a gospel fact. It's
easy to see that Christ's resurrection is a fact. It's a historical
fact. It's a biblical fact. It's a
gospel fact. But it's more. It's so much more
than just fact. Christ was raised again according
to the scriptures. Look at 1 Corinthians 15 verses
1 through 4. Paul writes here, Moreover, brethren,
I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which
also you have received, and wherein you stand, by which also you
are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless
you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you, first
of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our
sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that
he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. You see, It's
more than just fact. What do the scriptures say about
that fact, more than just the fact of Christ's resurrection?
Christ rose according to the scriptures. The scriptures have
much more to say about Christ's resurrection than the mere fact
of it. Christ's resurrection, in fact,
is a declaration from God. Today, we want to consider four
things that the scriptures clearly show Christ's resurrection to
declare. These are scriptural truths that
are declared specifically by Christ's resurrection. They take
us beyond the fact. They take us to who was raised,
why was He raised, and what His resurrection means for those
who hope in Him, in Him alone. Four things. The first thing
that Christ's resurrection declares, it declares Him to be the Son
of God with power. Look at Romans 1, verses 1 through
4. Paul starts his gospel here,
yeah, his Romans letter here this way. Paul, a servant of
Jesus Christ, Paul called to be an apostle, separated unto
the gospel of God, which he had promised afore by his prophets
in the holy scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord,
which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh,
that's Christ's humanity, and declared to be the Son of God
with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection
from the dead. You see, it's Christ's resurrection
that declares Christ to be the Son of God. and the Son of God
with power. I think these are two related
but separate things, and that's the way we're going to look at
them today. Christ's resurrection declares Him to be the Son of
God, and it declares Him to be the Son of God with power. First,
what is it about Christ's resurrection that declares Him to be the Son
of God? Christ went to the cross bearing
the sins, bearing the legal guilt of those He was given. He went
there, in other words, to suffer the punishment that those in
Him, those chosen in Him, those that God the Father had given
to Him, He was bearing the punishment that His sheep deserved. This
punishment is infinite. The wages of sin is death. That's
eternal death, and you can know that because the second part
of that verse says the gift of God is eternal life. So, comparing
eternal to eternal. The wages is eternal death, and
the gift of God is eternal life. Infinite punishment is required
from God. His justice demands infinite
punishment. Why? Because He's infinite. He's
infinite in His being. We've sinned against an infinite
God, and infinite punishment is required. Only one who is
God One whose sacrifice had infinite value could bear that penalty
and punishment and live to tell about it, arise from the dead. Only one who is God could make
an end of sins. Only one who is God could satisfy
God's inflexible justice. You've heard it said this way,
only God could satisfy God, and that's true. No sinner who dies
in his or her sins will ever satisfy God's just demand for
punishment. That's why their separation from
God is eternal. They can never make an end of
sins because they can never make the payment that's required.
God raised Christ from the dead because His justice was satisfied
and because the righteousness that He required to justify sinners
was established by Christ's death. Christ's obedience unto death
accomplished both of those things. It put away sin and brought in
everlasting righteousness. That's how Christ's resurrection
from the dead declares Him to be the Son of God. Alright, let's
look next at how Christ's resurrection declares Him to be the Son of
God with power. Christ has always been a person
of power. I mean, He's God. He was in the beginning. He's
the eternal Word with omnipotent, unlimited power. Look at John
1, verses 1 through 3. In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was with God, and the Word was God. You see, Christ,
the Word, was God, and He was with God. See, that's the distinction
of persons. He was there in the beginning.
The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made
by Him. That's the eternal Word. Made
by Him. And without Him was not anything
made that was made. Christ, the eternal Word, created
everything. He stood on nothing, spoke to
nothing, and created everything. Not only did He create everything,
He also upholds everything, even now. Even when He was on the
cross, and I won't explain that to you, but even at all times. He's always been the upholder
of all things. Look at Colossians 1 verses 15
through 17. He's talking about Christ here,
who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature,
for by Him where all things created that are in heaven and that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him
and for Him. And He is before all things,
and by Him all things consist. Not only is Christ the eternal
word with the power to create and uphold all things, which
these verses have declared that He is, but when He walked on
the earth as God-man, He was given power. Now how could He
be given anything when He already had the power? He was given power
as the mediator. He had the power of God at His
disposal. He was given the Spirit without
measure, the Scripture says. He performed hundreds of miracles
while He was here to prove this power. And we could look at hundreds
of examples, but let's just look at one here. This is where Christ
cast out an unclean spirit. Look at Luke 4 and verse 36.
It says, And those who heard him were all amazed, and spoke
among themselves, saying, What a word is this? For with authority
and power he commanded the unclean spirits, and they come out. Not
only was Christ given the power of miracles while he was on the
earth, he also gave this power to his disciples. Look at Luke
9, verses 1 through 2. Then he called his twelve disciples
together and gave them power and authority over all devils
and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the
kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And they did that. What
I'm showing you here is that Christ has always been a person
of great power. But the power spoken of in our
text is a different power. Look back at Romans 1 and verse
4. It says, and he was declared
to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness
by the resurrection from the dead. This is specific power. This is power which Christ earned
by his work on the cross. It's the power of life, not just
to have life, but to give life. Look at 1 Corinthians 15, 45.
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a
living soul. The last Adam, that's Christ,
was made a quickening spirit. The first Adam was made a living
soul, but Christ, the last Adam, was made a quickening, life-giving
spirit. By his obedience unto death,
by the righteousness he established, Christ earned the right to give
eternal life to as many to every sinner whose salvation His Father
had entrusted to Him. You see, His Father entrusted
the salvation of a multitude to Christ in eternity. And Christ
came and met all the conditions necessary for their complete
salvation. And now, by His work, Christ
earned the right to give eternal life to every one of those that
He represented. Look at John 17, verses 1 and
2. These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven,
and said, Father, the hour is come. Glorify thy son, that thy
son also may glorify thee. As thou has given him power over
all flesh, and here's the power, that he should give eternal life
to as many as thou has given him. That word given means entrusted.
He entrusted the salvation of a people to Christ, and Christ
has the right to give eternal life to them. He earned that
right by his obedience unto death. This is the power revealed and
declared by Christ's resurrection from the dead. So, the first
thing declared by Christ's resurrection, it declared Him to be the Son
of God, the infinite I Am, with the power to give eternal life
to as many as He was given. The second thing Christ's resurrection
declares is that by His obedience unto death, Christ accomplished
everything necessary for the justification of His people.
Look at Romans 4, verses 23 through 25. Now, it was not written for...
This is talking about Abraham here, these verses. In fact,
the whole chapter of Romans 4 is about Abraham. It starts out...
Now, if Abraham were justified by works, he'd have something
to boast in or brag about, but Abraham has nothing to boast
in or brag about before God. So, this is all about Abraham.
It was not written for Abraham's sake alone, or it was not written
regarding Abraham alone that it was imputed to him." Talking
about righteousness. He spoke through this chapter
showing how righteousness was imputed to Abraham. So it's not
written with a regard for Abraham alone that righteousness was
imputed to him. Verse 24, but for us also, so
whom that righteousness shall be imputed, who believe on him
that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered
because of our offenses and was raised again because of our justification. What we want to see here is how
the resurrection of Christ shows that he had accomplished everything
necessary for the justification of his people. No sinner Christ
died for will perish. Christ's resurrection declares
that. It's not even a possibility. Those who think that there are
multitudes who will end up in hell that Christ died for, They're
wrong right on the very basis of their theology. That's an
impossibility. Christ was raised again because
He had accomplished everything necessary for the justification
of every sinner whose offenses He bore on the cross. You see,
in the context of that scripture, He was delivered because of the
offenses of a people. Well, He was raised again because
of the justification of that same people. Same names, same
number. There's not a difference there.
It's the same people. Exact same people. He was raised
again because He had answered all the charges against those
whose offenses He bore. He was raised again because He
had established the one righteousness these sinners needed to stand
eternally righteous in God's sight. God is just to declare
these sinners righteous. That's what justification is.
It's God declaring a sinner righteous in His sight. And God is just
to declare these sinners represented by Christ. He's just to declare
them righteous, eternally, unchangeably righteous, because Christ has
done everything necessary, everything required. Law and justice is
satisfied. Sins put away. The unchangeable
righteousness of God has been established by the doing and
dying of Christ. All right, that's the second
thing Christ's resurrection declares. The third thing declared by Christ's
resurrection is that His righteousness is God's standard of judgment.
Look at Acts 17 verses 29 through 31. Now this is Paul writing
about his incident on Mars Hill where he met with philosophers
and those who like to get into deep thinking, they think. He
says here in verse 29, for as much then as we are the offspring
of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is likened to
gold or silver or stone graven by heart and man's device. In
the times of this ignorance, God winked at. Let me stop right
there. You see, there was a time when God didn't take the gospel
to the Gentiles as a nation or as nations. He just ignored them. He let them go their way. He
took the gospel to the Jewish nation and that alone. So that
was the times of this ignorance, their ignorance, that God winked
at. But now, now in this gospel age, starting with Christ's ascension
on till he comes again. Now he commands all men everywhere
to repent, because he has appointed a day in the which he will judge
the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained,
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he has raised
him from the dead." Now, he's given assurance unto all men
here. of something. What is it? It's that the righteousness
Christ worked out by His obedience unto death is the standard of
judgment. It's the standard now, it's always
been the standard, and it will be the standard at final judgment.
The prophet Daniel foretold that Christ would make an end of sins
and bring in everlasting righteousness. Christ's resurrection from the
dead is a declaration from God that He did just that. He fulfilled
that prophecy. He finished the work he was given. Christ's resurrection from the
dead is a declaration from God that the righteousness established
by Christ's obedience unto death is God's standard of judgment. In other words, You will stand
before God and be counted unchangeably righteous in His sight based
on Christ's righteousness imputed, or you will stand forever condemned
under God's eternal wrath because you have no righteousness that
answers the demands of God's holy law and inflexible justice. One or the other, you'll stand
righteous based on Christ's righteousness imputed, or you'll stand condemned
based on your own sin because you have no righteousness. Here's
a question for all who've heard and understood God's Gospel.
Has the Gospel changed your standard of judgment? Since you've heard
the Gospel, has your standard of judgment changed? Because
you didn't come to the Gospel, I didn't come to the Gospel,
nobody comes to the Gospel knowing what God's standard of judgment
is. We don't know anything about an imputed righteousness until
we sit down under the Gospel. Do you now judge salvation by
a different standard than you did before you heard God's gospel
and God's standard of judgment? Do you now judge salvation by
Christ's righteousness imputed alone? That's the standard declared
by Christ's resurrection from the dead. That's the standard
we have to measure up to. There's only one way to have
that righteousness, and it's to have it charged to you, imputed
to you. All right, that's the third thing.
Let's look at the fourth thing declared by Christ's resurrection
from the dead. And it is hope. Hope for all
who are in Christ. Hope for all who die in Christ. This is hope. The only hope for
sinners who deserve nothing but God's wrath and condemnation,
based on the best we've ever done, based on the best we'll
ever do. The only hope is to be found
in Christ. Look at 1 Corinthians 15. We
looked at these verses earlier, 19 through 20 again. Paul writes
here, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of
all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from
the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. Christ is the first fruits. He's
the forerunner, in other words, of all who die in Him. In the
Mosaic economy, the firstfruits were offered to God. They were
an indication of the harvest to come. If the firstfruits were
good, the harvest would be good. Representatively, God's people
are already partakers of Christ, who is the firstfruits. Look
at Ephesians 2, verses 4 through 7. It says, But God, who is rich
in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when
we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, by grace
you are saved, and has raised us up together, and made us sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages
to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and kindness
toward us through Jesus Christ. He's not writing these words
about all without exception. You see that here? For His great
love wherewith He loved us. God loved the people from eternity. And that's who He's writing to.
That's who He's writing about here. Even when we were dead
in sins. You see, representatively, God
has already quickened us. those objects of His love, made
us alive in Christ. He has already raised us up.
He has made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ.
And He's done all this so that in the appointed time He will
raise us up and give us new spiritual bodies, just like He gave Christ
a spiritual body in His resurrection. Christ's resurrection is a guarantee
It can't fail to happen. It's a guarantee of the resurrection
of every sinner who's found in Him. In 1 Corinthians we read
these words, this corruptible, this corruptible right here,
must put on incorruption. And this mortal must put on immortality. That will be true of everyone.
It's already true representatively in Christ, our representative
who's already seated in heaven. Look at John 6 verses 37 through
40. John writes, All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me in time, they'll come to me, they'll
come to me, they'll find their hope in me. That's what Christ
is saying here. And him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven,
not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all
which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise
it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that
sent me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth
on him, may have everlasting life. And I will raise him up
at the last day." You see, at the appointed time, everyone
who dies in Christ will be raised a spiritual body. This is the
confidence of every believing sinner. It's not the confidence
now that we're one of God's elect. We shouldn't even strive to seek
to think that we're one of God's elect. We will, of course, if
we believe the scriptures, but here's the confidence we have.
The confidence that Christ will most certainly raise up every
sinner He was given. He will raise up every sinner
He died for. This is the will of His Father.
This is where His Father's glory resides. Christ said, other sheep
I have which are not of this Jewish fold and them I must bring. I've got to bring them into the
fold and I've got to raise them up in that last day. Because
of Christ's work alone, the will of the Father can't fail to happen.
Our confidence is that Christ will do the will of His Father
concerning those He's been given, those whose salvation has been
entrusted to Him. You see, our confidence is in
Christ. He's the one doing the work. He's the one to have confidence
in. The certainty of this resurrection
I'm talking about is the motivation for the life believers live,
that we live out on this earth after our regeneration and conversion.
Look at Colossians 3 verses 1 through 2. Now, he's speaking representatively
here again, like I read back in Ephesians. He said, if you
then be risen with Christ. Well, none of us are risen in
our persons, but we're risen representatively. If you then
be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where
Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affection on
things above, not on things on the earth. For you're dead, and
your life is hid with Christ in God. In other words, here's
what he's saying in the summary. If you see yourself saved and
kept by the doing and dying of Christ alone, act in this life. Act accordingly. Nothing in this
life can change the standing of a sinner whom God has put
in Christ. Nothing can change your standing. It's fixed. It can't be altered. You can't alter it. You can't
do anything to mess it up. That's what I like about this.
See, if it was possible, I'd mess it up. But I can't do anything
to mess it up. Look at Galatians 6, 14-16. He says, But God forbid that
I should glory. Find confidence, that's what
that word glory means, that I should find confidence, save, or accept
in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is
crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus
neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creature. And as many as walk according
to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel
of God. I underline by whom the world
is crucified unto me and I unto the world. You see the world
is crucified to every sinner by the doing and dying of Christ
alone. We're born into this world and
the world is already crucified to us. It's by Christ's work
alone. And we believers are crucified to the world when we learn of
Christ's work on our behalf and rest totally in his righteousness
and that alone. The Bible speaks peace and proclaims
mercy to those who see the resurrection of Christ as more than just fact. We walk by a different rule.
We walk by the gospel rule. God forbid that I should find
confidence anywhere but in Christ my Lord. These and these alone
are the Israel of God that first speaks about. Many professing
Christians believe the fact of Christ's resurrection. They look
at passages like Romans 10 and find confidence that they're
saved. Look at Romans 10 verses 8 through 11. Paul writes here,
the word of faith, which is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in
thy heart, that is the word of faith, which we preach. that
if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation. For the scripture saith, whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed. You see, professing
Christians, I did this, you did this, all do this until we're
delivered from it. They read a verse like that and
say, well, I'm confessing the Lord Jesus and I believe that
God raised Him from the dead, but you see, all I was believing
back then was just the fact of it. But you see, verse 10, with
the heart man believes, not in order to obtain righteousness
or not to cause God to make him righteous or give him righteousness,
he believes unto a righteousness worked out in the doing and dying
of Christ. He believes unto that righteousness
imputed. And with the mouth, confession
is made Not in order to be saved, but unto a salvation accomplished
totally by the finished work of Christ and that alone. The
emphasis is confessing the Lord Jesus here. It's confessing the
God-man recorded in the Scriptures. It's confessing the salvation
that's conditioned and accomplished by His doing and dying alone.
It's confessing God glorified in salvation only by Christ's
righteousness imputed alone. The emphasis is believing on
Him. This is more than just trusting
in that historical Jesus or just the fact spoken about Jesus. It's more than believing the
fact of Christ's resurrection. In other words, it's more than
just believing that God has raised a dead body to life. It's believing
that Christ was raised according to the Scriptures. Now let me
summarize what I've said and I'll be done. The scriptures
show Christ's resurrection to be a declaration from God. By
His resurrection from the dead, Christ is declared to be the
Son of God, the Infinite I Am, the Always Existing One, with
power to give eternal life to every sinner He was given. Christ's
resurrection from the dead declares that Christ has accomplished
everything necessary for God to justify or declare eternal
righteousness, all that are in Him. His resurrection is what
established God's standard of judgment, declares Him to have
established God's standard of judgment. And Christ is declared
to be the hope of eternal life to all who die in him. My prayer would be that God would
enable his people to see beyond the fact of Christ's death, the
fact of his resurrection, and clearly see those things that
are shown out in the particulars and implications of Christ's
death. See beyond the fact. See more. See what the scriptures say that
Christ's resurrection from the dead declares.