BUT FIRST THE RESURRECTION

Most of Christendom espouses I Corinthians 2:2 “For I determined not to know anything among you
except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” Everywhere you look you see the cross, on steeples, on necklaces
on the covers of Bibles etc.. It is always about Jesus Christ and him crucified. However, by only going as
far as Jesus Christ’s crucifixion the unsaved stays in the state of sin and iniquity.
Why? Because there is no power there. If all Jesus Christ did was to accomplish miracles while he walked
the earth and then died then all hope and all power to and for the believer would have been lost.
Ephesians 2:12
That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers
from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
Neither does the sinners prayer get you any closer to salvation because that is a work of the flesh.
According to Ephesians 2:9 we are not saved by works. You don’t confess your sins. You confess the
savior from sin the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ was declared to be the Son of God by his works while he was on earth. But, now he has
been declared to be the Son of God by power never before seen on earth.
Romans 1:4 4And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the
resurrection from the dead.
Now, because Christ rose from the dead God has called to YOU!
Romans 1:5&6 5By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all
nations, for his name: 6Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 2:8,9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest
any man should boast.
We see, now, that the doctrine of the modern church is lacking the key ingredient in the road to
salvation. Many good intentioned ministers have led their followers down a dead end road and many
good intentioned people will wake up in the last day to find themselves outside the pail of Christianity.
However it is so easy to be assured of heaven and salvation, but, first you must understand the
resurrection! It is in the resurrection that we find our salvation!
In I Corithinians 2:6-9 it says the devil would not have crucified Jesus Christ if he knew what was coming
after the crucifixion.I Corinthinians 2:6-9
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the
princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the
hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this
world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written,
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him.
So something great was coming and it was kept secret from before the world began and that something
was the resurrection of Christ and all that that encompasses.
Let’s look at some of the verses dealing with the resurrection.
John 11:25
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet
shall he live.
When the apostles were choosing someone to take Judas’s place the one criteria that they had was that
that person had to be a witness of the resurrection.
Acts 1:22,23
Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out
among us, 22Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must
one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
Acts 4:33
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace
was upon them all.
Philippians 3:4-10
4Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof
he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6Concerning zeal, persecuting the
church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7But what things were gain to me,
those I counted loss for Christ. 8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ,
9And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10That I may know him, and the
power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings. The great apostle Paul, the one to whom the great mystery was revealed to, gave up all that he
had, his position as a Pharisee and all of his wealth for one thing; that is he could know Christ Jesus and
the power of his, Jesus Christ’s, resurrection.
Now we must ask ourselves why the resurrection, what is so important about the resurrection?
Romans 10:9,10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
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.
The word saved is the Greek word sozo. Sozo means completely whole. Whole in every aspect.
Physically, mentally, spiritually, financially whole.
I Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever.
This is the beginning of the Christian walk! It is being born again of God’s spirit. Beloved now are we the
sons of God (I John 3:2.)
All of God’s goodness to the Christian is available to you when you understand the resurrection and
confess, the savior from sin, Jesus as Lord in and of your life