10 Reasons to Celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection
By Drs. John M. Frame and Steven L. Childers
When describing Jesus’ resurrection, the Apostles’ Creed says, The third day he rose again from the dead. Luke writes: On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:1-3)
Jesus’ tomb was empty and no one could produce his body. During the next forty days, the resurrected Jesus presented himself to the Apostles with “many proofs” as he was “speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3, Luke 24:25-27). Paul describes several of Jesus’ appearances, which were usually to groups from 2 to 500, including his appearance to Paul after Jesus’ ascension (Acts 9:1-9).
Paul writes: He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive … Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. (1 Cor. 15:5-8) At Pentecost, Peter proclaims the resurrection of Jesus as proof that Jesus is God’s promised Son of King David. (Psalm 16:8-11, Acts 2:14-32)
The Scriptures give us several perspectives on the meaning and significance of Jesus’ resurrection. Here are ten biblical reasons to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus: The resurrection:
1) declares Jesus to be Lord and God’s Only Son (Acts 2:29-39, Acts 17:30-31, Rom. 1:4
2) proves Jesus’ atoning death is accepted by the Father (Rom. 4:24-25, Phil 2:8-9)
3) declares Jesus as firstborn from the dead (Rom. 8:29, Col. 1:18)
4) reveals Jesus as the firstfruits inauguration of God’s kingdom on earth (1 Cor. 15:20-28)
5) demonstrates Jesus’ victory over Satan, sin, and death (Acts 2:24)
6) guarantees us forgiveness and justification (1 Cor. 15:17, Rom. 4:25)
7) provides us assurance that Jesus now lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25)
8) brings us, by God’s Spirit, into resurrection life now (Rom. 6:3-5, Eph. 1:18-20, 1 Pet. 1:3)
9) guarantees our future deliverance from death (1 Corinthians 15:18)
10) promises our future resurrection body and everlasting life (Rom. 8:23, 1 Cor. 15:20, 23, 49)
Paul teaches that the bodily resurrection of Jesus is central to our faith. He writes, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” (1 Cor. 15:7) Because Jesus is risen, God promises all who repent and believe in the resurrected Christ:
a new standing before God by forgiving their sins,
a new heart from God by giving them his indwelling Holy Spirit, and
a new world with God when Jesus returns to raise them from the dead and give them resurrected bodies like his through which they will reign with him on a new earth forever.
Reference: This is an excerpt from the newly published Pathway Learning Applied Theology Series course and book on “Theology of Faith: A Biblical Exposition of the Apostles’ Creed” by Drs. John Frame and Steve Childers. For a free preview of the course: CLICK HERE.
