The Resurrection: Why is the Resurrection of Jesus So Important?
What difference does the resurrection of Jesus make? Is the resurrection of Christ important? What if someone found the bones of Jesus in a grave? Would it simply do away with a religious holiday? Or would it make a significant difference? Here are some reasons that make Christ’s resurrection vitally important.
The Resurrection Prophesied
The resurrection of Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament.
Psalm 16:10 says,
“For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.”
Psalm 16:10
David wrote these words yet the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy was in Jesus Christ.
This is seen in Acts 2:31-32 where is says of David when he spoke in Psalm 16:10 that
“he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.”
Psalm 16:10
The resurrection gives credibility to Old Testament prophesy.
Jesus Prophesied His Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus was promised by Jesus Himself in Matthew 16:21.
From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.”
Matthew 16:21
The prophesy previously referred to in Psalms 16 gives credibility to the Old Testament. Christ’s promise in the New Testament had to be fulfilled or He would have proved Himself to be a deceiver without credibility. All of this shows that we can trust our Bible and trust the Christ of the Bible.
How wonderful when we hear the words of Matthew 28:5-6
The angel said to the women (who had come to Christ’s tomb), “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.
Matthew 28:5-6
If you have trusted in Christ to be your personal Savior your faith is not based on fantasy but on biblical and historical fact. Some have disputed the reality of Christ’s resurrection however the evidence for it is solid. It is not our purpose in this material to go through all of the proofs of Christ’s resurrection but I would encourage you to dig into the evidence if you are wavering. You will not be disappointed.
Now let us continue on to think about some of the awesome provisions of the resurrection of Jesus that are so important for each of us.
The Resurrection is a Provision
The resurrection of Jesus is a provision for new life according to I Peter 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Because of Christ’s death and resurrection the believer in Christ is born again with new life. If Christ was still dead in the grave He could not give anyone new life. Without Christ’s death and resurrection there is no gospel, no salvation and no everlasting life.
I Corinthians 15:7 is clear when it says,
if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”
I Corinthians 15:7
A dead man cannot help you. A dead Savior cannot save you. But the wonderful words of Jesus are true in John 11:25-26,
Jesus said to her (Jesus is speaking to Martha), “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?“’
John 11:25-26
That is a great question, “Do you believe this?” Have you put your faith in Jesus to save you knowing that you will never die, you will never be separated from God for eternity? The resurrection makes all the difference.
A New Walk
The resurrection of Jesus is provision for a new walk according to Romans 6:4-5
…as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection.”
Romans 6:4-5
In God’s spiritual dimension every believer is in Christ. And this spiritual reality has tremendous benefits for the believer. As Christ was raised the believer has the wonderful benefit of being raised with Christ. Obviously, we cannot fully understand this spiritual reality.
But in our limited comprehension we can grasp that we who are Christians participate in Christ’s resurrection, which involves newness of spiritual life. And this wonderful benefit gives us the potential to walk in newness of life.
This not just the turning over of a new leaf and trying harder, but the possession of Christ’s empowering life that makes it possible to live abundantly. Note Romans 7:4
Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
Romans 7:4
We because of the resurrection of Jesus can live an abundant life that bears fruit for God. Thus, the resurrection of Jesus gives us the potential to live a life that counts for time and eternity.
A New Destiny Provided By the Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus is provision for a new destiny according to I Corinthians 15:3-4.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
I Corinthians 15:3-4.
Also, I Corinthians 15:12 asks the question
Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
I Corinthians 15:12
Christ’s resurrection assures our bodily resurrection. The believer in Jesus can have total confidence that because Christ is risen we too are destined for victory over death. Let 1 Corinthians 15:53-57 resonate in your thinking
For this perishable (body) must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 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.”
1 Corinthians 15:53-57
Rest assured that we who are believers in Christ are destined for victory over death.
The Big Difference
The resurrection of Jesus makes all the difference. What do we have if the resurrection of Jesus is not true? Nothing of lasting importance. We ultimately have nothing of eternal value. If the resurrection is not for real we believers are but fools living in a fantasy. But the resurrection is true. It is based on biblical and historical reality. Therefore, as we have observed the resurrection of Jesus is of the utmost importance for it provides the ultimate provision for a new life, a new walk and a new destiny. The resurrection of Jesus makes all the difference.
How do you believe the resurrection has been a blessing to you? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Don Salmans
Don and Martie live in Ontario where he preaches in various churches in the area.
Much of his time is invested in his own local church, Edmison Heights Bible Chapel, where he is currently an elder.
Don and Martie have been married 43 years and have two grown sons and seven grandchildren. One of his greatest joys in this season of his life is simply spending time with his grand kids.
Don Salmans was born and raised in the United States on the Kansas prairies. Through the influence of godly parents he trusted in Christ at an early age. He met Martie, his wife to be, at a Christian camp when they were in high school. Don is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Don produces God’s Extravagant Love, Trust In The Midst Of Trouble, and Facing Your Fears for our Christian internet radio station, HopeStreamRadio. Contact us if you would like to learn more about how God changes lives.
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