Topic: THE MYSTERY OF THE RESURRECTION

Text: John 19:28 – 30; Psalms 24:7 – 9; Rev 1:18; John 1:12; 20:1 – 18

One of the most significant events in the Scriptures is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. In fact, there will be no Christianity if the resurrection had not taken place. Unlike other religions upon the earth, whose founders have all died and never resurrected; our Lord Jesus Christ died and rose again, and this is the significance of our victory over sin, death and the devil in Christendom.

The Bible makes us to understand that after everything had been completed, Jesus gave up his spirit [John 19:28 – 30]. “Gave up his spirit” connotes that Jesus did not die suddenly, but simply let down his own life. It means that Jesus allowed himself to die for mankind, because we are the purpose of his death. Upon his death, Jesus went to hell and collected the key of death and hell. The book of Psalms [in chapter 24] paints the prophetic picture of this scene, where it was written in verses 7 – 9 “…lift up your heads O ye gates and let the King of glory come in.” Since Jesus appeared in hell to retrieve the key of death and hell, men no longer need to end up their races in death and hell.

In the book of Revelation 1 vs 18 [kjv], Jesus described himself as the living one, having authority of death and the world of the dead. Other translations say that Christ possesses the key to death and hell. Beloved, there is a place called “the world of the dead.” It is a place where everyone who died, ended up until the appearance of Jesus who came to change the whole narrative. Therefore, as long as men received Christ, they no longer need to end their races in hell [John 1:12].

The resurrection story is one that has confounded the world and confused the ignorance of men. The disciples were sad that Jesus was killed but the Pharisees and Sadducees rejoiced that they had killed the son of God. On the resurrection morning, the disciples returned to Jesus’ tomb and found his clothes well packed as evidence that he was risen [John 20:1 – 18]. He appeared to Mary Magdalene and forbade her to touch him because he was carrying a glorified [resurrected] body. This body that Jesus carried signifies the new state of the believer and the glorified state of the church. That glorified flesh is the glorified flesh of the believer today. It is a flesh that is not stained by sin; instead it is a flesh that God can occupy.

Resurrection is an act of rising from the dead. In scriptures, many people were raised from the dead; and even on earth many still have their dead raised back to life. But Jesus was the only man to let down his life and resurrected himself without any external intervention. As earlier mentioned, the founders of other religions have died and their grave and bones can be found up till today. Jesus came back to life to showcase to the world that He is not a man, He is the Lord. No wonder He is called the Lord of lords and King of kings. Jesus demonstrated his lordship over death and hell by coming back to life.

As believers, we must understand that when Christ died, we died in Him; we went to the land of the dead with Him and resurrected with Him. This is why we carry the same glorified body as Christ, and nothing is impossible to us because all things are possible with God. Due to the resurrection, believers can see the invisible and turn situations around because Jesus resurrected.