Resurrection Doctrine

RESURRECTION DOCTRINE is a topical sermon by Earl White.

Luke 24:1-9

"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest."

Evidence has been found to confirm a survival story that had been doubted for years. In 1957, Lieutenant David Steeves, walked out of the California Sierras 54 days after his Air Force trainer jet had disappeared. He related an unbelievable tale how he had lived in a snowy wilderness after parachuting from his disabled plane.

By the time he showed up alive, he had already been declared officially dead by the Air Force. When further search failed to turn up the wreckage, a hoax was suspected, and Steeves was forced to resign under a cloud of doubt. His original story, however, has now been confirmed. A troop of Boy Scouts have found the wreckage of his plane more that twenty years later.

The resurrection of Christ was also denied. The chief priests gave large sums of money to the soldiers who were on duty at the time of the resurrection to deny that it happened and to say that His disciples came and stole His body while they slept.

Matthew 28:12-13, "And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept."

It was very difficult for the leaders of Israel to deal with Christ during His personal ministry. The mighty miracles which He did were a testimony to His power. It was just not possible to deny that Lazarus had been dead four days when Jesus raised him. Resurrection Doctrine had already begun before the resurrection of Christ.

But for Christ now to be raised from the dead was something with which the religious leaders had no desire to deal. I suppose they hoped that the news of this would die away. But the Resurrection Doctrine was too powerful to die.

Remember Jesus told His disciples before His death that “I have power to lay (His body)it down, and I have power to take it again. The resurrection doctrine of Christ is the very foundation of the Christian faith. Let’s notice what it is to our faith: 

I. Resurrection Doctrine Authenticates the Gospel. 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye 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:"

The power of the gospel is that it raises those who are Spiritually dead to Spiritual life. Jesus is alive to fulfil all the promises He made to His disciples. 

II. Resurrection Doctrine Empowers the Saints. 

The Christian life is a supernatural life.

Ephesians 1:18-20
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,"

The mechanics of victory for the Christian are the recognition of these facts:

1. We died with Him.
Romans 6:6 "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."

2. We were raised with Him.
Romans 6:11 "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The power for victory and Christ-likeness is found in the power of His resurrection.

Philippians 3:10, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" Then Paul says again:

Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." 

III. Resurrection Doctrine Certifies the Judgment. 

The assurance that God will judge the world by the standard of righteousness that He lived is found in Acts.

Acts 17:30-31, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath 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 hath raised him from the dead."

There is no way to escape the judgment unless you find salvation in Jesus.

John 12:46-48, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had a captured prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, “what will you give me to release you? “The half of my wealth,” was his reply. “and if I release your children?” The prince answered, “everything I possess.” “And if I release your wife?” “Your Majesty, I will give myself.”

Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, “Wasn’t Cyrus a handsome man?” With a look of deep love for her husband she said to him, “I didn’t notice. I could only keep my eyes on you --- the one who was willing to give himself for me.”

May the Lord bless these words of Resurrection Doctrine to our hearts.

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