“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:1-4 (NIV)
Those 1st century disciples were primarily Jewish men and women, who worshipped the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. When they met this young rabbi from Nazareth, they soon came to believe that he was the One whom God had sent into the world to be the savior. When Simon bar Jonas said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Mt. 16:16). He was boldly claiming his conviction that God had sent Jesus to be Israel’s Messiah. At this point, his faith was only a seedling. He didn’t believe that Jesus would die for the sins of the world and be resurrected (Mt. 16:19-23). He didn’t believe that Jesus was the savior for all mankind (Acts 10:9-23; 28; 34-35). He did, later, come to believe and preach both.
Note, in today’s passage, Paul claims that Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit, “was declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead.” The key issues of faith for all Christendom hinges on these two questions: Who is Jesus? And, was he raised from the dead? The second question is crucial. The biblical and historical evidence is all but undeniable that he was indeed resurrected from the dead. If he was not, why did the 1st century, Jewish religious leaders pay Roman soldiers to say that his disciples stole his body while they slept? If they were asleep, how could they possibly know what had occurred? If Jesus was not raised from the dead, why do all of hell’s forces still try to discredit it, 21 centuries later? If he was not raised from the dead, why do atheists, skeptics, and heretics form elaborate schemes trying to prove that it didn’t happen?
Jesus was raised from the dead! This answers the question of who Jesus is. His resurrection, then, means that he is alive and well. It means that he has the divine seal of approval; his life and ministry is validated. It means that believers have hope for eternity. It means that Jesus Christ is our Lord and God.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
St. John 1:1 & 14 (NIV)
Dear Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for your Son and our Lord. Grant to us that our faith might be steadfast, even when we cannot grasp the depths of the resurrection and the deity of Christ. Enable us to believe your record of this truth. Empower us to convince others of its power and truth. I pray this in Jesus’ name. AMEN
Let us praise God for the resurrection of Christ and live in its power everyday,
Pastor Smith