The RESURRECTION: Was Christ RAISED Or Did He RISE From The Grave?

[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry. Every true revival is a product of the strong preaching of God's word.! May you receive a word from this message that will spark a revival in you.

[0:14] John chapter 20, I'll read from verse 1 all the way through verse 9. Then I'll read John chapter 2.

[0:26] John chapter 20 from verse 1 says that, The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

[0:42] Then she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him.

[0:59] Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple then came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together, and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

[1:12] And he stood up and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and saw the linen clothes lying.

[1:25] And the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen cloth, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

[1:38] Then went in also the other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw and believed. For as yet, they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

[1:59] The second reading is John chapter 2, verse 18 to 23. Verse 18, Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign should we be unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?

[2:18] Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and will thou raise it up in three days?

[2:33] But he speak of the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he has said this unto them, and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus has said.

[2:50] Here ends the reading of God's holy word. Let's pray. Oh Father, thank you for bringing us together. What we don't know, teach us.

[3:02] Where we are not yet, take us. Who we are not yet, make us. All to the praise and glory of your holy name.

[3:18] Lord, may the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable to you. As I speak and preach concerning the resurrection, let illumination and revelation dawn.

[3:34] Amen. Let the resurrection power have, take effect in our lives. Amen. To the glory of your name. In Jesus' name. Amen.

[3:45] Amen. Amen. Praise God. Hallelujah. Well, today we had quite a few scriptures read. And they are all pointing to the resurrection, because there are so many scriptures, or texts in scripture, telling us about his resurrection.

[4:06] So many texts in scripture. And we saw how in Matthew chapter 27, from verse 57 downwards, the high priests and their cohorts came to the governing authority, who was Pontius Pilate, and demanded that he should make the tomb secured, and send guards to guard it.

[4:34] Because that malefactor, that criminal, when he was alive, he said he will rise again. We are afraid that his disciples will go and steal the body.

[4:47] Will go and steal the body, and claim he resurrected. So, guard the tomb. Then in Matthew chapter 28, when he resurrected, Bible says that, the soldiers went and told the elders, that we've got a problem in our hands.

[5:07] There was an earthquake. The stone which no one person cannot roll away. Very heavy, so you need about 20 men to roll it away. The stone was rolled away, and the guy came out of it. Well, he's not there.

[5:18] So, what we saw in Matthew chapter 28, the leaders bribed the soldiers, and they said to them, tell everybody, that his disciples, whilst we were asleep, on duty, his disciples, he said, say ye, his disciples came by night, and stole him away, while we, soldiers on duty, while they slept.

[5:43] All of them slept. So, Bible says, unfortunately, verse 14, says that, and if the governor is upset about it, we will sort him out. This is a political issue.

[5:54] We will sort him out. Don't worry. Don't worry about the governor. We will sort him out. And Bible says that, the next verse says that, and this was reported, so they took the money, and then they went and said, as it was. And this saying, is commonly reported, among the Jews, on today, that they will risk their lives, by lying, that Jesus resurrected.

[6:13] It's so preposterous, that 11 men, who say, let's come out with a plan. Let's go and steal, the body, from soldiers, trained soldiers. Let's go and steal the body, and in the morning, and let's steal the body, and we don't go, what are we going to get?

[6:28] We are going to get hatred. They will persecute us, and they will brutally murder us, for stealing the body, and claiming that it's alive. What's sinning for us? But unfortunately, some people believe that.

[6:40] Now, the resurrection of Christ, is so central to Christianity, that, there cannot be salvation, without the belief, in the resurrection.

[6:51] It is the death of Christ, that procures our redemption. He died on the cross, and he procured our redemption. But it's the resurrection of Christ, that validated the work of the cross.

[7:03] And so, there are a few points, I wrote here, which I want to bring to your attention. Number one is that, in Acts chapter 1, verse 3, when Jesus resurrected, verse 3 clearly tells us that, he showed himself alive.

[7:17] Wow! To whom he showed himself alive, after the passion, the passion is the suffering. He showed himself alive, by many infallible, undeniable proofs.

[7:31] So, someone would say, maybe it's hallucination, for 40 days. Over 500 people, were having hallucinations, for 40 days. Come on, let's be a little bit scientific, and rational, objective, infallible, in other words, proof that you can't deny.

[7:48] He ate with them, he actually ate with them. It wasn't a spirit, or a ghost. It was a physical body, that could eat fish. In Acts chapter 10, verse 40 and 41, it says that, he ate with us.

[8:03] It says that, not to all the, not to, but to witnesses chosen before of God, even us, who did eat, and drink with him, after he rose from the dead?

[8:16] After, we actually ate with him. We sat down, we had a conversation. He was eating. We were eating. He ate what we ate. So, there were too many, proofs, that they would rather, deny their common sense, if they say, he didn't live.

[8:31] That's why, they said, deny he resurrected, and we'll let you go. He said, sorry, I can't deny it. And, besides the fact that, their conscience, could not allow them to deny it. Also, their power of the resurrection, has invaded their life so much, that, they were not afraid to die anymore.

[8:47] So, you want to kill me, for the fact that, my master rose, and I'm also going to write, okay, go on, bring it on, bring it on. So, they never feared execution, because of their testimony.

[8:59] If you're going to execute them, because of their testimony, they said, bring it on. And so, the resurrection of Jesus, was so much, part, was part of their message, and it's part of Christianity.

[9:10] In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verse 5 to 8, it speaks about, over 500 people see him. And then, verse 5 says that, he was seen by Cephas, and then, by the 12, by the 12.

[9:25] Then, the next verse says that, after that, he was seen by over 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater parts remain to this present, but some have fallen asleep.

[9:40] So, a lot of them are alive. Over 300 of them, over 400 of them were still alive, at the time this record was being presented. So, he says that, if I was lying, they would have been here to tell, check with them.

[9:52] Over 500 people saw him alive. They saw him. It's not like, they had a dream. They saw him. And then, he says that, then, this is Paul talking, and the next verse says that, after that, he was seen by James, then by all the apostles, then finally by me, myself, Paul.

[10:12] Paul said, I saw him. Then last of all, he was seen by me also, as one who was born out of Deucism. I saw him alive. Paul said, I saw him alive.

[10:22] So, I know what I'm talking about. They saw him alive. He proved himself. He showed himself to them, all of them, the disciples, openly. Now, why is it so special, that the resurrection, had to be the center of the Christian doctrine, and center of Christian message, the cross, and the resurrection?

[10:42] Now, Jesus is, what's so special about Jesus' resurrection? Number one, it was unique, because he wasn't the only one who was raised from the dead. He wasn't the only one. Lazarus was raised from the dead.

[10:54] The widow of Nain, in Luke, her son, was raised from the dead by Jesus Christ. Jairus' daughter, in Mark chapter 5, from verse 37, Jesus went and said, Talita, Kumi, little girl, rise up, and he said, give her food to eat.

[11:11] So, she was raised from the dead. Jesus brought Lazarus back from the dead. That woman of Nain's daughter, even Paul, raised somebody back to death, in Acts chapter 20. He was preaching, long preaching, people were tired.

[11:23] No, not people, one person was tired, they were sleeping. Bible says, he slipped, he slipped into a deep sleep. He slipped into a deep sleep, whilst he was listening to their message. He's a warning to people who sleep, when preaching is going on.

[11:37] And, he slipped into a deep, deep sleep, and then he fell over, and died, and Paul went and breathed back on him, and it brought him back to life. And then in Acts chapter 9, Bible talk about, um, Docas, who died, from verse 34, somewhere there, Docas who died, and they called, Peter was in Joppa, from 38, and so they invited Peter, Peter came, and presented her alive, brought her.

[12:02] So, I mean, even in the Old Testament, Elijah brought, the woman's son, back to life. Elisha, also brought somebody, back to life. So, it is, the resurrection of Jesus, was not the only resurrection in life.

[12:15] So, what is the difference between that, and all the other resurrection? Jesus' resurrection, was unique, or is unique, because, that was true resurrection. In John chapter 11, verse 25, he said, I am, that's a serious statement, you know, Jesus said unto her, me, I am the resurrection, and the life.

[12:34] He who believes in me, though he may die, he said, I am the resurrection. Jesus Christ's resurrection, is resurrection. All the others, were resuscitation. Resuscitation, in the sense that, they were brought back to life, to die again shortly.

[12:48] None of them, even lived more than 100 years, after us. I believe, even 50 years is too much. All of them died, Lazarus died, the widow of Nahim's son died, the widow of Zeraphat's son died again, Dorcas died again, the sleeping, the one who slept during preaching, who died.

[13:08] He died again, because it was resuscitation. They were brought back to life temporarily, but Jesus Christ resurrected, his resurrection was a death-defying, death-conquering resurrection.

[13:20] So in Hebrews chapter 7, verse 16, puts it this way. Hebrews 7, it says that, who has come, talking about Jesus, who has come, not according to the law of fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life.

[13:36] He has become a high priest, based on not commandment given to Moses, but based on a power he carries. So he came after the order of Melchizedek, who does not have the beginning, neither does he have an end.

[13:49] He is the self-existent one. And Bible says that, all the other priests, they died, because in Hebrews chapter 7, verse 21, and the Bible says that, death prevented them.

[14:00] They died, because they couldn't continue. They could not continue. There were so many priests, because they were prevented by death, from continuing. Look at verse 10, but, but, look at the next verse, verse 24, it says that, but he, talking about Jesus, because he continues forever, he has an unchangeable priesthood.

[14:19] Verse 25 says, therefore he is also able, to save to the uttermost, hallelujah, those who come to God, through him. He does not die.

[14:30] He has, the endless life, death defying life. He died, and he resurrected. John chapter 10, verse 18. He said, I laid down my life, and I have the power, to lay my life down, and the power to, pick it up again.

[14:46] He laid it down, and pick it up again. Hallelujah. So, Jesus' resurrection, was unique in that sense, that, it's not the same resurrection, that we saw, happening to others, in the Bible.

[14:59] Number two, uniqueness, or fact about, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, you can't deny it. It's undeniable. I showed you, there are so many proofs, or infallible proofs, they saw him alive.

[15:12] It's not deniable. You can't deny it. And then, what was even interesting is, was that, listen to this, brothers and sisters, his disciples, didn't expect him to rise.

[15:23] Yeah. It's different, if they expected it. So, based on, some of you have had dreams, because, of what, was preoccupying your mind. How many of you, and I know you won't leave your head, you had a dream, that a gentleman, was marrying you.

[15:39] It was just a dream. You woke up, only to realize, oh, you thought, you were sitting in the limousine, and he was on your right. And then you go and tell him, I saw ourselves, in the wedding dream. Hey, the devil is a liar.

[15:49] Sometimes, when you are preoccupied, with something, you can take it, into your dreams. I don't know if you, have experienced that before. Yeah. You had a dream, that you were marrying that girl. You have, she's always, they, but the problem here, is that, the issue here, is that, they did not expect it.

[16:07] The disciples, so, look at what we just read. Mary Magdalene, when he went to the tomb, and he found him not, she found him not, she came, and he said that, they have stolen, our savior.

[16:19] She said that, he's been taken away, by some people. In fact, she saw the gardener, the gardener, and asked the gardener, please, if you know, where they are putting, tell me. They didn't expect, a resurrected body.

[16:32] In John chapter 28, so much so that, when, Jesus Christ, called Mary, Mary said, Rabboni, she was talking to him, but didn't even know, he was the one.

[16:44] Why? Because, it was the last thing, on her mind. She never expected, that he was going to resurrect. The disciples, never expected, that, in fact, the text I just read, look at the verse 9, John chapter 20, verse 9.

[16:56] There's something interesting there. It says that, for as yet, they did not know, the scripture, that he must rise. they didn't know, he must rise again.

[17:07] That's why, in Luke chapter 24, from verse 24, when they were talking about, didn't you know, he's resurrected? The guy, no, they didn't say he's resurrected. They said, some of our friends, our brothers, went to, today is the third day, they went to the tomb, and they didn't find him.

[17:23] They didn't find him. And so, we are wondering, what's going on? Then Jesus speaks on them, and he says that, he said, they didn't find him. They came to the tomb, saying that, they had also seen, a vision of angels, who said, he was alive.

[17:37] They said, angels said, he was alive. Look at the next verse. And, certain of those, who were with us, went to the tomb, and found it, just as the women have said, but, him, they did not see.

[17:49] The next verse. Then Jesus said to them, oh foolish one, slow of heart, to believe, all that the prophets, have spoken. Ought not the Messiah, Ought not the Christ, to have suffered, these things, we are talking about, and, to have entered his glory.

[18:05] They didn't know. They didn't, look at verse 32. They didn't realize that, they didn't expect it. And they said, one to another, did our heart not bear within us, while he talked with us, on the road, and while he opened the scriptures to us.

[18:17] They didn't actually, even expect that to be him. They didn't expect it. Even though, in several places in scripture, we can see that, Jesus told them, and when, he asked, who do men say I am?

[18:29] Matthew chapter 16, you remember? And, Peter said, you are the son of God. He began to tell them, I'll build my church. And then, in the verse 21, look at the verse 21, Bible says that, from that time, Jesus began to show, to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things, from the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed.

[18:48] That's not the end of the story. Look at, let's read the last statement there, and be raised, dead dead. He told them, but they didn't even believe it. That's why Peter took him on the side, and began repuging him, in verse 22.

[18:59] Peter said, stop saying this kind of things. You won't die. He only had death, but he didn't hear the resurrection. So, they actually didn't expect the resurrection. In the book of Mark chapter 8, verse 31, and Mark chapter 9, verse 31, Mark chapter 8, verse 31, he told them, and he began to teach them, that the son of man, must suffer many things, and be rejected, and be killed, and after three days, rise again.

[19:26] Look at chapter 9, verse 31. He kept saying, for he taught his disciples, and said to them, the son of man is being betrayed, into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and after he is killed, he will rise.

[19:41] It wasn't something hidden. He kept telling them. Luke chapter 9, verse 22, he kept telling them, and so, but they didn't believe it. One, he announced it to them, before he died.

[19:53] In John chapter 2, verse 19, he told them that, Jesus answered, destroy this temple, and in three days, I, I, I, will, I will raise it up.

[20:04] He told them. The disciples said all these things, but they didn't believe it. They didn't believe it. They thought, you know, you know sometimes, pastors preach, and think this is just an encouragement.

[20:15] When his prophet said, I see God, turning your captivity around. You say, amen, but you know that's not you. It's somebody else. But this is, this is just, pastor likes saying these things. Pastor likes saying. So they thought Jesus likes saying things like that.

[20:26] They didn't believe him. And so they actually, the point I'm making is, they actually did not expect him to rise. They actually did not expect. So they couldn't have imagined that to design it and fake it.

[20:40] They never expected it. So when he rose, they were actually surprised. That's why Thomas said in the book of Matthew, John chapter 20, they said, he came, you are not here. He's alive. He came here.

[20:51] Thomas said, oh, no, no, no, no. Unless I see him myself and put, now he said, let's take it further. There must be the holes of the nails. Because I saw when they nailed him. I must see the wounds of the nails and put my finger inside it to make sure it's not some fake, some, what do you call it?

[21:09] Artificial intelligence, right? No, no, virtual reality. That is not some virtual reality or some makeup. I want to put my, I think he knew people were doing movies and this to do that.

[21:23] So he said, I want to put my finger there. Thomas said, no, because they didn't expect him. So when they saw him, they were all flabbergasted. Luke chapter 24, verse 44, downwards.

[21:36] They were surprised. They saw him. And then said he unto them, these are the words which I spoke to you whilst I was, whilst I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me.

[21:52] The next verse. And he opened their eyes that they might understand it. The things were written, but they didn't even believe it. They didn't believe it. That's why in John chapter 20, what we just read, Bible says that then they understood the scriptures.

[22:07] Verse nine. Then Bible says that, but for us yet, they did not know the scriptures that he must read. They were reading it, but they didn't know it. So the point here is that his resurrection was not expected.

[22:21] And that's why when they saw it, they were so surprised because it is undeniable. It was evident that this thing is obvious. So the resurrection of Jesus is unique.

[22:32] The resurrection of Jesus is undeniable. And the third point I want to say about the resurrection of Jesus is that it's an eternal statement. That's very important. Eternal statement. You say you won't die.

[22:44] Oh, I'm just enjoying my life. Go on. One day you die anyway. All, everything you are. It's, it's not a castle. Listen, a lot of people don't want to hear that death. So that's why they don't like doing well.

[22:55] Many people don't like it because they don't expect to die. Many people die suddenly. When most people die at the time they never expected to. More people die when they didn't expect to than people who die when they were not ready.

[23:10] Many people die unprepared. Why? Because death is not something that naturally human nature expects or welcomes.

[23:22] So we never welcome. But Jesus' resurrection is an, it has eternal significance. Why? Because when you die, whether you believe it or not, you rise again.

[23:33] Or whether you believe it or not, after death, in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27, it said, it's appointed unto man. If you're a human being, there's an appointment with death. It's appointed unto man, wants to die, and after death, after death.

[23:46] Yeah, so there are all kinds of ideas like reincarnation. Please forget it. You are not coming by as a rat. You are not coming back as a rat. You are not coming back as an ant, or as a chimpanzee, or as a princess, or as a prince.

[24:01] This is the only life you have. Live it now. Live it now to the fullest. And as you are living it, expect that after this one, you are dying, and after death, there is judgment.

[24:12] What you do about the cross of Christ will determine how you are going to face the judgment. You remember yesterday? How did you get here? The thief on the cross. How did you get here?

[24:23] I don't know. But you are not supposed to. What are your credentials for being here? I don't have any credentials. Baptism, certificate, no. Church membership, no. What good works have you done?

[24:34] No, I'm a criminal. I'm a murderer. I've not done anything good. And justification, no. Do you know about sanctification? No. Do you know about redemption? No. So what brings you here? The man on the middle cross tell me I can come.

[24:48] That is why I am here. The man on the middle cross told me to come. That's why I'm here. That's why I'm here. His resurrection has eternal significance and consequence.

[25:03] The resurrection. What do you mean? So many scriptures I can't point you to. Let me start from Romans chapter 4 verse 25. Ah. Romans chapter 4 verse.

[25:14] Shall we all read here from the screen? Let's go. Why was he raised? I prefer the way the King James puts it.

[25:26] He was raised for our justification. Romans chapter 10 verse 9. Ah, you like that one. That if, who, if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that what?

[25:42] That what? That what? Did you see where salvation comes from? Do you see where salvation comes from? Not that I just believe the cross did some job. You believe it but you must believe that God, God raised Jesus from the dead.

[25:57] Hallelujah. That will determine where you spend eternity. That will determine your salvation. You heard the scripture we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 14.

[26:09] Verse 15. Verse 14. 1 Corinthians. It says that if Christ is not risen then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Listen, preaching has its power in the gospel.

[26:22] I said this some time ago. It is not our preaching that makes the gospel powerful. It is the gospel in our preaching that makes our lousy preaching powerful. It's the gospel message.

[26:35] The gospel message in our preaching. It's the gospel message in our preaching that makes the preaching powerful. It says that if Christ did not rise then our preaching is in vain and your faith is also in vain.

[26:50] It's empty. Look at the verse 17. Verse 17 continues to say if Christ be not raised your faith is vain and you are still a sinner.

[27:01] Did you see the implication of the resurrection to your eternal destiny? It says that if Christ that's why Satan doesn't like the resurrection message. he doesn't like it.

[27:13] He doesn't like it because it's directly linked to our salvation. It's directly linked to our redemption. The resurrection is what validates the work of the cross.

[27:24] The resurrection is what gives the work of the cross its importance and its meaning and its weight. The resurrection is the resurrection. So when you study the scriptures very carefully in the book of Acts practically every time they mentioned the death of Christ it was not detached from the resurrection.

[27:43] Every time they mentioned it they connected it to the resurrection. They connected it to the resurrection and I'm going to give you a few scriptures to show you how it was always connected. But the fact is that because our salvation is hinged on the resurrection and our eternal destinies which means eternal judgment is also connected to the resurrection.

[28:03] in fact this is how Paul put it on the mass hill to the Athenian philosophers. He said in Acts chapter 17 verse 30 in the times of ignorance God winked God said okay I'm not saying I'm not saying it that's alright I'm not saying it in the times of ignorance God winked at but now commands all men everywhere to repent God now doesn't suggest He commands all men somebody say all men sorry all men God commands all men where in UK only UK only in America only in Africa only in China only in the Middle East where everywhere everywhere God commands all men not only the Jews all men everywhere to repent and guess what look at the next statement verse 31 and because God has appointed a day on which

[29:10] He would judge the world in righteousness how is He going to do it by the man that Jesus whom He has ordained He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead so He raised Him from the dead to tell you there's a day of judgment coming and I'm going to judge you the resurrection of Jesus Christ has eternal significance and then the fourth point the resurrection I mentioned it earlier on but I jumped ahead of myself the fourth point is the resurrection of Jesus Christ is tied to the crucifixion the meaning of the crucifixion is actualized in the resurrection so in the book of Acts chapter 2 verse 23 it says that you guys killed Him it says that Him being delivered by the determined purpose and the foreknowledge of God you you guys you have taken you have taken Him by lawless hands have crucified and put to death every time they mention

[30:17] Jesus died they didn't leave it there look at the next verse but whom God raised did you see that whom they always linked the resurrection to the death every time they mention crucifixion they make sure that the resurrection followed the resurrection was the key focus of their teaching and their preaching in Acts chapter 3 verse 15 in Acts chapter 4 verse 10 in Acts chapter 5 verse 30 in Acts chapter 10 verse 40 verse 41 in Acts chapter 13 verse 30 in Acts chapter 13 verse 32 verse 33 verse 34 in Acts chapter 13 verse 37 in Acts I like chapter 17 in Acts chapter 17 we just read it verse 30 and verse 31 and I love Acts chapter 26 verse 8 Acts chapter 26 I think we should read that one in Acts chapter 26 verse 8 it says that why should it be shall we all read it let's go that God

[31:18] God raises what God raises what because they are disputing about one dead man named Jesus who Paul claims to be one dead man named Jesus who Paul claims to be alive Agrippa said that's what they are disputing and I don't see their point if he's dead you believe he's dead then leave it and if he's saying he's alive why are you killing him he says that but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died whom Paul affirmed let's go to the way he said but had certain questions against him of their own superstitions and of one Jesus who was dead whom Paul affirmed to be alive I think NIV one of the verses says Paul claimed yes

[32:18] NIV says that who Paul claimed was alive why should he bring dispute you said he's dead and now he said no he's alive because you want to kill him it doesn't make sense it doesn't make sense why do you want to kill him that's how much Satan couldn't stand the message about the resurrection of Jesus Christ the resurrection of Jesus Christ the resurrection of Jesus Christ in 1st Thessalonians chapter 1 verse 10 it talks about the resurrection of Jesus Christ because of that he said and we await for his son from heaven who he raised from the dead you see the connection God raised him from the dead even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come he delivers us in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 14 it connects the same thing it says that for if we believe that Jesus died somebody's not preaching with me let's go even so

[33:21] God will bring him with those who sleep in Jesus only those who sleep in Jesus if you don't die in Jesus you are in deep trouble man you are in a serious trouble a problem you got problem on your hands and definitely you are about to die anyway maybe not now maybe next hundred years within the next hundred years some people when I look at you I can tell in the next 80 years in 80 years time you'll be gone yes in 80 years time some of you you will live very long many people here many people listening to me you are not dying now you don't even believe you think I'm just encouraging you I am prophesying you will not die you will not die now but you will live to fulfill the works of the Lord in the name of Jesus hallelujah so we see how the death of Jesus is connected to the resurrection look at 1st Corinthians chapter 15 1st Corinthians chapter 15

[34:26] I like pastor this text I just don't know they just arrest my heart it does something to me that whether God 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verse 3 it says that for I deliver to you first of all that which I also received I didn't make it up pastor don't make it up just deliver what you have received from the word deliver deliver what you I deliver to you first of all that which I also received you remember in 2nd Timothy chapter 2 from verse 1 therefore be strong in the Lord and the verse 2 says the things the things which you have heard from me amongst many witnesses commit these to faithful men they have to be faithful not to mix it not to dilute it not to try and spray perfume on it that people don't like that no leave it the way it is leave the gospel message the way it is leave the gospel message we preach Christ we preach Christ he said back to the text

[35:30] I deliver to you what first of all I also received what did I receive that Christ died for our sins let me jump down for this one why did he die why did he die not for his sins if he had sins he wouldn't have been able to resurrect because in Acts chapter 2 he said for you will not suffer your holy one so if he didn't have holiness he would have seen corruption the reason why nobody is able to die and come back by himself is because we human beings have sin he's the only human being who lived and was sinless so he could lay down his life and just pick it up again he said you will not suffer your holy one to see corruption a lot of corruption in people's lives is as a result of sin sin can corrupt your family life sin can corrupt your health sin can corrupt your ministry man of

[36:36] God pastor sin can corrupt your ministry sin can corrupt your business sin can corrupt your industry sin can corrupt your aspirations sin can corrupt your vision sin can corrupt your dreams sin can corrupt your family life your marriage your career your education whatever you are doing in life if you don't want satan to have free market without tariff he just gets in without tariff he has free the market is free for satan to just come in if you don't want satan to come in then keep sin out because the bait of death is sin the sting of death first corinthians chapter 15 we heard it earlier on from verse 56 the sting of death is sin if you won't want your ministry to die it's not how much you are represented online that is not what shows how well your ministry will do followers don't determine quality of ministry he said that sin is the sting so without sin death cannot come in the sting of death is many divorces are because of sin so he said oh grave where is your sting now the point I'm making here is that all of us are sinned and foolish so if I attempt to die for you the problem will be I have to die for myself first then when

[38:15] I finish because a criminal cannot bail out another criminal so the thief on the cross in Luke chapter 24 verse 39 it said that if you are the Christ save yourself first because that's where it starts save yourself and then save us also and so you can't save others if you yourself are not saved because of sin Romans says that for all have sinned and have fallen Romans 3 23 have fallen short of the glory of God now the point is that there is a direct correlation between his death and his resurrection so he says that Christ died 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verse 3 I deliver to you first of all what I have received that Christ died for our sins not his sins I want to move away from there but the thing is gripping me just for someone to know that his death was intentional he planned that I'm going to die he came to die for us in Galatians chapter 1 verse 4 he gave himself for us he actually gave himself for us he said the good shepherd would lay down his life

[39:34] John chapter 10 verse 11 the good shepherd would lay down his life for the sheep so Jesus voluntarily intentionally purposefully died for us not for him so he says that I deliver to you what I have received that Christ died for our sins and he did it based on what scripture has said and said that was not the end of the story the next verse verse 4 and this is that he said and that he was buried that's not the end of the story and that he rose again the third day according to the scripture according to the scriptures he rose again say he rose so you see in scripture that there is a direct correlation or link between the death and the resurrection you can't talk about the death and ignore the resurrection and you can't talk about when you talk about resurrection it means that there has been death that is why they preach resurrection in Acts chapter 1 verse 22 when they were finding a replacement for Judas they said look out amongst you who somebody who has been with us verse 22 from the beginning beginning from the baptism of John to the day that

[40:50] Jesus was taken up from us one of these must become a witness with us of what of his because that is what we go to witness we are a statement of the resurrection of Christ and as they see us testifying of his resurrection implicitly means that he died so now does that make sense when other religions say that they also have Jesus in their books but their Jesus didn't die because they cannot produce the resurrection the fact that he resurrected let me just say this before I move on quickly and run off two facts let's look at Acts chapter 10 verse 40 because both of the points I want to make are there Acts chapter 10 verse 40 it says that God raised him up on the third day and showed him who raised him but look at the next verse not to all the people but to the witnesses who have chosen before God even as who ate and drank with him after he after he it could have sounded after he was raised but I said after he arose it signifies that he himself rose he rose so in a lot of scriptures you can see that the

[42:14] Bible says that Jesus Christ was raised by the father he was raised from the dead Romans chapter 8 verse 11 he said he who raised Christ from the dead so you can tell a lot of places in scripture it is clear that he was raised he was raised but you see again that he himself rose so in Acts chapter 40 verse 41 he rose in Luke chapter 24 verse 7 look at Luke 24 verse 7 saying the son of man must be delivered unto the hands of sinful men and be crucified on the third day he will rise the third day he rise again 1st Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 14 I quoted it earlier on look at the text again it speaks about how for if we believe that Jesus died and rose but a lot of other places he was raised so was he raised or he rose was Jesus raised or he rose did he come back by himself or God worked

[43:14] Acts chapter 2 verse 24 it says whom God raised so you see clearly that there was an act of God involved now when he died as a human being when it comes to his humanity he was raised because when a human being dies he can't come back by himself and so God had to raise him but when it comes to his deity he lay down and he rose oh my goodness so that statement one is pointing to his full humanity the other one was pointing to his deity because you cannot kill God and keep him there so him as God even though he died in the flesh he rose up again as God so he's pointing that Jesus is God the resurrection is a statement that Jesus is God they killed him because they said he said he's the son of God God said me I will raise him and he will rise up to prove to you that he is right and you're wrong you're wrong you're wrong you're wrong the judge says he's not

[44:14] God he is God the resurrection is there to prove it the resurrection is there to now just bring me to the end of the point I'm trying to make so we have seen how the resurrection the significance or the importance of the resurrection that is all aspects of the resurrection the fact that the resurrection is unique the resurrection is undeniable the resurrection is an eternal statement the resurrection is directly linked to his death it's tied to his death now we have seen that he was raised and he rose now the last point based on the scripture I read from John chapter 2 from verse 19 20 21 22 and 23 but from 18 particularly the Jews came to him and they said this is what my opening comments if you remember they said the Jews answered and said to him what sign do you show us since you do these things you say you are God you say you are a Messiah you have power you are about to start Christianity you are about to build a church alright alright no problem what sign do you give us the only religious leader who said kill me you want to know if I am authentic alright kill me can you imagine can you imagine he had the unmitigated he didn't say

[45:35] I will kill myself he said you kill me and make sure I am dead so the Bible says that through lawless hands they crucified he said you kill me in Acts chapter 2 verse 36 verse 36 he says therefore let all the house of Israel know assured that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified you know it it's not a strange fact everybody knew he died he died and they buried him in the tomb and they sealed the tomb and why are you guarding the tomb who is coming out you didn't think about it why are you guarding the tomb who is coming out dead people don't move why are you so afraid Satan what are you afraid of Satan so so he said what sign do you show us since you do these things he said look at the next verse he says that he says destroy this temple and in three days

[46:39] I I you see that he said me me me myself I will raise it up and now he has said a very interesting point because when he mentioned temple their minds went on the solomonic temple the physical edifice but we all saw in Acts chapter 17 verse 24 and in Acts chapter 7 verse 48 that the most high God does not dwell in this temple over there he can't dwell God doesn't live there but because he wanted a means to communicate with you people he made you do a replica that's why he gave them instructions and dimensions of how to build this thing to create an atmosphere to accommodate or to attract a certain heavenly dimension but God does not live there and so when we talk about the real temple I've taught you this over and over and over when you talk about the real temple God was looking for it is not what Solomon built I'm taking you somewhere it's not what Solomon built so Jesus said they asked him what sign do you give us to show us why you do these things what sign do you give us to show us why you do these things what sign he said he said destroy this temple and in three days and then they said that is madness then the

[48:06] Jews said to him it's taking 46 years to build this temple and will you you you alone raise it up in three days really that's an architectural impossibility it couldn't happen so why was he talking like that he wasn't talking about a physical temple look at the next verse but he he was speaking about his body Jesus knew his body was a temple his body was a temple and he was talking about that body he says that and the word John 1 14 and the word became flesh and tabernacle that tabernacle is it became a temple so when you when you went to Jesus you have gone to the temple of God that's why he went into the temple after he did his first miracle in John chapter 2 the next thing is he went to the temple and the physical temple and sanitize it because that temple was a reflection of what he is he said destroy this temple and in three days

[49:16] I will raise it again he said he said he misinterpreted what he was saying they didn't get it even though in one sense they would think that but he said it he said but that's not what he meant he said destroy the temple and in three days I will raise it again he spoke about his body look at the next verse therefore when he had risen from the dead his disciples remembered that he said he had said this to them and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken now this way I'm ending when Jesus was crucified and he hung on the cross he said seven things one of them is father forgive them the other one you'll be with me in paradise the other one is I taste the other one is it is finished that the last time the other one is father into your hands

[50:19] I commit my spirit and then he gave up the ghost but he just said it is finished it is finished that the last time John chapter 19 verse 30 31 Jesus said that the last time that's the Greek it is finished he said it is finished and bowing he said that's the last thing he said it is finished I finished paying in full and Bible in Isaiah Isaiah said Isaiah said God saw the travail of Isaiah 53 verse 11 and 12 he saw the travail of his soul and God said for the first time in history my anger I have been propitiated I have been appeased I have been appeased I have been placated Bible said God saw the travail of his soul and he said the blast of bulls and goats could didn't satisfy God because it was so great and when Jesus died as the lamb of

[51:20] God who takes away the sin of the world he died as the lamb without spot and blemish he died as the lamb who was shed to redeem us from our tradition 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 18 and 19 he was the lamb who was slain from the foundation of the earth as he died God looked at him and God said it's now done I'm satisfied do you know what do you know what happened as he died in according to Matthew chapter 27 from verse 51 there was a curtain in the temple the physical temple which was housing the presence of God for them behold the veil in the temple now let me tell you the veil was to prevent the inner court separate the inner court from the outer court and no one was permitted to go there because that's God's chamber on earth so to speak as it were God's chamber on earth was behind the veil so in Hebrews it says that our foreigner has gone beyond within the veil for us Hebrews chapter 6 verse 20 or so he has gone within the veil because only high priest can go there once a year you can't go be so what was the purpose of the veil to separate

[52:30] God's presence from the masses from people because people couldn't go there again and that it was the presence that made the temple the temple so as it were like you know a genie in a bottle was closed God was captured behind the veil as it were his symbolic presence for his people was behind the veil until Jesus said it is finished until God was satisfied and then suddenly the veil was low listen that curtain that veil was very high human being you can't just climb easy you need a lot but Bible says it's by itself the veil of the temple was torn in two from top not from bottom but from top somebody held it up there and ripped it and he said it is finished it is finished it is finished it is finished now listen to this it's finished wow what is finished no God is out of this place that couldn't house him he's out so Jesus Christ when they destroyed his temple in three days he raised the temple that will house

[53:34] God so from that time forward if you want to meet God you have to meet him in Christ the resurrection meant the resurrection means if you want to meet God if you want to have access to God you have to come into this living temple called Jesus without Jesus you can't get to God the resurrection that is the major statement of the resurrection now a new temple has been raised he said destroy it and I'll raise another temple I'll raise it up again I'm raising the temple up again now if you want to meet God God has left the other one he has left it that was the end of all the rituals in Judaism that was the end of the Sabbath day that was the end of all the laws the ceremonial laws and the ritual laws that was the end now everything is in Christ Christ is our sacrifice

[54:35] Christ is the blood of Jesus is the blood that gives us access to God Christ Bible says that he is our priest our priest we have a priest who doesn't minister in things on earth by ministers in the heavenly things he's a heavenly minister for us if you want to meet God you better come into the living temple which is Christ why because now he has raised the temple after the resurrection after his crucifixion he resurrected to raise a new temple that is the implication of the resurrection and the church can never stop preaching the resurrection when we stop preaching that we have put an end to our relevance we can't stop preaching a resurrection and that means that the cross is inextricably linked to the resurrection we preach the cross that ends in the resurrection that is what makes the church the church that's what makes us different from any religion because our master our lord he said kill me you want me to know that I'm the genuine religion I'm the true man

[55:36] I'm the only one qualified to start the godly religion he said kill me and in three days I'll come back and start the! somebody shout something he said kill this body and I will raise it was he raised or did he rise was he raised or did he rise he was raised and he rose to start to build the temple to be the temple to be the temple in Jesus name amen thank you for listening to this message by David Entry we pray you have been revived towards God you can connect with David Entry on all relevant social media platforms including Instagram and LinkedIn you can also hear more messages from David Entry on all relevant streaming platforms and the

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